16 Beginning of War
第28章 战端
For reason or reasons unknown to members of the Galaxy at the time of the era under discussion, Intergalactic Standard Time defines its fundamental unit, the second, as the time in which light travels 299,776 kilometers. 86,400 seconds are arbitrarily set equal to one Intergalactic Standard Day; and 365 of these days to one Intergalactic Standard Year.
由于某个或数个已经无人知晓的原因，银河标准时间的基本单位“秒”定义为光线行进299792.458公里所需的时间。以此为基准，86400秒定为一个银河标准日，365个标准日定为一个银河标准年。
Why 299,776??Or 86,400??Or 365?
为什么选取299,776??或86,400??或365?
Tradition, says the historian, begging the question. Because of certain and various mysterious numerical relationships, say the mystics, cultists, numerologists, metaphysicists. Because the original home-planet of humanity had certain natural periods of rotation and revolution from which those relationships could be derived, say a very few.
“因为传统。”倒因为果的历史学家这么说，“因为数字间某些繁复而神秘的关联。”这是神秘主义者、玄学宗师、数术士、形而上学家的共同结论。“因为诞生人类的那颗行星，它的自转与公转周期是最早的计时单位，两者正是上述数值的起源。”这是极少数人抱持的想法。
No one really knew.
没有人知道真正的答案。
Nevertheless, the date on which the Foundation cruiser, the Hober Mallow met the Kalganian squadron, headed by the Fearless, and, upon refusing to allow a search party to board, was blasted into smoldering wreckage was 185, 11692 G.E. That is, it was the 185th day of the 11,692nd year of the Galactic Era which dated from the accession of the first Emperor of the traditional Kamble dynasty. It was also 185, 419 A.S.……dating from the birth of Seldon……or 185, 348 Y.F.……dating from the establishment of the Foundation. On Kalgan it was 185; 56 F.C.……dating from the establishment of the First Citizenship by the Mule. In each case, of course, for convenience, the year was so arranged as to yield the same day number regardless of the actual day upon which the era began.
且说基地的巡弋舰侯伯·马洛号与卡尔根无畏号所率领的分遣舰队遭遇，由于拒绝后者的搜索队登舰，遂被轰成一团齑粉。这个历史事件的日期，是银河纪元12444年185日……自出身于“坎伯王朝”的银河帝国开国皇帝登基那年算起，12444年之后的第185天。这一天也是谢顿纪元457年185日……根据谢顿的生年作为基准；或是基地纪元376年185日……以基地的创建作为基准。而在卡尔根，这天则是第一公民纪元66年185日……以骡自封为第一公民那一年作为基准。当然，不论是哪一种纪元，为了方便起见，一律采用相同的“日数”，而并非从基准事件发生的日期算起。
And, in addition, to all the millions of worlds of the Galaxy, there were millions of local times, based on the motions of their own particular heavenly neighbors.
除此之外，银河系有数千万个世界，每一个都根据邻近天体的运行，订定出各自的“当地时间”。
But whichever you choose: 185; 11692-419-348-56……or anything……it was this day which historians later pointed to when they spoke of the start of the Stettinian war.
然而，无论采用哪一种纪元……银河纪元12444年185日、谢顿纪元457年185日、基地纪元376年185日、第一公民纪元66年185日等等……后世史学家们讨论“史铁亭战争”的时候，一致公认这一天是战争爆发的日子。
Yet to Dr. Darell, it was none of these at all. It was simply and quite precisely the thirty-second day since Arcadia had left Terminus.
但是对达瑞尔博士而言，上述这些数字没有任何意义。他只清楚记得，今天是艾嘉蒂娅离开端点星的第32天。
What it cost Darell to maintain stolidity through these days was not obvious to everyone.
这些日子，达瑞尔竟然并未就此采取任何行动，原因并非人人都能了解。
But Elvett Semic thought he could guess. He was an old man and fond of saying that his neuronic sheaths had calcified to the point where his thinking processes were stiff and unwieldy. He invited and almost welcomed the universal underestimation of his decaying powers by being the first to laugh at them. But his eyes were none the less seeing for being faded; his mind none the less experienced and wise, for being no longer agile.
爱维特·瑟米克却认为他猜得到。他上了年纪，常常喜欢说自己的神经鞘已经钙化，因此脑筋僵化不管用了。他毫不介意别人低估他的能力，甚至总是主动嘲笑自己老态龙钟。可是他的视力如常，几乎不见衰退；他的心思依旧精明而世故，丝毫没有迟钝的迹象。
He merely twisted his pinched lips and said, "Why don't you do something about it?"
他撇了撇紧抿着的嘴唇，开口说：“你为什么不采取行动？”
The sound was a physical jar to Darell, under which he winced. He said, gruffly, "Where weeeeee?"
