time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第40部分

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st　through　the　ends　of　the　barrel；　spin　the　alphabet　disks　of　the　cylinder；　then　it　stays　locked　until　you　reset　whatever　ten…letter　bo　you　picked。　An　expensive　lock…　and　good　steel　in　the　girdle…alloy　a　hacksaw　couldn't　touch。　This　was　another　thing　that　made　his　story　convincing；　as；　while　there　was　a　market　for　virgins　on　that　weird　globe；　a　trained　odalisque　fetched　about　the　same；　and　this　girl　wasn't　being　reserved　for　harem　stock　either　way。　So　an　expensive　custom…made　chastity　belt　had　to　have　some　other　reason。
　　
　　With　our　backs　to　the　slaves　he　showed　me　the　bination：　E；S；T；R；E；L；L；I；T；A…and　was　smug　about　how　clever　he　was　to　pick　a　bination　he　couldn't　forget。
　　
　　So　I　fumbled　on　purpose；　then　pretended　to　catch　on；　and　opened　it。　He　was　about　to　put　it　on　the　kid　again　and　send　us　on　our　way。　I　said；　〃Wait　a　moment。　I　want　to　be　sure　I　can　work　it　in　place。　You　step　into　it　and　let　me　get　you　out　of　it。〃
　　
　　He　didn't　want　to。　So　I　got　snotty　and　said　he　was　trying　to　cheat　me…put　me　in　a　position　where　I　would　have　to　send　for　him　and　pay　through　the　nose　to　get　my　property　unlocked。　I　demanded　my　money　back　and　started　to　tear　up　the　bill　of　sale。　He　gave　in　and　stepped　into　the　contrivance。
　　
　　He　could　squeeze　into　it　although　the　ends　of　the　steel　belt　barely　met；　he　was　bigger　around　the　waist　than　the　girl　was。　I　said；　〃Now　spell　that　bination　for　me〃…and　leaned　over　the　lock。　As　he　spelled　〃ESTRELLITA；〃　what　I　set　was　〃HORSETHIEF'；〃　then　iammed　the　ends　together　as　hard　as　possible　and　spun　the　disks。
　　
　　〃Good；〃　I　said。　〃It　works。　Now　spell　it　again。〃
　　
　　He　did　so　and　I　carefully　spelled　〃ESTRELLITA。〃　It　stayed　locked。　I　suggested　that　he　bad　had　me　spell　it　with　one　1　and　two　t's　the　first　time。　That　didn't　work　either。
　　
　　He　dug　up　a　mirror　and　tried　it　himself。　No　go。　I　said　it　might　be　jammed；　so　suck　up　your　gut　and　we'll　shake　it。　By　now　he　was　sweating。
　　
　　Finally　I　said；　〃Tell　you　what；　goodman…I'll　give　you　this　belt。　I'd　rather　trust　a　padlock　anyhow。　So　go　to　a　locksmith…no；　you　won't　want　to　wear　this　outside；　just　tell　me　where　to　find　one　and　I'll　send　him　here　and　pay　him　myself。　Fair　enough？　I　can't　hang　around；　I've　got　a　dinner　engagement　at　the　Beulahiand。　Where　ar？　their　clothes？　Faithful；　gather　up　this　junk　and　fetch　the　kids。〃
　　
　　So　I　left　him　still　blatting　about　telling　the　locksmith　to　hurry。
　　
　　As　we　left　his　tent；　a　taxicab　was　cruising　by。　I　had　Faithful　hail　it　and　we　all　piled　in。　I　didn't　bother　with　a　locksmith；　I　had　the　driver　head　for　the　skyport；　then　stopped　on　the　way　at　a　slopchest　and　bought　the　kids　proper　clothes；　a　clout　for　him　and　sort　of　Balinese　sarong　for　her…uh；　that's　much　like　the　dress　Hamadryad　wore　yesterday。　I　think　those　were　the　first　real　clothes　the　youtigsters　had　ever　had。　I　couldn't　get　shoes　on　them；　I　settled　for　sandals…then　had　to　drag　Estrellita　away　from　a　mirror；　she　was　admiring　herself　and　preening。　I　threw　away　those　auction　robes。
　　
　　I　shoved　the　kids　into　the　taxi　and　said　to　Faithful：　〃See　that　alley？　If　I　turn　my　back　and　you　run　down　it；　I　won't　be　able　to　chase　you；　I've　got　to　keep　an　eye　on　these　two。〃
　　
　　Mmerva；　I　ran　into　something　I'll　never　understand：　the　slave　mentality。　Faithful　didn't　get　my　meaning…and　when　I　spelled　it　out；　he　was　aghast。　Hadn't　he　given　good　service？　Did　I　want　him　to　starve？
