time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第25部分

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　　〃Because　you　can't　argue　it；〃　he　retorted。　〃There　isn't　any　evidence　for　or　against…so　how　can　you　assign　even　a　loose　probability　e'ither　way？　I　was　pointing　out　the　desirability；　if　there　happens　to　be　anything　to　it；　of　playing　it　kosher。　M　inerva；　hold　that　under　'pending；'　too。　The　idea　has　everything　you　claim　for　it；　and　I　don't　doubt　your　ability　as　a　designer。　But；　like　testing　a　parachute；　it's　a　one…way　trip　with　no　chance　to　change　my　mind　after　I　jump。　So　we'll　look　ovd　all　other　ideas　before　failing　back　on　that　one…even　if　it　takes　years。〃
　　
　　〃I　will　continue；　Lazarus。〃
　　
　　〃Thanks；　Minerva。〃　Lazarus　looked　thoughtful　as　he　picked　his　teeth　with　a　thumbnail…we　were　eating；　but　I　have　not　mentioned　breaks　for　refreshment；　nor　will　I　again。　You　may　assume　any　food　and　rest　breaks　that　make　you　feel　fortable。　Like　Scheherazade's　tales；　the　…Senior's　anecdotes　were　chopped　up　by　many　irrelevant　interruptions。
　　
　　〃Lazarus…〃
　　
　　〃Eh；　Son？　I　was　daydreaming　。　。　of　a　far　country　and　the　wench　is　dead。　Sorry。〃　…　…
　　
　　〃You　could　help　Minerva　in　this　search。〃
　　
　　〃So？　Seems　unlikely。　She's　better　equipped　to　conduct　a　needle…in…a…haystack　search　than　I　am…she　impresses　me。〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　But　she　needs　data。　There　are　these　great　gaps　in　what　we　…know　about　you。　If　we　knew…if　Minerva　knew…　those　fifty…odd　professions　you've　followed；　she　might　be　able　to　cancel　several　thousand　possibility　pockets。　For　example；　have　you　ever　been　a　farmer？〃
　　
　　〃Several　times。〃
　　
　　…　〃So？　Now　that　she　knows　that；　she　won't　suggest　anything　relating　to　agriculture。　While　there　may　be　sorts　of　farming　you　have　never　done；　none　would　be　novel　enough　to　meet　your　stringent　requirements。　Why　not　list　the　things　you　have　done？〃
　　
　　〃Doubt　if　I　can　remember　them　all。〃
　　
　　〃That　can't　be　helped。　But　listing　what　you　…do　remember　may　call　to　mind　others。〃
　　
　　？〃Uh。　。　let　me　think。　One　thing　I　always　did　every　time　I　reached　an　inhabited　pla　was　to　study　law。　Not　to　practice
　　
　　…not　usually；　although　for　a　number　of　years　I　was　a　very　criminal　lawyer…on　San　Andreas；　that　was。　But　to　understand　the　ground　rules。　Hard　to　show　a　profit…or　to　conceal
　　
　　…one…if　you　don't　know　how　the　game　is　played。　It's　much　safer　to　break　a　law　knowingly　than　to　do　so　through　ignorance。　…　…
　　
　　〃But　that　backfired　once　and　I　wound　up　as　High　Justice　of　a　plaary　Supreme　Court…just　in　time　to　save　my　bacon。　And　neck。
　　
　　〃Let　me　see。　Farmer；　and　lawyer；　and　judge；　and　I　told　you　I　had　practiced　medicine。　Skipper　of　many　sorts　of　craft；　mostly　for　exploration　but　sometimes　for　cargo　or　migrant　transport…and　once　an　armed　privateer　with　a　crew　of　rogues　you　wouldn't　take　home　to　mother。　Schoolteacher…lost　that　job　when　they　caught　me　teaching　the　kids　the　raw　truth；　a　capital　offense　anywhere　in　the　Galaxy。　In　the　slave　trade　once　but　from　underneath…I　was　a　slave。〃
　　
　　I　blinked　at　that。　〃I　can't　i？agine　it。〃
　　
　　~'Unfortunately　I　didn't　have　to　imagine　it。　Priest…〃
　　
　　I　had　to　interrupt　again。　〃Priest'？　Lazarus；　you　said；　or　implied；　that　you　had　no　religious　faith　of　any　sort。〃
　　
　　〃Did　I？　But　'faith'　is　for　the　congregation；　Ira；　it　handicaps　a　priest。　Professor　in　a　parlor　house…〃
　　
　　〃Excuse　me　again。　Idiomatic　usage？〃
　　
　　〃Eh？　Manager　of　a　bordello　。　。　although　I　did　play　the　piate　a　little；　and　sang。　Don't　laugh；　I　had　a　pretty　good　singing　voice　then。　This　was　on　Mars…you've　heard　of　Mars？〃
　　
