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arm 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 let me tell is that those globs were real gods because neither shamans nor kings were cut in on the loot； they were swindled； too。 Those doggie people were property； solely for the benefit of their gods…~gods in the sens~ that a man can be a god to a dog…which I had suspected first time around； when they drove poor Slayton Ford right out of his think tank and nearly killedhim。 But the second time； sonic eight or rime hundred years later； Andy Libby and I proved that this was so。 'How？' you ask…〃
〃We didn't ask。〃
〃Thank you； Ira~ Because after all that time the Jockaira had not changed in any way。 Their speech； customs； buildings； you name it…were frozen。 This can happen only with dOmesticated animals。 A wild animal； such as man； changes his ways as conditions change； he adjusts。 I've often thought I would 'like to go back and see if the doggie people managed to go feral after they lost their owners。 Or did they simply lie down and die？ But I wasn't too tempted； Andy and I were lucky to get off that pla still with our gonads； the way they were yapping at our heels。〃 '
〃See what I mean； Justin？ Version number three had the Jockaira falling into a a the instant their masters were burned out…and Libby doesn't figure into that version at all。〃
〃Papa Ira； you don't understand Buddy Boy…〃
〃… he doesn't tell lies…〃
〃…he's a creative artist…〃
〃…speaking in parables…〃
〃…and he e'mancipated those Jabberwockies…〃
〃…who were cruelly oppressed。〃
Ira Weatheral said； 〃Justin； I had trouble coping with one Lazarus Long。 But three of him？ I surrender。 e here； Lori； and let me nibble your ear。 Minerva； my lovely； let go of that； wash your pretty hands； then see if Justin needs more wine。 Justin； you are the only one with news to impart。 What news on the Bourse；；？〃
〃Falling steadily。 If you own participations on Secundus； you had better have me carry back instructions to your broker。 Lazarus； I noticed that you c