time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第41章

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Joe　were　with　theirs。　Skyhaven　didn't　e　to　me　gift…wrapped。
　　
　　〃It　wasn't　until　we　put　aside　restaurant　business　and　I　got　out　presents　Laura　had　sent　to　their　kids；　and　had　admired　the　latest　pictures　of　their　kids　and　shown　them　pictures　of　Laura　and　my　kids　and　all　that　ancient　ritual；　that　I　thought　about　it　at　all。　The　pix；　of　course。　This　tall　lad；　J。A。；　all　hands　and　feet；　wasn't　the　little　boy　I　recalled　from　my　last　visit。　Libby　was　about　a　year　younger　than　Laura's　oldest；　and　J。A。's　age　I　knew　to　the　second…which　is　to　say　that　he　was　about　the　age　I　was　when　I　was　almost　caught　with　a　girl　in　the　belfry　of　our　church　about　a　thousand　years　earlier。
　　
　　〃My　godson　was　no　longer　a　child；　he　was　an　adolescent　whose　balls　were　not　just　ornaments。　If　he　had　not　tried　them　as　yet；　he　was　certainly　jerking　off　and　thinking　about　it。
　　
　　〃The　possibilities　raced　through　my　mind　the　way　a　man's　past　life　is　supposed　to；　when　he　is　dying…which　isn't　true；　by　the　way。　So　I　tackled　it　and　was　subtle　about　it。　Diplomatic。
　　
　　〃I　said；　'Joe；　which　one　do　you　lock　up　at　night？　Libby？　Or　this　young　wolf？'〃
　　
　　The　puter　chuckled。　〃'Diplomatic；'〃　she　repeated。
　　
　　〃How　would　you　have　put　it；　dear？　They　looked　puzzled。　When　I　made　it　clear；　Llita　was　indignant。　Deprive　her　kids　of　each　other？　When　they　had　slept　together　since　they　were　babies？　Besides；　there　wasn't　room　any　other　way。　Or　was　I　suggesting　that　she　sleep　with　Libby　while　J。A。　slept　with　Joe？　If　so；　I　could　forget　it！
　　
　　〃Minerva；　most　people　never　learn　anything　about　any　science；　and　geics　stands　at　the　bottom　of　the　list。　Gregor　Mendel　had　been　dead　twelve　centuries　at　that　time；　yet　all　theold　wives'　tale　were　what　most　people　believed…and　still　do；　I　might　add。
　　
　　〃So　I　tried　to　explain；　knowing。that　Llita　and　Joe　weren't　stupid；　just　ignorant。　She　cut　in　on　me。　'Yes；　yes；　Aaron；　certainly。　I've　thought　about　the　possibility　that　Libby；　may　want　to　marry　Jay　Aaron…will　want　to；I　think…and　I　know　it's　frowned　on　here。　But　it's　silly　to　ruin　their　happiness　over　a　superstition。　So；　if　it　works　out　that　way；　we　think　it's　best　for　them　to　move　to　Colombo…or　at　least　as　far　as　Kingston。
　　
　　Then　they　can　use　different　family　names　and　get　married；　and　no　one　will　be　the　wiser。　Not　that　we　want　them　to　be　so　far　away。　But　we　won't　stand　in　the　way　of　their　happiness。
　　
　　〃She　loved　them；〃　said　Minerva。
　　
　　〃Yes；　she　did；　dear；　by　the　exact　definition　of　love。　Llita　placed　their　welfare　and　happiness　ahead　of　her　own。　So　I　had　to　try　to　explain　it…why　the　taboo　against　union　of　brother　and　sister　wasn't　superstition　but　a　real　danger…even　though　it　had　turned　out　to　be　safe　in　their　case。
　　
　　〃'Why'　was　the　hard　part。　Starting　cold　on　the　plexities　of　geics　with　persons　who　don't　even　know　elementary　biology　is　like　trying　to　explain　multidimensional　matrix　algebra　to　someone　who　has　to　take　off　his　shoes　to　count　above　ten。
　　
