20 CONSPIRATOR
第20章 谋反者
The mayor's palace ?what was once the mayor's palace ?was a looming smudge in the darkness. The city was quiet under its conquest and curfew, and the hazy milk of the great Galactic Lens, with here and there a lonely star, dominated the sky of the Foundation.
市长官邸……或者应该说，一度曾是市长官邸的雄伟建筑……隐隐约约耸立在黑暗中。端点市沦陷后便实施宵禁，整座城市现在一片死寂。而基地的夜空中，横跨着壮观而朦胧的乳白色“银河透镜”，此外便是几颗孤零零的恒星。
In three centuries the Foundation had grown from a private project of a small group of scientists to a tentacular trade empire sprawling deep into the Galaxy and half a year had flung it from its heights to the status of another conquered province.
三个世纪以来，基地从一小群科学家私下的计划，发展到如今的贸易帝国，触角深入银河系各角落。而在短短半年间，它就从至高无上的地位，沦落为另一个沦陷区。
Captain Han Pritcher refused to grasp that.
汉·普利吉上尉拒绝接受这个事实。
The city's sullen nighttime quiet, the darkened palace, intruder-occupied, were symbolic enough, but Captain Han Pritcher, just within the outer gate of the palace, with the tiny nuclear bomb under his tongue, refused to understand.
端点市寂静的夜晚一片肃杀之气，遭侵略者占据的官邸则没有一丝光明，在在是明显的象征。可是汉·普利吉上尉仍旧拒绝承认这一切，此时他已穿过官邸的外门，舌头底下还含着一颗微型核弹。
A shape drifted closer ?the captain bent his head.
一个身影飘然向他靠近……上尉立即低下头去。
The whisper came deathly low, "The alarm system is as it always was, captain. Proceed! It will register nothing."
他们交头接耳的声音压得非常低。“上尉，警报系统一切如常。前进！它不会响的。”
Softly, the captain ducked through the low archway, and down the fountain-lined path to what had been Indbur's garden.
上尉蹑手蹑脚地低头穿过低矮的拱道，经过两旁布满喷泉的小径，来到原本属于茵德布尔的花园。
Four months ago had been the day in the Time Vault, the fullness of which his memory balked at. Singly and separately the impressions would come back, unwelcome, mostly at night.
四个月前在时光穹窿中发生的变故，如今仍然历历在目。那些记忆徘徊不去，纵使他万般不愿，点点滴滴仍然自动浮现，而且大多是在夜晚。
Old Seldon speaking his benevolent words that were so shatteringly wrong ?the jumbled confusion ?Indbur, with his mayoral costume incongruously bright about his pinched, unconscious face ?the frightened crowds gathering quickly, waiting noiselessly for the inevitable word of surrender ?the young man, Toran, disappearing out of a side door with the Mule's clown dangling over his shoulder……
老谢顿苦口婆心的言语，没想到竟然错得那么离谱……穹窿中一片混乱……茵德布尔憔悴而人事不省的脸孔，和过分华丽的市长礼服多么不相衬……惊惶的民众迅速聚集，默默等待不可避免的投降声明……杜伦那个年轻人，将骡的小丑背在肩上，从侧门一溜烟地消失……
And himself, somehow out of it all afterward, with his car unworkable.
至于他自己，后来也总算逃离现场，却发现他的车子无法发动。
Shouldering his way along and through the leaderless mob that was already leaving the city ?destination unknown.
他挤在城外的乌合之众当中，左冲右撞一路向前走……目的地不明。
Making blindly for the various rat holes which were ?which had once been ?the headquarters for a democratic underground that for eighty years had been failing and dwindling.
他盲目地摸索着各种“老鼠窝”……民主地下组织的大本营。这个地下组织发展了八十年，如今却逐渐销声匿迹。
And the rat holes were empty.
所有的老鼠窝都唱着空城计。
The next day, black alien ships were momentarily visible in the sky, sinking gently into the clustered buildings of the nearby city. Captain Han Pritcher felt an accumulation of helplessness and despair drown him.
第二天，时时可见黑色的异邦星舰出现在天空，并缓缓降落在城内建筑群中。无助与绝望的感觉郁积在汉·普利吉上尉心头，令他愈来愈沉重。
He started his travels in earnest.
