按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
For …several moments she seemed not to breathe。 Then she said softly； 〃I think I am losing my mind。〃 …
〃No； my gallant love； you have as strong and sane a mind as I have ever met。 Let me explain because I… must tell you
… something and you must believe me。 Have you read a novel by Mr。 Herbert George Wells called The… Time Machine？〃
〃Why； yes。 Father has a copy。〃
〃That's me； Maureen。 Captain Lazarus Long； Time Traveler。〃 …
〃But that book… I thought it was just a 。 。 a…〃 〃Just a story。 It is。 But it won't stay that way。 Oh； not quite
the way Mr。 Wells visualized it。 But that's what I am； a visitor from a future time。 I didn't intend to let anyone suspect this； that's why I claimed to be a foundling。 Not only is it hard to psove； but any attempt would interfere with my purpose
…which is simply to visit this time and observe it。 Might even
… get … me locked up as crazy。 So I've been careful to keep my mask … on； as… careful as…well； as you are； In talking to those
… Simpsons。 In not letting your children see you cry。 You and I do it the same way。 Audacity 。 。 plus never telling lies we can be caught in。〃
〃Theodore； I think you believe this。〃
〃Meaning that I sound sincere but must be crazy。〃 〃No； no； dear； I… Yes； that's what I meant。 I'm sorry；〃 〃No reason to be sorry； it does sound crazy。 But I'm not
afraid that you will have me sent to St。 Joe； I'm as safe… with you as you are with me。 But I must find some way to convince… you that I am telling the truth 。 。 because I am about
… to tell you something you must believe。 Or I have dropped~ mymask to no point。〃 …
He stopped to think。 How to prove it？ ome prediction？ It would have to be very short range to… serve the only purpose he had in breaking cover。 But he hadn't briefed himself on
this year； he hadn't intended to arrtve until 1919 and kneu so little about the years before 1919 that he had even mixel up the date that the United States got into … this war。 Lazarus damn your sloppy ways； the next time you make a time tril you're going to memorize everything about the era thai
… Athene can give you…and a wide margin on both sides！
Woodie's memories were no help； Lazarus did not ever recall having been taken to Electric Park by a sergeant ir uniform。 Self…centered brat！ Electric Park he remembered Woodie Smith had gone there many times。 But no visit stooc out in his mind。 …
〃Maureen； maybe you can think of some way I can provc to you that I'm from the future…something that will con vince you。 But this is why I had to tell you： Brian…your hus~ band； my ancestor…will e back unharmed。 He's going tc go through battles。 Shells will fall around him； shots wif whistle past his ears…but none will touch him。〃
Mrs。 Smi~gasped。 Then she said slowly； 〃Theodore h~doyouk~v1〃
〃Because you two are my ancestors。 I couldn't memorize the Foundation's records on all the Howards …of today but I did study the files on my own ancestors； ones I might have a chance to meet。 You。 Brian。 Brian's parents in Cincinnati。 And I figured out that Brian must have met you because he had attended Rolla； then found you on a Missouri list of eligibles…not the Ohio list…that the Foundation gave him。 That's certainly something I didn't learn from you or Brian or Ira； and your children probably don't know it。 Well； perhaps Nancy does； she's fflle4 out her own questionnaire。 Hasn't she？〃
〃Why； yes； months ago。 Then it is true； Theodore。 Or should I call you 'Lazarus'？〃
〃Call me anything~you like； darling。 But I still haven't proved anything。 Just that I have had access to the Foundation's files…which might have been last year； not in the future。 We're still looking for proof。 Mmm 。 。 I know a proof for a few months from now…but I must make you believe me tonight。 So you will have no more tears on your pillow。 And I don't know how。〃
He caressed her thighs； tpuched her curls。 〃Here inside you is proof that won't show up in time。 This last baby Brian put into your sweet belly… He's a boy； dearest ancestress； and you and Brian will name him 'Theodore Ira'…whi~h~ flatters me enormously。 When I read his name in the records； I didn't
… know that he was my namesake；…as I hadn't picked my assumed name then。〃
She squeezed his hand with her thighs and sighed。 〃I want to believe you。 But suppose Brian wants to name him Joseph？ Or Josephine？〃
〃'Josephine' is not a name for a boy。 Darling； Brian will name his war baby for the other two stars on your service flag； this war means a lot to him。 He'll probably suggest it himself
…I don't know。 I just know that 'Theodore Ira' is the name you will register with the… Foundation。 My other ancestors… Adele Johnson； of course； your mother and Ira's wife。 Lives in St。 Louis。 Left him around the time you got married but didn't divorce him…which probably irked him； I don't think Ira is a man to be celibate simply because his wife leaves but won't turn him loose。〃
〃He's not； dear。 I'm certain Father has a…well； a ？istress； and goes to see her some nights when he is supposed to be at that 'chess club'…and it's not a chess club； it's a pool hail。 I go along with the pretense because he calls it that in …front of the children。〃
〃He does play chess there。〃
〃Father plays a fine game of billiards； too。 Go ahead； darling…Lazarus。 I'm willing to believe。 Maybe we'll find some… thing。〃
