CHAPTER TEN TABLE
第10章 圆桌会议
TWO DAYS HAD PASSED AND GENDIBAL FOUND HIMSELF NOT SO MUCH heavyhearted as enraged. There was no reason why there could not have been an immediate hearing. Had he been unprepared--had he needed time--they would have forced an immediate hearing on him, he was sure.
整整两天过去了，坚迪柏虽然感到愤怒，心情却并不怎么沉重。审判竟然并未立即举行，实在没有什么道理。假使他毫无准备，假使他需要时间，那么他可以确定，他们一定早就逼他出庭。
But since there was nothing more facing the Second Foundation than the greatest crisis since the Mule, they wasted time--and to no purpose but to irritate him.
可是自从击败骡之后，第二基地从未面临更严重的危机。因此他们故意拖延时间，目的只是要激怒他。
Theydid irritate him and, by Seldon, that would make his counterstroke the heavier. He was determined on that.
他们的确激怒他了。谢顿在上，这只会使他的反击更加强力，他已经下定这个决心。
He looked about him. The anteroom was empty. It had been like that for two days now. He was a marked man, a Speaker whom all knew would--by means of an action unprecedented in the five-century history of the Second Foundation--soon lose his position. He would be demoted to the ranks, demoted to the position of a Second Foundationer, plain and simple.
他环顾四周，休息室中空无一人，两天来都是如此。大家都知道他已是待罪之身，是一个即将遭到革职的发言者。在第二基地五个世纪的历史中，这将是史无前例的创举。他将遭到罢黜的处分，贬为一名普通而平凡的第二基地分子。
It was one thing, however--and a very honored thing--to be a Second Foundationer of the ranks, particularly if one held a respectable title, as Gendibal might even after the impeachment. It would be quite another thing to have once been a Speaker and to have been demoted.
其实，身为第二基地分子便是一件非常光荣的事，何况坚迪柏在遭到纠举后，也许仍能保有一个可敬的头衔。然而，一位曾经担任过发言者的人被贬到那样的地位，可又另当别论了。
It won°Øt happen though, thought Gendibal savagely, even though for two days he had been avoided. Only Sura Novi treated him as before, but she was too nave to understand the situation. To her, Gendibal was still "Master."
不过这种事并不会发生，坚迪柏愤愤地想，虽然两天以来，周围的人都在回避他。只有苏拉·诺微态度始终不变，但那是由于她太过憨直，不了解目前的状况。对她而言，坚迪柏仍旧是她的“师傅”。
It irritated Gendibal that he found a certain comfort in this. He felt ashamed when he began to notice that his spirits rose when he noticed her gazing at him worshipfully. Was he becoming grateful for giftsthat small?
他发现自己竟然有点喜欢她的奉承，不禁十分恼怒。每当她流露出崇敬的目光，他便会有一种莫名的兴奋，一想到这种反应，坚迪柏就觉得羞愧。难道自己对那么小的恩惠，都变得如此感激不已吗？
A clerk emerged from the Chamber to tell him that the Table was ready for him and Gendibal stalked in. The clerk was one Gendibal knew well; he was one who knew--to the tiniest fraction--the precise gradation of civility that each Speaker deserved. At the moment, that accorded Gendibal was appallingly low. Even the clerk thought him as good as convicted.
一名书记从会议厅走出来，告诉坚迪柏圆桌会议请他出席，他马上昂首阔步走进去。坚迪柏对这位书记有很深刻的认识：他对每一位发言者应当受到何等殷勤侍奉，心里有个精确无比的标准。此时此刻，坚迪柏受到的待遇差到极点。即使只是一名书记，也认为他等于已被定罪。
They were all sitting about the Table gravely, wearing the black robes of judgment. First Speaker Shandess looked a bit uncomfortable, but he did not allow his face to crease into the smallest touch of friendliness. Delarmi--one of the three Speakers who were women--did not even look at him.
其他的发言者全部围桌而坐，他们身穿开庭专用的黑袍，表情分外严肃。第一发言者桑帝斯看起来有点不自在，但他还是避免显露丝毫友善的表情。而三位女性发言者之一的德拉米，甚至根本没有看他一眼。
The First Speaker said, "Speaker Stor Gendibal, you have been impeached for behaving in a manner unbecoming a Speaker. You have, before us all, accused the Table--vaguely and without evidence--of treason and attempted murder. You have implied that all Second Foundationers--including the Speakers and the First Speaker--require a thorough mental analysis to ascertain who among them are no longer to be trusted. Such behavior breaks the bonds of community, without which the Second Foundation cannot control an intricate and potentially hostile Galaxy and without which they cannot build, with surety, a viable Second Empire.
第一发言者开始说：“史陀·坚迪柏，身为发言者的你，由于行为不当而遭到了纠举。你曾经当着我们的面，以含糊的言语，指控圆桌会议有人涉嫌叛逆与谋杀，却提不出任何实证。你曾经提议要所有的第二基地分子——包括第一发言者与每一位发言者——全都接受彻底的精神结构分析，以确定究竟何人不再可信。这种言行足以分化我们的社会，破坏我们的团结，第二基地将因此无法控制复杂而带有潜在敌意的银河，更无法确保第二帝国能够如期建立。
"Since we have all witnessed those offenses, we will forego the presentation of a formal case for the prosecution. We will therefore move directly to the next stage. Speaker Stor Gendibal, do you have a defense?"
“这些犯了大忌的言语，既然我们都亲耳听到过，我就略去宣读正式起诉书的程序。因此，我们直接进入下一个程序。史陀·坚迪柏发言者，你有任何答辩吗？”
Now Delarmi--still not looking at him--allowed herself a small catlike smile.
这时德拉米仍然没有望向坚迪柏，只是露出一个耐人寻味的笑容。
Gendibal said, "If truth be considered a defense, I have one. Thereare grounds for suspecting a breach of security. That breach may involve the mental control of one or more Second Foundationers--not excluding members here present--and this has created a deadly crisis for the Second Foundation. If, indeed, you hasten this trial because you cannot waste time, you may all perhaps dimly recognize the seriousness of the crisis, but in that case, why have you wasted two days after I had formally requested an immediate trial? I submit that it is this deadly crisis that has forced me to say what I have said. I would have behaved in a manner unbecoming a Speaker --had Inot done so."
坚迪柏说：“如果能将事实视同辩词，那我就有话要说。我有充足的理由，怀疑我们的安全体系出现漏洞。可能已经有一个乃至数个第二基地分子，遭到外在精神力量的控制——在座诸位也不例外——这就对第二基地造成空前的危机。如果说，诸位急于举行这场审判，真是因为不敢浪费时间，那么诸位可能也模糊地体察到了严重性。可是，倘若果真如此，在我正式要求立即举行审判之后，你们为何又拖延了两天？在此我特别声明，正是由于这个致命的危机，我才不得不说出那番惹祸的话。我如果不这样做，才真的不配当一名发言者。”
"He but repeats the offense, First Speaker," said Delarmi softly.
“他只是在重复那些大逆不道的话，第一发言者。”德拉米轻声说。
Gendibal°Øs seat was further removed from the Table than that of the others--a clear demotion already. He pushed it farther back, a5 though he cared nothing for that, and rose.
坚迪柏的座位被刻意搬动过，使他比其他人距离圆桌更远，代表他已经矮了一截。他索性将座椅再往后挪，仿佛自己毫不在乎，然后猛然起立。
He said, "Will you convict me now, out of hand, in defiance of law--or may I present my defense in detail?"
他说：“你们是否准备不顾法定程序，此刻便要定我的罪，还是准许我提出详细的答辩？”
The First Speaker said, "This is not a lawless assemblage, Speaker. Without much in fine way of precedent to guide us, we will lean in your direction, recognizing that if our too-human abilities should cause us to deviate from absolute justice, it is better to allow the guilty to go free than to convict the innocent. Therefore, although the case before us is so grave that we may not lightly allow the guilty to go free, we will permit you to present your case in such manner as you wish and for as long as you require, until it is decided by unanimous vote,including my own " (and he raised his voice at that phrase) "that enough has been heard."
第一发言者答道：“这并非一个没有法律根据的集会，发言者。由于没有多少前例可循，我们愿意采取倾向你的立场，因为大家都明白，如果我们这些平凡的心灵，有可能偏离绝对的公正，那么宁可让罪人逍遥法外，也要避免冤枉任何无辜。因此之故，尽管目前这件案子事关重大，绝不能让罪嫌轻易过关，我们仍准许你依照自己的方式陈述辩词，而且你有充分的时间，直到包括本席在内，”这几个字他特别提高音量，“全体一致决意你已经说得够多了。”
Gendibal said, "Let me begin, then, by saying that Golan Trevize --the First Foundationer who has been driven from Terminus and whom the First Speaker and I believe to be the knife-edge of the gathering crisis has moved off in an unexpected direction."
坚迪柏说：“那么，我首先向诸位报告，最近被逐出端点星的第一基地人葛兰·崔维兹——第一发言者和我都相信，他就是那个潜在危机的先头部队——他所驾驶的太空船，突然无缘无故转向了。”
"Point of information," said Delarmi softly. "How does the speaker" (the intonation clearly indicated that the word was not capitalized) "know this?"
“发言者应公布情报来源，”德拉米轻声说，“发言者怎么会知道的？”根据她的语调判断，她口中的“发言者”并不是指他的头衔。
"I was informed of this by the First Speaker," said Gendibal, "but I confirm it of my own knowledge. Under the circumstances, however, considering my suspicions concerning the level of the security of the Chamber, I must be allowed to keep my sources of information secret."
“我是从第一发言者那里获悉这个消息的，”坚迪柏说，“可是我自己也查证过。然而，在目前这种情况下，由于我对会议厅的安全防范不太放心，请准许我对情报来源保密。”
The First Speaker said, "I will suspend judgment on that. Let us proceed without that item of information but if, in the judgment of the Table, the information must be obtained, Speaker Gendibal will have to yield it."
第一发言者说：“对于这个动议，本席暂时不作裁决。让我们暂且不过问情报来源，继续进行原先的程序。不过，假如圆桌会议决议要获得答案，坚迪柏发言者不得拒绝。”
Delarmi said, "If the speaker does not yield the information now, it is only fair to say that I assume he has an agent serving him--an agent who is privately employed by him and who is not responsible to the Table generally. We cannot be sure that such an agent is obeying the rules of behavior governing Second Foundation personnel.
德拉米又说：“倘若这位发言者不愿提供答案，那么我想唯一合理的假设，就是他手下有一名特工——一名他私下雇用、无需对圆桌会议负责的特务。这样的特工，是否会遵守第二基地的行为规范，我们实在无法确定。”
The First Speaker said with some displeasure, "I see all the implications, Speaker Delarmi. There is no need to spell them out for me."
第一发言者有点不高兴地说：“你的言外之意我全明白了，德拉米发言者，不需要再一字一句说给我听。”
"I merely mention it for the record, First Speaker, since this aggravates the offense and it is not an item mentioned in the bill of impeachment, which, I would like to say, has not been read in full and to which I move this item be added."
“我提到这一点，只是想列入记录，第一发言者，因为这样等于罪上加罪，而在原先的纠举案中并没有这一条。我想顺便提一下，纠举议案一直未曾逐条宣读。我正式提议，将这一条也加进去。”
"The clerk is directed to add the item," said the First Speaker, "and the precise wording will be adjusted at the appropriate time. --Speaker Gendibal" (he, at least, capitalized) "your defense is indeed a step backward. Continue."
