6 Rescue

第6章 拯救

LEGGEN, JENARR:……His contributions to meteorology, however, although considerable, pale before what has ever since been known as the Leggen Controversy. That his actions helped to place Hari Seldon in jeopardy is undisputable, but argument rages……and has always raged……as to whether those actions were the result of unintentional circumstance or part of a deliberate conspiracy. Passions have been raised on both sides and even the most elaborate studies have come to no definite conclusions. Nevertheless, the suspicions that were raised helped poison Leggens career and private life in the years that followed……

杰纳尔·雷根：……他在气象学上虽颇有贡献，但与所谓的“雷根悬案”相较之下，那些贡献尽皆黯然失色。他的行动曾将哈里·谢顿置于险境，这已是不争的事实。不过引起众人争论……而且始终争论不休的……在于这些行动究竟是无意间导致的结果，抑或是蓄意阴谋的一部分。双方争得面红耳赤，但即使最深入的研究也无法得出定论。无论如何，在其后数年间，光是涉嫌便几乎毁掉雷根的事业与私生活……

ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA

……《银河百科全书》

It was not quite the end of daylight when Dors Venabili sought out Jenarr Leggen. He answered her rather anxious greeting with a grunt and a brief nod.

当铎丝·凡纳比里找到杰纳尔·雷根的时候，白昼时光尚未完全结束。对于她带着焦虑的问候，他的回应是哼了一声，并随便点了点头。

Well, she said a trifle impatiently. "How was he?"

“好，”她带点不耐烦地说，“他怎么样了？”

Leggen, who was entering data into his computer, said, "How was who?"

雷根一面将资料输入电脑，一面说：“谁怎么样了？”

"My library student Hari. Dr. Hari Seldon. He went up with you. Was he any help to you?"

“我的图馆课学生哈里，哈里·谢顿博士。你今天带他到上面去，他对你有没有什么帮助？”

Leggen removed his hands from the keys of his computer and swivelled about. "That Heliconian fellow? He was of no use at all. Showed no interest whatever. He kept looking at the scenery when there was no scenery to look at. A real oddball. Why did you want to send him up?"

雷根将双手从电脑键盘上移开，转过身来。“那个赫利肯佬？他一点用都没有，也没表现出任何兴趣。他一直在看风景，其实根本没什么风景可看。真是个怪人，你为什么要让他上去？”

"It wasn't my idea. He wanted to. I can't understand it. He was very interested. Where is he now?"

“那不是我的主意，是他自己想去的。我无法了解，但他的确非常有兴趣……现在他在哪里？”

Leggen shrugged. "How would I know? Somewhere around."

雷根耸了耸肩。“我怎么会知道？在附近吧。”

"Where did he go after he came down with you? Did he say?"

“跟你们下来之后，他到哪里去了？他有没有说？”

"He didn't come down with us. I told you he wasn't interested."

“他没有跟我们一起下来。我跟你说过，他没兴趣。”

"Then when did he come down?"

“那么，他是什么时候下来的？”

"I don't know. I wasn't watching him. I had an enormous amount of work to do. There must have been a windstorm and some sort of downpour about two days ago and neither was expected. Nothing our instruments showed offered a good explanation for it or for the fact that some sunshine we were expecting today didn't appear. Now Im trying to make sense of it and youre bothering me."

“我不知道。我没看着他，我有一大堆事要做。大约两天前，一定曾有一场风暴和某种豪雨，两者都是始料未及的。我们预期今天会出现的阳光，却又偏偏不肯露脸。我们的仪器所显示的数据，对这些现象都无法提出一个好的解释。现在我正试图弄明白，而你却在打扰我。”

"You mean you didn't see him go down?"

“你的意思是，你没看到他下来？”

"Look. He wasn't on my mind. The idiot wasn't correctly dressed and I could see that inside of half an hour he wasn't going to be able to take the cold. I gave him a sweater, but that wasn't going to help much for his legs and feet. So I left the elevator open for him and I told him how to use it and explained that it would take him down and then return automatically. It was all very simple and Im sure he did get cold and he did go down and the elevator did come back and then eventually we all went down."

“听着，我根本未曾想到他。那个白痴没穿对衣服，我看得出来，不到半小时他就会受不了上面的寒冷。我给了他一件毛衣，那对他的腿和脚却没什么帮助。所以我让升降机开着，并且告诉他如何使用；我对他解释，说升降机把他带下去之后，会自动回到上面来。整个程序非常简单，我确定他果真耐不住寒冷，果真提早离去，然后升降机又回到上面，最后我们也都下来了。”

"But you don't know exactly when he went down?"

“可是，你不晓得他究竟何时下来的？”

"No, I don't. I told you. I was busy. He certainly wasn't up there when we left, though, and by that time twilight was coming on and it looked as though it might sleet. So he had to have gone down."

“对，我不知道。我告诉过你，当时我很忙。不过我们离开时，他的确不在那里。而且那时暮色即将降临，看来好像还要下冰珠。所以他必定早就离开了。”

"Did anyone else see him go down?"

“有没有任何人看到他下来？”

"I don't know. Clowzia may have. She was with him for a while. Why don't you ask her?"

“我不知道。克劳吉雅也许看到了，她曾经跟他在一起一会儿。你为何不去问她？”

Dors found Clowzia in her quarters, just emerging from a hot shower.

铎丝在克劳吉雅的寝室找到她，她刚冲完一个热水浴。

"It was cold up there," she said.

“上面可真冷。”她说。

Dors said, "Were you with Hari Seldon Upperside?"

铎丝问道：“在上方的时候，你和哈里·谢顿在一起吗？”

Clowzia said, eyebrows lifting, "Yes, for a while. He wanted to wander about and ask questions about the vegetation up there. Hes a sharp fellow, Dors. Everything seemed to interest him, so I told him what I could tI'll Leggen called me back. He was in one of his knock-your-head-off tempers. The weather wasn't working and he……"

克劳吉雅扬起眉毛，答道：“是的，有一阵子。他想要到处走走，还问了些有关该处植物的问题。铎丝，他是个心思敏锐的人。万事万物似乎都会引起他的兴趣，所以我尽量把知道的全告诉他，直到雷根把我叫回去为止。雷根当时脾气坏得想杀人，天气并不理想，而他……”

Dors interrupted. "Then you didn't see Hari go down in the elevator?"

铎丝插嘴道：“那么，你没有看到哈里搭升降机下来？”

"I didn't see him at all after Leggen called me over……But he has to be down here. He wasn't up there when we left."

“雷根把我叫回去之后，我就再也没有看到他……不过他一定下来了，我们离开的时候，他已经不在上面。”

"But I can't find him anywhere."

“可是我到处都找不到他。”

Clowzia looked perturbed. "Really?……But hes got to be somewhere down here."

克劳吉雅看来也慌了。“真的？可是他一定在下面。”

"No, he doesnt have to be somewhere down here," said Dors, her anxiety growing. "What if hes still up there?"

