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！
high you wouldn't believe it…yet so modest she's almost humble。
〃But still； it's Tamara。 Your fate was settled before you reached this house。 Slow ride home； wasn't it？〃
〃Well 。 。 one doesn't expect speed from a nuilboat。 Though I was~ surprised to find one in a young colony。 I expected muledrawn wagons。〃
〃Lots of those； too。 But Lazarus says that this time h'e traveled with 'seven elephants'…we fetched a mammoth amount of equipment。 That's an overpowered nullboat； rebuilt to Lazarus' specifications； and could have fetched you here in a fifth the time it did。 But Ira let Lazarus； know that he wanted time to make some calls。 So Lazarus probably told whichever twin was in charge…or signaled her somehow； he is almost telepathic with them…to give you a long； slow ride。 Which you got； and I bet that Laz and Lor never changed expression。〃
〃They didn't。〃
〃Was sure of it。 They are not children…you should see them handle a spaceship。 Anyhow； Ira talked to Ishtar； then to Tamara； then we held a family conference and settled your fate。 Lazarus confirmed it while you played with the twins… who were given a chance to veto it later。 But they ratified it at once。 They not only like you； but Aunt Tammy's wishes are law。〃
I was still bemused。 〃Apparently much went on tha~ I didn't suspect。〃
〃You weren't supposed to。 A better cook would have stayed to get your breakfast； had I not been deputized to tell you… old friends and all that…and to answer questions。〃
〃I'm confused about that conference。 I thought Tamara got home just before dinner。〃
〃She did。 Oh… Athene； are you listening； dear？〃
〃Uncle Cuddly； you know I don't listen to private conversations。〃
〃The hell you don't。 It'll be all right； Justin； Teena keeps secrets。 Tell him how to call someone； Teena。〃
〃Tell me to whom you wish to speak； Justin； I have radio links to every farm。 Or anywhere。 And I can always reach Ira and Lazarus。〃
〃Thank you； Teena。 Now if you must listen； pretend not to。 The conference was here； Justin； ；Teena fetched in Tamara's voice and Ira's。 Could have fetched voices from the nullboat… but you were the subject。 By the way； Teena is one reason this family isn't farming；？instead we supply services that colonies usually don't have so soon。 Oh； you can farm if you want to； we've claimed quite a bit of land。 Or there are other ways to
make a living。 All right； I've done my besL e？〃
〃Galahad； I think I understand everything but why Tamara Wants me In your family。〃
〃You'll have to ask her。 I told you I was checking for your halo。 Can't see it。〃
〃I don't wear it in hot weather。 Obadiah； don't farce around； this is terribly important to me。 Why do you keep saying that Tam ara's wishes settled it？〃
〃You know her； man。〃
〃I know how important her wishes are to me。 But I've been in love with her for many years。〃 I told him things I had long kept to nlyself。 〃So that's the way it went。 A great hetaera never proposes a contract and usually won't listen if a man is bold enough to propose one himself。 But I… well； I made a nuisance of myself。 Tamara finally convinced me that the married only to have children and did not intend to have more。 I feel sure that money was not a factor…〃
〃It wouldn't be。 Oh； I don't mean that Tamara is silly that way； I've heard her say that since money is the universal symbol for value received； one should accept it proudly。 But Tamara wouldn't marry for money； she wouldn't feel that… Or perhaps'she would； I think I'll ask her。 Mm 。 。 interesting。 Our Tamara is a plex person。 Sorry； dear； I interrupted。〃
〃I say money was not the controlling factor； as she had suitors with ten to a hundred times my modest wealth； yet she married none of them。 So I shut up and was content to have part of Tamara…spend nights with her when I was permitted to； share her pany in happiness circles at other times； pay her as much as I could…as much as she would accept； I mean； she often set her fee by refusing part of a gift…she did with me； I don't know what she did with wealthy clients。
〃Years and years of that； then she announced that she was retiring…and I was stunned。 I had taken rejuvenation during this time but hadn't noticed that she was any older。 But she wa~ firm about it and left New Rome。
〃Galahad； it left me impotent。 Oh； not incapable； but what had been ecstasy turned out to be mere exercise not worth the troubl？ Has this ever happened to you？〃 ；
〃No。 Perhaps I should say； 'Not yet；' since I'm still working on my secon'd century。〃
〃Then you don't know what I mean。〃
〃Only vicariously。 But may I quote something Lazarus
A A~
once said？ He was speaking to Ira； but privacy was not placed on it； you'll e across it in his raw memoirs。
〃'Ira；' he said； 'there were many years when I hardly bOthered with women…not only unmarried hut celibate。 After all； how much variety can there be in the slippery friction of mucous membranes？
〃'Then I realized that there was infinite variety in women as people 。 。 and that sex was the most direct route tc~ knowing a woman 。 。 a route they like； one that we like； and often the only route that can break down barriers and permit close acquaintance。
〃'And in discovering this； I gained renewed interest in the friendly frolic itself； happy as a lad with his first bare tit warm in his hand。 Happier…as never again was I merely a piston to her cylinder； each woman was a unique individual worth knowing； and； if we took time enough； we might find we loved each other。 But at least we offered each other pleasure and a haven from cares； we wereni simply masturbating； with the other just a sex doll。'
〃That's close to what Lazarus said； Justin。 You went through something like that？〃
