kill me in this one。 Beloved； I am your warrior…but to kill Hues for you； not for them to kill me。 I'll do my duty； but I'm not going to try some crazy 。stulit to win a medal… not old Lazarus。〃
〃Then…you don't know。〃
〃No； I don't But I promise you this： I won't stick my head up when I don't need to。 I won't go into a German dugout without tossing a grenade in ahead of me。 I won't assume that a German is dead because he appears to be…I'll make sure he's dead； I don't mind wasting a bullet on a corpse。 Especially one who is playing 'possutn。 I'm an old soldier； and that's how one gets to be an old soldier…by being a pessimist。 I know all the tricks。 Darling； having quieted your worries about Brian； it would be silly to get you worried about me。 Don't！〃
She sighed。 〃I'll try not to。 If you turn down this street； we can pick up Prospect； then across Linwood to Benton。〃
〃I'll get you home。 Let's talk about ？ove； not war。 Our girl Nancy…Is the Foundation now using a pregnancy rule？ For first marriages？〃 …
〃Goodness！ You do know all about it〃
〃No need to tell me。 Nancy's business。 If Jonathan does go to war…I don't know…I can assure you that he won't get his balls shot off； even if he loses an arm or a leg。 I did look up the breeding records on all your children even though I didn't bother with their birthdays。 Jonathan and Nancy are going to have many babies。 Which means he es back…or maybe gets turned down and won't go。〃
〃That's forting。 How many babies？〃
〃Nosy little girl。 You're going to have quite a number yet
c~ I
yourself； Grandmother； and I won't answer that； … either。 I withdraw the。question about the pregnancy rule。〃 …
〃Secret； Lazarus…〃…
〃Better start calling me 'Theodore。' We'll be home soon。〃 …
〃Yes； sir； Staff Sergeant Theodore Bronson； your lecherous old great…great…great…grandmother will be careful。 How many 'greats' should there be in that？〃
〃Sweetheart； do you want that answered？ If it had not been necessary to calm your fears about Brian； I would have stayed 'Ted Bronson。' I like being your 'Theodore。' Fm not sure that being a mysterious man from the future is going to be as fortable。 Especially if you think of me as some remote descendant I'm here beside you； not in some far future。〃
〃Beside me。 Touching me。 And yet you're not even born yet…are you？ And… in your time … … I'm long dead。 You even know when I will die。 You said so。 You just won't tell me when。〃
〃Oh； confound it； Maureen； that's wrong all the way through！ That's what es of admittmg that I've time…traveled。 But I had to。 For you。〃 …
〃I'm sorry； Laz… Theodore my warrior。 I won't ask any more… questions。〃
〃Sweetheart； the fact that I am here means that you're no：
dead。 And I certainly was born； pinch me and find out。 All 'flows' are equal； that is the basic theorem of time travel。 They don't disappear； both 'past' and 'future' are mathematical abstractions； the 'now' is always all there is。 As for knowing the day you died…or will die； it's the same thing…I don't。 I just know that you had…have……will have…many children； and you live a long time。 。 and your hair never gets gray。 But the Foundation lost track of you…will lose track of you…and your date of death never got into the records。 Maybe you moved and didn't tell the Foundation。 Shucks； maybe I came back…will e back…and picked you up in your old age； and took you to
Tertius。〃… … …
〃Where？〃 〃My home。 I think you would like it there。 You could run around all day； dressed…undressed…as a French postcard。〃
〃I'm sure I would like that now。 But I don't think I would； as an old woman。〃
〃All you would have to do is to …ask Ishtar for rejuvenation。 I told you what she did for Tamara … 。 when her breasts hung down to her waist and were empty sacks。 But look at
Tamara now…that 'now'…pregnant again； just like a kid； But forget it…if it did happen； it will happen。 Mama Maureen… I'm durned if I'll call you 'Grandmother' again…all Fm sure of is that I'm not…sure of the date of your death； and I'm glad I'm not； and you should be。 Nor of my death； and I'm glad of that； too。 Carpe diem！ We're almost home and you started to say something and I said to call me 'Theodore' and we got off the track。 Was it about Tamara？〃
〃Oh； yes！ Theodore？ When you go home to wherever your home is； can you take anything with you？ Or does it have to be just you？〃
〃Why； no。 I arrived with clothes and money。〃
〃I'd like to send a little present to Tamara。 But I can't guess what she would want。 。 from this time to that wonderful age of yours。 Can you suggest something？〃
〃Mmm … 。 Tamara would treasure anything from you。 She knows she's descended from you； and she's the most warmly sentimental of all my family。 It should be something small enough to carry on my person； even in the trenches； as I'm always ready to abandon anything I'm not carrying… have to be。 Not jewelry。 Tamara would not value a diamond bracelet … one whit more than a hairpin 。 … but she would treasure a hairpi？ that I could tell her I had seen you wearing。 Something small； something you've worn。 Look； send her a garter！ Perfect！ One of these you have on。〃
〃Mayn't I send her a brand…new pail？ Oh； I'll slip them on for a moment； so that you。can tell her truthfully that I've worn them。 But these… Not only are they rather old and worn but I've perspired right through them tonight They're not fresh and clean。 And they do have naughty mottoes on them。〃
〃No； no； one of these。 Sweetheart； 'naughty' today can't be naughty on Tertius； I'll have to explain any naughtiness to Tamara。 As for perspiration； I hope that some trace of your sweet fragrance clings to them until I can get them to her； that would delight Tamara。 You say this pair is qld？ Maureen； …by any chance are they about six years old？〃
〃I told you I was sentimental； Theodore。 Yes； this is the same pair。 Old and faded and worn and I've replaced the elastic…but the same pair； I picked them to wear for you。〃
〃Then I want one of them for me！〃
〃Beloved Theodore。 I planned to offer you both of them。 That's why I suggested a new pair for Tamara。 Very well； dear； one for you； one for her。 As soon as we're home。 I'll trot upstairs； and when I e down； I'll have a present for you and
will tell you …not to open It until you're back at Camp Funston。 You just say thank you and go straight to your room and put it into your grip。 I see a light on the front porch； so now I must push my skirts down and be the prim and proper Mrs。 Brian Smith。 With a smoldering volcano inside her！ Thank you； Staff Sergeant Bronson。 You have given my son and me a most enjoyable evening。〃
〃Thank you； pretty little pussycat in green garters and no bloomers。 Will you grab the Teddy bear and the Kewpie doll while I carry our chaperon？〃
Ira Johnson and Nancy were not yet home。 Brian Junior relieved Lazarus of the limp child and carried him upstairs。 Carol went along to put Woodie to bed after exacting a promise from 〃Uncle Ted〃 not to go to bed before she came back。 George wanted to know where they had gone and what they had done； but Lazarus put him off with a promise and used the chance to repair to his tiny bath and repair himself。 …
Hair a bit mussed… Thank God respectable women did not use lipstick。 Uniform slightly wrinkled； nothing damning about that。 Five minutes later； refreshed and certain there were no feathers on his chin； Lazarus returned to the front of the house and offered George and Brian Junior an account of the eve…
… fling truthful in everything he said。
He had just started when Carol came down and listened too； then Mrs。 Smith rejoined them； moving regally as always and carrying a little package wrapped in tissue paper。 〃A surprise for you； Sergeant Theodore…please don't open it until you are back at camp。〃
〃Then I had better put it into my grip right now。〃
〃If you wish； sir。 I think it's bedtime； dears。〃 …