Part One - Gaia
第一部 盖娅
1 The Search Begins
1 寻找开始
"Why did I do it?" asked Golan Trevize.
“我为什么这样做？”葛兰·崔维兹喃喃自问。
It wasn't a new question. Since he had arrived at Gaia, he had askedit of himself frequently. He would wake up from a sound sleep in thepleasant coolness of the night and find the question sounding noiselesslyin his mind, like a tiny drumbeat: Why did I do it? Why did I do it?
这是个老问题了，自从来到盖娅后，他就时常这样问自己。在凉爽的夜晚，他有时会从甜美的睡梦中惊醒，感到这个问题像个小鼓似的，在他心中无声地敲着：我为什么这样做？我为什么这样做？
Now, though, for the first time, he managed to ask it of Dom, theancient of Gaia.
不过直到现在，他才终于下定决心来问杜姆——盖娅上的一位老者。
Dom was well aware of Trevize's tension for he could sense the fabricof the Councilman's mind. He did not respond to it. Gaia must in no wayever touch Trevize's mind, and the best way of remaining immune to thetemptation was to painstakingly ignore what he sensed.
杜姆很清楚崔维兹的焦虑，因为他能感知这位议员的心灵结构。但他未曾作出任何回应，因为盖娅绝对不能触碰崔维兹的心灵，而抵抗这个诱惑最好的办法，就是狠下心来漠视自己所感知的一切。
"Do what, Trev?" he asked. He found it difficult to use more thanone syllable in addressing a person, and it didn't matter. Trevize wasgrowing somewhat used to that.
“你指的是什么，崔？”杜姆问道。他在交谈时很难不用简称，不过没关系，反正崔维兹也逐渐习惯了。
"The decision I made," said Trevize. "Choosing Gaia as the future."
“我所作的那个决定，”崔维兹答道，“选择盖娅当作未来的蓝图。”
"You were right to do so," said Dom, seated, his aged deep-set eyeslooking earnestly up at the man of the Foundation, who was standing.
“你这么做是正确的。”杜姆坐在那里，一面说一面抬起头来，一双深陷的老眼凝视着这位站在面前的基地客人。
"You say I am right," said Trevize impatiently.
“你是说我做对了？”崔维兹不耐烦地说。
"I/we/Gaia know you are. That's your worth to us. You have the capacityfor making the right decision on incomplete data, and you have made thedecision. You chose Gaia! You rejected the anarchy of a Galactic Empirebuilt on the technology of the First Foundation, as well as the anarchyof a Galactic Empire built on the mentalics of the Second Foundation. Youdecided that neither could be long stable. So you chose Gaia."
“我／们／盖娅知道你不会犯错，这正是我们重视你的原因。你具有一项特殊的本领，能在资料不全的情况下作出正确决定，而你也已经作出决定，选择了盖娅！你否决了植根于第一基地科技的银河帝国，也否决了以第二基地的精神力学所建立的银河帝国，因为两者皆无异于无政府状态，你判断它们无法长治久安，所以你选择了盖娅。”
"Yes," said Trevize. "Exactly! I chose Gaia, a superorganism; a wholeplanet with a mind and personality in common, so that one has to say`I/we/ Gaia' as an invented pronoun to express the inexpressible." Hepaced the floor restlessly. "And it will become eventually Galaxia,a super-superorganism embracing all the swarm of the Milky Way."
“没错，”崔维兹说，“正是如此！我选择了盖娅，一个超级生命体，整个行星共享同一个心灵以及共同的个性，所以必须发明‘我／们／盖娅’这种代名词，来表达一种根本无法表达的概念。”他一面说，一面不停地来回踱步，“而最后它会发展成盖娅星系，一个涵盖整个银河的超特级生命体。”
He stopped, turned almost savagely on Dom, and said, "I feel I'm right,as you feel it, but you want the coming of Galaxia, and soare satisfied with the decision. There's something in me, however, thatdoesn't want it, and for that reason I'm not satisfied toaccept the rightness so easily. I want to know why I madethe decision, I want to weigh and judge the rightness and be satisfiedwith it. Merely feeling right isn't enough. How can I know I am right? What is the device that makes me right?"
