8 Sunmaster

第8章 日主

SUNMASTER FOURTEEN:…… A leader of the Mycogen Sector of ancient Trantor……As is true of all the leaders of this ingrown sector, little is known of him. That he plays any role at all in history is due entirely to his interrelationship with Hari Seldon in the course of The Flight……

日主十四：……古川陀麦曲生区的一位领袖……与这个故步自封地区的其他领袖一样，其生平事迹鲜为人知。他在历史上得以稍占一席之地，全是由于他与“逃亡期”的哈里·谢顿有着千丝万缕的关系……

ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA

……《银河百科全书》

There were just two seats behind the compact pilot compartment and when Seldon sat down on padding that gave slowly beneath him meshed fabric came forward to encircle his legs, waist, and chest and a hood came down over his forehead and ears. He felt imprisoned and when he turned to his left with difficulty……and only slightly……he could see that Dors was similarly enclosed.

小型的驾驶舱后面只有两个座位。当谢顿坐下来，椅垫缓缓下陷之后，突然出现一团网状物，将他的双腿、腰际、胸部紧紧缠住，此外还有一个头罩套住他的前额与耳朵。他觉得像是被五花大绑，而当他勉强转头向左望去……只转动了很小的角度……他能看到铎丝也处于相同的处境。

The pilot took his own seat and checked the controls. Then he said, "Im Endor Levanian, at your service. Youre enmeshed because there will be a considerable acceleration at lift-off. Once were in the open and flying, youll be released. You neednt tell me your names. Its none of my business."

驾驶员就位之后，开始检查控制面板。然后他说：“我是恩多·列凡尼亚，在此为你们服务。你们现在被紧紧网住，是因为起飞时将有可观的加速度。一旦我们到达露天空间，开始正常飞行，你们就会恢复自由。两位的名字不必告诉我，那不关我的事。”

He turned in his seat and smiled at them out of a gnomelike face that wrinkled as his lips spread outward. "Any psychological difficulties, youngsters?"

他在座位上转过头来，对两位旅客微微一笑。当他的嘴角向外撇时，丑怪的脸孔皱成一团。“年轻人，有任何心理上的障碍吗？”

Dors said lightly, "Im an Outworlder and Im used to flying."

铎丝轻描淡写地说：“我是外星人士，我飞惯了。”

"That is also true for myself," said Seldon with a bit of hauteur.

“我也一样。”谢顿带着一丝高傲答道。

"Excellent, youngsters. Of course, this isn't your ordinary air-jet and you may not have done any night flying, but I'll count on you to bear up."

“好极了，年轻人。当然，这不是你们常见的喷射机，你们或许也没有夜间飞行经验，但我会指望你们支持得住。”

He was enmeshed too, but Seldon could see that his arms were entirely free.

他自己同样被网住，不过谢顿看得出他的双臂仍活动自如。

A dull hum sounded inside the jet, growing in intensity and rising in pitch. Without actually becoming unpleasant, it threatened to do so and Seldon made a gesture as though to shake his head and get the sound out of his ears, but the attempt to do so merely seemed to stiffen the hold of the head-mesh.

从喷射机内部传出一阵单调的嗡嗡声，强度与音调都越来越高。虽然并未真正变得刺耳，却也逐渐接近刺耳的边缘。谢顿做了一个动作，仿佛想要摇摇头，将耳朵里的噪音甩出来，但他的努力似乎只让头罩箍得更紧。

The jet then sprang (it was the only verb Seldon could find to describe the event) into the air and he found himself pushed hard against the back and bottom of his seat.

然后喷射机便弹入空中（谢顿只能想到用“弹”这个动词来描述），他发觉自己被一股大力压向坐垫与椅背。

Through the windshield in front of the pilot, Seldon saw, with a twinge of horror, the flat rise of a wall……and then a round opening appear in that wall. It was similar to the hole into which the air-taxi had plunged the day he and Hummin had left the Imperial Sector, but though this one was large enough for the body of the jet, it certainly did not leave room for the wings.

透过驾驶员面前的挡风玻璃，谢顿看到有一面墙陡然升起，令他冒出一身冷汗。接着那面墙上出现一个圆形洞口，类似当日他与夫铭离开皇区时，驾着出租飞车冲进去的那个小洞。不过，这个洞口虽然足以容纳喷射机的机身，却绝对没有为机翼留下任何余地。

Seldons head turned as far to the right as he could manage and did so just in time to see the wing on his side wither and collapse.

谢顿尽可能将头转向右方，刚好及时看到右侧机翼正在收缩折叠。

The jet plunged into the opening and was seized by the electromagnetic field and hurtled along a lighted runnel. The acceleration was constant and there were occasional clicking noises that Seldon imagined might be the passing of individual magnets.

喷射机冲进洞口之后，立刻被电磁场攫获，开始沿着一条明亮的隧道向前疾驶。加速度始终维持定值，但偶尔会传来“咔嗒咔嗒”的噪音，谢顿猜想可能是机身经过各个磁体时造成的。

And then, in less than ten minutes, the jet was spewed out into the atmosphere, headlong into the sudden pervasive darkness of night.

不到十分钟，这架喷射机便被隧道“喷”入大气层，迅疾冲进突然变成一片黑暗的夜空。

The jet decelerated as it passed beyond the electromagnetic field and Seldon felt himself flung against the mesh and plastered there for a few breathless moments.

喷射机在离开电磁场后开始减速，谢顿感到整个身子顶住安全网，粘在那里好一阵子，几乎令他无法呼吸。

Then the pressure ceased and the mesh disappeared altogether.

最后压力终于消失，安全网也一下子不见了。

"How are you, youngsters?" came the cheerful voice of the pilot.

“年轻人，你们还好吗？”驾驶员快活的声音传了过来。

"Im not sure," said Seldon. He turned to Dors. "Are you all right?"

“我不确定。”谢顿说完，又转向铎丝问道，“你还好吗？”

"Certainly," she answered. "I think Mr. Levanian was putting us through his paces to see if we were really Outworlders. Is that so, Mr. Levanian?"

“当然。”她答道，“我想列凡尼亚先生是故意在考验我们，看看我们是否真是外星人士。是不是这样，列凡尼亚先生？”

"Some people like excitement," said Levanian. "Do you?"

“有些人喜欢刺激。”列凡尼亚说，“你们呢？”

"Within limits," said Dors.

“要有限度。”铎丝答道。

Then Seldon added approvingly, "As any reasonable person would admit."

谢顿随即附和：“任何理智的人都会承认这一点。”

Seldon went on. "It might have seemed less humorous to you, sir, if you had ripped the wings off the jet."

接着，谢顿继续说：“万一你把机翼折断了，阁下，似乎就没那么好玩了。”

"Impossible, sir. I told you this is not your ordinary air-jet. The wings are thoroughly computerized. They change their length, width, curvature, and overall shape to match the speed of the jet, the speed and direction of the wind, the temperature, and half a dozen other variables. The wings wouldnt tear off unless the jet itself was subjected to stresses that would splinter it."

“阁下，不可能的。我告诉过你，这不是你们常见的喷射机。它的机翼完全电脑化，会随时改变长度、宽度、曲率和整体形状，来配合喷射机的速率、风速风向、气温，以及其他五六种变数。除非喷射机处于足以粉碎机身的应力之下，否则机翼绝不会单独折断。”

There was a spatter against Seldons window. He said, "Its raining.

谢顿的窗口忽然一阵哗啦哗啦，于是他说：“外面在下雨。”

"It often is," said the pilot.

“经常如此。”驾驶员说。

Seldon peered out the window. On Helicon or on any other world, there would have been lights visible……the I'lluminated works of man. Only on Trantor would it be dark.

谢顿向窗外望去。在赫利肯或是其他任何世界，一定都能看到光线……人工照明。唯独在川陀，下面将是一片漆黑。

Well, not entirely. At one point he saw the flash of a beacon light. Perhaps the higher reaches of Upperside had warning lights.

……嗯，并不尽然。在某一处，他看见一个闪烁的信号灯光。或许，上方的高处都装有警示灯。

As usual, Dors took note of Seldons uneasiness. Patting his hand, she said, "Im sure the pilot knows what hes doing, Hari."

如同往常一样，铎丝察觉到谢顿的不安。她拍拍他的手，说道：“哈里，我确信驾驶员知道自己在做什么。”

"I'll try to be sure of it, too, Dors, but I wish hed share some of that knowledge with us," Seldon said in a voice loud enough to be overheard.