“不，他并不一定在下面。”铎丝越来越焦急，“万一他还在上面呢？”

"Thats impossible. He wasnt. Naturally, we looked about for him before we left. Leggen had shown him how to go down. He wasn't properly dressed and it was rotten weather. Leggen told him if he got cold not to wait for us. He was getting cold. I know! So what else could he do but go down?"

“那是不可能的，他绝不在上面。离开之前，我们自然到处找了找。雷根曾教他怎么下来。他的衣服不够，而且当时天气很糟。雷根告诉他，觉得冷的话就不必等我们。那时他已经开始冷了，我知道！所以除了下来之外，他还会做什么呢？”

"But no one saw him go down……Did anything go wrong with him up there?"

“可是没有人亲眼看到他下来……他在上面有没有出什么问题？”

"Nothing. Not while I was with him. He was perfectly fine except that he had to be cold, of course."

“绝对没有，至少我和他在一起的时候没有。他好得很……当然，不过一定觉得冷。”

Dors, by now quite unsettled, said, "Since no one saw him go down, he might still be up there. Shouldnt we go up and look?"

铎丝此时心乱如麻，又说：“既然没有人看到他下来，他就可能还在上面。我们不该上去看看吗？”

Clowzia said nervously, "I told you we looked around before we went down. It was still quite light and he was nowhere in sight."

克劳吉雅紧张兮兮地说：“我告诉过你，我们下来之前到处找过了。当时还相当明亮，但谁也没见到他的踪影。”

"Lets look anyway."

“我们还是去看看吧。”

"But I can't take you up there. Im just an intern and I don't have the combination for the Upperside dome opening. Youll have to ask Dr. Leggen."

“可是我无法带你上那里去。我只是个实习生，没有开启穹顶出口的密码。你得去求雷根博士。”

Dors Venabili knew that Leggen would not willingly go Upperside now. He would have to be forced.

铎丝·凡纳比里知道雷根现在一定不愿到上方去，必须强迫他才行。

First, she checked the library and the dining areas again. Then she called Seldons room. Finally, she went up there and signaled at the door. When Seldon did not respond, she had the floor manager open it. He wasn't there. She questioned some of those who, over the last few weeks, had come to know him. No one had seen him.

首先，她又到图书馆与用餐区巡视一遍，然后再打电话到谢顿的房间。最后，她走到他的宿舍门口，按下门上的讯号钮。在确定无人应门之后，她请来该层的管理员开门，发现他果然不在里面。她还问了几个过去数周谢顿陆续结识的人，没有一个人看到过他。

Well, then, she would make Leggen take her Upperside. By now, though, it was night. He would object strenuously and how long could she spend arguing if Hari Seldon was trapped up there on a freezing night with sleet turning to snow?

好吧，她只好硬逼着雷根带她到上方去。不过现在已经入夜，他一定会极力拒绝。然而，在这个能冻死人的夜晚，冰珠眼看就要转为雪花，哈里·谢顿倘若果真困在上面，她又能浪费多少时间来和雷根争论？

A thought occurred to her and she rushed to the small University computer, which kept track of the doings of the students, faculty, and service staff.

她突然冒出一个念头，立刻冲到一台小型“大学电脑”前，这种电脑专门记录所有学生与教职员的最新状况。

Her fingers flew over the keys and she soon had what she wanted.

她的十指在键盘上飞舞，很快就找到她要的资料。

There were three of them in another part of the campus. She signed out for a small glidecart to take her over and found the domicile she was looking for. Surely, one of them would be available……or findable.

有三个人可以求助，却都住在校园另一角。她召来一辆小型滑车将她载到那里，很快就找到了那栋宿舍。不用说，三人之中总该有一个在家……或起码找得到。

Fortune was with her. The first door at which she signaled was answered by a query light. She punched in her identification number, which included her department affiliation. The door opened and a plump middle-aged man stared out at her. He had obviously been washing up before dinner. His dark blond hair was askew and he was not wearing any upper garment. He said, "Sorry. You catch me at a disadvantage. What can I do for you, Dr. Venabili?"

这回她很幸运。她按下第一个房门上的讯号钮，询问灯随即亮起。她键入自己的身份识别码，其中还包括她所隶属的学系。房门打开后，一个胖胖的中年男子好奇地盯着她。他显然正在梳洗，准备出去晚餐。他的深色金发凌乱不堪，而且上身未穿任何衣服。

他说：“抱歉，你来得真不是时候。凡纳比里博士，我能为你做些什么吗？”

She said a bit breathlessly, "Youre Rogen Benastra, the Chief Seismologist, aren't you?"

她带着轻微的喘息说：“你就是罗根·班纳斯楚，首席地震学家吗？”

"Yes."

“没错。”

"This is an emergency. I must see the seismological records for Upperside for the last few hours."

“这是紧急事件，我必须看看过去几小时内上方的地震记录。”

Benastra stared at her. "Why? Nothings happened. Id know if it had. The seismograph would inform us."

班纳斯楚瞪着她。“为什么？什么事也没有啊。如果有我一定会知道，地震仪会通知我们。”

"Im not talking about a meteoric impact."

“我不是指流星撞击。”

"Neither am I. We don't need a seismograph for that. Im talking about gravel, pinpoint fractures. Nothing today."

“我也不是，那还轮不到求助地震仪。我是指砂砾造成的细微裂缝，今天一个也没有。”

"Not that either. Please. Take me to the seismograph and read it for me. This is life or death."

“我指的也不是那种情况。拜托，带我去地震仪那里，帮我解读一下。这是生死攸关的大事。”

"I have a dinner appointment……"

“我有个晚餐约会……”

"I said life or death and I mean it."

“我说生死攸关，绝非开玩笑。”

Benastra said, "I don't see……" but he faded out under Dorss glare. He wiped his face, left quick word on his message relay, end struggled into a shirt. They half-ran (under Dorss pitiless urging) to the small squat Seismology Building.

班纳斯楚说：“我不懂……”但在铎丝的瞪视下，他的话只说了一半。他擦了擦脸，对着留言机很快说了一句话，然后慌忙套上一件衬衣。

Dors, who knew nothing about seismology, said, "Down? Were going down?"

在铎丝毫不留情的催促下，他们小跑步前往地震学中心的矮小建筑。对地震学一窍不通的铎丝问道：“往下？我们在往下走？”

"Below the inhabited levels. Of course. The seismograph has to be fixed to bedrock and be removed from the constant clamor and vibration of the city levels."

“要到居住层之下，这是理所当然的。地震仪必须固定在基岩上，远离都会层的恒常扰嚷和震动。”

"But how can you tell whats happening Upperside from down here?"

“可是在这下面，你怎能知道上方发生些什么事？”

"The seismograph is wired to a set of pressure transducers located within the thickness of the dome. The impact of a speck of grit will send the indicator skittering off the screen. We can detect the flattening effect on the dome of a high wind. We can……"

“地震仪和穹顶夹层内的一组压力转换器连线。即使一粒砂砾的撞击，也会使屏幕上的指标开始跃动。我们能侦测到强风令穹顶扁化的效应，还可以……”

"Yes, yes," said Dors impatiently. She was not here for a lecture on the virtues and refinements of the instruments. "Can you detect human footsteps?"

