第10部分 (第5/8页)

　me。　“Hope　for　one。　The　record's　three。　The　grade's　in　the　documentation。　Be　a　scientist。

Good　luck。”　And　with　that；　she　was　off。

Documentation？　Of　what？　I　had　to　turn　the　eggs　three　times　a　day　and　regulate　the

temperature　and　humidity；　but　aside　from　that　what　was　there

to　do？

That　night　my　father　came　out　to　the　garage　with　a　cardboard　tube　and　a　flashlight。　He　taped

the　two　together　so　that　the　light　beam　was　forced

straight　out　the　tube。　“Let　me　show　you　how　to　candle　an　egg；”　he　said；　then　switched　off　the

garage　light。

I'd　seen　a　section　on　candling　eggs　in　Mrs。　Brubeck's　book；　but　I　hadn't　really　read　it　yet。

“Why　do　they　call　it　that？”　I　asked　him。　“And　why　do　you

do　it？”

“People　used　candles　to　do　this　before　they　had　incandescent　lighting。”　He　held　an　egg　up　to

the　cardboard　tube。　“The　light　lets　you　see　through

the　shell　so　you　can　watch　the　embryo　develop。　Then　you　can　cull　the　weak　ones；　if

necessary。”

“Kill　them？”

“Cull　them。　Remove　the　ones　that　don't　develop　properly。”

“But　…　wouldn't　that　also　kill　them？”

He　looked　at　me。　“Leaving　an　egg　you　should　cull　might　have　disastrous　results　on　the

healthy　ones。”

“Why？　Wouldn't　it　just　not　hatch？”

He　went　back　to　lighting　up　the　egg。　“It　might　explode　and　contaminate　the　other　eggs　with

bacteria。”

Explode！　Between　mushy　chick　disease；　exploding　eggs；　a