time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第50章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　
　　〃So　I'll　cook　and　help　you　farm…and　bake　babies。　When　I　have　three　I'll　open　'Mrs。　Smith's　Primary　School。'　Or　should　we　call　it　'Rangy　Lil's　Primary　School'？〃
　　
　　〃The　latter；　I　think。　For　young　bellions。　My　kids　are　always　hell…raisers；　Dora。　You'll　teach　school　with　a　club　in　your　hand。〃
　　
　　〃If　necessary；　Woodrow。　I've　got　some　like　that　now；　and　two　of　them　outweigh　me。　I　clobber　them　as　necessary。〃
　　
　　〃Dora；　we　don't　have　to　tackle　Hopeless　Pass。　We　could　leave　in　the　'Andy　J。'　and　go　to　Secundus。　Briggs　tells　me　that　there　are　ov？r　twenty　million　people　there　now。　You　could　have　a　nice　house。　Inside　plumbing。　A　flower　garden　instead　of　breaking　your　back　helping　me　to　make　a　farm。　A　good　hospital　with　real　doctors　when　you　'have　babies。　Safety　and　fort。〃
　　
　　〃'Secundus。'　That's　where　all　the…Howards　moved。　Isn't　it？〃
　　
　　〃Ab；out　two…thirds　of　them。　A　few　are　right　here；　as　I　told　you。　But　we　don't　admit　it　because　when　you　are　outnumbered；　it　is　neither　safe　nor　fortable　to　be　a　Howard。　Dora；　you　don't　have　to　make　up　your　mind　in　only　three　or　four　days~　That　ship　will　stay　in　orbit　here~　as　long　as　I　want　it　to。　Weeks。　Months。　As　long　as　I　order　it　to　stay。〃
　　
　　？〃Goodness！　You　can　afford　to　have　Captain　Briggs　hold　a　starship　in　orbit？　Just　to　let　me　make　up　my　mind？〃
　　
　　〃I　shouldn't　have　rushed　you。　But　it's　not　exactly　a　case　of　affording　it；　Dora…although　it　doesn't　cost　much　to　stay　in　orbit。　Uh　。　。　I've　kept　my　own　counsel　so　long　that　Fm　out　of　the　habit　of　being　a　married　man；　with　a　wife　I　can　trust　with　secrets；　I　must　stop　it。　I　own　sixty　percent　of　the　'Andy　J。'　Dora；　Zack　Bnggs　is　my　junior　partner。　And　my　son。　Your　stepson；　you　could　say。〃
　　
　　She　did　not　answer　at　once。　Presently　he　said；　〃What's　the　trouble；　Dora？。　Did　I　shock　you？'
　　
　　〃No；　Woodrow。　I'm　just　having　to　get　used　to　new　ideas。　Of　course　you've　been　married　before；　you're　a　Howard。　I'd　never　thought　about　it；　that's　all。　A　son…sons。　And　daughters；　too；　no　doubt。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　surely。　But　what　I　was　getting　at　is　that　I've　done　some　bad　planning…through　my　own　selfishness。　I　was　rushing　you　when　there　is　no　need　for　it。　If　we　stay　on　New　Beginnings；　I　want　'Ernest　Gibbons'　to　disappear…leave　in　the　'Andy　J。；'　that　is；　as　he　is　getting　too　old：！　can't　keep　it　up　much　longer。
　　
　　So　young　'Bill　Smith；'　who　is　much　nearer　your　age；　takes　his　place　。　。　which　looks　better　and　no　one　here　will　ever　suspect　that　I'm　a　Howard。
　　
　　〃I've　worked　this　shenanigan　many　times；　I　know　how　to　make　it　stand　up。　But　I　was　trying　to　get　rid　of　'Ernest　Gibbons'　as　fast　as　possible　because　he's　your　old　foster　uncle　who　is　about　three　times　your　age~　and　wouldn't　dream　of　patting　your　pretty　bottom；　nor　would　you　encourage　him'　to。　As　everybody　knows。　But　I　want　to　pat　your　pretty　bottom；　Dorable。〃
　　
　　〃And　I　w~nt　you　to　pat　it。〃　She　reined　up；　they　were　getting　close　to　where　houses　were　near　together。　〃And　more。　Woodrow；　you're　saying　that　we　can't　live　together　right　away　because　of　what　the　neighbors　might　think。　But　who　taught　me　never　to　care　what　the　neighbors　think？　You　did。〃
　　
