time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第24部分

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　　The　Senior　chopped　me　off。　〃I　said　something　new；　Ira。　There's　no　going　back；　ever。　Sure；　you　might　find　such　a　girl；　one　who　would　match　my　memory　of　Evelyn　to　ten　significant　figures。　But　it　would　lack　an　important　factor。　My　youth。〃
　　
　　〃But　if　you　finish　rejuvenation…〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　hush　up！　You　can　give　me　new　kidneys　and　a　new　liver　and　a　new　heart。。　You　can　wash　the　brown　stains　of　age　out　of　my　brain　and　add　tissue　from　my　clone　to　make　up　for　what　I've　lost…you　can　give　me　a　whole　new　clone　body。　But　it　won't　make　me　that　young　fellow　who　took　innocent　pleasure　in　beer　and　pinochle　and　a　pretty　plump　wife。　All　I　have　in　mon　with　him　is　continuity　of　memory…and　not　much　of　that。　Forget　it。〃
　　
　　I　said　quietly；　〃Ancestor；　whether　you　wish　to　be　married　to　Evelyn　Foote　again　or　not；　you　know　and　I　know…for　I've　been　through　it；　too；　twice…we　both　know　that　the　full　routine
　　
　　restores　youthful　zest　In　life　as　well　as　restoring　the　body　a　a　machine。〃　…
　　
　　Lazarus　Long　looked　gloomy。　〃Yeah；　sure。　It　cures　every　thing　but　boredom。　Damn　it；　boy；　you　had　no　right　to　interfen　with　my　…karma。〃　He　sighed；　〃But　I　can't　hang　in　limbo　either　So　tell　'em　to　get　on　with　it。　The　works。〃
　　
　　I　was　taken　by　surprise。　〃May　I　record　that；　sir？〃
　　
　　〃You　heard　me　say　it。　But　that　doesn't　get　you　off　the　hook　You　still　have　to　show　up　and　listen　to　my　maunderings　unti　I'm　so　rejuvenated　that　I'm　cured　of　such　childish　behavior…　and　you　still　have　to　go　on　with　that　research。　To　find　something　new；　I　mean。〃
　　
　　〃Agreed　on　both　points；　sir；　you　had　my　promise。　Now　oiu　moment　while　I　tell　my　puter…〃
　　
　　〃She's　already　heard　me。　Hasn't　she？〃　Lazarus　added　〃Doesn't　she　have　a　name？　Haven't　you　given　her　one？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　certainly。　I　could　not　deal　with　her　all　these　yeasr　without　animism；　fallacy　though　it　is…〃
　　
　　〃Not　a　fallacy；　Ira；　machines　are　human　because　they　an　made　in　our　image。　They　share　both　our　virtues　and　oui　faults…magnified。〃
　　
　　〃I've　never　tried　to　rationalize　it；　Lazarus；　but　Minerva…　that's　her　formal　name；　she's　'Little　Nag'　in　private　becaust　one　of　her　duties　is　to　remind　me　of　obligations　I　would　rathei　forget。　Minerva　…does　feel　human　to　me…she's　closer　to　me　than　any　of　my　wives　have　been。　No；　she　has　not　registerni　your　decision；　she's　simply　placed　it　in　her　temporaries　Minerva！〃　…
　　
　　〃Si；　Ira。〃
　　
　　〃Speak　English；　please。　Retrieve　the　Senior's　decision　tc　undergo　full　antigeria；　file　it　in　your　permanents；　transmit　ii　to　Archives　and　to　the　Howard　Rejuvenation　Clinic　for　ac？tion。〃
　　
　　〃pleted；　Mr。　Weatheral。　Congratulations。　And　felicitations　to　you；　Senior。　'May　you　live　as　long　as　you　wish　and　love　as　long　as　you　live。'〃
　　
　　Lazarus　looked　suddenly　interested…which　did　not　surprise
　　
　　…　me　because　Minerva　surprises　me　quite　frequently　even　aftes　a　century　of　being　〃married〃　to　her　in　all　but　fact。　〃Why；　thank　yot~；　Minerva。　But　you　startled　me；　girl。　Nobody　talks　about　love　anymore；　that's　a　major　thing　wrong　with　this　century。　How　did　you　happen　to　offer　me　that　ancient…senti
