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l Lord Nelson would have envied； and the rest as fancy as any grand master of a lodge。
I preached 'em a sermon loaded with solemn amphigory most of it lifted from the only church they knew； the established religion of Blessed…easy for me； having been a priest there myself…but I added all sorts of things； telling her what she owed him； telling him what he owed her； telling them both what they owed the child in her belly and the other children they would have…and tacked on； for both but primarily for her； a warning that marriage was not easy； not to be entered into lightly； because there would be troubles they must face together； grave troubles that would require the courage of the Cowardly Lion； the wisdom of the Scarecrow； the loving heart of the Tin Woodsman； and the indomitable gallantry of Dorothy。
That got her to weeping； so Joe started to drip tears…which was just what I wanted； so I had 'em kneel and prayed over them。
Minerva； I make no apology for hypocrisy。 I didn't care whether some hypothetical God heard me or not； I wanted Llita and Joe to hear it…first in that jargon of Blessed； then in English and Galacta； then topped it off by intoning as many lines of the Aeneid as I could remember。 When I got stuck I closed with a schoolboy song：
第25节
Omme bene
Sine poena； …
Tempus est ludendi；
…Venit hora
Absque mora；
Libros deponendi！*
…and ended with a resounding 〃So mote it be！〃 Had 'em stand； take each other's hands； and declared that； by the supreme authority vested in me as master of a vessel in space； they were now and forever husband and wife…kiss her； Joe。
All to a muted background of Beethoven's Ninth… That doggerel got in by accident when I had run out of 〃punishment lines〃 of Virgil and needed a few more impressive sounds。 But when I thought about it later； I saw that it translated as appropriately for their honeymoon as for a school holiday。 All was indeed well； now that I knew that this joining of siblings could take place sine poena…without fear of geic punishment。 And ludendi translates as 〃amorous play〃 or 〃Eros〃 as readily as 〃gambling〃 or 〃children's play〃 or any other frolic。 And I had declared a four…day ship's holiday； no work for them； no study hours…libros deponendi…starting at once。 Sheer accident； Minerva。 It was simply a bit of Latin verse that came into my head…and Latin is majestic； especially when you don't understand it。
We had a fancy supper； cooked by me； that lasted about
* Alliswell
Without punishment；
The time is for playing；
es the hour
Without delay
For laying （school） books down。
Purists will see that the Senior gave this jingle a poor translation。 But one wonders why he did not continue in the same vein with the cheerfully bawdy triple pun available in the last line by substituting 〃liberos〃 for 〃libros〃？ That he could have missed it seems out of character。 Our Ancestor's capric disposition is everywhere evident； his occasional professions of asceticism have at best a hollow ring。
*** J。F。 45th***
ten minutes…for them。' Llita could not eat； and Joe reminded me of Johnny's wedding…night and why his mother…in…law fainted。 So I piled a tray with tasty rations and handed it to Joe； and told 'em to get lost； I didn't want to see hide n' hair of 'em for four days…s
（Omitted）
…on to Landfall as fast as I could pick a cargo。 I could not leave them on Valhalla； Josie was not yet able to support a family； and Llita was going to be limited in what she could do； either pregnant or with a new baby。 Nor would I be on hand to pick 'em up if they fell down； they had to go to Landfall。
Oh； Llita could have survived on Valhalla； because there they have the healthy attitude that a pregnant woman is prettier than the other sort and that the farther along she is； the more beautiful she is…true in my opinion and especially true in Llita's case。 She had been passable when I bought her； when we grounded at Valhalla； she was almost five months gone and radiantly beautiful。 If she went dirtside unescorted； the first six men she encountered would want to marry her。 If she had had one on her back as well as one in her belly； she could have married well the day we arrived； fertility was respected there and the pla wasn't half filled up。
I didn't think she would jilt Joe that quickly； but I did not want her head turned by too much male attention。 I did not want to risk even an outside chance that Llita might leave him for some wealthy bourgeois or freeholder； I had gone to much trouble to build up Joe's ego； but it was still fragile and such a blow could kill it。 He was standing tall and proud now…but his pride was based on being a married man； with a wife； and a child on the way。 Did I mention that I had given them one of my names on their marriage certificate？ They were now Friherr og Fru Lang； Josef og Stjerne； for the duration of our stay on Valhalla； and I wanted them to remain Mr。 and Mrs。 Long for some years at least。
Minerva； I had them take lifetime vows never believing that they would keep them。 Oh； ephemerals often stay married for life； but as for the rest…you don't find feathers on frogs very often； and Llita was a na飗e； friendly； sexy little tart whose short heels would cause her to trip and land with her legs open without planning it…I could see it ing。 I did not want it to happen before I had a chance to indoctrinate Joe。 Horns need not give a man a headache。 But he does need time to grow up and mellow and acquire self…confidence before he can wear them with tolerance and dignity…and Llita was
just the girl who could outfit him with a fine rack of antlers。 I got him a job； pearl diver and handyman in a small gourmet restaurant； with a side arrangement for pay…me's to the chef for every Valhalla dish Joe learned to cook correctly。 In the meantime I kept her aboard on the excuse that a pregnant woman could not risk the nasty weather until I could get her proper clothing…and don't bother me now； dear； I've got cargo to worry about。
