19 START OF THE SEARCH
第19章 寻找开始
The lonely planet, Haven ?only planet of an only sun of a Galactic Sector that trailed raggedly off into intergalactic vacuum ?was under siege.
孤独的赫汶行星是赫汶恒星唯一的伴随者，两者构成这个星区唯一的恒星系。此地接近银河系最前缘，往外便是星系间的虚无太空。这颗行星，如今被包围了。
In a strictly military sense, it was certainly under siege, since no area of space on the Galactic side further than twenty parsecs distance was outside range of the Mule's advance bases. In the four months since the shattering fall of the Foundation, Haven's communications had fallen apart like a spiderweb under the razor's edge. The ships of Haven converged inwards upon the home world, and only Haven itself was now a fighting base.
就严格的军事观点而言，它的确被包围了。因为在银河系这一侧，距离赫汶二十秒差距外的任何区域，无处不在骡的前进据点控制之下。基地溃败后这四个月，赫汶的对外通讯早已像是被剃刀割裂的蜘蛛网。赫汶所属的星舰都向母星集结，赫汶成了唯一的战斗据点。
And in other respects, the siege was even closer; for the shrouds of helplessness and doom had already invaded……
就其他角度而言，包围的压迫感似乎更为强烈。无助感和绝望早已渗透进来……
Bayta plodded her way down the pink-waved aisle past the rows of milky plastic-topped tables and found her seat by blind reckoning. She eased on to the high, armless chair, answered half-heard greetings mechanically, rubbed a wearily-itching eye with the back of a weary hand, and reached for her menu.
贝泰拖着沉重的脚步，走在画着粉红色波状条纹的通道上。她边走边数，经过一排排乳白色、高分子面板的餐桌，终于数到自己的座位。坐上高脚凳之后，她感到轻松了些，一面机械化地回应着仿佛听到的招呼，一面用酸疼的手背揉着酸疼的眼睛，并随手取来菜单。
She had time to register a violent mental reaction of distaste to the pronounced presence of various cultured-fungus dishes, which were considered high delicacies at Haven, and which her Foundation taste found highly inedible ?and then she was aware of the sobbing near her and looked up.
她看到几道人工培养的蕈类做成的菜肴，感到一阵恶心反胃。这些食物在赫汶被视为珍馐，她的基地胃口却觉得难以下咽。然后她听到一阵啜泣，马上抬起头来。
Until then, her notice of Juddee, the plain, snub-nosed, indifferent blonde at the dining unit diagonally across had been the superficial one of the nonacquaintance. And now Juddee was crying, biting woefully at a moist handkerchief, and choking back sobs until her complexion was blotched with turgid red. Her shapeless radiation-proof costume was thrown back upon her shoulders, and her transparent face shield had tumbled forward into her dessert, and there remained.
在此之前，贝泰从未注意过裘娣。裘娣面貌平庸，还有个狮子鼻，虽是金发却毫不起眼。她用餐的座位在贝泰的斜对面，两人只是点头之交。现在裘娣哭得一把鼻涕一把眼泪，伤心地咬着一块湿透了的手帕；她不停地抽噎，直到脸庞都涨得通红。她的抗放射衣搭在肩上，已经皱得不成样子；透明面罩扎到了点心，她也根本视若无睹。
Bayta joined the three girls who were taking turns at the eternally applied and eternally inefficacious remedies of shoulder-patting, hair-smoothing, and incoherent murmuring.
裘娣身边早已站着三个女孩，她们不停地轮流拍着她的肩膀，抚着她的头发，还胡乱说些安慰的话，可是显然毫无成果。贝泰走过去，加入她们的阵容。
"What's the matter?" she whispered.
“怎么回事？”她轻声问。
One turned to her and shrugged a discreet, "I don't know." Then, feeling the inadequacy of the gesture, she pulled Bayta aside.
一个女孩回过头来，耸了耸肩，暗示着“我不知道”。然后，她感到这个动作不足以达意，于是将贝泰拉到一边去。
"She's had a hard day, I guess. And she's worrying about her husband."
“我猜，她今天很不好过。她在担心她先生。”
"Is he on space patrol?"
“他在执行太空巡逻任务吗？”
"Yes".
“是的。”
Bayta reached a friendly hand out to Juddee.
贝泰友善地向裘娣伸出手。
"Why don't you go home, Juddee?" Her voice was a cheerfully businesslike intrusion on the soft, flabby inanities that had preceded.
