time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第43部分

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　that　they　had　had　regular　checkups　and　other　medical　attention；　far　more　than　slaves　on　Blessed　usually　received。
　　
　　She　had　thirty…two　teeth　in　perfect　condition　but　could　not　tell　me　when　the　last　four　molars　had　erupted；　just　that　it　was　〃not　long　ago。〃　He　had　twenty…eight　teeth　and　so　little　space　in　his　jaw　for　adult　molars　that　I　anticipated　trouble。　But　X…ray　prints　showed　no　buds。
　　
　　I　cleaned　and　filled　the　cavities；　and　made　note　that　he　must　have　those　fillings　removed　and　the　tissue　regenerated　on　Valhalla；　and　be　inoculated　against　further　decay；　Valhalla　had　good　dentistry；　far　superior　to　what　I　could　do。
　　
　　Llita　could　not　tell　me　when　she　had　last　menstruated。　She　discussed　it　with　Joe；　he　tried　to　count　on　his　fingers　how　many　days　it　had　been　since　they　had　been　taken；　from　their　home　place；　as　they　agreed　that　it　was　before　that。　I　told　her　to　let　me　know　next　time　and　each　time；　so　that　I　could　determine　her　cycle。　I　gave　her　a　tin　of　napkins；　eme？gency　supplies　I　hadn't　known　I　had…must　have　been　in　the　ship　twenty　years。
　　
　　She　did　tell　me；　and　I　had　to　open　the　tin　for　her；　neither　of　them　knew　how。　She　was　delighted　with　the　little　elastic　panty　included　in　the　package；　and　often　wore　it　when　she　did　not　need　it；　as　〃dress　up。〃　The　kid　was　crazy　about　clothes；　as　a　slave　she　had　never　had　a　chance　to　pamper　her　vanity。　I　told　her　it　was　all　right　as　long　as　she　washed　it　every　time　she　wore　it…I　clamped　down　hard　on　cleanliness；　inspecting　their　ears；　sending　them　from　the　table　to　scrub　their　nails；　and　so　forth。　They　had　received　no　more　training　than　a　hog。　She　never　had　to　be　told　twice；　and　picked　on　him　and　made　sure　that　he　met　my　standards；　too。　I　found　myself　being　more　exacting　with　myself；　I　could　not　bring　dirty　fingernails　to　the　table　or　skip　a　shower　because　I　was　sleepy…I　had　set　the　standards　and　had　to　live　up　to　them。
　　
　　She　was　almost　as　unskilled　a　seamstress　as　she　was　a　cook；　but　she　taught　herself　because　she　liked　clothes。　I　dug　out　some　bright…colored　trade　cloth　and　let　her　have　fun…and　used　it　as　carrot…and…stick；　wearing　anything　became　a　privilege　that　depended　on　good　behavior。　I　put　a　stop　that　way…well；　mostly
　　
　　…to　her　nagging　her　brother。
　　
　　That　wouldn't　work　with　Joe；　clothes　did　not　interest　him…but　if　he　rated　it；　I　gave　him　more　of　a　working　over　during　exercise　period。　Seldom…he　was　not　the　problem　she　was。
　　
　　One　evening；　three　or　four　of　her　periods　later；　I　noticed　on　my　calendar　that　she　was　past　due…having　forgotten　the　matter。　Minerva；　I　never　walked　into　their　staterooms　without　knocking；　shipboard　life　required　such　privacy　as　can　be　managed…too　little；　that　is。
　　
　　Her　door　was　open；　and　her　room　was　empty。　I　tapped　on　his　door；　got　no　answer；　went　on；　looked　for　her　in　the　wardroom　and　galley；　even　in　our　little　gym。　I　decided　that　she　must　be　taking　a　bath　and　I　would　speak　to　her　in　the　morning。
　　
　　As　I　passed　his　stateroom　again　in　heading　back　to　my　cabin；　his　door　opened；　she　stepped　out　and　closed　it　behind　her。　I　said；　〃Oh；　there　you　are！〃　or　some　such。　〃I　thought　Joe　was　asleep。〃
　　
　　〃He's　just　gone　to　sleep；〃　Llita　said。　〃Do　you　want　him；　Captain？　Shall　I　wake　him？'
　　
　　I　said；　〃No；　I　was　looking　for　you；　but　I　tapped　on　his　door　five　or　ten　minutes　ago　and　got　no　answer。〃
