time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第95部分

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　　〃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　of　data　in　the　Grand　Library　and　the　entire　records　of　~the　Howard　Clinic　including　secret　and　confidential　stuff。　A　most　satisfying　caper；　Justin；　the　most　good；　clean；　illegal　fun　I've　had　since　we　stole　the　'New　Frontiers。'　But　I'm　telling　you　this　not　to　boast…or　not　much…but　to　ask　if　we　were　as　slick　as　we　thought　we　were。　Any　rumors？　Did　you　suspect　anything　amiss？　How　about　Arabelle？〃
　　
　　〃I　feel　sure　that　Arabelle　does　not　suspect。　Nor　have　I
　　
　　heard　of　Nelly　Hildegarde　bursting　any　blood　vessels。　Mmm；　I　suspected　something。〃　…
　　
　　〃Really。　Where　did　we　slip？〃
　　
　　〃Hardly　the　word；　Lazarus。　Minerva；　when　I　had　occasion　to　consult　you；　while　Ira　was　Chairman　Pro　Tern；　how　did　we　talk？〃　…
　　
　　〃Why；　you　were　always　most　friendly；　Justin。　You　always　told　me　why　you　wanted　something　instead　of　just　telling　me　to　dig　it　out。　You　would　chat；　too；　you　were　never　too　much　in　a　hurry　to　be　pleasant。　That's　why　I　remember　you　so　warmly。〃
　　
　　〃And　that；　Lazarus；　is　why　I　sniffed　something　dead　hrhind　the　arras。　You　and　your　party　had　been　gone　about　a　week　when　I　wanted　something　from　the　executive　puter。　When　you　have　an　old　friend　with　a　pleasant　voice…　your　voice　is　unchanged；　Minerva；　I　should　have　recognized　it…but　I　was　bedazzled　by　your　appearance…when　you　call　this　old　friend　and　are　answered　by　a　flat；　mechanical　voice　。　。　and　any　deviation　from　programming　language　is　answered　by：　'NULL　PROGRAM…REPEAT…WAITING　FOR　PROGRAM'…then　you　know　that　an　old　friend　is　dead。〃　He　smiled　at　the　girl　between　them。　〃So　I　can't　tell　you　how　delighted　I　am　to　learn　that　my　old　friend　was　reborn　as　a　lovely　young　girl。〃
　　
　　Minerva　squeezed　his　hand；　blushed　slightly；　and　said　nothing。
　　
　　〃Hmm…　Justin；　did　you　pare　notes　with　anyone？〃
　　
　　〃Ancestor；　do　you　th？nk　I'm　a　fool？　I　mind　my　own　business~〃　…
　　
　　〃Apology；　about　grade　two。　No；　you're　not　a　fool；　unless　you　go　back　and　work　for　the　old　harridan。〃
　　
　　〃When　will　the　next　wave　of　migrants　head　this　way？　I　hate　to　waste　the　work　I've　done　on　your　life；　and　I　would　hate　to　abandon　my　personal　library。〃
　　
　　〃Well；　sir；　no　tellin'　when　a　streetcar　will　be　by　this　time　o'　night。　Discuss　it　later。〃　Lazarus　added；　〃That's　our　house　ahead。〃
　　
　　Justin　Foote　looked；　saw　a　building　partly　visible　through　trees；　turned　back　to　speak　to　Minerva。　〃Something　you　said；　earlier；　Cousin；　I　did　not　understand。　You　said　'I　owe　you　so　much。'　If　I　was　pleasant　to　you…at　New　Rome；　I　mean…you　were　at　least　as　pleasant　to　me。　More　likely　the　debt　is　the　other　way；　you　were　always　most　helpful。〃
　　
　　Instead　of　answering；　she　looked　at　Lazarus。　He　said；　〃Your　business；　my　dear。〃
　　
　　Minerva　took　a　deep　breath；　then　said；　〃I　plan　to　name　twenty…three　of　my　children　for　my　twenty…three　parents。〃
　　
　　〃So？　That　seems　most　warmly　appropriate。〃
　　
　　〃You're　not　my　cousin；　Justin…you're　my　father。　One　of　them。〃