这句话灌入达瑞尔耳中，犹如一记晴天霹雳。他怔了一怔，粗声问道：“我们说到哪里了？”
Semic regarded him with grave eyes. "You'd better do something about the girl." His sparse, yellow teeth showed in a mouth that was open in inquiry.
瑟米克用严肃的目光瞪着他。“你最好帮你女儿想想办法。”他张开嘴巴，露出两排稀疏的黄板牙。
But Darell replied coldly, "The question is: Can you get a Symes-Molff Resonator in the range required?"
达瑞尔却用冷静的口气说：“现在的问题是，你能不能弄到一个符合所需规格的‘塞美斯─莫尔夫共振器’？”
Well, I said I could and you weeen't listening……"
“唉，我说过我办得到，你根本没听见……”
"I'm sorry, Elvett. It's like this. What we're doing now can be more important to everyone in the Galaxy than the question of whether Arcadia is safe. At least, to everyone but Arcadia and myself, and I'm willing to go along with the majority. How big would the Resonator be?"
“爱维特，我很抱歉。如今情况是这样的：我们现在所做的事，对银河中每一个人而言，重要性远超过艾嘉蒂娅的安危。即使有例外，也只有艾嘉蒂娅和我两人，而我愿意为绝大多数人着想。那种共振器有多大？”
Semic looked doubtful, "I don't know. You can find it somewheres in the catalogues."
瑟米克露出茫然的表情。“我不知道。你可以在目录里查到。”
"About how big. A ton? A pound? A block long?"
“大概有多大，一吨？一磅？还是整条街那么长？”
"Oh, I thought you meant exactly. It's a little jigger." He indicated the first joint of his thumb. "About that."
“喔，我以为你是指精确尺度。它是个小玩意儿。”他比了比拇指最上面那一节，“差不多这么大。”。
"All right, can you do something like this?" He sketched rapidly on the pad he held in his lap, then passed it over to the old physicist, who peered at it doubtfully, then chuckled.
“很好，你能不能做出像这样的装置？”他摊开膝盖上的活页簿，迅速画出一幅草图，然后交给老物理学家。瑟米克露出不解的表情，然后咯咯笑出声来。
"Y'know, the brain gets calcified when you get as old as I am. What are you trying to do?"
“你可知道，像我这种年纪的人，脑细胞已经钙化了。你到底想要做什么？”
Darell hesitated. He longed desperately, at the moment, for the physical knowledge locked in the other's brain, so that he need not put his thought into words. But the longing was useless, and he explained.
达瑞尔迟疑了一下。此时此刻，他恨不得能把锁在对方脑中的物理知识据为己有，这样他就不必开口说明自己的想法。可是这种幻想无济于事，于是他向对方解释了一番。
Semic was shaking his head. "You'd need hyper-relays. The only things that would work fast enough. A thundering lot of them."
瑟米克听完后，摇着头说：“你需要超波中继器，而且需要很多很多。只有这种装置才够快。”
"But it can be built?"
“但是这种装置做得出来吗？”
"Well, sure."
“嗯，当然。”
"Can you get all the parts? I mean, without causing comment? In line with your general work."
“你能不能弄到所有的零件？我的意思是，不至于引人议论？就说是你的研究工作需要的。”
Semic lifted his upper lip. "Can't get fifty hyper-relays? I wouldn't use that many in my whole life."
瑟米克扬起上唇。“不可能申请五十个超波中继器。我一辈子也用不到那么多。”
"We're on a defense project, now. Can't you think of something harmless that would use them? We've got the money."
“我们是在进行一项防御计划。你不能想个比较不敏感的借口吗？我们有充足的经费。”
"Hm……mmm. Maybe I can think of something."
“嗯……嗯。我可以想想看。”
"How small can you make the whole gadget?"
“你能把整个装置弄得多小？”
"Hyper-relays can be had micro-size……wiring……tubes……Space, you've got a few hundred circuits there."
“超波中继器可以用微型的……导线……晶片……太空啊，总共有好几百个电路。”
"I know. How big?"
“我知道。到底有多大？”
Semic indicated with his hands.
瑟米克用两只手比了比。
"Too big," said Darell. "I've got to swing it from my belt"
“太大了。”达瑞尔说，“我需要把它挂在腰际。”
Slowly, he was crumpling his sketch into a tight ball. When it was a hard, yellow grape, he dropped it into the ash tray and it was gone with the tiny white flare of molecular decomposition.
他将草图慢慢揉成一团，等到整张纸变成一个坚硬的小球，才把它丢进烟灰处理器中。纸球的分子瞬间被分解殆尽，化成一团白炽的光焰。
He said, "Who's at your door?"
