time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第84章

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　　I　like　to　think　about　I　have　never　been　unarmed　except　when　locked　in　somewhere　sale。　I　want　you　to　acquire　the　habit。　Not　just　sometimes。　Always。〃
　　
　　〃All　right。　I　left　my　belt　on　the　seat；　F！！　get　it。　But；　Woodrow；　I'm　not　much　of　a　fighter　at　best。〃
　　
　　〃You're　fairly　accurate　with　that　needle　…　gun　up　to　fifty　meters。　And　you're　going　to　get　better　and　better　the　longer
　　
　　you　live　with　me；　Not　just　with　it　but　with　anything　that　shoots；　cuts；　burns；　or　even　makes　nasty　bruises；　from　your　bare　bands　to　a　blaster。　See　over　there；　Dorable？〃　He　pointed　to　nothing　but　flatness。　〃In　just　seven　seconds　a'　horde　of　hairy　savages　will　e　pouring　over　the　top　of　that　rise　and　attack。　I　get　a　spear　through　my　thigh　and　go　down　。　。　then　you　have　to　fight　them　off　for　both　of　us。　What　are　you　going　to　do；　you　poor　little　girl；　with　your　gun　clear　over　there　on　the　seat　of　that　wagon？〃
　　
　　〃Why〃…。she　set　her　feet　apart；　put　her　hands　back　of　her　head；　and　gave　a　wiggle　that　was　invented　in　the　Garden　of　Eden；　or　perhaps　just　outside…〃I'll　go　this　way　at　'em！〃
　　
　　〃Yes；〃　Lazarus　agreed　thoughtfully；　〃that　should　work。　If　they　were　human。　But　they　aren't。　Their　only　interest　in　tall；　beautiful；　brown…eyed　girls　is　to　eat　them。　Bones　and　all。　Silly　of　~them；　but　that's　how　they　are。〃
　　
　　第39节
　　
　　〃Yes；　dear；〃　she　said　docilely。　〃I'll　go　put　on　my　gun　belt。　Then　I'll　kill　the　one　who　speared　you。　Then　I'll　see　how　many　more　I　can　get　before　they　eat　me。〃
　　
　　〃That's　right；　durable　Dorable。　Always　take　an　honor　guard　with　you。　If　you　have　to　go；　go　down　fighting。　Thesize　of　your　guard　of　honor　determines　your　status　in　hell。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　dear。　I'm　sure　I'll　enjoy　hell　if　you're　there；　too~〃　She　turned　to　fetch　her　weapons。　…
　　
　　〃Oh；　I'll　be　there！　They　wouldn't　take　me　anywhere　else。　Dora！　When　you　put　on　your　gun　belt；　take　off　your　sunbon　and　boots…and　put　on　your　rubies；　all　of　them。〃
　　
　　She　paused　with　a　foot　on　the　step　of　the　wagon。　〃My。　rubies；　dear？　Out　here　on　the　prairie？〃
　　
　　〃Rangy　Lil；　I　bought　those　rubies　for　you　to　wear　and　for　me　to　admire　you　wearing　them。〃　…
　　
　　She　flashed　a'　smile　that　turned　her　normally　serious　expression　into　sunshine；　swung　on　up　into　the　wagon　and　disappeared。　She　was　back　quickly　wearing　weapons　belt　and　rubies；　but　had　taken　a　few　seconds　to　b　her　hair；　long　and　chestnut　brown　and　shining。　That　she　had　not　been　able　to　bathe　for　more　than　two　weeks　did　not　show；　did　not　detract　from　her　enchanting；　youthful　beauty。　She　paused　on　the　step　and　smiled　at　him。
　　
　　〃Hold　it！〃　he　said。　〃Perfect！　Dora；　you　are　the　most　beautiful　thing　I　have　ever　seen　in　all　my　born　days〃
　　
　　She　flashed　him　another　smile。　〃I　don't　believe　that；　my　husband…but　I　hope　you　will　goon　saying　it。〃
　　
　　〃Madam；　I　cannot　…　tell　a　lie'。　I　say　it　only　because　it　is　the　simple　trutl~。　Now　what　were　you　saying　about　the　little　rooster？〃　…　…
　　
　　…〃Oh！　That　perverted　little　monster！　I　said　he　had　been　breaking　eggs　on　purpose！　This　time　I　caught　him。　Pecking　them。　Two　freshly　laid　broken　eggs！〃　…　…
　　
　　〃Royal　prerogative；　dear。　Afraid　one　of　them　would　hatch　Out　a　rooster。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　wring　his　neck！　If　we　had　a　fire；　I'd　do　it　right　now。　Darling；　I　was　trying　to　see　what　we　could　eat　cold　without　opening　anything　not　already　open；　and　it　occurred　to　me　that　salt　crackers　crumbled　into　raw　eggs　would　almost　make　a　meal。　But　there　were　only　three　eggs　today　and　he　broke　the　two　laid　by　his　hens。　I'd　put　plenty　of　grass　in　；both　cages；　the'　one　egg　on　the'　other　side　wasn't　even　cracked。　Danus　him。　Woodrow；　why　do　we　have　to　have　two　roosters？〃
　　
　　〃For　the　same　reason　I　carry　two　throwing　knives。　Sweetheart；　after　we　arrive　and　hatch　our　first　chicks；　once　they're　big　enough　that　I'm　certain　of　a　spare　rooster；　we　can　have　rooster　and　dumplings　with　him　as　guest　of　honor。　Not　before。〃
　　
　　'But　we　can't　have　him　breaking　eggs。　Tonight's　supper　will　be　mostly　cheese　and　hardtack…unless　you　want　me　to
