time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第12章

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　　I　don't　know　how　David　induced　his　See…Pee…Oh　to　remend　him；　David　never　discussed　this。　Suffice　to　say　that；　when　David's　ship　steamed　for　the　Mediterranean；　David　was　dropped　at　Hampton　Roads　six　weeks　before　the　tutoring　school　convened。　He　was　a　supernumerary　during　that　time。　The　Personnel　Officer　（in　fact；　his　clerk）　assigned　David　to　a　bunk　and　a　mess；　and　told　him　to　stay　out　of　sight　during　working　hours　in　the　empty　classrooms　where　his　fellow　hopefuls　would　meet　six　weeks　later。　David　did　so；　the　classrooms　had　in　them　the　books　used　in　tutoring　in　academic　subjects　a　candidate　might　lack…and　David　lacked　them　all。　He　stayed　out　of　sight　and　sat　down　and　read。
　　
　　That's　all　it　took。
　　
　　When　the　class　convened；　David　helped　tutor　in　Euclidean　geometry；　a　required　subject　and；　perhaps　the　most　difficult。　Three　months　later　he　was　sworn　in　as　a　naval　cadet　on　the　beautiful　banks　of　the　Hudson　River　at　West　Point。
　　
　　David　did　not　realize　that　he　had　jumped　from　the　frying　pan　into　the　fire；　the　sadism　of　petty　officers　is　a　mild　hit…ormiss　thing　pared　with　the　calculated　horrors　visited　on　new　cadets…〃plebes〃…by　cadets　of　the　senior　classes；　especially　by　the　seniormost；　the　first　classmen；　who　were　walking　delegates　of　Lucifer　in　that　organized　hell。
　　
　　But　David　had　three　months　to　find　this　out　and　to　figure　out　what　to　do；　that　being　the　time　upper　classes　were　on　the　briny；　practicing　warfare。　As　he　saw　it；　if　he　could　last　nine　months　of　these　hazards；　all　the　kingdoms　of　the　Earth　would　be　his。　So　he　said　to　himself；　if　a　cow　or　a　countess　can　sweat　out　nine　months；　so　can　I。
　　
　　He　arranged　the　hazards　in　his　mind　in　terms　of　what　must　be　endured；　what　could　be　avoided；　and　what　he　should　actively　seek。　By　the　time　the　lords　of　creation　returned　to　stomp　on　the　plebes　he　had　a　policy　for　each　typical　situation　and　was　prepared　to　cope　with　it　under　doctrine；　varying　doctrifles　only　enough　to　meet　variations　in　situation　rather　than　coping　hastily　on　an　improvised　basis。
　　
　　Ira…〃O　King；〃　I　mean…this　is　more　important　to　surviving　in　tough　situations　than　it　sounds。　For　example；　Gramp…　David's　Grampaw；　that　is…warned　him　never　to　sit　with　his　beck　to　door。　〃Son；〃　he　said　to　him；　〃might　be　nine　hundred　and　niy…nine　times　you'd　get　away　with　it…no　enemy　of　your'n　would　e　through　that　door。　But　the　thousandth
　　
　　time…that's　the　one。　If　my　own　Grampaw　had　always　obeyed　that　rule；　he　might　be　aflve　today　and　still　jumping　out　bedroom　windows。　He　knew　better；　but　he　missed　just　once；　through　being　too　anxious　to　sit　in　on　a　poker　game；　and　thereby　took　the　one　chair　open；　one　with　its　back　to　a　door。　And　it　got　him。
　　
　　〃He　was　up　out　of　his　chair　and　emptied　three　shots　from　each　of　his　guns　into　his　assailant　before　he　dropped；　we　don't　die　easy。　But　'twas　only　a　moral　victory；　he　was　essentially　dead；　with　a　bullet　in　his　heart；　before　he　got　out　of　that　chair。　All　from　sitting　with　his　back　to　an　open　door。〃
　　
　　Ira；　I've　never　forgotten　Gramp's　words…and　don't　you　forget　'em。
　　
