Chapter 2 Toward Comporellon
2 首途康普隆
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5
It was raining lightly. Trevize looked up at the sky, which was asolid grayish white.
现在正下着细雨，崔维兹抬头一看，天空是浓密的灰白一片。
He was wearing a rain hat that repelled the drops and sent themflying well away from his body in all directions. Pelorat, standing outof range of the flying drops, had no such protection.
他戴的那顶雨帽不但能阻止雨水落到身上，还能将雨滴向四面八方弹开老远。裴洛拉特站在崔维兹雨滴飞溅的范围外，并未穿戴任何防雨装备。
Trevize said, "I don't see the point of your letting yourself getwet, Janov."
崔维兹说：“我不懂你为何要让自己淋湿，詹诺夫。”
"The wet doesn't bother me, my dear chap," said Pelorat, looking assolemn as he always did. "It's a light and warm rain. There's no windto speak of. And besides, to quote the old saying: `In Anacreon, do asthe Anacreonians do.'" He indicated the few Gaians standing near theFar Star , watching quietly. They were well scattered, as thoughthey were trees in a Gaian grove, and none wore rain hats.
“我一点也不在意，我亲爱的兄弟。”裴洛拉特的神情如往常般肃穆，“雨势很小，而且相当温暖，又完全没有风。此外，套句古老谚语：在安纳克里昂行，如安纳克里昂人。”他指了指站在远星号附近默默围观的几个盖娅人。他们分散得很均匀，仿佛是盖娅树丛中的几株树木，没有任何一人戴着雨帽。
"I suppose," said Trevize, "they don't mind being wet, because allthe rest of Gaia is getting wet. The trees the grass thesoil all wet, and all equally part of Gaia, along with theGaians."
“我想，”崔维兹说，“他们不怕被淋湿，是因为盖娅其他部分都湿了。所有的树木——青草——泥土——现在都是湿答答的，而盖娅的其他成员也一样，当然包括所有的盖娅人。”
"I think it makes sense," said Pelorat. "The sun will come out soonenough and everything will dry quickly. The clothing won't wrinkleor shrink, there's no chilling effect, and, since there aren't anyunnecessary pathogenic microorganisms, no one will get colds, or flu,or pneumonia. Why worry about a bit of damp then?"
“我想这话有理。”裴洛拉特说，“太阳马上会出来，到时每样东西都将很快被晒干。衣物不会起皱或缩水，不会让人觉得寒冷，而此地又没有不必要的病原性微生物，不必担心会伤风、感冒或染上肺炎。所以说，一点点潮湿又有什么关系？”
Trevize had no trouble in seeing the logic of that, but he hated tolet go of his grievance. He said, "Still, there is no need for it to rainas we are leaving. After all, the rain is voluntary. Gaia wouldn't rainif it didn't want to. It's almost as though it were showing its contemptfor us."
崔维兹当然明白这个道理，可是他不愿就此罢休，于是又说：“尽管如此，也没必要专挑我们离开时下雨。毕竟雨水是随意降下的，盖娅若不想要，就一定不会有雨。它现在下这场雨，简直像是故意表示对我们的轻蔑。”
"Perhaps" and Pelorat's lip twitched a bit "Gaia isweeping with sorrow at our leaving."
“或许，”裴洛拉特微微抿了一下嘴唇，“是盖娅舍不得我们离开，正在伤心哭泣呢。”
Trevize said, "That may be, but I'm not."
崔维兹说：“也许吧，但我可没有这种感觉。”
"Actually," Pelorat went on, "I presume that the soil in this regionneeds a wetting down, and that need is more important than your desireto have the sun shine."Trevize smiled. "
“事实上，”裴洛拉特继续说：“我想可能是因为这一带的泥土过于干燥，需要雨水滋润，而这个因素比你盼望见到阳光更重要。”
I suspect you really like this world, don't you? Evenaside from Bliss, I mean."
崔维兹微微一笑。“我怀疑你真的爱上这个世界了，对不对？我的意思是，即使不为了宝绮思。”
"Yes, I do," said Pelorat, a trace defensively. "I've always led aquiet, orderly life, and think how I could manage here, with a wholeworld laboring to keep it quiet and orderly. After all, Golan,when we build a house or that ship we try to create aperfect shelter. We equip it with everything we need; we arrange tohave its temperature, air quality, illumination, and everything else ofimportance, controlled by us and manipulated in a way to make it perfectlyaccommodating to us. Gaia is just an extension of the desire for comfortand security extended to an entire planet. What's wrong with that?"
“是的，的确如此。”裴洛拉特带着一点自我辩护的味道说，“过去许多年来，我一向过着平静而规律的生活，你应该想象得到，我多么适应这个地方——整个世界都在努力维护生活的平静和规律。无论如何，葛兰，我们建造一栋房子，或是那艘太空艇，目的正是希望有个理想的栖身之所。我们在里面装配了所需的一切，并且设法控制和调节内部各种环境因素，例如温度、空气品质、照明采光等等，让我们能在这个栖身之所住得舒舒服服。盖娅则是将这种对于舒适和安全的追求，延伸到了整个行星，这又有什么不对呢？”
What's wrong with that, said Trevize, "is that my house or myship is engineered to suit me . I am not engineered to suitit . If I were part of Gaia, then no matter how ideally theplanet was devised to suit me, I would be greatly disturbed over thefact that I was also being devised to suit it."
“问题是，”崔维兹说，“我的房子或太空艇，是为了符合我的需求而设计建造的，我不必去适应它们。倘若我成了盖娅的一部分，不论这颗行星设计得多么理想、多么符合我的需要，我也还得设法适应它，这个事实令我极为不安。”
Pelorat pursed his lips. "One could argue that every society moldsits population to fit itself. Customs develop that make sense withinthe society, and that chain every individual firmly to its needs."
裴洛拉特撅了撅嘴。“我们可以这样说，每个社会都会根据自己的需求塑造它的成员。所谓的风俗习惯，就是社会为了自身需要所发展出来的塑造工具，因此唯有在那个社会中合情合理的风俗习惯，才有机会自然而然发展出来。”
"In the societies I know, one can revolt. There are eccentrics,even criminals."
“在我所知的众多社会中，成员也可以反其道而行，因此总会有些怪人，甚至是罪犯。”
"Do you want eccentrics and criminals?"
“你希望有怪人和罪犯吗？”
"Why not? You and I are eccentrics. We're certainly not typicalof the people living on Terminus. As for criminals, that's a matterof definition. And if criminals are the price we must pay for rebels,heretics, and geniuses, I'm willing to pay it. I demandthe price be paid."
“有何不可？事实上你我就是怪人，我们当然不能算是端点星的典型居民。至于罪犯嘛，定义其实见仁见智。假如罪犯是产生叛逆、异端和天才所必须付出的代价，我也愿意接受，我坚持一定要付这个代价。”
"Are criminals the only possible payment? Can't you have geniuswithout criminals?"
“难道罪犯是唯一可能的代价吗？我们为何不能只要天才，而不要罪犯呢？”
"You can't have geniuses and saints without having people far outsidethe norm, and I don't see how you can have such things on only one sideof the norm. There is bound to be a certain symmetry. In any case,I want a better reason for my decision to make Gaia the model for thefuture of humanity than that it is a planetary version of a comfortablehouse."
“如果没有一群异于凡夫俗子的人，就不可能出现天才和圣者，而我不信异于常人的人都集中在好的一端，我认为一定有某种对称存在。总之，盖娅光是一个行星级的舒适住宅还不够，我还要一个更好的理由，来解释我为何选择盖娅当作人类未来的典范。”
Oh, my dear fellow. I wasn't trying to argue you into being satisfiedwith your decision. I was just making an observa
“喔，我亲爱的伙伴，我不是在试图说服你接受自己的抉择。我只是提出我的观……”
He broke off. Bliss was striding toward them, her dark hair wet andher robe clinging to her body and emphasizing the rather generous widthof her hips. She was nodding to them as she came.
说到这里他突然打住，因为宝绮思正朝他们大步走来。她一头黑发全淋湿了，外袍紧紧贴在身上，凸显出相当丰满的臀部。她一面走，一面向他们点头打招呼。
"I'm sorry I delayed you," she said, panting a little. "It took longerto check with Dom than I had anticipated."
“很抱歉耽误你们的时间。”她有点气喘吁吁，“我没料到和杜姆讨论要这么久。”
"Surely," said Trevize, "you know everything he knows."
“当然会，”崔维兹说，“他知道的事你全都知道。”
"Sometimes it's a matter of a difference in interpretation. We arenot identical, after all, so we discuss. Look here," she said, witha touch of asperity, "you have two hands. They are each part of you,and they seem identical except for one being the mirror-image of theother. Yet you do not use them entirely alike, do you? There are somethings you do with your right hand most of the time, and some with yourleft. Differences in interpretation, so to speak."
“但我们对事情的诠释往往各有不同，我们毕竟不是相同的个体，所以必须经常沟通。听我说，”她的语气变得有点不客气，“你有两只手，每一只都是你的一部分，除了互为镜像，它们没有任何不同。可是你不会对两只手一视同仁，对不对？有些事你大多用右手做，有些事则惯用左手，这也可以说是不同的诠释。”
"She's got you," said Pelorat, with obvious satisfaction.