“很好，很好。”铎丝不耐烦地说，她来这里可不是为了学习这些仪器的优点与精巧程度。“你能侦测到人类的脚步吗？”

"Human footsteps?" Benastra looked confused. "Thats not likely Upperside."

“人类的脚步？”班纳斯楚露出困惑的表情，“上方不大可能有。”

"Of course its likely. There were a group of meteorologists Upperside this afternoon."

“当然可能。今天下午，就有一组气象学家到上方去。”

"Oh. Well, footsteps would scarcely be noticeable."

“喔。不过，脚步几乎辨识不出来。”

"It would be noticeable if you looked hard enough and thats what I want you to do."

“只要看得足够认真，你就能辨识出来，我要你做的就是这件事。”

Benastra might have resented the firm note of command in her voice, but, if so, he said nothing. He touched a contact and the computer screen jumped to life.

班纳斯楚或许痛恨她那种坚决的命令口吻，不过即使真是这样，他也什么都没有说。他只是按下一个开关，电脑屏幕上便有画面出现。

At the extreme right center, there was a fat spot of light, from which a thin horizontal line stretched to the left limit of the screen. There was a tiny wriggle to it, a random non-repetitive seder of little hiccups and these moved steadily leftward. It was almost hypnotic in its effect on Dors.

屏幕右缘中央有个粗大的光点，一条水平细线从那里一直延伸到屏幕左缘。水平线正在轻轻蠕动，那是一组随机而绝不重复的微弱起伏，稳定地向左方前进。铎丝感到它几乎有催眠作用。

Benastra said, "Thats as quiet as it can possibly be. Anything you see is the result of changing air pressure above, raindrops maybe, the distant whirr of machinery. Theres nothing up there."

班纳斯楚说：“这是再平静不过的情况。你所看到的，全都是上面的气压变化，当然也可能是雨滴，或是远处的机械装置所造成的结果。上面什么也没有。”

"All right, but what about a few hours ago? Check on the records at fifteen hundred today, for instance. Surely, you have some recordings."

“好吧，可是几小时之前又如何呢？比如说，检查一下今天1500时的记录吧。你当然有那时候的记录。”

Benastra gave the computer its necessary instructions and for a second or two there was wild chaos on the screen. Then it settled down and again the horizontal line appeared.

班纳斯楚对电脑下了必要的指令，一两秒钟之后，屏幕上便出现一片混乱。画面不久便平静下来，那条水平线再度出现。

"I'll sensitize it to maximum," muttered Benastra. There were now pronounced hiccups and as they staggered leftward they changed in pattern markedly.

“我要把灵敏度调到最大。”班纳斯楚喃喃说道。于是那种起伏变得十分明显，而当它们向左方蹒跚游移时，它们的图样同时发生显着变化。

"Whats that?" said Dors. "Tell me."

“那是什么？”铎丝说，“告诉我。”

"Since you say there were people up there, Venabili, I would guess they were footsteps……the shifting of weight, the impact of shoes. I don't know that I would have guessed it if I hadn't known about the people up there. Its what we call a benign vibration, not associated with anything we know to be dangerous."

“凡纳比里，既然你说曾经有人上去，我猜这就代表脚步，包括重量的挪移、鞋子的撞击。若非事先知道上面有人，我真不晓得自己能不能猜到。这是我们所谓的良性震动，和我们所知的任何危险现象无关。”

"Can you tell how many people are present?"

“你能不能看出有多少人？”

"Certainly not by eye. You see, were getting a resultant of all the impacts."

“肉眼绝对看不出来。你瞧，我们看到的是所有撞击的合成效应。”

"You say not by eye. Can the resultant be analyzed into its components by the computer?"

“你说‘肉眼’看不出来，但是能否利用电脑，将合成效应解析成个别成分呢？”

"I doubt it. These are minimal effects and you have to allow for the inevitable noise. The results would be untrustworthy."

“我很怀疑。这些都是极小的效应，你还得考虑无所不在的杂讯。分析结果不会可靠的。”

"Well then. Move the time forward tI'll the footstep indications stop. Can you make it fast-forward, so to speak?"

“好吧，那么把时间再往后推，直到脚步讯号消失为止。比如说，能不能让它正向快转？”

"If I do……the kind of fast-forward youre speaking of……then it will all just blur into a straight line with a slight haze above and below. What I can do is move it forward in fifteen-minute stages and study it quickly before moving on."

“如果我那样做……你所谓的正向快转……画面会变得很模糊，会只剩下一条直线，上下各有一片朦胧的光影。我能做的是每次向后跳十五分钟，迅速观察一下，然后继续这个程序。”

"Good. Do that!"

“好，就这么办！”

Both watched the screen until Benastra said, "Theres nothing there now. See?"

两人紧盯着屏幕，直到班纳斯楚说：“现在什么都没有了，看到没？”

There was again a line with nothing but tiny uneven hiccups of noise.

屏幕上又剩下一条直线，此外就只有杂讯的微小起伏。

"When did the footsteps stop?"

“脚步什么时候消失的？”

"Two hours ago. A trifle more."

“两小时以前，再多一点点。”

"And when they stopped were there fewer than there were earlier?"

“它们消失的时候，是不是比原先的脚步少了些？”

Benastra looked mildly outraged. "I couldnt tell. I don't think the finest analysis could make a certain decision."

班纳斯楚看来有点冒火了。“我看不出来。我想即使最精密的分析，也无法做出肯定的判断。”

Dors pressed her lips together. Then she said, "Are you testing a transducer……is that what you called it……near the meteorological outlet?"

铎丝紧抿一下嘴唇，接着又说：“你是不是正在检查靠近气象侦测站的转换器……你管它叫转换器是吗？”

"Yes, thats where the instruments are and thats where the meteorologists would have been." Then, unbelievingly, "Do you want me to try others in the vicinity? One at a time?"

“是的，我们的仪器就在那里，那些气象学家当时也应该是在那里。”然后，他又用难以置信的口吻说，“你想要我试试附近其他的吗？一个一个试？”

"No. Stay on this one. But keep on going forward at fifteen-minute intervals. One person may have been left behind and may have made his way back to the instruments."

“不，就留在那里，继续以十五分钟为间隔推进。有个人也许落在后面，也许后来才回到仪器附近。”

Benastra shook his head and muttered something under his breath.

班纳斯楚摇摇头，低声嘀咕了几句。

The screen shifted again and Dors said sharply, "Whats that?" She was pointing.

画面再度变换，铎丝突然指着屏幕喊道：“那是什么？”

"I don't know. Noise."

“我不知道，杂讯吧。”

"No. Its periodic. Could it be a single persons footsteps?"

“不对，它是周期性的。有没有可能是单独一人的脚步？”

"Sure, but it could be a dozen other things too."