　　So　David　categorized　the　hazards　and　prepared　his　doctrines。　One　thing　that　had　to　be　endured　was　endless　questioning；　and　he　learned　that　a　plebe　was　never　permitted　to　answer；　〃I　don't　know；　sir；〃　to　any　upperclassman；　especially　a　first　classman。　But　the　questions　ordinarily　fell　into　categories…　history　of　the　school；　history　of　the　Navy；　famous　naval　sayings；　names　of　team　captains　and　star　players　of　various　athletic　sports；　how　many　seconds　till　graduation；　what's　the　menu　for　dinner。　These　did　not　bother　him；　they　could　be　memorized
　　
　　…save　the　number　of　seconds　remaining　till　graduation；　and　he　worked　out　shortcuts　for　that；　ones　that　stood　him　in　good　stead　in　later　years。
　　
　　〃What　sort　of　shortcuts；　Lazarus？〃
　　
　　Eh？　Nothing　fancy。　A　precalculated　figure　for　reveille　each　morning；　a　supplementary　figure　for　each　hour　thereafter；　such　as：　five　hours　after　six　o'clock　reveille　subtracts　eighteen　thousand　seconds　from　the　base　figure；　and　twelve　minutes　later　than　that　takes　off　another　seven　hundred　and　twenty　seconds。　For　example　at　noon　formation　one　hundred　days　before　graduation；　say　at　exactly　twelve…oh…one　and　thirteen　seconds；　figuring　graduation　at　ten　A。M。　which　was　standard；　David　could　answer；　〃Eight　million；　six　hundred　and　thirty…two　thousand。　seven　hundred　and　twenty…seven　seconds；　sir！〃　almost　as　fast　as　his　squad　leader　could　ask　him；　simply　from　having　precalculated　most　of　it。
　　
　　At　any　other　time　o'　day　he　would　look　at　his　watch　and　pretend　to　wait　for　the　second　hand　to　reach　a　mark　while　in　fact　performing　subtractions　in　his　head。
　　
　　But　he　improved　on　this；　he　invented　a　decimal　clock…not　the　one　you　use　here　on　Secundus；　but　a　variation　on　Earth's　clumsy　twenty…four…hour　day；　sixty…minute　hour；　sixty…second
　　
　　minute　system　then　in　vogue。　He　split　the　time　for　reveille　to　taps　into　intervals　and　subintervals　of　ten　thousand　seconds　a　thousand　seconds；　a　hundred　seconds；　and　memorized　~　conversion　table。
　　
　　You　see　the　advantage。　For　anyone　but　Andy　Libby；　God　rest　his　innocent　soul；　subtracting　ten　thousand；　or　one　thousand；　from　a　long　string　of　digits　up　in　the　millions　is　easier　to　do　in　your　head；　quickly　and　without　error；　than　it　is　to　sub。tract　seven　thousand；　two　hundred；　and　seventy…three…the　figure　to　be　subtracted　in　the　example　I　just　gave。　David's　new　method　did　not　'involve　carrying　auxiliary　figures　in　the　mind　while　sea~ching　for　the　ultimate　answer。
　　
　　For　example；　ten　thousand　seconds　after　reveille　is　eight　forty…six　forty　A。M。　Once　David　worked　out　his　conversion　table　and　memorized　it…took　him　less　than　a　day；　just　memorizing　was　easy　for　him…once　he　had　that　down　pat；　he　could　convert　to　the　hundred…second　interval　ing　up　next　almost　instantly；　then　add　（not　subtract）　two　digits　representing　the　time　still　to　go　to　the　last　two　places　in　his　rough　answer　to　get　his　exact　answer。　Since　the　last　two　places　were　always　zeroes…。check　it　yourself…he　could　give　an　answer　in　millions　of　seconds　as　fast　as　he　could　speak　the　figures；　and　have　it　right　every　time。
　　
　　Since　he　didn't　explain　his　method；　he　got　a　reputation　for　being　a　lightning　calculator；　an　idiot…savant　talent；　like　Libby。　He　was　not；　he　was　simply　a　country　boy　who　used　his　head　on　a　simple　problem。　But　his　squad　leader　got　so　groused　at　him　for　being　a　〃smart　ass〃…meaning　that　the　squad　leader　couldn't　do　it…that　he　ordered　Dave　to　memorize　the　logarithm　tables。　This　didn't　faze　Dave；　he　didn't　mind　anything　but　〃honest　work。〃　He　set　out　to　do　so；　twenty　new　ones　each　day；　that　being　the　number　this　first　classman　thought　would　suffice　to　show　up　this　〃smart　ass。〃