　　
　　…　open　something。〃…
　　
　　〃Let's　not　rush　it。　Fritz　and　Lady　Mac　are　trying　to　spot　game　right　now。　Prairie　goat；　I　hope。　Loper　if　not。〃　…
　　
　　〃But　I　can't　cook　meat。　You　said。　You　did　say。〃
　　
　　〃Raw；　my　dear。　Haunch　of　prairie　goat；　chopped　fine　and　spread　on　'hard　crackers。　Beef　Tartare　a　la　New　Beginnings。　Tasty。　Tastes　almost　as　good　as　girl。〃　He　smacked　his　lips。
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　if　you　can　eat　it；　I　can　eat　it。　But　half　the　time；　Woodrow；　I　don't　know　whether　you　are　joking　or　not。〃
　　
　　〃I　never　joke　about　food　or　women；　Dorable；　those　are　sacred　subjects。〃　He　looked　her　up　and　down　again。　〃Speaking　of　women；　woman；　dressing　you　in　rubies　is　just　right。　But　why　a　bracelet　around　your　ankle？〃
　　
　　〃Because　you　gave　me　~three…　bracelets；　sir。　As　well　as　rings　and　a　pendant。　And　you　said　to　wear　'all　of　them。'〃　…
　　
　　〃So　I　did。　Where　did　this　one　e　from？〃　〃Hey！　That's　not　a　ruby；　that's　me！〃
　　
　　…〃Looks　like　a　ruby。　Here's　another　just　like　it。〃
　　
　　〃Unh！　Maybe　I'd　better　take　my　rubies　off？　So　we　won't　lose　them。　Or　should　we　water　the　mules　first？〃
　　
　　〃You　mean　before　we　eat？〃
　　
　　〃Ub　。　。　yes；　'I　guess　that's　what　I　mean；　Tease。〃　…
　　
　　〃You're　not　speaking　very　plainly；　little　Dora。　Tell　Uncle　Gil~bie　what　you　want。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　not　'little　Dora。'　I'm　Rangy　Lil；　the　horniest　girl　south　of　Separation…you　said　so　yourself。　I　cuss　and　I　swear　and　I　spit　between　my　teeth　and　I'm　concubine　to　Lazarus　Long；　Super　Stud　of　the　Stars　and　better　than　any　six　men…　and　you　know　damn　well　what　I　want；　and　if　you　pinch　my　nipples　again；　I'm　likely　to　trip　you　and　take　it。　But　I　guess　we　ought　to　water　the　mules。〃
　　
　　Minerva；　Dora　was　just　plain　nice'　to　be　around；　always。　It　wasn't　her　physical　beauty　。　。　which　wasn't　that　outstanding　by　the　usual　criteria　in　any　case…although　she　was　utterly　beautiful　to　me。　Nor　was　it　her　enthusiastic　interest　in…　sharing　〃Eros〃…although　she　was　indeed　enthusiastic；　ready　~any　time；　and　always　on　a　short　fuse。　And　skilled　at　it　and　got　more　so。　Sex　is　a　learned　art；　…as　much　so　as　ice　skating　or　tightwire　walking　or　fancy　diving；　it　is　not　instinct。　Oh；　two　animals　couple　by　instinct；　but　it　takes　intelligence　and　patient　willingness　to　turn　copulation　into　a　high　and　lively　art。　Dora　was　good　at　it　and　got　better　and　better；　always　eager　to　learn；　free　of　fetishes　or　silly　preconceptions；　patiently　willing　to　practice　anything　she　learned　or　was　taught…and　with　it　that　spiritual　quality　that　turns　sweaty　exercise　into　a　living　sacrament。
　　
　　But　Minerva；　love　is　what　still　goes　on　when　you　are　not　horny。
　　
　　Dora　was　good　pany　at　any　time；　but　the　tougher　things　were；　the　better　panion　she　was。　Oh；　she　fretted　about　broken　eggs　because　chickens　were　her　responsibility；　she'　did　not　plain　that　she　was　thirsty。　Instead　of　nagging　me　to　do　something　about　that　rooste？；　she　figured　out　what　had　to　be　done　and　did　it…shoved　all　the　hens　in　with　the　other　rooster；　tied　the　feet　of　the　egg　breaker　and　laid　him　aside　while　she　moved　the　partition　between　the　cages；　then　the　smaller　rooster　was　in　solitary　confinement　and　we　lost　no　more　eggs。
　　
　　But　the　truly　tough　parts　lay　ahead　of　us；　she　did　not　fret
　　
　　…at　all　during　those；　or　ever　turn　balky　when　I　did　not　have　time　to　explain。　Minerva；　much　of　the　trek　was　slow　death；　other　parts　were　sudden　dangers　that　could　have　been　quick　death。　She　was　endlessly　patient　in　the　former；　always　kept　her　head　and　helped　in　the　latter。　Dear；　you　are　awesomely
　　
　　learned…but　you　are　a　city　girl　and　you've　always　been　on　a　civilized　pla；　perhaps　I　had　'better　explain　some　things。
　　
　　Maybe　you　have　been　asking　yourself：　〃Is　this　trip　necessary？〃…and；　if　it　is；　why　do　it　the　hardway？
　　
　　〃Necessary…〃　Having　done　something　a　Howard　should　never　do；　namely；　marry　an　ephemeral；　I　had　three　choices：
　　
　　Take　her　to　live　among　Howards。　Doin　rejected　that
　　
　　al…though　I　would　have　tried　to　talk　her　out　of　it　if　she　had　said　Yes。　A　short…timer　alone　in　a　munity　of　the　longlive