time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第140部分

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…as　soon　as　possible　to　stop　your　worries。　But…oh；　shucks；　dear；　I　made　a　sill）　mistake。　I　meant　to　arrive　after　this　war　is　over。　But　I　gav　my　…puter　one　critical　figure　wit　…　an　error　in　it…just
　　
　　…　little　one；　but　it　made　me　arrive　three　years　too　soon。　Not　hei　fault；　she　accepts　any　data　I　give　her；　and　she's　as　accurate　puter…　as　…ever　conned　a　ship。　Not　a　fatal　error；　either；　I'n~　not　lost　in　time；…　my　ship　will　pick　me　up　in　1926　exactly　ter　Earth　…years　after　she　dropped　me。　But　that's　why　I　didn'i　study　the　history　of　the　next　few　months；　I　expected　to　skif　this　war。　I'm　not　studying　wars；　histories　are　full　of　wars。　I'n　studying　how　people　live。〃　…
　　
　　〃Theodore　。　I'm　confused。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　sorry；　darling。　Time…　travel　is　confusing。〃
　　
　　〃You　speak　of　a　puter；　and　I'm　not　sure　what　yos
　　
　　mean　。　。　and　you　said　'she'　conns…whatever　that　means…a　ship　that　will　pick　you　up　。　。　in　1926？　And　I　don't　understand　any　of　it〃
　　
　　Lazarus　sighed。　〃That's　why　I　never　intended　to　tell　anyone。　But　I　had　to　tell　you…so　that　you　could　stop　worrying。　My　ship　is　a　spaceship…like　Jules　Verne；　only　more　so。　A　starship；　I　live　on　a　pla　a　long　way　off。　But　it　is　a　tim鐂hip；　too；　she　travels　in　both　space　and　time　and　it's　too　plicated　to　explain。　The　puter　is　the　ship's　brain…a　machine；　a　very　plex　machine。　My　ship…　is　named　~　and　the　machine；　the　puter；　that　conns　it…runs　it…steers　it…is　called　Dora；　1oo；　that's　the　name　she　answers　to　when　I　speak　to　her。　She's　a　very　intelligent　machine　and　can　talk；　Oh；　there　is　a　crew；　two　of　my　sisters…so　of　course　they…　are　descended　from　you；　too；　and　they　look　like　you。　A　crew　is　necessary…　can't　let　a　ship　go　running　around　by　itself…except　automatic　freighters　on　precalculated　runs…but　Dora　does　the　hard　work；　and　Laz　and　Lor…Lapis　Lazuli　Long　and　Lorelei　Lee　Long…tell　Dora　what　to　…do　and　let　her　do　it。〃　He　squeezed　Mrs。　Smith's　thigh　and　grinned。　〃If　that　air　blast　had　kept　your　skirts　up　two　seconds　longer；　I　would　know　more　about　how　closely　they　resemble　you…as　they　usually　run　around　naked。　They　look　like　you　in　the　face。　Bodies；　too；　from　that　too…short　glimpse　of　your　lovely　legs。　Except　that　Laz　and　Lor　are　freckled　all　over　…as　solidly　as　Marie　is　on　her　face。〃
　　
　　…　〃I'd　be　that　freckled　if　I　didn't　stay　out　of　the　sun。　When　I　was　Marie's　age；　Father　called　me　'Turkey　Egg。'　But　all　over？　They　don't　wear　any　clothes？〃　…　…　…
　　
　　〃Oh；　they　enjoy　fancy　dress　for　parties。　Or　the　weather　might　be　cold…but　it　rarely　is；　we　live　in　a　climate　like　southern　Italy。　They　don't　wear　anything　very　often。〃　Lazarus　smiled　and　caressed　her　thigh。　〃They　don't　need　to　leave　their　bloomers　home　to　be　ready　for　lovemaking；　they　don't　own　any　bloomers。　They　aren't　a　bit　shy。　They　would~be　delighted　to　trip　your　father；　they　like　older　men…they're　much　younger　than　I　am。〃　…　…
　　
　　〃Lazarus　。　。　how　old　are　you？〃…
　　
