time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)- 第27部分

　　
　　〃Key　the　door　to　my　suite　so　that　it　opens　only　to　my　voice。　I'm　going　out　and　sashay　around…while　Ira　and　these　kids　stay　locked　inside。~　If　I　am　not　back　in　half　an　hour；　you　can　unlock　them。〃
　　
　　〃Conflict；　Ira！〃
　　
　　〃Carry　out　his　orders；　Minerva。〃　I　tried　to　keep　my　voice　low　and　even。
　　
　　Lazarus　smiled　and　stayed　in　his　chair。'　〃No　need　to　show　openers；　Ira；　there　is　nothing　outside　I　want　to　see。　Minerva；　you　can　put　the　door　back　to　normal…let　it　open　to　any　voice；　including　mine。　Sorry　about　that　conifict；　dear；　I　hope　it　didn't　burn　out　anything。〃
　　
　　〃No　harm　done；　Lazarus。　When　I　was　given　that　superoverride　instruction；　I　increased　the　overload　tolerances　on　my　problem…resolving　work。〃
　　
　　〃You're　a　smart　girl。　I'll　try　to　avoid　conflict　in　the　future。　Ira；　you　had　better　remove　that　super…override；　it's　not　fair　to　Minerva。　She　feels　like　a　woman　with　two　husbands。〃
　　
　　〃Minerva　can　handle　it。〃　I　assured　him；　more　calmly　than　I　felt。
　　
　　〃You　mean　that　I　had　better　handle　it。　I　shall。　Did　you　tell　Ishtar　that　I'm　going　househunting？〃
　　
　　〃I　didn't　get　that　far。　I　was　discussing　with　her　the　practicability　of　your　living　at　the　Palace。〃
　　
　　〃Now；　Ira…　Palaces　don't　appeal　to　me；　and　being　a　house　guest　is　still　worse。　A　nuisance　both　to　host　and　guest。'　To…
　　
　　…morrow　I'll　find　a　residential　hilton　that　doesn't　cater　to　tourists　or　conventions。　Then　I'll　run　out　to　the　skyport　and
　　
　　see　Dora；　and　pat　her　rump　and　get　her　calmed　down。　The　next　day　or　so　I'll　find　a　little　house　way　out　in　the　suburbs；　one　automated　enough　to　be　no　problem…but　with　its　own　garden。　Got　to　have　a　garden。　I'll　have　to　bribe　somebody　to　move；　the　house　I　want；　won't　be　standing　empty。　Do　you　happen　to　know　how　much　I　still　have　in　Harriman　Trust？　If　anything。〃　…
　　
　　〃I　don't　know　but　that's　no　problem。　Minerva；　set　up　a　drawing　account　for　the　Senior。　Unlimited。〃
　　
　　〃Acknowledged；　Ira。　pleted。〃
　　
　　〃pletion　noted。　Lazarus；　you　would　not　be　a　nuisance。　Nor　will　you　find　it　palatial　as　long　as　you　avoid　the　public　rooms。　As　I　always　do。　Nor　will　you　be　anyone's　guest。　It's　called　the　'Executive　Palace；'　but　its　official　name　is　'The　Chairman's　House。'　You　will　be　in　residence　in　your　own　home。　I　will　be　the　guest；　if　anyone。〃
　　
　　〃Hogwash；　Ira。〃
　　
　　〃True；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃Quit　juggling　words。　I　would　still　be　a　stranger　in　a　household　not　truly　my　own。　A　guest。　I　don't　buy　it。〃
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　you　said…last　night〃…I　remembered　just　in　time　the　missing　day…〃that　you　can　always　do　business　with　anyone　who　is　acting　in　his　own　interest　and　says　so。〃
　　
　　〃I　think　I　said　'usually'　rather　than　'always'…meaning　that　we　could　then　look　for　a　way　that　would　serve　both　of　our　self…interests。〃
　　