“裘娣，你何不回家休息呢？”相较于先前那些软弱无力的空洞安慰，她这句话显得实际多了。
Juddee looked up half in resentment. "I've been out once this week already……"
裘娣抬起头来，又气又恨地说：“这星期我已经请过一次假了……”
"Then you'll be out twice. If you try to stay on, you know, you'll just be out three days next week ?so going home now amounts to patriotism. Any of you girls work in her department……Well, then, suppose you take care of her card. Better go to the washroom first, Juddee, and get the peaches and cream back where it belongs. Go ahead! Shoo!"
“那么你就再请一次。你若硬要待在这里，你可知道，下星期还会请三次假呢……所以你现在回家，等于是一种爱国行为。你们几位，有没有和她同一个部门的？好，那么请你帮她打卡。裘娣，你最好先到洗手间去一趟，把脸洗洗干净，顺便化化妆。去啊！走！”
Bayta returned to her seat and took up the menu again with a dismal relief. These moods were contagious. One weeping girl would have her entire department in a frenzy these nerve-torn days.
贝泰走回自己的座位，再度拿起菜单，虽然松了一口气，心情却仍旧沮丧。这些情绪是会传染的。在这种令人神经紧绷的日子里，只要一个女孩开始哭泣，就会使得整个部门人心惶惶。
She made a distasteful decision, pressed the correct buttons at her elbow and put the menu back into its niche.
她终于硬着头皮作出决定，按下手肘边的一个按钮，并将菜单放回原处。
The tall, dark girl opposite her was saying, "Isn't much any of us can do except cry, is there?"
坐在她对面的那位高个子黑发少女说：“除了哭泣，我们也没什么好做的了，对不对？”
Her amazingly full lips scarcely moved, and Bayta noticed that their ends were carefully touched to exhibit that artificial, just-so half-smile that was the current last word in sophistication.?
那少女说话的时候，过分丰满的嘴唇几乎没有动。贝泰注意到，少女的嘴唇是最新潮化妆术的杰作，呈现出一种似笑非笑的人工表情。
Bayta investigated the insinuating thrust contained in the words with lashed eyes and welcomed the diversion of the arrival of her lunch, as the tile-top of her unit moved inward and the food lifted. She tore the wrappings carefully off her cutlery and handled them gingerly till they cooled.
贝泰垂下眼睑，咀嚼着对方话中拐弯抹角的讥讽，同时无聊地看着午餐自动运送的过程：桌面上的瓷砖部分先向下沉，随即带着食物升上来。她仔细地撕开餐具的包装纸，轻轻搅拌着食物，直到菜肴全都凉了。
She said, "Can't you think of anything else to do, Hella?"
她说：“贺拉，你想不到别的事可做吗？”
"Oh, yes," said Hella. "I can!" She flicked her cigarette with a casual and expert finger-motion into the little recess provided and the tiny flash caught it before it hit shallow bottom.
“喔，对，”贺拉答道，“我可以！”她熟练地随手一弹，将手中的香烟弹进壁槽。它还没有掉下去，就被一阵小小的闪光吞噬。
"For instance," and Hella clasped slender, well-kept hands under her chin, "I think we could make a very nice arrangement with the Mule and stop all this nonsense. But then I don't have the……uh……facilities to manage to get out of places quickly when the Mule takes over."
“比如说，”贺拉合起保养得很好的一双纤纤玉手，放在下巴底下，“我认为我们能和骡达成一个非常好的协议，赶紧结束这一切的荒谬。话说回来，等到骡来接管此地，我可没有……唔……没有管道能及时逃走。”
Bayta's clear forehead remained clear. Her voice was light and indifferent. "You don't happen to have a brother or husband in the fighting ships, do you?"
贝泰光润的额头并没有皱起来，她的声音轻柔而冷淡。“你的兄弟或你的先生，没有一个在星舰上服役吧？”
"No. All the more credit that I see no reason for the sacrifice of the brothers and husbands of others."
“没有。正因为这样，我更不觉得该让别人的兄弟或丈夫牺牲生命。”
"The sacrifice will come the more surely for surrender."
“假如我们投降，牺牲一定会更大。”
"The Foundation surrendered and is at peace. Our men are away and the Galaxy is against us."
“基地投降了，结果安然无事。而我们的男人都参战去了，敌人却是整个银河系。”
Bayta shrugged, and said sweetly, "I'm afraid it is the first of the pair that bothers you." She returned to her vegetable platter and ate it with the clammy realization of the silence about her. No one in ear-shot had cared to answer Hella's cynicism.