他问道：“谁在门口？”
Semic leaned over his desk to the little milky screen above the door signal. He said, "The young fellow, Anthor. Someone with him, too."
瑟米克俯身面向书桌，看了看叫门讯号上方的乳白色小屏幕，然后说：“是那个叫安索的年轻人，还有一个人和他在一起。”
Darell scraped his chair back. "Nothing about this, Semic, to the others yet. It's deadly knowledge, if they find out, and two lives are enough to risk."
达瑞尔把自己的椅子往后推。“瑟米克，暂时不要对任何人提这件事。万一被‘他们’发现，知道内情的人都有生命危险，赌我们两条命已经够了。”
Pelleas Anthor was a pulsing vortex of activity in Semic's office, which, somehow, managed to partake of the age of its occupant. In the slow turgor of the quiet room, the loose, summery sleeves of Anthor's tunic seemed still a-quiver with the outer breezes.
在瑟米克的研究室中，裴礼斯·安索现在是所有活动的焦点，他的青春活力甚至还传染给研究室的主人。安索穿着一件宽松的夏袍，在这间静谧悠然的房间中，他的袖子似乎仍然随着外面的微风起舞。
He said, "Dr. Darell, Dr. Semic……Orum Dirige."
他忙着介绍：“达瑞尔博士，瑟米克博士……欧如姆·迪瑞吉。”
The other man was tall. A long straight nose that lent his thin face a saturnine appearance. Dr. Darell held out a hand.
那人个子很高，直挺的长鼻子使得他瘦削的面容带着几分忧郁。达瑞尔博士向他伸出手来。
Anthor smiled slightly. "Police Lieutenant Dirige," he amplified. Then, significantly, "Of Kalgan."
安索带着淡淡的笑容，继续介绍道：“迪瑞吉是一名警官，”接着，又意味深长地说，“卡尔根的警官。”
And Darell turned to stare with force at the young man. "Police Lieutenant Dirige of Kalgan," he repeated, distinctly. "And you bring him here. Why?"
达瑞尔立刻转身瞪着安索。“卡尔根的警官。”他一字一顿地重复了一遍，“你却把他带来这里。为什么？”
"Because he was the last man on Kalgan to see your daughter. Hold, man."
“因为他是最后一个在卡尔根见到令爱的人。老兄，别冲动。”
Anthor's look of triumph was suddenly one of concern, and he was between the two, struggling violently with Darell. Slowly, and not gently, he forced the older man back into the chair.
安索得意的神情顿时转趋严肃，他挡在两人中间，用尽全身的力气拦住达瑞尔。然后，他再慢慢地、坚决地将后者按回椅子里。
"What are you trying to do?" Anthor brushed a lock of brown hair from his forehead, tossed a hip lightly upon the desk, and swung a leg, thoughtfully. "I thought I was bringing you good news."
“你想要干什么？”安索将一绺垂到前额的棕发向后一掠，然后一屁股坐上了书桌，若有所思地晃动着一条腿。“我以为我带给你的是个好消息。”
Darell addressed the policeman directly, "What does he mean by calling you the last man to see my daughter? Is my daughter dead? Please tell me without preliminary." His face was white with apprehension.
达瑞尔直接冲着那名警官问道：“他说你是最后一个见到小女的人，这话是什么意思？小女死了吗？请你直截了当告诉我。”他心急如焚，脸色一片死灰。
Lieutenant Dirige said expressionlessly, "慙ast man on Kalgan' was the phrase. She's not on Kalgan now. I have no knowledge past that."
迪瑞吉警官面无表情地说：“请注意，我是最后一个‘在卡尔根’见到令爱的人。她已经不在卡尔根，其余的我就不知道了。”
"Here," broke in Anthor, "let me put it straight. Sorry if I overplayed the drama a bit, Doc. You're so inhuman about this, I forget you have feelings. In the first place, Lieutenant Dirige is one of us. He was born on Kalgan, but his father was a Foundation man brought to that planet in the service of the Mule. I answer for the lieutenant's loyalty to the Foundation.
“听我说，”安索插嘴道，“让我直说好了。博士，如果我刚才的表演夸张了点，我向你道歉。你对这件事一直表现得不近人情，令我忘了你还有七情六欲。首先我要强调，迪瑞吉警官其实是我们自己人。他虽然生在卡尔根，但他的父亲是基地人，当年被骡征到卡尔根去服役。我愿意担保他对基地的忠诚。
"Now I was in touch with him the day after we stopped getting the daily report from Munn……"
“当孟恩的每日例行报告无故终止后，第二天我就和迪瑞吉联络上……”
"Why?" broke in Darell, fiercely. "I thought it was quite decided that we were not to make a move in the matter. You were risking their lives and ours."
