JILL TRIED TO TELL HERSELF that Ben had gone charging off on anotherScent and simply had forgotten (or had not taken time) to let her know. Butshe did not believe it. Ben, incredibly busy as he was, owed much of hissuccess, both professional and social, to meticulous1 attention to humandetails. He remembered birthdays and would rather have weiched on a pokerdebt than have forgotten to write a bread-and-butter note. No matter wherehe had gone, nor how urgent the errand, he could have-and would have!-atleast taken two minutes while in the air to record a reassuring2 message toher at her home or at the Center. It was an unvarying characteristic of Ben,she reminded herself, the thing that made him a lovable beast in spite of hismany faults.
He must have left word for her! She called his office again at her lunch breakand spoke3 with Ben’s researcher and office chief, Osbert Kilgallen. Heassured her solemnly that Ben had left no message for her, nor had anycome in since she had called earlier.
She could see past his head in the screen that there were other people in theoffice; she decided5 it was a poor time to mention the Man from Mars. .Did hesay where he was going? Or when he would be back?“.No. But that is not unusual. We always have a few spare columns on thehook to fill in when one of these things comes up.“.Well ... where did he call you from? Or am I being too snoopy?“.Not at all, Miss floardman. He did not call; it was a statprint message, filedfrom Paoli Flat in Philadelphia as I recall.“Jill had to be satisfied with that. She lunched in the nurses’ dining room andtried to interest herself in food. It wasn’t, she told herself, as if anything werereally wrong . . . or as if she were in love with the lunk or anything silly likethat.
.Hey! Boardman! Snap out of the fog-I asked you a question.“Jill looked up to find Molly Wheelwright, the wing’s dietician, looking at her.
.Sorry. I was thinking about something else.“.I said, .Since when does your floor put charity patients in luxury suites6?’
.Isn’t K-12 on your floor? Or have they moved you?“.K-12? Certainly. But that’s not a charity case; it’s a rich old woman, wealthythat she can pay to have a doctor watch every breath she draws.“.Humph! If she’s wealthy, she must have come into money awfully8 suddenly.
She’s been in the N.P. ward10 of the geriatrics sanctuary11 for the pastseventeen months.“.Must be some mistake.“.Not mine-I don’t let mistakes happen in my diet kitchen. That tray is a trickyone and I check it myself-fat-free diet (she’s had her gall4 bladder out) and along list of sensitivities, plus concealed13 medication. Believe me, dear, a dietorder can be as individual as a fingerprint14.“ Miss Wheelwright stood up.
.Gotta run, chicks. I wish they would let me run this kitchen for a while.
Hogwallow Cafeteria!“.What was Molly sounding off about?“ one of the nurses asked.
.Nothing. She’s just mixed up.“ But Jill continued to think about it. It occurredto her that she might locate the Man from Mars by making inquiries15 aroundthe diet kitchens. She put the idea out of her mind; it would take a full day tovisit all the diet kitchens in the acres of ground covered by the sprawlingbuildings. Bethesda Center had been founded as a naval16 hospital back in thedays when wars were fought on oceans; it had been enormous even then. Ithad been transferred later to Health, Education, & Welfare and hadexpanded; now it belonged to the Federation17 and was still larger, a small city.
But there was something odd about Mrs. Bankerson’s case. The hospitalaccepted all classes of patients, private, charity, and government; the floorJill was working on usually had only government patients and its luxury suiteswere occupied by Federation Senators or other official guests able tocommand flossy service. It was unusual for a paying private patient to have asuite on her floor, or to be on her floor in any status.
Of course Mrs. Bankerson could be overflow18, if the part of the Center open tothe fee-paying public had no such suite7 available. Yes, probably that was it.
She was too rushed for a while after lunch to think about it, being busy withincoming patients. Shortly a situation came up in which she needed apowered bed. The routine action would be to phone for one to be sent up-butthe storage room was in the basement a quarter of a mile away and Jillwanted the bed at once. She recalled that she had seen the powered bedwhich was normally in the bedroom of suite K-l2 parked in the sitting room ofthat suite; she remembered telling one of those marine19 guards not to sit on it.
Apparently it had Simply been shoved in there to get it out of the way whenthe flotation bed had been installed for Smith.
Possibly it was still sitting there, gathering20 dust and still charged out to thefloor. Powered beds were always in short supply and cost six times as muchas an ordinary bed. While, strictly21 speaking, it was the wing superintendent22’sworry, Jill saw no reason to let overhead charges for her floor run upunnecessarily-and besides, if it was still there, she could get it at once. Shedecided to find out.
The sitting room door was still locked. She was startled to find that her passkey would not open it. Making a mental note to tell maintenance to repair thelock, she went on down the corridor to the watch room of the suite, intendingto find out about the bed from the doctor watching over Mrs. Bankerson.
The physician on watch was the same one she had met before, Dr. Brush.
He was not an intern23, nor a resident, but had been brought in for this patient,Jill had learned from him, by Dr. Garner24. Brush looked up as she put herhead in. .Miss Boardman! Just the person I want to see!“.Why didn’t you ring? How’s your patient?“.She’s all right,“ he answered, glancing up at the Peeping Tom, .But Idefinitely am not.“.Trouble?“.Some trouble. About five minutes’ worth. And my relief is not in the building.
Nurse, could you spare me about that many minutes of your valuable time?