“她让你无话可说。”裴洛拉特显然十分满意。
Trevize nodded. "It's an effective analogy, if it were relevant,and I'm not at all sure it is. In any case, does this mean we can boardthe ship now? It is raining."
崔维兹点了点头。“这是个很生动的类比，至于是否真正贴切，我可不敢肯定。闲话少说，我们现在是否可以登上太空艇了？正在下雨呢。”
"Yes, yes. Our people are all off it, and it's in perfect shape." Then,with a sudden curious look at Trevize, "You're keeping dry. The raindropsare missing you."
“可以，可以。我们的工作人员都离开了，远星号一切已准备就绪。”然后，她突然好奇地望着崔维兹。“你全身都是干的，雨点没有淋到你身上。”
"Yes, indeed," said Trevize. "I am avoiding wetness."
“的确没错，”崔维兹说，“我故意不让自己淋湿。”
"But doesn't it feel good to be wet now and then?"
“偶尔淋湿一下的感觉不是很好吗？”
Absolutely. But at my choice, not the rain's.
“这话完全正确，可是得由我来选择时机，而不是让雨点决定。”
Bliss shrugged. "Well, as you please. All our baggage is loaded solet's board."
宝绮思耸了耸肩。“好吧，随你的便。我们的行李都装载好了，我们也上去吧。”
The three walked toward the Far Star . The rain was growingstill lighter, but the grass was quite wet. Trevize found himselfwalking gingerly, but Bliss had kicked off her slippers, which she wasnow carrying in one hand, and was slogging through the grass barefoot.
于是三人便向远星号走去。此时雨势变得更小，不过草地已经相当潮湿。崔维兹小心翼翼地一步步走着，宝绮思却踢掉凉鞋拎在手上，光着双脚大剌剌地踏过草地。
"It feels delightful," she said, in response to Trevize's downwardglance.
“感觉真过瘾。”她这么说，算是回应崔维兹投向她脚下的目光。
Good, he said absently. Then, with a touch of irritation, "Why arethose other Gaians standing about, anyway?"
“很好。”他随口应道，然后又有点不高兴地说，“其他那些盖娅人，他们站在那里，到底在干什么？”
Bliss said, "They're recording this event, which Gaia findsmomentous. You are important to us, Trevize. Consider that if you shouldchange your mind as a result of this trip and decide against us, wewould never grow into Galaxia, or even remain as Gaia."
宝绮思答道：“他们在记录这件事，因为盖娅认为这是个重大事件。你对我们十分重要，崔维兹。想想看，万一这趟探索的结果，竟是使你改变初衷，转而决定否决我们，我们就永远无法发展成盖娅星系，甚至连盖娅本身也保不住。”
"Then I represent life and death for Gaia; for the whole world."
“如此说来，我掌握着盖娅整个世界的生死。”
We believe so.
“我们相信就是这样。”
Trevize stopped suddenly, and took off his rain hat. Blue patcheswere appearing in the sky. He said, "But you have my vote in your favornow . If you kill me, I'll never be able to change it."
这时蓝天在乌云的隙缝中出现，崔维兹突然停步，伸手摘掉雨帽，然后说：“可是此时此刻我仍然支持你们，如果你们当下杀了我，我就再也无法变卦。”
"Golan," murmured Pelorat, shocked. "That is a terrible thing tosay."
“葛兰，”裴洛拉特吓了一大跳，低声道，“这么说实在太可怕了。”
"Typical of an Isolate," said Bliss calmly. "You must understand,Trevize, that we are not interested in you as a person, or even inyour vote, but in the truth, in the facts of the matter. You are onlyimportant as a conduit to the truth, and your vote as an indication of thetruth. That is what we want from you, and if we kill you to avoid a changein your vote, we would merely be hiding the truth from ourselves."
“这是孤立体的典型想法。”宝绮思以平静的口吻说，“你必须了解，崔维兹，我们所重视的，并非你这个人或是你的支持，而是真理和事实。你的重要性在于能引导我们寻获真理，而你的支持就是真理的指标，这才是我们需要你的真正原因。如果为了防止你变卦而杀死你，那我们只是自欺罢了。”
"If I tell you the truth is non-Gaia, will you all then cheerfullyagree to die?"
“如果我告诉你盖娅并非真理，你们是否全都会欣然就义？”
Not entirely cheerfully, perhaps, but it's what it would amount toin the end.
“或许不是绝对欣然，但最后并没有什么两样。”
Trevize shook his head. "If anything ought to convince me that Gaiais a horror and should die, it might be that very statementyou've just made." Then he said, his eyes returning to the patientlywatching (and, presumably, listening) Gaians, "Why are they spread outlike that? And why do you need so many? If one of them observes thisevent and stores it in his or her memory, isn't it available to all therest of the planet? Can't it be stored in a million different places ifyou want it to be?
崔维兹摇了摇头。“如果有一天，我终于认定盖娅是个可怕的怪物，不该存在于世上，很可能就是你这番陈述带给我的启示。”说到这里，他的目光又回到那些耐心围观（想必也在耐心倾听）的盖娅人，“他们为何这样散开来？为何需要这么多人？即使只有一个人旁观，然后储存在他的记忆中，这颗行星上的每一个人不也都能取用吗？只要你们喜欢的话，不是可以把它储存在百万个不同的地方吗？”
"Bliss said, "They are observing this each from a different angle,and each is storing it in a slightly different brain. When all theobservations are studied, it will be seen that what is taking place willbe far better understood from all the observations together than fromany one of them, taken singly."
宝绮思答道：“他们从不同的角度来观察这件事，将它储存在各人不尽相同的大脑中。如果仔细研究这些观察记录，不难发现众人观察所得的综合结果，要比单一的观察结果更为详实易懂。”
"The whole is greater than the sum of the parts, in other words."
“换句话说，整体大于部分的总和。”
"Exactly. You have grasped the basic justification of Gaia'sexistence. You, as a human individual, are composed of perhaps fiftytrillion cells, but you, as a multicellular individual, are far moreimportant than those fifty trillion as the sum of their individualimportance. Surely you would agree with that."
“完全正确，你领悟了盖娅之所以存在的基本理由。你，一个人类个体，大约是由五十兆个细胞所组成，但是身为一个多细胞个体，你要比这五十兆个细胞的总和更为重要，这点你当然应该同意。”
Yes, said Trevize. "I agree with that."
“没错，”崔维兹说，“这点我同意。”
He stepped into the ship, and turned briefly for one more look atGaia. The brief rain had lent a new freshness to the atmosphere. He sawa green, lush, quiet, peaceful world; a garden of serenity set amid theturbulence of the weary Galaxy.
他走进太空艇，又回头看了盖娅一眼。短暂的阵雨带给大气一股清新的气息，眼前呈现的是一个葱绿、丰饶、静谧且祥和的世界；仿佛是一座与世无争的公园，坐落在纷扰不堪的银河中。
And Trevize earnestly hoped he would never see it again.
——崔维兹却衷心期望永远不要再见到它。
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When the airlock closed behind them, Trevize feltas though he had shut out not exactly a nightmare, but something soseriously abnormal that it had prevented him from breathing freely.
气闸在他们身后关上的时候，崔维兹感到挡住的不仅是一场恶梦，更是某个恐怖至极、令他连呼吸也无法顺畅的异形怪胎。
He was fully aware that an element of that abnormality was still withhim in the person of Bliss. While she was there, Gaia was there andyet he was also convinced that her presence was essential. It was theblack box working again, and earnestly he hoped he would never beginbelieving in that black box too much.
他心中很明白，这个怪物的一部分化身为宝绮思，仍然紧跟在自己身边。不论她到何处，盖娅也等于到了那里——但他也深信她是不可或缺的一员。这又是黑盒子在起作用，崔维兹却诚心希望自己别再对黑盒子太有信心。
He looked about the vessel and found it beautiful. It had been hisonly since Mayor Harla Branno of the Foundation had forced him into itand sent him out among the stars a living lightning rod designed todraw the fire of those she considered enemies of the Foundation. That taskwas done but the ship was still his, and he had no plans to return it.
他四处浏览了一下，感觉一切都太好了。当初，是基地的赫拉·布拉诺市长强迫他登上太空艇，将他送到银河群星之间——当一根活生生的避雷针，以吸引她心目中的敌人所放出的电花。如今这项任务已告一段落，但太空艇仍旧属于他，他也根本没有打算归还。
It had been his for merely a matter of a few months, but it seemedlike home to him and he could only dimly remember what had once beenhis home in Terminus.
他拥有这艘太空艇不过几个月，已经对它有了一种家的感觉。至于端点星上那个家，他却只剩下一些模糊的记忆。
Terminus! The off-center hub of the Foundation, destined, by Seldon'sPlan, to form a second and greater Empire in the course of the next fivecenturies, except that he, Trevize, had now derailed it. By his owndecision he was converting the Foundation to nothing, and was makingpossible instead, a new society, a new scheme of life, a frighteningrevolution that would be greater than any since the development ofmulticellular life.
端点星！这个位于银河边陲的基地中枢。根据谢顿计划，基地注定要在未来五世纪内，形成另一个更伟大的帝国。然而他，崔维兹，竟让这个计划出了轨。根据自己的抉择，他将基地的角色完全否定，取而代之的是一种新型社会，一个新的生命宏图，一场惊天动地的革命。自从多细胞生命出现后，再也没有任何演化能与之媲美。
Now he was engaged in a journey designed to prove to himself (or todisprove) that what he had done was right.
