time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)- 第67部分

　　
　　〃So？　Well；　I　can　find　some　family　to　board　her。　The　Learners。　Someone。〃
　　
　　〃Ernest~〃
　　
　　〃Get　your　feathers　down；　Helen。　That　child　was　placed　in　my　hands；　her　father's　last　dying　act。　And；　don't　be　a　dumb　fool；　I　know　to　the　penny　how　much　you　manage　to　save。　As　well　as　how　often　you　have　to　take　tuition　in　food　rather　than　cash。　This　is　a　cash　deal。　The　Learners　would　jump　at　it…as　well　as　several　others。　I　don't　have　to　leave　Dora　here…　and　won't；　unless　you　are　sensible。〃
　　
　　Mrs。　Mayberry　looked　grim…then　suddenly　smiled　and　looked　years　younger。　〃Ernest；　you're　a　bully。　And　a　bastard。　And　other　things　I　never　say　out　of　bed。　All　right…room…andboard。〃
　　
　　〃And　tuition。　Plus　any　special　expenses。　Doctor's　bills；　maybe。〃
　　
　　〃Triple　bastard。　You　always　pay　for　anything　you　get；　don't　you？　As　I　should　know。〃　She　glanced　at　the　unshuttered　windows。　〃Step　out　here　in　the　half　and　seal　it　with　a　kiss。　Bastard。〃
　　
　　They　moved；　she　placed　herself　so　that　the　angle　did　not　permit　anyone　to　see　them；　then　delivered　a　kiss　that　would　have　astounded　her　neighbors。
　　
　　〃Helen…〃
　　
　　She　brushed　her　lips　against　his。　〃The　answer　is　No；　Mr。　Gibbons。　Tonight　I'll　be　busy　reassuring　a　baby　girl。〃
　　
　　〃I　was　about　to　say；　'Don't　give　her　that　bath　I　know　you　intend　to　until　I　get　hold　of　Doe　Krausmeyer　and　have　him　examine　her。　She　seems　all　right…but　she　may　have　anything　from　broken　ribs　to　a　skull　condussion。　Oh；　get　her　clothes　off　and　sponge　her　a　little　for　the　worst　of　the　dirt；　that　won't　hurt　her　and　it　will　make　it　easier　for　Doe　to　examine　her。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　dear。　Get　your　lecherous　hands　off　my　bottom　and　I'll　get　to　work。　You　find　Doe。〃
　　
　　〃Right　away；　Mrs。　Mayberry。〃
　　
　　〃Until　later；　Mr。　Gibbons。　Au　'voir。〃
　　
　　Gibbons　told　Buck　to　wait；　walked　over　to　the　Waldorf；　found　（as　he　expected）　Dr。　Krausmeyer　in　the　bar。　The　physician　looked　up　from　his　drink。　〃Ernest！　What's　this　I。　hear　about　the　Harper　place？〃
　　
　　〃Well；　what　do　you　hear　about　it？　Put　down　that　glass　and　grab　your　bag。　Emergency。〃
　　
　　〃Now；　now！　Haven't　seen　the　emergency　yet　that　wouldn't　leave　time　to　finish　a　drink。　Clyde　Learner　was　just　in　and　bought　us　a　round　of　drinks…bought　this　one　you　urged　me　to　abandon…and　told　us　that　the　Harper　place　had　burned　and　killed　the　whole　Brandon　family。　Says　he　tried　to　rescue　them；　but　it　was　too　late。〃
　　
　　Gibbons　briefly　considered　the　desirability　of　a　fatal　accident　happening　to　both　Clyde　Learner　and　Doe　Krausmeyer　some　dark　night…but；　damn　it；　while　Clyde　would　be　no　loss；　if　Doc　died；　Gibbons　would　be　forced　to　hang　out　his　own　shingle…and　his　diplomas　did　not　read　〃Ernest　Gibbons。〃　Besides；　Doe　was　a　good　doctor　when　sober…and；　anyhow；　it's　your　own　fault；　old　son；　twenty　years　ago　you　interviewed　him　and　okayed　the　subsidy。　All　you　saw　was　a　bright　young　intern　and　failed　to　spot　the　incipient　lush。
　　