第一发言者说：“请书记将这一条加上，等到适当的时候，再来修饰正式的措辞。坚迪柏发言者，”至少他是指坚迪柏的头衔，“你这么答辩其实是在帮倒忙，请继续。”
Gendibal said, "Not only has this Trevize moved in an unexpected direction, but at an unprecedented speed. My information, which the First Speaker does not yet have, is that he has traveled nearly ten thousand parsecs in well under an hour."
于是坚迪柏说：“这位崔维兹不但飞向意料之外的目标，飞行速度也是前所未见的。根据我的情报——这点连第一发言者也还不知道——他在不到一小时内，走了将近一万秒差距。”
"In a single jump?" said one of the Speakers incredulously.
“通过一次跃迁？”某位发言者用难以置信的口气说。
"In over two dozen jumps, one after the other, with virtually no time intervening," said Gendibal, "something that is even more difficult to imagine than a single jump. Even if he is now located, it will take time to follow him and, if he detects us and really means to flee us, we will not be able to overtake him. --and you spend your time in games of impeachment and allow two days to pass so that you might savor them the more."
“通过将近三十次跃迁，一次接着一次，中间根本没有任何停顿，”坚迪柏答道，“这比单独一次跃迁更加难以想象。我们现在即使找到他的下落，也需要花一段时间才跟得上；万一被他发觉，而他又有心逃脱，我们就不可能再追上他。你们却把时间花在纠举案这种游戏上——只为了帮这个案子添油加醋，就让两天的时间白白溜走。”
The First Speaker managed to mask his anguish. "Please tell us, Speaker Gendibal, what you think the significance of this might be."
第一发言者勉力隐藏起恼怒。“请告诉我们，坚迪柏发言者，你认为这代表什么意义。”
"It is an indication, First Speaker, of the technological advances that are being made by the First Foundation, who are far more powerful now than they were in the time of Preem Palver. We could not stand up against them if they found us and were free to act."
“这就是一个警讯，第一发言者，代表第一基地的科技突飞猛进，如今他们比普芮姆·帕佛的时代强大太多了。万一他们发现我们，又能自由采取行动，我们绝对无法对抗。”
Speaker Delarmi rose to her feet. She said, "First Speaker, our time is being wasted with irrelevancies. We are not children to be frightened with tales by Grandmother Spacewarp. It does not matter how impressive the machinery of the First Foundation is when, in any crisis, their minds will be in our control."
德拉米发言者突然起立发言：“第一发言者，我们把时间都浪费在无关紧要的问题上。我们都不是小孩子，不该被这种‘老掉牙的曲速故事’吓到。不论第一基地的机械装置如何惊人，反正一旦危机来临，他们的心灵都会在我们控制之下。”
"What do you have to say to that, Speaker Gendibal?" asked the First Speaker.
“你对这点有何解释，坚迪柏发言者？”第一发言者问道。
" Merely that we will come to the matter of minds in due course. For the moment, I merely wish to stress the superior--and increasing technological might of the First Foundation."
“等一下我们自然会讨论到心灵的问题。此刻我只想强调，第一基地的科技力量不但占了绝对优势，而且还在持续增强。”
The First Speaker said, "Pass on to the next point, Speaker Gendibal. Your first point, I must tell you, does not impress me as very pertinent to the matter contained in the bill of impeachment."
第一发言者说：“开始陈述下一条，坚迪柏发言者。我必须告诉你，你的第一条答辩，我认为与纠举案本身并没有太大关联。”
There was a clear gesture of agreement from the Table generally.
根据圆桌会议其他成员的动作与姿势，他们全部赞成这个说法。
Gendibal said, "I pass on. Trevize has a companion in his present journey" (he paused momentarily to consider pronunciation) "one Janov Pelorat, a rather ineffectual scholar who has devoted his life to tracking down myths and legends concerning Earth."
坚迪柏说：“我这就跳到下一条。在这趟旅程中，崔维兹还有一个同伴，”他顿了顿，在心中搜寻着那个名字，“一个名叫詹诺夫·裴洛拉特的人。他是一个没什么作用的学者，一生致力于探讨有关地球的神话与传说。”
"You know all this about him? Your hidden source, I presume?" said Delarmi, who had settled into her role of prosecutor with a clear feeling of comfort.
德拉米说：“你对他这个人那么清楚吗？我猜，又是那个秘密情报来源提供的？”她俨然成了这次审判的检察官，显出一副当仁不让的样子。
"Yes, I know all this about him," said Gendibal stolidly. "A few months ago, the Mayor of Terminus, an energetic and capable woman, grew interested in this scholar for no clear reason, and so I grew interested, too, as a matter of course. Nor have I kept this to myself. All the information I have gained has been made available to the First Speaker."
“没错，我对他这个人的确那么清楚。”坚迪柏冷冷地答道，“几个月前，端点市长，一位精力充沛而能干的女性，不知道为了什么，突然对这名学者产生兴趣，我也理所当然开始注意他。我并未将这些情报据为己有，我所获得的所有情报，全都转呈了第一发言者。”
"I bear witness to that," said the First Speaker in a low voice.
“我可以证明这件事。”第一发言者低声说。
An elderly Speaker said, "What is this Earth? Is it the world of origin we keep coming across in fables? The one they made a fuss about in old Imperial times?"
一名年老的发言者问道：“你所谓的地球到底是什么？是不是传说中常常提到的起源世界？也就是在旧帝国时代，那个曾经轰动一时的题目？”
Gendibal nodded. "In the tales of Grandmother Spacewarp, as Speaker Delarmi would say. --I suspect it was Pelorat°Øs dream to come to Trantor to consult the Galactic Library, in order to find information concerning Earth that he could not obtain in the interstellar library service available on Terminus.
坚迪柏点了点头。“根据德拉米发言者的说法，的确是‘老掉牙的曲速故事’中常提到的地球。我怀疑裴洛拉特的梦想，是要到川陀的银河图书馆来，仔细查阅有关地球的资料。因为他在端点星上，无法借着馆际合作借阅这里的藏书。
"When he left Terminus with Trevize, he must have been under the impression that that dream was to be fulfilled. Certainly we were expecting the two and counted on having the opportunity to examine them--to our own profit. As it turns out--and as you all know by now--they are not coming. They have turned off to some destination that is not yet clear and for some reason that is not yet known."
“当他和崔维兹从端点星出发时，他一定以为毕生的梦想就要实现了。我们原来也在等待这两个人，期望借着这个机会查清他们的底细，这是为了我们本身着想。结果，诸位现在都已经知道，他们不会来了。他们改变了目的地，我们还不清楚他们准备去哪里，也还不了解他们为何这样做。”
Delarmi°Øs round face looked positively cherubic as she said, "And why is this disturbing? We are no worse off for their absence, surely. Indeed, since they dismiss us so easily, we can deduce that the First Foundation does not know the true nature of Trantor and we can applaud the handiwork of Preem Palver."
德拉米的圆脸看起来像天使一般纯真，她说：“这有什么好大惊小怪的？他们不来，我们当然不会有任何损失。其实，既然他们那么轻易就忽略我们，便可推知第一基地还不知道川陀的真面目，所以我们应该为普芮姆·帕佛的成就再度喝彩。”
Gendibal said, "If we thought no further, we might indeed come to such a comforting solution. Could if be, though, that the turnoff was not the result of any failure to see the importance of Trantor? Could it be that the turnoff resulted from anxiety lest Trantor, by examining these two men, see the importance of Earth?"
坚迪柏说：“假使我们不加深思，也许真会得到这个令人欣慰的结论。不过，他们这次突然转向，有没有可能并非未曾看出川陀的重要性？有没有可能是有人从中作梗，不让我们有机会调查这两个人，以免我们知晓地球的重要性？”
There was a stir about the Table.
圆桌会议顿时起了一阵骚动。
"Anyone," said Delarmi coldly, "can invent formidable--sounding propositions and couch them in balanced sentences. But do they make sense when you do invent them? Why should anyone care what we of the Second Foundation think of Earth? Whether it is the true planet of origin, or whether it is a myth, or whether there is no one place of origin to begin with, is surely something that should interest only historians, anthropologists, and folk-tale collectors, such as this Pelorat of yours. Why us?"
“任何人，”德拉米冷冰冰地说，“都可以发明一些骇人听闻的说法，然后洋洋洒洒地娓娓道来。可是你杜撰的这些又有什么意义？谁管我们第二基地如何看待地球呢？它是不是真正的起源行星或者只是神话，以及人类究竟有没有单一发源地这些问题，当然应该只有历史学家、人类学家，以及民间故事搜集者，比如你提到的这位裴洛拉特才会感兴趣。这关我们什么事呢？”
"Why indeed?" said Gendibal. "How is it, then, that there are no references to Earth in the Library?"
“关我们什么事？”坚迪柏说，“那么请告诉我，为什么图书馆里没有地球的资料？”
For the first time, something in the atmosphere that was other than hostility made itself felt about the Table.
现在，圆桌会议首度出现敌意以外的气氛。
Delarmi said, "Aren°Øt there?"
德拉米问道：“真的没有吗？”
Gendibal said quite calmly, "When word first reached me that Trevize and Pelorat might be coming here in search of information concerning Earth, I, as a matter of course, had our Library computer make a listing of documents containing such information. I was mildly interested when it turned up nothing. Not minor quantities. Not very little. --Nothing?
坚迪柏以相当冷静的口气说：“一听说崔维兹和裴洛拉特可能会来这里，寻找有关地球的资料，我自然立刻采取行动，叫图书馆电脑列出这些资料的完整目录。结果电脑什么都没找到，当时我就感到事有蹊跷。不是资料不多，不是非常少，而是什么都没有！
"But then you insisted I wait for two days before this hearing could take place, and at the same time, my curiosity was further piqued by the news that the First Foundationers were not coming here after all. I had to amuse myself somehow. While the rest of you therefore were, as the saying goes, sipping wine while the house was falling, I went through some history books in my own possession. I came across passages that specifically mentioned some of the investigations on the °ÆOrigin Question°Ø in late-Imperial times. Particular documents--both printed and filmed--were referred to and quoted from. I returned to the Library and made a personal check for those documents. I assure you there was nothing."
“可是你们坚持要我再等两天，才要举行这次审判。与此同时，我又听说那两个第一基地人不会来了，于是我更加好奇，必须设法满足这份好奇心。当你们还浑浑噩噩，就像俗语所说的那样，屋顶塌了还在品尝美酒，我翻阅了几本自己收藏的历史书籍。我读到一些章节，里面提到帝国末期有关‘起源问题’的研究，并且列出和引用到一些文献，字体书和影视书都有。然后我又回到图书馆去，亲自动手寻找那些文献，我向诸位保证，的确什么也没有。”
Delarmi said, "Even if this is so, it need not be surprising. If Earth is indeed a myth……"
德拉米说：“即使如此，也没什么好惊讶的。如果地球的确是个神话……”
"Then I would find it in mythological references. If it were a story of Grandmother Spacewarp, I would find it in the collected tales of Grandmother Spacewarp. If it were a figment of the diseased mind, I would find it under psychopathology. The fact is that something about Earth exists or you would not all have heard of it and, indeed, immediately recognized it as the name of the putative planet of origin of the human species. Why, then, is there no reference to it in the Library,anywhere ?"
“那我应该在神话参考书中找到这个名字。如果地球只是‘老掉牙的曲速故事’，我就应该在《老掉牙的曲速故事集》中找到它。如果地球只是精神病患的无稽之谈，我就应该在病态心理学之下发现一点资料。事实上，有关地球的传说确实存在，否则你们不会全都听过，而且立刻想到就是传说中的人类发源地。可是，图书馆里为何没有地球的资料，任何角落都没有？”
Delarmi was silent for a moment and another Speaker interposed. He was Leonis Cheng, a rather small man with an encyclopedic knowledge of the minutiae of the Seldon Plan and a rather myopic attitude toward the actual Galaxy. His eyes tended to blink rapidly when he spoke.