此刻，他即将踏上一个关键性的旅程，准备向自己证明（或反证）当初的抉择正确无误。
He found himself lost in thought and motionless, so that he shookhimself in self-irritation. He hastened to the pilot-room and foundhis computer still there.
崔维兹发现自己想得出了神，已经呆立良久，遂满肚子不高兴地甩了甩头。然后他快步走到驾驶舱，见到他的电脑仍在原处。
It glistened; everything glistened. There had been a most carefulcleaning. The contacts he closed, nearly at random, worked perfectly,and, it surely seemed, with greater ease than ever. The ventilatingsystem was so noiseless that he had to put his hand over the vents tomake sure he felt air currents.
电脑闪闪发光，驾驶舱各处都闪闪发光，一看就知道经过极仔细的清拭。他随手按下几个开关，反应都是完美无缺，而且显然比以前更得心应手。通风系统一点噪音也没有，他不得不将手掌放在通风口旁，以确定气流的确顺畅无阻。
The circle of light on the computer glowed invitingly. Trevize touchedit and the light spread out to cover the desk top and the outline of aright and left hand appeared on it. He drew a deep breath and realizedthat he had stopped breathing for a while. The Gaians knew nothing aboutFoundation technology and they might easily have damaged the computerwithout meaning any malice. Thus far they had not the hands werestill there.
电脑上的光圈发出动人的灿烂光芒，崔维兹碰了一下，光线立刻扩散，洒遍整个桌面，上面现出左右两只手的轮廓。他深深吸了一口气，才发现自己已屏息了一会儿。盖娅人对基地科技完全不懂，很有可能出于无心之失弄坏这台电脑。还好直到目前为止，尚未发现损坏的迹象，两个手掌轮廓还在那里。
The crucial test came with the laying on of his own hands, however,and, for a moment, he hesitated. He would know, almost at once, ifanything were wrong but if something was, what could he do? Forrepairs, he would have to go back to Terminus, and if he did, he felt quite confident that Mayor Branno would not let him leave again.
接下来，应该是进行关键的测试，也就是将自己的双手摆上去。不过他迟疑了一下，因为若有任何问题，他几乎立刻就能发觉——可是万一真有什么问题，他又该怎么办？若想要修理，就必须返回端点星，而如果回去了，他相信布拉诺市长一定不会再让他走。但如果不回去……
And if he did not He could feel his heart pounding, and there was clearly no point indeliberately lengthening the suspense.
他可以感到心脏怦怦乱跳，没道理再让这种不安的情绪持续下去。
He thrust his hands out, right, left, and placed them on the outlinesupon the desk. At once, he had the illusion of another pair of handsholding his. His senses extended, and he could see Gaia in all directions,green and moist, the Gaians still watching. When he willed himself tolook upward, he saw a largely cloudy sky. Again, at his will, the cloudsvanished and he looked at an unbroken blue sky with the orb of Gaia'ssun filtered out.
他猛然伸出双手，一左一右按在桌面的轮廓上。在同一瞬间，他感到像是有另一双手抓住自己。他的感官开始向外延伸，已经能从各个方向观看盖娅。外面依然是一片葱绿与湿润，那些盖娅人还在原地围观。他动念令自己向上望，见到了覆盖着大片云层的天空；他继续驱动意念，云层立时消失无踪，呈现出万里无云的蔚蓝晴空，以及又大又圆的盖娅之阳。
Again he willed and the blue parted and he saw the stars.
他再次运用意志力，蓝天随即碎裂，群星显现眼前。
He wiped them out, and willed and saw the Galaxy, like a foreshortenedpinwheel. He tested the computerized image, adjusting its orientation,altering the apparent progress of time, making it spin first in onedirection, then the other. He located the sun of Sayshell, the nearestimportant star to Gaia; then the sun of Terminus; then of Trantor; oneafter the other. He traveled from star to star in the Galactic map thatdwelt in the bowels of the computer.
拨开群星之后，他又动了一个念头，就见到了整个银河，形状像是望远镜中看到的纸风车。他测试电脑化的影像，调整相对方位，并且改变时间的速度，让风车开始缓缓旋转，不久再转向反方向。他找到了赛协尔的太阳，那是距离盖娅最近的一颗重要恒星。接着，他又依序找到端点星的太阳，以及川陀的太阳。从一颗恒星跳到另一颗，他在电脑内部的地图中畅游整个银河。
Then he withdrew his hands and let the world of reality surround himagain and realized he had been standing all this time, half-bowingover the computer to make the hand contact. He felt stiff and had tostretch his back muscles before sitting down.
然后他缩回手来，再度置身现实世界，这才发觉自己一直站着，在电脑前半弯着腰，双手按在桌面上。他觉得全身僵硬，必须舒展一下背部肌肉才能坐下来。
He stared at the computer with warm relief. It had worked perfectly. Ithad been, if anything, more responsive, and what he felt for it he couldonly describe as love. After all, while heeeeld its hands (he resolutelyrefused to admit to himself that he thought of it as her hands) they were part of each other, and his will directed, controlled,experienced, and was part of a greater self. He and it must feel, in asmall way (he suddenly, and disturbingly, thought), what Gaia did in amuch larger way.
他凝视着电脑，有如释重负之感。电脑一切运作正常，若硬要说有何不同，就是它的反应变得更灵敏。崔维兹对它的感觉，只有“爱”这个字可以形容。毕竟，当他握着它的双手时（其实他早已认定那是“她”的双手，只是坚决不肯承认），感觉彼此已经成了浑然一体；他的意志指挥、控制、体验，并且参与着一个更大的自我。刚才，他与它必定体会到一种小规模的“盖娅感”（他突然有了这种令自己不安的想法）。
He shook his head. No! In the case of the computer and himself, itwas he Trevize who was in entire control. The computer wasa thing of total submission.
他摇了摇头。不对！电脑与他的融合，是由他——崔维兹——完全掌控，电脑只是个绝对驯服的器具。
He rose and moved out to the compact galley and dining area. There wasplenty of food of all kinds, with proper refrigeration and easy-heatingfacilities. He had already noted that the book-films in his room werein the proper order, and he was reasonably sure no, completelysure that Pelorat had his personal library in safe storage. Hewould otherwise surely have heard from him by now.
他起身走出驾驶舱，来到了狭窄的厨舱与用餐区。那里满是各式各样的食物，还有合宜的冷藏库与简便加热设备。他刚才已经注意到，自己舱房里的影视书都有条不紊，而且他相当肯定——不，应该说完全肯定——裴洛拉特的个人藏书也保存得很妥当，否则一定早就听到他的抱怨。
Pelorat! That reminded him. He stepped into Pelorat's room. "Is thereroom for Bliss here, Janov?"
裴洛拉特！他好像突然想到什么，立刻走到裴洛拉特的舱房。“宝绮思在这里挤得下吗，詹诺夫？”
"Oh yes, quite."
“喔，当然没问题。”
I can convert the common room into her bedroom.
“我可以把公用舱改装成她的寝舱。”
Bliss looked up, wide-eyed. "I have no desire for a separate bedroom. Iam quite content to stay here with Pel. I suppose, though, that I mayuse the other rooms when needed. The gym, for instance."
宝绮思抬起头来，双眼睁得老大。“我不想要一间单独的寝舱，我很喜欢跟裴住在一起。不过我想，有必要的时候，我会借用其他舱房，譬如健身舱。”
"Certainly. Any room but mine."
“当然可以，只有我的舱房例外。”
"Good. That's what I would have suggested be the arrangement, if Ihad had the making of it. Naturally, you will stay out of ours."
“很好。如果由我决定，我也会作这样的安排。不用说，你也不能踏进我们的舱房。”
"Naturally," said Trevize, looking down and realizing that his shoesoverlapped the threshold. He took a half-step backward and said grimly,"These are not honeymoon quarters, Bliss."
“不在话下。”崔维兹说完，低头一看，发现自己的鞋子已经越界。他赶紧退后半步，正色道：“这可不是蜜月套房，宝绮思。”
"I should say, in view of its compactness, that it is exactly thateven though Gaia extended it to half again as wide as it was."
“照这间舱房的拥挤程度，我看就算盖娅将它的宽度扩增一半，它仍是个十足的蜜月套房。”
Trevize tried not to smile. "You'll have to be very friendly."
崔维兹努力克制住笑意。“你们彼此得非常和睦才行。”
"We are," said Pelorat, clearly ill at ease at the topic ofconversation, "but really, old chap, you can leave it to us to make ourown arrangements."
“我们的确如此，”裴洛拉特显然对这个话题感到很不自在，“不过说真的，老弟，你就让我们自己安排一切吧。”
"Actually, I can't," said Trevize slowly. "I still want to make itclear that these are not honeymoon accommodations. I have no objectionto anything you do by mutual consent, but you must realize that you willhave no privacy. I hope you understand that, Bliss."
“恐怕不行。”崔维兹缓缓说道，“我还是要把话说清楚，这艘太空艇可不是蜜月旅行的交通工具。你们双方同意做的事，我绝不会反对，可是你们必须明白，你们无法享有隐私。我希望你了解这一点，宝绮思。”
"There is a door," said Bliss, "and I imagine you will not disturbus who it is locked short of a real emergency, that is."