“为什么？”达瑞尔突然厉声打断对方，“我以为，我们早已决定对这个变化不采取任何行动。你这样做，会让他们和我们都有生命危险。”
"Because," was the equally fierce retort, "I've been involved in this game for longer than you. Because I know of certain contacts on Kalgan of which you know nothing. Because I act from deeper knowledge, do you understand?"
“因为，”对方同样厉声答道，“我玩这场游戏比你玩得更久。因为我在卡尔根有几个自己人，而你却没有。因为我以更深入的情报指导我的行动，你能了解吗？”
"I think you're completely mad."
“我认为你已经彻底疯了。”
"Will you listen?"
“你愿不愿意听我说？”
A pause, and Darell's eyes dropped.
顿了一顿之后，达瑞尔垂下眼睑。
Anthor's lips quirked into a half smile, "All right, Doc. Give me a few minutes. Tell him, Dirige."
安索的嘴唇扭出一个似笑非笑的表情。“很好，博士，给我几分钟的时间。迪瑞吉，告诉他。”
Dirige spoke easily: "As far as I know, Dr. Darell, your daughter is at Trantor. At least, she had a ticket to Trantor at the Eastern Spaceport. She was with a Trading Representative from that planet who claimed she was his niece. Your daughter seems to have a queer collection of relatives, doctor. That was the second uncle she had in a period of two weeks, eh? The Trantorian even tried to bribe me……probably thinks that's why they got away." He smiled grimly at the thought.
迪瑞吉一口气说道：“达瑞尔博士，据我所知，令爱如今在川陀。至少，当她出现在东郊太空航站的时候，手中握着去川陀的船票。当时她和川陀来的一名贸易代表在一起，那人自称是她的叔叔。博士，令爱似乎特别喜欢收集亲戚。几周以来，她已经多了两位叔叔，对不对？那个川陀人甚至试图贿赂我……也许直到现在，他还以为那就是我放走他们的原因。”想到这件事，他露出了一个冷笑。
"How was she?"
“她怎么样？”
"Unharmed, as far as I could see. Frightened. I don't blame her for that. The whole department was after her. I still don't know why."
“我看不出来她受到任何伤害。她只是吓坏了，这是难免的。所有的警察都在找她，至今我还不明白为什么。”
Darell drew a breath for what seemed the first time in several minutes. He was conscious of the trembling of his hands and controlled them with an effort. "Then she's all right. This Trading Representative, who was he? Go back to him. What part does he play in it?"
达瑞尔似乎窒息了好几分钟，直到现在才喘了一口气。他感到双手不停颤抖，费了好大力气才控制住。“这么说，她真的没事。那个贸易代表，他又是什么人？再回到他身上，他在其中扮演什么角色？”
"I don't know. Do you know anything about Trantor?"
“我实在不知道。你对川陀略有了解吗？”
"I lived there once."
“我在那里住过。”
"It's an agricultural world, now. Exports animal fodder and grains, mostly. High quality! They sell them all over the Galaxy. There are a dozen or two farm co-operatives on the planet and each has its representatives overseas. Shrewd sons of guns, too……I knew this one's record. He'd been on Kalgan before, usually with his wife. Perfectly honest. Perfectly harmless."
“它现在是个农业世界。主要出口牲畜饲料和谷物，都是上等货！外销整个银河系。在那颗行星上，有十几二十来个农产合作社，每个合作社都有自己的贸易代表。都是既机灵又精明的家伙……我查过那人的记录，他以前就来过卡尔根，通常都跟他太太一起来。百分之百诚实，百分之百好好先生。”
"Um-mmm," said Anthor. "Arcadia was born in Trantor, wasn't she, Doc?"
“嗯……”安索说，“艾嘉蒂娅是在川陀出生的，博士，对吗？”
Darell nodded.
达瑞尔点了点头。
"It hangs together, you see. She wanted to go away……quickly and far……and Trantor would suggest itself. Don't you think so?"
“你瞧，那一切就合拍了。她想要逃离卡尔根……尽快逃得远远的……而川陀是很好的选择。你难道不这么想吗？”
Darell said: "Why not back here?"
达瑞尔说：“为什么不回这里来？”
"Perhaps she was being pursued and felt that she had to double off in a new angle, eh?'
“也许她被人追捕，觉得一定要把敌人引开，你说是吗？”
Dr. Darell lacked the heart to question further. Well, then, let her be safe on Trantor, or as safe as one could be anywhere in this dark and horrible Galaxy. He groped toward the door, felt Anthor's light touch on his sleeve, and stopped, but did not turn.
达瑞尔博士没有心情继续问下去。好吧，就让她安稳地待在川陀，只要她能安然无恙，待在这个黑暗而恐怖的银河中任何角落都没关系。他向门口蹒跚走去，却感到安索轻轻抓住自己的衣袖，于是他停下脚步，但没有转过头来。
"Mind if I go home with you, Doc?"
