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eloved Jacob。 There were good times in Nantucket if it es to that； and throughout the whoring years； the profession is vastly underrated。 And my joys have been greater； I think； than any of you could know … because you are correct； Mike： joy is the product of the pain that has gone before it； and vice versa。 I know I could never have appreciated Jacob's quiet acceptance as much if I hadn't been looking for it for two centuries。
〃Oh； the seesaw never stops； I learned that when Jacob was killed … but then again I was gladder to find this bar than any customer you've ever had。〃
〃Then what。。。 I mean； why uh。。。？〃
〃Why am I hurting？ Hear me； Mike： there is nothing like extended life to make you aware that you're going to die someday。 I am more aware of my own mortality than any of you could possibly be。 Damn it； I've been dying for two hundred years！
〃And how do you； how do normal people e to terms with that awareness of mortality？ How do you beat death？〃
〃Oh lord；〃 the Doc gasped。 〃I remember now。 That toast。。。〃
〃Yes。〃 Rachel nodded。 〃The one that gave me the weeps； for the first time in twenty years。 'To Motherhood。' I don't want to see or hear or say anything about motherhood ever again！ A man or woman who's afraid of dying will either decide to believe in an afterlife。。。 or have children； so that something of himself or herself will live on。 I haven't believed in God since my years with Benjamin … and all my babies died childless and I can't have any more！ I had nineteen chances at real immortality； and they all came up craps。 I'm the last of my line。
〃So what will I leave behind me？ I haven't the gift to leave great books or paintings or music； I can't build anything； I have no eternal thoughts to leave the world。 I've been alive longer than anyone on Earth … and when I'm gone I'll leave nothing； nothing more durable than your memories of me。〃
Her voice had begun to rise shrilly； her hands danced in her lap。 〃For awhile I had hope； for those of my children who shared my birthmark … an hourglass on its side； high on the left shoulderblade … seemed to have a genetic share in my longevity。 But that damned birthmark is a curse； an unbeatable hex。 Not one of the； marked children had any interest at all in siring or bearing children of their own； and accident or illness cut them down； every one。 If even one of them had left a child； I could die happy。 But the curse is unbroken；〃 she slammed her fist down on the bar。 〃When I go I'll be gone； solid gone without a trace。 Centuries of living； and no heritage more durable than a footprint in the snow！〃
She was crying again； her voice strident and anguished； contorted with pain。 I could see Eddie； his own face twisting with strong emotion； trying to break in； but now that he wanted to talk she wouldn't let him。
〃So what have you got to offer me； boys？ What's your solution？ Have you got anything more useful than four fingers of bourbon？〃 She got up and flung her empty glass at the fireplace； began grabbing glasses off the bar and throwing them too； grunting with effort； still speaking： 〃What kind of。。。 answers have you。。。 got for an。。。 old old lady who's。。。 trapped in a moving。。。 box sliding。。。 downhill to。。。〃 She had run out of glasses； and with the last words she gripped the longlegged armchair she'd been sitting on and heaved it high over her head to throw it too into the fire； and as she stood there with the heavy chair held high her face changed； a look of enormous puzzlement smoothing over the hysterical rage。
〃。。。death？〃 she finished softly； and crumpled like a rag doll； the chair bouncing and clattering into a corner。
The Doc was fast； and ten feet closer； but Fast Eddie beat him easily。 He slid the last yard on his knees； lifted Rachel's head with great tenderness onto his lap； and hollered； 〃Rachel； lissen to me！〃 The Doc tried to take her away from him； and Eddie backhanded him off his feet without looking up。 〃Lissen to me Rachel； LISSEN goddamn it！〃 he thundered。
Her eyes fluttered open。 〃Yes； Eddie。〃
〃Ya can't die； Rachel； not yet。 You go and die on me an' I'll break both your arms； I swear to God。 Lissen here； if you want a daughter I can fix it。〃
She smiled； a faint and bitter smile。 〃Thanks； Eddie； but adoption just isn't the same。〃
〃I ain't talkin' about adoption；〃 he barked。 〃But I tell ya I can fix it。 Ida … spoke up sooner； but you said you didn't ever want to think about kids again。 Now will ya lissen； or are you too busy dyin'？〃
She was teetering on the edge； but I guess curiosity must be a powerful stimulant。 〃What。。。 what do you mean？〃
〃I'm sterile too； damn it。 My wife divorced me for it。〃 Our eyes widened a little more at this revelation； and I was suddenly ashamed of how little I knew about Eddie。 〃But I kept my ears open an' I found out how to beat it； how to leave somethin' behind； see？ Did you ever hear of cloning？〃
She looked startled。 〃You can't clone people； Eddie。〃
〃Not today； you can't。 Maybe you an' I won't live to see it happen； either。 But I can take ya inta Manhattan to a place where they'll freeze a slice o' yer skin； a lousy coupla million cells； an' keep 'em on ice 'til they can clone people。 Tom Flannery's there now； frozen like a popsicle； waitin' for 'em to invent a cure for leukemia； he tol' me about it。〃
I gasped in astonishment； saw Callahan beginning a broad grin。
〃So how 'bout it； Rachel？〃 Eddie snapped。 〃You want cryonics？ Or d'ya just wanna cry？〃
She stared at Eddie for a long moment； focusing about five feet past him； and nobody dared exhale。 And then two centuries of fighting spirit came through； and she smiled； a genuine smile of acceptance and peace。
〃Thank you； Eddie；〃 she breathed。 Her eyes became for one timeless instant the eyes of a young girl； the eyes that belonged on that youthful face； and then they closed； and she began to snore softly。 Rachel； who mourned for her lost children； and was forted。
Doc Webster got up off the floor； checked her pulse； and slapped Eddie on the back。 〃Always a pleasure； herr doktor； to assist you in the technique which bears your name；〃 he said jovially； spitting out a tooth。 〃Your medicine is stronger than mine。〃
Eddie met his gaze a little awkwardly； started to pick up Rachel's sleeping form； and then paused。 〃Gimme a hand； will ya； Doc？〃
〃Sure thing； buddy。 We'll take her over to Smithtown General for observation； but I think she'll be OK。〃 Together they lifted her gently and headed for the door。
But Eddie stopped when they reached it and turned toward Callahan； staring at the floor。 〃Mike；〃 he began。 〃I。。。 Uh。。。 what I mean。。。〃 The apology just wouldn't e。
Callahan laughed aloud for the sheer joy of it and pegged the stump of his cigar into the fireplace。 〃You guys；〃 he said； shaking his head。 〃Always cloning around。〃
8
UNNATURAL CAUSES
There's been a lot of noise in the papers lately about the series of seismic shocks that have been recorded over the last few weeks in the unlikeliest places。 Quake…predicting is a young art； from what I hear； and an occasional freak disturbance now and again should be