23 THE RUINS OF TRANTOR
第23章 川陀废墟
The location of an objective upon the great world of Trantor presents a problem unique in the Galaxy. There are no continents or oceans to locate from a thousand miles distance. There are no rivers, lakes, and islands to catch sight of through the cloud rifts.
想要在巨大的川陀世界上标出某个地点，竟然是银河中独一无二的难题。因为方圆千英里范围之内，没有任何陆地或海洋能当参考坐标。若从云缝间向下俯瞰，也看不到任何河流、湖泊或岛屿。
The metal-covered world was……had been……one colossal city, and only the old Imperial palace could be identified readily from outer space by a stranger. The Bayta circled the world at almost air-car height in repeated painful search.
这个金属覆盖的世界，长久以来一直是个单一的大都会。只有其上的皇宫旧址，是异乡人从外太空唯一能辨识的目标。因此，贝泰号在川陀上空维持着普通飞车的高度，一面环绕着这个世界，一面辛苦地寻找目标。
From polar regions, where the icy coating of the metal spires were somber evidence of the breakdown or neglect of the weather-conditioning machinery, they worked southwards. Occasionally they could experiment with the correlations……or presumable correlations)?between what they saw and what the inadequate map obtained at Neotrantor showed.
他们先来到极地，那里的金属尖塔全遭冰雪掩覆，显示气候调节机制已经损坏或遭弃置。从极地向南飞，偶尔能看到地面上有些目标，与他们在新川陀取得的简陋地图对应得上……或说有某种程度的对应关系。
But it was unmistakable when it came. The gap in the metal coat of the planet was fifty miles. The unusual greenery spread over hundreds of square miles, inclosing the mighty grace of the ancient Imperial residences.
但是当目标出现时，它却肯定错不了。覆盖着整个行星的金属壳层，在此出现五十英里长的裂隙。不寻常的绿地占地几百平方英里，拥抱着庄严典雅的皇宫旧址。
The Bayta hovered and slowly oriented itself. There were only the huge supercauseways to guide them. Long straight arrows on the map, smooth, gleaming ribbons there below them.
贝泰号先在空中盘旋一阵子，然后缓缓调整方向。只有巨大的超级跑道可供参考，它们在地图上是长直的箭头，实物则像平滑而闪耀的丝带。
What the map indicated to be the University area was reached by dead reckoning, and upon the flat area of what once must have been a busy landing-field, the ship lowered itself.
他们摸索到地图所示的川陀大学所在地，再飞到附近一处宽阔的平地……这里显然曾是极忙碌的着陆场……让太空船降落下来。
It was only as they submerged into the welter of metal that the smooth beauty apparent from the air dissolved into the broken, twisted near-wreckage that had been left in the wake of the Sack. Spires were truncated, smooth walls gouted and twisted, and just for an instant there was the glimpse of a shaven area of earth……perhaps several hundred acres in extent……dark and plowed.
直到没入金属丛林后，他们才发现从空中看来光洁美丽的金属表面，其实是一片破败、歪扭、近似废墟的建筑群，处处透着“大浩劫”后的凄凉。一座座尖塔拦腰折断，平滑的墙壁变得歪七扭八、斑痕累累。突然间，他们瞥见一块露天的黑色土壤……或许有几百亩大小……上面还有农作物。
Lee Senter waited as the ship settled downward cautiously. It was a strange ship, not from Neotrantor, and inwardly he sighed. Strange ships and confused dealings with the men of outer space could mean the end of the short days of peace, a return to the old grandiose times of death and battle. Senter was leader of the group; the old books were in his charge and he had read of those old days. He did not want them.
当那艘太空船小心翼翼降落时，李·森特正等在那里。那艘船外型陌生，显然不是新川陀来的，他不禁暗叹了一声。外太空来的陌生船舰，以及来意不明的外星人士，都可能意味着短暂的太平岁月即将结束，又要回到战祸连年、尸横遍野的“大时代”。森特是农民团体的领导人，并负责管理此地的古籍。从书本中他了解到旧时的历史，而他不希望这些历史重演。
Perhaps ten minutes spent themselves as the strange ship came down to nestle upon the flatness, but long memories telescoped themselves in that time. There was first the great farm of his childhood……that remained in his mind merely as busy crowds of people. Then there was the trek of the young families to new lands. He was ten, then; an only child, puzzled, and frightened.
