time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第68部分

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id…names　and　dates　of　her　parents；　and　the　single　date　for　the　baby。
　　
　　She　looked　it　over　solemnly；　then　said；　〃That　means　Mama　and　Daddy'　won't　ever　be　ing　back。　Doesn't　it？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Dora。〃
　　
　　〃That's　what　the　kids　at　school　said。　I　wasn't　sure。〃
　　
　　〃I　know；　dear。　Aunt　Helen　told　me。　So　I　thought　you　had　better　see　for　yourself。〃
　　
　　She　looked　again　at　the　headstone；　then　said　gravely；　〃I　see。　I　guess　I　do。　Thank　you；　Uncle　Gibbie。〃
　　
　　She　didn't　cry；　so　I　didn't　have　any　excuse　to　pick　her　up　and　console　her。　All　I　could　think　of　to　say　was：　〃Do　you　want　to　go　now；　dear？〃
　　
　　〃Yes。〃
　　
　　We　had　ridden　out　on　Buck；　but　I　had　left　him　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　there　being　an　unwritten　rule　against　letting　mules　or　tamed　lopers　walk　on　graves。　I　asked　if　she　wanted　me　to　carry　her…piggyback；　perhaps。　She　decided　to　walk。
　　
　　Halfway　down　she　stopped。　〃Uncle　Gibbie？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Dora？〃
　　
　　〃Let's　not　tell　Buck　about　this。〃
　　
　　〃All　right；　Dora。〃
　　
　　〃He　might　cry。〃
　　
　　〃We　won't　tell　him；　Dora。〃
　　
　　She　did　not　say　any　more　until　we　were　back　at　Mrs。　Mayberry's　school。　Then　she　was　very　quiet　for　about　two　weeks；　and　never　mentioned　it　again　to　me；　nor…I　think…to　anyone。　She　never　asked　to　go　back　there；　although　we　went　riding　almost　every　afternoon　and　often　within　sight　of　graveyard　hill。
　　
　　About　two　Earth…years　later　the　Andy　J。　arrived；　and　Captain　Zack；　my　son　by　Phyllis；　came　down　in　the　gig　to　make　arrangements　for　landing　the　third　wave　of　migrants。　We　had　a　drink　together；　and　I　told　him　I　was　staying　over　another　trip；　and　why。　He　stared。　〃Lazarus；　you　are　out　of　your　mind。〃
　　
　　I　said　quietly：　〃Don't　call　me　Lazarus　That　name　has　had　too　much　publicity。〃
　　
　　He　said；　〃All　right。　Although　there　is　no　one　around　but　our　hostess…Mrs。　Mayberry；　did　you　say？…and　she's　gone　out　to　the　kitchen。　Look；　uh；　Gibbons；　I　was　thinking　of　making　a　couple　of　trips　to　Secundus。　Profit　in　it；　and　ways　to　invest　our　　on　Secundus…safer　than　investing　on　Earth　now；　things　being　the　way　they　are。〃
　　
　　I　agreed　that　he　was　almost　certainly　right。
　　
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃but　here's　the　point。　If　I　do；　I　won't　be　back　this　way　for；　oh；　maybe　ten　standard　years。　Or　longer。　Oh；　I　will　if　you　insist；　you're　majority　shareholder。　But　you'll　be　wasting　your　money　and　mine；　too。　Look；　Laz…　Ernest；　if　you　must　take　care　of　this　kid…though　I　don't　see　that　it's　your　obligation…e　with　me　and　bring　her　along。　You　could　put　her　in　school　on　Earth…as　long　as　you　post　bond　to　insure　that　she　leaves。　Or　perhaps　she　could　settle　on　Secundus；　although　I　don't　know　what　the　immigration　rules　are　there　now；　it's　been　a　long　time　since　I've　been　there。〃
　　
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃What's　ten　years？　I　can　hold　my　breath　that　long。　Zack；　I　want　to　see　this　child　grown　up　and　able　to　make　it　on　her　own…married；　I　hope；　but　that's　her　business。　But　I　won't　uproot　her；　she's　had　one　shock　of　that　sort　and　shouldn't　have　to　soak　up　another　while　she's　still　a　child。〃
