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〃That's it。 Minerva can see a rainbow； a blind man can't。 Electromagic Theory is irrelevant to the experience。〃
〃Lazarus；〃 Minerva added； 〃it may be that I can see a rainbow better than a flesh…and…blood can。 My visual range is three …octaves； fifteen hundred to twelve thousand angstroms。〃
Lazarus whistled。 〃Whereas I chop off just short of one octave。 Tell me； girl； do you see chords in those colors？〃
〃Oh； certainly！〃
〃Hmm！ Don't try to explain to me those othe'P colors； I'll have to go on being half blind。〃 …
Lazarus added； 〃Puts me in mind of a blind man I knew on Mars； Ira； when I was managing that； uh； recreation center。 He…〃
〃Gramp；〃 the Chainnan Pro Tem interrupted in a tired voice； 〃don't treat us as children。 Surely； you're the oldest
man alive …。 。 but the youngest person … here…that offspring of mine sitting there； making cow…eyes at you…is as old as Gramp Johnson was when you last saw him； Hamadryad will be ~eighty her next birthday。 Ham； my darling； how many paramours have you had？〃
〃Goodness； Ira…who counts？〃…
〃Ever taken money for it？〃
〃None of your business； Father。 Or were you about to offer me some？〃 … …
〃Don't be flip； dear； I'm still your father。 Lazarus； do you think you can shock Hamadryad by plain talk？ Prostitution isn't big business here； there are too many amateurs as willin…g as she is。 Nevertheless； the few bordellos we have in New Rome are members of the Chamber of merce。 But you should try one of our better holiday houses…say； the Elysium。 After you are fully rejuvenated。〃
〃Good idea；〃 agreed Galahad。 〃To celebrate。 As soon as Ishtar gives you your final physical check。 As my guest； Grandfather； I'd be honored。 The Elysium has everything； from massage and hypnotic conditioning to the be；sI~ gourmet food and best shows。 Or name it and they'll supply it。〃 ； …。
〃Wait a moment；〃 protested Hamadryad。 〃Don't be~selfish arsfardel； Galahad。 We'll make it a foursome celebration
Ishtar？〃……
〃Certainly； dear。 Fun。〃…；。
〃Or a sixsome； with a 'panion for Ira~ Father？〃
〃I could be tempted； dear； for Lazarus' birthday party… although you know I usually avoid public places。 How manyrejuvenations； Lazarus？ That's how… we count this sort of birthday party。〃
〃Don't be nosy； Bub。 As your daughter says： 'Who counts？' Wouldn't mind a birthday cake； such as I used to have a~ a child。 But just one ca~4le in the middle is enough。〃
〃A phallic symbol；〃 agreed Galahad。 〃An ancient fertility sign…appropriate for a rejuvenation。 And its flame is an equally ancient symbol of life。 It should be a working candle； not a fake。 If we can fled one。〃 …
lshtar looked happy。 〃Of course！ There must be a candlemaker somewhere。 If not； I'll learn how and make it myself。 I'll design it； too…semirealistic but somewhat stylized。 Although I could make it true portraiture； Grandfather； I'm a fair amateur sculptor； I learned it when I studied cosmetic surgery。〃
〃Wait a minute！〃 Lazarus protested。 〃All I want is a plain
wax candle…then blow it out and make a wish。 Thank you； Ishtar； but don't botber。 And thanks； Galahad； but I'll pick up the tab…although it may be a family party right here； where Ira won't feel like a duck in a shooting gallery。 Look； kids； I've seen every possible type of joy house and pleasure dome。 Happiness is in the heart； not in that stuff。〃
〃L？zarus； can't you see that the kids want to treat you to a fancy party？ They like you…though Prime Cause alone knows why~〃
〃Well…〃…
〃But there might be no tab。 I think I recall something 'from that list appended to your will。 Minerva…who owns the
Elysiuxn？〃 ……
〃It is a daughter corporation of Service Enterprises of New Rome； Limited； which in turn is owned by Sheffield…Libby Associates。 In short； Lazarus owns it。〃
… 〃Be damned！ Who invested my money in that？ Andy Libby； bless his sweet shy soul； would be spinning in his grave…if I hadn't placed him spinning in orbit around the last pla we discovered together； where he was killed。〃
〃Lazarus； that's not in your memoirs。〃
〃lEa； I keep telling you； lots of things not in my memoirs。 Poor little guy got to thinking one of his deep thoughts and didn't stay alert。 I put him in orbit because I promised him； when he was dying； to take him back to his native Ozarks。 Tried to； about a hundred years later； but couldn't find him。 Beacon dead； I suppose。 All right； kids； we'll have a party at my happy house and you can sample anything the place has to offer。 Where were we？ Ira； you were about to define 'love。'〃
〃No； you were about to tell us about a blind man on Mars； when you were managing that whorehouse。〃
〃Ira； you're as crude as Gramp Johnson was。 This guy 'Noisy'…don't recall his right name； if he had one…Noisy was one of those people like yourself who just will work； regardless。 A blind man could get by in those days quite well by begging； and nobody thought the less of him； since there was no way then to restore a man's sight。
〃But Noisy wasn't content to live off other people； he
… worked at what he could do。 Played a squeeze box and sang。 That was an instrument operated by bellows which forced air over reeds as you touched keys on it…quite pretty music。 They were popular until electronics pushed most mechamcal music makers off the market。
〃Noisy showed up one night； skinned out of his pressure suit at the lock dressing room； and was playing and singing before I knew he was inside。
。〃My policy was 'Trade； Treat； or Travel'…except that the house might buy a beer for an old customer who temporarily wasn't holding。 But Noisy was not …a customer； he was a bum
…looked and smelled like a bum； and I was about to give him the … bum's rush。 Then I saw this rag around his eyes and skidded to a stop。
〃Nobody throws out a blind man。 'Nobody makes… any trouble for him。 I kept an eye on him but left him alone。 He didn't even sit down。 Just played this broken…down stomachSteinway and sang； neither very well； and I laid off the piate not to interrupt him。 One of …the girls started passing the hat for him。
〃When he reached my table； I invited him to sit and bought him a beer…and regretted it； he was pretty whiff。 He thanked me and told me about himself。 Ues； mostly。〃
〃Like yours； Gramp？〃 …
〃Thanks； Ira。 Said he had been chief engineer in one of the big Harriman liners； until his accident。… Maybe he had been a spaceman； I never caught him out in the lingo。 Not that I tried。 If a blind man wanted to claim he was the right…
… ful heir to the Holy Roman Empire； I would go along with the gag…anybody would。… Perhaps… he was some sort of spacegoing mechanic； shipfltter or something。 More likely he was a transported miner who had been nareless using powder。
〃When I checked the place at closing time； I found him sleeping in the kitchen。 Couldn't have that； we ran a sanitary mess。 So I led him to a v