time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第3章

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technicians；　dressed　in　isolation　gear　and　one…way　helmets；　and　waiting　as　far　from　the　conversation　as　the　room　permitted…〃don't
　　
　　know　English；　I　can't　talk　with　them。　Oh；　the　taller　one　understands　a　little　but　not　enough　for　gossip。〃　Lazarus　whistled；　pointed　at　the　taller。　〃Hey；　you！　A　chair　for　the
　　
　　Chairman…chop　chop！〃　His　gestures　made　his　meaning　clear。　The　taller　technician　touched　the　controls　of　a　chair　nearby；　it　rolled　away；　wheeled　around；　and　stopped　at　a　fortable　t阾e…？t~te　distance　from　Lazarus。
　　
　　Ira　Weatheral　said　thank　you…to　Lazarus；　not　to　the　tech
　　
　　…sat　down；　then　sighed　as　the　chair　felt　him　out　and　cuddled　him。　Lazarus　said；　〃fortable？〃
　　
　　〃Quite。〃…　…
　　
　　…　〃Anything　to　eat　or　drink？　Or　smoke？　You　may　have　to　interpret　for　me。〃
　　
　　〃Nothing；　thank　you。　But　may　I　order　for　you？〃
　　
　　〃Not　now。　They　keep　me　stuffed　like　a　goose…once　they　force…fed　me；　damn　them。　Since　we're　fortable；　let's　get　on　with　the　powwow。〃　He　suddenly　roared；　〃WHAT　ThE　HELL　AM　I　DOING　IN　THIS　JAIL？〃
　　
　　Weatheral　answered　quietly；　〃Not　'jail；'　…Lazarus。　Th~　VIP　suite　of　the　Howard　Rejuvenation　Clinic。　New　Rome。〃
　　
　　〃'Jail；'　I　said。　All　it　lacks　is　cockroaches。　This　window…　you　couldn't　break　it　with　a　crowbar。　That　door…it　opens　to　any　voice　…　…　except　mine。　If　I　go　to　the　john；　one　of　those　dummies　is　at　my　elbow。　Apparently　afraid　I'll　drown　myself　in　the　pot。　Hell；　I　don't　even　know　whether　that　nurse　is　a　man　or　a　woman…and　don't　like　it　either　way。　I　don't　need　somebody　to　hold　my　hand　while　I　go　pee…pee！　I　resent　it。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　see　what　can　be　worked　out；　Lazarus。　But　the　technicians　are　…　understandably　jumpy。　A　person　can　get　hurt　quite　easily　in　any　bathroom…and　they　all　know　that；　if　you　are　hurt；　no　matter　by　what　mischance；　the　technician　in　charge　at　the　time　will　suffer　cruel　…and　unusual　punishment。　They　are　volunteers　and　are　drawing　high　bonuses。　But　they're
　　
　　jumpy。〃…
　　
　　〃So　I　figured　out。　'Jail。'　If　this　is　a　rejuvenation　suite
　　
　　WHERE'S　MY　SUICIDE　SWITCH？〃
　　
　　〃Lazarus…'Death　is　every　man's　privilege。'〃
　　
　　〃That's　what　I　said！　That　switch　belongs　right　there；　you　can　see　where　it　has　been　dismounted。　So　I'm　in　jail　without　trial；　with　my　most　basic　right　taken　from　me。　Why？　I'm　furious；　man。　Do　you　realize　what　danger　you　are　in？　Never　tease　an　old　dog；　he　might　have　one　bite　left。　Old　as　I　am；　I　could　break　your　arms　before　those　dummies　could　reach　us。〃
　　
　　〃You　are　wele　to　break　my　arms　if　it　pleases　you。〃
　　
　　〃Huh？〃　Lazarus　Long　looked　baffled。　〃No；　it's　not　worth　the　sweat。　They　would　have　you　patched　up　good　as　new　in
　　
　　thirty　minutes。〃　He　suddenly　grinned。　〃But　I　could　snap　your　neck；　then　crush　your　skull；　abOut　as　fast。　That's　one　injury　beyond　the　power　of　rejuvenators。〃
　　
　　Weatheral　did　not　stir；　did　not　tense。　〃I…　feel　sure　you
　　
　　could；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃But　I　do　not　think　that　you　would　kill　on~　of　your　descendants　without　giving　him　a　chance　to　parley　for　his　life。　You　are　my　remote　grandfather；　sir；　by　seven　different　tracks。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　chewed　his　lip　and　looked　unhappy。　〃Son；　I　have　so　many　descendants　that　consanguinity　doesn't　matter。　But　you're　essentially　right　In　all　my　life　I　have　never　killed　a　man　unneceskarily。　I　think。〃　Then　he　grinned。　〃But　if　I　don't　get　my　suicide　switch　back；　I　could　make　an　exception　1n　your　case。〃
