sumed voluntarily。 Pa~'ing that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die。 Difficult it may be； but the
reward is self…respect。…
But there is no reward at all for doing what other people。 expect of you； and to do so is not merely difficult； but impossible。 It is easier to deal with a fodtpad than it is with the leech who wants 〃just a few minutes of your time； please… this won't take long。〃 Time is your total capital； and the minutes of your life are painfully few。 If you allow yourself to fall into the vice of agreeing to such requests； they quickly snowball to the point where these parasites will use up 100 percent of your time…and squawk for more！ …
So learn to say No…and to be rude about it when necessary。
Otherwise you will not have time to carry out your duty； or to do your own work； and certainly no time for love and happiness。 The termites will nibble away your life and leave none of it for you。 …
（This rule does not mean that you …must not do a favor for a friend； or even a strahger。 But let the choice； be yours。 Don't do it because it is 〃expected〃 of you。）
*
〃I came； I saw； she conquered。〃 （The original Latin seems
to have been garbled。） ……
*
A mittee is a life form with six or more legs and no brain。
*
第49节
Animals can be driven crazy by placing too many in too small a pen。 Homo sapiens is the only animal that voluntarily does this to himself。 …
*
Don't try to have the last word。 You might get it。 …
I
J
ii
C
ti
…VARIATIONS ON A THEME
XIII
Boondock
〃Ira；〃 said Lazarus Long； 〃have you looked at this list？〃
He was lounging in the office of Colony Leader Ira Weatheral
at Boondock； largest （only） settlement on the pla Tertius。
With them was Justin Foote 45th； freshly arrived from New
Rome； Secundus。〃Lazarus； Arabelle addressed that letter to you。 Not to me。〃 〃That preposterous puff…gut will get me annoyed yet。 Her
Extreme Ubiquity Madam Chairman Pro Tern Arabelle FooteHedrick seems to think she has been crowned Queen of the
Howards。 I'm tempted to go back and pick up that gavel。〃
Lazarus passed the list to Weatheral。 ~'Giye it a gander； Ira。
Justin； did you have anything to do with this？〃 〃No； Senior。 Arabelle told me to deliver it and instructed
me to brief you in ways to insure delivery of Delay Mail from various eras…which does present problems for pre…Diaspora dates。 But I don't consider her ideas practical。 If I may so； I know more Terran history than she does。〃 …
〃I'm certain you do。 I'think she cribbed that list from an mcyclopedia。 Don't bother me with her notions。 Oh； you can transcribe … them and give me the cube； but I shan't play it。
Secundus was colonized that permits requisition of private property by the state。 Correct； Ira？〃
〃Technically correct； Lazarus。 Although there is long precedent for eminent domain in land。〃
〃Ira； I'd argue even that。 But have you ever heard of it being applied to spaceships？〃
〃Never。 Unless you count the 'New Frontiers。'〃
〃Ouch！ Ira； I didn't requisition the 'New Frontiers'； I stole it to save our skins。〃
〃I was thinking of Slayton Ford's part in it； not yours。 Constructive requisitioning； perhaps？〃
〃Mmm… It's pretty small of you to bring it up a couple of thousand years after his death。 Furthermore； had Slayton not done what he did； I wouldn't be here and you wouldn't be here。 Nor any of us。 Damn you； Ira。〃
〃Get your feathers down； Grandfather。 I was just pointing out that a head of state sometimes has to do things he would never do as a private individual。 But if Arabelle can requisition the 'Homing Pigeon' when it sits on Secundus； then you can do the same on Tertius。 You are each head of state of an autonomous pla。 Teach her a lesson。〃
〃Uh 。 。 Ira； don't tempt me。 It happened to me once。 If it got to be a habit； it would put a stop to interstellar travel。 I won't touch that bucket under any such flimsy legality。 But I do own it； indirectly； and if Justin wants to stay； he can turn it over to me； and I'll return it to Transport Enterprises。 Let's get back to that list。 See what the old bat wants？ The times and places she wants me to report on？〃
〃Looks like an interesting itinerary。〃
〃It does； eh？ Then you do it。 'Battle of Hastings…First； Third； and Fourth Crusades…Battle of Orleans…Fall of Constantinople…French Revolution…Battle of Waterloo。' Thermopylae and nieen other encounters between rough strangers。 I'm surprised she didn't ask me to referee the bout between David and Goliath。 I'm chicken； Ira。 I fight when I can't run…how does she think I managed to live so long？ Bloodshed is not a spectator sport。 If history says that a battle took place at a given location on a particular day； then I'll be somewhere…or somewhen…far away； sitting in a tavern； drinking beer and pinching the barmaids。 Not dodging mortar fire to feed Arabelle's ghoulish curiosity。〃
〃I tried to suggest that；〃 said Justin。 〃But she said that this was an official Families' project。〃
〃The hell it is。 I told her about it simply to be sure of the
Delay Mail setup。 I'm a coward by trade 。 。 and not working for her。 I'll go where and when I please； see What I want to… and try not to antagonize local yokels。 Especially those fighting each other； it makes 'em trigger…happy。〃
〃Lazarus；〃 said Ira Weatheral； 〃you never have said what you do plan to see。〃
〃Well… No battles。 Battles are well enough reported~ for my taste。 But there are lots of interesting things in Terran history…peaceful things not well reported because they were peaceful。 I want to see the Parthenon at the peak of its glory。 Cruise down the Mississippi with Sam Clemens as pilot。 Go to Palestine in the first three decades of the Christian Era and try to locate a certain carpenter turned rabbi…settle whether there ever was such a man。〃
Justin Foote looked surprised。 〃You mean the Christian Messiah？ Admittedly many stories about him are myths； but…〃
〃How do you know they are myths？ But that he ever lived is the point that has never been established。 Take Socrates； four centuries earlier…his historicity is as firmly established as that of Napoleon。 Not so with the Carpenter of Nazareth。 Despite the care with which the Romans kept records and the equal care with which the Jews kept theirs； none of the events that should be on record can be found in contemporary records。
〃But if I devoted thirty years to it； I could find out。 I know Latin and Greek of that time~ and I'm almost as conversant with classic Hebrew； all I would have to add is Aramaic。 If I found him； I could follow him around。 Take down his words with a microrecorder； see if they match what he is alleged to have said。
〃But I won't take any bets。 The historicity of Jesus is