陌生太空船降落地面的过程或许只有十分钟，但在这段时间中，无数往事迅速掠过他的脑海。他首先想到幼年时代的大农庄……在他的记忆中，只有一群人忙碌工作的画面。然后，许多年轻家族一起迁徙到其他星球。当时他只有十岁，是父母的独子，只感到茫然与恐惧。
Then the new buildings; the great metal slabs to be uprooted and tom aside; the exposed soil to be turned, and freshened, and invigorated; neighboring buildings to be tom down and leveled; others to be transformed to living quarters.
不久出现一些新的建筑；巨大的金属板被挖起来丢到一旁；农民开始翻挖曝光的土壤，稀释其盐分，恢复其生机；附近原有的建筑物，有些被推倒并铲平，其余的则改建成住宅区。
There were crops to be grown and harvested; peaceful relations with neighboring farms to be established……
农民忙着耕作与收割，同时不忘和邻近的农场建立友好关系……
There was growth and expansion, and the quiet efficiency of self-rule. There was the coming of a new generation of hard, little youngsters born to the soil. There was the great day when he was chosen leader of the Group and for the first time since his eighteenth birthday he did not shave and saw the first stubble of his Leader's Beard appear.
那是一段发展与扩张的岁月，自治的生活愈来愈上轨道。下一代在土地中成长茁壮，这些勤奋的年轻人逐渐当家做主。森特获选为农民团体领导人的大日子来临了，当天，是他十八岁以后头一次没刮胡子。等到长满络腮胡，他就是货真价实的领导人了。
And now the Galaxy might intrude and put an end to the brief idyll of isolation?
如今却有外人闯进这个世界，这段与世隔绝、如牧歌般的短暂岁月可能要结束了。
The ship landed. He watched wordlessly as the port opened. Four emerged, cautious and watchful. There were three men, varied, old, young, thin and beaked. And a woman striding among them like an equal. His hand left the two glassy black tufts of his beard as he stepped forward.
太空船着陆了。当舷门打开时，森特一言不发地注视着。有四个人走出来，都表现得小心翼翼、机警万分。其中三人是男性，他们外表各异，一个是老者，一个是青年，另一个瘦得可怜，鼻子却长得过分。此外还有一名女子，跟他们大摇大摆地走在一起。森特向前走去，右手离开了他光洁的黑胡子。
He gave the universal gesture of peace. Both hands were before him; hard, calloused palms upward.
他做了一个全人类共通的和平手势。双手放在面前，粗壮长茧的手掌朝上。
The young man approached two steps and duplicated the gesture. "I come in peace."
那名年轻男子向前走了两步，并做出相同的动作。“我带着和平而来。”
The accent was strange, but the words were understandable, and welcome. He replied, deeply, "In peace be it. You are welcome to the hospitality of the Group. Are you hungry? You shall eat. Are you thirsty? You shall drink."
对方的口音非常陌生，不过那句话他还听得懂，而且听来很受用。他以庄重的语气答道：“和平至上。农民团体欢迎你们，并将竭诚招待。你们饿了吗？我们有吃的。你们渴了吗？我们有喝的。”
Slowly, the reply came, "We thank you for your kindness, and shall bear good report of your Group when we return to our world."
对方慢慢地回答：“我们感谢你们的好意，等我们回到自己的世界，会为你们的团体广为宣扬。”
A queer answer, but good. Behind him, the men of the Group were smiling, and from the recesses of the surrounding structures, the women emerged.
这是个奇怪的回答，不过相当中听。站在森特后面的农民都露出微笑，而从附近建筑物中，还有不少农妇走了出来。
In his own quarters, he removed the locked, mirror-walled box from its hidden place, and offered each of the guests the long, plump cigars that were reserved for great occasions. Before the woman, he hesitated. She had taken a seat among the men. The strangers evidently allowed, even expected, such effrontery. Stiffly, he offered the box.
来到森特的住处后，他从隐密的角落取出一个盒子，打开上面的锁，再推开镶着镜子的盒盖，里面是专为重要场合准备的、又长又粗的雪茄。他将雪茄盒逐一递向每位客人，轮到那名女子时，他犹豫了一下。她和男士们坐在一起；对于这种恬不知耻的行为，这些异邦男士显然同意，甚至视为理所当然。于是，他硬邦邦地将雪茄盒递过去。
She accepted one with a smile, and drew in its aromatic smoke, with all the relish one could expect. Lee Senter repressed a scandalized emotion.
