Chapter 17 Chapter Seventeen

Lovely earth, mother of thousands of worlds!What poet has not tried to express the nostalgia for seeing the birthplace of man?Whether they are lucky enough to have been to the earth or not... the pleasing green mountains and green waters, the sky and clouds in various poses, the never-calm ocean, and the warm charm of a mother are all exciting. Soapy saw the fabled Earth for the first time since he could remember it was on the screen of the Ariel cruise ship.Gishji, the captain of the cruise ship and captain of the guard, zoomed in and pointed out the arrow-shaped shadows of the Egyptian pyramids.But Soapy, ignorant of its history, was looking elsewhere.He loved seeing a planet from space, but had never had the chance to see Earth on screen before.

Thorby is bored aboard the Ariel ship bound for Earth.The cruise ship carried very little stuff along the way. There were only three engineers and three astronauts on board, and they were usually on duty or sleeping.Embarkation was not very pleasant at first, because Captain Kishiyoshi had a headache about the "passenger pickup" coming from the Hydra.No cruise ship likes to take people. Their first consideration is to ensure the smooth completion of postal tasks. But Soapy was sensible.He cooks for them and does errands, and spends his spare time reading (there is a drawer of books under the captain's bunk).The commander was furious as he approached the sun... even more so when he was ordered to land on the Galactic company grounds instead of the cruise ship base.But when he asked Soapy to disembark, and handed him a bill of exchange, he shook hands with Soapy.

Soapy didn't climb the rope ladder to disembark (there are no passenger elevators on cruise ships), because he found an elevator to pick him up, stopped just at the level of the hatch and opened it, and out came a man in the uniform of the Galactic Corporation spaceport. "You are Mr. Rudbeck?" "I think that's me." "This way, Mr. Rudbeck, please." The elevator took him to a beautiful lounge in the basement.Soapy, unkempt and unkempt, was not at ease suddenly in such a clean place after weeks of confinement in the cramped iron box.He stood there looking around.

There were a dozen or so people in the hall, and two of them stood out the most. One was a man with gray hair and an extraordinary appearance, and the other was a young woman.The clothes these two people were wearing might not be able to buy a guard soldier's salary for a year.Soapy hadn't thought of the question about the man, but his merchant's gaze fell on the woman's dress.That dignified and gorgeous suit will cost a lot of money. In Soapy's opinion, the effect of the demure and rich clothes was spoiled by the fashion of her hair, which stood high in green and gold.He surveyed her style of dress in amazement.In Jubulbo, whenever the weather is favorable for dressing up, he sees many beautiful ladies.Women's clothing in both places will expose part of the skin, but the exposed parts are quite different.Soapy thought anxiously that he would have to get used to the new customs again.

When Soapy came out of the elevator, the man who seemed to have a lot of status came up to him. "Sol! Welcome home, boy!" He shook Thorby's hand. "I'm John Wilmsby. I used to rock you on my lap when you were little and called me Uncle Jack. This is your cousin Lyda." The green-haired girl put her hands on Soapy's shoulders and kissed him.He was so surprised that he forgot to kiss back.She said, "It's good of you to come home, Saul." "Well, thank you." "Now you have to say hello to your grandparents," said Wilmsby pointing to Soapy. "This is Grandpa Professor Bradley... and this is your Grandma Bradley."

Bradley was older than Wilmsby, straight, with a slightly protruding stomach, and clean-shaven.Like Wilmsby, he wore a suit, but not quite as splendidly as Wilmsby's.The old lady's face is kind and friendly, and her blue eyes are very energetic.Her dress was not the same as Leda's, but it suited her well.She kissed Soapy lightly on the cheek and said softly, "It feels like my son is back." The old man took Soapy's hand firmly, and said, "It's a miracle, boy! You look just like our son--your father. Don't you, dear?" "yes!" They chatted.Soapy did his best to answer their questions, but his head was bewildered and he felt very uneasy.Seeing these strangers who came to recognize relatives, he felt even more awkward than at Sisu's adoption ceremony.These old people—are they really his grandparents?Although Soapy guessed that they might be related, deep down he didn't believe it was true.