他急切地开始了他的旅程。
In thirty days he had covered nearly two hundred miles on foot, changed to the clothing of a worker in the hydroponic factories whose body he found newly-dead by the side of the road, grown a fierce beard of russet intensity
三十天内，他几乎徒步走了二百英里。他在路边发现一个刚死的尸体，那是一名水耕厂工人，便将工人制服剥下来换上。此外，他还留了浓密的红褐色络腮胡……
And found what was left of the underground.
而且找到了地下组织的余党。
The city was Newton, the district a residential one of one-time elegance slowly edging towards squalor, the house an undistinguished member of a row, and the man a small-eyed, big-boned whose knotted fists bulged through his pockets and whose wiry body remained unbudgingly in the narrow door opening.
地点是牛顿市一个原本相当高雅的住宅区，如今却愈来愈肮脏污秽。那栋房子与左邻右舍没有任何不同，狭窄的房门口，有个精瘦的男子站在那里一动不动。那人有一对小眼睛，骨架很大，肌肉盘虬，两手握拳插在口袋里。
The captain mumbled, "I come from Miran."
上尉喃喃道：“我来自米兰。”
The man returned the gambit, grimly. "Miran is early this year."
那人绷着脸，答了另一句暗语：“米兰今年还早。”
The captain said, "No earlier than last year."
上尉又说：“不比去年更早。”
But the man did not step aside. He said, "Who are you?"
那人却依然挡在门口，问道：“你到底是什么人？”
"Aren't you Fox?"
“难道你不是‘狐狸’吗？”
"Do you always answer by asking?"
“你总是用问句来回答别人的问话吗？”
The captain took an imperceptibly longer breath, and then said calmly, "I am Han Pritcher, Captain of the Fleet, and member of the Democratic Underground Party. Will you let me in?"
上尉浅浅地吸了一口气，然后镇定地说：“我是汉·普利吉，基地舰队的上尉军官，也是民主地下党党员。你到底要不要让我进去？”
The Fox stepped aside. He said, "My real name is Orum Palley."
“狐狸”这才向一旁让开，并说：“我的本名叫欧如姆·波利。”
He held out his hand. The captain took it.
他伸出手来，上尉赶紧握住他的手。
The room was well-kept, but not lavish. In one comer stood a decorative book-film projector, which to the captain's military eyes might easily have been a camouflaged blaster of respectable caliber. The projecting lens covered the doorway, and such could be remotely controlled.
屋内十分整洁，但装潢并不奢华。角落处摆着一个装饰用的书报投影机，上尉训练有素的眼睛立刻看出是一种伪装，它很可能是一挺口径很大的机铳。投影机的“镜头”刚好对着门口，而且显然可以遥控。
The Fox followed his bearded guest's eyes, and smiled tightly. He said, "Yes! But only in the days of Indbur and his lackey-hearted vampires. It wouldn't do much against the Mule, eh……Nothing would help against the Mule. Are you hungry?"
“狐狸”寻着大胡子客人的目光看去，露出僵硬的笑容。他说：“没错！不过当初装设这玩意，是为了伺候茵德布尔和他豢养的那些吸血鬼。它根本无法对付骡，不是吗？没有任何武器能够对付骡。你饿不饿？”
The captain's jaw muscles tightened beneath his beard, and he nodded.
上尉的下巴在大胡子底下暗暗抽动，然后他点了点头。
"It'll take a minute if you don't mind waiting." The Fox removed cans from a cupboard and placed two before Captain Pritcher. "Keep your finger on it, and break them when they're hot enough. My heat-control unit's out of whack. Things like that remind you there's a war on ?or was on, eh?"
“请稍等，只要一分钟就好。”“狐狸”从橱柜中拿出几个罐头，将其中两个摆到普利吉上尉面前，“把你的手指放在上面，感觉到够热的时候，就可以打开来吃。我的加热控制器坏掉了。这种事能提醒你如今正在打仗……或者说刚打过仗，不是吗？”
His quick words had a jovial content, but were said in anything but a jovial tone ?and his eyes were coldly thoughtful. He sat down opposite the captain and said, "There'll be nothing but a burn-spot left where you're sitting, if there's anything about you I don't like. Know that?"
