time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第85部分

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ve　been　looking　at　tits　and　admiring　them　ever　since。　Tell　me；　one　of　you；　when　you　remember　nursing；　can　you　recall　which　of　your　mothers　was　giving　you　suck？〃
　　
　　〃Of　course！〃　Lorelei　said　scornfully。　〃Mama　Ishtar　has　big　tits…〃
　　
　　〃…and　Mama　Hamadryad　has　much　sthaller　ones　even　when　they're　filled　with　milk…〃
　　
　　〃But　she　gave　just　as　much　milk。〃
　　
　　〃Different　flavor　though。　Made　it　nice　to　trade　off　each　meal。　Variety。〃
　　
　　〃But　we　liked　both　flavors！　Tell　him；　Laz。〃
　　
　　〃Enough。　You've　made　the　point　I　wanted。　Justin；　these　kids　were　self…aware　and　aware　of　other　people…their　mothers　at　least…at　an　age　when　a　cr鑓he　baby　is　just　a　doughy　blob
　　
　　which　says　something　about　why　cr鑓hes　have　never　worked　well。　I　want　the　counterpoint：　Minerva；　what　do　you　remember　of　the　time　when　you　were　an　unawakened　clone？〃
　　
　　〃Why；　nothing；　Lazarus。　Oh；　some　odd　dreams　when　I　was　putting　me…my　selected　memories…into　my　new　me；　this　one。　But　I　didn't　start　that　until　Ishtar　said　the　clone　was　big　enough。　That　was　not　until　shortly　before　I　withdrew　from　my　former　me　and　Ishtar　woke　me。　It　could　not　be　instantaneous；　Justin；　a　protein'　brain　Won't　take　data　at　puter　speeds；　Ishtar　had　me　be　very　slow　and　careful。　Then　for　a　short　time…short　human　time…I　was　both　places；　puter　and　skull；　then　I　surrendered　the　puter　and　let　it　bee　Pallas　Athene；　and　Ishtar　woke　me。　But；　Lazarus；　a　clone　in　vitro　is　not　aware；　it's　like　a　fetus　in　utero。　No　stimuli。　Correction：　minimum　stimuli　and　nothing　that　leaves　a　permanent　memory　track。　Unless　you　count　reports　of　regression　under　hypnosis。〃
　　
　　〃No　need　to　count　them；〃　Lazarus　replied~　〃True　or　false；　such　cases　are　irrelevant。　The　relevant　counterpoint　is　'minimum　stimuli。'　Honey；　those　big　puters　with　awareness　potential　but　without　self…awareness　are　that　way　because　nobody　bothered　to　love　the　poor　things。　That's　all。　Babies　or　big　puters…they　bee　aware　through　being　given　lots
　　
　　of　personal　attention。　'Love'　as　it's　usually　called。　Minerva；　does　that　theory　match　up　with　your　earliest　years？〃
　　
　　'Minerva　l'ooked　soberly　thoughtful。　〃That　was　about　a　century　ago'　in　human　time…call　it　a　million　times　that　in　puter　time。　I　know　from　the　records　that　I　was　assembled　a　few　years　before　Ira　took　office。　But　the　earliest　personal　memories　I　have…and　those　memories　I　saved　and　did　not　leave　in　Athene　or　in　the　puter　in　New　Rome…the　earliest　I　can　remember　of　me　is　waiting　eagerly　and　happily　for　the　next　time　Ira　would　speak　to　me。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　~aid；　〃I　need　not　belabor　the　point。　With　babies　you　breast…feed　them　and　nibble　their　toes　and　talk　to　them　and　blow　in　their　bellybuttons　and　make　them　laugh。　puters　don't　have　bellybuttons；　but　attention　works　just　as　well　on　them。　Justin；　Minerva　tells　me　that　she　left　nothing　of　herself　in　the　puter　under　the　palace。〃
　　
　　〃That　is　correct。　I　left　it　intact　as　a　puter　and　programmed　for　all　its　duties　。　。　but　I　dared　not　leave　any　personal　memory；　any　part　of　the　me；　could　not　let　it　remember　that　it　had　once　been　Minerva；　that　wouldn~t　have　been　fair　to　it。　Lazarus　warned　me；　and　I　was　most　careful；　checking　all　the　billions　of　bits　and　wiping　where　necessary。〃
　　