And then keep your mouth shut afterwards?“.I suppose so. I told my assistant floor supervisor25 I would be away for a fewminutes. Let me use your phone and I’ll tell her where to find me.“.No!“ he said urgently. .Just lock that door after I leave and don’t let anybodyin until you hear me rap .Shave and a Haircut’ on it, that’s a good girl.“.All right, sir,“ Jill said dubiously26. .Am I to do anything for your patient?“.No, no, just sit there at the desk and watch her in the screen. You won’thave to do anything. Don’t disturb her.“.Well, if anything does happen, where will you be? In the doctors’ lounge?“.I’m not going that far-just to the men’s washroom down the corridor. Nowshut up, please, and let me go-this is urgent.“He left and Jill obeyed his order to lock the door after him. Then she lookedat the patient through the viewer and ran her eye over the dials. The elderlywoman was again asleep and the displays showed her pulse strong and herbreathing even and normal; Jill wondered why Dr. Garner considered a.death watch“ necessary?
Then she remembered why she had come in there in the first place anddecided that she might as well find out if the bed was in the far room withoutbothering Dr. Brush about it. While it was not quite according to Dr. Brush’sinstructions, she would not be disturbing his patient-certainly she knew howto walk through a room without waking a sleeping patient!-and she haddecided years ago that what doctors did not know rarely hurt them. Sheopened the door quietly and went in.
A quick glance assured her that Mrs. Bankerson was in the typical sleep ofthe senile. Walking noiselessly she went past her to the door to the sittingroom. It was locked but her pass key let her in.
She was pleased to see that the powered bed was there. Then she saw thatthe room was occupied-sitting in an arm chair with a picture book in his lapwas the Man from Mars.
Smith looked up and gave her the beaming smile of a delighted baby.
Jill felt dizzy, as if she had been jerked out of sleep. Jumbled29 ideas racedthrough her mind. Valentine Smith here? But he couldn’t be; he had beentransferred somewhere else; the log showed it. But he was here.
Then all the ugly implications and possibilities seemed to line themselves up .
- - the fake .Man from Mars“ on stereo ... the old woman out there, ready todie, but in the meantime covering the fact that there was another patient inhere . . . the door that would not open to her pass-key-and, lastly, a horridvision of the .meat wagon“ wheeling out of here some night, with a sheetconcealing the fact that it carried not one cadaver30, but two.
When this last nightmare rushed through her mind, it carried in its train a coldwind of fear, the realization31 that she herself was in peril32 through havingstumbled Onto this top-secret fact.
Smith got clumsily up from his chair, held out both hands while still smilingand said, .Water brother!“.Hello. Uh ... how are you?“.I am well. I am happy.“ He added something in a strange, choking speech,then corrected himself and said carefully, .You are here, my brother. Youwere away. Now you are here. I drink deep of you.“Jill felt herself helplessly split between two emotions, one that crushed andmelted her heart-and an icy fear of being caught here. Smith did not seem tonotice. Instead he said, .See? I walk! I grow strong.“ He demonstrated bytaking a few steps back and forth33, then stopped, triumphant34, breathless, andsmiling in front of her.
She forced herself to smile. .We are making progress, aren’t we? You keepgrowing stronger, that’s the spirit! But I must go now-I just stopped in to sayhello.“His expression changed instantly to distress35. .Do not go!“.Oh, but I must!“He continued to look woebegone, then added with tragic36 certainty, .I havehurted you. I did not know.“.Hurt me? Oh, no, not at all! But I must go-and quickly!“His face was without expression. He stated rather than asked, .Take mewith you, my brother.“.What? Oh, I can’t. And I must go, at once. Look, don’t tell anyone that I wasin here, please!“.Not tell that my water brother was here?“.Yes. Don’t tell anyone. Uh, I’ll try to come back, I really will. You be a goodboy and wait and don’t tell anyone.“Smith digested this, looked serene37. .I will wait. I will not tell.“.Good!“ Jill wondered how the devil she possibly could get back in to seehim-she certainly couldn’t depend on Dr. Brush having another convenientcase of trots38. She realized now that the .broken“ lock had not been brokenand her eye swept around to the corridor door-and she saw why she had notbeen able to get in. A hand bolt had been screwed to the surface of the door,making a pass key useless. As was always the case with hospitals, bathroomdoors and other doors that could be bolted were so arranged as to open alsoby pass key, so that patients irresponsible or unruly could not lockthemselves away from the nurses. But here the locked door kept Smith in,and the addition of a simple hand bolt of the sort not permitted in hospitalsserved to keep out even those with pass keys.
Jill walked over and opened the bolt. .You wait. I’ll come back.“.I shall waiting.“When she got back to the watch room she heard already knocking the Tock!
Tocki Ti-toe/c tocki - . . Tock, tock! signal that Brush had said he would use;she hurried to let him in.
He burst in, saying savagely39, .Where the hell were you, nurse? I knockedthree times.“ He glanced suspiciously at the inner door.
.I saw your patient turn over in her sleep,“ she lied quickly. .I was inarranging her collar pillow.“.Damn it, I told you simply to sit at my desk!“Jill knew suddenly that the man was even more frightened than she was-andwith more reason. She counter-attacked. .Doctor, I did you a favor,“ she saidcoldly. .Your patient is not properly the responsibility of the floor supervisor inthe first place. But since you entrusted40 her to me, I had to do what seemednecessary in your absence. Since you have questioned what I have done,let’s get the wing superintendent and settle the matter.“.Huh? No, no-forget it.“.No, sir. I don’t like to have my professional actions questioned withoutcause. As you know very well, a patient that old can smother41 in a water bed; Idid what was necessary. Some nurses will take any blame from a doctor, butI am not one of them. So let’s call the superintendent.“.What? Look, Miss Boardman, I’m sorry I said anything. I was upset and Ipopped off without thinking. I apologize.“.Very well, Doctor,“ Jill answered stiffly. .Is there anything more I can do foryou?“.Uh? No, thank you. Thanks for standing42 by for me. Just ... well, be sure notto mention it, will you?“.I won’t mention it.“ You can bet your sweet life I won’t mention it, Jill addedsilently. But what do I do now? Oh, I wish Ben were in town! She got back toher duty desk, nodded to her assistant, and pretended to look over somepapers. Finally she remembered to phone for the powered bed she had beenafter in the first place. Then she sent her assistant to look at the patient whoneeded the bed (now temporarily resting in the ordinary type) and tried tothink.