“狐狸”急促地说着平易近人的话语，可是口气一点也不平易近人……他的眼神也很冷淡，透露着重重心事。他在上尉对面坐下，又说：“假如我对你感到丝毫疑虑，你的座位上就只剩下一团焦痕了。知道吗？”
The captain did not answer. The cans before him opened at a pressure.
上尉并没有回答。他轻轻一压，罐头就自动打开了。
The Fox said, shortly, "Stew! Sorry, but the food situation is short."
“狐狸”赶紧说：“是浓汤！抱歉，但目前粮食短缺。”
"I know," said the captain. He ate quickly; not looking up.
“我知道。”上尉说。他吃得很快，一直没有抬起头来。
The Fox said, "I once saw you. I'm trying to remember, and the beard is definitely out of the picture."
“狐狸”说：“我见过你一次。我正在搜索记忆，可是胡子绝对不在我的记忆中。”
"I haven't shaved in thirty days." Then, fiercely, "What do you want……I had the correct passwords. I have identification."
“我有三十天没刮胡子了。”然后，他怒吼道：“你到底要什么？我的暗语全部正确，我也有身份证明文件。”
The other waved a hand, "Oh, I'll grant you're Pritcher all right. But there are plenty who have the passwords, and the identifications, and the identities ?who are with the Mule. Ever hear of Levvaw, eh?"
对方却摆摆手。“喔，我相信你是普利吉没错。可是最近有许多人，他们不但知道正确的暗语、具有身份证明文件，而且明明就是那个人……但是他们都投效了骡。你听说过雷福吗？”
"Yes."
“听说过。”
"He's with the Mule."
“他投效了骡。”
"What……He……"
“什么？他……”
"Yes. He was the man they called 'No Surrender.'" The Fox's lips made laughing motions, with neither sound nor humor. "Then there's Willig. With the Mule! Garre and Noth. With the Mule! Why not Pritcher as well, eh……How would I know?"
“没错。大家都称他‘宁死不屈’。”“狐狸”做了一个大笑的口形，既没有声音也没有笑意。“还有威利克，投效了骡！盖雷和诺斯，投效了骡！普利吉又有何不可？我怎么能肯定呢？”
The captain merely shook his head.
上尉却只是摇摇头。
"But it doesn't matter," said the Fox, softly. "They must have my name, if Noth has gone over ?so if you're legitimate, you're in more new danger than I am over our acquaintanceship."
“不过这点并不重要。”“狐狸”柔声地说，“如果诺斯叛变了，他们就一定知道我的名字……所以你若仍是同志，我们如今见了面，你今后的处境会比我更危险。”
The captain had finished eating. He leaned back, "If you have no organization here, where can I find one……The Foundation may have surrendered, but I haven't."
上尉终于吃完了，他靠着椅背说道：“如果你这里没有组织，我要到哪里才能找到组织？基地或许已经投降，但是我还没有。”
"So! You can't wander forever, captain. Men of the Foundation must have travel permits to move from town to town these days. You know that……Also identity cards. You have one……Also, all officers of the old Navy have been requested to report to the nearest occupation headquarters. That's you, eh?"
“有道理！上尉，你不能永远流浪。如今，基地公民若想出远门，必须具备旅行许可证，你知道吗？而且还需要身份证，你有吗？此外，凡是基地舰队的军官，都要到最近的占领军司令部报到。包括你在内，对吗？”
"Yes." The captain's voice was hard. "Do you think I run through fear. I was on Kalgan not long after its fall to the Mule. Within a month, not one of the old warlord's officers was at large, because they were the natural military leaders of any revolt. It's always been the underground's knowledge that no revolution can be successful without the control of at least part of the Navy. The Mule evidently knows it, too."
“没错。”上尉的声音听来很坚决，“你以为我逃跑是因为害怕吗？当初卡尔根被骡攻陷之后，不久我就到了那里。一个月之内，前任统领手下的军官通通遭到监禁，因为若有任何叛乱，他们便是现成的军事指挥官。地下组织一向明白一个道理：倘若不能至少控制一部分舰队，革命就不可能成功。骡本人显然也了解这一点。”
The Fox nodded thoughtfully, "Logical enough. The Mule is thorough."
“狐狸”若有所悟地点点头。“分析得合情合理，骡做得很彻底。”
"I discarded the uniform as soon as I could. I grew the beard. Afterwards there may be a chance that others have taken the same action."