“我也会试着确信这一点，铎丝，但我希望他能和我们分享一些他知道的事。”谢顿故意用驾驶员听得到的音量说。

"I don't mind sharing," said the pilot. "To begin with, were heading up and well be above the cloud deck in a few minutes. Then there won't be any rain and well even see the stars."

“我不介意和你们分享。”驾驶员说，“听好，我们目前正在上升，要不了多久，我们即将抵达云盖之上。那时就不会有任何雨水，我们甚至看得到星辰。”

He had timed the remark beautifully, for a few stars began to glitter through the feathery cloud remnants and then all the rest sprang into brightness as the pilot flicked off the lights inside the cabin. Only the dim I'llumination of his own instrument panel remained to compete, and outside the window the sky sparkled brightly.

他将这句话的时间算得准确无比，刚一说完，羽毛般的残云中便闪现几颗星星，而在他关掉机舱内的光源之后，其他星辰也都突然大放光明。此时机舱内只剩下仪表板的微弱光芒，窗外的天空则是明亮耀眼的星光。

Dors said, "Thats the first time in over two years that Ive seen the stars. aren't they marvelous? Theyre so bright……and there are so many of them."

铎丝说：“这是两年多来，我第一次看见星辰。是不是很壮观？它们是那么明亮，而且数量那么多。”

The pilot said, "Trantor is nearer the center of the Galaxy than most of the Outworlds."

驾驶员说：“川陀比大多数外星世界更接近银河中心。”

Since Helicon was in a sparse corner of the Galaxy and its star field was dim and unimpressive, Seldon found himself speechless.

由于赫利肯位于银河系星辰稀疏的一隅，它的星像场黯淡而毫不起眼，因此谢顿不禁目瞪口呆。

Dors said, "How quiet this flight has become."

铎丝说：“飞行变得多么宁静啊。”

"So it is," said Seldon. "What powers the jet, Mr. Levanian?"

“的确如此。”谢顿说，“列凡尼亚先生，这架喷射机用什么动力？”

"A microfusion motor and a thin stream of hot gas."

“微融合发动机，以及稀薄的热气流。”

"I didn't know we had working microfusion air-jets. They talk about it, but……"

“我不知道我们已有实用的微融合喷射机。是有人在讨论，不过……”

"There are a few small ones like this. So far they exist only on Trantor and are used entirely by high government officials."

“只有几架像这样的小型机种，目前仅在川陀可见，专供政府高级官员使用。”

Seldon said, "The fees for such travel must come high."

谢顿说：“这种旅行的费用一定很高。”

"Very high, sir."

“的确非常高，阁下。”

"How much is Mr. Hummin being charged, then?"

“那么，夫铭得付多少钱？”

"Theres no charge for this flight. Mr. Hummin is a good friend of the company who owns these jets."

“这趟飞行完全免费，夫铭先生是本公司的好朋友。”

Seldon grunted. Then he asked, "Why aren't there more of these microfusion air-jets?"

谢顿咕哝一声，然后问道：“这种微融合喷射机为何不多见？”

"Too expensive for one thing, sir. Those that exist fulfI'll all the demand."

“理由之一是太贵，阁下，现存的几架已足敷需求。”

"You could create more demand with larger jets."

“若能制造更大的喷射机，就能创造更多的需求。”

"Maybe so, but the company has never managed to make microfusion engines strong enough for large air-jets."

“或许吧，但公司始终无法强化微融合引擎，以提供大型喷射机使用。”

Seldon thought of Hummins complaint that technological innovation had declined to a low level. "Decadent," he murmured.

谢顿想起夫铭的牢骚……科技的进展已经衰退到一个低水平。“衰落。”他喃喃地说。

"What?" said Dors.

“什么？”铎丝问。

"Nothing," said Seldon. "I was just thinking of something Hummin once said to me."

“没什么。”谢顿说，“我只是想起夫铭对我说的一些话。”

He looked out at the stars and said, "Are we moving westward, Mr. Levanian?"

他望着外面的繁星，又说：“列凡尼亚先生，我们往西飞吗？”

"Yes, we are. How did you know?"

“是啊，没错。你怎么知道？”

"Because I thought that we would see the dawn by now if we were heading east to meet it."

“因为我想到，如果我们往东迎向黎明，现在应该看到曙光了。”

But dawn, pursuing the planet, finally caught up with them and sunlight……real sunlight brightened the cabin walls. It didn't last long, however, for the jet curved downward and into the clouds. Blue and gold vanished and were replaced by dingy gray and both Seldon and Dors emitted disappointed cries at being deprived of even a few more moments of true sunlight.

不过，环绕这颗行星的曙光最后还是追上他们，阳光……真正的阳光……照亮了整个舱壁。然而阳光露脸的时间并不长，喷射机很快就向下俯冲，重新钻入云层。蓝色的天空与金色的阳光随即消失，取而代之的是一片灰暗。谢顿与铎丝都发出失望的感叹，惋惜他们无法再多享受片刻的真正阳光。

When they sank beneath the clouds, Upperside was immediately below them and its surface……at least at this spot……was a rolling mixture of wooded grottos and intervening grassland. It was the sort of thing Clowzia had told Seldon existed on Upperside.

等到他们沉到云层之下，上方立刻出现在他们下面，而它的表面……至少在这个地区……是一片绿色的起伏波浪，由树木茂密的凹洼与夹杂其间的草地交织而成。根据克劳吉雅的说法，上方的确存在这种景观。

Again there was little time for observation, however. An opening appeared below them, rimmed by lettering that spelled MYCOGEN.

然而，他仍然没有多少时间仔细观察。不久之后，下面出现一个洞口，边缘标示着“麦曲生”几个大字。

They plunged in.

他们马上冲进去。

They landed at a jetport that seemed deserted to Seldons wondering eyes. The pilot, having completed his task, shook hands with both Hari and Dors and took his jet up into the air with a rush, plunging it into an opening that appeared for his benefit.

他们降落在某座喷射机场，在少见多怪的谢顿看来，这座机场似乎已被废弃。驾驶员在完成任务后，与谢顿及铎丝握了握手，便驾着喷射机一飞冲天，钻进一个专门为他打开的洞口。

There seemed, then, nothing to do but wait. There were benches that could seat perhaps a hundred people, but Seldon and Dors Venabili were the only two people around. The port was rectangular, surrounded by walls in which there must be many tunnels that could open to receive or deliver jets, but there were no jets present after their own had departed and none arrived while they waited.

然后，似乎唯有等待一途。附近有许多长椅，或许可以坐上一百人，但放眼望去却只有谢顿与铎丝·凡纳比里两个。这座机场呈长方形，四周皆围有高墙，其中一定有许多可开启的隧道，用以迎送来来往往的喷射机。但在他们搭乘的喷射机离去后，这里就一架也不剩；而在他们等候的过程中，也没有其他飞机抵达。

There were no people arriving or any indications of habitation; the very life hum of Trantor was muted.

没有任何人到来，也没有任何人烟，连川陀从不间断的嗡嗡声都静止了。

Seldon felt this aloneness to be oppressive. He turned to Dors and said, "What is it that we must do here? Have you any idea?"

谢顿觉得这种孤寂令人窒息，他转向铎丝说：“为什么我们必须待在这里？你有任何概念吗？”

Dors shook her head. "Hummin told me we would be met by Sunmaster Fourteen. I don't know anything beyond that."

铎丝摇了摇头。“夫铭告诉我，日主十四会和我们碰头，除此之外我一无所知。”

"Sunmaster Fourteen? What would that be?"

“日主十四？那是什么东西？”

"A human being, I presume. From the name I can't be certain whether it would be a man or a woman."

“一个人吧，我猜。单从这个名字，我无法确定是男是女。”

"An odd name."

“好古怪的名字。”

"Oddity is in the mind of the receiver. I am sometimes taken to be a man by those who have never met me."

“听者有意才会觉得古怪。有些时候，一些从未见过我的人，会误以为我是男性。”

"What fools they must be," said Seldon, smiling.

“他们真是笨啊。”谢顿微笑着说。

"Not at all. Judging from my name, they are justified. Im told it is a popular masculine name on various worlds."

“一点也不。光从我的名字判断，其实是他们有理。有人告诉我，在某些世界上，这是个很普遍的男性名字。”

"Ive never encountered it before."

“我以前从没碰到过。”

"Thats because you aren't much of a Galactic traveler. The name Hari is common enough everywhere, although I once knew a woman named Hare, pronounced like your name but spelled with an e. In Mycogen, as I recall, particular names are confined to families……and numbered."