“博士，我跟你一块回家好吗？”
"You're welcome," was the automatic response.
“当然好。”他随口答道。
By evening, the exteriormost reaches of Dr. Darell's personality……the ones that made immediate contact with other people had solidified once more. He had refused to eat his evening meal and had, instead, with feverish insistence, returned to the inchwise advance into the intricate mathematics of encephalographic analysis.
傍晚时分，达瑞尔博士性格的最表层……与他人直接接触的那一层……再度冻结起来。他不肯吃晚餐，却怀着满腔狂热的情绪，重新拾起脑电图分析的复杂数学，希望能再有一丝一毫的进展。
It was not till nearly midnight, that he entered the living room again.
直到接近午夜时分，他才又来到起居室。
Pelleas Anthor was still there, twiddling at the controls of the video. The footsteps behind him caused him to glance over his shoulder.
裴礼斯·安索仍然待在那里，正拨弄着超视的遥控器。听到身后传来脚步声，他立刻转头看了一眼。
"Hi. Aren't you in bed yet? I've been spending hours on the video, trying to get something other than bulletins. It seems the F.S. Hober Mallow is delayed in course and hasn't been heard from"
“嗨，你还没睡啊？我花了好几个小时守在超视前面，想看看除了新闻报道之外的节目。基地星舰侯伯·马洛号好像延误了行程，而且已经失去联络。”
"Really? What do they suspect?"
“真的吗？当局怀疑什么？”
"What do you think? Kalganian skulduggery. There are reports that Kalganian vessels were sighted in the general space sector in which the Hober Mallow was last heard from?"
“你自己又怎么想呢？卡尔根搞的鬼吗？根据报道，在侯伯·马洛号最后的发讯地点附近，有人目击了卡尔根船舰的踪迹。”
Darell shrugged, and Anthor rubbed his forehead doubtfully.
达瑞尔耸耸肩，安索则搓着额头，露出狐疑的表情。
"Look doc," he said, "why don't you go to Trantor?"
“博士，我问你，”安索说，“你为什么不去川陀？”
"Why should I?"
“我为什么要去？”
"Because "You're no good to us here. You're not yourself. You can't be. And you could accomplish a purpose by going to Trantor, too. The old Imperial Library with the complete records of the Proceedings of the Seldon Commission are there……"
“因为你留在这里，对我们毫无帮助。你现在六神无主，这是一定的。你到川陀去，至少可以完成一项工作。在那个昔日的帝国图书馆中，藏有谢顿大会的完整会议记录……”
"No! The Library has been picked clean and it hasn't helped anyone."
“没有！那个图书馆曾经被翻遍了，找不到什么有用的东西。”
"It helped Ebling Mis once."
“艾布林·米斯曾有所发现。”
"How do you know? Yes, he said he found the Second Foundation, and my mother killed him five seconds later as the only way to keep him from unwittingly revealing its location to the Mule. But in doing so, she also, you realize, made it impossible ever to tell whether Mis really did know the location. After all, no one else has ever been able to deduce the truth from those records."
“你又怎么知道？没错，他声称自己找到了第二基地，而五秒钟后，我母亲就杀了他。因为唯有这样做，才能防止他无意中将这个秘密泄露给骡。但是这样一来，你也知道，她却再也无法确定米斯是否真的知道答案。毕竟，没有人曾经从那些记录中导出真相。”
"Ebling Mis, if you'll remember, was working under the driving impetus of the Mule's mind."
“你应该记得，艾布林·米斯是在骡的心灵驱策之下进行工作的。”
"I know that, too, but Mis' mind was, by that very token, in an abnormal state. Do you and I know anything about the properties of a mind under the emotional control of another; about its abilities and shortcomings? In any case, I will not go to Trantor."
“这点我也知道，但正是因为这样，米斯当时的精神状态并不正常。心灵一旦受到外力控制，究竟会发生什么变化，会产生什么能力，又会有什么缺陷，你我对这些问题有任何概念吗？反正无论如何，我都不会到川陀去。”
Anthor frowned, "Well, why the vehemence? I merely suggested it as……well, by Space, I don't understand you. You look ten years older. You're obviously having a hellish time of it. You're not doing anything of value here. If I were you, I'd go and get the girl."
安索皱起眉头。“好吧，何必那么激动呢？我只不过是建议……唉，太空啊，我实在不了解你。你看来好像老了十岁。这些日子以来，你显然很不好过。你在这里无法作出任何贡献。假如我是你，我会立刻动身，把女儿接回来。”
"Exactly! It's what I want to do, too. That's why I won't do it. Look, Anthor, and try to understand. You're playing……we're both playing……with something completely beyond our powers to fight. In cold blood, if you have any, you know that, whatever you may think in your moments of quixoticism.
