17 War
第17章 战争
The mayor of the Foundation brushed futilely at the picket fence of hair that rimmed his skull. He sighed. "The years that we have wasted; the chances we have thrown away. I make no recriminations, Dr. Darell, but we deserve defeat."
基地市长摸了摸秃得只剩一圈的头发，深深叹了一口气。“我们浪费了许多年的时间，我们坐失了太多良机。达瑞尔博士，我不想怪谁，我们打败仗是活该。”
Darell said, quietly, "I see no reason for lack of confidence in events, sir."
达瑞尔以沉稳的语气说：“阁下，我看不必这么缺乏自信。”
"Lack of confidence! Lack of confidence! By the Galaxy, Dr. Darell, on what would you base any other attitude? Come here……"
“缺乏自信！缺乏自信！银河在上，达瑞尔博士，你有任何乐观的理由吗？到这里来……”
He half-led half-forced Darell toward the limpid ovoid cradled gracefully on its tiny force-field support. At a touch of the mayor's hand, it glowed within……an accurate three-dimensional model of the Galactic double-spiral.
达瑞尔在半推半就之下，来到一个小巧的力场支架旁，支架上摆放着一个卵形透明体。市长轻轻碰了一下，它里面就亮了起来……那是银河双螺旋的逼真三维模型。
"In yellow," said the mayor, excitedly, "we have that region of Space under Foundation control; in red, that under Kalgan."
“黄色的部分，”市长激动地说，“是基地所控制的星空；而红色的区域，则在卡尔根控制之下。”
What Darell saw was a crimson sphere resting within a stretching yellow fist that surrounded it on all sides but that toward the center of the Galaxy.
达瑞尔看到一个深红色的球形区域，它几乎被一只黄色的大手紧紧抓住，只有面对银河中心那一侧例外。
"Galactography," said the mayor, "is our greatest enemy. Our admirals make no secret of our almost hopeless, strategic position. Observe. The enemy has inner lines of communication. He is concentrated; can meet us on all sides with equal ease. He can defend himself with minimum force.
“银河地理是我们最大的敌人。”市长说，“连将领们都不讳言，我们的战略位置几乎没有任何希望。你注意看，敌人有完善的内线联系。他们兵力集中，每一侧都能轻易迎战我军，并能以最小的兵力防卫本土。
"We are expanded. The average distance between inhabited systems within the Foundation is nearly three times that within Kalgan. To go from Santanni to Locris, for instance, is a voyage of twenty-five hundred parsecs for us, but only eight hundred parsecs for them, if we remain within our respective territories……"
“我们则是扩散的。在基地领域中，两个住人星系的平均距离几乎是卡尔根的三倍。比如说，假如双方都不越过边界，那么从圣塔尼到卢奎斯，我们的航程是二千五百秒差距，可是对方只需要飞八百秒差距……”
Darell said, "I understand all that, sir."
达瑞尔说：“阁下，这些我全部了解。”
"And you do not understand that it may mean defeat."
“可是，你不了解这几乎就代表战败。”
"There is more than distance to war. I say we cannot lose. It is quite impossible."
“对战争而言，还有比距离更重要的因素。我说我们不会打败仗，那简直是不可能的事。”
"And why do you say that?"
“你这么说有什么根据？”
"Because of my own interpretation of the Seldon Plan."
“根据我自己对谢顿计划的诠释。”
"Oh," the mayor's lips twisted, and the hands behind his back flapped one within the other, "then you rely, too, on the mystical help of the Second Foundation."
“喔，”市长撇了撇嘴，将双手放在背后，互相轻轻拍打，“所以，你也指望第二基地的神秘援手。”
"No. Merely on the help of inevitability……and of courage and persistence."
“不。我指望的是历史必然性……以及勇气和毅力。”
And yet behind his easy confidence, he wondered……
但在信心十足的外表下，他却怀疑……
What if……
万一……
Well……What if Anthor were right, and Kalgan were a direct tool of the mental wizards. What if it was their purpose to defeat and destroy the Foundation. No! It made no sense!
唉……万一安索说得对，卡尔根真是那些精神术士的工具。万一他们的目的是要击败并摧毁基地。不！这太不合理了！
And yet……
可是……
He smiled bitterly. Always the same. Always that peering and peering through the opaque granite which, to the enemy, was so transparent.
他露出了苦笑。情况总是这样：总是他们面对一块看不透的花岗岩，而它在敌人眼中却是透明的水晶球。
Nor were the galactographic verities of the situation lost upon Stettin.
银河地理所昭示的真理，史铁亭也了然于胸。
The Lord of Kalgan stood before a twin of the Galactic model which the mayor and Darell had inspected. Except that where the mayor frowned, Stettin smiled.
这位卡尔根统领站在一个银河模型前，它和市长与达瑞尔面对的那个一模一样。唯一不同的是，令市长皱眉头的地方，却使史铁亭发出会心微笑。
His admiral's uniform glistered imposingly upon his massive figure. The crimson sash of the Order of the Mule awarded him by the former First Citizen whom six months later he had replaced somewhat forcefully, spanned his chest diagonally from right shoulder to waist. The Silver Star with Double Comets and Swords sparkled brilliantly upon his left shoulder.
他穿着闪闪发光的舰队司令制服，更衬托出他的魁梧身形。“骡勋章”的深红色绶带斜挂在他的右肩，一直延伸到腰际。这枚勋章是在他强行接收第一公民头衔的六个月前，由前任第一公民颁给他的。他的左肩还挂着一枚闪烁的银色星章，上面有两颗彗星与数把宝剑的图样。
He addressed the six men of his general staff whose uniforms were only less grandiloquent than his own, and his First Minister as well, thin and gray……a darkling cobweb, lost in the brightness.
