time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第87部分

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didn't　even　have　to　attend　the　dances。　…
　　
　　第45节
　　
　　But　no　one　stayed　away　from　those　weekly　dances　if　…he　or　she　could　make　it。　It　was　particularly　nice　for　young　people；　it　gave　them　a　chance　to　get　acquainted　and　do　their　courting。　Perhaps　most　first　babies　were　conceived　at　our　dances；　there　was　opportunity。　On　the　other　hand；　a　girl　did　not　have　to　get　knocked　up　just　through　a　romp　if　it　didn't　suit　her。　But　a　girl　was　likely　to　marry　by　fifteen；　sixteen；　and　their　bridegrooms　weren't　much　older…late　first　marriage　is　a　big…city　custom；　never　found　in　a　pioneer　culture。
　　
　　Dora　and　I？　But；　Minerva　dear；　I　told　you…　earlier。
　　
　　（Omitted）　…
　　
　　…started　the　freight　schedule　to　the　outside　the　year　Gibbie　was　born　and　Zack　was；　oh；　eighteen　I　think…I　have　to　keep　converting　New　Beginnings　years　into　standard　years。　Anyhow
　　
　　220
　　
　　he　was　taller　than　I　was；　not　much　short　of　two　meters　and　massed　maybe　eighty　kilos；　and　Andy　was　almost　as；　big　and　strong。　The？e　was　pressure　on　me　not　to　wait　as　I　knew　Zack　might　get　married　…　any　day…and　I　could　not　send　a　wagon　over　the　pass　just　with　Andy。　Ivar　was　only　nine…a　big　help　around　the　farm　but　not　big　enough　for　this　job。
　　
　　But　I　could　not　find　teamsters　other　than　in　my　own　family。　There　were　only　about　a　dozen　families　in　the　valley；　they　had　not　been　there　long；　and　did　not　as　yet　feel　the　press　to　buy　things　that　I　did。
　　
　　I　wante4　three　new　wagons；　not　just　because　my；　three　were　wearing　out　but　because　Zack　would　need　one　when　he　married。　…So　would　Andy。　And　I　might　have　to　dower　Helen　with　one；　if　and　when。　The　same　applied　to　plows　and　several　sorts　of　metal　farm　equipment。　Prosperous　as　we　were；　Happy　Valley　could　not　be　entirely　self…supporting　without　…a　metals　industry…which　is　to　say：　not　for　many　years。
　　
　　I　had　another　long　list　of　things　to　buy…　（Omitted）
　　
　　…on　a　quarterly　schedule。　But　the　food　that　fifty…odd　farms　could　ship　out　could　ilot　buy　much　at　the　other　end　in　petition　with　farmers　who　did　not　have　the　expense　of　shipping　by　mule　train　over　the　Rampart　and　across　the　prairie；　I　still　subsidized　our　link　with　civilization　by　writing　drafts　on　John　Mage~　to　be　debited　against　my　partnership　in　the　Andy　I。　and　thereby　brought　things　into　the　valley　we　would　not　otherwise　have　had。　Some　I　kept…Dora　got　inhouse　running　water　from　that　first　trip　our　own　boys　made；　just　in　time　to　keep　my　promise　to　her；　as　Zack　got　Hilda　pregnant　right　after　they　got　back；　and　their　first　baby；　Ingrid　Dora；　and　the　pletion　of　Dora's　bathroom；　arrived　about　together。　Other　things　I　sold　to　other　farmers　for　labor。　But　the　Buck　strain　of　mules；　strong；　intelligent；　and　all　of　them　capable　of　being　taught　to　talk；　eventually　corrected　our　balance　of　trade；　once　those　two　wells　were　drilled　on　the　prairie　and　I　…　could　count　on　running　a　string　of　mules　to　Separation　Center　without　losing　half　of　them。　This　meant　medicines；　books；　and　many　other　things　for　our　valley。
