牛津書蟲系列 星際動物園 5 Waiting for fifteen thousand years

5 Waiting for fifteen thousand years

5 一萬五千年的等待

'It's too bright in here，'I said.'I can't see.'

“這兒太亮了，”我說，“我看不見。”

The light suddenly wasn't so bright and I could see again.I was in a round room，which was empty except for a large square computer.

那盞燈馬上暗了一些，我又看得見了。我站在一個圓圓的房間里，屋里除了一臺四四方方的大電腦外什么也沒有。

The computer didn't look like the modern computers we have.

這臺電腦看上去和我們用的現(xiàn)代電腦不一樣。

'You are't God!'I said.'You're just a computer!Just a strange old computer!'

“你不是上帝!”我說，“你不過是臺電腦而已!一臺怪模怪樣的破電腦而已!”

A voice came from it.'Yes，this is computer.Who are you?'

里面?zhèn)鞒鲆粋€聲音：“對，我是電腦。你是誰?”

Oh，the computer still worked!I was surprised as it looked so very old.It didn't speak in a natural way as modern computers do.

噢，這電腦還能運轉(zhuǎn)!我很驚奇，因為看上去它太破舊了。它說話的腔調(diào)不像現(xiàn)代電腦那么自然。

'I'm Hummingbird，'I answered.

“我是蜂鳥，”我回答。

'You are not a hummingbird.Hummingbirds fly in the forests here，in Star Zoo.You are human.You are not a child of Star Zoo.Computer is happy.'

“你不是蜂鳥。蜂鳥是在這森林里飛的，在星際動物園。你是人。你不是星際動物園的孩子。電腦很高興。”

I listened but I didn't understand.'Hummingbird'was just my name—and the name of one of the animals in the Book of Remembering.Why was this place called the Star Zoo?What was a 'zoo'?I had so many questions to ask!

我聽著，但無法理解。“蜂鳥”只是我的名字——《往事追憶》中一種動物的名字。這個地方為什么叫星際動物園?什么是“動物園”?我有好多問題要問!

'Computer，'I said，'where do you come from?I never heard of a spaceship as big as this!You speak my language but it sounds different.Why do Hee-Haw and Hoo-Woo think you're God?'

“電腦，”我說，“你是哪兒來的?我從沒聽說過這么大的飛船!你講的是我的語言，可聽起來不大一樣。為什么'嘻嗬'和'呼嗚'把你當(dāng)上帝?”

'Who is Hee-Haw?Who is Hoo-Woo?'the computer asked.

“'嘻嗬'是誰?'呼嗚'又是誰?”電腦問道。

'The two monsters that brought me here，'I answered.

“帶我到這兒來的那兩個怪物，”我回答。

'Yes.Dondey.Wolf.All animals believe computer is God.Computer makes ultrasonic sound.Ultrasonics make fear.'

“哦。驢子、狼。所有的動物都把電腦當(dāng)成上帝。電腦能發(fā)出超聲波。超聲波能引起恐懼。”

'Animals?'I said slowly.Animals were only a story in the Book of Remembering.There were no animals alive today.What was the computer talking about?'Animals…like EeeEee and Cheep-Cheep?'

“動物?”我慢慢地問道。動物不過是《往事追憶》中的故事。今天沒有活著的動物了。這電腦在胡說什么?“動物……'噫噫'和'嘁嘁'那樣的?”

'Eee-Eee is a squirrel，'the computer said.'Cheep-Cheep is a bird.Animals take care of you.'

“'噫噫'是只松鼠，”電腦說，“'嘁嘁'是只鳥。照料你的都是動物。”

I was very afraid.Donkey，wolf，squirrel，and bird were all animals named in the Book of Remembering.

我很害怕。驢子、狼、松鼠和鳥都是《往事追憶》中動物的名字。

'Where did these animals come from?'I asked.

“這些動物是哪兒來的?”我問道。

'Star Zoo came from Earth，'the computer answered.'Star Zoo left Earth.Earth was hot.'

“星際動物園來自地球，”電腦回答，“星際動物園離開了地球。地球熱。”

I suddenly couldn't stand.I fell down and my mind exploded again.This time I wasn't angry.I was sad，empty，afraid，and a little crazy.This was the Book of Remembering come to life!

我突然站不住了。我倒了下去，頭腦又發(fā)懵了。這次我沒有感到憤怒。我難過、空虛、恐懼，還有點狂亂。《往事追憶》變成了活生生的現(xiàn)實!

Earth hot?That was the Burning!We made the Earth too hot and all life except humans died.And we humans did it!

地球熱?那是因為大火災(zāi)!我們把地球弄熱了，除了人類以外，所有的生物都死了。那是我們?nèi)祟惛傻?

'Not necessary to fall down，'the computer said.'Computer is not God.Computer wants to talk to humans.Computer is sad that humans have not spoken for fifteen thousand years.'

“不必趴下，”電腦說，“電腦不是上帝。電腦想和人說話。電腦難過，人類已經(jīng)一萬五千年沒說話了。”

I stood up slowly.The Book of Remembering was forremembering the animals but they had been dead for twenty thousand years.

我慢慢站起來?！锻伦窇洝肥菫榱思o(jì)念動物的，但它們已經(jīng)滅亡了兩萬年。

But the animals were here!Yes，here in the Star Zoo，after travelling between stars for twenty thousand years!

