time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第6章

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　　〃Then　you　believe　in　an　afterlife？〃
　　
　　〃Slow　up！　I　don't　'believe'　in　anything。　I　know　certain　things
　　
　　…little　things；　not　the　Nine　Billion　Names　of　God…from　experience。　But　I　have　no　beliefs。　Belief　gets　in　the　way　of　learning。〃
　　
　　〃That's　what　we　want；　Lazarus：　what　you　have　learned。　Even　though　you　say　it's　nothing　but　'little　things。'　May　I　suggest　that　anyone　who　has　managed　to　stay　alive　as　long　as　you　have　must　necessarily　have　learned　many　things；　or　you　could　not　have　lived　so　long？　Most　humans　die　violent　deaths。　The　very　fact　that　we　live　so　much　longer　than　our　ancestors　did　makes　this　inevitable。　Traffic　accident；　murder；　wild　animals；　sports；　pilot　error；　a　slippery　bit　of　mud…eventually　something　catches　up　with　us。　You　haven't　lived　a　safe；　placid　life…quite　the　contrary！…yet　you　have　managed　to　outwit　all　hazards　for　twenty…three　centuries。　How？　It　can't　be　luck。〃
　　
　　〃Why　can't　it　be？　The　most　unlikely　things　do　happen；　Ira
　　
　　…there　is　nothing　so　unlikely　as　a　baby。　But　it's　true　that　I've　always　watched　where　I　put　my　feet　。　。　and　never　fought　when　I　could　duck　out　…　。　and　when　I　did　have　to　fight；　I　always　fought　dirty。　If　I　had　to　fight；　I　wanted　him　to　be　dead　instead　of　me。　So　I　tried　to　arrange　it　that　way。　Not　luck。　Or　not　much；　anyway。〃　Lazarus　blinked　thoughtfully。　〃I've　never　argued　with　the　weather。　Once　a　mob　wanted　to　lynch　me。　I　didn't　try　to　reason　with　them；　I　just　put　a　lot　of　miles　between　me　and　them　as　fast　as　I　could　and　never　went　back　there。〃
　　
　　〃That's　not　in　any　of　your　memoirs。〃
　　
　　〃Lots　of　things　not　in　my　memoirs。　Here　es　chow。〃
　　
　　The　door　dilated；　a　dining　table　for　two　glided　in；　p0~itioned　itself　as　the　chairs　separated　for　it；　and　started　un
　　
　　folding　to　serve。　The　technicians　approached　quietly　and　offered　unnecessary　personal　service。　Weatheral　said；　〃Smells　good。　Do　you　have　any　eating　rituals？'
　　
　　〃Eh？　Praying　or　such？　No。〃
　　
　　〃Not　that　sort。　Such　as…　Say　one　of　my　executives　eats　with　me：　I　won't　let　him　discuss　business　at　the　table。　But　if　you　will　permit；　I　would　like　to　continue　this　conversation。〃
　　
　　〃Certainly；　why　not？　As　long　as　we　stick　to　subjects　that　don't　rile　the　stomach。　Did　you　ever　hear　what　the　priest　told　the　old　maid？〃
　　
　　Lazarus　glanced　at　the　technician　at　his　elbow。　〃Perhaps　not　now。　I　think　this　shorter　one　is　female　and　she　just　might　know　some　English。　You　were　saying？〃
　　
　　〃I　was　saying　that　your　memoirs　are　inplete。　Even　if　you　are　determined　to　go　through　with　dying；　won't　you　consider　granting　me　and　your　other　descendants　the　rest　of　your　memoirs？　Simply　talk；　tell　us　what　you've　seen　and　done。　Careful　analysis　might　teach　us　quite　a　lot。　For　example；　what　did　happen　at　that　Families　Meeting　of　2012？　The　minutes　don't　tell　much。〃
　　
　　〃Who　cares　now；　Ira？　They're　all　dead。　It　would　be　my　version　without　giving　them　a　chance　to　answer　back。　Let　sleeping　dogs　bury　their　own　dead。　Besides；　I　told　you　my　memory　was　playing　tricks。　I've　used　Andy　Libby's　hypno…　encyclopedic　techniques…and　they're　good…and　also　learned　tier　storage　for　memory　I　didn't　need　every　day；　with　keying　words　to　let　a　tier　cascade　when　I　did　need　it；　like　a　puter；　and　I　have　had　my　brain　washed　of　useless　memories　several　times　in　order　to　clear　those　file　drawers　for　new　data
