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〃So I'll cook and help you farm…and bake babies。 When I have three I'll open 'Mrs。 Smith's Primary School。' Or should we call it 'Rangy Lil's Primary School'？〃
〃The latter； I think。 For young bellions。 My kids are always hell…raisers； Dora。 You'll teach school with a club in your hand。〃
〃If necessary； Woodrow。 I've got some like that now； and two of them outweigh me。 I clobber them as necessary。〃
〃Dora； we don't have to tackle Hopeless Pass。 We could leave in the 'Andy J。' and go to Secundus。 Briggs tells me that there are ov？r twenty million people there now。 You could have a nice house。 Inside plumbing。 A flower garden instead of breaking your back helping me to make a farm。 A good hospital with real doctors when you 'have babies。 Safety and fort。〃
〃'Secundus。' That's where all the…Howards moved。 Isn't it？〃
〃Ab；out two…thirds of them。 A few are right here； as I told you。 But we don't admit it because when you are outnumbered； it is neither safe nor fortable to be a Howard。 Dora； you don't have to make up your mind in only three or four days~ That ship will stay in orbit here~ as long as I want it to。 Weeks。 Months。 As long as I order it to stay。〃
？〃Goodness！ You can afford to have Captain Briggs hold a starship in orbit？ Just to let me make up my mind？〃
〃I shouldn't have rushed you。 But it's not exactly a case of affording it； Dora…although it doesn't cost much to stay in orbit。 Uh 。 。 I've kept my own counsel so long that Fm out of the habit of being a married man； with a wife I can trust with secrets； I must stop it。 I own sixty percent of the 'Andy J。' Dora； Zack Bnggs is my junior partner。 And my son。 Your stepson； you could say。〃
She did not answer at once。 Presently he said； 〃What's the trouble； Dora？。 Did I shock you？'
〃No； Woodrow。 I'm just having to get used to new ideas。 Of course you've been married before； you're a Howard。 I'd never thought about it； that's all。 A son…sons。 And daughters； too； no doubt。〃
〃Yes； surely。 But what I was getting at is that I've done some bad planning…through my own selfishness。 I was rushing you when there is no need for it。 If we stay on New Beginnings； I want 'Ernest Gibbons' to disappear…leave in the 'Andy J。；' that is； as he is getting too old：！ can't keep it up much longer。
So young 'Bill Smith；' who is much nearer your age； takes his place 。 。 which looks better and no one here will ever suspect that I'm a Howard。
〃I've worked this shenanigan many times； I know how to make it stand up。 But I was trying to get rid of 'Ernest Gibbons' as fast as possible because he's your old foster uncle who is about three times your age~ and wouldn't dream of patting your pretty bottom； nor would you encourage him' to。 As everybody knows。 But I want to pat your pretty bottom； Dorable。〃
〃And I w~nt you to pat it。〃 She reined up； they were getting close to where houses were near together。 〃And more。 Woodrow； you're saying that we can't live together right away because of what the neighbors might think。 But who taught me never to care what the neighbors think？ You did。〃
〃True。 Although sometimes it's expedient to make the neighbors think what you want them to think in order to influence what they do and say…and this might be such a time。 But I also tried to teach you to be patient； dear one。〃
〃Woodrow； I will do exactly what you tell me to。 But I'm not really patient about this。 I want my husband in my bed！〃
〃And I want to be there。〃
〃Then what does it 'matter if people assume that I choose to tell my Uncle Gibbie good…bye in bed？ Or that I then go away with a new settl~r almost at once？ Woodrow； you didn't say a word about it at the time…but you knew that I was not virgin； I'm certain。 Don't you think there must be others who know it； too？ Probably the whole town。 I've never worried about it。 Why should I worry what they think ww？〃
〃Dora。〃
〃Yes； W~odrow？〃
〃I'll be in your bed every night； that's settled。〃
〃Thank you； Woodrow。〃
〃The pleasure is mine； madam。 Or half of it； at least； you seem to enjoy it； too…〃
〃Oh； I do！ And you know it。 Or should。〃
〃So stipulated； let's pass' to other matters…except to say that had I found you virgin…big as you are； old as you are… it would have worried me a little； and I might have felt that Helen had not been quite the wholesome influence that I thought she was。 That she was indeed； bless her heart！ The matter of pretending to be dear old 'Uncle Gibbie' who would never touch little Dora was purely for your face； since it does not worry you； let's drop it。 What I started to say is that you
can take as long as you like in deciding ？hether to pioneer here or go to Secundus。 Dora； Secundus has more' than inside plumbing； it has a Rejuvenation Clinic。〃
〃Oh！ You need to be near one； Woodrow？〃
〃No； no！ For you； dear。〃
She was very slow in answering。 〃That would not make me
a Howard。〃'…
〃Well； no。 But it helps。 Rejuvenation therapies don't make Howards last forever； either。 Some people are helped quite a lot by them； some are not。 Maybe someday we'll know more… but now； on the average； rejuvenation techniques seem to about double whatever a person could expect normally； whether ~he's a Howard 。 。 or not a Howard。 Uh； do you know anything about how long your grandparents lived？〃
〃Hop could I； Woodrow？ I just barely remember that I once had parents。 I don't even know the names of my grandparents。〃
〃We can find out。 The ship carries records of every migrant who takes passage in her。 I'll tell Zack…Captain Briggs…to look up your parents' records。 Then…in time； for it will take 'time…I can have your family traced on Earth。 Then…〃
〃No； Woodrow。〃
〃Why not； dear？〃
〃I don't need to know； 1 don't want to know。 Long ago； three or four years at least； shortly after I figured out that you were a Howard； I also figured out that Howards don't really live any longer than we ordinaries do。〃
〃So？〃
〃Yes。 We all have the past and the present and the future。 The past is just memory； and I can't remember when I began； I can't remember when I wasn't。 Can you？〃
〃No。〃
〃So we're even on that。 I suppose your memories are richer； you are older than I am。 But it's past。 The future？ It hasn't happened yet； and nobody knows。 'You may outlive me 。 。 or I may outlive you。 Or we might happen to be killed at the same time。 We can't know and I don't want to know。 What we both have is now 。 。 and we have that together and it makes me utterly happy。 Let's get these mules put away for the night and enjoy some now。〃
〃Suits。〃 He grinned at her。 '~E。F。； or F。F。？〃
〃Both！〃
〃That's my Dora！ Anything worth doing is worth overdoing。〃
〃And doing again。 But just a moment； dear。 You told … me that Captain Briggs is your son； and consequently my stepson。 I suppose he ~s； but I really can't think of him as such。 But… and you needn't answer this； we agr