　　
　　（Omitted）　…
　　
　　Lazarus　Long　did　not　intend　to　surprise　his　wife。　But　neither　of　them　ever　knocked　on　their　own　bedroom　door。　Finding　it　closed；　he　opened　it　gently　against　the　possibility　that　she　might　be　napping。　…
　　
　　Instead　he　found　her　standing　at　the　window；　mirror　angled　to　the　light；　carefully　plucking　a　long　gray　hair。
　　
　　；He　watched　her　in　shocked　dismay。　Then　steadied　himsell　and　said；　〃Adorable…〃
　　
　　〃Oh！〃　She　turned。　〃You　startled　me。　I　didn't　hear　you　e　in；　dear。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　sorry。　May　I　have　that？〃…
　　
　　〃Have　what；　Woodrow？〃
　　
　　He　went　to　her；　bent　down　and　picked　up　the　silver　hair。　〃This。　Beloved；　every　hair　of　your　head　is　precious　to　me。　May　I　keep　it？〃
　　
　　She　did　not　answer。　He　saw　that　her　eyes　were　filled　with　tears。　They　started　to　overflow。　〃Dora。　Dora；〃　he　repeated　urgently；　〃why　are　you　crying；　beloved？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　sorry；　Lazarus。　I　did　not　intend　for　you　to　see　me　doing　this。〃
　　
　　〃But　why　do　it　at　all；　Dorable？　I　have　far　more　gray　hair　than　you。〃
　　
　　She　answered　what　he　had　not　said；　rather　than　what　he　did　say。　〃Dearest；　I　can't　help　it　that　I　know　wh~n　someone　is…well；　'fibbing'　I　must　call　it　since　you　have　never　lied　to　me。〃
　　
　　…　〃Why；　Dorable！　My　hair　is　gray。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　sir。　You　did　not　mean　to　surprise　me；　I　know　。　。　and
　　
　　I　did　not　mean　to　snoop　when　I　cleaned　your　study。　I　found
　　
　　your　cosmetics　kit；　Lazarus；　more　than　a　year　ago。　It's　sort　of
　　
　　a　fib；　i…sn't　it？…when　you　do　something　to　make　your　crisp
　　
　　red　hair　look　gray？　Something　like　what　I　do；　I　suppose；
　　
　　when　I　pluck　hairs　that　are　gray。〃
　　
　　〃You've　been　plucking　gray　hairs　since　you　learned　that　I　have　been　aging　myself？　Oh；　dear！〃
　　
　　？〃No；　no；　Lazarus！　I've　been　plucking　them　for　ages。　Much　longer　than　that。　Heavens；　darling；　I'm　a　great…grandmother
　　
　　…and　look　it。　But　what　you　do…careful　as　you　are　with　it…　and　kind　as　it　is　for　you　to　try…and　I　do　appreciate　it！…　doesn't　makeyou　look　my　age；　it　just　makes　you　look　pre…maturely　gray。〃
　　
　　〃Possibly。　Although　I'm　entitled　to　gray　hair；　Dorable…my　hair　was　snow…white　not　many　years　before　you　were　born。　It　took　something　much　more　drastic　than　cosmetics…or　plucking　hairs…to　make　me　look　young　again。　But　there　never　seemed　to　be　any　reason　to　mention　it。〃
　　
　　He　stepped　up　to　her；　put　an　arm　around　her　waist；　took
　　
　　…the　mirror　and　tossed　it　on　the　bed；　turned　her　toward　the　window。　~'Dora；　your　years　are　an　achievement；　not　something　to　hide。　Look　out　there。　Farmhouses　right　up　to　the　hills　and　many　more　we　can't　see　from　here。　How　many　of　our　Happy　Valley？people　are　descended　from　your　slim　body？〃
　　
　　〃I've　never　counted。〃
　　
　　…　〃I　have；　more　than　half　of　them…and　I'm　proud　of　you。　Your　breasts　are　baby…chewed；　your　belly　shows　stretch　marks
　　
　　…your　decorations　of　honor；　Adorable　One。　Of　valor。　They　make　you　；n；ore　beautiful。　So　stand　straight　and　tall；　my　lovely；　and　forget　about　silver　hairs。　Be　what　you　are；　and　be　it　in　style！〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Lazarus。　I　don't　mind　them　myself…I　did　it　to　please　you。〃
