15 Through the Grid
第15章 天罗地网
TRANTOR: By the middle of the Interregnum, Trantor was a shadow. In the midst of the colossal ruins, there lived a small community of farmers……
川陀：到了大断层中期，川陀褪去一切光芒。在巨大的废墟中，只有农民组成的小型社区……
ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA
……《银河百科全书》
There is nothing, never has been anything, quite like a busy spaceport on the outskirts of a capital city of a populous planet. There are the huge machines resting mightily in their cradles. If you choose your time properly, there is the impressive sight of the sinking giant dropping to rest or, more hair-raising still, the swiftening departure of a bubble of steel. All processes involved are nearly noiseless. The motive power is the silent surge of nucleons shifting into more compact arrangements
太空航站位于这个首都的郊外，在人口众多的行星上，这种航站总是呈现银河中独一无二的繁忙与壮观。放眼望去，许多巨型太空船安稳地停在起落架上。如果时间算得准，就能看到太空船降落的壮观镜头，而升空的场面更是令人叹为观止。所有的过程一律静寂无声，因为太空船的动力皆源自静悄悄的核子重组反应。
In terms of area, ninety-five percent of the port has just been referred to. Square miles are reserved for the machines, and for the men who serve them and for the calculators that serve both.
就航站面积而言，上述的起降停泊区占95%。在这许多平方英里的范围内，只有各式各样的太空船与工作人员，以及太空船与工作人员都不可或缺的计算机。
Only five percent of the port is given over to the floods of humanity to whom it is the way station to all the stars of the Galaxy. It is certain that very few of the anonymous many-headed stop to consider the technological mesh that knits the spaceways. Perhaps some of them might itch occasionally at the thought of the thousands of tons represented by the sinking steel that looks so small off in the distance. One of those cyclopean cylinders could, conceivably, miss the guiding beam and crash half a mile from its expected landing point……through the glassite roof of the immense waiting room perhaps……so that only a thin organic vapor and some powdered phosphates would be left behind to mark the passing of a thousand men.
只有在余下的5%范围内，才能看到熙来攘往的人潮。每个人来到这个交通转运站，目的不外乎是前往另一个星体。可以确定的是，在这些来来往往的人群中，鲜有人会驻足沉思构成整个太空交通网的科技。也许有些人偶尔会想到，远方那些正缓缓落下的金属，看来虽然十分微小，其实都有好几千吨。那些巨大的金属圆柱体，个个都可能与导航电波意外失去联系，而坠毁在预定着陆地点半英里之外……有可能刚好会穿透“候船大厦”的广阔玻璃屋顶，造成上千人丧命的悲剧……而他们的“残骸”，大概只是一些稀薄的有机气体，以及碎成粉末的硫化物。
It could never happen, however, with the safety devices in use; and only the badly neurotic would consider the possibility for more than a moment.
然而，由于安全设施极为完善，这种意外绝不可能发生。只有重度神经过敏的人，才会有这种杞人忧天的想法。
Then what do they think about? It is not just a crowd, you see. It is a crowd with a purpose. That purpose hovers over the field and thickens the atmosphere. Lines queue up; parents herd their children; baggage is maneuvered in precise masses……people are going somewheres.
那么，大家究竟在想些什么呢？别忘了，这一大群人有一个共同的目的。这个目的充塞于太空航站，形成一种特殊的氛围。众人排成一列列的队伍，父母牵着子女，行李堆成一座座整齐的小山……都是想尽快抵达目的地。
Consider then the complete psychic isolation of a single unit of this terribly intent mob that does not know where to go; yet at the same time feels more intensely than any of the others possibly can, the necessity of going somewheres; anywhere! Or almost anywhere!
在这些一心只有目的地的旅人当中，出现了一个完全孤独的心灵，不知道何去何从，却比任何人更急于离开此地，更需要立刻到别处去。任何地方都好！几乎任何地方都好！
Even lacking telepathy or any of the crudely definite methods of mind touching mind, there is a sufficient clash in atmosphere, in intangible mood, to suffice for despair.
此地有一种浓厚的紧张气氛，有一种无形的压力。虽然她没有精神感应力，也不懂得如何接触他人的心灵，这种氛围也足以令她绝望。
To suffice? To overflow, and drench, and drown.
只是“足以绝望”吗？根本是能够将她整个人都淹没。
Arcadia Darell, dressed in borrowed clothes, standing on a borrowed planet in a borrowed situation of what seemed even to be a borrowed life, wanted earnestly the safety of the womb. She didn't know that was what she wanted. She only knew that the very openness of the open world was a great danger. She wanted a closed spot somewhere……somewhere far……somewhere in an unexplored nook of the universe……where no one would ever look.
如今，艾嘉蒂娅·达瑞尔穿着别人的衣服，站在别人的行星上，处于原本应该是别人的处境，甚至连小命似乎也在别人手上。她渴望找到一个安全的窝，却连自己的渴望都不甚了解。她只知道，最危险的事便是赤裸裸暴露在这个世界上。她想找一个隐密的地方……越远越好……最好是人迹未至的宇宙边缘，最好是任何人都找不到的角落。
And there she was, age fourteen plus, weary enough for eighty plus, frightened enough for five minus.