　　〃Now　that　you　mention　it；　Doe；　I　did　see　Clyde　hurrying　toward　the　Harper　place。　If　he　says　he　was　too　late　to　save　them　…　I　would　have　to　back　his　story。　However；　it　was　not　the　whole　family；　their　little　girl；　Dora；　was　saved。〃
　　
　　〃Well；　yes；　Clyde　did　say　that。　He　said　it　was　her　parents　he　couldn't　save。〃
　　
　　〃That's　right。　It's　the　little　girl　I　want　you　to　attend。　She's　suffering　from　multiple　abrasions　and　contusions；　possibly　broken　bones；　possible　internal　injuries；　a　strong　possibility　of　smoke　poisoning…and　a　certainty　of　extreme　emotional　shock　very　serious　in　a　child　that　age。　She's　across　the　street　at　Mrs。　Mayberry's　place。〃　He　added　softly；　〃I　think　you　ought　to　hurry；　Doctor；　I　really　do。　Don't　you？〃
　　
　　Dr。　Krausmeyer　looked　unhappily　at　his　drink；　then　straightened　up　and　said；　〃Mine　host；　if　you　will　be　so　kind　as　to　put　this　on　the　back　of　the　bar；　I　shall　return〃　He　picked　up　his　bag。
　　
　　Dr。　Kratlsmeyer　found　nothing　wrong　with　the　child；　gave　her　a　sedative。　Gibbons　waited　until　Dora　was　asleep；　then　went　to　arrange　temporary　board　for　his　mule。　He　went　to　Jones　Brothers　（〃Fine　Stock…Mules　Bought；　Sold；　Traded；　Auctioned…Registered　Stallions　Standing　at　Stud〃）　because　his　bank　held　a　mortgage　on　their　place。
　　
　　Minerva；　it　wasn't　planned；　it　just　grew。　I　expected　Dora　to　be　adopted　in　a　few　days；　a　few　weeks；　some　such。　Pioneers　don't　feel　about　kids　the　way　city　people　do。　If　they　didn't　like　kids；　they　wouldn't　have　the　temperament　to　pioneer。　And　as　soon　as　pioneer　kids　stop　being　babies；　the　investment　starts　paying　off。　Kids　are　an　asset　in　pioneer　country。
　　
　　I　certainly　did　not　plan　to　raise　an　ephemeral；　or　hold　any　fear　that　it　would　be　necessary…nor　was　it　necessary。　I　was　beginning　to　simplify　my　affairs；　expecting　to　leave　soon；　as　my　son　Zaccur　should　show　up　any　year。
　　
　　Zack　was　my　partner　then；　in　a　loose　arrangement　based　on　mutual　trust。　He　was　young；　a　century　and　a　half　or　such；　but　steady　and　smart…out　of　Phyffis　Briggs…Sperling　by　my　last　marriage　but　two。　A　fine　woman；　Phyllis；　as　well　as　a　number…one　mathematician。　We　made　seven　children　together　and　every　one　of　them　smarter　than　I　am。　She　married　several　times…I　was　her　fourth*_and；　as　I　recall；　the　first　woman　to　win　the　Ira　Howard　Memorial　Century　Medal　for　contributing　one　hundred　registered　offspring　to　the　Families。　Took　her　less　than　two　centuries　but　Phyllis　was　a　girl　of　simple　tastes；　the　other　being　pencil　and　paper　and　time　to　think　about　geometry。
　　
　　I　digress。　To　engage　in　the　pioneering　business　profitably　takes　a　minimax　of　a　suitable　ship　and　two　partners；　both　shipmasters；　both　qualified　to　mount　a　migration　and　lead　it…otherwise　you　are　taking　a　shipload　of　city　folks　and　abandoning　them　in　wilderness；　w？ich　often　happened　in　the　early　days　of　the　Diaspora。
　　
　　Zack　and　I　did　it　properly；　each　fully　qualified　as　captain　in　space；　or　as　leader　on　a　strange　pla…taking　turns。　The　one　who　stays　behind　when　the　ship　leaves　really　does　pioneer；　he　can't　fake　it；　he　can't　just　wave　the　baton。　He　may　not　be　political　head　of　the　colony…I　preferred　not　to　be；　talk　is　so　time…consuming。　What　he　does　have　to　be　is　a　survivor；
