time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第37部分

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　　She　hesitated。　〃Grandfather；　may　I　keep　the　observation　station　manned？〃
　　
　　〃You　will　anyhow。　But　will　you　limit　them　to　dials　and　gauges　or　whatever　it　is　you　use？　No　eye　or　ear　on　me？　Minerva　will　tell　you　if　I　misbehave…I'm　certain　of　that。〃
　　
　　〃There　will　be　neither　eye　nor　ear　on　you；　sir。〃　Ishtar　stood　up。　〃e　along；　Galahad。　Hamadryad？〃
　　
　　〃J~ist　a　moment；　Ish。　Lazarus…have　I　offended　you？〃
　　
　　〃What？　Not　at　all；　my　dear。〃
　　
　　〃I　thought　you　were　angry　with　me　over　。　。　what　I　proposed。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　nonsense。　Hamadarling；　that　sort　of　proposal　never　offends　anyone；　it　is　the　highest　pliment　one　human　can　pay　another。　But　it　did　confuse　me。　Now　smile　and　kiss　me　good…night；　then　e　see　me　tomorrow　if　you　wish。　All　you　kids　kiss　me　good…night；　there's　nobody'　sore；　at　anybody。　Ira；　you　might　stick　around　a　bit　if　you　will。〃
　　
　　Like　docile　children　they　did　so；　then　went　into　Lazarus'　penthouse　and　took　transport　down。　Lazarus　said；　〃A　drink；　Ira？〃
　　
　　〃Only　if　you　are　having　one。〃
　　
　　〃We'll　skip　it　then。　Ira；　did　you　put　her　up　to　it？'
　　
　　〃You　know　what　I　mean。　Hamadryad。　First　Ishtar；　flow　Hamadryad。　You've　manipulated　this　whole　deal　from　the　moment　you　snatched　me　out　of　that　flophouse；　where　I　was　dyi？g　decently　and　quietly。　Have　you　again　been　trying　to　tie　me　down　to　whatever　scheme　you　have　in　the　back　of　your　mind　by　waving　pretty　tails　under　my　nose？　It　won't　work；　man。〃
　　
　　The　Chafrman　Pro　Tern　answered　quietly；　〃I　could　deny　that…and　for　the　hundredth　time　have　you　call　me　a　liar。　I　suggest　that　you　ask　Minerva。〃
　　
　　〃I　wonder　if　that　would　be　any　assurance。　Minerva！〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Lazarus？〃
　　
　　Did　Ira　rig　this？　With　either　of　the　girls？'
　　
　　〃Not　to　my　knowledge；　Lazarus？'
　　
　　〃Is　that　an　evasion；　dear？〃
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　I　cannot'Iie　to　you。〃
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　I　think　you　could　if　Ira　wanted　you　to；　but　there　is　no　point　in　my　inquiring　into　it。　Give　us　privacy　for　a　few　moments；　dear…recording　mode　only。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　went　on；　〃Ira；　I　wish　you　had　answered　Yes。　Because　the　only　other　explantation　is　one　I　do　not　like。　I　ain't　pretty　and　my　manners　are　not　such　as　to　endear　me　to　women…so　what　do　we　have　left？　The　fact　that　I　am　the　oldest　man　alive。　Women　sell　themselves　for　odd　reasons　and　not　always　for　money。　Ira；　I　do　not　choose　to　stand　at　stud　for　pretty　young　things　who　would　not　waste　a　moment　on　me　save　for　the　prestige　of　having　a　child　by；　quote；　The　Senior；　end　of　quote。〃　He　glared。　〃Right？〃
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　you　are　being　unjust　to　both　women。　As　well　as　unusually　obtuse。〃
　　
　　〃How？〃
　　
　　〃I've　watched　them。　I　think　they　both　love　you…and　don't　give　me　any　double…talk　about　what　that　verb　means；　I　am　not　Galahad。〃
　　
　　〃But…　Oh；　crap！〃
　　
