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第10部分

time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第10部分


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  * While this passage bears inner contradictions; the idioms are authentic for North America of the twentieth century。
  
  …They name certain types of financial dishonesty。 See 〃Swindies〃 under 〃Fraud〃 in Krishnamurti's New Golden Bough; Academe Press; New Rome。
  
  J。F。 45th…
  
  Sandy used the oldest principle for separating a fool from his money: Pick a sucker who likes the bert of it。
  
  … 〃That's all it takes; Ira。 If a man is……greedy; you can cheat him … every time。 Trouble was; Sandy Macdougal was even greedier than his marks; and it led him into the folly; of excess; and often forced him to leave town while it was dark; sometimes leaving the boodle behind。 Ira; when you skin a man; you have to let him recuperate and grow more hide…or he gets nervous。 If you respect this simple rule; a real mark can be skinned over and over again; and it just keeps him healthy and productive。 But Sandy was too greedy for that; he lacked patience。〃 …
  
  〃Lazarus; you sound as if you had great experience in this art。〃
  
  〃Now; Ira…a little respect; please。 I have never swindled a man。 At most I kept quiet and let him swindle himself。 This does no harm; as a fool cannot be protected from his folly。 If you attempt to do so; you will not only arouse his animosity but also you will be attempting to deprive him of whatever benefit he is capable of deriving fro? experience。 Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig。 …
  
  〃But I do know a lot about; swindles。 I think that every major variation of every possible swindle has been tried on me; one time and another。
  
  〃Some of them worked; back when I was very young; Then I took Grampaw Johnson's advice and quit looking for the best of it; thereafter I could no longer be swindled。 But I was not capable of benefiting from Gramp's advice until I was burned a few times。 Ira; it's getting late。〃
  
  The Chairman Pro Tern promptly stood up。 〃So it is; sir。 May I ask two questions before I leave? Not for your memoirs; procedural questions only。〃
  
  〃Make it short and snappy。〃
  
  〃You'll have your termination…option switch tomorrow morning。 But you spoke of not feeling well; and there is no need for that even if you choose to terminate in the near future。 Shall we resume the rejuvenatipn procedures?〃
  
  〃Hmmm。 Second question?〃
  
  〃~I promised to do my best to find something brana…new to interest you。 I promised also to spend every day here with you。 I see conflict。〃
  
  Lazarus grinned。 〃Don't kid your old Grampaw; Son; you'll delegate that research。〃
  
  〃Certainly。 But I must plan how to start it; then review progress at intervals; and suggest new avenues to explore。〃
  
  〃Mmm 。 … if I consent to the full course; I'll be out of circulation a day or two every now and then。〃
  
  〃I believe current practice calls for one day of deep rest approximately each week; varied to suit the client's condition。 My own experience is about a hundred years back; I understand there have been improvements。 You've decided to take it; sir?〃 …
  
  〃I'll tell you tomorrow…after that switch is installed。 …Ira; I don't make; decisions in haste that don't call for haste。 But i;f I consent; you'll have free time to use as you see fit。 G'night; Ira。〃
  
  〃Good night; Lazarus。 I hope you decide to accept it。〃 Weatheral turned toward the door; stopped halfway there; and spoke to the technicians…who left the room at once。 The dining table scurried after them。 Once the door had shut down Weatheral turned and faced Lazarus Long。 〃Grandfather;〃 he said softly; his voice somewhat choked。 〃Uh…may I?〃
  
  Lazarus had let his chair sink back into a reclining couch that held him; hammocklike; as tenderly as a mother's arms。 At the younger man's words he raised his head。 〃Huh? What? Oh! All right; all right; e here…Grandson。〃 He reached out one arm to Weatheral。
  
  The Chairman Pro Tern hurried to him; took Lazarus' hand; dropped to his knees and kissed it。
  
  Lazarus snatched his hand back。 〃For Pete's sake! Don't kneel to me…don't ever do that。 If you want to be my grandson; treat me as such。 Not that way。〃
  
  〃Yes; Grandfather。〃 Weatheral got to his feet; leaned over the old man; and kissed his mouth。
  
  Lazarus patted his cheek。 〃You're a sentimentalist; Grandson。 But a good boy。 Trouble is; there never has been much demand for good boys。 Now get that solemn expression off your face and go home and get a good night's rest。〃
  
  〃Yes; Grandfather。 I will。 Good night。〃
  
  〃Good night。 Now beat it。〃
  
  Weatheral left quickly。 The technicians jumped aside as he came out; then went back into the suite。 Weatheral continued on; ignoring people around him bu; with a softer; gentler expression on his face than was his wont。 He went past a bank of transports to the Director's private transport; it opened to his voice; then conveyed him quickly into the bowels of the city and directly to the Executive Palace。
  
  32
  
  Lazarus looked up as 'his attendants came back in; be motioned the taller one to him。 The technician's voice; filtered and distorted by the helmet; said carefully; 〃Bed 。 。 。 sir?〃
  