刚满十四岁的她，此时却像八十多岁的老太婆一般疲惫，又像不到五岁的幼儿那般恐惧。
What stranger of the hundreds that brushed past her……actually brushed past her, so that she could feel their touch……was a Second Foundationer? What stranger could not help but instantly destroy her for her guilty knowledge……her unique knowledge……of knowing where the Second Foundation was?
数百名旅客与她擦身而过……真正擦身而过，她感觉得到碰触了每一个人……在这些陌生人当中，哪个是第二基地分子？如今只有她才知道第二基地的下落，哪个陌生人会因为这个原因，而不得不立刻置她于死地呢？
And the voice that cut in on her was a thunderclap that iced the scream in her throat into a voiceless slash.
她刚要忍不住尖叫时，突然响起一个雷鸣般的声音，令她那声尖叫冻结在喉咙里，化成一阵无声的痛楚。
"Look, miss," it said, irritably, "are you using the ticket machine or are you just standing there?"
“喂喂，小姐，”后面那人凶巴巴地说，“你到底是要买票，还是只想站在售票机前面？”
It was the first she realized that she was standing in front of a ticket machine. You put a high denomination bill into the clipper which sank out of sight. You pressed the button below your destination and a ticket came out together with the correct change as determined by an electronic scanning device that never made a mistake. It was a very ordinary thing and there is no cause for anyone to stand before it for five minutes.
直到这一刻，她才发现自己站在一台售票机前。这种机器很容易操作，只要将一张高面额的纸钞塞进送币槽，等到钞票被吸进去，就按下标示着目的地的按键，售票机便会吐出一张船票，并且自动找回多余的钱。售票机以电子扫描装置辨识钞票面额，因此绝对不会出错。像这么普通的一件事，谁也不需要花上五分钟来研究。
Arcadia plunged a two-hundred credit into the clipper, and was suddenly aware of the button labeled "Trantor." Trantor, dead capital of the dead Empire……the planet on which she was born. She pressed it in a dream. Nothing happened, except that the red letters flicked on and off, reading 172.18……1111111111.18……
艾嘉蒂娅将一张200信用点的钞票塞进送币槽，刚好瞥见那个标示着“川陀”的按键。川陀，那个逝去帝国的昔日首都……自己的出生地。她不知不觉按下那个键，却不见有任何动静，只看到一排红字不停地闪着：172.18……172.18……172.18……
It was the amount she was short. Another two-hundred credit. The ticket was spit out towards her. It came loose when she touched it, and the change tumbled out afterward.
那是她需要补足的钱数。于是她又塞了200点，机器马上吐出一张船票。她将票抓在手上，零钱随即滚了出来。
She seized it and ran. She felt the man behind her pressing close, anxious for his own chance at the machine, but she twisted out from before him and did not look behind.
她捞起零钱，准备拔腿就跑。她感到后面那人迫不及待地向前挤来，于是赶紧一转身，从那人身前硬穿过去，头也不回地跑开。
Yet there was nowhere to run. They were all her enemies.
可是她根本走投无路。他们似乎都是她的敌人。
Without quite realizing it, she was watching the gigantic, glowing signs that puffed into the air: Steffani, Anacreon, Fermus?There was even one that ballooned, Terminus, and she longed for it, but did not dare……
她一片茫然，呆呆地望着闪烁在空气中的巨大标志：“史蒂凡尼”“安纳克里昂”“费玛斯”，甚至还有“端点星”的字样飘浮在空中。她多么渴望回去，可是又不敢……
For a trifling sum, she could have hired a notifier which could have been set for any destination she cared and which would, when placed in her purse, make itself heard only to her, fifteen minutes before take-off time. But such devices are for people who are reasonably secure, however; who can pause to think of them.
其实只要花一点钱，便能租到一个通报器。她只需要预先输入目的地，再将这种装置放进皮包，它就会在太空船起飞前一刻钟，发出只有主人听得到的通报。然而，由于艾嘉蒂娅感到危机四伏，根本无暇想到这种装置。
And then, attempting to look both ways simultaneously, she ran head-on into a soft abdomen. She felt the startled outbreath and grunt, and a hand come down on her arm. She writhed desperately but lacked breath to do more than mew a bit in the back of her throat.
她同时张望左右两侧，一个不小心，却和面前一个柔软的肚皮撞个正着。她立时听到一声惊叫与一声呻吟，臂膀就被对方抓住了。她拼命挣脱，却使不出气力，只能在喉咙中发出小猫似的叫声。
Her captor held her firmly and waited. Slowly, he came into focus for her and she managed to look at him. He was rather plump and rather short. His hair was white and copious, being brushed back to give a pompadour effect that looked strangely incongruous above a round and ruddy face that shrieked its peasant origin.
