time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第31部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


tion；　adds　zest　to　his　life；　whether　he　knows　it　or　not。　Can　trap　him；　of　course；　that's　why　food　is　the　usual　bait　for　traps。　But　that's　the　intriguing　part　about　being　broke：　how　to　solve　it　without　being　trapped。　A　hungry　man　tends　to　lose　his　judgment…a　man　who　has　missed　seven　meals　is　often　ready　to　kill…rarely　a　solution。
　　
　　〃Advertising　copywriter；　actor…but　I　was　very　broka　that　time…acolyte；　construction　engineer　and　several　other　sorts；　and　even　more　sorts　of　mechanic；　for　I've　always　believed　that　an　intelligent　man　can　turn　his　hand　to　anything　if　he
　　
　　will　take　time　to　learn　how　it　works。　Not　that　I　insisted　on　skilled　work　when　my　next　meal　was　at　stake；　I've　often　pushed　an　idiot　stick…〃
　　
　　〃Idiom？〃
　　
　　〃An　old　gandy…dancer　expression；　Son；　a　stick　with　a　shovel　blade　on　one　end　and　an　idiot　on　the　other。　I　was　never　that　for　more　than　a　few　days；　just　long　enough　to　sort　out　the　local　setup。　Political　manager…I　was　even　a　reform　politic？an　once　。　。　but　only　once：　Reform　politicians　not　only　tend　to　be　dishonest　but　stupidly　dishonest…whereas　the　business　politician　i~　honest。〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　see　that　Lazarus。　History　seems　to　show…〃
　　
　　〃Use　your　head；　Ira。　I　don't　mean　that　a　business　politician　won't　steal；　stealing　is　his　business。　But　all　politicians　ar~　nonproductive。　The　only　modity　any　politician　has　to　offer　is　jawbone。　His　personal　integrity…meaning；　if　he　gives　his　word；　can　you　rely　on　it？　A　successful　business　politician　knows　this　and　guards　his　reputation　for　sticking　by　his　mitments…because　he　wants　to　stay　in　business…go　on　stealing；　that　is…not　only　this　week　but　next　year　and　years　after　that。　So　if　he's　smart　enough　to　be　successful　at　this　very　exacting　trade；　he　can　have　the　morals　of　a　snapping　turtle；　but　he　performs　in　such　a　way　as　not　to　jeopardize　the　only　thing　he　has　to　sell；　his　reputation　for　keeping　promises。
　　
　　〃But　a　reform　politician　has　no　such　lodestone。　His　devotion　is　to　the　welfare　of　all　the　people…an　abstraction　of　very　high　order　and　therefore　capable　of　endless　definitions。　If　indeed　it　can　be　defined　in　meaningful　terms。　In　consequence　your　utterly　sincere　and　incorruptible　reform　politician　is　capable　of　breaking　his　word　three　times　before　breakfast…　not　from　personal　dishonesty；　as　he　sincerely　regrets　the　necessity　and　will　tell　you　so…but　from　unswerving　devotion　to　his　ideal。　…
　　
　　〃All　it　takes　to　get　him　to　break　his　word　is　for　someone　to　get　his　ear　and　convince　him　that　it　is　necessary　for　the
　　
　　…　greater　good　of　all　the　peepul。　He'll　geek。
　　
　　〃After　he　gets　hardened　to　this；　he's　capable　of　cheating　at　solitaire。　Fortunately　he　rarely　stays　in　office　long…except　during　the　decay　and　fall　of　a　culture。〃
　　
　　I　said；　〃I　must　take　your　word　for　it；　Lazarus。　Since　I　have　spent　most　of　my　life　on　Secundus；　I　know　little　of　politics　other　than　theoretically。　You　set　it　up　that　way。〃
　　
