time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)- 第51部分

　　
　　〃What？　Galahad；　you're　the　world's　worst　tease。　You　not　only　don't　want　me　to；　you　know　I'm　mitted　to　the　Senior　even　though　he　refused；　me。　Until　Ish　tells　me　to　drop　it。　If　she　does。〃
　　
　　Ishtar　finished　ordering；　wiped　the　screen。　〃Galahad；　don't　tease　our　baby。　I　want　both　Harnadryad　and　me　to　be　free　of　other　contracts　as　long　as　either　of　us　has　any　chance　of　getting　our　client　interested　in　cohabitation；　or　progeny；　or　both。　Not　just　a　lark　but　something　he　can　take　seriously。〃
　　
　　〃So？　Then　why　in　the　name　of　all　the　fertility　gods　did　you　arrange　to　have　both　of　you　pregnant　at　once？　I　don't　get　it。　I　hear　the　whir；　but　the　figures　won't　add。〃
　　
　　〃Becau？e；　my　stupid　darling；　I　didn't　dare　wait。　The　Director　may　e　back　any　time。〃
　　
　　〃But　why　you　two？　With　maybe　ten　thousand　healthy　hostmothers　registered　and　available？　And　why　two？〃
　　
　　〃Dearest　man；　I'm　sorry　I　said　you　were　stupid…you　aren't；　you〃re　just　male。　Hamadryad　and　I　know　exactly　what　risks　we　are　taking　and　why。　We　don't　look　pregnant　and　won't　for　weeks　yet；　and　if　either　of　us　can　jockey　Lazarus　into　a　contract；　an　abortion　takes　ten　minutes。　Professional　host…mothers　won't　do　for　this　job；　it　has　to　be　bellies　over　which　I　have　some　control　and　women　I　trust　utterly。　Bad　enough　that　I　had　to　trust　a　gene　surgeon　and　risk　a　proscribed　procedure…Ira　may'　have　to　get　me　out　of　that　if　anything　slips。
　　
　　〃But　you　know　as　well　as　I　do；　sweet　Galahad；　that　even　an　ordinary　clone　sometimes　goes　wild。　I　wish　I　had　four　female　bellies　I　could　use；　not　two。　Eight。　Sixteen！　Increase　the　chances　of　getting　one　normal　fetus。　In　another　month…long　before　it　shows…we'll　know　what　we're　carrying。　If　the　odds　fail　both　of　us…well；　I'm　ready　to　start　over　again　and　Hamadryad　is；　too。〃
　　
　　〃As　many　times　as　necessary；　Ishtar。　I　swore　it。〃
　　
　　Ishtar　patted　her　hand。　〃We'll　get　a　good　one。　Galahad；　Lazarus　is　going　to　have　his　identical　twin　sister；　I　promise　you…and　once　it　is　an　acplished　fact；　we'll　hear　no　more　talk　of　tennination…option　switches；　or　leaving　us；　or　anything…at　least　until　she's　woman　tall！〃
　　
　　〃Ishtar？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Hamadryad？〃
　　
　　〃If　we　both　show　normal　fetuses　a　month　from　now…〃
　　
　　〃Then　you　can　abort；　dear；　you　know　that。〃
　　
　　〃No；　no；　no！　I　shan't！　What's　wrong　with　twins？〃
　　
　　Galahad　blinked　at　her。　〃Don't　bother　to　answer；　Ish。　Let　me　give　you　the　male　angle。　'The　man　who　can　resist　raising　identical　twin　girls　hasn't　been　born。　And　his　name　isn't　Lazarus　Long。　Look；　dears；　is　there　anything；　anything　at　all；　that　can　improve　both　your　chances？　Now？〃
　　
　　〃No。〃　Ishtar　repeated　softly；　〃No。　…　We　both　test　pregnant　that's　all　we　can　say　or　do　now。　Except　pray。　And　I　don'　know　how　to　pray。〃
　　
　　〃Then　it's　time　we　learned！〃
　　
　　VARIATIONS　ON　A　THEME
　　
　　Voices　in　the　Dark
　　
　　After　Miierva　ordered　his　evening　meal　for　Lazarus；　then　supervised　its　service；　the　puter　said；　〃is　there　anything　else；　sir？〃
　　
　　〃I　guess　not。　Yes。　Will　you　have　dinner　with　me；　Minerva？〃
　　
　　〃Thank　you；　Lazarus。　I　accept。〃
　　
　　〃Don't　thank　me；　you　aredoing　me　a　favor；　milady。　I'm　moody　tonight。　Sit　down；　dear；　and　cheer　me　up。〃
　　
　　The　puter's　voice　repositioned　so　that　it　appeared　to　e　from　the　other　side…　of　the　table　where　Lazarus　sat；　as　if　a　flesh~and…blood　were　seated　there。　〃Shall　I　construct　an　image；　Lazarus？〃
　　
　　〃Don't　put　yourself　to　the　trouble；　dear。〃
　　
　　〃It's　no　trouble；　Lazarus；　I　have　ample　spare　capacity。〃
　　