What relieved him was the man who called himself Uncle Jack, Wilmsby.He said politely and convincingly, "We'd better go. I bet the boy is tired. Shall I take him home?" The two old men in Bradley agreed in a low voice, and the group headed for the hall exit.Everyone else who hadn't been introduced in the lobby followed them out.In the hallway, they stepped up the slide, which picked up speed and the side wall whizzed back.Near the end—Thorby reckoned it had covered a few miles—the glideslope slowed and finally stopped of its own accord.They come out. It's a public place with high ceilings and a crowd so crowded that you can't see the walls.Soapy recognized it as something like a station.Those who followed them silently immediately stepped forward to block the flow of people.These people ignored the crowd and walked straight forward.Several people tried to squeeze in, one of them managed to push the crowd away, put a microphone to Soapy's mouth, and said eagerly: "Rudbeck, please tell me about..."

A guard immediately blocked him.Wilmsby said immediately, "Later, later! Just call my office and you'll find out the details." High and far away, a large number of cameras are aimed at them.They walked through the crowd and walked into another passage, closing the passage door behind them.The glideslide there took them to another elevator entrance, which transported them to a small, walled airport.A flying car is parked there, and there is a small car behind it.Both cars are oval in shape with sleek, flowing lines.Wilmsby stopped and asked Mrs. Bradley, "Can you take a ride?"

"Oh, of course," said Professor Bradley for her. "Is this car okay?" "Excellent. It must have been a pleasant excursion, I believe, and must have been very comfortable." "Then we will say goodbye. I will call you when the children are familiar with the environment under the guidance. Do you understand me?" "Oh, of course I understand. We're waiting for your call." Grandma gave Thorby a hasty kiss, and Grandpa patted him on the shoulder.Then Soapy, Wilmsby, and Lyda got into the cart.The driver saluted first to Mr. Wimsby and then to Soapy, who did the same.

After a few steps in the cart, Wilmsby stopped in the middle aisle. "Why don't you two children go to the front of the car to enjoy the joy of a short trip? I'll answer the phone first." "Okay, Dad," said Lyda. "Can you forgive me, Saul? I'm busy with business, and I'll take care of the mines in the back of the car." "No problem, Uncle Jack." Leda led Soapy a step ahead.They sat down on the car seat with a transparent dome in front, and then the car rose vertically to a height of several thousand feet, turned a corner above the wilderness, and flew towards the high mountains to the north.

"Are you comfortable?" Layda asked. "It's very comfortable. Well, I'm just a little too dirty." "There's a bathroom behind the lounge. But we'll be home in a minute. Let's enjoy our journey." "That's fine." Soapy didn't want to miss any scenery on the magical earth.Earth was a lot like Hecate, he thought—no, more like Woollamulla, but he had never seen so many buildings.Those rolling hills... He looked down again. "What's that white stuff? Is it alum?" Leda looked at it and said, "Hey, that's snow. That's Sancre de Cristo." "'Snow,'" repeated Soapy, "is frozen water?" "Have you never seen snow before?" "I've only heard of it, and it's not quite the same as I imagined." "Snow is frozen water, but not quite. It's light and fluffy." Lyda thought of Papa's warning not to be surprised at anything about Soapy. She said, "You know what, I can teach you how to ski." It took Lyda a few minutes—many miles away—to explain to Soapy what skiing was and why people skied.Soapy put it down in his mind as something he might try later, but the odds were slim.Leda said ski fractures happen from time to time.Is that interesting, Soapy thought?In addition, she also said that it was very cold when skiing.In Thorby's mind, cold is associated with hunger, beatings and fear. "Perhaps I can learn," he said vaguely, "but I'm not very interested." "Oh, you can try it!" She changed the subject. "Excuse my curiosity, Sol, but you speak with an accent." "I don't think I have an accent myself." "I'm being rude." "What's the matter. My accent is probably Jubulpo's. That's where I've lived the longest." "Jubulpo... let me think about it. That's..." "The capital of Nine Stars." "Oh, remember! One of our colonies, isn't it?" Soapy wondered what