time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第94部分

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onger　have　it；　I　had　to　pick　and　choose　what　to　take　along　when　I　went　into　this　skull。　So　I　don't　remember　much　of　what　I　did；　any　more　than　a　rejuvenation　client　knows　all　that　is　done　to　him；　you　would　have　to　get　details　from　Athene；　who　still　has　them…and　who；　by　the　way；　never　had　the　rather　painful　awakening　that　a　puter　goes
　　
　　through　when　it　first　begins　to　know　itself；　because　I　left　a　piece　of　mc　in　Athene；　oh；　like　a　yeast　starter。　'Athene　dimly　remembers　having　been　Minerva　at　one　time…about　the　way　we　flesh…and…bloods〃…Minerva　straigntened　up；　smiled；　and　looked　proud…〃remember　a　dream　as　something　not　quite　real。　And　I　remember　being　Minerva　the　puter　some…what　the　same　way。　I　remember　all　my　contacts　with　people　very　sharply…because　I　chose　to　keep　them；　replicate　them　into　this　skull。　But　if　anyone　were　to　ask　howi　handled　the　transport　system　of　…New　Rome　。　。　well；　I　know　that　I　did；；　but　not　how　I　did　it。〃
　　
　　She　smiled　again。　〃That's　my　story：　A　puter　'who'　longed　to　be　a　flesh…and…blood　and　who　had　loving　friends　who　made　is　possible　。　。　and　I've　never　regretted　it；　I　love　being　flesh…and…blood…and　want　to　love　everybody。〃　She　looked　at　Justin　Foote　very　soberly。　〃Lazarus　spoke　sooth；　I　have　never　been　a　guest　wife；　I　am　only　three　years　old　as　a　flesh…and…blood。　Should　you　choose　me；　you　ma'）'　find　me　awkward　and　shy…but　not　reluctant。　I　owe　you'　much。〃
　　
　　第52节
　　
　　〃Minerva；〃　said　Lazarus；　〃back　him　into　a　corner　some　other　time。　You　didn't　tell　Justin　what　he　wanted　to　know；　you　left　out　the　hanky…panky。〃　…
　　
　　〃Oh。〃
　　
　　〃And　when　you　were　philosophizing　about　awareness　in　puters；　you　left　out　the　key　point；　it　seems　to　me；　one　I　know　but　you　may　not　even　though　you've　been　a　puter　and　I　have　not。　Because　this　key　point　applies　both　to　puters　and　to　flesh…and…bloods。　My　dear…and　Jijstin_and　it　won't　hurt　you　two　erratic　geniuses　to　listen…all　machinery　is　animistic…'humanistic；'　I　want　to　say；　but　that　term　has　been　preempted。　Any　machine　is　a　concept　of　a　human　designer；　it　reflects　the　human　brain；　be　it　wheelbarrow　or　giant　puter。　So　there　is　nothing　mysterious　in　a　machine　designed　by　a　human　showing　human　self…awareness；　the　mystery　lies　in　awareness　itself；　wherever　it's　found。　I　used　to　have　a　folding　camp　cot　that　liked　to　bite　me。　I　don't　say　that　it　was　aware…but　I　learned　to　approach　it　with　caution。
　　
　　〃But；　Minerva；　darling；　I've　seen　some　big　puters；　almost　as　smart　as　you　were；　that　never'　developed　self…awareness。　Can　you　tell　us　why？〃　'
　　
　　〃I　confess　I　can't；　Lazarus。　I'd　like　to　ask　Athene　When　we　get　home。〃
　　
　　〃She　probably　doesn't　know　either；　she's　never　met　any
　　
　　other　major　puter　but　Dora。　Captain　Lazuli；　how　far　back　do　you　remember？　Once　you…or　your　rade　in　crime
　　
　　…cl~imed　to　remember　nursing。　Suckling；　I　mean。〃
　　
　　〃Of　course　we　do！　Doesn't　everybodyZ〃
　　
