time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)- 第35部分

　　
　　The　Senior　looked　thoughtful　but　not　impressed。　〃I　could　answer　that　your　safety　and　convenience　have　to　do　with　your　self…interest。　Not　mine。〃
　　
　　…。〃True；〃　I　admitted。　〃But　let　me　offer　what　bait　I　can。　It's　in　my　self…interest　for　you　to　live　in　the　Palace。　…There　I　can
　　
　　visit　you　in　perfect　safety；　even　safer　than　I　am　here；　and　muting　bees　a　matter　of　seconds；　negligible。　I　can　even　ask　you…there…to　excuse　me　for　a　half　hour　if　something　urgent　es　up。　That　defines　my　self…interest。　As　for　yours；　sir…would　you　be　interested　in　a　bachelor's　cottage；　rather　small…four　rooms…and　not　especially　modern　or　luxurious　but　set　in　a　pleasant　garden？　Three　hectares；　but　only　the　part　close　to　the　house　is　gardened；　the　rest　has　been　allowed　to　grow　wild。〃
　　
　　〃What's　the　catch；　Ira？　How　modern　is　'not　especially'？　I　did　say　'automated'…as　I　am　not　yet　in　shape　to　do　for　myself…nor　am　I　patient　with　the　vagaries　of　servants　or　the　whimsical　uncertainties　of　robots。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　this　ccttage　is　sufficiently　automated；　it　simply　does　not　have　a　lot　~f　fancy　extravagances。　No　servants　needed　if　your　tastes　are　simple。　Would　you　permit　the　Clinic　to　continue　to　stand　watches　on　you　if　the　watchstanders　are　as　pleasant；　and　as　pleasantly　unobtrusive；　as　these　two？'
　　
　　〃Eh？　These　kids　are　all　right；　I　like　them。　I　realize　that　the　Clinic　wants　to　keep　an　eye　on　me；　they　probably　feel　that　I'm　more　of　a　challenge　than　a　client　only　three　or　four　hundred　years　old。　That's　okay。　But　you　pass　the　word　that　I　expect　to　smell　perfume；　not　germicides。　Or　reasonably　fresh　body　odors；　I'm　not　fussy。　I　repeat；　what's　the　catch？〃
　　
　　〃The　hell　you　aren't　fussy；　Lazarus；　you　delight　in　thinking　up　impossible　conditions。　This　cottage　is　rather　cluttered　with　old…fashioned　books；　the　last　tenant　was　eccentric。　Did　I　mention　a…~little　stream　running　through　the　grounds；　one　which　opens　Out　into　a　small　pool　near　the　house？…not　much；　but　you　can　take　a　few　strokes　in　it。　Oh；　I　forgot　to　mention　an　old　tomcat　who　thinks　he　owns　the　place。　But　you　probably　won't　see　him；　he　hates　most　people。〃
　　
　　〃I　won't　bother　him　if　he　wants　to　be　left　alone；　cats　make　good　neighbors。　You　still　haven't　answered　me。〃
　　
　　〃The　catch　is　this；　Lazarus。　I've　been　describing　the　pent…
　　
　　house　I　had　built　for　my　own　use　on　the　roof　of　the　Palace；　some　niy　years　back　when　I　…　decided　to　keep　this　…　job　awhile。　It　can　be　reached　only。　by　vertical　transport　from　my　usual　quarters　a　couple　of　stories　below　it。　I've　never　had　time　to　use　it　much；　you　are　wele　to　it。〃　I　stood　up。　〃But　if　'you　won't　take　it；　then　y~u　can　consider　that　I've　lost　the　Scheherazade　bet；　and　you　are　free　to　use　that　termination　switch　whenever　you　please。　For　I'm　damned　if　I'll　be　a　sitting　duck　for　assassination　just　to　cater　to　your　whims。〃
　　
　　〃Sit　back　down！'
　　
　　〃No；　thank　you。　I've　made　a　reasonable　offer。　If　you　won't　take　it；　you　can　go　to　hell　in　your　own　way。　I　won't　let　you　ride　my　shoulders　like　the　Old　Man　of　the　Sea。　I　can　be　pushed　just　so　far。〃
　　
　　〃So　I　see。　How　much　of　your　ancestry　am　I？〃
　　
　　〃About　thirteen　percent　Considerable　convergence。〃
　　
　　〃Only　that　much？　I　would　have　guessed　more。　Some　ways　you　sound　like　my　Gramp。　Does　my　suicide　switch　go　along'？〃
　　
　　〃If　you　want　it；〃　I　answered　as　indifferently　as　I　could　manage　to　sound。　〃Or　you　can　jump　off　the　edge。　…It's　a　long　drop。〃　…
　　
