time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)- 第85部分

　　
　　After　a　few　minutes　the　little　girl　said　gravely；　〃What　about　Mama　and　Daddy？〃
　　
　　〃Mama　and　Daddy　are　all　right。　They　knqw　I'm　taking　care　of　you。　What's　your　name；　dear？〃
　　
　　〃Dora。
　　
　　〃That's　a　nice　name；　Dora。　A　pretty　name。　Do　you　want　to　know　my　name？〃
　　
　　〃That　man　called　you　'Banker。'〃
　　
　　〃That's　not　my　name；　Dora；　that's　just　something　I　do　sometimes。　My　name　is　'Uncle　Gibbie。'　Can　you　say　that？〃
　　
　　〃'Uncle　Gibbie。'　That's　a　funny　name。〃
　　
　　〃So　it　is；　Dora。　And　this　is　Buck　we　are　riding。　He　is　a　friend　of　mine；　and　he'll　be　your　friend；　too；　now…so　say　hello　to　Buck。〃
　　
　　〃Hello；　Buck。〃
　　
　　〃Hayrrroh　。　。　Jorrrah！〃
　　
　　〃Say；　he　talks　lots　plainer　than　most　mules！　Doesn't　he？〃
　　
　　〃Buck　is　the　best　mule　on　New　Beginnings；　Dora。　And　the　smartest。　When　we　get　rid　of　this　bridle…Buck　doesn't　need　a　bit　in　his　mouth…he'll　be　able　to　talk　plainer　still　。　。　。and　you　can　teach　him　more　words。　Would　you　like　that？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　yes！〃　Dora　added；　〃If　Mama　lets　me。〃
　　
　　〃It's　all　right　with　Mama。　Do　you　like　to　sing；　Dora？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　sure！　I　know　a　clapping　song。　But　we　can't　clap　right　now。　Can　we？〃　…
　　
　　〃Right　now　I　think　we　had　better　hang　on　tight。〃　Gibbons　rapidly　reviewed　in　his　mind　his　repertoire　of　happy　songs；　rejected　a　round　dozen　as　unsuitable　for　young　ladies。　〃How　about　this　one？
　　
　　〃There's　a　pawnshop
　　
　　On　the　corner；
　　
　　Where　I　usually　keep　my　overcoat。
　　
　　〃Can　you　sing　that；　Dora？〃…
　　
　　〃Oh；　that's　easy！〃　The　baby　girl　sang　it　in　a　voice　so　high　that　Gibbons　was　reminded　of　a　canary。　〃Is　that　all；　Uncle　Gibbie？　And　what's　a…　'paunshot'？〃
　　
　　〃It's　a　place　to　keep　overcoats　when　you　don't　need　them。　Lots　more；　Dora。　Thousands…　and　thousands　of　verses。〃
　　
　　〃Thousands　and　thousands…'　Why；　that's　almost　as　much　as　a　hundred。　Isn't　it？〃
　　
　　〃Almost；　Dora。　Here's　another　verse：
　　
　　〃There's　a　trading　post
　　
　　By　the　pawnshop
　　
　　Where　my　sister　sells　candy。
　　
　　〃Do　you　like　candy；　Dora？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　yes！　But　Mama　says　its　'spensive。〃
　　
　　〃Won't　be　so　expensive　next　year；　Dora；　there'll　be　more　sugar　beets　cropped。　But　。　。　'Open　your　mouth　and　close　your　eyes；　and　I'll　give　you　something　for　a　s'prise！'〃　He　felt　around　in　his　shirt　pocket；　then　said；　〃Oh；　sorry；　Dora；　the　surprise　will　have　to　wait　until　I　can　get　to　the　trading　post；　Buck　got　the　last　one。　Buck　likes　candy；　too。〃
　　
　　〃He　does？〃
　　
　　〃Yes　and　I'll　teach　you　how　to　give　it　to　him　without　losing　a　finger　by　mistake。　But　candy　isn't　too　good　for　him；　so　he　gets　it　only　as　a　special　surprise。　For　being　a　good…　boy。　Okay；　Buck？〃
　　
　　〃Oh…gay！　。　。　Pawsss！〃
　　
　　Mrs。　Mayberry's　school　was　letting　out　as　Gibbons　halted　Buck　in　front　of　it。　When　he　lifted　Dora　down；　she　seemec　very　tired；　so　he　picked　her　up　again。　〃Wait；　Buck。〃
　　
　　The　stragglers　among　the　pupils　stared　but　separated　and　let　him　through。
　　
　　〃Afternoon；　Mrs。　Mayberry。〃　Gibbons　had　gone　there　almost　by　instinct。　The　schoolmistress　was　a　gray…haired　widow；　fifty　or　more；　who　had　outlasted　two　husbands；　and　was　coping　sensibly　with　her　meager　chance　of　finding　a　third；　preferring　to　support　herself　rather　than　live　with　one　of　her　daughters；　stepdaughters；　or　daughters…in…law。　She　was　one　who　shared　Ernest　Gibbons'　enthusi？sm　for　the　hearty　pleasures　in　life　but　was　as　circumspect　about　it　as　he　was。　He　considered　her　sensible　in　every　way…a　prime　prospect　for　marriage　were　it　not　for　the　unfortunate　fact　that　they　ran　on　different　time　rates。