贝泰耸耸肩，用甜美的声音说：“恐怕只有前者令你烦恼吧。”说完，她继续吃着大盘的蔬菜。但四周突然鸦雀无声，让她感到很不舒服。坐在附近的女孩，谁也不想对贺拉的讥评作任何反应。
She left quickly, after stabbing at the button which cleared her dining unit for the next shift's occupant.
贝泰终于吃完了，随手按下另一个按钮，餐桌便自动收拾干净，她则赶紧离开了餐厅。
A new girl, three seats away, stage-whispered to Hella, "Who was she?"
与贝泰隔三个座位的另一个女孩，用欲盖弥彰的耳语问贺拉道：“她是谁啊？”
Hella's mobile lips curled in indifference. "She's our coordinator's niece. Didn't you know that?"
贺拉灵动的嘴唇翘起来，做出冷漠的表情。“她是我们协调官的侄媳妇，你不知道吗？”
"Yes?" Her eyes sought out the last glimpse of disappearing back. "What's she doing here?"
“是吗？”好奇的女孩赶紧转过头去，刚好瞥见贝泰背影的最后一眼。“她在这里做什么？”
"Just an assembly girl. Don't you know it's fashionable to be patriotic……It's all so democratic, it makes me retch."
“只是当装配员。你不明白这年头流行爱国吗？这样做多么民主啊，真令我作呕。”
"Now, Hella," said the plump girl to her right. "She's never pulled her uncle on us yet. Why don't you lay off?"
“贺拉，算了。”坐在贺拉旁边的胖女孩说，“她从来没有拿她叔叔来压我们，你就别再说了好吗？”
Hella ignored her neighbor with a glazed sweep of eyes and lit another cigarette.
贺拉白了胖女孩一眼，根本不理会她，径自点燃了另一根香烟。
The new girl was listening to the chatter of the bright-eyed accountant opposite. The words were coming quickly, "and she's supposed to have been in the Vault ?actually in the Vault, you know ?when Seldon spoke ?and they say the mayor was in frothing furies and there were riots, and all of that sort of thing, you know. She got away before the Mule landed, and they say she had the most tha-rilling escape ?had to go through the blockade, and all ?and I do wonder she doesn't write a book about it, these war books being so popular these days, you know. And she was supposed to be on this world of the Mule's, too……"Kalgan, you know……"and……"
刚才那位好奇的女孩，现在正全神贯注，听着对面一位大眼睛的会计小姐滔滔不绝。会计小姐一口气说：“……当谢顿演讲时，她应该也在穹窿……你知道吗，是真的在穹窿里面。还有你知道吗，听说市长气得当场口吐白沫，还发生了不少骚动，以及诸如此类的事。骡登陆之前，她及时逃走，听说她的逃亡过程惊险万分……必须强行穿越封锁线等等。我真搞不懂，她为什么不把这些经历写成一本书，你知道吗，如今这些战争书籍可畅销呢。还有，她应该到过骡的大本营……你知道吗，就是卡尔根，而且……”
The time bell shrilled and the dining room emptied slowly. The accountant's voice buzzed on, and the new girl interrupted only with the conventional and wide-eyed, "Really-yyyyy?" at appropriate points.
报时铃声响了起来，餐厅中的人渐渐离去。会计小姐的高论兀自不停，好奇的女孩只能在适当的时候，瞪着大眼睛点缀性地说：“真……的吗？”
The huge cave lights were being shielded group-wise in the gradual descent towards the darkness that meant sleep for the righteous and hard-working, when Bayta returned home.
贝泰回到家的时候，洞穴中巨大的照明已依次遮蔽起来，使得这座洞穴都市逐渐进入“黑夜”，意味着现在是“好人和勤奋工作者进入梦乡的时候”。
Toran met her at the door, with a slice of buttered bread in his hand.
杜伦举着一片涂满奶油的面包，站在门口迎接她。
"Where've you been?" he asked, food-muffled. Then, more clearly, "I've got a dinner of sorts rassled up. If it isn't much, don't blame me."
“你到哪里去了？”他嘴里满是食物，说话含混不清。然后，才用比较清楚的声音说：“我胡乱弄出来一顿晚餐。如果不好吃，你可别怪我。”
But she was circling him, wide-eyed. "Torie! Where's your uniform……What are you doing in civvies?"
贝泰却张大眼睛，绕着他走了一圈。“杜！你的制服哪里去了？你穿便服做什么？”
"Orders, Bay. Randu is holed up with Ebling Mis right now, and what it's all about, I don't know. So there you have everything."
“贝，这是命令。蓝度正在和艾布林·米斯密商大计，我不清楚他们讨论些什么。现在你知道得和我一样多了。”
"Am I going?" She moved towards him impulsively.