　　〃No；　Minerva。　That　hold　you　made　for　me　one　night…　perfect；　realistic；　moved　just　like　a　flesh…and…blood。　But　it　wasn't　you。　I　know　what　you　look　like。　Umm　。　。　lower　the　lights　and　spot　enough　light　on　my　plate　to　let　me　eat。　Then　I'll　see　you　in　the　gloom　without　a　bob。〃
　　
　　The　lighting　readjusted　so　that　the　room　was　almost　dark　save　for　a　pool　of　light　on　chastely　perfect　tableware　and　napery　in　front　of　Lazarus。　The　contrast　dazzled　his　eyes　enough　that　he　could　not　see　across　the　table　without　peering…he　did　not　peer。　Minerva　said；　〃What　is　my　appearance；　Lazarus？〃
　　
　　〃Eh？'　He　stopped　to　think。　〃It　fits　yout　voice。　Hmm；　it's　a　picture　that　has　grown　up　in　my　mind　without　thinking　about　it；　during　the　time　we　have　been　together。　Dear；　do　you　realize　that　we　have　been　living　together　more　intimately　than　husband　and　wife　usually　manage？〃
　　
　　〃Perhaps　I　don't；　Lazarus；　since　I　cannot　experience　being　a　wife。　But　I　am　happy　to　be　close　to　you。〃
　　
　　〃Being　a　wife　doesn't　have　too　much　to　do　with　cop~Ulation；　my　dear。　You've　been　a　mother　to　my　baby；　Dora：　Oh；　I　know　that　Ira　stands　first　wiib　you　。　。　but　you　are　like　that　girl　Olga　I　spoke　of；　you　have　so　much　to　give　that　you　can
　　
　　enrich　more　than　one　man。　But　I　honor　your　loyalty　to　Ira；　Your　love　for　him；　dear。〃
　　
　　〃Thank'you；　Lazarus。　But…if　I　know　what　the　word　means…I　lov？　you；　too。　And　Dora。〃
　　
　　〃I　know　you　do。　Both。　You　and　I　have　no　need　to　worry　over　words；　we'll　leave　that　to　Hamadryad。　Mmm；　your　appearance…you　are　taB；　about　as　tall　as　Ishtar。　But　slender。　Not　skinny；　just　slender…strong　…　and　well　muscled　without　being　bulgy。　You　are　not　as　broad　in　the　hips　as　she　is。　But　broad　enough。　Womanly。　You're　young；　but　a　mature　young　woman；　not　a　girl。　Breasts　much　smaller　than　Ishtar's；　more　like　Haniadryad's。　You　are　handsome　rather　than　pretty；　and　you　are　rather　solemn；　except　when　one　of　your　rare　smiler　lights　up　your　face。　Your　hair　is　brown　and　straight；　and　you　wear　it　long。　But　you　don't　fuss　with　it　other　than　to　keep　it　clean　and　neat。　YoUr　eyes　are　brown　and　match　your　hair。　You　usually　don't　wear　cosmetics；　but　you　almost　always　wear　some　sort　of　clothing…simple　clothing；　you　are　not　a　clothes…horse；　dress　does　…　not　interest　you　that　much。　But　you　go　naked　only　with　persons　you　fully　trust…a　short　list。
　　
　　〃That's　all；　I　guess。　I　haven't　tried　to　imagine　details；　this　is　just　what　grew；　in　my　mind。　Oh；　yes！…you　keep　your　nails；　both　hands　and　'feet；'　short　and　clean。　But　you　aren't　fussy　about　it；　or　about　anything。　Neither　dirt　nor　sweat　bothers　you；　and　you　don't　flinch　at　blood；　even　though　you　don't　like　it。〃
　　
　　〃I　am　very　pleased　to　know　how　I　look；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃Huh？　Oh；　fiddle；　girl…that's　my　imagination　living　its　own　life。〃
　　
　　〃That　is　how　I　look；〃　Minerva　said　firmly；　〃and　I　like　it。〃
　　
　　〃All　right。　Although　you　can　be　as　dazzingly　beautiful　as　Hamadryad　if　you　want　to　be。〃
　　
　　〃No；　I　look　just　as　you　described　me。　I　am　a　'Martha；'　Lazarus；　not　her　sister　Mary。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　said；　〃You　surprised　me。　Yes；　you　are。　You've　read　the　Bible？〃
　　
　　〃I　have　read　everything　in　the　Great　Library。　In　one　sense　I　am　the　Library；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃Mmm；　yes；　should've　realized　it。　How　is　the　twinning　process　ing　along？　Going　to　be　ready？　Say　if　Ira　getta　burr　under　his　saddle　and　takes　off　in　a　hurry。〃
　　
　　〃It　is　essentially　plete；　Lazarus。　All　my　permanents；　programs　and　memories　and　logics；　are　twinned　in　Dora's　number…four　hold；　and　I　run　routine　checks　and　exercise　by