Chapter Ends

Poul Anderson

Description

What will the end of the Earth's lifespan look like? What will happen to the humans left on the planet when it fades into obsolescence? These are just a few of the profound questions at the center of science fiction master Poul Anderson's thought-provoking tale "The Chapter Ends."

Sujets

• Science fiction

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 mai 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776536511
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE CHAPTER ENDS
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POUL ANDERSON
 
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The Chapter Ends First published in 1954 Epub ISBN 978-1-77653-651-1 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77653-652-8 © 2013 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 1
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"Look around you, Jorun of Fulkhis. This is Earth. This is the old home of all mankind. You cannot go off and forget it. Man cannot do so. It is in him, in his blood and bones and soul; he will carry Earth within him forever."
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"No," said the old man.
"But you don't realize what it means," said Jorun. "You don't know whatyou're saying."
The old man, Kormt of Huerdar, Gerlaug's son, and Speaker for SolisTownship, shook his head till the long, grizzled locks swirled aroundhis wide shoulders. "I have thought it through," he said. His voice wasdeep and slow and implacable. "You gave me five years to think about it.And my answer is no."
Jorun felt a weariness rise within him. It had been like this for daysnow, weeks, and it was like trying to knock down a mountain. You beat onits rocky flanks till your hands were bloody, and still the mountainstood there, sunlight on its high snow-fields and in the forests thatrustled up its slopes, and it did not really notice you. You were abrief thin buzz between two long nights, but the mountain was forever.
"You haven't thought at all," he said with a rudeness born ofexhaustion. "You've only reacted unthinkingly to a dead symbol. It's nota human reaction, even, it's a verbal reflex."
Kormt's eyes, meshed in crow's-feet, were serene and steady under thethick gray brows. He smiled a little in his long beard, but made noother reply. Had he simply let the insult glide off him, or had he notunderstood it at all? There was no real talking to these peasants; toomany millennia lay between, and you couldn't shout across that gulf.
"Well," said Jorun, "the ships will be here tomorrow or the next day,and it'll take another day or so to get all your people aboard. You havethat long to decide, but after that it'll be too late. Think about it, Ibeg of you. As for me, I'll be too busy to argue further."
"You are a good man," said Kormt, "and a wise one in your fashion. Butyou are blind. There is something dead inside you."
He waved one huge gnarled hand. "Look around you, Jorun of Fulkhis. Thisis Earth . This is the old home of all humankind. You cannot go off andforget it. Man cannot do so. It is in him, in his blood and bones andbones and soul; he will carry Earth within him forever."
Jorun's eyes traveled along the arc of the hand. He stood on the edge ofthe town. Behind him were its houses—low, white, half-timbered, roofedwith thatch or red tile, smoke rising from the chimneys; carvedgalleries overhung the narrow, cobbled, crazily-twisting streets; heheard the noise of wheels and wooden clogs, the shouts of children atplay. Beyond that were trees and the incredible ruined walls of SolCity. In front of him, the wooded hills were cleared and a gentlelandscape of neat fields and orchards rolled down toward the distantglitter of the sea: scattered farm buildings, drowsy cattle, windinggravel roads, fence-walls of ancient marble and granite, all dreamingunder the sun.
He drew a deep breath. It was pungent in his nostrils. It smelled ofleaf-mould, plowed earth baking in the warmth, summery trees andgardens, a remote ocean odor of salt and kelp and fish. He thought thatno two planets ever had quite the same smell, and that none was as richas Terra's.
"This is a fair world," he said slowly.
"It is the only one," said Kormt. "Man came from here; and to this, inthe end, he must return."
"I wonder—" Jorun sighed. "Take me; not one atom of my body was fromthis soil before I landed. My people lived on Fulkhis for ages, andchanged to meet its conditions. They would not be happy on Terra."
"The atoms are nothing," said Kormt. "It is the form which matters, andthat was given to you by Earth."
Jorun studied him for a moment. Kormt was like most of this planet's tenmillion or so people—a dark, stocky folk, though there were more blondand red-haired throwbacks here than in the rest of the Galaxy.