　　〃No。　Me；　for　example。　I　was　a　bottle　baby；　I　don't　remember　even　that。　Not　worth　remembering。　In　consequence　I've　been　looking　at　tits　and　admiring　them　ever　since。　Tell　me；　one　of　you；　when　you　remember　nursing；　can　you　recall　which　of　your　mothers　was　giving　you　suck？〃
　　
　　〃Of　course！〃　Lorelei　said　scornfully。　〃Mama　Ishtar　has　big　tits…〃
　　
　　〃…and　Mama　Hamadryad　has　much　sthaller　ones　even　when　they're　filled　with　milk…〃
　　
　　〃But　she　gave　just　as　much　milk。〃
　　
　　〃Different　flavor　though。　Made　it　nice　to　trade　off　each　meal。　Variety。〃
　　
　　〃But　we　liked　both　flavors！　Tell　him；　Laz。〃
　　
　　〃Enough。　You've　made　the　point　I　wanted。　Justin；　these　kids　were　self…aware　and　aware　of　other　people…their　mothers　at　least…at　an　age　when　a　cr鑓he　baby　is　just　a　doughy　blob
　　
　　which　says　something　about　why　cr鑓hes　have　never　worked　well。　I　want　the　counterpoint：　Minerva；　what　do　you　remember　of　the　time　when　you　were　an　unawakened　clone？〃
　　
　　〃Why；　nothing；　Lazarus。　Oh；　some　odd　dreams　when　I　was　putting　me…my　selected　memories…into　my　new　me；　this　one。　But　I　didn't　start　that　until　Ishtar　said　the　clone　was　big　enough。　That　was　not　until　shortly　before　I　withdrew　from　my　former　me　and　Ishtar　woke　me。　It　could　not　be　instantaneous；　Justin；　a　protein'　brain　Won't　take　data　at　puter　speeds；　Ishtar　had　me　be　very　slow　and　careful。　Then　for　a　short　time…short　human　time…I　was　both　places；　puter　and　skull；　then　I　surrendered　the　puter　and　let　it　bee　Pallas　Athene；　and　Ishtar　woke　me。　But；　Lazarus；　a　clone　in　vitro　is　not　aware；　it's　like　a　fetus　in　utero。　No　stimuli。　Correction：　minimum　stimuli　and　nothing　that　leaves　a　permanent　memory　track。　Unless　you　count　reports　of　regression　under　hypnosis。〃
　　
　　〃No　need　to　count　them；〃　Lazarus　replied~　〃True　or　false；　such　cases　are　irrelevant。　The　relevant　counterpoint　is　'minimum　stimuli。'　Honey；　those　big　puters　with　awareness　potential　but　without　self…awareness　are　that　way　because　nobody　bothered　to　love　the　poor　things。　That's　all。　Babies　or　big　puters…they　bee　aware　through　being　given　lots
　　
　　of　personal　attention。　'Love'　as　it's　usually　called。　Minerva；　does　that　theory　match　up　with　your　earliest　years？〃
　　
　　'Minerva　l'ooked　soberly　thoughtful。　〃That　was　about　a　century　ago'　in　human　time…call　it　a　million　times　that　in　puter　time。　I　know　from　the　records　that　I　was　assembled　a　few　years　before　Ira　took　office。　But　the　earliest　personal　memories　I　have…and　those　memories　I　saved　and　did　not　leave　in　Athene　or　in　the　puter　in　New　Rome…the　earliest　I　can　remember　of　me　is　waiting　eagerly　and　happily　for　the　next　time　Ira　would　speak　to　me。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　~aid；　〃I　need　not　belabor　the　point。　With　babies　you　breast…feed　them　and　nibble　their　toes　and　talk　to　them　and　blow　in　their　bellybuttons　and　make　them　laugh。　puters　don't　have　bellybuttons；　but　attention　works　just　as　well　on　them。　Justin；　Minerva　tells　me　that　she　left　nothing　of　herself　in　the　puter　under　the　palace。〃
　　
