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。 Perhaps to her 〃adultery〃 meant 〃violation of contract〃 rather than 〃sin〃…he did not know。
But that is not the point； Bub； the real question is the only one that has ever stopped you when temptation coincided with。 opportunity…and this time he could consult neither？Ishtar nor any geicist。 The chance of a bad oute was
…slight w…hen there were so many hurdles in the way of any oute。 But it was the exact risk that he had always refused to take： the chance of placing a congenital handicap
on a child。…
Hey； wait a minute！ No such oute could result because no such had resulted。 He knew every one of his siblings； alive now or still to be born； and there had not been a defective in the lot。 Not one。
Therefore no hazard。
But… That was grounded on the assumption that his 〃noparadoxes〃 theory was a law of nature。 But you've long been
…aware that the 〃no…paradoxes〃 theory… itself involves a paradox…one that you've kept quiet about so as not to alarm Laz and Lor and the rest of your 〃present〃 （that present；
…not this one） f…amily； to wit； the idea that free will and predestination are two aspects of the same mathematical truth； and the difference is merely linguistic； not semantic： the notion that his own free will could not change events here…&now because his freewill actions here…&…now were already a part of what had happened in any later 〃here…&…now。〃
Which in turn depended on a solipsistic notion he had held as far back as …he could remember… Cobwebs； all of it！
491Lazarus； you don't know what trouble you might cause。 So don't！ Get out of town now and don't e back to
Kansas City at all！ Because； if you do； you're certain to try …to get Maureen's bloomers off 。 。 … and she's going to breathe
hard and help。 From there on only Allah knows…but it could be tragic for her and tragic for others； and as for you； you stupid stud； all balls and no brain； it could get your ass shot off 。 。 just as the twins predicted。
In which case； since you are not going to see your family again； there is no sense in waiting in South America for this war to end。 You've seen enough of this doomed era； ask the girls to e pick you up now。 …
…Was her waist really that slender？ Or did she lace it in？
Shucks； it didn't matter how she was built。 As with Tamara； it simply did not matter。 …
*S*
Dear Laz and Lor；
Darlings； I've changed plans。 I've seen my first family； and there isn't anything else I want to do in this era… nothing worth sweating out most of … two years in a backwater while this war drags on to its bloody and useless finish。 So I want you to pick me up now； at the impact crater。 Forget about Egypt； I can't get there now。
By 〃pick me up now〃 I mean Gregorian 3 March
1917…repeat； third day of March one thousand nine …
hundred and seventeen Gregorian； at that meteor impact crater in Arizona。
Much to tell you when I see you。 Meanwhile… My undying love；
Lazarus
***……… …
Was it her voice？ Or her fragrance？ Or something else？
DA … CAPO
Iv
Home …
27 March 1917 Greg。
Beloved Family；
Repeat of Basic Message： I got here three years too early…2 August 1916…but still wish to be …picked up exactly ten T…years after drop； 2 August 1926…repeat six。 Rendezvous points and alternatives from basic date as before。 Please impress on Dora that this results from bad data I gave her and is not her fault。
I'm having a marvelous time。 I got my business cleaned up and then got in touch with my first family by looking up my grandfather （Ira Johnson； Ira） and got acquainted with him first…and with the aid of a horrendous lie and a most fortunate family resemblance； Gramp is convinced that I am an unregistered son of his （deceased） brother。 I didn't suggest this； it's his own idea。 Consequently it's solid…and now I'm a 〃longlost cousin〃 in my first home。 Not living there； but wele； which is very nice。
Let me give a ru~idown on the family； since all of you are descended from three of them： Gramp； Mama； and Woodie。
Gramp is described in that junk Justin has been cutting down to size。 No changes； Justin； save that instead of being two meters tall and carved out of granite； Gramp is almost exactly my size。 I am spending every minute with him that he will let me； which usually means playing chess with him several times a week。
Mama： Take Laz and Lor and？add five kilos in the best places； then add fifteen T…years and a big slug of dignity。 （Quit quivering your goddamn chins！） Add hair down to her waist but always coiled up on top。 I don't actually know what Mama does look like other than her head and hands because of the curious custom here of wearing clothes all over at all times。 And I…do mean 〃all
492
over。〃 I know that Mama has slender ankles because I once caught a glimpse。 But I would never dare stare at them； Gramp would toss me out of the house。
第69节
Papa： He is away now。 I had forgotten what he looks like…I had forgotten all their faces except Gramp （who uses the same face I do！） But I've seen pictures of Papa and he looks a bit like President Teddy Roosevelt…that's 〃TheodOre；〃 Athene； not 〃Franklin〃…in case you have a picture in your gizzards。
Nancy： Laz and Lor as of three standard years before
I left。 Not as many freckles and very dignified…except
when it slips。 She is acutely aware of （young） males； and
I think Gramp is urging Mama to tell her about the
Howard setup at once； so that she'll be sure to marry in
…the Families。
Carol： Laz and Lor again but two years younger than Nancy。 She is as interested in boys as is Nancy…but frustrated； Mama has her on a short leash。 Quivers her chin； which Mama ignores。
Brian Junior： Dark hair； looks more like Papa。 Rising young capitalist。 Has a newspaper route which he bines with lighting gas streetlamps。 Has a contract to deliver advertising handbills for the local moving…picture theater which he farms out to his younger brother and four other boys and pays them in tickets to the theater and keeps some … for his own use and sells the rest at a discount （four cents instead of five） at schooL Has a vending bar for soda pop （a sweet； bubbly drink） on the corner in the summers but plans to franchise this to his younger brother this ing summer； he has another enterprise lined up。 （As I recall； Brian got rich quite
young。）… …
Let me explain something about our family。 They are prosperous by here…&…now standards…but do not show it except that they live in a large house in a good neighborhood。 Not only is Papa a successful businessman； but
…also this is a time when the Howard endowment of babies is substantial in terms of buying power…and Mama has had eight already。 To all of you； being a 〃Howard〃 means a gene…tic heritage and a tradition…but here…&now it means cash money for babies…a stock…breeding scheme and we are the stock。
I think Papa must be investing the money Mama makes by having Howard babies； they certainly are not
493
494spending it…and this accords with my own dim … memories。 I don't know What was done for my siblings； but I received getting…started money when I first married…money I had not expected and which had nothing to do with the Howard endowments m…y first wife earned by being fertile and willing。 Since I married during an economic stalemate； this made a big difference。 Back to the kids… The boys not only do work； they have to work…or they have nothing but clothes and food。 The girls receive
very small cash allowances but are required to do housework and to help with the younger children。 This is because it is very difficult for a girl to earn mOney in this society…but a boy who will get out and try has endless opportunities。 （This will change before the century is over； but in 1917 it is true。） All the Smith kids work at
…home （Mama hir