那人紧紧抓着她，但没有进一步的动作。过了好一会儿，她才看清楚眼前的景象以及对方的模样。那是个又矮又胖的中年男子，脸庞又红又圆，谁都看得出他是一名农夫。他有一头浓密的白发，整整齐齐往后梳成一个高贵的发型，和他的“农夫脸”极不相称。
"What's the matter?" he said finally, with a frank and twinkling curiosity. "You look scared."
“怎么回事？”他终于开口，语气中显然带着些微好奇，“你看来很害怕。”
"Sorry," muttered Arcadia in a frenzy. "I抳e got to go. Pardon me."
“对不起。”艾嘉蒂娅六神无主，含糊地说，“我得走了，真抱歉。”
But he disregarded that entirely, and said, "Watch out, little girl. You'll drop your ticket." And he lifted it from her resistless white fingers and looked at it with every evidence of satisfaction.
但他完全没有理会她的回答，又说：“小丫头，当心点。别把船票弄丢了。”他从她苍白无力的手指取下那张船票，看了一眼，竟然露出明显的满意神色。
"I thought so," he said, and then bawled in bull-like tones, "Mommuh!"
“我果然没料错，”然后，他突然用公牛般的嗓门吼道，“阿妈！”
A woman was instantly at his side, somewhat more short, somewhat more round, somewhat more ruddy. She wound a finger about a stray gray lock to shove it beneath a well-outmoded hat.
一位妇人随即出现在他身旁，看起来比他更矮、更圆，而且脸色更红润。她正在用一根手指缠着一绺灰发，想将它塞回那顶早已过时的帽子里。
"Pappa," she said, reprovingly, "why do you shout in a crowd like that? People look at you like you were crazy. Do you think you are on the farm?"
“阿爸，”她用责备的口气说，“你为何在公共场所大吼大叫？人家都当你疯啦。你以为这里是农场吗？”
And she smiled sunnily at the unresponsive Arcadia, and added, "He has manners like a bear." Then, sharply, "Pappa, let go the little girl. What are you doing?"
她对木然的艾嘉蒂娅露出一个灿烂的笑容。“他粗鲁得像只狗熊。”然后，她改用严厉的口吻说：“阿爸，这女孩让她走。你到底是干嘛？”
But Pappa simply waved the ticket at her. "Look," he said, "she's going to Trantor."
阿爸却只是向她挥了挥手中那张票。“你看，”他说，“她要去川陀。”
Mamma's face was a sudden beam, "You're from Trantor? Let go her arm, I say, Pappa." She turned the overstuffed valise she was carrying onto its side and forced Arcadia to sit down with a gentle but unrelenting pressure. "Sit down," she said, "and rest your little feet. It will be no ship yet for an hour and the benches are crowded with sleeping loafers. You are from Trantor?"
阿妈突然露出微笑。“你是川陀来的？阿爸，放开她的手臂，听到没。”她把塞得鼓鼓的旅行箱放倒，再轻轻按着艾嘉蒂娅的肩膀，坚持要她坐在旅行箱上。“坐下来，”她说，“好好歇歇两只小脚丫。太空船一小时后才会起飞，长椅却给那些懒鬼占去睡觉了。你是川陀来的？”
Arcadia drew a deep breath and gave in. Huskily, she said, "I was born there."
艾嘉蒂娅深深吸了一口气，终于不再挣扎。她用沙哑的声音答道：“我是那里出生的。”
And Mamma clapped her hands gleefully, "One month we've been here and till now we met nobody from home. This is very nice. Your parents……she looked about vaguely.
阿妈高兴得不停拍手。“我们到这里一个月，一直没有碰到老乡。这真是太好啦。你的父母……”她胡乱张望一阵。
"I'm not with my parents," Arcadia said, carefully.
“我不是和父母一起来的。”艾嘉蒂娅小心谨慎地说。
"All alone? A little girl like you?" Mamma was at once a blend of indignation and sympathy, "How does that come to be?"
“你一个人啊？像你这样的小丫头？”阿妈立时露出既愤怒又心疼的表情，“怎么会这样呢？”
"Mamma," Pappa plucked at her sleeve, "let me tell you. There's something wrong. I think she's frightened." His voice, though obviously intended for a whisper was quite plainly audible to Arcadia. "She was running……I was watching her……and not looking where she was going. Before I could step out of the way, she bumped into me. And you know what? I think she's in trouble."
“阿妈，”阿爸扯着她的袖子，“我来告诉你。事情有点不对劲，我觉得她在害怕。”虽然他故意压低声音，艾嘉蒂娅仍旧听得一清二楚。“她一路跑过来……我一直望着她……她的眼睛根本没在看路。我还没来得及让开，她就一头撞在我身上。你知道吗？我认为她惹上了麻烦。”
"So shut your mouth, Pappa. Into you, anybody could bump." But she joined Arcadia on the valise, which creaked wearily under the added weight and put an arm about the girl's trembling shoulder. "You're running away from somebody, sweetheart? Don't be afraid to tell me. III help you."
