time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第44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！


ove　that　these　kids　were　the　result。　Shucks；　they　might　have　been　used　to　sell　many　slave　pairs；　with　a　bishop　in　on　the　racket。
　　
　　I　looked　over　the　stuff；　including　a　scrapbook　of　the　kids　growing　up；　said；　〃Very　interesting；〃　and　started　to　leave。
　　
　　This　pimple　teleported　himself　between　me　and　the　tent　flap。　〃Master；〃　he　said　urgently。　〃Kind　and　generous　sir…　twelve　thousand？〃
　　
　　Minerva；　my　trader　instincts　took　over。　〃One　thousand！〃　I　snapped。　I　don't　know　why。　Yes；　I　do　know。　The　girl's　body　was　scarred　from　that　damned　Torquemada　girdle；　I　wanted　to　insult　this　flesh　peddler。
　　
　　He　flinched　and　looked　as　if　he　were　giving　birth　to　broken　beer　bottles。　〃You　jest　with　me。　Eleven　thousand　blessings；　and　they　are　yours…though　I　won't　make　expenses！〃
　　
　　〃Fifteen　hundred；〃　I　answered。　I　bad　money　I　couldn't　spend　elsewhere　and　told　myself　I　could　afford　to　manumit　them　rather　than　let　that　girl　be　bound　into　that　damned　atrocity　again。
　　
　　He　moaned。　〃If　they　were　mine；　I　would　give　them　to　you。　I　love　these　cute　darlings　like　my　own　children　and　could　ask　for　them　nothing　better　tha？　a　kind　and　gentle　master　learned　in　science　who　appreciates　the　wonders　that　have　gone　into
　　
　　their　making。　But　the　Bishop　would　hang　me　and　have　me　cut　down　alive　to　be　dragged　to　death　by　my　tool。　Ten　thousand　and　take　all　proofs　and　exhibits。　I'~ll　suffer　a　loss　for　their　sakes…and　because　I　admire　you　so　much。〃
　　
　　I　got　up　to　forty…five　hundred　and　he　got　down　to　seven　thousand　and　there　we　stuck；　as　I　had　to　hold　out　cash　for　last…minute　squeeze；　whereas　it　felt　to　me　that　he　was　close　to　：the　point　where　he　really　could　not　sell　without　risking　the　Bishop's　wrath。　If　there　was　a　bishop。　。　。
　　
　　He　turned　away　in　a　fashion　that　says　that　a　dicker　is　over　and　he　is　through　flattering　you；　and　told　the　girl　sharply　to　step　back　inth　her　steel　harness。
　　
　　I　got　out　my　purse。　Minerva；　you　understand　money；　you　handle　the　government's　finances。　But　possibly　you　don't　know　that　cash　money　affects　some　people　the　way　catnip　does　Diablo~　I　counted　out　forty…five　hundred　blessings　in　big　red…and…gold　bills　under　that　scoundrel's　nose…and　stopped。　He　was　sweating　and　swallowing　his　Adam's　apple　but　managed　to　shake　his　head　a　tenth　of　an　inch。
　　
　　So　I　counted　more　bills；　very　slowly；　and　reached　five　thousand…then　started　briskly　to　pick　them　up。
　　
　　He　stopped　…　me…and　I　found　that　I　had　bought　the　only　slaves　I　have　ever　owned。
　　
　　He　relaxed　then；　in　a　resigned　way；　but　wanted　***lagniappe***　for　the　exhibits。　I　didn't　care　one　way　or　another　but　offered　two　hundred　and　fifty　for　the　pix　and　tapes；　take　it　or　leave　it。　He　took　it　and　again　started　to　put　the　girl　back　into　her　harness。
　　
　　I　stopped　him　and　said；　〃Show　me　how　that　works。〃
　　
