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〃Lapis Lazuli and I have discussed it； and we both think that you are just exactly the father we want。〃
〃Thank you； my dears。〃
〃And to confirm it； we are canceling two cries and a chin quiver。〃
〃That's most pleasing。〃
〃And besides that； we want to be cuddled 。 。 because we are feeling very immature； insecure； and frightened。〃
Lazarus blinked。 〃I 'don't want you to feel that way； ever。 But… Well； can the cuddling wait？〃
〃Oh； certainly…Father。 We know we have a guest。 But perhaps you and Mr。 Foote would join us in bathing？ Before dinner？〃
〃Well； Justin？ Bathing y but fun。 I don't do it often because they turn it into a social event and waste time。 Suit yourself； don't let your arm be twisted。〃
〃A bath I certainly need。 I was clean when I was sealed into' that pod…but how long was I in it？ I really don't know。 And a bath should always be a social event if there is time
and good pany。 Thank you； ladies； I accept。〃
〃And I accept； too；〃 put in Minerva。 〃I'm inviting myself。 Justin； Tertius is primitive pared with Secundus； but our family refresher is nice and quite large enough for sociability。 'Decadent；' as Lazarus calls it。〃
〃I designed it to be decadent； Justin。 Good plumbing is the finest flower of decadence and one I have always enjoyed
when I could get it。〃…
〃Uh…my clothes are still in Ira's office。 Even my toiletries。 Absentminded； I'm sorry。〃
〃No matter。 Ira may fetch your bag； but he's absentminded； too。 Depilatories； deodorants； scents…no problem。 I'll lend ~'ou a toga or something。〃
〃Buddy Boy！ I mean 'Father。' Does that mean we dress for dinner？〃
〃Call me Buddy Boy； I'm hardened to it。 Go as far as you like； darlings 。 。 except that as usual Mama Hamadryad must okay any cosmetics。 Back to how I acquired these daughters who are my sisters； Justin： Having conferred； this gang of geic pirates came clean and threw themselves on
the mercy of the court。 Me~ So I adopted these two； and we registered them； and the registration will be straightened out one clay； as I explained。 How Minerva gave up the profession of puter and assumed the sorrows that flesh is heir to is a longer story。 Want to synopsize it； dear？…and fill him in later if you wish。〃
〃Yes； Father。〃
〃None of your lip； dear； you're a grown woman now。 Justin； when we woke this darling； she was about the size and biological age of those two reformed hellions…remind me to take their temperatures； Minerva。 I adop？ed Minerva because she needed a father then。 Doesn't now。〃
〃Lazarus； I will always need you as my father。〃
〃Thank you； my dear； but I take that only as a pleasing 'pliment。 Tell Justin your story。〃
〃All right。 Justin； are you familiar with the theories concerning self…awareness in puters？〃
〃Several ~of them。 As you know； my work is mostly with puters。〃
〃Permit me to say； speaking from experience； all theories are empty。 How a puter bees self…aware remains as much a mystery； even to puters； as the age…old mystery of flesh…and…blood self…awareness。 It just is。 But； so far as I've heard…quite far in view of the library that was locked in my memories then and is still in Athene's memories…self…awareness never arises in a puter designed o醠y for deductive logic and mathematical calculations； no matter how big it is。 But if it is designed for inductive logic； able to assess data； draw hypotheses therefrom； test them； reconstruct them to fit new data； make random parisons of the results； and change thpse reconstructions…exercise judgment the way a flesh…and…blood does； then self…awareness may occur。 But I don't know why and no puter knows。 It just does。〃
She smiled。 〃Sorry； I did not mean to sound pedantic。 Lazarus figured out that I could go into a blank human brain； a clone brain； using techniques used to conserve memories in rejuvenation clinics。 When we discussed this； I had the entire technical library of Secundus Howard Clinic in me…stolen； in a way。 I no longer have it； I had to pick and choose what to take along when I went into this skull。 So I don't remember much of what I did； any more than a rejuvenation client knows all that is done to him； you would have to get details from Athene； who still has them…and who； by the way； never had the rather painful awakening that a puter goes
through when it first begins to know itself； because I left a piece of mc in Athene； oh； like a yeast starter。 'Athene dimly remembers having been Minerva at one time…about the way we flesh…and…bloods〃…Minerva straigntened up； smiled； and looked proud…〃remember a dream as something not quite real。 And I remember being Minerva the puter some…what the same way。 I remember all my contacts with people very sharply…because I chose to keep them； replicate them into this skull。 But if anyone were to ask howi handled the transport system of …New Rome 。 。 well； I know that I did；； but not how I did it。〃
She smiled again。 〃That's my story： A puter 'who' longed to be a flesh…and…blood and who had loving friends who made is possible 。 。 and I've never regretted it； I love being flesh…and…blood…and want to love everybody。〃 She looked at Justin Foote very soberly。 〃Lazarus spoke sooth； I have never been a guest wife； I am only three years old as a flesh…and…blood。 Should you choose me； you ma'）' find me awkward and shy…but not reluctant。 I owe you' much。〃
第52节
〃Minerva；〃 said Lazarus； 〃back him into a corner some other time。 You didn't tell Justin what he wanted to know； you left out the hanky…panky。〃 …
〃Oh。〃
〃And when you were philosophizing about awareness in puters； you left out the key point； it seems to me； one I know but you may not even though you've been a puter and I have not。 Because this key point applies both to puters and to flesh…and…bloods。 My dear…and Jijstin_and it won't hurt you two erratic geniuses to listen…all machinery is animistic…'humanistic；' I want to say； but that term has been preempted。 Any machine is a concept of a human designer； it reflects the human brain； be it wheelbarrow or giant puter。 So there is nothing mysterious in a machine designed by a human showing human self…awareness； the mystery lies in awareness itself； wherever it's found。 I used to have a folding camp cot that liked to bite me。 I don't say that it was aware…but I learned to approach it with caution。
〃But； Minerva； darling； I've seen some big puters； almost as smart as you were； that never' developed self…awareness。 Can you tell us why？〃 '
〃I confess I can't； Lazarus。 I'd like to ask Athene When we get home。〃
〃She probably doesn't know either； she's never met any
other major puter but Dora。 Captain Lazuli； how far back do you remember？ Once you…or your rade in crime
…cl~imed to remember nursing。 Suckling； I mean。〃
〃Of course we do！ Doesn't everybodyZ〃
〃No。 Me； for example。 I was a bottle baby； I don't remember even that。 Not worth remembering。 In consequence I've been looking at