time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第104部分

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　　〃Mmm；　yes。　Justin；　why　are　you　hanging　back？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　not。　I　had　to　be　certain　that　the　invitation　was　serious。　I　still　don't　know　why。　But　I'm　no　fool；　I'm　staying。〃
　　
　　〃Wonderful！〃　Galahad　jumped　up；　came　around　the　table；　kissed　me　again；　roughed　my　hair；　and　hugged　me。　〃I'm　happy　for　all　of　us；　darling；　and　we'll　try　to　make　you　happy。〃　He　grinned…and　I　suddenly　saw　his　mother　in　him。　Hard　to　imagine　the　glamorous　Magdalene　with　kids　and　calluses；　a　frontier　farm　wife…but　I　recalled　the　old　proverb　about　best　wives。　Galahad　went　on：　〃The　twins　weren't　sure　I　could　be　trusted　with'　so　delicate　a　mission；　they　were　afraid　I　would　muff　it。〃
　　
　　〃Galahad；　there　was　never　a　chance　I　would　refuse；　'I　just　had　to　be　sure　I　was　wele。　I　still　don't　know　why。〃
　　
　　〃Oh。　We　were　speaking　of　Tamara　and　got　sidetracked。　Justin；　it's　not　public　knowledge　how　difficult　it　was　to　rejuvenate　our　Ancestor　this　time；　although。　the　recordings　you　have　been　editing　may　hint　at　it…〃
　　
　　〃More　than　a　hint。〃
　　
　　〃But　not　all　of　it。　He　was　almost　dead；　and　simply　keeping　him　alive　while　we　rebuilt　him　was　hard　enough。　But　we　managed　that；　you　won't　find　another　technician　of　Ishtar's　skill。　But　when　we　had　him　in　good　shape；　bio…age　almost　as　young　as　he　is　now；　he　took　a　turn　for　the　worse。　What　do　you　do　when　a　client　turns　his　face　away；　is　reluctant；　to
　　
　　talk；　doesn't　want　to　eat…yet　has　nothing　wrong　with　him　physically？　Bad。　Stays　awake　all　night　rather　than　risk　going　to　sleep？　Ver~y　bad。
　　
　　〃When　he…　Never　mind；　Ishtar　knew　what　to　do。　She　went　up　into　the　mountains　and　fetched　back　Tamara。　She　wasn't　rejuvenated　then…〃
　　
　　〃That　wouldn't　matter。〃
　　
　　〃It　did　matter；　Justin。　You　would　have　handicapped　Tamara　in　coping　with　Lazarus。　Oh；　Tamara　would　have　overe　the　handicap；　I　have　confidence　in　hcr。　But　her　bio…age　and；　appearance　were　around　eighty　on　the　Hardy　scale；　this　made　it　easier；　as　Lazarus；　despite　his　renewed　body；　was　feeling　the　weight　of　his　years。　But　Tamara　looked　old　。　。　and　every　white　hair　was　an　asset。　Lines　in　her　face；　little　round　potbelly；　breasts　pendulous；　varicosities…she　looked　the　way　he　felt　。　。　so　he　didn't　mind　having　her　around　during　a　crisis　in　which　he…well；　I　skansed　that　he　couldn't　stand　the　sight　of　us　who　looked　youthful。　That's　all　it　took；　she　healed　him…〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　she's　a　Healer。〃　（How　well　I　knew！）
　　
　　〃She's　a　great　Healer。　That's　what　she's　doing　now；　healing　a　young　couple　who　lost　their　first　baby…nursing　the　mother　who　had　a　rough　time　physically；　sleeping　with　both　of　them。　We　all　sleep　with　her；　she　always　knows　when　we　need　her。　Lazarus　needed　her　then；　she　felt　it；　and　stayed　with　him　until　he　was　well。　Uh；　after　last　night　this　may　be　difficult　to　believe；　but　both　of　them　had　quit　sex。　Years　and　years…Lazarus　more　than　half　a　century；　and　Tamara　had　not　coupled　with　anyone　since　she　retired。〃
　　