　　
　　…and　still　it's　no　gobd。　Half　the　time　I　can't　remember　where
　　
　　。1put　the　book　I　was　reading　the　night　before；　then　waste　a
　　
　　morning　looking　for　it…before　I　remember　that　that　book
　　
　　was　one　I　was　reading　a　century　ago。　Why　won't　you　leave　an
　　
　　old　man　in　peace？〃
　　
　　〃All　you　have　to　do　is　to　tell　me　to　shut　up；　sir。　But　I　hope　you　will　not。　Granted　that…　memory　is　imperfect；　nevertheless　you　were　eyewitness　to　thousands　of　things　the　rest　of　us　are　too　young　to　have　seen。　Oh；　Fm　not　asking　you　to　reel　off　a　formal　autobiography　covering　all　your　centuries。　But　you　might　reminisce　about　anything　you　care　to　talk　about。　For　example；　there　is　no　record　anywhere　of　your　earliest　years。　I…and　millions　of　others…would　be　extremely　interested　in　whatever　you　remember　of　your　boyhood~〃
　　
　　〃What　is　there　to　remember？　I　s~pent　my　boyhood　the　way　every　boy　does…trying　to　keep　my　elders　from　fin…ding　out　what　I　was　up　to。〃　…
　　
　　Lazarus　wiped　his　mouth　and　looked　thoughtful。　〃On　the　whole　I　was　successfuL　The　few　times　I　was　caught　and　clobbered　taught　me　to　be　more　careful　next　time…keep　my　mouth　shut　more　and　not　make　my　lies　too　plicated。　Lying　is　one　of　the　fine　arts；　Ira；　and　it　seems　to　be　dying
　　
　　out。〃…
　　
　　〃Really？　I　had　not　noticed　any　diminution。〃　…
　　
　　…　〃I　mean　as　a　fine　art。　There　are　still　plenty　of　clumsy　liars；　approximately　as　many　as　there　are　mouths。　Do　you　know　the　two　most　artistic　ways　to　lie？〃
　　
　　〃Perhaps　I　don't　but　I　would　like　to　learn。　Just　two？〃
　　
　　〃So　far　as　I　know。　It's　not　enough　to　be　able　to　lie　with　a　straight　face；　anybody　…　with　enough　gall　to　raise　on　a　busted　flush　…　can　do　that。　The　…　first　way　to　lie　artistically　is　to　tell　the　truth…but　not　all　of　it。　The　second　way　involves　telling　the　truth；　too；　but　is　harder：　Tell　the　exact　truth　and　maybe　all　of　it　。　。　but　tell　it　so　unconvincingly　that　your　listener　is　sure　you　are　lying。　…　…
　　
　　〃I　must　have　been　twelve；　…　thirteen　years　old　before　…1　got　that　one　down　pat。　Learned　it　from　my　maternal　Grampaw；？I　take　after　him　quite…　a…　lot。　He　was　a　mean　old　devil。　Wouldn't　go　…inside　a　church　or　see　a　…　doctor…claimed　that　neither　doctors　nor　preachers　know　what　they　pretend　to　know。　At　eighty…five　he　could…　crack　nuts　with　his　…　teeth　and　straight…arm　a　seventy…pound　anvil　by　its　horn。　I　left　home　about　then　and　never　saw'　him　again。　But　the　Families'　Records　say　that　he　was　killed　in　the　Battle　of　Britain　during　the　bombing　of　London；　which　was；　some　years　after。〃
　　
　　〃I　know。　He's　my　ancestor；　too；　of　course；　and　I'm　named　for　him；　Ira　Johnson。〃　*　…
　　
　　*　（1）　Ira　Johnson　was　less　than　eighty　at　the　time　the　Senior　…　claims　（elsewhere）　to　have　left　home。　Ira　Johnson　was…　himself　a　Doctor　of　Medicine。　How　long　he　practiced；　and　whether　or　not　he　ever　let　another　Doctor　of　Medicine　attend　him；…aie　not　known。
　　
　　J。F。45th
　　
　　…　（2）　1r4　Howard…Ira　Johnson…This　appears　to　be　a　chance　coincidence　of　given　names　at　a　time　when　Biblical　names　were　mon。　Families'　genealogists。have　been　unable　to　trace　any　consanguinity。
　　
　　J。F。45th
　　
　　〃Why；　sure　enough；　that　was　his　name。　I　just　called　bin　'Gramp。'〃　…　…
　　
