time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第26部分

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　　〃Lazarus；　I　can　arrange　a　standard　telephone　hookup　if　that　is　what　you　want。　But　Dora　could　speak　to　you　at　once　via　the　duo　in　your　suite　that　I　am　now　using。〃
　　
　　〃Oh。　Fine！〃
　　
　　〃Shall　I　supply　her　with　holographic　signal；　too？　Or　is　sound　enough？〃
　　
　　〃Sound　is　enough。　More　than　enough；　probably。　Will　you　be
　　
　　able　to　hear；　too？〃…
　　
　　〃If　you　wish；　Lazarus。　But　you　can　have　privacy　if　that　is　your　wish。〃
　　
　　〃Stick　around；　I　may　need　a　referee。　Put　her　on。〃
　　
　　〃Boss？〃　It　was　the　voice　of　a　timid　little　girl。　It　made　me　think　of　skinned　knees；　and　no　breasts　as　yet；　and　big；　tragic　eyes。
　　
　　Lazarus　answered；　〃Right　here；　baby。〃。　…
　　
　　〃Boss！　God　damn　your　lousy　soul　to　hell！…what　do　you　mean　by　running　off　and　not　letting　me　know　where　you　are？　Of　all　the　filthy；　flea…bitten…〃
　　
　　〃Pipe　down！〃'　…
　　
　　The　timid…little…girl　voice　returned。　〃Aye；　aye；　Skipper；〃　it　said　uncertainly。
　　
　　〃Where　I　go　and　when　I　go　and　how　long　I　stay　are　none　of　your　businesr。　Your　business　is　to　pilot　and　to　keep　house；　that's　all。〃　…
　　
　　I　heard　a　sniffle；　exactly　like　a　small　child　sniffing　back　tears。　〃Yes；　Boss。〃
　　
　　〃You　were　supposed　to　be　alseep。　I　put　you　to　bed　myself。〃
　　
　　〃Somebody　woke　me。　A　strange　lady。〃
　　
　　〃That　was　a　mistake。　But　you　used　bad　language　to　her。〃
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　I　was　scared。　I　really　was；　Boss。　I　woke　up　and　thought　you　had　…e　home　。　。　and　you　weren't　anywhere　around；　not　anywhere。　Uh　。　。　she　told　on　me？〃
　　
　　〃She　conveyed　your　message　to　me。　Fortunately　she　did　not　understand　most　of　your　words。　But　I　did。　What　have　I　told　you　about　being　polite　to　strangers？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　sorry；　Boss。〃
　　
　　〃Sorry　doesn't　get　the　cows　milked。　Now　adorable　Dora；　you　listen　to　me。　I'm　not　going　to　punish　you；　you　were　wakened　by　mistake　and　you　were　scared　and　lonely；　so　we'll　forget　it。　But　you　shouldn't　talk　that　way；　not　to　strangers。　This　lady…　She's　a　friend　of　mine；　and　she　wants　to　be　your　friend；　too。　She's　a　puter…〃
　　
　　〃She　is？〃
　　
　　〃Just　as　you　are；　dear。〃
　　
　　〃Then　she　couldn't　hurt　me；　could　she？　I　thought　she　was　inside　me；　snooping　around。　So　I　yelled　for　you。〃
　　
　　〃She　not　only　couldn't；　she　would　never　want　to　hurt　you。〃　Lazarus　raised　his　voice　slightly。　〃Minerval　e　in；　dear；　and　tell　1）ora　who　you　are。〃
　　
　　My　helpmeet's　voice；　calm　and　soothing；　said；　〃I'm　a　puter；　Dora；　called　'Minerva'　by　my　friends…and　I　hope。　you'll　call　me　that。　I'm　terribly　sorry　I　woke　you。　I'd　be　scared；　too；　if　someone　woke　me　like　that。〃　（Minerva　never　has　been　〃asleep〃　in　the'　hundred…odd　years　she's　been　activated。　She　rests　each　part　of　herself　on　some　schedule　I　don't　need　to　know…but　she　herself　is　always　…awake。　Or　awake　so　instantly　whenever　I　speak　to　her　as　not　to　matter。）
　　
　　The　ship　said；　〃How　do　you　do；　Minerva。　I'm　sorry　I　talked　the　way　I　did。〃　…
　　