the Sargon would think of that. "Well, you're not quite sure. It's a monarchy now—always has been. They don't want to admit they're descended from Earth." "What a strange point of view." A flight attendant arrives with drinks and morsels.Soapy ordered a cold drink, which he tasted cautiously.Lyda continued, "What are you doing there, Saul? Going to school?" This sentence reminded Soapy of his father's patient education, but he knew she didn't mean it. "I'm begging." "what?" "I'm a beggar." "pardon?" "A beggar, a licensed beggar, that is, a beggar for alms." "I know what a beggar is," she answered. "I've read about it. But—forgive me, Sol, I'm just a girl who stays at home—I'm surprised." She is not a "girl who stays at home without knowledge", but a sophisticated woman cultivated by the environment.Since her mother's death, she has been the hostess of the family, interacting with alien guests with ease, and can speak with dignity at a banquet in three languages.Leda can fly a flying machine, dance, sing, swim, ski, manage the house, do slow calculations if need be, read, write, and handle it well.She was a smart, beautiful, kind woman, the equivalent of a headmaid of a hunting tribe—competent, adaptable, and cunning. But this lost and found strange cousin is quite different from everyone she has come into contact with before.She said hesitantly: "Please excuse my ignorance. I have never heard of such a profession on earth, let alone seen such a thing. Is begging painful?" This sentence reminded Soapy of the old days: sitting in Liberty Square, sitting next to Dad, sitting on the ground with legs spread and arms spread, talking to him. "That was the happiest time of my life." That was all he answered. "Oh." She had nothing else to say, but just responded. Dad isn't around, so she can do whatever she wants.Wouldn't it be playing into a man's interest to ask him about himself?This trick has been tried and tested. "How does a man start begging for food, Sol? I don't know how to start?" "I was taught by others. At that time, I was about to be sold—" He was about to talk about the old man's story in detail, but then he thought, let's talk about it later, "An old beggar took me Bought it." "Bought you down?" "Because I'm a slave." Leida felt as if his whole head had not been submerged in the water, and he was completely stunned.She probably wouldn't have been so shocked if Soapy had said he was a "man-eater" or a "vampire" or a "wizard".She was panting nervously. "Saul, forgive me if I've been reckless, we're all curious about the past—Jesus! You've been missing for over 15 years. If you don't want to answer, just ask. Back then you It's a cute little baby, I like you very much, if I ask something wrong, don't scold me." "You don't believe what I say?" "How can I believe that? There were no slaves centuries ago." It is impossible to communicate with her!If only he hadn't left the Hydra, Soapy thought, but now it was too late.He had heard it said in the guards that Vlaky on many planets had never heard of slave trading. "You knew me when I was a kid?" "Oh yes!" "Then why can't I remember you? I have completely forgotten the past, even the earth." She smiled and said, "I'm 3 years older than you. I was 6 years old when I last saw you, so I still remember. You were only 3 years old at the time, so of course you don't remember." "Oh," thought Soapy, and that would give him his age. "How old are you now?" Lyda smiled slyly and said, "I'm your age—I'm going to stay that age until I get married. Don't be offended if I say something wrong, and I won't be offended if you say something wrong. Sol , on Earth, you can't ask a woman's age, just assume she's younger than she really is." "Really?" Soapy pondered this strange custom for a moment.Among traders, a woman could clearly state her actual age to show her identity. "Yes. Your mother was a lovely lady, for example, but I never knew her age. She was maybe twenty-five, maybe forty, when I knew her." "You know my parents?" "Oh, yes! Uncle Creighton's a lovely fellow, with a loud voice. He used to slip a handful of bills into my dirty hands and tell me to buy lollipops and balloons." She frowned. But I can't remember what he looks like. What a bad memory. Don't mention it, Sol, and tell me about yourself, anything, I'd like to hear it if you don't mind." "I can tell anything," replied Soapy, "but I can't remember the time when I was first taken away. I really can't. As far as I