　　
　　The　first　classman　grew　tired　of　the　matter　when　David　had　pleted　only　the　first　six　hundred　figures…but　Dave　kept　at　it　another　three　weeks　through　the　first　thousand…which　gave　him　the　first　ten　thousand　figures　by　interpolation　and　made　him　independent　of　log　tables；　a　skill　that　was　of　enormous　use　to　him　from　then　on；　puters　being　effectively　unknown　in
　　
　　those　days。…'
　　
　　But　the　unceasing　barrage　of　questions　did　not　bother　David　save　for　the　possibility　of　starving　to　death　at　meal　times…　and　he　learned　to　shovel　it　in　fast　while　sitting　rigidly　at　attention　and　still　ans。　Some　were
　　
　　trick　questions？　such　as；　〃Mister；　are　you　a　virgin？〃　Either　way　a　plebe　answered　he　was　in　trouble…if　be　gave　a　straight　ans；wer。　In　those　days　some　importance　was　placed　on　virginity　or　the　lack　of　it；　I　can't　say　why。
　　
　　But　trick　questions　called　for　trick　answers；　Dave　found　that　an　acceptable　answer　to　that　one　was：　〃Yes；　sir！…in　my　left　ear。〃　Or　possibly　his　belly　button。
　　
　　But　most　trick　questions　were　intended　to　trap　a　plebe　into　giving　a　meek　answer…and　meekness　was　a　mortal　sin。　Say　a　first　classman　said；　〃Mister；　would　you　say　I　was　handsome？〃
　　
　　…an　acceptable　answer　would　be；　〃Perhaps　your　mother　would　say　so；　sir…but　not　me。〃　Or　〃Sir；　you　are　the　handsomest　man　I　ever　saw　who　was　intended　to　be　an　ape。〃
　　
　　Such　answers　were　chancy…they　might　ifick　a　first　classman　on　the　raw…but　they　were　safer　than　meek　answers。　But　no　matter　how　carefully　a　plebe　tried　to　meet　impossible　standards；　about　once　a　week　some　first　classman　would　decide　that　he　needed　punishment…arbitrary　punishment　without　trial。　This　could　run　from　mild；　such　as　exercises　repeated　to　physical　collapse…which　David　disliked　as　they　reminded　him　of　〃honest　work〃…up　to　paddling　on　the　buttocks。　This　may　strike　you　as　nothing　much；　Ira；　but　I'm　not　speaking　of　paddling　children　sometimes　receive。　These　beatings　were　delivered　with　the　flat　of　a　sword　or　with　a　worn…out　broom　that　amounted　to　a　long；　heavy　club。　Three　blows　delivered　by　a　grown　man　in　perfect　health　would　leave　the　victim's　bottom　a　mass　of　purple　bruises　and　blood　blisters；　acpanied　by　excruciating　pain。
　　
　　David　tried　hard　to　avoid　incidents　likely　to　result　in　this　calculated　torture；　but　there　was　no　way　to　avoid　them　entirely；　short　of　quitting；　as　some　first　classmen　awarded　such　blows　through　sheer　sadism。　David　gritted　his　teeth　and　accepted　them　when　he　had　to；　judging…correctly…that　he　would　be　run　out　of　school　if　he　defied　the　supreme　authority　of　a　first　classman。　So　he　thought　about　the　south　end　of　that　mule　and　endured　it。
　　
　　There　was　a　much　greater　hazard　to　his　personal　safety　and　future　prospects　of　a　life　free　from　〃honest　ilitary　service　included　the　idea　that　a　prospective　officer　must　excel　in　athletic　sports。　Do　not　ask　why；　it　was　no　more　subject　to　rational　explanation　than'　is　any　other　branch　of　theology。
　　
　　Plebes　in　particular　had　to…no　choice！…go　out　for　〃sports。〃　Two　hours　each　day　which　were　nominally　free　David　could
　　