德拉米这回保持沉默，另一位发言者趁机插了进来。这位发言者名叫李奥尼斯·郑，是个身材相当瘦小的人，对谢顿计划的细节有着百科全书般的知识，对真实的银河却抱持着短视态度。他说话的时候，两只眼睛总是眨个不停。
He said, "It is well known that the Empire in its final days attempted to create an Imperial mystique by soft-pedaling all interest in pre-Imperial times."
他说：“大家都晓得，帝国在苟延残喘的那段日子，曾经试图建立本身的神话，因此刻意淡化前帝国时代的一切。”
Gendibal nodded. "Soft-pedaled is the precise term, Speaker Cheng. That is not equivalent to destroying evidence. As you should know better than anyone, another characteristic of Imperial decay was a sudden interest in earlier--and presumably better--times. I have just referred to the interest in the °ÆOrigin Question°Ø in Hari Seldon°Øs time."
坚迪柏点了点头。“郑发言者，淡化这个词用得万分恰当，它并不等于毁灭证据。你应该比其他人都更了解，帝国衰落的另一个特征，就是人们突然开始怀古，并且认为古代比现代更好。正如我刚才提到，在哈里·谢顿的时代，许多人都对‘起源问题’产生了兴趣。”
Cheng interrupted with a formidable clearing of the throat. "I know this very well, young man, and know far more of these social problems of Imperial decay than you seem to think I do. The process of °ÆImperialization°Ø overtook these dilettantish games concerning Earth. Under Cleon II, during the Empire°Øs last resurgence, two centuriesafter Seldon, Imperialization reached its peak and all speculation on the question of Earth came to an end. There was even a directive in Cleon°Øs time concerning this, referring to the interest in such things as (and I think I quote it correctly) °Æstale and unproductive speculation that tends to undermine the people°Øs love of the Imperial throne."°Æ
郑发言者使劲清了清喉咙，打断了对方的发言。“我对这点非常清楚，年轻人，对于帝国衰落所伴随的社会问题，我的了解远超过你的想象。‘帝国化’运动的兴起，压制了人们对于地球的玩票式研究。谢顿死后两百年，在克里昂二世领导下，帝国有了最后一次的中兴，帝国化运动在那时达到巅峰，对于地球的研究则完全终止。针对这一点，克里昂还曾经颁布一道谕令，将人们对这方面的兴趣称为‘迂腐而无建设性的臆测，易于腐蚀百姓对大帝的赤忱忠心’，我想我的引述应该正确。”
Gendibal smiled. "Then it was in the time of Cleon II, Speaker Cheng, that you would place the destruction of all reference to Earth?"
坚迪柏微微一笑。“那么，郑发言者，你认为有关地球的所有参考资料，是在克里昂二世时期被毁掉的？”
"I draw no conclusions. I have simply stated what I have stated."
“本人没有作出任何结论，只是就事论事而已。”
"It is shrewd of you to draw no conclusions. By Cleon°Øs time, the Empire may have been resurgent, but the University and Library, at least, were in our hands or, at any rate, in those of our predecessors. It would have been impossible for any material to be removed from the Library without the Speakers of the Second Foundation knowing it. In fact, it would have been the Speakers to whom the task would have had to be entrusted, though the dying Empire would not have known that."
“你不作出任何结论，的确高明之至。在克里昂二世时期，帝国虽然经历短暂的复兴，可是，至少大学和图书馆已经在我们手中，或者应该说，在我们的先辈掌握之中。想要从图书馆移走任何资料，不可能瞒得过第二基地的发言者。事实上，如果真有这种企图，奉命执行的人一定就是当时的发言者，只不过垂死的帝国不知道他们的底细。”
Gendibal paused, but Cheng, saying nothing, looked over the other°Øs head.
坚迪柏顿了顿，郑发言者却不吭声，只是睁大眼睛瞪着他。
Gendibal said, "It follows that the Library could not have been emptied of material on Earth during Seldon°Øs time, since the °ÆOrigin Question°Ø was then an active preoccupation. It could not have been emptied afterward because the Second Foundation was in charge. Yet the Library is empty of it now. How can this be?"
于是坚迪柏继续说：“在谢顿的时代，图书馆里一定还藏有地球的相关资料，因为当时‘起源问题’的研究十分盛行。此后第二基地便接掌图书馆，也不可能有机会让人把资料搬走。如今，图书馆里却没有任何相关资料，这究竟是怎么回事？”
Delarmi broke in impatiently, "You may stop weaving the dilemma, Gendibal. We see it. What is it that you suggest as a solution? That you have removed the documents yourself?"
德拉米不耐烦地插嘴道：“你的两难命题可以到此为止，坚迪柏，我们都听懂了。你心目中的答案是什么？是你自己把那些资料搬光的？”
"As usual, Delarmi, you penetrate to the heart." And Gendibal bent his head to her in sardonic respect (at which she allowed herself a slight lifting of the lip). "One solution is that the cleansing was done by a Speaker of the Second Foundation, someone who would know how to use curators without leaving a memory behind --and computers without leaving a record behind:"
“正如往常一样，德拉米，你的确一语中的。”坚迪柏对她点头致敬，极尽讽刺之能事（她的反应则是微微扬起嘴角）。“可能的答案之一，是第二基地某位发言者监守自盗。这个人知道如何支配图书馆员，而不会在他们心中留下记忆；也知道如何使用电脑，而不会在其中留下记录。”
First Speaker Shandess turned red. "Ridiculous, Speaker Gendibal. I cannot imagine a Speaker doing this. What would the motivation be? Even if, for some reason, the material on Earth were removed, why keep it from the rest of the Table? Why risk a complete destruction of one°Øs career by tampering with the Library when the chances of its being discovered are so great? Besides, I don°Øt think that even the most skillful Speaker could perform the task without leaving a trace."
第一发言者桑帝斯涨红了脸。“荒唐，坚迪柏发言者，我无法想象有任何发言者会这么做。他的动机又是什么呢？即使基于特殊原因，某位发言者将地球的资料移到别处，又为何要隐瞒圆桌会议其他成员？不论是谁想对图书馆动手脚，被发现的机会都相当大，他为什么要冒这种葬送前途的危险？更何况，我认为即使是本领最高强的发言者，也不可能做得天衣无缝，不留下一点蛛丝马迹。”
"Then it must be, First Speaker, that you disagree with Speaker Delarmi in her suggestion that I did it"
“这样说来，第一发言者，德拉米发言者认为是我自导自演的这种说法，您必然不会同意。”
"I certainly do," said the First Speaker. "Sometimes I doubt your judgment, but I have yet to consider you downright insane."
“我当然不同意。”第一发言者说，“我有时难免怀疑你的判断力，但我尚未认为你已经完全疯狂。”
"Then it must never have happened, First Speaker. The material on Earth must still be in the Library, for we now seem to have eliminated all the possible ways in which it could have been removed--and yet the material is not there."
“那么，第一发言者，这件事就应该从未发生过。有关地球的资料应该仍在图书馆里，并未被人取走，因为我们已经否定了一切可能——可是那些资料的确不见了。”
Delarmi said with an affectation of weariness, "Well well, let us finish. Again, what is it you suggest as a solution? I am sure you think you have one."
德拉米故意装出厌烦的模样说：“好啦好啦，我们快点结束这个问题吧。我再问你一遍，你心目中的答案是什么？我肯定你心中必定有个答案。”
"If you are sure, Speaker, we may all be sure as well. My suggestion is that the Library was cleansed by someone of the Second Foundation who was under the control of a subtle force from outside the Second Foundation. The cleansing went unnoticed because that same force saw to it that it was not noticed."
“只要你能肯定，发言者，我们也都能够肯定。我的看法是，图书馆曾遭到某个第二基地成员洗劫，当时此人受到某种神秘外力的控制。由于有那个力量暗中襄助，一切过程才会神不知鬼不觉。”
Delarmi laughed. "Until you found out. You--the uncontrolled. and uncontrollable. If this mysterious force existed, how didyou find out about the absence of material from the Library? Why weren°Øt you controlled?"
德拉米哈哈大笑。“结果还是被你发现了。你——不受控制又无法控制的你。假如这个神秘力量的确存在，你怎么会发现那些资料失踪了？你为何不会受到控制？”
Gendibal said gravely, "It°Øs not a laughing matter, Speaker. They feel, that all tampering should be held to a minimum. When my life was in danger a few days ago, I was more concerned with refraining from fiddling with a Hamish mind than with protecting myself. So it might be with these others--as soon as they felt it was safe they ceased tampering. That is the danger, the deadly danger. The fact that I could find out what has happened may mean they no longer care that I do. The fact that they no longer care may mean that they feel they have already won. And we continue to play our games here!"
坚迪柏严肃地说：“这可不是好笑的事，发言者。他们的想法也许跟我们类似，认为一切干涉都必须尽量节制。几天前，当我的生命受到威胁时，我首先想到的不是保护自己，而是避免碰触那个阿姆人的心灵。他们也可能抱持着同样的态度，一旦感到安全无虞，就会停止一切干涉。这才是真正的危险，是致命的危险。我之所以能发现这件事，或许意味着他们不再有所顾忌。而他们之所以不再有所顾忌，或许就代表他们认为已经赢了。而我们，还在这里继续玩我们的游戏！”
"But what aim do they have in all this? What conceivable aim?" demanded Delarmi, shuffling her feet and biting her lips. She felt her power fading as the Table grew more interested--concerned--
“可是他们如此大费周章，目的究竟何在？有任何可能的目的吗？”德拉米追问道。她一面说，一面双脚搓着地板，还不自觉地咬着嘴唇。随着圆桌会议对这个问题愈来愈有兴趣，愈来愈关心，她感到自己的势力在渐渐消退。
Gendibal said, "Consider-- The First Foundation, with its enormous arsenal of physical power, is searching for Earth. They pretend to send out two exiles, hoping we will think that is all they are, but would they equip them with ships of unbelievable power--ships that can move ten thousand parsecs in less than an hour--if that was all that they were?
坚迪柏答道：“假设——第一基地仗着强大的有形力量，正在全力寻找地球的下落，却故意做得像是将那两人放逐，希望我们误以为事实仅是如此。但是，如果只是遭到放逐，那两个人为何拥有如此不可思议的太空船，能在一小时之内，航行一万秒差距？”
"As for the Second Foundation, we havenot been searching for Earth and, clearly, steps have been takenwithout our knowledge to keep any information of Earth away from us. The First Foundation is now so close to finding Earth and we are so far from doing so, that……"
“至于我们第二基地，我们一直未曾试图寻找地球，而且显然有人暗中动了手脚，阻止我们接触任何有关地球的资料。第一基地眼看就要找到地球了，我们却连第一步都没有跨出去，这样……”
Gendibal paused and Delarmi said, "That what? Finish your childish tale. Do you know anything or don°Øt you?"
坚迪柏顿了一下，德拉米就抢着说：“什么这样那样？赶紧把你的童话说完。你到底知不知道任何真相？”
"I don°Øt knoweverything , Speaker. I have not penetrated the total depth of the web that is encircling us, but I know the web is there. I don°Øt know what the significance of finding Earth might be, but I am certain the Second Foundation is in enormous danger and, with it, the Seldon Plan and the future of all humanity."