can remember, I never had parents. Before I got to Jubulpo A slave who has been to several places and had several masters. After I got to Jubulbo, I was sold again. But that was the greatest good thing that happened to me." The polite smile on Leda's face disappeared.She asked softly, "You really think so, don't you?" Returning wanderers always encounter a lot of trouble, and Saul is no exception. "If you think slavery has been completely abolished... well, but the galaxy is so big, you don't necessarily know what's going on there. Shall I roll up my pant legs so you can see?" "Show me what, Sol?" "My slave mark, the tattoo that proves I'm a commodity." He rolled up his left pant leg and said, "Look, that date is my Emancipation Day, and it's in Sargon. I think You may not know." She stared at the slave mark with wide eyes: "It's terrible! It's really terrible!" Soapy lowered his trouser legs. "It depends on who the master is, but a slave master is not always a good thing." "But why doesn't anyone do anything about it?" Soapy shrugged and said, "It's too far away." "But—" At this point, her father came out from the back compartment. "Hi, boys. Have a good trip, Sol?" "Very pleasant, sir. The view is splendid." "The Rocky Mountains are far worse than the Himalayas, but our Teton Mountains are really beautiful... You see, there it is. We're almost home." He pointed again. "See? That's it Rudbeck." "That city is also called Rudbeck?" "It used to be called Johnson's Hole or something, when it was just a village. But I don't mean Rudbeck, I mean our home - your home - 'Rudbeck'. You can see That tall building over the lake...the Grand Tetons are behind it, the most majestic backdrop in the world. You are Rudbeck of Rudbeck Township, Rudbeck City...your father called you 'Rudbeck Cubic'...too bad he left before the name was known. I love the name, like a string of thunder. Now, Rudbeck is back at Rudbeck, which is great." When he got home, Soapy had a good bath: first the shower, then the hot tub, and finally the lukewarm swimming pool, where he felt much cooler, but carefully, because he never learned to over swimming. He had never had a valet before.When he arrived at Rudbeck, he found dozens of people living here.Of course, compared with the scale of the building, this number is not a lot.But he came to realize that most of them were servants.He was taken aback, but not quite so much, because he knew that rich people in Jubul also had many slaves.At this time, he had not thought that on earth, a living servant is the greatest waste and the greatest luxury. A hospitality program.He just felt that these servants disturbed him.He now has three servants.He refused them to wash him, but finally let them shave him because they only had traditional folding razors, and his own electric razor did not respond to the Rudbeck.Other than that, he only takes their advice when it comes to dressing. The clothes put in the closet for him didn't quite fit, and the head valet remade him and apologized softly.He dressed Soapy in fine clothes and laced the bodice with lace.Then another footman came up and said, "Mr. Wilmsby greets Rudbeck and invites him to the hall." Soapy followed the servant, memorizing the route as he walked. Uncle Jack, in black and red, was waiting there with Leda.Lyda was wearing... Soapy couldn't tell, because her clothes were changing colors and she was very revealing in places.He saw at once that the jewels she was wearing were trifles bought from Finster.He wondered if these things had been brought over by the Sisu.Well, maybe, these gadgets were registered by himself on the Sisu! Uncle Jack said cheerfully, "Here you come, boy! Are you refreshed after the break? We're just having a family dinner, and we won't tire you out." There were 12 people who came to eat. The host first welcomed everyone in the hall. With the sound of music, the servants with light footsteps handed over drinks and appetizers. At this time, some other people appeared. "Rudbeck of the Rudbeck family, this is Ms. Wilkes, your aunt Jennifer, son, she came to see you from New Zealand." "Rudbeck of the Rudbeck family, these two It's Judge and Mrs. Bruder, and the judge is our family's general counsel." And so on.While memorizing the names in his mind, Soapy paid attention to the faces of each other, thinking to himself, in fact, this is the same as the Sisu family, except that the titles of these relatives are not like the Sisu number, which