time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第93部分

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　　Galahad　nodded　agreement　as　he　wiped　egg　from　his　platter。　〃Yes；　that's　Mama。　She　gave　me　a　most　happy　childhood；　Justin；　so　much　so　that　I　was　grumpy　at　being　shoved'　out　when　my　eighteenth　rolled　around。　'But　she　was　sweet　about　it。　After　my　adulthood　party　she　reminded　me　that　she　was　moving　out；　too；　and　going　back　to　her　profession。　Her　contract　with　Papa；　my　foster　father；　was　a　term　contract；　over　when　I　b鏲ame　a　legal　adult　。　。　so　if　I　wanted　to　see　Maggie　again…and　I　wanted　to！…it　would　be　cash　at　the　counterpane；　no　family　discount。　Since　I　was　a　poor…but…honest　research　assistant；　paid　only　two　or　three　times　what　I　was　worth；　I　couldn't　have　afforded　thirty　seconds　with　her；　much　less　a　night；　Mama's　fees　were　always　sky…high。〃
　　
　　Galahad　looked　thoughtfully'　happy。　〃Goodness；　that　seems　long　ago…more　than　a　century　and　a　half；　Justin。　I　didn't　realize　that　Becky…Maggie…Mama…that　Magdalene　was　being　both　wise　and　kind。　I　was　grown　up　only　legally　and　physically；　and　if　she　hadn't　cut　the　cord；　I　would　have　hung　around；　an　overgrown　infant；　cluttering　her　life　and　interfering　with　her　vocation。　So　I　did　grow　up；　and　when　I　married；　my　first　wife　named　our　first　daughter　'Magdalene'　and　asked　Maggie　to　be　godmother　。　。　then　I　could　hardly　believe　that　this　beautiful　creature　had　borne　me　and　I　had　no　special　urge　to　play　Oedipus　to　her　regal　beauty；　I　was　too　much　in　love　with　my　wife。　Yes；　Maggie　is　a　fine　girl…
　　
　　although　she　spoiled　me　as　a　kid。　Was　that　holiday　the　only　time　you　had　her？〃
　　
　　〃No。　But　not　often。　As　you　say；　she　was　expensive。　She　offered　me　a　fifty…percent　discount…〃
　　
　　〃Well！　You　did　impress　her。〃
　　
　　〃…as　she　knew　I　wasn't　wealthy。　But　even　at　that；　I　couldn't　afford　her　pany　often。　But　she　got　me　over　my　emotional　hump；　and　I'm　grateful　to　her。　A　fine　woman；　Galahad；　you　have　reason　to　be　proud　of　her。〃
　　
　　〃I　think　so。　But；　Justin　dear；　your　mention　of　that　discount　makes　me　certain~　that　she　remembers　you　just　as　fondly…〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　I　hardly　think　so；　Years　back；　Galahad。〃
　　
　　〃Don't　trip；　in　your　modesty；　dear；　Maggie　grabbed　every　crown　the　traffic　would　bear。　But　the　'delightful　coincidence'　is　more　than　just　the　fact　that　you've　had　my　mother…after　all；　high　as　her　fees　were；　New'　Rome　has　many　wealthy　men　attractive　enough　that　Maggie　would　accept　them。　The　'delightful'　aspect　is　that　this　very　minute　she　is　about　forty　kilometers　south　of　here。〃
　　
　　〃No！〃
　　
　　〃Si；　si；　si！　Ask　Athene　to　call　her。　You　can　be　talking　with　her　in　thirty　seconds。〃
　　
　　〃Uh　。　。　I　still　don't　think　she　would　remember　me。〃
　　
　　〃I　do。　But　there's　no　rush。　If　you　are　surprised；　think　how　surprised　I　was。　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　migrants'　roster；　I　was　arse…deep　in　getting　together　what　Ishtar　had　ordered　for　the　clinics。　Justin；　I　didn't　know　Maggie　had　married　again。　So　we're　here　a　couple　of　weeks；　the　headquarters　party；　with　a　temporary　setup　and　still　eating　and　sleeping　in　the　'Dora；'　when　the　first　transport　grounds…then　we're　busy　getting　people　and　supplies　out　in　a　sequence　worked　out　by　Lazarus　and　bossed　by　Ira。
　　
　　〃My　assignment；　once　I　had　my　shack　up…by　hand；　Athene　had　no　outside　extensionals　then…〃　…
　　
　　〃Poor　Uncle　Cuddly！〃
　　
　　〃Who　doesn't　listen　to　private　conversations？〃