　　〃That　is　correct。　I　left　it　intact　as　a　puter　and　programmed　for　all　its　duties　。　。　but　I　dared　not　leave　any　personal　memory；　any　part　of　the　me；　could　not　let　it　remember　that　it　had　once　been　Minerva；　that　wouldn~t　have　been　fair　to　it。　Lazarus　warned　me；　and　I　was　most　careful；　checking　all　the　billions　of　bits　and　wiping　where　necessary。〃
　　
　　Justin　Foote　said；　〃I　missed　a　turn　somehow。　You　did　this　in　New　Rome　。　。　but　you've　been　awake　here　only　three　years？〃
　　
　　〃Three　wonderful　years！　You　see…〃
　　
　　〃Lot　me　interrupt；　dear；　I'll　tell　him　'the　hanky…panky。　But　first…Justin；　have　you　dealt　；with　the　executive　puter　in　New　Rome　since　we　migrated？　Of　course　you　have…but　have　you　been　in　the　office　of　Madam　Chairman　Pro　Tern　when　she　was　using　it？〃
　　
　　〃Why~　yes；　several　times。　Just　yesterday…no；　I　mean　the　yesterday　before　I　left；　I　keep　forgetting　that　I　missed　transit　time。〃
　　
　　〃What　name　does　she　use　in　speaking　with　it？〃
　　
　　~。〃I　don't　think　she　uses　a　name。　I'm　fairly　certain　she　does　not。〃　'
　　
　　〃Oh；　the　poor　thing！〃
　　
　　〃No；　Minerva；〃　Lazarus　said　quietly。　〃You　left　it　in　good　health；　it　simply　won't　wake　up　until'　it　has　a　mistress；　or　master；　who　appreciates　it。　Which　might　not　be　long；〃　he　added　grimly。
　　
　　Justin　Foote　said；　〃Might　be　any　time。　Lazarus；　that　old；
　　
　　uh…cancel　that。　Arabelle　loves　the　spotlight。　Appears　at　public　meetings；　shows　up　in　the　Colosseum。　Stands　up　and　wav~　her　scarf。　Seems　odd；　after　the　quiet　way　Ira　ran　things。〃
　　
　　〃I　see。　A　sitting　duck。　Seven　to　two　she's　assassinated　in　the　next　fivc　years。〃
　　
　　〃No　bet。　I'm　a　statistician；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃So　you　are。　All　right…　Hanky…panky。　Lots　of　it。　Ishtar　set　up　an　auxiliary　Howard　Clinic　in　the　Palace。　Her　excuse：
　　
　　Me；　the　Senior。　But　a　cover…up　for　a　much　more　extensive　bio　facility。　Minerva　picked　her　parents；　Ishtar　stole　the　tissues　and　faked　some　records。　Meanwhile；　our　skinny　friend　my　daughter　Minerva…〃
　　
　　〃She　is　not！　She's　just　right　for　her　height　and　body　type　and　bio　age！〃
　　
　　〃…and　deliciously　curved！〃
　　
　　〃…had　twinned　her　puter　self　in　a　hold　of　my　yacht　'Dora；'　placing　the　contract　in　my　name　and　charging　it　to　me；　and　nobody　dared　inquire　why　the　Senior…some　advantages　to　age；　especially　among　｝J~watds…wanted　a　huge　puter　in　a　yacht　that　already　had　one　of　the　fanciest　~　puters　in　the　sky。　While　back　in　my　borrowed　penthouse　where　nobody　was　allowed　to　go…other　than　a　short　list　all　as…　dishonest　as　I　am…a　clone　was　growing　in　a　facility　installed　in　a　room　I　didn't　need。
　　
　　〃es　time　to'　migrate；　a　very　large　case　containing　what　was　then　a　very　small　clone；　goes　to　the　skyport　marked　as　part　of　my　personal　baggage…this　baggage　between　us；　of　course…and　is　loaded　into　the　'Dora'　without　inspection；　such　being　a　prerogative　of　being　Chairman　。　。　for　as　you　may　recall　I　didn't　hand　the　gavel　back　to　Arabelle　until　our　transports　had　lifted　and　I　was　about　to　raise　ship　myself；　with　Ira　and　the　rest　of　my　personal　party　aboard。
　　
　　〃While　I'm　taking　the　clone　aboard；　Minerva　withdraws　herself　from　the　executive　puter　and'　is　safe　and　snug　in　a　'hold　of　the　'Dora'　。　。　with　her　gizzards　packed　with　every　bit