time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第45部分
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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 was pleased to have pany。
There was a mild contretemps the first night of the voyage caused by a misunderstanding that had started the night before； dirtside。 The ship had a cabin and two staterooms。 Since the Captain normally operated by himself； he？used the staterooms for casual storage or light cargo； they were not ready for passengers。 So that first night dirtside he put his freedwoman into his cabin； while her brother and he slept on transom couches in the wardroom。
The following day Captain Sheffield unlocked the staterooms； switched power to them； had the young people clean them and move the clutter to a gear locker until he could see what space he had left in his holds； and told them each to take a room…and forgot it； being busy with cargo and final squeeze； then with supervising his piloting puter while they got clear of that system。 It was late that 〃night；〃 ship's time； before he had his ship on her first leg in n…space； and could relax。
He went to his cabin while considering whether to eat first or shower first； or possibly neither。
Estrellita was in his bed…wide awake and waiting。
He said； 〃Llita； what are you doing here？〃
She told him in blunt slave lingo what she was doing in his bed…waiting for him…as she had known what would be expected of her when milord Shipmaster Sheffield had offered to take them along； and had discussed it with her brother； and Brother had told her to do it。
She added that she was not a bit afraid； she was ready and eager。
The first part of this Aaron Sheffield had to believe； the addendum seemed clearly a white lie； he had seen frightened virgins before…not often； but a few。
He dealt with her fear by ignoring it。 He said； 〃You impudent bitch； get your arse out of my bed and into your own。〃
The freedwoman was startled and unbelieving； then sulky and offended…then she wept。 Fear of an unknown that she had felt earlier was drowned in a worse emotion； her tiny ego was crushed by his rejection of service she knew she owed him~…and had believed he wanted。 She sobbed； and dripped tears on his pillow。
Female tears always had a strong aphrodisiac effect on Captain Sheffield； he responded to them at once…by grabbing her ankle； dragging her out of bed； hustling her out of his cabin； into her stateroom； and locking her in。 Then he returned to his cabin； locked its door； took measures to calm himself； and went to sleep。
Minerva； there was nothing wrong with Llita as a woman。 Once I taught her to bathe properly she was quite attractive…good figure； pleasant face and manner； good teeth； and her breath was sweet。 But taking her did not fit any customs。 All 〃Eros〃 is custom； dear； there is never anything moral or immoral about copulation as such； or any of its nonfunctional frills。 〃Eros〃 is simply a way of keeping human beings； individuals； each different…keeping them together and happy。 It is a survival mechanism developed through long evolution； and its reproductive function is the least plex aspect of its very plex and pervasive role in keeping the human race going。
But any sexual act is moral or immoral by precisely the same laws of morality as any other human act； all other rules about sex are simply customs…local and transient。 There are more codes of sexual customs than a dog has fleas…and all they have in mon is that they are 〃ordained by God。〃 I recall a society where copulation in private was obscene and forbidden； criminal…while in public it was 〃anything goes。〃 The society I was brought up in had the reverse of those rules…again 〃ordained by God。〃 I'm not sure which pattern was harder to follow； but I ind…as it is never safe to ignore such customs；
and ignorance is no excuse； ignorance like to got my ass shot off several times。
In refusing Llita I was not being moral； I was following my own sexual customs； worked out by trial and error and many bruises over the centuries： never bed a female dependent on me unless I am married to her or willing to marry her。 This is an amoral rule of thumb； subject to change according to circumstances and not applying to females not dependent on me…another negotiation entirely。 But this rule is a safety precaution applicable most times and places with widely varying customs…a safety measure for me 。 。 because； unlike tha？ lady from Boston I told you about； many females tend to regard copulation as a formal proposal of contract。