　　
　　〃Dorable；　you　can't　help　pleasing　me；　you　always　have。　Do　you　want　me　to　let　my　own　hair　go　back　to　natural？　It's　not　dangerous　for　me　to　be　a　…Howard…here　in　Happy　Valley　with　my　own　kin　all　around　me。〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　care；　darling。　Just　don't　do　it　on　my　account。　If　it　makes　it　easier　for　you…First　Settler　and　all　that…to　look　a　little　older；　then　do　it。〃
　　
　　〃It　does　make　it　easier　when　I　deal　with　other　people。　And　it's　no　trouble；　I　know　the　routine　…so　well　I　could　do　it　in　my　sleep。　But；　Dora…listen　to　me；　darling。　Zack　Briggs　will　call　at　Top　Dollar　sometime　in　the　next　ten　years；　you　saw　John's　…letter。　It's　not　too　late　to　go　to　Secundus。　There　they　can　make　you　look　like　a　young　girl　again　if　that's　what　you　want　。　and　tack　a　good　many　extra　years　on；　too。　Fifty。　Maybe　a　hundred。〃
　　
　　She　was　slow　in　answering。　〃Lazarus；　are　you　urging　me　to　do　this？〃　…
　　
　　〃I'm　offering　it。　But　it's　your　body；　most　dear　one。　Your　life。〃　…
　　
　　She　stared　out　the　window。　〃'More　than　half　of　them；'　you
　　
　　said。〃…
　　
　　〃With　the　percentage　increasing。　Our　kids　breed　like　cats。　And　so　do　their　kids。〃　…
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　truly　we　settled　this　many；　many　years　ago。　But　it　is　even　more　so　now。　I　don't　want　to　leave　our　valley　even　to　visit　the　outside。　I　don't　want　to　leave　our　children~Nor　~ur　children's　children；　nor　their　children。　And　I　certainly　wod　not　want　to　e　back　looking　like　a　young　girl　。　。　to　watch
　　
　　the　births　of　our　great。~great…grandchiIdren。　You're　right；　I've　earned　my　cray　hairs。　And　now　I'll　wear　them！〃
　　
　　〃That's　the　girl　I　married！　That's　my　durable　Dora！〃　He　mov~d　his　hand　up　higher；　cupped　a　breast　and　tickled　a　nipple。　She　jumped；　then　relaxed　to　it。　〃I　knew　your　answer；　but　I　had　to　ask。　My　darling；　age　cannot　wither　you；　nor　custom　stale　your　inhlnite　variety。　Where　other　women　satiate；　you　most　make　hungry！〃
　　
　　She　smiled。　〃I'm　not　Cleopatra；　Woodrow。〃
　　
　　〃Wench；　that's　your　opinion。　But　what's　your　opinion　against　mine？　Rangy　Lii；　I've　seen　thousands　and　thousands　more　women　than　you　have…and　I　say　that　you　make　Cleopatra　look　homely。〃
　　
　　〃Blarney　tongue；〃　she　said　softly。　〃I'm　sure　you've　never　had　a　woman　turn　you　down。〃
　　
　　〃True　only　because　I　never　risk　being　turned　down；　I　wait　to　be　asked。　Always。〃　…
　　
　　〃Are　you　waiting　to　be　asked？　All　right；　I'm　asking。　Then
　　
　　I'd　better　start　dinner。〃……？
　　
　　〃Don't　be　in　such　a　hurry；　Lil。　First　I'm　going　to　dump　you　on　that　bed。　Then　I'm　going　to　flip　your　skirt　up。　Then　I'm　going　to　see　if　I　can　find　any　gray　hair　at　that　end。　If　so；　i'll　pluck　them　for　you。〃
　　
　　〃Beast。　Scoundrel。　Lecherous　old　goat。〃　She　smiled　in　delight。　〃I　thought　we　weren't　going　to　bother　anymore　with　plucking　gray　hairs？〃
　　
　　〃We　were　speaking　of　hair　on　your　head；　Great…Grandmother。　But　this　other　end　is　as　young　as　ever…and　better　than　ever…so　we'll　most　carefully　pluck　any　gray　from　yo