可動物就在這兒!是的，在星際動物園這兒，在星際間運行了兩萬年后到了這兒!

'Why did you leave Earth?What happened?'I asked.

“你們?yōu)槭裁措x開地球?發(fā)生了什么事?”我問。

The computer answered，'Humans polluted Earth.Earth was hot.Animals died.'

電腦回答：“人類污染了地球。地球熱。動物死了。”

'Yes，'I said.'I know that.'

“是的，”我說。“我知道這些。”

The computer continued，'Humans made zoo in space.No money.Used plastic bottles.'

電腦接著說：“人類在太空建造動物園。沒有錢，就用塑料瓶子。”

'What?'I said.I didn't understand.

“什么?”我說。我不明白。

'Collected old plastic bottles.Made zoo with plastic bottles.Cheap.Made big zoo with many rooms.'

“回收舊塑料瓶子，用塑料瓶子建造動物園。便宜。建造了有很多房間的大動物園。”

'Why are there different rooms?'I asked.

“為什么要分不同的房間?”我問。

'Animals and plants live in different ways，'the computer said.'Hot，cold，wet，dry.Impossible to keep all animals and all plants in one room.Need different things.Difficult work to get everything right.Necessary to have big computer.No money.Got old computer from army.'

“動物和植物的生活方式各不相同，”電腦說，“熱的、冷的、濕的、干的。不可能把所有動物和所有植物都放在同一個房間里。需要不同的東西。把一切都弄好是困難的工作。需要有大電腦。沒有錢，從軍隊弄來舊電腦。”

'So that's you?'I said.'You're an old army computer from Earth?'

“就是你嗎?”我說，“你是從地球來的舊軍用電腦?”

'Computer works and never stops.'

“電腦永遠(yuǎn)工作，從不停止。”

'I understand!'I said.'A group of people made this Star Zoo.They knew that Earth was dying.They wanted to save the animals.They sent the Star Zoo away from Earth.'

“我知道!”我說，“有一些人建造了這個星際動物園。他們知道地球就要滅亡。他們希望拯救動物。他們把星際動物園從地球上發(fā)射走了。”

'Star Zoo went，'the computer said.'No money.Went slowly.'

“星際動物園走了，”電腦說，“沒有錢。慢慢地走了。”

'Very slowly，'I agreed.'But What happened to the humans inside the Star Zoo?'

“非常慢，”我也這么認(rèn)為。“但星際動物園里的人呢?”

'Five thousand years humans gave orders.Computer worked.Computer mended walls.Computer kept Star Zoo alive and safe.Star Zoo worked well.No problems.Humans stopped giving orders.Not necessary to talk. Humans enjoyed eating，playing，sleeping.Computer can do work.For fifteen thousand years computer has worked，thought，learnt，grown.Now you have come.Computer is happy.'

“人類在5000年發(fā)布指令。電腦執(zhí)行。電腦修補墻壁。電腦維持星際動物園的生存和安全。星際動物園運轉(zhuǎn)良好。沒有問題。人類不再給指令了。沒有必要說話。人類喜歡吃、玩、睡。電腦可以工作。一萬五千年了，電腦工作、思想、學(xué)習(xí)、成長?，F(xiàn)在你來了。電腦高興。”

I was happy too and I wasn't afraid.It was wonderful news.The Galaxy wasn't empty!Animals could live on all the worlds and all humans could be happy again.

我也高興，我不害怕了。這是個好消息。銀河系不再是空蕩蕩的了!動物們可以在任何世界上生活，所有的人類又可以快樂了。

Humans were lonely without animals.Humans needed animals.

沒有動物，人類感覺孤獨。人類需要動物。

'The animals must leave the Star Zoo，'I said to the computer.'We have planets where they can live.Do you agree?'

“動物們得離開星際動物園，”我對電腦說，“我們有行星，它們可以在上面生活。你同意么?”

'Star Zoo is not strong，'the computer said.'Holes in walls lose air and water.Animals need planets.Can have more animals on planets.'

“星際動物園不結(jié)實，”電腦說，“墻上的破洞漏氣、漏水。動物們需要行星。行星上可以有更多的動物生活。”

'Then I must go home，'I said.'I will come back with spaceships.We will take the animals to different planets.Planets everywhere in the Galaxy.'

“那我必須回家，”我說，“我會帶著些飛船來。我們把動物送到各個行星上去。銀河系里的所有行星。”

'Computer will choose planets for different animals，'it said.'First plants will grow.Animals will follow.'

“電腦將為不同的動物挑選行星，”它說，“先種植物。接著是動物。”

'You can tell us what to do，'I said.'This is wonderful.I want to leave now.Is Hee-Haw waiting?'

“你可以告訴我們怎么做，”我說，“這太好了。我現(xiàn)在要走了。'嘻嗬'還在等著嗎?”

'Donkey waits.'the computer made a noise that was like crying.'Donkey has waited for a few minutes.Computer has waited for fifteen thousand years.You come back.Computer is sad and afraid.'

“驢子在等著。”電腦發(fā)出一種像哭一樣的聲音：“驢子等了幾分鐘。電腦等了一萬五千年。你回來了。電腦又難過，又害怕。”