“我在第一时间就把制服丢弃，并且留起胡子。其他人后来可能也有机会采取同样的行动。”
"Are you married?"
“你结婚了吗？”
"My wife is dead. I have no children.
“我的妻子去世了，我们没有子女。”
"You're hostage-immune, then."
“这么说，你没有亲人能充当人质。”
"Yes."
“没错。”
"You want my advice?"
“你想听听我的忠告吗？”
"If you have any."
“只要你有。”
A don't know what the Mule's policy is or what he intends, but skilled workers have not been harmed so far. Pay rates have gone up. Production of all sorts of nuclear weapons is booming."
“我不知道骡的策略，也不知道他的意图，不过目前为止，技工都没有受到任何伤害。而且工资还提高了，各种核武器的生产量也突然暴涨。”
"Yes……Sounds like a continuing offensive."
“是吗？听来好像准备继续侵略。”
"I don't know. The Mule's a subtle son of a drab, and he may merely be soothing the workers into submission. If Seldon couldn't figure him out with all his psychohistory, I'm not going to try. But you're wearing work clothes. That suggests something, eh?"
“我不知道。骡是婊子养的老狐狸，他这么做，也许只是要安抚工人，希望他们归顺。假如连谢顿也无法用心理史学预测骡的行径，我可不要自不量力。但你刚好穿着工人制服，这倒提醒了我们，对不对？”
"I'm not a skilled worker."
“我并不是技工。”
"You've had a military course in nucleics, haven't you?"
“你在军中修过核子学这门课吧？”
"Certainly."
“当然修过。”
"That's enough. The Nuclear-Field Bearings, Inc., is located here in town. Tell them you've had experience. The stinkers who used to run the factory for Indbur are still running it ?for the Mule. They won't ask questions, as long as they need more workers to make their fat hunk. They'll give you an identity card and you can apply for a room in the Corporation's housing district. You might start now."
“那就够了。核场轴承公司就在这座城里，你去应征，告诉他们说你有经验。那些当年帮茵德布尔管理工厂的混蛋，目前仍旧是工厂的负责人……为骡在效命。他们不会盘问你的，因为他们亟需更多的工人，帮他们牟取更大的暴利。他们会发给你一张身份证，你还能在员工住宅区申请到一间宿舍。你现在就赶紧去吧。”
In that manner, Captain Han Pritcher of the National Fleet became Shield-man Lo Moro of the 45 Shop of Nuclear-Field Bearings, Inc. And from an Intelligence agent, he descended the social scale to "conspirator"?a calling which led him months later to what had been Indbur's private garden,
就是这样，原属国家舰队的汉·普利吉上尉摇身一变，成了“核场轴承公司四十五厂”的防护罩技工罗·莫洛。他的身份从情报员，降级成一名“谋反者”……由于这个转变，导致他在几个月后，进入茵德布尔的私人花园。
In the garden, Captain Pritcher consulted the radometer in the palm of his hand. The inner warning field was still in operation, and he waited. Half an hour remained to the life of the nuclear bomb in his mouth. He rolled it gingerly with his tongue.
在花园中，普利吉上尉看了看手中的辐射计。官邸内的“警报场”仍在运作，他只好耐心等待。他嘴里的那颗核弹只剩下半小时的寿命，他不时用舌头小心翼翼拨弄着。
The radometer died into an ominous darkness and the captain advanced quickly.
辐射计终于变成一片不祥的黑暗，上尉赶紧向前走。
So far, matters had progressed well.
直到目前为止，一切进行得很顺利。
He reflected objectively that the life of the nuclear bomb was his as well; that its death was his death ?and the Mule's death.
他冷静而客观地寻思，核弹剩下的寿命与自己的刚好一样，它的死亡等于自己的死亡……同时也是骡的死亡。
And the grand climacteric of a four-month's private war would be reached; a war that had passed from flight through a Newton factory
而那一瞬间，为期四个月的个人战争将达到最高潮。他刚开始逃亡，这场战争便已展开，等到进了牛顿工厂……
For two months, Captain Pritcher wore leaden aprons and heavy face shields, till all things military had been frictioned off his outer bearing. He was a laborer, who collected his pay, spent his evenings in town, and never discussed politics.
