time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第99部分

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　　〃What！〃
　　
　　〃Dora；　please　don't　yell　in　my　ear。　This　is　a　hypothetical　case。〃
　　
　　〃That　sheriff　had　better　be　able　to　shoot　straight；〃　Lapis　Lazuli　said　grimly。
　　
　　Her　brother　answered；　〃Lazi；　you've　heard　me　say　nine　thousand　and　nieen　t~rnes　that　we　do　not　carry　weapons　to　give　us　Dutch　courage。　If　a　gun　makes　you　feel　three　meters　tall　and　invulnerable；　you　had　better　go　unarmed　and　let　your　sister　do　any　shooting　that's　necessary。　Now　tell　me　why　you　don't　shoot　at　the　sheriff。〃
　　
　　〃Yes！〃　said　Dora。　〃I　want　tp　be　rescued！〃
　　
　　〃Quiet；　Dora。　Laz？〃
　　
　　〃Uh　。　。　we　don't　shoot　cops~…Ever。〃
　　
　　〃Not　quite。　We　don't　shoot　cops　if　there　is　any　way　to　avoid　It。　Safer　to　kiss　a　rattlesnake。　In　two　thousand　years　and　some　I've　always　found　a　way　to　avoid　it…although　I　did　shoot　kind　o'　close　to　one　once；　to　divert　his　attention。　Unique　circumstances。　But　in　this　hypothetical　case　shooting　one　cop　is　worse　than　useless；　the　Chairman　Pro　Tern　has　confiscated　your　ship。〃
　　
　　〃Help；〃　Dora　whispered。
　　
　　〃Why；　Madam　Barstow　would　n鑯fer　do　anything　that　nasty！〃
　　
　　〃I　didn't　say　it　was　Susan　Barstow。　But　Arabelle；　had　she　lasted；　would　have　enjoyed　pulling　that　sOrt　of　'stunt　on　the　Longs。　Let's　say　Susan　has　dropped　dead　and　the　new　CPT
　　
　　is　as　bad　as　Arabelle。　No　ship　and　no　assets…what　do　you　do？　Remember；　I'm　dependi~g　on　you…or　I'm　stuck　back　in　the　Dark　Ages。　What　do　you　do？〃
　　
　　〃'When　in　danger　or　doubt　。　。　Run　in　circles；　scream　and　shout；'　〃　recited　Dora。
　　
　　〃Oh；　stop　it；　Dora；〃　said　Lapis　Lazuli。　〃We　don't　panic；　that's　certain。　We　have　ten　years　in　which　to　figure　out　a…　Hey！　Wait　a　moment；　I'm　using　the　wrong　framework。　We　could　take　a　hundred　years　if　necessary。　Or　longer。〃
　　
　　〃A　hundred　years　is　plenty；〃　said　Lorelei。　〃In　less　time　than　that　we　can　steal　another　ship。〃
　　
　　〃Thank　tig；〃　advised　Lazarus。　〃Steal　the　Pleiades。　Far　better　not　to　steal　anything；　Lor。〃
　　
　　〃You　stole　a　starship　once。〃
　　
　　〃Because　there　was　no　time　to　do　anything　else。　But　with　plenty　of　time　at　your　disposal；　it's　better　to　be　reasonably　honest…not　break　rules　you　can　get　caught　breaking。　Money　is　the　universal　erely　takes　time　and　ingenuity；　and　sometimes　work。　Raise　enough　money　and　you　might　be　able　to　buy　the　'Dora'　back。　If　that's　impossible；　with　much　less　money　you　could　get　to　Tertius；　where　Ira　and　the　family　could　find　some　way　to　lay　hands　on　a　starship。　Then　you　could　program　it　with　the　stuff　Dora　left　in　Athene
　　
　　…and　e　get　me。〃
　　
　　〃Isn't　anybody　going　to　e　rescue　me？〃
　　
　　〃Dora　dear；　this　hasn't　happened；　and　it's　extremely　unlikely　to　happen。　But　if　it　did　and　the　twins　weren't　able　to　rescue　you…say　that　your　new　owner　has　you　halfway　across　the　Galaxy…〃
　　
　　〃I'll　crash　him　the　first　time　he　tries　to　land！〃
　　
　　〃Dora；　stop　being　a　nitwit。　If　we　ever　did　lose　you…most　unlikely…and　the　twins　could　not　rescue　you　but　could　rescue　me…then　if　you've　taken　care　of　yourself；　no　crash　landing　or　any　other　foolishness…we'll　find　you；　we'll　get　you　back。　All　three　of　us。　No　matter　how　many　years　it　takes。　Laz？　Lori？〃
　　
　　〃You　bet！　'One　for　all；　all　for　one！'　And　it's　not　just　us　four；　Dora；　it's　the　whole　family…all　the　adults；　all　nine　kids
　　