　　
　　I　gave　up。　We　dropped　him　at　the　Rent…a…Servant；　and　I　got　my　deposit　back…tipping　him　for　good　service…and　my　slaves　and　I　rode　on　out　to　the　skyport。
　　
　　Turned　out　I　needed　that　deposit　and　almost　every　blessing　I　had　left…had　to　pay　squeeze　at　outgoing　customs　to　get　the　kids　aboard　my　ship；　even　though　the　bill　of　sale　was　in　order。
　　
　　But　I　got　'em　aboard。　I　immediately　had　them　kneel；　put　my　hands　on　their　heads　and　manumitted　them。　They　did　not　seem　to　believe　it；　so　I　explained。　〃Look；　you're　free　now。　Free；　get　me？　No　longer　slaves。　I'll　sign　your　manumission　papers　and　you　can　go　to　the　diocese　office　and　get　them　registered。　Or　you　can　have　dinner　here　and　sleep　aboard；　and　I'll　give　you　what　blessings　I　can　just　before　my　ship　lifts　tomorrow。　Or；　if　you　want　to；　you　can　stay　aboard　and　go　to　Valhalla；　a　nice　pla　though　chillier　than　this　one…but　where　there　is　no　such　thing　as　slavery。〃
　　
　　Minerva；　I　don't　think　Llita…pronounced　'Yeetah；'　her　everyday　name…or　her　brother　Joe…Josie；　or　Jos？understood　what　I　meant　by　a　place　that　did　not　have　slavery；　it　was　foreign　to　anything　they　knew。　But　they　knew　what　a　starship　was；　from　hearsay；　and　the　prospect　of　going　somewhere　in　one　had　them　awestruck…they　would　not　have　missed　it　if　I　had　told　them　they　were　going　to　be　hanged　on　arrival。　Besides；　in　their　minds　I　was　still　their　master；　manumission　hadn't　taken　hold　even　though　they　knew　what　it　was。　Something　for　old　and　faithful　retainers；　that　is；　who　stayed　on　at　the　funda　where　they　had　been　all　along；　but　maybe　got　paid　a　little。
　　
　　But　to　travel！　The　farthest　they　had　ever　been　in　their　lives　was　from　a　diocese　north　of　there　to　the　capital；　to　be　sold。
　　
　　A　little　trouble　next　morning…　Seems　that　one　Simon　Legree　licensed　dealer　in　slaves；　had　sworn　a　plaint　sgainst　me　alleging　bodily　harm；　mental　duress；　and　assorted　ropery　and　dopery。　So　I　sat　the　cop　down　in　my　wardroom；　poured　him　a　drink；　called　in　Llita　and　had　her　take　off　herwonderful　new　clothes　and　let　the　cop　see　the　scars　on　her　hips；　then　told　her　to　skedaddle。　I　happened　to　leave　a　hundred…blessing　note　on　the　table　while　I　got　up　to　fetch　the　bill　of　sale。
　　
　　The　cop　waved　away　the　bill　of　sale；　saying　there　had　been　no　plaint　on　that　score…but　he　was　going　to　tell　Goodman　Legree　that　he　was　lucky　not　to　face　a　countercharge　of　selling　damaged　goods　。　。　no；　on　second　thought　it　was　simpler　if　he　just　couldn't　find　me　until　after　my　ship　lifted。　The　hundred　blessings　was　gone；　and　soon　the　cop　was　gone…and　by　midafternoon；　so　were　we。
　　
　　But；　Minerva；　I　got　cheated；　Llita　couldn't　cook　worth　a　damn。
　　
　　It　is　a　long　and　plex　passage　from　Blessed　to　Valhalla；　and　Shipmaster　Sheffield　was　pleased　to　have　pany。
　　
　　There　was　a　mild　contretemps　the　first　night　of　the　voyage　caused　by　a　misunderstanding　that　had　started　the　night　before；　dirtside。　The　ship　had　a　cabin　and　two　staterooms。　Since　the　Captain　normally　operated　by　himself；　he？used　the　staterooms　for　casual　storage　or　light　cargo；　they　were　not　ready　for　passengers。　So　that　first　night　dirtside　he　put　his　freedwoman　into　his　cabin；　while　her　brother　and　he　slept　on　transom　couches　in　the　wardroom。
　　