Where was Ben? If he were only in touch, she would take ten minutes relief,call him, and shift the worry onto his broad shoulders. But Ben, damn him,was oft’ skyoodling somewhere and letting her carry the ball.
Or was he? A fretful suspicion that had been burrowing43 around in hersubconscious all day finally surfaced and looked her in the eye, and this timeshe returned the stare: Ben Caxton would not have left town without lettingher know the outcome of his attempt to see the Man from Mars. As a fellowconspirator it was her right to receive a report and Ben always played fair . . .
always.
She could hear sounding in her head something he had said on the ride backfrom Hagerstown: .-if anything goes wrong, you are my ace28 in the hole . . .
honey. ~f you don’t hear from me, you are on your own,“She had not thought seriously about it at the time, as she had not reallybelieved that anything could happen to Ben. Now she thought about it for along time, while trying to continue her duties. There comes a time in the life ofevery human when he or she must decide to risk .his life, his fortune, and hissacred honor“ on an outcome dubious27. Those who fail the challenge aremerely overgrown children, can never be anything else. Jill Boardmanencountered her personal challenge-and accepted it-at 3:47 that afternoonwhile convincing a ward visitor that he simply could not bring a dog onto thefloor even though he had managed to slip it past the receptionist and even ifthe sight of this dog was just what the patient needed.
The Man from Mars sat down again when Jill left. He did not pick up thepicture book they had given him but simply waited in a fashion which may bedescribed as .patient“ only because human language does not embraceMartian emotions nor attitudes. He merely held still with quiet happinessbecause his brother had said that he would return. He was prepared to wait,without doing anything, without moving, for several years if necessary.
He had no clear idea how long it had been since he had first shared waterwith this brother; not only was this place curiously44 distorted in time andshape, with sequences of sights and sounds and experiences new to himand not yet grokked, but also the culture of his nest took a different grasp oftime from that which is human. The difference lay not in their much longerlifetimes as counted in Earth years, but in a basically different attitude. Thesentence, .It is later than you think,“ could not have been expressed inMartian-nor could .Haste makes waste,“ though for a different reason: thefirst notion was inconceivable while the latter was an unexpressed Martianbasic, as unnecessary as telling a fish to bathe. But the quotation45, .As it wasin the Beginning, is now and ever shall be,“ was so Martian in mood that itcould be translated more easily than .two plus two makes four“-which wasnot a truism on Mars.
Smith waited.
Brush came in and looked at him; Smith did not move and Brush wentaway.
When Smith heard a key in the Outer door, he recalled that this sound hadbeen one that he had heard somewhat before the last visit of his waterbrother, so he shifted his metabolism46 in preparation, in case the sequenceoccurred again. He was astonished when the door opened and Jill slipped in,as he had not been aware that the outer door was a door. But he grokked itat once and gave himself over to the joyful47 fullness which comes only in thepresence of one’s own nestlings, one’s chosen water brothers, and (undercertain circumstances) in the presence of the Old Ones.
His joy was somewhat sullied by immediate48 awareness49 that his brother didnot fully9 share it . . - in truth, he seemed more distressed50 than was possiblesave in one about to discorporate because of some shameful52 lack or failure.
But Smith had already learned that these creatures, so much like himself insome ways, could endure emotions dreadful to contemplate53 and still not die.
His Brother Mahmoud underwent a spiritual agony five times daily and notonly did not die but had urged the agony on him as a needful thing. HisBrother Captain van Tromp suffered terrifying spasms54 unpredictably, any oneof which should have, by Smith’s standards, produced immediatediscorporation to end the conflict-yet that brother was still corporate51 so far ashe knew.
So he ignored Jill’s agitation55.
Jill handed him a bundle. .Here, put these on. Hurry!“Smith accepted the bundle and stood waiting. Jill looked at him and said,.Oh, dear! All right, get your clothes off. I’ll help you.“She was forced to do more than help; she had to undress and dress him. Hehad been wearing a hospital gown, a bathrobe, and slippers56, not because hewanted them but because he had been told to wear them. He could handlethem himself by now, but not fast enough to Suit Jill; she skinned him quickly.
She being a nurse and he never having heard of the modesty57 taboo-norwould he have grasped an explanation-they were not slowed up byirrelevancies; the difficulties were purely58 mechanical. He was delighted andsurprised by the long false skins Jill drew over his legs, but she gave him notime to cherish them, but taped the women’s stockings to his thighs59 in lieu ofa garter belt. The nurse’s uniform she dressed him in was not her own, butone that she had borrowed from a larger woman on the excuse that a cousinof hers needed one for a masquerade party. Jill hooked a nurse’s capearound his neck and reflected that its all-enclosing straight drape coveredmost of the primary and secondary sex characteristics-at least she hopedthat it would. The shoes were more difficult, as they did not fit well and Smithstill found standing and walking in this gravity field an effort even barefooted.
But at last she got him covered and pinned a nurse’s cap on his head. .Yourhair isn’t very long,“ she said anxiously, .but it is practically as long as a lot ofthe girls wear it and it will have to do.“ Smith did not answer as he had notunderstood much of the remark. He tried to think his hair longer but realizedthat it would take time.
