s； we agreed not to quiz each other about our pasts…〃
〃Go ahead and ask。 If it suits me； I'll answer。〃
第38节
〃Well 。 。 I can't help being curious about Captain Briggs' mother。 Your former wife。〃
〃Phyllis？ Phyllis Briggs…Sperling is her full name。 What do you want to knew about her； dear？ Very nice girl。 Further Deponent Sayeth Not。？No invidious parisons。〃
〃I guess I'm being snoopy。〃
〃Perhaps you are。 Not that I mind； and it can't hurt Phyllis。 Dear； that was a couple of centuries ago； forget it。〃
〃Oh。 She's dead？〃
… 〃Not that I kn~；w of。 Zack would know； he's been to Secundus recently。 I think he would have told me。 But' I haven't stayed in touch with her since she divorced me。〃
〃Divorced you？ A woman of poor taste！〃
〃Dora； Dora！ Phyllis is not a woman of poor taste； she is a very nice girl。 I had dinner with her and her husband the last time I was on Secundus~ Zack and I did； I mean…and she and her husband had gone to the trouble of rounding up my other children by her； those who were on pla； and some of my other relatives and made it a family party for me。 Thoughtful of her。 By the way； she's a … schoolmarm； too。〃
〃She is？〃
〃Yup。 Libby Professor of Mathematics； Howard University； New Rome； Secundus。 If we go there； we can look her up and you can decide for yourself what sort of person she is。〃
Dora did not answer。 She kneed Betty and started on down the street； Beulah pulled abreast without being told。 Buck said； 〃Shupper 。 。 dime！〃 quite emphatically； and trotted on ahead。
〃Lazarus…〃 ……
〃Careful with that name； dear。〃
〃No one can hear me。 Lazarus； unless you insist 。 。 I don't want to live on Secundus。〃
VARIATIONS ON A THEME
…XII
The Tale of the Adopted Daughter （Continued）
Separation lay far behind。 For three weeks the little train
…two wagons in tandem； twelve mules hauling； four running free…had crawled toward Rampart Range。 It had been more than two weeks since they had last seen a house。 They were on the high prairies now； and for several days the gap of Hopeless Pass had been in sight。
Be~ides sixteen mules； the little party included a German shepherd bitch and a younger dog； two female cats and a torn； a fresh milch goat with two kids and a young buck； two cocks and six hens of the hardy Mrs。 Awkins variety； a freshly bred sow； and Dora and Woodrow Smith。
The sow had tested pregnant at New Pittsburgh before Smith paid for her； test conducted by Smith himself…and Mrs。 Smith had tested pregnant； too； while still at Top Dollar and before Smith cleared Starship Andy I。 to leave orbit； for （Smith had not found it necessary to tell his wife this） if Dora had not tested pregnant； the ship would have waited while they tried again…then if she had still tested negative； he would have changed plans and taken her to Secundus； there to find out why and； if possible； to correct it。
In Smith's opinion as a professional pioneer； it was not only pointless but disastrously foolhardy to attempt singlecouple pioneering out of reach of other people with an infertile woman…or a couple infertile with each other； he corrected in his mind； as his own fertility had not been put to the ultimate test for fifty…odd years。 While he was about it； he had looked up physical records of Dora's parents in Krausmeye？s ill…kept files； found nothing to worry him… and it had indeed worried him； as he would not have been able to cope even with anything 'as simple as an Rh…factor inpatibility a long way from nowhere。
But within the limited medical resources of colony and ship； the board showed all green； and it seemed likely to him
that Dora had bee pregnant about twenty minutes after their informa（ muleback wedding。
The thought had passed through his mind that Dora might have been pregnant even sooner…but the thought was merely an amusing whimsy that bothered him not at all。 Smith felt certain that he had had the Cuckoo in his nest more than once over the centuries； he had been especially careful to be 'a loving father to such children and had kept his mouth shut。 He believed in letting women lie all they needed to； and never taxing them with it。 But he believed also that Dora was incapable of this sort of lie。 If Dora had been pregnant and aware of it； she might have asked to be allowed to say good…bye to him on her back…but she would have asked for exa'…tly that。 Not for a child。
No matter… If the darling had made a mistake earlier and did not know it； he felt sure that she would nevertheless have a superior baby。 She was clearly superior stock herself
…he wished he had known the Brandons； they must have been ichiban…and 'their daughter was； as Helen had once said； 〃choosy。〃 Dora would not bed with an oaf even for fun； because； being what she was； she would not find it fun。 Smith was sure that it would take rape to put an inferior child into Dora…and the rapist might sing soprano the rest of his days； her Uncle Gibbie had taught her some dirty tricks。
The pregnant sow was Smith's 〃calendar。〃 If they failed to reach a spot suitable for homesteading by the time that sow littered； then they turned back 'that very day…no hesitation； no regrets…as that would leave them just balf of Dora's pregnancy to get them back to Separation and other people。
The sow rode in the back end of the second wagon； with a sling to keep her from falling down。 The dogs trotted under the wagons or ranged aside； warning of lopers or other hazards。 The cats did as they pleased； as cats do； walking or riding as suited them。 The nanny and billy goats stayed close to the wheel pair； the two kids were large enough to skitter along most of the time but were privileged to ride when they tired…a loud Me…e…e…eh from the mother goat would cause Smith to swing down and hand the tired baby up to Dora。 The chickens plained in adouble cage over the sow's pen。 The mules running free had no duties other than to keep eyes out 'for lope？s； save that Buck was at all times grand marshal of the paride； picking the footing； bossing the other mules；
carryIng out Smith's orders。 …Mules at liberty … rotated as draft animals； only Buck was never in harness。 Betty and Beulah had had their feelings hurt at being required to accept harness； they were gentry o'f the saddle； and they knew it。 But Buck had had … harsh words with them and harsher nips and kicks； they had shut up and hauled。
No real driving was required； only two reins were used； one to each of the lead pair and running from them back through rings on the collars of the following mules to the seat of the leading wagoti； there usually loosely secured rather than held。 Although the… males were all stallions； these mules did what Buck ordered。 Smith had stopped at Separation and lost most of a day to trade a strong brute with good shoulders for a younger； lighter stud because the bigger mule had not been willing to accept Buck's dominance。 Buck was ready to fight it out； but Smith did not let the old