　　The　following　day　Captain　Sheffield　unlocked　the　staterooms；　switched　power　to　them；　had　the　young　people　clean　them　and　move　the　clutter　to　a　gear　locker　until　he　could　see　what　space　he　had　left　in　his　holds；　and　told　them　each　to　take　a　room…and　forgot　it；　being　busy　with　cargo　and　final　squeeze；　then　with　supervising　his　piloting　puter　while　they　got　clear　of　that　system。　It　was　late　that　〃night；〃　ship's　time；　before　he　had　his　ship　on　her　first　leg　in　n…space；　and　could　relax。
　　
　　He　went　to　his　cabin　while　considering　whether　to　eat　first　or　shower　first；　or　possibly　neither。
　　
　　Estrellita　was　in　his　bed…wide　awake　and　waiting。
　　
　　He　said；　〃Llita；　what　are　you　doing　here？〃
　　
　　She　told　him　in　blunt　slave　lingo　what　she　was　doing　in　his　bed…waiting　for　him…as　she　had　known　what　would　be　expected　of　her　when　milord　Shipmaster　Sheffield　had　offered　to　take　them　along；　and　had　discussed　it　with　her　brother；　and　Brother　had　told　her　to　do　it。
　　
　　She　added　that　she　was　not　a　bit　afraid；　she　was　ready　and　eager。
　　
　　The　first　part　of　this　Aaron　Sheffield　had　to　believe；　the　addendum　seemed　clearly　a　white　lie；　he　had　seen　frightened　virgins　before…not　often；　but　a　few。
　　
　　He　dealt　with　her　fear　by　ignoring　it。　He　said；　〃You　impudent　bitch；　get　your　arse　out　of　my　bed　and　into　your　own。〃
　　
　　The　freedwoman　was　startled　and　unbelieving；　then　sulky　and　offended…then　she　wept。　Fear　of　an　unknown　that　she　had　felt　earlier　was　drowned　in　a　worse　emotion；　her　tiny　ego　was　crushed　by　his　rejection　of　service　she　knew　she　owed　him~…and　had　believed　he　wanted。　She　sobbed；　and　dripped　tears　on　his　pillow。
　　
　　Female　tears　always　had　a　strong　aphrodisiac　effect　on　Captain　Sheffield；　he　responded　to　them　at　once…by　grabbing　her　ankle；　dragging　her　out　of　bed；　hustling　her　out　of　his　cabin；　into　her　stateroom；　and　locking　her　in。　Then　he　returned　to　his　cabin；　locked　its　door；　took　measures　to　calm　himself；　and　went　to　sleep。
　　
　　Minerva；　there　was　nothing　wrong　with　Llita　as　a　woman。　Once　I　taught　her　to　bathe　properly　she　was　quite　attractive…good　figure；　pleasant　face　and　manner；　good　teeth；　and　her　breath　was　sweet。　But　taking　her　did　not　fit　any　customs。　All　〃Eros〃　is　custom；　dear；　there　is　never　anything　moral　or　immoral　about　copulation　as　such；　or　any　of　its　nonfunctional　frills。　〃Eros〃　is　simply　a　way　of　keeping　human　beings；　individuals；　each　different…keeping　them　together　and　happy。　It　is　a　survival　mechanism　developed　through　long　evolution；　and　its　reproductive　function　is　the　least　plex　aspect　of　its　very　plex　and　pervasive　role　in　keeping　the　human　race　going。
　　
　　But　any　sexual　act　is　moral　or　immoral　by　precisely　the　same　laws　of　morality　as　any　other　human　act；　all　other　rules　about　sex　are　simply　customs…local　and　transient。　There　are　more　codes　of　sexual　customs　than　a　dog　has　fleas…and　all　they　have　in　mon　is　that　they　are　〃ordained　by　God。〃　I　recall　a　society　where　copulation　in　private　was　obscene　and　forbidden；　criminal…while　in　public　it　was　〃anything　goes。〃　The　society　I　was　brought　up　in　had　the　reverse　of　those　rules…again　〃ordained　by　God。〃　I'm　not　sure　which　pattern　was　harder　to　follow；　but　I　ind…as　it　is　never　safe　to　ignore　such　customs；
　　
　　and　ignorance　is　no　excuse；　ignorance　like　to　got　my　ass　shot　off　several　times。
　　
　　In　refusing　Llita　I　was　not　being　moral；　I　was　following　my　own　sexual　customs；　worked　out　by　trial　and　error　and　many　bruises　over　the　centuries：　never　bed　a　female　dependent　on　me　unless　I　am　marrie