time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第10部分

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　　第5节
　　
　　…　〃But；〃　Lazarus；　I　don't　make　speeches。　Never。　I　just　giv~　orders；　and…very　seldom…make　written　reports　to　thi　Trustees。〃
　　
　　〃Congratulations。　You　can　bet　that　there　are　ghost　writeri　on　Felicity。　Or　soon　will　be。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　have　that。~printout　installed　at　once；　sir。　Roman　alpha。　bet　and　twentieth…century　spelling？　If　you　intend　to　use　the　language　we've　been　talking？〃　…
　　
　　〃Unless　it　would　place　too　much　strain　on　a　poor　innoceni　machine。　If　so；　I　can　read　it　in　phoics。　I　think。〃
　　
　　〃It　is　a　very　flexible　machine；　sir；　it　taught　me　to　speak　this　language…and　earlier；　to　read　it。〃
　　
　　〃Good；　do　it　that　way。　But　tell　it　not　to　correct　my　grammar。　Human　editors　are　difficult　enough；　I　won't　accept　such　upstart　behavior　from　a　machine。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　sir。　If　you　will　excuse　me　one　moment…〃　The　Chairman　Pro　Tern　raised　his　voice　slightly　and　shifted　to　the　New；　Rome　variant　of　Lingua　Galacta。　Then　he　spoke　in　the　same　language　to　the　taller　technician。
　　
　　The　auxiliary　printout　was　installed　before　the　table　served　them　coffee。　…
　　
　　After　it　was　switched　on；　it　whirred　briefly。　〃What's　it　doing？〃　asked　Lazarus。　〃Checking　its　circuits？〃
　　
　　〃No；　sir…printing。　I　tried；　an　experiment。　The'　machine　has　considerable　judgment　within　the　limits；　of　its　programs　and　memoried　experience。　In　adding　the　extra　program　I　told　it　also　to　go　back；　review　everything　you　have　said　to　me；　and　attempt　to　select　all　statements　…　that　sounded　like　aphorisms。　I　m　not　sure　it　can　do　this　as　any　definition　of　aphorism　it　has　in　its　permanents　is　certain'　to　be　quite　abstract。　But　I　have　'hopes。　However；　I　told　it　firmly：　No　editing。〃
　　
　　〃Well。　'The　astounding'　thing　about　a　waltzing　bear　is　not　how　gracefully　…　it　waltzes　but　that　it　waltzes　at　all。'　Not　me；　some'　otf~er　bloke；　I'm　quoting。　Let's　see　what　it　has。〃
　　
　　Weatheral　gestured；　the　shorter　technician　hurried　to　the
　　
　　'machine；　pulled　a　copy　for　'each　Of　them；　fetched　them　back。　Lazarus　looked　his　copy　over　Mmmm　yes　That　next
　　
　　one　isn't　true…just　a　wisecrack。　Must　reword　the　third　one　a　little。　Hey'　it　put　a　question　mark　after　this　one。　What　an　impudent　piece　of　junk；　I　checked　that　one　out　centuries　before　it　was　anything　but　unrnined　ore。　Well；　at　least　it　didn't
　　
　　try　to　revise　it。　Don't　recall　saying　that；　but　it's　true　and　I；
　　
　　durned　near　got　killed　learning　it。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　looked　up　from　the　printout　copy。　〃Okay；　Son。　If
　　
　　you　want　this　stuff　on　record；　I　don't　mind。　As　long　as　I　am　allowed　to　check　and　revise　it　。　。　for　I　don't　Want　my　words　to　be　taken　as　Gospel　unless　I　have　a　chance　to　winnow　out　the　casual　nonsense。　Which　I　am　just　as　capable　of　voicing　as　t；he　next　man。〃　…
　　
　　〃Certainly；　sir。　Nothing　will　go　into　the　records　without　your　approval。　Unless　you　choose　to　use　that　switch　。　。　in　which　case　any　unedited　remarks　you　have　left　behind　I　will　have　to　fry　to　edit　myself。　That's　the　best　I　can　do。〃