“我并非无所不知，无所不晓，发言者。对于扑天盖地而来的阴谋，我至今尚未完全参透，但是我确实知道有阴谋存在。我不知道寻找地球有什么意义，但能肯定第二基地正面临极大的危险，而谢顿计划和全体人类的未来也遭到波及。”
Delarmi rose to her feet. She was not smiling and she spoke in a tense but tightly controlled voice. "Trash? First Speaker, put an end to this! What is at issue is the accused°Øs behavior. What he tells us is not only childish but irrelevant. He cannot extenuate his behavior by building a cobwebbery of theories that makes sense only in his own mind. I call for a vote on the matter now--a unanimous vote for conviction."
德拉米猛然起立，脸上毫无笑容。她用激动却勉力控制住的声音说：“废话！第一发言者，赶快制止他！现在所讨论的是被告的不当言行，他却讲些不仅幼稚而且毫不相干的话。他编出一堆令人费解的理论，只有他自己才觉得有道理，但他休想借此脱罪。我主张对此项议题立即进行表决，一致赞成定罪！”
"Wait," said Gendibal sharply. "I have been told I would have an opportunity to defend myself, and there remains one more item--one more. Let me present that, and you may proceed to a vote with no further objection from me."
“且慢！”坚迪柏厉声道，“据我所知，我有机会为自己辩护，而我还剩下一条辩词——只剩最后一条。请让我先提出来，然后你们就可以进行表决，我不会再有任何异议。”
The First Speaker rubbed his eyes wearily. "You may continue, Speaker Gendibal. Let me point out to the Table that the conviction of an impeached Speaker is so weighty and, indeed, unprecedented an action that we dare not give the appearance of not allowing a full defense. Remember, too, that even if the verdict satisfies us, it may not satisfy those who come after us, and I cannot believe that a Second Foundationer of any level--let alone the Speakers of the Table--would not have a full appreciation of the importance of historical perspective. Let us so act that we can be certain of the approval of the Speakers who will follow us in the coming centuries."
第一发言者揉了揉疲倦的双眼。“你可以继续，坚迪柏发言者。让我提醒圆桌会议成员——将遭到纠举的发言者定罪，是一件重大的决定，而且根本没有前例可循。我们的做法，不能显得没有给被告充分答辩的机会。此外别忘了，即使我们对裁决感到满意，后人却不一定会这么想。我不相信任何阶层的第二基地分子，会对历史评价有丝毫的忽视，更遑论圆桌会议的发言者。让我们树立一个典范，以便确定在未来的许多世纪，后代的发言者都会赞同我们的做法。”
Delarmi said bitterly, "We run the risk, First Speaker, of having posterity laugh at us for belaboring the obvious. To continue the defense isyour decision."
德拉米尖刻地说：“我们这样做很可能会丢脸，第一发言者，后人会讥笑我们多此一举。允许被告继续答辩，只是您个人的决定。”
Gendibal drew a deep breath. "In line withyour decision, then, First Speaker, I wish to call a witness--a young woman I met three days ago and without whom I might not have reached the Table meeting at all, instead of merely being late."
坚迪柏深深吸了一口气。“第一发言者，既然您作出如此的决定，那么我希望传唤一名证人。她是我三天前遇到的一名年轻女子，如果不是她见义勇为，当天我根本无法出席圆桌会议，而不只是迟到而已。”
"Is the woman you speak of known to the Table?" asked the First Speaker.
“你提到的这名女子，圆桌会议的成员认识吗？”第一发言者问道。
"No, First Speaker. She is native to this planet."
“不认识，第一发言者，她是这颗行星的原住民。”
Delarmi°Øs eyes opened wide. "A Hamish woman?"
德拉米的双眼立刻睁得老大。“一、个、阿、姆、女、子？”
"Indeed! Just so!"
“没错！正是！”
Delarmi said, "What have we to do with one of those? Nothing they say can be of any importance. They don°Øt exist!"
德拉米叫道：“我们跟这种人有何干系？他们讲的话通通毫无用处。他们简直不存在！”
Gendibal°Øs lips drew back tightly over his teeth in something that could not possibly have been mistaken for a smile. He said sharply, "Physically all the Hamish exist. They are human beings and play their part in Seldon°Øs Plan. In their indirect protection of the Second Foundation, they play a crucial part. I wish to dissociate myself from Speaker Delarmi°Øs inhumanity and hope that her remark will be retained in the record and be considered hereafter as evidence forher possible unfitness for the position of Speaker. --Will the rest of the Table agree with the Speaker°Øs incredible remark and deprive me of my witness?"
坚迪柏咬住紧抿着的双唇，这种表情绝不会被误认为是笑容。他厉声说道：“所有的阿姆人，肉身当然都存在。他们也是人类，在谢顿计划中扮演自己的角色。第二基地间接受到他们的保护，因此他们的角色极为重要。德拉米发言者竟然说出这么没人性的话，在此我要跟她划清界线，并且希望她的发言能保留在会议记录中，以便日后作为她不适于担任发言者的佐证。圆桌会议其他成员，是否也同意她的惊人之语，反对我的证人出席？”
The First Speaker said, "Call your witness, Speaker."
第一发言者说：“发言者，传唤你的证人。”
Gendibal°Øs lips relaxed into the normal expressionless features of a Speaker under pressure. His mind was guarded and fenced in, but behind this protective barrier, he felt that the danger point had passed and that he had won.
坚迪柏的表情这才松弛下来，回复到发言者遭受压力时应有的冷漠。他的心灵早已严阵以待，同时布下重重禁制。但在那道防御工事后面，他意识到最危险的时刻已经过去，自己已经赢了。
2
2
Sura Novi looked strained. Her eyes were wide and her lower lip was faintly trembling. Her hands were slowly clenching and unclenching and her chest was heaving slightly. Her hair had been pulled back and braided into a bun; her sun-darkened face twitched now and then. Her hands fumbled at the pleats of her long skirt. She looked hastily around the Table--from Speaker to Speaker--her wide eyes filled with awe.
苏拉·诺微看来十分紧张。她的双眼睁得很大，下唇微微发颤，胸部轻微起伏，双手则慢慢地握紧又松开，松开又握紧。她的头发全部梳到后头挽成一个髻，被太阳晒黑的脸孔不时抽搐着。她还不自主地抚着长裙的裙褶，同时迅速打量着圆桌会议的成员——一位发言者接着一位发言者，大眼睛里充满敬畏之意。
They glanced back at her with varying degrees of contempt and discomfort. Delarmi kept her eyes well above the top of Novi°Øs head, oblivious to her presence.
众人也纷纷回望她，眼中透出不同程度的轻视与不自在。德拉米则将目光射向诺微头顶的正上方，故意忽视她的存在。
Carefully Gendibal touched the skin of her mind, soothing and relaxing it. He might have done the same by patting her hand or stroking her cheek, but here, under these circumstances, that was impossible, of course.
坚迪柏小心翼翼地轻抚她的心灵表层，让她放松心情。其实轻拍她的手，或者抚摸她的面颊也能达到这个目的，可是此时此地，在这种情况下，他当然不可能那么做。
He said, "First Speaker, I am numbing this woman°Øs conscious awareness so that her testimony wilt not be distorted by fear. Will you please observe--will the rest of you, if you wish, join me and observe that I will, in no way, modify her mind?"
然后他说：“第一发言者，我得降低这名女子的意识灵敏度，以免她的证词受到恐惧的干扰。您想不想观察一下？其他人想不想？诸位若有兴趣，请跟我一起来，以便确定我并没有修改她的心灵。”
Novi had started back in terror at Gendibal°Øs voice, and Gendibal was not surprised at that. He realized that she had never heard Second Foundationers of high rank speak among themselves. She had never experienced that odd swift combination of sound, tone, expression and thought. The terror, however, faded as quickly as it came, as he gentled her mind.
诺微被他的声音吓了一大跳，这点坚迪柏倒是不惊讶。坚迪柏知道，她从未听过第二基地高层人士之间的交谈，从来没有体验过那种语音、声调、表情以及思想的迅速古怪组合。然而，她的恐惧来得急去得快，当他收服她的心灵之后，那股恐惧立即消失无踪。
A look of placidity crossed her face.
她的脸上现出一片平静。
"There is a chair behind you, Novi," Gendibal said. "Please sit down."
“你身后有张椅子，诺微，”坚迪柏说，“请坐下来。”
Novi curtsied in a small and clumsy manner and sat down, holding herself stiffly.
诺微以笨拙的动作，向众人微微屈膝致意，然后便坐了下来，上身仍保持着直挺挺的姿势。
She talked quite clearly, but Gendibal made her repeat when her Hamish accent became too thick. And because he kept his own speech formal in deference to the Table, he occasionally had to repeat his own questions to her.
她的发言颇为清楚，不过每当她的阿姆口音太重，坚迪柏就会要她重复一遍。为了表示对圆桌会议的尊重，坚迪柏必须维持正式的言语，所以有时也得重复自己的问题，才能让她会过意来。
The tale of the fight between himself and Rufirant was described quietly and well.
坚迪柏与鲁菲南发生冲突的经过，她描述得相当详细。
Gendibal said, "Did you see all this yourself, Novi?"
坚迪柏问道：“诺微，这些经过都是你亲眼见到的吗？”
"Nay, Master, or I would have sooner-stopped it. Rufirant be good fellow, but not quick in head."
“非也，师傅，不然我早出来阻止了。鲁菲南系一个好汉子，但脑袋不大灵光。”
"But you described it all. How is that possible if you did not see it all?
“可是你把这件事从头到尾讲了出来。你怎么可能没有看到整个过程呢？”
"Rufirant be telling me thereof, on questioning. He be ashamed."
“鲁菲南告诉我的，我逼问他，他感觉惭愧。”
"Ashamed? Have you ever known him to behave in this manner in earlier times?"
“惭愧？你知不知道，他过去有没有做过这种事？”
"Rufirant? Nay, Master. He be gentle, though he be large. He be no fighter and he be afeared of scowlers. He say often they are mighty and possessed of power."
“鲁菲南？没有，师傅，他很温和，虽然个子很大。他不系爱打架的人，并且很惊怕邪者，他常常说他们伟大，并且具有力量。”
" Why didn°Øt he feel this way when he met me?"
“当天他遇到我的时候，为什么没有这种感觉呢？”
"It be strange. It be not understood." She shook her head. "He be not his ain self. I said to him, °ÆThou blubber-head. Be it your place to assault scowler?°Ø And he said, °ÆI know not how it happened. It be like I am to one side, standing and watching not-I."°Æ
“这事很奇怪，搞不懂为什么。”她摇了摇头，“他当时不系他自己。我对他说：‘你这个大笨头，怎么可以攻打邪者？’他说：‘我不知晓怎么回事，我好像系不在那里，站在一旁看着那个不系我自己。”
Speaker Cheng interrupted. "First Speaker, of what value is it to have this woman report what a man has told her? Is not the man available for questioning?"
郑发言者插嘴道：“第一发言者，让这名女子转述那名男子的话有什么意义？难道不能把那名男子找来，当面询问他吗？”
Gendibal said, "He is. If, on completion of this woman°Øs testimony, the Table wishes to hear more evidence, I will be ready to call Karoll Rufirant--my recent antagonist--to the stand. If not, the Table can move directly to judgment when I am done with this witness."
坚迪柏说：“当然可以。等到这名女子作证完毕，圆桌会议若想听取更多的证词，我随时可以传唤卡洛耳·鲁菲南——就是最近找我麻烦的那个人——出席作证。但如果认为没有必要，当我问完这位证人之后，圆桌会议即可直接进行判决。”
"Very well," said the First Speaker. "Proceed with your witness."