can accurately indicate the identity and relationship.He didn't even know what kind of relationship Lyda was, but he figured she couldn't be a cousin, just a cousin, because Uncle Jack's last name wasn't Rudbeck.He didn't know which of his eighty-odd "relatives" were on Leida's side, so he had to regard this aspect as a taboo for fear of embarrassing her. Soapy had realized one thing: he must have been born into a wealthy family.But no one said what his identity was, and at the same time, he didn't know the situation of others.At this moment, two very young women curtseyed to him.When the first one saluted, he thought that the other party had fallen, so he quickly helped her up.He already understood when the second person saluted, so he just put his hands together and returned the salute. The older women seemed to expect him to be respectful to them.As for Judge Bruder, Thorby did not know what his relation to the family was, for he had not been informed, when Uncle Jack introduced him, that he was also a relation.But isn't today's family banquet?In this way, he also seems to be regarded as a member of the family.The Judge looked at Soapy critically, and exclaimed, "I'm glad you're back, young man! There ought to be a Rudbeck at the Rudbeck's house. Just in time for your day off, a bit of trouble, isn't it?" , John?" "Yes." Uncle Jack agreed with the judge, "but everything will be fine. Don't worry, give the child some time to get acquainted with the situation at home." "Of course, of course, the leaks in the dike should be plugged beforehand." Soapy was wondering what the judge meant, but Lyda grabbed him by the arm and led him into the banquet hall, followed by the others.Soapy sat down at the end of the long table.At the other end sat Uncle Jack, Aunt Jennifer on Soapy's right, Lyda on his left.Aunt Jennifer first asked Thorby some questions, and also answered Thorby's questions.Soapy admitted that he had just left the National Guard, but Aunt Jennifer didn't quite understand why he didn't get a job.Soapy did not answer the question, nor did he say anything about Jubulbo, since Leda had "vaccinated" him against talking about his own life.He asked about New Zealand, and Aunt Jennifer talked in general terms.All irrelevant topics. At this point Lyda turned away from Judge Bruder and chatted with Soapy.Aunt Jennifer turned to talk to the man on her right. The cutlery on the dinner table is very strange, especially the vegetable tongs and skewers. Fortunately, the spoon is still a spoon, and the fork is still a fork.Soapy imitated Leda's appearance, and he was able to deal with it so-so.The food and service are very formal, but he has seen the scenes of the patriarch's grandmother dining, and has been taught by Fritz, who has a sharp mouth and a bean curd heart, so the dining rules are not a problem. It was not until the end of the banquet that Soapy was stumped.The butler presented him with a large goblet, filled it and waited there.Leda said softly: "Taste it, nod your head, and put it down." He did as Leda said.After the butler left, she whispered, "You can't drink it, that kind of wine is very strong. By the way, I told Daddy, 'Don't make a toast'." The meal was finally over.Lyda reminded him again: "Stand up." He stood up, and everyone else stood up. "Family Banquet" is just the beginning.Uncle Jack only showed up at meals, and didn't show up at other times.His reason for not being home was, "Somebody has to keep the day job, and there are all sorts of things to get you out of." As a trader, Soapy knew that business was business and there was no room for delay, but he hoped to have a good talk with Uncle Jack. Talk, don't want to be entangled in social life all day long.Leda was very helpful to him, but he could get very little information from her. "Dad is very busy. He has all kinds of companies and things to manage. It's too complicated, and I don't understand it at all. Let's hurry up, everyone else is waiting." There was always someone else waiting for them, telling them to go dancing, skiing—Thorby liked the feeling of flying, but he thought it was a bit risky to walk, especially when he plunged headfirst into the snowdrift and almost When hitting a big tree.There are also playing cards and eating with young people.He sat at one end of the table, Lyda at the other, and then dancing, flying to Yellowstone to feed the bears, supper, garden receptions, and so on.Although the Rudbeck estate is in the Teton