　　〃I　don't　remember　it；　dear；　if　you　did。　I　heard　your　skipper　say　that　I　transmitted　a　message　from　you　to　him。　But　it's　erased；　now　that　it's　been　transmitted。　Private　message；　I　suppose。〃
　　
　　（Was　Minerva　truth…saying？　Until　she　came　under　Lazarus'　influence　I　would　have　said　that　she　did　not　know　haw　to　lie。　Now　I'm　not　sure。）
　　
　　〃I'm　glad　you　erased　it；　Minerva。　I'm　sorry　I　talked　to　you　that　way。　Boss　is　sore　at　me　about　it。〃
　　
　　第13节
　　
　　Lazarus　interrupted。　〃Now；　now；　Adorable…stop　it。　We
　　
　　always　let　water　over　the　bridge　lie　where　Jesus　flang　it；　you　know　that。　Will　you　be　a　good　girl　and　go　back　to…　sleep？'
　　
　　〃Do　I　have　to？〃…
　　
　　〃No。　You　~don't　even　have　to　place　yourself　on　slow　time。　But　I　can't　e　to　see　you…or　even　talk　to　you…earlier　than　late　tomorrow　afternoon。　I'm　busy　today　and　will　be　househunting　tomorrow。　You　can　stay　awake　and　bore　yourself　silly　any　way　you　choose。　But　if　you　whomp　up　some　fake　emergency　to　get　my　attention；　Fll　spank　you。〃
　　
　　〃But；　Boss；　you　know　I　never　do　that。〃
　　
　　〃I　know　you　do　do　that；　little　imp。　But　if　you　bother　me　for　anything　less　than　somebody　trying　to　break　into　you　or　you　catching　on　fire；　you'll　regret　it。　If　I　can　figure　out　that　you've　set　yourself　on　fire；　you'll　catch　it　twice　as　hard。　Look；　dear；　why　don't　you　at　least　sleep　whenever　I　am　asleep？　Mmerva；　can　you　let　Dora　know　when　I　go　to　sleep？　And　when　I　wake　up？〃
　　
　　〃Certainly；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃But　that　doesn't　mean　you　can　bother　me　when　Fm　awake；　Dora；　other　than　for　real　emergencies。　No　surprise　drills…　this　is　not　shipboard　routine；　we're　dirtside　and　Fm　busy。　Uh　。　。　Minerva；　how's　your　time…sharing　capacity？　Do　you　play　chess？〃
　　
　　I　put　in；　〃Minerva　has　ample　share…time　capacity。〃
　　
　　But　before　I　could　add　that　she　was　Secundus　Champion；　Unlimited　Open　Handicap　（inerva　said：　〃Perhaps　Dora　will　teach　me　to　play　chess。〃
　　
　　（Well；　Minerva　had　certainly　learned　Lazarus'　rule　for　telling　the　truth　selectively。　I　made　note　that　I　must　have　a　serious　private　talk　with　her。）
　　
　　〃I'd　be　glad　to；　Miss　Minerva！〃　…
　　
　　Lazarus　relaxed。　〃Fine。　You　gals　get　acquainted。　So　long　till　tomorrow；　'Dorable。　Now　beat　it。〃
　　
　　Minerva　notified　us　that　the　yacht　was　no　longer　patched　in；　and　Lazarus　relaxed。　Minerva　dropped　back　to　her　recordkeeping　role；　and　kept　quiet。　Lazarus　said　apologetically；　〃Don't　be　put　off　by　her　childish　manners；　Ira；　you　won't　find　a　sharper　pilot；　or　a　neater　ship's　housekeeper；　between　here　and　Galactic　Center。　…　But　I　had　reasons　for　not　letting　her　grow　up　in　other　ways；　reasons　that　won't　apply　when　you　take　over　as　her　master。　She's　a　good　girl；　she　really　is。　It's　just　that　she's　like　a　cat　that　jumps　into　your　lap　the　instant　you　sit　down。〃
　　
　　〃I　found　her　charming。〃
　　
　　…　〃She's　a　spoiled　brat。　But　…　it's　…　not　her　fault；　I　am　prac。　tically　all　the　pany　she's　ever…　had。　I　get　bored　by　a　puter　that　just　grinds　out　numbers；　docile　as　a　slide　rule。　No　corripany　on　a　long　trip。　You　wanted　to　speak　to　Ishtar。　About　my　househunting；　I　think。　Tell　her　I　won't　let　it　interfere　with　routine…I　just　want　a　day　off；　that's　all。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　tell　her。〃　I　turned　to　the　Administrator　for　Rejuvenation　and　shifted　to　Galacta…asking　her　how　long　it　would　take　to　sterilize　a　suite　in　the　Palace　and　install　decontamination　equipment　for　watchstanders　and　visitors。
