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第84部分

time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第84部分


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ight apply…but not that one。〃
  
  〃Lori; do you sense a double entendre?〃
  
  〃No; merely a thinly veiled innuendo。 Ignore it with dignity。〃
  
  〃But at first I didn't know my odd relationship to this pair。 Oh; I couldn't help knowing that Ishtar; and Hamadryad… one of Ira's daughters; you've met her?〃
  
  〃Years back。 A lovely girl。〃
  
  〃Quite。 Both ~f their mothers are lovely。 I couldn't help knowing that both were pregnant; they were spending most of their time with me。 But although they were swelling up like poisoned pups; they ignored it; so I didn't inquire。〃
  
  Justine nodded。 〃Privacy。〃
  
  〃Naw; just hard…nosed。 I've never let the privacy custom keep me from snooping when it suited me。 I was miffed; that's all。 Here two girls are with me every day and like daughters to me and obviously as knock鏳 up as Pharaoh's Daughter… and they tell me nit。 So I got stubborn and outsat them。 Till one day Galahad…he's their husband…well; not exactly; you'll see…Galahad invites me downstairs; and here they have; one each; the two prettiest little redheads I ever saw。〃
  
  〃Shall we let him off one cry?〃
  
  〃You got over it; you both look like me now。〃
  
  〃Or do we add a third cry for that?〃
  
  〃I still don't smell a mouse; I'm simply pleased。 As well as amazed that they had produced babies that looked like identical twins…〃
  
  〃Which we are; except that we're triplets。〃
  
  〃But some weeks of playing with these babies causes my natural genius and suspicious mind to infer that the girls have pulled a whizzer。 I was not then in the sperm bank so far as I knew; but I am well aware of tricks that can be played on a helpless client undergoing antigeria; so with unerring logic I reach the wrong answer: These babies are my daughters by artificial insemination unmentioned to me。 So I accuse them of it。 And they deny it。 And I explain that I am not angry; but quite the contrary I hope these little cherubs are mine。〃
  
  'Cherubs。'
  
  〃Ignore it。 He's simply trying to con Mr。 Foote。〃
  
  〃Cherubs at that time; I mean; aside from a tendency to bite。 That I want them to be mine and share my name a9d fortunes。 So they confer with their fellow conspirators4… Minerva and Galahad…Minerva was in it up to her overload safeties。〃
  
  〃Lazarus; you needed a family。〃
  
  〃Quite right; dear。 I'm always better off with a family; it keeps me harmlessly occupied and unbored。 Justin; did I mention' that Minerva allowed me to adopt her?〃
  
  〃We weren't asked!〃
  
  〃Look; kids; under the loose rules of this termite hill I can unedopt you this minute; if such be your wish。 Cut the tie。 Be just your geic brother through circumstances I had
  
  no more part in than you had。 Renounce all authority over you te know。〃
  
  The two girls looked at each other briefly。 Then one said; 〃Lazarus…〃
  
  〃Yes; Lorelei?〃
  
  〃Lapis Lazuli and I have discussed it; and we both think that you are just exactly the father we want。〃
  
  〃Thank you; my dears。〃
  
  〃And to confirm it; we are canceling two cries and a chin quiver。〃
  
  〃That's most pleasing。〃
  
  〃And besides that; we want to be cuddled 。 。 because we are feeling very immature; insecure; and frightened。〃
  
  Lazarus blinked。 〃I 'don't want you to feel that way; ever。 But… Well; can the cuddling wait?〃
  
  〃Oh; certainly…Father。 We know we have a guest。 But perhaps you and Mr。 Foote would join us in bathing? Before dinner?〃
  
  〃Well; Justin? Bathing y but fun。 I don't do it often because they turn it into a social event and waste time。 Suit yourself; don't let your arm be twisted。〃
  
  〃A bath I certainly need。 I was clean when I was sealed into' that pod…but how long was I in it? I really don't know。 And a bath should always be a social event if there is time
  
  and good pany。 Thank you; ladies; I accept。〃
  
  〃And I accept; too;〃 put in Minerva。 〃I'm inviting myself。 Justin; Tertius is primitive pared with Secundus; but our family refresher is nice and quite large enough for sociability。 'Decadent;' as Lazarus calls it。〃
  
  〃I designed it to be decadent; Justin。 Good plumbing is the finest flower of decadence and one I have always enjoyed
  
  when I could get it。〃…
  
  〃Uh…my clothes are still in Ira's office。 Even my toiletries。 Absentminded; I'm sorry。〃
  
  〃No matter。 Ira may fetch your bag; but he's absentminded; too。 Depilatories; deodorants; scents…no problem。 I'll lend ~'ou a toga or something。〃
  