　　〃True。　Although　sometimes　it's　expedient　to　make　the　neighbors　think　what　you　want　them　to　think　in　order　to　influence　what　they　do　and　say…and　this　might　be　such　a　time。　But　I　also　tried　to　teach　you　to　be　patient；　dear　one。〃
　　
　　〃Woodrow；　I　will　do　exactly　what　you　tell　me　to。　But　I'm　not　really　patient　about　this。　I　want　my　husband　in　my　bed！〃
　　
　　〃And　I　want　to　be　there。〃
　　
　　〃Then　what　does　it　'matter　if　people　assume　that　I　choose　to　tell　my　Uncle　Gibbie　good…bye　in　bed？　Or　that　I　then　go　away　with　a　new　settl~r　almost　at　once？　Woodrow；　you　didn't　say　a　word　about　it　at　the　time…but　you　knew　that　I　was　not　virgin；　I'm　certain。　Don't　you　think　there　must　be　others　who　know　it；　too？　Probably　the　whole　town。　I've　never　worried　about　it。　Why　should　I　worry　what　they　think　ww？〃
　　
　　〃Dora。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　W~odrow？〃
　　
　　〃I'll　be　in　your　bed　every　night；　that's　settled。〃
　　
　　〃Thank　you；　Woodrow。〃
　　
　　〃The　pleasure　is　mine；　madam。　Or　half　of　it；　at　least；　you　seem　to　enjoy　it；　too…〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　I　do！　And　you　know　it。　Or　should。〃
　　
　　〃So　stipulated；　let's　pass'　to　other　matters…except　to　say　that　had　I　found　you　virgin…big　as　you　are；　old　as　you　are…　it　would　have　worried　me　a　little；　and　I　might　have　felt　that　Helen　had　not　been　quite　the　wholesome　influence　that　I　thought　she　was。　That　she　was　indeed；　bless　her　heart！　The　matter　of　pretending　to　be　dear　old　'Uncle　Gibbie'　who　would　never　touch　little　Dora　was　purely　for　your　face；　since　it　does　not　worry　you；　let's　drop　it。　What　I　started　to　say　is　that　you
　　
　　can　take　as　long　as　you　like　in　deciding　？hether　to　pioneer　here　or　go　to　Secundus。　Dora；　Secundus　has　more'　than　inside　plumbing；　it　has　a　Rejuvenation　Clinic。〃
　　
　　〃Oh！　You　need　to　be　near　one；　Woodrow？〃
　　
　　〃No；　no！　For　you；　dear。〃
　　
　　She　was　very　slow　in　answering。　〃That　would　not　make　me
　　
　　a　Howard。〃'…
　　
　　〃Well；　no。　But　it　helps。　Rejuvenation　therapies　don't　make　Howards　last　forever；　either。　Some　people　are　helped　quite　a　lot　by　them；　some　are　not。　Maybe　someday　we'll　know　more…　but　now；　on　the　average；　rejuvenation　techniques　seem　to　about　double　whatever　a　person　could　expect　normally；　whether　~he's　a　Howard　。　。　or　not　a　Howard。　Uh；　do　you　know　anything　about　how　long　your　grandparents　lived？〃
　　
　　〃Hop　could　I；　Woodrow？　I　just　barely　remember　that　I　once　had　parents。　I　don't　even　know　the　names　of　my　grandparents。〃
　　
　　〃We　can　find　out。　The　ship　carries　records　of　every　migrant　who　takes　passage　in　her。　I'll　tell　Zack…Captain　Briggs…to　look　up　your　parents'　records。　Then…in　time；　for　it　will　take　'time…I　can　have　your　family　traced　on　Earth。　Then…〃
　　
　　〃No；　Woodrow。〃
　　
　　〃Why　not；　dear？〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　need　to　know；　1　don't　want　to　know。　Long　ago；　three　or　four　years　at　least；　shortly　after　I　figured　out　that　you　were　a　Howard；　I　also　figured　out　that　Howards　don't　really　live　any　longer　than　we　ordinaries　do。〃
　　
　　〃So？〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　We　all　have　the　past　and　the　present　and　the　future。　The　past　is　just　memory；　and　I　can't　remember　when　I　began；　I　can't　remember　when　I　wasn't。　Can　you？〃
　　
　　〃No。〃
　　