“这个舱房有道门，”宝绮思说，“门一旦锁起来，我想你就一定不会打扰我们——除非有什么紧急状况。”
"Of course I won't. However, there is no soundproofing."
“我当然不会，然而，这里并没有隔音设备。”
"What you are trying to say, Trevize," said Bliss, "is that you willhear, quite clearly, any conversation we may have, and any sounds wemay make in the course of sex."
“崔维兹，我想你的意思是说，”宝绮思道，“我们之间的任何谈话，以及从事性行为时发出的任何声音，你都会听得一清二楚。”
"Yes, that is what I am trying to say. With that in mind, I expect youmay find you will have to limit your activities here. This may discommodeyou, and I'm sorry, but that's the situation as it is."
“没错，我正是这个意思。既然你明白这点，我希望你能自我约束一下。这样也许会让你感到不方便，但我只能说声抱歉，因为情况就是如此。”
Pelorat cleared his throat, and said gently, "Actually, Golan, this isa problem I've already had to face. You realize that any sensation Blissexperiences, when together with me, is experienced by all of Gaia."
裴洛拉特清了清喉咙，温和地说：“事实上，葛兰，我自己早就必须面对这种问题。你该了解，我和宝绮思在一起的时候，无论她有任何感觉，整个盖娅都体验得到。”
"I have thought of that, Janov," said Trevize, looking as though hewere repressing a wince. "I didn't intend to mention it just in casethe thought had not occurred to you."
“这点我想到过，詹诺夫。”崔维兹像是压抑着不以为然的表情，“我原本无意提起，只是怕你们自己没想到。”
"But it did, I'm afraid," said Pelorat.
“只怕你多虑了。”裴洛拉特说。
Bliss said, "Don't make too much of that, Trevize. At any given moment,there may be thousands of human beings on Gaia who are engaged in sex;millions who are eating, drinking, or engaged in other pleasure-givingactivities. This gives rise to a general aura of delight that Gaia feels,every part of it. The lower animals, the plants, the minerals have theirprogressively milder pleasures that also contribute to a generalizedjoy of consciousness that Gaia feels in all its parts always, and thatis unfelt in any other world."
宝绮思又说：“别小题大做，崔维兹。在盖娅上，随时都可能有数千人在享受性爱，有数百万人在吃喝玩乐，这些活动合成一片愉悦的氛围，盖娅每一部分都能感同身受。而较低等的动物，以及植物和矿物，同样能产生一些比较轻度的欢乐，这些情绪也会加入整体的喜悦意识。盖娅所有的部分总是能分享这个意识，这样的经验在其他世界是感受不到的。”
"We have our own particular joys," said Trevize, "which we can shareafter a fashion, if we wish; or keep private, if we wish."
“我们有我们自己的喜悦，”崔维兹说，“如果我们愿意，也能以某种形式和他人分享；如果不愿意，则大可独自品尝。”
"If you could feel ours, you would know how poverty-stricken youIsolates are in that respect."
“如果你能感受到我们的喜悦，你将明白在这方面，你们孤立体有多么贫乏。”
"How can you know what we feel?"
“你怎能知道我们的感受？”
"Without knowing how you feel, it is still reasonable to suppose thata world of common pleasures must be more intense than those availableto a single isolated individual."
“我虽然不知道你们的感受，仍然能作出合理的推论：一个全体同乐的世界，感受到的乐趣一定比孤立个体更为强烈。”
"Perhaps, but even if my pleasures were poverty-stricken, I would keepmy own joys and sorrows and be satisfied with them, thin as they are,and be me and not blood brother to the nearest rock."
“大概是吧，可是，即使我的乐趣贫乏得可怜，我仍希望保有个人的悲喜。虽然这些感觉那么薄弱，我却心满意足。我宁可保持孤立，也不愿和身旁的岩石称兄道弟。”
"Don't sneer," said Bliss. "You value every mineral crystal in yourbones and teeth and would not have one of them damaged, though they haveno more consciousness than the average rock crystal of the same size."
“别嘲笑我们。”宝绮思说，“你身上的骨骼和牙齿，里面每个矿物晶体所具备的意识，虽然并未超过相同大小的普通岩石晶体，你仍然非常珍惜这些矿物，不想让它们受到任何伤害。”
Pelorat said, "This is an argument over nothing, my dear chap. Iam no more anxious than you to have your privacy violated. Nor mine,for that matter. Bliss and I will be discreet; won't we, Bliss?"
“你说得很对，”崔维兹不大情愿地说，“可是好像有点离题了。我不介意盖娅全体分享你们的喜悦，宝绮思，但我自己可不想加入。我们的舱房相距很近，我不希望被迫参与你们的活动，哪怕只是间接参与。”
That's true enough, said Trevize reluctantly, "but we've managed toget off the subject. I don't care if all Gaia shares your joy, Bliss, but I don't want to share it. We're living here in close quarters and I do not wish to be forced to participate in your activities even indirectly."
裴洛拉特说：“这实在是无谓的争论，我亲爱的兄弟。我同样不希望侵犯到你的隐私，同理，我也不想丧失自己的隐私权。宝绮思和我会很谨慎，对不对，宝绮思？”
"It will be as you wish, Pel."
“一定会让你满意，裴。”
"After all," said Pelorat, "we are quite likely to be planet-boundfor considerably longer periods than we will space-borne, and on planets,the opportunities for true privacy "
“毕竟，”裴洛拉特说，“想必我们待在各个行星上的时间，会比在太空中多得多。而在行星上，拥有真正隐私的机会……”
"I don't care what you do on planets," interrupted Trevize, "but onthis ship, I am master."
“我不管你们在行星上做些什么，”崔维兹打断他的话，“可是在这艘太空艇上，凡事都得由我做主。”
"Exactly," said Pelorat.
“那当然。”裴洛拉特说。
"Then, with that straightened out, it is time to take off."
“既然这件事已经说清楚，该是升空的时候了。”
"But wait." Pelorat reached out to tug at Trevize's sleeve. "Take offfor where? You don't know where Earth is, nor do I, nor does Bliss. Nordoes your computer, for you told me long ago that it lacks any informationon Earth. What do you intend doing, then? You can't simply drift throughspace at random, my dear chap."
“等一等，”裴洛拉特伸手拉住崔维兹的袖子，“要飞到哪里去？你不晓得地球在哪里，我和宝绮思也不清楚，甚至你的电脑也不知道。我记得很久以前，你曾经告诉我，电脑没有任何有关地球的资料。那么，你究竟打算怎么做？总不能在太空中胡乱游荡吧，我亲爱的兄弟。”
At that, Trevize smiled with what was almost joy. For the firsttime since he had fallen into the grip of Gaia, he felt master of hisown fate.
崔维兹的反应只是微微一笑，好像很开心的样子。自从落入盖娅掌握之后，他首度感到又能为自己的命运做主。
"I assure you," he said, "that it is not my intention to drift,Janov. I know exactly where I am going."
“我向你保证，”他说，“我无意在太空中游荡，詹诺夫，我万分清楚该到哪里去。”
7
7
Pelorat walked quietly into the pilot-room afterhe had waited long moments while his small tap on the door had gone unanswered. He found Trevize looking with keen absorption at the star field.
裴洛拉特轻轻敲了敲门，在门外等了许久，却一直没有听到任何回应。他终于悄悄走进驾驶舱，这才发现崔维兹正盯着星像场出神。
Pelorat said, "Golan " and waited.
裴洛拉特唤了一声：“葛兰——”便静静等着他的回答。
Trevize looked up. "Janov! Sit down. Where's Bliss?"
崔维兹抬起头来。“詹诺夫！请坐。宝绮思呢？”
"Sleeping. We're out in space, I see."
“在睡觉——原来我们已经进入太空了。”
"You see correctly." Trevize was not surprised at the other's mildsurprise. In the new gravitic ships, there was simply no way of detectingtakeoff. There were no inertial effects; no accelerational push; no noise;no vibration.
“完全正确。”对于裴洛拉特轻微的诧异，崔维兹一点也不觉得奇怪。身处这种新型重力太空艇中，根本无法察觉起飞的过程。从头到尾，没有惯性效应，没有加速推力，没有任何噪音，也没有一点震动。
Possessing the capacity to insulate itself from outside gravitationalfields to any degree up to total, the Far Star lifted from aplanetary surface as though it were floating on some cosmic sea. Andwhile it did so, the gravitational effect within the ship,paradoxically, remained normal.
远星号能将外界的重力场全部隔绝，或隔绝任意比例，因此当它从行星表面升空时，仿佛漂浮在宇宙之洋中。在此期间，说来也真奇怪，太空艇内的重力效应却始终维持正常。
While the ship was within the atmosphere, of course, there was no needto accelerate so that the whine and vibration of rapidly passing air wouldbe absent. As the atmosphere was left behind, however, acceleration couldtake place, and at rapid rates, without affecting the passengers.
太空艇尚未脱离大气层之际，自然没必要加速，因此并没有气流急速通过所引起的呼啸与振动。然而，在离开大气层后，太空艇便能迅速加速，同样不会令乘客有任何感觉。
It was the ultimate in comfort and Trevize did not see how it couldbe improved upon until such time as human beings discovered a way ofwhisking through hyperspace without ships, and without concern aboutnearby gravitational fields that might be too intense. Right now, theFar Star would have to speed away from Gaia's sun for severaldays before the gravitational intensity was weak enough to attemptthe Jump.
