time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第12章

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　　sacked。　Fought　in　every　Crusade…incited　one　of　them。　Redheaded　of　course；　all　of　the　natural　long…lifers　bear　the　mark　of　Gilgamesh。　When　I　met　him　he　was　using　the　name　Sandy　Macdougal；　that　being　a　better　handle　for　the　time　and　place　for　his　current　trade；　which　was　the　long　con；　with　a　variant　on　the　badger　game。　*　The　latter　involved…　Look；　Ira；　if　you　don't　believe　my　stories；　why　are　you　going　to　so　much
　　
　　…　trouble　to　get　them　on　record？〃　…
　　
　　〃Lazarus；　if　you　think　you　can　bore　me　to　death…correction：　to　your　death…why　are　you　bothering　to　invent　fictions　to　entertain　me？　Whatever　your　reasons；　I'll　listen　as　carefully…and　as　long…as　King　Shahryar。　As　may　be；　my　master　putbr　is　recording　whatever　you　choose　to　say…without　~diting；　I　guaranteed　that…but　it　has　incorporated　into　it　a　most　subtle　truth　analyzer　quite　capable　of　earmarking　any　fictions　you　include。　Not　that　I　care　about　historicity　as　long　as　you　will　talk　。。。　as　it　is　clear　to　me　that　you　automatically　'include　your　evaluations…those　'gems　of　wisdom'…no　matter　what　you　say。〃　…
　　
　　〃'Gems　of　wisdom。'　Youngster；　use　…　that　expression　once　more　and　you'll　stay　after　school　and　clean　the　blackboards。　That　puter　of　yours…　Better　instruct　it　that　my　most　outlandish　tales　are　the　ones　most　likely　to　be　true…as　that　is　the　literal　truth。　No　storyteller　has　ever　been　able　to　dream　up　anything　as　fantastically　unlikely　as　what　really　does　happen　in　this　mad　Universe。〃
　　
　　〃It　knows　that。　But　I　will　caution　it　again。　You　were　telling　me　about　Sandy　Macdougal；　the　Wandering　Jew。〃
　　
　　〃Was　I？　If　so　and　if　he　was　using　that　name；　that　must　have　been　late　in　the　twentieth　century　and　in　Vancouver；　as　I　recall。　Vancouver　was　a　part　of　the　United　States　where　the　people　were　so　clever　that　they　never　paid　taxes　to　Washington…Sandy　should　have　operated　in　New　York；　which　was　outstanding　in　stupidity　even　then。　I　won't　give　details　of　his　swindles；　it　might　corrupt　your　machine。　Let　it　suffice　that
　　
　　*　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。
　　
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　　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