time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第24章

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　　〃I'd　be　glad　to；　Miss　Minerva！〃　…
　　
　　Lazarus　relaxed。　〃Fine。　You　gals　get　acquainted。　So　long　till　tomorrow；　'Dorable。　Now　beat　it。〃
　　
　　Minerva　notified　us　that　the　yacht　was　no　longer　patched　in；　and　Lazarus　relaxed。　Minerva　dropped　back　to　her　recordkeeping　role；　and　kept　quiet。　Lazarus　said　apologetically；　〃Don't　be　put　off　by　her　childish　manners；　Ira；　you　won't　find　a　sharper　pilot；　or　a　neater　ship's　housekeeper；　between　here　and　Galactic　Center。　…　But　I　had　reasons　for　not　letting　her　grow　up　in　other　ways；　reasons　that　won't　apply　when　you　take　over　as　her　master。　She's　a　good　girl；　she　really　is。　It's　just　that　she's　like　a　cat　that　jumps　into　your　lap　the　instant　you　sit　down。〃
　　
　　〃I　found　her　charming。〃
　　
　　…　〃She's　a　spoiled　brat。　But　…　it's　…　not　her　fault；　I　am　prac。　tically　all　the　pany　she's　ever…　had。　I　get　bored　by　a　puter　that　just　grinds　out　numbers；　docile　as　a　slide　rule。　No　corripany　on　a　long　trip。　You　wanted　to　speak　to　Ishtar。　About　my　househunting；　I　think。　Tell　her　I　won't　let　it　interfere　with　routine…I　just　want　a　day　off；　that's　all。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　tell　her。〃　I　turned　to　the　Administrator　for　Rejuvenation　and　shifted　to　Galacta…asking　her　how　long　it　would　take　to　sterilize　a　suite　in　the　Palace　and　install　decontamination　equipment　for　watchstanders　and　visitors。
　　
　　Before　she　could　answer；　Lazarus　said；　〃Wups！　Hold　it　one　fiddlin'　moment。　I　saw　you　palm　that　card；　Ira。〃
　　
　　〃I　beg　your　pardo~s；　sir？〃
　　
　　〃You　tried　to　slide　one　in。　'Decontam'　is　the　same　word　in　English　as　in　Galacta。　Not　that　it　was　news　to　me；　my　sense　of　smell　isn't　that　dead。　When　a　pretty　girl　leans　over　me；　I　expect　to　smell　perfume。　But　when　I　can't　even　smell　girl　and　do　smell　germicides…inerva！〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Lazarus？〃
　　
　　〃Can　you　spare　me　some　shared　time　to　give　me　a　refresher　while　I'm　asleep　tonight　in　the　nine　hundred　basic　words　of　Galacta　or　whatever　number　it　takes？　You
　　
　　equipped　for　it？〃……
　　
　　〃Certainly；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃Thanks；　dear。　One　night　should　do　it；　but　I'll　appreciate　vocabulary　drill　each　night　until　we　both　think　I'm　up　to　adequate　proficiency。　Can　do？〃　…　…
　　
　　〃Can　do；　Lazarus。　And　will　do。〃
　　
　　〃Thanks；　dear；　over　and　out。　Now；　Ira；　you　see　that　door？　If　it　doesn't　open　to　my　voice；　I'm　going　to　attempt　to　break　it　down。　If　I　can't；　I　am　going　to　check　on　whether　or　not　that　suicide　switch　is　really　hooked　up…by　trying　it。　Because；　if　that　door　won't　open；　I　am　a　prisoner；　and　any　promises　I　made　on　your　assurances　that　I　am　a　free　agent　are　not　binding。　But　if　it　does　open　to　my　voice；　I'll　bet　you　whatever　you　like　that　there　is　a　decontam　chamber　beyond　it；　staffed　and　ready　to　function。　Say　a　million　crowns　to　keep　it　interesting？　No；　you　didn't　flinch；　let's　make　it'　ten　million　crowns。〃
　　
　　I　trust　that　I　did　not　flinch。　I　have　never　had　that　much　money　of　my　own；　and　a　Chairman　Pro　Tern　gets　out　of　the　habit　of　thinking　about　his　own　money；　there　is　no　need　to。　I　had　not　asked　Minerva　about　my　personal　balance　for　some　time。　Years；　perhaps。
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　I　won't　bet。　Yes；　there　Is　a　decontam　setup　outside；　we　tried　to　protect　you　from　possible　infection　without　bringing　it　to　your　attention。　I　see　that　we　h？ve　failed。　I　haven't　checked　on　the　door…〃