“那是因为你还不算银河旅者。‘哈里’这个名字各地都很普通，不过我遇见过一位名叫‘哈莉’的女性，发音和你的名字很接近，但第二个字是茉莉的‘莉’。我记得在麦曲生，各个家族都有些专属的特殊名字……并且加上编号。”

"But Sunmaster seems so unrestrained a name."

“可是，拿‘日主’当名字似乎太狂了。”

"Whats a little braggadocio? Back on Cinna, Dors is from an Old local expression meaning spring gift. "

“自夸一点又有何妨？在我们锡纳，‘铎丝’源自当地一个古老的词汇，意思是‘春天的礼物’。”

"Because you were born in the spring?"

“因为你是春天出生的？”

"No. I first saw the light of day at the height of Cinnas summer, but the name struck my people as pleasant regardless of its traditional……and largely forgotten……meaning."

“不是，我张开眼睛时正逢锡纳的盛夏。不过家人觉得这个名字很好听，也就不管那个传统的、几乎已被遗忘的意义了。”

"In that case, perhaps Sunmaster……"

“既然这样，或许日主……”

And a deep, severe voice said, "That is my name, tribesman."

一个低沉而严肃的声音说道：“外族男子，那是我的名字。”

Seldon, startled, looked to his left. An open ground-car had somehow drawn close. It was boxy and archaic, looking almost like a delivery wagon. In it, at the controls, was a tall old man who looked vigorous despite his age. With stately majesty, he got out of the ground-car.

谢顿吓了一跳，立刻朝左方望去。一辆敞篷地面车不知何时已悄然接近，它的式样古朴，外形四四方方，看来几乎像一辆货车。驾驶座上坐着一位高大的老者，他虽然上了年纪，看来仍然精力充沛。此时他走下车来，举止显得高贵而威严。

He wore a long white gown with voluminous sleeves, pinched in at the wrists. Beneath the gown were soft sandals from which the big toe protruded, while his head, beautifully shaped, was completely hairless. He regarded the two calmly with his deep blue eyes.

他身穿一件白色长袍，宽大的袖子在手腕处束紧。长袍下面是一双软质凉鞋，让两根拇指露在外面。虽然他的头型生得不错，却一根头发也没有。他正以一双深蓝色的眼睛，冷静地打量面前这两个人。

He said, "I greet you, tribesman."

他说：“你好，外族男子。”

Seldon said with automatic politeness, "Greetings, sir." Then, honestly puzzled, he asked, "How did you get in?"

谢顿自然而然客客气气地说：“你好，阁下。”然后，由于实在感到困惑，他又问道：“你是怎么进来的？”

"Through the entrance, which closed behind me. You paid little heed."

“从入口进来的。我进来之后入口就重新关闭，你没有留意。”

"I suppose we didnt. But then we didn't know what to expect. Nor do we now."

“我想我们的确没有留意。可是刚才我们不知道在等什么，其实现在还是不知道。”

"Tribesman Chetter Hummin informed the Brethren that there would be members from two of the tribes arriving. He asked that you be cared for."

“外族男子契特·夫铭通知兄弟们，将有两个外族成员前来。他嘱托我们好生照顾。”

"Then you know Hummin."

“这么说，你认识夫铭喽。”

"We do. He has been of service to us. And because he, a worthy tribesman, has been of service to us, so must we be now to him. There are few who come to Mycogen and few who leave. I am to make you secure, give you houseroom, see that you are undisturbed. You will be safe here."

“没错，他帮助过我们。因为这位可敬的外族男子帮过我们，所以我们现在务必要帮他。很少有人来到麦曲生，也很少有人离去。我会负责你的安全，会为你提供住所，并确保你不受侵扰。你在这里将高枕无忧。”

Dors bent her head. "We are grateful, Sunmaster Fourteen."

铎丝低下头来。“日主十四，我们万分感激。”

Sunmaster turned to look at her with an air of dispassionate contempt. "I am not unaware of the customs of the tribes," he said. "I know that among them a woman may well speak before being spoken to. I am therefore not offended. I would ask her to have a care among others of the Brethren who may be of lesser knowledge in the matter."

日主转头望向她，带着一种不为所动的不屑神情。“我并非不懂外族习俗，”他说，“我知道在他们之间，女人大可主动开口说话，因此我并不生气。若是面对其他不大清楚内情的兄弟，我请她一定要注意。”

"Oh really?" said Dors, who was clearly offended, even if Sunmaster was not.

“哦，真的吗？”虽然日主没有生气，铎丝却显然被惹火了。

"In truth," agreed Sunmaster. "Nor is it needful to use my numerical identifier when I alone of my cohort am with you. Sunmaster will be sufficient……Now I will ask you to come with me so that we may leave this place which is of too tribal a nature to comfort me."

“千真万确。”日主说，“此外，当我是本支族唯一的在场者时，没有必要使用我的识别编号。称我‘日主’就足够了。现在我请两位跟我走，我们要离开这个地方。此地外族气氛太重，令我感到不自在。”

"Comfort is for all of us," said Seldon, perhaps a little more loudly than was necessary, "and we will not budge from this place unless we are assured that we will not be forcibly bent to your liking against our own natures. It is our custom that a woman may speak whenever she has something to say. If you have agreed to keep us secure, that security must be psychological as well as physical."

“自在是我们大家的渴望，”谢顿的音量或许稍嫌大了一点，“除非我们能得到保证，不会强迫我们放弃自我来顺应你们，否则我们不会移动半步。根据我们的习俗，女性想说话随时可以开口。既然你答应保障我们的安全，这种安全必须身心兼顾。”

Sunmaster gazed at Seldon levelly and said, "You are bold, young tribesman. Your name?"

日主直勾勾地凝视着谢顿。“外族年轻男子，你很大胆。你的名字？”

"I am Hari Seldon of Helicon. My companion is Dors Venabili of Cinna."

“我是来自赫利肯的哈里·谢顿，我的同伴是来自锡纳的铎丝·凡纳比里。”

Sunmaster bowed slightly as Seldon pronounced his own name, did not move at the mention of Dorss name. He said, "I have sworn to Tribesman Hummin that we will keep you safe, so I will do what I can to protect your woman companion in this. If she wishes to exercise her impudence, I will do my best to see that she is held guiltless……Yet in one respect you must conform."

当谢顿报出自己的姓名时，日主曾经微微欠身，但听到铎丝的名字时他却毫无动作。“我曾对外族男子夫铭发誓，我们会保障你的安全，所以在这件事情上，我将尽一己之力保护你的女伴。若是她想表现得厚颜无耻，我也会竭力帮她脱罪。可是，有一点你们一定要顺从。”

And he pointed, with infinite scorn, first to Seldons head and then to Dorss.

然后他带着无比的轻蔑，先指了指谢顿的头部，然后再指向铎丝。

"What do you mean?" said Seldon.

“你是什么意思？”谢顿问道。

"Your cephalic hair."

“你们的头部毛发。”

"What about it?"

“怎么样？”

"It must not be seen."

“绝不能让人看见。”

"Do you mean were to shave our heads like you? Certainly not."

“你的意思是，我们得像你一样把头剃光？当然不行。”

"My head is not shaven, Tribesman Seldon. I was depilated when I entered puberty, as are all the Brethren and their women."

“外族男子谢顿，我的头并不是剃的。我刚进入青春期，就接受了脱毛手术，正如所有的兄弟以及他们的女人一样。”

"If were talking about depilation, then more than ever the answer is no……never."

“如果我们讨论的是脱毛手术，那么答案就更加确定……绝对办不到。”

"Tribesman, we ask neither shaving nor depilation. We ask only that your hair be covered when you are among us."

“外族男子，我们既不要求你们剃头，也不要求你们脱毛。我们只要求和我们相处时，遮掩起你们的头发。”

"How?"

“怎么做？”

"I have brought skincaps that will mold themselves to your skulls, together with strips that will hide the superoptical patches the eyebrows. You will wear them while with us. And of course, Tribesman Seldon, you will shave daily……or oftener if that becomes necessary."

“我带来一些人皮帽，它可以紧贴你们的头颅，并附有两条带子，用来遮住眼上毛发，也就是眉毛。你们和我们在一起时，一律要戴着它。此外，外族男子谢顿，当然你还得每天刮脸……或是更勤，若有必要的话。”

"But why must we do this?"

“可是我们为何非这样做不可？”

"Because to us, hair on the head is repulsive and obscene."

“因为对我们而言，头上的毛发既淫秽又可憎。”

"Surely, you and all your people know that it is customary for others, in all the worlds of the Galaxy, to retain their cephalic hair."