他突然停下脚步，近乎无礼地猛然转向杜姆，继续说道：“我跟你一样，也觉得自己是对的。但你是一心盼望盖娅星系的来临，所以对这个决定十分满意。然而，我并非全心全意欢迎它，因此无法轻易相信这是个正确决定。我想知道自己为何作出这个抉择，想要好好衡量和鉴定一下它的正确性，然后我才会满意。对我而言，光凭感觉认定是不够的。我又怎么知道自己是对的？究竟是什么机制使我作出正确的选择？”
"I/we/Gaia do not know how it is that you come to the rightdecision. Is it important to know that as long as we have thedecision?"
“我／们／盖娅也不了解你是如何作出正确决定的。既然已经有了决定，难道一定要知道原因吗？”
"You speak for the whole planet, do you? For the common consciousnessof every dewdrop, of every pebble, of even the liquid central core ofthe planet?"
“你代表整个行星发言吗？你代表了每一滴露珠、每一颗小石子，甚至这颗行星的液态核心所构成的共同意识？”
"I do, and so can any portion of the planet in which the intensityof the common consciousness is great enough."
“没错。而且不仅是我，在这颗行星上，凡是共同意识够强的部分，都能像我这样做。”
"And is all this common consciousness satisfied to use me as ablack box? Since the black box works, is it unimportant to know what isinside? That doesn't suit me. I don't enjoy being a black box. Iwant to know what's inside. I want to know how and why I chose Gaia andGalaxia as the future, so that I can rest and be at peace."
“那么，是否整个共同意识都乐意把我当黑盒子？只要这个黑盒子能起作用，就不需要再去细究内部？我可不接受这一套，我绝不喜欢当黑盒子。我想知道这里面有何玄机，想知道自己究竟是如何以及为何选择盖娅和盖娅星系当作人类的发展方向，唯有这样我才能心安理得。”
"But why do you dislike or distrust your decision so?"
“可是你为何这么不喜欢，或者说不信赖自己所作的决定呢？”
Trevize drew a deep breath and said slowly, in a low and forcefulvoice, "Because I don't want to be part of a superorganism. I don't wantto be a dispensable part to be done away with whenever the superorganismjudges that doing away would be for the good of the whole."
崔维兹深深吸了一口气，以低沉有力的声音缓缓说道：“因为这个超级生命体为了整体的利益，随时可能将我抛弃，我不想变成这样可有可无的一分子。”
Dom looked at Trevize thoughtfully. "Do you want to change yourdecision, then, Trev? You can, you know."
杜姆若有所思地望着崔维兹。“那么，你想改变自己的决定吗，崔？你知道的，你可以这么做。”
"I long to change the decision, but I can't do that merely because Idislike it. To do something now, I have to know whether thedecision is wrong or right. It's not enough merely to feel it's right."
“我十分希望能改变这个决定，但我不能仅凭个人好恶行事。在有所行动之前，我必须知道这个决定是对是错，单凭感觉判断是不够的。”
"If you feel you are right, you are right." Always that slow, gentlevoice that somehow made Trevize feel wilder by its very contrast withhis own inner turmoil.
“如果你觉得正确，那就错不了。”杜姆缓慢而温和的声音一直没有任何变化，与崔维兹内心的激动恰成强烈对比，令崔维兹更加心乱如麻。
Then Trevize said, in half a whisper, breaking out of the insolubleoscillation between feeling and knowing, "I must find Earth."
在直觉与理智间摆荡多时之后，崔维兹终于挣脱这个无解的困局，以微弱的声音说：“我一定要找到地球。”
"Because it has something to do with this passionate need of yoursto know?"
“因为它和你迫切想要知道的答案有关？”
"Because it is another problem that troubles me unbearably and becauseI feel there is a connection between the two. Am I not ablack box? I feel there is a connection. Isn't that enoughto make you accept it as a fact?"