整整两个月，普利吉上尉穿着铅质的围裙，戴着厚重的面罩。不知不觉间，他外表的军人本色被磨光了。如今他只是一名劳工，靠双手挣钱，晚上在城里消磨时间，而且绝口不谈政治。
For two months, he did not see the Fox.
整整两个月，他没有再见到“狐狸”。
And then, one day, a man stumbled past his bench, and there was a scrap of paper in his pocket. The word "Fox" was on it. He tossed it into the nuclear chamber, where it vanished in a sightless puff, sending the energy output up a millimicrovolt ?and turned back to his work.
然后，有一天，某人在他的工作台前绊倒，他的口袋就多了一张小纸片，上面写的是“狐狸”两字。他顺手将纸片扔进核能焚化槽，然后继续工作。纸片立时消失无踪，产生了相当于一毫微伏特的能量。
That night he was at the Fox's home, and took a hand in a game of cards with two other men he knew by reputation and one by name and face.
那天晚上，他来到“狐狸”家，见到另外两位久仰大名的人物。不久，四个人便玩起扑克牌。
Over the cards and the passing and repassing tokens, they spoke.
他们一面打牌，让筹码在大家手中转来转去，一面开始闲聊起来。
The captain said, "It's a fundamental error. You live in the exploded past. For eighty years our organization has been waiting for the correct historical moment. We've been blinded by Seldon's psychohistory, one of the first propositions of which is that the individual does not count, does not make history, and that complex social and economic factors override him, make a puppet out of him." He adjusted his cards carefully, appraised their value and said, as he put out a token. "Why not kill the Mule?"
上尉说：“这是一个根本的错误。你们仍旧活在早已消失的过去。八十年来，我们的组织一直在等待正确的历史时刻。我们盲目信仰谢顿的心理史学……它最重要的前提之一，就是个人行为绝对不算数，绝不足以创造历史。因为复杂的社会和经济巨流会将他淹没，使他成为历史的傀儡。”他细心地整理手中的牌，估计了一下这副牌的点数，然后扔出一个筹码，并说：“何不干脆杀掉骡？”
"Well, now, and what good would that do?" demanded the man at his left, fiercely.
“好吧，这样做有什么好处？”坐在他左边那人凶巴巴地问。
"You see," said the captain, discarding two cards, "that's the attitude. What is one man ?out of quadrillions. The Galaxy won't stop rotating because one man dies. But the Mule is not a man, he is a mutant. Already, he had upset Seldon's plan, and if you'll stop to analyze the implications, it means that he ?one man ?one mutant ?upset all of Seldon's psychohistory. If he had never lived, the Foundation would not have fallen. If he ceased living, it would not remain fallen.
“你看，”上尉丢出两张牌，然后说，“就是这种态度在作祟。一个人只是银河人口的千兆分之一，不可能因为一个人死了，银河系就会停止转动。但骡却不是人，他是个突变种。他已经颠覆了谢顿的计划，如果你愿意分析其中的涵义，会发现这意味着他……一个突变种……推翻了谢顿整个的心理史学。他若从未出世，基地不可能沦陷。他若从世上消失，基地就不会继续沦陷。
"Come, the democrats have fought the mayors and the traders for eighty years by connivery. Let's try assassination."
“想想看，民主分子和市长以及行商斗了八十年，总是采取温和间接的方式。让我们试试暗杀吧。”
"How?" interposed the Fox, with cold common sense.
“怎么做？”“狐狸”不置可否地插嘴问道。
The captain said, slowly, "I've spent three months of thought on that with no solution. I came here and had it in five minutes." He glanced briefly at the man whose broad, pink melon of a face smiled from the place at his right. "You were once Mayor Indbur's chamberlain. I did not know you were of the underground,"
上尉缓缓地答道：“我花了三个月的时间思考这个问题，一直没有想到答案。来到这里之后，五分钟内就有了灵感。”他瞥了瞥坐在他右方那个人，那人面带微笑，脸庞宽阔而红润。“你曾经是茵德布尔市长的侍从官，我不晓得你也是地下组织的一员。”
"Nor I, that you were."?
“而我，也不知道你竟然也是。”
"Well, then, in your capacity as chamberlain you periodically checked the working of the alarm system of the palace."
“好，那么，身为市长的侍从官，由于职责所在，你必须定期检查官邸的警报系统。”
"I did."