　　Justin　Foote　said；　〃I　missed　a　turn　somehow。　You　did　this　in　New　Rome　。　。　but　you've　been　awake　here　only　three　years？〃
　　
　　〃Three　wonderful　years！　You　see…〃
　　
　　〃Lot　me　interrupt；　dear；　I'll　tell　him　'the　hanky…panky。　But　first…Justin；　have　you　dealt　；with　the　executive　puter　in　New　Rome　since　we　migrated？　Of　course　you　have…but　have　you　been　in　the　office　of　Madam　Chairman　Pro　Tern　when　she　was　using　it？〃
　　
　　〃Why~　yes；　several　times。　Just　yesterday…no；　I　mean　the　yesterday　before　I　left；　I　keep　forgetting　that　I　missed　transit　time。〃
　　
　　〃What　name　does　she　use　in　speaking　with　it？〃
　　
　　~。〃I　don't　think　she　uses　a　name。　I'm　fairly　certain　she　does　not。〃　'
　　
　　〃Oh；　the　poor　thing！〃
　　
　　〃No；　Minerva；〃　Lazarus　said　quietly。　〃You　left　it　in　good　health；　it　simply　won't　wake　up　until'　it　has　a　mistress；　or　master；　who　appreciates　it。　Which　might　not　be　long；〃　he　added　grimly。
　　
　　Justin　Foote　said；　〃Might　be　any　time。　Lazarus；　that　old；
　　
　　uh…cancel　that。　Arabelle　loves　the　spotlight。　Appears　at　public　meetings；　shows　up　in　the　Colosseum。　Stands　up　and　wav~　her　scarf。　Seems　odd；　after　the　quiet　way　Ira　ran　things。〃
　　
　　〃I　see。　A　sitting　duck。　Seven　to　two　she's　assassinated　in　the　next　fivc　years。〃
　　
　　〃No　bet。　I'm　a　statistician；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃So　you　are。　All　right…　Hanky…panky。　Lots　of　it。　Ishtar　set　up　an　auxiliary　Howard　Clinic　in　the　Palace。　Her　excuse：
　　
　　Me；　the　Senior。　But　a　cover…up　for　a　much　more　extensive　bio　facility。　Minerva　picked　her　parents；　Ishtar　stole　the　tissues　and　faked　some　records。　Meanwhile；　our　skinny　friend　my　daughter　Minerva…〃
　　
　　〃She　is　not！　She's　just　right　for　her　height　and　body　type　and　bio　age！〃
　　
　　〃…and　deliciously　curved！〃
　　
　　〃…had　twinned　her　puter　self　in　a　hold　of　my　yacht　'Dora；'　placing　the　contract　in　my　name　and　charging　it　to　me；　and　nobody　dared　inquire　why　the　Senior…some　advantages　to　age；　especially　among　｝J~watds…wanted　a　huge　puter　in　a　yacht　that　already　had　one　of　the　fanciest　~　puters　in　the　sky。　While　back　in　my　borrowed　penthouse　where　nobody　was　allowed　to　go…other　than　a　short　list　all　as…　dishonest　as　I　am…a　clone　was　growing　in　a　facility　installed　in　a　room　I　didn't　need。
　　
　　〃es　time　to'　migrate；　a　very　large　case　containing　what　was　then　a　very　small　clone；　goes　to　the　skyport　marked　as　part　of　my　personal　baggage…this　baggage　between　us；　of　course…and　is　loaded　into　the　'Dora'　without　inspection；　such　being　a　prerogative　of　being　Chairman　。　。　for　as　you　may　recall　I　didn't　hand　the　gavel　back　to　Arabelle　until　our　transports　had　lifted　and　I　was　about　to　raise　ship　myself；　with　Ira　and　the　rest　of　my　personal　party　aboard。
　　
　　〃While　I'm　taking　the　clone　aboard；　Minerva　withdraws　herself　from　the　executive　puter　and'　is　safe　and　snug　in　a　'hold　of　the　'Dora'　。　。　with　her　gizzards　packed　with　every　bit　of　data　in　the　Grand　Library　and　the　entire　records　of　~the　Howard　Clinic　including　secret　and　confidential　stuff。　A　most　satisfying　caper；　Justin；　the　most　good；　clean；　illegal　fun　I've　had　since　we　stole　the　'New　Frontiers。'　But　I'm　telling　you　this　not　to　boast…or　not　much…but　to　ask　if　we　were　as　slick　as　we　thought　we　were。　Any　rumors？　Did　you　suspect　anything　amiss？　How　about　Arabelle？〃
　　
　　〃I　feel　sure　that　Arabelle　does　not　suspect。　Nor　have　I
　　
　　heard　of　Nelly　Hildegarde　bursting　any　blood　vessels。　Mmm；　I　suspected　something。〃　…
　　
　　〃Really。　Where　did　we　slip？〃
　　