.Now,“ said Jill. .Listen carefully. No matter what happens, don’t say a word.
I’ll do all the talking. Do you understand me?“.Don’t talk. I will not talk.“.Just come with me-I’ll hold your hand. And don’t say a word. But if you knowany prayers, pray!“.Pray?“.Never mind. You just come along and don’t talk.“ She opened the quickglance outside, then took his hand and led him out into the corridor.
No one seemed especially interested. Smith found the many strangeconfigurations upsetting in the extreme; he was assaulted by images hecould not bring into focus. He stumbled blindly along beside Jill, with his eyesand senses almost disconnected to protect himself against chaos61.
She led him to the end of the corridor and stepped on a slide-away leadingcrosswise. He almost fell down and would have done so if Jill had not caughthim. A chambermaid looked curiously at them and Jill cursed under herbreath-then was very careful in helping62 him off. They took an elevator to theroof, Jill being quite sure that she could never pilot him up a bounce tube.
On the roof they encountered a major crisis, though Smith was not aware ofit. He was undergoing the keen delight of seeing sky; he had not seen skysince the sky of Mars. This sky was bright and colorful and joyful -it being atypical overcast63 Washington grey day. In the meantime Jill was lookingaround helplessly for a taxi. The roof was almost deserted64, something shehad counted on, since most of the nurses who came off duty when she didwere already headed home fifteen minutes ago and the afternoon visitorswere gone. But the taxis were, of course, gone too. She did not dare risk anair bus, even though one which went her way would be along in a fewminutes.
She was about to call a taxi when one headed in for a landing. She called tothe roof attendant. .Jack65! Is that cab taken? I need one.“.It’s probably the one I called for Dr. Phipps.“.Oh, dear! Jack, see how quick you can get me another one, will you? This ismy cousin Madge-she works over in South Wing-and she has a terriblelaryngitis and I want to get her out of this wind.“The attendant looked dubiously toward the phone in his booth and scratchedhis head. .Well ... seeing it’s you, Miss Boardman, I’ll let you take this oneand call another one for Dr. Phipps. How’s that?“.Oh, Jack, you’re a lamb! No, Madge, don’t try to talk; I’ll thank him. Her voiceis gone completely; I’m going to take her home and bake it out with hot rum.“.That ought to do it. Old-fashioned remedies are always best, my motherused to say.“ He reached into the cab and punched the combination for Jill’shome from memory, then helped them in. Jill managed to get in the way andthereby cover up Smith’s unfamiliarity66 with this common ceremonial. .Thanks,Jack. Thanks loads.“The cab took off and Jill took her first deep breath. .You can talk.What should I say?“.Huh? Nothing. Anything. Whatever you like.“Smith thought this over. The scope of the invitation obviously called for aworthy answer, suitable to brothers. He thought of several, discarded thembecause he did not know how to translate them, then settled on one which hethought he could translate fairly well but which nevertheless conveyed evenin this strange, flat speech some of the warm growing-closer brothers shouldenjoy. .Let our eggs share the same nest.“Jill looked startled. .Huh? What did you say?“Smith felt distressed at the failure to respond in kind and interpreted it asfailure on his own part. He realized miserably67 that, time after time, he hadmanaged to bring agitation to these other creatures when his purpose hadbeen to create oneness. He tried again, rearranging his sparse68 vocabulary toenfold the thought somewhat differently. .My nest is yours and your nest ismine.“This time Jill managed to smile. .Why, how sweet! My dear, I am not surethat I understand you, but if I do, that is the nicest offer I have had in a longtime.“ She added, .But right now we are up to our ears in trouble- so let’s waita while, shall we?“Smith had understood Jill hardly more than Jill had understood him, but hecaught his water brother’s pleased mood and understood the suggestion towait. Waiting was something he did without effort, so he sat back, satisfiedthat all was well between himself and his brother, and enjoyed the scenery. Itwas the first time he had seen this place from the air and on every side therewas a richness of new things to try to grok. It occurred to him that theapportation used at home did not permit this delightful69 viewing of what laybetween. This thought almost led him to a comparison of Martian and humanmethods not favorable to the Old Ones, but his mind automatically shiedaway from heresy70.
Jill kept quiet, too, and tried to get her thoughts straight. Suddenly sherealized that the cab was heading down the final traffic leg toward theapartment house where she lived-and she realized just as quickly that homewas the last place for her to go, it being the first place they would look oncethey figured out how Smith had escaped and who had helped him. She didnot kid herself that she had covered her tracks. While she knew nothing ofpolice methods, she supposed that she must have left fingerprints71 in Smith’sroom, not to mention the people who had seen them walk out. It was evenpossible (so she had heard) for a technician to read the tape in this cab’spilot and tell exactly what trips it had made that day and where and when.
She reached forward, slapped the order keys, and cleared the instruction togo to her apartment house. She did not know whether that would wipe thetape or not-but she was not going to head for a place where the police mightalready be waiting.
The cab checked its forward motion, rose out of the traffic lane and hovered72.
Where could she go? Where in all this swarming73 city could she hide a grownman who was half idiot and could not even dress himself?-a man who wasthe most sought-after person on the globe? Oh, if Ben were only here! Ben - -- where are you?
