ands over my eyes。
The ty！〃 and levitated out of the water while I turned to look。
Tamara Sperling… I had thqught she was on Secundus； in retirement up country。 Tamara the Superb； the Superlative； the Unique…in my opinion （and many others） the greatest artist of her profession。 I feel sure that I am not the only man who chose when she left New Rome to remain celibate for a long time。
She had e in； seen that the family was in the bath lounge； dropped her gown in the garden； hurried in without stopping to remove her high sandals； spotted me； and blindfolded me with her lovely hands。
Why？ She was my dinner partner…and （if I could rely on an exchange I had heard that afternoon） willing to…be my guest wife if I were willing。 Willing？ Fifty years earlier I had offered her any contract she would accept every time she let me visit her and had finally shut up only after she had told me repeatedly； patie'ntly； and gently that she did not intend to have more children and would not marry again for any other purpose。
But there she was； rejuvenated （not that it mattered）； looking gloriously young and healthy…and a coloni~t。 I wondered who the man was who had persuaded her； to do this？ I envied him and wondered what superhuman qualities he possessed… but whatever they were； if Tamara was willing to share a bed with me even for one night and only for old times' sake； I would take what the gods offered and not worry about him； her wealth is endlessly divisible。 Tamara！…bells sound at her name。
She kissed two wet little girls； then dropped to her knees and kissed me。
Then she said softly； rubbing her mouth against mine； 〃You darling。 When I heard you were here； I hurried。 Mi laroona d' vashti meedth du？〃 '
〃Yes！ And any other night you have free。〃
〃Not so fast with English； doreeth mi； I learning it… slowly…because my daughter wants her assistants in rejuvena
~
tion to speak language not known to most clients 。 。 and because our f~mily speaks English much as Galacta。〃
〃You are now a rejuvenator？ And have a daughter here？〃
〃Ishtar datter mi…did you not know； petsan mi…mi？ Nay； Jam nurse only。 But studying 1 am and Ishtar hope…tells that I 'will be~ assistant technician in half handful of years。 Good… nay？〃
〃Good； I suppose。 But what a loss to the art！〃
〃Blandjor；〃 she said happily； tousling my wet hair。 〃Even though rejuvenated…did you note？…here the art pays no living。 Too many willing ones； sweeter and younger and prettier。〃 The twins had stayed with us； listening and quiet for a moment。 Tamara reached out both a？ms； hugged them to her。 〃Example。 These my granddaughters。 Eager to grow tall so they can lie down and be short。〃 She kissed each of them。 〃And red curls they have。 I not have。〃
I started to say that age and red curls did not matter； then realized that a pliment to Tamara so phrased could cause chins to quiver。 But I did not need to speak； the spout had opened again：
〃Aunt Tammy； we are not eager…〃
〃…just willing and practical…〃
〃…and anyhow he won't marry us…〃
〃…he just teases about it…〃
〃…and you can't be our grandmother…〃
〃…'cause that would make you our Buddy Boy's grandmother…〃
〃…which is illogical； impossible； and ridiculous…〃
〃…so you have to be our 'Aunt Tammy。'〃
I found their logic doubly enthymematic if not a total non sequitur； but I agreed with it because the notion of Tamara being the Senior's grandmother was one I could not face。； So I changed the subject：
〃Tamara dear； would you let me take off your sandals and then you e join us in the soak？ Or shall 1 get out and get dry？〃
She did not have to answer：
〃We gotta run get ready…〃
〃…cause Mama Hainadryad has finished her face and started her nipples…〃
〃…so if we don't hurry； we'll have to e to dinner with our hides bare naked…〃
〃…and for a party that would never do…〃
〃…and you two had better hurry too…〃
〃…or Buddy Boy will throw it to the pigs。 Scuse！〃
I climbed out and let Tamara dry me…unnecessary as there was a ~blowdry at hand。 But if Tamara offers me anything my answer is Yes。 It took a while； we 〃wasted〃 time on touch and talk。 （Is there a better way to spend time？）
When I was dry and wondering if I should try the cosmetics bench （I don't use cosmetics much； just depilatories）； one of the twins came rushing back with a garment for me； a blue chiamys。 She said breathlessly； 〃Lazarus says try this or what would you like？…but that you needn't wear anything if you don't want to 'cause it's a hot night and you count as family because you're Minerva's father； one of them。〃
I thought I had them keyed now by freckle pattern。 〃Thank you； Lorelei； I'll wear it。〃 I've always felt that a napkin was enough to wear in dining at home in a properly tempered house…or outdoors in private on a warm night。 But； as guest of honor even though 〃family；〃 I could not go bare when they were taking the trouble to be festively formal。