　　〃Then　hear　me　out。　You've　got　me　tied　down　with　this　Scheherazade　bet。　As　well　as　a　research　to　find　something　new　to　interest　you。　Now　you've　dangled　bait　wider　my　nose　that　makes　me　want　to　migrate　as　so鄋　as…well；　as　soon　as　possible；　it　won't　take　long　for　the　Trustees　to　turn　me　down　concerning　a　migration　of　the　Families。　Grandfather；　it's　nuisance　enough　to　chase　over　here　every　day；　I　don't　hanker　to　trek　way　out　into　the　boondocks；　the　muting　would　waste　what　little　time　you　have　left　me　for　work。　Besides　that；　it's　dangerous。〃
　　
　　〃Living　alone？　Ira；　I've　lived　alone　many　times。〃
　　
　　〃Dangerous　for　me。　Assassins。　I'm　safe　at　the　Palace；　the　rat　who　can　find　his　way　through　that　maze　hasn't　been　born。　I'm　reasonabl~safe　here　inside　the　Clinic；　and　I　can　get　back　and　forth　in　safety；　subject　only　to　whims　of　automatic　machinery。　But　if　I　make　a　daily　pattern　of　going　to　an　unfortifled　house　…　somewhere　out　in　the　suburbs；　then　it　is　only　a　matter　of　time　until　some　crackpot　sees　it　as　an　opportunity
　　
　　to　save　the　world　by　picking　me　off。　Oh；　he　would　not　live　through　it；　my　guards　aren't　that　inefficient。　But　if　I　persist　in　setting　myself　up　as　a　target；　he　might　get　me　before　they　get　him。　No；　Grandfather；　I　do　not　choose　to　be　assassinated。〃
　　
　　The　Senior　looked　thoughtful　but　not　impressed。　〃I　could　answer　that　your　safety　and　convenience　have　to　do　with　your　self…interest。　Not　mine。〃
　　
　　…。〃True；〃　I　admitted。　〃But　let　me　offer　what　bait　I　can。　It's　in　my　self…interest　for　you　to　live　in　the　Palace。　…There　I　can
　　
　　visit　you　in　perfect　safety；　even　safer　than　I　am　here；　and　muting　bees　a　matter　of　seconds；　negligible。　I　can　even　ask　you…there…to　excuse　me　for　a　half　hour　if　something　urgent　es　up。　That　defines　my　self…interest。　As　for　yours；　sir…would　you　be　interested　in　a　bachelor's　cottage；　rather　small…four　rooms…and　not　especially　modern　or　luxurious　but　set　in　a　pleasant　garden？　Three　hectares；　but　only　the　part　close　to　the　house　is　gardened；　the　rest　has　been　allowed　to　grow　wild。〃
　　
　　〃What's　the　catch；　Ira？　How　modern　is　'not　especially'？　I　did　say　'automated'…as　I　am　not　yet　in　shape　to　do　for　myself…nor　am　I　patient　with　the　vagaries　of　servants　or　the　whimsical　uncertainties　of　robots。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　this　ccttage　is　sufficiently　automated；　it　simply　does　not　have　a　lot　~f　fancy　extravagances。　No　servants　needed　if　your　tastes　are　simple。　Would　you　permit　the　Clinic　to　continue　to　stand　watches　on　you　if　the　watchstanders　are　as　pleasant；　and　as　pleasantly　unobtrusive；　as　these　two？'
　　
　　〃Eh？　These　kids　are　all　right；　I　like　them。　I　realize　that　the　Clinic　wants　to　keep　an　eye　on　me；　they　probably　feel　that　I'm　more　of　a　challenge　than　a　client　only　three　or　four　hundred　years　old。　That's　okay。　But　you　pass　the　word　that　I　expect　to　smell　perfume；　not　germicides。　Or　reasonably　fresh　body　odors；　I'm　not　fussy。　I　repeat；　what's　the　catch？〃
　　
　　〃The　hell　you　aren't　fussy；　Lazarus；　you　delight　in　thinking　up　impossible　conditions。　This　cottage　is　rather　cluttered　with　old…fashioned　books；　the　last　tenant　was　eccentric。　Did　I　mention　a…~little　stream　running　through　the　grounds；　one　which　opens　Out　into　a　small　pool　near　the　house？…not　much；　but　you　can　take　a　few　strokes　in　it。　Oh；　I　forgot　to　mention　an　old　tomcat　who　thinks　he　owns　the　place。　But　you　probably　won't　see　him；　he　hates　most　people。〃
