time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第63章

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　official　version。　Laura　knew　they　were　my　friends；　she　was　gracious　to　them　on　my　account；　then　had　e　to　like　them　on　their　own　account。
　　
　　Laura　was　a　good　gal；　Minerva；　good　pany　in　bed　and　out；　and　she　had　the　Howard　virtue；　even　on　her　first　marriage；　of　not　trying　to　smother　her　spouse…most　Howards　need　at　least　one　marriage　to　learn　it。　She　knew　who　I　was…the　Senior…as　our　marriage　and　later　our　kids　were　registered　with　the　Archives；　just　as　had　been　my　marriage　to　her　grandmother；　and　the　offspring　from　that。　But　she　did　not　treat　me　as　a　thousand　years　older　than　she　y　past　lives…simply　listened　if　I　felt　like　talking。
　　
　　I　don't　blame　her　for　that　lawsuit；　Roger　Sperling　cooked　that　up；　the　greedy　son　of　a　sow。
　　
　　Laura　said；　〃If　you　don't　mind；　dear；　I'll　stay　home。　I　would　rather　splurge　on　clothes　after　I　slim　down。　As　for　dinner；　there　isn't　a　restaurant　in　New　Canaveral　that　can　match　what　Thomas　does　for　us　here。　Well；　Estelle's　Kitchen　perhaps；　but　that's　a　lunchroom；　not　a　restaurant。　Will　you　see　them　this　trip？　Estelle　and　Joe；　I　mean。〃
　　
　　〃Possibly。〃
　　
　　〃Find　time；　dear；　they　are　nice　people。　Besides；　I　want　to　send　some　knickknack　to　my　goddaughter。　Aaron；　if　you　want　to　treat　me　to　a　fancy　restaurant　when　we　go　to　town；　you　should　encourage　Joe　to　open　one。　Joe　can　cook；　equal　to　Thomas。〃
　　
　　（Better　than　Thomas；　I　said　to　myself…and　Joe　doesn't　scoinerva；　the　trouble　with　servants　is　that　you　serve　them　quite　as　much　as　they　serve　you。）　〃I'll　make　a　point　of　seeing　them；　at　least　long　enough　to　deliver　your　present　to　Libby。〃
　　
　　〃And　kiss　them　all　for　me　and　I'd　better　send　something　to　each　of　their　kids　and　be　sure　to　tell　Estelle　that　I'm　pregnant　again　and　find　out　if　she　is；　too；　and　remember　to　tell　me；　and　what　time　are　you　leaving；　dear？…！　must　check　your　shirts。〃
　　
　　Laura　was　serenely　certain　that　I　could　not　pack　an　overnight　bag　no　matter　how　many　centuries　of　experience　I　had　had。　Her　ability　to　see　the　world　as　she　wanted　to　see　it　enabled　her　to　put　up　with　my　cranky　ways　for　forty　years；　I　do　appreciate　her。　Love？　Certainly；　Minerva。　She　looked　out　for　my　welfare；　always；　and　I　did　for　hers；　and　we　enjoyed　being　together。　Just　not　love　so　intense　that　it　is　a　great　ache　in　your　belly。
　　
　　Next　day　I　took　my　jumpbuggy　over　to　New　Canaveral。
　　
　　（Omitted）
　　
　　…planned　Maison　Long。　Llita　had　meant　to　blitz　me。　I'm　sentimental；　and　she　knew　it　and　had　set　the　stage。　When　I　got　there；　the　shutters　were　closed；　early…and　their　two　older　kids　were　farmed　out　for　the　night　and　baby　Laura　was　asleep。　Joe　let　me　in；　told　me　to　go　on　back；　he　had　our　dinner　on　the　range　and　would　be　along　in　a　minute。　So　I　went　back　to　their　living　quarters　to　find　Llita。
　　
　　I　found　her…dressed　in　sarong　and　sandals　I　had　given　her　not　an　hour　after　I　had　bought　her。　Instead　of　the　sophisticated　face…do　she　now　used　so　well；　she　was　wearing　no　makeup　at　all　and　had　her　hair　simply　parted　and　hanging　straight　down；　to　her　waist　or　longer；　and　brushed　till　it　shone。　But　this　was　not　the　frightened；　ignorant　slave　who　had　to　be　taught　how　to　bathe；　this　serenely　beautiful　young　lady　was　clean　as　a　sterilized　scalpel；　and　was　scented　with　some　perfume　which　may　have？been　named　Spring　Breezes。　but　should　have　been　called　Justifiable　Rape　and　sold　only　under　doctor's　prescription。
　　
　　She　posed　just　long　enough　for　me　to　take　this　in；　the　swarmed　over　me；　hit　me　with　a　kiss　that　matched　her　perfume。
　　
　　By　the　time　she　let　me　go；　Joe　had　joined　us…dressed　in　breech　clout　and　sandals。
　　
　　But　I　did　not　let　it　go　sentimental；　I　riposted　sharply；　stopping　only　to　accept　one…tenth　that　much　kiss　from　Joe；　said　nothing　about　their　costumes；　and　at　once　started　explaining　that　business　deal。　When　Llita　caught　what　I　was　talking　aboul　she　shifted　from　sexy　siren　to　sharp　businesswoman；　listened　intently；　ignored　her　stage　setting　and　costuming；　and　asked　the　right　questions。
　　