　　〃I　won't　argue　on　that　basis；　'crap'　is　a　subject　in　which　you　are　the　Galaxy's　top　authority。　Women　do　not　always　sell　themselves　and　they　do　fall　in　love　。　。　often　for　the　oddest　reasons…if　'reason'　is　a　word　that　can　apply。　Granted　that　you　are　ugly；　selfish；　self…centered；　surly…〃
　　
　　〃I'm　aware　of　it！〃
　　
　　〃…to　me。　Nevertheless　women　don't　seem　to　care　much　how　a　man　looks　。　。　and　you　are　surprisingly　gentle　with　women。　I've　noticed。　You　say　those　little　whores　on　Mars　all　loved　that　blind　man。〃…
　　
　　〃Some　of　them　weren't　little。　Big　Anna　was　taller　than　I　am　and　weighed　more。〃
　　
　　〃Don't　try　to　change　the　subject。　Why　did　they　love　him？　Don't　bother　to　answer；　why　a　woman　loves　a　man…or　a　man　loves　a　woman…can　be　rationalized　only　in　survival　terms；　and　the　answer　has　no　flavor；　unsatisfying。　But　Lazarus；　when　you've　pleted　rejuvenation　and　you　and　I　have　finished　our　Scheherazade　bet；　however　we　finish　it…　are　you　going　away　again？〃
　　
　　Lazarus　brooded　before　answering：　〃I　suppose　so。　Ira；　this　cottage…and　garden　and　stream…that　you've　lent　me　are　very　nice；　the　times　I've　gone　down　to　the　city　I've　hurried　back；　glad　to　be　home。　But　it's　just　a　resting　place；　I　won't　stay　here。　When　the　wild　goose　cries；　I　go。〃　Lazarus　looked　sad。　〃But　I　don't　know　where　and　I　don't　want　to　repeat　the　things　I've　done。　Perhaps　Minerva　will　find　that　new　thing　for　me；　when　it's　time　to　move　on。〃
　　
　　Ira　stood　up。　〃Lazarus；　if　you　weren't　so　stinking　suspicious　and　mean；　you　would　give　both　women　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　and　leave　them　each　with　child　to　remember　you　by。　It　wouldn't　cost　you　much　effort。〃
　　
　　〃Out　of　the　question！　I　do　not　abandon　children。　Or　pregnant　women。〃
　　
　　〃Excuses。　I　will　adopt；　in　the　womb；　any　child　you　sire　before　you　leave　us。　Shall　I　have　Minerva　place　that　in　permanent　and　bind　it？〃
　　
　　〃I　can　support　my　own　kids！　Always　have。〃
　　
　　〃Minerva。　Transfer'it　and　bind　it。〃
　　
　　〃pleted；　Ira。〃
　　
　　〃Thank　you；　best　Little　Nag。　Same　time　tomorrow；　Lazarus？〃
　　
　　〃I　suppose　so。　Yes。　Call　Hamadryad；　will　you；　and　ask　her　to　e；　too？…tell　her　I　asked　you　to。　I　don't　want　the　kid's　feelings　hurt。〃
　　
　　〃Sure；　***（Irainp。***〃
　　
　　COUNTERPOINT　IV
　　
　　On　the　level　in　the　Executive　Palace　of　Mr。　Weatheral's　private　apartments　Hamadryad　waited　with　Galahad　while　Ishtar　left　orders　for　the　rejuvenation　technicians　on　watch　there。　Then　the　three　took　transport　down　and　across；　still　inside　the　Palace；　to　an　apartment　Ira　had　placed　at　Ishtar's　disposal…a　dwelling　larger　and　more　lavish　than　her　quarters　in　the　Rejuvenation　Clinic　and　much　more　luxurious　than　the　penthouse　cottage　save　that　it　had　no　garde？；　it　was　intended　for　a　Trustee　or　other　V。I。P。　guest…not　that　its　luxury　mattered　much；　as　Ishtar　and　Galahad　spent　most　of　their　time　and　took　most　of　their　meals　with　Lazarus；　and　used　it　mainly　for　sleeping。
　　
