牛津書蟲系列 星際動物園 10 Two of everything

10 Two of everything

10 做什么都是一對

It was a strange prison with no doors and no police to watch me.Well，I didn't know the special number for making the lifts work， so I couldn't escape by the lifts.There were stairs but it was ten kilometres straight up to get to the surface.

這是個奇怪的牢房，沒有門，也沒有警察看管我。哎，我不知道能讓電梯運行的密碼，所以我不能從電梯逃跑。有樓梯，但要徑直往上走十公里才能到地面。

I couldn't get out.

我逃不出去。

I found food and water.Nobody came to see me for three days.

我找到了食物和水。有三天沒人來看我了。

Finally a soldier arrived and took me back to the Star Room.An old man with a very straight back sat at the Star Table.He was alone and looked tired.'Hummingbird，'he said and then stopped.

最后，來了個士兵把我?guī)Щ匦请H室。一位腰板挺直的老者坐在星際會議桌旁。只有他一個人，顯出疲憊的樣子。“蜂鳥。”他說，然后就停住了。

'Who are you，please?'I asked.I hadn't seen him before.

“請問您是誰?”我問。我以前沒見過他。

'I'm the new President，'he said，but he didn't sound happy about it .

“我是新主席，”他說?？陕犐先ニ⒉粸榇烁械礁吲d。

'So the President and the Councillors are still…'

“這么說原來的主席和理事們還……”

'Still crazy- yes，'the old man said.'I think many of them will get better.They saw the animal only for a very short time.'

“還在發(fā)瘋——對，”老者說，“我想很多人會好起來的。他們看見那只動物只是一瞬間的事。”

'It wasn't a real animal，'I said quickly.

“它不是真動物，”我連忙說。

'That didn't make any difference.You asked me who I am.I'm just one of the Star Councillors，but I wasn't in the Star Room when you showed them the animal. I was lucky. Now listen，Hummingbird.There is something I must tell you.Something difficult.'

“那沒有什么不同。你問我是誰。我只是一個星際理事，但你給他們看那只動物時我不在星際室。我很幸運?，F(xiàn)在聽著，蜂鳥。我得跟你說些事。一些棘手的問題。”

'Is it about my family?'I asked，feeling afraid.

“是我家的事嗎?”我問，覺得有些害怕。

'No，Hummingbird.You are the only person in the Galaxy who knows where the Star Zoo is.If other people know about the Star Zoo， there will be killing. People will be killed.The Star Zoo will be destroyed.It is very important to keep the Star Zoo alive and so it is necessary to keep it secret.I 'm sorry，Hummingbird.You must stay here，ten kilometres down，all your life. I know you're a young girl and I'm sorry.'

“不，蜂鳥。銀河系中只有你知道星際動物園在哪兒。如果其他人知道了星際動物園的事，就會發(fā)生殺戮。人會被殺死，星際動物園會遭到毀滅。讓星際動物園存活下去十分重要，所以需要保密。對不起，蜂鳥。你得呆在這兒，地下十公里，一輩子都呆在這兒。我知道你還是個小姑娘，對不起。”

'All my life?'I said.I couldn't believe it.

“一輩子?”我說道。我簡直無法相信這一切。

'Yes，'the old man said.'This is the planet of the Star Council so there is always work here you can do.I'm sorry.'

“是的。”那老者說，“這是星際理事會所在的行星，這兒總有你能做的事。對不起。”

'What kind of work?'I asked.

“什么工作?”我問。

'Well， everything is going crazy now.For example， we have some little children down here that nobody is taking care of.A robot is doing the job now—but little children need real humans.Would you like to try taking care of them?'

“呃，現(xiàn)在什么都亂了。比如，我們下面有些小孩子沒人照看?，F(xiàn)在是個機器人在照看他們——但小孩子需要真人。你愿意盡力照顧他們嗎?”

'OK，'I said.It was something to do.

“行!”我說。也算有事可做。

I went to see the children， who were playing quietly with a robot. I laughed，because the robot was our family robot. I thought this robot and I would do something wonderful.But we could only take care of little children!

我去看望了孩子，他們正安靜地和一個機器人玩。我笑了，因為那個機器人正是我們家的機器人。我想，這個機器人和我可以做一些奇異的事情。可我們只能照看小孩子!

I sat on the floor and played with the children.They were all less than four years old.

我坐在地板上陪孩子們玩兒。他們都不到四歲。

They needed somebody.A few of the children were crying.They needed loving.Robots can sing and play games，but they can't love.

他們需要人。有幾個孩子在哭。他們需要愛。機器人會唱歌，會玩游戲，可它們不會去愛。

Only the Star Zoo computer can love.

只有星際動物園的那臺電腦會給予愛。

Soon one little boy was sitting on my stomach and another boy was running round and round me.A little girl was pulling my hair and another girl was biting my finger.There was a lot of noise.

沒過多久，一個小男孩就坐在了我的肚子上，另一個男孩圍著我跑。一個小女孩在拽我的頭發(fā)，另一個女孩咬我的手指。一片吵鬧聲。

These children were more trouble than any animal in the Star Zoo!

這些孩子比星際動物園的任何動物都要麻煩!

'These girls and boys aren't going to be afraid of animals，'I said to the robot.'I can show them a robot animal and they won't go crazy. I just wish I had one.'