　　。〃Lazarus；　this　is　exactly　the　sort　of　thing　I　want　to　get　01　record。　Ira　Johnson　is　；not　only　your　grandfather　and　m~　remote　grandfather　but　also　is　ancestor　to　many　million　peoph　here　and　elsewhere…yet　save　for　the　few　words　you　hav~　just　told　me　about　him；　he　has　been　only　a　name；　a　date　01　birth；　and　a　date　of　death；　nothing　more。　You've　suddenl）　brought　him　alive　again…a　man；　a　unique　human　being　Colorful。〃　…　…　…
　　
　　Lazarus　looked　thoughtful。　〃I　never　thought　of　him　ai　'colorful。'　Matter　of　facC　he　was　an　unsavery　old　coot…nol　a　'good　influence'　…　for　a　growing　boy　by　the　standards　~o1
　　
　　…　those　times。　Mmm；　there　was　something　about　a　young　school。　mann　and　him　in　the　town…　my　family　had　lived　in；　some　scandal…'scandal'　for　thos~　days；　I　mean…and　I　think　that　was　why　we　moved。　I　never　got　the　straight　of　it　as　the　grownups　wouldn't　talk　about　it　in　front　of　me。
　　
　　〃But　I　did　learn　a　lot　from　him；　ha　had　more　time　to　talk　with　me…or　took　more　time…than　my　parents　had；　Some　of　it　stuck。　'Always　cut　the　cards；　Woodie；'　he　would　say。　'You　may　lose　anyhow…but　not　as　often；　nor　as　much。　And　when　you　do；　lose；　smile。'　Things　like　that。〃　…
　　
　　〃Can　you　remember　any　more　of　what　he　said？〃
　　
　　〃Huh？；　After　all　these　years？　Of　course　not。　Well；　maybe。　He　had　me　Out　south　of　town　teaching　me　to　shoot。　I　was　maybe　ten　and　he　was…oh；　I　don't　know；　he　always　seemed　niy　years　older　'than　God　to　me。*　He　pinned　up　a　target；　put　one　in　the　black　to　show　me　it　could　be　…　done；　then　handed　me　the　rifle…little　。22　single…shot；　not　good　for　much　but　targets　and　tin　cans…'All　right；　it's　loaded；　do　just　what　I　did；　get　steady　on　it；　relax　and　squeeze。'　So　I　did；　and　all　I　heard　was　a　click…it　didn't　fire。
　　
　　〃I　said　so；　and　started　to　open　the　breech。　He　slapped　my　hand　away；　took　the　rifle　from　me　with　his　other　hand…then　clouted　me　a　good　one。　'What　did　I　tell　you　about　hangflres；　Woodie？　Are　you　aching　to　walk　around　with　one　eye　the　rest　of　your　life？　Or　merely　trying　to　kill　yourself？　If　the　latter；　I　can　show　you　several　better　ways。'
　　
　　〃Then　he　said；　'Now　watch　closely'…and　he　opened　the　breech。　Empty。　So　I　said；　'But；　Granip；　you　told　me　it　was　loaded。'　Shucks；　Ira；　I　saw　him　load。　it…I　thought。
　　
　　*　Ira　Johnson　was　seventy　when　Lazarus　Long　was　ten。
　　
　　…J。F。　45th
　　
　　〃'So　I　did；　Woodle；'　he　agreed。　'And　I　lied　to　you。　I　went　through　the　motions　and　palmed　the　cartridge。　Now　what　did　I　tell　…you　about　loaded　guns？　Think　hard　and　get　it　right　。　。　or　I'll　be　forced　to　clout　you　again　to　shake　up　your　brains　and　make　'em　work　better。'
　　
　　〃I　thought　fast　and　got　it　right；　Gramp　had　a　heavy　hand。　'Never　take　anybody's　word　about　whether　a　gun　is　loaded。'
　　
　　〃'Correct；'　he　…agreed。　'Remember　that　all　your　life…and　follow　it！…or　you　won't　live　long。'　*
　　
　　〃Ira。　I　did　remember　that　all　my　life…plus　its　application　to　analogous　situations　after　such　firearms　went　out　of　style…　and　it　has　indeed　kept　me　alive　several　times。
　　
　　〃Then　he　had　me　load　it　myself；　then　said；　'？oodie；　I'll　bet　you　half　a　dollar…do　you　have　half　a　dollar？'　I　had　considerably　more；　but　I　had　bet　with　him　before；　so　I　admitted　to　only　a　quarter。　'Okay；'　he　said；　'Make　it　two…bits；　I　never　let　'a　man　bet　on　credit。　Two…bits　says　you　can't　hit　the　target；　much　less　stay　in　the　black。'
