time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第54章

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　and　Laura；　the　one　I　married　that　time；　being　of　the　Foote　Family。*
　　
　　We　were　a　good　match；　Minerva；　Laura　was　twenty；　and　I　was　freshly　rejuvenated　and　holding　my　cosmetic　age　at　the　early　thirties。　We　had　several　children…nine；　I　think…　then　she　got　bored　with　me　forty…odd　years　later；　and　wanted　to　marry　my　5th/7th　cousin*　*　Roger　Sperling…which　did　not
　　
　　*　Correction：　Hedrick　Family。　This　woman　Laura　（one　of　the　ancestors　of　the　undersigned）　did　carry　the　surname　〃Foote〃　under　the　archaic　patrilineal　tradition…a　source　of　confusion　in　old　records；　as　the　more　logical　matrilineal　system　has　always　been　used　in　the　Families　in　assigning　clan　membership。　But　the　genealogies　were　not　revised　to　show　this　until　Gregorian　Year　3307。　This　misnomer　offers　a　means　of　dating　this　memoir　。　。　were　it　not　that　other　records　show　that　reindeer　were　not　introduced　onto　Valhalla　until　approximately　a　century　and　a　half　after　the　date　that　the　Senior…beyond　question…did　marry　Laura　Foote…Hedrick。
　　
　　But　more　interesting　is　the　Senior's　allegation　that　he　used　a　pseudogravity　field　in　that　year　to　facilitate　childbirth。　Was　he　the　first　tocologist　to　use　this　（now　standard）　method？　Nowhere　does　he　assert　this；　and　the　technique　is　usually　associated　with　Dr。　Virginius　Briggs　of　Secundus　Howard　Clinic
　　
　　and　a　much　later　date。
　　
　　J。F。　45th
　　
　　*　*And　descended　from　the　Senior　as　well　（through　Edmund　Hardy　2099…2259）　although　the　Senior　may　not　have　been　aware　of　it。
　　
　　J。F。　45th
　　
　　grieve　me　as　I　was　getting　restless　as　a　country　squire。　Anyhow；　when　a　woman　wants　to　go；　let　her　go。　I　stood　up　for　her　at　their　wedding。
　　
　　Roger　was　surprised　to　learn　that　my　plantation　was　not　co？munity　property。　Or　possibly　did　not　think　that　I　would　hold　Laura　to　the　marriage　settlement　she　had　signed…but　that　wasn't　the　first　time　I　had　been　wealthy；　I　had　learned。　It　took　a　tedious　suit　to　convince　him　that　Laura　owned　her　wedding　dower　plus　appreciation；　not　those　thousands　of　hectares　that　were　mine　before　I　married　her。　In　many　ways　it　is　simpler　to　be　poor。
　　
　　Then　I　shipped　out　again。
　　
　　But　this　is　about　my　kids　who　weren't　really　mine。　Before　we　reached　Landfall；　Joseph　Aaron　Long　looked　more　like　a　cherub　and　less　like　a　monkey　but　was　still　young　enough　to　wet　on　anyone　reckless　enough　to　pick　him　up…which　his　grandpappy　did；　several　times　a　day。　I　was　fond　of　him；　he　was　not　only　a　merry　baby　but　was　also；　to　me；　a　most　satisfying　triumph。
　　
　　By　the　time　we　grounded；　his　father　had　shaped　up　into　a　really　good　cook。
　　
　　Minerva；　I　could　have　set　those　kids　up　in　style；　that　was　as　profitable　a　triangle　trip　as　I　ever　made。　But　you　don't　cause　ex…slaves　to　stand　tall　and　free　and　proud　by　giving　them　things。　What　I　did　was　to　enable　them　to　get　out　and　scratch。　Like　this：
　　
　　第26节
　　