“是的。”
"And the Mule occupies the palace now."
“如今，骡就住在那个官邸。”
"So it has been announced ?though he is a modest conqueror who makes no speeches, proclamations nor public appearances of any sort."
“是这么公布的……不过身为征服者，骡算是十分谦逊，他从来不作演讲或发表声明，也未曾在任何场合公开露面。”
"That's an old story, and affects nothing. You, my ex-chamberlain, are all we need."
“这件事人尽皆知，不会影响我们的计划。你，前任侍从官，我们有你就够了。”
The cards were shown and the Fox collected the stakes. Slowly, he dealt a new hand.
摊牌之后，“狐狸”将筹码通通收去。他又慢慢地发牌，开始新的一局。
The man who had once been chamberlain picked up his cards, singly. "Sorry, captain. I checked the alarm system, but it was routine. I know nothing about it."
曾经担任侍从官的那个人，将牌一张一张拿起来。“上尉，真抱歉。我虽然负责检查警报系统，但那只是例行公事。我对它的构造一窍不通。”
"I expected that, but your mind carries an eidetic memory of the controls if it can be probed deeply enough ?with a psychic probe."
“这点我也想到了，不过控制器的线路已经印在你的脑海。假如探测得足够深……我是说用心灵探测器。”
The chamberlain's ruddy face paled suddenly and sagged. The cards in his hand crumpled under sudden fist-pressure, "A psychic probe?"
侍从官红润的脸庞顿时变得煞白，并且垮了下来，手中的牌也被他猛然一把捏皱。“心灵探测器？”
"You needn't worry," said the captain, sharply. "I know how to use one. It will not harm you past a few days' weakness. And if it did, it is the chance you take and the price you pay. There are some among us, no doubt, who from the controls of the alarm could determine the wavelength combinations. There are some among us who could manufacture a small bomb under time-control and I myself will carry it to the Mule."
“你不必担心，”上尉用精明的口吻说，“我知道如何使用。你绝不会受到伤害，顶多虚弱几天罢了。如果真发生这种事，就算是你的冒险和你付出的代价吧。在我们中间，一定有人能从警报控制器推算出波长的组合，也一定有人会制造定时的小型核弹。最后，由我自己把核弹带到骡的身边。”
The men gathered over the table.
四个人把牌丢开，聚在一块研究起来。
The captain announced, "On a given evening, a riot will start in Terminus City in the neighborhood of the palace. No real fighting. Disturbance ?then flight. As long as the palace guard is attracted……or, at the very least, distracted?
上尉宣布：“起事那天傍晚，在端点市的官邸附近安排一场骚动。不必真正打斗，制造一阵混乱，然后一轰而散就行了。只要能把官邸警卫吸引过去……或者，至少分散他们的注意力……”
From that day for a month the preparations went on, and Captain Han Pritcher of the National Fleet having become conspirator descended further in the social scale and became an "assassin."
从那天起，他们足足准备了一个月。从国家舰队上尉军官变成谋反者的汉·普利吉，身份再度降级，变成了一名“刺客”。
Captain Pritcher, assassin, was in the palace itself, and found himself grimly pleased with his psychology. A thorough alarm system outside meant few guards within. In this case, it meant none at all.
现在，刺客普利吉上尉进入了官邸，对于自己善用心理学，他感到一阵冷漠的骄傲。由于外面配置完善的警报系统，官邸里面不会有什么警卫。实际的情况，是根本没有警卫。
The floor plan was clear in his mind. He was a blob moving noiselessly up the well-carpeted ramp. At its head, he flattened against the wall and waited.
官邸平面图深深印在他的脑海。现在他就像一个小黑点，在铺着地毯的坡道上迅疾无声地移动。来到坡道尽头之后，他紧贴着墙壁，开始等待时机。
The small closed door of a private room was before him. Behind that door must be the mutant who had beaten the unbeatable. He was early ?the bomb had ten minutes of life in it.
他面前是一间私人起居室，一道小门紧紧锁着。在这道门后面，一定就是那个屡建奇功的突变种。他来早了一点……核弹还有十分钟的寿命。
Five of these passed, and still in all the world there was no sound. The Mule had five minutes to live ?So had Captain Pritcher?