“很好，”第一发言者说，“继续询问你的证人。”
Gendibal said, "And you, Novi? Was it like you to interfere in a fight in this manner?"
坚迪柏又问：“而你呢，诺微？你这样出面阻止一场冲突，像不像你平日的作为？”
Novi did not say anything for a moment. A small frown appeared between her thick eyebrows and then disappeared. She said, "I know not. I wish no harm to scowlers. I be,driven , and without thought I in-middled myself." A pause, then., "I be do it over if need arise."
诺微一时之间并未回答，她的两道浓眉稍微挤在一起。直到眉头再度舒展，她才说：“我不知道，我不希望邪者受到伤害。我不得不做，心里头想也没想，我就站在你们中间。”顿了顿之后，她又说，“下次还有需要，我还会再做。”
Gendibal said, "Novi, you will sleep now. You will think of nothing. You will rest and you will not even dream."
坚迪柏说：“诺微，你现在要睡着了。你什么也不会想，你会好好休息，连梦都不会做。”
Novi mumbled for a moment. Her eyes closed and her head fell back against the headrest of her chair.
诺微含糊地说了几句话，然后就闭上眼睛，将头仰靠在椅背上。
Gendibal waited a moment, then said, "First Speaker, with respect, follow me into this woman°Øs mind. You will find it remarkably simple and symmetrical, which is fortunate, for what you will see might not have been visible otherwise. --Here--here! Do you observe? --If the rest of you will enter--it will be easier if it is done one at a time."
坚迪柏等了一会儿，然后才说：“第一发言者，恭请您跟我一起进入这名女子的心灵。您将发现它极为单纯匀称，这是千载难逢的机会，因为您将目睹的现象，也许永远无法在别处见到。这里，还有这里！您观察到了吗？如果其他诸位也有兴趣，一个一个进来会比较容易些。”
There was a rising buzz about the Table.
会场中不久便响起一片嘁嘁喳喳。
Gendibal said, "Is there any doubt among you?"
坚迪柏问道：“各位还有任何疑问吗？”
Delarmi said, "Idoubt it, for……" She paused on the brink of what was--even for her--unsayable.
德拉米说：“我怀疑，因为……”她突然打住，因为她看到了连她也无法形容的现象。
Gendibal said it for her. "You think I deliberately tampered with this mind in order to present false evidence? You think, therefore, that I am capable of bringing about so delicate an adjustment--one mental fiber clearly out of shape with nothing about it or its surroundings that is in the least disturbed? If I could do that, what need would I have to deal with any of you in this manner? Why subject myself to the indignity of a trial? Why labor to convince you? If I could do what is visible in this woman°Øs mind, you would all be helpless before me unless you were well prepared. --the blunt fact is that none of you could manipulate a mind as this woman°Øs has been manipulated. Neither can I. Yet it has been done."
坚迪柏替她把那句话说下去：“你认为我为了作伪证，事先重塑过这个心灵？所以说，你认为我有本事进行如此精细的微调——让一条精神纤维显著地变形，但周围的结构完全不受任何影响？我如果能这么做，又何必用这种方式和你们周旋？何必让我自己遭到受审的耻辱？何必苦口婆心地想说服你们？如果这名女子的心灵真是我的杰作，那么除非你们有万全准备，否则全都不是我的对手。事实则是，这名女子的心灵所受到的调整，是你们谁也做不到的，而我自己也一样，但这种事又确实发生了。”
He paused, looking at all the Speakers in turn, then fixing his gaze on Delarmi. He spoke slowly. "Now, if anything more is required, I will call in the Hamish farmer, Karoll Rufirant, whom I have examined and whose mind has also been tampered with in this manner."
他顿了顿，轮流瞪视每一位发言者，最后将目光停驻在德拉米脸上。然后，他缓缓说道：“现在，如果还有任何需要，我立刻就传唤那名阿姆农夫卡洛耳·鲁菲南。我曾经检查过他，他的心灵被相同的手法调整过。”
"That will not be necessary," said the First Speaker, who was wearing an appalled expression. "What we have seen is mindshaking."
“没有这个必要了，”第一发言者露出惊骇的表情，“我们刚才看到的，实在是震撼人心的景象。”
"In that case," said Gendibal, "may I rouse this Hamishwoman and dismiss her? I have arranged for there to be those outside who will see to her recovery."
“既然如此，”坚迪柏说，“我可否唤醒这名阿姆女子，然后请她退席？我已经安排好了，外面会有人照顾她。”
When Novi had left, directed by Gendibal°Øs gentle hold on her elbow, be said, "Let me quickly summarize. Minds can be--and have been altered in ways that are beyond our power. In this way, the curators themselves could have been influenced to remove Earth material from the Library--without our knowledge or their own. We see how it was arranged that I should be delayed in arriving at a meeting of the Table. I was threatened; I was rescued. The result was that I was impeached. The result of this apparently natural concatenation of events is that I may be removed from a position of power--and the course of action which I champion and which threatens these people, whoever they are, may be negated."
坚迪柏轻轻扶着诺微，将她送出会议厅，然后继续进行陈述。他说：“让我很快作个总结。由此可知，心灵能够被如此改造，这种手法是我们望尘莫及的。通过这种方式，就能让图书馆员将地球的资料偷走，他们自己浑然不觉，而我们也一样。我们也已经知道，对方是如何精心安排，令我无法准时出席圆桌会议。我受到生命威胁，然后有人救我脱险，最后的结果是我遭到纠举。这一连串看似顺理成章的事件，最后导致我因此丧失决策权，而我所主张的行动方针，那些会威胁到对方的主张，从此就会胎死腹中。”
Delarmi leaned forward. She was clearly shaken. "If this secret organization is so clever, how were you able to discover all this?"
德拉米上身前倾，她显然也受到震撼。“如果那个秘密组织真那么高明，你又如何能发现这一切？”
Gendibal felt free to smile, now. "No credit to me," he said. "I lay no claim to expertise superior to that of other Speakers; certainly not to the First Speaker. However, neither are these Anti-Mules--as the First Speaker has rather engagingly called them--infinitely wise or infinitely immune to circumstance. Perhaps they chose this particular Hamishwoman as their instrument precisely because she needed very little adjustment. She was, of her own character, sympathetic to what she calls °Æscholars,°Ø and admired them intensely.
坚迪柏现在有心情笑了。“我没有什么功劳。”他说，“我不敢自夸本事比其他发言者高强，至少绝对比不上第一发言者。然而，那些反骡——这个相当贴切的称呼，是第一发言者发明的——也并非智商无限高或缺点等于零。他们会选取这名阿姆女子当工具，也许正是因为她只需要极小的微调。她原本就不排斥她所谓的‘学者’，而且还对他们万分崇拜。
"But then, once this was over, her momentary contact with me strengthened her fantasy of becoming a °Æscholar°Ø herself. She came to me the next day with that purpose in mind. Curious at this peculiar ambition of hers, I studied her mind--which I certainly would not otherwise have done--and, more by accident than anything else, stumbled upon the adjustment and noted its significance. Had another woman been chosen--one with a less natural pro-scholar bias--the Anti-Mules might have had to labor more at the adjustment, but the consequences might well not have followed and I would have remained ignorant of all this. The Anti-Mules miscalculated--or could not sufficiently allow for the unforseen. That they can stumble so is heartening."
“可是，这件事告一段落之后，由于她和我有短暂的接触，更刺激了她希望成为学者的幻想。于是第二天，她怀抱着这个愿望来找我。她的企图心令我好奇，因此我检视了她的心灵。如果不是这个原因，我不可能会那么做。然后，几乎可说是出于偶然，我发现了那个微调痕迹，并意识到它的重要性。如果当初被选上的是另一名女子，是个对学者没有多少好感的人，反骡也许得花较多工夫调整她的心灵，但是这样就不会有接下来的发展，而我也会一直被蒙在鼓里。总之，那些反骡计算错误，或说无法充分考虑未知的一切。他们竟然也会犯错，这令人感到振奋。”
Delarmi said, "The First Speaker and you call this--organization --the °ÆAnti-Mules,°Ø I presume, because they seem to labor to keep tile Galaxy in the ,path of the. Seldon Plan, rather than to disrupt it as the Male himself did. If the Anti-Mules do this, why are they dangerous?"
德拉米说：“第一发言者和你将这个——这个组织称为‘反骡’，我猜，是因为他们似乎在尽力维护谢顿计划，跟骡的所作所为刚好相反。如果反骡真是这样，他们又有什么危险呢？”
"Why should then labor, if not for some purpose? We don°Øt know what that purpose as. A cynic might say that they intend to step in at some future time and thin the current in another direction, one tat mar please them far more than it would please ifs. That is my own feeling, even though I do riot major in cynicism. Is Speaker Delarmi prepared to maintain, out of the love and trust that we all know form so great a part of her character, that these are cosmic altruists, doing our work for us, without dream of reward?"
“如果没有任何目的，他们何必这么辛苦？我们还不知道他们的目的为何——一名犬儒可能会说，他们准备在未来某个时刻介入，将历史趋势扭转到另一个方向，当然是对他们而绝非对我们更有利的方向。这是我个人的想法，虽然我并不精通犬儒主义。我们都知道，德拉米发言者具有博爱与诚信的高贵情操，她是否要推己及人，主张这些人是普渡众生的利他主义者，志愿为我们分担工作，完全不求任何回报？”
There was a gentle susurration of laughter about the Table at this and Gendibal knew that he had won. And Delarmi knew that she had lost, for there was a wash of rage that showed through her harsh mentalic control like a momentary ray of ruddy sunlight through a thick canopy of leaves.
此话一出，会场顿时响起一阵轻笑声，坚迪柏晓得自己已经赢了。与此同时，德拉米也明白她已一败涂地，一股怒意脱出她的严密精神控制，就像是浓密的树荫中，突然射进一道红色的阳光。
Gendibal said, "When I first experienced the incident with the Hamish farmer, I leaped to the conclusion that another Speaker was behind it. When I noted the adjustment of the Hamishwoman°Øs mind, I knew that I was right as to the plot but wrong as to the plotter. I apologize for the misinterpretation and I plead the circumstances as an extenuation."
坚迪柏说：“当那个阿姆农夫找我麻烦的时候，我马上想到是某位发言者在幕后指使。等到我发现那名阿姆女子的心灵受过微调，才知道自己虽然料中阴谋的内容，却猜错了主使者。在此，我要为自己的错误诠释郑重道歉，请求诸位从轻发落。”
The First Speaker said, "I believe this may be construed as an apology"
第一发言者说：“我相信应该可以当作你已经认错……”
Delarmi interrupted. She was quite placid again--her face was friendly, her voice downright saccharine. "With total respect, First Speaker, if I may interrupt-- Let us drop this matter of impeachment. At this moment, I would not vote for conviction and I imagine no one will. I would even suggest the impeachment be stricken from the Speaker°Øs unblemished record. Speaker Gendibal has exonerated himself ably. I congratulate him on that--and for uncovering a crisis that the rest of us might well have allowed to smolder on indefinitely, with incalculable results. I offer the Speakermy wholehearted apologies for my earlier hostility."