　　
　　*Fifth。　James　Matthew　Libby　was　her　fourth。
　　
　　a　man　who　can　force　that　pla　to　feed　him；　and　by　his　example　show　others　how…and　advise　them　if　they　want　it。
　　
　　The　first　wave　is　a　break…even；　the　captain　unloads　and　goes　back　fqr　more　migrants；　the　pla　offer　nothing　for　export　that　soon。　The　trip　has　been　paid　for　by　fares　charged　the　migrants；　profit；　if　any；　will　e　from　the　partner　on　the　ground　selling　what　else　the　ship　has　carried…mules；　hardware；　swine；　fertile　chicken　eggs…to　the　pioneers；　on　credit　at　first。　Which　means　the　partner　on　the　ground　has　to　look　sharp　and　mind　his　rear；　it　doesn't　take　much　to　convince　migrants　who　are　having　a　tough　time　that　this　bloke　is　profiteering　and　should　be　lynched。
　　
　　Minerva；　the　six　times　I　did　this…let　myself　be　left　behind　with　the　first　wave　of　a　colony…I　never　once　plowed　a　field　without　weapons　at　hand　and　I　was　always　far　more　cautious　with　my　own　breed　than　I　was　with　any　dangerous　animals　that　pla　held。
　　
　　But　on　New　Beginnings　we　were　past　most　such　hazards。　The　first　wave　had　made　it；　though　just　barely　that　terrible　first　winter…Helen　Mayberry　was　not　the　only　widow　who　had　married　a　widower　as　a　result　of　a　weather　cycle　that　Andy　Libby　and　I　had　not　anticipated；　the　star　there…called　〃the　Sun〃　as　always；　but　you　can　check　your　memories　for　catalog　designation…New　Beginnings'　Sun　was　a　variable　star　by　about　the　amount　that　old　Sol　is；　just　enough　to　give　〃unusual〃　weather…and　when　we　arrived　we　***~jt…1h~***badweather　jackpot。
　　
　　But　those　who　made　it　through　that　winter　were　tough　enough　to　stand　anything；　the　second　wave　had　a　much　easier　time。
　　
　　I　had　disposed　of　my　farm　to　migrants　of　the　second　wave　and　was　putting　my　attention　on　business　and　trade　to　build　up　a　cargo　for　the　Andy　J。　to　take　back　after　Zack　unloaded　the　third　wave…and　I　would　go　back；　too。　Go　somewhere；　that　is。　What　and　where　and　how　would　be　settled　after　I　saw　Zack。
　　
　　In　the　meantime　I　was　bored；　getting　ready　to　wind　up　my　on…pla　affairs；　and　found　this　waif　an　interesting　diversion。
　　
　　Delightful；　I　should　say。　Dora　was　a　baby　who　was　born　grown…up。　Utterly　innocent；　ignorant　in　the　fashion　that　a　small　child　necessarily　is；　but　most　intelligent　and　delighted　to　learn　anything。　There　was　no　meanness　in　her　anywhere；　Minerva；　and　I　found　her　na飗e　conversation　more　entertaining　than　most　talk　of　adults…usually　trivial　and　rarely　new。
　　
　　Helen　Mayberry　took　as　much　interest　in　Dora；　and　we　two　found　ourselves　in　loco　parentis　without　planning　it。
　　
　　We　consulted　each　other　and　kept　the　baby　girl　away　from　the　burial…some　charred　bones；　including　tiny　ones　of　the　baby　that　had　never　been　born…and　kept　her　away　from　the　memorial　service；　too。　Some　weeks　later；　when　Dora　seemed　to　be　in　good　shape　and　after　I　had　had　time　to　have　a　gravestone　cut　and　erected；　I　took　her　out　there　and　let　her　see　it。　She　could　read；　and　did…names　and　dates　of　her　parents；　and　the　single　date　for