“当然可能，但也可能是不下十种的其他现象。”

"Its coming along at about the time of footsteps, isn't it?" Then, after a while, she said, "Push it forward a little."

“它的变化和步行的快慢差不多，对不对？”过了一会儿，她又说，“再推进一点。”

He did and when the screen settled down she said, "aren't those unevennesses getting bigger?"

他照做了。等到画面稳定下来之后，她说：“这些凹凸不平是不是越来越大？”

"Possibly. We can measure them."

“有可能，我们可以测量一下。”

"We don't have to. You can see theyre getting bigger. The footsteps are approaching the transducer. Go forward again. See when they stop."

“不必了。你可以看出它们越来越大，代表那些脚步逐渐接近转换器。再推进些，看看它们什么时候消失。”

After a while Benastra said, "They stopped twenty or twenty-five minutes ago." Then cautiously, "Whatever they are."

又过了一会儿，班纳斯楚说：“是在二十或二十五分钟之前。”然后，他谨慎地补充了一句，“不论那是什么。”

"Theyre footsteps," said Dors with mountain-moving conviction. "Theres a man up there and while you and I have been fooling around here, hes collapsed and hes going to freeze and die. Now don't say, Whatever they are! Just call Meteorology and get me Jenarr Leggen. Life or death, I tell you. Say so!"

“就是脚步。”铎丝以排山倒海的信心，斩钉截铁地说，“还有一个人在上面，当你我在这里浪费时间的时候，他已经不支倒地，马上就要冻死。不要再说‘不论那是什么’，赶紧打电话到气象学系，帮我找杰纳尔·雷根。生死攸关，我告诉你。就这么说！”

Benastra, lips quivering, had passed the stage where he could possibly resist anything this strange and passionate woman demanded.

班纳斯楚的嘴唇开始打颤，到了这个地步，他再也无法违抗这个古怪而冲动的女人所下达的任何命令。

It took no more than three minutes to get Leggens hologram on the message platform. He had been pulled away from his dinner table. There was a napkin in his hand and a suspicious greasiness under his lower lip.

不到三分钟，雷根的全息像便出现在讯息平台。他是从餐桌上被拉下来的，手中还握着一条餐巾，嘴唇下面油腻腻的，不知道是什么东西。

His long face was set in a fearful scowl. " Life or death? What is this? Who are you?" Then his eye caught Dors, who had moved closer to Benastra so that her image would be seen on Jenarrs screen. He said, "You again. This is simple harassment."

他的长脸露出可怕的阴沉表情。“生死攸关？这是怎么回事？你是什么人？”然后他看到了铎丝，她故意凑近班纳斯楚，好让她的影像出现在杰纳尔的屏幕上。于是他说：“又是你，这简直就是骚扰。”

Dors said, "It is not. I have consulted Rogen Benastra, who is Chief Seismologist at the University. After you and your party had left Upperside, the seismograph shows clear footsteps of one person still there. Its my student Hari Seldon, who went up there in your care and who is now, quite certainly, lying in a collapsed stupor and may not live long.

铎丝说：“这不是骚扰。我已经咨询过罗根·班纳斯楚，他是本校的首席地震学家。在你和你的小组离开上方之后，地震仪又显示出清楚的脚步，代表还有一个人在那里。他就是我的学生哈里·谢顿，当初是你护送他上去的，如今我们相当肯定，他已经倒地昏迷不醒，可能活不了多久了。

"You will, therefore, take me up there right now with whatever equipment may be necessary. If you do not do so immediately, I shall proceed to University security……to the President himself, if necessary. One way or another I'll get up there and if anything has happened to Hari because you delay one minute, I will see to it that you are hauled in for negligence, incompetence……whatever I can make stick……and will have you lose all status and be thrown out of academic life. And if hes dead, of course, thats manslaughter by negligence. Or worse, since Ive now warned you hes dying."

“因此，你要尽快带我上去，并且带着一切必要装备。假如你不立刻照办，我就去找校方保安单位……甚至找校长本人，若有必要的话。无论如何，我总有办法上去的。若是因为你耽误了一分钟，而让哈里有什么差池，我保证会拿失职、无能，以及我能安在你身上的一切罪名，让你吃上官司，让你丧失所有的地位，并且被赶出学术圈。万一他不幸丧生，当然，那就是过失杀人。或者更严重的罪，因为我现在已警告过你，他快要死了。”

Jenarr, furious, turned to Benastra. "Did you detect……"

火冒三丈的杰纳尔转向班纳斯楚。“你是否侦测到……”

But Dors cut in. "He told me what he detected and Ive told you. I do not intend to allow you to bulldoze him into confusion. Are you coming? Now?"

铎丝却突然打断他的话。“他把侦测到的全告诉了我，而我又已经告诉你。我不准备让你把他吓得心神恍惚。你来不来？啊？”

"Has it occurred to you that you may be mistaken?" said Jenarr, thin-lipped. "Do you know what I can do to you if this is a mischievous false alarm? Loss of status works both ways."

“你有没有想到过，也许是你弄错了？”杰纳尔以刻薄的口吻说，“你知不知道，如果这是个恶作剧的假警报，我又能怎样对付你？丧失地位同样会应验在你身上。”

"Murder doesnt," said Dors. "Im ready to chance a trial for malicious mischief. Are you ready to chance a trial for murder?"

“谋杀罪却不会。”铎丝说，“我可不怕你控告我恶意恶作剧，你怕不怕被控谋杀罪呢？”

Jenarr reddened, perhaps more at the necessity of giving in than at the threat. "I'll come, but I'll have no mercy on you, young woman, if your student eventually turns out to have been safe within the dome these past three hours."

杰纳尔涨红了脸，主要原因或许并非受到威胁，而是他不得不向对方低头。“我会来的，不过，年轻女士，如果事实证明，在过去三个小时里，你的学生安然无事地待在穹顶内，那我可绝不会对你客气。”

The three went up the elevator in an inimical silence. Leggen had eaten only part of his dinner and had left his wife at the dining area without adequate explanation. Benastra had eaten no dinner at all and had possibly disappointed some woman companion, also without adequate explanation. Dors Venabili had not eaten either and she seemed the most tense and unhappy of the three. She carried a thermal blanket and two photonic founts.

在直达上方的升降机中，三个人保持着掺杂敌意的沉默。雷根的晚餐只吃了一半，他没有做充分的解释，就将妻子独自留在用餐区。班纳斯楚根本未进晚餐，可能还令某位女伴大失所望，他同样未能做出充分解释。铎丝·凡纳比里也没有吃任何东西，而在他们三人之间，她似乎是最紧张、最闷闷不乐的一位。她带了一条热力毯，以及两个光子源。

When they reached the entrance to Upperside, Leggen, jaw muscles tightening, entered his identification number and the door opened. A cold wind rushed at them and Benastra grunted. None of the three was adequately dressed, but the two men had no intention of remaining up there long.

当他们到达上方入口时，雷根紧绷着面部肌肉，将他的身份识别码一一输入，那道门随即打开。一阵冷风袭来，班纳斯楚不禁哼了一声。他们三人都穿得不够，不过两位男士并未打算在上面久留。

Dors said tightly, "Its snowing."

