TheFountains

UrsulaK.LeGuin

Theyknew,havinggivenhimcause,thatDr.Kerethmightattempttoseekpolitical
asyluminParis.Therefore,ontheplaneflyingwest,inthehotel,onthestreets,atthe
meetings,evenwhilehereadhispapertotheCytologysection,hewasdistantly
accompaniedatalltimesbyobscurefigureswhomightbeexplainedasgraduate
studentsorCroatianmicrobiologists,butwhohadnonames,orfaces.Sincehis
presencelentnotonlydistinctiontohiscountry'sdelegationbutalsoacertainlusterto
hisgovernmentSee,weletevenhimcometheyhadwantedhimthere;butthey
kepthiminsight.Hewasusedtobeinginsight.Inhissmallcountryamancouldget
outofsightonlybynotmovingatall,bykeepingvoice,body,brainallquiet.Hehad
alwaysbeenarestless,visibleman.Thuswhenallatonceonthesixthdayinthe
middleofaguidedtourinbroaddaylighthefoundhimselfgone,hewasconfusedfor
atime.Onlybywalkingdownapathcouldoneachieveone'sabsence?
Itwasinaverystrangeplacethathedidso.Agreatdesolate,terriblehousestood
behindhimyellowintheyellowsunlightofafternoon.Thousandsofmanycolored
dwarfsmilledonterraces,beyondwhichapalebluecanalranstraightawayintothe
unrealdistanceofSeptember.Thelawnsendedingrovesofchestnuttreesahundred
feethigh,noble,somber,shotthroughwithgold.Underthetreestheyhadwalkedin
shadowontheridingpathsofdeadkings,buttheguideledthemoutagaintosunlight
onlawnsandmarblepavements.Andahead,straightahead,toweringandshiningup
intotheair,fountainsran.
Theysprangandsanghighabovetheirmarblebasinsinthelight.Thepetty,pretty
roomsofthepalaceasbigasacitywherenoonelived,theindifferenceofthenoble
treesthatweretheonlyfitinhabitantsofagardentoolargeformen,thedominanceof
autumnandthepast,allthiswasbroughtintoproportionbytherunningofwater.The
phonographvoicesoftheguidesfellsilent,thecameraeyesoftheguidedsaw.The
fountainsleaptup,crasheddownexulting,andwasheddeathaway.
Theyranforfortyminutes.Thentheyceased.Onlykingscouldaffordtorunthe
GreatFountainsofVersaillesandliveforever.Republicsmustkeeptheirown
proportion.Sothehighwhitejetsshrank,stuttering.Thebreastsofnymphsrandry,
themouthsofrivergodsgapedblack.Thetremendousvoiceofuprushingand
downfallingwaterbecamearattling,coughingsigh.Itwasallthrough,andeveryone
stoodforamomentalone.AdamKerethturned,andseeingapathbeforehimwent
downitawayfromthemarbleterraces,underthetrees.Nobodyfollowedhim;andit
wasatthismoment,thoughhewasunawareofit,thathedefected.
Lateafternoonlightlaywarmacrossthepathbetweenshadows,andthroughthelight
andshadowsayoungmanandayoungwomanwalkedhandinhand.Alongway
behindthemAdamKerethwalkedbyhimself,tearsrunningdownhischeeks.
Presentlytheshadowsfellawayfromhimandhelookeduptoseenopath,nolovers,
onlyavasttenderlightand,belowhim,manylittleroundtreesintubs.Hehadcome
totheterraceabovetheOrangerie.Southwardfromthishighplaceonesawonly
forest,Franceabroadforestintheautumnevening.Hornsblewnolonger,rousing
wolforwildboarfortheking'shunt;therewasnogreatgameleft.Theonlytracksin
thatforestwouldbethefootprintsofyoungloverswhohadcomeoutfromParison
thebus,andwalkedamongthetrees,andvanished.