　　〃Joe　would　have　accepted　my　authority。　But　Llita　had　the　sort　of　mind　that　has　to　know　why…else　she　was　going　to　smile　her　sweetly　stubborn　smile；　agree　with　me；　then　do　as　she　had　intended　to　all　along。　Llita　was　well　above　average　smart　but　suffered　from　the　democratic　fallacy：　the　notion　that　her　opinion　was　as　good　as　anyone's…while　Joe　suffered　from　the　aristocratic　fallacy：　he　accepted　the　notion　of　authority　in　opinion。　I　don't　know　which　fallacy　is　the　more　pathetic；　either　one　can　trip　you。　However；　my　mind　matches　Llita's　in　this　respect；　so　I　knew　I　had　to　convince　her~
　　
　　〃Minerva；　how　do　you　condense　a　thousand　years　of　research　in　the　second…most　plex　subject　into　an　hour　of　talk？　Llita　didn't　even　know　she　laid　eggs…in　fact　she　was　certain　she　didn't；　as　she　had　served　thousands　of　eggs；　fried；　scrambled；　boiled；　and　so　forth。　But　she　listened；　and　I　sweated　at　it；　with　nothing　but　stylus　and　paper…when　I　needed　the　resources　of　a　teaching　machine　in　a　college　of　geics。
　　
　　〃But　I　kep？　at　it；　drawing　pictures　and　simplifying　outrageously　some　very　plex　concepts；　until　I　thought　they　had　grasped　the　ideas　of　genes；　chromosomes；　chromosome　reduction；　paired　genes；　dominants；　recessives…and　that　bad　genes　made　defective　babies…and　defective　babies；　thank　Frigg　under　all　Her　many　Names；　was　something　Llita　had　known　about　since　she　was　a　little　girl；　listening　to　gossip　of
　　
　　older　female　slaves。　She　quit　smiling。
　　
　　〃I　asked　if　they　had　playing　cards？…not　hopefully　since　they　had　no　time　for　such。　But　Llita　dug　up　a　couple　of　decks　from　the　children's　room。　The　cards　were　the　monest　sort　used　on　Landfall　then：　fifty…six　cards　in　four　suits；　Jewels　and　Hearts　were　red；　Spades　and　Swords　were　black；　and　each　suit　had　royal　cards。　So　I　had　'em　play　the　oldest　randomchance　gene…matching　simulation　used　in　beginning　geics…　the　'Let's…Make…a…Healthy…Baby'　game　that　children　here　on　Secundus　can　play…and　explain…long　before　they　are　old　enough　to　copulate。
　　
　　〃I　said；　'Llita；　write　down　these　rules。　Black　cards　are　recessives；　red　cards　are　dominants；　Jewels　and　Spades　e　from　the　mother；　Hearts　and　Swords　e　from　the　father。　A　black　ace　is　a　lethal　gene；　reinforced　the　baby　is　stillborn。　A　black　empress　reinforced　gives　us　a　'blue　baby'…needs　surgery　to　stay　alive…'　And　so　on；　Minerva；　except　that　I　set　the　rules　for　a　'hit'…a　bad　reinforcement…so　that　they　were　four　times　as　probable　for　brother　and　sister　as　for　strangers；　and　explained　why…and　then　made　them　keep　records　for　twenty　games　played　by　each　set　of　rules　for　shuffling　and　matching；　reduction　and　rebination。
　　
　　〃Minerva；　it　was　not　as　good　a　structural　analogy　as　the　'Make…a…Healthy…Baby'　kindergarten　games；　but　using　two　decks　with　different　back　patterns　did　enable　me　to　set　up　degrees　of　consanguinity。　Llita　was　simply　intent　at　first…then　started　looking　grim　the　first　time　the　turn　of　the　cards　caused　a　black　to　reinforce　a　black。
　　
　　〃But　when　we　played　by　brother…and…sister　rules；　and　she　dealt　the　cards　and　twice　in　a　row　got　the　Ace　of　Spades　matched　with　the　Ace　of　Swords　for　a　dead　baby；　she　stopped。　She　turned　pale　and　looked　at　them。　Then　said　slowly；　with　horror　in　her　voice：　'Aaron　。　。　does　this　mean　that　we　must　lock　Libby　into　a　virgin's　basket？　Oh；　no！
　　
　　〃I　told　her　gently　that　it　wasn't　that　bad。　Little　Libby　would　never　be　locked　up　that　way　or　any　way…we'd　work　it　out　so　that　the　children　would　not　marry　and　so　that　J。A。　would　not　give　his　sister　a　baby　even　by　accident。　'Quit　worrying；　dear！'
　　
