time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第97部分

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ationships。　The　colonists　register　their　babies；　Howards　always　do
　　
　　…in　this　case　with　the　puter　Athene　as　surrogate　for　the　'Archives。　But　I　found　when　I　reviewed　these　records　that　parentage　of　children　was　expressed　in　geic　classification　code；　not　by　〃marriages　and　putative　ancestry。　This　system　the　Families'　geicists　have　been　urging　for　generations　（and　I　agree）；　but　it　does　make　a　genealogist　work　harder；　especially　if　marriages　have　not　been　registered　at　all；　as　was　sometimes　the　case。　'
　　
　　I　found　one　couple　with　eleven　children；　six　his；　five　hers；　none　theirs。　I　understood　it　when　I　read　their　codes…utterly　inpatible。　I　met　them　later；　a　fine　family　on　a　prosperous　farm　and　no　suggestion　that　the　swarm　of　children　were　any
　　
　　thing　but　〃theirs。〃…
　　
　　But　the　Senior's　family　was　even　more　vague。　Geic　an…
　　
　　cestry　in　each　case　was　'a　matter　of　record；　surely…but　who　was　married　to　whom？
　　
　　Their　bathing　room　was　as　〃decadent〃　as　had　been　promised；　it　was　a　lounging　room；　as　well　as　a　refresher；　and　planned　for　family　relaxation　and　entertaining。　It　stretched　all　along　the　ground　floor　on　the　side　'facing　the　foyer　across　the　inner　garden；　and　its　walls　could　be　pushed　back　to　open　it　to　the　garden　in　clement　weather…。
　　
　　It　had　anything　a　jaundiced　Sybarite　could　ask　for：　a　fountain　in　its　center　matching　a　fountain　in　the　garden　and
　　
　　昬ach　with　fortably　wide　rims　to　sit　on　while　soaking　tired　feet'and　enjoying　a　drink；　a　sauna　in　one　corner；　a　huge　happy　shower　at　the　other　end　with'　space　for　several　cycles　to　be　enjoyed　at　once　without　waiting　turns；　a　panion　querafansible　with　sophisticated　controls；　a　long　soaking　pooi　kneedeep　at　the　blue　end　to　chin…deep　at　the　red；　and　flanked　by　two　bathing　poois　lavish　for　one　person　and　fortable　for　two　or　three；　couches　for　napping；　for　cooling；　for　sweating；　for　intimate　talk　and　touch；　a　cosmetics　table　with　a　bi'g　duomirror　in　which　one；　could　see　her　back　as　readily　as　her　front　simply　by　asking　Athene's　help；　a　corner　big　enough；　for　a　dozen　people　in　which　floor　cushioning　was　bed…soft　and　lavish　with　pillows　large　and　small；　firm　and　soft；　a　refreshments　counter　which　backed　onto　their　kitchen…and　if　I　failed　to　name　something；　it　is　my　omission；　not　that　of　the　designers。　All　the　more　monplace　items　were　of　course　at　hand。
　　
　　I　had　thought　that　the　lighting　was　random　until　I　rezed　that　Athene　was　changing　it　endlessly　so　as　not　to　shine　it　in　anyone's　eyes　while　changing　the　light　level　in　all　parts　of　that　big　room　to　match　what　was　going　on…high　key　for　makeup；　subdued　light　for　lounging；　and　so　on…and　to　match　personalities　too；　our　little　redheads　were　crowned　with　light　no　matter　how　they　bounced　around…as　they　did。
　　