铎丝以生硬的声音说：“下雪了。”

Leggen said, "Its wet snow. The temperatures just about at the freezing point. Its not a kI'lling frost."

雷根说：“这是‘湿雪’，因为温度刚好在冰点上下。它并不是‘杀霜’。”

"It depends on how long one remains in it, doesnt it?" said Dors. "And being soaked in melting snow won't help."

“那可不一定，要看你在这里待多久，对不对？”铎丝说，“而浸在融雪里也没什么好处。”

Leggen grunted. "Well, where is he?" He stared resentfully out into utter blackness, made even worse by the light from the entrance behind him.

雷根咕哝道：“好了，他在哪里？”他忿忿地瞪着眼前全然的黑暗，由于身后入口处透出光线，能见度因而变得更差。

Dors said, "Here, Dr. Benastra, hold this blanket for me. And you, Dr. Leggen, close the door behind you without locking it."

铎丝说：“来，班纳斯楚博士，帮我拿这条毯子。而你，雷根博士，把你身后的门关上，不过别锁起来。”

"Theres no automatic lock on it. Do you think were foolish?"

“门上没有自动锁。你以为我们是傻瓜啊？”

"Perhaps not, but you can lock it from the inside and leave anyone outside unable to get into the dome."

“也许不是。不过你能从里面把它锁上，让留在外面的人无法进入穹顶。”

"If someones outside, point him out. Show him to me," said Leggen.

“如果有人在外面，请把他指出来，让我看一看。”雷根说。

"He could be anywhere." Dors lifted her arms with a photonic fount circling each wrist.

“他可能在任何角落。”铎丝举起双臂，两个光子源分别绕在她的左右手腕。

"We can't look everywhere," mumbled Benastra miserably.

“我们不可能查看每一个角落。”班纳斯楚可怜兮兮地喃喃道。

The founts blazed into light, spraying in every direction. The snowflakes glittered like a vast mob of fireflies, making it even more difficult to see.

此时光子源发出亮光，洒向四面八方。雪花被照得闪闪发亮，好像一大群萤火虫，而使得视线更加受阻。

"The footsteps were getting steadily louder," said Dors. "He had to be approaching the transducer. Where would it be located?"

“脚步声当初是稳定地增大。”铎丝说，“他一定是渐渐接近转换器。它会装设在哪里呢？”

"I haven't any idea," snapped Leggen……Thats outside my field and my responsibility."

“我毫无概念。”雷根吼道，“这不是我的本行，也不是我的责任。”

"Dr. Benastra?"

“班纳斯楚博士呢？”

Benastras reply was hesitant. "I don't really know. To tell you the truth, Ive never been up here before. It was installed before my time. The computer knows, but we never thought to ask it that……Im cold and I don't see what use I am up here."

班纳斯楚的回答显得很迟疑。“其实我也不知道。老实跟你说，以前我从未来过这里。它是在我接掌之前装设的，电脑知道确切位置，但我们一直没想到问它。我觉得很冷，我看不出我在这里有什么用。”

"Youll have to stay up here for a while," said Dors firmly. "Follow me. Im going to circle the entrance in an outward spiral."

“你必须在这里再待一会儿。”铎丝坚决地说，“跟我来，我要以入口为中心，由内向外不断绕圈。”

"We can't see much through the snow," said Leggen.

“我们在雪中看不到什么。”雷根说。

"I know that. If it wasn't snowing, wed have seen him by now. Im sure of it. As it is, it may take a few minutes. We can stand that." She was by no means as confident as her words made it appear.

“我知道。如果没有下雪，我们早就看到他了，这点我可以肯定。在如今这种情况下，大概要花上几分钟的时间，我们应该还受得了。”虽然话中信心十足，她内心却根本不是这么想。

She began to walk, swinging her arms, playing the light over as large a field as she could, straining her eyes for a dark blotch against the snow.

她开始前进，同时不停挥动双臂，把光线的照射范围尽量拉大，极目寻找白雪中的黑暗斑点。

And, as it happened, it was Benastra who first said, "Whats that?" and pointed.

结果是班纳斯楚最先说：“那是什么？”他一面说，一面伸手指去。

Dors overlapped the two founts, making a bright cone of light in the indicated direction. She ran toward it, as did the other two.

铎丝让两个光子源重叠，沿着他所指的方向形成一个明亮的光锥。然后她赶紧跑过去，另外两人则紧跟在后。

They had found him, huddled and wet, about ten meters from the door, five from the nearest meteorological device. Dors felt for his heartbeat, but it was not necessary for, responding to her touch, Seldon stirred and whimpered.

他们总算找到他了。他缩成一团，全身湿透，距离门口大约十米，距离最近的气象装置则只有五米。铎丝摸了摸他的心跳，随即发现没有这个必要，因为在她的触摸下，谢顿立刻动了动，同时发出一声抽噎。

"Give me the blanket, Dr. Benastra," said Dors in a voice that was faint with relief. She flapped it open and spread it out in the snow. "Lift him onto it carefully and I'll wrap him. Then well carry him down."

“班纳斯楚博士，把毯子给我。”铎丝的声音不再那么紧张高亢了。她抖开毯子，铺到雪地上。“小心地把他抬到毯子上，我要把他裹起来，然后我们抱他下去。”

In the elevator, vapors were rising from the wrapped Seldon as the blanket warmed to blood temperature.

在升降机中，当热力毯加热到血液的温度时，裹在毯子里的谢顿开始冒出蒸汽。

Dors said, "Once we have him in his room, Dr. Leggen, you get a doctor……a good one……and see that he comes at once. If Dr. Seldon gets through this without harm, I won't say anything, but only if he does. Remember……"

铎丝说：“等到我们把他送到他的房间，雷根博士，你马上去找医生……找个好的，并且务必请他立刻赶来。假如谢顿博士安然度过这一关，没有任何损伤，我就再也不会说什么，但一定要在这个前提之下。记住……”

"You neednt lecture me," said Leggen coldly. "I regret this and I will do what I can, but my only fault was in allowing this man to come Upperside in the first place."

“你不必教训我。”雷根冷冰冰地说，“我为此感到遗憾，会尽力负责到底。可是我唯一的错误，就是竟然准许此人到上方去。”

The blanket stirred and a low, weak voice made itself heard.

热力毯动了一下，传出一声微小而虚弱的声音。

Benastra started, for Seldons head was cradled in the crook of his elbow. He said, "Hes trying to say something."

班纳斯楚吓了一跳，因为谢顿的头正好枕在他的臂弯。他说：“他想要说话。”

Dors said, "I know. He said, Whats going on? "

铎丝说：“我知道，他在问‘发生了什么事？’”

She couldnt help but laugh just a little. It seemed such a normal thing to say.

她忍不住小声笑出来。他会这么说，似乎是很自然的事。

The doctor was delighted.