　　I　credited　them　with　half…time　apprentice　wages；　Blessed　to　Valhalla；　on　the　assumption　that　their　other　half…time　was　taken　up　by　studies。　This　I　had　Llita　figure　in　Valhalla　kroner；　at　Valhalla　wage　rates。　I　had　her　add　to　this　Joe's　wages　as　kitchen　help　on　Valhalla；　minus　what　he　had　spent　there。　This　total　was　credited　to　them　as　a　share　in　cargo　on　the　third　leg；　Valhalla　to　Landfall…which　amounted　to　less　than　one…half　of　1　percent　of　that　cargo。　I　made　Llita　work　this　out。
　　
　　To　this　we　added　ship's…cook　wages　for　Joe；　Valhalla　to　Laodfall；　payable　in　Landfall　bucks　at　Landfall　wage　scales…but　only　as　wages　not　as　a　share　in　cargo。　I　had　to　explam　to　Llita　why　Joe's　wages　for　that　leg　could　not　be　invested　retroactively　in　cargo　lifted　at　Valhalla。　Once　she　understood　it；　she　had　a　grasp　of　the　notions　of　venture　and　risk　and　profit…but　I　did　not　pay　her　for　this　accounting；　I　was　durned　if　I　would　pay　purser's　wages　to　figure　her　own
　　
　　money　when　I　was　not　only　having　to　check　everything　she　did　but　was　giving　her　a　lesson　in　economics　as　well。
　　
　　I　did　not　pay　Llita　for　the　leg　to　Landfall；　she　was　passenger；　busy　having　a　baby　and　then　still　busier　learning　to　care　for　it。　But　I　did　not　charge　her　for　passage；　she　deadheaded。
　　
　　You　see　what　I　was　doing…rigging　the　accounts　so　tha　I　would　owe　them　something　once　I　sold　my　cargo；　while　making　it　appear　that　they　had　earned　it。　They　hadn't　been　worth　any　wages；　on　the　contrary　I　had　spent　quite　a　chunk　on　them…aside　from　buying　them；　which　I　never　charge　against　them　even　in　my　head。　On　the　other　hand；　I　was　paid　in　deep　satisfaction…especially　if　they　learned　to　stanc　on　their　own　feet。　But　I　discussed　none　of　this；　I　just　hac　Llita　figure　their　share…my　way。
　　
　　（Omitted）
　　
　　…came　to　a　couple　of　thousand；　not　enough　to　supper　them　very　long。　But　I　took　time　to　find　a　hole…in…the…wall　luncheon；　on　which　I　took　option　through　a　third　party；　afte　satisfying　myself　that　a　couple　of　strivers　could　stay　afloat　with　it；　if　the　price　was　right　and　they　were　willing　to　work。　Then　I　told　them　that　they　had　better　start　job　hunting　as　I　was　putting　the　Libby　up　for　sale　or　bond…and…lease。　It　was　root　hog；　or　die。　They　were　really　free…free　to　starve。
　　
　　Llita　didn't　pout；　she　just　looked　solemn　and　went　or　nursing　little　J。A。　Joe　looked　scared。　But　later　I　saw　then；　with　their　heads　together　over　a　newspaper　I　had　brought　aboard；　they　were　checking　〃help　wanted〃　ads。
　　
　　After　much　whispering　Llita　asked　diffidently　if　I　could　baby…sit　while　they　went　job　hunting？…but　if　I　was　busy；　J。A。　could　ride　her　hip。
　　
　　I　said　I　wasn't　going　anywhere…but　had　they　checked　〃business　opportunities〃？　Jobs　for　untrained　people　didn't　lead　anywhere。
　　
　　She　looked　startled；　it　was　a　new　idea。　But　that　hint　was　enough。　There　was　more　looking　and　whispering；　then　she　fetched　the　paper　to　me　and　pointed　to　an　ad…my　own　but　not　so　marked…and　asked　what　〃Fve…year　amortization〃　meant？
　　
　　I　sniffed　at　it　and　told　her　it　was　a　way　to　go　broke　slowly；　especially　if　she　spent　money　on　clothes…and　there　must　be　something　wrong　or　the　owner　wouldn't　want　to　sell。
　　