他正在对参谋本部的六名军官训话，他们也是一身戎装，只不过挂的勋章没有那么多。此外瘦削灰发的首相也在场……置身于闪闪星光中，他显得黯然失色。
Stettin said, "I think the decisions are clear. We can afford to wait. To them, every day of delay will be another blow at their morale. If they attempt to defend all portions of their realm, they will be spread thin and we can strike through in two simultaneous thrusts here and here." He indicated the directions on the Galactic model……two lances of pure white shooting through the yellow fist from the red ball it inclosed, cutting Terminus off on either side in a tight arc. "In such a manner, we cut their fleet into three parts which can be defeated in detail. If they concentrate, they give up two-thirds of their dominions voluntarily and will probably risk rebellion."
史铁亭说：“我想决心已十分明确，我们不妨继续等待。对敌军而言，多拖一天，士气就多受一次打击。敌军若试图防御领域的每一部分，兵力就会极度分散，我军便能从这里和这里同时发动攻击。”他在银河模型上指了两个地方……被黄色巨掌捏住的红色球体，自那两点射出两支白色长矛，从两侧切断由端点星延伸出来的基地领域。“这样一来，便能将敌军舰队一分为三，然后再各个击破。倘若敌军集结兵力，就得主动放弃三分之二的领域，还得冒着叛乱的危险。”
The First Minister's thin voice alone seeped through the hush that followed. "In six months," he said, "the Foundation will grow six months stronger. Their resources are greater, as we all know, their navy is numerically stronger; their manpower is virtually inexhaustible. Perhaps a quick thrust would be safer."
一片静默中，只能听到首相细弱的声音。“多等六个月，”他说，“基地就有六个月的喘息时间，实力会大为增强。大家都知道，他们的资源比我们丰富；他们的星舰数目多过我们；他们的人力几乎取之不尽、用之不竭。或许，发动闪电攻击会比较保险。”
His was easily the least influential voice in the room. Lord Stettin smiled and made a flat gesture with his hand. "The six months……or a year, if necessary……will cost us nothing. The men of the Foundation cannot prepare; they are ideologically incapable of it. It is in their very philosophy to believe that the Second Foundation will save them. But not this time, eh?"
在这间会议室，这个声音的影响力当然最小。史铁亭统领微微一笑，断然挥了挥手。“多等六个月……必要的话甚至一年……对我们毫无损失。基地军民根本无从准备，他们的意识形态会把他们害惨。他们根深蒂固地相信第二基地会来拯救他们。这次可不会，对不对？”
The men in the room stirred uneasily.
会议室中起了一阵不安的骚动。
"You lack confidence, I believe," said Stettin, frigidly. "Is it necessary once again to describe the reports of our agents in Foundation territory, or to repeat the findings of Mr. Homir Munn, the Foundation agent now in our……uh……service? Let us adjourn, gentlemen."
“我知道，你们都缺乏信心。”史铁亭以冷淡的语调说，“我们派到基地领域的间谍传回来的报告，有没有必要再重述一次？或者，有没有必要再说一次那个基地间谍，如今转而为我们……嗯……工作的侯密尔·孟恩先生的研究结果？诸位，让我们散会吧。”
Stettin returned to his private chambers with a fixed smile still on his face. He sometimes wondered about this Homir Munn. A queer water-spined fellow who certainly did not bear out his early promise. And yet he crawled with interesting information that carried conviction with it……particularly when Callia was present.
史铁亭回到休息室，脸上依旧挂着刚才的笑容。有些时候，他对那个侯密尔·孟恩仍有疑虑。那个古怪而又没骨气的家伙，一定总是说话不算话。但他能提供许多耐人寻味的情报，而且相当具说服力……尤其是嘉莉也在场的时候。
His smile broadened. That fat fool had her uses, after all. At least, she got more with her wheedling out of Munn than he could, and with less trouble. Why not give her to Munn? He frowned. Callia. She and her stupid jealousy. Space! If he still had the Darell girl- Why hadn't he ground her skull to powder for that?
他的笑容更加灿烂了。毕竟，那个又肥又蠢的婆娘还是有点用处。至少，光凭甜言蜜语，她就比自己更能从孟恩那里挖到情报，几乎不费吹灰之力。何不把她送给孟恩算了？他皱起眉头。嘉莉，满脑子愚蠢醋劲的嘉莉。太空啊！她怎么将达瑞尔小姐放走了……他为什么还不把嘉莉的脑袋辗得粉碎？
He couldn't quite put his finger on the reason.
他始终百思不得其解。
Maybe because she got along with Munn. And he needed Munn. It was Munn, for instance, who had demonstrated that, at least in the belief of the Mule, there was no Second Foundation. His admirals needed that assurance.
也许是因为她和孟恩合得来，而他还需要孟恩。比如说，孟恩证明了一件重要的事实……至少骡本人不相信第二基地的存在。他的将领需要这种保证。
He would have liked to make the proofs public, but it was better to let the Foundation believe in their nonexistent help. Was it actually Callia who had pointed that out? That's right. She had said……"
他很想公布这些证据，不过，最好还是让基地继续沉迷在幻想中。真是嘉莉指出这点的吗？没错，她曾经说……
Oh, nonsense! She couldn't have said anything.
喔，荒唐！她不可能讲过这种话。
And yet^
可是……
He shook his head to clear it and passed on.
他摇摇头，将这个念头甩掉了。