time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)- 第40部分

　　
　　The　Senior　fixed　me　with　a　stare　of　cold　scorn。　〃I　did　no　such　thing。〃
　　
　　〃But…〃　…
　　
　　〃Oh；　…hush。　You　are　a　politician　yourself…a　'business'　politician；　I　hope…but　that　stunt　of　transporting　your　dissidents　gi~es　me　doubts。　Minerva！　'Notebook；'　dear。　My　intention　in　deeding　Secundus　to　the　Foundation　was　to　set　up　a　cheap　and　simple　government…a　constitutional　tyranny。　One　in　which　the　government　was　forbidden　to　do　most　things
　　
　　and　the　dear　people；　bless　their　black　flabby　little　hearts；　were　given　no　voice　at　all。
　　
　　〃I　didn't　have　much　hope　for　it。　Man　is　a　political　animal；　Ira。　You　can　no　more　keep　him　from　politicking　than　you　can　keep　him…　from　copulating…and　probably　shouldn't　try。　But　I　was　young　then；　and　hopeful。　I　hoped　to　keep　politicking　in　the　private　sphere；　keep　it　out　of　government。　I　thought　the　setup　might　last　a　century　or　so；　I'm　amazed　that　it　has　lasted　as　long　as　it　has。　Not　good。　This　pla　is　overripe　for　revolution…and　if　Minerva　doesn't　find　me　something　better　to　do；　I　might　show　up　under　another　name；　with　my　hair　dyed　and　my　nose　bobbed；　and　start　one。　So　be　warned；　Ira。〃
　　
　　I　shrugged。　〃You　forget　I'm　migrating。〃
　　
　　〃Ah；　yes。　Though　the　prospect　of　suppressing　a。　revolution　might　change　your　mind。　Or　perhaps　you　would　like　to　be　my　chief　of　staff…then　displace　me　with　a　coup　d'etat　after　the　shooting　is　over　and　send　me　to　the　guillotine。　That　would　be　something　new…I've　never　tended　to　lose　my　head　over　politics。　Doesn't　leave　much　for　an　encore；　does　it？　'A　tisket；　a　tasket；　a　head　in　a　basket…it　昪annot　reply　to　questions　you　ask　it。'　Final　curtain；　no　bows。
　　
　　〃But　revolutions　can　be　fun。　Did　I　tell　you　how　I　worked　my　way　through　college？　Operating　a　Gatling　gun　for　five　dollars　a　day　and　loot。　Never　got　higher　than　corporal　because　each　time　I　had　enough　money　for　another　semester；　I　deserted…and；　being　a　mercenary；　I　was　never　tempted　to　bee　a　dead　hero。　But　adventure　and　change　of　scene　are　appealing　to　a　young　man　。　。　and　I　was　very　young。
　　
　　〃But　dirt；　and　missing　meals；　and　the　wheet　of　bullets　past　your　ears　stop　being　glamorous　as　you　grow　up；　the　next　time　I　was　in　the　military…not　entirely　my　idea…I　chose　Navy　in
　　
　　*　The　Gatling　gun　（Richard　J。　Gatling；　1818…1903）　was　obsolete　by　the　time　Lazarus　Long　was　born。　This　allegation　is　barely　possible　if　one　stipulates　that　an　obsolete　weapon　might　be　used　in　some　small；　out…of…the…way　insurrection。
　　
　　……J。F。　45th
　　
　　stead。　Wet　Navy；　although　I　was　space　Navy　at　later　times　and　under　other　names。
　　
　　〃I've　sold　almost　everything…except　slaves…and　worked　as　a　mind…reader　in　a　traveling　show；　and　was　a　king　once…　a　much　overrated　profession；　the　hours　are　too　long…and　designed　women's　styles　under　a　phony　French　name　and　accent　and　with　my　hair　long。　Almost　the　only　time　I've　worn　long　hair；　Ira；　not　only　does　long　hair　need　a　lot　of　timewasting　care；　it　gives　your　opponent　something　to　grab　in　close　bat　and　can　obscure　your　view　at　a　critical　moment
　　
　　…either　one　can　…　be　fatal。　But　I　don't　favor　a　billiard…ball　cut　because　a　thick　mat　of　hair…not　so　long　as　to　fall　over　your　eyes…can　save　you　a　nasty　scalp　wound。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　appeared　to　stop　to　think。　〃ha；　I　don't　see　how　I　can　list　all　the　things　I've　done　to　support　myself　and　my　wives　and　kids；　even　if　I　could　remember　them。　The　longest　I　ever　stuck　to　one　job　was　about　half　a　century…very　special　circumstances…and　the　shortest　was　from　after　breakfast　to　just　before　lunch…again；　special　circumstance。　But　no　matter　where　or　what；　there　are　makers；　takers；　and　fakers。　I　prefer　the　first　category　but　I　haven't　spurned　the　other　two。　Whenever　I　was　a　family　man…usually；　that　is…I　haven't　let　punctions　stop　me　from　keeping　food　on　the　table。　I　won't　steal　another　child's　food　to　feed　my　own…but　there　is　always　some　way　not　too　sickeningly　fake　to　garner　valuta　if　a　man　isn't　too　picky…which　I　never　was　whenever　I　had　family　obligations。