　　She　looked　as　sad　as　Joe　did　and　said　that　the　other　business　opportunities　called　for　investing　lots　of　money。　I　grudgingly　admitted　that　it　could　not　hurt　to　look…but　watch　out　for　booby　traps。
　　
　　They　came　back　full　of　enthusiasm…they　were　sure　they　could　buy　it　and　make　it　pay！　Joe　was　twice　as　good　a　cook　as　that　fry　cook　who　had　it…he　used　too　much　grease　and　it　was　rancid　and　the　coffee　was　terrible　and　he　didnt　even　keep　the　place　clean。　But　best　of　all；　behind　the　storeroom　was　a　bedroom　where　they　could　live　and…　I　squeaked　them。　What　were　the　gross　receipts？　How　about　taxes？　What　licenses　and　inspections　and　what　squeeze　on　each？　What　did　they　know　about　buying　food　wholesale？　No；　I　would　not　go　look　at　it；　they　had　to　make　up　their　oe　and；　anyhow；　I　didn't　know　anything　about　restaurant　business。
　　
　　Two　lies；　Minerva；　I've　run　restaurants　on　five　plas…　plus　a　silent　lie　as　to　my　reasons　for　not　being　willing　to　inspect　the　joint。　Two…no；　three…reasons：　First；　I　had　gone　over　the　place　in　cynical　detail　before　I　optioned　it；　second；　that　fry　cook　was　bound　to　remember　me；　third；　since　I　was　selling　it　to　them；　through　a　dummy；　I　could　neither　vouch　for　it　nor　urge　them　to　buy。　Minerva；　if　I　sell　a　horse；　I　won't　guarantee　that　it　has　a　leg　on　each　corner；　the　buyer　must　count　them　himself。
　　
　　Having　disclaimed　any　knowledge　of　restaurant　business；　I　then　lectured　them　about　it。　Llita　started　taking　notes；　then　asked　to　be　allowed　to　start　the　recorder。　So　I　went　into　detail：　Why　100　percent　gross　profit　on　the　cost　of　food　might　not　break　even　after　she　figured　costs　and　overhead…amortization；　depreciation；　taxes/insurance；　wages　for　them　as　if　they　were　employees；　etc。　Where　the　farmers'　market　was　and　how　early　they　had　to　be　there　each　morning。　Why　Joe　must　learn　to　cut　meat；　not　buy　it　by　the　piece…and　where　he　could　learn　how。　How　a　long　menu　could　ruin　them。　What　to　do　about　rats；　mice；　roaches；　and　some　dillies　Landfall　has　but　thank　heaven　Secundus　does　not。　Why…　（Omitted）
　　
　　…chopped　the　umbilical；　Minerva。　I　don't　think　they　ever　guessed　that　they　were　dealing　with　me。　I　neither　cheated　nor　helped　them；　that　amortized　sales　contract　simply　passed　on　the　price　I　had　to　pay　for　the　dump；　plus　a　load　representing　time　I　had　spent　dickering　the　price　downward；　plus　legal　and　escrow　fees　and　a　fee　to　the　dummy；　plus　the　interest　a　bank　would　charge　me……two　points　cheaper　than　they　could　get；　at　least。　But　no　charity；　none…I　made　nothing；　lost　nothing；　and　charged　for　only　a　day　of　my　time。
　　
　　Llita　turned　out　to　be　tighter　than　a　bull's　arse　in　fly　time；　I　think　she　broke　even　the　first　month　despite　closing　down　while　they　cleaned　and　refurbished。　Certainly　she　did　not　miss　that　first　month's　payment　on　the　mortgage；　nor　any　after　that。　Miss　one？　Dear；　they　paid　that　five…year　loan　in　three　years。
　　
　　Not　too　surprising。　Oh；　a　long　spell　of　illness　could　have　wrecked　them。　But　they　were　healthy　and　young　and　worked　seven　days　a　week　until　they　were　free　and　clear。　Joe　cooked　and　Llita　handled　the　cashbox　and　smiled　at