TheOnesWhoWalkAwayFromOmelasWithaclamorofbellsthatsettheswallowssoaring,theFestivalofSummercametothecityOmelas,bright-toweredbythesea.Theriggingoftheboatsinharborsparkledwithflags.Inthestreetsbetweenhouseswithredroofsandpaintedwalls,betweenoldmoss-growngardensandunderavenuesoftrees,pastgreatparksandpublicbuildings,processionsmoved.Someweredecorous:oldpeopleinlongstiffrobesofmauveandgrey,gravemasterworkmen,quiet,merrywomencarryingtheirbabiesandchattingastheywalked.Inotherstreetsthemusicbeatfaster,ashimmeringofgongandtambourine,andthepeoplewentdancing,theprocessionwasadance.Childrendodgedinandout,theirhighcallsrisingliketheswallows’crossingflightsoverthemusicandthesinging.Alltheprocessionswoundtowardsthenorthsideofthecity,whereonthegreatwater-meadowcalledtheGreenFieldsboysandgirls,nakedinthebrightair,withmud-stainedfeetandanklesandlong,lithearms,exercisedtheirrestivehorsesbeforetherace.Thehorsesworenogearatallbutahalterwithoutbit.Theirmaneswerebraidedwithstreamersofsilver,gold,andgreen.Theyflaredtheirnostrilsandprancedandboastedtooneanother;theywerevastlyexcited,thehorsebeingtheonlyanimalwhohasadoptedourceremoniesashisown.FarofftothenorthandwestthemountainsstooduphalfencirclingOmelasonherbay.TheairofmorningwassoclearthatthesnowstillcrowningtheEighteenPeaksburnedwithwhite-goldfireacrossthemilesofsunlitair,underthedarkblueofthesky.Therewasjustenoughwindtomakethebannersthatmarkedtheracecoursesnapandflutternowandthen.Inthesilenceofthebroadgreenmeadowsonecouldhearthemusicwindingthroughthecitystreets,fartherandnearerandeverapproaching,acheerfulfaintsweetnessoftheairthatfromtimetotimetrembledandgatheredtogetherandbrokeoutintothegreatjoyousclangingofthebells.随着一阵响彻云霄的钟声的敲响,一群燕子惊得展翅高翔,白塔映日的海滨城市奥米勒斯迎来了她的夏庆节。港湾里停泊的船只的缆索上都飘扬着鲜艳夺目的彩旗。市区的大街小巷上,一支支游行队伍穿过街道两旁那一排排红顶彩漆墙面的房屋,穿过一座座长满青苔的古老庭园,走过一条条林荫大道,一座座公园和公共建筑,迤逦而行。游行队伍有的显得十分文雅庄重,其参加者或是一些身着紫衣灰袍的老者,或是一些沉郁肃穆的工人师傅,或是一些文文静静、欢欢喜喜的妇女,她们抱着孩子,边走边聊天。另外一些游行队伍的情形却迥然不同:那儿奏着欢快的音乐,锣鼓喧天,游行的人们一路上载歌载舞。成群的小孩在队伍中兴高采烈地穿来穿去,他们的欢叫声像高翔于空中的燕子的呜叫声一样,盖过游行队伍的鼓乐声和歌唱声。所有游行队伍都沿着蜿蜒曲折的街道迤逦向北行进,来到一个称作绿野的大草坪上。草坪上早有一些光着身子、脚踝沾满泥巴、手臂长大而灵活的青年男女在那儿对他们的劣马进行赛前训练。那些马都没有上鞍具,只套了一根不带嚼子的缰绳。马的鬃毛上扎着一些银色、金色和绿色饰带。那些马都扬着鼻子,欢腾跳跃相互炫耀;它们都兴奋异常,因为马是唯一将人的喜庆活动看作自己的喜庆活动的动物。城外较远处,环绕奥米勒斯西面和北面的是一道半圆形的山脉。早晨的天空晴明如镜,湛蓝的天幕下积雪未化的十八座峰顶上,白雪映着阳光,犹如燃烧的火焰,发出冲天的金光。赛马跑道上插着的彩旗在微风吹拂下呼啦啦地飘摆。置身于一片寂静的大草坪上,人们就可以听到城区街道上的鼓乐声由远及近,犹如阵阵醉人的香风迎面扑来。鼓乐声时而微弱下去,时而响亮起来,直至最后融入一片欢乐喧闹的钟声之中。