　　Lazarus　hesitated。　〃Maureen；　I　don't　want　to　answer　that。　I'm　older　than　I　look；　Ira　Howard's　experiment　was　successful。　Instead　let　me　tell　you　about　my　family。　Your　family；　too；　we　all　are　descended　from　you　by　one　line　or　another。　Two　of　my　wives　and　one　of　my　co…husbands　are　descended　both　from　Nancy　and　from　Woodie。〃
　　
　　〃'Wives？　Co…husband？'〃
　　
　　〃Sweetheart；　marriage　takes　many　forms。　Where　I　live　yo　don't　need　a　divorce　or　a　death　to　gather　in　someone　yo　love。　I　have　four　wives　and　three　co…husbands……and　my　si~　ters；　Laz　and　Lor　。　。　and　they　may　marry　out　of　the　famil　or　they　may　stay…and　don't　look　startled；　you　said　you　didn　fret　when　you　thought　I　was　your　half　brother…and　don　worry　about　harm　to　babies；　they　know　far　more　about　suc~　things　at　that　when…&…where　than　they　do　in　the　here…&…non　We　don't　risk　harm　to　babies。
　　
　　〃Of　which　we　have　plenty。　And　cats　and　dogs　and　anythin；　a　child　can　pet　and　take　care　of。　It's　a　real　family　in　a　hous　to　fit　a　big　family。
　　
　　〃I　can't　tell　you　about　each　one；　we've　got　to　get　our　stow　away　borne。　But　I　want　to　tell　you　about　one…because　you'v　been　insisting　that　you　don't　look　eighteen…merely　becaus　you've　been　using　your　breasts　to　feed　babies。　Tamara。　De　scended　from　you　through　Nancy　and　her　Jonathan…　Wan　to　hear　about　Nancy's　umpty…ump　granddaughter？　Tamara　i　about　two　hundred　and　fifty　years　old；　I　think…〃
　　
　　〃Two　hundred　and　fifty！〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　One　of　my　co…husbands；　Ira　Weatheral；　also　fron　Nancy　and　Jonathan　but　from　Woodie；　too…and　named　fo　your　father；　not　for　Ira　Howard…is　over　four　hundred　year：
　　
　　old。　Maureen；　Ira　Howard's　experiment　worked；　we　hav~　longer　life…spans…inherited　from　you　and　all　our　Howard　an　cestors…btit　also　in　that　when…&…where　they　know　how　to　re　jiivenate　a　person。　Tamara　has　had　two　rejuvenations…om　recently　and　looks　as　young　as　you　do。　Real　rejuvenation…　Tam　ara　was　pregnant　when　I　left。
　　
　　〃But　how　she　looks　is　not　important；　Tamara　is　a　healer…　and　I　suspect　she　gets　it　from　you。〃　…
　　
　　〃Theodore…Lazarus…again　I　don't　understand。　A　heaIer~　Like　a　faith　healer？〃
　　
　　〃No。　If　Tamara　has　a　religious　faith；　she　has　never　men　tioned　it。　Tamara　is　calm　and　happy　and　serene；　and　anyont　around　her　feels　it　so　strongly…just　as　with　you；　darling！…　that　he　or　she　is　happy；　too。　If　people　are　ill；　they　get　well　faster　if　Tamara　touches　them；　or　talks　to　them；　or　sleep5　with　them。
　　
　　〃But　Tamara　was　not　young　when　I　met　her。　She　was　quite　old　and　thinking　about　letting　it？go　at　that；　dying　of　old　age。　But　I　was　ill；　very　ill；　sick　in　my　soul…and　Ishtar；　later　my　wife　and　the　topnotch　rejuvenator　in　all　the　Milky　Way；　went
　　
　　…　out　and　fetched　Tamara。　Tamara。　Little　round　potbelly；　breasts
　　
　　that　were　really　baggy；　sags　under　her　eyes；　and　her　chin；　all
　　
　　…　the　old…age　things。　…
　　
　　〃Tamara　healed　the　sickness　in　my　soul；　just　by　being　with　me　。　。　and　somehow　this　renewed　her　own　interest　in　life；　and　she　took　another　rejuvenation　and　is　young　again　and　has　already　added　another　baby　to　the　Maureen…Nancy　line　and　is　pregnant　still　again。　You　and　Tamara　are　so　much　alike；　Maureen；　she's　just　love　with　some　skin　around　it…and　so　are　you。　But…〃　Lazarus　paused　and　frowned。