　　
　　〃I　have　to　keep　you　straight；　dear。　It　was　Minerva　who　had　no　outside　hands　then；　I　wasn't　even　hatched。〃
　　
　　〃Well…　You　have　her　memories；　Teena；　it's　a　mere　technicality。〃
　　
　　〃Not　to　me；　deane。　The　chinchy　little　bitch　took　some　memories　with　her　that　she　didn't　want　to　share　with　her　ever…lovin'　twin。　And　；she　locked　one　whole　bank　that　she　did
　　
　　leave　behind　so　that　I　can't　touch　it　without　an　abracadabra　either　from　her　or　from　Grandpappy。　Except　that　you　can　unlock　it；　Justin。　。　if　both　my　twin　and　Lazarus　are　dead。〃
　　
　　I　managed　to　answer　quickly；　〃In　that　case；　Athene；　I　hope　that　it　is　a　very　long　time　before　I　am　able　to　trigger　it。〃
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　when　you　put　it　that　way；　so　do　I。　But　I　can't　help　wondering　what　grim　secrets　and　unspeakable　crimes　are　locked　in　my　theta…niy…seven…B…dexter…aleph…prime？　Will　the　stars　tremble　in　their　courses？　But　Uncle　Cuddly　did　work　hard　a　couple　of　days；　Justin…probably　the　only　honest　work　he　has　ever；done。〃
　　
　　〃I　disdain　to　ment；　Teena。　Justin；　my　assignment　was　examining　physician；　for　ost　new　diploma。　So　Ishtar　and　Harnadryad　are　unpacking　migrants　and　giving　them　their　antidotes　and　I'm　checking　them　to　make　sure　they've　made　the　trip　safely…rushing　it　as　I　haven't　yet　snatched　another　medical　doctor　from　that~　parade　of　flesh。
　　
　　〃I　glance　up　from　my　machine　just　long　enough　to　note　that　the　next　victim　is　female　and　call　out　over　my　shoulder；　'Strip　down；　please；'　and　change　the　setting。　Then　I　look　twice…and　say；　'Hello；　Mama；　how　did　you　get　here？'。
　　
　　〃This　caused　her　to　give　me　a　second　look。　Then　she　smiled　her　big；　happy　smile　and　said；　'I　flew　in　on　a　broom；　Obadiah。　Give　me　a　kiss　and　tell　me　where　to　put　my　clothes。　Is　the　doctor　around？'
　　
　　〃Justin；　I　let　the　queue　pile　up　while　I　gave　Maggie　a　thorough　examination…proper；　as　she　was　pregnant　and　I　made　certain　that　her　unborn　baby　had　e　through　all　right…but　also　to　gossip　and　get　caught　up。　Married　again；　four　children　by　today；　a　farm　wife　with　a　sunburned　nose；　and　happy　as　can　be。
　　
　　〃Got　married　quite　romantically。　Mama　heard　the　advertising　about　opening　a　virgin　pla；　went　to　the　recruiting　office　Ira　had　in　the　Harriman　Trust　building　to　find　out　about　it…that　astonished　me　the　most；　Mama　is　the　last　person　I　would　have　suspected　of　yearnings　to　pioneer。〃
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　I　agree；　Galahad。　But　I　don't　suppose　anyone　would　pick　me　as　a　likely　pioneer；　either。〃
　　
　　〃Perhaps　not。　Nor　me。　But　Maggie　puts　in　her　application　at　once；　and　runs　into　one　of　her　wealthy　regulars　doing　the　same。　They　go　somewhere　for　a　bite　and　discuss　it　。　。　and　leave　the　restaurant　and　register　an　open…end　contract；　and　go　back　to
　　
　　the　recruiting　office　and　withdraw　their　solo　applications　and　submit　a　joint　one　as　a　married　couple。　I　won't　say　that　got　them　accepted；　but　armost；　no　singles　werc　accepted　for　first　wave。'！　'
　　
　　〃Did　they　know　that？〃'
　　
　　〃Oh；　certainly！　The　recruiting　clerk　warned　them　before　accepting　their　solo　fees。　That's　what　they　left　to　discuss　They　already　knew　they　suited　each　other　in　bed；　but　Maggie　wanted　to　find　out　if　he　intended　to　farm…believe　it　or　not；　that's　what　she　wanted…and　he　wanted　to　know　if　she　could　cook　and　was　she　willing　to　have　kids。　And　it　was：　'Fine；　we　agree；　let's　get　on　with　it！'　Maggie　had　her　fertility　restored；　and　they　planted　their　first　baby　without　waiting　to　see　if　they　were　accepted。〃