　　The　Senior　fixed　me　with　a　stare　of　cold　scorn。　〃I　did　no　such　thing。〃
　　
　　〃But…〃　…
　　
　　〃Oh；　…hush。　You　are　a　politician　yourself…a　'business'　politician；　I　hope…but　that　stunt　of　transporting　your　dissidents　gi~es　me　doubts。　Minerva！　'Notebook；'　dear。　My　intention　in　deeding　Secundus　to　the　Foundation　was　to　set　up　a　cheap　and　simple　government…a　constitutional　tyranny。　One　in　which　the　government　was　forbidden　to　do　most　things
　　
　　and　the　dear　people；　bless　their　black　flabby　little　hearts；　were　given　no　voice　at　all。
　　
　　〃I　didn't　have　much　hope　for　it。　Man　is　a　political　animal；　Ira。　You　can　no　more　keep　him　from　politicking　than　you　can　keep　him…　from　copulating…and　probably　shouldn't　try。　But　I　was　young　then；　and　hopeful。　I　hoped　to　keep　politicking　in　the　private　sphere；　keep　it　out　of　government。　I　thought　the　setup　might　last　a　century　or　so；　I'm　amazed　that　it　has　lasted　as　long　as　it　has。　Not　good。　This　pla　is　overripe　for　revolution…and　if　Minerva　doesn't　find　me　something　better　to　do；　I　might　show　up　under　another　name；　with　my　hair　dyed　and　my　nose　bobbed；　and　start　one。　So　be　warned；　Ira。〃
　　
　　I　shrugged。　〃You　forget　I'm　migrating。〃
　　
　　〃Ah；　yes。　Though　the　prospect　of　suppressing　a。　revolution　might　change　your　mind。　Or　perhaps　you　would　like　to　be　my　chief　of　staff…then　displace　me　with　a　coup　d'etat　after　the　shooting　is　over　and　send　me　to　the　guillotine。　That　would　be　something　new…I've　never　tended　to　lose　my　head　over　politics。　Doesn't　leave　much　for　an　encore；　does　it？　'A　tisket；　a　tasket；　a　head　in　a　basket…it　昪annot　reply　to　questions　you　ask　it。'　Final　curtain；　no　bows。
　　
　　〃But　revolutions　can　be　fun。　Did　I　tell　you　how　I　worked　my　way　through　college？　Operating　a　Gatling　gun　for　five　dollars　a　day　and　loot。　Never　got　higher　than　corporal　because　each　time　I　had　enough　money　for　another　semester；　I　deserted…and；　being　a　mercenary；　I　was　never　tempted　to　bee　a　dead　hero。　But　adventure　and　change　of　scene　are　appealing　to　a　young　man　。　。　and　I　was　very　young。
　　
　　〃But　dirt；　and　missing　meals；　and　the　wheet　of　bullets　past　your　ears　stop　being　glamorous　as　you　grow　up；　the　next　time　I　was　in　the　military…not　entirely　my　idea…I　chose　Navy　in
　　
　　*　The　Gatling　gun　（Richard　J。　Gatling；　1818…1903）　was　obsolete　by　the　time　Lazarus　Long　was　born。　This　allegation　is　barely　possible　if　one　stipulates　that　an　obsolete　weapon　might　be　used　in　some　small；　out…of…the…way　insurrection。
　　
　　……J。F。　45th
　　
　　stead。　Wet　Navy；　although　I　was　space　Navy　at　later　times　and　under　other　names。
　　
　　〃I've　sold　almost　everything…except　slaves…and　worked　as　a　mind…reader　in　a　traveling　show；　and　was　a　king　once…　a　much　overrated　profession；　the　hours　are　too　long…and　designed　women's　styles　under　a　phony　French　name　and　accent　and　with　my　hair　long。　Almost　the　only　time　I've　worn　long　hair；　Ira；　not　only　does　long　hair　need　a　lot　of　timewasting　care；　it　gives　your　opponent　something　to　grab　in　close　bat　and　can　obscure　your　view　at　a　critical　moment
　　