这已经是舒适的极限，崔维兹无法想象还有什么能改进的地方。除非将来人类发现某种方法，能让人直接在超空间中倏忽来去，无需借助任何航具，也不必担心附近的重力场可能太强。而如今，远星号必须花上几天的时间，尽快驶离盖娅之阳，直到重力强度减低到适当的程度，才能开始进行超空间跃迁。
"Golan, my dear fellow," said Pelorat. "May I speak with you for amoment or two? You are not too busy?"
“葛兰，我亲爱的伙伴，”裴洛拉特说，“我可不可以跟你说一会儿话？你不会很忙吧？”
"Not at all busy. The computer handles everything once I instruct itproperly. And sometimes it seems to guess what my instructions will be,and satisfies them almost before I can articulate them." Trevize brushedthe top of the desk lovingly.
“根本不忙，我一旦下达了正确指令，电脑就能处理一切。有些时候，它似乎能预先猜到我的指令，几乎在我未曾好好想一遍之前，它就抢先完成了。”崔维兹爱怜地轻拂着电脑桌面。
Pelorat said, "We've grown very friendly, Golan, in the short timewe've known each other, although I must admit that it scarcely seemsa short time to me. So much has happened. It's really peculiar when Istop to think of my moderately long life, that half of all the events Ihave experienced were squeezed into the last few months. Or so it would seem. I could almost suppose "
于是裴洛拉特说：“葛兰，我们认识没有多久，就成了非常要好的朋友。虽然我必须承认，我觉得这段时间可不算短，其间发生了太多的事情。说来真是难以置信，当我静下心来，回顾我这不算短的一生，竟然发现我一辈子的经历，有一半都集中在过去几个月，或说好像是这样子。我几乎可以认定……”
Trevize held up a hand "Janov, you're spinning outward from youroriginal point, I'm sure. You began by saying we've grown very friendly ina very short time. Yes, we have, and we still are. For that matter, you'veknown Bliss an even shorter time and have grown even friendlier."
崔维兹举起一只手。“詹诺夫，我确定你是愈扯愈远了。你原来说的，是我们在很短的时间内成为非常要好的朋友，没错，的确如此，现在也没有任何改变。话说回来，你认识宝绮思的时间更短，而你们现在却更亲密。”
"That's different, of course," said Pelorat, clearing his throat insome embarrassment.
“这当然是两回事。”裴洛拉特清了清喉咙，显得有点尴尬。
"Of course," said Trevize, "but what follows from our brief butenduring friendship?"
“当然，”崔维兹说，“可是从我们不久却弥坚的友谊，你要引申出什么来？”
"If, my dear fellow, we still are friends, as you've just said, thenI must pass on to Bliss, whom, as you've also just said, is peculiarlydear to me."
“我亲爱的伙伴，倘若正如你刚才所说，我们依旧是朋友，我就必须将话题转到宝绮思身上。而也正如你刚才所说，我对她特别珍爱。”
"I understand. And what of that?"
“我了解，所以呢？”
"I know, Golan, that you are not fond of Bliss, but for my sake,I wish……"
“我知道，葛兰，你不喜欢宝绮思。可是，看在我的份上，我希望……”
Trevize raised a hand. "One moment, Janov. I am not overwhelmed byBliss, but neither is she an object of hatred to me. Actually, I haveno animosity toward her at all. She's an attractive young woman and,even if she weren't, then, for your sake, I would be prepared to findher so. It's Gaia I dislike."
崔维兹又举起手来。“慢着，詹诺夫。我虽然没有拜倒在宝绮思裙下，却也不憎恨她。事实上，我对她并没有任何敌意。她是个迷人的年轻女性，就算不是，看在你的份上，我也愿意认为她很迷人。我不喜欢的是盖娅。”
"But Bliss is Gaia."
“但宝绮思就是盖娅。”
"I know, Janov. That's what complicates things so. As long as I thinkof Bliss as a person, there's no problem. If I think of her as Gaia,there is."
“我知道，詹诺夫，这就是事情变得复杂的原因。只要我把宝绮思当普通人，一切都没问题，但我若是把她想成盖娅，问题马上就来了。”
"But you haven't given Gaia a chance, Golan. Look, old chap,let me admit something. When Bliss and I are intimate, she sometimes letsme share her mind for a minute or so. Not for more than that becauseshe says I'm too old to adapt to it. Oh, don't grin, Golan, youwould be too old for it, too. If an Isolate, such as you or I, wereto remain part of Gaia for more, than a minute or two, there might bebrain damage and if it's as much as five or ten minutes, it would beirreversible. If you could only experience it, Golan."
“可是你并没有给盖娅任何机会，葛兰。听着，老弟，我要向你坦白一件事。宝绮思和我亲热的时候，有时会让我分享她的心灵，时间顶多一分钟，不能再久了，因为她说我的年纪太大，已经无法适应——喔，别咧嘴，葛兰，你同样早就超龄了。如果一个孤立体，譬如你或我，和盖娅融合的时间超过一两分钟，就有可能导致脑部的损伤；如果长达五到十分钟，则会造成无法复原的伤害。我希望你有机会体验一下，葛兰。”
"What? Irreversible brain damage? No, thanks."
“体验什么？无法复原的脑部伤害？不，谢了。”
"Golan, you're deliberately misunderstanding me. I mean, justthat small moment of union. You don't know what you're missing. It'sindescribable. Bliss rays there's a sense of joy. That's like sayingthere's a sense of joy when you finally drink a bit of water after youhave all but died of thirst. I couldn't even begin to tell you whatit's like. You share all the pleasures that a billion people separatelyexperience. It isn't a steady joy; if it were you would quickly stopfeeling it. It vibrates twinkles has a strange pulsing rhythmthat doesn't let you go. It's more joy no, not more it'sa better joy than you could ever experience separately. Icould weep when she shuts the door on me "
“葛兰，你故意曲解我的话，我指的是短暂的结合。你不晓得自己错过了什么，那简直无法形容，宝绮思说那是一种愉悦的快感。就像你快要渴死的时候，终于喝到一点水的那种感觉，我甚至不知道该怎样向你描述。想想看，你能分享十亿人所有的喜乐。那并不是一成不变的快感，否则你很快就会麻木。它不断在颤动，在闪烁，具有一种奇特的脉动节奏，紧紧抓住你不放。它比你单独所能体验的快乐更多——不，不是更多，而是更美好。当她关上心扉的时候，我几乎要哭出来……”
Trevize shook his head. "You are amazingly eloquent, my good friend,but you sound very much as though you're describing pseudendorphinaddiction, or that of some other drug that admits you to joy in theshort term at the price of leaving you permanently in horror in the longterm. Not for me! I am reluctant to sell my individuality for some brieffeeling of joy."
崔维兹摇了摇头。“你的口才实在惊人，好朋友，但你很像是在形容‘假脑内啡’的毒瘾，或是其他迷幻药的瘾头。你可以从它们那里得到短暂的快感，代价却是长久活在痛苦的深渊。我可不愿意！我绝不要出卖我的独立性，以换取某种短暂的快感。”
"I still have my individuality, Golan."
“我还是拥有我的独立性啊，葛兰。”
"But for how long will you have it if you keep it up, Janov? You'llbeg for more and more of your drug until, eventually, your brain willbe damaged. Janov, you mustn't let Bliss do this to you. PerhapsI had better speak to her about it."
“如果继续耽溺下去，你还能坚持多久，詹诺夫？你对剂量的要求会愈来愈高，直到大脑损坏为止。詹诺夫，你不能让宝绮思对你这样做——也许我该跟她谈谈。”
"No! Don't! You're not the soul of tact, you know, and I don't wanther hurt. I assure you she takes better care of me in that respect thanyou can imagine. She's more concerned with the possibility of braindamage than I am. You can be sure of that."
“不！别去！你自己也知道，你说话不够婉转，我不愿让她受到伤害。我向你保证，在这方面她对我的保护超乎你的想象，她比我更担心脑部受损的危险，这点你大可放心。”
"Well, then, I'll speak to you. Janov, don't do this anymore. You'velived for fifty-two years with your own kind of pleasure and joy,and your brain is adapted to withstanding that. Don't be snapped up bya new and unusual vice. There is a price for it; if not immediately,then eventually."
“好吧，那么我跟你说就好了。詹诺夫，千万别再这样做。在你五十二年的生命中，你的大脑一向承受惯有的快乐和喜悦，别再染上新奇的不良嗜好，否则你一定得付出代价。即使不是近在眼前，最后还是逃不掉的。”
"Yes, Golan," said Pelorat in a low voice, looking down at the tipsof his shoes. Then he said, "Suppose you look at it this way. What ifyou were a one-celled creature "
“好吧，葛兰。”裴洛拉特一面低声回答，一面低头望着自己的鞋尖。然后他又说：“也许你可以这么想，假如你是个单细胞生物……”
"I know what you're going to say, Janov. Forget it. Bliss and I havealready referred to that analogy."
“我知道你要说什么，詹诺夫。算了吧，宝绮思和我已经谈论过这个类比。”
"Yes, but think a moment. Suppose we imagine single-celled organismswith a human level of consciousness and with the power of thought andimagine them faced with the possibility of becoming a multicellularorganism. Would not the single-celled organisms mourn their lossof individuality, and bitterly resent their forthcoming enforcedregimentation into the personality of an overall organism? And wouldthey not be wrong? Could an individual cell even imagine the power of the human brain?"
