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losely they resemble you…as they usually run around naked。 They look like you in the face。 Bodies； too； from that too…short glimpse of your lovely legs。 Except that Laz and Lor are freckled all over …as solidly as Marie is on her face。〃
… 〃I'd be that freckled if I didn't stay out of the sun。 When I was Marie's age； Father called me 'Turkey Egg。' But all over？ They don't wear any clothes？〃 … … …
〃Oh； they enjoy fancy dress for parties。 Or the weather might be cold…but it rarely is； we live in a climate like southern Italy。 They don't wear anything very often。〃 Lazarus smiled and caressed her thigh。 〃They don't need to leave their bloomers home to be ready for lovemaking； they don't own any bloomers。 They aren't a bit shy。 They would~be delighted to trip your father； they like older men…they're much younger than I am。〃 … …
〃Lazarus 。 。 how old are you？〃…
Lazarus hesitated。 〃Maureen； I don't want to answer that。 I'm older than I look； Ira Howard's experiment was successful。 Instead let me tell you about my family。 Your family； too； we all are descended from you by one line or another。 Two of my wives and one of my co…husbands are descended both from Nancy and from Woodie。〃
〃'Wives？ Co…husband？'〃
〃Sweetheart； marriage takes many forms。 Where I live yo don't need a divorce or a death to gather in someone yo love。 I have four wives and three co…husbands……and my si~ ters； Laz and Lor 。 。 and they may marry out of the famil or they may stay…and don't look startled； you said you didn fret when you thought I was your half brother…and don worry about harm to babies； they know far more about suc~ things at that when…&…where than they do in the here…&…non We don't risk harm to babies。
〃Of which we have plenty。 And cats and dogs and anythin； a child can pet and take care of。 It's a real family in a hous to fit a big family。
〃I can't tell you about each one； we've got to get our stow away borne。 But I want to tell you about one…because you'v been insisting that you don't look eighteen…merely becaus you've been using your breasts to feed babies。 Tamara。 De scended from you through Nancy and her Jonathan… Wan to hear about Nancy's umpty…ump granddaughter？ Tamara i about two hundred and fifty years old； I think…〃
〃Two hundred and fifty！〃
〃Yes。 One of my co…husbands； Ira Weatheral； also fron Nancy and Jonathan but from Woodie； too…and named fo your father； not for Ira Howard…is over four hundred year：
old。 Maureen； Ira Howard's experiment worked； we hav~ longer life…spans…inherited from you and all our Howard an cestors…btit also in that when…&…where they know how to re jiivenate a person。 Tamara has had two rejuvenations…om recently and looks as young as you do。 Real rejuvenation… Tam ara was pregnant when I left。
〃But how she looks is not important； Tamara is a healer… and I suspect she gets it from you。〃 …
〃Theodore…Lazarus…again I don't understand。 A heaIer~ Like a faith healer？〃
〃No。 If Tamara has a religious faith； she has never men tioned it。 Tamara is calm and happy and serene； and anyont around her feels it so strongly…just as with you； darling！… that he or she is happy； too。 If people are ill； they get well faster if Tamara touches them； or talks to them； or sleep5 with them。
〃But Tamara was not young when I met her。 She was quite old and thinking about letting it？go at that； dying of old age。 But I was ill； very ill； sick in my soul…and Ishtar； later my wife and the topnotch rejuvenator in all the Milky Way； went
… out and fetched Tamara。 Tamara。 Little round potbelly； breasts
that were really baggy； sags under her eyes； and her chin； all
… the old…age things。 …
〃Tamara healed the sickness in my soul； just by being with me 。 。 and somehow this renewed her own interest in life； and she took another rejuvenation and is young again and has already added another baby to the Maureen…Nancy line and is pregnant still again。 You and Tamara are so much alike； Maureen； she's just love with some skin around it…and so are you。 But…〃 Lazarus paused and frowned。
〃Maureen； I don't know how to convince you that I'm telling the truth。 ；You'll know it when Woodie's sixth birthday es'around and they blow every whistle and ring every bell and the newsboys shout： 'Extra！ Extra！ Germany surrenders！' But that'll be too late to help you。 I want to stop your worries now！〃
〃I've stopped worrying； dear one。 It sounds wonderful and impossible 。 … and I believe you。〃
〃Do you？ I've offered no proof； I've told you a tale impossible on the face of it。〃
〃Nevertheless； I believe it。 When Woodrow is six on the seventh of November…〃
〃No； the eleventh！〃
第79节
〃Yes； Lazarus。 But how did you know that his birthday is the eleventh？〃
…〃Why； you told me yourself。〃
〃Dear； I said he was born in November； I did not say what day。 Then I deliberately misstated it…and you corrected me at once。〃
〃Well； maybe Ira told me。 Or one of the children。 Most likely Woodie himself。〃 … …
〃Woodrow does not know the date of his birthday。 Wake him and ask him。〃
〃I'd rather not wake him until we get home。〃
〃What is my birthday； dear one？〃
〃The Fourth of July； 1882。〃
〃What is Marie's birthday？〃 …
〃I think she is nine。 I don't know the date。〃
〃The othe…r children？〃
〃I'm not sure。〃
〃My father's birthday？〃
〃Maureen； is there some point to this？ August second；…
1852。〃
〃Beloved Lazarus who calls himself 'Theodore；' I have a
firm rule with my children。 I l。eep each one from knowing the date of his birth as long as possible so that he won't advertise it and thereby blackmail people for presents。 When one is old enough for school and needs to know the date； he is old enough to be told why； and I make it bluntly plain that if he drops hints ahead of time…no birthday cake； no
… birthday party。 I haven't had to use that penalty； they are allintelligent。
〃Last year Woodrow was too young for it to be a problem； his birthday came as a surprise to him。 He still does not know the exact date…so I strongly believe。 Lazarus； you know the birthdays of your direct ancestors 。 。 because you looked them up in the Foundation records。 Since you can't tell me the birthdays of my other children； I assume that I've found that proof。〃
〃You know I have had access to the records。 I could have looked up any birthday last year。〃
〃Pooh。 Why did you bother with the birth date of one child and skip the other seven？ How would you know my father's birthday if he had not been of special interest to you？ It won't wash； Beloved。 You intended to seek out your ancestors； and you came prepared for it。 I no longer think that you showed up at our church by accident； you went there to find me… and I'm flattered。 You probably did the same with Father… at his pool…hall 'chess club。' How did you do it？ Private detectives？ I doubt that our church or that