col, surrounded by snow, the home has a large tropical garden with a clear dome above it.Soapy hadn't noticed that there was a dome over the garden until Lyda asked him to touch the roof.Leda's friends were very interesting, and Thorby was gradually able to talk to them too.The lads called him "Sol" instead of "Rudbeck" and called Leda "The Gunner."They all respected him and were very interested in his time in the Guard and the many planets he had been to, but they just didn't ask him personal questions.Soapy is also reluctant to talk about what happened to him, because Leda reminded him. But over time, he began to tire of these activities.Parties are pleasant, but a laborer always likes to do something. All pleasures have an end.One day, a group of more than a dozen of them were skiing, and Soapy stayed on the slope to practice alone.At this time, a person slipped down the mountain and stopped in front of Soapy.No matter day or night, there seemed to be a stranger in the manor at any time, and the name of this newcomer was Joël Delacroix. "Hello, Sol." "Hello, Joel." "I've been wanting to talk to you. I have an idea that I want to talk to you about when you take over. Can I get ready to meet with you without a bunch of secretaries around?" "What 'takeover'?" "Let's talk about it later, when it's convenient for you. I want to talk to the boss, after all, you are the heir. I don't want to discuss it with Wilmsby... Even if he meets me, I won't talk to him." Joel looked anxious Impatiently, "10 minutes is enough for me. If you're not interested after the conversation starts, it's only 5 minutes. Can you guarantee this in the name of the Rudbeck family?" Soapy racked his brains to guess what he meant. What does "take over" mean? What about "The Heir"?He replied cautiously: "I don't want to make any promises now, Joel." Delacroix shrugged and said, "Okay, but if you think about it, I can attest that it's a lucrative business." "I'll think about it," Thorby agreed.He started looking for Leda.When he found it, he took Leda aside and told her what Joel had said. Leda frowned slightly, and said, "Since you didn't promise him anything, it probably won't do any harm. Joel is a very talented engineer. But it's best to ask Dad about it." "That's not what I meant. What did Joel mean by 'take over'?" "Well, it means that you will take over one day." "'Take over' what?" "Take over everything. After all, you're Rudbeck's Rudbeck." "So, what does 'everything' mean?" "Well, well—" she said, waving her hand over the mountains, the lake, and the city of Rudbeck behind, "it's all, Rudbeck. Lots and lots of things that are personal to you, like in Australia you have Hacienda, Mallorca, Spain. Your house. And business stuff. Rudbeck partnerships abound, on Earth, and on other planets. I can't tell. But they're all yours, or 'Ours' because the whole family has a share. But at the end of the day, you are the Rudbeck of Rudbeck, and as Joel said, you are the heir." Soapy looked at her and felt his lips dry.He licked his lips and said, "Why didn't you tell me?" She looked distressed. "Dear Saul! We want you to take your time. Daddy doesn't want you to worry." "Well," he said, "I'm worried now. I'd better talk to Uncle Jack." John Wilmsby was eating, but there were many other guests.When the guests were gone, Wilmsby took Soapy aside, and said, "Leda tell me you're very distressed." "Not really. I just want to know something." "You will know. I think you are tired of rest. Let us go to the study." When he arrived, Wilmsby dismissed his second-shift secretary and said, "Well, what do you want to know?" "I wonder what it means to be 'Rudbeck's Rudbeck'." Wimsby spread out his hands and said, "Have everything... and have nothing. Now that your father is dead... if he is dead, you are the nominal head of the family." "Any questions?" "I don't think there is any doubt. But you, for example, didn't you appear again?" "Assuming my father is dead, what am I? Leda seems to think I have everything. What does she mean?" Wilmsby laughed. "You know girls don't understand business. Our business ownership is spread out and most of the power is in the hands of our employees. But if your parents die, you get a share in the Rudbeck partnership. , this company can also obtain equity from other subsidiaries, and sometimes enjoy a controlling interest. Now I can’t explain clearly, I will ask legal personnel to deal with these matters. I am in charge of daily