“我也会一起去吗？”她冲动地向他走过去。
He kissed her before he answered, "I believe so. It will probably be dangerous."
他先吻了她一下，才回答说：“我想是的。这个任务可能有危险。”
"What isn't dangerous?"
“什么事没有危险？”
"Exactly. Oh, yes, and I've already sent for Magnifico, so he's probably coming too."
“一点都没错。喔，对了，我已经派人去找马巨擘，他可能要跟我们一起去。”
"You mean his concert at the Engine Factory will have to be cancelled."
“你的意思是，他在发动机总厂的演奏会要取消了？”
"Obviously."
“显然。”
Bayta passed into the next room and sat down to a meal that definitely bore signs of having been "rassled-up." She cut the sandwiches in two with quick efficiency and said: "That's too bad about the concert. The girls at the factory were looking forward to it. Magnifico, too, for that matter." She shook her head. "He's such a queer thing."
贝泰走进隔壁房间，坐到餐桌前，餐桌上的食物名符其实是“胡乱弄出来”的。她迅速而熟练地将三明治切成两半，并说：“取消演奏会真是太可惜了。工厂的女孩都万分期待，马巨擘自己也一样。”她摇了摇头，“他真是个古怪的家伙。”
"Stirs your mother-complex, Bay, that's what he does. Some day we'll have a baby, and then you'll forget Magnifico."
“贝，他所做的，是激起了你的母性本能。将来我们会生个宝宝，那时你就会忘掉马巨擘了。”
'Bayta answered from the depths of her sandwich, "Strikes me that you're all the stirring my mother-complex can stand."
贝泰一面啃着三明治，一面答道：“听你这么说，像是只有你才能激起我的母性本能。”
And then she laid the sandwich down, and was gravely serious in a moment.
然后她放下三明治，表情顿时变得极其严肃认真。
"Torie."
“杜。”
"M-m-m?"
“嗯……嗯？”
"Torie, I was at City Hall today ?at the Bureau of Production. That is why I was so late today."
“杜，我到市政厅去了一趟……去生产局。所以今天才会这么晚回来。”
"What were you doing there?"
“你去那里做什么？”
"Well..." she hesitated, uncertainly. "It's been building up. I was getting so I couldn't stand it at the factory. Morale just doesn't exist. The girls go on crying jags for no particular reason. Those who don't get sick become sullen. Even the little mousie types pout. In my particular section, production isn't a quarter what it was when I came, and there isn't a day that we have a full roster of workers."
“这……”她犹豫了一下，“情况愈来愈糟。我觉得自己再也无法忍受工厂的气氛。士气……荡然无存。女孩们毫无来由就哭成一团，不哭的也变得阴阳怪气。即使是小乖乖，现在也会闹别扭了。我的那个组，生产量还不到我加入那时的四分之一，而且每天一定有人请假。”
"All right," said Toran, "tie in the B. of P. What did you do there?"
“好啦，”杜伦道，“回过来说生产局吧。你去那里做什么？”
"Asked a few questions. And it's so, Torie, it's so all over Haven. Dropping production, increasing sedition and disaffection. The bureau chief just shrugged his shoulders ?after I had sat in the anteroom an hour to see him, and only got in because I was the co-ordinator's niece ?and said it was beyond him. Frankly, I don't think he cared."
“去打听一些事。杜，结果我发现，这种现象整个赫汶都一样。产量逐日递减，骚乱和不满与日俱增。那个局长只是耸耸肩……我在会客室坐了一个钟头才见到他，而我能进去，还是因为我是协调官的侄媳妇。局长表示，这个问题超出他的能力范围。坦白说，我认为他根本不关心。”
"Now, don't go off base, Bay."
“好啦，贝，别又扯远了。”
"I don't think he did." She was strenuously fiery. "I tell you there's something wrong. It's that same horrible frustration that hit me in the Time Vault when Seldon deserted us. You felt it yourself."
“我不相信他关心这个问题。”贝泰极为激动，“我告诉你，一定有什么不对劲。这种可怕的挫折感，当初在时光穹窿中，谢顿让我们大失所望的时候，我有过相同的经验。你自己也感觉到了。”
"Yes, I did."
“没错，我也感觉到了。”
"Well, it's back," she continued savagely. "And we'll never be able to resist the Mule. Even if we had the material, we lack the heart, the spirit, the will……"Torie, there's no use fighting……"
“好，这种感觉又回来了。”她凶巴巴说，“我们再也无法对抗骡了。即使我们有足够的物力，却缺乏勇气、精神和意志力……杜，再抵抗也没有用了……”
Bayta had never cried in Toran's memory, and she did not cry now. Not really. But Toran laid a light hand on her shoulder and whispered, "Suppose you forget it, baby. I know what you mean. But there's nothing?