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　if　you　wish；　I　will　have　that　switch　remounted　at　once。　But…　'Ten　Words'？〃
　　
　　〃Uh…〃　Lazarus　looked　ungracious。　〃Okay。　'Ten　Words。'　Not　eleven。〃
　　
　　Weatheral　hesitated　a　split　second；　then　counted　on　his　fingers：　〃I　learned　…。　your。　language　…　to　…　explain　。　why　we　。　need　。　you。〃　…
　　
　　〃Ten　by　the　Rule；〃　Lazarus　admitted。　〃But　meaning　that　you　need　fifty。　Or　five　hundred。　Or　five　thousand。〃
　　
　　〃Or　none；〃　Weatheral　amended。　〃You　can　have　your　switch　without　giving　me　any　chance　to　explain。　I　promised。〃
　　
　　〃Humph！〃　said　Lazarus。　〃Ira；　you　old　scoundrel；　you　have　me　convinced　that　you　reIlly　are　my　kin。　You　figured　that　I　would　not　suicide　without　hearing　…what　you　have　on　your　mind…once　I　knew　you　had　bothered　to　learn　a　dead　language　just　to　make　palaver。　All　right；　talk。　You　can　start　by　telling　me　what　I'm　doing　here。　I　know…I　know…that　I　didn't　apply　for　rejuvenation。　But　I　woke　up　here　with　the　job　already　half　over。　So　I　screamed　for　the　Chairman。　Okay；　why　am　I　here？〃
　　
　　〃May　we　start　further　back？　~ou　tell　me　what　you　were　doing　in　a　flophouse　in　the　worst　part　of　Old　Town。〃
　　
　　〃What　was　I　doing？　I　was　dying。　Quietly　and　decently；　like　a　worn…out　horse。　That　is；　I　was；　until　your　busybodies　grabbed　me。　Can　you　think　of　a　better　place　than　a　fiophouse　for　a　man　who　doesn't　want　to　be　disturbed　while　he's　busy　with　it？　If　his　cot　is　paid　for　in　advance；　they　leave　a　man　be。　Oh；　they　stole　what　little　I　had；　even　my　shoes。　But　I　expected　that…would　have　done　the　same　myself　under　the　same　circumstances。　And　the　sort　of　people　who　live　in　flophouses
　　
　　are　almost　always　kind　to　…those　……worse　。off　than　they　are…　any　of　'em…　will　fetch　a　drink　of　water　to　a　sick　man。　That　was　the　most　I　wanted…that　and　to　be　left　alone　to　close　out　my　account　in　my　own　way。　Until　your　busies　showed　up。　Tell　me；　bow　did　they　find　me…？'　…
　　
　　〃How…　we　found　you　is　not　the　surprising　part；　Lazarus；　but　the　fact　that　SecFor…the…　cops？…Yes；　'cops'…that　my　cops　took　so　long　to　identify　you；　then　find　you；　and　pick　you　up。　A　section　chief　lost　his　job　over　that。　I　don't　tolerate　inef
　　
　　ficiency。〃…
　　
　　〃So　you　busted　him。　Your　business。　But　why？　I　reached　Secundus　from　Out…Far；　and　I　didn't　think　I　had　left　any　back　trail。　Different　everything　since　the　last　time　I　was　in　touch　with　the　Families　。　。　as　I　bought　my　last　rejuvenation　on　Supreme。　Are　the　Families　swapping　data　with　Supreme　these　days？〃
　　
　　〃Heavens；　no；　Lazarus；　we　won't　even　give　them　a　polite　word。　There　is　a　strong　minority　among　the　Trustees　who　favor　rubbing　out　Supreme；　instead　of　simply　maintaining　embargo。〃
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　if　a　nova　bomb　hit　Supreme；　I　wouldn't　mourn　more　than　thirty　seconds。　But　I　did　have　a　reason　for　having　the　job　done　there；　even　though　I　had　to　pay　high　for　forced　cloning。　But　that's　another　story。　Son；　how　did　you　pick　me　up？〃
　　