　　Soft　music　was　there　and　in　the　garden；　or　on　request　anywhere；　'selected　by　Athene　unless　someone　asked　for　some…；　thing…it　seemed　as　if　she　had　stored　in　her　all　the　music　that　ever　was　written。　Or　she　might　harmonize　with　the　twins　while　continuing　to　take　part　in　three　different　conversations　in　other　parts　of　the　bath　lounge。　A　self…aware　puter　of　her　capacity…great　enough　to　manage　Secundus…can　and　often
　　
　　must　talk　simultaneously　at　many　places；　but　I　had　never　encountered；　it　before　in　such　a　way　as　to　notice　it。　But　big　puters　are　not　often　members　of　a　family。
　　
　　The　rest　of　the　house　was　almost　unautomated…a　matter　of　taste　as　Athene's　capacity　was　largely　unused。　My　hostesses　actually　cooked；　with　Athene　helping　only　by　seeing　to　it　that　nothing　burned　and　watching　the　timing　in　other　ways…　twice　on　Athene's　advice　Hamadryad　left　the　bath　lounge；　once　in　such　a　Jwrry　that　she　fled　bare　and　dripping；　not　stoppmg　to　grab　a　towel　robe。
　　
　　Bathing　with　Lazi　and　Lori　is　indeed　〃squirmy　but　fun；〃　plus　squeals；　giggles；　chatter　in　which　one　sentence　would　be　chopped　several　times　before　one　of　them　put　a　period　on　it　（I　hypothesized　that　they　were　telepathic　with　each　other　and　had　an　uneasy　suspicion　that　they　sometimes　read　thoughts　of　persons　in　their　presence…but　was　not　anxious　to　find　out）…　all　charmingly　blunt　and　childishly　innocent。
　　
　　First　they　slathered　me　all　over　anded　the　same　service　from　me　and　threatened　me　with　chin　quivering　when　I　held　back　a　little；　and　said　loudly　that　〃Uncle　Cuddly〃　（my　old　friend　Obadiah；　now　Galahad）　washed　them　better　than　that　and　everybody　knows　how　lazy　he　is…or　didn't　I　like　them　well　enough　to　soapy…cuddle　them　and　if　they　married　me；　would　I　go　along　with　them　in　their　spaceship；　and　while　they　were　still　virgins；　though　not　from　lack　of　opportunity；　don't　worry　about　that　one　bit　as　both　Mama　Hamadryad　and　Mama　Ishtar　were　coaching　them　in　beginning　and　advanced　sensuality　and　would　speed　up　the　course　if　I　happened　to　want　to　many　them　now…won't　you；　Mama　Hamalambie？…tell　him！
　　
　　Hamadryad　from　a　meter　away　（she　was　soaping　Ira）　as…'　sured　us　that　she　would；　if　they　could　persuade　me　to　marry　them　that　quickly。　I　assumed　that　the　youngsters　were　farcing　me　and　that　their　mother…one　of　their　mothers…was　going　along　with　the　jest。　I've　wondered　since　whether　I　missed　a　diamond　opportunity。　Lazarus　was　in　hearing　distance；　he　did　not　tell　them　to　stop　teasing　me；　he　simply　advised　me　not　to　offer　them　more　than　a　ten…year　contract　as　their　span　of　attention　was　limited…whith　made　them　indignant…and　advised　them　that；　if　they　intended　to　get　married　that　'night；　they　had　better　trim　their　toenails　first；　which　made　them　still　more　indignant　so　they　stopped　bathing　me　to　assault　him　from　both　sides。
　　
　　This　wound　up　with　one　of　them'　under　each　of　his　arms
　　
　　~；　o~
　　
　　and　still　struggling。　Lazarus　asked　if　I　would　accept　custody　or　should　he　drop　them　into　the　deep　end　of　the　soak？
　　
　　I　accepted　custody；　and　we　showered　each　other　off　and　went　into　the　soak　p001　together…and　I　was　standing　in　it　up　to　my　shoulders　with　my　back　to　the　garden；　and　supporting　them　a　little；　an　arm　each；　as　their　toes　did　not~touch　bottom；　when　someone　placed　hands　over　my　eyes。