“阿爸，闭上你的嘴巴。你挡在路中间，谁都会撞上。”她一屁股坐到艾嘉蒂娅旁边，把旅行箱压得叽嘎作响。她用手臂搂着女孩发颤的肩膀，问道：“小可爱，你在逃避什么人吗？尽管对我说，我会帮助你。”
Arcadia looked across at the kind gray eyes of the woman and felt her lips quivering. One part of her brain was telling her that here were people from Trantor, with whom she could go, who could help her remain on that planet until she could decide what next to do, where next to go. And another part of her brain, much the louder, was telling her in jumbled incoherence that she did not remember her mother, that she was weary to death of fighting the universe, that she wanted only to curl into a little hall with strong, gentle arms about her, that if her mother had lived, she might……she might……
艾嘉蒂娅盯着那双慈祥亲切的灰眼珠，感到嘴唇不停打战。她心中浮现一个声音：他们是从川陀来的，自己可以跟他们走，他们能帮助她留在那颗行星上，直到她决定下一步的行动，以及下一个目的地。可是又有另一个更响亮的声音，提醒她许多杂乱无章的事实：她不记得母亲的模样；她正在筋疲力尽地对抗整个宇宙；她只想将身子蜷缩成一团，躲在一双强壮而温柔的臂膀中；假使母亲还活着，她就可以……可以……
And for the first time that night, she was crying; crying like a little baby, and glad of it; clutching tightly at the old-fashioned dress and dampening a corner of it thoroughly, while soft arms held her closely and a gentle hand stroked her curls.
她终于哭出来，那是当天晚上她首度落泪。她哭得像个婴儿，哭得舒畅无比。她使劲揪着阿妈那件老式的衣服，还弄湿了一大片。一双肥嫩的手臂始终紧紧搂着她，一只手还轻抚着她的鬈发。
Pappa stood helplessly looking at the pair, fumbling futilely for a handkerchief which, when produced, was snatched from his hand. Mamma glared an admonition of quietness at him. The crowds surged about the little group with the true indifference of disconnected crowds everywhere. They were effectively alone.
阿爸站在那里，手足无措地望着她们两人，唯一能做的是赶紧掏手帕。他在身上摸索半天，一掏出来就被阿妈抢走了。阿妈狠狠瞪了他一眼，示意他别再多说话。许多旅客从他们身边绕过去，大家都只顾着赶路，完全没有注意到这三个人，根本当他们并不存在。
Finally, the weeping trickled to a halt, and Arcadia smiled weakly as she dabbed at red eyes with the borrowed handkerchief. "Golly," she whispered……"
最后，艾嘉蒂娅终于停止了哭泣。她用那条手帕轻拭着红肿的眼睛，并露出一个孱弱的笑容。“天哪，”她轻声说，“我……”
"Shh……Shh……Don't talk," said Mamma, fussily, "just sit and rest for a while. Catch your breath. Then tell us what's wrong, and you'll see, we'll fix it up, and everything will be all right."
“嘘……嘘……别说话，”阿妈大惊小怪地说，“坐着好好休息一下，把呼吸调匀，然后再告诉我们出了什么差错。你等着看，我们会帮你解决的，一切都会没事的。”
Arcadia scrabbled what remained of her wits together. She could not tell them the truth. She could tell nobody the truth……And yet she was too worn to invent a useful lie.
艾嘉蒂娅勉强搅动着剩余的脑汁。她不能对他们说实话，对任何人都不能说……可是她又太疲倦，编不出一个巧妙的谎言。
She said, whisperingly, "I'm better, now."
她只好细声说：“我现在感觉好多了。”
"Good," said Mamma. "Now tell me why you抮e in trouble. You did nothing wrong? Of course, whatever you did, well help you; but tell us the truth."
“很好。”阿妈说，“现在告诉我，你怎么会惹上麻烦。你做错什么事吗？当然，不管你做了什么，我们都会帮助你，可是你要对我们实话实说。”
"For a friend from Trantor, anything," added Pappa, expansively, "eh, Mamma?"
“你是川陀来的同胞，任何事都别见外，”阿爸豪气地补充道，“阿妈，对不对？”
"Shut your mouth, Pappa," was the response, without rancor.
“阿爸，闭上你的嘴。”虽然口气那么硬，她却并没有动气。
Arcadia was groping in her purse. That, at least, was still hers, despite the rapid clothes-changing forced upon her in Lady Callia's apartments. She found what she was looking for and handed it to Mamma.
艾嘉蒂娅将手伸进皮包。虽然刚才在嘉莉贵妇的闺房，她被迫在慌乱中换掉衣服，至少她自己的皮包还留在身边。她摸到了想要找的东西，递给了阿妈。
"These are my papers," she said, diffidently. It was shiny, synthetic parchment which had been issued her by the Foundation's ambassador on the day of her arrival and which had been countersigned by the appropriate Kalganian official. It was large, florid, and impressive. Mamma looked at it helplessly, and passed it to Pappa who absorbed its contents with an impressive pursing of the lips.