　　not　spend　napping　or　dreaming　in　the　quiet　Of　the　school's　library；　but　must　perforce　spend　in　sweaty　exercise。
　　
　　Worse　still；　some　〃sports〃　were　not　only　excessively　energetic　but　also　involved　hazards　to　David's　favorite　skin；　〃Boxing〃
　　
　　…this　is　a　long　forgotten；　utterly　useless；　stylized　mock　bat　in　which　two　men　batter　each　other　for　a　preset　period　or　until　one　is　beaten　unconscious。　〃La　Crosse〃…this　is　a　mock　battle　taken　over　from　the　savages　who　had　formerly　inhabited　that　continent。　In　it　mobs　of　men　fought　with　clubs。　There　was　a　hard　missile　with　which　points　were　scored…but　it　was　the　prospect　of　being　sliced　open　or　having　bones　broken　with　these　clubs　that　aroused　our　hero's　distaste。
　　
　　There　was　a　thing　called　〃water　polo〃　in　which　opposing　swimmers　attempted　to　drown　each　other。　David　avoided　that　one　by　not　swimming　more　than　well　enough　to　stay　in　school
　　
　　…a　required　skill。　He　was　an　excellent　swimmer；　having'　learned　at　the　age　of　seven　through　being　chucked　into　a　creek　by　two　older　cousins…but　he　concealed　his　skill。
　　
　　The　sport　with　highest　prestige　was　a　thing　called　〃foot　ball〃
　　
　　…and　first　classmen　sized　up　each　new　group　of　victims　for　candidates　who　might　be　expected　to　excel；　or　learn　to　excel；　in　this　organized　mayhem。　David　had　never　seen　it…but　now　he　saw　it　and　it　filled　his　peaceful　soul　with　horror。
　　
　　As　well　It　might。　It　involved　two　gangs　of　eleven　men　facing　each　other　on　a　field　and　trying　to　move　an　ellipsoid　bladder　down　the　field　against　the　opposition　of　the　other　gang。　There　were　rituals　and　an　esoteric　terminology；　but　that　was　the　idea。
　　
　　It　sounds　harmless　and　rather　foolish。　？oolish　it　was；　harmless　it　was　not…as　the　rituals　permitted　the　opposing　gang　to　attack　a　man　attempting　to　move　the　bladder　in　a　variety　of　violent　ways；　the　least　of　which　was　to　grab　him　and　cause　him　to　hit　the　ground　like　a　ton　of　brick。　Often　three　or　four　hit　him　at　once；　and　sometimes　inflicted　indignities　and　mayhems　not　permitted　by　the　rituals　but　concealed　hy　the　pile　of　bodies。
　　
　　Death　was　not　supposed　to　result　from　this　activity　but　sometimes　did。　Injuries　short　of　death　were　monplace。
　　
　　Unfortunately　David　had　the　ideal　physique　for　success　in　this　〃feet　ball〃~…height；　weight；　eyesight；　fleetness　of　foot；　speed　of　reflex。　He　was　certain　to　be　spotted　by　the　first　classmen　on　their　return　from　mock　sea　battles　and　〃volunteered〃　as　a　sacrificial　victim。
　　
　　It　was　time　for　evasive　action。
　　
　　The　only　posSible　way　to。　avoid　〃foot　ball〃　was　to　be　acceptably　occupied　with　some　other　sport。　He　found　one。
　　
　　Ira；　do　you　know　what　〃swordsmanship〃　is？　Good…I　can。　speak　freely。　This　was　a　time　in　Earth's　history　when　the　sword　had　ceased　to　be　a　weapon…after　having　been　prominent　for　more　than　four　millennia。　But　swords　still　existed　in　fossil　form　and　retained　a　shadow　of　their　ancient　prestige。　A　gentleman　was　presumed　to　know　how　to　use　a　sword　and…　〃Lazarus；　what　is　a　'gentleman'？〃
　　
　　What？　Don't　interrupt；　boy；　you　confuse　me。　A　〃gentleman〃　is；　uh…Well；　now　let　me　see。　A　general　definition…　My；　you　can　think　up　some　hard　ones。　Some　said　it　was　an　accident　of　birth…that　being　a　disparaging　way　of　saying　it　was　a　trait　geically　inherited。　But　that　doesn't　say　what　the　trait　is。　A　gentleman　was　supposed　to　pre