“不用说，你和你的同胞都该知道，在银河系所有的世界上，蓄留头部毛发是其他族人共有的习俗。”

"We know. And those among us, like myself, who must deal with tribesmen now and then, must witness this hair. We manage, but it is unfair to ask the Brethren generally to suffer the sight."

“我们知道。而在我们族人中，那些必须偶尔和外族人打交道的，例如我自己，有时就不得不目睹毛发。我们虽能勉强忍受，但若是要一般兄弟受这种罪，却实在不公平。”

Seldon said, "Very well, then, Sunmaster……but tell me. Since you are born with cephalic hair, as all of us are and as you all retain it visibly tI'll puberty, why is it so necessary to remove it? Is it just a matter of custom or is there some rationale behind it?"

谢顿说：“很好，那么，日主……请告诉我，既然你原本有与生俱来的毛发，像我们大家一样，而且公然蓄留到青春期，又为何一定要除掉呢？是否只是习俗使然，还是背后有什么理论基础？”

And the old Mycogenian said proudly, "By depilation, we demonstrate to the youngster that he or she has become an adult and through depilation adults will always remember who they are and never forget that all others are but tribesmen."

这位麦曲生老者骄傲地说：“我们藉由脱毛手术，向年轻人昭示他们已长大成人。此外，藉由脱毛手术，成年人将一直记得他们是什么人，永远不会忘记其他人都只是外族人。”

He waited for no response (and, in truth, Seldon could think of none) but brought out from some hidden compartment in his robe a handful of thin bits of plastic of varying color, stared keenly at the two faces before him, holding first one strip, then another, against each face.

他未等对方做出回应（老实说，谢顿也想不出能有什么回应），便从长袍的隐藏式套袋中掏出一把五颜六色的塑胶薄膜，并以尖锐的目光望着面前两张面孔。然后他陆续拿出两片薄膜，分别在两人脸旁比了比。

The colors must match reasonably, he said. "No one will be fooled into thinking you are not wearing a skincap, but it must not be repulsively obvious."

“颜色必须配合得有分寸。”他说，“没有人会傻到以为你们未戴人皮帽，但一定不能明显到令人起反感。”

Finally, Sunmaster gave a particular strip to Seldon and showed him how it could be pulled out into a cap.

最后，日主终于挑出一片递给谢顿，并示范如何将它拉成一顶帽子。

"Please put it on, Tribesman Seldon," he said. "You will find the process clumsy at first, but you will grow accustomed to it."

“外族男子谢顿，请你戴上。”他说，“起初你会笨手笨脚，不过你会渐渐习惯的。”

Seldon put it on, but the first two times it slipped off when he tried to pull it backward over his hair.

谢顿戴上人皮帽，但是当他试图向后拉，以便盖住头发的时候，人皮帽却滑掉了两次。

"Begin just above your eyebrows," said Sunmaster. His fingers seemed to twitch, as though eager to help.

“从你的眉毛正上方开始。”日主的手指似乎在抽动，一副很想帮忙的样子。

Seldon said, suppressing a smile, "Would you do it for me?"

谢顿强忍住笑意，问道：“你能不能帮我？”

And Sunmaster drew back, saying, almost in agitation, "I couldnt. I would be touching your hair."

日主后退了几步，以近乎激动的口气说：“不行，那样我会碰到你的头发。”

Seldon managed to hook it on and followed Sunmasters advice, in pulling it here and there until all his hair was covered. The eyebrow patches fitted on easily. Dors, who had watched carefully, put hers on without trouble.

谢顿设法让人皮帽勾住前额，然后遵照日主的指导，拉拉这里，扯扯那里，总算将头发全部盖住。接下来，眉毛遮带倒很容易调整。铎丝从头到尾都在仔细观看，所以毫不费力就戴上了她那一顶。

"How does it come off?" asked Seldon.

“怎么脱掉呢？”谢顿问。

"You have but to find an end and it will peel off without trouble. You will find it easier both to put on and take off if you cut your hair shorter."

“你只要找到任何一端，就能轻易将它剥下来。你若把头发剪短一点，将会发觉脱戴都比较容易。”

"Id rather struggle a bit," said Seldon. Then, turning to Dors, he said in a low voice, "Youre still pretty, Dors, but it does tend to remove some of the character from your face."

“我宁愿多费点力气。”然后谢顿转向铎丝，压低了声音说，“铎丝，你还是一样漂亮，不过你的脸部特征的确不见了一部分。”

"The character is there underneath just the same," she answered. "And I dare say youll grow accustomed to the hairless me."

“那些特征依然完好地藏在下面。”她答道，“我敢说，你会渐渐习惯没有头发的我。”

In a still lower whisper, Seldon said, "I don't want to stay here long enough to get accustomed to this."

谢顿则以更小的声音说：“我不想在这里待那么久，不可能会习惯这一点。”

Sunmaster, who ignored, with visible haughtiness, the mumblings among mere tribesmen, said, "If you will enter my ground-car, I will now take you into Mycogen."

日主表现出明显的高傲，毫不理会两个外族人之间的低语。“请登上我的地面车，我现在就带你们进麦曲生。”

"Frankly," whispered Dors, "I can scarcely believe Im on Trantor."

“坦白说，”铎丝悄声道，“我几乎无法相信自己还在川陀。”

"I take it, then, youve never seen anything like this before?" said Seldon.

“那么，我想你是从未见过像这样的景观？”谢顿说。

"Ive only been on Trantor for two years and Ive spent much of my time at the University, so Im not exactly a world traveler. still, Ive been here and there and Ive heard of this and that, but Ive never seen or heard of anything like this. The sameness."

“我来到川陀只不过两年，大多时间都待在大学里，所以我不算是个环球旅客。然而，我还是去过一些地方，听说过一些风土民情。但我从未见过或听过像这样的……这样的千篇一律。”

Sunmaster drove along methodically and without undue haste. There were other wagonlike vehicles in the roadway, all with hairless men at the controls, their bald pates gleaming in the light.

日主稳当地驾车前进，一点也没有急着赶路。路上还有些同样类似货车的车辆，坐在驾驶座的人一律寸发不生。在光线照耀下，他们的光头闪闪发亮。

On either side there were three-story structures, unornamented, all lines meeting at right angles, everything gray in color.

道路两旁有些朴实无华的三层楼建筑，所有的线条皆以直角相交，每一个角落都是灰色。

"Dreary," mouthed Dors. "So dreary."

“死气沉沉，”铎丝夸张地说，“真是死气沉沉。”

"Egalitarian," whispered Seldon. "I suspect no Brother can lay claim to precedence of any obvious kind over any other."

“平等主义。”谢顿轻声说道，“据我猜想，没有一个兄弟能声称在任何方面比任何人更有特权。”

There were many pedestrians on the walkways as they passed. There were no signs of any moving corridors and no sound of any nearby Expressway.

沿途的人行道上有许多行人。但是不见任何活动回廊的踪迹，附近也听不到任何捷运的声音。

Dors said, "Im guessing the grays are women."

铎丝说：“我猜穿灰色的是女性。”

"Its hard to tell," said Seldon. "The gowns hide everything and one hairless head is like another."

“很难判断。”谢顿说，“长袍遮掩了一切，而且每个光头看来都一样。”

"The grays are always in pairs or with a white. The whites [also] walk alone and Sunmaster is a white."

“穿灰色的总是成双成对，否则就和一个穿白色的在一起。穿白色的可以单独行走，而且日主也是一身白色。”

"You may be right." Seldon raised his voice. "Sunmaster, I am curious."

“你也许说对了。”谢顿提高音量说道，“日主，我感到好奇……”

"If you are, then ask what you wish, although I am by no means required to answer."

“你若是好奇，就随便问吧，不过我绝无回答的义务。”

"We seem to be passing through a residential area. There are no signs of business establishments, industrial areas……"

“我们似乎正在经过一个住宅区。没有任何商用建筑，或是工业区的迹象……”

"We are a farming community entirely. Where are you from that you do not know this?"

“我们是个纯粹的农业社会。你从哪里来，怎么会不晓得？”

"You know I am an Outworlder," Seldon said stiffly. "I have been on Trantor for only two months."

“你知道我是外星人士，”谢顿硬生生地说，“我来川陀只不过两个月。”

"Even so."

“够长了。”

"But if you are a farming community, Sunmaster, how is it that we have passed no farms either?"

“但你们如果是个农业社会，日主，我们怎么也没经过任何农场呢？”

"On lower levels," said Sunmaster briefly.