  〃No; I want…〃 Lazarus paused; then spoke to the air。 〃puter? Can you speak? If not; print it out。〃
  
  〃I hear you; Senior;〃 a mellifluous; contralto voice answered。 〃Tell this nurse that I want whatever they are allowed to give me for pain。 I have work to do。〃 …
  
  〃Yes; Senior。〃 The disembodied voice shifted to Lingua Galacta; was answered in kind; then went on: 〃Master Chief Tech?ician on duty wishes to know the nature and location of your pain; and adds that you should not work tonight。〃
  
  Lazarus kept silent while he counted ten chimpanzees in his mind。 Then he said softly; 〃Damn it; I hurt everywhere。 And I don't want advice from a child。 I have loose ends to tidy up before I sleep 。 。 because one never knows that one will wake up again。 Forget the painkiller; it ain't all that important。 Tell 'em to get out and stay out。〃
  
  Lazarus tried to ignore the ensuing exchange; as it annoyed him that he … almost…not…quite understood it。 He opened the envelope Ira Weatheral had returned to him; then opened out his will…a long bellows…fold of puter printout…and started reading it while whistling off key。
  
  〃Senior; Master Chief technician on duty states that you have given a null order; which is a true statement by the Clinic's regulations。 A general analgesic is forthing。〃
  
  〃Forget it。〃 Lazarus went on reading; and shifted to singing softly the tune he had been whistling: …
  
  〃There's a pawnshop
  
  On the corner …
  
  Where I usually keep my overcoat。
  
  〃There's a bookie
  
  Behind the pawnshop
  
  Who handles my investments〃 *
  
  The taller technician appeared at his elbow; carrying a shiny disk with attached tubing。 〃For … 。 pain。〃
  
  Lazarus made a brush…off gesture with his free hand。 〃Go 'way; I'm busy。〃
  
  * This doggerel is attributed to the twentieth century。 See appendix for semantic analysis。
  
  J。F。 45th
  
  …The shorter teeheician appeared on his other side。 Lazarus looked that way and said; 〃What do you want?〃 …
  
  As he turned his head the taller technician moved quickly; Lazarus felt a sting in his forearm。 He rubbed the spot and said; 〃Why; you rapscallion。 Foxed me; didn't。you? All right; beat it。 Raus。 Scat!'。' He dismissed the incident from his mind and returned to work。 A moment later he said:
  
  …〃puter!〃
  
  〃Awaiting your orders; Senior。〃
  
  第6节
  
  〃Record this …for printout。 I; Lazarus Long; sometimes known as the Senior and listed in the Howard Families' Genealogies as Woodrow Wilson Smith; born 1912; do declare this to be my last will and testament… puter; go back through my talk with Ira and dig out what I said I wanted to do to help him lead a migration…got it?〃
  
  〃Retrieved; Senior。〃…
  
  〃Fix up the language and tack it onto my opening statement。 And…let … me see…add something like this: In the event Ira Weatheral fails tO qualify for inheritance; then all my worldly wealth of which I die possessed shall go to; uh; to
  
  …to found a home for indigent and superannuated pickpock
  
  …ets; prostitutes; panhandlers; piemen; priggers; and other unworthy poor starting with 'P。i Got it?〃
  
  〃Recorded; Senior。 Please be advised that this alternative has …a high probability of being nullified if tested by the; current rules of this pla。〃
  
  Lazarus expressed a rhetorical and physiologically improbable wish。 〃All right; set it up for stray cats or some
  
  … other useless but legally acceptable purpose。 Search your permanents for such a purpose that will get by the courts;。 Just be certain that the Trustees can't get their hands on it。 Understand?'
  
  〃There is no way to be certain of 'that; Senior; but it will be attempted。〃 … …
  
  〃Look for a loophole。 Print that out as fast as you can research it and put it together。 Now stand by for a memorandum of my assets。 Begin。〃 Lazarus started to read the list; found that his eyes were blurring and would not focus。 〃Damnation! Those dummies slipped me a Mickey and it's taking hold。 Blood! I mUst have a drop of my own blood to thumbprint it! Tell those dummies to help me and tell them why…and warn them that I will bite my tongue… to get it if they won't help me。 Now print out my will with any feasible alternative…but hurry!〃
  
  〃Printout starting;〃 the puter answered quietly; then shifted to Galacta。
  
  The 〃dummies〃 did not argue with the puter; they moved fast; one snatching the new sheet out of the auxiliary printout the instant it stopped whirring; the other producing a sterile point out of nowhere and stabbing the ball of Lazarus' left little finger after giving Lazarus a split second to see what was being done。
  
  Lazarus did not wait for blood to be taken by pipette。 He squeezed the stabbed finger for a drop; rubbed his right thumb in it; then print…signed his will whil

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