　　
　　〃Maureen；　I　don't　know　how　to　convince　you　that　I'm　telling　the　truth。　；You'll　know　it　when　Woodie's　sixth　birthday　es'around　and　they　blow　every　whistle　and　ring　every　bell　and　the　newsboys　shout：　'Extra！　Extra！　Germany　surrenders！'　But　that'll　be　too　late　to　help　you。　I　want　to　stop　your　worries　now！〃
　　
　　〃I've　stopped　worrying；　dear　one。　It　sounds　wonderful　and　impossible　。　…　and　I　believe　you。〃
　　
　　〃Do　you？　I've　offered　no　proof；　I've　told　you　a　tale　impossible　on　the　face　of　it。〃
　　
　　〃Nevertheless；　I　believe　it。　When　Woodrow　is　six　on　the　seventh　of　November…〃
　　
　　〃No；　the　eleventh！〃
　　
　　第79节
　　
　　〃Yes；　Lazarus。　But　how　did　you　know　that　his　birthday　is　the　eleventh？〃
　　
　　…〃Why；　you　told　me　yourself。〃
　　
　　〃Dear；　I　said　he　was　born　in　November；　I　did　not　say　what　day。　Then　I　deliberately　misstated　it…and　you　corrected　me　at　once。〃
　　
　　〃Well；　maybe　Ira　told　me。　Or　one　of　the　children。　Most　likely　Woodie　himself。〃　…　…
　　
　　〃Woodrow　does　not　know　the　date　of　his　birthday。　Wake　him　and　ask　him。〃
　　
　　〃I'd　rather　not　wake　him　until　we　get　home。〃
　　
　　〃What　is　my　birthday；　dear　one？〃
　　
　　〃The　Fourth　of　July；　1882。〃
　　
　　〃What　is　Marie's　birthday？〃　…
　　
　　〃I　think　she　is　nine。　I　don't　know　the　date。〃
　　
　　〃The　othe…r　children？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　not　sure。〃
　　
　　〃My　father's　birthday？〃
　　
　　〃Maureen；　is　there　some　point　to　this？　August　second；…
　　
　　1852。〃
　　
　　〃Beloved　Lazarus　who　calls　himself　'Theodore；'　I　have　a
　　
　　firm　rule　with　my　children。　I　l。eep　each　one　from　knowing　the　date　of　his　birth　as　long　as　possible　so　that　he　won't　advertise　it　and　thereby　blackmail　people　for　presents。　When　one　is　old　enough　for　school　and　needs　to　know　the　date；　he　is　old　enough　to　be　told　why；　and　I　make　it　bluntly　plain　that　if　he　drops　hints　ahead　of　time…no　birthday　cake；　no
　　
　　…　birthday　party。　I　haven't　had　to　use　that　penalty；　they　are　allintelligent。
　　
　　〃Last　year　Woodrow　was　too　young　for　it　to　be　a　problem；　his　birthday　came　as　a　surprise　to　him。　He　still　does　not　know　the　exact　date…so　I　strongly　believe。　Lazarus；　you　know　the　birthdays　of　your　direct　ancestors　。　。　because　you　looked　them　up　in　the　Foundation　records。　Since　you　can't　tell　me　the　birthdays　of　my　other　children；　I　assume　that　I've　found　that　proof。〃
　　
　　〃You　know　I　have　had　access　to　the　records。　I　could　have　looked　up　any　birthday　last　year。〃
　　
　　〃Pooh。　Why　did　you　bother　with　the　birth　date　of　one　child　and　skip　the　other　seven？　How　would　you　know　my　father's　birthday　if　he　had　not　been　of　special　interest　to　you？　It　won't　wash；　Beloved。　You　intended　to　seek　out　your　ancestors；　and　you　came　prepared　for　it。　I　no　longer　think　that　you　showed　up　at　our　church　by　accident；　you　went　there　to　find　me…　and　I'm　flattered。　You　probably　did　the　same　with　Father…　at　his　pool…hall　'chess　club。'　How　did　you　do　it？　Private　detectives？　I　doubt　that　our　church　or　that