她拿了一根雪茄，回报一个微笑，便开始享受吞云吐雾的乐趣。李·森特必须尽力压抑不断冒起的嫌恶情绪。
The stiff conversation, in advance of the meal, touched politely upon the subject of fanning on Trantor.
用餐之前有过一段生硬的对话，客套地谈到在川陀从事农业的情形。
It was the old man who asked, "What about hydroponics? Surely, for such a world as Trantor, hydroponics would be the answer."
那名老者首先问道：“水耕农业发展得如何？像川陀这样的世界，水耕当然是不二的选择。”
Senter shook his head slowly. He felt uncertain. His knowledge was the unfamiliar matter of the books he had read, "Artificial fanning in chemicals, I think? No, not on Trantor. This hydroponics requires a world of industy……for instance, a great chemical industry. And in war or disaster, when industry breaks down, the people starve. Nor can all foods be grown artificially. Some lose their food value. The soil is cheaper, still better……always more dependable."
森特缓缓摇了摇头，他感到有些茫然。他的知识都是从书本上读到的，他并不熟悉那些事物。“我想，你是指利用化学肥料的人工栽培法？不，在川陀行不通。水耕需要许多工业配合……比如说庞大的化学工业。遇到战乱或天灾，工业一旦停摆，大家就得挨饿了。此外，不是每样食物都能用人工栽培，有些会因此流失养分。土壤又便宜又好……而且永远可靠。”
"And your food supply is sufficient?"
“你们生产的粮食够吃吗？”
"Sufficient; perhaps monotonous. We have fowl that supply eggs, and milk-yielders for our dairy products……but our meat supply rests upon our foreign trade."
“绝对够吃，虽然种类不多。我们还饲养家禽来生蛋，饲养乳牛羊来供应乳制品……不过肉类倒是需要跟其他世界交易。”
"Trade." The young man seemed roused to sudden interest. "You trade then. But what do you export?"
“交易？”年轻男子似乎突然有了兴趣，“所以你们也有贸易。可是你们出口什么呢？”
"Metal," was the curt answer. "Look for yourself. We have an infinite supply, ready processed. They come from Neotrantor with ships, demolish an indicated area-increasing our growing space……and leave us in exchange meat, canned fruit, food concentrates, farm machinery and so on. They carry off the metal and both sides profit."
“金属。”这个答案简单明了，“你们自己看一看，我们的金属存量无穷无尽，而且都是现成的。新川陀的人驾着太空船前来，拆掉我们指定地区的金属板，用肉类、罐头水果、浓缩食品、农业机具等作交换。他们获得金属，我们的耕地面积也增加了，双方都受惠。”
They feasted on bread and cheese, and a vegetable stew that was unreservedly delicious. It was over the dessert of frosted fruit, the only imported item on the menu, that, for the first time, the Outlanders became other than mere guests. The young man produced a map of Trantor.
他们享用了面包、乳酪，还有极美味的蔬菜盅。等到冷冻水果……餐桌上唯一的进口食物……端上来的时候，这些异邦人表达了真正的来意。年轻男子拿出川陀的地图。
Calmly, Lee Senter studied it. He listened……and said gravely, "The University Grounds are a static area. We farmers do not grow crops on it. We do not, by preference, even enter it. It is one of our few relics of another time we would keep undisturbed. "
李·森特冷静地研究着那张地图。等到对方说完了，他才表情严肃地说：“大学校园是保留区，我们农夫不在那里种植作物。没有必要的话，我们甚至不走进去。它是硕果仅存的几处古迹之一，我们希望都能保持完整。”
"We are seekers after knowledge. We would disturb nothing. Our ship would be our hostage." The old man offered this……eagerly, feverishly.
“我们是来寻求知识的，不会破坏任何东西。我们可以把太空船押在这里。”老者提出这个建议……口气急切而激动。
"I can take you there then," said Senter.
“这样的话，我就可以带你们去。”森特说。
That night the strangers slept, and that night Lee Senter sent a message to Neotrantor.
当晚，四个异邦人入睡后，李·森特向新川陀送出一道讯息。