　　
　　〃Lying　again；　Son。　You're　not　good　at　it。〃
　　
　　〃…but　if　it　isn't　keyed　to　your　voice　now；　it　is　my　oversight；　you've　kept　me　busy。　Minerva；　if　the　door　to　this　suite　is　not　keyed　to　the　Senior's　voice；　correct　it　immediately。〃
　　
　　〃It　is　keyed　to　his　voice；　Ira。〃　…
　　
　　I　relaxed　when　I　heard　how　she　phrased　it…perhaps　a　puter　th~st　had　learned　when　not　to　be　bluntly　truthful　was　going　to　be　still　more　of　a　helpmeet。
　　
　　Lazarus　grinned　diabolically。　〃So？　Then　I'm　about　to　test　out　the　super…override　program　you　were　a　bit　hasty　in　giving　her。　Minerva！〃
　　
　　〃Awaiting　your　orders；　Senior。〃
　　
　　〃Key　the　door　to　my　suite　so　that　it　opens　only　to　my　voice。　I'm　going　out　and　sashay　around…while　Ira　and　these　kids　stay　locked　inside。~　If　I　am　not　back　in　half　an　hour；　you　can　unlock　them。〃
　　
　　〃Conflict；　Ira！〃
　　
　　〃Carry　out　his　orders；　Minerva。〃　I　tried　to　keep　my　voice　low　and　even。
　　
　　Lazarus　smiled　and　stayed　in　his　chair。'　〃No　need　to　show　openers；　Ira；　there　is　nothing　outside　I　want　to　see。　Minerva；　you　can　put　the　door　back　to　normal…let　it　open　to　any　voice；　including　mine。　Sorry　about　that　conifict；　dear；　I　hope　it　didn't　burn　out　anything。〃
　　
　　〃No　harm　done；　Lazarus。　When　I　was　given　that　superoverride　instruction；　I　increased　the　overload　tolerances　on　my　problem…resolving　work。〃
　　
　　〃You're　a　smart　girl。　I'll　try　to　avoid　conflict　in　the　future。　Ira；　you　had　better　remove　that　super…override；　it's　not　fair　to　Minerva。　She　feels　like　a　woman　with　two　husbands。〃
　　
　　〃Minerva　can　handle　it。〃　I　assured　him；　more　calmly　than　I　felt。
　　
　　〃You　mean　that　I　had　better　handle　it。　I　shall。　Did　you　tell　Ishtar　that　I'm　going　househunting？〃
　　
　　〃I　didn't　get　that　far。　I　was　discussing　with　her　the　practicability　of　your　living　at　the　Palace。〃
　　
　　〃Now；　Ira…　Palaces　don't　appeal　to　me；　and　being　a　house　guest　is　still　worse。　A　nuisance　both　to　host　and　guest。'　To…
　　
　　…morrow　I'll　find　a　residential　hilton　that　doesn't　cater　to　tourists　or　conventions。　Then　I'll　run　out　to　the　skyport　and
　　
　　see　Dora；　and　pat　her　rump　and　get　her　calmed　down。　The　next　day　or　so　I'll　find　a　little　house　way　out　in　the　suburbs；　one　automated　enough　to　be　no　problem…but　with　its　own　garden。　Got　to　have　a　garden。　I'll　have　to　bribe　somebody　to　move；　the　house　I　want；　won't　be　standing　empty。　Do　you　happen　to　know　how　much　I　still　have　in　Harriman　Trust？　If　anything。〃　…
　　
　　〃I　don't　know　but　that's　no　problem。　Minerva；　set　up　a　drawing　account　for　the　Senior。　Unlimited。〃
　　
　　〃Acknowledged；　Ira。　pleted。〃
　　
　　〃pletion　noted。　Lazarus；　you　would　not　be　a　nuisance。　Nor　will　you　find　it　palatial　as　long　as　you　avoid　the　public　rooms。　As　I　always　do。　Nor　will　you　be　anyone's　guest。　It's　called　the　'Executive　Palace；'　but　its　official　name　is　'The　Chairman's　House。'　You　will　be　in　residence　in　your　own　home。　I　will　be　the　guest；　if　anyone。〃
　　
　　〃Hogwash；　Ira。〃
　　
　　〃True；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃Quit　juggling　words。　I　would　still　be　a　stranger　in　a　household　not　truly　my　own。　A　guest。　I　don't　buy　it。〃
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　you　said…last　night〃…I　remembered　just　in　time　the　missing　day…〃that　you　can　always　do　business　with　anyone　who　is　acting　in　his　own　interest　and　says　so。〃
　　
　　〃I　think　I　said　'usually'　rather　than　'always'…meaning　that　we　could　then　look　for　a　way　that　would　serve　both　of　our　self…interests。〃