德拉米再度插嘴，她又变得相当平静，脸上堆满友善的表情，而且声音极其甜美。“请您务必原谅，第一发言者，但我想打个岔，我主张立刻撤销这项纠举案。事到如今，我不再赞成将坚迪柏发言者定罪，我想其他人也都不会。我还要进一步建议，将这项纠举案，从坚迪柏发言者完美无瑕的记录中删除。他已经用高明的方法证明自己的清白，为此我要恭喜他。此外，我要恭喜他发现了那个危机，否则我们可能永远被蒙在鼓里，因而导致不可预料的后果。我还要为我先前的敌意，向他致上由衷的歉意。”
She virtually beamed at Gendibal, who felt a reluctant admiration for the manner in which she shifted direction instantly in order to cut her losses. He also felt that all this was but preliminary to an attack from a new direction.
她甚至对坚迪柏露出微笑。对于她这种能在瞬间见风转舵以减少损失的本事，坚迪柏也不得不感到佩服。同时他还感到，这只是另一波攻势的准备动作，她随时会从另一个方向再度发动攻击。
He was certain that what was coming would not be pleasant.
他可以确定，接下来绝不会有什么愉快的事。
3
3
When she exerted herself to be charming, Speaker Delora Delarmi had a way of dominating the Speaker°Øs Table. Her voice grew soft, her smile indulgent, her eyes sparkling, all of her sweet. No one cared to interrupt her and everyone waited for the blow to fall.
当黛洛拉·德拉米发言者努力表现迷人的丰采时，她总是有办法主导发言者圆桌会议。此时，她的声音变得轻柔，她的微笑落落大方，她的眼睛闪闪发光，总之她使出浑身解数。因此谁也不想打断她的话，大家都等着看她如何再度出击。
She said, "Thanks to Speaker Gendibal, I think we all now understand what we must do. We do not see the Anti-Mules; we know nothing about them, except for their fugitive touches on the minds of people right here in the stronghold of the Second Foundation itself. We do not know what the power center of the First Foundation is planning. We may face an alliance of the Anti-Mules and the First Foundation. We don°Øt know.
她说：“拜坚迪柏发言者之赐，我想现在大家都了解该怎么做了。我们尚未目睹反骡的真面目，对他们仍旧一无所知，只知道在第二基地的大本营，他们都有办法神出鬼没，接触到许多人的心灵。不晓得第一基地的权力中心如何打算，或许，我们将面对反骡和第一基地组成的同盟。总之，我们什么也不知道。
"We do know that this Golan Trevize and his companion, whose name escapes me at the moment, are going we know not where-- and that the First Speaker and Gendibal feel that Trevize holds the key to the outcome of this great crisis. What, then, are we to do? Clearly we must find out everything we can about Trevize; where he is going, what he is thinking, what his purpose may be; or, indeed, whether he has any destination, any thought, any purpose; whether he might not, in fact, be a mere tool of a force greater than he."
“我们不知道那个葛兰·崔维兹，还有他的同伴，我一时想不起他的名字，两人究竟准备到哪里去。第一发言者和坚迪柏有个预感，当前这个重大危机，关键就掌握在崔维兹手上。那么，我们该做些什么呢？显然，我们应该尽全力查出崔维兹的底细，他准备去哪里，他打什么主意，他可能有什么目的；或者他到底有没有目标，有没有打算，有没有任何目的；他会不会其实只是工具，背后还隐藏着更大的力量。”
Gendibal said, "He is under observation."
坚迪柏答道：“他仍然受到监视。”
Delarmi pursed her lips in an indulgent smile. "By whom? By one of our outworld agents? Are such agents to be expected to stand against those with the powers we have seen demonstrated here? Surely not. In the Mule°Øs time, and later on, too, the Second Foundation did not hesitate to send out--and even to sacrifice--volunteers from among the best we had, since nothing less would do. When it was necessary to restore the Seldon Plan, Preem Palver himself scoured the Galaxy as a Trantorian trader in order to bring back that girl, Arkady. We cannot sit here and wait, now, when the crisis may be greater than in either previous case. We cannot rely on minor functionaries--watchers and messenger boys."
德拉米撅起嘴，做出一个夸张的笑容。“被什么人监视？被我们派驻在外星的特务？我们已经目睹对方在此地展现的力量，还敢指望那些特务能对抗他们吗？当然不能。在骡的时代，以及其后数十年间，第二基地总是派出——甚至牺牲由精英组成的志愿军，从来未曾犹豫，因为除此之外无计可施。为了挽救谢顿计划，普芮姆·帕佛本人假扮成一位川陀行商，亲自在银河中东奔西跑，目的就是要带回那个小女孩艾卡蒂。当前这个危机，可能比上述两者更为严重，我们不能在这里坐以待毙，也不能依赖那些低层人员，那些负责跟监和送信的。”
Gendibal said, "Surely you are not suggesting that the First Speaker leave Trantor at this time?"
坚迪柏说：“你绝不是想建议，让第一发言者此时离开川陀吧？”
Delarmi said, "Certainly not. We need him badly here. On the other hand, there is you, Speaker Gendibal. It is you who have correctly sensed and weighed the crisis. It is you who detected the subtle outside interference with the Library and with Hamish minds. It is you who have maintained your views against the united opposition of the Table--and won. No one here has seen as clearly as you have and no one can be trusted, as you can, to continue to see clearly. It isyou who must, in my opinion, go out to confront the enemy. May I have the sense of the Table?"
德拉米答道：“当然不是，这里实在太需要他坐镇了。另一方面，我们还有你，坚迪柏发言者。这次的危机是你发觉的；是你查到有神秘的外力控制了图书馆，以及阿姆人的心灵；是你坚持自己的观点，最后说服了整个圆桌会议。在座没有一位比你更了解目前的状况，今后除了你，也没有谁能洞悉得如此透彻。所以我认为，你责无旁贷，必须到第一线去面对敌人。我可否知道其他人的意见？”
There was no formal vote needed to reveal that sense. Each Speaker felt the minds of the others and it was clear to a suddenly appalled Gendibal that, at the moment of his victory and Delarmi°Øs defeat, this formidable woman was managing to send him irrevocably into exile on a task that might occupy him for some indefinite period, while she remained behind to control the Table and, therefore, the Second Foundation and, therefore, the Galaxy--sending all alike, perhaps, to their doom.
这点根本不需要正式表决，每一位发言者都能感知其他人的心灵。坚迪柏突然震惊不已，在他已经赢得胜利，而德拉米遭到惨败的情况下，这个可怕的女人又在瞬间扭转乾坤，让他无法推卸这个形同放逐的任务。从此，他不知道要在太空中奔波多久，而她则能继续在幕后控制圆桌会议，也就等于控制第二基地，甚至整个银河，迫使所有的人面对危险的命运。
And if Gendibal-in-exile should, somehow, manage to gather the information that would enable the Second Foundation to avert the gathering crisis, it would be Delarmi who would have the credit for having arranged it, andhis success would but confirmher power. The quicker Gendibal would be, the more efficiently he succeeded, the more surely he would confirm her power.
而坚迪柏在流放期间，纵然真能搜集到重要情报，帮助第二基地躲过迫近的危机，功劳也将归于德拉米，因为这都是她安排的。换句话说，他的成功将有助于巩固她的权力。坚迪柏做得愈有效率，愈快获得成功，就愈有可能帮助她巩固权力。
It was a beautiful maneuver, an unbelievable recovery.
这个反败为胜的行动，实在太精彩又太不可思议了。
And so clearly was she dominating the Table even now that she was virtually usurping the First Speaker°Øs role. Gendibal°Øs thought to that effect was overtaken by the rage he sensed from the First Speaker.
即使是现在，她也已经明显地控制圆桌会议，僭取了第一发言者的地位。坚迪柏刚想到这一点，就感受到第一发言者投射出的怒火。
He turned. The First Speaker was making no effort to hide his anger--and it soon was clear that another internal crisis was building to replace the one that had been resolved.
坚迪柏转过身去，看到第一发言者毫不掩饰自己的愤怒。目前的态势十分明显，一个外在危机方才解决，另一个内部危机已经开始酝酿。
4
4
Quindor Shandess, the twenty-fifth First Speaker, had no extraordinary illusions about himself.
昆多·桑帝斯，第二十五代“第一发言者”，对自己从未有过特别的幻想。
He knew he was not one of those few dynamic First Speakers who had illuminated the five-century-long history of the Second Foundation--but then, he didn°Øt have to be. He controlled the Table in a quiet period of Galactic prosperity and it was not a time for dynamism. It had seemed to be a time to play a holding game and he had been the man for this role. His predecessor had chosen him for that reason.
过去五个世纪的漫长岁月中，第二基地的确出过几位强有力的第一发言者，但桑帝斯了解自己并非这样的人。可是，他也根本不必那样雄才大略。在他主掌圆桌会议这段时期，银河正处于繁荣的太平岁月，纵有雄才大略也无用武之地。这似乎是个适宜守成不变的时代，而他就是扮演这个角色的适当人选。上一代第一发言者选他当继承人，正是由于这个缘故。
"You are not an adventurer, you are a scholar," the twenty-fourth First Speaker had said. "You will preserve the Plan, where an adventurer might ruin it. Preserve! Let that be the key word for your Table."
“你是一名学者，并不是冒险家。”第二十四代第一发言者曾经这么说，“你会维护谢顿计划，而冒险家却可能毁掉它。维护！你主持的圆桌会议要彻底奉行这两个字。”
He had tried, but it had meant a passive First Speakership and this had been, on occasion, interpreted as weakness. There had been recurrent rumors that he meant to resign and there had been open intrigue to assure the succession in one direction or another.
他一直如此努力，却因而形成消极被动的领导作风，时常被人解释成软弱无能。他想要退位的传闻从未间断过，也始终有些发言者在公开规划继任人选。
There was no doubt in Shandess°Øs mind that Delarmi had been a leader in the fight. She was the strongest personality at the Table and even Gendibal, with all the fire and folly of youth, retreated before her, as he was doing right now.
桑帝斯心知肚明，德拉米是这场权力斗争的领导者。在圆桌会议的成员中，她的作风最强悍，就连血气方刚的初生之犊坚迪柏，也会避免与她正面交锋，他现在的表现就是最好的例子。
But, by Seldon, passive he might be, or even weak, but there was one prerogative of the First Speaker that not one in the line had ever given up, and neither would he do so.
谢顿在上，自己也许消极被动，甚至软弱无能，但至少有一项特权，历代第一发言者从未放弃，他也绝对要坚持到底。
He rose to speak and at once there was a hush about the Table. °ÆWhen the First Speaker rose to speak, there could be no interruptions. Even Delarmi or Gendibal would not dare to interrupt.
他起立准备发言，会场顿时鸦雀无声。当第一发言者起立发言时，任何人都不准打岔，即使德拉米或坚迪柏也不敢造次。
He said, "Speakers! I agree that we face a dangerous crisis and that we must take strong measures. It is I who should go out to meet the enemy. Speaker Delarmi, with the gentleness that characterizes her, excuses me from the task by stating that I am needed here. The truth, however, is that I am needed neither here nor there. I grow old; I grow weary. There has long been expectation I would someday resign and perhaps I ought to. When this crisis is successfully surmounted, Ishall resign.
他说：“诸位发言者！我同意我们面临一个严重的危机，必须采取强有力的因应措施。本来应该由我出马与敌人交锋，不过宅心仁厚的德拉米发言者，却说需要我留下来坐镇，替我免除了这项艰难的任务。然而，事实上，不论是大本营或最前线，我都无法派上用场。我年事已高，已经力不从心。长久以来，一直有人期望我尽早退位，也许我该这么做了。当这次的危机圆满解决之后，我会立刻退位。
"But, of course, it is the privilege of the First Speaker to choose his successor. I am going to do so now. There is one Speaker who has long dominated the proceedings of the Table; one Speaker who, by force of personality, has often supplied the leadership that I could not. You all know I am speaking of Speaker Delarmi."