“都在较低的层级。”日主简短答道。

"Is Mycogen on this level entirely residential, then?"

“那么，麦曲生的这一层整个是住宅区吗？”

"And on a few others. We are what you see. Every Brother and his family lives in equivalent quarters; every cohort in its own equivalent community; all have the same ground-car and all Brothers drive their own. There are no servants and none are at ease through the labor of others. None may glory over another."

“还有其他几层也是。我们就是你见到的这个样子：每位兄弟和他的家人都住在同等的寓所，每个支族都住在同等的社区，大家都有同样的地面车，所有的兄弟都自己驾驶。没有任何奴仆，也没有人靠他人的劳力享清福。此外，更没有人能觉得高人一等。”

Seldon lifted his shielded eyebrows at Dors and said, "But some of the people wear white, while some wear gray."

谢顿冲着铎丝扬了扬被遮起的眉毛，又说：“但是有些人穿白袍，有些则穿灰袍。”

"That is because some of the people are Brothers and some are Sisters."

“那是因为有些是兄弟，而有些是姐妹。”

"And we?"

“我们呢？”

"You are a tribesman and a guest. You and your"……he paused and then said……"companion will not be bound by all aspects of Mycogenian life. Nevertheless, you will wear a white gown and your companion will wear a gray one and you will live in special guest quarters like our own."

“你是一名外族男子，一位客人。你和你的……”他顿了一下，“同伴不会受到麦曲生生活方式的任何束缚。然而，你还是得穿一件白袍，而你的同伴得穿一件灰的。你们将住在特别的客房，但它和我们的寓所一模一样。”

"Equality for all seems a pleasant ideal, but what happens as your numbers increase? Is the pie, then, cut into smaller pieces?"

“众生平等似乎是个迷人的理想，可是随着人口的增加，又会发生什么情形呢？是不是将大饼切成许多小块？”

"There is no increase in numbers. That would necessitate an increase in area, which the surrounding tribesmen would not allow, or a change for the worse in our way of life."

“人口绝不会增加。那样一来，我们就必须争取更多土地，周围的外族人不会允许这种事情；而若不然，我们的生活方式便会打折扣。”

"But if……" began Seldon.

“可是万一……”谢顿的话只讲了一半。

Sunmaster cut him off. "It is enough, Tribesman Seldon. As I warned you, I am not compelled to answer. Our task, which we have promised our friend Tribesman Hummin, is to keep you secure as long as you do not violate our way of life. That we will do, but there it ends. Curiosity is permitted, but it wears out our patience quickly if persisted in."

日主将他的话打断。“够了，外族男子谢顿。我提醒过你，我没有义务回答你的问题。我们的任务，我们对我们的朋友……外族男子夫铭所做的承诺，是只要你不侵犯我们的生活方式，我们便会尽力保障你的安全。我们会做到这一点，不过仅止于此。好奇心可以有，但你若是纠缠不休，我们的耐性很快会被磨光。”

Something about his tone allowed no more to be said and Seldon chafed. Hummin, for all his help, had clearly mis-stressed the matter.

他的语调透出不容对方再开口的意思，令谢顿又急又气。夫铭虽然帮了那么大的忙，却显然将重点本末倒置。

It was not security that Seldon sought. At least, not security alone. He needed information too and without that he could not……and would not……stay here.

谢顿寻求的不是安全，至少不仅是安全而已。他还需要寻找线索，要是得不到，他就不能……也不会……待在此地。

Seldon looked with some distress at their quarters. It had a small but individual kitchen and a small but individual bathroom. There were two narrow beds, two clothes closets, a table, and two chairs. In short there was everything that was necessary for two people who were willing to live under cramped conditions.

谢顿怀着几分不悦打量他们的住所。它包含一间小而独立的厨房，以及一间小而独立的浴室。此外还有两张窄床、两个衣柜、一张桌子和两把椅子。简言之，只要两个人愿意挤一挤，一切生活所需倒也一应俱全。

"We had an individual kitchen and bathroom at Cinna," said Dors with an air of resignation.

“在锡纳，我们有独立的厨房和浴室。”铎丝以逆来顺受的口气说。

"Not I," said Seldon. "Helicon may be a small world, but I lived in a modern city. Community kitchens and bathrooms……What a waste this is. You might expect it in a hotel, where one is compelled to make a temporary stay, but if the whole sector is like this, imagine the enormous number and duplications of kitchens and bathrooms."

“我可没有。”谢顿说，“赫利肯或许是个小型世界，可是我住在一个现代化的都市，大家一律使用公共厨房和浴室……哪像这么浪费。在不得不暂时栖身旅馆的时候，有可能碰到这种情形，但如果全区都像这样，试想会有多少厨房和浴室，会造成多少重复。”

"Part of the egalitarianism, I suppose," said Dors. "No fighting for favored stalls or for faster service. The same for everyone."

“这是平等主义的一环吧，我猜。”铎丝说，“大家的都一样。不必抢夺中意的那几间，也不必争先恐后。”

"No privacy either. Not that I mind terribly, Dors, but you might and I don't want to give the appearance of taking advantage. We ought to make it clear to them that we must have separate rooms……adjoining but separate."

“可是也没有隐私。我并不会太介意，铎丝，但是你也许会，而我不要造成一种占你便宜的假象。我们应该跟他们说清楚，我们两人的房间一定要分开……相连但分开。”

Dors said, "Im sure it won't work. Space is at a premium and I think they are amazed by their own generosity in giving us this much. Well just make do, Hari. Were each old enough to manage. Im not a blushing maiden and youll never convince me that youre a callow youth."

铎丝说：“我确定不会有什么用的。此地空间至为宝贵，他们给了我们这么大的地方，我想他们自己都会为这份慷慨感到惊讶。哈里，我们就凑合一下吧。我们两人都不小了，足以应付这种状况。我不是个害羞的闺女，你也无法让我相信你是个稚嫩的少年。”

"You wouldnt be here, were it not for me."

“要不是我，你也不会到这里来。”

"What of it? Its an adventure."

“那又怎么样？这是一次探险啊。”

"All right, then. Which bed will you take? Why don't you take the one nearer the bathroom?" He sat down on the other. "Theres something else that bothers me. As long as were here, were tribespeople, you and I, as is even Hummin. Were of the other tribes, not their own cohorts, and most things are none of our business……But most things are my business. Thats what Ive come here for. I want to know some of the things they know."

“好吧，那么，你要选哪张床？何不选靠近浴室那张？”他坐到另一张床上，“还有一件事困扰着我。不论我们在这里待多久，我们总是外族人，不只你和我，甚至夫铭也是。我们属于其他部族，不是他们自己的支族，因此大多数的事都和我们无关……可是，大多数的事其实都和我有关。那正是我来这里的目的，我要探听一些他们才知道的事。”

"Or think they know," said Dors with a historians skepticism. "I understand they have legends that are supposed to date back to primordial times, but I can't believe they can be taken seriously."

“或者该说，他们自认为知道。”铎丝以历史学家的怀疑口吻说，“我了解他们拥有许多传说，理论上可远溯太初时代，但我不相信这些传说值得认真看待。”

"We can't know that until we find out what those legends are. Are there no outside records of them?"

“在我们找出这些传说之前，我们不能妄下断语。外界没有相关的记录吗？”

"Not that I know of. These people are terribly ingrown. Theyre almost psychotic in their inward clinging. That Hummin can break down their barriers somewhat and even get them to take us in is remarkable……really remarkable."

“据我所知并没有。这些人极端故步自封，他们墨守成规几乎到了疯狂的地步。夫铭竟然有办法打破他们的藩篱，甚至让他们接纳你我，这实在了不起……太了不起了。”

Seldon brooded. "There has to be an opening somewhere. Sunmaster was surprised……angry, in fact……that I didn't know Mycogen was an agricultural community. That seems to be something they don't want kept a secret."

谢顿沉思了一下。“一定可以在哪里找到缺口。我居然不知道麦曲生是个农业社会，这点令日主感到惊讶……事实上是愤怒。这似乎不是他们想要保密的一件事。”

"The point is, it isn't a secret. Mycogen is supposed to be from archaic words meaning yeast producer. At least, thats what Ive been told. Im not a paleolinguist. In any case, they culture all varieties of microfood……yeast, of course, along with algae, bacteria, multicellular fungi, and so on."