　　〃So　we're　even　on　that。　I　suppose　your　memories　are　richer；　you　are　older　than　I　am。　But　it's　past。　The　future？　It　hasn't　happened　yet；　and　nobody　knows。　'You　may　outlive　me　。　。　or　I　may　outlive　you。　Or　we　might　happen　to　be　killed　at　the　same　time。　We　can't　know　and　I　don't　want　to　know。　What　we　both　have　is　now　。　。　and　we　have　that　together　and　it　makes　me　utterly　happy。　Let's　get　these　mules　put　away　for　the　night　and　enjoy　some　now。〃
　　
　　〃Suits。〃　He　grinned　at　her。　'~E。F。；　or　F。F。？〃
　　
　　〃Both！〃
　　
　　〃That's　my　Dora！　Anything　worth　doing　is　worth　overdoing。〃
　　
　　〃And　doing　again。　But　just　a　moment；　dear。　You　told　…　me　that　Captain　Briggs　is　your　son；　and　consequently　my　stepson。　I　suppose　he　~s；　but　I　really　can't　think　of　him　as　such。　But…　and　you　needn't　answer　this；　we　agreed　not　to　quiz　each　other　about　our　pasts…〃
　　
　　〃Go　ahead　and　ask。　If　it　suits　me；　I'll　answer。〃
　　
　　第38节
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　I　can't　help　being　curious　about　Captain　Briggs'　mother。　Your　former　wife。〃
　　
　　〃Phyllis？　Phyllis　Briggs…Sperling　is　her　full　name。　What　do　you　want　to　knew　about　her；　dear？　Very　nice　girl。　Further　Deponent　Sayeth　Not。？No　invidious　parisons。〃
　　
　　〃I　guess　I'm　being　snoopy。〃
　　
　　〃Perhaps　you　are。　Not　that　I　mind；　and　it　can't　hurt　Phyllis。　Dear；　that　was　a　couple　of　centuries　ago；　forget　it。〃
　　
　　〃Oh。　She's　dead？〃
　　
　　…　〃Not　that　I　kn~；w　of。　Zack　would　know；　he's　been　to　Secundus　recently。　I　think　he　would　have　told　me。　But'　I　haven't　stayed　in　touch　with　her　since　she　divorced　me。〃
　　
　　〃Divorced　you？　A　woman　of　poor　taste！〃
　　
　　〃Dora；　Dora！　Phyllis　is　not　a　woman　of　poor　taste；　she　is　a　very　nice　girl。　I　had　dinner　with　her　and　her　husband　the　last　time　I　was　on　Secundus~　Zack　and　I　did；　I　mean…and　she　and　her　husband　had　gone　to　the　trouble　of　rounding　up　my　other　children　by　her；　those　who　were　on　pla；　and　some　of　my　other　relatives　and　made　it　a　family　party　for　me。　Thoughtful　of　her。　By　the　way；　she's　a　…　schoolmarm；　too。〃
　　
　　〃She　is？〃
　　
　　〃Yup。　Libby　Professor　of　Mathematics；　Howard　University；　New　Rome；　Secundus。　If　we　go　there；　we　can　look　her　up　and　you　can　decide　for　yourself　what　sort　of　person　she　is。〃
　　
　　Dora　did　not　answer。　She　kneed　Betty　and　started　on　down　the　street；　Beulah　pulled　abreast　without　being　told。　Buck　said；　〃Shupper　。　。　dime！〃　quite　emphatically；　and　trotted　on　ahead。
　　
　　〃Lazarus…〃　……
　　
　　〃Careful　with　that　name；　dear。〃
　　
　　〃No　one　can　hear　me。　Lazarus；　unless　you　insist　。　。　I　don't　want　to　live　on　Secundus。〃
　　
　　VARIATIONS　ON　A　THEME
　　
　　…XII
　　
　　The　Tale　of　the　Adopted　Daughter　（Continued）
　　
　　Separation　lay　far　behind。　For　three　weeks　the　little　train
　　
　　…two　wagons　in　tandem；　twelve　mules　hauling；　four　running　free…had　crawled　toward　Rampart　Range。　It　had　been　more　than　two　weeks　since　they　had　last　seen　a　house。　They　were　on　the　high　prairies　now；　and　for　several　days　the　gap　of　Hopeless　Pass　had　been　in　sight。
　　
　　Be~ides　sixteen　mules；　the　little　party　included　a　German　shepherd　bitch　and　a　younger　dog；　two　female　cats　and　a　torn；　a　fresh　milch　goat　with　two　kids　and　a　young　buck；　two　cocks　and　six　hens　of　the　hardy　Mrs。　Awkins　variety；　a　freshly　bred　sow；　and　Dora　and　Woodrow　Smith。
　　