在杜伦的记忆中，贝泰从未哭过，如今她也没有哭，至少不是真的在哭。杜伦将手轻轻搭在她肩上，细声说：“宝贝，把这些忘了吧。我知道你的意思，可是我们什么也……”
"Yes, there's nothing we can do! Everyone says that……"and we just sit and wait for the knife to come down."
“对，我们什么也不能做！每个人都这么说……我们就这样坐在这里，等着任人宰割。”
She returned to what was left of her sandwich and tea. Quietly, Toran was arranging the beds. It was quite dark outside.
她开始解决剩下的三明治与半杯茶，杜伦则一声不响地去铺床。外面已经完全暗了下来。
Randu, as newly-appointed co-ordinator ?in itself a wartime post ?of the confederation of cities on Haven, had been assigned, at his own request, to an upper room, out of the window of which he could brood over the roof tops and greenery of the city. Now, in the fading of the cave lights, the city receded into the level lack of distinction of the shades. Randu did not care to meditate upon the symbolism.
蓝度刚刚被任命为赫汶各城邦的协调官……这是一个战时职务。他就任后，立刻申请到一间顶楼的宿舍。从这间宿舍的窗户，他可以对着城中的绿地与屋顶沉思默想。现在，随着洞穴照明一个个遮蔽起来，整座城市不再有任何的明暗光影。蓝度却无暇冥想这个变化的象征性意义。
He said to Ebling Mis whose clear, little eyes seemed to have no further interest than the red-filled goblet in his hand:"There's a saying on Haven that when the cave lights go out, it is time for the righteous and hard-working to sleep."
他对艾布林·米斯说：“赫汶有一句谚语：洞穴照明遮蔽时，便是好人和勤奋工作者进入梦乡的时候。”米斯明亮的小眼睛紧盯着手中注满红色液体的高脚杯，对周遭的事物似乎都不感兴趣。
"Do you sleep much lately?"
“你最近睡得多吗？”
"No! Sorry to call you so late, Mis. I like the night better somehow these days. Isn't that strange……The people on Haven condition themselves pretty strictly on the lack of light meaning sleep. Myself, too. But it's different now……"
“不多！米斯，抱歉这么晚还把你找来。这些日子，我好像特别喜欢夜晚，这是不是很奇怪？赫汶人的作息相当规律，照明遮蔽时就上床睡觉，我自己也一样。可是现在不同了……”
"You're hiding," said Mis, flatly. "You're surrounded by people in the waking period, and you feel their eyes and their hopes on you. You can't stand up under it. In the sleep period, you're free."
“你是在逃避。”米斯断然地说，“清醒时刻，你身边总是围绕着一群人。你感觉到他们的目光、他们的希望都投注在你身上，令你承受不了。到了睡眠时刻，你才能够解脱。”
"Do you feel it, too, then……This miserable sense of defeat?"
“那么，你也感觉到了？那种悲惨的挫败感？”
Ebling Mis nodded slowly, "I do. It's a mass psychosis, an unprintable mob panic. "Ga-LAX-y, Randu, what do you expect……Here you have a whole culture brought up to a blind, blubbering belief that a folk hero of the past has everything all planned out and is taking care of every little piece of their unprintable lives. The thought-pattern evoked has religious characteristics, and you know what that means."
艾布林·米斯缓缓点了点头。“我感觉到了。这是一种集体精神状态，一种xxx的群众恐惧心理。银……河呀，蓝度，你在指望什么？你们整个的文化，导致了一种盲目的、可怜兮兮的信仰，认为过去有一位民族英雄，将每件事都计划好了；你们xxx的生活中每一个细节，也会被他照顾得好好的。这种思考模式具有宗教的特色，你该知道这意味着什么。”
"Not a bit."
“完全不知道。”
Mis was not enthusiastic about the necessity of explanation. He never was. So he growled, stared at the long cigar he rolled thoughtfully between his fingers and said, "Characterized by strong faith reactions. Beliefs can't be shaken short of a major shock, in which case, a fairly complete mental disruption results. Mild cases-hysteria, morbid sense of insecurity. Advanced cases ?madness and suicide."