〃You're wele； but I'm Captain Lazuli； but that's all right； she's me。 Scuse！〃 She vanished。
I put it on； we ；went into the garden and retrieved Tamara's gown…and it matched what I was wearing。 The same shade of blue； 1 mean； and a Golden…Age…of…Hellas flavor to it。 Hers was about two grams of blue fog。 The bodice fastened at the right shoulder and came diagonally down to her waist at the left。 Its skirt was longer than mine…but that was appropriate； Greek men of their Golden Age did wear their skirts shorter than did women； instead of the reverse that is more usual on Secundus。 （I did not know as yet what was customary on Tertius。） We matched； and I was pleased。
Accident？ 〃Accidents〃 around the' Senior are Usually planned。
We ate in the garden； a couch for each couple； arranged in hexagon with the fountain as the sixth side。 Athene made the water dance and danced lights in it； to match whatever she was；； playing。 All the womenfolk but Tamara helped with the primary serving； Lori and Lazi played Hebe from then on… it was impossible to keep them nailed to their couch anyhow。 As the feast started； Ira was with Minerva； Lazarus with Ishtar； Galahad with Hamadryad； and the twins together。 But the women moved around like chessmen； sharing a couch； a few bites； a little cuddling； then moving on…all but Tamara； whose firm…soft； rounded bottom lay against my lap the entire feast。 It was just as well that she did not move； I'm not shy
but prefer not to show the gallant reflex unless I need it at once…and 1 was very tonscious of her dear body warm against me。
But while Lazarus started the repast with Ishtar； the next time I looked his way it was Minerva who reclined against him…and next； one of？the twins； which one I am not sure。 And so on。
。1 won't describe the feast except to say that I did not expect it in a young colony and to add that I have paid high prices for poorer food in famous restaurants in New Rome。
All but Lazarus and his sisters were wearing colorful； pseudo…Gre~ian garments。 But Lazarus was dressed as a Scottish chieftain of two and a half millennia ago…the kilt； bon； sporran； dirk； claym。ore； etc。 The sword he laid aside but handy； as if expecting to need it。 I can state firmly that he was never entitled to dress as a chief by the rules of those longlost clans。 There is doubt that be is entitled to wear any Scottish dress。 He once said that he was 〃half Scotch and half soda；〃 but on another occasion he told Ira Weatheral that he had first worn the kilt at a time （shortly before the flight of the New Frontiers） when the style was popular in his home country…found that he liked it； and th~e~ter；wore the kilt when local custom permitted。
That night he went all out and added a fierce mustache to match his finery。
His twin sisters were dressed exactly as he was。 I am still wondering whether all this was to ；honor me； to 'impress me； or to amuse me。 Perhaps all three。
I would happily have spent those three hours in quiet； feed… big Tamara and letting her feed me； bathed in the peace of soul that es from touching her； but the closed happiness circle （and closed it was； Athene's voice now came from 'the fountain） showed that〃 the Senior expected us to share pany； talking and listening in turn； as ritually as in any protocol…bound salon in New Rome。 And so we did； in shared and gentle harmony…with the twins adding unexpected grace notes but usually managing to restrain their exuberance and be 〃grown…up。〃 The Senior started it； using Ira as Stimulator。 〃Ira； what would you say if a god came through that entranceway？〃
〃I'd tell him to wipe his feet。 Ishtar doesn't permit gods with dirty feet in this house。〃
〃But all gods have feet of clay。〃
〃That wasn't what you said yesterday。〃
第54节
〃This is not yesterday； Ira。 I've seen a thousand gods and all bad feet of clay。 All were swindles； first〃…Lazarus ticked it with his fingers…〃to benefit the shamans； second； to benefit the kings； and third； always to benefit the shamans。 Then I met the thousand…and…first。〃 The Senior paused。
Ira looked at me。 〃At this point I am supposed to say； 'Do tell！' or some such insincerity； then the 'rest of you chime； 'Yes； yes； Lazarus！'…which has its merit； the rest of 'us would have at least twenty uninterrupted minutes for swilling and guzzling。
〃But I'm going to fool him。 He's leading up to how he killed the gods of the Joekaira with nothing but a toy gun and moral superiority。 Since that lie is already in his memoirs in four conflicting versions； why should we be burdened with a fifth？〃
〃It was not a toy gun； it was a Mark Nieen Remington Blaster at full charge； a superior weapon in its day…and after I carved them up； the stench was worse than Hormone Hall the morning after payday。 And my superiority is never moral； it lies always in doing it first before he does it to me。 But the point of the story Ira 'won't