“因为它是另一个令我寝食难安的问题，而且我觉得两者之间一定有关联。我不是一个黑盒子吗？既然我觉得这两者有关，难道还不足以说服你接受这个事实？”
"Perhaps," said Dom, with equanimity.
“或许吧。”杜姆以平静的口吻说。
"Granted it is now thousands of years twenty thousandperhaps since the people of the Galaxy have concerned themselveswith Earth, how is it possible that we have all forgotten our planetof origin?"
“就算已经有数千年——甚至可能长达两万年——银河中不再有人关心地球，但我们怎么可能完全忘却这颗起源行星呢？”
"Twenty thousand years is a longer time than you realize. Thereare many aspects of the early Empire we know little of; many legendsthat are almost surely fictitious but that we keep repeating, and evenbelieving, because of lack of anything to substitute. And Earth is olderthan the Empire."
“两万年的时间太久了，不是你所能理解的。关于帝国早期，我们所知极其有限，很多几乎可以肯定是虚构的传说，我们却一而再、再而三地传诵，甚至完全采信，因为实在找不到其他资料。而地球的历史要比帝国更为久远。”
"But surely there are some records. My good friend, Pelorat, collectsmyths and legends of early Earth; anything he can scrape up from anysource. It is his profession and, more important, his hobby. Thosemyths and legends are all there are. There are no actual records,no documents."
“可是一定有些记录流传下来。我的好友裴洛拉特专门搜集有关早期地球的神话传说，任何可能的资料来源都不放过。那是他的工作，更是他的兴趣。不过有关地球的资料，却也只有神话和传说流传下来，如今已找不到任何确实的记载或文献。”
"Documents twenty thousand years old? Things decay, perish, aredestroyed through inefficiency or war."
“两万年前的文献？任何东西都会由于保存不当或是战祸，因而腐朽、变坏和损毁。”
"But there should be records of the records; copies, copies of thecopies, and copies of the copies of the copies; useful material muchyounger than twenty millennia. They have been removed. The GalacticLibrary at Trantor must have had documents concerning Earth. Thosedocuments are referred to in known historical records, but the documentsno longer exist in the Galactic Library. The references to them may exist,but any quotations from them do not exist."
“可是总该有些相关的记录，例如副本、副本的誊本、副本的誊本的拷贝，这类资料没有那么陈旧，但一样有用，却也全都被清光了。川陀的银河图书馆理应保有地球的相关文献，事实上，这些文献在其他可考的史料里也曾提及，可是在银河图书馆中却找不到了。提到这些文献的资料也许还在，但所有的引文全部失踪。”
"Remember that Trantor was sacked a few centuries ago,"
“你应该还记得，川陀在几世纪前经历过一次浩劫。”
"The Library was left untouched. It was protected by the personnel ofthe Second Foundation. And it was those personnel who recently discoveredthat material related to Earth no longer exists. The material wasdeliberately removed in recent times. Why?" Trevize ceased his pacingand looked intently at Dom. "If I find Earth, I will find out what itis hiding "
“银河图书馆却安然无恙，第二基地人员将它保护得很好。不久以前，正是第二基地的成员发现地球的相关资料不翼而飞，那些资料是最近才被刻意移走的。为什么呢？”崔维兹停下脚步，目不转睛地瞪着杜姆。“如果我能找到地球，就能找出它在隐藏什么——”
"Hiding?"
“隐藏？”
"Hiding or being hidden. Once I find that out, I have the feeling Iwill know why I have chosen Gaia and Galaxia over our individuality. Then,I presume, I will know , not feel, that I am correct, andif I am correct" he lifted his shoulders hopelessly "thenso be it."
“隐藏也好，被隐藏也罢。我有一种感觉，一旦让我解开这个谜，我就能知道当初为何舍弃个体的独立性，选择盖娅和盖娅星系。届时，我想，我会真正明白自己的抉择为何正确，不再只是感觉而已。而如果我是对的——”他无奈地耸起肩膀，“就让它继续吧。”
"If you feel that is so," said Dom, "and if you feel you must huntfor Earth, then, of course, we will help you do as much as we can. Thathelp, however, is limited. For instance, I/we/Gaia do not know whereEarth may be located among the immense wilderness of worlds that makeup the Galaxy."