　　…either　one　can　…　be　fatal。　But　I　don't　favor　a　billiard…ball　cut　because　a　thick　mat　of　hair…not　so　long　as　to　fall　over　your　eyes…can　save　you　a　nasty　scalp　wound。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　appeared　to　stop　to　think。　〃ha；　I　don't　see　how　I　can　list　all　the　things　I've　done　to　support　myself　and　my　wives　and　kids；　even　if　I　could　remember　them。　The　longest　I　ever　stuck　to　one　job　was　about　half　a　century…very　special　circumstances…and　the　shortest　was　from　after　breakfast　to　just　before　lunch…again；　special　circumstance。　But　no　matter　where　or　what；　there　are　makers；　takers；　and　fakers。　I　prefer　the　first　category　but　I　haven't　spurned　the　other　two。　Whenever　I　was　a　family　man…usually；　that　is…I　haven't　let　punctions　stop　me　from　keeping　food　on　the　table。　I　won't　steal　another　child's　food　to　feed　my　own…but　there　is　always　some　way　not　too　sickeningly　fake　to　garner　valuta　if　a　man　isn't　too　picky…which　I　never　was　whenever　I　had　family　obligations。
　　
　　〃You　can　sell　things　which　have　no　intrinsic　value；　such　as　stories　or　songs…I've　worked　every　branch　of　the　entertainment　profession　。　。　including　a　time　in　the　capital　of　Fatima　arketplace　with　a　brass　bowl　in　front　of　me；　telling　a　story　longer　…than　this　one；　and　waiting　at　cliff…hangers　for　the　clink　of　a　coin。
　　
　　〃I　was　reduced　to　that　because　my　ship　had　been　confiscated　and　foreigners　weren't　permitted　to　work　without　a　permit…a　high　squeeze　on　the　theory　that　jobs　should　be　reserved　for　local　citizens；　there　being　a　depression。　Telling　stories　without　a　fee　wasn't　classed　as　work；　nor　was　it　begging…which　required　a　license…and　cops　let　me　alone　as　long　as　I　volunteered　the　customary　daily　gift　to　the　Police　Benevolent　Fund。　…
　　
　　〃It　was　either　get　by　with　some　such　dodge~　or　be　reduced　to　stealing…difficult　in　a　culture　in　which　one　is　not　sophisticated　in　the　local　customs。　Still；　I　would　have　risked　it　save
　　
　　I　I'~~
　　
　　that　I　had　a　wife　and　three　small　childreq。　That　hobbled　me；　Ira；　a　family　man　should　not　take　risks　that　a　bachelor　~ndi　acceptable。
　　
　　1'So　1　sat　there　till　my　tailbone　wore　through　the　cobblestones；　recounting　everything　from　Grimm's　fairy　tales　to　Shakespeare's　plays；　and　not　letting　my　wife　spend　money　on　anything　but　food　until　we　saved　enough　to　buy　that　work　permit　plus　the　customary　cumshaw。　Then　I　clobbered　'em；　ha。〃　…
　　
　　〃How；　Lazarus？〃
　　
　　〃Slowly　but　thoroughly。　Those　months　in　the　marketplace　had　given　me　a　de~gree　of　sophistication　in　the　'Who：Whom'　of　that　society　and　what　its　sacred　cows　were。　Then　I　stayed　on　for　years…no　choice。　But　first　1　was　baptised　into　the　local　religion；　gaining　a　more　acceptable　name　in　the　process；　and　memorized　the…　Qur'an。　Not　quite　the　same　Qur'an　…　I　had　known　some　centuries　earlier；　…　but　it　was　worth　the　effort。
　　
　　…　〃I'll　skip　over　how　I　got　into　the　Tinkers'　Guild　and　got　my　first　job　repairing　television　receivers…had　my　pay　docked　to　cover　my　contribution　to　the　guild；　that　is；　with　a　private　arrangement　to　the　Grand　Master　Tinker；　not　too　…　expensive。　This　society　was　retarded　in　technology；　its　customs　didn't　encourage　progress；　and　they　had　slipped　behind　what　t