　　〃Next　pla　out　from　Old　Home　Terra。　Sol　Four。〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　Not　a　pla　we'd　bother　with　today。　But　this　was　before　Andy　Libby　changed　things。　It　was　even　before　China　destroyed　Europe　but　after　America　dropped　out　of　the　spacing　business；　which　left　me　stranded。　I　left　Earth　after　that　meeting　of　2012　and　didn't　go　back　for　a　spell…which　saved　me　much　unpleasantness；　I　shouldn't　plain。　If　that　meeting　had　gone　the　other　way…　No；　I'm　wrong　when　a　fruit　is　ripe；　it　will　fall；　and　the　United　States　was　rotten　ripe。　Don't　ever　bee　a　pessimist；　Ira；　a　pessimist　is　correct　oftener　than　an　optimist；　but　an　optimist　has　more　fun…　and　neither　can　stop　the　march　of　events。
　　
　　〃But　we　were　speaking　of　Mars　and　the　job　I　had　there。　A　fill…in　job　for　coffee　and　cakes…but　pleasant；　as　I　was　also　the　bouncer。　The　girls　were　all　nice　girls；　and　it　was　a　pleasure　to　throw　out　some　slob　who　was　misbehaving　toward　them。　Thrdw　him　so　hard　he　bounced。　Then　blacklist　him　so　he　couldn't　e　back。　One　or　two　like　that　every　evening　and　the　word　got　around　that　'Happy'　Daze　demanded　gentlemanly　behavior　toward　the　ladies；　no　matter　how　big　a　spender　a　man　was。
　　
　　〃Whoring　is　like　military　service；　Ira…okay　in　the　upper　brackets；　not　so　good　lower　down。　These　girls　were　constantly　getting　offers　to　buy　up　their　contracts　and　get　married…　and　all　of　them　did　get　married；　I　think；　but　they　were　making　money　so　fast　that　they　weren't　anxious　to　grab　the　first　offer。　Mainly　because；　when　I　took　over；　I　put…　a　stop　to　the　fixed　price　the　governor　of　the　colony　had　set；　and　reinstated　the　Law　of　Supply　and　Demand。　There　was　no　reason　why　those　kids　shouldn't　charge　every　ruble　the　traffic　would　bear。
　　
　　〃Had　trouble　over　that　until　the　Governor's　Provost　for　Rest　and　Culture　got　it　through　his　thick　head　that　slave　wages　won't　work　in　a　scarcity　situation。　Mars　was　unpleasant　enough　without　trying　to　cheat　those　few　who　made　it　tolerable。　Or　even　delightful　when　they　were　happy　in　their　work。　Whores　perform　the　same　function　as　priests；　Ira；　but　far　more　thoroughly。　…
　　
　　〃Let　me　see…　I've　been　wealthy　many　times　and　always　lost　it；　usually　through　governments　inflating　the　money；　or　confiscating…'nationalizing'　or　'liberating'…something　I　owned。　'Put　not　your　faith　in　princes；'　Ira；　since　they　don't　produce；　they　always　steal。　I've　been　broke　even　oftener　than　I've　been　wealthy。　Of　the　two；　being　broke　is　more　interesting；　as　a　man　who　doesn't　know　where　his　next　meal　is　ing　from　is　never　bored。　He　may　be　angry　or　several　other　things…but　not　bored。　His　predicament　sharpens　his　thoughts；　spurs　him　into　action；　adds　zest　to　his　life；　whether　he　knows　it　or　not。　Can　trap　him；　of　course；　that's　why　food　is　the　usual　bait　for　traps。　But　that's　the　intriguing　part　about　being　broke：　how　to　solve　it　without　being　trapped。　A　hungry　man　tends　to　lose　his　judgment…a　man　who　has　missed　seven　meals　is　often　ready　to　kill…rarely　a　solution。
　　
　　〃Advertising　copywriter；　actor…but　I　was　very　broka　that　time…acolyte；　construction　engineer　and　several　other　sorts；　and　even　more　sorts　of　mechanic；　for　I've　always　believed　that　an　intelligent　man　can　turn　his　hand　to　anything　if　he
　　
　　will　take　time　to　learn　how　it　works。　Not　that　I　insisted　on　skilled　work　when　my　next　meal　was　at　stake；　I've　often　pushed　an　idiot　stick…〃
　　
　　〃Idiom？〃
　　
　　〃An　old　gandy…dancer　expression；　Son；　a　stick　with　a　shovel　blade　on　one　end　and　an　idiot　on　the　other。　I　was　never　that　for　more　than　a　few　days；　just　long　enough　to　sort　out　the　local　setup。　Political　manager…I　was　even　a　reform　politic？an　once　。　。　but　only　once：　Reform　politicians　not　only　tend　to　be　dishonest　but　stupidly　dishonest…whereas　the　business　politician　i~　honest。〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　see　that　Lazarus。　History　seems　to　show…〃
　　
