Slime problem

[Jean Magnan de Bornier <jean@bornier.net>]

 Hello all,
gentoo-linux here
I am new to slime 
M-x slime automatically opens an "inferior-lisp" buffer, with this
message in the mini-buffer:
 Polling "/tmp/slime.11696".. (Abort with `M-x slime-abort-connection'.) 
Obeying this does not bring slime though
When aborting and restarting slime I get the same thing with another
figure

When I installed slime it has worked nicely for a time, then this has
happened and I can't figure out why. I changed nothing in my configs.

Here is what appears in the inferior-lisp buffer:
. . . . .
Loaded subsystems:
    Python 1.1, target Intel x86
    CLOS based on Gerd's PCL 2004/04/14 03:32:47
* 
; Loading #p"/usr/share/emacs/site-lisp/slime/swank-loader.lisp".


Error in function REQUIRE:  Don't know how to load SWANK
   [Condition of type SIMPLE-ERROR]

Restarts:
  0: [CONTINUE] Return NIL from load of "/usr/share/emacs/site-lisp
/slime/swank-loader.lisp".
  1: [ABORT   ] Return to Top-Level.

Debug  (type H for help)

(REQUIRE :SWANK NIL)
Source: 
; File: target:code/module.lisp

; File has been modified since compilation:
;   target:code/module.lisp
; Using form offset instead of character position.
Error finding source: 
Error in function DEBUG::PRINT-CODE-LOCATION-SOURCE-FORM:
   Source path no longer exists.
0]
. . . .
Using cmucl instead of clos does not solve the problem
neither does reinstalling slime
I see this is related to swank, but I checked it is in the right place
any help much welcome, tia  
-- 
  Jean Magnan de Bornier             |        Cours Victor Hugo
  e-mots: jean at bornier.net        |        13980 Alleins   France
  T 08 70 39 34 03                   |        P 06 09 17 35 87