　　
　　She　was　contrite　over　not　having　heard　my　knock。　〃I'm　sorry；　Captain。　I　guess　we　were　so　busy　we　didn't　hear　you。〃　She　told　me　how　they　were　busy…which　I　had　figured　out；　having　suspected　it　from　the　momeat　I　noticed　that　she　was　a　week　overdue　after　being　clock　regular。　〃That's　understandable；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　glad　my　knock　didn't　disturb　you。〃
　　
　　~'We　try　never　to　disturb　you　with　it；　Captain；〃　she　answered　with　sweet　seriousness。　〃We　wait　till　you　go　to　your　cabin　at　night。　Or　sometimes　when　you　take　siesta。〃
　　
　　I　said；　〃Goodness；　dear；　you　don't　have　to　be　that　careful。　Do　your　work　and　keep　your　study　hours；　then　do　as　you　please　the　rest　of　the　time。　Starship　'Libby'　is　not　a　sweatship；　I　want　you　kids　to。　be　happy。　Can't　you　get　it　through　your　fuzzy　head　that　you　are　not　a　slave？〃
　　
　　Apparently　she　could　not；　quite；　Minerva；　for　she　still　fretted　that　she　had　not　heard　my　knock　and　jumped　to　respond。　I　said；　〃Don't　be　silly；　Llita。　It　will　keep　till　tomorrow。〃
　　
　　But　she　insisted　she　wasn't　sleepy　and　as　ready　and　anxious　to　do　whatever　I　wanted…which　made　me　a　touch　nervous。　Minerva；　one　of　the　oddities　about　〃Eros〃　is　that　women　are　never　so　willing　as　when　they　just　have；　and　there　was　nothing　in　Llita's　background　to　inhibit　her。　Worse；　I　found　that　I　was　aware　of　her　as　a　ripe　female　for　almost　the　first　time…since　the　two　came　aboard…she　was　standing　close　to　me　in　a　narrow　passageway；　隺rrying　in　one　hand　one　of　those　weird　costumes　she　delighted　in　making；　and　was　a　bit　whiff　from　happy　exercise。　I　was　tempted…and　felt　certain　that　she　would　respond　at　once　and　happily。　The　thought　crossed　my　mind　that　she　was　already　pregnant…nothing　to　fret　about。
　　
　　But　I　had　gone　to　much　trouble　with　these　ephemerals　to　shift　from　slave　owner　to　father　figure；　stern　but　loving。　If　I　took　her；　I　would　lose　that　and　add　onc　more　disturbing　variable　to　a　problem　already　too　plex。　So　I　grasped　the
　　
　　tle。
　　
　　Captain　Sheffield　said；　〃Very　well；　Llita。　e　to　my　cabin。〃　He　headed　toward　it；　she　followed。　Once　there；　he　offered　her　a　seat。　She　hesitated；　then　put　her　gaudy　dress　down　and　sat　on　it…thoughtfulness　that　pleased　him；　as　the　ignorant　animal　she　had　been　would　not　have　been　capable　of　it；　the　humanizing　process　was　working。　He　did　not　ment。
　　
　　〃Llita；　your　period　is　a　week　overdue；　is　it　not？〃
　　
　　〃It　is；　Captain？〃　She　seemed　puzzled　but　not　troubled。
　　
　　Sheffield　wondered　if　he　could　be　mistaken。　After　he　had　taught　her　how　to　open　a　sealed　tin；　he　had　turned　over　to　her　the　limited　emergency　supply；　warning　her　that　if　she　used　it　too　lavishly；　she　would　have　to　fashion　by　hand　some　make…do；　as　Valhalla　was　months　away。　Then　he　had　dismissed　the　matter　other　than　to　log　it　on　his　desk　calendar　whenever　she　reported　onset。　Could　he　have　failed　to　notice？　There　had　been　three　days　last　week　when　he　had　kept　to　his　cabin；　leaving　the　young　people　on　their　own　and　having　his　meals　sent　in…a　habit　he　had　when　he　wanted　to　concentrate　on　a　problem。　During　such　periods　he　ate　little　and　slept　not　at　all　and　barely　noticed　anything　not　part　of　what　he　was　studying。　Yes；　it　was　possible。
　　
　　〃Don't　you　know；　Llita？　If　you　were　on　time；　then　you　failed　to　report　it。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　no；'Captain！〃　She　was　round…eyed　with　distress。　〃You　told　me　to　tell　you　and　I　have…every　time；　every　time！〃
