time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第44部分

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ue　about　it；　and　worried　me　only　a　touch；　as　she　checked　out　normal　and　healthy　in　all　respects。　I　prepared　them　not　only　with　instruction　and　drill；　but　also　with　hypnosis；　and　had　prepared　her　with　exercises　designed　to　make　it　as　easy　on　her　as　possible…I　dislike　postpartum　repairs；　that　canal　should　stretch；　not　tear。
　　
　　What　was　really　fretting　me　was　possibility　that　I　was　going　to　have　to　break　the　neck　of　a　monster。　Kill　a　baby；　1　mean…I　shouldn't　dodge　the　blunt　truth。　All　calculations　I　had　done　one　sleepless　night　still　left　this　chance　open…and　if　I　had　been　wrong　in　any　assumption；　the　chance　might　be　higher　than　I　liked　to　think　about。
　　
　　If　I　had　to　do　it；　I　wanted　to　get　it　over　with。
　　
　　I　was　far　more　worried　than　she　was。　I　don't　think　she　worried　at　all；　I　had　worked　hard　on　that　hypnotic　preparation。
　　
　　If　I　had　to　do　this　grisly　thing；　I　was　going　to　have　to　do　it　fast；　while　their　attentions　were　elsewhere…then　never　let　them　see　it　and　space　the　pitiful　remains　at　once。　Then　tackle　the　horrid　job　of　trying　to　put　them　back　together　emotionally。　As　a　married　couple？　I　did　not　know；　Maybe　I　would　have　an　opinion　after　I　saw　what　she　was　carrying。
　　
　　At　last　her　contractions　were　ing　close　together；　so　I　had　them　get　into　the　delivery　chair…easy；　one…quarter　gravity。　The　chair　was　already　adjusted；　and　they　were　used　to　the　position；　from　drill。　Joe　climbed　in；　sat　with　his　thighs　stretched　wide；　knees　over　the…　rests；　heels　braced…not　too　fortable　as　he　was　not　angleworm…limbed　the　way　she　was。　Then　I　picked　her　up　and　sat　her　in　his　lap…no　trouble；　she　weighed　less　than　forty　pounds　at　that　pseudo…acceleration。　Call　it　eighteen　kilos。
　　
　　She　spread　her　legs　almost　in　a　horizontal　split　and　scooted　forward　in　his　lap　while　Joe　kept　her　from　falling　between　his　thighs。　〃Is　that　far　enough；　Captain？〃　she　asked。
　　
　　〃Just　fine；〃　I　said。　The　chair　might　have　positioned　her　a　touch　better…but　she　would　not　have　had　Joe's　arms　around　her。　I　had　never　told　them　that　there　was　any　other　way　to　do　it。　〃Give　her　a　kiss；　Joe；　while　I　get　the　straps。〃
　　
　　Left　knee　strap　around　both　their　left　knees　together；　same　for　right　knees；　and　with　her　feet　braced　on　additional　supports　I　had　added…chest　and　shoulder　and　thigh　straps　on　him　so　firmly　that　he　would　stay　in　that　chair　even　if　the　ship　fell　apart；　but　no　such　straps　on　her。　Her　hands　on　the　hand　grips；　while　his　hands　and　arms　were　a　living；　warm；　and　loving　safety　belt；　just　under　her　tits；　just　over　the　bulge　but　not　on　it。　He　knew　how；　we　had　practiced。　If　I　wanted　pressure　on　her　belly；　I　would　tell　him…otherwise　leave　well　enough　a…lone。
　　
　　My　stool　was　bolted　to　the　deck；　I　had　added　a　seat　belt。　As　I　strapped　myself　down；　I　reminded　them　that　we　had　a　rough　ride　ing…and　this　we　had　not　been　able　to　practice；　it　would　have　risked　miscarriage。　〃Lock　your　fingers；　Joe；　but　let　her　breathe。　fortable；　Llita？〃
　　
　　〃Uh…〃　she　said　breathlessly。　〃I…I'm　starting　another　one！〃
　　
　　〃Bear　down；　dear！〃　I　made　sure　my　left　foot　was　positioned　for　the　gravistat　control　and　watched　her　belly。
　　
　　Big　one！　As　it　peaked；　I　switched　from　one…quarter　gravity
　　
　　up　to　two　gravities　almost　in　one　motion…and　Llita　let　out　a　yip　and　the　baby　squirted　like　a　watermelon　seed　right　into　my　hands。
　　
　　I　dragged　my　foot　back　to　allow　the　gravistat　to　put　us　back　on　low　gee　even　as　I　made　a　nearly　instantaoeous　inspection　of　the　brat。　A　normal　boy；　red　and　wrinkled　and　ugly…so　I　slapped　his　tochis　and　he　bawled。
　　
　　…　VARIATIONS　ON　A　THEME
　　
　　…VIII
　　
　　Landfall
　　
　　（Omitted）
　　