She reached forward again, picked up the phone and rather hopelesslypunched Ben’s number, expecting to hear the detached voice of anautomation inviting74 her to record a message. Her spirits jumped when aman’s voice answered . - . then slumped75 again when she realized that it wasnot Ben but his majordomo, Osbert Kilgallen. .Oh. Sorry, Mr. Kilgallen. This isJill Boardman. I thought I had called Mr. Caxton’s home.“.You did. But I always have his home calls relayed to the office when he isaway more than twenty-four hours.“.Then he is still away?“.I’m afraid so. Is there anything I can do for you?“.Uh, no. Look, Mr. Kilgallen, isn’t it strange that Ben should just drop out ofsight? Aren’t you worried about him?“.Eh? Why should I be? His message said that he did not know how long hewould be away.“.Isn’t that rather odd in itself?“.Not in Mr. Caxton’s work, Miss Boardman.“.Well ... I think there is something very odd about his being away this time! Ithink you ought to report it. You ought to spread it over every news service inthe country-in the world!“Even though the cab’s phone had no vision circuit Jill felt Osbert Kilgallendraw himself up. .I’m afraid, Miss Boardman, that I will have to interpret myemployer’s instructions myself. Uh - - . if you don’t mind my saying so, thereis always some . . .good friend’ phoning Mr. Caxton frantically76 every time heleaves town.“Some babe trying to get a hammer lock on him, Jill interpreted angrily-andthis Osbert character thinks I’m the current one. It put out of her mind thehalf-formed thought of asking Kilgallen for help; she switched off as quicklyas possible.
But where could she go? The obvious solution popped into her mind. If Benwas missing-and the authorities had a hand in it-the last place they would belikely to look for Valentine Smith would be Ben’s apartment. Unless, shecorrected, they connected her with Ben, which she did not think that they did.
They could dig a bite to eat out of Ben’s buttery-she wouldn’t risk orderinganything from the basement; they might know he was away. And she couldborrow some of Ben’s clothes for her idiot child. The last point settled it; sheset the combination for Ben’s apartment house. The cab picked out the newlane and dropped into it.
Once outside the door to Ben’s fiat77 Jill put her face to the hush78 box by thedoor and said emphatically, .Karthago delenda est!“Nothing happened. Oh damn him! she said frantically to herself; he’schanged the combo. She stood there for a moment, knees weak, and kepther face away from Smith. Then she again spoke into the hush box. It was aRaytheon lock, the same voice circuit actuated the door or announcedcallers. She announced herself on the forlorn chance that Ben might havereturned. .Ben, this is Jill.“The door slid open.
They went inside and the door closed. Jill thought for an instant that Ben hadlet them in, then she realized that she had accidentally hit on his new doorcombination . . . intended, she guessed, as a gracious compliment combinedwith a wolf tactic79. She felt that she could have dispensed80 with the complimentto have avoided the awful panic she had felt when the door had refused toopen.
Smith stood quietly at the edge of the thick green lawn and looked at theroom. It again was a place so new to him as not to be grokked at once, buthe felt immediately pleased with it. It was less exciting than the moving placethey had just been in, but in many ways more suited for enfolding togetherthe self. He looked with interest at the view window at one end but did notrecognize it as a window, mistaking it for a living picture like those he hadbeen used to at home-the suite he had been in at Bethesda contained nowindows, it being in one of the newer wings, and thus far he had neveracquired the idea of .window.“He noticed with approval that the simulation of depth and movement in the.picture“ was perfect-some very great artist among these people must havecreated it. Up until this time he had seen nothing to cause him to think thatthese people possessed81 art; his grokldng of them was increased by this newexperience and he felt warmed.
A movement caught his eye; he turned to find his brother removing the falseskins as well as the slippers from its legs.
Jill sighed and wiggled her toes in the grass. .Gosh, how my feet do hurt!“She glanced up and saw Smith watching her with that curiously disturbingbaby-faced stare. .Do it yourself if you want to. You’ll love it.“He blinked. .How do?“.I keep forgetting. Come here, I’ll help you.“ She got his shoes off, untapedthe stockings and peeled them off. .There, doesn’t that feel good?“Smith wiggled his toes in the cool grass, then said timidly, .But these live?“.Sure, they’re alive. It’s real live grass. Ben paid a lot to have it that way.
Why, the special lighting82 circuits alone cost more than I make in a month. Sowalk around and let your feet enjoy it.“Smith missed much of the speech but he did understand that the grass wasmade up of living beings and that he was being invited to walk on them.
.Walk on living things?“ he asked with incredulous horror.
.Huh? Why not? It doesn’t hurt this grass; it was specially60 developed forhouse rugs.“Smith was forced to remind himself that a water brother could not lead himinto wrongful action. Apprehensively83 he let himself be encouraged to walkaround-and found that he did enjoy it and that the living creatures did notprotest. He set his sensitivity for such things as high as possible; his brotherwas right, this was their proper being-to be walked on. He resolved to enfoldit and praise it; the effort was much like that of a human trying to appreciatethe merits of cannibalism-a custom which Smith found perfectly84 proper.
Jill let out a sigh. .Well, I had better stop playing. I don’t know how long wewill be safe here.“.Safe?“.We can’t stay here, not very long. They may be checking on everyconveyance that left the Center this very minute.“ She frowned and thought.
Her place would not do, this place would not do-and Ben had intended totake him to Jubal Harshaw. But she did not know Harshaw; she was not evensure where he lived-somewhere in the Poconos, Ben had said. Well, shewould just have to try to find out where he lived and call him. It was Hobson’schoice; she had nowhere else to turn.
.Why are you not happy, my brother?“Jill snapped out of her mood and looked at Smith. Why, the poor infant didn’teven know anything was wrong! She made a real effort to look at it from hispoint of view. She failed, but she did grasp that he had no notion that theywere running away from . . - from what? The cops? The hospital authorities?
She was not sure quite what she had done, or what laws she had broken;she simply knew that she had pitted her own puny85 self against the combinedwill of the Big People, the Bosses, the ones who made decisions.
