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〃Grandfather； are you going？〃
〃Unlikely to the nth degree； my dear。 I've seen a colony。〃
〃You may change your mind。〃 Hamadryad stood up； faced Lazarus。 〃I propose to you； in the presence of three witnesses…four； Minerva is the best possible witness…a contract for cohabitation and progeny； term to be elected by you。〃
Ishtar looked startled； then wiped all expression from her face； the others said nothing。
Lazarus answered； 〃Granddaughter； if I weren't so old and tired； I would spank you。〃
〃Lazarus； I am your granddaughter only by courtesy； you are less than eight percent of my total ancestry。 Less than that in terms of dominant genes； with a vanishingly small probability of unfavorable reinforcement； the bad recessives have been weeded。 I'll send my geic pattern over for your inspection。〃
〃That's not the point； dear。〃
〃Lazarus； I'm certain you've married your descendants in the past； is there some reason to discriminate against me？ If you'll tell me； perhaps I can correct it。 I must add that this submittal is not contingent on your migrating。〃 Hamadryad added； 〃Or it could be for progeny only； although I would be proud and happy to be permitted to live with …you。〃
〃Why； Hamadryad？〃
She hesitated。 〃I am at loss to answer； sir。 I had thought that I could say； 'I 'love you'…but apparently I do not know what that word means。 So I have no word in either language to describe my need 。 。 and went ahead without one。〃
Lazarus said gently； 〃I love you； dear…〃 Hamadryad's face lit up。
He continued： 〃…and for that very reason I must refuse you。〃 Lazarus looked around him。 〃I love all of you。 lshtar； Galahad 。 。 even that ugly； surly father of yours； dear； sitting there and looking worried。 Now smile； dear； for I'm certain that there are endless young bucks anxious to marry you。 You smile；…tod； Ishtar…but not you； Ira； it would crack your face。 Ishtar； who is relieving you and Galahad？ No； I don't care who is scheduled。 May I be alone the rest of today？〃
She hesitated。 〃Grandfather； may I keep the observation station manned？〃
〃You will anyhow。 But will you limit them to dials and gauges or whatever it is you use？ No eye or ear on me？ Minerva will tell you if I misbehave…I'm certain of that。〃
〃There will be neither eye nor ear on you； sir。〃 Ishtar stood up。 〃e along； Galahad。 Hamadryad？〃
〃J~ist a moment； Ish。 Lazarus…have I offended you？〃
〃What？ Not at all； my dear。〃
〃I thought you were angry with me over 。 。 what I proposed。〃
〃Oh； nonsense。 Hamadarling； that sort of proposal never offends anyone； it is the highest pliment one human can pay another。 But it did confuse me。 Now smile and kiss me good…night； then e see me tomorrow if you wish。 All you kids kiss me good…night； there's nobody' sore； at anybody。 Ira； you might stick around a bit if you will。〃
Like docile children they did so； then went into Lazarus' penthouse and took transport down。 Lazarus said； 〃A drink； Ira？〃
〃Only if you are having one。〃
〃We'll skip it then。 Ira； did you put her up to it？'
〃You know what I mean。 Hamadryad。 First Ishtar； flow Hamadryad。 You've manipulated this whole deal from the moment you snatched me out of that flophouse； where I was dyi？g decently and quietly。 Have you again been trying to tie me down to whatever scheme you have in the back of your mind by waving pretty tails under my nose？ It won't work； man。〃
The Chafrman Pro Tern answered quietly； 〃I could deny that…and for the hundredth time have you call me a liar。 I suggest that you ask Minerva。〃
〃I wonder if that would be any assurance。 Minerva！〃
〃Yes； Lazarus？〃
Did Ira rig this？ With either of the girls？'
〃Not to my knowledge； Lazarus？'
〃Is that an evasion； dear？〃
〃Lazarus； I cannot'Iie to you。〃
〃Well 。 。 I think you could if Ira wanted you to； but there is no point in my inquiring into it。 Give us privacy for a few moments； dear…recording mode only。〃
〃Yes； Lazarus。〃
Lazarus went on； 〃Ira； I wish you had answered Yes。 Because the only other explantation is one I do not like。 I ain't pretty and my manners are not such as to endear me to women…so what do we have left？ The fact that I am the oldest man alive。 Women sell themselves for odd reasons and not always for money。 Ira； I do not choose to stand at stud for pretty young things who would not waste a moment on me save for the prestige of having a child by； quote； The Senior； end of quote。〃 He glared。 〃Right？〃
〃Lazarus； you are being unjust to both women。 As well as unusually obtuse。〃
〃How？〃
〃I've watched them。 I think they both love you…and don't give me any double…talk about what that verb means； I am not Galahad。〃
〃But… Oh； crap！〃
〃I won't argue on that basis； 'crap' is a subject in which you are the Galaxy's top authority。 Women do not always sell themselves and they do fall in love 。 。 often for the oddest reasons…if 'reason' is a word that can apply。 Granted that you are ugly； selfish； self…centered； surly…〃
〃I'm aware of it！〃
〃…to me。 Nevertheless women don't seem to care much how a man looks 。 。 and you are surprisingly gentle with women。 I've noticed。 You say those little whores on Mars all loved that blind man。〃…
〃Some of them weren't little。 Big Anna was taller than I am and weighed more。〃
〃Don't try to change the subject。 Why did they love him？ Don't bother to answer； why a woman loves a man…or a man loves a woman…can be rationalized only in survival terms； and the answer has no flavor； unsatisfying。 But Lazarus； when you've pleted rejuvenation and you and I have finished our Scheherazade bet； however we finish it… are you going away again？〃
Lazarus brooded before answering： 〃I suppose so。 Ira； this cottage…and garden and stream…that you've lent me are very nice； the times I've gone down to the city I've hurried back； glad to be home。 But it's just a resting place； I won't stay here。 When the wild goose cries； I go。〃 Lazarus looked sad。 〃But I don't know where and I don't want to repeat the things I've done。 Perhaps Minerva will find that new thing for me； when it's time to move on。〃
Ira stood up。 〃Lazarus； if you weren't so stinking suspicious and mean； you would give both women the benefit of the doubt and leave them each with child to remember you by。 It wouldn't cost you much effort。〃
〃Out of the question！ I do not abandon children。 Or pregnant women。〃
〃Excuses。 I will adopt； in the womb； any child you sire before you leave us。 Shall I have Minerva place that in permanent and bind it？〃
〃I can support my own kids！ Always have。〃
〃Minerva。 Transfer'it and bind it。〃
〃pleted； Ira。〃
〃Thank you； best Little Nag。 Same time tomorrow； Lazarus？〃
〃I suppose so。 Yes。 Call Hamadryad； will you； and ask her to e； too？…tell her I asked you to。 I don't want the kid's feelings hurt。〃
〃Sure； ***（