time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第29部分

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　　〃When　I　checked　the　place　at　closing　time；　I　found　him　sleeping　in　the　kitchen。　Couldn't　have　that；　we　ran　a　sanitary　mess。　So　I　led　him　to　a　vacant　room　and　put　him　to　bed；　intending　to　give　him　breakfast　and　ease　him　gently　on　his　way…。…I　wasn't　running　a　flophouse。
　　
　　〃A　lot　I　had　to　say　about　it。　I　saw　him　at　breakfast　all　right。　But　I　hardly　recognized　him。　A　couple　of　the　girls　had　given　him　a　bath；　trimmed　his　hair；　and　shaved　him；　and　had　dressed　him　in　clean　…　clothes…mine…and　had　thrown　away　the　dirty　rag　he　had　worn　over　his　ruined　eyes　and　had　replaced　it　with　a　clean　white　bandage。
　　
　　〃Kinfolk；　I　do　not　fight　the　weather。　The　girls　were　free　to　keep　pets；　I　knew　what　fetched　the　customers；　…and？it　wasn't　my　piate　playing。　If　that　pet　stood　on　two　legs　and　ate　more　than　I　did；　I　still　did　not　argue。　Hormone　Hall　was　Noisy's　home　as　long　as　the　girls　wanted　to　keep　him。
　　
　　〃But　it　took　me　a　while　to　realize　that　Noisy　was　not　just
　　
　　a　parasite　enjoying　free　room　and　board；　and　probably　our　stock…in…trade　as　well；　while　siphoning　off　cash　from　our　customers…no；　he　was　pulling　his　weight　in　the　boat。　My　books　at　the　end　of　the　first　month　he　was　with　us　showed　the　gross　profit　up　and　the　　way　up。〃
　　
　　〃How　do　you　account　for　that；　Lazarus？　Inasmuch　as　he　was　peting　for　your　customers'　cash。〃
　　
　　〃Ira；　must　I　do　all　your　thinking　for　you？　No；　Minerva　does　most　of　it。　But　it　is　possible　that　you　have　never　thought　about　the　economics　of　that　sort　of　joint。　There　are　three　sources　of　gross；　the　bar；　the　kitchen；　and　the　girls　themselves。　No　drugs…drugs　spoil　the　three　main　sources。　If　a　customer　was　on　drugs　and　showed　it；　or　even　broke　out　a　stick　of　kish；　I　eased　him　out　quickly　and　sent　him　down　the　line　to　the　Chinaman's。
　　
　　〃The　kitchen　was　to　supply　meals　to　the　girls…who　were　assessed　room　and　board　on　a　break…even　or　lose…a…little　basis。　But　it　also　served　food　all　night　to　anyone　who　ordered　it；　and　showed　a　　since　we　had　its　overhead　covered　anyhow　to　board　the　girls。　The　bar　also　showed　a　　after　I　fired　one　barkeep　with　three　hands。　The　girls　kept　their　gross；　all　the　traffic　would　bear；　but　they　paid　the　house　a　flat　fee　for　each　kewpie；　or　a　triple　fee　if　she　kept　a　customer　all　night。　She　could　cheat　a　little；　and　I　would　shut…eye…but　if　she　cheated　too　much　or　too　often；　or　a　john　plained　that　he　was　rolled；　I　had　a　talk　with　her。　Never　any　real　trouble；　they　were　ladies；　and　besides；　I　had　means　to　check　on　them　quietly；　as　well　as　eyes　in　the　back　of　my　head。
　　
　　〃The　beefs　about　rolling　were　the　stickiest；　but　I　remember　only　one　that　was　the　girl's　fault　rather　than　the　john's…I　simply　terminated　her　contract；　let　her　go。　In　the　usual　beef　the　slob　was　not　rolled；　he　simply　had　a　change　of　heart　after　he　had　counted　too　much　money　into　her　greedy　little　hands　and　she　had　delivered　what　he　had　ordered…then　he　tried　to　roll　her　to　get　it　back。　But　I　could　smell　that　sort　of　slob　and　would　be　listening　via　a　mike…then　would　bust　in　as　trouble　started。　That　sort　of　jerk　I　would　toss　so　hard　he　bounced　twice。〃
　　
　　〃Grandfather；　weren't　some　of　them　pretty　big　for　that？〃
　　
　　〃Not　really；　Galahad。　Size　doesn't　figure　much　in　a　fight…although　I　was　always　armed　against　real　trouble。　But　if　I　have　to　take　a　man；　I　have　no　punctions　slowing　me　down　about　how　I　take　him。　If　you　kick　a　man　in　the　crotch
　　
　　with　no　　down　long　enough　to　throw　him　out。
　　
　　〃Don't　flinch；　Hamadear；　your　father　guaranteed　that　you　could　not　be　shocked。　But　I　was　talking　about　Noisy　and　how　he　made　us　money　while　making　some　himself。
　　