　　
　　Not　that　he　let　her　know　this。　He　had　not　been　a　disclosed　Howard　when　they　both　had　arrived　in　the　first　shipload；　and；　although　freshly　rejuvenated　on　Secundus　when　he　had　reappeared　on　Earth　and　organized　the　migration；　he　had　elected　to　be　thirty…five　or　so　（cosmetically）。　Since　that　time　he　had　carefully　aged　himself　each　year；　Helen　Mayberry　thought　of　him　as　a　contemporary；　returned　his　friendship；　shared　mutual　pleasure　with　him　from　time　to　time　without　trying　to　own　him。　He　respected　her　highly。
　　
　　〃Good　afternoon；　Mr。　Gibbons。　Why；　it's　Dora！　We　missed　you；　dear；　what　happened！　And…Is　that　a　bruise？〃　She　looked　closely；　said　nothing　about　the　fact　that　the　little　girl　was　filthy　dirty。
　　
　　She　straightened　up。　〃Seems　to　be　just　a　smudge。　I'm　glad　to　see　her；　I　fretted　a　little　this　morning　when　she　didn't　show　up　with　the　Parkinson　children。　It's　almost　Marjorie　Brandon's　time…perhaps　you　knew？〃
　　
　　〃Vaguely。　Where　can　I　put　Dora　down　for　a　few　minutes？　Conference。　Private。〃
　　
　　Mrs。　Mayberry's　eyes　widened　slightly；　but　she　answered　at　once。　〃The　couch…　No；　put　her　on　my　bed。〃　She　led　the　way；　said　nothing　about　getting　her　white　coverlet　dirty；　went　back　into　the　schoolroom　with　him　after　he　assured　Dora　that　they　would　be　gone　only　a　few　moments。
　　
　　Gibbons　explained　what　had　happened。　〃Dora　doesn't　know　that　her　parents　are　dead；　Helen…nor　do　I　think　it's　time　to　tell　her。〃
　　
　　Mrs。　Mayberry　considered　it。　〃Ernest；　are　you　sure　they　both　died？　Bud　would　have　seen　the　fire　if　he　had　been　working　his　own　fields；　but　he　sometimes　works　for　Mr。　Parkinson。〃
　　
　　〃Helen；　that　was　not　a　woman's　hand　I　saw。　Unless　Marje　Brandon　has　thick　black　hair　on　the　back　of　her　hands。〃
　　
　　〃No。　No；　that　would　be　Bud。〃　She　sighed。　〃Then　she's　an　orphan。　Poor　little　Dora！　A　nice　child。　Bright；　too。〃
　　
　　〃Helen；　can　you　take　care　of　her　a　few　days？　Will　you？〃
　　
　　第35节
　　
　　〃Ernest；　the　way　you　phrase　that　is　almost　offensive。　I　will　take　care　of　Dora　as　long　as　I　am　needed。〃
　　
　　〃Sorry；　I　didn't　mean　to　phrase　it　unpleasingly。　I　don't　expect　it　to　be　long；　some　family　will　adopt　her。　In　the　meantime　keep　track　of　your　expense；　then　we'll　work　out　what　her　room　and　board　should　be。〃
　　
　　〃Ernest；　that　will　e　to　exactly　zero。　The　only　cost　will　be　about　enough　food　to　feed　a　bird。　Which　I　can　certainly　do　for　Marjorie　Brandon's　little　girl。〃
　　
　　〃So？　Well；　I　can　find　some　family　to　board　her。　The　Learners。　Someone。〃
　　
　　〃Ernest~〃
　　
　　〃Get　your　feathers　down；　Helen。　That　child　was　placed　in　my　hands；　her　father's　last　dying　act。　And；　don't　be　a　dumb　fool；　I　know　to　the　penny　how　much　you　manage　to　save。　As　well　as　how　often　you　have　to　take　tuition　in　food　rather　than　cash。　This　is　a　cash　deal。　The　Learners　would　jump　at　it…as　well　as　several　others。　I　don't　have　to　leave　Dora　here…　and　won't；　unless　you　are　sensible。〃
　　
　　Mrs。　Mayberry　looked　grim…then　suddenly　smiled　and　looked　years　younger。　〃Ernest；　you're　a　bully。　And　a　bastard。　And　other　things　I　never　say　out　of　bed。　All　right…room…andboard。〃
　　
　　〃And　tuition。　Plus　any　special　expenses。　Doctor's　bills；　maybe。〃
　　
　　〃Triple　bastard。　You　always　pay　for　anything　you　get；　don't　you？　As　I　should　know。〃　She　glanced　at　the　unshuttered　windows。　〃Step　out　here　in　the　half　and　seal　it　with　a　kiss。　Bastard。〃
　　
　　They　moved；　she　placed　herself　so　that　the　angle　did　not　permit　anyone　to　see　them；　then　delivered　a　kiss　that　woul