　　
　　〃You　can　sell　things　which　have　no　intrinsic　value；　such　as　stories　or　songs…I've　worked　every　branch　of　the　entertainment　profession　。　。　including　a　time　in　the　capital　of　Fatima　arketplace　with　a　brass　bowl　in　front　of　me；　telling　a　story　longer　…than　this　one；　and　waiting　at　cliff…hangers　for　the　clink　of　a　coin。
　　
　　〃I　was　reduced　to　that　because　my　ship　had　been　confiscated　and　foreigners　weren't　permitted　to　work　without　a　permit…a　high　squeeze　on　the　theory　that　jobs　should　be　reserved　for　local　citizens；　there　being　a　depression。　Telling　stories　without　a　fee　wasn't　classed　as　work；　nor　was　it　begging…which　required　a　license…and　cops　let　me　alone　as　long　as　I　volunteered　the　customary　daily　gift　to　the　Police　Benevolent　Fund。　…
　　
　　〃It　was　either　get　by　with　some　such　dodge~　or　be　reduced　to　stealing…difficult　in　a　culture　in　which　one　is　not　sophisticated　in　the　local　customs。　Still；　I　would　have　risked　it　save
　　
　　I　I'~~
　　
　　that　I　had　a　wife　and　three　small　childreq。　That　hobbled　me；　Ira；　a　family　man　should　not　take　risks　that　a　bachelor　~ndi　acceptable。
　　
　　1'So　1　sat　there　till　my　tailbone　wore　through　the　cobblestones；　recounting　everything　from　Grimm's　fairy　tales　to　Shakespeare's　plays；　and　not　letting　my　wife　spend　money　on　anything　but　food　until　we　saved　enough　to　buy　that　work　permit　plus　the　customary　cumshaw。　Then　I　clobbered　'em；　ha。〃　…
　　
　　〃How；　Lazarus？〃
　　
　　〃Slowly　but　thoroughly。　Those　months　in　the　marketplace　had　given　me　a　de~gree　of　sophistication　in　the　'Who：Whom'　of　that　society　and　what　its　sacred　cows　were。　Then　I　stayed　on　for　years…no　choice。　But　first　1　was　baptised　into　the　local　religion；　gaining　a　more　acceptable　name　in　the　process；　and　memorized　the…　Qur'an。　Not　quite　the　same　Qur'an　…　I　had　known　some　centuries　earlier；　…　but　it　was　worth　the　effort。
　　
　　…　〃I'll　skip　over　how　I　got　into　the　Tinkers'　Guild　and　got　my　first　job　repairing　television　receivers…had　my　pay　docked　to　cover　my　contribution　to　the　guild；　that　is；　with　a　private　arrangement　to　the　Grand　Master　Tinker；　not　too　…　expensive。　This　society　was　retarded　in　technology；　its　customs　didn't　encourage　progress；　and　they　had　slipped　behind　what　they　had　fetched　frOm　Earth　about　five　centuries　earlier。　That　made　me　a　wizard；　Ira；　and　could　have　got　me　hange？　had　I　not　been　careful　to　be　a　faithful…and　openhanded…son　of　the　church。　So　once　I　got　into　position　for　it；　I　peddled　fresh　electronics　and　stale　astrology…using　knowledge　they　didn't　have　for　one　and　a　free　imagination　for　the　other。
　　
　　〃Eventually　I　was　chief　stooge　to　the　very　official　who　had　confiscated　my　ship　and　trade　goods　years　earlier；　and　I　was　helping　him　get　richer　while　getting　rich　myself。　If　he　recognized　me；　he　never　said　so…a　beard　changes　my　looks　quite　a　lot。　Unfortunately　he　fell　into　disfavor　and　I　wound　up　with　his　job。〃
　　
　　〃How　did　~you　work　that；　Lazarus？　Without　being　caught；　I　mean？〃
　　
　　…　〃Now；　now；　Ira！　He　was　my　benefactor。　It　said　so　in　my　cOntract　and　I　always　addressed　him　as　such。　Allah's　ways　are…mysterious。　I　cast　a　horoscope　for　him；　warning　him　that