“這些女孩、男孩不會怕動物的。”我對機器人說，“我可以給他們看機器動物，他們不會發(fā)瘋的。我多希望我有一只機器動物埃”

'You have，'the robot answered.'Shall I take out the other one?'

“你有。”機器人回答，“要我把另一只拿出來嗎?”

'What!'I shouted.The little boy fell off my stomach and began screaming. I picked him up and kissed him until the screaming changed to crying.I said，'Another robot animal?'

“什么!”我叫道。那個小男孩從我肚子上掉了下來，開始尖叫起來。我把他抱起來，親他，直到他的尖叫變成哭泣。我說：“還有一只機器動物?”

'Yes，'the robot said，touching its stomach.

“是的。”機器人說著，摸了摸它的肚子。

Of course the robot had another!Robots always make two of everything.You don't have to tell them.They do it automatically.

當然啦，機器人會有另一只機器動物!機器人做任何東西都做一對。不用你告訴它們。它們會自動去做。

The robot opened its stomach and the second robot animal jumped out. It was just like the first one.

機器人打開肚子，另一只機器動物跳了出來。它跟第一只一模一樣。

The little boy stopped crying.He looked at the robot animal with big，round eyes.All the other children were looking，too.

那個小男孩不哭了。他瞪大圓圓的眼睛盯著機器動物。所有其他孩子也都在看著。

The animal began to play. It tried to bite its tail and fell over its own feet. It was a funny， sweet animal. After one minute the children were round it in a circle，laughing and playing with it，just like the humans in the Star Zoo.

動物開始玩耍。它想咬自己的尾巴，卻摔倒了。它是只好玩、可愛的動物。很快，孩子們就把它圍成了一圈，歡笑著和它玩耍，就像星際動物園的人一樣。

I watched them.This was very important.These children hadn't learnt to be afraid of animals because they had never heard of Earth，the Burning，or the Book of Remembering.

我看著他們。這很有意義。這些孩子們還沒有學會害怕動物，因為他們還沒有聽說過地球、大火災和《往事追憶》。

I watched and thought. I spoke softly to my robot：'If these children go on playing with this robot animal， they will never become afraid of animals. They won't go crazy.'I thought some more， and said，'But if their parents see the animal， the parents will go crazy.'

我看著，想著，輕輕地對我的機器人說：“如果這些孩子就這么和這只機器動物玩下去，他們絕不會害怕動物。他們不會發(fā)瘋。”我又想了一會兒，說道：“可要是他們的父母看見動物，父母們會發(fā)瘋的。”

I thought carefully. Yes， there must be a special room in every house.A room which parents couldn't go in.A room for children only. Then children could play with robot animals in that room.

我認真地想了想，對了，每家都要有一間專門的房間，一個父母不能進去的房間。一個只給孩子用的房間。這樣孩子們就可以和機器動物在房間里玩了。

'That's it!'I said.'The children will still be happy to be with animals when they are parents.It might take twenty，thirty，forty years，but then—'

“就這樣!”我說，“當這些孩子做了父母，他們還會喜歡動物的。這可能要二十、三十、四十年，但以后——”

I heard the sound of somebody coming.I shouted to the robot，' Hide that animal， quick!'

我聽見有人進來的聲音。我向機器人喊道：“把動物藏起來，快!”

The robot opened its stomach and the animal went inside.

機器人打開肚子，動物跑了進去。

All the children began crying.They wanted to have their wonderful animal back again!

所有的孩子開始哭鬧。他們希望那只好玩的動物再回來!

It was the President.He looked round at all the crying children.'Did I do this?'he asked.

來的是主席。他朝四周哭鬧的孩子們看了看。“是我把他們弄哭了?”他問道。

'No，'I answered.'Please stay.I have fantastic news for you.Listen to what just happened.'

“不是。”我回答，“請呆會兒。我要告訴您一件奇妙的事。您聽聽剛才都發(fā)生了什么。”

The old man listened.First he was angry， then he was surprised but in the end he became very excited.

老人聽著。開始他有些生氣，后來有些驚奇，但最后他變得非常激動。

'Hummingbird，'the President said，'I must not see that robot animal. I don't want to go crazy.Your idea is…interesting.I think it will work.We must be very careful.We can begin with just one family and can learn from our mistakes. I think we can let you go free，Hummingbid.'

“蜂鳥，”主席說，“我決不看那只機器動物。我不想發(fā)瘋。你的想法……有意思。我覺得能行。我們得特別小心。我們可以從一家開始，然后吸取教訓。我想我們可以放你了，蜂鳥。”

'You can see the animal again soon，'I promised the children，and kissed the ones that were still crying.

“你們很快又能見到那只動物了。”我答應孩子們，親了親還在哭的幾個。

'So the little children really liked this animal!'the President said.'What kind of animal was it?Does the Book of Remembering talk about it?'

“這么說小孩子們真喜歡這只動物嘍!”主席說，“是種什么動物?《往事追憶》里提到了嗎?”

'The Book of Remembering talks about cats，'I answered.'This is a baby cat. I can't remember what the computer called it.Oh yes I do-it's called a kitten.'

“《往事追憶》里提到貓，”我回答，“這是只小貓。我記不住電腦是怎么叫它的了。噢，我想起來了——它叫貓咪。”