But how could she tell the Man from Mars what they were up against whenshe did not understand it herself? Did they have policemen on Mars? Half thetime she found talking to him like shouting down a rain barrel.
Heavens, did they even have rain barrels on Mars? Or rain?
.Never you mind,“ she said soberly. .You just do what I tell you to do.“.Yes.“It was an unmodified, unlimited86 acceptance, an eternal yea. Jill suddenly hadthe feeling that Smith would unhesitatingly jump out the window if she toldhim to-in which belief she was correct; he would have jumped, enjoyed everyscant second of the twenty-storey drop, and accepted without surprise orresentment the discorporation on impact. Nor would he have been unawarethat such a fall would kill him; fear of death was an idea utterly87 beyond him. Ifa water brother selected for him such a strange discorporation, he wouldcherish it and try to grok.
.Well, we can’t stand here pampering88 our feet. I’ve got to feed us, I’ve got toget you into different clothes, and we’ve got to leave. Take those off.“ She leftto check Ben’s wardrobe.
She selected for him an inconspicuous travel suit, a beret, shirt,underclothes, and shoes, then returned. Smith was as snarled89 as a kitten inknitting; he had tried to obey but now had one arm prisoned by the nurse’suniform and his face wrapped in the skirt. He had not even removed the capebefore trying to take off the dress.
Jill said, .Oh, dear!“ and ran to help him.
She got him loose from the clothes, looked at them, then decided to stuffthem down the oubliette . . . she could pay Etta Schere for the loss of themlater and she did not want cops finding them here-just in case. .But you aregoing to have to have a bath, my good man, before I dress you in Ben’sclean clothes. They’ve been neglecting you. Come along.“ Being a nurse,she was inured90 to bad odors, but (being a nurse) she was fanatic91 about soapand water . . and it seemed to her that no one had bothered to bathe thispatient recently. While Smith did not exactly stink92, he did remind her of ahorse on a hot day. Soap suds were indicated.
He watched her fill the tub with delight. There had been a tub in the bathroomof the suite he had been in but Smith had not known it was used to holdwater; bed baths were all that he had had and not many of those; histrancelike withdrawals94 had interfered95.
Jill tested the water’s temperature. .All right, climb in.“Smith did not move. Instead he looked puzzled.
.Hurry!“ Jill said sharply. .Get in the water.“The words she used were firmly parts of his human vocabulary and Smith didas she ordered, emotion shaking him. This brother wanted him to place hiswhole body in the water of life. No such honor had ever come to him; to thebest of his knowledge and belief no one had ever before been offered such aholy privilege. Yet he had begun to understand that these others did havegreater acquaintance with the stuff of life . . . a fact not yet grokked but whichhe had to accept.
He placed one trembling foot in the water, then the other . . . and slippedslowly down into the tub until the water covered him completely.
.Hey!“ yelled Jill, and reached in and dragged his head and shoulders abovewater-then was shocked to find that she seemed to be handling a corpse96.
Good Lord! he couldn’t drown, not in that time. But it frightened her and sheshook him. .Smith! Wake up! Snap out of it.“Smith heard his brother call from far away and returned. His eyes ceased tobe glazed97, his heart speeded up and he resumed breathing. .Are you allright?“ Jill demanded.
.I am all right. I am very happy ... my brother.“.You sure scared me. Look, don’t get under the water again. Just sit up, theway you are now.“.Yes, my brother.“ Smith added several words in a curious croakingmeaningless to Jill, cupped a handful of water as if it were precious jewelsand raised it to his lips. His mouth touched it, then he offered the handful toJill.
.Hey, don’t drink your bath water! No, I don’t want it, either.“.Not drink?“His look of defenseless hurt was such that Jill again did not know what to do.
She hesitated, then bent98 her head and barely touched her lips to the offering.
.Thank you.“.May you never thirst!“.I hope you are never thirsty, too. But that’s enough. If you want a drink ofwater, I’ll get you one. But don’t drink any more of this water.“Smith seemed satisfied and sat quietly. By now Jill was convinced that hehad never taken a tub bath before and did not know what was expected ofhim. She considered the problem. No doubt she could coach him but theywere already losing precious time. Maybe she should have let him go dirty.
Oh, well! It was not as bad as tending a disturbed patient in an N.P. ward.
She had already got her blouse wet almost to the shoulders in draggingSmith off the bottom; she took it off and hung it up. She had been dressed forthe street when she had crushed Smith out of the Center and was wearing alittle, pleated pediskirt that floated around her knees. Her jacket she haddropped in the living room. She glanced down at the skirt. Although thepleats were guaranteed permanized, it was silly to get it wet. She shruggedand zipped it off; it left her in brassiere and panties.
Jill looked at Smith. He was staring at her with the innocent, interested eyesof a baby. She found herself blushing, which surprised her, as she had notknown that she could. She believed herself to be free of morbid100 modesty andhad no objection to nudity at proper times and places-she recalled suddenlythat she had gone on her first bareskin swimming party at fifteen. But thischildlike stare from a grown man bothered her; she decided to put up withclammily wet underwear rather than do the obvious, logical thing.
She covered her discomposure with heartiness101. .Let’s get busy now andscrub the hide.“ She dropped to her knees beside the tub, sprayed soap onhim, and started working it into a lather102.
Presently Smith reached out and touched her right mammary gland103. Jill drewback hastily, almost dropping the sprayer. .Hey! None of that stuff!“He looked as if she had slapped him. .Not?“ he said tragically104.