“问题是，那并非什么秘密。‘麦曲生’想必源自古文，原意为‘酵母生产者’。至少我是这么听说的，我可不是古代语言学家。总之，他们培养各式各样的微生食品，酵母菌当然不在话下，此外还有藻类、细菌、多细胞真菌等等。”

"Thats not uncommon," said Seldon. "Most worlds have this microculture. We have some even on Helicon."

“这没什么不寻常。”谢顿说，“大多数世界都有这种微生养殖业，连我们赫利肯也有一些。”

"Not like Mycogen. Its their specialty. They use methods as archaic as the name of their section……secret fertilizing formulas, secret environmental influences. Who knows what? All is secret."

“麦曲生却与众不同，这是他们的专长。他们使用的方法和本区的名字同样古老……秘密的肥料配方、秘密的养殖环境。谁知道还有什么？反正全是秘密。”

"Ingrown?"

“故步自封。”

"With a vengeance. What it amounts to is that they produce protein and subtle flavoring, so that their microfood isn't like any other in the world. They keep the volume comparatively low and the price is skyhigh. Ive never tasted any and Im sure you havent, but it sells in great quantities to the Imperial bureaucracy and to the upper classes on other worlds. Mycogen depends on such sales for its economic health, so they want everyone to know that they are the source of this valuable food. That, at least, is no secret."

“极端而且彻底。结果是他们培养出丰富的蛋白质和精妙的香料，所以他们的微生食品和其他世界完全不同。他们将产量控制得相当低，因此得以卖到天价。我从来没尝过，而我确定你也没有，不过它大量出售给帝国官僚，以及其他世界的上层社会。麦曲生依赖这些出口维持稳健的经济，因此他们希望大家都知道，此地是这种珍贵食品的出产地。这一点，至少并不是秘密。”

"Mycogen must be rich, then."

“所以说，麦曲生一定很富有。”

"Theyre not poor, but I suspect that its not wealth theyre after. Its protection. The Imperial government protects them because, without them, there wouldnt be these microfoods that add the subtlest flavors, the tangiest spices, to every dish. That means that Mycogen can maintain its odd way of life and be haughty toward its neighbors, who probably find them insupportable."

“他们并不穷，但我怀疑他们追求的并非财富，而是一种保护。帝国政府会保护他们，因为没有他们的话，就不会有这些微生食品为每道菜肴加添最精妙、最浓烈的香味。这就代表说，麦曲生可以维持古怪的生活方式，并对近邻摆出高傲的姿态，虽然后者或许觉得无法忍受。”

Dors looked about. "They live an austere life. Theres no holovision, I notice, and no book-films."

铎丝四下望了望。“他们过着一种简朴的生活。我注意到根本没有全息电视，也没有影视书。”

"I noticed one in the closet up on the shelf." Seldon reached for it, stared at the label, and then said in clear disgust, "A cookbook."

“我在架子上的小橱中看到一本。”谢顿将它取下，仔细看了看标签，然后以明显的嫌恶口吻说，“一本食谱。”

Dors held out her hand for it and manipulated the keys. It took a while, for the arrangement was not quite orthodox, but she finally managed to light the screen and inspect the pages. She said, "There are a few recipes, but for the most part this seems to consist of philosophical essays on gastronomy."

铎丝伸手把它要过来，开始拨弄上面的控制键。这花了她一会儿工夫，因为键钮的设置并不算正统，不过最后她总算开启了屏幕，开始检视各页的内容。她说：“里面有些食谱，不过大部分内容似乎都是有关烹饪的哲学小品。”

She shut it off and turned it round and about. "It seems to be a single unit. I don't see how one would eject the microcard and insert another. A one-book scanner. Now thats a waste."

她关掉这本影视书，拿在手里上下左右翻弄。“它似乎是一体成型的，我看不出如何弹出微缩书卡，再插进另一片……一本书的专用扫描机，这才叫做浪费。”

"Maybe they think this one book-film is all anyone needs." He reached toward the end table that was between the two beds and picked up another object. "This could be a speaker, except that theres no screen."

“或许他们认为，这本影视书就是大家唯一需要的。”说完，他从两床间的茶几上拿起另一样物件。“这可能是个话筒，只不过没有屏幕。”

"Perhaps they consider the voice sufficient."

“说不定他们认为有声音就够了。”

"How does it work, I wonder?" Seldon lifted it and looked at it from different sides. "Did you ever see anything like this?"

“怎样操作呢？”谢顿将它举起来，从不同的角度观察，“你曾见过像这样的东西吗？”

"In a museum once……if this is the same thing. Mycogen seems to keep itself deliberately archaic. I suppose they consider that another way of separating themselves from the so-called tribesmen that surround them in overwhelming numbers. Their archaism and odd customs make them indigestible, so to speak. Theres a kind of perverse logic to all that."

“在博物馆看过一次，但不确定是否相同。麦曲生似乎刻意要维持古风。我想，这是他们的另一个妙招，以便和周遭比例悬殊的所谓外族人区隔开来。他们的古风和古怪习俗，这么说吧，使他们变得难以被理解。这里头有一种邪门的逻辑。”

Seldon, still playing with the device, said, "Whoops! It went on. Or something went on. But I don't hear anything."

仍在玩弄那个装置的谢顿突然说：“哈！打开了，至少某样功能开启了。可是我什么也没听到。”

Dors frowned and picked up a small felt-lined cylinder that remained behind on the end table. She put it to her ear. "Theres a voice coming out of this," she said. "Here, try it." She handed it to him.

铎丝皱了皱眉头，拿起留在茶几上、具有毛毡衬里的一个小圆柱体，将它凑到耳边。“有声音从这里传出来，”她说，“来，试试看。”说完便将它递给谢顿。

Seldon did so and said, "Ouch! It clips on." He listened and said, "Yes, it hurt my ear. You can hear me, I take it……Yes, this is our room. No, I don't know its number. Dors, have you any idea of the number?"

谢顿依言照做，随即喊道：“喔！被它夹住了。”他听了一会儿，又说，“是的，它弄痛了我的耳朵。我想你能听到我……是的，这里是我们的房间……不，我不知道号码。铎丝，你对房间号码有任何概念吗？”

Dors said, "Theres a number on the speaker. Maybe that will do."

铎丝说：“话筒上有一组号码，也许就行。”

"Maybe," said Seldon doubtfully. Then he said into the speaker, "The number on this device is 6LT-3648A. will that do?……Well, where do I find out how to use this device properly and how to use the kitchen, for that matter?……What do you mean, It all works the usual way? That doesnt do me any good. See here, Im a…… a tribesman, an honored guest. I don't know the usual way……Yes, Im sorry about my accent and Im glad you can recognize a tribesman when you hear one. My name is Hari Seldon."

“也许吧。”谢顿以怀疑的口吻答道。然后，他又对着话筒说：“这个装置上的号码是6lt3648a，这样行吗？好，我在哪里可以找到如何使用这个装置，以及厨房的正确方法？你所谓‘都是通常的方法’是什么意思？这样说对我一点用也没有。听好，我是一个……一个外族人，是一位贵客。我不知道什么是通常的方法。是的，抱歉我有口音，我很高兴你听到我的声音就认出我是外族人。我的名字叫哈里·谢顿。”

There was a pause and Seldon looked up at Dors with a longsuffering expression on his face. "He has to look me up. And I suppose hell tell me he can't find me……Oh, you have me? Good! In that case, can you give me the information?……Yes. Yes……Yes……And how can I call someone outside Mycogen?……Oh, then what about contacting Sunmaster Fourteen, for instance?……Well, his assistant then, his aide, whatever?……Uh-huh……Thank you."

等了一下之后，谢顿抬头望向铎丝，脸上露出饱受苦难的表情。“他得查查我的记录。我猜他会告诉我，说他根本找不到。喔，你找到了？太好了！这样的话，你能提供我这些资讯吗？是的，是的，是的。还有，我要怎样打电话给麦曲生外面的人？喔，那比方说，又要如何联络日主十四呢？好吧，那么他的助手，或是他的助理要怎么联络？喔……喔，谢谢你。”

He put the speaker down, unhooked the hearing device from his ear with a little difficulty, turned the whole thing off, and said, "Theyll arrange to have someone show us anything we need to know, but he can't promise when that might be. You can't call outside Mycogen……not on this thing anyway……so we couldnt get Hummin if we needed him. And if I want Sunmaster Fourteen, Ive got to go through a tremendous rigmarole. This may be an egalitarian society, but there seem to be exceptions that I bet no one will openly admit."