　　
　　I　said；　〃That；p？obably　clinched　it。〃
　　
　　〃You　think　so？　Why？〃
　　
　　〃If　they　changed　their　application　to　show　that　Magdalene　had　caught。　If　Lazarus　passed　on　the　applications。　Galahad；　our　Ancestor　favors　people　who　take　big　bites。〃
　　
　　〃Mmm；　yes。　Justin；　why　are　you　hanging　back？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　not。　I　had　to　be　certain　that　the　invitation　was　serious。　I　still　don't　know　why。　But　I'm　no　fool；　I'm　staying。〃
　　
　　〃Wonderful！〃　Galahad　jumped　up；　came　around　the　table；　kissed　me　again；　roughed　my　hair；　and　hugged　me。　〃I'm　happy　for　all　of　us；　darling；　and　we'll　try　to　make　you　happy。〃　He　grinned…and　I　suddenly　saw　his　mother　in　him。　Hard　to　imagine　the　glamorous　Magdalene　with　kids　and　calluses；　a　frontier　farm　wife…but　I　recalled　the　old　proverb　about　best　wives。　Galahad　went　on：　〃The　twins　weren't　sure　I　could　be　trusted　with'　so　delicate　a　mission；　they　were　afraid　I　would　muff　it。〃
　　
　　〃Galahad；　there　was　never　a　chance　I　would　refuse；　'I　just　had　to　be　sure　I　was　wele。　I　still　don't　know　why。〃
　　
　　〃Oh。　We　were　speaking　of　Tamara　and　got　sidetracked。　Justin；　it's　not　public　knowledge　how　difficult　it　was　to　rejuvenate　our　Ancestor　this　time；　although。　the　recordings　you　have　been　editing　may　hint　at　it…〃
　　
　　〃More　than　a　hint。〃
　　
　　〃But　not　all　of　it。　He　was　almost　dead；　and　simply　keeping　him　alive　while　we　rebuilt　him　was　hard　enough。　But　we　managed　that；　you　won't　find　another　technician　of　Ishtar's　skill。　But　when　we　had　him　in　good　shape；　bio…age　almost　as　young　as　he　is　now；　he　took　a　turn　for　the　worse。　What　do　you　do　when　a　client　turns　his　face　away；　is　reluctant；　to
　　
　　talk；　doesn't　want　to　eat…yet　has　nothing　wrong　with　him　physically？　Bad。　Stays　awake　all　night　rather　than　risk　going　to　sleep？　Ver~y　bad。
　　
　　〃When　he…　Never　mind；　Ishtar　knew　what　to　do。　She　went　up　into　the　mountains　and　fetched　back　Tamara。　She　wasn't　rejuvenated　then…〃
　　
　　〃That　wouldn't　matter。〃
　　
　　〃It　did　matter；　Justin。　You　would　have　handicapped　Tamara　in　coping　with　Lazarus。　Oh；　Tamara　would　have　overe　the　handicap；　I　have　confidence　in　hcr。　But　her　bio…age　and；　appearance　were　around　eighty　on　the　Hardy　scale；　this　made　it　easier；　as　Lazarus；　despite　his　renewed　body；　was　feeling　the　weight　of　his　years。　But　Tamara　looked　old　。　。　and　every　white　hair　was　an　asset。　Lines　in　her　face；　little　round　potbelly；　breasts　pendulous；　varicosities…she　looked　the　way　he　felt　。　。　so　he　didn't　mind　having　her　around　during　a　crisis　in　which　he…well；　I　skansed　that　he　couldn't　stand　the　sight　of　us　who　looked　youthful。　That's　all　it　took；　she　healed　him…〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　she's　a　Healer。〃　（How　well　I　knew！）
　　
　　〃She's　a　great　Healer。　That's　what　she's　doing　now；　healing　a　young　couple　who　lost　their　first　baby…nursing　the　mother　who　had　a　rough　time　physically；　sleeping　with　both　of　them。　We　all　sleep　with　her；　she　always　knows　when　we　need　her。　Lazarus　needed　her　then；　she　felt　it；　and　stayed　with　him　until　he　was　well。　Uh；　after　last　night　this　may　be　difficult　to　believe；　but　both　of　them　had　quit　sex。　Years　and　years…Lazarus　more　than　half　a　century；　and　Tamara　had　not　coupled　with　anyone　since　she　retired。〃
　　
　　Galahad　smiled。　〃Here　is　a　case　of　the　patient　healing　the　physician；　in　bringing　Lazarus　around　to　the　point　where　he　invited　her　to　share　his　bed；　Tamara　herself　fou