“如果你真有这种感觉，”杜姆说，“而且觉得必须寻觅地球，那么，我们当然会尽全力帮助你。不过，我们能提供的协助实在有限。譬如说，我／们／盖娅并不知道，在由数不清的世界所构成的浩渺银河中，地球到底位于哪个角落。”
"Even so," said Trevize, "I must search. Even if the endlesspowdering of stars in the Galaxy makes the quest seem hopeless, and evenif I must do it alone.
“纵使如此，”崔维兹说，“我也一定要去寻找——就算无尽的星辰令我的探寻希望渺茫，就算我必须单枪匹马。”
2
2
Trevize was surrounded by the tameness of Gaia. Thetemperature, as always, was comfortable, and the air moved pleasantly,refreshing but not chilling. Clouds drifted across the sky, interruptingthe sunlight now and then, and, no doubt, if the water vapor level permeter of open land surface dropped sufficiently in this place or that,there would be enough rain to restore it.
崔维兹置身盖娅宜人的环境中。这里的温度总是令人感到舒畅，快活流动的空气清爽而无寒意。天空飘浮着几朵云彩，偶尔会将阳光遮蔽一下。如果户外某处的水汽密度下降太多，立刻会有一场及时雨来适时补充。
The trees grew in regular spacings, like an orchard, and did so, nodoubt, all over the world. The land and sea were stocked with plant andanimal life in proper numbers and in the proper variety to provide anappropriate ecological balance, and all of them, no doubt, increased anddecreased in numbers in a slow sway about the recognized optimum. Asdid the number of human beings, too.
此地树木生长得十分整齐，好像一座果树园，而整个盖娅想必都是如此。无论陆地上或海洋里的动植物，都维持着适当的数量与种类，以保持良好的生态平衡。当然，各类生物的数量只会在“最适度”附近小幅摆荡，甚至人类的繁衍也不例外。
Of all the objects within the purview of Trevize's vision, the onlywild card in the deck was his ship, the Far Star .
崔维兹目力所及，唯一显得与周遭物件无法协调的，就是他那艘名为远星号的太空艇。
The ship had been cleaned and refurbished efficiently and well by anumber of the human components of Gaia. It had been restocked with foodand drink, its furnishings had been renewed or replaced, its mechanicalworkings rechecked. Trevize himself had checked the ship's computercarefully.
盖娅的数名人类成员已将远星号清理得干干净净，并完成了各项保养，工作做得又快又好。太空艇添置了充足的食物与饮料，该换的陈设一律更新，机件的功能也重新检验过，崔维兹还亲自将电脑仔细检查了一遍。
Nor did the ship need refueling, for it was one of the fewgravitic ships of the Foundation, running on the energy of the generalgravitational field of the Galaxy, and that was enough to supply all thepossible fleets of humanity for all the eons of their likely existencewithout measurable decrease of intensity.
这艘太空艇是基地少数几艘重力驱动的航具之一，它从银河各处的重力场抽取能源，因此不必添加任何燃料。银河重力场蕴含的能量简直无穷无尽，即使所有的舰队全靠它驱动，直到人类不再存在的那一天，重力场的强度也几乎不会减少。
Three months ago, Trevize had been a Councilman of Terminus. He had,in other words, been a member of the Legislature of the Foundation and,ex officio , a great one of the Galaxy. Was it only three monthsago? It seemed it was half his thirty-two-year-old lifetime since thathad been his post and his only concern had been whether the great SeldonPlan had been valid or not; whether the smooth rise of the Foundationfrom planetary village to Galactic greatness had been properly chartedin advance, or not.