“这是我的证件。”她怯生生地说。那是一张闪亮的合成羊皮纸，是在她抵达此地当天，由基地大使所签发的，上面还有卡尔根官员的副署。这份证件的式样宽大而华丽，看来十分抢眼。阿妈看不出所以然来，只好递给阿爸；阿爸仔细地看了又看，不由自主地撅起嘴来。
He said, "You're from the Foundation?"
他问：“你是从基地来的？”
"Yes. But I was born in Trantor. See it says that……"
“是的。不过我在川陀出生。你看上面写着……”
"Ah-hah. It looks all right to me. You're named Arcadia, eh? That's a good Trantorian name. But where's your uncle? It says here you came in the company of Homir Munn, uncle."
“啊……哈，我看没什么问题。你名叫艾嘉蒂娅，对吗？那是个很好听的川陀名字。可是你叔叔呢？上面说你是和叔叔一块来的，他叫侯密尔·孟恩。”
"He's been arrested," said Arcadia, drearily.
“他被捕了。”艾嘉蒂娅怏怏地说。
"Arrested!"……from the two of them at once. "What for?" asked Mamma. "He did something?"
“被捕了！”两人异口同声叫道。然后阿妈又问：“为什么？他干了什么事吗？”
She shook her head. "I don't know. We were just on a visit. Uncle Homir had business with Lord Stettin but……"She needed no effort to act a shudder. It was there.
艾嘉蒂娅摇了摇头。“我不知道，我们只是来观光的。侯密尔叔叔有事求见史铁亭统领，可是……”她不需要假装发抖，因为她真的不由自主。
Pappa was impressed. "With Lord Stettin. Mm-mmm, your uncle must be a big man."
阿爸显得肃然起敬。“求见史铁亭统领，嗯……嗯，你叔叔一定是大人物。”
"I don't know what it was all about, but Lord Stettin wanted me to stay……"She was recalling the last words of Lady Callia, which had been acted out for her benefit. Since Callia, as she now knew, was an expert, the story could do for a second time.
“我不知道究竟是怎么回事，可是史铁亭统领指名要我留下来……”她想起了嘉莉贵妇最后说的那番话，虽然那是自导自演的一出戏，不过既然知道她是这方面的专家，那个故事当然可以借用一下。
She paused, and Mamma said interestedly, "And why you?"
她住了口，阿妈好奇地问：“为什么要你留下来？”
"I'm not sure. He……he wanted to have dinner with me all alone, but I said no, because I wanted Uncle Homir along. He looked at me funny and kept holding my shoulder."
“我不明白。他……他要和我单独晚餐，但我说不要，因为我要侯密尔叔叔陪我。他用古怪的目光望着我，还抓着我的肩膀不放。”
Pappa's mouth was a little open, but Mamma was suddenly red and angry. "How old are you, Arcadia?"
阿爸微微张开嘴巴，阿妈却突然面红耳赤，火冒三丈。“艾嘉蒂娅，你多大啦？”
"Fourteen and a half, almost."
“十四岁半，还差一点点。”
Mamma drew a sharp breath and said, "That such people should be let live. The dogs in the streets are better. You're running from him, dear, is not?"
阿妈猛吸了一口气，然后说：“那种人竟然能活到现在。街头的野狗都比他强。亲爱的孩子，你就是在逃避他吗？”
Arcadia nodded.
艾嘉蒂娅点了点头。
Mamma said, "Pappa, go right to Information and find out exactly when the ship to Trantor comes to berth. Hurry!"
阿妈说：“阿爸，马上到询问台，问问去川陀的太空船何时到站。赶快！”
But Pappa took one step and stopped. Loud metallic words were booming overhead, and five thousand pairs of eyes looked startledly upwards.
不过阿爸迈出一步就停了下来。头上传来一阵震耳欲聋的声音，至少有五千双眼睛惊慌地抬头张望。
"Men and women," it said, with sharp force. "The airport is being searched for a dangerous fugitive, and it is now surrounded. No one can enter and no one can leave. The search will, however, be conducted with great speed and no ships will reach or leave berth during the interval, so you will not miss your ship. I repeat, no one will miss his ship. The grid will descend. None of you will move outside your square until the grid is removed, as otherwise we will be forced to use our neuronic whips."
“各位旅客，”那是个尖锐有力的声音，“我们已经包围太空航站，正在搜索一名危险的逃犯。任何人都不准进出。然而，搜索会以最迅速的方式进行，在此期间，不会有任何太空船起降，所以谁都不会耽误行程。我再重复一遍，谁都不会耽误行程。光栅即将放下，在光栅解除之前，谁也不许离开自己的格子，否则我们将被迫使用神经鞭。”
During the minute or less in which the voice dominated the vast dome of the spaceport's waiting room, Arcadia could not have moved if all the evil in the Galaxy had concentrated itself into a ball and hurled itself at her.