五分钟过去了，周遭仍是一片死寂。骡只剩下五分钟好活了，普利吉上尉也一样……
He stepped forward on sudden impulse. The plot could no longer fail. When the bomb went, the palace would go with it ?all the palace. A door between ?ten yards between ?was nothing. But he wanted to see the Mule as they died together.
他突然起了一阵冲动，起身向前走去。这个行刺计划不可能失败了。当核弹爆炸时，官邸会随之消失，炸得片瓦不存。仅仅隔着一扇门，仅仅十码的距离，不会有什么差别。可是在同归于尽之前，他想亲眼看看骡的真面目。
In a last, insolent gesture, he thundered upon the door.
他终于豁出去，抬头挺胸向前走，猛力敲着门……
And it opened and let out the blinding light.
门应声而开，随即射出眩目的光线。
Captain Pritcher staggered, then caught himself. The solemn man, standing in the center of the small room before a suspended fish bowl, looked up mildly.
普利吉上尉错愕片刻，随即恢复镇定。一名外表严肃、身穿暗黑色制服的男子，站在小房间正中央，气定神闲地抬起头来。
His uniform was a somber black, and as he tapped the bowl in an absent gesture, it bobbed quickly and the feather-finned, orange and vermilion fish within darted wildly.
那人身前吊着一个鱼缸，他随手轻轻敲了一下，鱼缸就迅速摇晃起来，把那些色彩艳丽的名贵金鱼吓得上下乱窜。
He said, "Come in, captain!"
他说：“上尉，进来！”
To the captain's quivering tongue the little metal globe beneath was swelling ominously……a physical impossibility, the captain knew. But it was in its last minute of life.
上尉的舌头打着颤，舌头下面的小金属球仿佛开始膨胀……他也知道这是不可能的事。但是无论如何，核弹的生命已经进入最后一分钟。
The uniformed man said, "You had better spit out the foolish pellet and free yourself for speech. It won't blast."
穿制服的人又说：“你最好把那颗无聊的药丸吐出来，否则你没办法说话。它不会爆炸的。”
The minute passed and with a slow, sodden motion the captain bent his head and dropped the silvery globe into his palm. With a furious force it was flung against the wall. It rebounded with a tiny, sharp clangor, gleaming harmlessly as it flew.
最后一分钟过去了，上尉怔怔地慢慢低下头，将银色小球吐到手掌上，然后使尽力气掷向墙壁。一下细微尖锐的叮当声之后，小球从半空中反弹回来，在光线照耀下闪闪生辉。
The uniformed man shrugged. "So much for that, then. It would have done you no good in any case, captain. I am not the Mule. You will have to be satisfied with his viceroy."
穿制服的人耸耸肩。“好啦，别理会那玩意了。上尉，它无论如何对你没有好处。抱歉我并不是骡，在你面前的只是他的总督。”
"How did you know?" muttered the captain, thickly.
“你是怎么知道的？”上尉以沙哑的声音喃喃问道。
"Blame it on an efficient counter-espionage system. I can name every member of your little gang, every step of their planning……"
“只能怪我们的高效率反谍报系统。你们那个小小的叛乱团体，我念得出每一个成员的名字，还数得出你们每一步的计划……”
"And you let it go this far?"
“而你一直不采取行动？”
"Why not……It has been one of my great purposes here to find you and some others. Particularly you. I might have had you some months ago, while you were still a worker at the Newton Bearings Works, but this is much better. If you hadn't suggested the main outlines of the plot yourself, one of my own men would have advanced something of much the same sort for you. The result is quite dramatic, and rather grimly humorous."
“有何不可？我在此地最重要的任务之一，就是要把你们这些人揪出来。尤其是你。几个月前，你还是‘牛顿轴承厂’的工人，那时我就可以逮捕你，但是现在这样更好。即使你自己没有想出这个计划，我的手下也会有人提出极为类似的建议。这个结局十分戏剧化，算得上是一种黑色幽默。”
The captain's eyes were hard. "I find it so, too. Is it all over now?"
上尉以凌厉的目光瞪着对方。“我有同感，现在是否一切都结束了？”
"Just begun. Come, captain, sit down. Let us leave heroics for the fools who are impressed by it. Captain, you are a capable man. According to the information I have, you were the first on the Foundation to recognize the power of the Mule. Since then you have interested yourself, rather daringly, in the Mule's early life. You have been one of those who carried off his clown, who, incidentally, has not yet been found, and for which there will yet be full payment. Naturally, your ability is recognized and the Mule is not of those who fear the ability of his enemies as long as he can convert it into the ability of a new friend."
