一扇门(The Door)

详细内容

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一扇门(thedoor)

everything(hekeptsaying)issomethingitisn't.andeverybodyisalwayssomewhereelse.maybeitwasthecity,beinginthecity,thatmadehimfeelhowqueereverythingwasandthatitwassomethingelse.maybe(hekeptthinking)itwasthenamesofthethings.thenamesweretexandfrequentlykoid.ortheywereflexandoidortheywereduroid(sand)orflexsan(duro),buteverythingwasglass(butnotquiteglass)andthethingthatyoutouched(thesurface,washable,crease-resistant)wasrubber,onlyitwasn'tquiterubberandyoudidn'tquitetouchitbutalmost.thewall,whichwasglassbutturnedoutonbeingapproachednottobeawall,itwassomethingelse,itwasanopeningordoorway--andthedoorway(throughwhichhesawhimselfapproaching)turnedouttobesomethingelse,itwasawall.andwhathehadeatennothavingagreedwithhim.•

hewasinawashablehouse,buthewasn'tsure.nowaboutthoserats,hekeptsayingtohimself.hemeanttheratsthattheprofessorhaddrivencrazybyforcingthemtodealwithproblemswhichwerebeyondthescopeofrats,theinsolubleproblems.hemeanttheratsthathadbeentrainedtojumpatthesquarecardwiththecircleinthemiddle,andthecard(becauseitwassomethingitwasn't)wouldgivewayandlettheratintoaplacewherethefoodwas,butthenonedayitwouldbeatrickplayedontherat,andthecardwouldbechanged,andtheratwouldjumpbutthecardwouldn'tgiveway,anditwasanimpossiblesituation(forarat)andtheratwouldgoinsaneandintoitseyeswouldetheunspeakablybrightimploringlookofthefrustrated,andaftertheconvulsionswereoverandthefranticracingaround,thenthepassivestagewouldsetinandthewillingnesstoletanythingbedooit,evenifitwassomethingelse.

hedidn'tknowwhichdoor(orwall)oropeninginthehousetojumpat,togetthrough,becauseonewasanopeningthatwasn'tadoor(itwasavoid,orkid)andtheotherwasawallthatwasn'tanopening,itwasasanitarycupboardofthesamecolor.hecaughtaglimpseofhiseyesstaringintohiseyes,intheandinthemwastheexpressionhehadseeninthepictureoftherats--wearyafterconvulsionsandthefranticracingaround,whentheywerewillinganddidnotmindhavinganythingdoothem.moreandmore(hekeptsaying)iamconfrontedbyaproblemwhichisincapableofsolution(forthistimeevenifhechosetherightdoor,therewouldbenofoodbehindit)andthatiswhatmadnessis,andthingsseemingdifferentfromwhattheyare.heheard,inthehousewherehewas,inthecitytowhichhehadgone(astowardadoorwhichmight,ormightnot,giveway),anoise--notaloudnoisebutmoreofalowprefabricatedhumming.itcamefromaplaceinthebaseofthewall(orstat)wherethefluecarryingthefilterableairwas,andnotfarfromtheminipiano,whichwasmadeofthesamematerialnailbrushesaremadeof,andwhichwasunderthestairs.'this,too,hasbeentested,'shesaid,pointing,butnotatit,'andfoundviable.'itwasn'taloudnoise,hekeptthinking,sorrythathehadseenhiseyes,eventhoughitwasthroughhisowneyesthathehadseenthem.