　　〃In　this　sort　of　frontier　joint　the　usual　customer　es　in；　buys　a　drink　while　he　looks　over　the　girls；　picks　one　by　buying　her　a　drink…goes　to　her　room；　then　leaves。　Elapsed　time；　thirty　minutes；　　to　the　house；　minimum。
　　
　　〃Pre…Noisy；　that　is。　After　Noisy　arrived；　it　went　more　like　this：　Buy　a　drink　as　before。　Maybe　buy　the　girl　a　second　drink　rather　than　interrupt　a　blind　man's　song。　Take　the　girl　to　her　room。　When　he　es　back；　Noisy　is　singing　'Frankie　and　Johnnie'　or　'When　the　Pusher　Met　My　Cousin；'　and　smiles　and　throws　a　verse　at　him…and　the　customer　sits　down　and　listens　to　all　of　it…and　asks　Noisy　if　he　knows　'Dark　Eyes。'　Sure；　Noisy　knows　it；　but　instead　of　admitting　it；　he　asks　the　john　to　give　him　the　words　and　hum　it　and　he'll　see　what　he　can　do　with　it。
　　
　　〃If　the　customer　has　valuta；　he's　still　there　hours　later；　having　had　supper　and　bought　supper　for　one　of　the　girls　and　tipped　Noisy　rather　lavishly　and　is　ready　for　an　encore　with　the　girl　or　another　girl。　If　he's　got　the　money；　he　stays　all　night；　splitting　his　cash　between　the　girls　and　Noisy　and　the　bar　and　kitchen。　If　he　spends　himself　broke　and　has　been　a　good　customer…well　behaved　as　well　as　f？ee　with　his　money…I　stake　him　to　bed　and　breakfast　on　credit；　and　urge　him　to　e　back。　If　he's　alive　next　payday；　he's　sure　to　be　back。　If　not；　all　the　house　is　out　is　the　wholesale　cost　of　one　breakfast…nothing　pared　with　what　he's　spent。　Cheap　goodwill　advertising。
　　
　　〃A　month　of　that；　and　both　the　house　and　the　girls　have　made　much　more　money；　and　the　girls　haven't　worked　much　harder　as　they　have　spent　part　of　their　time　drinking　pay…me　drinks…colored　water；　half　the　price　to　the　house；　half　to　the　girl…while　they　help　a　john　listen　to　Noisy's　nostalgic　songs。　Shucks；　a　girl　doesn't　want　to　work　like　a　treadmill　even　if　she　usually　enjoys　her　work　as　many　of　them　did。　But　they　never　got　tired　of　sitting　and　listening　to　Noisy's　songs。
　　
　　〃I　quit　playing　the　piate；　except；　maybe；　while　Noisy　ate。　Technically　I　was　a　better　musician…but　he　had　that　undefinable　quality　that　sells　a　song；　he　could　make　'em　cry　or　laugh。　And　he　had　a　thousand　of　'em。　One　he　called　'The　Born　Loser。'　Not　much　of　a　tune；　just：
　　
　　〃Tahtah　pooin　poom！
　　
　　Tahtah　poom　poom！
　　
　　Tab　t'tah　tah　tah　poom　poom…　〃…about　a　bloke　ake　it。　Uh：
　　
　　〃There's　a　beer　joint　By　the　pool　hail　For　to　pass　some　pleasant　hours。
　　
　　〃There's　a　hook　shop　Above　the　pool　hail　Where　my　sister　makes　her　living。
　　
　　〃She's　a　good　sport；　I　can　spring　her　For　a　fin　or　even　a　sawbuck
　　
　　When　not　holding；
　　
　　Or　the　horses
　　
　　Have　been　running　rather　slowly…　〃Like　that；　folks。　But　more　of　it。〃
　　
　　〃Lazarus；〃　said　Ira；　〃you　have　been　humming　or　singing　that　song　every　day　you've　been　up　here。　All　of　it。　A　dozen　verses　or　more。〃
　　
　　〃Really；　Ira？　I　do　hum　and　sing；　I　know　that。　But　I　don't　hear　it　myself。　It's　like　the　purring　of　a　cat；　it　just　means　that　I'm　functioning　okay；　board　all　green；　operating　at　normal　cruising。　It　means　that　I　feel　secure；　relaxed；　and　happy…　and；　e　to　think　of　it；　I　do。
　　
　　〃But　'The　Born　Loser'　doesn't　have　a　mere　dozen　verses；　it　has　hundreds。　What　I　sang　was　only　a　snatch　of　what　Noisy　used　to　sing。　He　was　always　fiddling　with　a　song；　changing　it；　adding　to　it。　I　don't　think　this　one　started　out　as　his；　I　seem　to　remember　a　song　about　a　character　whose　overcoat　was　。。usually　in　hock　clear　back　when　I　was　very　young　and　raising　my　first　family；　on　Earth。
　　
　　〃But　that　song　belonged　to　Noisy　when　he　got　through　filing　off　serial　numbers　and　changing　the　body　lines。　I　heard　it　again；　oh；　must　have　been　twenty；　twenty…five　years　later；　in　a　cabaret　in　Luna　City。　From　Noisy。　But　he　had　changed　it。　Fixed　up　the　scansion；　given　it　a　proper　rhyme　scheme；　dolled　up　the　tune。　But　the　tune　was　still　recognizable…in　a　minor　key；　wistful　rather　than　sad；　and　the　words　were　still　about　this　third…rate　grifter　whose　topcoat　was　always　in　hock　and　who　sponged　off　his　sister。
