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ll run it through a semantic analyzer to rephrase it into airtight legal language。 Once it satisfies you； you can submit it to the High Court…which will e to you if you prefer…and the Court will validate it。 Done that way it could then be overturned only by arbitrary act of a ne* Chairman Pro Tern。 Which I consider most unlikely； the Trustees do not place such men in office。〃
Weatheral added； 〃But I hope you will take plenty of time； Lazarus。 1 want a fair chance to search for something new； something that will restore your interest in life。〃
〃All right。 But don't daIly； I won't be put off with a Scheherazade gag。 Have them send me a recorder…tomorrow morning； say。〃 …
Weatheral seemed about to speak； did not。 Lazarus looked at him sharply。 〃This conversation is being recorded？〃
〃Yes； Lazarus。 Sound and holography； everything that happens in this suite。 But…your pardon； sir！…it goes only to my desk and does not bee a permanent record until I have checked …and okayed it。 Nothing so far； that is。〃
Lazarus shrugged。 〃Forget it。 Ira； I learned centuries back that there is no privacy in any society crowded enough to need ID's。 A law guaranteeing privacy simply insures that bugs…microphones and lenses and so forth…are that much harder to spot。 I hadn't thought about it up till now because I take it for granted that。。 my privacy will be invaded any time I visit such places…then I ignore it unless I'm up to something the local law won't like。 In which case I use evasive tactics。〃
〃Lazarus； that record can be wiped。 Its only' purpose is to make me certain that the Senior is being properly taken care of…a responsibility I will not delegate。〃 …
〃I said； 'Forget it。' But I'm surprised at your naivet？ a man in your position； in thinking that the record is piped only to your desk？ I'll lay long odds； any amount you like； that it goes one； two； even three or more other places。〃
… 〃If so； Lazarus； and I can find it out； Felicity will have some new colonists…after they've spent some unpleasant hours in the Colosseum。〃
〃Ira； it doesn't matter。 If any fool wants to watch an old； old man gfunting on the pot or taking a bath； he's wele。 You yourself insured that it would happen by making a point of the record being secret； your eyes only。 Security people always spy on their bosses； they caift help it； it's a syndrome that goes with the job。 Have you had dinner？ I'd be pleased to have you stay if you have time。〃
〃I would be honored indeed to have dinner with the Senior。〃
〃Oh； knock it off； Bud； there's no virtue in being old； it just takes a long time。 I'd like you to stay because I'm enjoying human panionship。 Those two over there are no pany； Fm not even sure they're human。 Robots； maybe。 Why do they wear those diving suits and shiny helmets' I like to see a man's face。〃
〃Lazarus； those are total isolation garments。 For your protection； not theirs。 Against infection。〃
〃What？ Ira； when a bug bites me； the bug dies。 Even so； since they have to wear that； how is it that you e in wearing Street clothes？'
〃Not quite； Lazarus。 For my purpose I needed a social talk； fake to face。 So the last two hours before I came in I spent undergoing a most careful physical examination； followed by scalp…to…toe sterilization of skin； hair； ears； nails； teeth； nose； throat…even a gas inhalation which I can't name but did not like…while my clothes were sterilized even more thoroughly。 Even that envelope I fetched to you。 This suite is sterile and kept so。〃
〃Ira； such precautions are silly。 Unless my immunity has been intentionally lowered？〃
〃No。 Or let me say； 'I think not。' No reason for it as any transplant will of course be done from your own clone。〃
〃So it's unnecessary。 If I didn't catch anything in that flophouse； why would I catch anything now？ But I don't catch
things。 I worked as a physician during a plague…don't loul surprised； medicine is just one of。 fifty…odd trades I've tol lowed。 Unknown plague on Ormuzd； everybody caught it； twehty…eight percent died。 Save yours truly； who didn't ever have a sniffle。 So tell those… No； you'll want to do it through the Director of the Clinic； bypassing your chain…of…mand ruins morale…though why I should care about this organization's morale I don't know； seeing that I am an involuntary guest。 Tell the Director that； if I must have nurses； I want them to dress like nurses。 Or； better yet； like people。 Ira； if you want cooperation out of me of any sort； you'll start by cooperating with me。 Otherwise I'm going to take the joint apart with my bare hands。〃
〃I'll speak to the Director； Lazarus。〃
〃Good。 Now let's have dinner。 But a drink first…and if the Director doesn't think I should have one； tell him bluntly that he will have to go back to force…feeding and there is some question as to whose throat the tube will go down； I'm in no mood to be pushed around。 Is there any real whisky on this pla？ Wasn't the last time I was here。〃
〃Not that I would drink。 But the local brandy I think well of。〃
〃Good。 Brandy and bubbles for me if that is the best we can do； a brandy Manhattan if anyone knows what I mean by that。〃
〃I do； and like them…I learned something about ancient drinks when I studied your life。〃
'Pine。 Then please order for us； drinks and dinner…and I'll listen and see how many words I can pick up。 I think my memory is coining back a bit。〃
Weatheral spoke to one of the technicians； Lazarus interrupted。 〃That should be one…third sweet vermoutit； not onehalf。〃
〃So？ You understood it？〃
〃Mostly。 Indo…European roots； with a simplified syntcx and grammar； I'm beginning to recall it。 Damn it； when a man has had to learn as many languages as I have； it's easy for one to slip away。 But it's ing back。〃
Service was so fast as to cause one to suspect that a crew was standing by ready to produce anything that the Senior or the Chai？man Pro Tem asked for； … …
Weatheral raised hi~ glass。 〃Long life。〃
〃In a pig's eye；〃 Lazarus growled and took a sip。 He made
a face。 'Whew！ Panther sweat。 But it does have alcohol in…it。〃 He took another。 〃Improves as your。 tongue gets numb。 Okay； Ira； you've stalled long enough。 What was your real reason for snatching me back from my well…earned rest？'
〃Lazarus； we need your wisdom。〃… …
PRELUDE
U
第4节
Lazarus stared in horror。 〃What did you say？〃
〃I said；〃 Ira Weatheral repeated； 〃that we need your wisdom； sir。 We do。〃
〃I thought that I was off again in one of those before…dying dreams。 Son； you've e to the wrong window。 Try across the hail。〃
We醫heral shook his head。 〃No； sir。 Oh； it isn't necessary tcruse the word 'wisdom' if it offends you。 But we do need to learn what you know。 You are more than twice as old as the next oldest member of the Families。 You mentioned that you have practiced more than fifty professions。 You've been everywhere； you've seen far more than anyone else。 You've certainly learned more than any of the rest of us。 We aren't doing things much better now than we were two thousand years ago； when you were young。 You must know why we are still making mistakes our ancestors made。 It would be a great loss if you hurried your death without taking time to tell us what you have learned。〃
Lazarus scowled and bit his lip。 〃Son； one of the few things I've learned is that humans hardly ever learn from the experience of others。 They learn…when they do； which isn't often
…on their own； the hard way。〃
〃That one statement is worth recording for all time。〃
〃11mm！ No one would learn anything from it； that's what it says。 Ira； age does not bring wisdom。 Often it merely changes simple stupidity into arrogant conceit。 Its only advantage； ~o far as I have been able to see； is that it spans change。 A young person sees the world as a still picture； immutable。 An old person has had his nose rubbed in chai~ges and more changes and still more changes so