西部列车上邂逅与沉思.pdfVIP

TheManandaManwithHis

Mule

BrianAldiss

MytrainwascarryingmeawayfromtheruinsofArroyoAlegrotowardstheWestandcivilization.The

ruinshadboredme;nowIwaseagertoimmersemyselfinthenovelIwasreading,theclassicMexican

novelElSenordelaCostumbrista,publishedintheearlyyearsofthetwentiethcentury.Ihadreached

ChapterFive,andthepassagewherethee,Christina,standingwithheradopteddaughter,Hira,is

confrontingGeneralLopezinthedesertedcattlestation.

Oppositemeinthecarriagesatabeardedbronzedmanofworn,sterncountenance.Hehadanarm

abouttheshouldersofayounger,ratherstupid-lookingwoman,whowrithedoccasionallyunderthe

confinementoftheothersnakedarm.Itseemedtheywererelated.Itooknonoticeofthembeyonda

cursoryglance.

Unexpectedly,themanleanedforwardandtappedmeonmyleftknee.

IsufferwhatitishumiliationtotravelbythisHardClass,hesaid.

ItoldhimstifflythatIhadnotnoticed.Buttheewasnotconcluded.

OnceItravelalwaysinFirstClass,ingreatestluxury.Nowseewhatisbefallenme.

Sayingnothing,Ireflectedthatthemanshouldhavebeengratefulforhisearliergoodfortune.AsI

turnedagaintomynovelthemansaid,Okay,soIseeyouhavenopity.Youareoneofthehard-heart

men.

Byagreeing,asIimmediatelydid,Ihopedthefellowwouldfallsilent.Instead,heseemedtotakemy

wordsasachallenge.

MynameisVlascoIbanez,hetoldme,staringatmyface.Myfamilysuffermorethantheirfair

shareofmisfortune.WhenIamonlyaboy,myfatherfallsbyaccidentfromabridgeandiskill.SoImust

togoimmediatelytowork.Ihavenomorethanfouryearsinage.

WhileIreflectedthatsuchthingsmustalwayshappenno