三个月前，崔维兹还是端点星的议员。换句话说，他曾经是基地立法机构的一员，就职权而论，可算是银河中一位重要人物。这只是三个月前的事吗？他感觉好像是十六年前，也就是他半辈子之前的经历。那时，他唯一关心的就是伟大的“谢顿计划”是否真有其事；是否真有个预先规划好的蓝图，可以让基地从一个星球村，慢慢攀升为银河中最大的势力。
Yet in some ways, there was no change. He was still a Councilman. His status and his privileges remained unchanged, exceptthat he didn't expect he would ever return to Terminus to claim thatstatus and those privileges. He would no more fit into the huge chaosof the Foundation than into the small orderliness of Gaia. He was athome nowhere, an orphan everywhere.
就某些方面而言，变化其实不算大。他仍旧具有议员的身份，原来的地位与特权依然不变。不过他相信，自己绝不会再回到端点星，去重拾往日的地位与特权。虽然他与盖娅的小规模秩序格格不入，但同样无法适应基地庞大的混乱局面。银河虽大，却没有他立足之处，不论走到哪里，他都像个孤儿。
His jaw tightened and he pushed his fingers angrily through his blackhair. Before he wasted time bemoaning his fate, he must find Earth. Ifhe survived the search, there would then be time enough to sit down andweep. He might have even better reason then.
崔维兹紧缩下颚，愤怒地将手指插进一头黑发中。现在不是长吁短叹的时候，当务之急是要找到地球。假如寻找有了结果之后，自己尚能全身而退，还有的是时间坐下来慢慢哭泣。或许，那时会有更好的理由这样做。
With determined stolidity, then, he thought back Three months before, he and Janov Pelorat, that able, naīvescholar, had left Terminus. Pelorat had been driven by his antiquarianenthusiasms to discover the site of long-lost Earth, and Trevize had gonealong, using Pelorat's goal as a cover for what he thought his own realaim was. They did not find Earth, but they did find Gaia, and Trevizehad then found himself forced to make his fateful decision.
毅然硬起了心肠后，他的思绪开始飘回过去——三个月前，他与那位博学而天真的学者詹诺夫·裴洛拉特从端点星出发。裴洛拉特受到满腔怀古幽情的驱使，一心一意想要发掘失落已久的地球遗址。崔维兹则利用裴洛拉特的探索当作掩饰，以便寻找自己心中的目标。结果他们并未找到地球，却意外地发现了盖娅，崔维兹还懵懵懂懂地被迫作出一个重大决定。
Now it was he, Trevize, who had turned half-circle-about-face andwas searching for Earth.
现在，情况有了一百八十度的改变——换成崔维兹决心要寻找地球。
As for Pelorat, he, too, had found something he didn't expect. He hadfound the black-haired, dark-eyed Bliss, the young woman who was Gaia,even as Dom was and as the nearest grain of sand or blade of grasswas. Pelorat, with the peculiar ardor of late middle age, had fallenin love with a woman less than half his years, and the young woman,oddly enough, seemed content with that.
至于裴洛拉特，他也有意外收获。他遇到了宝绮思，一位黑头发、黑眼珠的年轻女子。宝绮思就是盖娅，其实杜姆也是——甚至身边的一粒沙、一根草，也全都等同于盖娅。即将迈入晚年的裴洛拉特，怀着这个年纪所特有的激情，和年纪小他一半有余的宝绮思坠入情网。说来也真奇怪，宝绮思这个年轻女郎，对年龄的差距似乎毫不在意。
It was odd but Pelorat was surely happy and Trevize thoughtresignedly that each person must find happiness in his or her ownmanner. That was the point of individuality the individualitythat Trevize, by his choice, was abolishing (given time) over all theGalaxy.
奇怪归奇怪，但裴洛拉特的确很快乐，令崔维兹不得不承认，每个人有每个人找寻快乐的方式，这也正是独立个体的特点之一。但在崔维兹所选择的银河中，个体的独立性（若干时日之后）将遭到摒弃。
The pain returned. That decision he had made, and had had to make,continued to excoriate him at every moment and was
想到这里，莫名的痛楚再度浮现。当初自己出于无奈所作的抉择，无时无刻不是心头的重担，而且……
"Golan!"The voice intruded on Trevize's thoughts and he looked up in thedirection of the sun, blinking his eyes.