.’Not,’“ she agreed firmly. She looked at his face and added softly. .It’s allright. Just don’t distract me with things like that when I’m busy.“He took no more inadvertent liberties and Jill cut the bath short, letting thewater drain and having him stand up while she showered the soap off him.
Then she dressed with a feeling of relief while the blast dried him. The warmair startled him at first and he began to tremble, but she told him not to beafraid and had him hold onto the grab rail back of the tub while he dried andshe dressed.
She helped him out of the tub. .There, you smell a lot better and I’ll bet youfeel better.“.Feel fine.“.Good. Let’s get some clothes on you.“ She led him into Ben’s bedroomwhere she had left the clothes she had selected. But before she could evenexplain, demonstrate, or assist in getting shorts on him, she was shockedalmost out of the shoes she had not yet put back on.
.OPEN UP IN THERE!“Jill dropped the shorts. She was frightened nearly Out of her senses, feelingthe same panic she felt when a patient’s respiration105 stopped and bloodpressure dropped in the middle of surgery. But the discipline she had learnedin operating theater came to her aid. Did they actually know anyone wasinside? Yes, they must know-else they would never have come here. Thatdamned robo-cab must have given her away.
Well, should she answer? Or play .possum?
The shout over the announcing circuit was repeated. She whispered toSmith, .Stay here!“ then went into the living room. .Who is it?“ she called out,striving to keep her voice normal.
.Open in the name of the law!“.Open in the name of what law? Don’t be silly. Tell me who you are and whatyou want before I call the police.“.We are the police. Are you Gillian Boardman?“.Me? Of course not. I’m Phyllis O’Toole and I’m waiting for Mr. Caxton tocome home. Now you had better go away, because I’m going to call thepolice and report an invasion of privacy.“.Miss Boardman, we have a warrant for your arrest. Open up at once or it willgo hard with you.“.I’m not your .Miss Boardman’ and I’m calling the policel“The voice did not answer. Jill waited, swallowing. Shortly she felt radiant heatagainst her face. A small area around the door’s lock began to glow red, thenwhite; something crunched106 and the door slid open. Two men were there; oneof them stepped in, grinned at Jill and said, .That’s the babe, all right.
Johnson, look around and find him.“.Okay, Mr. Berquist.“Jill tried to make a road block of herself. The man called Johnson, twice hermass, put a hand on her shoulder, brushed her aside and went on backtoward the bedroom. Jill said shrilly107, .Where’s your warrant? Let’s see yourcredentials-this is an outrage108!“Berquist said soothingly109, .Don’t be difficult, sweetheart. We don’t really wantyou; we just want him. Behave yourself and they might go easy on you.“She kicked at his shin. He stepped back nimbly, which was just as well, asJill was still barefooted. .Naughty, naughty,“ he chided. .Johnson! You findhim?“.He’s here, Mr. Berquist. And naked as an oyster110. Three guesses whatthey were up to.“.Never mind that. Bring him here.“Johnson reappeared, shoving Smith ahead of him, controlling him by twistingone arm behind his back. .He didn’t want to come.“.He’ll come, he’ll come!“Jill ducked past Berquist, threw herself at Johnson. With his free hand heslapped her aside. .None of that, you little slut!“Johnson should not have slapped her. He had not hit her hard, not even ashard as he used to hit his wife before she went home to her parents, and notnearly as hard as he had often hit prisoners who were reluctant to talk. Up tothis time Smith had shown no expression at all and had said nothing; he hadsimply let himself be forced into the room with the passive, futile111 resistance ofa puppy who does not want to be walked on a leash112. But he had understoodnothing of what was happening and had tried to do nothing at all.
When he saw his water brother struck by this other, he twisted and ducked,got free-and reached in an odd fashion for Johnson.
Johnson was not there any longer.
He was not anywhere. The room did not contain him. Only blades of grass,straightening up where his big feet had been, showed that he had ever beenthere. Jill stared through the space he had occupied and felt that she mightfaint.
Berquist closed his mouth, opened it again, said hoarsely113, .What did you dowith him?“ He looked at Jill rather than Smith.
.Me? I didn’t do anything.“.Don’t give me that. What’s the trick? You got a trap door orsomething?“.Where did he go?“Berquist licked his lips. .I don’t know.“ He took a gun from under his coat.
.But don’t try any of your tricks with me. You stay here-I’m taking him along.“Smith had relapsed into his attitude of passive waiting. Not understandingwhat it was all about, he had done only the minimum he had to do. But gunshe had seen before, in the hands of men on Mars, and the expression onJill’s face at having one aimed at her he did not like. He grokked that this wasone of the critical cusps in the growth of a being wherein contemplation mustbring forth right action in order to permit further growth. He acted.
The Old Ones taught him well. He stepped toward Berquist; the gun swung tocover him. Nevertheless he reached out-and Berquist was no longer there.
Smith turned to look at his brother.
Jill put a hand to her mouth and screamed.
Smith’s face had been completely blank. Now it became tragically forlorn ashe realized that he must have chosen wrong action at the cusp. He lookedimploringly at Jill and began to tremble. His eyes rolled up; he slipped slowlydown to the grass, pulled himself tightly into a foetal ball and was motionless.
Jill’s own hysteria cut off as if she had thrown a switch. The change was anindoctrinated reflex: here was a patient who needed her; she had no time forher own emotions, no time even to worry or wonder about the two men whohad disappeared. She dropped to her knees and examined Smith.
She could not detect respiration, nor could she find a pulse; she pressed anear against his ribs114. She thought at first that heart action had stoppedcompletely, but, after a long time, she heard a lazy tub-dub, followed in fouror five seconds by another.