　　〃Sir；　for　the　past　seventy　years　there　has　been　a　general　order　out　to　try　to　find　you；　not　just　here　but　on　every　pla　where　the　Families　maintain　offices。　As　to　how…do　you　recall　a　forced　inoculation　for　Reiber's　fever　at　Immigration？〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　I　was　annoyed；　but　it　didn't　seem　worthwhile　to　make　a　fuss；　I　knew　I　was　headed　for　that　fiophouse~　Ira；　I've　known　that　Ie。　That　was　okay；　I　was　ready　for　it。　But　I　didn't　want　to　do　it　alone；　out　in　space。　Wanted　human　voices　around　me；　and　body　odors。　Childish　of　me。　But　I　was　pretty　far　gone　by　the　time　I　grounded。〃
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　there　is　no　such　thing　as　Reiber's　fever。　When　a　man　grounds　on　Secundus　and　all　？outine　identifications　show　null；　'Reiber's　fever'　or　some　other　nonexistent　plague　is　used　as　an　excuse　to　get　a　little　tissue　from　him　while　injecting　him　with　sterile　neutral　saline。　You　should　never　have　been　allowed　to　leave　the　skyport　until　your　geic　pattern　was　identified。〃
　　
　　〃So？　What　do…you　do　when　ten　thousand　immigrants　arrive　in　one　ship？〃
　　
　　〃Herd　them　into　detention　barracks　until　we've　checked　them　out。　But　that　doesn't　happen　often　today　with　Old　Home　Terra　in　the　sorry　state　it's　in。　But　you；　Lazarus；　arriving　alone　in　a　private　yacht　worth　fifteen　to…　twenty　；million
　　
　　crowns…〃　…　…　……　…。~　…
　　
　　…　〃Make　that　'thirty。'〃…
　　
　　〃…worth　thirty　million　crowns。　How　many　men　in　the　Galaxy　can　do　that？　Of　those　who　can　afford　i~；　how　many　would　choose　to　travel　alone？　The　pattern　should　have　set　alarm　bells'ringing　in　the　…　minds　of　all　of　them。　Instead　they　took　your　tissue　and　accepted　your　statement　that　you　would　be　staying　at　the　Romulus　hilton　and　let　you　go~…~……and　no
　　
　　doubt　you　had　another　identity　before　dark。〃……
　　
　　〃Na　doubt　at　all；〃　…　Lazarus　agreed。　〃But　your　cops　b~ye　run　up　the　price　on　a　good　phony　set　of　ID's。　If　I　hadnt　beett　too　tired　to　bother；　I　would　have　forged　my　owl。　Safer。　Was　that　how　I　was　caught？　Did　you　squeeze　it　out　of　the
　　
　　paper　merchant？〃　…　…　…
　　
　　…　…　〃No；　we　never　found　him。　By　the　way；　…　you　might　let　me
　　
　　…　know　who　he　is；　SQ　that…〃…　…
　　
　　〃And　I　might　not；〃　Lazarus　said　sharply。　〃Not　ratting　on　him　…was　implicit　in　the　bargain。　It's　nothing　to　me　how　many　of　your　rul~s　he　breaks。　And…who　knows？…l　might　need　him　again。'　Certainly　someone　will　need　his　services；　some…　body　just　as　anxious　to　avoid　your　busies　as　I　was。　Ira；　no　doubt　you　mean　well　but　I　don't　like　setups　where　ID~s　are　necessary。　I　told　myself　centuries　back　to　stay　away　from。　places　croostly　I've　followed　that　rule。　Should　have　followed　it　this　time。　But　I　didn't　expect　to　need　any　identification　very　long。　Confoundit；　two　more　days　and　I　would　have　been　dead。　I　think。　How　did　you　catch　me？〃
　　
　　'~The　hard　way。　Once　I　knew　you　were　on　pla　I　stirred　things　up；　that　section　閔ief　wasn't　the　onlyj~nhappy　駘an~　But　you　disappeared　in　so　simple　a　tashion　that　you　baffled　the　entire　force。　My　security　chief　expressed　the　opinion　that　you　had　been　killed　and　your　body　disposed　of。　I　told　him　if
　　
　　…that　were　the　case；　he　had　better　start　thinking　about　oilpla　migration。〃　…　…
　　
　　…　〃Make　it　march！　1　want　to　know　how　I　goofed。〃
　　
　　…　〃I　would　not　say　that　you　goofed。　Lazarus；　since　you　managed　to　stay　hidden　with　every　cop　and　stoolie　on　this　globe
　　