那个声音持续了将近一分钟，偌大的“候船大厦”没有任何其他动静。此时，即使整个银河都塌下来，艾嘉蒂娅也不敢挪动一丝一毫。
They could mean only her. It was not even necessary to formulate that idea as a specific thought. But why……
他们要抓的人一定是她。甚至不必思考就能得到这个结论。可是为什么……
Callia had engineered her escape. And Callia was of the Second Foundation. Why, then, the search now? Had Callia failed? Could Callia fail? Or was this part of the plan, the intricacies of which escaped her?
嘉莉策动她逃了出来，而嘉莉是第二基地的特务。那么，现在为何又要搜捕她呢？嘉莉失败了吗？嘉莉可能失败吗？抑或这也是计划的一部分，只是她参不透这个复杂的安排？
For a vertiginous moment, she wanted to jump up and shout that she gave up, that she would go with them, that……that……
她感到一阵头昏眼花，差点就要跳出去，大声喊道她认输了，她愿意跟他们走，她……她……
But Mamma's hand was on her wrist. "Quick……Well go to the lady's room before they start."
还好阿妈及时抓住她的手腕。“快！快！趁他们还没开始，我们赶快到女厕去。”
Arcadia did not understand. She merely followed blindly. They oozed through the crowd, frozen as it was into clumps, with the voice still booming through its last words.
艾嘉蒂娅一片茫然，只是盲目地跟着她走。她们挤过一群群呆若木鸡的人群，此时那个广播才接近尾声。
The grid was descending now, and Pappa, openmouthed, watched it come down. He had heard of it and read of it, but had never actually been the object of it. It glimmered in the air, simply a series of cross-hatched and tight radiation-beams that set the air aglow in a harmless network of flashing light.
接着，光栅便开始降下来。阿爸张大了嘴，目不转睛地看着整个过程。他曾经听说过，也读到过这种阵仗，可是从未亲身体验。所谓的“光栅”，是由辐射光束织成的一个纵横交错的光网，将空间分隔成许多整齐的方格，但不会对人体造成任何伤害。
It always was so arranged as to descend slowly from above in order that it might represent a falling net with all the terrific psychological implications of entrapment.
每次施用这种光栅，总是让它缓缓由天而降，仿佛一张扑天盖地的巨网，令人产生一种陷入天罗地网的恐怖错觉。
It was at waist-level now, ten feet between glowing lines in each direction. In his own hundred square feet, Pappa found himself alone, yet the adjoining squares were crowded. He felt himself conspicuously isolated but knew that to move into the greater anonymity of a group would have meant crossing one of those glowing lines, stirring an alarm, and bringing down the neuronic whip.
光栅在齐腰的高度停住，相邻两条光束都刚好相隔十英尺。阿爸的一百平方英尺中没有别人，周围的几个方格则相当拥挤。他感到独处一格太过显眼，却也明白若想加入那些人群，一定会碰触某一条光束，因而触动警铃并招来神经鞭。
He waited.
他不敢擅动。
He could make out over the heads of the eerily quiet and waiting mob, the far-off stir that was the line of policemen covering the vast floor area, lighted square by lighted square.
他的视线掠过满怀恐惧、默默等待的人群，望见远方的一阵骚动，那代表有一队警察正在一个接一个方格查过来。
It was a long time before a uniform stepped into his square and carefully noted its co-ordinates into an official notebook.
等了好久，才有一名警员走进他的方格，仔细地将格子坐标写在登记簿上。
"Papers!"
“证件！”
Pappa handed them over, and they were flipped through in expert fashion.
阿爸把证件递给他，警员以熟练的手法迅速翻阅。
"You're Preem Palver, native of Trantor, on Kalgan for a month, returning to Trantor. Answer, yes or no."
“你叫普芮姆·帕佛，川陀人，在卡尔根待了一个月，现在要回川陀去。用对不对回答我。”
"Yes, yes."
“对，对。”
"What's your business on Kalgan?"
“你来卡尔根做什么？”
"I'm trading representative of our farm co-operative. I've been negotiating terms with the Department of Agriculture on Kalgan.
“我是我们那个农产合作社的贸易代表。我来和卡尔根农业部洽谈一些生意。”
"Um-mmm. Your wife is with you? Where is she? She is mentioned in your papers."
“嗯……嗯。你的妻子跟你一起来？她在哪里？你的证件上注明你们同行。”
"Please. My wife is in the……"He pointed.
“对不起，内人在……”他伸手指了指。
"Hanto," roared the policeman. Another uniform joined him.
“汉特。”那名警员吼道，于是他身边出现了另一名警员。
The first one said, dryly, "Another dame in the can, by the Galaxy. The place must be busting with them. Write down her name." He indicated the entry in the papers which gave it.
原来那名警员用讽刺的口吻说：“银河啊，又有一个女人躲进厕所去了。那地方一定被她们挤爆了。记下她的名字。”他指了指证件的配偶栏。
"Anyone else with you?"