　　…girl　I　had　intended　to　marry　had　married　again　and　had　another　baby。　Not　surprising；　I　had　been　off　Landfall　two　standard　years。　Not　tragic；　either；　as　we　had　been　married　once　abouf　a　hundred　years　earlier。　Old　friends。　So　I　talked　it　over　with　her；　and　her　new　husband；　then　married　one　of　her　granddaughters；　one　not　descended　from　me。　Both　gals　Howards；　of　course；　and　Laura；　the　one　I　married　that　time；　being　of　the　Foote　Family。*
　　
　　We　were　a　good　match；　Minerva；　Laura　was　twenty；　and　I　was　freshly　rejuvenated　and　holding　my　cosmetic　age　at　the　early　thirties。　We　had　several　children…nine；　I　think…　then　she　got　bored　with　me　forty…odd　years　later；　and　wanted　to　marry　my　5th/7th　cousin*　*　Roger　Sperling…which　did　not
　　
　　*　Correction：　Hedrick　Family。　This　woman　Laura　（one　of　the　ancestors　of　the　undersigned）　did　carry　the　surname　〃Foote〃　under　the　archaic　patrilineal　tradition…a　source　of　confusion　in　old　records；　as　the　more　logical　matrilineal　system　has　always　been　used　in　the　Families　in　assigning　clan　membership。　But　the　genealogies　were　not　revised　to　show　this　until　Gregorian　Year　3307。　This　misnomer　offers　a　means　of　dating　this　memoir　。　。　were　it　not　that　other　records　show　that　reindeer　were　not　introduced　onto　Valhalla　until　approximately　a　century　and　a　half　after　the　date　that　the　Senior…beyond　question…did　marry　Laura　Foote…Hedrick。
　　
　　But　more　interesting　is　the　Senior's　allegation　that　he　used　a　pseudogravity　field　in　that　year　to　facilitate　childbirth。　Was　he　the　first　tocologist　to　use　this　（now　standard）　method？　Nowhere　does　he　assert　this；　and　the　technique　is　usually　associated　with　Dr。　Virginius　Briggs　of　Secundus　Howard　Clinic
　　
　　and　a　much　later　date。
　　
　　J。F。　45th
　　
　　*　*And　descended　from　the　Senior　as　well　（through　Edmund　Hardy　2099…2259）　although　the　Senior　may　not　have　been　aware　of　it。
　　
　　J。F。　45th
　　
　　grieve　me　as　I　was　getting　restless　as　a　country　squire。　Anyhow；　when　a　woman　wants　to　go；　let　her　go。　I　stood　up　for　her　at　their　wedding。
　　
　　Roger　was　surprised　to　learn　that　my　plantation　was　not　co？munity　property。　Or　possibly　did　not　think　that　I　would　hold　Laura　to　the　marriage　settlement　she　had　signed…but　that　wasn't　the　first　time　I　had　been　wealthy；　I　had　learned。　It　took　a　tedious　suit　to　convince　him　that　Laura　owned　her　wedding　dower　plus　appreciation；　not　those　thousands　of　hectares　that　were　mine　before　I　married　her。　In　many　ways　it　is　simpler　to　be　poor。
　　
　　Then　I　shipped　out　again。
　　
　　But　this　is　about　my　kids　who　weren't　really　mine。　Before　we　reached　Landfall；　Joseph　Aaron　Long　looked　more　like　a　cherub　and　less　like　a　monkey　but　was　still　young　enough　to　wet　on　anyone　reckless　enough　to　pick　him　up…which　his　grandpappy　did；　several　times　a　day。　I　was　fond　of　him；　he　was　not　only　a　merry　baby　but　was　also；　to　me；　a　most　satisfying　triumph。
　　
　　By　the　time　we　grounded；　his　father　had　shaped　up　into　a　really　good　cook。
　　
　　Minerva；　I　could　have　set　those　kids　up　in　style；　that　was　as　profitable　a　triangle　trip　as　I　ever　made。　But　you　don't　cause　ex…slaves　to　stand　tall　and　free　and　proud　by　giving　them　things。　What　I　did　was　to　enable　them　to　get　out　and　scratch。　Like　this：
　　
　　第26节
　　
　　I　credited　them　with　half…time　apprentice　wages；　Blessed　to　Valhalla；　on　the　assumption　that　their　other　half…time　was　taken　up　by　studies。　This　I　had　Llita　figure　in　Valhalla　kroner；　at　Valhalla　wage　rates。　I　had　her　add　to　this　Joe's　wages　as　kitchen　help　on　Valhalla；　minus　what　he　had　spent　there。　This　total　was　credited　to　them　as　a　share　in　cargo　on　the　third　leg；　Valhalla　to　Landfall…which　amounted　to　less　than　one…half　of　1　percent　of　that　cargo。　I　made　Llita　work　this　out。
　　
