time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第12部分

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heir　puter　program　sees　to　that。　I　did　not　know；　and　my　guess　was　wrong。〃
　　
　　〃I　didn't　try　to　guess。　But　I　certainly　am　pleased。　I　don't　know　why　I　have　this　special　liking　for　tall　women。　But　I　do。　Stand　up　and　let　me　look　at　you。〃
　　
　　She　squirmed　lazily。　〃What　an　irrational　criterion。　All　women　are　the　same　height…lying　down。　So　e　lie　down　here；　it's　very　fortable。〃
　　
　　〃Woman；　when　I　say　'Stand　up！'　I　expect　action。〃
　　
　　She　giggled。　〃You're　an　atavism。　But　pretty。〃　She　made　a　long　arm；　got　him　by　an　ankle；　snatched　him　off　balance。　He　went　down。　〃That's　better。　Now　we're　the　same　height。〃
　　
　　…COUNTERPOiNT　II
　　
　　She　said。　〃Would　you　like　a　middle…of…the…night　lunch？　Sleepyhead。〃
　　
　　He　said；　〃I　did　doze　off；　didn't　I？　I　had　reason。　Yes；　I　would。　What　am　I　being　offered？〃
　　
　　〃Name　it；　just　name　it；　If　I　don't　have　it；　I'll　send　for　it。　I'm　feeling　very　mellow　toward　you；　dear。〃
　　
　　〃All　right；　how　about　ten　tall　sixteen…year…old　redheaded　virgins？　Girls；　I　mean。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　darling。　Nothing　is　too　good　for　my　Galahad。　Although　if　you　insist　on　certified　virgins；　it　may　take　longer。　Why　this　fetish；　dear　man？　Your　psych　profiles　didn't　hint　at　any　exotic　abnormality。〃
　　
　　〃Cancel　that　order　and　make　it　one　dish　of　mango　ice　cream。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　sir；　I'll　send　for　it　at　once。　Or　you　can　have　fresh　peach　ice　cream　instantly。　Tease。　I　haven't　been　bothered　by　that　sort　of　teasing　since　1　was　sixteen　myself。　A　long　time　ago。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　settle　for　peach。　A　very　long　time　ago。〃
　　
　　第7节
　　
　　〃Right　away；　dearest　man。　Will　you　eat　it　with　a　spoon；　or　shall　I　plaster　it　on　your　face？　Nor　by　that　sort　of　teasing。　I've　had　one　rejuvenation　just　as　you　have　had；　and　I　keep　my　cosmetic　age　younger　than　yours。〃
　　
　　〃A　man　needs　to　look　mature。〃　…　〃And　a　woman　prefers　to　look　young；　we　always　have。　But　I　know　not　only　your　rejuvenated　age　but　your　calendar　age；　Galahad…and　my　calendar　age　is　less　than　yours。　Want　to　know　how　I　know；　dear？　I　recognized　you　the　instant　I　saw　you。　I　helped　rejuvenate　you；　darling…and　I'm　most　pleased　that　I　did。〃　…
　　
　　〃The　devil　you　say！〃
　　
　　〃But　I　am　pleased；　dear　man。　Such　a　nice　bonus；　and　so　unexpected。　One　so　seldom　sees　a　client　again。　Galahad；　do　ypu　realize　that　we　did　not　use　any　of　the　routine　to　insure　an
　　
　　ecstatic　holiday　togethei~？　Yet　I　haven't　missed　it。　I　feel　younger　and　happier　than　I　have　in　years。　Still　do。〃　…　…
　　
　　〃Me；　too。　Except　that　I　don't　see　any　peach　ice　cream。'
　　
　　〃Pig。　Beast。　Brute。　I'm　bigger　than　you　are；　I'll　…　trip　you　and　fall　on　you。　How　many　scoops；　dear？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　jint　pile　it　in　until　your　arm　gets　tired；　I　need　to　restore　my　strength。〃　…
　　
　　…He　followed　her　into　the　pantry；　served　them　both　with
　　
　　heaping　dishes　of　ice　cream。　〃Just　a　precaution；〃　he　said；　〃。so
　　
　　I　won't　get　it　plastered　in　my　face。〃　……
　　
　　〃Oh；　tut；　now！　You　don't　really　think　I　would　do　that　to　my　GalaIi~ad。〃
　　
　　〃You're　a　very　erratic　female；　Ishtar。　I　have　bruises　to　prove　it。〃
　　
　　〃Nonsense！　I　was　gentle。〃　…
　　
　　〃You　don't　know　your　own　strength。　And　you　…　are　bigger　than　I　am；　as　you　noted。　Instead　of　'Ishtar'　I　should　have　named　you　for　that…azons　in　Old　Home　mythology。〃