　　〃Use　your　head；　Ira。　I　don't　mean　that　a　business　politician　won't　steal；　stealing　is　his　business。　But　all　politicians　ar~　nonproductive。　The　only　modity　any　politician　has　to　offer　is　jawbone。　His　personal　integrity…meaning；　if　he　gives　his　word；　can　you　rely　on　it？　A　successful　business　politician　knows　this　and　guards　his　reputation　for　sticking　by　his　mitments…because　he　wants　to　stay　in　business…go　on　stealing；　that　is…not　only　this　week　but　next　year　and　years　after　that。　So　if　he's　smart　enough　to　be　successful　at　this　very　exacting　trade；　he　can　have　the　morals　of　a　snapping　turtle；　but　he　performs　in　such　a　way　as　not　to　jeopardize　the　only　thing　he　has　to　sell；　his　reputation　for　keeping　promises。
　　
　　〃But　a　reform　politician　has　no　such　lodestone。　His　devotion　is　to　the　welfare　of　all　the　people…an　abstraction　of　very　high　order　and　therefore　capable　of　endless　definitions。　If　indeed　it　can　be　defined　in　meaningful　terms。　In　consequence　your　utterly　sincere　and　incorruptible　reform　politician　is　capable　of　breaking　his　word　three　times　before　breakfast…　not　from　personal　dishonesty；　as　he　sincerely　regrets　the　necessity　and　will　tell　you　so…but　from　unswerving　devotion　to　his　ideal。　…
　　
　　〃All　it　takes　to　get　him　to　break　his　word　is　for　someone　to　get　his　ear　and　convince　him　that　it　is　necessary　for　the
　　
　　…　greater　good　of　all　the　peepul。　He'll　geek。
　　
　　〃After　he　gets　hardened　to　this；　he's　capable　of　cheating　at　solitaire。　Fortunately　he　rarely　stays　in　office　long…except　during　the　decay　and　fall　of　a　culture。〃
　　
　　I　said；　〃I　must　take　your　word　for　it；　Lazarus。　Since　I　have　spent　most　of　my　life　on　Secundus；　I　know　little　of　politics　other　than　theoretically。　You　set　it　up　that　way。〃
　　
　　The　Senior　fixed　me　with　a　stare　of　cold　scorn。　〃I　did　no　such　thing。〃
　　
　　〃But…〃　…
　　
　　〃Oh；　…hush。　You　are　a　politician　yourself…a　'business'　politician；　I　hope…but　that　stunt　of　transporting　your　dissidents　gi~es　me　doubts。　Minerva！　'Notebook；'　dear。　My　intention　in　deeding　Secundus　to　the　Foundation　was　to　set　up　a　cheap　and　simple　government…a　constitutional　tyranny。　One　in　which　the　government　was　forbidden　to　do　most　things
　　
　　and　the　dear　people；　bless　their　black　flabby　little　hearts；　were　given　no　voice　at　all。
　　
　　〃I　didn't　have　much　hope　for　it。　Man　is　a　political　animal；　Ira。　You　can　no　more　keep　him　from　politicking　than　you　can　keep　him…　from　copulating…and　probably　shouldn't　try。　But　I　was　young　then；　and　hopeful。　I　hoped　to　keep　politicking　in　the　private　sphere；　keep　it　out　of　government。　I　thought　the　setup　might　last　a　century　or　so；　I'm　amazed　that　it　has　lasted　as　long　as　it　has。　Not　good。　This　pla　is　overripe　for　revolution…and　if　Minerva　doesn't　find　me　something　better　to　do；　I　might　show　up　under　another　name；　with　my　hair　dyed　and　my　nose　bobbed；　and　start　one。　So　be　warned；　Ira。〃
　　
　　I　shrugged。　〃You　forget　I'm　migrating。〃
　　
　　〃Ah；　yes。　Though　the　prospect　of　suppressing　a。　revolution　might　change　your　mind。　Or　perhaps　you　would　like　to　be　my　chief　of　staff…then　displace　me　with　a　coup　d'etat　after　the　shooting　is　over　and　send　me　to　the　guillotine。　That　would　be　something　new…I've　never　tended　to　lose　my　head　over　politics。　Doesn't　leave　much　for　an　encore；　does　it？　'A　tisket；　a　tasket；　a　head　in　a　basket…it　昪annot　reply　to　questions　you　ask　it。'　Final　curtain；　no　bows。
　　
　　〃But　revolutions　can　be　fun。　Did　I　tell　you　how　I　worked　my　way　through　college？　Operating　a　Gatling　gun　for　five　dollars　a　day　and　loot。　Never　got　higher　than　corporal　because　each　time　I　had　enough　money　for　another　semester；　I　deserted…and；　being　a　mercenary；　I　was　never　tempted　to　bee　a　dead　hero。　But　adventure　and　change　of　scene　are　appealing　to　a　young　man　。　。　and　I　was　very　young。
　　
　　〃But　dirt；　and　missing　meals；　and　the　wheet　of