time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第113章

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　　〃Ishtar~　the　only　correct　verbal　answer　to　that　is　Yes　and
　　
　　No…which　merely　says　I　lack　language　to　define　something　that　is　crystal　clear　。inside　me　and　has　been　for　centuries。　But　here　is　paft　of　the　truth：　A　long　time　ago　a　short…lifer　proved　to　me　that　we　all　live　the　same　length　of　time。〃　He　glanced　at　Minerva；　she　looked　solemnly　back。　〃Because　we　all　live　now。　She…he…was　not　asserting　that　fallacy　of　Georg　Cantor　which　distorted　pre…Libby　mathematics　so　long；　uh；　he
　　
　　…was　asserting　a　verifiable　objective　truth。　Each　individual　lives　her　life　in　now　independently　of　how　others　may　measure　that　life　in　years。
　　
　　〃But　here　iS；another　piece　of　truth。　Life　is　too　long　when　one　is　not　enjoying　now。　You　recall　when　I　was　not　and　wished　to　terminate　it。　Your　skjll…and　trickery；　my　darling；　and　don't　blush…changed　that　and　again　I　savor　now。　But　perhaps　I　have　never　told　you　that　I　approached　even　my　first　rejuvenation　with　misgivings；　afraid　that　it　would　make　my　body　young　without　making　my　spirit　young　again…and　don't　bother　to　tell　me　that　'spirit'　is　a　null　word；　I　know　that　it　is　undefinable
　　
　　but　it　means　something　to　me。
　　
　　〃But　here　is　still　more　of　the　truth　and　all　I'll　try　to　say　about　it。　Although　long…life　can　be　a　burden；　mostly　it　is　a　blessing。　It　gives　time　enough　to　learn；　time　enough　to　think；　time　enough　not　to　hurry；　time　enough　fQr　love。'
　　
　　〃Enough　of　weighty　matters。　Galahad；　pick　a　light　subject　and；　Justin；　you　plant　the　barbs；　I've　talked　enough。　Ishtar；　my　darling；　fetch　your　long　lovely　carcass　over　here；　stretch　Out；　and　let　me　ply　you　with　brandy；　I　want　you？relaxed　enough　for　what　I　intend　to　do　with　you　later。〃
　　
　　She　came　readily　to；　him；　stopping　only　to　kiss　Ira　a　promise；　then　saying　softly　but　clearly　to　our　Ancestor；　〃Our　beloved；　it　takes　no　brandy　to　make　me　utterly　willing　for　whatever　you　have　iniisind。〃
　　
　　〃Anesthesia；　Mama　Ishtar。　I　plan　to　show　you　something　Big　Anna　taught　me　which　I　haven't　dared　risk　in　all　these　years。　You　may　not　live　till　morning。　Frightened？〃
　　
　　She　smiled　lazily；　happily。　〃Oh；　terribly　frightened。〃
　　
　　Galahad　covered　Lapis　Lazuli's　mouth　with　a　hand；　she　bit　him。　〃Stop　it；　Laz。　Let's　everybody　watch　this…it　might　be　new；〃
　　
　　VARIATIONS　ON　A　ThEME
　　
　　XV
　　
　　Agape
　　
　　I　woke　slowly　next　morning；　lazed　in　bed　and　lived　again　my　Wele　Bacchanalia。　I　was　in　a　big　bed　in　a　groundfloor　room　with　its　garden　wall　still　open　as　it　had　been　when　the　party　had　moved　to　beds。　I　could　hear　no　one；　although　（as　I　recalled）　Tamara　and　Ira　had　been　with　me。　Or　had　Ira　visited　us　earlier？
　　
　　No　matter；　all　of　them　visited　us　at　some　time　before　Athene　sang　us　to　sleep；　I　seemed　to　recall　as　high　as　six　or　seven　at　once　in　that　big　bed；　counting　Tamara　and　me。　No；　Tamara　had　been　gone　once；　leaving　me　at　the　mercy　of　the　talkative　twins…who　were　almost　quiet。　They　said　they　wanted　to　assure　me　that　I　did　not　have　to　marry　them　in　order　to　be　a　member　of　the　family…they　would　be　gone　too　much　of　the　time　any。　how…because　they　were　going　to　be　pirates　when　they　were　big　enough…but　stay　groundside　half　the　time…and　open　a　hook　shop　over　a　pool　hall…and　would　I　e　to　see　them　there？
　　
　　They　had　to　explain　to　me　both　terms；　then　they　sang　me　a　little　song　that　seemed　partly　amphigory　and　partly　ancient'。；　English；　but　included　both　terms。　I　kissed　them　and　promised　that；　when　they　opened　this　studio；　Iwould　be　their　most　faithful　admirer…a　promise　that　did　not　ost　girls　（all　of　my　daughters）　have　ambitions　to　begrsne　great　hetaeras；　few　attempt　that　most　demanding　of　arts…br　only　long　enough　to　discover　that　they　do　not　have　~　tsiie　vocation。
　　
　　第55节
　　
　　I　thought　they　were　more　likely　to　bee　pirates；　Lazarus　Long's　identicals　might　figure　out　a　way　to　make　crime　pay　in　spite　of　the　enormous　depths　of　space。
　　