　　Galahad　smiled。　〃Here　is　a　case　of　the　patient　healing　the　physician；　in　bringing　Lazarus　around　to　the　point　where　he　invited　her　to　share　his　bed；　Tamara　herself　found　new　interest　in　living。　She　lived　with　Lazarus　long　enough　to　heal　his　spirit；　then　announced　that　she　was　leaving。　To　apply　for　rejuvenation。〃
　　
　　I　said；　〃Lazarus　asked　her　to　marry　him。〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　think　so；　Justin；　and　neither　Tamara　nor　Lazarus　hinted　at　such。　Tamara　put　it　another　way；　entirely。　We　were　all　having　a　late　breakfast；　in　the　garden　of　the　Palace　penthouse；　when　Tamara　asked　Ira　if　she　could　join　his　migration…it　was　solely　Ira's　migration　then；　Lazartis　had　said　repeatedly　that　he　would　not　'join　it。　I　think　he　abeady　had　in　mind　attempting　to　time…trip。　Ira　told　Tamara　to　consider　it　settled　and　not　to　worry　about　restrictions　that　would　be
　　
　　published　when　he　announced　it。　Justin；　Ira　would　have　given　her　the　Palace　as　readily；　she　had　saved　Lazarus；　and　we　all　knew　it。
　　
　　〃But　'you　know　Tamara。　She　than？ed　him　but　said　she　intended　to　qualify　fully；　starting　with　rejuvenation；　then　she　would　see　what　she　could　learn　to　be　useful　in　a　colony；　just　as　Hamadryad　planned　to…and；　Hamadryad；　swill　you　sleep　with　Lazarus　tonight？…and　Justin；　you　should　have　heard　the　motion　that　started！〃
　　
　　〃Why　a　motion？〃　I　asked。　〃From　what　you　said　earlier　Lazarus　had　reacquired　his　interest　in　the　friendly　sport。'　Did　Hamadryad　have　some　reason　not　to　want　to　substitute　for　Tamara？〃
　　
　　〃Hamadryad　was　willing；　although　upset　by　the　way　Tamara　dumped　the　matter　on　her…〃
　　
　　〃Doesn't　sound　like　Tamara。　If　Hamadryad　hadn't　wanted　to　do　it；　Tamara　would　'have　known　it　without　asking。〃
　　
　　〃Justin；　when　it　es　to　people's　emotions；　Tamara　always　knows　what　she　is　doing。　It　was　Lazarus　she　was　trapping；　not　Hamadryad。　Our　Ancestor　has　oddshynesses；　or　did　have　then。　He　had　been　sleeping　with　Tamara　for　a　month…and　pretending　that　he　was　not。；　As　futile　as　a　cat　covering　up　on　a　tile　floor。　But　Tamara's　blandly　blunt　request　that　Hamadryad　relieve　her　as　his　concubine　forced　it　into　the　open　and　produced　a　head…on　clash　of　wills；　Lazarus　and　Tamara。　Justin；　you　know　them　both：　Who　won？〃
　　
　　The　ancient　pseudoparadox…　That　Tamara　could　be　immovable　I　knew。　〃I　won't　guess；　Galahad。〃
　　
　　〃Neither　just　then；　because　once　Lazarus　stopped　sputter。　ing　about　how　both　he　and　Hamadryad　were　being　needlessly　embarrassed；　Tamara　gently　withdrew　her　suggestion；　then　shut　up。　Shut　up　on　that；　shut　up　about　rejuvenation；　shut　up　about　migrating；　left　the　next　move　up　to　Lazarus　and　won　the　argument　by　not　arguing。　'Justin；　it　is　difficult　to　kick　Tamara　out　of　one's　bed…〃
　　
　　〃I　would　find　it　impossible。〃
　　
　　〃I　think　Lazarus　found　it　so。　What　discussions　they　had　in　the　middle　of　the　night　I　could　not　say　。　。　but　Lazarus　learned
　　
　　that　she　would　not　leave　for　rejuvenation　until　he　promised　never　to　sleep　alone　while　she　was　gone。　But　she　promised　in　exchange　to　return　to　his　bed　as　sOon　as　she　pleted　antigeria。　'
　　
　　〃So　one　morning　Lazarus　announced　the　d閠ente…red…faced
　　