　　
　　'VARIATIONS　ON　A　THEME　…
　　
　　XIV
　　
　　Bacchanalia
　　
　　After　the　track　through　the　gormtrees　at　the　northern　edge　of　Boondock　swings　right；　one　has　a　view　of　the　home　of　Lazarus　Long；　but　I　hardly　…noticed　it　when　I　first　saw　it；　I　was　much　bemused　by　a　statement　by　Minerva　Long。　Me　her　father？　Me？
　　
　　The　Senior　said；　〃Close　your　mouth；　Son；　you're　making　a~draft。　Dear；　you　startled　him。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　dear！〃
　　
　　〃Now　quit　looking　like　a　frightened　fawn；　or　I'll　be　forced　to　hold　your　nose　and　administer　two　ounces　of　eighty…proof　ethanol　disguised　as　fruit　juice。　You've　done　nothing　wrong。　Justin；　does　disguised　ethanol　interest　you？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；〃　I　agreed　fervently。　〃I　recall　a　time　in　my　youth　when　that　and　one　other　subject　were　all　I~　was　interested　in。〃
　　
　　〃If　the　other　subject　wasn't　women；　we'll　find　a　monastic　cubbyhole　where　you　can　drink　alone。　But　it　was…I　know　more　about　you　than　you　think。　All　right；　we'll　have　a　libation　or；　six。　Not　those　two；　they're　potential。。alcoholics。〃
　　
　　〃Slanderous…〃
　　
　　〃…though　regrettably　true…〃　；〃…but　we　did　it　only　once…〃　〃…and　won't　do　it　again！〃
　　
　　〃Don't　mit　yourself　too　far；　kids；　a　brannigan　might　sneak　up　on　you。　Better　to　know　your　resistance　than　to　be　tripped　through　ignorance。　Grow　up；　put　on　some　mass；　and　you'll　be　able　to　cope　with　it。　Or　Ishtar　mixed　up　your　genes；　which　she　didn't。　Now　about　this　other　matter；　Justin。　Yes；　you're　one　of　Minerva's　parents　。　。　and　that's　a　very　high　pliment；　because　those　twenty…three　chromosome　pairs　were　picked　from　tissues　of　thousands　of　superior　people；　using　fearsome　mathematics　to　handle　the　multiplicity　of　variables；　plus　Ishtar's　knowledge　of　geics；　and　some　unnecessary　advice　from　me；　before　this　little　darling　got　the　precise　mix　she　wanted　to　be。〃
　　
　　I　started　to　set　up　the　type　problem　in　my　head…yes；　that　would　be　some　problem；　extremely　more　difficult　than　the　ordinary　geics　problem　of　advising　one　male　and　one　female…then　dropped　it；　as　I　had　its　delightful　answer　by　her　left　hand。'　Lazarus　was　still　speaking：
　　
　　〃Minerva　could　have　been　male；　two　meters　tall；　massing　a　hundred　kilos；　built　like　Joe　Colossus；　and　hung　like　a　'stallion　mule。　Instead　she　elected　to　be　what　she　is：　slender；　female；　shy…　I'm　not　sure　she　selected　for　that　last。　Did　you；　dear？〃
　　
　　〃No；　Lazarus；　no　one　knows　which　genes　control　that。　I　think　I　get　it　from　Hamadryad。〃
　　
　　〃I　think　you　got　it　from　a　puter　I　used　to　know…and　took　along　all　of　it　as　Athene　certainly　is　not　shy。　Never　mind。　Some　of　Minerva's　donor…parents　are　dead；　some　are　alive　but　unaware　that　a　bit　of　tissue　from　a'　clone　in　stasis　pr　from　the　live…tissue　bank　was　borrowed…as　in　your　case。　Some　know　that　they　are　donor…parents…me；　for　example；　and　you　heard　Hamadryad　mentioned。　You'll　meet　others；　some　be…fl　ing　on　Tertius；　where　it's　no　secret。　But　consanguinity　is　not　close　for　anyone。　One　twenty…third？　The　geic　advisers　wouldn't　run　that　through　a　puter；　it's　an　acceptable　risk。　Plus　the　fact　that　none　of　us　dono？…parents　of　Minerva　have　any　known　skeletons　hanging　on　our　family　trees。　You　could　safely　have　progeny　by　her；　so　could　I。〃