　　
　　〃Then　hear　me　out。　You've　got　me　tied　down　with　this　Scheherazade　bet。　As　well　as　a　research　to　find　something　new　to　interest　you。　Now　you've　dangled　bait　wider　my　nose　that　makes　me　want　to　migrate　as　so鄋　as…well；　as　soon　as　possible；　it　won't　take　long　for　the　Trustees　to　turn　me　down　concerning　a　migration　of　the　Families。　Grandfather；　it's　nuisance　enough　to　chase　over　here　every　day；　I　don't　hanker　to　trek　way　out　into　the　boondocks；　the　muting　would　waste　what　little　time　you　have　left　me　for　work。　Besides　that；　it's　dangerous。〃
　　
　　〃Living　alone？　Ira；　I've　lived　alone　many　times。〃
　　
　　〃Dangerous　for　me。　Assassins。　I'm　safe　at　the　Palace；　the　rat　who　can　find　his　way　through　that　maze　hasn't　been　born。　I'm　reasonabl~safe　here　inside　the　Clinic；　and　I　can　get　back　and　forth　in　safety；　subject　only　to　whims　of　automatic　machinery。　But　if　I　make　a　daily　pattern　of　going　to　an　unfortifled　house　…　somewhere　out　in　the　suburbs；　then　it　is　only　a　matter　of　time　until　some　crackpot　sees　it　as　an　opportunity
　　
　　to　save　the　world　by　picking　me　off。　Oh；　he　would　not　live　through　it；　my　guards　aren't　that　inefficient。　But　if　I　persist　in　setting　myself　up　as　a　target；　he　might　get　me　before　they　get　him。　No；　Grandfather；　I　do　not　choose　to　be　assassinated。〃
　　
　　The　Senior　looked　thoughtful　but　not　impressed。　〃I　could　answer　that　your　safety　and　convenience　have　to　do　with　your　self…interest。　Not　mine。〃
　　
　　…。〃True；〃　I　admitted。　〃But　let　me　offer　what　bait　I　can。　It's　in　my　self…interest　for　you　to　live　in　the　Palace。　…There　I　can
　　
　　visit　you　in　perfect　safety；　even　safer　than　I　am　here；　and　muting　bees　a　matter　of　seconds；　negligible。　I　can　even　ask　you…there…to　excuse　me　for　a　half　hour　if　something　urgent　es　up。　That　defines　my　self…interest。　As　for　yours；　sir…would　you　be　interested　in　a　bachelor's　cottage；　rather　small…four　rooms…and　not　especially　modern　or　luxurious　but　set　in　a　pleasant　garden？　Three　hectares；　but　only　the　part　close　to　the　house　is　gardened；　the　rest　has　been　allowed　to　grow　wild。〃
　　
　　〃What's　the　catch；　Ira？　How　modern　is　'not　especially'？　I　did　say　'automated'…as　I　am　not　yet　in　shape　to　do　for　myself…nor　am　I　patient　with　the　vagaries　of　servants　or　the　whimsical　uncertainties　of　robots。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　this　ccttage　is　sufficiently　automated；　it　simply　does　not　have　a　lot　~f　fancy　extravagances。　No　servants　needed　if　your　tastes　are　simple。　Would　you　permit　the　Clinic　to　continue　to　stand　watches　on　you　if　the　watchstanders　are　as　pleasant；　and　as　pleasantly　unobtrusive；　as　these　two？'
　　
　　〃Eh？　These　kids　are　all　right；　I　like　them。　I　realize　that　the　Clinic　wants　to　keep　an　eye　on　me；　they　probably　feel　that　I'm　more　of　a　challenge　than　a　client　only　three　or　four　hundred　years　old。　That's　okay。　But　you　pass　the　word　that　I　expect　to　smell　perfume；　not　germicides。　Or　reasonably　fresh　body　odors；　I'm　not　fussy。　I　repeat；　what's　the　catch？〃
　　
　　〃The　hell　you　aren't　fussy；　Lazarus；　you　delight　in　thinking　up　impossible　conditions。　This　cottage　is　rather　cluttered　with　old…fashioned　books；　the　last　tenant　was　eccentric。　Did　I　mention　a…~little　stream　running　through　the　grounds；　one　which　opens　Out　into　a　small　pool　near　the　house？…not　much；　but　you　can　take　a　few　strokes　in　it。　Oh；　I　forgot　to　mention　an　old　tomcat　who　thinks　he　owns　the　place。　But　you　probably　won't　see　him；　he　hates　most　people。〃