　　…mi~ht　be　more　by　then…and　Athene。　Brother；　when　Ira　moved　that　we　all　take　the　last　name　of　'Long；'　I　liked　it　so　much　I　couldn't　cry　hard　enough。　Sis；　you're　'Dora　Long'…　and　the　Longs　don't　let　each　other　down！〃
　　
　　〃I　feel　better；〃　the　puter　admitted；　'；~ith　a　sniffle。
　　
　　〃You　never　had　anything　to　feel　bad　about；　Dora；〃　Lazarus
　　
　　continued。　〃You　started　this　by　insisting　that　my　precautions　were　unnecessary。　So　I　dreamed　up　a　situation　in　which　they　would　be　necessary　。　。　especially　so　if　the　twins　could　not　get　at　the　programs　you　left　with　Athen？in　which　case　they　might　have　to　fall　back　on　time　markers　and　recalibrate。　So　I　had　'em　stuck　on　another　pla　and　flat　broke　。　。　so　the　first　problem　is　to　lay　hands　on　money。　Think　you　could　do　it；　girls？　In　a　hundred　years？　Without　being　caught　in　something　that　would　put　you　in　still　more　of　a　jam？〃
　　
　　The　twins　glanced　at　each　other。　〃Lor？〃
　　
　　〃Of　course；　Laz。　Brother；　that's　when　we　open　our　hook　shop　over　a　pool　hail。　Or　somewhere。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　said；　〃I　don't　think　you　two　have　the　true　vocation。　And　your　noses　are　regrettably　like　mine。　Homely；　that　is。〃
　　
　　〃Our　noses　are　an　asset…〃
　　
　　〃…because　they　do　make　us　look　like　you…〃
　　
　　〃…so　what　is　mon　gossip　by　now　but　unbelievable…〃
　　
　　〃…bees　quite　believable　once　a　client　gets　a　look　at　us…　〃…and　aside　from　noses；　we　look　pretty　good…〃　〃…'built　like　brick　outhouses；'　you　told　us…〃
　　
　　〃…and　natural　redheads；　which　Tammy　says　is　cash　in　the　bank…〃
　　
　　〃…and　looking　just　alike　but　we　can　give　'em　variety…〃
　　
　　〃…just　by　one　of　us　not　using　a　depilatory…〃
　　
　　〃…which　will　make　us　a　great　sister　act　at　very　high　prices；　Maggie　said　so…〃
　　
　　〃…and　if　you　think　being　horny　isn't　enough　true　vocation…〃
　　
　　〃…which　may　be　true　and　we　concede　that　we'll　never　be　the　great　artist　Tammy　is；　nevertheless…〃
　　
　　〃…New　Rome　is　going　to　be　amazed　at　how　intense　our　vocation　is…〃
　　
　　〃…when　our　brother's　safety　is　at　stake！〃
　　
　　Lazarus　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Thank　you；　darlings。　While　you'll　probably　take　a　fling　at　it　someday；　1　hope　that？you　won't　need　to　do　it　to　rescue　me。　I'm　counting　more　on　your　mathematical　ability　and　your　skill　as　shiphandlers　than　I　am　on　your　undeniable　physical　and　spiritual　beauty。〃
　　
　　〃Did　you　hear　that；　Lor？　That　time　he　added　'spiritual。'〃
　　
　　〃I　think　he　meant　it。〃
　　
　　〃I　hope　so。　It's　even　nicer　than　being　told　we　have　tits　as　pretty　as　Minerva's。　Which　we　don't；　quite。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　you　do；〃　their　brother　said　absently。　〃Let's　get　back　to　iandmarjs　and　such。〃　…
　　
　　〃I　think　you　ought　to　kiss　them；〃　said　Dora。
　　
　　〃Later。　Now　look；　kids；　prime　rendezvous；　exactly　ten　Tyears　after　you　drop　me…although　you　drop　Andy's　body　first。　How？　Laz　or　Lor…not　Dora。　Of　course　you　know　all　this；　Dora；　this　review　is　for　flesh…and…bloods。　Fallible。　Laz？〃
　　
　　…〃Have　Dora　unfreeze　him　and　bring　his　body　up　almost　to　cremation　temperature　and　put　him　into　atmosphere　on　a　long　slant　just　under　orbital　speed　so　that　it　will　burn　up；　or　almost；　before　it　hits　。　。　and　figure　the　ballistic　to　hit　the　mountains　in　case　he's　not　quite　burned　up…because　we　don't　want　to　hurt　anybody。〃
　　
　　〃What　mountains　and　how　do　you　find　them？　Lor？〃
　　