Withnointent,unconsciousstillofhisdefection,Kerethroamedbackalongwide
walkstowardsthepalace,whichstoodnowinthesinkinglightnolongeryellowbut
colorless,likeaseacliffoverabeachwhenthelastbathersareleaving.Frombeyond
itcameadimroarlikesurf,enginesoftouristbussesstartingbacktoParis.Kereth
stoodstill.Afewsmallfigureshurriedontheterracesbetweensilentfountains.A
woman'svoicefaroffcalledtoachild,plaintiveasagull'scry.Kerethturnedaround
andwithoutlookingback,intentnow,conscious,erectasonewhohasjuststolen
somethingapineapple,apurse,aloaffromacounterandhasgotithiddenunderhis
coat,hestrodebackintotheduskamongthetrees.
Thisismine,hesaidaloudtothehighchestnutsandtheoaks,likeathiefamong
policemen.Thisismine!Theoaksandchestnuts,French,plantedforaristocrats,
didnotanswerhisfiercerepublicanclaimmadeinaforeignlanguage.Butallthe
sametheirdarkness,thetaciturn,complicitdarknessofallforestswherefugitives
havehidden,gatheredaroundhim.
Hewasnotlonginthegroves,anhourorless;thereweregatestobelockedandhe
didnotwanttobelockedin.Thatwasnotwhathewasherefor.Sobeforenightfallhe
cameuptheterraces,stillwalkingerectandcalmasanykingorkleptomaniac,and
wentaroundthehuge,pale,manywindowedseacliffandacrossitscobbledbeach.
Onebusstillchuffedthere,abluebus,notthegreyonehedreaded.Hisbuswasgone.
Gone,washedouttosea,withtheguide,thecolleagues,thefellowcountrymen,the
microbiologists,thespies.GoneandlefthiminpossessionofVersailles.Abovehim
LouisXIV,foreshortenedonaprodigioushorse,assertedtheexistenceofabsolute
privilege.Kerethlookedupatthebronzeface,thebigbronzeBourbonnose,asa
childlooksupathisolderbrother,lovingandderisive.Hewentonthroughthegates,
andinacafacrosstheParisroadhissisterservedhimvermouthatadustygreen
tableundersycamores.Thewindofnightandautumnblewfromthesouth,fromthe
forests,andlikethevermouthitsscentwasalittlebitter,anodorofdryleaves.
Afreeman,hetookhisownwayinhisowntimetothesuburbanstation,boughthis
ownticket,returnedtoParisbyhimself.WherehecameupoutoftheMetronobody
knows,perhapsnothimself,norwherehewanderedinthecitywhiledefecting.At
eleveno'clockatnighthewasstandingattheparapetoftheSolferinoBridge,ashort
manoffortyseveninashoddysuit,afreeman.Hewatchedthelightsofthebridge
andoffartherbridgestrembleontheblackriverrunningquietly.Upanddownthe
riveroneitherbankstoodtheasylums:theGovernmentofFrance,theEmbassiesof
AmericaandEngland.Hehadwalkedpastthemall.Perhapsitwastoolateatnightto
enterthem.Standingonthebridgethereinthemiddle,betweentheLeftBankandthe
RightBank,hethought:Therearenohidingplacesleft.Therearenothrones;no
wolves,noboars;eventhelionsofAfricaaredyingout.Theonlysafeplaceisthe
zoo.
Buthehadnevercaredmuchaboutbeingsafe,andnowthoughtthathedidnotcare
muchabouthidingeither,havingfoundsomethingbetter:hisfamily,hisinheritance.
Herehehadatlastwalkedinthegardenlargerthanlife,onpathswherehisolder
brothershadgonebeforehim,crowned.Afterthathereallycouldnottakerefugein
thezoo.HewentonacrossthebridgeandunderthedarkarchesoftheLouvre,
returningtohishotel.Knowingnowthathewasbothakingandathiefandsowasat
homeanywhere,whatturnedhimtohisownlandwasmerefidelity.Forwhatelse
shouldmoveaman,thesedays?Kinglyhestrodepastthesecretpoliceagentinthe
hotellobby,hidingunderhiscoatthestolen,inexhaustiblefountains.