牛津書蟲系列 星際動物園 7 The answer is robots

7 The answer is robots

7 答案是機器人

Ipushed Buff as he tried to shoot Hoo-Woo.The laser gun burnt a hole in the plastic wall，but it didn't hit Hoo-Woo.

當牛子要向“呼嗚”射擊時，我把他推開了。激光槍在塑料墻上燒出一個洞，但沒打著“呼嗚”。

Buff was screaming and the whites of his eyes were showing.He fell on the ground and water ran out of his mouth.He was crazy.I remembered the way I had gone crazy when I first came into the Star Zoo. It was seeing the animals. It was the Book of Remembering coming to life.It made people go crazy.

牛子尖叫起來，翻著白眼。他倒在地上，嘴里流出口水。他發(fā)瘋了。我還記得第一次來到星際動物園時我發(fā)瘋的樣子。都是看到動物的緣故。因為《往事追憶》突然變成真的了。這確實會讓人發(fā)瘋的。

I hid Buff's laser gun and used some long plants to tie him up.Hee-Haw sat on him while I did it.A bell was ringing and all the animals started looking for something.What were they looking for?

我把牛子的激光槍藏了起來，然后用一些長長的植物把他綁上。我綁的時候“嘻嗬”坐在他身上。一聲鈴響，所有的動物都開始找什么東西。它們在找什么呢?

A bird found it.It was the hole where the laser had burnt through the wall.

有一只鳥發(fā)現(xiàn)了。它們找的是激光槍在墻上燒出的洞。

The Star Zoo was losing air. I could hear the air escaping.

星際動物園在漏氣。我能聽見漏氣的聲音。

It was the computer's job to check for damage like that.Then it rang the bell. But how could the animals mend the hole?

檢查這樣的破損是電腦的事。然后它會響鈴。但動物怎么補這個洞呢?

Eee-Eee went to a pipe on the wall and waited.Warm wet plastic came out of the end of the pipe.The squirrel held little bits of the plastic and ran quickly up the wall. She put the soft plastic over the hole and ran down to get more plastic from the pipe.

“噫噫”走到墻上的一根管子那兒等著。管子的出口流出熱乎乎的液體塑料。松鼠拿著小塊塑料快步跑到墻上。她把軟塑料放在洞上，然后跑下去到管子那兒去取更多的塑料。

In one minute the hole was covered.Eee-Eee went on working until the bell stopped ringing.

洞很快就被補上了。“噫噫”一直在干，直到鈴聲停止。

The computer and the animals worked together to mend the Star Zoo.After fifteen thousand years they were very good at it!

電腦和動物一起修補星際動物園。經過一萬五千年，它們對此十分熟練了!

Buff had crazy eyes.The animals didn't want to go near him so I took care of him. I hoped he would get better soon.

牛子的目光還是狂亂的。動物們不想靠近他，只有我照料他。我希望他早點兒好過來。

But he didn't get better.Three days later he still wanted to kill and destroy every animal that he saw.He thought I was ananimal too.

但他沒有。三天后他還是見動物就想殺、就想摧毀。他把我也當動物了。

He never spoke.Perhaps he had forgotten how to speak.Hewouldn't touch food or water.

他一句話也不說。也許他已經忘記怎么說話了。他不肯吃飯，水也不肯沾。

I didn't know what to do. In the end I went to see the computer with Hee-Haw and the robot.

我不知道該怎么辦。最后，我與“嘻嗬”和機器人會見電腦。

There was the same terrible light and the fear.But I knew it was ultrasonics that made me afraid.The robot didn't have any feelings，of course. The robot and I went into the computer room but Hee-Haw stayed outside.

還是那盞眩目的燈光，還是一樣的恐懼。但我知道讓我害怕的是超聲波。當然，機器人什么感覺也沒有。機器人和我進了電腦室，但“嘻嗬”留在外面。

The ultrasonics stopped and the light went soft.

超聲波停了，燈光也弱了一些。

'Hummingbird，'the computer said.'You have come back.Computer is happy.Who is the other human?'

“蜂鳥，”電腦說，“你回來了。電腦高興。另一個人是誰?”

'This isn't a human，'I explained.'This is just a family robot.'

“這不是人。”我解釋道，“這只是個家用機器人。”

'Not human?Looks very human.'

“不是人?看上去很象人。”

'I know，'I said.'But that's not important.Everything's gone crazy!'

“我知道，”我說，“可這不重要。大家都瘋了!”

'What is the problem?'the computer asked.