他放下话筒，又花了一点力气才从耳朵上取下收听装置。关掉整个机件后，他说：“他们会找个人来告诉我们需要知道的一切细节，但他不能保证什么时候能安排好。你不能打电话到麦曲生外面去……反正这玩意不行，所以如果我们需要夫铭，也无法即时和他取得联络。而如果我想找日主十四，我得先说上一大堆废话。这也许是个平等主义的社会，可是似乎仍有例外，而我敢打赌没有人会公开承认。”

He looked at his watch. "In any case, Dors, Im not going to view a cookbook and still less am I going to view learned essays. My watch is still telling University time, so I don't know if its officially bedtime and at the moment I don't care. Weve been awake most of the night and I would like to sleep."

他看了看计时带。“无论如何，铎丝，我可不要阅览一本食谱，更不要阅览说教的小品。我的计时带仍然使用斯璀璘时区，所以我不知道现在是不是正式的就寝时间，不过此时此刻我也不在乎。我们大半夜都没有合眼，我想要睡一会儿。”

"Thats all right with me. Im tired too."

“我没有意见，我自己也累了。”

"Thanks. And whenever a new day starts after weve caught up on our sleep, Im going to ask for a tour of their microfood plantations."

“谢谢。不管新的一天什么时候开始，等我们补足睡眠之后，我将要求他们安排参观微生食品养殖场。”

Dors looked startled. "Are you interested?"

铎丝显得有些惊讶。“你会有兴趣？”

"Not really, but if thats the one thing theyre proud of, they should be willing to talk about it and once I get them into a talking mood then, by exerting all my charm, I may get them to talk about their legends too. Personally, I think thats a clever strategy."

“并非真有兴趣，但那若是他们引以为傲的一件事，他们就该愿意谈一谈。一旦让他们有了谈话的兴致，那么，借着施展我的所有魅力，或许就能让他们也谈谈他们的传说。在我个人看来，这不失为一个高明的策略。”

"I hope so," said Dors dubiously, "but I think that the Mycogenians will not be so easily trapped."

“希望你会成功，”铎丝半信半疑地说，“不过我想，麦曲生人不会那么容易落入圈套。”

"Well see," said Seldon grimly. "I mean to get those legends."

“我们等着瞧，”谢顿绷着脸说，“我的意思是看看我有没有那种魅力。”

The next morning found Hari using the calling device again. He was angry because, for one thing, he was hungry.

隔天早上，谢顿再度使用通话装置。他一肚子火，原因之一则是他肚子空了。

His attempt to reach Sunmaster Fourteen was deflected by someone who insisted that Sunmaster could not be disturbed.

他试图联络日主十四，不料被阻拦，对方坚持现在不可打扰日主。

"Why not?" Seldon had asked waspishly.

“为何不可？”谢顿气冲冲地问道。

"Obviously, there is no need to answer that question," came back a cold voice.

“显然，这个问题没有回答的必要。”传回一阵冰冷的声音。

"We were not brought here to be prisoners," said Seldon with equal coldness. "Nor to starve."

“我们被带到此地，不是来当囚犯的。”谢顿以同样冰冷的声音说，“也不是来挨饿的。”

"Im sure you have a kitchen and ample supplies of food."

“我确定你那里有厨房，并有充足的食物。”

"Yes, we do," said Seldon. "And I do not know how to use the kitchen devices, nor do I know how to prepare the food. Do you eat it raw, fry it, boil it, roast it ?"

“没错，的确有。”谢顿说，“但我不懂如何使用厨房的设备，也不知道怎样料理这些食物。你们是生吃、油炸、水煮、烧烤……？”

"I can't believe you are ignorant in such matters."

“我不信你对这种事情毫无概念。”

Dors, who had been pacing up and down during this colloquy, reached for the device and Seldon fended her off, whispering, "Hell break the connection if a woman tries to speak to him."

在这段对话进行中，铎丝一直在旁边踱来踱去。此时她伸手要抢通话装置，谢顿却格开她的手，悄声说道：“如果有女人想和他说话，他会立刻切断通讯。”

Then, into the device, he said more firmly than ever, "What you believe or don't believe doesnt matter to me in the least. You send someone here……someone who can do something about our situation……or when I reach Sunmaster Fourteen, as I will eventually, you will pay for this."

然后，他对着通话装置，以更加坚定的语气说：“无论你信不信，都和我一点关系也没有。你马上派个人来这里，派一个可以改善我们目前处境的人。否则等到我联络上日主十四……我总会找到他的……你就会吃不了兜着走。”

Nevertheless, it was two hours before someone arrived (by which time Seldon was in a state of savagery and Dors had grown rather desperate in her attempt to soothe him).

然而，过了两小时，才终于有人来到。此时，谢顿已陷入凶暴蛮横的状态，一直试图安抚他的铎丝几乎快绝望了。

The newcomer was a young man whose bald pate was slightly freckled and who probably would have been a redhead otherwise.

来者是一名年轻男子，他的光头生有一些斑点。若是未曾脱毛，他或许会有一头红发。

He was bearing several pots and he seemed about to explain them when he suddenly looked uneasy and turned his back on Seldon in alarm. "Tribesman," he said, obviously agitated. "Your skincap is not well adjusted."

他随身带了几个锅子，好像正准备说明里面是什么，却突然露出不安的神色，慌慌张张地转身背对谢顿。“外族男子，”他显然心乱如麻，“你的人皮帽没调整好。”

Seldon, whose impatience had reached the breaking point, said, "That doesnt bother me."

谢顿的耐性达到了崩溃的临界点，他说：“我一点也不介意。”

Dors, however, said, "Let me adjust it, Hari. Its just a bit too high here on the left side."

不过铎丝赶紧说：“哈里，让我来调整一下，只是左边这里高了点。”

Seldon then growled, "You can turn now, young man. What is your name?"

然后，谢顿咆哮道：“年轻人，现在你可以转身了。你叫什么名字？”

"I am Graycloud Five," said the Mycogenian uncertainly as he turned and looked cautiously at Seldon. "I am a novitiate. I have brought a meal for you." He hesitated. "From my own kitchen, where my woman prepared it, tribesman."

“我叫灰云五。”这位麦曲生青年一面以迟疑的口吻回答，一面转过身来谨慎地打量谢顿，“我是个新手，为你送一顿饭来。”他犹豫了一下，又说，“外族男子，这是在我自家的厨房，由我的女人准备的。”

He put the pots down on the table and Seldon raised one lid and sniffed the contents suspiciously. He looked up at Dors in surprise. "You know, it doesnt smell bad."

他将那些锅子放到桌上之后，谢顿掀起其中一个锅盖，狐疑地凑过去闻了一下。然后他抬起头来，带着惊讶的神情望向铎丝。“你知道吗，闻起来真不赖。”

Dors nodded. "Youre right. I can smell it too."

铎丝点了点头。“说得没错，我也能闻到。”

Graycloud said, "Its not as hot as it ought to be. It cooled off in transport. You must have crockery and cutlery in your kitchen."

灰云说：“现在已经没有刚出炉那么热，在途中冷了不少。你们的厨房里一定有碗盘和刀叉吧。”

Dors got what was needed, and after they had eaten, largely and a bit greedily, Seldon felt civilized once more.

铎丝随即取出必需的餐具。在狼吞虎咽饱餐一顿之后，谢顿才觉得重新恢复文明。

Dors, who realized that the young man would feel unhappy at being alone with a woman and even unhappier if she spoke to him, found that, by default, it fell to her to carry the pots and dishes into the kitchen and wash them……once she deciphered the controls of the washing device.

铎丝明白如果让这个年轻人与一名女性独处，他一定会感到不高兴；而自己倘若和他说话，会令他更加不高兴。因此她发觉，将锅碗端进厨房清洗，理所当然成了她的工作……只要她能弄懂如何操作洗碗装置。

Meanwhile, Seldon asked the local time and said, somewhat abashed, "You mean its the middle of the night?"

与此同时，谢顿问到了当地时间，立刻有些羞愧地说：“你的意思是，现在正是午夜？”

"Indeed, tribesman," said Graycloud. "Thats why it took a while to satisfy your need."

“外族男子，的确没错。”灰云说，“正因为如此，所以得花点时间才能满足你的需求。”

Seldon understood suddenly why Sunmaster could not be disturbed and thought of Grayclouds woman having to be awakened to prepare him a meal and felt his conscience gnaw at him. "Im sorry," he said. "We are only tribespeople and we didn't know how to use the kitchen or how to prepare the food. In the morning, could you have someone arrive to instruct us properly?"