米斯并不热衷于解释自己的理论，一向如此。他只是若有所思地用手指来回拨弄着一根长雪茄，一面瞪着雪茄，一面咆哮道：“就是强烈信心反应的特色。除非受到很大的震撼，这种信念不会轻易动摇。然而一旦动摇，就会造成全面性的精神崩溃。轻者……歇斯底里，或是病态的不安全感；重者……发疯甚至自杀。”
Randu bit at a thumbnail. "When Seldon fails us, in other words, our prop disappears, and we've been leaning upon it so long, our muscles are atrophied to where we can not stand without it."
蓝度咬着拇指的指甲。“换句话说，谢顿令我们大失所望之后，我们的精神支柱便消失了。我们倚靠它那么久，肌肉都萎缩了；失去这根支柱，我们便无法站立。”
"That's it. Sort of a clumsy metaphor, but that's it."
“就是这样子。虽然是拙劣的比喻，不过就是这样子。”
"And you, Ebling, what of your own muscles?"
“你呢，艾布林，你自己的肌肉又如何？”
The psychologist filtered a long draught of air through his cigar, and let the smoke laze out. "Rusty, but not atrophied. My profession has resulted in just a bit of independent thinking."
心理学家深深抽了一口雪茄，再让那口烟慢慢喷出来。“生锈了，但还没有萎缩。我的职业，让我练就一点独立思考的能力。”
"And you see a way out?"
“你看到了一条路？”
"No, but there must be one. Maybe Seldon made no provisions for the Mule. Maybe he didn't guarantee our victory. But, then, neither did he guarantee defeat. He's just out of the game and we're on our own. The Mule can be licked."
“没看到，不过一定有。或许谢顿并未将骡计算在内，或许他不能保证我们的胜利。但是，他并没有说我们一定会被打败。他只是退出了这场游戏，我们从此要靠自己了。骡是可以击败的。”
"How?"
“怎么做？”
"By the only way anyone can be licked ?by attacking in strength at weakness. See here, Randu, the Mule isn't a superman. If he is finally defeated, everyone will see that for himself. It's just that he's an unknown, and the legends cluster quickly. He's supposed to be a mutant. Well, what of that……A mutant means a 'superman' to the ignoramuses of humanity. Nothing of the sort.
“利用足以击败任何敌人的唯一法门……以己之长攻彼之短。蓝度，你想想看，骡并不是超人。如果他最后被打败了，每个人都能了解他失败的原因。问题是他仍然是个未知数，而相关的传说如滚雪球般不断膨胀。他应该是个突变种，可是，这又怎么样？对于无知大众而言，突变种意味着‘超人’。其实根本没有这种事。
"It's been estimated that several million mutants are born in the Galaxy every day. Of the several million, all but one or two percent can be detected only by means of microscopes and chemistry. Of the one or two percent macromutants, that is, those with mutations detectable to the naked eye or naked mind, all but one or two percent are freaks, fit for the amusement centers, the laboratories, and death. Of the few macromutants whose differences are to the good, almost all are harmless curiosities, unusual in some single respect, normal ?and often subnormal ?in most others. You see that, Randu?"
“根据估计，银河系每天有几百万个突变种出生。在这几百万个突变种里面，除了百分之一二，其他都需要用显微镜和化学方法才能确定。而那些百分之一二的巨突变种，也就是肉眼看得出，或是直接能察觉的那些，除了其中的百分之一二，其余都是畸形人，不是被送到游乐中心或实验室，就是很快便夭折。剩下的那些极少数的巨突变种，他们的突变是正面的；这些异人大多对他人无害，他们通常有一项特殊能力，其他方面却都很普通……通常甚至更差。蓝度，你懂了吗？”
"I do. But what of the Mule?"
“我懂了。但是骡又如何呢？”
"Supposing the Mule to be a mutant then, we can assume that he has some attribute, undoubtedly mental, which can be used to conquer worlds. In other respects, he undoubtedly has his shortcomings, which we must locate. He would not be so secretive, so shy of others' eyes, if these shortcomings were not apparent and fatal. If he's a mutant."
“假如骡真的是突变种，我们就能进一步假设他有一项特殊异能，而且无疑是精神方面的，可以用来征服各个世界。另一方面，骡必定也有他的短处，我们一定要找出来。假如那些短处不是很明显、很要命，他不会那么故作神秘，那样怕被人看到。前提是，他的确是突变种。”
"Is there an alternative?"
“有没有其他的可能性？”
"There might be. Evidence for mutation rests on Captain Han Pritcher of what used to be Foundation's Intelligence. He drew his conclusions from the feeble memories of those who claimed to know the Mule-or somebody who might have been the Mule……"in infancy and early childhood. Pritcher worked on slim pickings there, and what evidence he found might easily have been planted by the Mule for his own purposes, for it's certain that the Mule has been vastly aided by his reputation as a mutant-superman."