　　Minerva　had　placed　a　dozen…odd　lesser　acmodations　with　Ishtar　for　her　watch　list；　one　of　them　for　Galahad。　He　did　not　need　it　and　Ishtar　had　Minerva　reassign　it　to　Hamadryad　when　she　had　bee　an　unofficial　part　of　the　team　caring　for　the　Senior。　Hamadryad　sometimes　slept　in　it　rather　than　go　to　her　country　home…without　telling　her　father；　as　the　Chairman　Pro　Tern　did　not　encourage　members　of　his　family　to　use　Palace　quarters　unnecessarily。　Or　she　sometimes　stayed　with　Ishtar　and　Galahad。
　　
　　This　time　all　three　went　to　Ishtar's　apartment；　they　had　matters　to　discuss。　On　arrival　there　Ishtar　checked：
　　
　　〃Minerva？〃
　　
　　〃Listening；　Ishtar。〃
　　
　　〃Anything？〃
　　
　　〃Lazarus　and　Ira　are　talking。　Private　conversation。〃
　　
　　〃Keep　me　advised；　dear。〃
　　
　　〃Certainly；　dear。〃
　　
　　Ishtar　turned　back　to　the　others。　〃Who　wants　a　drink　or　something？　Too　early　for　dinner。　Or　is　it？　Ham？〃
　　
　　Galahad　answered；　〃A　bath　for　me；　then　a　drink。　I　was　all　set　for　a　dip…hot　and　sweaty…when　Lazarus　kicked　us　out。〃
　　
　　〃And　stinky；〃　Ishtar　agreed。　〃I　noticed　it　in　the　transport。〃
　　
　　〃A　bath　wouldn't　hurt　you；　big　arse；　you　were　exercising　as　hard　as　I　was。〃
　　
　　〃Regrettably　true；　my　gallant　knight；　I　was　careful　to　sit　downwind　from　our　elders　after　that　last　match。　Ham；　get　us　all　something　tall　and　cold　while　Stinky　and　I　get　clean。〃
　　
　　〃Will　you　two　settle　for　Idleberry　Jolts　or　whatever　is　handy？　While　we　all　bathe？　I　don't　have　the　excuse　of　heavy　exercise；　but　I　broke　out　with　fear　stink　when　I　put　the　proposal　to　Gramp。　And　muffed　it！　After　all　your　coaching；　Ish。　I'm　sorry！〃　She　started　to　sniffle。
　　
　　Ishtar　put　her　arms　around　the　younger　woman。；　〃There；　there；　dear…stop　it。　I　don't　think　you　muffed　it。〃
　　
　　〃He　refused　me。〃
　　
　　〃You　laid　a　good　foundation…and　shook　him　up；　which　he　needed。　You　startled　me　with　your　timing　but　it　will　work　out　all　right。〃
　　
　　〃He　probably　won't　even　let　me　e　back！〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　he　will。　Stop　shaking。　e；　dear；　Galahad　and　I　will　give　you　a　long；　relaxing　back　rub。　Stinky；　fetch　the　fizz　and　join　us　in　the　shower　room。〃
　　
　　第19节
　　
　　〃With　two　women　around　I　have　to　work。　Okay。〃
　　
　　When　Galahad　arrived　with　cold　drinks；　Ishtar　had　Hamadryad　stretched　out　facedown　on　the　massage　table。　Ishtar　looked　up　and　said；　〃Dear；　before　you　get　wet；　see　if　there　are　three　towel　robes　in　the　rack；　I　didn't　check。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　ma'am；　no；　ma'am；　right　away；　ma'am；　will　that　be　all；　ma'am？…plenty　of　robes；！　dialed　for　more　this　morning。　Don't　bruise　her；　you　don't　know　your　own　strength。　I'm　going　to　need　her；　later。〃
　　
　　〃And　I'm　going　to　swap　you　for　a　dog；　sweetheart；　and　sell　the　dog。　Pass　around　those　drinks；　then　e　help；　or　you　won't　get　either　of　us　later。　If　ever。　We're　busy　agreeing　that　all　males　are　beasts。〃　She　continued　to　massage；　gently；　firmly；　with　professional　skill；　down　Hamadryad's　back　while　the　massage　table　matched　her　appropriately　down　the　subject's　front。　She　let　Galahad　hang　a　drink　around　her　neck　and　place　its　nipple　in　her　mouth　without　slowing　her　careful　fingers。
　　
　　He　snapped　Hamadryad's；　drink　to　the　table；　placed　nipple　in　her　mouth；　patted　her　cheek；　then　took　the　other　side　and　started　to　help；　following　Ishtar's　lead。　The　table　changed　action　to　match　four　hands。