libation or； six。 Not those two； they're potential。。alcoholics。〃
〃Slanderous…〃
〃…though regrettably true…〃 ；〃…but we did it only once…〃 〃…and won't do it again！〃
〃Don't mit yourself too far； kids； a brannigan might sneak up on you。 Better to know your resistance than to be tripped through ignorance。 Grow up； put on some mass； and you'll be able to cope with it。 Or Ishtar mixed up your genes； which she didn't。 Now about this other matter； Justin。 Yes； you're one of Minerva's parents 。 。 and that's a very high pliment； because those twenty…three chromosome pairs were picked from tissues of thousands of superior people； using fearsome mathematics to handle the multiplicity of variables； plus Ishtar's knowledge of geics； and some unnecessary advice from me； before this little darling got the precise mix she wanted to be。〃
I started to set up the type problem in my head…yes； that would be some problem； extremely more difficult than the ordinary geics problem of advising one male and one female…then dropped it； as I had its delightful answer by her left hand。' Lazarus was still speaking：
〃Minerva could have been male； two meters tall； massing a hundred kilos； built like Joe Colossus； and hung like a 'stallion mule。 Instead she elected to be what she is： slender； female； shy… I'm not sure she selected for that last。 Did you； dear？〃
〃No； Lazarus； no one knows which genes control that。 I think I get it from Hamadryad。〃
〃I think you got it from a puter I used to know…and took along all of it as Athene certainly is not shy。 Never mind。 Some of Minerva's donor…parents are dead； some are alive but unaware that a bit of tissue from a' clone in stasis pr from the live…tissue bank was borrowed…as in your case。 Some know that they are donor…parents…me； for example； and you heard Hamadryad mentioned。 You'll meet others； some be…fl ing on Tertius； where it's no secret。 But consanguinity is not close for anyone。 One twenty…third？ The geic advisers wouldn't run that through a puter； it's an acceptable risk。 Plus the fact that none of us dono？…parents of Minerva have any known skeletons hanging on our family trees。 You could safely have progeny by her； so could I。〃
〃But you refused me！〃 Minerva startled me with the vehemence with which she accused Lazarus of this。 For a moment~ she was not shy； her eyes flashed。
〃Now； now； dear。 You were only a year out of vitro and not fully grown even though Ishtar forced you past menarche still in vitro。 Ask me on another occasion； I might startle you。〃
〃'Startle' me； or surprise me？〃
〃Never mind that old joke。 Justin； I simply wanted to make clear that your relationship to Minerva； while close enough that it makes Minerva feel sentimental； is in fact so small that you barely qualify as a 'kissing cousin。'〃
〃I feel very sentimental about it；〃 I told the Senior。 〃Most ；pleased and deeply honored…although I can't guess why I was picked。〃
〃If you want to know which chromosome pair was swiped from you； and why； you had best ask Ishtar and get her to consult Athene； I doubt if Minerva still knows。〃
〃But I do know； I saved those memories。 Justin； I wanted to retain some ability in mathematics。 It was a choice between
you and Libby Professor Owens…so I chose you； you are my friend。〃
（Well！ I respect Jake Hardy…Owens； I'm merely an applied mathematician； he is a brilliant theoretician。） 〃Whatever your reasons； dear kissing cousin； I am delighted that you chose me as one of your donor…fathers。〃
〃Grounded； modore！〃 announced one of the duplicate redheads…Lapis Lazuli…as the little nuliboat clumped to a stop。 （It appeared to be a Corson Farmsled and I was surprised to see it in a new Colony。） Lazarus answered； 〃Thank yoi~1； Captain。〃
The twins bounced out； the Senior and I handed Minerva out…unnecessary help that she accepted with gracious dignity； that being another aspect of colonial life that surprised me； New Rome being rather short on such' archaic ceremony。 （Over and again I found the Boondockers to be both more formally polite； and more casually relaxed about it； than are Secundians。 I support my notions of frontier life had been fed on too many romances： rough； bearded men fighting 'off dangerous animals； mules hauling covered wagons toward distant horizons。）
〃Captain〃 Lazuli said； 〃Humpty Dumpty… go to bed！〃 The nullboat waddled away； the little girls joined us； one taking my free hand； the other taking the Senior's free hand； with Minerva between us。 These freckled flametops would have had my whole attention had not Minerva been there。 I am not pulsively fond of children； some youngsters seem to me rather poisonous； especially precocious ones。 But in their case I found their solemn precocity charming rather than irritating 。 。 and to see the Senior's features； rugged rather than handsome and with that too…large nose； unmistakably reproduced but transformed into piquant girlish features…well； had I been alone； I would have chuckled with
delight。 ；*