　　
　　〃But　you　refused　me！〃　Minerva　startled　me　with　the　vehemence　with　which　she　accused　Lazarus　of　this。　For　a　moment~　she　was　not　shy；　her　eyes　flashed。
　　
　　〃Now；　now；　dear。　You　were　only　a　year　out　of　vitro　and　not　fully　grown　even　though　Ishtar　forced　you　past　menarche　still　in　vitro。　Ask　me　on　another　occasion；　I　might　startle　you。〃
　　
　　〃'Startle'　me；　or　surprise　me？〃
　　
　　〃Never　mind　that　old　joke。　Justin；　I　simply　wanted　to　make　clear　that　your　relationship　to　Minerva；　while　close　enough　that　it　makes　Minerva　feel　sentimental；　is　in　fact　so　small　that　you　barely　qualify　as　a　'kissing　cousin。'〃
　　
　　〃I　feel　very　sentimental　about　it；〃　I　told　the　Senior。　〃Most　；pleased　and　deeply　honored…although　I　can't　guess　why　I　was　picked。〃
　　
　　〃If　you　want　to　know　which　chromosome　pair　was　swiped　from　you；　and　why；　you　had　best　ask　Ishtar　and　get　her　to　consult　Athene；　I　doubt　if　Minerva　still　knows。〃
　　
　　〃But　I　do　know；　I　saved　those　memories。　Justin；　I　wanted　to　retain　some　ability　in　mathematics。　It　was　a　choice　between
　　
　　you　and　Libby　Professor　Owens…so　I　chose　you；　you　are　my　friend。〃
　　
　　（Well！　I　respect　Jake　Hardy…Owens；　I'm　merely　an　applied　mathematician；　he　is　a　brilliant　theoretician。）　〃Whatever　your　reasons；　dear　kissing　cousin；　I　am　delighted　that　you　chose　me　as　one　of　your　donor…fathers。〃
　　
　　〃Grounded；　modore！〃　announced　one　of　the　duplicate　redheads…Lapis　Lazuli…as　the　little　nuliboat　clumped　to　a　stop。　（It　appeared　to　be　a　Corson　Farmsled　and　I　was　surprised　to　see　it　in　a　new　Colony。）　Lazarus　answered；　〃Thank　yoi~1；　Captain。〃
　　
　　The　twins　bounced　out；　the　Senior　and　I　handed　Minerva　out…unnecessary　help　that　she　accepted　with　gracious　dignity；　that　being　another　aspect　of　colonial　life　that　surprised　me；　New　Rome　being　rather　short　on　such'　archaic　ceremony。　（Over　and　again　I　found　the　Boondockers　to　be　both　more　formally　polite；　and　more　casually　relaxed　about　it；　than　are　Secundians。　I　support　my　notions　of　frontier　life　had　been　fed　on　too　many　romances：　rough；　bearded　men　fighting　'off　dangerous　animals；　mules　hauling　covered　wagons　toward　distant　horizons。）
　　
　　〃Captain〃　Lazuli　said；　〃Humpty　Dumpty…　go　to　bed！〃　The　nullboat　waddled　away；　the　little　girls　joined　us；　one　taking　my　free　hand；　the　other　taking　the　Senior's　free　hand；　with　Minerva　between　us。　These　freckled　flametops　would　have　had　my　whole　attention　had　not　Minerva　been　there。　I　am　not　pulsively　fond　of　children；　some　youngsters　seem　to　me　rather　poisonous；　especially　precocious　ones。　But　in　their　case　I　found　their　solemn　precocity　charming　rather　than　irritating　。　。　and　to　see　the　Senior's　features；　rugged　rather　than　handsome　and　with　that　too…large　nose；　unmistakably　reproduced　but　transformed　into　piquant　girlish　features…well；　had　I　been　alone；　I　would