医生显得很开心。

"Ive never seen a case of exposure," he explained. "One doesnt get exposed on Trantor."

“我从来没见过感冒症。”他解释道，“在川陀没有人会感冒。”

"That may be," said Dors coldly, "and Im happy you have the chance to experience this novelty, but does it mean that you do not know how to treat Dr. Seldon?"

“或许吧，”铎丝冷冷地说，“我很高兴你有机会体验这个新奇病例。但这是否代表你不知道如何医治谢顿博士？”

The doctor, an elderly man with a bald head and a small gray mustache, bristled. "Of course, I do. Exposure cases on the Outer Worlds are common enough……an everyday affair……and Ive read a great deal about them."

这位蓄着两小撇灰胡子的秃头老医生，此时突然龇牙咧嘴。“我当然知道。感冒症在外围世界相当普通，简直是家常便饭，我读过一大堆病例。”

Treatment consisted in part of an antiviral serum and the use of a microwave wrapping.

治疗的方法包括注射抗病毒血清，以及使用微波包裹。

"This ought to take care of it," the doctor said. "On the Outer Worlds, they make use of much more elaborate equipment in hospitals, but we don't have that, of course, on Trantor. This is a treatment for mild cases and Im sure it will do the job."

“这样应该可以了。”医生说，“在外围世界的医院里，他们会使用精致得多的设备，不过我们川陀当然没有。这是对轻微症状的治疗法，我确定它会生效。”

Dors thought later, as Seldon was recovering without particular injury, that it was perhaps because he was an Outworlder that he had survived so well. Dark, cold, even snow were not utterly strange to him. A Trantorian probably would have died in a similar case, not so much from physical trauma as from psychic shock.

当谢顿逐渐恢复，并未显现任何后遗症时，铎丝曾经想，这次他能大难不死，或许正是由于他是外星人士。黑暗、寒冷，甚至冰雪，对他而言都并非全然陌生。换成川陀人，处在类似情况下就有可能丧命，但主因并非生理上的创伤，而是心理上的震撼。

She was not sure of this, of course, since she herself was not a Trantorian either.

不过，她当然无法确定这一点，因为她自己也不是川陀人。

And, turning her mind away from these thoughts, she pulled up a chair near to Haris bed and settled down to wait.

将这些思绪通通收起来之后，她拉过一张椅子坐到床边，开始静下心来等待。

On the second morning Seldon stirred awake and looked up at Dors, who sat at his bedside, viewing a book-film and taking notes.

第三天早上，谢顿缓缓醒来，一眼就看到铎丝。她正坐在床沿，一面读着影视书，一面做着笔记。

In a voice that was almost normal, Seldon said, "still here, Dors?"

谢顿以近乎正常的声音说：“铎丝，你还在这儿？”

She put down the book-film. "I can't leave you alone, can I? And I don't trust anyone else."

她放下那本影视书。“我不能让你一个人在这里，对不对？而且我再也信不过别人了。”

"It seems to me that every time I wake up, I see you. Have you been here all the time?"

“好像每次醒来的时候，我都会看到你。你一直待在这里吗？”

"Sleeping or waking, yes."

“不论是睡是醒，我都没离开。”

"But your classes?"

“可是你的课呢？”

I have an assistant who has taken over for a while.

“我有一个助教，暂时帮我代一下课。”

Dors leaned over and grasped Haris hand. Noticing his embarrassment (he was, after all, in bed), she removed it.

铎丝俯下身来，抓住谢顿的手。但她马上注意到他的尴尬（毕竟他躺在床上），于是又将手缩回去。

"Hari, what happened? I was so frightened."

“哈里，发生了什么事？把我吓坏了。”

Seldon said, "I have a confession to make."

谢顿说：“我要招认一件事。”

"What is it, Hari?"

“什么事，哈里？”

"I thought perhaps you were part of a conspiracy……"

“我曾想到或许你也参与一项阴谋……”

"A conspiracy?" she said vehemently.

“一项阴谋？”她激动地说。

"I mean, to maneuver me Upperside where Id be outside University jurisdiction and therefore subject to being picked up by Imperial forces."

“我的意思是，把我设计到上方去，这样我就离开了大学的管辖范围，帝国军警就可以来抓我。”

"But Upperside isn't outside University jurisdiction. Sector jurisdiction on Trantor is from the planetary center to the sky."

“可是上方并未脱离大学的管辖范围。川陀各区的管辖范围，都是从星核一直延伸到空中。”

"Ah, I didn't know that. But you didn't come with me because you said you had a busy schedule and, when I was getting paranoid, I thought you were deliberately abandoning me. Please forgive me. Obviously, it was you who got me down from there. Did anyone else care?"

“啊，我可不知道。但你并未跟我一起去，因为你说你的日程很忙。当我开始妄想时，便想到你是故意要遗弃我。请你原谅我吧。显然是你把我从那里救下来的，除了你，还有谁会关心？”

"They were busy men," said Dors carefully. "They thought you had come down earlier. I mean, it was a legitimate thought."

“他们都是大忙人。”铎丝以谨慎的口吻说，“他们以为你早就下来了。我的意思是，那还算是合理的设想。”

"Clowzia thought so too?"

“克劳吉雅也这样想？”

"The young intern? Yes, she did."

“那个年轻实习生？对，她也一样。”

"Well, it may still have been a conspiracy. Without you, I mean."

“嗯，这仍有可能是一项阴谋。我的意思是不包括你在内。”

"No, Hari, it is my fault. I had absolutely no right to let you go Upperside alone. It was my job to protect you. I can't stop blaming myself for what happened, for you getting lost."

“不，哈里，这的确是我的错。我绝对无权让你独自到上方去，保护你是我的职责。我无法停止自责，我竟然让这事发生，竟然让你迷路。”

"Now, wait a minute," said Seldon, suddenly irritated. "I didn't get lost. What do you think I am?"

“嘿，等一等。”谢顿突然发火，“我并没有迷路，你把我当成什么了？”

"Id like to know what you call it. You were nowhere around when the others left and you didn't get back to the entrance……or to the neighborhood of the entrance anyway……tI'll well after dark."

“我倒想知道你管它叫什么。其他人离去时，到处都找不到你，而且直到天黑许久之后，你才回到入口处……或者该说是入口处附近。”

"But thats not what happened. I didn't get lost just because I wandered away and couldnt find my way back. I told you I was suspecting a conspiracy and I had cause to do so. Im not totally paranoid."

“可是事实并非如此。我不是因为到处乱跑，找不到归途才迷路的。我告诉过你，我怀疑有一项阴谋，而且我有充分的理由。我可没有全然陷入妄想。”

"Well then, what did happen?"

“好吧，那么究竟发生了什么事？”

Seldon told her. He had no trouble remembering it in full detail; he had lived with it in nightmare for most of the preceding day.

谢顿一五一十告诉了她。他毫无困难就记起了全部的细节；在此之前，几乎有一整天的时间，他都在恶梦中不断重温那些经历。

Dors listened with a frown. "But thats impossible. A jet-down? Are you sure?"