　　
　　〃I　won't　bother　him　if　he　wants　to　be　left　alone；　cats　make　good　neighbors。　You　still　haven't　answered　me。〃
　　
　　〃The　catch　is　this；　Lazarus。　I've　been　describing　the　pent…
　　
　　house　I　had　built　for　my　own　use　on　the　roof　of　the　Palace；　some　niy　years　back　when　I　…　decided　to　keep　this　…　job　awhile。　It　can　be　reached　only。　by　vertical　transport　from　my　usual　quarters　a　couple　of　stories　below　it。　I've　never　had　time　to　use　it　much；　you　are　wele　to　it。〃　I　stood　up。　〃But　if　'you　won't　take　it；　then　y~u　can　consider　that　I've　lost　the　Scheherazade　bet；　and　you　are　free　to　use　that　termination　switch　whenever　you　please。　For　I'm　damned　if　I'll　be　a　sitting　duck　for　assassination　just　to　cater　to　your　whims。〃
　　
　　〃Sit　back　down！'
　　
　　〃No；　thank　you。　I've　made　a　reasonable　offer。　If　you　won't　take　it；　you　can　go　to　hell　in　your　own　way。　I　won't　let　you　ride　my　shoulders　like　the　Old　Man　of　the　Sea。　I　can　be　pushed　just　so　far。〃
　　
　　〃So　I　see。　How　much　of　your　ancestry　am　I？〃
　　
　　〃About　thirteen　percent　Considerable　convergence。〃
　　
　　〃Only　that　much？　I　would　have　guessed　more。　Some　ways　you　sound　like　my　Gramp。　Does　my　suicide　switch　go　along'？〃
　　
　　〃If　you　want　it；〃　I　answered　as　indifferently　as　I　could　manage　to　sound。　〃Or　you　can　jump　off　the　edge。　…It's　a　long　drop。〃　…
　　
　　〃I　prefer　the　switch；　Ira；　I'd　hate　to　change…　my　mind　…on　the　way　down。　Will　you　fix　me　up　with　another　transport　so　that　I　won't　have　to　…go　through　your　apartment？'。；　…
　　
　　〃Eh？　Is　it　all　that　difficult？？Let's　ask　Minerva。〃　…
　　
　　〃It~s　not　that　I　can't…I　Won't。　It's　an　unreasonable　request。　It　won't　hurt　you　to　change　transports　in　my　foyer。　Didn't　I　make　it　clear　that　I　am　not　catering　to　any　more　unreasonable　whims？〃
　　
　　〃Get　your　feathers　down；　Son。　I　n閏ept。　Tomorrow；　say。　Never　mind　moving　that　clutter　of　books；　I　like　old…fashioned　bound　books；　they　have　more　flavor　than　speedireads；　or　projectos；　or　such。　And　I'm　pleased　to　find　that　you're　a　rat　and　not　a　mouse。　Please　sit　down。〃
　　
　　I　did　so；　pretending　reluctance。　I　felt　that　I　was　begin…　fling　to　gain　some　grasp　of　Lazarus。　Despite　the　way　he
　　
　　sneered　at　them　the　old　…scoundrel　was　an　equalitarian　at　heart　。　。　and　expressed　it　by　atteinpting　to　dominate　anyone　with　whom　he　came　into　contact…but　was　contempuous　of　anyone　who　knuckled　under　to　his　bullying。　So　the　only　answer　was　to　hit　back　at　him；　try　to　maintain　a　balance　of　power…and　hope　that　in　time　it　would　reach　the　stability　of　mutual　respect。
　　
　　I　never　had　cause　to　change　my　mind。　He　was　capable　of　kindness　and　even　affection　toward　one　who　accepted　a　subordinate　role…if　that　person　was　a　child　or　a　female。　But　he　preferred　spunk　even　from　them。　A　grown　male　who　bent　the　knee　he　neither　liked　nor　trusted。
　　
　　I　think　this　quirk　…in　his　character　made　him　very　lonely。
　　
　　……　Presently　the　Senior　said　musingly；　〃Be　nice