“还有什么人跟你在一起？”
"My niece."
“我的侄女。”
"She's not mentioned in the papers."
“证件上没有提到她。”
"She came separately."
“她当初是自己来的。”
"Where is she? Never mind, I know. Write down the niece's name, too, Hanto. What's her name? Write down Arcadia Palver. You stay right here, Palver. We'll take care of the women before we leave."
“她又到哪里去了？没关系，我知道。汉特，把侄女的名字也记下来。她叫什么名字？艾嘉蒂娅·帕佛，好，写下来。帕佛，你乖乖待在这里。我们一定会去找那两个女人。”
Pappa waited interminably. And then, long, long after, Mamma was marching toward him, Arcadia's hand firmly in hers, the two policemen trailing behind her.
阿爸等了很久很久。然后，又过了好长一段时间，阿妈才终于向他走来。她仍然紧紧抓住艾嘉蒂娅的手，那两名警员则尾随在她身后。
They entered Pappa's square, and one said, "Is this noisy old woman your wife?"
一行人走进阿爸的方格内，警员之一问道：“这个聒噪的老太婆就是你太太吗？”
"Yes, sir," said Pappa, placatingly.
“是的，长官。”阿爸赔着笑脸答道。
"Then you'd better tell her she's liable to get into trouble if she talks the way she does to the First Citizen's police." He straightened his shoulders angrily. "Is this your niece?"
“那么你最好告诉她，假如她继续对第一公民的警察那样说话，就会吃不了兜着走。”他气呼呼地挺起胸膛，“这是你的侄女吗？”
"Yes, sir."
“是的，长官。”
"I want her papers."
“我要看她的证件。”
Looking straight at her husband, Mamma slightly, but no less firmly, shook her head.
阿妈直勾勾地瞪着丈夫，轻轻地、坚决地摇了摇头。
A short pause, and Pappa said with a weak smile, "I don't think I can do that."
顿了一下之后，阿爸带着勉强的笑容说：“这点恐怕恕难从命。”
"What do you mean you can't do that?" The policeman thrust out a hard palm. "Hand it over."
“恕难从命是什么意思？”警员猛然伸出手来，“给我看。”
"Diplomatic immunity," said Pappa, softly.
“我们有外交豁免权。”阿爸用温和的语气答道。
"What do you mean?"
“那是什么意思？”
"I said I was trading representative of my farm co-operative. I'm accredited to the Kalganian government as an official foreign representative and my papers prove it. I showed them to you and now I don't want to be bothered any more."
“我说过，我是农产合作社的贸易代表。卡尔根政府认定我具有外交人员的身份，我的证件上写得很明白。我已经给你们看过我的证件，现在我不想再受到任何骚扰。”
For a moment, the policeman was taken aback. "I got to see your papers. It's orders."
一时之间，那名警员着实吃了一惊。“我必须看她的证件。我是奉命行事。”
"You go away," broke in Mamma, suddenly. "When we want you, we'll send for you, you……you bum."
“你走开。”阿妈突然插嘴道，“我们要找你的时候，自然会叫你来。你……你这个无赖。”
The policeman's lips tightened. "Keep your eye on them, Hanto. I'll get the lieutenant."
警员抿了抿嘴。“汉特，好好看牢他们。我去找副队长。”
"Break a leg!" called Mamma after him. Someone laughed, and then choked it off suddenly.
“你马上摔断腿！”阿妈在他身后大叫。有人忍不住哈哈大笑，却又赶紧闭上嘴。
The search was approaching its end. The crowd was growing dangerously restless. Forty-five minutes had elapsed since the grid had started falling and that is too long for best effects. Lieutenant Dirige threaded his way hastily, therefore, toward the dense center of the mob.
搜索行动即将告一段落。人群中开始出现不安的骚动。从光栅开始降下算起，已经过了四十五分钟，实在不能算是有效率的行动。因此，迪瑞吉副队长急急忙忙向这个方向走来。
"Is this the girl?" he asked wearily. He looked at her and she obviously fitted the description. All this for a child.
“就是这个女孩吗？”他不耐烦地问。他盯着艾嘉蒂娅，发现她显然符合命令中的描述。如此大费周章，只为了这么一个孩子。
He said, "Her papers, if you please?"
他说：“她的证件，请你交给我好吗？”
Pappa began, "I have already explained……"
阿爸答道：“我已经解释……”
"I know what you have explained, and I'm sorry," said the lieutenant, "but I have my orders, and I can't help them. If you care to make a protest later, you may. Meanwhile, if necessary, I must use force."
“我知道你作的解释，不过很抱歉，”副队长说，“我却是奉命行事，毫无转圜余地。如果你想在事后提出抗议，随你的便。不过现在，若有必要，我必须使用武力。”
There was a pause, and the lieutenant waited patiently.
接下来是一阵沉默，副队长耐着性子等待着。
Then Pappa said, huskily, "Give me your papers, Arcadia."