　　
　　〃And　he　had　changed；　too。　A　shiny　new　instrument；　a　tailored　spaceman's　uniform；　gray　hair　at　the　temples…and　star　billing。　I　paid　a　waiter　to　tell　him　that　'Happy'　Daze　was　in　the　audience…not　my　name　then；　but　the　only　name　Noisy　had　for　me…and　after　his　first　group　he　came　over　and　let　me　buy　him　a　drink　while　we　swapped　lies　and　talked　about　our　happy　days　at　dear　old　Hormone　Hall。
　　
　　〃I　didn't　mention　to　him　that　he　had　left　us　rather　abruptly　and　that　the　girls　had　gone　into　a　decline　over　it；　worrying　that　he　might　be　dead　in　a　ditch…didn't　mention　it　because　he　did　not。　But　I　had　had　to　investigate　his　disappearance　because　my　staff　was　so　demoralized　by　it　that　the　place　felt　like　a　morgue…no　way　for　a　parlor　house　to　be。　I　was　able　to　establish　that　he　had　gone　aboard　the　'Gyrfalcon'　when；　she　was　about　to　lift　for　Luna　City　and　had　not　left　her…so　I　told　the　girls　that　Noisy　had　had　a　sudden　opportunity　to　go　home　again　but　had　left　a　message　with　the　port　captain　for　each　of　them…then　added　more　lies　to　personalize　the　goodbye　he　hadn't　made。　It　perked　them　up　and　lifted　the　gloom。　They　still　missed　him；　but　they　all　understood　that　grabbing　a　ride　home　was　not　something　he　could　postpone…and　since　he　had　'remembered'　to　send　a　message　to　each　of　them；　they　felt　apprec？ated。
　　
　　〃But　it　turned　out　that　he　did　remember　them；　mentioned　each　by　name。　Minerva　dear；　here　is　a　difference　between　a　blinded　flesh…and…blood　and　one　who　has　never　been　able　to　see。　Noisy　could　see　a　rainbow　any　time　he　cared　to；　by　memory。　He　never　stopped　'seeing；'　but　what　he　'saw'　was　always　beauty。　I　had　realized　that；　some；　back　when　we　were　on　Mars　together；　for…don't　laugh…he　thought　I　was　as　pretty　as　you　are；　Galahad。　Told　me　that　he　could　tell　what　I　looked　like　from　my　voice；　and　described　me　to　me。　I　had　the　grace　to　say　that　he　flattered　me　but　let　it　lie　when　he　answered　that　I　was　too　modest…even　though　I'm　not　handsome　now　and　wasn't　then　and　modesty　has　never　been　one　of　my　vices。
　　
　　〃But　Noisy　thought　all　the　girls　were　beautiful；　too…and　in　one　case　this　may　have　been　true　and　certainly　several　of　them　were　pretty。
　　
　　〃But　he　asked　me　what　had　bee　of　Olga　and　added；　'Golly；　what　a　little　beauty　she　was！'
　　
　　〃Kinfolk；　Olga　wasn't　even　homely；　she　was　ugly。　Pace　like　a　mud　pie；　figure　like　a　gunnysack…only　on　an　outpost　like　Mars　could　she　get　by。　What　she　did　have　was　a　warm　and　gentle　voice　and　a　sweet　personality…which　was　enough；　as　a　customer　might　pick　her　through　Hobson's　choice　on　a　busy　night；　but　once　he　had　done　so；　he　picked　her　some　later　time　on　purpose。　Mean　to　say；　dears；　beauty　will　lure　a　man　into　bed；　but　it　won't　bring　him　back　a　second　time；　unless　he's　awfully　young　or　very　stupid。〃
　　
　　〃What　does　bring　him　back　a　second　time；　Grandfather？〃　asked　Hamadryad。　〃Technique？　Muscular　control？〃
　　
　　〃Have　yo'u　had　any　plaints；　dear？〃
　　
　　〃Well　。　。　no。〃
　　
　　第18节
　　
　　〃Then　you　know　the　answer　and　are　trifling　with　me。　Neither　of　those。　It's　the　ability　to　make　a　man　happy；　prjncipally　by　being　happy　about　it　yourself…a　spiritual　quality　rather　than　a　physical　one。　Olga　had　it　in　gobs。
　　
　　〃I　told　Noisy　that　Olga　had　married　shortly　after　he　left；　happily　so；　and　had　three　children　last　I　had　heard　。　。　which　was　an　utter　lie；　as　she　had　been　killed　accidentally　and　the　girls　bawled　about　it　and　1　didn't　feel　good　myself　and　we　had　shut　the　place　down　for　four　days。　But　I　couldn't　tell　Noisy　that；　Olga