　　
　　Further　questions　showed　first；　that　despite　her　new　grasp　of　arithmetic　she　did　not　know　when　she　should　have　experienced　onset；　and　second；　that　it　had　not　been　last　week　but　a　much　longer　time。
　　
　　Time　to　tell　her。
　　
　　〃Llita　dear；　I　think　you　are　going　to　have　a　baby。〃
　　
　　Her　mouth　dropped　open；　again　her　eyes　rounded。　〃Oh；　wonderful？'　She　added；　〃May　I　run　tell　Josie？　May　I；　please？　I'll　be　right　back！〃
　　
　　〃Wups！　Don't　rush　things。　I　said　only　that　I　thought　so。　Don't　get　your　hopes　up　yet；　and　don't　bother　Joe　with　it　till　we　know。　Many　a　girl　has　gone　much　longer　than　a　week　past　her　date；　and　it　didn't　mean　a　thing。〃　（But　I'm　pleased　to　learn　that　you　want　it；　child；　as　it　appears　you've　had　every　opportunity。）　〃Tomorrow　I'll　examine　you　and　try　to　find　out。〃　（What　did　he　have　aboard　for　a　pregnancy　test？　Damn　it；　if　he　must　abort　her；　it　should　be　as　quickly　as　possible　when　it's　no　worse　than　plucking　a　splinter。　Then…no；　there　wasn't　so　much　as　a　〃Monday　morning〃　pill　in　the　ship；　much　less　modern　contraception。　Woodie；　blast　your　stupid　soul；　don't　ever　go　into　space　again　so　poorly　equipped！）　〃In　the　meantime；　don't　get　excited。〃　（But　women　always　did　get　excited　by　it。　Of　course。）
　　
　　She　was　as　dashed　as　she　had　been　jubilant。　〃We　tried　so　hard！　Everything　in　the　Kama　Sutra　and　more。　I　thought　we　ought　to　ask　you　to　show　us　what　we　were　doing　wrong；　but　Joe　was　certain　we　were　doing　it　right。〃
　　
　　〃I　think　Joe　is　correct〃　Sheffield　got　up；　poured　a　cup　of　wine　for　each　of　them　while　performing　legerdemain　which　dosed　hers　such　that　she　would　go　to　sleep　before　long…after　some　relaxed　talk　that　she　might　not　remember；　he　wanted　tin　full　picture。　〃Here。〃
　　
　　She　looked　at　it　dubiously。　〃I'll　get　silly。　I　know；　I　had　a　chance　to　try　it　once。〃
　　
　　〃This　isn't　the　popskull　they　sell　on　Blessed；　this　is　wine　I　fetched　from　Landfall。　Pipe　down　and　drink　it。　Here's　to　your　baby　if　you're　having　one；　or　here's　to　good　luck　next　time。〃　（But　how　to　handle　that　〃next　time〃？…if　his　worries　were　well　grounded。　These　kids　must　not　be　saddled　with　a　defective。　A　healthy　baby　would　be　burden　enough　while　they　were　learning　to　stand　on　their　own　feet。　Could　he　stave　things　off　to　Valhalla；…then　get　her　on　proper　contraception？　Then　wbat~　Split　them　up？　How？）
　　
　　〃Tell　me　about　it；　dear。　When　you　came　aboard；　you　were　virgin。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　yes；…　certainly。　They　always　kept　me　locked　in　that　virgin's　basket。　Except　when　they　shut　me　up　and　Brother　had　to　sleep　in　the　barracks。　You　know。　When　I　bleed。〃　She？toth　a　deep　breath　and　smiled。　〃Now　is　ever　so　much　nicer。　Josie　and　I　tried　for　the　longest　time　to　get　around　that　awful　steel　basket。　But　we　couldn't。　Hurt　him　to　try；　and　some　ways　we　tried　hurt　me；　too。　Finally　we　gave　up　and　just　did　fun　things　we　had　always　done。　Brother　said　to　be　patient；　it　wouldn't　be　forever。　Because　we　knew　we　would　be　sold　together；　as　a　breeding　pair。〃
　　
　　Estrellita　looked　radiant。　〃And　so　we　were　and　now　we　are；　and　thank　you；　Captain！〃
　　
　　（No；　it　wasn't　going　to　be　easy　to　split　them　up。）
　　
　　〃Llita　have　you　ever　thought　of　being　bred　by　some　other　man　thar　Joe？〃　（Sound　her　out；　at　least。　It　won't　be　hard　to　find　her　a　husband；　she's　really　quite　attractive。　That　〃Earth　Mother'　feeling。）
　　
　　She　looked　puzzled。　〃Why；　of　course　not。　We　knew　what　we　were；　way　back　when　we　were　almost　bab