I had let impulse lure me into a predicament in which Llita was temporarily my dependent； I had no intention of making matters worse by marrying her； I didn't owe her that。 Minerva； long…lifers should never marry ephemerals； it is not fair to the ephemeral or to the long…lifer。
Nevertheless； once you pick up a stray cat and feed it； you cannot abandon it。 Self…love forbids it。 The cat's welfare bees essential to your own peace of mind…even when it's a bloody nuisance not to break faith with the cat。 Having bought these kids I could not shuck them off by manumission； I had to plan their future…because they did not know how。 They were stray cats。
Early next 〃morning〃 （by ship's routine） Captain Sheffield got up； unlocked the freedwoman's stateroom； found her asleep。 He called her and told her to get up； wash quickly； then get breakfast for three。 He left to wake her brother； found his stateroom empty； found him in the galley。 〃Good morning； Joe。〃
The freedman jumped。 〃Oh！ Good morning； Master。〃 He ducked and bent his knee。
〃Joe； the correct answer is： 'Good morning； Captain。' It amounts to the same thing at present； for I am indeed master of this ship and everyone in it。 But when you leave my ship on Valhalla； you will have no master of any sort。 None； as I explained yesterday。 Meanwhile； call me 'Captain。'〃
〃Yes 。 。 Captain。〃 The young man repeated obeisance。
〃Don't bow！ When you speak to me； stand tall and straight and proud； and look me in the eye。 The correct answer to an order is 'Aye aye； Captain。' What are you doing there？〃
〃Uh； I don't know…Captain's
〃I don't think you do； either。 That's enough coffee for a dozen people。〃 Sheffield elbowed Joe aside； salvaged most of the coffee crystals the lad had poured into a bowl； measured enough for nine cups； made note to teach the girl how if she did not know； then have her keep coffee ready during working hours。
As he sat down with his first cup of coffee； she appeared。 Her eyes were red and had circles under them； he suspected that she had wept some more that morning。 But he made no ment other than a morning greeting and let her cope with the galley unassisted； she having seen what he had done the morning before。
Shortly he was recalling fondly the scratch lunch and supper…sandwiches he had made himself the day before。 But he said nothing other than to order them to sit down and eat with him； rather than hovering over him。 Breakfast was mostly coffee； cold ship's bread； tinned butter。 Reconstituted accra eggs with mushrooms were an nedible mess； and she had managed to do something to heavenfruit juice。 To spoil that took talent； all it needed was eight parts of cold water for each part of concentrate； and the instructions were on the container。
〃Llita； can you read？〃
〃No； Master。〃
〃Make that 'Captain；' instead。 How about you； Joe？〃
〃No； Captain。〃
〃Arithmetic？ Numbers？〃
〃Oh； yes； Captain； I know numbers。 Two and two is four； two and three makes five； and three and five is nine…〃
His sister corrected him。 〃Seven； Josie…not nine。〃
〃That's enough；〃 Sheffield said。 〃I can see we'll be busy。〃 He thought； while he hummed： 〃So it's well to 。 。 Have a sister 。 。 Or even an old captain…〃 He added aloud： 〃When you have finished breakfast； take care of your pessonal needs； then tidy your rooms…shipshape and neatly； I'll inspect later…and make the bed in my cabin； but don't touch anything else there； especially my desk。 Then each of you take a bath。 Yes； that's what I said： Bathe。 Aboard ship everyone bathes every day； oftener if you wish。 There is plenty of pure water； we recycle it and we'll finish the voyage with thousands of liters more than we started with。 Don't ask why； that's the way it works and I'll explain later。〃 （Several months later； at least…to youngsters unsure about three plus five。） 〃When you're through； say； an hour and a half from now…Joe； can you read a clock？〃
Joe stared at the old…fashioned ship's clock m？unted on a bulkhead。 〃I'm not sure； Captain。 That one has too many numbers。〃
〃Oh； yes； of course； Blessed is on another system。 Try to be back here when the little hand is straight out to the left and the big hand is straight up。 But this time it doesn't matter if you are late； it takes awhile to shake down。 Don't neglect your baths to be on time。 Joe； shampoo your head。 Llita； lean toward me； dear； let me sniff your hair。 Yes； you shampo
