Cold, light rain beat against the pavement, as the car moved through the dark streets of New York City toward the police building.
"You can see his point," one of the men said to Anderton. "If you were in his place you'd act just as decisively."
Sullen1 and resentful, Anderton stared straight ahead.
"Anyhow," the man went on, "you're just one of many. Thousands of people have gone to that detention2 camp. You won't be lonely. As a matter of fact, you may not want to leave."
Helplessly, Anderton watched pedestrians3 hurrying along the rain-swept sidewalks. He felt no strong emotion. He was aware only of an overpowering fatigue4. Dully, he checked off the street numbers: they were getting near the police station.
"This Witwer seems to know how to take advantage of an opportunity," one of the men observed conversationally5. "Did you ever meet him?"
"Briefly," Anderton answered.
"He wanted your job—so he framed you. Are you sure of that?"
Anderton grimaced6. "Does it matter?"
"I was just curious." The man eyed him languidly. "So you're the ex-Commissioner7 of Police. People in the camp will be glad to see you coming. They'll remember you."
"No doubt," Anderton agreed.
"Witwer sure didn't waste any time. Kaplan's lucky—with an official like that in charge." The man looked at Anderton almost pleadingly. "You're really convinced it's a plot, eh?"
"Of course."
"You wouldn't harm a hair of Kaplan's head? For the first time in history, Precrime goes wrong? An innocent man is framed by one of those cards. Maybe there've been other innocent people—right?"
"It's quite possible," Anderton admitted listlessly.
"Maybe the whole system can break down. Sure, you're not going to commit a murder -and maybe none of them were. Is that why you told Kaplan you wanted to keep yourself outside? Were you hoping to prove the system wrong? I've got an open mind, if you want to talk about it."
Another man leaned over, and asked, "Just between the two of us, is there really anything to this plot stuff? Are you really being framed?"
Anderton sighed. At that point he wasn't certain, himself. Perhaps he was trapped in a closed, meaningless time-circle with no motive8 and no beginning. In fact, he was almost ready to concede that he was the victim of a weary, neurotic9 fantasy, spawned10 by growing insecurity. Without a fight, he was willing to give himself up. A vast weight of exhaustion11 lay upon him. He was struggling against the impossible—and all the cards were stacked against him.
The sharp squeal12 of tires roused him. Frantically13, the driver struggled to control the car, tugging14 at the wheel and slamming on the brakes, as a massive bread truck loomed15 up from the fog and ran directly across the lane ahead. Had he gunned the motor instead he might have saved himself. But too late he realized his error. The car skidded16, lurched, hesitated for a brief instant, and then smashed head on into the bread truck.
Under Anderton the seat lifted up and flung him face-forward against the door. Pain, sudden, intolerable, seemed to burst in his brain as he lay gasping17 and trying feebly to pull himself to his knees. Somewhere the crackle of fire echoed dismally18, a patch of hissing19 brilliance20 winking21 in the swirls22 of mist making their way into the twisted hulk of the car.
Hands from outside the car reached for him. Slowly he became aware that he was being dragged through the rent that had been the door. A heavy seat cushion was shoved brusquely aside, and all at once he found himself on his feet, leaning heavily against a dark shape and being guided into the shadows of an alley23 a short distance from the car. In the distance, police sirens wailed24.
"You'll live," a voice grated in his ear, low and urgent. It was a voice he had never heard before, as unfamiliar25 and harsh as the rain beating into his face. "Can you hear what I'm saying?"
"Yes," Anderton acknowledged. He plucked aimlessly at the ripped sleeve of his shirt. A cut on his cheek was beginning to throb26. Confused, he tried to orient himself. "You're not—"
"Stop talking and listen." The man was heavyset, almost fat. Now his big hands held Anderton propped27 against the wet brick wall of the building, out of the rain and the flickering28 light of the burning car. "We had to do it that way," he said. "It was the only alternative. We didn't have much time. We thought Kaplan would keep you at his place longer."
"Who are you?" Anderton managed.
The moist, rain-streaked face twisted into a humorless grin. "My name's Fleming. You'll see me again. We have about five seconds before the police get here. Then we're back where we started." A flat packet was stuffed into Anderton's hands. "That's enough loot to keep you going. And there's a full set of identification in there. We'll contact you from time to time." His grin increased and became a nervous chuckle29. "Until you've proved your point."
Anderton blinked. "It is a frameup, then?"
"Of course." Sharply, the man swore. "You mean they got you to believe it, too?"
"I thought—" Anderton had trouble talking; one of his front teeth seemed to be loose. "Hostility30 toward Witwer . . . replaced, my wife and a younger man, natural resentment31. ..."
"Don't kid yourself," the other said. "You know better than that. This whole business was worked out carefully. They had every phase of it under control. The card was set to pop the day Witwer appeared. They've already got the first part wrapped up. Witwer is Commissioner, and you're a hunted criminal."
"Who's behind it?"
"Your wife."
Anderton's head spun32. "You're positive?"
The man laughed. "You bet your life." He glanced quickly around. "Here come the police. Take off down this alley. Grab a bus, get yourself into the slum section, rent a room and buy a stack of magazines to keep you busy. Get other clothes—You're smart enough to take care of yourself. Don't try to leave Earth. They've got all the intersystem transports screened. If you can keep low for the next seven days, you're made."
"Who are you?" Anderton demanded.
Fleming let go of him. Cautiously, he moved to the entrance of the alley and peered out. The first police car had come to rest on the damp pavement; its motor spinning tinnily, it crept suspiciously toward the smouldering ruin that had been Kaplan's car. Inside the wreck33 the squad34 of men were stirring feebly, beginning to creep painfully through the tangle35 of steel and plastic out into the cold rain.
"Consider us a protective society," Fleming said softly, his plump, expressionless face shining with moisture. "A sort of police force that watches the police. To see," he added, "that everything stays on an even keel."
His thick hand shot out. Stumbling, Anderton was knocked away from him, half-falling into the shadows and damp debris36 that littered the alley.
"Get going," Fleming told him sharply. "And don't discard that packet." As Anderton felt his way hesitantly toward the far exit of the alley, the man's last words drifted to him. "Study it carefully and you may still survive."
收听单词发音 |
1
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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detention
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| n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下 | |
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pedestrians
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| n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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conversationally
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| adv.会话地 | |
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grimaced
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| v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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commissioner
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| n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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neurotic
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| adj.神经病的，神经过敏的；n.神经过敏者，神经病患者 | |
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spawned
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| （鱼、蛙等）大量产（卵）( spawn的过去式和过去分词 )； 大量生产 | |
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exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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skidded
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| v.（通常指车辆） 侧滑( skid的过去式和过去分词 )；打滑；滑行；（住在）贫民区 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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dismally
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| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
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hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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swirls
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| n.旋转( swirl的名词复数 )；卷状物；漩涡；尘旋v.旋转，打旋( swirl的第三人称单数 ) | |
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alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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33
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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34
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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