　　
　　〃On　your　head　be　it。　You　want　me　back　in　ten　years？　Is　that　long　enough？'
　　
　　〃More　or　less　but　don't　rush。　Take　time　enough　to　show　a　profit。　If　it　takes　longer；　you'll　pick　up　a　better　cargo　here　next　time。　Something　better　than　food　and　soft　goods。〃
　　
　　Zack　said；　〃There　is　nothing　better　than　food　to　ship　to　Earth　these　days。　S鄊etime　soon　we're　going　to　have　to　stop　touching　at　Earth；　just　trade　among　the　colonies。〃
　　
　　〃As　bad　as　that？〃
　　
　　〃Pretty　bad。　They　won't　learn。　What's　this　about　trouble　over　your　bank？　Do　you　need　a　show　of　force　while　the　'Andy　J。'　is　overhead？〃
　　
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃Thanks；　Captain；　but　that's　not　the　way　to　do　it。　Or　I　would　have　to　go　along　with　you。　Force　is　an　argument　to　use　when　nothing　else　will　do　and　the　issue　is　that　important。　Instead　I'm　going　to　go　limp　on　them。〃
　　
　　Ernest　Gibbons　did　not　worry　about　his　bank。　He　never　worried　over　any　issue　less　important　than　life…and…death。
　　
　　Instead　he　applied　his　brain　to　all　problems　large　and　small　as　they　came　along；　and　enjoyed　life。
　　
　　Especially　he　enjoyed　helping　raise　Dora。　Right　after　he　acquired　her　and　the　mule　Buck…or　they　acquired　him…he　discarded　the　savage　curb　bit　Learner　had　used　（salvaging　the　metal）　and　had　the　Jones　Brothers'　harnessmaker　convert　the　bridle　into　a　hackamore。　He　ordered　also　another　saddle；　sketching　what　he　wanted　and　offering　a　bonus　for　early　delivery。　The　leathercrafter　shook　his　head　over　that　sketch；　but　delivered。
　　
　　Thereafter　Gibbons　and　the　baby　girl　rode　Buck　in　a　saddle　built　for　two：　a　man…sized　saddle　in　the　usual　position；　with　a　tiny　saddle　with　tiny　stirrups　an　integral　part　of　it　in　that　forward　position　where　a　normal　saddle　carries　its　pommel　horn。　A　little　wooden　arch；　leather　covered；　curved　up　from　this；　a　safety　bar　the　child　could　grab；　Gibbons　also　had　this　extended　saddle　fitted　with　two　belly　bands；　more　fortable　for　the　mule；　safer　on　steep　trails　for　riders。
　　
　　They　rode　that　way　several　seasons；　usually　an　hour　or　more　after　school…holding　three…cornered　conversations　at　a　walk；　or　singing　as　a　trio　with　Buck　loudly　off　key　but　always　on　beat　with　his　gait　acting　as　a　metronome；　Gibbons　carrying　the　lead；　and　Dora　learning　to　harmonize。　It　was　often　the　〃Paunshot〃　song；　which　Dora　regarded　as　her　own；　and　to　which　she　gradually　added　verses；　including　one　about　the　paddock　next　to　the　schoolhouse；　where　Buck　lived。
　　
　　But　soon　there　was　too　much　girl　for　the　tiny　forward　saddle　as　Dora　grew；　straight　and　slender　and　tall。　Gibbons　bought　a　mare　mule；　after　trying　two　others…one　was　rejected　by　Buck　because　she　was　（so　he…said）　〃shdoop'd〃　and　the　other　because　she　failed　to　appreciate　a　hackamore　and　tried　to　run　away。
　　
