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time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第119部分

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  〃No。 I had the impression from Madam Chairman Pro Tern that you already had a perfected technique。〃
  
  〃It's possible that I let her think so。 But Arabelle wouldn't know an imperial number from an imperial edict; she couldn't ask the right questions。〃
  
  〃I don't think 1 could either; Lazarus; it's not my field of mathematics。〃
  
  〃If you're interested; Dora can teach you…〃
  
  〃Or ale; Lover Boy。〃
  
  〃Or Teena。 What's the idea of calling Justin 'Lover Boy;' Teena? Are you trying to seduce him?〃
  
  〃No; he's promised to seduce me 。 。 about a hundred years from now。〃
  
  Lazarus looked at me thoughtfully; I tried to look as if I hadn't heard the exchange。 〃Mmm 。 。 maybe you had; better take those lessons from Dora; Justin。 You haven't met Dora; but think of her as about eight years old; she won't try to
  
  seduce you。 But she's the brighted puter pilot in space and can teach you more than you want to know about Libby field transformations。 I was saying that we felt sure of the theory; but I wanted a separate opinion。 So I thought of asking Mary Sperling…〃
  
  I said; 〃Hold it a moment! Lazarus; in all the Archives there is; I am certain; only one Mary Sperling。 I'm descended from her; Tamara is descended from her…〃 …
  
  〃Lots of Howards descended from her; Son; Mary had over thirty children…quite a record for those days。〃
  
  〃Then you do mean Elder Mary Sperling; born in 1953 Gregorian; died in…〃
  
  〃She did not die; Justin; that's the point。 So I went; back there and talked with her。〃
  
  My head felt fuzzy。 〃Lazarus; I'm confused。 Are you telling me that you've already made one time trip? Nearly two thousand years? No; I mean 'over two thousand years'…〃
  
  〃Justin; if you'll keep quiet; I'll tell you what I mean。〃
  
  〃Sorry; sir。〃
  
  〃Call me 'sir' and I'll get the twins to tickle you。 I mean I went; in present time; to star PK3722 and the Pla of the Little People。 That designation is obsolete; and the new catalogings don't hook it in with that pla because Libby and I d~cided to toss in a joker; we felt that it was a place for humans to stay away from。
  
  〃But the Little People are the source of the concepts that Andy Libby worked out as field theory that anyone can use; and all space pilots; puter and human; do use。 But I had never gone back there because…well; Mary and I had been close。 So close that it was a blow to me when she 'went over。' More disturbing than a death; some ways~
  
  〃But the years do mellow a memory and I did want to consult。 So the twins and I set out in the 'Dora' to try to find that pla; from a set of coordinates and a ballistic Andy had assigned a long time back。 The ballistic was slightly off; but a star doesn't move far in only two thousand years; we found it。
  
  〃No trouble then; I had warned Lor and Laz most solemnly of the subtle danger of the place。 They listened; and that made them as immune to the place as I am…not tempted to swap their individual personalities for a pseudo…immortality。 In fact; they had a wonderful time; the place is charming; and safe in all other ways。 Hadn't changed much; one huge park。
  
  〃I orbited first…it's their pla; and they have powers we don't ken。 Same as last time; a Doppelg鋘ger of a Little Per…
  
  son showed up in the 'Dora' and invited us down to visit;。 only this time it called me by name…in my head; they don't use oral speech…and admitted to being Mary Sperling。 That shook me but it was good news。 She…'it;' I mean…it seemed mildly pleased to see me but not especially intereste4; it was not like meeting a beloved old friend but more like meeting a stranger who nevertheless remembered what that old friend remembered。〃
  
  〃I understand it;〃 the puter said。 〃Something like Minerva and me; huh?〃
  
  〃Yes; dear 。 。 except that you had a more positive personality your very first day than this creature who used the name of my old friend 。 。 and you've been getting positiver and positiver for the past three years。〃
  
  〃01' Buddy Boy; I'll bet you tell that to all the girls。〃
  
  〃Could be。 Please keep quiet; dear。 Nothing more to tell; Justin; save that we grounded and stayed a few days; and Dora and I consulted with the Little People about space…time field theory while the twins listened and enjoyed playing tourist。 But; Justin; when the Families left there; returning to Earth in the 'New Frontiers;' you will recall that we left some ten thousand behind。〃
  
  〃Eleven thousand; one hundred; and eighty…three;〃 I answered; 〃according to log of the 'New Frontiers。'〃
  
  〃Is that what we logged? Should have been more; maybe; as the logged figure was reconstructed by seeing who couldn't be mustered; so almost certainly there were unregistered children among those who elected to stay behind; we were there quite a piece。 But the exact number doesn't matter。 Justin; call it an even ten thousand。 Given …a favorable environment; how many would you expect to find there after two thousand years?〃
  
  I used the arbitrary expansion。 〃Approximately ten to the twenty…second…which is ridiculous。 I would expect either a stabilized optimax…call it ten to the tenth…or a Malthusian catastrophe; in not over seven to eight centuries。〃
  
  〃Justin; there were none。 Nor any sign that men had ever been there。〃
  
  〃What happened to them?〃
  
  〃What happened to Neanderthal Man? What happens to any champion when he's defeated? Justin; what's the point in striying when you're so outclassed that it's no contest? The Little People have the perfect Utopia…no strife; no petition; no population problem; no poverty; perfect harmony
  
  A ~1'~
  
  with their beautiful pla。 Paradise; 〃Justin! The' Little People are all the things that philosophers and religious leaders throughout history have been urging the human race to bee。
  
  〃Maybe they are perfect; Justin。 Maybe they are what the human race can bee 。 。 in another million years。 Or ten million。
  
  〃But when I say that their Utopia frightens me; that I think it is deadly to human beings; and that they themselves look like a dead end to me; I am not running them down。 Oh; no! They know far more about mathematics and science than I do…or I wouldn't have gone there to 'consult them。 I can't imagine fighting them because it wouldn't be a fight; they would already have won against anything we could attempt。 If we became obnoxious to them; I can't guess what would happen…and don't want to find out。 But I don't see any danger as long as we leave them alone as we don't have anything they want。 So it appears to me…but what's the opinion of one old Neanderthal? I understand them as little as that kitten over there understands astrogation。
  
  〃I don't know what happened to the Howards who stayed behind。 Some may have gone over and been assimilated; as Mary Sperling did。 I didn't ask; I didn't want to know。 Some may have lapsed into lotus…eaters' apathy and died。 I doubt if many reproduced…although it is possible that there were subhumans around being kept as pets。 If so; I most especially did not want to know it。 I got what I wanted: a corroborating opinion on a mathematical oddity in field physics…then gathered up my girls and left。
  
  〃We did one thing before we left that neighborhood: We made a ball…of…twine photographic survey of their pla; then had Athene exami~e it when we got back。 Teena?〃
  
  〃Sure; Buddy Boy。 Justin; if there is a humanartifact on the surface of that pla; it is less than a half meter in diameter。〃
  
  〃So I assume that they are all dead;〃 ' Lazarus said grimly; 〃and I shan't go back。 No; the trip to PK3722 was not a trialrun time trip; but just a;co~tion star hop。 The test run will be about as simple and' quite〃~safe; as it will not involve put。 ting down on a pla?et。 Want to e along? Or shall we take Galahad?〃
  
  〃Pappy;〃 Galahad said earnestly; 〃I am young; beautiful; healthy; and happy; and plan to stay that way; you are not volunteering me for any such harebrained junket。 I'm not making any more star' hops of any sort; I'm the ho
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