　　
　　〃'Hippolyta；'　dear。　But　I　can't　qualify　as　an　Amazon；　for
　　
　　…　reasons　you　were　flattering　about　。　。　in　an　infantile　way。〃
　　
　　〃plaints；　huh？　Over　in　Surgery　they　could　correct　your
　　
　　disqualification　in　ten　minutes　and　never　lea~　a　scar。　Never　mind；　'Ishtar'　fits　you　better。　But　there　is　something　unfair　about　this。〃
　　
　　~Ho*~　…dear？…Let's　take　this　in　and　eat　in　front　of　the　fire。〃　~~Suits。　Like　this；　Ishtar。　You　tell　me　I　was　your　client　and
　　
　　…tat　you　r閏kil　both　my　ages；　so　by　masterly　logic　I　deduce　~　you　know　my　registered　name　and　Family；　and　you　may
　　
　　…remember　some　of　my　genealogy　since　you　must　have　studied　it　for　my　rejuvenation。　But　by　the　customs　of　'Seven　Hours'　I　am　precluded　from　even　trying　to　learn　your　registered　name。　I　have　to　tag　you　in　my　mind　as　'that　tall　blond　Master　Chief　Technician　who…'〃
　　
　　〃I　still　have　enough　ice　cream　to　plaster　you！〃
　　
　　〃…'permitted　me　to　call　her　〃Ishtar〃　for　the　happiest　seven　hours　of　my　life。'　Which　are　almost　over　and　I　don't　know　that　you　will　let　me　take　you　to　Elysium　someday。〃
　　
　　〃Galahad；　you　are　the　most　exasperating　sweetheart　I've　ever　had。　Of　course　you　can　take　me　to　Elysium。　And　you　don't　have　to　go　home　at　the　end　of　seven　hours。　And　my　registered　name　is　Ishtar。　But　if　you　ever　mention　my。　rank
　　
　　other　than　when　necessary；　on　duty；　you'll　have　real　bruises　to　remember　me　by。　Big　ones。〃　…
　　
　　Bully　I　m　sc~d　t4o　think　~　should　leave　on　time　sc　that　you　can　get　~your~ota　of　sle~　before　we're　due　bad　on　watch。　But　whii~　…　this　about　your　name　really　bein！　'Ishtar'？　Did　I　roll　five　aces'when　we　named　each　other？〃
　　
　　〃Yes　and　no。〃…　……
　　
　　〃Is　that　an　answer？〃…　~…'。~
　　
　　〃I　had　one　of　the　standard　J~amil！　names　of　my　ltneage…　and　never　liked　it。　But　I　was　delighted　and…　flattered　by　thi　pillow　name　you　gave　me。　So　while　you　were　napping；　I　calie~　Archives　and　changed　my　name。　I'm　'Ishtar'　now。〃　…
　　
　　He　stared　at　her。　〃Is　that　true？〃　…
　　
　　〃Don't　look　frightened；　dear。　I　won't　trap　you；　I　won't　evei
　　
　　bruise　you。　I'm　not　domestic；　not　at　all。　You　would　be　shocke~　if　you　knew　how　long　i~　has　been~　since　a　man　was　last…　ii　this　partment。　You　are　free　to　leave　whenever　you　wish　you　mitted　yourself　to　me　for　only　'seven　hours。　But　yoi　need　not　leave。　You　and　I　are　skipping　tomorrOw's　watch。'
　　
　　〃We　are？　Why　。　。　Ishtar？〃
　　
　　〃I　made　another　call　and…　bucked　a　supernumerary　team　int4
　　
　　that　watch。　Should　have　done　so　sooner；　but　you　had　m　bemused；　dear。　The　Senior　won't　need　us　tomorrow；　he's　ii　deep　sleep　and　won't　know　that　he　has　missed　a　day'。　But　want　to　be　there　when　he　wakes；　so　I　rearranged　the　watch　lii　for　the　following　day；　too；　and　we　may　stay　on　watch　all　day　depends　on　the　shape　he's　in。　That　is；　1　may。　I　don't　insist　tha　you　do　a　double　or　triple　watch。〃　…
　　
　　〃I　can　take　it　if　you　can。　Ishtar？　That　professional　rank　yoi　forbade　me　to　mention…　You're　actually　even　higher　rani　than　that。　Aren't　you？〃　…
　　
　　〃If　I　am…I　am　not　affirming　it…I　forbid　you　even　t~　speculate　about　it。　If　you　wish　to　stay　assigned　to　this　client。'
　　
　　〃Whew！　You　do　have　a　sharp　tongue。　Did　I。deserve　that？
　　