　　
　　Before　she　could　answer；　Lazarus　said；　〃Wups！　Hold　it　one　fiddlin'　moment。　I　saw　you　palm　that　card；　Ira。〃
　　
　　〃I　beg　your　pardo~s；　sir？〃
　　
　　〃You　tried　to　slide　one　in。　'Decontam'　is　the　same　word　in　English　as　in　Galacta。　Not　that　it　was　news　to　me；　my　sense　of　smell　isn't　that　dead。　When　a　pretty　girl　leans　over　me；　I　expect　to　smell　perfume。　But　when　I　can't　even　smell　girl　and　do　smell　germicides…inerva！〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Lazarus？〃
　　
　　〃Can　you　spare　me　some　shared　time　to　give　me　a　refresher　while　I'm　asleep　tonight　in　the　nine　hundred　basic　words　of　Galacta　or　whatever　number　it　takes？　You
　　
　　equipped　for　it？〃……
　　
　　〃Certainly；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃Thanks；　dear。　One　night　should　do　it；　but　I'll　appreciate　vocabulary　drill　each　night　until　we　both　think　I'm　up　to　adequate　proficiency。　Can　do？〃　…　…
　　
　　〃Can　do；　Lazarus。　And　will　do。〃
　　
　　〃Thanks；　dear；　over　and　out。　Now；　Ira；　you　see　that　door？　If　it　doesn't　open　to　my　voice；　I'm　going　to　attempt　to　break　it　down。　If　I　can't；　I　am　going　to　check　on　whether　or　not　that　suicide　switch　is　really　hooked　up…by　trying　it。　Because；　if　that　door　won't　open；　I　am　a　prisoner；　and　any　promises　I　made　on　your　assurances　that　I　am　a　free　agent　are　not　binding。　But　if　it　does　open　to　my　voice；　I'll　bet　you　whatever　you　like　that　there　is　a　decontam　chamber　beyond　it；　staffed　and　ready　to　function。　Say　a　million　crowns　to　keep　it　interesting？　No；　you　didn't　flinch；　let's　make　it'　ten　million　crowns。〃
　　
　　I　trust　that　I　did　not　flinch。　I　have　never　had　that　much　money　of　my　own；　and　a　Chairman　Pro　Tern　gets　out　of　the　habit　of　thinking　about　his　own　money；　there　is　no　need　to。　I　had　not　asked　Minerva　about　my　personal　balance　for　some　time。　Years；　perhaps。
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　I　won't　bet。　Yes；　there　Is　a　decontam　setup　outside；　we　tried　to　protect　you　from　possible　infection　without　bringing　it　to　your　attention。　I　see　that　we　h？ve　failed。　I　haven't　checked　on　the　door…〃
　　
　　〃Lying　again；　Son。　You're　not　good　at　it。〃
　　
　　〃…but　if　it　isn't　keyed　to　your　voice　now；　it　is　my　oversight；　you've　kept　me　busy。　Minerva；　if　the　door　to　this　suite　is　not　keyed　to　the　Senior's　voice；　correct　it　immediately。〃
　　
　　〃It　is　keyed　to　his　voice；　Ira。〃　…
　　
　　I　relaxed　when　I　heard　how　she　phrased　it…perhaps　a　puter　th~st　had　learned　when　not　to　be　bluntly　truthful　was　going　to　be　still　more　of　a　helpmeet。
　　
　　Lazarus　grinned　diabolically。　〃So？　Then　I'm　about　to　test　out　the　super…override　program　you　were　a　bit　hasty　in　giving　her。　Minerva！〃
　　
　　〃Awaiting　your　orders；　Senior。〃
　　
　　〃Key　the　door　to　my　suite　so　that　it　opens　only　to　my　voice。　I'm　going　out　and　sashay　around…while　Ira　and　these　kids　stay　locked　inside。~　If　I　am　not　back