　　The　sow　had　tested　pregnant　at　New　Pittsburgh　before　Smith　paid　for　her；　test　conducted　by　Smith　himself…and　Mrs。　Smith　had　tested　pregnant；　too；　while　still　at　Top　Dollar　and　before　Smith　cleared　Starship　Andy　I。　to　leave　orbit；　for　（Smith　had　not　found　it　necessary　to　tell　his　wife　this）　if　Dora　had　not　tested　pregnant；　the　ship　would　have　waited　while　they　tried　again…then　if　she　had　still　tested　negative；　he　would　have　changed　plans　and　taken　her　to　Secundus；　there　to　find　out　why　and；　if　possible；　to　correct　it。
　　
　　In　Smith's　opinion　as　a　professional　pioneer；　it　was　not　only　pointless　but　disastrously　foolhardy　to　attempt　singlecouple　pioneering　out　of　reach　of　other　people　with　an　infertile　woman…or　a　couple　infertile　with　each　other；　he　corrected　in　his　mind；　as　his　own　fertility　had　not　been　put　to　the　ultimate　test　for　fifty…odd　years。　While　he　was　about　it；　he　had　looked　up　physical　records　of　Dora's　parents　in　Krausmeye？s　ill…kept　files；　found　nothing　to　worry　him…　and　it　had　indeed　worried　him；　as　he　would　not　have　been　able　to　cope　even　with　anything　'as　simple　as　an　Rh…factor　inpatibility　a　long　way　from　nowhere。
　　
　　But　within　the　limited　medical　resources　of　colony　and　ship；　the　board　showed　all　green；　and　it　seemed　likely　to　him
　　
　　that　Dora　had　bee　pregnant　about　twenty　minutes　after　their　informa（　muleback　wedding。
　　
　　The　thought　had　passed　through　his　mind　that　Dora　might　have　been　pregnant　even　sooner…but　the　thought　was　merely　an　amusing　whimsy　that　bothered　him　not　at　all。　Smith　felt　certain　that　he　had　had　the　Cuckoo　in　his　nest　more　than　once　over　the　centuries；　he　had　been　especially　careful　to　be　'a　loving　father　to　such　children　and　had　kept　his　mouth　shut。　He　believed　in　letting　women　lie　all　they　needed　to；　and　never　taxing　them　with　it。　But　he　believed　also　that　Dora　was　incapable　of　this　sort　of　lie。　If　Dora　had　been　pregnant　and　aware　of　it；　she　might　have　asked　to　be　allowed　to　say　good…bye　to　him　on　her　back…but　she　would　have　asked　for　exa'…tly　that。　Not　for　a　child。
　　
　　No　matter…　If　the　darling　had　made　a　mistake　earlier　and　did　not　know　it；　he　felt　sure　that　she　would　nevertheless　have　a　superior　baby。　She　was　clearly　superior　stock　herself
　　
　　…he　wished　he　had　known　the　Brandons；　they　must　have　been　ichiban…and　'their　daughter　was；　as　Helen　had　once　said；　〃choosy。〃　Dora　would　not　bed　with　an　oaf　even　for　fun；　because；　being　what　she　was；　she　would　not　find　it　fun。　Smith　was　sure　that　it　would　take　rape　to　put　an　inferior　child　into　Dora…and　the　rapist　might　sing　soprano　the　rest　of　his　days；　her　Uncle　Gibbie　had　taught　her　some　dirty　tricks。
　　
　　The　pregnant　sow　was　Smith's　〃calendar。〃　If　they　failed　to　reach　a　spot　suitable　for　homesteading　by　the　time　that　sow　littered；　then　they　turned　back　'that　very　day…no　hesitation；　no　regrets…as　that　would　leave　them　just　balf　of　Dora's　pregnancy　to　get　them　back　to　Separation　and　other　people。
　　
　　The　sow　rode　in　the　back　end　of　the　second　wagon；　with　a　sling　to　keep　her　from　falling　down。　The　dogs　trotted　under　the　wagons　or　ranged　aside；　warning　of　lopers　or　other　hazards。　The　cats　did　as　they　pleased；　as　cats　do；　walking　or　riding　as　suited　them。　The　nanny　and　billy　goats　stayed　close　to　the　wheel　pair；　the　two　kids　were　large　enough　to　skitter　along　most　of　the　time　but　were　privileged　to　ride　when　they　tired…a　loud　Me…e…e…eh　from　the　mother　goat　would　cause　Smith　to　swing　down　and　hand　the　tired　baby　up　to　Dora。　The　chickens　plained　in　adouble　cage　over　the　sow's　pen。　The　mules　run