“我知道，可是值得再想一想。让我们假设一群单细胞生物，它们拥有人类般的意识，以及思考判断的能力，再假设它们遇到难得的机会，可以组成一个多细胞生物。这些单细胞会不会惋惜丧失了独立性，会不会因为将被迫组成单一生物体而感到厌恶？它们这样做有没有错？单细胞能够想象人脑的威力吗？”
Trevize shook his head violently. "No, Janov, it's a falseanalogy. Single-celled organisms don't have consciousnessor any power of thought or if they do it is so infinitesimalit might as well be considered zero. For such objects to combine andlose individuality is to lose something they have never really had. Ahuman being, however, is conscious and does have the power of thought. He has an actual consciousness and an actualindependent intelligence to lose, so the analogy fails."
崔维兹猛力摇了摇头。“不对，詹诺夫，这是个错误类比。单细胞生物并没有意识和思考能力——即使有，也极其微小，根本可以忽略。对这种生物而言，组合之后虽然会失去独立性，其实等于毫无损失。然而，人类却有意识，也的确具有思考能力，人类将丧失的是真正的意识和独立的心智，所以你的类比并不成立。”
There was silence between the two of them for a moment; an almostoppressive silence; and finally Pelorat, attempting to wrench theconversation in a new direction, said, "Why do you stare at the viewscreen?"
两人好一会儿不再说话，这种沉默几乎令人窒息。最后裴洛拉特决定改变话题，于是说：“你为什么盯着显像屏幕？”
"Habit," said Trevize, smiling wryly. "The computer tells me thatthere are no Gaian ships following me and that there are no Sayshellianfleets coming to meet me. Still I look anxiously, comforted by my ownfailure to see such ships, when the computer's sensors are hundreds oftimes keener and more piercing than my eyes. What's more, the computer iscapable of sensing some properties of space very delicately, propertiesthat my senses can't perceive under any conditions. Knowing allthat, I still stare."
“习惯成自然。”崔维兹带着苦笑答道，“电脑告诉我，并未发现盖娅的太空船跟踪我们，也没有赛协尔的舰队等在前面，但我仍然不安地盯着屏幕。唯有我自己的眼睛看不见任何船舰，我才能真正放心，虽说电脑感测器比我的肉眼更敏锐、更有力数百倍。此外，电脑能够非常灵敏地侦测出太空的许多性质，那些都是我自己的感官无论如何察觉不到的——虽然这些我都明白，我却仍盯着它。”
Pelorat said, "Golan, if we are indeed friends……"
裴洛拉特说：“葛兰，如果我们真是朋友……”
"I promise you I will do nothing to grieve Bliss; at least, nothingI can help."
“我答应你，不会做出任何让宝绮思为难的事，至少在我能力范围之内。”
"It's another matter now. You keep your destination from me, as thoughyou don't trust me with it. Where are we going? Are you of the opinionyou know where Earth is?"
“我现在讲的是另一件事。你还没把你的目的地告诉我，好像不信任我似的。我们到底要去哪里？你认为自己知道地球在何处吗？”
Trevize looked up, eyebrows lifted. "I'm sorry. I have been huggingthe secret to my own bosom, haven't I?"
崔维兹抬起头，同时扬起了眉毛。“抱歉，我一直紧抱着这个秘密不放，对不对？”
Yes, but why?
“对，可是为什么呢？”
Trevize said, "Why, indeed. I wonder, my friend, if it isn't a matterof Bliss."
崔维兹说：“是啊，老友，我也在想，是不是因为宝绮思的关系。”
"Bliss? Is it that you don't want her to know. Really,old fellow, she is completely to be trusted."
“宝绮思？你不想让她知道吗？真的，老伙伴，你可以完全信任她。”
"It's not that. What's the use of not trusting her? I suspect shecan tweak any secret out of my mind if she wishes to. I think I have amore childish reason than that. I have the feeling that you are payingattention only to her and that I no longer really exist."
“并不是这个问题，我不信任她又有什么用？如果她真想知道，我猜她能从我心中揪出任何秘密来。我想，我自己有个更幼稚的理由，我觉得你现在的注意力都摆在她身上，好像我这个人不存在了。”
Pelorat looked horrified. "But that's not true, Golan."
裴洛拉特看来吓了一大跳。“可是这并非事实，葛兰。”
"I know, but I'm trying to analyze my own feelings. You came to mejust now with fears for our friendship, and thinking about it, I feel asthough I've had the same fears. I haven't openly admitted it to myself,but I think I have felt cut out by Bliss. Perhaps I seek to `get even'by petulantly keeping things from you. Childish, I suppose."
“我知道，我只是试图分析自己的感受。你来找我，是担心我们的友谊生变，现在我想想，感到自己好像也有同样的疑惧。我尚未真正对自己承认，但我想我自认为被宝绮思取代了。也许我故意赌气瞒着你一些事，想要以此作为‘报复’。我想，这真是幼稚。”
"Golan!"
“葛兰！”
"I said it was childish, didn't I? But where is the person who isn'tchildish now and then? However, we are friends. We'vesettled that and therefore I will play no further games. We're goingto Comporellon."
“我说这实在幼稚，对不对？可是谁不曾偶尔做些孩子气的事？不过，既然我们仍是朋友，这点我们已经达成共识，我不会再玩这种游戏了。我们要去康普隆。”
"Comporellon?" said Pelorat, for the moment not remembering.
“康普隆？”一时之间，裴洛拉特想不起来有这么一个地方。
"Surely you recall my friend, the traitor, Munn Li Compor. We threemet on Sayshell."
“你一定还记得我的朋友，那个出卖我的曼恩·李·康普，我们曾在赛协尔碰到他。”
Pelorat's face assumed a visible expression of enlightenment. "Ofcourse I remember. Comporellon was the world of his ancestors."
裴洛拉特露出恍然大悟的表情。“我当然记得，康普隆是他祖先的母星。”
" If it was. I don't necessarily believe anythingCompor said. But Comporellon is a known world, and Compor said that itsinhabitants knew of Earth. Well, then, we'll go there and find out. Itmay lead to nothing but it's the only starting point we have."
“或许是，我并不完全相信康普说的话。但康普隆是个众所周知的世界，而康普说过其上居民知道地球的下落。嗯，所以嘛，我们要去那里调查一下。这样做也许根本徒劳无功，却是我们目前唯一的起点。”
Pelorat cleared his throat and looked dubious. "Oh, my dear fellow,are you sure?"
裴洛拉特又清了清喉咙，显得半信半疑。“喔，我亲爱的伙伴，你能肯定吗？”
"There's nothing about which to be either sure or not sure. We haveone starting point and, however feeble it might be, we have no choicebut to follow it up."
“这件事无所谓肯不肯定。我们只有这一个起点，不论机会多么渺茫，我们都没有其他选择。”
"Yes, but if we're doing it on the basis of what Compor told us,then perhaps we ought to consider everything he told us. Iseem to remember that he told us, most emphatically, that Earth didnot exist as a living planet that its surface was radioactive andthat it was utterly lifeless. And if that is so, then we are going toComporellon for nothing."
“没错，但我们若要根据康普的说法行动，或许就该把他说的每一点都纳入考量。我好像记得他告诉过我们，而且是以相当肯定的口气说，地球不再是个活生生的行星，它的表面充满放射性，上面完全失去生机。果真如此的话，我们去康普隆注定只是白忙一场。”
8
8
The three were lunching in the dining room, virtuallyfilling it as they did so.
他们三人正在用餐区吃午餐，几乎将小小的空间塞满了。
"This is very good," said Pelorat, with considerable satisfaction. "Isthis part of our original Terminus supply?"
“真好吃，”裴洛拉特的口气听来相当满意，“这是我们从端点星带来的食物吗？”
"No, not at all," said Trevize. "That's long gone. This is partof the supplies we bought on Sayshell, before we headed out towardGaia. Unusual, isn't it? Some sort of seafood, but rather crunchy. Asfor this stuff I was under the impression it was cabbage when Ibought it, but it doesn't taste anything like it."
“不，全都不是，”崔维兹说，“那些早就吃完了。这是我们航向盖娅之前，在赛协尔采购的食物。很特别，是不是？这是一种海鲜，不过挺脆的。至于这个，我当初买的时候以为是甘蓝菜，现在吃起来却觉得根本不像。”
Bliss listened but said nothing. She picked at the food on her ownplate gingerly.
宝绮思静静听着，但什么话也没说，只是仔细地在餐盘中挑挑拣拣。
Pelorat said gently, "You've got to eat, dear."
裴洛拉特柔声道：“你必须吃一点，亲爱的。”
I know, Pel, and I'm eating.
“我知道，裴，我正在吃呢。”
Trevize said, with a touch of impatience he couldn't quite suppress,"We do have Gaian food, Bliss."
崔维兹说：“我们也有盖娅食物，宝绮思。”他的口气透着些许不耐烦，但他实在无法完全掩饰。
"I know," said Bliss, "but I would rather conserve that. We don'tknow how long we will be out in space and eventually I must learn toeat Isolate food. "
“我知道，”宝绮思说，“但我宁愿把它先留下来。我们不知道要在太空待多久，我终究还是得适应孤立体的食物。”
Is that so bad? Or must Gaia eat only Gaia.