铎丝一面听，一面皱着眉头。“但这是不可能的事。一架喷射直升机？你确定吗？”

"Of course Im sure. Do you think I was hallucinating?"

“我当然确定。你认为我心生幻觉吗？”

"But the Imperial forces could not have been searching for you. They could not have arrested you Upperside without creating the same ferocious rumpus they would have if they had sent in a police force to arrest you on campus."

“可是帝国军警绝对不可能搜捕你。他们若在上方把你逮捕，造成的反弹将和派遣警力在校园逮捕你一样严重。”

"Then how do you explain it?"

“那你要怎么解释呢？”

"Im not sure," said Dors, "but its possible that the consequences of my failure to go Upperside with you might have been worse than they were and that Hummin will be seriously angry with me."

“我不确定。”铎丝说，“不过，我未能跟你一起到上方去，后果说不定要比实际情况更糟，夫铭一定会很生我的气。”

"Then lets not tell him," said Seldon. "It ended well."

“那我们就别告诉他。”谢顿说，“结局还算圆满。”

"We must tell him," said Dors grimly. "This may not be the end."

“我们必须告诉他。”铎丝绷着脸说，“事情可能尚未结束。”

That evening Jenarr Leggen came to visit. It was after dinner and he looked from Dors to Seldon several times, as though wondering what to say. Neither offered to help him, but both waited patiently. He had not impressed either of them as being a master of small talk.

当天傍晚，晚餐时间过后，杰纳尔·雷根前来拜访。他轮流望向铎丝与谢顿，仿佛不知道如何开口。两人并未主动帮他，不过都在耐心等待。在他俩的感觉中，他实在不是个善于闲聊的人。

Finally he said to Seldon, "Ive come to see how you are."

最后，他终于对谢顿说：“我来看看你的状况。”

"Perfectly well," said Seldon, "except that Im a little sleepy. Dr. Venabili tells me that the treatment will keep me tired for a few days, presumably so Im sure of getting needed rest." He smiled. "Frankly, I don't mind."

“好极了，”谢顿说，“只不过有点困。凡纳比里博士告诉我，这种疗法会让我疲倦好几天，想必是要确定我能得到应有的休息。”他微微一笑，“坦白说，我并不在乎。”

Leggen breathed in deeply, let it out, hesitated, and then, almost as though he was forcing the words out of himself, said, "I won't keep you long. I perfectly understand you need to rest. I do want to say, though, that I am sorry it all happened. I should not have assumed……so casually……that you had gone down by yourself. Since you were a tyro, I should have felt more responsible for you. After all, I had agreed to let you come up. I hope you can find it in your heart to…… forgive me. Thats really all I wish to say."

雷根做了一个深呼吸，迟疑了一下，然后，几乎像是将一番话勉强挤出来一样，说道：“我不会打扰你太久，我完全了解你需要休息。不过，我的确想要说，我对发生的一切感到很抱歉。我不该假设……那么随便就假设你已经自己下去。既然你是个新手，我应该感到对你有更重的责任。毕竟，是我同意让你上去的。我希望你能衷心地……原谅我。我想要说的，真的就是这些。”

Seldon yawned, putting his hand over his mouth. "Pardon me……Since it seems to have turned out well, there need be no hard feelings. In some ways, it was not your fault. I should not have wandered away and, besides, what happened was……"

谢顿用手遮住嘴巴，打了一个呵欠。“对不起……既然似乎是喜剧收场，我们没有必要怪你。就某个角度而言，这并不是你的错。我不该逛到别处去，况且，真正的情况……”

Dors interrupted. "Now, Hari, please, no conversation. Just relax. Now, I want to talk to Dr. Leggen just a bit before he goes. In the first place, Dr. Leggen, I quite understand you are concerned about how repercussions from this affair will affect you. I told you there would be no follow-up if Dr. Seldon recovered without I'll effects. That seems to be taking place, so you may relax……for now. I would like to ask you about something else and I hope that this time I will have your free cooperation."

铎丝打岔道：“好啦，哈里，拜托，别再讲了，好好休息吧。趁雷根博士还没走，我要和他说几句话。首先，雷根博士，我相当了解，你很担心这个事件对你可能产生的影响。我曾经说过，只要谢顿博士能够康复，没有任何后遗症，我们就不会追究。目前看来似乎正是这样，所以你可以宽心……暂且宽心。我想要问你另一件事，而我希望这次能得到你的主动合作。”

"I will try, Dr. Venabili," said Leggen stiffly.

“凡纳比里博士，我尽力而为。”雷根硬生生地说。

"Did anything unusual happen during your stay Upperside?"

“你们在上方时，有没有发生任何不寻常的事？”

"You know it did. I lost Dr. Seldon, something for which I have just apologized."

“你明知故问。我把谢顿博士弄丢了，刚才我还特别郑重道歉。”

"Obviously Im not referring to that. Did anything else unusual happen?"

“显然我不是指这件事。还有没有其他不寻常的事情？”

"No, nothing. Nothing at all."

“没有了，什么事也没有。”

Dors looked at Seldon and Seldon frowned. It seemed to him that Dors was trying to check on his story and get an independent account. Did she think he was imagining the search vessel? He would have liked to object heatedly, but she had raised a quieting hand at him, as though she was preventing that very eventuality. He subsided, partly because of this and partly because he really wanted to sleep. He hoped that Leggen would not stay long.

铎丝看了看谢顿，令谢顿皱起眉头。他感到铎丝在试图取得一组独立的口供，以便查证他的叙述是否属实。难道她认为搜索飞机是他的幻想吗？他原本想提出强烈抗议，她却已经举起一只手，示意他保持沉默，好像早已防到这个变故。他果然平静下来，一部分是由于她的手势，此外也是因为他的确困了。现在他只希望雷根不会待太久。

"Are you certain?" said Dors. "Were there no intrusions from outside?"

“你确定？”铎丝问道，“没有外人闯进来吗？”

"No, of course not. Oh……"

“没有，当然没有。喔……”

"Yes, Dr. Leggen?"

“怎么了，雷根博士？”

"There was a jet-down."

“有一架喷射直升机。”

"Did that strike you as peculiar?"

“你觉得这点不寻常吗？”

"No, of course not."

“不会，当然不会。”

"Why not?"

“为什么不会？”

"This sounds very much as though Im being cross-examined, Dr. Venabili. I don't much like it."

“听来非常像是我在接受盘问，凡纳比里博士，我不太喜欢这样。”

"I can appreciate that, Dr. Leggen, but these questions have something to do with Dr. Seldons misadventure. It may be that this whole affair is more complicated than I had thought."

“雷根博士，这点我能体会，可是这些问题和谢顿博士的遭遇有关。整个事件有可能比我当初的设想还要复杂。”

"In what way?" A new edge entered his voice. "Do you intend to raise new questions, requiring new apologies? In that case, I may find it necessary to withdraw."

“怎么说？”他的声音又变得尖刻，“你打算提出新的问题，好让我再一次道歉？这样的话，我觉得有必要告辞了。”

"Not, perhaps, before you explain how it is you do not find a hovering jet-down a bit peculiar."