Joyous!Howisonetotellaboutjoy?HowdescribethecitizensofOmelas?Theywerenotsimplefolk,yousee,thoughtheywerehappy.Butwedonotsaythewordsofcheermuchanymore.Allsmileshavebecomearchaic.Givenadescriptionsuchasthisonetendstomakecertainassumptions.GivenadescriptionsuchasthisonetendstolooknextfortheKing,mountedonasplendidstallionandsurroundedbyhisnobleknights,orperhapsinagoldenlitterbornebygreat-muscledslaves.Buttherewasnoking.Theydidnotuseswords,orkeepslaves.Theywerenotbarbarians.Idonotknowtherulesandlawsoftheirsociety,butIsuspectthattheyweresingularlyfew.Astheydidwithoutmonarchyandslavery,sotheyalsogotonwithoutthestockexchange,theadvertisement,thesecretpolice,andthebomb.YetIrepeatthatthesewerenotsimplefolk,notdulcetshepherds,noblesavages,blandutopians.Theywerenotlesscomplexthanus.Thetroubleisthatwehaveabadhabit,encouragedbypedantsandsophisticates,ofconsideringhappinessassomethingratherstupid.Onlypainisintellectual,onlyevilinteresting.Thisisthetreasonoftheartist:arefusaltoadmitthebanalityofevilandtheterribleboredomofpain.Ifyoucan’tlick‘em,join‘em.Ifithurts,repeatit.Buttopraisedespairistocondemndelight,toembraceviolenceistoloseholdofeverythingelse.Wehavealmostlosthold;wecannolongerdescribeahappyman,normakeanycelebrationofjoy.HowcanItellyouaboutthepeopleofOmelas?Theywerenotnaiveandhappychildren—thoughtheirchildrenwere,infact,happy.Theyweremature,intelligent,passionateadultswhoseliveswerenotwretched.Omiracle!butIwishIcoulddescribeitbetter.IwishIcouldconvinceyou.Omelassoundsinmywordslikeacityinafairytale,longagoandfaraway,onceuponatime.Perhapsitwouldbebestifyouimagineditasyourownfancybids,assumingitwillrisetotheoccasion,forcertainlyIcannotsuityouall.Forinstance,howabouttechnology?Ithinkthattherewouldbenocarsorhelicoptersinandabovethestreets;thisfollowsfromthefactthatthepeopleofOmelasarehappypeople.Happinessisbasedonajustdiscriminationofwhatisnecessary,whatisneithernecessarynordestructive,andwhatisdestructive.Inthemiddlecategory,however—thatoftheunnecessarybutundestructive,thatofcomfort,luxury,exuberance,etc.—theycouldperfectlywellhavecentralheating,subwaytrains,washingmachines,andallkindsofmarvelousdevicesnotyetinventedhere,floatinglight-sources,fuellesspower,acureforthecommoncold.Ortheycouldhavenoneofthat;itdoesn’tmatter.Asyoulikeit.IinclinetothinkthatpeoplefromtownsupanddownthecoasthavebeencomingintoOmelasduringthelastdaysbeforetheFestivalonveryfastlittletrainsanddouble-deckedtrams,andthatthetrainstationofOmelasisactuallythehandsomestbuildingintown,thoughplainerthanthemagnificentFarmers’Market.Butevengrantedtrains,IfearthatOmelassofarstrikessomeofyouasgoody-goody.Smiles,bells,parades,horses,bleh.If