“这些东西难以下咽吗？还是盖娅非吃盖娅不可？”
Bliss sighed. "Actually, there's a saying of ours that goes: `WhenGaia eats Gaia, there is neither loss nor gain.' It is no more than atransfer of consciousness up and down the scale. Whatever I eat on Gaiais Gaia and when much of it is metabolized and becomes me, itis still Gaia. In fact, by the fact that I eat, some of whatI eat has a chance to participate in a higher intensity of consciousness,while, of course, other portions of it are turned into waste of one sortor another and therefore sink in the scale of consciousness."
宝绮思叹了一口气。“事实上，我们有句谚语：‘盖娅食盖娅，无失亦无得。’只不过是意识在不同层级上下移动而已。在盖娅上，我吃的东西都属于盖娅，当食物经过消化吸收，大多变成我的一部分之后，它们仍然属于盖娅。事实上，通过我进食的过程，食物的某些部分才有机会参与较高级的意识。当然，其他部分则变成各式各样的废物，因此在意识层级中下降不少。”
She took a firm bite of her food, chewed vigorously for a moment,swallowed, and said, "It represents a vast circulation. Plants growand are eaten by animals. Animals eat and are eaten. Any organismthat dies is incorporated into the cells of molds, decay bacteria,and so on still Gaia. In this vast circulation of consciousness,even inorganic matter participates, and everything in the circulationhas its chance of periodically participating in a high intensity ofconsciousness."
她坚决地咬下一口食物，用力嚼了一会儿才吞下去，又说：“这算是个巨大的循环，植物长成之后被动物吃掉，而动物既是猎食者也是猎物。任何生物死亡之后，都会变成霉菌细胞或细菌细胞的一部分——依旧属于盖娅。在这个巨大的意识循环里，甚至无机物质也参与其中，而组成循环的每个成分，都有机会周期性地参与较高级的意识。”
"All this," said Trevize, "can be said of any world. Every atom inme has a long history during which it may have been part of many livingthings, including human beings, and during which it may also have spentlong periods as part of the sea, or in a lump of coal, or in a rock,or as a portion of the wind blowing upon us."
“你说的这些，”崔维兹道，“可以适用于任何世界。我身上每个原子都有一段久远的历史，它过去或许曾是许多生物的一部分，当然也包括人类；它也可能曾有很长一段时间身为海洋的一员，或者曾经构成一团煤炭、一块岩石，乃至吹拂到我们身上的风。”
"On Gaia, however," said Bliss, "all atoms are also continually partof a higher planetary consciousness of which you know nothing."
“然而在盖娅上，”宝绮思答道，“所有的原子也始终属于一个更高的行星级意识，而你对这个意识一无所知。”
"Well, what happens, then," said Trevize, "to these vegetables fromSayshell that you are eating? Do they become part of Gaia?"
“嗯，这么说的话，”崔维兹道，“你现在吃的这些赛协尔蔬菜会起什么变化呢？它们会变成盖娅的一部分吗？”
"They do rather slowly. And the wastes I excrete as slowly ceasebeing part of Gaia. After all, what leaves me is altogether lacking incontact with Gaia. It lacks even the less-direct hyperspatial contactthat I can maintain, thanks to my high level of conscious intensity. Itis this hyperspatial contact that causes non-Gaian food to become partof Gaia slowly once I eat it."
“会的，只是过程相当缓慢。而从我身上排泄出去的废物，则会慢慢脱离盖娅。由于我具有高层级的意识，所以能和盖娅维持比较间接的超空间接触，但是任何东西一旦离开我，就会和盖娅完全失去联系。这种超空间接触，可以——慢慢地——将我吃下的非盖娅食物转变成盖娅的一部分。”
"What about the Gaian food in our stores? Will that slowly becomenon-Gaian? If so, you had better eat it while you can."
“我们储藏的盖娅食物又会有什么变化？会不会慢慢变成非盖娅物质？若是这样，你最好趁早吃掉。”
There is no need to be concerned about that, said Bliss. "Our Gaianstores have been treated in such a way that they will remain part ofGaia over a long interval."
“这倒不必担心。”宝绮思说，“我们的盖娅食物都经过特殊处理，可以长时间保持为盖娅的一部分。”
Pelorat said, suddenly, "But what will happen when we eat the Gaian food. For that matter, what happened to us when we ateGaian food on Gaia itself. Are we ourselves slowly turning into Gaia?"
裴洛拉特突然说：“但我们倘若食用盖娅食物，那又会怎么样？还有，我们在盖娅时吃了不少盖娅食物，本身究竟发生了什么变化？我们自己也会慢慢转变成盖娅吗？”
Bliss shook her head and a peculiarly disturbed expression crossed herface. "No, what you ate was lost to us. Or at least the portions thatwere metabolized into your tissues were lost to us. What you excretedstayed Gaia or very slowly became Gaia so that in the end the balancewas maintained, but numerous atoms of Gaia became non-Gaia as a resultof your visit to us."
宝绮思摇了摇头，脸上掠过一丝莫名的愁容。“不会的，你们吃下的食物是我们的损失。至少，经过消化吸收后，成为你们身体组织的那部分，我们永远要不回来了。不过，你们的排泄物仍然属于盖娅，会慢慢变成盖娅的一部分，因此最后又会回到平衡点。但是无论如何，你们的造访仍使众多的原子脱离盖娅。”
"Why was that?" asked Trevize curiously.
“为什么会这样呢？”崔维兹好奇地问道。
"Because you would not have been able to endure the conversion,even a very partial one. You were our guests, brought to our worldunder compulsion, in a manner of speaking, and we had to protect youfrom danger, even at the cost of the loss of tiny fragments of Gaia. Itwas a willing price we paid, but not a happy one."
“因为你们无法承受转换的过程，甚至极小部分也受不了。你们是我们的客人，可说是被迫来到我们的世界，所以我们必须保护你们，即使损失盖娅的一小部分也在所不惜。这是我们愿意付出的代价，虽然不能算是欣然付出。”
"We regret that," said Trevize, "but are you sure that non-Gaianfood, or some kinds of non-Gaian food, might not, in their turn, harmyou ?"
“这点我们很遗憾。”崔维兹说，“反之，你确定每一种非盖娅食物都对你无害吗？”
"No," said Bliss. "What is edible for you would be edible to me. Imerely have the additional problem of metabolizing such food into Gaiaas well as into my own tissues. It represents a psychological barrierthat rather spoils my enjoyment of the food and causes me to eat slowly,but I will overcome that with time."
“是的，”宝绮思说，“你们能吃的食物，我全都能吃。只不过我多了一道麻烦，除了要将这些食物消化吸收，成为我的身体组织，还得将它们转换成盖娅。这就形成一种心理上的障碍，让我多少有些倒胃口，所以我才吃得这么慢，但我会慢慢克服的。”
"What about infection?" said Pelorat, in high-pitched alarm. "Ican't understand why I didn't think of this earlier. Bliss! Any worldyou land on is likely to have microorganisms against which you have nodefense and you will die of some simple infectious disease. Trevize,we must turn back."
“传染病呢？”裴洛拉特问道，高亢的声音充满了惊慌，“我怎么一直没想到这个问题，宝绮思！我们要降落的每个地方，都可能有许多微生物，而你对它们毫无抵抗力，随便一种轻微的传染病就会要你的命。崔维兹，我们必须掉头回去。”
Don't be panicked, Pel dear, said Bliss, smiling. "Microorganisms,too, are assimilated into Gaia when they are part of my food, or whenthey enter my body in any other way. If they seem to be in the processof doing harm, they will be assimilated the more quickly, and once theyare Gaia, they will do me no harm."
“别慌，亲爱的裴。”宝绮思带着微笑说，“当微生物通过食物，或是其他任何方式进入我体内，也会全部同化为盖娅。如果它们有伤害我的倾向，同化的速度就会更快。一旦成为盖娅的一部分，它们就不会再伤害我了。”
The meal drew to its end and Pelorat sipped at his spiced and heatedmixture of fruit juices. "Dear me," he said, licking his lips, "I thinkit is time to change the subject again. It does seem to me that my soleoccupation on board ship is subject-changing. Why is that?"
此时正餐已经用完，裴洛拉特正呷着一杯温热的调味综合果汁。“亲爱的，”他一面说，一面舔着嘴唇，“我想现在又该换个话题了。我实在有种感觉，我在这艘太空艇上，唯一的工作就是改变话题。为什么会这样呢？”
Trevize said solemnly, "Because Bliss and I cling to whatever subjectswe discuss, even to the death. We depend upon you, Janov, to save oursanity. What subject do you want to change to, old friend?"
崔维兹以严肃的口吻说：“因为我和宝绮思总是抓着一个话题不放，至死方休。我们得仰仗你，詹诺夫，帮助我们保持清醒。你想换个什么话题，老朋友？”
"I've gone through my reference material on Comporellon and the entiresector of which it is part is rich in legends of age. They set theirsettlement far back in time, in the first millennium of hyperspatialtravel. Comporellon even speaks of a legendary founder named Benbally,though they don't say when he came from. They say that the original nameof their planet was Benbally World."