“可是，选择继任者当然是第一发言者的特权，我现在就打算这么做。过去许多年来，有一位发言者长期主导圆桌会议的议程，这位发言者具有强势性格，经常表现出我所欠缺的领导能力。诸位应该都知道，我是在说德拉米发言者。”
He paused, then said, "You alone, Speaker Gendibal, are registering disapproval. May I ask why?" He sat down, so that Gendibal might have the right to answer.
他顿了顿，接着又说：“唯独你不表赞同，坚迪柏发言者。我能否请问为什么？”他坐了下来，让坚迪柏有资格开始发言。
"I do not disapprove, First Speaker," said Gendibal in a low voice. "It is your prerogative to choose your successor."
“第一发言者，我没有不赞同。”坚迪柏低声回答，“选择继任人选是您至高无上的权利。”
"And so I will. °ÆWhen you return--having succeeded in initiating the process that will put an end to this crisis--it will be time for my resignation. My successor will then be directly in charge of conducting whatever policies may be required to carry on and complete that process. --Do you have anything to say, Speaker Gendibal?"
“我会这么做的。当你自太空归来，为消弭当前危机跨出成功的第一步之后，就是我退位的时候。我的继任者将完全接掌指挥权，继续一切必要的行动，以便圆满解决这个危机。你有什么话要说吗，坚迪柏发言者？”
Gendibal said quietly, "When you make Speaker Delarmi your successor, First Speaker, I hope you will see fit to advise her to……"
坚迪柏平静地说：“当您指定德拉米发言者作为继任者时，第一发言者，我希望您务必劝戒她……”
The First Speaker interrupted him roughly. "I have spoken of Speaker Delarmi, but I have not named her as my successor. Now what do you have to say?"
第一发言者很不客气地打断坚迪柏。“我只是提到德拉米发言者，并没有指定她做我的继任者。你还有什么话要说？”
"My apologies, First Speaker. I should have said,assuming you make Speaker Delarmi your successor upon my return from this mission, would you see fit to advise her to……"
“我向您致歉，第一发言者。我应该说：在我完成任务归来之际，假设您指定德拉米发言者作为继任者，可否请您务必劝戒她……”
"Nor will I make her my successor in the future, under any conditions.Now what do you have to say?" The First Speaker was unable to make this announcement without a stab of satisfaction at the blow he was delivering to Delarmi. He could not have done it in a more humiliating fashion.
“将来我也不会让她做我的继任者，绝不会有例外。现在你还有什么话要说？”第一发言者作出这项声明的时候，心中不禁产生一阵快感。这无异向德拉米迎面狠狠击出一拳，他再也想不到更能羞辱她的办法了。
"Well, Speaker Gendibal," he said, "what do you have to say?"
“嗯，坚迪柏发言者，”他又问，“你还有什么话要说？”
"That I am confused."
“只能说我给搞糊涂了。”
The First Speaker rose again. He said, "Speaker Delarmi has dominated and led, but that is not all that is needed for the post of First Speaker. Speaker Gendibal has seen what we have not seen. He has faced the united hostility of the Table, and forced it to rethink matters, and has dragged it into agreement with him. I have my suspicions as to the motivation of Speaker Delarmi in placing the responsibility of the pursuit of Golan Trevize on the shoulders of Speaker Gendibal, but that is where the burden belongs. Iknow he will succeed--I trust my intuition in this--and when he returns, Speaker Gendibal will become the twenty-sixth First Speaker."
第一发言者再度起立，然后说：“德拉米发言者的确具有领导统御的天分，可是身为第一发言者，光具有这种特质还不够。坚迪柏发言者能见人所未见；他面对圆桌会议的一致敌意，却能迫使大家重新考虑各项决定，最后说服大家同意他的观点。德拉米发言者把追查葛兰·崔维兹的责任，置于坚迪柏发言者肩上，我虽然怀疑她的动机，不过这个重担的确非他莫属。我知道他会成功，我相信自己的直觉。坚迪柏发言者归来后，将成为第二十六代第一发言者。”
He sat down abruptly and each Speaker began to make clear his opinion in a bedlam of sound, tone, thought, and expression. The First Speaker paid no attention to the cacophony, but stared indifferently before him. Now that it was done, he realized--with some surprise--the great comfort there was in laying down the mantle of responsibility. He should have done it before this--but he couldn°Øt have.
说完他立刻坐下来，其他发言者开始急着表达自己的意见，会场充满了由语音、声调、表情及思想汇成的喧嚣。第一发言者毫不理睬各式各样的噪声，只是茫然瞪视着正前方。他心中很清楚，该做的终于做了，而且还有几分出人意表。能够放下这个重责大任，应该算是人生一大解脱。其实他早该这样做，可是以前没有这个机会。
It was not till now that he had found his obvious successor.
因为直到现在，他才找到一位适当的继任者。
And then, somehow, his mind caught that of Delarmi and he looked up at her.
然后，不知不觉，他突然感应到德拉米的心灵，于是抬头向她望去。
By Seldon! She was calm and smiling. Her desperate disappointment did not show--she had not given up. He wondered if he had played into her hands. °ÆWhat was there left for her to do?
谢顿在上！她竟然出奇地平静，脸上还露出笑容。她并未显露失望或绝望，这代表她还没有认输。他不禁怀疑是否被她玩弄于股掌之上，但她还有什么王牌可出呢？
5
5
Delora Delarmi would freely have shown her desperation and disappointment, if that would have proven of any use whatever.
表现出悲愤与失望若能有什么用，黛洛拉·德拉米会毫不保留地发泄一番。
It would have given her a great deal of satisfaction to strike out at that senile fool who controlled the Table or at that juvenile idiot with whom Fortune had conspired--but satisfaction wasn°Øt what she wanted. She wanted something more.
那个控制圆桌会议的老笨蛋，还有那个幸运之神宠幸的小白痴，如果能让这两个人吃点苦头，她一定会享受到复仇的快意。但她图的并非一时之快，她还要些更具体的东西。
She wanted to be First Speaker.
她要当上第一发言者。
And while there was a card left to play, she would play it.
哪怕只剩一张牌可出，她也要打下去。
She smiled gently, and managed to lift her hand as though she were about to speak, and then held the pose just long enough to insure that when she did speak, all would be not merely normal, but radiantly quiet.
她淡淡一笑，同时举起一只手表示准备发言。她故意让这个姿势维持一阵子，以便当她发言的时候，其他人不但都会住口，而且会保持绝对肃静。
She said, "First Speaker, as Speaker Gendibal said earlier, I do not disapprove. It is your prerogative to choose your successor. If I speak now, it is in order that I may contribute--I hope--to the success of what has now become Speaker Gendibal°Øs mission. May I explain my thoughts, First Speaker?"
她说：“第一发言者，正如坚迪柏发言者刚才讲的，我绝不反对您的决定。选择继任人选是您至高无上的权利。我现在发言，是想对那项如今已成为坚迪柏发言者的任务，提供一点浅见，希望能有所贡献。我可否解释自己的想法，第一发言者？”
"Do so," said the First Speaker curtly. She was entirely too smooth, too pliant, it seemed to him.
“说吧。”第一发言者随口答道。他感到她未免太客气、太温顺了。
Delarmi bent her head gravely. She no longer smiled. She said, "We have ships. They are not as technologically magnificent as those of the First Foundation, but they will carry Speaker Gendibal He knows how to pilot one, I believe, as do we all. We have our representatives on every major planet in the Galaxy, and he will be welcomed everywhere. Moreover, he can defend himself against even these Anti-Mules, now that he is thoroughly aware of the danger. Even when we were unaware, I suspect they have preferred to work through the lower classes and even the Hamish farmers. We will, of course, thoroughly inspect the minds of all the Second Foundationers, including the Speakers, but I am sure they have remained inviolate. The Anti-Mules did not dare interfere with us.
德拉米严肃地低下头来，脸上的笑容也消失了。她说：“我们也有太空船，虽然不像第一基地的那样先进，仍然可供坚迪柏发言者使用。我相信他和大家一样，懂得如何驾驶太空船。银河中每一颗重要的行星上，都驻有我们的人，不论他到哪里，都会有人负责接待。此外，既然他完全洞悉目前的危险，就连那些反骡也无法再加害他。纵使我们懵懂未觉，我猜他们仍然只会选择低层人员下手，甚至利用阿姆农民。当然，我们将对第二基地所有的心灵，作一次彻底的检查——包括每一位发言者在内，虽然我确定我们都安然无事，因为反骡不敢在我们身上妄动手脚。
"Nevertheless, there is no reason why Speaker Gendibal should risk more than he must. He is not intending to engage in derring-do and it will be best if his mission is to some extent disguised--if he takesthem unaware. It will be useful if he goes in the role of a Hamish trader. Preem Palver, we all know, went off into the Galaxy as a supposed trader."
“不过，坚迪柏发言者没有理由无谓冒险。他并不打算做冲锋敢死队，因此在执行任务的时候，最好能做某种程度的伪装，以免让对方发现。他若能以阿姆行商的身份出发，将对这项任务有很大的助益。我们都知道，当年普芮姆·帕佛闯荡银河时，便是假扮成一名行商。”
The First Speaker said, "Preem Palver had a specific purpose in doing so; Speaker Gendibal has not. If it appears a disguise of some sort is necessary, I am sure he will be ingenious enough to adopt one."
第一发言者说：“普芮姆·帕佛那样做，是因为有特殊的目的，坚迪柏发言者却没有这个需要。如果真有必要采取某种伪装，我相信聪明的他一定乐于采用。”
"With respect, First Speaker, I wish to point out a subtle disguise. Preem Palver, you will remember, took with him his wife and companion of many years. Nothing so thoroughly established the rustic nature of his character as the fact that he was traveling with his wife. It allayed all suspicion."
“对不起，第一发言者，我想提出一个巧妙的伪装。相信诸位都还记得，普芮姆·帕佛的妻子当年总是和他一同旅行。这样子最能彻底表现乡下人的气息，谁都不容易起疑。”
Gendibal said, "I have no wife. I have had companions, but none who would now volunteer to assume the marital role."
坚迪柏说：“我没有妻子，虽然曾经有几位女伴，可是如今，她们都不会愿意假扮我的配偶。”
"This is well known, Speaker Gendibal," said Delarmi, "but then people will take the role for granted ifany woman is with you. Surely some volunteer can be found. And if you feel the need to be able to present documentary evidence, that can be provided. I think a woman should come with you."
“这点我们都晓得，坚迪柏发言者。”德拉米说，“可是只要有个女人在你身边，别人就会理所当然将你们视为夫妻。志愿者一定找得到，如果你认为需要携带书面证明，我们也能为你准备。总之，我认为应该有个女人与你同行。”
For a moment, Gendibal was breathless. Surely she did not mean--
一时之间，坚迪柏几乎喘不过气来。她总不至于是指……
Could it be a ploy to achieve a share in the success? Could she be playing for a joint--or rotating--occupation of the First Speakership?
这是分享功劳的一种计谋吗？她是否在争取联合领导权，或是两人轮流职掌第一发言权？
Gendibal said grimly, "I am flattered that Speaker Delarmi should feel that she……"
坚迪柏绷着脸说：“我受宠若惊，德拉米发言者竟然想自己……”
And Delarmi broke into an open laugh and looked at Gendibal with what was almost true affection. He had fallen into the trap and looked foolish for having done so. The Table would not forget that.