　　〃I　prefer　the　switch；　Ira；　I'd　hate　to　change…　my　mind　…on　the　way　down。　Will　you　fix　me　up　with　another　transport　so　that　I　won't　have　to　…go　through　your　apartment？'。；　…
　　
　　〃Eh？　Is　it　all　that　difficult？？Let's　ask　Minerva。〃　…
　　
　　〃It~s　not　that　I　can't…I　Won't。　It's　an　unreasonable　request。　It　won't　hurt　you　to　change　transports　in　my　foyer。　Didn't　I　make　it　clear　that　I　am　not　catering　to　any　more　unreasonable　whims？〃
　　
　　〃Get　your　feathers　down；　Son。　I　n閏ept。　Tomorrow；　say。　Never　mind　moving　that　clutter　of　books；　I　like　old…fashioned　bound　books；　they　have　more　flavor　than　speedireads；　or　projectos；　or　such。　And　I'm　pleased　to　find　that　you're　a　rat　and　not　a　mouse。　Please　sit　down。〃
　　
　　I　did　so；　pretending　reluctance。　I　felt　that　I　was　begin…　fling　to　gain　some　grasp　of　Lazarus。　Despite　the　way　he
　　
　　sneered　at　them　the　old　…scoundrel　was　an　equalitarian　at　heart　。　。　and　expressed　it　by　atteinpting　to　dominate　anyone　with　whom　he　came　into　contact…but　was　contempuous　of　anyone　who　knuckled　under　to　his　bullying。　So　the　only　answer　was　to　hit　back　at　him；　try　to　maintain　a　balance　of　power…and　hope　that　in　time　it　would　reach　the　stability　of　mutual　respect。
　　
　　I　never　had　cause　to　change　my　mind。　He　was　capable　of　kindness　and　even　affection　toward　one　who　accepted　a　subordinate　role…if　that　person　was　a　child　or　a　female。　But　he　preferred　spunk　even　from　them。　A　grown　male　who　bent　the　knee　he　neither　liked　nor　trusted。
　　
　　I　think　this　quirk　…in　his　character　made　him　very　lonely。
　　
　　……　Presently　the　Senior　said　musingly；　〃Be　nice　to　live；　in　a　hou％e　for　a　while。　With　a　garden。　Maybe　with　a　spot　where　I　can　stretch　a　hammock。〃
　　
　　〃Several　such　spots。〃…　〃But　I'm　doing　you　out　of　your　hideaway。〃　〃Lazarus；　there　is　enough　room　on　that　roof　that　I　could
　　
　　have　another　cottage　assembled　out　of　your　sight。　If　I
　　
　　…wanted　it。　I　don't。　I　haven't　even　been　up　there　for　a　swim　in　weeks。　It　has　been　at　least　a　year　since　I　slept　up　there。〃
　　
　　~〃WelI…　I　hope　you'll　feel　free　to　e　up　and　swim。　Any
　　
　　tint~'~t　whatever。〃…
　　
　　〃I　expect　to　be　up　there　every　day　and　all　day；　for　the
　　
　　…~　next　tho~isand　days。　Have　you　forgotten　our　bet？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　that。　Ira；　you　were　bitching　that　my　whimsical　ways　we~e　wasting　your　valuable　time。　Do　you　want　to　be　let　off
　　
　　…the　hook？　Not　on　the　other；　just　on　that。〃
　　
　　I　laughed　at　him。　〃Straighten　your　kilt；　Lazarus；　your　selfinterest　is　showing。　Meaning　you　want　to　be　let　off　the　hook。　No　deal。　I　intend　to　get　one　thousand　and　one　days　of　your　memoirs　on　record。　After　that　you　can　jump　off　the　edge；　or　drown　yourself　in　the　pool；　or　whatever。　But　I　won't　let　you　welch　by　pretending　to　do　me　a　favor。　I'm　beginning　to　understand　you。〃
　　
　　〃You　~？　That's　more　than　I〃~。'e　ever　managed。　When　you　get　me　figured　out；　tell　me　about　me；　I'll　be　mterested。　That　search　for　something　new；　Ira…　You　said　you　had　started　it。〃
　　
　　第14节
　　
　　〃I　didn't　say　that；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃Well；　perhaps　you　just　implied　it。〃
　　
　　〃Nor　even　that。　Want　to　bet？　We　can　ask　Minerva　for　a　full　printout；　then　I'll　accept　your　verdict。〃
　　
　　〃Let's　not　tempt　a　lady　into　fudging　the　record；　Ira；　she's　loyal　to　you；　not　to　me。　Despite　any　super…duper…ovemdes。〃
　　
　　〃Chicken。〃
　　
　　〃At　every　opportunity；　Ira；　how　do　you　think　I've　lived　so　long？　I　bet　only　wl~en　I'm　certain　to　win　or　when　losing　serves　my　actual　purpose。　All　right；　when　are　you　starting　that　research？〃
　　
　　〃I've　already　started　it。〃　…
　　
　　〃But　you　said…　No；　you　didn't。　Damn　your　impudence；　boy；　All　right；　what　direction　ar