　　I　knew　how　a　cylinder…type　ten…letter　bination　lock　you　could　set　to　a　new　bination　each　time　you　used　it。　Set　the　bination；　slide　the　ends　of　the　steel　strap　that　went　around　her　waist　through　the　ends　of　the　barrel；　spin　the　alphabet　disks　of　the　cylinder；　then　it　stays　locked　until　you　reset　whatever　ten…letter　bo　you　picked。　An　expensive　lock…　and　good　steel　in　the　girdle…alloy　a　hacksaw　couldn't　touch。　This　was　another　thing　that　made　his　story　convincing；　as；　while　there　was　a　market　for　virgins　on　that　weird　globe；　a　trained　odalisque　fetched　about　the　same；　and　this　girl　wasn't　being　reserved　for　harem　stock　either　way。　So　an　expensive　custom…made　chastity　belt　had　to　have　some　other　reason。
　　
　　With　our　backs　to　the　slaves　he　showed　me　the　bination：　E；S；T；R；E；L；L；I；T；A…and　was　smug　about　how　clever　he　was　to　pick　a　bination　he　couldn't　forget。
　　
　　So　I　fumbled　on　purpose；　then　pretended　to　catch　on；　and　opened　it。　He　was　about　to　put　it　on　the　kid　again　and　send　us　on　our　way。　I　said；　〃Wait　a　moment。　I　want　to　be　sure　I　can　work　it　in　place。　You　step　into　it　and　let　me　get　you　out　of　it。〃
　　
　　He　didn't　want　to。　So　I　got　snotty　and　said　he　was　trying　to　cheat　me…put　me　in　a　position　where　I　would　have　to　send　for　him　and　pay　through　the　nose　to　get　my　property　unlocked。　I　demanded　my　money　back　and　started　to　tear　up　the　bill　of　sale。　He　gave　in　and　stepped　into　the　contrivance。
　　
　　He　could　squeeze　into　it　although　the　ends　of　the　steel　belt　barely　met；　he　was　bigger　around　the　waist　than　the　girl　was。　I　said；　〃Now　spell　that　bination　for　me〃…and　leaned　over　the　lock。　As　he　spelled　〃ESTRELLITA；〃　what　I　set　was　〃HORSETHIEF'；〃　then　iammed　the　ends　together　as　hard　as　possible　and　spun　the　disks。
　　
　　〃Good；〃　I　said。　〃It　works。　Now　spell　it　again。〃
　　
　　He　did　so　and　I　carefully　spelled　〃ESTRELLITA。〃　It　stayed　locked。　I　suggested　that　he　bad　had　me　spell　it　with　one　1　and　two　t's　the　first　time。　That　didn't　work　either。
　　
　　He　dug　up　a　mirror　and　tried　it　himself。　No　go。　I　said　it　might　be　jammed；　so　suck　up　your　gut　and　we'll　shake　it。　By　now　he　was　sweating。
　　
　　Finally　I　said；　〃Tell　you　what；　goodman…I'll　give　you　this　belt。　I'd　rather　trust　a　padlock　anyhow。　So　go　to　a　locksmith…no；　you　won't　want　to　wear　this　outside；　just　tell　me　where　to　find　one　and　I'll　send　him　here　and　pay　him　myself。　Fair　enough？　I　can't　hang　around；　I've　got　a　dinner　engagement　at　the　Beulahiand。　Where　ar？　their　clothes？　Faithful；　gather　up　this　junk　and　fetch　the　kids。〃
　　
　　So　I　left　him　still　blatting　about　telling　the　locksmith　to　hurry。
　　
　　As　we　left　his　tent；　a　taxicab　was　cruising　by。　I　had　Faithful　hail　it　and　we　all　piled　in。　I　didn't　bother　with　a　locksmith；　I　had　the　driver　head　for　the　skyport；　then　stopped　on　the　way　at　a　slopchest　and　bought　the　kids　proper　clothes；　a　clout　for　him　and　sort　of　Balinese　sarong　for　her…uh；　that's　much　like　the　dress　Hamadryad　wore　yesterday。　I　think　those　were　the　first　real　clothes　the　youtigsters　had　ever　had。　I　couldn't　get　shoes　on　them；　I　settled　for　sandals…then　had　to　drag　Estrellita　away　from　a　mirror；　she　was　admiring　herself　and　preening。　I　threw　away　those　auction　robes。
　　