　　
　　The　ty！〃　and　levitated　out　of　the　water　while　I　turned　to　look。
　　
　　Tamara　Sperling…　I　had　thqught　she　was　on　Secundus；　in　retirement　up　country。　Tamara　the　Superb；　the　Superlative；　the　Unique…in　my　opinion　（and　many　others）　the　greatest　artist　of　her　profession。　I　feel　sure　that　I　am　not　the　only　man　who　chose　when　she　left　New　Rome　to　remain　celibate　for　a　long　time。
　　
　　She　had　e　in；　seen　that　the　family　was　in　the　bath　lounge；　dropped　her　gown　in　the　garden；　hurried　in　without　stopping　to　remove　her　high　sandals；　spotted　me；　and　blindfolded　me　with　her　lovely　hands。
　　
　　Why？　She　was　my　dinner　partner…and　（if　I　could　rely　on　an　exchange　I　had　heard　that　afternoon）　willing　to…be　my　guest　wife　if　I　were　willing。　Willing？　Fifty　years　earlier　I　had　offered　her　any　contract　she　would　accept　every　time　she　let　me　visit　her　and　had　finally　shut　up　only　after　she　had　told　me　repeatedly；　patie'ntly；　and　gently　that　she　did　not　intend　to　have　more　children　and　would　not　marry　again　for　any　other　purpose。
　　
　　But　there　she　was；　rejuvenated　（not　that　it　mattered）；　looking　gloriously　young　and　healthy…and　a　coloni~t。　I　wondered　who　the　man　was　who　had　persuaded　her；　to　do　this？　I　envied　him　and　wondered　what　superhuman　qualities　he　possessed…　but　whatever　they　were；　if　Tamara　was　willing　to　share　a　bed　with　me　even　for　one　night　and　only　for　old　times'　sake；　I　would　take　what　the　gods　offered　and　not　worry　about　him；　her　wealth　is　endlessly　divisible。　Tamara！…bells　sound　at　her　name。
　　
　　She　kissed　two　wet　little　girls；　then　dropped　to　her　knees　and　kissed　me。
　　
　　Then　she　said　softly；　rubbing　her　mouth　against　mine；　〃You　darling。　When　I　heard　you　were　here；　I　hurried。　Mi　laroona　d'　vashti　meedth　du？〃　'
　　
　　〃Yes！　And　any　other　night　you　have　free。〃
　　
　　〃Not　so　fast　with　English；　doreeth　mi；　I　learning　it…　slowly…because　my　daughter　wants　her　assistants　in　rejuvena
　　
　　~
　　
　　tion　to　speak　language　not　known　to　most　clients　。　。　and　because　our　f~mily　speaks　English　much　as　Galacta。〃
　　
　　〃You　are　now　a　rejuvenator？　And　have　a　daughter　here？〃
　　
　　〃Ishtar　datter　mi…did　you　not　know；　petsan　mi…mi？　Nay；　Jam　nurse　only。　But　studying　1　am　and　Ishtar　hope…tells　that　I　'will　be~　assistant　technician　in　half　handful　of　years。　Good…　nay？〃
　　
　　〃Good；　I　suppose。　But　what　a　loss　to　the　art！〃
　　
　　〃Blandjor；〃　she　said　happily；　tousling　my　wet　hair。　〃Even　though　rejuvenated…did　you　note？…here　the　art　pays　no　living。　Too　many　willing　ones；　sweeter　and　younger　and　prettier。〃　The　twins　had　stayed　with　us；　listening　and　quiet　for　a　moment。　Tamara　reached　out　both　a？ms；　hugged　them　to　her。　〃Example。　These　my　granddaughters。　Eager　to　grow　tall　so　they　can　lie　down　and　be　short。〃　She　kissed　each　of　them。　〃And　red　curls　they　have。　I　not　have。〃
　　
　　I　started　to　say　that　age　and　red　curls　did　not　matter；　then　realized　that　a　pliment　to　Tamara　so　phrased　could　cause　chins　to　quiver。　But　I　did　not　need　to　speak；　the　spout　had　opened　again：
　　
　　〃Aunt　Tammy；　we　are　not　eager…〃
　　
　　〃…just　willing　and　practical…〃