affairs, and I am too busy to want to Fuck about who owns how much. But this one reminds me... You haven't got much pocket money, but you might want some." Wilmsby opened a drawer and took out a This book, said, "Here is 100 million yuan. Just let me know when you are short of money." Soapy flipped through the notebook.The currency of the earth did not confuse him: 100 yuan was a small sum—five loaves of bread, a trick the cashier had taught him to estimate the value of money— 1,000 small sums are equal to one large sum, and 1,000 large sums are equal to 100 million yuan.The measurement of the earth currency is actually very simple, and even compatriots use the earth currency as a reference for the conversion of various currencies. However, each piece of paper in this book is equivalent to 10,000 small sums, and there are 100 pieces in total. "Is this money... all inherited from me?" "Oh, it's just pocket money--cheques. It can be used as money at the store or at the bank. Do you know how to use a check?" "have no idea." "Thumbprint checks when you plug it into a vending machine. Let Leda teach you—if that girl makes money as fast as she spends it, you and I won't have to work. But," Weems Bee said again, "Now that we're talking about this, let's try it first." He took out a folder and opened the files in it, "It's very simple, just sign a signature under each file, and next to the signature Take a thumbprint and I'll call in Beth for a notarization. You see, page after page, till the end. I'd better hold these papers down, the damn thing's rolled up." Wilmsby made Soapy sign a document he held down.Thorby hesitated, did not sign, and wanted to take the document over to have a look.But Wilmsby held it firmly in his hand, and said, "What's the matter?" "If you want to sign, then I should read it first." Soapy thought of all the things that had annoyed the patriarch's grandmother in the past. "These are routine matters that Judge Bruder prepared for you," said Wilmsby, shrugging. Wimsby placed the document among the others, closed the folder, and tied it , said, "It's nothing, anyway, these documents are for me to do what I have to do. Someone has to do the daily work." "Then why am I obliged to sign it?" "It's a security measure." "I do not understand." Wimsby sighed and said, "The problem is you don't know business. Of course, no one wants you to know business, and you haven't learned it. That's why I have to work hard because Business cannot be delayed." He hesitated, then added, "Let me explain this in the simplest terms. When your parents are going on vacation, they must assign someone to work for them. I am their natural I was the manager of their business, and had been running it for your grandfather until now—he died before your parents left home. So, while they were traveling, I was in charge of the business. Oh, I'm not complaining, really. It's all family, I'm ashamed not to help them. Unfortunately, your parents have never been back since, so I have been doing this hard work that I can't get rid of thing. "Now you're back, so we must and must sort everything out. First, your parents must be legally declared dead—before you can be the heir to property, rights, titles, privileged positions. One thing has to be done. It takes a while for the death to be announced. So, I, as manager of your business, as well as the manager of the whole family, cannot expect you to tell me what to do. With these documents, I will It can be done straight away.” 索比搔了搔脸颊，说：“如果我还没有继承公司，那么为什么你还需要得到我的签字呢？” 威姆斯比笑了笑，说：“我自己也纳闷。但布鲁德法官认为应当采取点预防措施。既然你现在已经到了法定年龄——” “'法定年龄'？”索比从来没有听说过这个术语，在同胞中，男人的年龄大小，全看他能做什么事。 威姆斯比解释说：“事情是这样的，既然你已经过了18岁生日，你就已经到了法定年龄，这样事情就简单了，这就意味着你不用再当受法庭监护的人了。我们有你父母的授权书，现在又有了你的授权书，那么，不管法庭需要多长时间才能对你父母作出死亡裁决，都无关紧要了。我和布鲁德法官以及其他必须工作的人，就可以不受干扰地继续做我们的事情。我们必须抓紧时间……浪费一段时间，企业就可能会损失好多个亿。现在你明白了吗？” "I see." “好的，那就签字吧。”威姆斯比又打开文件夹。 索比心想，族长奶奶经常说，签字之前要看一遍，再想一想。于是他说：“杰克伯伯，我想看一看文件。” “你看不懂的。” “我有可能看不懂，”索比想拿文件夹，说，“但我非弄懂不可。” 威姆斯比却伸手收回了文件夹，说：“没有必要。” 索比倔强地说：“你不是说这些东西是布鲁德法官为我准备的吗？” "yes." “那么我就想把文件拿到自己房间里，尽量弄个明白。如果我是'鲁德贝克的鲁德贝克'，我就应该知道我所做的事情。” 威姆斯比犹豫了一下，然后耸耸肩：“拿去吧。你看了以后会发现，从过去到现在，我一直在为你们卖力工作。” “但我还是应该弄清楚我所做的事情。” “很好！晚安。” 回到自己住处以后，索比一直看到睡觉为止。文件里的语言很难懂，但是这些文件确实如杰克伯伯所说，都是要求约翰·威姆斯比继续做好一家综合性企业的日常工作的指示。他躺在床上，满脑子里都是“全权律师”、“各种商务活动”、“款项收付”、“一致同意方可撤销”、“放弃个人出庭权”、“完全信任和相信”以及“投票表决代理权在于临时或每年一届的全体股东和（或）董事会”等法律用语。 正当他昏昏欲睡时，索比突然想到自己没有提出要看看父母亲写的授权书。 这天夜里，索比好像听见了族长奶奶严厉的声音：“——再想一想！要是你不懂它是什么意思，而文件在付诸法律以后又可以生效执行，那就不要签字！不管这份文件看上去有多大好处，你也不能签。过分懒惰或者过分急切都可以毁掉一个贸易商。” 他一夜没有睡好觉。