Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 16
”And,rememberingmysea-cuny’spatienceoffortyyears’waitingereIgotmyhandsonChongMong-ju’sgullet,Iadded:“Youprisoncurs,youdon’tknowwhatamanis.Youthinkamanismadeinyourowncowardlyimages.Behold,Iamaman.Youarefeeblings.Iamyourmaster.Youcan’tbringasquealoutofme.Youthinkitremarkable,foryouknowhoweasilyyouwouldsqueal.”
Oh,Iabusedthem,calledthemsonsoftoads,hell’sscullions,slimeofthepit.ForIwasabovethem,beyondthem.Theywereslaves.Iwasfreespirit.Myfleshonlylaypentthereinsolitary.Iwasnotpent.Ihadmasteredtheflesh,andthespaciousnessoftimewasminetowanderin,whilemypoorflesh,notevensuffering,layinthelittledeathinthejacket.
MuchofmyadventuresIrappedtomytwocomrades.Morrellbelieved,forhehadhimselftastedthelittledeath.ButOppenheimer,enrapturedwithmytales,remainedasceptictotheend.Hisregretwasnaïve,andattimesreallypathetic,inthatIhaddevotedmylifetothescienceofagricultureinsteadoftofictionwriting.
“But,man,”Ireasonedwithhim,“whatdoIknowofmyselfaboutthisCho-Sen?Iamabletoidentifyitwithwhatisto-daycalledKorea,andthatisaboutall.Thatisasfarasmyreadinggoes.Forinstance,howpossibly,outofmypresentlife’sexperience,couldIknowanythingaboutkimchi?YetIknowkimchi.Itisasortofsauerkraut.