　　〃Hardly　the　word；　Lazarus。　Minerva；　when　I　had　occasion　to　consult　you；　while　Ira　was　Chairman　Pro　Tern；　how　did　we　talk？〃　…
　　
　　〃Why；　you　were　always　most　friendly；　Justin。　You　always　told　me　why　you　wanted　something　instead　of　just　telling　me　to　dig　it　out。　You　would　chat；　too；　you　were　never　too　much　in　a　hurry　to　be　pleasant。　That's　why　I　remember　you　so　warmly。〃
　　
　　〃And　that；　Lazarus；　is　why　I　sniffed　something　dead　hrhind　the　arras。　You　and　your　party　had　been　gone　about　a　week　when　I　wanted　something　from　the　executive　puter。　When　you　have　an　old　friend　with　a　pleasant　voice…　your　voice　is　unchanged；　Minerva；　I　should　have　recognized　it…but　I　was　bedazzled　by　your　appearance…when　you　call　this　old　friend　and　are　answered　by　a　flat；　mechanical　voice　。　。　and　any　deviation　from　programming　language　is　answered　by：　'NULL　PROGRAM…REPEAT…WAITING　FOR　PROGRAM'…then　you　know　that　an　old　friend　is　dead。〃　He　smiled　at　the　girl　between　them。　〃So　I　can't　tell　you　how　delighted　I　am　to　learn　that　my　old　friend　was　reborn　as　a　lovely　young　girl。〃
　　
　　Minerva　squeezed　his　hand；　blushed　slightly；　and　said　nothing。
　　
　　〃Hmm…　Justin；　did　you　pare　notes　with　anyone？〃
　　
　　〃Ancestor；　do　you　th？nk　I'm　a　fool？　I　mind　my　own　business~〃　…
　　
　　〃Apology；　about　grade　two。　No；　you're　not　a　fool；　unless　you　go　back　and　work　for　the　old　harridan。〃
　　
　　〃When　will　the　next　wave　of　migrants　head　this　way？　I　hate　to　waste　the　work　I've　done　on　your　life；　and　I　would　hate　to　abandon　my　personal　library。〃
　　
　　〃Well；　sir；　no　tellin'　when　a　streetcar　will　be　by　this　time　o'　night。　Discuss　it　later。〃　Lazarus　added；　〃That's　our　house　ahead。〃
　　
　　Justin　Foote　looked；　saw　a　building　partly　visible　through　trees；　turned　back　to　speak　to　Minerva。　〃Something　you　said；　earlier；　Cousin；　I　did　not　understand。　You　said　'I　owe　you　so　much。'　If　I　was　pleasant　to　you…at　New　Rome；　I　mean…you　were　at　least　as　pleasant　to　me。　More　likely　the　debt　is　the　other　way；　you　were　always　most　helpful。〃
　　
　　Instead　of　answering；　she　looked　at　Lazarus。　He　said；　〃Your　business；　my　dear。〃
　　
　　Minerva　took　a　deep　breath；　then　said；　〃I　plan　to　name　twenty…three　of　my　children　for　my　twenty…three　parents。〃
　　
　　〃So？　That　seems　most　warmly　appropriate。〃
　　
　　〃You're　not　my　cousin；　Justin…you're　my　father。　One　of　them。〃
　　
　　'VARIATIONS　ON　A　THEME　…
　　
　　XIV
　　
　　Bacchanalia
　　
　　After　the　track　through　the　gormtrees　at　the　northern　edge　of　Boondock　swings　right；　one　has　a　view　of　the　home　of　Lazarus　Long；　but　I　hardly　…noticed　it　when　I　first　saw　it；　I　was　much　bemused　by　a　statement　by　Minerva　Long。　Me　her　father？　Me？
　　
　　The　Senior　said；　〃Close　your　mouth；　Son；　you're　making　a~draft。　Dear；　you　startled　him。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　dear！〃
　　
　　〃Now　quit　looking　like　a　frightened　fawn；　or　I'll　be　forced　to　hold　your　nose　and　administer　two　ounces　of　eighty…proof　ethanol　disguised　as　fruit　juice。　You've　done　nothing　wrong。　Justin；　does　disguised　ethanol　interest　you？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；〃　I　agreed　fervently。　〃I　recall　a　time　in　my　youth　when　that　and　one　other　subject　were　all　I~　was　interested　in。〃
　　
　　〃If　the　other　subject　wasn't　women；　we'll　find　a　monastic　cubbyhole　where　you　can　drink　alone。　But　it　was…I　know　more　about　you　than　you　think。　All　right；　we'll　have　a　libation　or；　six。　Not　those　two；　they're　potential。。alcoholics。〃
　　
　　〃Slanderous…〃