“完全正确！这正是我想要做的，而这也正是我不要做的原因。安索，听好，用心体会一下。你正在……我们正在对付一个实力远远高出我们的敌人。无论你心中有多少疯狂的幻想，只要你冷静下来，就会承认这件事实。
"For fifty years, we've known that the Second Foundation is the real descendent and pupil of Seldonian mathematics. What that means, and you know that, too, is that nothing in the Galaxy happens which does not play a part in their reckoning. To us, all life is a series of accidents, to be met with by improvisations To them, all life is purposive and should be met by precalculation.
“我们五十年前就知道，第二基地才是谢顿数学的真正传人。这句话的意思，你心中也很明白，就是说银河系所发生的每一件事，尽皆在他们算计之中。对我们而言，生命是一连串的偶然，需要随机应变。对他们而言，每一件事都有既定目标，都要按照计划逐步执行。
"But they have their weakness. Their work is statistical and only the mass action of humanity is truly inevitable. Now how I play a part, as an individual, in the foreseen course of history, I don't know. Perhaps I have no definite part, since the Plan leaves individuals to indeterminacy and free will. But I am important and they……they, you understand……may at least have calculated my probable reaction. So I distrust, my impulses, my desires, my probable reactions.
“不过他们自有弱点。他们的研究成果是统计性的，对人类的群体行动才真正具有意义。在可预见的历史中，我个人究竟扮演什么样的角色，我实在不知道。或许我并没有固定的角色，因为谢顿计划允许个人拥有自由意志和不确定性。可是，我的地位还是很重要，而他们……他们，你知道我在说谁……也许至少计算过我的可能反应。因此，我不信任自己任何的冲动、渴望，以及所有可能的反应。
"I would rather present them with an improbable reaction. I will stay here, despite the fact that I yearn very desperately to leave. "No! Because I yearn very desperately to leave."
“我故意要呈现最不可能的反应。我决定留在这里，即使事实上我实在太想去川陀。我不去！正是因为我实在太想去了。”
The younger man smiled sourly. "You don't know your own mind as well as they might. Suppose that……knowing you……they might count on what you think, merely think, is the improbable reaction, simply by knowing in advance what your line of reasoning would be."
年轻人露出苦笑。“他们可能比你更了解你自己的心意。假如说，他们对你了若指掌，或许就会故意要你表现出‘自以为’极不可能的反应，因为他们预先知道了你的思维方式。”
"In that case, there is no escape. For if I follow the reasoning you have just outlined and go to Trantor, they may have foreseen that, too. There is an endless cycle of double……ddddddddddble……dddddd……crosses. No matter how far I follow that cycle, I can only either go or stay. The intricate act of luring my daughter halfway across the Galaxy cannot be meant to make me stay where I am, since I would most certainly have stayed if they had done nothing. It can only be to make me move, and so I will stay.
“果真如此，我就走投无路了。因为如果我遵循你刚才的推论，决定去川陀，他们也可能预见了这一步。这就构成一个永无止境的正反、正反、正反、正反命题。不论我多么深入这个循环，也只能有去、留两种选择。他们用那么复杂的计谋，大老远把我女儿拐骗到银河的中心，不可能是要让我留在原处。因为假如他们毫无行动，我更能确定哪里都不会去。他们一定是要我去川陀，所以我偏要留下来。
"And besides, Anthor, not everything bears the breath of the Second Foundation; not all events are the results of their puppeting. They may have had nothing to do with Arcadia's leave-taking, and she may be safe on Trantor when all the rest of us are dead."
“此外，安索，第二基地并不一定能左右一切；并非任何事件都一定是他们的傀儡戏。艾嘉蒂娅前去川陀，可能和他们并没有关系，或许当我们都死光了之后，她还安稳地住在川陀。”
"No," said Anthor, sharply, "now you are off the track."
“不对，”安索突然叫道，“你开始扯远了。”
"You have an alternative interpretation?"
“你另有解释吗？”
"I have……if you抣l listen."
“我有……只要你愿意听。”
"Oh, go ahead. I don't lack patience."
“喔，说吧。我有这个耐心。”
"Well, then……how well do you know your own daughter?"
“好的，我问你……你对自己的女儿有多么了解？”
"How well can any individual know any other? Obviously, my knowledge is inadequate."
“一个人对另一个人能够了解多少？我对她的了解当然有限。”
"So is mine on that basis, perhaps even more so……but at least, I viewed her with fresh eyes. Item one: She is a ferocious little romantic, the only child of an ivory-tower academician, growing up in an unreal world of video and book-film adventure. She lives in a weird self-constructed fantasy of espionage and intrigue. Item two: She's intelligent about it; intelligent enough to outwit us, at any rate. She planned carefully to overhear our first conference and succeeded. She planned carefully to go to Kalgan with Munn and succeeded. Item three: She has an unholy hero-worship of her grandmother……your mother……who defeated the Mule.