　　
　　〃Trying　to　trap　me；　huh？　Hmm…　Ira；　suppose　I　offer　you　a　Scheherazade　deal　in　reverse。〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　　
　　〃is　Scheherazade　lost　at　last？　Did　Sir　Richard　Burton　live　in　vain？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　no；　sir！　I　have　read　The　Thousand　Nights　and　a　Night　in　the　Burton　original　…　。　and　her　stories　have　e　down　through　the　centuries；　changed　again　and　again　to　make　them　understandable　to　new　generations…but　with；　I　think；　the　flavor　retained。　I　simply　do　not　un4erstand　what　you　arc　proposing。〃
　　
　　〃I　see。　You　told　me　that　talking　with　me　is　the　most　important　thing　you　have　to　do。〃
　　
　　〃It　is。〃
　　
　　〃I　wonder。　…If　you　mean　that；　then　you　will　be　here　every　day　to　keep　me　pany…and　chat。　For　I'm　not　going　to　bother　babbling　to　your　…　machine　no　matter　how　smart　it　is。；'
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　I　will　be　not　only　honored　but　much　pleased　to　be　allowed　to　keep　you　pany　as　long　as　you　will　let　me。〃
　　
　　〃We'll　see。　When　a　man　makes　a　sweeping　statement；　he　often　has　mental　reservations。　I　mean　every　day；　Son；　and　all　day。　And　you…not　a　deputy。　Show　up　two'　hours　after　breakfast；　say；　and　stay　till　I　send　you　home。　But　any　day　you　miss…　Well；　if　it's　so　urgent　you　just　have　to　miss；　phone
　　
　　…your　excuses　and　send　over　a　pretty　girl　to　visit　me。　One　who　speaks　Classic　~nglish　but　has　sense　enough　to　listen　in…　…
　　
　　stead…as　an　old　fool　will　often　talk　to　a　pretty　girl　who　just　bats　her　lashes　at　him　and　looks　impressed。　If　she　pleases　me；　I　might　let　her　stay。　Or　I　might　be　so　petulant　that　I　would　send　her　away　and　use　that　switch　you　promised　to
　　
　　have　reinstalled。　But　I　won't　suicide　in　the　presence　of　a　guest；　that's　rude。　Understand　me？〃
　　
　　〃I　think　I　do；〃　Ira　Weatheral　answered　slowly。　〃You'll　be　both　Scheherazade　and　King　Shabryar；　and　I'll　be…no；　that's　not　right；　I　am　the　one　who　has　to　keep　it　going　for　a　thousand'　nights…I　mean　'days'…and　if　I　miss…but　I　won't！…　you　are　free　to…〃
　　
　　〃Don't　push　an　analogy　too　far；〃　Lazarus　advised。　〃I'm　simply　calling　your　bluff。　If　my　maunderings　are　as　all…fired　important　to　you　as　you　claim；　then　you'll　show　up　and　listen。
　　
　　…　You　can　skip　once；　or　even　twice；　if　the　girl　is　pretty　enough　and　knows　how　to　tickle　my　vanity…of　which　I　have　plenty…　just　right。　But　if　you　skip　too　often；　I'll　know　you're　bored　and　the　deal　is　off。　I'm　betting　that　your　patience　will　wear　out　long　before　any　thousand　days　and　a　day　have　passed…　whereas　I　do　know　…　how　to　be　patient；　for　year　after　year　if　necessary；　that's　a　prime　reason　I'm　still　alive。　But　you're　still　a　youngster；　I'm　betting　I　can　outsit　you。〃
　　
　　〃I　accept　the　bet。　This　girl…if　I　must　be　away　some　day…　would　you　object　if　I　sent　one　of　my　daughters？　She's　very　pretty。〃
　　
　　〃Hunh？　You　sound　like　an　Iskandrian　slave　factor　auctioning　his　mother。　Why　your　daughter？　I　don't　want　to　marry　her；　nor　even　to　bed　her；　I　simply　want　to　be　amused　and　flattered。　Who　told　you　she　was　pretty？　If　she　really　is　your　daughter；　she　probably　looks　like　you。〃
　　