“在你做出解释之前，或许还不该走。为什么一架在上空盘旋的喷射直升机，不会令你觉得有丝毫不寻常？”

"Because, my dear woman, a number of meteorological stations on Trantor possess jet-downs for the direct study of clouds and the upper atmosphere. Our own meteorological station does not."

“亲爱的女士，因为在川陀，许多气象站都拥有喷射直升机，以便对云层和高层大气进行直接研究。不过我们的气象站并没有。”

"Why not? It would be useful."

“为什么没有？它应该很有用。”

"Of course. But were not competing and were not keeping secrets. We will report on our findings; they will report on theirs. It makes sense, therefore, to have a scattering of differences and specializations. It would be foolish to duplicate efforts completely. The money and manpower we might spend on jet-downs can be spent on mesonic refractometers, while others will spend on the first and save on the latter. After all, there may be a great deal of competitiveness and I'll feeling among the sectors, but science is one thing……only thing……that holds us together. You know that, I presume," he added ironically.

“当然有用。但我们不是在相互竞争，彼此间也从不保密。我们会发表我们的研究成果，他们也会发表他们的。因此，各有各的特色和专长是很合理的做法。两组人员从事完全相同的工作，会是一件很蠢的事。我们本来可能花在喷射直升机上的财力和人力，可以拿来用在‘介子折射计’上，别人则可省下对后者的投资，而集中于前者的计划。毕竟，虽然各区之间或许存在着很多竞争和芥蒂，但科学却是一个……唯一的一个……将我们凝聚起来的力量。我想，这点你也该知道。”他以讥讽的口吻补充道。

"I do, but isn't it rather coincidental that someone should be sending a jet-down right to your station on the very day you were going to use the station?"

“我知道。可是在你要去气象站的那天，刚好有人派一架喷射直升机飞到你们上空，这会不会太巧了些？”

"No coincidence at all. We announced that we were going to make measurements on that day and, consequently, some other station thought, very properly, that they might make simultaneous nephelometric measurements……clouds, you know. The results, taken together, would make more sense and be more useful than either taken separately."

“根本不是什么巧合。我们事先宣布过要在当天进行测量，因此，其他一些气象站便会理所当然想到，他们可以同时做些悬浮物测量……就是测量云量，你懂吧。把双方的结果放在一起，会比分别测量更有意义、更有用处。”

Seldon said suddenly in a rather blurred voice, "They were just measuring, then?" He yawned again.

谢顿突然以相当含糊的声音说：“那么，他们只是在进行测量？”说完他又打了一个呵欠。

"Yes" said Leggen. "What else would they possibly be doing?"

“没错。”雷根说，“他们还有可能做什么吗？”

Dors blinked her eyes, as she sometimes did when she was trying to think rapidly. "That all makes sense. To which station did this particular jet-down belong?"

铎丝眨了眨眼，这是她进行快速思考时常有的小动作。“这些听来都很有道理。那架喷射直升机属于哪个气象站？”

Leggen shook his head. "Dr. Venabili, how can you possibly expect me to tell?"

雷根摇了摇头。“凡纳比里博士，你怎能指望我会知道呢？”

"I thought that each meteorological jet-down might possibly have its stations markings on it."

“我想每架气象飞机上面，都可能画着所属气象站的标志。”

"Surely, but I wasn't looking up and studying it, you know. I had my own work to do and I let them do theirs. When they report, I'll know whose jet-down it was."

“当然，但我并未抬头仔细研究，你懂了吧。我有我自己的工作，他们则忙他们的。当他们发表测量结果时，我就会知道那是谁的喷射直升机。”

"What if they don't report?"

“万一他们没发表呢？”

"Then I would suppose their instruments failed. That happens sometimes." His right fist was clenched. "Is that all, then?"

“那我就会推想是他们的仪器失灵了，这种情形时有所闻。”他的右手紧握成拳，“好，问完了吗？”

"Wait a moment. Where do you suppose the jet-down might have come from?"

“等一下。根据你的推测，那架喷射直升机可能是从哪里来的？”

"It might be any station with jet-downs. On a days notice……and they got more than that……one of those vessels can reach us handily from anyplace on the planet."

“任何一个拥有喷射直升机的气象站都有可能。只要提早一天通知，它就能从本星任何角落从容飞来……何况他们早就知道。”

"But who most likely?"

“可是哪里最有可能呢？”

"Hard to say: Hestelonia, Wye, Ziggoreth, North Damiano. Id say one of these four was the most likely, but it might be any of forty others at least."

“很难说。海斯特娄尼亚、卫荷、齐勾瑞斯、北达米亚诺，我会说这四个区的可能性最大，但是至少还有其他四十个可能。”

"Just one more question, then. Just one. Dr. Leggen, when you announced that your group would be Upperside, did you by any chance say that a mathematician, Dr. Hari Seldon, would be with you."

“那么，只剩最后一个问题，最后一个。雷根博士，当你宣布你的小组将前往上方时，你有没有顺口提到一名数学家，哈里·谢顿博士，也会跟你同行？”

A look of apparently deep and honest surprise crossed Leggens face, a look that quickly turned contemptuous. "Why should I list names? Of what interest would that be to anyone?"

雷根脸上明显地掠过一阵深刻而真实的惊讶，但这个表情很快转变为不屑。“我为什么要列出名单？谁会对它有兴趣？”

"Very well," said Dors. "The truth of the matter, then, is that Dr. Seldon saw the jet-down and it disturbed him. I am not certain why and apparently his memory is a bit fuzzy on the matter. He more or less ran away from the jet-down, got himself lost, didn't think of trying to return……or didn't dare to……tI'll it was well into twilight, and didn't quite make it back in the dark. You can't be blamed for that, so lets forget the whole incident on both sides.

“很好。”铎丝说，“那么，实情是这样的。谢顿博士看到一架喷射直升机，因而感到心神不宁。我不确定原因是什么，显然对于这件事情，他的记忆有点模糊。可以说，他是因为躲避那架喷射直升机才迷了路。在黄昏将尽之前，他没想到要试图折返，或者说不敢那么做。而后来在黑暗中，他未能找到完全正确的归途。这件事不该责怪你，所以我们双方都把这整件事忘掉吧。同意吗？”

"Agreed," said Leggen. "Good-bye!" He turned on his heel and left.

“同意，”雷根说，“再见！”说完便转身离去。

When he was gone, Dors rose, pulled off Seldons slippers gently, straightened him in his bed, and covered him. He was sleeping, of course.

当他离去后，铎丝站起来，轻轻脱掉谢顿的拖鞋，让他在床上躺直，并替他盖好被子。当然，他早就睡着了。

Then she sat down and thought. How much of what Leggen had said was true and what might possibly exist under the cover of his words?

然后她坐下来开始寻思。雷根刚才说的有多少是实情？他的一番说词有可能隐瞒了什么吗？

She did not know.

她真的不知道。