　　and　almost　stuttering。　Justin；　our　Ancestor's'　true　age　shows　snore　in　some　of　his　ancient　attitudes　about　sex　than　in　any　other　way。〃
　　
　　〃I　didn't　notice　it　last　night；　Qalahad…and　I　expected　to；　having　studied　his　memoirs　so　closely。〃
　　
　　〃Yes　but　you　saw　him　last　night　some　fourteen　years　after　we　set　up　our　family…as　it　was　that　morning　that　did　it。　Although　we　did　not　formalize　it　until　after　the　twins　were　born；　whereas　at　this　time　they　were　slight　bulges　at　most。　Believe　me；　Lazarus　found　it　hard　to　capitulate…and　tried　for　an　escape　hole　even　then。　He　announced；　rather　aggressively；　that　he　had　promised　Tamara　not　to　sleep　alone　while　she　was　undergoing　antigeria；　then　said；　more　or　less　in　these　words：　'Ira；　you　told　me　that　professional　ladies　were　to　be　found　in　the　city。　How　do　I　go　about　finding　one　who　will　accept　a　contract　for　that　length　of　time？'　I　have　to　quote　him　in　English　as　he　was　using　euphemisms　he　ordinarily　disdains。
　　
　　〃What　Lazarus　didn't　know　was　that　Ishtar　had　programmed　us　like　actors　hypnotized　into　roles。　Perhaps　you've　noticed　that　he　is　responsive　to　female　tears？〃
　　
　　〃Isn't　everyone？　I've　noticed。〃
　　
　　〃Ira；　pretended　not　to　know　what　profession　Lazarus　meant　。　。　which　gave　Hamadryad　time　to　burst　into　tears　and　flee　。　。　whereupon　Ishtar　stood　up　and　said；　'Grandfather　。　。　how　could　you？…and　she　was　dripping　tears；　too　。　。　and　chased　after　Hamadryad。　Then　it　was　Tamara's　turn　to　switch　on　the　the　raindrops　and　follow　the　other　two。　Which　left　us　three　men　together。
　　
　　〃Ira　became　very　formal　and　said；　'If　you　will　excuse　me；　Sire；　I　will　attempt　to　find　and　consol~　my　daughter'…　bowed；　turned　abruptly；　and　left。　Which　left　it　up　to　me。　Justin；　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　I　knew　that　Ishtar　expected　difficulty　because　Tamara　had　warned　her。　But　I　did　not　expect　to　be　left　to　juggle　it　alone。
　　
　　〃Lazarus　said；　'Great　balls　of　fire！　Son；　what　did　I　do　now？'　Well；　I　could　answer　that。　I　said；　'Grandfather；　you've　hurt　Hamadryad's　feelings。'
　　
　　〃Then　I　was　carefully　unhelpful…refused　to　speculate　why　her　feelings　were　hurt；　could　not　guess　where　she　might'　have　gone…unless　she　had　gone　home；　which　I　understood　was　somewhere　in　the　suburbs…declined　to　act　as　his　intermediary…ail　to　Ishtar's　instructions　to　play　dumb；　stupid；　and　useless；　and　let　the　women　handle　it。　'
　　
　　〃So　Lazarus　had　to　track　Hamadryad　down　himself；；　which　he　did　with　Athene's…I　mean　'Minerva's'…help。〃
　　
　　Athene　said；　〃This　is　all　news　to　me；　Uncle　Cuddly。〃
　　
　　〃If　it　is；　dear；　please　forget　it。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　I　shall！〃　the　puter　answered。　〃Except　that　I'm　going　to　save　it　up　and　use　it　about　a　hundred　years　from　now。　Justin；　if　I　burst　into　tears…after　I'm　a　flesh…andblood…will　you　track　me　down　and　console　me？〃
　　
　　〃Probably。　Almost　certainly。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　remember　that；　Lover　Boy。　You're　cute。〃　…
　　
　　I　pretended　not　to　hear；　but　Galahad　said；　〃'Lover　Boy'？〃
　　
　　〃That's　what　I　said；　dear。　Sorry；　Uncle　Cuddly；　but　you're　obsolete。　If　you　hadn't　gone　to　s