　　
　　ment？〃…
　　
　　〃It　seemed　appropriate；　Senior。　Was　I　mistaken？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　not　at　all。　And　call　me　'Lazarus。'　But　tell　me；　what　do　you　know　of　love？　What　is　love？〃
　　
　　〃In　Classic　English；　Lazarus；　your　second　question　can　be　answered　in　many　ways；　in　Lingua　Galacta　it　cannot　be　answered　explicitly　at　all。　Shall　we　discard　all　definitions　in　which　the　verb　'to　like'　is　as　appropriate　as　…the　verb　'to　love'？〃
　　
　　〃Eb？　Certainly。　We　aren't　talking　about　'I　love　apple　pie'…　or　even　'I　love　music。'　Whatever　it　is　we　are　talking　about；　it's　'love'　the　way　you　used　it　in　the　old…style　well…wishing。〃
　　
　　〃Agreed；　Lazarus。　Then　what　remains　must　be　divided　into　two　categories；　'Eros'　and　'Agape；'　and　each　defined　separately。　I　cannot　kow　what　'Eros'　is　through　direct　knowledge；　as　I　lack　both　body　and　biochemistry　to　experience　it。　I　can　offer　nothing　but　intensional　definitions　in　terms　of　other　words；　or　extensional　definitions　expressed　in　inplete　statistics。　But　in　both　cases　I　would　not　be　able　to　verify　such　definitions　since　I　have　no　sex。〃
　　
　　（〃The　hell　she　doesn't；〃　I　muttered　into　my　scarf。　〃She's　as　female　as　a　cat　in　heat。〃　…But　technically　she　was　correct；　and　I've　often　felt　that　it　was　a　shame　that　Minerva　could　not　experience　the　pleasures　of　sex；　as　she　was　much　more　fitted　to　appreciate　them　than　some　human　females…all　glands　and　no　empathy。　But　I　had　never　said　this　to　anyone。　Animism…of　a　particularly　futile　sort。　A　wish　to　〃marry〃　a　machine。　As　ridiculous　as　a　little　boy　who　digs　a　hole　in　the　garden；　then　bawls　because　he　can't　take　it　into　the　house。　Lazarus　was　right；　I　am　not　smart　enough　to　run　a　pla。　But　who　is？）
　　
　　Lazarus　said　with　deep　interest；　〃Let's　table　'Eros'　for　a　moment。　Minerva；　the　way　you　phrased　that　seemed　to　include　the　presumption　that　you　could　experience　'Agape。'　Or　'can。'　Or　'have。'　Or　perhaps　'do。'〃
　　
　　〃It　is　possible　that　I　was　presumptuous　in　my　phrasing；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　snorted；　then　chopped　it　off　and　spoke　in　such　a　fashion　as　to　cause　me　to　think　that　the　old　man　was　not　quite　sane…save　that　？　am　not　sane　myself；　when　the　wind　sets　from　that　quarter。　Or　perhaps　his　long　years　had　made　him　almost　telepathic…even　with　machines。
　　
　　〃Forgive　me；　Minerva；〃　he　said　gentLy。　〃1　was　not　laughing　at　you　but　at　the　play　on　words　with　which　you　answered　me。　I　withdraw　my　question；　it　is　never　proper　to　quiz　a　lady　about　her　love　life…and　while　you　may　not　be　a　woman；　dear；　you　are　certainly　a　lady。〃
　　
　　Then　he　turned　to　me　and　what　he　said　next　confirmed　that　he　had　guessed　the　secret　I　share　with　my　〃Little…　Nag。〃
　　
　　〃Ira；　does　Minerva　have　Turing　potential？〃
　　
　　〃Eh？　Certainly。〃　…　…
　　
　　〃Then　I　urge　you　to　tell　her　to　use　it。　If　you　leveled　with　me　when　you　said　that　you　intend　…to　migrate；　e　what　may。　Have　you　thought　it　through？〃
　　
　　〃'Thought　it　through'？　My　resolution　is　firm…I　told　you　so。〃　…
　　