　　looking　…　for　you。　But　I　felt　certain　that　you　had　not　been　killed。　Oh；　we　do　have　murders　on　Secundus；　especially　here　in　New…　Rome。　But　most　are　the　monplace　husband…wife　sort：　We　don't　have　many　for　gain　since　I　instituted　a　policy　of　making　the　punishment　fit　the　crime　and　holding　executions　in…　the　Colosseum。　ln　any　case　I　felt　certain　that　a　man　who　had　survived　…more　than　two　millennia　would　not　let　himself　be　killed　in　some　dark　alley。
　　
　　〃So　I　…　assumed　that　you　were　alive；　then　asked…　myself；。　'If　I　were　Lazarus　Long；　how　would　I　go　about　hiding？'　I　went　into　deep　meditation　and　thought　about　it。　Then　I　tried　to　retrace　your　steps；　so　far　as　we　knew　them。　By　the　way…〃
　　
　　The　Chairman　Pro　Tern　threw　back　his　shoulder　cloak；　took　out　a　large　sealed　envelope；　handed　it　to　Lazarus。…　〃Here　is　the　item　you　left　in　a　lockbox　at　Harriman　Trust。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　accepted　it。　〃It's　been　opened。〃
　　
　　〃By　me。　Prematurely；　I　admit…but　you　addressed　it　…&　me。　I　have　read　it　but　no　one　else　has。　And　now　I　will　forget　it。　Except　to　say　…　this：　I　am　unsurprised　that　you　left　your　wealth　…　to　the　Families　…　。　but　I　was　touched　that　you　assigned　your　yacht　to　the　personal　use　of　the　Chairman。　That's　a　…sweet　craft；　Lazarus；　I　lust　after　it　a　bit。　But　not　so　much　that　I　am　anxious　to　inherit　so　quickly。　But　I　undertook　to　explain　why　we　need　you…and　let　myself　get　sidetracked。？'
　　
　　…〃I'm　in　no　rush；　Ira。　Are　you？〃
　　
　　…　〃Me？　Sir；　1　have　no　duties　more　important　than　talking　with　the　Senior。　Besides；　my　staff…　runs　this　pla　more　efficiently　if　I　don't　supervise　them　too　closely。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　nodded　agreement。　〃That　was　always　my　system。　the　…　times　I　let　myself　get　involved。　Accept　the　whole　load；　then　shove　the　work　off　on　other　people　as　…fast　as　1　could　pick　'em。　Having　any　trouble　with　democrats　these　days？〃
　　
　　〃'Democrats'？　Oh…you　must　mean　'equllitarians。'　I　thought　at　first　you　meant　the　Church　of　the　Holy　Democrat~
　　
　　…We　leave　that　church　alone；　they　don't　meddle。　…　There　is　an　equalitarian　movement　every　few　years；　certainly；　under　various　names。　The　Freedom　Party；　the　League　of　the　Oppressed
　　
　　…names　don't　matter　as　they　all　want　to　turn　the　rascals　out；　starting　with　me；　and　put　their　own　rascals　in。　We　never　bother　them；　…we　simply　inifitrate；　then　some　night　we　round　up　the　ringleaders　and　their　families；　and　by　daylight　they　are　headed　out　as　involuntary　migrants。　Transportees。　'Living　on　Secundus　is　a　privilege；　not　a　right。'〃
　　
　　〃You're　quoting　me。〃
　　
　　〃Of　course。　Your　exact　words　from　the　contract　undet　which　you　deeded　Secundus　to　the　Foundation。　That　there　was…　to　be　no　government　on　this　pla　other　than　such　rules　as　the　current　chairman　found　necessary　to　maintain　order。　We've　stuck　to　our　agreement　with　you；　Senior；　I　am　sole　boss　until　the　Trustees　see　fit　to　replace　me。〃
　　
　　〃That's　what　I　intended；〃　Lazarus　agreed。　〃But…　Son；　it's　your　pidgin　and　I'll　never　touch　that　gavel　again…but　I　have　doubts　about　the　wisdom　of　getting　rid　of　troublemakers。　Every　loaf　needs　yeast。　A　society　that　gets　rid　of　all　its　troublemakers　goes　downhill。　Sheep。　Pyramid　builders　at　best；　decadent　savages　at　worst。　You　may　be　eliminating　your　creative　one…tenth　of　one　percent。　Your　yeast。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　afraid　we　are；　Senior；　and　that's　one　reason　why　we　need　you…〃
　　
　　〃I　said　I　won't　touch　that　gavel！〃　…
　　
　　〃Will　you　hear　me　out；　sir？　You　won't　be　asked　to