谢顿突然了解了日主为何不能受到打扰，又想到灰云的女人不得不半夜起床替他准备这顿饭，良心便感到阵阵不安。“我很抱歉，”他说，“我们只是外族人，不知道如何使用厨房和如何料理食物。明天早上，你能不能找个人来指导我们？”

"The best I can do, tribesmen," said Graycloud placatingly, "is to have two Sisters sent in. I ask your pardon for inconveniencing you with feminine presence, but it is they who know these things."

“外族男子，我能做的最好安排，”灰云以抚慰的口吻说，“就是派两个姐妹前来。敬请原谅女性的出现所造成的不便，但这些事只有她们才清楚。”

Dors, who had emerged from the kitchen, said (before remembering her place in the masculine Mycogenian society), "Thats fine, Graycloud. Wed love to meet the Sisters."

刚从厨房走出来的铎丝（尚未想起自己在麦曲生男性社会中的身份）脱口而出道：“没关系，灰云，我们很高兴接待姐妹。”

Graycloud looked at her uneasily and fleetingly, but said nothing.

灰云以迅速而不安的目光望了她一下，却什么也没说。

Seldon, convinced that the young Mycogenian would, on principle, refuse to have heard what a woman said to him, repeated the remark. "Thats fine, Graycloud. Wed love to meet the Sisters."

谢顿确信根据根深蒂固的传统，这个麦曲生人将拒绝承认曾经听见一名女性对他说过话，于是又重复了一遍：“没关系，灰云，我们很高兴接待姐妹。”

His expression cleared at once. "I will have them here as soon as it is day."

他的表情立时豁然开朗。“我会让她们天亮之后马上来。”

When Graycloud had left, Seldon said with some satisfaction, "The Sisters are likely to be exactly what we need."

当灰云离去后，谢顿带着几分满意说：“姐妹可能正是我们需要的。”

"Indeed? And in what way, Hari?" asked Dors.

“真的？怎么说呢，哈里？”铎丝问。

"Well, surely if we treat them as though they are human beings, they will be grateful enough to speak of their legends."

“嗯，只要我们把她们视为人类，她们一定就会十分感激，而自动说出他们的传说。”

"If they know them," said Dors skeptically. "Somehow I have no faith that the Mycogenians bother to educate their women very well."

“也得她们知道才行。”铎丝以怀疑的口吻说，“我就是不敢相信麦曲生的兄弟会好好教育他们的女人。”

The Sisters arrived some six hours later after Seldon and Dors had slept some more, hoping to readjust their biological clocks.

两位姐妹大约在六小时后来到。在此之前，谢顿与铎丝又睡了一觉，希望藉此调整他们的生物时钟。

The Sisters entered the apartment shyly, almost on tiptoe. Their gowns (which, it turned out, were termed "kirtles" in the Mycogenian dialect) were soft velvety gray, each uniquely decorated by a subtle pattern of fine, darker gray webbing. The kirtles were not entirely unattractive, but they were certainly most efficient at covering up any human feature.

两位姐妹羞答答、近乎蹑手蹑脚地走进这间寓所。她们的长袍（原来在麦曲生的方言中，这种长袍称为“裰服”）是天鹅绒般的柔和灰色，装饰着具有精巧图案的深灰色细致滚边，每件的图案都不尽相同。这些裰服并非真的不好看，但它们遮掩人体曲线确实功效卓着。

And, of course, their heads were bald and their faces were devoid of any ornamentation. They darted speculative glances at the touch of blue at the corners of Dorss eyes and at the slight red stain at the corners of her lips.

此外，当然，她们两人也是光头，而且脸上没有任何化妆。她们看到铎丝眼角的淡蓝色眼影，以及唇边的淡红色唇膏，不禁频频投以好奇的目光。

For a few moments, Seldon wondered how one could be certain that the Sisters were truly Sisters.

有好一阵子，谢顿都在纳闷：如何才能确定姐妹真是姐妹呢？

The answer came at once with the Sisters politely formal greetings. Both twittered and chirped. Seldon, remembering the grave tones of Sunmaster and the nervous baritone of Graycloud, suspected that women, in default of obvious sexual identification, were forced to cultivate distinctive voices and social mannerisms.

为他带来答案的，是两位姐妹正式而礼貌的问候。两人的声音都是既清脆又嘹亮。谢顿依然记得日主低沉的声调，以及灰云紧张兮兮的男中音，不禁怀疑在缺乏明显性别标志的情况下，女性不得不培养出独特的声音与独特的社交礼仪。

Im Raindrop Forty-Three," twittered one, "and this is my younger sister."

“我叫雨点四十三，”其中一位以清脆的声音说，“这是我的妹妹。”

"Raindrop Forty-Five," chirped the other. "Were very strong on Raindrops in our cohort." She giggled.

“雨点四十五，”另一位以嘹亮的声音答道，“我们这个支族有很多‘雨点’。”她吃吃笑了起来。

"I am pleased to meet you both," said Dors gravely, "but now I must know how to address you. I can't just say Raindrop, can I?"

“很高兴见到你们两位。”铎丝以庄重的口吻说，“不过，我必须知道该怎么称呼你们。我不能光说‘雨点’吧？”

"No," said Raindrop Forty-Three. "You must use the full name if we are both here."

“不行。”雨点四十三说，“如果我们都在场，你就必须使用全名。”

Seldon said, "How about just Forty-Three and Forty-Five, ladies?"

谢顿说：“两位小姐，只用四十三和四十五如何？”

They both stole a quick glance at him, but said not a word.

两人都偷偷地迅速瞥了他一眼，却未作任何回答。

Dors said softly, "I'll deal with them, Hari."

铎丝柔声道：“哈里，我来和她们谈。”

Seldon stepped back. Presumably, they were single young women and, very likely, they were not supposed to speak to men. The older one seemed the graver of the two and was perhaps the more puritanical. It was hard to tell from a few words and a quick glance, but he had the feeling and was willing to go by that.

于是谢顿退了几步。她们想必是单身少女，而且非常有可能，她们根本不能和男性交谈。年长的那位似乎比较严肃，或许也较为守清规。仅由几句话与一个照面，实在很难做出判断，不过他就是有这种感觉，而且愿意接受这个假设。

Dors said, "The thing is, Sisters, that we tribespeople don't know how to use the kitchen."

铎丝说：“两位姐妹，事情是这样的，我们外族人不懂如何使用这间厨房。”

"You mean you can't cook?" Raindrop Forty-Three looked shocked and censorious. Raindrop Forty-Five smothered a laugh. (Seldon decided that his initial estimate of the two was correct.)

“你的意思是你不会烹饪？”雨点四十三看来难以置信又不敢苟同，雨点四十五则强忍住一声大笑。谢顿因此断定，他对两人最初的评估是正确的。

Dors said, "I once had a kitchen of my own, but it wasn't like this one and I don't know what the foods are or how to prepare them."

铎丝说：“我也有过一间自己的厨房，不过它和这间不一样。我也不知道那些食物是什么，以及该如何料理。”

"Its really quite simple," said Raindrop Forty-Five. "We can show you."

“真的相当简单，”雨点四十五说，“我们可以示范给你看。”

"Well make you a good nourishing lunch," said Raindrop Forty-Three. "Well make it for…… both of you." She hesitated before adding the final words. It clearly took an effort to acknowledge the existence of a man.

“我们会帮你做一顿美味营养的午餐。”雨点四十三说，“让我们替你……你们两位准备。”在补充最后半句话之前，她曾经犹豫了一下，显然需要花费一番力气，她才能承认一名男性的存在。

"If you don't mind," said Dors, "I would like to be in the kitchen with you and I would appreciate it if youd explain everything exactly. After all, Sisters, I can't expect you to come here three times a day to cook for us."

“你们要是不介意，”铎丝说，“我希望能和你们一起待在厨房。假如你们愿意切实解释每样事物，那我更会感激不尽。毕竟，两位姐妹，我不能指望你们每天三餐都来帮我们料理。”

"We will show you everything," said Raindrop Forty-Three, nodding her head stiffly. "It may be difficult for a tribeswoman to learn, however. You wouldnt have the…… feeling for it."

“我们会一一为你示范。”雨点四十三一面说，一面生硬地点着头，“然而，外族女子学来或许不容易。你不会有……那种感觉。”

"I shall try," said Dors with a pleasant smile. They disappeared into the kitchen.

“我愿意试试看。”铎丝带着开心的笑容说。

Seldon stared after them and tried to work out the strategy he intended to use.

然后她们便消失在厨房中。谢顿凝望着她们的背影，试图规划出他所打算使用的策略。