“我查遍了有关康普隆的参考资料，康普隆所在的那个星区，每个世界都拥有许多古老的传说。根据这些传说，那些世界都是很久以前建立的，是在超空间旅行出现后的第一个仟年。在康普隆的传说中，甚至还提到一位名叫班伯利的缔造者，不过并未提到他来自何处。他们流传着一种说法，康普隆这颗行星原来叫做‘班伯利世界’。”
"And how much truth is there in that, in your opinion, Janov?"
“詹诺夫，依你看，这些记载有多少真实性？”
"A kernel, perhaps, but who can guess what the kernel might be."
“也许只有核心部分吧，可是谁猜得出核心在哪里呢。”
"I never heard of anyone named Benbally in actual history. Haveyou?"
“在正史记载中，我从来没见过班伯利这个名字。你呢？”
"No, I haven't, but you know that in the late Imperial era therewas a deliberate suppression of pre-Imperial history. The Emperors,in the turbulent last centuries of the Empire, were anxious to reducelocal patriotism since they considered it, with ample justification,to be a disintegrating influence. In almost every sector of the Galaxy,therefore, true history, with complete records and accurate chronology,begins only with the days when Trantor's influence made itself felt andthe sector in question had allied Itself to the Empire or been annexedby it."
“我也没听说过。不过你该知道，在帝政末期，帝国之前的历史曾经遭到刻意打压。帝国的最后数个世纪，时局始终纷扰不安，皇帝们都忙着压制本土意识，因为他们有充分的理由，相信本土意识是导致分裂的原因。因此，几乎银河中每个星区的正史，包括完整的记录和确切的年表，都变成从川陀兴起的年代开始写起，当时那些星区不是已和帝国结盟，就是已经被帝国并吞。”
"I shouldn't think that history would be that easy to eradicate,"said Trevize.
“我很难相信历史会如此轻易就被销毁。”崔维兹说。
"In many ways, it isn't," said Pelorat, "but a determined and powerfulgovernment can weaken it greatly. If it is sufficiently weakened, earlyhistory comes to depend on scattered material and tends to degenerateinto folk tales. Invariably such folk tales will fill with exaggerationand come to show the sector to be older and more powerful than, in alllikelihood, it ever really was. And no matter how silly a particularlegend is, or how impossible it might be on the very face of it, itbecomes a matter of patriotism among the locals to believe it. I canshow you tales from every corner of the Galaxy that speak of originalcolonization as having taken place from Earth itself, though that isnot always the name they give the parent planet."
“很多方面并非如此，”裴洛拉特答道，“但是一个有决心的强势政府，却能大大削弱历史的影响力。这样一来，早期历史就只剩下零散的资料，很容易沦为民间传说。这类民间传说一律充满夸大不实的记述，多半将自己的星区说得比实际上更古老、更强盛。可是不论某个传说多么愚蠢，或者多么不切实际，仍会成为本土意识的一部分，该区居民一定全部深信不疑。我可以证明，银河各个角落都有一些传说，提到最早的星际殖民是从地球开始的，虽然他们对这颗母星可能有不同的称呼。”
"What else do they call it?"
“还有什么别的称呼？”
"Any of a number of names. They call it the Only, sometimes; andsometimes, the Oldest. Or they call it the Mooned World, which, accordingto some authorities is a reference to its giant satellite. Others claimit means `Lost World' and that `Mooned' is a version of `Marooned,'
“名称可多了，有时管它叫‘独一世界’，有时称之为‘最古世界’。也有人用‘有卫的世界’，根据某些权威的解释，这个名称源自地球有个巨大的卫星。可是也有人坚持它的意思是‘失落的世界’，而‘有卫’则是‘久违’的转音，那是个流行于银河标准语之前的词汇，意思是‘失落’或‘不见踪影’。”
a pre-Galactic word meaning `lost' or `abandoned.'"Trevize said gently, "Janov, stop! You'll continue forever withyour authorities and counterauthorities. These legends are everywhere,you say?"
崔维兹温和地插嘴道：“詹诺夫，暂停！你的权威和反权威理论会说个没完没了。这种传说到处都有，你是这个意思吗？”
"Oh yes, my dear fellow. Quite. You have only to go through them togain a feel for this human habit of beginning with some seed of truthand layering about it shell after shell of pretty falsehood inthe fashion of the oysters of Rhampora that build pearls about a pieceof grit. I came across just exactly that metaphor once when "
“喔，是的，我亲爱的伙伴，几乎俯拾即是。你得通通看过之后，才能体会人类这种共通的习性——一旦有了某个事实当种子，便会在上面加上一层又一层美丽的谎言，就像芮普拉星牡蛎那样，可以由一粒沙慢慢生成一颗珍珠。这个极佳的比喻是我在……”
"Janov! Stop again! Tell me, is there anything about Comporellon'slegends that is different from others?"
“詹诺夫！别再说啦！告诉我，在康普隆的传说中，有没有跟其他世界不同之处？”
"Oh!" Pelorat gazed at Trevize blankly for a moment. "Different? Well,they claim that Earth is relatively nearby and that's unusual. On mostworlds that speak of Earth, under whatever name they choose, there isa tendency to be vague about its location placing it indefinitelyfar away or in some never-never land."
“喔！”裴洛拉特木然地凝视着崔维兹，一会儿之后才说，“不同？嗯，他们声称地球就在附近，这点颇不寻常。其他的世界如果提到地球，不管选用哪个名称，大多都有一种倾向，就是将它的位置讲得暧昧不明——不是说不知道有多远，就是说位于虚无缥缈之处。”
Trevize said, "Yes, as some on Sayshell told us that Gaia was locatedin hyperspace."
崔维兹说：“是呀，就像在赛协尔上，有人告诉我们盖娅位于超空间中。”
Bliss laughed.
宝绮思突然哈哈大笑。
Trevize cast her a quick glance. "It's true. That's what we weretold."
崔维兹立刻瞥了她一眼。“这是真的，我们亲耳听到的。”
"I don't disbelieve it. It's amusing, that's all. It is, of course,what we want them to believe. We only ask to be left alone right now,and where can we be safer and more secure than in hyperspace? If we'renot there, we're as good as there, if people believe that to be ourlocation."
“我不是不相信，只是觉得很有意思。当然啦，这正是我们希望他们相信的事。如今我们只希望不被打扰，难道还有比超空间更安全、更隐密的地方吗？如果大家都以为我们在那里，即使事实并非如此，也跟我们藏在超空间中没有两样。”
"Yes," said Trevize dryly, "and in the same way there is somethingthat causes people to believe that Earth doesn't exist, or that it isfar away, or that it has a radioactive crust."
“没错，”崔维兹冷冷地说，“同理，大家会相信地球不存在，或者位于很远的地方，或者它的地壳具有放射性，也一定是有原因的。”
"Except," said Pelorat, "that the Comporellians believe it to berelatively close to themselves."
“只不过，”裴洛拉特说，“康普隆人相信地球和他们相距不远。”
"But nevertheless give it a radioactive crust. One way or another everypeople with an Earth-legend consider Earth to be unapproachable."
“却说它的地壳有放射性。凡是拥有地球传说的民族，不论说法如何，都一致认为地球无法接近。”
"That's more or less right," said Pelorat.
“差不多就是这样。”裴洛拉特说。
Trevize said, "Many on Sayshell believed Gaia to be nearby;some even identified its star correctly; and yet all considered itunapproachable. There may be some Comporellians who insist that Earthis radioactive and dead, but who can identify its star. We will thenapproach it, unapproachable though they may consider it. We did exactlythat in the case of Gaia."
崔维兹又说：“赛协尔上有许多人相信盖娅就在附近，有些人甚至还能正确指出它的恒星，偏偏一致公认盖娅是个去不得的地方。而在康普隆上，或许有人能指认出地球的恒星，虽然他们会坚持地球具有放射性，而且早已失去生机。即使他们这样说，我们仍然要向地球进发，我们要拿当初进军盖娅的行动做榜样。”
Bliss said, "Gaia was willing to receive you, Trevize. You werehelpless in our grip but we had no thought of harming you. What if Earth,too, is powerful, but not benevolent. What then?"
宝绮思说：“当初是盖娅愿意接纳你，崔维兹。你在我们的掌握中一筹莫展，但我们根本无意伤害你。如果地球也是一样威力强大，却对我们并不友善，那该怎么办？”
"I must in any case try to reach it, and accept theconsequences. However, that is my task. Once I locateEarth and head for it, it will not be too late for you to leave. I willput you off on the nearest Foundation world, or take you back to Gaia,if you insist, and then go on to Earth alone."
“我不计一切后果，无论如何都要试图接近它。然而，这是我个人的任务，等我找出地球的下落，准备前进时，你们再离开仍不算太迟。我会把你们留在最近的基地世界，如果你们坚持的话，我也可以带你们回盖娅去。然后，我再一个人前往地球。”
"My dear chap," said Pelorat, in obvious distress. "Don't say suchthings. I wouldn't dream of abandoning you."
“我亲爱的兄弟，”裴洛拉特显然很难过，“别说这种话，我做梦也不会想丢下你。”
"Or I of abandoning Pel," said Bliss, as she reached out a hand totouch Pelorat's cheek.
“而我做梦也不会想丢下裴。”宝绮思一面说，一面伸出手来摸摸裴洛拉特的脸颊。
"Very well, then. It won't be long before we're ready to take theJump to Comporellon and thereafter, let us hope, it will be onto Earth."
“那就太好了。我们很快就能进行跃迁，直奔康普隆，然后嘛，希望下一站——就是地球。”