time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第64章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


st？〃
　　
　　She　looked　indignant。　〃Captain；　you　know　me　better　than　that。〃
　　
　　〃Joe？　Slowing　down；　son？〃
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　we　do　work　long　hours。　Sometimes　I'm　pretty　tired。〃
　　
　　〃Let's　change　that。　This　will　not　be　a　lunchroom；　this　is　going　to　be　a　high…priced　gourmet　restaurant　of　a　quality　this　pla　has　never　seen。　Remember　that　place　I　took　you　kids　fo　dinner　just　before　we　lifted　from　Valhalla？　That　sort。　Soft　lights　and　soft　music　and　wonderful　food　and　high　prices；　wine　cellar　but　no　hard　liquor；　our　patrons　must　not　hay　their　tastebuds　numbed。
　　
　　〃Joe；　you　will　still　go　to　market　each　morning；　selecting　top…quality　food　is　something　you　can't　delegate。　But　don't　take　Llita　and　do　take　J。A。　if　he's　going　to　learn　the　profession。
　　
　　〃I　sometimes　take　him　now。〃
　　
　　〃Good。　Then　e　home　and　go　to　bed　again；　you're　through　until　you　cook　dinner。　Not　lunch。〃
　　
　　〃Huh？〃
　　
　　第27节
　　
　　〃That's　right。　Your　number　two　chef　handles　lunch；　then　helps　with　dinner；　your　big　moneymaking　meal。　Llita　is　hostess…both　for　lunch　and　dinner；　but　keeps　an　especially　sharp　eye　on　quality　at　lunch；　Joe；　since　you　won！t　be　in　this　kitchen。　But　she　never　goes　to　market　and　should　still　be　in　bed　when　you　get　back　from　market…did　I　say　that　you　quarters　will　be　attached；　just　as　now？　You'll　both　be　off　duty　two　or　three　hours　in　the　afternoon…just　right　for　this　sort　of　siesta　you　used　to　grab　in　the　'Libby。'　In　fact；　if　you　two　can't　find　time　under　that　regime　both　for　sleep　and　plenty　of　happy　play…But　you　can。〃
　　
　　〃It　sounds　grand；〃　Uita　conceded；　〃if　we　can　make　a　living　with　those　hours~~。！'
　　
　　〃You　can。　A　better　living。　But　instead　of　trying　to　get　every　buck；　Llita；　your　object　will　be　to　maintain　top　quality　while　not　losing　money　。　。　and　enjoy　life。〃
　　
　　〃We　wilL　Aaron；　our　beloved　。　。　captain　and　***Mend***；　since　I　must　not　say　that　'dirty'　word；　we　enjoyed　life　even　a　children　when　I　had　to　wear　that　horrid　virgin's　basket…because　it　was　so　sweet　to　snuggle　together　all　the　lone　nights。　When　you　bought　us…and　freed　us…and　I　didn'i　have　to　wear　it；　life　was　perfect。　I　didn't　think　it　could　be　better…though　it　will　be；　when　we　don't　have　to　choose　between　sleep　and　trying　to　stay　awake　for　loving。　Uh；　you　must　not　believe　this　since　you　know　what　a　rutty　wench　I　am…but　lots　of　times　sleep　won。〃
　　
　　〃I　believe　it。　Let's　change　it。〃
　　
　　〃But…　No　breakfast　trade　at；all？　Aaron；　some　of　our　breakfast　customers　have　been　ing　to　us　the　whole　time　we've　been　on　Landfall。〃
　　
　　〃　profit？〃
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　not　much。　People　won't　pay　as　much　for　breakfast　even　though　materials　sometimes　cost　as　much。　I've　been　satisfied　with　a　very　small　　on　breakfast。　Advertising。　I'd　hate　to　tell　our　regulars　that　we　won't　serve　them　any　longer。〃
　　
　　〃Details；　dear。　You　can　have　a　breakfast　bar　in　one　corner　and　not　open　the　main　dining　room…but　Joe　won't　cook　breakfasts；　and　neither　will　you。　You'll　be　in　bed　with　Joe　at　that　hour…so　that　your　eyes　will　sparkle　at　lunch。〃
　　
　　〃J。A。　knows　breakfast　dishes；〃　put　in　Joe。　〃I　started　him　on　breakfasts。〃
　　
　　〃Details　again。　Maybe　we'll　work　out　a　deal　with　my　godson　whereby　he　makes　money　of　his　own；　if　the　breakfast　bar　makes　money…〃
　　
　　（Omitted）
　　
　　〃…sum　it　up。　Take　notes；　Llita。　I　agree　to　accept　this　draft　while　you　two…especially　you；　Llita…agree　that　it　settles　forever　any　debt　between　us。　Maison　Long　to　be　a　closely　held　corporation；　fifty…one　per　cent　to　you　two；　forty…nine　percent　to　me；　all　three　of　us　directors；　and　we　can't　sell　stock　save　to　each　other…except　that　I　retain　option　to　change　all　or　part　of　my　share　to　nonvoting　stock；　in　which　case　I　can　assign　it。　…
　　
　　〃My　share　of　the　initial　financing　is　this　draft。　Your　share　is　what　we　get　for　this　lunchroom…〃
　　
　　〃Hold　it；〃　said　Llita。　〃We　might　not　be　able　to　sell　for　that　much。〃
　　