She took it well enough； pouting just a little。 She didn't like Valhalla anyhow； it has one…and…a…seventh gee and I had got them used to the luxury of free…fall……easy on her swelling belly； no strain on her arches or her swelling tits。 Now she suddenly found herself much heavier than she had ever been； awkward； and with unhappy feet。 What she could see of Valhalla from the entrance lock looked like a frozen slice of hell； she was pleased by my offer to take them on to Landfall。
Still； Valhalla was the only new place she had ever been； she wanted to see it。 I stalled while I got cargo unloaded； then took her measurements and got her one warm outfit in local style…but I played her a dirty trick； I fetched back three pairs of boots and let her take her choice。 Two pairs were plain work boots； the third pair was gaudy…and half a size too small。
So when I did take her groundside； she was wearing too…tight boots； and the weather was unusually cold and blustery…I had watched the predictions。 Torheim is pretty in spots； as skyport cities go…but I avoided those parts and took her 〃sightseeing〃 in dull neighborhoods…on foot。 By the time I flagged a sleigh and took her back to the ship； she was miserable； and glad to get out of unfortable clothes； especially the boots； and into a hot bath。
I offered to take her into town next day but left her free to refuse。 She declined politely。
（Omitted）
…not quite that bad； Minerva； I simply wanted to keep her in purdah without arousing her suspicions。 Actually I had bought two pairs of those gaudy boots； one pair her correct size…and switched them on her at the end of that first day； while she was soaking her poor tired feet。 Later I suggested that her trouble had been that she had never worn shoes or boots in her life…so why not wear them around the ship until she got the hang of it？
So she did and was surprised at how easy it was。 I explained with a straight face that her feet had swelled the first time；so take it easy； an hour today； a little more each day； until she felt fortable in them all day long。 In a week she was wearing them even if she wore nothing else； she was more fortable in them than barefooted…not surprising as they were arch…support footwear I had picked most carefully… between pregnancy and the difference in surface gravity of the two plas…point niy…five gee for her home pla； one point fourteen for Valhalla…she weighed about twenty kilos more than she ever had in her life； she needed contoured foot supports。
I had to caution her not to wear them to bed。
I took her to town a couple of times while I was selecting cargo； but I coddled her…not much walking or standing around。 She came along when I invited her but was always willing to stay aboard and read。
In the meantime Joe worked long hours； only one day off in seven。 So just before we left； I had him quit his job and I took my kids on a proper holiday； a sleigh hired for the day； with reindeer instead of power； sightseeing that was truly sightseeing on a clear； sunny day that was almost warm； lunch in the country at a fine restaurant with a view of snowcovered crags of Jotunheimen range； dinner at a still finer restaurant in the city； one with live music and entertaimnent as well as superb food…and a stop for tea at the little gourmet spot where Joe had labored so that he could be addressed as 〃Friherr Lang〃 by our host； instead of 〃Hey； you！〃…and have a chance to show off his beautiful； bulging bride。
And beautiful she was； Minerva。 On Valhalla both sexes wear； under heavy outdoor clothes； indoor clothes that are essentially pajamas。 The difference between those worn by women and by men lies in material； cut； and such。 I had bought one party outfit for each of them。 Joe looked smart and so did I； but all eyes were on Llita。 She was covered from shoulders to boots…but only technically。 The cloth of that harem outfit shimmered with changing lights； orange and green and gold； without obstructing the view。 Anyone who cared to look could see that her nipples were crinkled with excitement…and everyone cared to look。 That she clearly had only a couple of months to go gave her a large bonus vote toward？being picked as 〃Miss Valhalla。〃
She looked grand and knew it； and her face showed her happiness。 She was self…confident； too； as I had coached her in local table manners； and how to stand and how to sit and how to behave and such； and she had already got through lunch without a bobble。
It was all right to let her display herself and enjoy the silent； or sometimes not silent； applause； not only were we leaving right away； but also Joe and I had our knives in sight in our boot tops。 True； Joe was no knife fighter。 But the wolves there didn't know that； and not one was inclined to bother our beautiful bitch when she was flanked by wolves of her own。
*** Proofer's note ： I assume something is missing here ？***
…early next morning despite a short night。 We loaded all day long； with Lilta handling manifests and Joe checking numbers while I made sure I wasn't being robbed。 Late that night I had us in n…space； with my pilot puter sniffing out the last decimal places for the first leg to Landfall。 I set the gravistat to bring us slowly down from Valhalla surface normal to a fortable quarter gee…no more free…fall until Llita had her baby…then locked the control room and headed down to my cabin； stinking and tired and trying to kid myself that tomorrow was soon enough for a bath。
Their door was open…their bedroom door； the room that had been Joe's before I turned their rooms into a suite。 Door open and them in bed…they had never done that before。
I soon learned why。 They piled out of bed and paddled toward me； they wanted me to join their fun…they wanted to thank me 。 。 for that party day； for buying them； for everything else。 His idea？ Hers？ Both？ I didn't try to find out； I just thanked them and told them that I was whipped to the