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time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第86章

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  They moved; she placed herself so that the angle did not permit anyone to see them; then delivered a kiss that would have astounded her neighbors。
  
  〃Helen…〃
  
  She brushed her lips against his。 〃The answer is No; Mr。 Gibbons。 Tonight I'll be busy reassuring a baby girl。〃
  
  〃I was about to say; 'Don't give her that bath I know you intend to until I get hold of Doe Krausmeyer and have him examine her。 She seems all right…but she may have anything from broken ribs to a skull condussion。 Oh; get her clothes off and sponge her a little for the worst of the dirt; that won't hurt her and it will make it easier for Doe to examine her。〃
  
  〃Yes; dear。 Get your lecherous hands off my bottom and I'll get to work。 You find Doe。〃
  
  〃Right away; Mrs。 Mayberry。〃
  
  〃Until later; Mr。 Gibbons。 Au 'voir。〃
  
  Gibbons told Buck to wait; walked over to the Waldorf; found (as he expected) Dr。 Krausmeyer in the bar。 The physician looked up from his drink。 〃Ernest! What's this I。 hear about the Harper place?〃
  
  〃Well; what do you hear about it? Put down that glass and grab your bag。 Emergency。〃
  
  〃Now; now! Haven't seen the emergency yet that wouldn't leave time to finish a drink。 Clyde Learner was just in and bought us a round of drinks…bought this one you urged me to abandon…and told us that the Harper place had burned and killed the whole Brandon family。 Says he tried to rescue them; but it was too late。〃
  
  Gibbons briefly considered the desirability of a fatal accident happening to both Clyde Learner and Doe Krausmeyer some dark night…but; damn it; while Clyde would be no loss; if Doc died; Gibbons would be forced to hang out his own shingle…and his diplomas did not read 〃Ernest Gibbons。〃 Besides; Doe was a good doctor when sober…and; anyhow; it's your own fault; old son; twenty years ago you interviewed him and okayed the subsidy。 All you saw was a bright young intern and failed to spot the incipient lush。
  
  〃Now that you mention it; Doe; I did see Clyde hurrying toward the Harper place。 If he says he was too late to save them … I would have to back his story。 However; it was not the whole family; their little girl; Dora; was saved。〃
  
  〃Well; yes; Clyde did say that。 He said it was her parents he couldn't save。〃
  
  〃That's right。 It's the little girl I want you to attend。 She's suffering from multiple abrasions and contusions; possibly broken bones; possible internal injuries; a strong possibility of smoke poisoning…and a certainty of extreme emotional shock very serious in a child that age。 She's across the street at Mrs。 Mayberry's place。〃 He added softly; 〃I think you ought to hurry; Doctor; I really do。 Don't you?〃
  
  Dr。 Krausmeyer looked unhappily at his drink; then straightened up and said; 〃Mine host; if you will be so kind as to put this on the back of the bar; I shall return〃 He picked up his bag。
  
  Dr。 Kratlsmeyer found nothing wrong with the child; gave her a sedative。 Gibbons waited until Dora was asleep; then went to arrange temporary board for his mule。 He went to Jones Brothers (〃Fine Stock…Mules Bought; Sold; Traded; Auctioned…Registered Stallions Standing at Stud〃) because his bank held a mortgage on their place。
  
  Minerva; it wasn't planned; it just grew。 I expected Dora to be adopted in a few days; a few weeks; some such。 Pioneers don't feel about kids the way city people do。 If they didn't like kids; they wouldn't have the temperament to pioneer。 And as soon as pioneer kids stop being babies; the investment starts paying off。 Kids are an asset in pioneer country。
  
  I certainly did not plan to raise an ephemeral; or hold any fear that it would be necessary…nor was it necessary。 I was beginning to simplify my affairs; expecting to leave soon; as my son Zaccur should show up any year。
  
  Zack was my partner then; in a loose arrangement based on mutual trust。 He was young; a century and a half or such; but steady and smart…out of Phyffis Briggs…Sperling by my last marriage but two。 A fine woman; Phyllis; as well as a number…one mathematician。 We made seven children together and every one of them smarter than I am。 She married several times…I was her fourth*_and; as I recall; the first woman to win the Ira Howard Memorial Century Medal for contributing one hundred registered offspring to the Families。 Took her less than two centuries but Phyllis was a girl of simple tastes; the other being pencil and paper and time to think about geometry。
  
  I digress。 To engage in the pioneering business profitably takes a minimax of a suitable ship and two partners; both shipmasters; both qualified to mount a migration and lead it…otherwise you are taking a shipload of city folks and abandoning them in wilderness; w?ich often happened in the early days of the Diaspora。
  
  Zack and I did it properly; each fully qualified as captain in space; or as leader on a strange pla…taking turns。 The one who stays behind when the ship leaves really does pioneer; he can't fake it; he can't just wave the baton。 He may not be political head of the colony…I preferred not to be; talk is so time…consuming。 What he does have to be is a survivor;
  
  *Fifth。 James Matthew Libby was her fourth。
  
  a man who can force that pla to feed him; and by his example show others how…and advise them if they want it。
  
  The first wave is a break…even; the captain unloads and goes back fqr more migrants; the pla offer nothing for export that soon。 The trip has been paid for by fares charged the migrants; profit; if any; will e from the partner on the ground selling what else the ship has carried…mules; hardware; swine; fertile chicken eggs…to the pioneers; on credit at first。 Which means the partner on the ground has to look sharp and mind his rear; it doesn't take much to convince migrants who are having a tough time that this bloke is profiteering and should be lynched。
  
  Minerva; the six times I did this…let myself be left behind with the first wave of a colony…I never once plowed a field without weapons at hand and I was always far more cautious with my own breed than I was with any dangerous animals that pla held。
  
  But on New Beginnings we were past most such hazards。 The first wave had made it; though just barely that terrible first winter…Helen Mayberry was not the only widow who had married a widower as a result of a weather cycle that Andy Libby and I had not anticipated; the star there…called 〃the Sun〃 as always; but you can check your memories for catalog designation…New Beginnings' Sun was a variable star by about the amount that old Sol is; just enough to give 〃unusual〃 weather…and when we arrived we ***~jt…1h~***badweather jackpot。
  
  But those who made it through that winter were tough enough to stand anything; the second wave had a much easier time。
  
  I had disposed of my farm to migrants of the second wave and was putting my attention on business and trade to build up a cargo for the Andy J。 to take back after Zack unloaded the third wave…and I would go back; too。 Go somewhere; that is。 What and where and how would be settled af
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