　　I　shoved　the　kids　into　the　taxi　and　said　to　Faithful：　〃See　that　alley？　If　I　turn　my　back　and　you　run　down　it；　I　won't　be　able　to　chase　you；　I've　got　to　keep　an　eye　on　these　two。〃
　　
　　Mmerva；　I　ran　into　something　I'll　never　understand：　the　slave　mentality。　Faithful　didn't　get　my　meaning…and　when　I　spelled　it　out；　he　was　aghast。　Hadn't　he　given　good　service？　Did　I　want　him　to　starve？
　　
　　I　gave　up。　We　dropped　him　at　the　Rent…a…Servant；　and　I　got　my　deposit　back…tipping　him　for　good　service…and　my　slaves　and　I　rode　on　out　to　the　skyport。
　　
　　Turned　out　I　needed　that　deposit　and　almost　every　blessing　I　had　left…had　to　pay　squeeze　at　outgoing　customs　to　get　the　kids　aboard　my　ship；　even　though　the　bill　of　sale　was　in　order。
　　
　　But　I　got　'em　aboard。　I　immediately　had　them　kneel；　put　my　hands　on　their　heads　and　manumitted　them。　They　did　not　seem　to　believe　it；　so　I　explained。　〃Look；　you're　free　now。　Free；　get　me？　No　longer　slaves。　I'll　sign　your　manumission　papers　and　you　can　go　to　the　diocese　office　and　get　them　registered。　Or　you　can　have　dinner　here　and　sleep　aboard；　and　I'll　give　you　what　blessings　I　can　just　before　my　ship　lifts　tomorrow。　Or；　if　you　want　to；　you　can　stay　aboard　and　go　to　Valhalla；　a　nice　pla　though　chillier　than　this　one…but　where　there　is　no　such　thing　as　slavery。〃
　　
　　Minerva；　I　don't　think　Llita…pronounced　'Yeetah；'　her　everyday　name…or　her　brother　Joe…Josie；　or　Jos？understood　what　I　meant　by　a　place　that　did　not　have　slavery；　it　was　foreign　to　anything　they　knew。　But　they　knew　what　a　starship　was；　from　hearsay；　and　the　prospect　of　going　somewhere　in　one　had　them　awestruck…they　would　not　have　missed　it　if　I　had　told　them　they　were　going　to　be　hanged　on　arrival。　Besides；　in　their　minds　I　was　still　their　master；　manumission　hadn't　taken　hold　even　though　they　knew　what　it　was。　Something　for　old　and　faithful　retainers；　that　is；　who　stayed　on　at　the　funda　where　they　had　been　all　along；　but　maybe　got　paid　a　little。
　　
　　But　to　travel！　The　farthest　they　had　ever　been　in　their　lives　was　from　a　diocese　north　of　there　to　the　capital；　to　be　sold。
　　
　　A　little　trouble　next　morning…　Seems　that　one　Simon　Legree　licensed　dealer　in　slaves；　had　sworn　a　plaint　sgainst　me　alleging　bodily　harm；　mental　duress；　and　assorted　ropery　and　dopery。　So　I　sat　the　cop　down　in　my　wardroom；　poured　him　a　drink；　called　in　Llita　and　had　her　take　off　herwonderful　new　clothes　and　let　the　cop　see　the　scars　on　her　hips；　then　told　her　to　skedaddle。　I　happened　to　leave　a　hundred…blessing　note　on　the　table　while　I　got　up　to　fetch　the　bill　of　sale。
　　
　　The　cop　waved　away　the　bill　of　sale；　saying　there　had　been　no　plaint　on　that　score…but　he　was　going　to　tell　Goodman　Legree　that　he　was　lucky　not　to　face　a　countercharge　of　selling　damaged　goods　。　。　no；　on　second　thought　it　was　simpler　if　he　just　couldn't　find　me　until　after　my　ship　lifted。　The　hundred　blessings　was　gone；　and　soon　the　cop　was　gone…and　by　midafternoon；　so　were　we。
　　
　　But；　Minerva；　I　got　cheated；　Llita　couldn't　cook　worth　a　damn。
　　
　　It　is　a　long　and　plex　passage　from　Blessed　to　Valhalla；　and　Shipmaster　Sheffield　w