“照你这样说，我同样不了解她，也许还及不上你……但至少，我是以毫无成见的角度审视她。第一点：她是个无药可救的浪漫派，是你这个象牙塔学究的独生女。她在超视和胶卷书的冒险世界中成长，一直生活在自己塑造的谍报阴谋幻想中。第二点：她非常聪明，至少有本事胜过我们。她暗中计划要偷听我们第一次的密商，结果成功了。她暗中计划要跟孟恩一块去卡尔根，结果也成功了。第三点：她心中对她的祖母……也就是令堂……怀有过度的英雄崇拜，因为她曾经击败骡。
"I'm right so far, I think? All right, then. Now, unlike you, I've received a complete report from Lieutenant Dirige and, in addition, my sources of information on Kalgan are rather complete, and all sources check. We know, for instance, that Homir Munn, in conference with the Lord of Kalgan was refused admission to the Mule's Palace, and that this refusal was suddenly abrogated after Arcadia had spoken to Lady Callia, the First Citizen's very good friend."
“目前为止，我说得都对，是吧？很好，话说回来，我和你不同的是，我接到了迪瑞吉警官的完整报告。此外，对于卡尔根，我的情报来源相当完善，而所有的情报都能互相印证。例如我们知道，当侯密尔·孟恩第一次求见卡尔根统领时，统领根本拒绝他进入骡殿，可是在艾嘉蒂娅和嘉莉贵妇……第一公民的密友……一席话之后，第一公民就突然回心转意。”
Darell interrupted. "And how do you know all this?"
达瑞尔插嘴道：“你又是怎么知道这些的？”
"For one thing, Munn was interviewed by Dirige as part of the police campaign to locate Arcadia. Naturally, we have a complete transcript of the questions and answers.
“原因之一，迪瑞吉曾经询问过孟恩，这是警方寻找艾嘉蒂娅的例行公事。我这里自然有一份完整的问答笔录。
"And take Lady Callia herself. It is rumored that she has lost Stettin's interest, but the rumor isn't borne out by facts. She not only remains unreplaced; is not only able to mediate the lord's refusal to Munn into an acceptance; but can even engineer Arcadia's escape openly. Why, a dozen of the soldiers about Stettin's executive mansion testified that they were seen together on the last evening. Yet she remains unpunished. This despite the fact that Arcadia was searched for with every appearance of diligence."
“再来谈谈嘉莉贵妇这个人。有谣言传说她早已失宠，可是谣言敌不过事实。她不但没有被打入冷宫，还有办法说服统领接受孟恩的请求，甚至能公开策动艾嘉蒂娅的逃亡。哈，史铁亭官邸周围的卫兵，十几个人都作证说当晚看到她俩在一起。虽然表面上，整个卡尔根都在努力搜寻艾嘉蒂娅的下落，嘉莉却没有受到任何惩罚。”
"But what is your conclusion from all this torrent of ill-connection?"
“你滔滔不绝讲了这么多不相干的事，结论究竟是什么？”
"That Arcadia's escape was arranged."
“艾嘉蒂娅的逃亡是早就安排好的。”
"As I said."
“我早就说过了。”
"With this addition. That Arcadia must have known it was arranged; that Arcadia, the bright little girl who saw cabals everywhere, saw this one and followed your own type of reasoning. They wanted her to return to the Foundation, and so she went to Trantor, instead. But why Trantor?"
“不过我有一点补充。艾嘉蒂娅一定也知道这是预先安排好的。这个机灵的小女孩能看穿任何阴谋，这次也不例外，而且她的推理方式和你一样。她料到他们想要她回到基地，所以她故意去了川陀。可是，她为什么选择川陀呢？”
"Well, why?"
“是啊，为什么？”
"Because that is where Bayta, her idolized grandmother, escaped when she was in flight. Consciously or unconsciously, Arcadia imitated that. I wonder, then, if Arcadia was fleeing the same enemy."
“因为贝泰……她的祖母兼偶像……当年逃避战乱，最后就是逃到那里。有意无意间，艾嘉蒂娅模仿了这件事。所以我在想，艾嘉蒂娅是否也在逃避相同的敌人。”
"The Mule?" asked Darell with polite sarcasm.
“骡吗？”达瑞尔带着点讽刺的口吻问道。
"Of course not. I mean, by the enemy, a mentality that she could not fight. She was running from the Second Foundation, or such influence thereof as could be found on Kalgan."
“当然不是。我的意思是同类型的敌人，他们具有令她无法抗衡的精神力量。她是在逃避第二基地，或说是第二基地在卡尔根的势力。”
"What influence is this you speak of?"
