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'mon sense'？〃
… 〃Son； that phrase is self…contradictory。 'Sense' is never 'mon。' Make the keying word 'Notebook'…that's all I have in mind； just a notebook to jot down things I've noticed and which might be important enough to place on record。〃
〃Fine！ Shall I amend the 'programming now？〃
〃You can do it from here？ I don't want' you to interrupt your dinner。〃
〃It's a very flexible machine； Lazarus； the total plex is the one I use to govern this pla…to the mild extent that
I do govern it。〃4 ； …
〃In that case I feel sure you can hang an auxiliary' printout In here； one triggered for the keying word。 I might want to revise my sparkling gems of wisdom…meaning that extemporaneous remarks sound better when they aren't extemporaneous…or why politicians have ghost writers。〃 …
〃'Ghost writers'？ 'My mand of Classic English is les than peEfect； I don't recognize the idiom。〃
'qra； don't tell me you write your own speeches。〃
第5节
… 〃But；〃 Lazarus； I don't make speeches。 Never。 I just giv~ orders； and…very seldom…make written reports to thi Trustees。〃
〃Congratulations。 You can bet that there are ghost writeri on Felicity。 Or soon will be。〃
〃I'll have that。~printout installed at once； sir。 Roman alpha。 bet and twentieth…century spelling？ If you intend to use the language we've been talking？〃 …
〃Unless it would place too much strain on a poor innoceni machine。 If so； I can read it in phoics。 I think。〃
〃It is a very flexible machine； sir； it taught me to speak this language…and earlier； to read it。〃
〃Good； do it that way。 But tell it not to correct my grammar。 Human editors are difficult enough； I won't accept such upstart behavior from a machine。〃
〃Yes； sir。 If you will excuse me one moment…〃 The Chairman Pro Tern raised his voice slightly and shifted to the New； Rome variant of Lingua Galacta。 Then he spoke in the same language to the taller technician。
The auxiliary printout was installed before the table served them coffee。 …
After it was switched on； it whirred briefly。 〃What's it doing？〃 asked Lazarus。 〃Checking its circuits？〃
〃No； sir…printing。 I tried； an experiment。 The' machine has considerable judgment within the limits； of its programs and memoried experience。 In adding the extra program I told it also to go back； review everything you have said to me； and attempt to select all statements … that sounded like aphorisms。 I m not sure it can do this as any definition of aphorism it has in its permanents is certain' to be quite abstract。 But I have 'hopes。 However； I told it firmly： No editing。〃
〃Well。 'The astounding' thing about a waltzing bear is not how gracefully … it waltzes but that it waltzes at all。' Not me； some' otf~er bloke； I'm quoting。 Let's see what it has。〃
Weatheral gestured； the shorter technician hurried to the
'machine； pulled a copy for 'each Of them； fetched them back。 Lazarus looked his copy over Mmmm yes That next
one isn't true…just a wisecrack。 Must reword the third one a little。 Hey' it put a question mark after this one。 What an impudent piece of junk； I checked that one out centuries before it was anything but unrnined ore。 Well； at least it didn't
try to revise it。 Don't recall saying that； but it's true and I；
durned near got killed learning it。〃
Lazarus looked up from the printout copy。 〃Okay； Son。 If
you want this stuff on record； I don't mind。 As long as I am allowed to check and revise it 。 。 for I don't Want my words to be taken as Gospel unless I have a chance to winnow out the casual nonsense。 Which I am just as capable of voicing as t；he next man。〃 …
〃Certainly； sir。 Nothing will go into the records without your approval。 Unless you choose to use that switch 。 。 in which case any unedited remarks you have left behind I will have to fry to edit myself。 That's the best I can do。〃
〃Trying to trap me； huh？ Hmm… Ira； suppose I offer you a Scheherazade deal in reverse。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
〃is Scheherazade lost at last？ Did Sir Richard Burton live in vain？〃
〃Oh； no； sir！ I have read The Thousand Nights and a Night in the Burton original … 。 and her stories have e down through the centuries； changed again and again to make them understandable to new generations…but with； I think； the flavor retained。 I simply do not un4erstand what you arc proposing。〃
〃I see。 You told me that talking with me is the most important thing you have to do。〃
〃It is。〃
〃I wonder。 …If you mean that； then you will be here every day to keep me pany…and chat。 For I'm not going to bother babbling to your … machine no matter how smart it is。；'
〃Lazarus； I will be not only honored but much pleased to be allowed to keep you pany as long as you will let me。〃
〃We'll see。 When a man makes a sweeping statement； he often has mental reservations。 I mean every day； Son； and all day。 And you…not a deputy。 Show up two' hours after breakfast； say； and stay till I send you home。 But any day you miss… Well； if it's so urgent you just have to miss； phone
…your excuses and send over a pretty girl to visit me。 One who speaks Classic ~nglish but has sense enough to listen in… …
stead…as an old fool will often talk to a pretty girl who just bats her lashes at him and looks impressed。 If she pleases me； I might let her stay。 Or I might be so petulant that I would send her away and use that switch you promised to
have reinstalled。 But I won't suicide in the presence of a guest； that's rude。 Understand me？〃
〃I think I do；〃 Ira Weatheral answered slowly。 〃You'll be both Scheherazade and King Shabryar； and I'll be…no； that's not right； I am the one who has to keep it going for a thousand' nights…I mean 'days'…and if I miss…but I won't！… you are free to…〃
〃Don't push an analogy too far；〃 Lazarus advised。 〃I'm simply calling your bluff。 If my maunderings are as all…fired important to you as you claim； then you'll show up and listen。
… You can skip once； or even twice； if the girl is pretty enough and knows how to tickle my vanity…of which I have plenty… just right。 But if you skip too often； I'll know you're bored and the deal is off。 I'm betting that your patience will wear out long before any thousand days and a day have passed… whereas I do know … how to be patient； for year after year if necessary； that's a prime reason I'm still alive。 But you're still a youngster； I'm betting I can outsit you。〃
〃I accept the bet。 This girl…if I must be away some day… would you object if I sent one of my daughters？ She's very pretty。〃
〃Hunh？ You sound like an Iskandrian slave factor auctioning his mother。 Why your daughter？ I don't want to marry her； nor even to bed her； I simply want to be amused and flattered。 Who told you she was pretty？ If she really is your daughter； she probably looks like you。〃
〃e off it； Lazarus； you can't annoy me that easily。 I admit to a father's prejudice but I've seen the effect she has on others。 She is quite young； less than eighty； and has been contractually married only once。 But you specified a pretty girl who speaks your milk language。 Scarce。 But this one of ？y daughters shares my talent for languages and is much cx。。 cited by your presence here…wants to meet you。 I can stall off emergencies long enough for her to bee letter…perfect in yoi~ir language。〃
Lazarus grinned and shrugged。 〃Suit yourself。 Tell her not to bother with a chastity girdle； I don't have the energy。 But I'll still win the bet。 Probably without laying eyes on her； it won't take you long to decide that I am an unbearable old bore。 Which I am and have been almost as long as the Wandering JewA~。。a crashing bore if I ever met one…did I tell you I had met him？〃
〃No。 And I don't believe you have。 He's a myth。〃
〃A fat lot you know about it； Son。 I have met him； he is authentic。 Fought the Romans in 70 Al）。 when Jerusalem was
sacked