〃Yes。 Somewhat。 A long period when sex wasn't worth the trouble。 But I got over it 。 。 with a woman as fine in her own way as Tamara is； although I didn't fall in love with her nor she with me。 She taught me something I had forgotten； that sex can be friendly and worthwhile without the intense love I felt for Tamara。 You see； a 'friend ；of mine； wife of another 'friend and they were both close to me…as a special gift she'introduced me to another hetaera； a great beauty； and arranged for me a holiday with her…paid for by my friends； th？y could afford it； she is wealthy。 This beautiful hetaera； Magdalene…〃
Galahad looked delighted。 〃Maggie！〃
〃Why； yes； she d~d use that pillow name。 'Magdalene' was her vocational name。 But when she learned that I keep the Archives； she told me her registered name。〃
〃Rebecca Sperling…Jones。〃' 〃Then you do know her。〃 ；； 〃All my life； Justin darling； I nursed at those beautiful
breasts。 She's my mother； dear…what a delightful coincidence！〃
I was delighted； too； but more interested in something else。； 〃So that's where you get your beauty。〃
〃Yes； but also from my geic father。 Becky…Maggie… tells me I look more like him。〃
第56节
〃Really？ If' you permit； I'll look up your liheage when I get back to Secundus。〃 An archivist should not consult the Archives from personal curiosity； I was presuming on friendship to suggest it。
〃Dear； you're not going back to Secundus。 But you can get； it from Athene clear back to the first push in the bush after Ira Howard's death。 But let's talk about Mama。 She's a jolly one？ isn't she？ As well as a beauty。〃
〃Both。 I told you how much she did for me。 Your mother assurhed that this holiday was going to be fun…fun for both of us…and it was indeed！…and I forgot about being uninterested in sex。 I'm not speaking of technique； I suspect that any high…priced hetaera in New Rome is as skilled as any famous courtesan in history。 I mean her attitude。 Maggie is fun to be around； in bed or out。 Laugh wrinkles but no frown wrinkles。〃
Galahad nodded agreement as he wiped egg from his platter。 〃Yes； that's Mama。 She gave me a most happy childhood； Justin； so much so that I was grumpy at being shoved' out when my eighteenth rolled around。 'But she was sweet about it。 After my adulthood party she reminded me that she was moving out； too； and going back to her profession。 Her contract with Papa； my foster father； was a term contract； over when I b鏲ame a legal adult 。 。 so if I wanted to see Maggie again…and I wanted to！…it would be cash at the counterpane； no family discount。 Since I was a poor…but…honest research assistant； paid only two or three times what I was worth； I couldn't have afforded thirty seconds with her； much less a night； Mama's fees were always sky…high。〃
Galahad looked thoughtfully' happy。 〃Goodness； that seems long ago…more than a century and a half； Justin。 I didn't realize that Becky…Maggie…Mama…that Magdalene was being both wise and kind。 I was grown up only legally and physically； and if she hadn't cut the cord； I would have hung around； an overgrown infant； cluttering her life and interfering with her vocation。 So I did grow up； and when I married； my first wife named our first daughter 'Magdalene' and asked Maggie to be godmother 。 。 then I could hardly believe that this beautiful creature had borne me and I had no special urge to play Oedipus to her regal beauty； I was too much in love with my wife。 Yes； Maggie is a fine girl…
although she spoiled me as a kid。 Was that holiday the only time you had her？〃
〃No。 But not often。 As you say； she was expensive。 She offered me a fifty…percent discount…〃
〃Well！ You did impress her。〃
〃…as she knew I wasn't wealthy。 But even at that； I couldn't afford her pany often。 But she got me over my emotional hump； and I'm grateful to her。 A fine woman； Galahad； you have reason to be proud of her。〃
〃I think so。 But； Justin dear； your mention of that discount makes me certain~ that she remembers you just as fondly…〃
〃Oh； I hardly think so； Years back； Galahad。〃
〃Don't trip； in your modesty； dear； Maggie grabbed every crown the traffic would bear。 But the 'delightful coincidence' is more than just the fact that you've had my mother…after all； high as her fees were； New' Rome has many wealthy men attractive enough that Maggie would accept them。 The 'delightful' aspect is that this very minute she is about forty kilometers south of here。〃
〃No！〃
〃Si； si； si！ Ask Athene to call her。 You can be talking with her in thirty seconds。〃
〃Uh 。 。 I still don't think she would remember me。〃
〃I do。 But there's no rush。 If you are surprised； think how surprised I was。 I had nothing to do with the migrants' roster； I was arse…deep in getting together what Ishtar had ordered for the clinics。 Justin； I didn't know Maggie had married again。 So we're here a couple of weeks； the headquarters party； with a temporary setup and still eating and sleeping in the 'Dora；' when the first transport grounds…then we're busy getting people and supplies out in a sequence worked out by Lazarus and bossed by Ira。
〃My assignment； once I had my shack up…by hand； Athene had no outside extensionals then…〃 …
〃Poor Uncle Cuddly！〃
〃Who doesn't listen to private conversations？〃
〃I have to keep you straight； dear。 It was Minerva who had no outside hands then； I wasn't even hatched。〃
〃Well… You have her memories； Teena； it's a mere technicality。〃
〃Not to me； deane。 The chinchy little bitch took some memories with her that she didn't want to share with her ever…lovin' twin。 And ；she locked one whole bank that she did
leave behind so that I can't touch it without an abracadabra either from her or from Grandpappy。 Except that you can unlock it； Justin。 。 if both my twin and Lazarus are dead。〃
I managed to answer quickly； 〃In that case； Athene； I hope that it is a very long time before I am able to trigger it。〃
〃Well 。 。 when you put it that way； so do I。 But I can't help wondering what grim secrets and unspeakable crimes are locked in my theta…niy…seven…B…d