　　Once　she　said；　〃Aaron；　I　sniff　a　mouse。　You　told　us　to　be　free；　and　we've　tried　to　be…and　that's　why　we　sent　you　that　draft。　I　can　add　figures；　we　owe　you　that　money。　We　don't　have　to　have　the　biggest　restaurant　in　New　Canaveral　We're　happy；　the　children　are　healthy；　we're　making　money。
　　
　　〃And　working　too　hard；〃　I　answered。
　　
　　〃Not　all　that　hard。　Though　a　bigger　restaurant　woul　mean　even　more　work。　But　the　point　is：　You　seem　to　be　buying　us　again。　That's　all　right　if　you　wish　to…you　are　the　only　master　we　would　ever　accept。　Is　that　your　intention；　sir？　If　so；　piease　say　so。　Be　frank　with　us。〃
　　
　　I　said；　〃Joe；　will　you　hold　her　while　I　wallop　her？　For　using　that　dirty　word？　Llita；　you　are　wrong　on　both　counts。　A　bigger　restaurant　means　less　work。　And　I'm　not　buying　you；　this　is　a　business　deal　in　which　I　expect　a　fat　profit　I'm　betting　on　Joe's　genius　as　a　chef；　plus　your　genius　fos　pinching　pennies　ake　money；　I'll　exercise　my　option　to　liquidate；　get　my　investment　back；　and　you　can　go　back　to　running　a　lunch　counter。　If　you　fail　I　won't　prop　you　up。〃
　　
　　〃Brother？〃　She　called　him　that　in　the　dialect　of　their　childhood。　It　signified　to　me　that　the　lodge　was　styled　for　executive　session　at　the　highest　degree；　as　they　were　most　careful　not　to　call　each　other　〃Brother〃　or　〃Sister〃　in　any　language；　especially　in　front　of　the　children。　J。A。　was　sometimes　〃Brother~'　in　English…never　his　father　Joe。　Minerva；　I　don't　recall　that　Landfall　had　laws　against　incest…it　did　not　have　many　laws。　But　there　was　a　strong　taboo　against　it；　and　I　had　carefully　indoctrinated　them。　Half　the　battle　with　any　culture　is　knowing　its　taboos。
　　
　　Joe　looked　thoughtful。　〃I　can　cook。　Can　you　manage　it；　Sis？'
　　
　　〃I　can　try。　Of　course　we'll　try　it　if　you　want　us　to；　Aaron。　I'm　not　sure　we　can　make　a　go　of　it；　and　it　does　look　like　more　work　to　me。　I'm　not　plaining；　Aaron；　but　we　are　already　working　about　as　hard　as　we　can。〃
　　
　　〃I　know　you　are。　I　don't　see　how　Joe　found　time　to　knock　you　up。〃
　　
　　She　shrugged　and　said；　〃That　doesn't　take　long。　And　it　will；　be　a　long　time…I've　just　barely　caught…before　I'll　have　to　take　time　off。　J。A；　is　old　enough　to　handle　the　cashbox…when　I　do。　But　not　in　a　big　fancy　restaurant。〃
　　
　　I　answered；　〃Wench；　you're　thinking　in　terms　of　a　lunchroom。　Now　listen；　and　learn　how　to　make　more　money　with　less　work　and　more　time　off。
　　
　　〃We　may　not　open　Maison　Long　until　after　you　have　this　baby；　We　can't　set　this　up　overnight。　We　must　sell　or　lease　this　place……which　means　finding　buyers　who　can　keep　it　out　of　the　red；　it's　always　expensive　to　have　to　take　a　place　back。
　　
　　〃We　must　find　a　suitable　property　in　the　right　neighborhood；　for　sale　or　lease　with　option　to　buy。　I　may　buy　it　and　rent　it　to　the　corporation；　so　as　not　to　tie　up　too　much　of　the　corporation's　capital　in　senior　financing。　Find　the　place；
　　
　　remodel　it　probably；　redecorate　it　certainly。　Money　for　fixtures。　Not　much　for　squeeze；　I　know　where　the　bodies　are　buried　in　this　burg；　and　I　won't　hold　still　for　excessive　squeeze。
　　
　　〃But；　my　dear；　you　will　not　be　on　the　cashbox；　we'll　hire　help；　and　I'll　set　it　up　so　that　they　can't　steal。　You　will　be　moving　around；　looking　pretty；　smiling　at　people…and　keeping　your　eye　on　everything。　But　you'll　do　this　only　at　lunch　and　dinner。　Call　it　six　hours　a　day。〃
　　
　　Joe　looked　startled；　Llita　blurted　out；　〃But？　Aaron；　we　always　open　up　as　soon　as　we're　back　from　market　and　stay　open　late。　Otherwise　you　lose　so　much　trade。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　sure　you　work　that　hard；　this　draft　proves　it。　And　that's　why　you　think　getting　pregnant　'doesn't　take　long。'　But　it　should　'take　long；'　dear。　Work　is　not　an　end　in　itself；　there　must　always　be　time　enough　for　love。　Tell　me…　When　you　caught　J。A。　in　the　'Libby'；　were　you　rushed？　Or　did　did　you　have　time　to　enjoy　it？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　goodness！〃　Her　nipples　suddenly　crinkled。　〃Those　were　wonderful　days！〃
　　
　　〃There　will　be　wonderful　days　again。　Gather　ye　rosebuds；　time　is　still　a…flying。　Or　have　you　lost　interest？〃
　　
　　She　looked　indignant。　〃Captain；　you　know　me　better　than　that。〃
　　
　　〃Joe？　Slow