  〃Buddy Boy! I mean 'Father。' Does that mean we dress for dinner?〃
  
  〃Call me Buddy Boy; I'm hardened to it。 Go as far as you like; darlings 。 。 except that as usual Mama Hamadryad must okay any cosmetics。 Back to how I acquired these daughters who are my sisters; Justin: Having conferred; this gang of geic pirates came clean and threw themselves on
  
  the mercy of the court。 Me~ So I adopted these two; and we registered them; and the registration will be straightened out one clay; as I explained。 How Minerva gave up the profession of puter and assumed the sorrows that flesh is heir to is a longer story。 Want to synopsize it; dear?…and fill him in later if you wish。〃
  
  〃Yes; Father。〃
  
  〃None of your lip; dear; you're a grown woman now。 Justin; when we woke this darling; she was about the size and biological age of those two reformed hellions…remind me to take their temperatures; Minerva。 I adop?ed Minerva because she needed a father then。 Doesn't now。〃
  
  〃Lazarus; I will always need you as my father。〃
  
  〃Thank you; my dear; but I take that only as a pleasing 'pliment。 Tell Justin your story。〃
  
  〃All right。 Justin; are you familiar with the theories concerning self…awareness in puters?〃
  
  〃Several ~of them。 As you know; my work is mostly with puters。〃
  
  〃Permit me to say; speaking from experience; all theories are empty。 How a puter bees self…aware remains as much a mystery; even to puters; as the age…old mystery of flesh…and…blood self…awareness。 It just is。 But; so far as I've heard…quite far in view of the library that was locked in my memories then and is still in Athene's memories…self…awareness never arises in a puter designed o醠y for deductive logic and mathematical calculations; no matter how big it is。 But if it is designed for inductive logic; able to assess data; draw hypotheses therefrom; test them; reconstruct them to fit new data; make random parisons of the results; and change thpse reconstructions…exercise judgment the way a flesh…and…blood does; then self…awareness may occur。 But I don't know why and no puter knows。 It just does。〃
  
  She smiled。 〃Sorry; I did not mean to sound pedantic。 Lazarus figured out that I could go into a blank human brain; a clone brain; using techniques used to conserve memories in rejuvenation clinics。 When we discussed this; I had the entire technical library of Secundus Howard Clinic in me…stolen; in a way。 I no longer have it; I had to pick and choose what to take along when I went into this skull。 So I don't remember much of what I did; any more than a rejuvenation client knows all that is done to him; you would have to get details from Athene; who still has them…and who; by the way; never had the rather painful awakening that a puter goes
  
  through when it first begins to know itself; because I left a piece of mc in Athene; oh; like a yeast starter。 'Athene dimly remembers having been Minerva at one time…about the way we flesh…and…bloods〃…Minerva straigntened up; smiled; and looked proud…〃remember a dream as something not quite real。 And I remember being Minerva the puter some…what the same way。 I remember all my contacts with people very sharply…because I chose to keep them; replicate them into this skull。 But if anyone were to ask howi handled the transport system of …New Rome 。 。 well; I know that I did;; but not how I did it。〃
  
  She smiled again。 〃That's my story: A puter 'who' longed to be a flesh…and…blood and who had loving friends who made is possible 。 。 and I've never regretted it; I love being flesh…and…blood…and want to love everybody。〃 She looked at Justin Foote very soberly。 〃Lazarus spoke sooth; I have never been a guest wife; I am only three years old as a flesh…and…blood。 Should you choose me; you ma')' find me awkward and shy…but not reluctant。 I owe you' much。〃
  
  第52节
  
  〃Minerva;〃 said Lazarus; 〃back him into a corner some other time。 You didn't tell Justin what he wanted to know; you left out the hanky…panky。〃 …
  
  〃Oh。〃
  
  〃And when you were philosophizing about awareness in puters; you left out the key point; it seems to me; one I know but you may not even though you've been a puter and I have not。 Because this key point applies both to puters and to flesh…and…bloods。 My dear…and Jijstin_and it won't hurt you two erratic geniuses to listen…all machinery is animistic…'humanistic;' I want to say; but that term has been preempted。 Any machine is a concept of a human designer; it reflects the human brain; be it wheelbarrow or giant puter。 So there is nothing mysterious in a machine designed by a human showing human self…awareness; the mystery lies in awareness itself; wherever it's found。 I used to have a folding camp cot that liked to bite me。 I don't say that it was aware…but I learned to approach it with caution。
  
  〃But; Minerva; darling; I've seen some big puters; almost as smart as you were; that never' developed self…awareness。 Can you tell us why?〃 '
  
  〃I confess I can't; Lazarus。 I'd like to ask Athene When we get home。〃
  
  〃She probably doesn't know either; she's never met any
  
  other major puter but Dora。 Captain Lazuli; how far back do you remember? Once you…or your rade in crime
  
  …cl~imed to remember nursing。 Suckling; I mean。〃
  
  〃Of course we do! Doesn't everybodyZ〃
  
  〃No。 Me; for example。 I was a bottle baby; I don't remember even that。 Not worth remembering。 In consequence I've been looking at tits and admiring them ever since。 Tell me; one of you; when you remember nursing

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