“你所谓的势力是什么意思？”
"Do you expect Kalgan to be immune from that ubiquitous menace? We both have come to the conclusion, somehow, that Arcadia's escape was arranged. Right? She was searched for and found, but deliberately allowed to slip away by Dirige. By Dirige, do you understand? But how was that? Because he was our man. But how did they know that? Were they counting on him to be a traitor? Eh, doc?"
“他们的威胁无处不在，你以为卡尔根会免疫吗？我们可以说得到了一致的结论：艾嘉蒂娅的逃亡是预先安排好的。对不对？她遭到追捕，而且被找到了，却在最后关头由迪瑞吉故意她放走。由迪瑞吉放她走，你懂不懂？但这又是为什么呢？因为他是我们的人。可是他们又如何知道这件事？他们当然无法仰赖他的双重身份？博士，嗯？”
"Now you're saying that they honestly meant to recapture her. Frankly, you're tiring me a bit, Anthor. Finish your say; I want to go to bed."
“现在你又说，他们真的想要把她捉回来。老实讲，安索，你让我有点烦了。赶紧说完，我要去睡觉了。”
"My say is quickly finished." Anthor reached for a small group of photo-records in his inner pocket. It was the familiar wigglings of the encephalograph. "Dirige's brainwaves," Anthor said, casually, "taken since he returned."
“我马上就可以说完。”安索从内层口袋掏出几张相片，那是达瑞尔再熟悉不过的脑电图颤动波纹。“迪瑞吉的脑波，”安索若无其事地说，“在他抵达之后做的。”
It was quite visible to Darell's naked eye, and his face was gray when he looked up. "He is Controlled."
达瑞尔用肉眼就能看得一清二楚。他抬起头来，脸色一片灰白。“他受到控制了。”
"Exactly. He allowed Arcadia to escape not because he was our man but because he was the Second Foundation's."
“正是如此。他会放走艾嘉蒂娅，并非因为他是我们的人，而是因为他听命于第二基地。”
"Even after he knew she was going to Trantor, and not to Terminus."
“即使他知道她要去川陀，而不是回端点星？”
Anthor shrugged. "He had been geared to let her go. There was no way he could modify that. He was only a tool, you see. It was just that Arcadia followed the least probable course, and is probably safe. Or at least safe until such time as the Second Foundation can modify the plans to take into account this changed state of affairs……"
安索耸了耸肩。“他受到的操控就是要放她走。这一点，他自己根本无法改变。你瞧，他只是一个工具而已。偏偏艾嘉蒂娅选择了最不可能的途径，所以也许还算安全。或者说，在第二基地变更计划、重新掌握情势之前，她至少还能平安无事……”
He paused. The little signal light on the video set was flashing. On an independent circuit, it signified the presence of emergency news. Darell saw it, too, and with the mechanical movement of long habit turned on the video. They broke in upon the middle of a sentence but before its completion, they knew that the Hober Mallow, or the wreck thereof, had been found and that, for the first time in nearly half a century, the Foundation was again at war.
他突然住口，因为超视上一个小讯号灯突然闪起。这个属于独立线路的小灯一亮，就代表将有紧急新闻快报。达瑞尔也看到了，他以习惯性的动作打开超视接收机。此时快报已经报了一半，但在那段报道结束之前，他们便已知晓主要的内容。侯伯·马洛号……或者应该说它的残骸……在太空中被发现了，这是近半个世纪来基地的第一场战事。
Anthor's jaw was set in a hard line. "All right, doc, you heard that. Kalgan has attacked; and Kalgan is under the control of the Second Foundation. Will you follow your daughter's lead and move to Trantor?"
安索露出凝重的神色。“好啦，博士，你听到了。卡尔根已经发动攻击，而卡尔根是在第二基地控制之下。你要不要跟随令爱的脚步，动身到川陀去？”
"No. I will risk it. Here."
“不要。我要赌一赌，就在这里。”
"Dr. Darell. You are not as intelligent as your daughter. I wonder how far you can be trusted." His long level stare held Darell for a moment, and then without a word, he left.
“达瑞尔博士，你还不如令爱那般聪明。我怀疑你究竟有多么值得信任。”他直勾勾地瞪着达瑞尔良久，然后一言不发就离开了。
And Darell was left in uncertainty and……almost……despair.
不一会儿，达瑞尔也离开了起居室。他一片茫然……而且几乎绝望。
Unheeded, the video was a medley of excited sight-sound, as it described in nervous detail the first hour of the war between Kalgan and the Foundation.
只剩下没有观众的超视，兀自不停呈现影像与声音，详述着基地与卡尔根开战后，第一个小时内的各种紧张战情。