“也许有。关于骡是突变种的证据，都是基地情报局的汉·普利吉上尉提供的。他曾经访问过一些人，他们声称在骡的襁褓期或幼年期见过他……或者某个可能是骡的人。普利吉根据那些人不太可靠的记忆，得到这个惊人的结论。不过他的采样相当贫乏，搜集到的证据也很有可能是骡故意捏造的。因为，骡是变种超人的这个名声，对他当然是很大的助力。”
"This iiiinteresting. How long have you thought that?"
“真有意思。你是多久前想到这点的？”
"I never thought that, in the sense of believing it. It is merely an alternative to be considered. For instance, Randu, suppose the Mule has discovered a form of radiation capable of depressing mental energy just as he is in possession of one which depresses nuclear reactions. What then, eh……Could that explain what's hitting us now ?and what did hit the Foundation?"
“老实说，我从来没有把这个想法当真。这只是我们必须考虑的另一种可能性。蓝度，比如说，假使骡发现了一种能够压抑精神能量的辐射，类似他拥有的那种可以抑制核反应的装置，那又会如何，啊？这能不能解释我们如今的遭遇……以及基地当初的遭遇？”
Randu seemed immersed in a near-wordless gloom.
蓝度仿佛沉浸在近乎无言的忧郁中。
He said, "What of your own researches on the Mule's clown."
他问道：“骡的那个小丑，你对他的研究有什么结果？”
And now Ebling Mis hesitated. "Useless as yet. I spoke bravely to the mayor previous to the Foundation's collapse, mainly to keep his courage up ?partly to keep my own up as well. But, Randu, if my mathematical tools were up to it, then from the clown alone I could analyze the Mule completely. Then we would have him. Then we could solve the queer anomalies that have impressed me already."
艾布林·米斯却犹豫了一下。“目前为止没什么用。基地沦陷之前，我大胆地向市长夸下海口，主要是为了激励他的勇气……部分原因也是为我自己打气。可是，蓝度，假使我的数学工具够好，那么单单从小丑身上，我就能对骡进行完整的分析。这样我们就能解开他的谜，也就能解答那些困扰着我的古怪异象。”
"Such as?"
“比如说？”
"Think, man. The Mule defeated the navies of the Foundation at will, but he has not once managed to force the much weaker fleets of the Independent Traders to retreat in open combat. The Foundation fell at a blow; the Independent Traders hold out against all his strength. He first used Extinguishing Field upon the nuclear weapons of the Independent Traders of Mnemon. The element of surprise lost them that battle but they countered the Field. He was never able to use it successfully against the Independents again.
“老兄，想想看。骡随随便便就能打败基地的舰队，而独立行商的舰队虽然远比不上基地，但在硬碰硬的战役中，骡却从来无法迫使他们撤退。基地不堪一击就沦陷了；独立行商面对骡的所有兵力，却仍然能负隅顽抗。骡首先使用抑制场对付涅蒙的独立行商，破坏了他们的核能武器。由于措手不及，他们那次吃了败仗，却也学到如何对付抑制场。从此，他再用那种新武器对付独立行商，就再也没有讨过便宜。
"But over and over again, it worked against Foundation forces. It worked on the Foundation itself. Why……With our present knowledge, it is all illogical. So there must be factors of which we are not aware."
“可是每当他用抑制场对付基地舰队，却一而再、再而三屡试不爽。它甚至还在端点星上发威。这究竟是为什么？据我们目前掌握的情报，这简直不合逻辑。所以说，必定还有我们不明白的因素。”
"Treachery?"
“出了叛徒吗？”
"That's rattle-pated nonsense, Randu. Unprintable twaddle. There wasn't a man on the Foundation who wasn't sure of victory. Who would betray a certain-to-win side."
“蓝度，这是最不用大脑的胡说八道。简直是xxx的废话。基地上人人认为胜利站在自己这边，谁会背叛一个必胜的赢家？”
Randu stepped to the curved window and stared unseeingly out into the unseeable. He said, "But we're certain to lose now, if the Mule had a thousand weaknesses; if he were a network of holes?
蓝度走到弧形窗前，瞪着窗外什么也看不见的一片漆黑。他说：“但是我们现在输定了，纵使骡有一千个弱点，纵使他百孔千疮……”
He did not turn. It was as if the slump of his back, the nervous groping for one another of the hands behind him that spoke. He said, "We escaped easily after the Time Vault episode, Ebling. Others might have escaped as well. A few did. Most did not. The Extinguishing Field could have been counteracted. It asked ingenuity and a certain amount of labor. All the ships of the Foundation Navy could have flown to Haven or other nearby planets to continue the fight as we did. Not one percent did so. In effect, they deserted to the enemy.