　　The　puter　said；　〃Lazarus；　what　method　did　you　use　to　cheat　in　those　card　games？　May　I　ask？〃
　　
　　〃Why；　Minerva；　how　could　you　think　such　a　thing？'
　　
　　〃I　withdraw　the　question；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃Of　course　I　cheated！　All　sorts　of　ways。　I　said　those　two　had　never　had　time　to　play　cards　。　。　whereas　I　had　played　with　every　sort　of　a　deck　and　by　endless　rules。　Minerva；　I　won　my　first　oil　well　from　a　boy　who　made　the　mistake　of　putting　readers　into　a　game。　Dear；　I　had　Llita　deal…but　from　a　deck　so　cold　it　almost　froze　solid。　I　used　all　sorts　of　things…false　cut；　whorehouse　cut；　tops　and　bottoms；　stacking　the　deck　in　front　of　their　eyes。　There　wasn't　any　money　on　the　game；　I　simply　had　to　convince　them　that　inbreeding　was　for　stock；　not　for　their　beloved　children…and　I　did。〃
　　
　　（Omitted）
　　
　　〃'…your　bedroom　here；　Llita；　yours　and　Joe's；　I　mean。　Libby's　room　adjoins　yours；　while　J。A。　winds　up　down　the　hall。　How　you　reshuffle　later　depends　on　the　sex　of　the　baby　you　are　going　to　have　and　on　how　many　more　you　choose　to　have　and　when…but　putting　a　crib　in　with　Libby　must　be　considered　temporary；　you　can't　figure　on　using　it　indefinitely　as　an　excuse　to　keep　an　eye　on　her。
　　
　　〃'But　this　is　merely　a　stopgap；　like　not　leaving　the　cat　alone　with　the　roast。　Kids　are　slick　at　beating　such　arrangements；　and　nobody　has　ever　been　able　to　keep　a　girl　off　her　back　when　she　decides　it's　time。　When　she　decides…that's　the　key　to　the　matter。　So　our　pressing　problem　is　to　get　these　children　into　separate　beds…then　to　see　to　it　that　Libby；　does　not　make　a　bad　de？ision。　Any　reason　Libby　can't　go　with　me　to　Skyhaven　and　visit　Pattycake？　And　how　about　J。A。；　Joe；　can　you　get　along　without　him　a　while？　Lots　of　room；　dears。　Libby　can　room　with　Pattycake；　and　J。A。　can　bunk　with　George　and　Woodrow　and　maybe　teach　'em　manners。'
　　
　　〃Llita　said　something　about　imposing　on　Laura；　Minerva；　which　I　answered　with　a　rude　negative。　'Laura　likes　kids；　dear；　she　is　one　ahead　of　you；　yet　she　started　a　year　later。　She　doesn't　keep　house；　she　simply　bosses　her　staff；　she's　never　had　to　work　harder　than　suited　her。　Furthermore；　she　wants　all　of　you　to　pay　us　a　visit…an　invitation　I　heartily　second；　but　I　don't　think　you　two　can　get　away　until　we　find　a　buyer　for　this　place。　But　I　want　Libby　and　J。A。　now…so　that　I　can　give　them　blunt　and　practical　instruction　in　geics；　using　stock　I've　been　inbreeding　to　show　what　I　mean。'
　　
　　〃Minerva；　this　particular　breeding　schedule　I　had　started　to　teach　my　own　offspring　the　bald　truth　about　geics；　with　careful　records　and　grisly　photographs　of　bad　culls。　Since　you　manage　a　pla　which　has　over　niy　percent　Howards　and　the　remaining　mixed　fraction　mostly　following　Howard　customs；　you　may　not　know　that　non…Howard　cultures　don't　necessarily　teach　such　things　to　their　kids　even　in　cultures　open　about　sex。
　　
　　〃Landfall　was　then　mostly　short…lifers；　only　a　few　thousand　Howards…and　to　avoid　friction　we　did　not　advertise　our　presence　even　though　it　wasn't　a　secret…couldn't　be；　the　pla　had　a　Howard　Clinic。　But　with　Skyhaven　a　Daniel…Boone　distance　from　the　nearest　big　town；　if　Laura　and　I　wanted　our　children　to　have　a　Howard…style　education；　we　had　to　teach　them　ourselves。　So　we　did。
　　