　　Gibbons　let　Buck　pick　the　third；　with　advice　from　Dora　but　none　from　him…and　Buck　acquired　a　mate　in　his　paddock；　and　Gibbons　had　the　stable　enlarged。　Buck　still　stood　at　stud　for　a　fee　but　seemed　pleased　to　have　Beulah　at　home。　However；　Beulah　did　not　learn　to　sing　and　talked　very　little。　Gibbons　stispected　that　she　was　afraid　to　open　her　mouth　in　Buck's　presence…she　was　willing　to　talk；　or　at　least　to　answer；　when　Gibbons　rode　her　alone　。　。　。for　it　worked　out；　to　Gibbons'　surprise；　that　Beulah　was　his　saddle　mule；　Dora　rode　the　big　male　brute；　even　when　the　stirrups　of　the　stock　saddle　had　to　be　shortened　ridiculously　to　fit　her　child's　legs。
　　
　　But　steadily　the　stirrups　had　to　be　lengthened　as　Dora　grew　toward　young　womanhood。　Beulah　dropped　a　foal；　Gihbons　kept　her　and　Dora　named　her　〃Betty〃　and　trained　the　baby　mule　as　she　grew；　at　first　letting　her　amble　along　behind　with　an　empty　saddle；　then　teaching　her　to　accept　a　rider　in　the　paddock。　There　followed　a　time　when　their　daily　rides　became　sixsomes　and　often　picnics；　with　Mrs。　Mayberry　up　on　Buck；　the　steadiest；　and　with　the　lightest　load；　Dora　on　Betty；　and　with　Gibbons　as　usual　riding　Beulah。　Gibbons　remembered　that　summer　as　a　most　happy　one：　Helen　and　himself　knee　to　knee　on　the　older　mounts　while　Dora　and　the　frisky　youngster　galloped　ahead；　then　running　back　with　Dora's　long　brown　hair　flying　in　the　breeze。
　　
　　One　such　time　he　asked；　〃Helen；　are　the　boys　beginning　to　sniff　around　her？〃
　　
　　〃You　old　stud；　don't　you　think　about　anything　else？〃
　　
　　〃e　off　it；　dear；　I　asked　for　information。〃
　　
　　〃Certainly　the　boys　are　noticing　her；　Ernest；　and　she　is　noticing　them。　But　I　will　do　all　the　worrying　necessary。　Not　much；　she's　far　too　choosy　to　put　up　with　second　best。〃
　　
　　The　happy　family　picnics　did　not　resume　the　following　summer。　Mrs。　Mayberry　was　feeling　the　years　in　her　bones；　and　could　mount　and　dismount　only　with　help。
　　
　　Gibbons　had　plenty　of　time　to　be　ready　before　the　murmurings　about　his　monopoly　of　the　banking　business　came　to　a　head。　The　New　Beginnings　Bank　of　merce　was　a　bank　of　issue；　he　（or　Zaccur）　always　set　up　such　a　bank　in　each　colony　they　pioneered。　Money　was　necessary　to　a　growing　colony；　barter　was　too　clumsy。　Some　medium　of　exchange　was　needed　even　before　government　was　needed。
　　
　　He　was　not　surprised　when　he　was　invited　to　meet　with　the　town's　selectmen　to　discuss　the　matter；　it　always　happened。　That　evening；　as　he　trimmed　his　Vandyke　and　added　a　touch　more　gray　to　it　and　to　the　hair　on　his　head　in　preparation　for　the　confrontation；　he　reviewed　in　his　mind　proposals　he　had　heard　in　the　past　for　making　water　run　uphill；　the　sun　to　stand　still；　and　one　egg　to　be　counted　as　two。　Would　there　be　some　novel　numbskullery　tonight？　He　hoped　so　but　did　not　expect　it。
　　
　　He　plucked　hairs　from　his　〃receding〃　hairline…damn　it；　it　was　getting　harder　and　harder　to　age　enough　each　year！…then　put　on　his　war…plaid　kilt　；not　only　more　impressive　but　with　more　ways　to　conceal　weapons…and　get　at　them　quickly。　He　was　fairly　sure　that　no　one　was；　as　yet；　annoyed　enough　at　him　to　start　violence；　but　once　he　had　been　too　optimistic；　since　that　time　he　had　been　a　pessimist　as　a　fixed　policy。
　　
　　Then　he　hid　some　items；　locked　up　others；　set　some　gadgets　that　Zaccur　had　fetc？ed