他并没有转身。但是他佝偻着背，而且背后的双手不安地互握着，在在都是肢体语言。他继续说：“艾布林，时光穹窿那场变故发生后，我们轻易逃了出来。其他人也应该能逃脱，却只有少数人做到，大多数人都没有逃。而只要有一流的人才和足够的时间，应该就能发明出对付抑制场的装置。基地舰队的所有星舰，应该都能像我们这样，飞到赫汶或附近的行星继续作战。但这样做的百分之一也没有，事实上，他们都投奔敌营了。
"The Foundation underground, upon which most people here seem to rely so heavily, has thus far done nothing of consequence. The Mule has been politic enough to promise to safeguard the property and profits of the great Traders and they have gone over to him."
“这里大多数人似乎都对基地的地下组织期望甚高，但目前为止，他们根本没有什么行动。骡是足够精明的政治人物，他已经保证会保护大行商们的财产和利益，所以他们都向他投诚了。”
Ebling Mis said stubbornly, "The plutocrats have always been against us."
艾布林·米斯以顽强的口气说：“财阀一向都是我们的死对头。”
"They always held the power, too. Listen, Ebling. We have reason to believe that the Mule or his tools have already been in contact with powerful men among the Independent Traders. At least ten of the twenty-seven Trading Worlds are known to have gone over to the Mule. Perhaps ten more waver. There are personalities on Haven itself who would not be unhappy over the Mule's domination. It's apparently an insurmountable temptation to give up endangered political power, if that will maintain your hold over economic affairs. "
“他们也一向都掌握着权力。艾布林，听好。我们有理由相信，骡或者他的爪牙，已经和独立行商中的重要人物接触。在二十七个行商世界中，已知至少有十个已经向骡靠拢，另外可能还有十个正在动摇。而在赫汶这里，也有一些重要人物会欢迎骡的统治。只要放弃岌岌可危的政治权力，就能保有原先的经济实力，这显然是一种不可抗拒的诱惑。
"You don't think Haven can fight the Mule?"
“你认为赫汶无法抵抗骡的侵略吗？”
"I don't think Haven will." And now Randu turned his troubled face full upon the psychologist. "I think Haven is waiting to surrender. It's what I called you here to tell you. I want you to leave Haven."
“我认为赫汶不会抵抗。”蓝度将布满愁容的脸转过来，面对着心理学家，“我认为赫汶在等着投降。我今晚找你来，就是要告诉你这件事。我要你离开赫汶。”
Ebling Mis puffed up his plump checks in amazement. "Already?"
艾布林·米斯大吃一惊，圆嘟嘟的脸庞涨得更圆。“现在就走？”
Randu felt horribly tired. "Ebling, you are the Foundation's greatest psychologist. The real master-psychologists went out with Seldon, but you're the best we have. You're our only chance of defeating the Mule. You can't do that here; you'll have to go to what's left of the Empire."
蓝度感到极度的疲倦。“艾布林，你是基地最伟大的心理学家。真正的心理学大师都随着谢顿一起逝去，如今你就是这门学问的权威。想要击败骡，你是我们唯一的机会。你在这里不会有任何进展，你必须到帝国仅存的领域去。”
"To Trantor?"
“去川陀？”
"That's right. What was once the Empire is bare bones today, but something must still be at the center. They've got the records there, Ebling. You may learn more of mathematical psychology; perhaps enough to be able to interpret the clown's mind. He will go with you, of course."
“是的。昔日的帝国如今仅剩最后的残骸，但是一定还有些什么藏在它的核心。艾布林，那里保存着重要的记录。你可以学到更多的数理心理学，也许就足以能诠释那个小丑的心灵。当然，他会跟你一起去。”
Mis responded dryly, "I doubt if he'd be willing to, even for fear of the Mule, unless your niece went with him."
米斯冷淡地答道：“虽然他那么害怕骡，我仍怀疑他会愿意跟我去，除非你的侄媳妇也能同行。”
"I know that. Toran and Bayta are leaving with you for that very reason. And, Ebling, there's another, greater purpose. Hari Seldon founded two Foundations three centuries ago; one at each end of the Galaxy. You must find that Second Foundation."
“这点我知道。正是因为这样，杜伦和贝泰也会跟你一块去。此外，艾布林，你还有一项更伟大的使命。三个世纪前，哈里·谢顿建立了两个基地，分别置于银河系的两端。你一定要找到那个‘第二基地’。”