　　My　Wele　Bacchanalia　had　bridged　from　feast　to　bed　with　the　customary　entertainment　save　that　it　was　homemade　instead　of　the　expensive　（and　often　dull）　professional　acts　a　fashionable　New　Rome　hostess　offers。　Lazarus　and　his　sisterdaughters　started　it　with　what　may　have　been　an　authentic
　　
　　CIQ
　　
　　Highland　Fling　（who　knows；　today？）：　Lazarus　dancing　fiercely　and　vigorously　（after　all　that　food　and　drink！）；　his　two　miniature　copies'keeping　the　pattern　exactly　with　him…to　skirling　bagpipes　offered　by　Athene　。　。　which　I　would　not　have　recotnized　were　it　not　that　I　am　an　amateur　of　ancient　music　as　well　as　a　professional　of　ancient　history。　The　girls　followed　with　an　encore；　a　swOrd　dance；　while　Lazarus　pretended　to　be　passed　out　from　exertion。
　　
　　Ira；　to　my　amazement；　turned　out　to　be　a　skilled　juggler。
　　
　　Question：　Did　he　have　that　skill　all　those　years　he　managed　a　pla？
　　
　　Galahad　sang　a　ballad　with　professional　virtuosity　and　great　range　and　control；　which　astonished　me　almost　as　much　as　I　seemed　to　recall　that　he　used　to　sing　always　off　key。　Bpt　when　he　took　an　encore　with　a　kerchief　stuffed　in　his　mouth；　I　realized　that　I　had　been　swived；　Athene　had　done　it　all。　He　then　played　a　corpse　with　three　beautiful　widows；　Minerva；　Hamadryad；　Ishtar。　I　won't　describe　the　dialogue　except　to　say　that　they　seemed　cheerful　over　losing　him。
　　
　　Tamara　concluded　it　by　singing　〃My　Arms　Enclose　You　Still〃…attributed　on　slight　evidence　to　the　Blind　Singer　but　ancient　in　any　case。　I've　long　thought　of　it　as　Tamara's　Song；　and　I　wept　with　happiness；　and　I　was　not　alone；　all　did。　The　twins　blubbered　aloud　。　。　and　when　she　reached　that　last　line；　〃…wherever　the　wild　geese　lead　you；　love；　my　arms　will　hold　you　close；〃　I　was　startled　to　see　that　the　Senior's　craggy　features　were　as　wet　as　mine。
　　
　　I。　got　up；　poked　around　in　the　alcove　and　refreshed　myself　enough　to　face　other　people；　went　out　into　the　garden　and　found　Galahad。　I　kissed　him　and　accepted　a　happy…morning　in　a　frosty　tumbler。　It　was　fruit　juice　freshly　pressed…a　treat　for　taste　buds　used　to　morning　cups　〃improved〃　in　various　chemical　ways。
　　
　　〃I'm　cook　this　morning；〃　he　said；　〃so　you　had　better　take　your　eggs　either　fried　or　boiled。〃　He　then　answered　the　question　a　guest　does　not　ask：　〃If　you　had　awakened　earlier；　you　would　have　had　more　choice；　Lazarus　claims　I　can't　boil　water。　But　everyone　else　is　gone。〃
　　
　　〃So？〃
　　
　　〃Si。　Ira　has　gone　to　his　office…to　work；　perchance　to'~eep。　Tamara　has　gone　back　to　her　patients　with　a　message　to　you　that　she　hopes　to　be　home　tonight…but　with　a　word　to　Hamadryad　to　take　you　to　bed　and　rub　your　shoulder　muscles
　　
　　and　put　you　to　sleep　early；　so　I'm　not　sure　she　expects　to　be　back…won't　if　she　thinks　her　patieists　need　her。　Lazarus　'has　gone　somewhere　and　one　does　not　ask。　Minerva　has　the　twins；　and　school　may　be　in　the　'Dora'；　it　often　is。　Ishtar　got　a　call　to　set　a　broketi　arm　on　a　farm　north　of　here。　Hamadryad　has　taken　our　kids　on　a　picnic　so　as　not　to　disturb　you；　you　lazy　lecher。　Boiled　or；；fried？〃
　　
　　He　was　already　frying　them；　so　I　answered；　〃Boiled。〃
　　
　　〃Good；　I'll　eat　these　myself。　To　hold　me　till　lunch。〃
　　
　　〃I　mean　'Fried。'〃
　　
　　〃So　I'll　put　in　three　more；　dear。　You're　staying；　aren't　you？　Answer　Yes　or　I'll　put　the　twins　to　work　on　you。〃
　　
　　〃Galahad；　I　want　to…〃
　　
　　〃Then　it's　settled。〃
　　
　　〃…but　there　are　problems。〃　I　shifted　the　subject。　〃You　said　'Hamadryad　has　taken　our　kids　on　a　picnic…'　Haven't　I　met　all　your　family？〃
　　
　　〃Dear；　we　do　not　exhibit　our　youngest　the　moment　someone　sets　foot　in　the　foyer　and　thereby　place　on　him　the　onus　of　being　insincerely　ecstatic。　But　there　was　usually　someone　with　'them；　Lazarus　has　firm　ideas　on　raising　children。　Athene　keeps　eye　and　ear　on　them…but　can't　pick　them　up。　Lazarus　says　that　a　frightened　child　needs　to　be　picked　up　and　cuddled　now；　not　later。　He　believes　in　spanking　。right　now；　too；　it　evens　out；　our　kids　are　neither　spoiled　nor　timid。　Lazarus　is　especially　strong　on　not　letting　a　young　child　wake　up　alone…　so　now　you　know　why　I　kissed　you　good…night　a　bit　early。　So　that　Ishtar　could　help　keep　you　awake　while　I　slept　with　our　youngest　three