　　〃Not　quite　what　I　mean。…！　don't　know　who　holds　title　to　the　hardware　that　expresses　itself　as　'Minerva。'　The　Trustees；　I　assume。　But　I　suggest　that　you　tell　her　to　start　duplicating　her　memories　and　logics；　and　as　she　twins；　start　storing　her　other　self　aboard　my　yacht　'Dora。'　Miderva　will　know　what　circuits　and　materials　she　needs；　and　Dora　will　know　what　space　is　available。　Plenty；　since　memories　and　logics　are　alithat　matter；　Minerva　won't　twin　her　extensionals。　But　start　it　at　once；　Ira；　you　won't　be　happy　without　Minerva…not　after　being　dependent　on　her　for　a　century；　more　or　less。〃
　　
　　Nor　did　I　think　so。　But　I　tried…feebly…to　resist。　〃Lazarus；　now　that　you　have　agreed　to　full　rejuvenation；　I　won't　be　inheriting　your　yacht。　Not　in　the　foreseeable　future。　Whereas　I　intend　to　migrate　right　away。　Not　more　than　ten　years　from　now。〃
　　
　　〃So　what？　If　I'm　dead；　you　inherit…and　I　haven't　promisedto　keep　my　hands　off　that　suicide　switch　more　than　a　thousand　days　no　matter　how　patient　you　are　in　visiting　me。　But　if　I'm　alive；　I　promise　you…and　Minerva…a　free　ride　to　whatever　pla　you　pick。　In　the　meatitime；　look　around　to　your　left…　our　girl　Ishtar　is　almost　wetting　her　pants　trying　to　get　your　attention。　And　I　don't　think　she's　wearing　any。〃
　　
　　I　looked　around。　The　Administrator　for　Rejuvenation　had　a　paper　which　she　seemed　eager　to　show　me。　I　accepted　it　in　deference　to　her　rank…although　I　had　left　orders　with　my　Executive　Deputy　that　I　must　never　be　disturbed…　while　with　the　Senior　for　any　reason　short　of　armed　rebellion。　I　glanced　at　it；　signed　my　chop；　thumbprinted　it；　and　handed　it　back…　she　beamed。
　　
　　〃Just　paper　work；〃　I　told　Lazarus。　〃Some　clerk　has　taken　all　this　time　to　turn　your　registered　assent　into　a　written　order。　Do　you　want　them　to　go　right　ahead？　Not　this　minute　but　tonight。〃　…
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　I'd　like　to　go　househunting　tomorrow；　Ira。〃
　　
　　〃You're　not　fortable　her？　Tell　me　what　you　want　changed；　it　will　be　done　at　…once。〃
　　
　　He　shrugged。　〃Nothing　wrong　with　this　place　except　that　it's　too　much　like　a　hospital。　Or　a　jail。　Ira；　I'm　durn　well　certain　they've　done　more　to　me　than　shoot　me　full　of　new　blood；　I'm　well　enough　to　be　an　outpatient…live　elsewhere　and　e　here　only　as　the。schedule　calls　for　it。〃
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　will　you　excuse　me　while　I　talk　Galacta　a　bit？　I　want　to　discuss　the　practical　aspects　with　your　technician　in　charge。〃　…　……
　　
　　〃Will　you　excuse　me；　Ira；　if　I　point　out　that　you've　left　a　lady　waiting？　That　discussion　can　wait。　But　Minerva　knows　that　1　~uggested　that　you　have　her　twin　herself　so　that　she　can　migrate　with　you…but　you　haven't　said　Yes；　No；　…　or　make　me　a　better　offer。　If　you're　not　going　to　have　her　do　it；　it's　time　you　told　her　to　wipe　her　memory　of　that　part　of　our　conversation。　Before　she　blows　a　circuit。〃
　　
　　〃Oh。　Lazarus；　she　doesn't　think　about　anything　she　records　in　this　suite　unless　she　is　specifically　told　tQ。'~
　　
　　〃Want　to　bet？　No　doubt　most　subjects　she　just　records…but
　　
　　this　one　she　just　has　to　think　about；　she　can't　help　herself