“好戏刚刚开始。来，上尉，坐下来。让我们把成仁取义那一套留给那些傻瓜。上尉，你非常有才干。根据我的情报，你是基地上第一个了解到骡有超凡能力的人。从那时候开始，你就对骡的早年发生了兴趣，不顾一切搜集他的资料。拐走骡的小丑那件事你也有份，对了，小丑至今还没有找到，为了这件事，我们还要好好算个总账。当然，骡也了解你的才干；有些人会害怕敌人太厉害，但骡可不是那种人，因为他有化敌为友的本领。”
"Is that what you're hedging up to……Oh, no!"
“你拐弯抹角半天，就是为了说这句话？喔，不可能！”
"Oh, yes! It was the purpose of tonight's comedy. You are an intelligent man, yet your little conspiracies against die Mule fail humorously. You can scarcely dignify it with the name of conspiracy. Is it part of your military training to waste ships in hopeless actions?"
“喔，绝对可能！这就是今晚这出喜剧的真正目的。你是个聪明人，可是你对付骡的小小阴谋却失败得很滑稽。就算称之为阴谋，也不能抬高它的身价。在毫无胜算的情况下白白送死，这就是你所接受的军事教育吗？”
"One must first admit them to be hopeless."
“首先必须确定是否真的毫无胜算。”
"One will," the viceroy assured him, gently. "The Mule has conquered the Foundation, It is rapidly being turned into an arsenal for accomplishment of his greater aims."
“当然确定。”总督以温和的口气强调，“骡已经征服了基地。为了达成更伟大的目标，他立刻将基地变成一座兵工厂。”
"What greater aims?"
“什么更伟大的目标？”
"The conquest of the entire Galaxy. The reunion of all the tom worlds into a new Empire. The fulfillment, you dull-witted patriot, of your own Seldon's dream seven hundred years before he hoped to see it. And in the fulfillment, you can help us."
“征服整个银河系，将四分五裂的众多世界统一成新的帝国。你这个冥顽不灵的爱国者，骡正是要实现你们那个谢顿的梦想，只不过比他的预期提早七百年。而在实现的过程中，你可以帮助我们。”
"I can, undoubtedly. But I won't, undoubtedly."
“我一定可以，但是我也一定不肯。”
"I understand," reasoned the viceroy, "that only three of the Independent Trading Worlds yet resist. They will not last much longer. It will be the last of all Foundation forces. You still hold out."
“据我了解，”总督劝道，“只剩三个独立行商世界还在作困兽斗，但不会支撑太久的。他们是基地体系的最后一点武力。你还不肯认输吗？”
"Yes."
“没错。”
"Yet you won't. A voluntary recruit is the, most efficient. But the other kind will do. Unfortunately, the Mule is absent. He leads the fight, as always, against the resisting Traders. But he is in continual contact with us. You will not have to wait long."
“你终究会的。心悦诚服的归顺是最有效的，但其他方式也有异曲同工之妙。可惜骡不在这里，他正照例率领大军征讨顽抗的行商。不过他和我们一直保持联络，你不需要等太久。”
"For what?"
“等什么？”
"For your conversion.
“等他来使你‘回转’。”
"The Mule," said the captain, frigidly, "will find that beyond his ability."
“那个骡，”上尉以冰冷的口气说，“会发现他根本做不到。”
"But he won't. I was not beyond it. You don't recognize me……Come, you were on Kalgan, so you have seen me. I wore a monocle, a fur-lined scarlet robe, a high-crowned hat?
“不会的，我自己就无法抗拒。你认不出我了吗？想一想，你到过卡尔根，所以一定见过我。我那时戴单片眼镜，穿着一件毛皮衬里的深红色长袍，头上戴着一顶高筒帽……”
The captain stiffened in dismay. "You were the warlord of Kalgan."
上尉感到一阵寒意，全身僵硬起来。“你就是卡尔根的统领？”
"Yes. And now I am the loyal viceroy of the Mule. You see, he is persuasive."
“是的，但我现在是骡的麾下一名忠心耿耿的总督。你看，他的感化力量多强大。”