　　〃When　I　was　a　kid；　the　grownups　of　my　home　country　tried　to　pretend　to　kids　that　sex　did　not　exist…believe　it　if　you　can！　Not　true　of　the　little　hellions　Laura　and　I　raised。　They　had　not　seen　human　copulation…I　don't　think　they　had…because　it　puts　me　off　stride　to　have　spectators。　But　they　had　seen　it　in　other　animals　and　had　bred　pets　and　kept　records。　The　older　two；　Pattycake　and　George；　had　seen　the　birth　of　our　youngest　of　the　time　because　Laura　had　invited　them　to　watch。　This　I　strongly　approve　of；　Minerva；　but　I　have　never　urged　one　of　my　wives　to　permit　it　because　I　figure　that　a　woman　in　labor　should　be　indulged　in　every　possible　way。　However；　Laura　had　a　streak　of　exhibitionism　in　her　makeup。
　　
　　〃Anyhow；　our　kids　could　discuss　chromosome　reduction　and　the　merits　and　demerits　of　linebreeding　as　knowledgeably　as　my　own　contemporaries　when　I　was　a　kid　could　discuss　the　World　Series…〃
　　
　　〃Excuse　me；　Lazarus…that　last　term's　referent？〃
　　
　　〃Oh。　Nothing　important。　One　of　the　mercially　induced　surrogate　interests　of　my　childhood。　Forget　it　dear；　it　is　not　worth　cluttering　your　memories。　I　was　about　to　say　I　asked　Joe　and　Uita　what　J。A。　and　Libby　knew　about　sexual　matters
　　
　　…since　Landfall　had　so　diversified　a　background　that　it　could　be　anything　and　I　wanted　to　know　where　to　start…especially　as　my　oldest；　Pattycake；　had　turned　twelve　and　reached　menarche　at　the　same　time　and　was　smug　about　it；　likely　to　boast。
　　
　　〃Turned　out　that　Libby　and　J。A。　were　sophisticated　in　an　ignorant；　unscientific　fashion　about　matching　their　parents。　They　were　one　up　on　my　kids　in　one　respect：　copulation　they　had　seen　from　birth；　at　least　to　the　time　Estelle's　Kitchen　had　moved　uptown…which　I　should　have　figured　out　from　recalling　the　still　more　cramped　living　quarters　of　the　original　Estelle's　Kitchen。〃
　　
　　第28节
　　
　　（7；200　words　omitted）
　　
　　〃Laura　was　sharp　with　me　and　insisted　that　I　not　see　them　until　I　calmed　down。　She　pointed　out　that　Pattycake　was　almost　as　old　as　J。A。；　that　it　was　nothing　but　play　as　Pattycake　had　had　her　four…year　sterilization　after　menarche；　and　that；　in　any　event；　Pattycake　had　been　on　top。
　　
　　〃Minerva；　I　would　not　have　spanked　the　kids　no　matter　who　had　been　on　top。　Intellectually　I　knew　that　Laura　was　right；　and　I　had　to　agree　that　fathers　tend　to　be　possessive　about　daughters。　I　was　pleased　that　Laura　had　gained　the　confidence　of　both　kids　so　fully　that　they　had　neither　tried　very　hard　to　keep　from　being　caught；　nor　had　they　been　scared　when　she　happened…　to　catch　'em　at　it。　Perhaps　J。A。　was　scared　but　Pattycake　just　said；　'Mama；　you　didn't　knock。'〃
　　
　　（Omitted）
　　
　　〃…so　we　traded　sons。　J。A。　liked　farm　life　and　never　did　leave　us；　whereas　George　turned　out　to　have　this　perverse　taste　for　cities；　so　Joe　took　him　on　and　made　a　chef　out　of　him。　George　was　sleeping　with　Elizabeth…Libby；　that　is…I　forget　how　long　before　they　decided　to　hatch　one　and　were　married。　A　double　wedding；　the　four　youngsters　remained　close。
　　
　　〃But　J。A。's　decision　solved　a　problem　for　me：　what　to　do　with　Skyhaven　later。　By　the　time　Laura　decided　to　leave　me；　all　of　my　sons　by　her　had　heard　the　wild　goose　one　way　or　another；　George　was　the　only　one　still　on　pla；　and　our　daughters　were　married　and　not　one　of　them　to　a　farmer。　Whereas　J。A。　had　bee　my　overseer　and　was　de　facto　boss　of　Skyhaven　the　last　ten　years　I　was　there。