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st？〃
She looked indignant。 〃Captain； you know me better than that。〃
〃Joe？ Slowing down； son？〃
〃Well 。 。 we do work long hours。 Sometimes I'm pretty tired。〃
〃Let's change that。 This will not be a lunchroom； this is going to be a high…priced gourmet restaurant of a quality this pla has never seen。 Remember that place I took you kids fo dinner just before we lifted from Valhalla？ That sort。 Soft lights and soft music and wonderful food and high prices； wine cellar but no hard liquor； our patrons must not hay their tastebuds numbed。
〃Joe； you will still go to market each morning； selecting top…quality food is something you can't delegate。 But don't take Llita and do take J。A。 if he's going to learn the profession。
〃I sometimes take him now。〃
〃Good。 Then e home and go to bed again； you're through until you cook dinner。 Not lunch。〃
〃Huh？〃
第27节
〃That's right。 Your number two chef handles lunch； then helps with dinner； your big moneymaking meal。 Llita is hostess…both for lunch and dinner； but keeps an especially sharp eye on quality at lunch； Joe； since you won！t be in this kitchen。 But she never goes to market and should still be in bed when you get back from market…did I say that you quarters will be attached； just as now？ You'll both be off duty two or three hours in the afternoon…just right for this sort of siesta you used to grab in the 'Libby。' In fact； if you two can't find time under that regime both for sleep and plenty of happy play…But you can。〃
〃It sounds grand；〃 Uita conceded； 〃if we can make a living with those hours~~。！'
〃You can。 A better living。 But instead of trying to get every buck； Llita； your object will be to maintain top quality while not losing money 。 。 and enjoy life。〃
〃We wilL Aaron； our beloved 。 。 captain and ***Mend***； since I must not say that 'dirty' word； we enjoyed life even a children when I had to wear that horrid virgin's basket…because it was so sweet to snuggle together all the lone nights。 When you bought us…and freed us…and I didn'i have to wear it； life was perfect。 I didn't think it could be better…though it will be； when we don't have to choose between sleep and trying to stay awake for loving。 Uh； you must not believe this since you know what a rutty wench I am…but lots of times sleep won。〃
〃I believe it。 Let's change it。〃
〃But… No breakfast trade at；all？ Aaron； some of our breakfast customers have been ing to us the whole time we've been on Landfall。〃
〃 profit？〃
〃Well 。 。 not much。 People won't pay as much for breakfast even though materials sometimes cost as much。 I've been satisfied with a very small on breakfast。 Advertising。 I'd hate to tell our regulars that we won't serve them any longer。〃
〃Details； dear。 You can have a breakfast bar in one corner and not open the main dining room…but Joe won't cook breakfasts； and neither will you。 You'll be in bed with Joe at that hour…so that your eyes will sparkle at lunch。〃
〃J。A。 knows breakfast dishes；〃 put in Joe。 〃I started him on breakfasts。〃
〃Details again。 Maybe we'll work out a deal with my godson whereby he makes money of his own； if the breakfast bar makes money…〃
（Omitted）
〃…sum it up。 Take notes； Llita。 I agree to accept this draft while you two…especially you； Llita…agree that it settles forever any debt between us。 Maison Long to be a closely held corporation； fifty…one per cent to you two； forty…nine percent to me； all three of us directors； and we can't sell stock save to each other…except that I retain option to change all or part of my share to nonvoting stock； in which case I can assign it。 …
〃My share of the initial financing is this draft。 Your share is what we get for this lunchroom…〃
〃Hold it；〃 said Llita。 〃We might not be able to sell for that much。〃
〃Details； dear。 Stick in a paragraph to let you pay the corporation any discrepancy out of your …and there will indeed be a ； I don't stick with a business that doesn't make money； I always cut my losses。 Let's have another paragraph that permits me to supply more capital； if needed； by buying nonvoting stock…and we'll use something like that to hang onto our top help； too。 Not have Joe train a chef and then have him walk out。 Never mind； let's get the outlines straight。 You two are the bosses； I'm silent partner。 Salaries for you two on the scale we discussed； escalating with rise in ； as discussed。
〃I don't get a salary； just dividends。 But we all will be working our tails off to get this rolling。 I'll e in from Skyhaven as necessary； there's nothing going on there now that my overseer can't handle。 But once it's rolling； I do nothing； I sit back and let you two make us rich。 But…listen carefully…once it's rolling； you two must stop working your tails off； too。 More time in bed。 More time for fun out of bed。 You won't make us rich working lunchroom hours。 Have we reached a meeting of minds？〃
〃I think so；〃 agreed Joe。 〃Sis？〃
〃Yes。 I'm not certain New Canaveral will support a gourmet restaurant like those lovely ones on Valhalla…but we'll try！ I still think our starting salaries are too high； but I'll wait until I've struck a trial balance on our first quarter before I argue the matter。 Just one thing； Captain…〃
〃My name's 'Aaron。'〃
〃'Captain' is safer than that 'dirty word。' I've agreed to the whole thing…and I'm durned well going to make it work！…as you always say。 But if you think this makes me forget a night you dragged me out of your bed and bounced me on my bum on a hard steel deck； you can think again！ Because it hasn't！〃
I sighed； Minerva； and said to her husband； 〃Joe； how do you cope with her？〃
He shrugged and grinned。 〃I don't； I just get along。 Besides； I see her side of it。 If I were you； I'd take her to bed and make her forget it。〃
I shook my head。 〃But I'm not you； that's the point。 Joe； I learned long before you were born that free tail is invariably the most expensive sort。 Worse than that； we three are business partners now…and I can see six possible outes if I accept your notion of a solution…and any of the six could cause Maison Long； Ltd。； never to lift off。
（Omitted）
…just as I knew it would； Minerva； I've never had a nonspeculative investment pay off so well。 They tried to imitate us…but they couldn't imitate Joe's cooking or Llita's management。 I made a bundle！
VARIATIONS ON A THEME
Ix
Conversation Before Dawn
The puter said； 〃Lazarus； aren't you sleepy？〃
〃Don't nag me； dear。 I've had thousands of white nights； and I'm still here。 A man never cuts his throat from a sleepless night if he has pany to see him through it。 You're good pany； Minerva。〃
〃Thank you； Lazarus。〃
〃The simple truth； girl。 If I fall asleep…***firie***。 If I don't； then no need to tell Ishtar。 No。 that won't work； she'll have graphs and charts on me； won't she？〃
〃I'm afraid so； Lazarus。〃
〃You durn well know so