　　〃Details；　dear。　Stick　in　a　paragraph　to　let　you　pay　the　corporation　any　discrepancy　out　of　your　…and　there　will　indeed　be　a　；　I　don't　stick　with　a　business　that　doesn't　make　money；　I　always　cut　my　losses。　Let's　have　another　paragraph　that　permits　me　to　supply　more　capital；　if　needed；　by　buying　nonvoting　stock…and　we'll　use　something　like　that　to　hang　onto　our　top　help；　too。　Not　have　Joe　train　a　chef　and　then　have　him　walk　out。　Never　mind；　let's　get　the　outlines　straight。　You　two　are　the　bosses；　I'm　silent　partner。　Salaries　for　you　two　on　the　scale　we　discussed；　escalating　with　rise　in　；　as　discussed。
　　
　　〃I　don't　get　a　salary；　just　dividends。　But　we　all　will　be　working　our　tails　off　to　get　this　rolling。　I'll　e　in　from　Skyhaven　as　necessary；　there's　nothing　going　on　there　now　that　my　overseer　can't　handle。　But　once　it's　rolling；　I　do　nothing；　I　sit　back　and　let　you　two　make　us　rich。　But…listen　carefully…once　it's　rolling；　you　two　must　stop　working　your　tails　off；　too。　More　time　in　bed。　More　time　for　fun　out　of　bed。　You　won't　make　us　rich　working　lunchroom　hours。　Have　we　reached　a　meeting　of　minds？〃
　　
　　〃I　think　so；〃　agreed　Joe。　〃Sis？〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　I'm　not　certain　New　Canaveral　will　support　a　gourmet　restaurant　like　those　lovely　ones　on　Valhalla…but　we'll　try！　I　still　think　our　starting　salaries　are　too　high；　but　I'll　wait　until　I've　struck　a　trial　balance　on　our　first　quarter　before　I　argue　the　matter。　Just　one　thing；　Captain…〃
　　
　　〃My　name's　'Aaron。'〃
　　
　　〃'Captain'　is　safer　than　that　'dirty　word。'　I've　agreed　to　the　whole　thing…and　I'm　durned　well　going　to　make　it　work！…as　you　always　say。　But　if　you　think　this　makes　me　forget　a　night　you　dragged　me　out　of　your　bed　and　bounced　me　on　my　bum　on　a　hard　steel　deck；　you　can　think　again！　Because　it　hasn't！〃
　　
　　I　sighed；　Minerva；　and　said　to　her　husband；　〃Joe；　how　do　you　cope　with　her？〃
　　
　　He　shrugged　and　grinned。　〃I　don't；　I　just　get　along。　Besides；　I　see　her　side　of　it。　If　I　were　you；　I'd　take　her　to　bed　and　make　her　forget　it。〃
　　
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃But　I'm　not　you；　that's　the　point。　Joe；　I　learned　long　before　you　were　born　that　free　tail　is　invariably　the　most　expensive　sort。　Worse　than　that；　we　three　are　business　partners　now…and　I　can　see　six　possible　outes　if　I　accept　your　notion　of　a　solution…and　any　of　the　six　could　cause　Maison　Long；　Ltd。；　never　to　lift　off。
　　
　　（Omitted）
　　
　　…just　as　I　knew　it　would；　Minerva；　I've　never　had　a　nonspeculative　investment　pay　off　so　well。　They　tried　to　imitate　us…but　they　couldn't　imitate　Joe's　cooking　or　Llita's　management。　I　made　a　bundle！
　　
　　VARIATIONS　ON　A　THEME
　　
　　Ix
　　
　　Conversation　Before　Dawn
　　
　　The　puter　said；　〃Lazarus；　aren't　you　sleepy？〃
　　
　　〃Don't　nag　me；　dear。　I've　had　thousands　of　white　nights；　and　I'm　still　here。　A　man　never　cuts　his　throat　from　a　sleepless　night　if　he　has　pany　to　see　him　through　it。　You're　good　pany；　Minerva。〃
　　
　　〃Thank　you；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃The　simple　truth；　girl。　If　I　fall　asleep…***firie***。　If　I　don't；　then　no　need　to　tell　Ishtar。　No。　that　won't　work；　she'll　have　graphs　and　charts　on　me；　won't　she？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　afraid　so；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃You　durn　well　know　so。　A　good　reason　for　me　to　be　a　little　angel　and　wash　behind　my　ears　and　get　this　rejuvenation　over　is　to　get　my　privacy　back。　Privacy　is　as　necessary　as　pany；　you　can　drive　a　man　crazy　by　depriving　him　of　either。　That　was　another　thing　I　acplished　by　setting　up　Maison　Long；　I　got　my　kids　privacy　they　didn't　know　they　needed。〃
　　
　　〃I　missed　that；　Lazarus。　I　noted　that　they　had　more　time　for　'Eros'…and　I　saw　that　that　was　good。　Should　I　have　inferred　something　else　from　the　data？〃
　　
　　〃No；　because　I　didn't　give　you　all　the　data。　Not　a　tenth。　Just　the　outline　of　some　forty　years　I　knew　them；　and　some…not　all…of　the　critical　points。　For　ins？ance；　did　I　mention　the　time　Joe　decapitated　a　man？〃
　　
　　〃Not　much　to　it　and　it　wasn't　important　to　the　story。　This　young　blood　tried　to　share　the　wealth　one　night　by　sticking　them　up。　Llita'　had　J。A。　in　her　right　arm；　nursing　him　or　about　to；　and　couldn't　reach　the　gun　she　kept　at　the　cashbox；　she　couldn't　fight　and　was　bright　enough　not　to　try　against　th