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〃Apology； about grade two。 No； you're not a fool； unless you go back and work for the old harridan。〃
〃When will the next wave of migrants head this way？ I hate to waste the work I've done on your life； and I would hate to abandon my personal library。〃
〃Well； sir； no tellin' when a streetcar will be by this time o' night。 Discuss it later。〃 Lazarus added； 〃That's our house ahead。〃
Justin Foote looked； saw a building partly visible through trees； turned back to speak to Minerva。 〃Something you said； earlier； Cousin； I did not understand。 You said 'I owe you so much。' If I was pleasant to you…at New Rome； I mean…you were at least as pleasant to me。 More likely the debt is the other way； you were always most helpful。〃
Instead of answering； she looked at Lazarus。 He said； 〃Your business； my dear。〃
Minerva took a deep breath； then said； 〃I plan to name twenty…three of my children for my twenty…three parents。〃
〃So？ That seems most warmly appropriate。〃
〃You're not my cousin； Justin…you're my father。 One of them。〃
'VARIATIONS ON A THEME …
XIV
Bacchanalia
After the track through the gormtrees at the northern edge of Boondock swings right； one has a view of the home of Lazarus Long； but I hardly …noticed it when I first saw it； I was much bemused by a statement by Minerva Long。 Me her father？ Me？
The Senior said； 〃Close your mouth； Son； you're making a~draft。 Dear； you startled him。〃
〃Oh； dear！〃
〃Now quit looking like a frightened fawn； or I'll be forced to hold your nose and administer two ounces of eighty…proof ethanol disguised as fruit juice。 You've done nothing wrong。 Justin； does disguised ethanol interest you？〃
〃Yes；〃 I agreed fervently。 〃I recall a time in my youth when that and one other subject were all I~ was interested in。〃
〃If the other subject wasn't women； we'll find a monastic cubbyhole where you can drink alone。 But it was…I know more about you than you think。 All right； we'll have a libation or； six。 Not those two； they're potential。。alcoholics。〃
〃Slanderous…〃
〃…though regrettably true…〃 ；〃…but we did it only once…〃 〃…and won't do it again！〃
〃Don't mit yourself too far； kids； a brannigan might sneak up on you。 Better to know your resistance than to be tripped through ignorance。 Grow up； put on some mass； and you'll be able to cope with it。 Or Ishtar mixed up your genes； which she didn't。 Now about this other matter； Justin。 Yes； you're one of Minerva's parents 。 。 and that's a very high pliment； because those twenty…three chromosome pairs were picked from tissues of thousands of superior people； using fearsome mathematics to handle the multiplicity of variables； plus Ishtar's knowledge of geics； and some unnecessary advice from me； before this little darling got the precise mix she wanted to be。〃
I started to set up the type problem in my head…yes； that would be some problem； extremely more difficult than the ordinary geics problem of advising one male and one female…then dropped it； as I had its delightful answer by her left hand。' Lazarus was still speaking：
〃Minerva could have been male； two meters tall； massing a hundred kilos； built like Joe Colossus； and hung like a 'stallion mule。 Instead she elected to be what she is： slender； female； shy… I'm not sure she selected for that last。 Did you； dear？〃
〃No； Lazarus； no one knows which genes control that。 I think I get it from Hamadryad。〃
〃I think you got it from a puter I used to know…and took along all of it as Athene certainly is not shy。 Never mind。 Some of Minerva's donor…parents are dead； some are alive but unaware that a bit of tissue from a' clone in stasis pr from the live…tissue bank was borrowed…as in your case。 Some know that they are donor…parents…me； for example； and you heard Hamadryad mentioned。 You'll meet others； some be…fl ing on Tertius； where it's no secret。 But consanguinity is not close for anyone。 One twenty…third？ The geic advisers wouldn't run that through a puter； it's an acceptable risk。 Plus the fact that none of us dono？…parents of Minerva have any known skeletons hanging on our family trees。 You could safely have progeny by her； so could I。〃
〃But you refused me！〃 Minerva startled me with the vehemence with which she accused Lazarus of this。 For a moment~ she was not shy； her eyes flashed。
〃Now； now； dear。 You were only a year out of vitro and not fully grown even though Ishtar forced you past menarche still in vitro。 Ask me on another occasion； I might startle you。〃
〃'Startle' me； or surprise me？〃
〃Never mind that old joke。 Justin； I simply wanted to make clear that your relationship to Minerva； while close enough that it makes Minerva feel sentimental； is in fact so small that you barely qualify as a 'kissing cousin。'〃
〃I feel very sentimental about it；〃 I told the Senior。 〃Most ；pleased and deeply honored…although I can't guess why I was picked。〃
〃If you want to know which chromosome pair was swiped from you； and why； you had best ask Ishtar and get her to consult Athene； I doubt if Minerva still knows。〃
〃But I do know； I saved those memories。 Justin； I wanted to retain some ability in mathematics。 It was a choice between
you and Libby Professor Owens…so I chose you； you are my friend。〃
（Well！ I respect Jake Hardy…Owens； I'm merely an applied mathematician； he is a brilliant theoretician。） 〃Whatever your reasons； dear kissing cousin； I am delighted that you chose me as one of your donor…fathers。〃
〃Grounded； modore！〃 announced one of the duplicate redheads…Lapis Lazuli…as the little nuliboat clumped to a stop。 （It appeared to be a Corson Farmsled and I was surprised to see it in a new Colony。） Lazarus answered； 〃Thank yoi~1； Captain。〃
The twins bounced out； the Senior and I handed Minerva out…unnecessary help that she accepted with gracious dignity； that being another aspect of colonial life that surprised me； New Rome being rather short on such' archaic ceremony。 （Over and again I found the Boondockers to be both more formally polite； and more casually relaxed about it； than are Secundians。 I support my notions of frontier life had been fed on too many romances： rough； bearded men fighting 'off dangerous animals； mules hauling covered wagons toward distant horizons。）
〃Captain〃 Lazuli said； 〃Humpty Dumpty… go to bed！〃 The nullboat waddled away； the little girls joined us； one taking my free hand； the other taking the Senior's free hand； with Minerva between us。 These freckled flametops would have had my whole attention had not Minerva been there。 I am not pulsively fond of children； some youngsters seem to me rather poisonous； especially precocious ones。 But in their case I found their solemn precocity charming rather than irritating 。 。 and to see the Senior's features； rugged rather than handsome and with that too…large nose； unmistakably reproduced but transformed into piquant girlish features…well； had I been alone； I would have chuckled with
delight。 ；*
I said 〃Just a moment；〃 and held onto Lorelei's hand and thereby caused all' to pause while I took a second look。 〃Lazarus； who is the architect？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he said。 〃Dead more than four thousand years。 The original belonged to the political boss of Ppmpeii； a city destroyed about that long ago。 I saw a model of it； restored； in a museum in a place called Denver； and took pictures； it pleased me。 Those pictures are long gone； but it turned out that； when I tried to describe it to Athene； she
；； on
had a solly in the historical section of her gizzards of the ruins of that same house…and from that and my description； she designed this version。 Some minor mods； nothing that changed its sweet proportions。 Then Athene built it； using extensionals and radio links。 It's practical for this climate； the weather here is much like that of Pompeii…and I prefer a house that looks inward； on a court。 Safer； even in a place~ as safe as this one。〃
〃B