德拉米突然张口大笑，同时双眼直视坚迪柏，露出近乎真挚的眼神。坚迪柏知道又掉进了陷阱，他的表现愚蠢之至，在座众人绝不会忘记这一幕。
She said, "Speaker Gendibal, I would not have the impertinence to attempt to share in this task. it is yours and yours alone, as the post of First Speaker will be yours and yours alone. I would not have thought you wanted me with you. Really, Speaker, at my age, I no longer think of myself as a charmer……"
她说：“坚迪柏发言者，我不会莽撞到想要陪你出这趟任务。这件任务是你的，也只能属于你；正如第一发言者的职位将是你的，也只能属于你。我没想到你会要我跟你作伴，说真的，发言者，我年纪不小了，早就不认为自己是个美娇娃……”
There were smiles around the Table and even the First Speaker tried to hide one.
其他发言者全部露出笑容，就连第一发言者都忍俊不禁。
Gendibal felt the stroke and labored not to compound the loss by failing to match her lightness. It was labor lost.
坚迪柏承受了一记重击，为了避免输得更惨，他也学着她故作轻松状。这是知其不可为而为之。
He said, as unsavagely as he could, "Then what is it you would suggest? It was not in my thoughts, I assure you, that you would wish to accompany me. You are at your best at the Table and not in the hurly-burly of Galactic affairs, I know."
他尽可能用温和的口气说：“那么你的建议到底是什么？我可以向你保证，我从未想到你会希望和我作伴。你擅长的是主导圆桌会议，而不是处理纷乱的银河事务，这点我很明白。”
"I agree, Speaker Gendibal, I agree," said Delarmi. "My suggestion, however, refers back to your role as Hamish trader. To make it indisputably authentic, what better companion need you ask but a Hamishwoman?"
“我同意，坚迪柏发言者，我同意你的说法。”德拉米道，“然而我的建议，跟我刚才提到你该扮成阿姆行商有关。想要百分之百掩人耳目，除了一个阿姆女子，还有什么更适当的旅伴人选？”
"A Hamishwoman?" For a second time in rapid succession, Gendibal was caught by surprise and the Table enjoyed it.
“一个阿姆女子？”在极短时间内，坚迪柏连续两次惊慌失措，其他发言者都当成笑话看。
"TheHamishwoman," Delarmi went on. "The one who saved you from a beating. The one who gazes at you worshipfully. The one whose mind you probed and who then, quite unwittingly, saved you a second time from considerably more than a beating. I suggest you take her."
“就是那个阿姆女子。”德拉米继续说，“就是那个救过你一次，使你免遭一顿毒打的女人，也就是那个用崇拜的目光瞪着你的女人。你曾经探查过她的心灵，而她因此不知不觉再次助你脱险，而且是比毒打严重无数倍的危险。我建议你带她一起走。”
Gendibal°Øs impulse was to refuse, but he knew that she expected that. It would mean more enjoyment for the Table. It was clear now that the First Speaker, anxious to strike out at Delarmi, had made a mistake by naming Gendibal his successor--or, at the very least, that Delarmi had quickly converted it into one.
坚迪柏的直觉反应当然是拒绝，但他知道她期待的正是这个答案，这就会让其他人看更多的笑话。现在的态势已经很明朗，第一发言者急于打击德拉米，因而迫不及待地任命坚迪柏为继任者，即使这样做本身并没有错，德拉米却一下子使它变成致命的错误。
Gendibal was the youngest of the Speakers. He had angered the Table and had then avoided conviction by them. In a very real way, he had humiliated them. None could see him as the heir apparent without resentment.
坚迪柏是最年轻的发言者，他曾经得罪圆桌会议全体成员，却又摆脱了制裁。他这么做，等于将他们羞辱了一番。见到他成为第一发言者的预定人选，谁也咽不下这口气。
That would have been hard enough to overcome, but now they would remember how easily Delarmi had twitched him into ridicule and how much they had enjoyed it. She would use that to convince them, all too easily, that he lacked the age and experience for the role of First Speaker. Their united pressure would force the First Speaker into changing his decision while Gendibal was off on his mission. Or, if the First Speaker held fast, Gendibal would eventually find himself with an office that would be forever helpless in the face of united opposition.
本来，想再击败他是很困难的事，但现在他们都会记住，德拉米是多么容易就使他出丑，他们在一旁又看得多么开心。今后，她能轻易用这件事实说服众人，说他既不够成熟又缺乏经验，不配担任第一发言者。当坚迪柏在外执行任务时，他们会联合起来向第一发言者施压，强迫他改变决定。纵使第一发言者坚持初衷，坚迪柏当上第一发言者之后，也将面对一个众叛亲离的圆桌会议，永远不会有任何作为。
He saw it all in an instant and was able to answer as though with out hesitation.--
一瞬之间，他预见了一切可能的发展，因此他的回答仿佛没有丝毫迟疑。
He said, "Speaker Delarmi, I admire your insight. I had thought to surprise you all. It was indeed my intention to take the Hamishwoman, though not quite for the very good reason you suggest. It was for her mind that I wished to take her with me. You have all examined that mind. You saw it for what it was: surprisingly intelligent but, more than that, clear, simple, utterly without guile. No touch upon it by others would go unnoticed, as I°Øm sure you all concluded.
他说：“德拉米发言者，我很钦佩你的洞察力，本来我是想给诸位一个惊奇的。其实，我的确打算带那个阿姆女子同行，但并非完全基于你提出的那个好理由。我想带她一起去，是因为她具有与众不同的心灵。诸位都检查过那个心灵，亲眼目睹了它的结构：难以想象的聪慧，但更重要的是澄澈、单纯，全然没有任何心机。外力一旦碰触到它，一定不会毫无痕迹，我确信诸位都会作出这个结论。
"I wonder if it occurred to you, then, Speaker Delarmi, that she would serve as an excellent early-warning system. I would detect the first symptomatic presence of mentalism by way of her mind, earlier, I think, than by way of mine."
“因此，德拉米发言者，不知道你是否想到过，她可以扮演绝佳的预警系统。我可以通过她的心灵，侦测出异类精神力场出现的征候，我相信，她会比我更早发现敌踪。”
There was a kind of astonished silence at that, and he said, lightly. "Ah, none of you saw that. Well well, not important! And I will take my leave now. There°Øs no time to lose."
会场顿时呈现诡异的宁静，坚迪柏便以轻松的口吻说：“啊，你们全都没有想到。没关系，没关系，这并不重要！现在我要告辞了，我们不能浪费任何时间。”
"Wait," said Delarmi, her initiative lost a third time. "What do you intend to do?"
“慢着。”德拉米第三度由主动转为被动，问道，“你打算如何进行？”
Gendibal said with a small shrug. "Why go into details? The less the Table knows, the less the Anti-Mules are likely to attempt to disturb it."
坚迪柏微微耸了耸肩，然后说：“何必在此讨论细节呢？圆桌会议知道得愈少，反骡愈不会想侵犯诸位的心灵。”
He said it as though the safety of the Table was his prime concern. He filled his mind with that, and let it show.
他这样说，听来像是将圆桌会议的安全摆在第一位。他也使心灵中充斥着这种想法，并且让它显露出来。
It would flatter them. More than that, the satisfaction it would bring might keep them from wondering whether, in fact, Gendibal knew exactly what it was he intended to do.
这番话让他们十分受用。而他们一旦感到满意，或许就不会怀疑坚迪柏是否真的知道该怎么做。
6
6
The First Speaker spoke to Gendibal alone that evening.
当天傍晚，第一发言者与坚迪柏作了一次晤谈。
"You were right," he said. "I could not help brushing below the surface of your mind. I saw you considered the announcement a mistake and it was. It was my eagerness to wipe that eternal smile off her face and to strike back at the casual way in which she so frequently usurps my role."
“你的想法没有错。”他说，“我忍不住扫过你的心灵表层之下，知道了你认为我不该宣布那件事，这点我不否认。她经常不露痕迹地僭取我的地位，因此我想用同样的手法还击；我操之过急，想尽早将无止无休的笑容从她脸上抹去。”
Gendibal said gently, "It might have been better if you had told me privately and had then waited for my return to go further."
坚迪柏柔声说：“或许您应该先私下知会我，等我回来之后再正式宣布。”
"That would not have allowed me to strike out at her. --Poor motivation for a First Speaker, I know."
“那样，我就无法给她来个迎头痛击。这只是第一发言者的一个可怜心愿，我自己也了解。”
"This won°Øt stop her, First Speaker. She will still intrigue for the post and perhaps with good reason. I°Øm sure there are some who would argue that I should have refused your nomination. It would not be hard to argue that Speaker Delarmi has the best mind at the Table and would make the best First Speaker."
“这样做并不能让她死心，第一发言者。她仍旧会设法谋取这个位置，也许还会更加名正言顺。我确定有几位发言者，将公开表示我该婉拒这项任命。他们不难提出许多理由，辩称德拉米发言者是圆桌会议上的佼佼者，能够成为最佳的第一发言者。”
"The best mindat the Table, not away from it," grumbled Shandess. "She recognizes no real enemies, except for other Speakers. She ought never to have been made a Speaker in the first place. --See here, shall I forbid you to take the Hamishwoman? She maneuvered you into that, I know."
“她是圆桌会议上的佼佼者，离开会场就不是了。”桑帝斯埋怨道，“她看不见真正的敌人，她眼中的敌人只有其他的发言者。当初，根本不该让她成为发言者。听我说，要不要我下一道命令，禁止你带那个阿姆女子同行？我看得出来，德拉米让你没有选择的余地。”
"No no, the reason I advanced for taking her is a true one. Shewill be an early-warning system and I am grateful to Speaker Delarmi for pushing me into realizing that. The woman will prove very useful, I°Øm convinced."
“不必，真的不必。我提出的那个理由，并不是我信口胡诌的，她真的可以当我的预警系统。如果不是德拉米发言者那样逼我，我还想不到这一点，所以我真该感谢她呢。我深信，那女子会派上非常大的用场。”
"Good, then. By the way, I wasn°Øt lying, either. I am truly certain that you will accomplish whatever is needed to end this crisis--if you can trust my intuition."
“那就好。对了，我也没有撒谎，我真的相信你总会有办法解除这个危机——只要你肯相信我的直觉。”
"I think I can trust it, for I agree with you. I promise you that whatever happens, I will return better than I receive. I will come back to be First Speaker, whatever the Anti-Mules--or Speaker Delarmi--can do."
“我想我会相信的，因为我也同意您的看法。我向您保证，不论发生什么事，我都不会让您失望。无论反骡或德拉米发言者搞什么鬼，我都会回来接任第一发言者的职位。”
Gendibal studied his own satisfaction even as he spoke. Why was he so pleased, so insistent, on this one-ship venture into space? Ambition, of course. Preem Palver had once done just this sort of thing--and he was going to show that Stor Gendibal could do it, too. No one could withhold the First Speakership from him after that. And yet was there more than ambition? The lure of combat? The generalized desire for excitement in one who had been confined to a hidden patch on a backward planet all his adult life? --He didn°Øt entirely know, but he knew he was desperately intent on going.
说这番话的同时，坚迪柏也在检视自己的心灵。对于这次单枪匹马的太空冒险，自己为何那么兴奋，那么急切？当然是因为他怀抱着雄心壮志。普芮姆·帕佛曾经有过类似的行动，所以他要证明史陀·坚迪柏也办得到。等到他凯旋归来，就再也没有人能阻止他就任第一发言者。然而除了雄心，是否还有其他原因？实战的诱惑？还是由于自己成年后，一直锁在这个落后行星的隐匿角落，因而想要寻求一点刺激？他不尽然了解自己的心态，但他知道自己实在太想去了。