I said 〃Just a moment；〃 and held onto Lorelei's hand and thereby caused all' to pause while I took a second look。 〃Lazarus； who is the architect？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he said。 〃Dead more than four thousand years。 The original belonged to the political boss of Ppmpeii； a city destroyed about that long ago。 I saw a model of it； restored； in a museum in a place called Denver； and took pictures； it pleased me。 Those pictures are long gone； but it turned out that； when I tried to describe it to Athene； she
；； on
had a solly in the historical section of her gizzards of the ruins of that same house…and from that and my description； she designed this version。 Some minor mods； nothing that changed its sweet proportions。 Then Athene built it； using extensionals and radio links。 It's practical for this climate； the weather here is much like that of Pompeii…and I prefer a house that looks inward； on a court。 Safer； even in a place~ as safe as this one。〃
〃By the way； where is Athene？ 'The main puter itself； … I mean。〃
〃Here。 She was still in the 'Dora' when she built this； now she's under the house…she built her underground home first； then built ou？ house on top of it。〃
Minerva said simply； 〃A puter prefers to feel safe； and close to her own people。 Lazarus…forgive me； dear； but you have reversed a tim？sequence； that was more than three years ago。〃
〃Oh； so I have。 Minerva； when you~ have lived as long as I have…and you will…you'll find yourself inverting time sequences endlessly； a flesh…and…blood shorting you had to accept when you took the plunge。 Correction； Justin… 'Minerva；' not 'Athene。'〃
第53节
〃Yet it is Athene who built it…now；〃 Minerva added； 〃since engineering and the details of this construction and others are things I left behind in Athene； where they belong； and abstracted only a simplified memory of having built it…I wanted to remember that much。〃
I said； 〃Whoever built it； it's beautiful。〃 I was suddenly upset。 It is one thing to accept intellectually the startling idea that a young woman has had a former life as a puter… and even to accept that one had worked with that puter years back 'and light…years away。 But this discussion suddenly brought home to me emotional belief that this lovely girl with her arm warm in mine had in sober fact been a puter so short a time ago that she had built this new house… while a puter。 It shook me…even though I am a historiographer； old； and my sense of wonder was dulled even before my first rejuvenation。
*
We went in； and my upset was swept away by greetings。 We were kissed all around…two beautiful young women； one of ；whom I recognized when I heard her name； Ira's daughter Hamadryad and she looks like one； the other a statuesque blonde whose name； Ishtar； was familiar to me
through talk； and a young man as beautiful as the women and who seemed familiar though I could not place him。 Even the twin flam鑤ops insisted on kissing me since they had not greeted me that way earlier。
In Boondock a kiss of greeting is not the ritual peck it usually is in New Rome； e~en the twins bussed me in a fashion that made me certain of their sex…I've had poorer kisses from grown women whose intentions were direct and immediate。 But the young man； introduced as 〃Galahad；〃 startled me。 He hugged me； with kisses on my cheeks followed by a ~iss on my mouth worthy of a Ganymede… which surprised me； but I tried to return as good as I got。
Instead of letting me go； he pounded my back and said； 〃Justin； it tickles my root to see you again！ Oh； this is wonderful！〃
I pulled my face back to look at his。 I must have looked puzzled for he blinked； then said mournfully： 〃Ish； I boasted too soon！ Hamadear； get me a towel； I'm weeping。 He's forgotten me 。 。 after all the things he said。〃
I said； 〃Obadiah Jones； What are you doing here？〃
〃Weeping。 Being humiliated in front of my family。〃
I don't know how long it had been since I had seen him。~ It may have been more than a century since it has been that long since I left the Howard campus。 Brilliant young specialist in ancient cultures he was then； with an impish sense of humor。 I recalled； dredging it up out of memory； having shared a Seven…Hours with him and two other savants； both female and happily so…but I could not recall their faces nor who they were； what I remembered was his playful； joyous； boisterous good pany。 〃Obadiah；〃 I said sternly； 〃why are you calling yourself 'Galahad'？ Hiding from the police again？ Lazarus； I'm shocked to find this； uh； macho in your house… lock up your daughters！〃
〃Oh； that name！〃 he said brokenly。 〃Don't repeat it； Justin。 They don't know it。 When I reformed； I changed my n~me。 You won't give me away？ Promise me； dear！〃 Suddenly he grinned and said in a cheerful voice； 〃e on into 'the atrium and let's get a skinful of rum into you。 Lazi； who has the duty？〃
〃Lori does。 Even…numbered day。 But I'll help。 Straight rum？〃
〃Better flavor it。