〃Well； I don't think I'll look up your mother； I don't think I would get along with a woman who thinks sex is something to 'put up with。'〃 …
〃I got along with Mother only by lying to her。 Father reared me far more than she did。 I was his favorite。 He let it show； which is why I'm careful not to let it show with Woodrow。 Go on； Theodore。 Lazarus。〃
〃That's all of my ancestors you are related to。 Except one。 Our stowaway。 Maureen； I'm descended from you and Brian through Wodie。〃
She gasped。 〃Really？ Oh； I hope it's true！〃
〃True as taxes； beloved。 And it may have saved his life。 I've never been closer to infanticide than I was when we
found him in the back seat。〃…
She giggled。 〃Darling； I felt the same way。 But I won't； let anger show in my voice even if I'm about to switch a child。〃
〃I hope I didn't show anger。 But I felt it。 Beloved； I was so hard I ached…until we found Woodrow。 Honey love； I was rarin' to go I〃
…〃And I was just as ready！ Oh； Theodore…Lazarus…it's sc
… sweet to be open with you。 Uh 。 ； yes； you're …quite harr now。〃 …
〃Easy there！…~…don't make me climb the curb。 I have… beei ever since we left the house except when I forced it down But the one Woodie ruined was bigger and better。〃
〃Size isn't important； Theodore…Lazarus； a woman must fi any size。 Father told me that long ago and taught me exercise for it…and I never told Brian； I let him think that was simply how I am…and accepted his pliments smugly。 I stil exercise regularly…because my birth canal has been stretcher again and again and again by babies' skulls and if I didn' exercise those muscles I would be； in Father's salty language 'loose as a goose。' And I do so want to stay desirable to Briat ~many years as；possible。〃 …
〃And to the iceman and the milkman and the postman… and the boy who drives the grocery wagon。〃 …
…〃Tease。 I'd like to stay young there till I die。〃
〃You will； you eighteen…year…old prospective grandmother Let's get our minds off sex and back to time travel； I'm stil looking for a proof。 So that you will know why I am cerrai7 that Brian came back okay。 But to stop your worry it must b~ something that happens soon and certainly before Woodie'~ birthday。〃
〃Why Woodrow's birthday？〃
〃Didn't I get that far？ This war ends on Woodie's nex birthday； the eleventh of November。〃 He added； 〃I'm certair of that； it's a key date in history。 But I'm racking my brair for some event between now and then…as soon as possible to stop your worries。 But…oh； shucks； dear； I made a sill） mistake。 I meant to arrive after this war is over。 But I gav my …puter one critical figure wit … an error in it…just
… little one； but it made me arrive three years too soon。 Not hei fault； she accepts any data I give her； and she's as accurate puter… as …ever conned a ship。 Not a fatal error； either； I'n~ not lost in time；… my ship will pick me up in 1926 exactly ter Earth …years after she dropped me。 But that's why I didn'i study the history of the next few months； I expected to skif this war。 I'm not studying wars； histories are full of wars。 I'n studying how people live。〃 …
〃Theodore 。 I'm confused。〃
〃I'm sorry； darling。 Time… travel is confusing。〃
〃You speak of a puter； and I'm not sure what yos
mean 。 。 and you said 'she' conns…whatever that means…a ship that will pick you up 。 。 in 1926？ And I don't understand any of it〃
Lazarus sighed。 〃That's why I never intended to tell anyone。 But I had to tell you…so that you could stop worrying。 My ship is a spaceship…like Jules Verne； only more so。 A starship； I live on a pla a long way off。 But it is a tim鐂hip； too； she travels in both space and time and it's too plicated to explain。 The puter is the ship's brain…a machine； a very plex machine。 My ship… is named ~ and the machine； the puter； that conns it…runs it…steers it…is called Dora； 1oo； that's the name she answers to when I speak to her。 She's a very intelligent machine and can talk； Oh； there is a crew； two of my sisters…so of course they… are descended from you； too； and they look like you。 A crew is necessary… can't let a ship go running around by itself…except automatic freighters on precalculated runs…but Dora does the hard work； and Laz and Lor…Lapis Lazuli Long and Lorelei Lee Long…tell Dora what to …do and let her do it。〃 He squeezed Mrs。 Smith's thigh and grinned。 〃If that air blast had kept your skirts up two seconds longer； I would know more about how closely they resemble you…as they usually run around naked。 They look like you in the face。 Bodies； too； from that too…short glimpse of your lovely legs。 Except that Laz and Lor are freckled all over …as solidly as Marie is on her face。〃
… 〃I'd be that freckled if I didn't stay out of the sun。 When I was Marie's age； Father called me 'Turkey Egg。' But all over？ They don't wear any clothes？〃 … … …
〃Oh； they enjoy fancy dress for parties。 Or the weather might be cold…but it rarely is； we live in a climate like southern Italy。 They don't wear anything very often。〃 Lazarus smiled and caressed her thigh。 〃They don't need to leave their bloomers home to be ready for lovemaking； they don't own any bloomers。 They aren't a bit shy。 They would~be delighted to trip your father； they like older men…they're much younger than I am。〃 … …
〃Lazarus 。 。 how old are you？〃…
Lazarus hesitated。 〃Maureen； I don't want to answer that。 I'm older than I look； Ira Howard's experiment was successful。 Instead let me tell you about my family。