“出什么問題了?”電腦問道。

I told the computer about visiting my parents and that they didn't believe me.I explained about Buff and said，'But he's gone crazy.I know I went crazy at first but I got better.Buff isn't getting better.'

我向電腦講了回去看父母，而他們不相信我的事。我解釋了牛子的事，然后說：“可他瘋了。我知道開始我也瘋過，但后來又好了。牛子卻一直沒有好轉。”

'Why?'the computer said.'You are human.Buff is human.What is different?'

“為什么?”電腦問道，“你是人。牛子是人。有什么不同?”

'I don't know，'I answered.'I'm younger than Buff.Perhaps people's minds get hard like rock as they get older.They can't change how they think.'

“我不知道。”我回答，“我比牛子校也許人隨著年齡的增加，頭腦也僵化得象巖石了。他們改變不了自己的想法。”

'When will Buff get better?'the computer asked.

“牛子什么時候能好轉?”電腦問道。

'Never…I think，'I said.'Buff's too old.'

“不會好了……我想。”我說，“牛子太老了。”

There was silence.After a long time the computer said slowly， 'Computer is old.'

沉默。過了好久，電腦緩緩地說道：“電腦也老了。”

'Oh，that's different，'I said.'I think you are growing very，very slowly.I think you're still young，like me You're still growing and changing.Not like Buff.'

“噢，那不一樣。”我說，“我覺得你長得特別慢。我覺得你還很年輕，象我一樣。你還在成長和變化。不象牛子。”

Another silence.Then，'Hummingbird is friend.'

又是沉默。然后它說：“蜂鳥是朋友。”

I felt wonderful.The computer was twenty thousand years old and it wanted to be friends with me!

我感覺好極了。這臺電腦兩萬歲了，它還想和我做朋友!

'Yes， I'm your friend，computer，'I said.'I'll be your friend all my life， but my life isn't long like yours Perhaps my children and grandchildren can be your friends too.'

“是的，我是你的朋友，電腦。”我說，“我永遠都是你的朋友，可我的生命沒有你那么長。也許我的孩子和孫子們也可以做你的朋友。”

'Computer is happy.'

“電腦高興。”

'Oh，computer，everything's finished!'I said.'I thought Buff could learn to accept the animals like me， but he can't.He can't change how he thinks.And I think most people in the Galaxy are like him.They can't change.If they find the Star Zoo，they'll destroy all the animals.So it's impossible! We can't put the animals on different planets.The animals will have to stay in the Star Zoo.One day the Star Zoo will die.After that there will be no life in the Galaxy except humans.Forever.

“噢，電腦，一切都完了!”我說，“我還以為牛子會象我一樣學著接受動物，可他不能。他不能改變他的想法。而且我想銀河系的大多數(shù)人都會象他。他們無法改變。如果他們發(fā)現(xiàn)星際動物園，他們會消滅所有動物的。所以我們不能把動物送到不同的行星上。根本不可能!總有一天星際動物園會毀滅。以后，銀河系除了人類就再也沒有其他生物了。永遠。”

The computer said，'Computer will find answer to problem.Wait.'

電腦說：“電腦會找到這個問題的答案。等一等。”

I waited.And waited.I couldn't understand it.Computers think so fast!Why wasn't the computer telling me theanswer?

我等著。等了又等。我弄不明白。電腦的思維很快!為什么電腦不告訴我答案?

At last it spoke.'Computer has answer to problem.The answer is robots. Your robot looks very human. You will make a robot like an animal Humans will know it is a robot， not an animal.Humans will not go crazy.Humans will learn about animals.After some time humans will meet animals.Humans will not go crazy.'

它終于說話了：“電腦有這個問題的答案。答案是機器人。你們的機器人長得很象人。你們可以把機器人造成動物的樣子。人類知道那是機器人，不是動物。這樣人就不會發(fā)瘋了。人類就可以了解動物。過一段時間再讓人見動物。人就不會發(fā)瘋了。”

'I think I understand，'I said.'People have to spend a long time with robot animals first. When they are not afraid， they can meet the real animals and accept them. Yes， it's a wonderful idea，computer!I could kiss you!'

“我想我明白了。”我說，“一開始，人得和機器動物相處很長一段時間。他們不害怕的時候就可以見真動物，接受它們。對，真是個好主意，電腦!我想親親你!”

'Nobody has kissed computer.Computer is interested.'

“沒有人親過電腦。電腦有興趣。”

So I kissed the computer and I think it kissed me.

于是我親了電腦，我想它也親了我。