　　To　this　we　added　ship's…cook　wages　for　Joe；　Valhalla　to　Laodfall；　payable　in　Landfall　bucks　at　Landfall　wage　scales…but　only　as　wages　not　as　a　share　in　cargo。　I　had　to　explam　to　Llita　why　Joe's　wages　for　that　leg　could　not　be　invested　retroactively　in　cargo　lifted　at　Valhalla。　Once　she　understood　it；　she　had　a　grasp　of　the　notions　of　venture　and　risk　and　profit…but　I　did　not　pay　her　for　this　accounting；　I　was　durned　if　I　would　pay　purser's　wages　to　figure　her　own
　　
　　money　when　I　was　not　only　having　to　check　everything　she　did　but　was　giving　her　a　lesson　in　economics　as　well。
　　
　　I　did　not　pay　Llita　for　the　leg　to　Landfall；　she　was　passenger；　busy　having　a　baby　and　then　still　busier　learning　to　care　for　it。　But　I　did　not　charge　her　for　passage；　she　deadheaded。
　　
　　You　see　what　I　was　doing…rigging　the　accounts　so　tha　I　would　owe　them　something　once　I　sold　my　cargo；　while　making　it　appear　that　they　had　earned　it。　They　hadn't　been　worth　any　wages；　on　the　contrary　I　had　spent　quite　a　chunk　on　them…aside　from　buying　them；　which　I　never　charge　against　them　even　in　my　head。　On　the　other　hand；　I　was　paid　in　deep　satisfaction…especially　if　they　learned　to　stanc　on　their　own　feet。　But　I　discussed　none　of　this；　I　just　hac　Llita　figure　their　share…my　way。
　　
　　（Omitted）
　　
　　…came　to　a　couple　of　thousand；　not　enough　to　supper　them　very　long。　But　I　took　time　to　find　a　hole…in…the…wall　luncheon；　on　which　I　took　option　through　a　third　party；　afte　satisfying　myself　that　a　couple　of　strivers　could　stay　afloat　with　it；　if　the　price　was　right　and　they　were　willing　to　work。　Then　I　told　them　that　they　had　better　start　job　hunting　as　I　was　putting　the　Libby　up　for　sale　or　bond…and…lease。　It　was　root　hog；　or　die。　They　were　really　free…free　to　starve。
　　
　　Llita　didn't　pout；　she　just　looked　solemn　and　went　or　nursing　little　J。A。　Joe　looked　scared。　But　later　I　saw　then；　with　their　heads　together　over　a　newspaper　I　had　brought　aboard；　they　were　checking　〃help　wanted〃　ads。
　　
　　After　much　whispering　Llita　asked　diffidently　if　I　could　baby…sit　while　they　went　job　hunting？…but　if　I　was　busy；　J。A。　could　ride　her　hip。
　　
　　I　said　I　wasn't　going　anywhere…but　had　they　checked　〃business　opportunities〃？　Jobs　for　untrained　people　didn't　lead　anywhere。
　　
　　She　looked　startled；　it　was　a　new　idea。　But　that　hint　was　enough。　There　was　more　looking　and　whispering；　then　she　fetched　the　paper　to　me　and　pointed　to　an　ad…my　own　but　not　so　marked…and　asked　what　〃Fve…year　amortization〃　meant？
　　
　　I　sniffed　at　it　and　told　her　it　was　a　way　to　go　broke　slowly；　especially　if　she　spent　money　on　clothes…and　there　must　be　something　wrong　or　the　owner　wouldn't　want　to　sell。
　　
　　She　looked　as　sad　as　Joe　did　and　said　that　the　other　business　opportunities　called　for　investing　lots　of　money。　I　grudgingly　admitted　that　it　could　not　hurt　to　look…but　watch　out　for　booby　traps。
　　
　　They　came　back　full　of　enthusiasm…they　were　sure　they　could　buy　it　and　make　it　pay！　Joe　was　twice　as　good　a　cook　as　that　fry　cook　who　had　it…he　used　too　much　grease　and　it　was　rancid　and　the　coffee　was　terrible　and　he　didnt　even　keep　the　place　clean。　But　best　of　all；　behind　the　storeroom　was　a　bedroom　where　they　could　live　and…　I　squeaked　them。　What　were　the　gross　receipts？　How　about　taxes？　What　licenses　and　inspections　and　what　squeeze　on　each？　What　did　they　know　about　buying　food　wholesale？　No；　I　would　not　go　look　at　it；　they　had　to　make　up　their　oe　and；　anyhow；　I　didn't　know　anything　about　restaurant　business。
　　
　　Two　lies；　Minerva；　I've　run　restaurants　on　five　plas…　plus　a　silent　lie　as　to　my　reasons　for　not　being　willing　to　inspect　the　joint。　Two…no；　three…reasons：　First；　I　had　gone　over　the　place　in　cynical　detail　before　I　optioned　it；　second；　that　fry　cook