　　〃These　right　here。　Prime　landmark；　this　big　river　that　drams　the　central　valley。　Where　this　other　big　river　es　in　from　the　west　is　our　north　landmark；　the　gulf　they　wind　up　in　is　the　south　landmark…no　landmark　on　the　west。　Arkansas　is　about　the　middle　of　that　bracket。　The　Ozark　Mountains　are　the　only　mountains　in　the　bracket…but　shoot　for　the　south　side　of　the　mountains；　this　escarpment；　the　north　side　is　not　Arkansas。　Brother；　why　does　that　matter？〃
　　
　　〃Sentiment；　Lorelei。　As　far　as　Andy　traveled　and　as　little　time　as　he　spent　on　Earth；　he　was　always　homesick　for　his　horning　place。　The　only　song　he　knew　was　one　with　a　refrain　of　'Arkansaw；　Arkansaw；　I　adore　thee！'　I　used　to　get　sick　of　it。　But　I　promised　him　I　would　take　his　body　back　to　Arkansas　and　it　seemed　to　fort　him　when　he　died…so　we'll　do　it。　Who　knows？　Maybe　the　sweet　little　guy　will　know　it。　。　and　it's　worth　the　trouble。　to　carry　out　his　last　wishes。　Prime　rendezvous　landmarks？〃
　　
　　〃This　big　canyon；〃　answered　Lapis　Lazuli。　〃Follow　it　to　the　east　and　drop　south…this　round　black　dot。　A　meteor　impact　crater。　No　dependable　landma；rks　visible　from　orbit　and　good　any　century　but　this　canyon…biggest　on　Earth。　So　we　memorize　the　spatial　relationship　between　canyon　and　crater　so　that　we　can　spot　it　from　any　angle。　If　the　light　is　right。〃
　　
　　Dora　said；　〃I'm　sure　I　can　see　it　in　pitch…darkness。〃
　　
　　〃Dora　honey；　this　drill　is　based　on　the　pessimistic　~ssumption　that　Ellandell　might　have　to　find　it　without　your　help。　I　want　them　to　know　the　geography　of　Terra　so　well　that　they　won't　have　to。　ground　and　look　for　a　road　sign。　No　close　approaches　to　the　ground　at　all…except　to　put　me　down　and　pick　me　up。　I　don't　want　to　start　a　flying…saucer　scare；　I　don't
　　
　　A~Q
　　
　　want　to　attract　any　attention…5……some　yokel　might　take　a　shot　at　me。　It's　unfortunate　that　this　ship　is　shaped　such　that　'flying　saucer'　isn't　too　bad　a　description。〃
　　
　　〃What's　the　matter　with　the　way　I　look？〃　demanded　Dora。　〃I　look　pretty　damn　good！〃
　　
　　〃Dear；　you're　built　like　a　brick　outhouse…for　a　starship。　You're　beautiful。　It's　simply　that　unidentified　flying　objects…　oofohs…were　also　called　'flying　saucers。'　I　don't　believe　in　paradoxes　。　。　but　I　don't　want　any　attention。〃
　　
　　第60节
　　
　　〃Brother；　maybe　we　are　one　of　those　oofohs　you　told　us　about。〃
　　
　　〃Huh？　Could　be；　I　suppose。　If　so；　let's　not　get　shot　at。　I　want　a　quiet　trip。　If　everything　goes　well；　we　can　talk　about　letting　one　of　you。　get　on　the　ground　with　me　next　trip　though　durned　if　I　don't　think　a　stacked　redhead　is　more　conspicuous　than　an　unidentified　flying　object。　Okay；　the　crater。　I　intend　to　be　there；　before　sundown　and　after　sunrise；　from　minus　ten　days　to　plus　ten　days　at　plus　ten　years。　If　I'm　not　there；　what　do　you　do？〃
　　
　　Lapis　Lazuli　answered；　〃Look　for　you　half　a　T…year　later　on　top　of　the　biggest　pyramid　at　Gizeh…that's　here…at　midnight　。　。　only　this　time　we　scan　for　you　minus　thirty　days
　　
　　？through　plus　thirty　because　you　aren't　certain　when　you　can　get　there　and　may　be　able　to　manage　it　only　once…bribes　and　things。　Brother；　do　we　go　out　half　a。iight…year　and　reenter　the　time　axis？　Or　stay　in　orbit　and　wait？〃
　　
　　〃That's　up　to　you。　I　won't　use　the　Egyptian　rendezvous　unless　I've　pulled　some　goof　that　makes　it　unhealthy　for　me　to　meet　you　in　Arizona。　If　I　miss　both　dates；　what　do　you　do？　Lori？〃
　　
　　〃Look　for　you　again　both　places　at　eleven　years　and　eleven　and　a　half。　years。〃
　　
　　〃Then　what