　　〃Dear　Galahad！；　I'm　sorry。　When　you　are　on　watch；　dear；　want　you　to　think　only　about　our　client；　not　about　me。　01　watch　I　am　Ishtar　and　don't　wish　to　be　anything　else。　This　i　the　most　important　case　we　will　'ever　be　on。　It　may　go　on　long　time　and　be　very　tiring。　So　let's　not　be　edgy　with　cad　other。　I　was　trying　to　say　that　you…both　of　us…now　hay　more　than　thirty　hours　before　we　must　be　back　on　duty。　Yoi　are　wele　here　as　many~off~髎e　hours　as　you　wish。　Or　leav　as　soon　as　you　wish　and。I　will　smile　and　not　plain~〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　want　to　leave；　I　said　so。　As　long　as　I　don't　kee　you　from　your　sleep…〃
　　
　　〃~~；won't。〃…~　…
　　
　　〃…and　allow　an　hour　to　pick　up　a　fresh　pack　of　disposables；　robe　in；　and　go　through　decontam。　I　wish　I　had　fetched　a　pack；　but　I　hadn't　planned　on　this。〃
　　
　　〃Oh。　We'll　make　that　an　hour　and　a　half。　My　phone　had　a　message　waiting　in　it。　The　Senior　does　not　like　the　way　we　look　in　isolation　gear；　he　wants　to　be　able　to　see　anyone　around　him。　So　we　must　plan　time　to　go　through　body　dccontam'instead；　then　attend　him　in　ordinary　clothes。〃
　　
　　〃Uh　。　。　Ishtar；　is　this　wise？　We　might　sneeze　on　him。〃
　　
　　〃Do　you　think　I　set　this　policy？　Dear；　this　message　was　straight　from　the　Palace。　Besides　that；　females　are　specifically　ordered　to　look　as　pretty　and　be　as　attractively　dressed　as　possible…so　I　must　think　about　what　I　can　wear　that　can　go　through　sterilization。　Nudity　is　not　acceptable；　that　was　specified；　too。　But　don't　worry　about　sneezing。　Have　you　never　taken　full　body　decontamination？　When　that　crew　gets　through　with　you；　you　can't　sneeze；　no　matter　how　much　you　need　to。　But　don't　tell　the　Senior　that　you've　had　decontarn；　the　assumption　is　that　we　simply　walk　in　off　the　street…no　special　pre
　　
　　cautions。〃…
　　
　　〃How　can　I　tell　him　when　I　don't　speak　his　language？　Does　he　have　some　fetish　against　nudity？〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　know；　I　am　just　conveying　the　order；　one　that　went
　　
　　out　to　everyone　on　the　watch　list。〃
　　
　　He　looked　thoughtful。　〃It's　probably　not　a　fetish。　All　fetishes
　　
　　are　contra…survival；　that's　elementary。　You　told　me　that　the　principal　problem　was　to　break　him　out　of　his　apathy。　You　were　pleased　that　he　was　bad…tempered；　even　though　you　said
　　
　　it　was　a　hyperreaction。〃…
　　
　　〃Certainly　I　was　pleased；　it　showed　that　he　was　responding。　Galahad；　never　mind　that　now；　I　don't　have　a　thing　to　wear；　you'll　have　to　help　me。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　talking　about　what　you　should　wear。　I　think　it　was　the　Chairman　Pro　Tem's　idea；　not　the　Senior's。〃
　　
　　〃Dear　man；　I　don't　try　to　read　his　mind；　I　just　carry　out　his　orders。　I　don't　have　any　taste　in　clothes；　never　did　have。　Do　you　think　a　lab　assistant's　coverall　would　be　suitable？　It　will　take　sterilization　and　never　show　it…and　hook　quite　neat　in　one。〃
　　
　　〃I　am　trying　to　read　the　mind　of　the　Chairman　Pro　Tern；　Ishtar…guess　his　intentions；　at　least。　No；　I　don't　think　a　lab　uniform　would　do；　you　would　not　look　as　if　you　had　'simply　walked　in　off　the　street。'　If　we　stipulate　that　a　fetish　syndrome　is　not　involved；　then　the　only　advantage　of　clothing　over
　　
　　nudity　in　this　situation　is　to　lend　variety。　Contrast。　Change。　Help　shake　him　loose　from　that…　apathy？'
　　
　　She　stared　at　him　with　thoughtful　interest。　〃Galahad；　up　to　now；　based　on　my　own　experience；　I've　always　thought　that　a　man's　only　interest　in　a　woman's　clothes　was　to　get　them　off　her。　I　may　have　to　put　you　in　for　promotipn。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　not　ready　to　be　promoted；　I've　been　in　the　Vocation　less　than　ten　years。　As　I'm　sure　you　know。　Let's　take　a　look　at　yo