The condition reminded her of schizoid withdrawal93, but she had never seen atrance so deep, not even in class demonstrations115 of hypnoanesthesia. Shehad heard of such deathlike states among East Indian fakirs but she hadnever really believed the reports.
Ordinarily she would not have tried to rouse a patient in such a state butwould have sent for a doctor at once. But these were not ordinarycircumstances. Far from shaking her resolve, the events of the past fewminutes had made her more determined116 than ever not to let Smith fall backinto the hands of the authorities. But ten minutes of trying everything sheknew convinced her that she could not rouse this patient with means at handwithout injuring him-and perhaps not even then. Even the sensitive, exposednerve in the elbow gave no response.
In Ben’s bedroom she found a battered117 flight case, almost too big to beconsidered hand luggage, too small to be a trunk. She opened it, found itpacked with voicewriter, toilet kit12, a complete outfit118 of male clothing, andeverything else that a busy reporter might need if called out of townsuddenly-even to a licensed119 audio link to permit him to patch into phoneservice wherever he might be. Jill reflected that the presence of this packedbag alone tended strongly to prove that Ben’s absence was not whatKilgallen thought it was, but she wasted no time thinking about it; she simplyemptied the bag and dragged it into the living room.
Smith outweighed120 her, but muscles acquired handling patients twice her sizeenabled her to dump him into the big bag. Then she had to refold himsomewhat to allow her to close it. His muscles resisted force, but undergentle pressure steadily121 applied122 he could be repositioned like putty. Shepadded the corners with some of Ben’s clothes before she closed him up.
She tried to punch some air holes but the bag was a glass laminate, tough asan absentee landlord’s heart. She decided that he could not suffocate123 quicklywith his respiration so minimal124 and his metabolic125 rate down as low as it mustbe.
She could barely lift the packed bag, straining as hard as she could with bothhands, and she could not possibly carry it any distance. But the bag wasequipped with .Red Cap“ casters. They cut two ugly scars in Ben’s grass rugbefore she got it to the smooth parquet126 of the little entrance way.
She did not go to the lobby on the roof, since another air cab was the lastthing she wanted to risk, but went out instead by the service door in thebasement. There was no one there but a young man who was checking anincoming kitchen delivery. He moved slowly aside and let her roll the bag outonto the pavement. .Hi, sister. What you got in the kiester?“.A body,“ she snapped.
He shrugged99. .Ask a jerky question, get a jerky answer. I should learn.“
收听单词发音 |
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meticulous
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| adj.极其仔细的，一丝不苟的 | |
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reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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gall
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| v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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suites
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| n.套( suite的名词复数 )；一套房间；一套家具；一套公寓 | |
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suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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fingerprint
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| n.指纹；vt.取...的指纹 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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federation
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| n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会 | |
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overflow
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| v.(使)外溢，(使)溢出；溢出，流出，漫出 | |
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marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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intern
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| v.拘禁，软禁；n.实习生 | |
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garner
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| v.收藏；取得 | |
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supervisor
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| n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师 | |
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dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
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dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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ace
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| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
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jumbled
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| adj.混乱的；杂乱的 | |
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cadaver
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| n.尸体 | |
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realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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trots
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| 小跑，急走( trot的名词复数 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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burrowing
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| v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的现在分词 )；翻寻 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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quotation
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| n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情 | |
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metabolism
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| n.新陈代谢 | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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awareness
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| n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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corporate
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| adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的 | |
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shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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spasms
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| n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 )；抽搐；（能量、行为等的）突发；发作 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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thighs
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| n.股，大腿( thigh的名词复数 )；食用的鸡（等的）腿 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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overcast
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| adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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unfamiliarity
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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sparse
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| adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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heresy
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| n.异端邪说；异教 | |
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fingerprints
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| n.指纹( fingerprint的名词复数 )v.指纹( fingerprint的第三人称单数 ) | |
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72
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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73
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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74
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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75
slumped
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| 大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下] | |
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76
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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77
fiat
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| n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布 | |
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78
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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79
tactic
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| n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的 | |
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80
dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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81
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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82
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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83
apprehensively
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| adv.担心地 | |
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84
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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85
puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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86
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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87
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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88
pampering
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| v.纵容，宠，娇养( pamper的现在分词 ) | |
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89
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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90
inured
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| adj.坚强的，习惯的 | |
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91
fanatic
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| n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的 | |
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92
stink
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| vi.发出恶臭；糟透，招人厌恶；n.恶臭 | |
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93
withdrawal
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| n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销 | |
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94
withdrawals
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| n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻 | |
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95
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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96
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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97
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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98
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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99
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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100
morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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101
heartiness
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| 诚实，热心 | |
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102
lather
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| n.(肥皂水的)泡沫，激动 | |
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103
gland
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| n.腺体，(机)密封压盖，填料盖 | |
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104
tragically
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| adv. 悲剧地，悲惨地 | |
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105
respiration
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| n.呼吸作用；一次呼吸；植物光合作用 | |
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106
crunched
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的过去式和过去分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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107
shrilly
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| 尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的 | |
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108
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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109
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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110
oyster
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| n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人 | |
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111
futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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112
leash
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| n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住 | |
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113
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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114
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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115
demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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116
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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117
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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118
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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119
licensed
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| adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词) | |
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120
outweighed
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| v.在重量上超过( outweigh的过去式和过去分词 )；在重要性或价值方面超过 | |
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121
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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122
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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123
suffocate
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| vt.使窒息，使缺氧，阻碍；vi.窒息，窒息而亡，阻碍发展 | |
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124
minimal
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| adj.尽可能少的，最小的 | |
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125
metabolic
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| adj.新陈代谢的 | |
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126
parquet
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| n.镶木地板 | |
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