　　
　　〃Then　he　pocketed　my　two…bits　and　showed　me　what　was　wrong　with　what　I　had　done。　By　the　time　he　was　ready　to　knock　off　I　had　the　basics　of　how　to　make　a　gun　do　what　I　wanted　it　to　do；　and　wanted　to　bet　him　again。　He　laughed　at　me　and　told　me　to　be　thankful　the　lesson　was　so　cheap。　Pass　the　salt；　please。〃
　　
　　Weatheral　did　so。　〃Lazarus；　if　I　could　find　a　way　to　entice　you　into　reminiscing　about　your　grandfather…or　about　anything…I'm　certain　we　could　extract　froth　such　record　endless　things　you　have　learned；　important　things…whether　you　choose　to　call　them　wisdom　or　not。　In　the　last　ten　minutes　you　have　stated　half　a　dozen　basic　truths；　or　rules　for　living…call　them　what　you　will…apparently　without　trying。〃
　　
　　〃Such　as？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　for　example；　that　most　people　learn　Qflly　by　experience…〃
　　
　　〃Correction。　Most　people　won't　learn　even　by　experience；　Ira。　Never　underestimate　the　power　of　human　stupidity。〃
　　
　　〃There's　another　one。　And　you　'made　a　couple　of　ments　on　the　fine　art　of　lying…three；　really；　as　you　also　mentioned　that　a　lie　should　never　be　too　plicated。　You　said　also　that　belief　gets　in　the　way　of　learning；　and　some…
　　
　　*　This　anecdote　is　too　obscure　to　be　elaborated　here。　See　Howard　Encyclopaedia：　Ancient　weapons；　chemical…explosives　firearms。
　　
　　thing　about　knowing　a　situation　was　the　essential　first　step　in　coping　with　it。〃
　　
　　〃J　didn't　say　that…although　I　could　have　said　it。〃
　　
　　〃I　generalized　something　；you　did　say。　You　said　also　that　you　never　'argued　with　the　weather　。。　which　I　would　generalize　to　mean：　Don't　indulge　in　wishful　thmkmg。　Or　as　'Face　up　to　the　facts　and　act　accordingly。'　Though　I　prefer　the　way　you　put　it；　it　has　more　flavor。　And　'Always　cut　the　cards。'　I　…haven't　played　card　games　in　many　years；　but　I　took　that　to　mean：　Never；　neglect　any　available　means　of　maximizing　one's　chances　in　a　situation　controlled　by　random　events。〃
　　
　　〃Hmm。　Gramp　would　have　said；　'Stow　the　fancy　talk；
　　
　　Sonny。'〃
　　
　　〃So　we'll　put　it　back　into　his　words：　'Always　cut　the　cards　。　…　and　smile　when　you　lose。'　If　indeed　that　is　not　your　own　phrasing　and　simply　attributed　to　him。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　his　all　right。　Well；　I　think　it　is。　Damn　it；　Ira；　after　a　long　time　it　is　…　hard　to　tell　a　real　memory　from　a　memory　of　a　memory　of　a　memory　of　a　real　memory。　That's　what　happens　when　you　think　about　the　past：　You　edit　it　and　rearrange　it；　make　it　more　tolerable…〃
　　
　　〃That's　another　one！〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　hush　up。　Son；　I　don't　want　to　reminisce　about　the　past；　it's　a　sure　sign　of　old　age。　Babies　and　young　children　live　in　the　present；　the　'now。'　Mature　adults　tend　to　live　in　the　future。　Only　the　senile　live　in　the　past　。　。　and　that　was　the　sign　that　made　me　realize　that　I　had　lived　long　enough；　when　I　found　I　was　spending　more　and　more　time　thinking　about　the　past　。　。　less　of　it　thinking　about　now…and　not　at　all　about　the　future。〃　…
　　
　　The　old　man　sighed。　〃So　I　knew　I　had　had　it。　The　way　to　live　a　long　time…oh；　a　thousand　years　or　more…is　something　between　the　way　a　child　does　it　and　the　way　a　mature　man　does　it。　Give　the　future　enough　thought　to　be　ready　for　it…but　don't　worry…　about　it。　Live　each　day　as　if　you　were　to　die