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〃I'm not ready to be promoted； I've been in the Vocation less than ten years。 As I'm sure you know。 Let's take a look at your wardrobe。〃 …
〃What are you going to wear； dear？〃
〃Doesn't matter what I wear； the Senior is male and all the stories and myths about him indicate that be has remained canalized by the primitive culture he was born in。 Not sensually polymorphous。〃
〃How can you be sure？ Myths； dear。〃
〃Ishtar； all myths tell the truth if you know how to read them。 I'm guessing； but it is a reasoned guess； as this is something I used to be somewhat expert in。 Until I was rejuvenated
…until you rejuvenated me…then I went into something more active。〃
… 〃What； dear？〃
〃Some other time。 I was simply saying that I don't think it matters what…I wear。 A chiton。 Shorts and singlet。 Kilt。 Even the underwear I had on under isolation gear。 Oh； I~ll wear
…lively colors and something different each watch…but he won't look at me； he'll look at you。 So let's pick out something he would like to see you in。〃
〃How will you know； Galahad？〃
〃Very simple。 I'll choose something I would like to see a long…legged beautiful blonde wear。〃
He was surprised to see how little Ishtar had in her wardrobe。 In all his varied experience with women she was the only one he could remember who seemed to lack the vanity needed to buy unnecessary clothes。 As he searched； mind preoccupied； he hummed and then sang a snatch of doggerel。
Ishtar said； 〃You speak his milk language！〃
〃Eh？ What？ Whose？ The Senior's？ I certainly don't。 But I must learn it； I suppose。〃
〃But you were singing in it。 A little song he always sings when he's busy with something。〃
〃You mean this？ 'Therza poolyawl 。 。 Bytha paunshot…' I have a phonographic ear； that's all； I don't understand the words。 What do they mean？〃
〃I'm not sure they mean anything。 Most of them are not in the vocabulary I've learned so far。 I suspect that it is just amphigoric rhythm； a self…tranquilizer。 Semantically null。〃
〃On the other hand； it might be a key to understanding him。 Have you tried asking a puter？〃
〃Galahad； I haven't been given access to the puter that records what goes on in his suite。 But I doubt if anyone can understand him； in depth。 He's a primitive； dear…a living fossil。〃 …
〃I would certainly like to try to understand him。 This language he uses… Is it difficult？〃
〃Very。 I'rrational； plicated syntax； and so loaded with idioms and multivalues that I trip even on words I think I know。 I wish I had your recording ear。〃
〃The Chairman Pro Tern seemed to have no difficulty。〃
〃I think he has 'a special talent for languages。 But if you want to try； dear； I have the instructional programs here。〃
〃Accepted！ What is this？ A party dress？〃
〃That？ That's not clothing。 I bought it as a throw cover for a couch…then got it。 home and saw that it did not fit my lounging room。〃
〃It's a dress。 Stand there and hold still。〃
〃Don't tickle！〃
VARIATIONS ON A THEME
…I
Affairs of State
Despite what I told the Senior； my ancestor Grandfather Lazarus； I work hard in governing Secundus。 But only in thinking about policy and in judging the work of others。 I don't do donkey work； I leave that to professional administrators。 Even so； the problems of a pla with more than a billion people can keep a man busy； especially if his intention is to govern as little as possible…as that means he must keep a sharp eye out and his ear tuned for signs that subordinates are doing unnecessary governing。 Half my time is used in the negative work of plucking such officious officials and ordering that they never again serve in any public capacity。
第8节
Then I usually abolish their jobs； and all jobs subordinate te them。
I have never noticed any harm from such pruning save thai parasites whose jobs are eliminated must find some other way to avoid ~tarvation。 （They are wele to starve…better ii they do。 But they don't。） …
The important thing is to spot these malignant growths 'and remove them while they are small。 The more skill a Chairman Pro Tern acquires in this； the more emerging ones he finds； which keeps him busier than ever。 Anyone can see a forest fire； skill lies in sniffing the first smoke。
This leaves me too little time for my prime work： thinking about policy。 The purpose of my government is never to do good； but simply to refrain from doing eviL This sounds simple but is not。 For example； although prevention of armed revolution is obviously part of my main duty； i。e。； to keep order； I began to have doubts about the wisdom of transporting potential revolutionary leaders years before Grandfather Lazarus called my attention to it。 But the symptom that roused my worry was so null that it took ten years for me to notice it：
During those ten years there was not one attempt to assassinate me。
By the time Lazarus Long returned to Secundus for the
Al
purpose of dying this disturbing symptom had continued twenty years。
This was ominous； and I realized it。 A population of one billion…plus so contented； so uniform； so smug that not one determined assassin shows up in a double decade is seriously ill no matter how healthy it looks。 In the ten years that elapsed after I noticed this lack I worried about it every hour I could spare…and found myself asking myself over and over again：
What would Lazarus Long do？
I knew in broad outline what he had done…and that was why I decided to migrate…either lead my people off pla or go alone if none would follow。
（In rereading this； it sounds as if I sought to be assassinated in some mystic The King Must Die sense。 Not at all！ I am surrounded at all times by powerful and subtle safeguards the nature of which I will not divulge。 But there is no harm in mentioning three negative precautions； my facial appearance is not known to the public； I almost never appear in public anyhow； and when I do； it is never announced。 The job of ruler is dangerous…or should be…but I don't intend … to die from it。 The 〃disturbing symptom〃 was not that I am alive but that there are no dead assassins。 No one seems to hate me enough to try。 Frightening。 Where have I failed them？）
When the Howard Clinic notified me that the Senior was awake （with a reminder that only one 〃night〃 had passed for him） I was not only awake but had pleted necessary work and bucked the rest； I went at once to the Clinic。 After they decontaminated me I found him dawdling over coffee； having just finished breakfast。
He glanced up and grinned。 〃Hi； Ira！〃
〃Good morning； Grandfather。〃 I went to him ready to offer a respectful salutation such as he had permitted when I bade him goodnight the night 〃before〃…but watching for signs that say Yes； or No； before the mouth speaks。 Even among the Families there is wide variety in such customs…and Lazarus is； as always； a law unto himself。 So I closed the last of the gap with great deliberation。
He answered me by drawing back so slightly that it would have been unnoticeabl'e had I not been alert for it。 He added a gentle warning： 〃Strangers present； Son。〃
I stopped at once。 〃At least I think they are strangers；〃 he added。 〃I've been trying to get acquainted； but all 'we share is some pidgin speech plus a lot of handwaving。 But it's nice to
have people around instead of those zombies…we get alon Hey； dear！ e here； that's a good girL〃…
He motioned to one of his…rejuvenation technicians…two watch； as usual； and this morning one was female； one w male。 I was pleased to see that my order that females shou 〃dress attractively〃 had been carried out。 This woman was blonde； graceful and not unattractive if one likes tallness in female。 （I don't dislike it； but there is something to be sa for one small enough to fit on one's lap…not that I've hi much time for that lately。）
She glided forwa