　　〃e　off　it；　Lazarus；　you　can't　annoy　me　that　easily。　I　admit　to　a　father's　prejudice　but　I've　seen　the　effect　she　has　on　others。　She　is　quite　young；　less　than　eighty；　and　has　been　contractually　married　only　once。　But　you　specified　a　pretty　girl　who　speaks　your　milk　language。　Scarce。　But　this　one　of　？y　daughters　shares　my　talent　for　languages　and　is　much　cx。。　cited　by　your　presence　here…wants　to　meet　you。　I　can　stall　off　emergencies　long　enough　for　her　to　bee　letter…perfect　in　yoi~ir　language。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　grinned　and　shrugged。　〃Suit　yourself。　Tell　her　not　to　bother　with　a　chastity　girdle；　I　don't　have　the　energy。　But　I'll　still　win　the　bet。　Probably　without　laying　eyes　on　her；　it　won't　take　you　long　to　decide　that　I　am　an　unbearable　old　bore。　Which　I　am　and　have　been　almost　as　long　as　the　Wandering　JewA~。。a　crashing　bore　if　I　ever　met　one…did　I　tell　you　I　had　met　him？〃
　　
　　〃No。　And　I　don't　believe　you　have。　He's　a　myth。〃
　　
　　〃A　fat　lot　you　know　about　it；　Son。　I　have　met　him；　he　is　authentic。　Fought　the　Romans　in　70　Al）。　when　Jerusalem　was
　　
　　sacked。　Fought　in　every　Crusade…incited　one　of　them。　Redheaded　of　course；　all　of　the　natural　long…lifers　bear　the　mark　of　Gilgamesh。　When　I　met　him　he　was　using　the　name　Sandy　Macdougal；　that　being　a　better　handle　for　the　time　and　place　for　his　current　trade；　which　was　the　long　con；　with　a　variant　on　the　badger　game。　*　The　latter　involved…　Look；　Ira；　if　you　don't　believe　my　stories；　why　are　you　going　to　so　much
　　
　　…　trouble　to　get　them　on　record？〃　…
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　if　you　think　you　can　bore　me　to　death…correction：　to　your　death…why　are　you　bothering　to　invent　fictions　to　entertain　me？　Whatever　your　reasons；　I'll　listen　as　carefully…and　as　long…as　King　Shahryar。　As　may　be；　my　master　putbr　is　recording　whatever　you　choose　to　say…without　~diting；　I　guaranteed　that…but　it　has　incorporated　into　it　a　most　subtle　truth　analyzer　quite　capable　of　earmarking　any　fictions　you　include。　Not　that　I　care　about　historicity　as　long　as　you　will　talk　。。。　as　it　is　clear　to　me　that　you　automatically　'include　your　evaluations…those　'gems　of　wisdom'…no　matter　what　you　say。〃　…
　　
　　〃'Gems　of　wisdom。'　Youngster；　use　…　that　expression　once　more　and　you'll　stay　after　school　and　clean　the　blackboards。　That　puter　of　yours…　Better　instruct　it　that　my　most　outlandish　tales　are　the　ones　most　likely　to　be　true…as　that　is　the　literal　truth。　No　storyteller　has　ever　been　able　to　dream　up　anything　as　fantastically　unlikely　as　what　really　does　happen　in　this　mad　Universe。〃
　　
　　〃It　knows　that。　But　I　will　caution　it　again。　You　were　telling　me　about　Sandy　Macdougal；　the　Wandering　Jew。〃
　　
　　〃Was　I？　If　so　and　if　he　was　using　that　name；　that　must　have　been　late　in　the　twentieth　century　and　in　Vancouver；　as　I　recall。　Vancouver　was　a　part　of　the　United　States　where　the　people　were　so　clever　that　they　never　paid　taxes　to　Washington…Sandy　should　have　operated　in　New　York；　which　was　outstanding　in　stupidity　even　then。　I　won't　give　details　of　his　swindles；　it　might　corrupt　your　machine。　Let　it　suffice　that
　　
　　*　While　this　passage　be