然后阿爸以沙哑的声音说：“艾嘉蒂娅，把你的证件给我。”
Arcadia shook her head in panic, but Pappa nodded his head. "Don't be afraid. Give them to me."
艾嘉蒂娅吓得拼命摇头，可是阿爸却对她点了点头。“别害怕，把证件给我。”
Helplessly she reached out and let the documents change hands. Pappa fumbled them open and looked carefully through them, then handed them over. The lieutenant in his turn looked through them carefully. For a long moment, he raised his eyes to rest them on Arcadia, and then he closed the booklet with a sharp snap.
她无可奈何，只好让证件易手。阿爸把证件翻开，仔仔细细看了一遍，然后将它交出去。副队长也仔仔细细看了一遍，然后抬起头来，对艾嘉蒂娅凝视良久，才终于“啪”的一声把证件合上。
"All in order," he said. "All right, men."
“证件完全齐备。”他说，“各位，没事了。”
He left, and in two minutes, scarcely more, the grid was gone, and the voice above signified a back-to-normal. The noise of the crowd, suddenly released, rose high.
他带队离去，而在两分钟之后，太空航站中的光栅就解除了，并有广播宣布一切恢复正常。旅客们一旦重获自由，嘈杂声随即转趋沸腾。
Arcadia said: "How……how……"
艾嘉蒂娅问道：“怎么……怎么……”
Pappa said, "Sh……h……Don't say a word. Let's better go to the ship. It should be in the berth soon."
阿爸说：“嘘……嘘，什么都别说。我们最好赶紧上船，太空船应该即将到站。”
They were on the ship. They had a private stateroom and a table to themselves in the dining room. Two light-years already separated them from Kalgan, and Arcadia finally dared to broach the subject again.
在太空船上，他们拥有一间私人舱房，在餐厅里还有专用的餐桌。此时距离卡尔根已有两光年之遥，艾嘉蒂娅终于有勇气旧话重提。
She said, "But they were after me, Mr. Palver, and they must have had my description and all the details. Why did he let me go?"
她说：“帕佛先生，可是他们就是要抓我啊，而且他们一定掌握着我的样貌和详细资料。为什么他会放我走呢？”
And Pappa smiled broadly over his roast beef. "Well, Arcadia, child, it was easy. When you've been dealing with agents and buyers and competing co-operatives, you learn some of the tricks. I've had twenty years or more to learn them in. You see, child, when the lieutenant opened your papers, he found a five hundred credit bill inside, folded up small. Simple, no?"
阿爸正在享受一客红烧牛肉，他露出灿烂的笑容。“这个嘛，艾嘉蒂娅，孩子，这实在很简单。一个人成天面对代理商、买主，以及相互竞争的合作社，自然能够学到不少门道。本人已经累积了二十多年的经验。孩子，你可知道，当副队长打开你的证件时，他发现里面有一张五百信用点的钞票，折叠成小小的一块。简单吧？”
"I'll pay you back……Honest, I've got lots of money."
“我会还给你的……我是说真的，我有很多钱。”
"Well," Pappa's broad face broke into an embarrassed smile, as he waved it away. "For a country-woman……"
“算啦，”阿爸摇摇头，宽大的脸庞露出一个腼腆的微笑，“为了自己的同胞……”
Arcadia desisted. "But what if he'd taken the money and turned me in anyway. And accused me of bribery."
艾嘉蒂娅不再坚持。“可是万一他收下钱，却还是把我抓起来，并且控告我行贿呢？”
"And give up five hundred credits? I know these people better than you do, girl."
“放弃那五百信用点吗？小丫头，我比你更了解这些人。”
But Arcadia knew that he did not know people better. Not these people. In her bed that night, she considered carefully, and knew that no bribe would have stopped a police lieutenant in the matter of catching her unless that had been planned. They didn't want to catch her, yet had made every motion of doing so, nevertheless.
艾嘉蒂娅却知道他是太过自信。至少对于“那些人”，他并没有那么了解。当天晚上，她躺在床上仔细思量，得到一个结论：那位奉命追捕自己的副队长，绝不可能接受任何贿赂，除非这是早已计划好的。他们其实并不想抓她，然而，却又故意表现得尽了全力。
Why? To make sure she left? And for Trantor? Were the obtuse and soft-hearted couple she was with now only a pair of tools in the hands of the Second Foundation, as helpless as she herself?
为什么呢？以便确定她会离开？以便让她到川陀去？她结识的这两个头脑简单、心地善良的夫妇，难道也和她一样无助，只是第二基地的工具吗？
They must be!
一定是！
Or were they?
真的是吗？
It was all so useless. How could she fight them. Whatever she did, it might only be what those terrible omnipotents wanted her to do.
一切的努力都是白费。她怎么能和他们对抗呢？不论她有任何举动，都可能是那些无所不能的可怕敌人故意要她那样做的。
Yet she had to outwit them. Had to. Had to! Had to!!
但是她一定要以智取胜。一定要。一定要！一定要！！