“葛兰！”一声叫唤闯入崔维兹的思绪，他抬起头，朝着阳光射来的方向望去，眼睛不停眨动。
"Ah, Janov," he said heartily the more heartily because he didnot want Pelorat guessing at the sourness of his thoughts. He even manageda jovial, "You've managed to tear yourself away from Bliss, I see."
“啊，詹诺夫。”他用热诚的声音答道——热诚得有些过分，因为他不想让裴洛拉特猜到自己的苦闷，甚至还努力装出高兴的样子。“看得出你费了好大的劲，才勉强离开了宝绮思。”
Pelorat shook his head. The gentle breeze stirred his silky whitehair, and his long solemn face retained its length and solemnityin full. "Actually, old chap, it was she that suggested I seeyou about about what I want to discuss. Not that I wouldn'thave wanted to see you on my own, of course, but she seems to think morequickly than I do."
裴洛拉特摇了摇头，摇乱了他那头丝一般的白发，而他那又长又严肃的面容，或许再也没有比现在更长、更严肃的时候了。“事实上，老弟，是她建议我来找你的……来……来讨论一件我想讨论的事情。当然，这并不代表我自己不想找你，而是她似乎比我先想到这件事。”
Trevize smiled. "It's all right, Janov. You're here to say good-bye,I take it."
崔维兹微微一笑。“没关系，詹诺夫。我想，你是来跟我道别的。”
"Well, no, not exactly. In fact, more nearly the reverse. Golan,when we left Terminus, you and I, I was intent on finding Earth. I'vespent virtually my entire adult life at that task."
“喔，不，并不尽然。事实上，几乎可说刚好相反。葛兰，当我们，你和我，刚离开端点星的时候，我的目的是要寻找地球。我成年之后，几乎把所有的时间都花在这个工作上。”
"And I will carry on, Janov. The task is mine now."
“我会继续的，詹诺夫，这个工作现在是我的了。”
"Yes, but it's mine, also; mine, still."
“没错，但也是我的，仍然还是我的工作。”
"But " Trevize lifted an arm in a vague all-inclusive gestureof the world about them.
“可是——”崔维兹举起手臂比了比，好像指着周遭的一切。
Pelorat said, in a sudden urgent gasp, "I want to go with you."
裴洛拉特猛然吸了一口气。“我要跟你一道去。”
Trevize felt astonished. "You can't mean that, Janov. You have Gaianow."
崔维兹着实吓了一跳。“你这话不可能当真吧，詹诺夫，你现在已拥有盖娅。”
"I'll come back to Gaia someday, but I cannot let you go alone."
“将来我还会回到盖娅的怀抱，可是我不能让你一个人去。”
"Certainly you can. I can take care of myself."
“当然可以，我能照顾自己。”
"No offense, Golan, but you don't know enough. It is I who know themyths and legends. I can direct you."
“你别生气，葛兰，但是你知道得不够多。而我却知道很多神话和传说，我可以指导你。”
And you'll leave Bliss? Come, now.
“你要离开宝绮思？别开玩笑了。”
A faint pink colored Pelorat's cheeks. "I don't exactly want to dothat, old chap, but she said "
裴洛拉特突然双颊泛红。“我并不想那样做，老弟，可是她说……”
Trevize frowned. "Is it that she's trying to get rid ofyou , Janov. She promised me "
崔维兹皱起了眉头。“是不是她想甩掉你，詹诺夫？她答应过我……”
"No, you don't understand. Please listen to me, Golan. You do havethis uncomfortable explosive way of jumping to conclusions before youhear one out. It's your specialty, I know, and I seem to have a certaindifficulty in expressing myself concisely, but "
“不是，你不了解，请听我说下去，葛兰。你实在有个坏毛病，事情没弄清楚就急着下结论。我知道，这是你的特长，而我又好像总是无法把自己的意思表达清楚。可是……”
"Well," said Trevize gently, "suppose you tell me exactly what it isthat Bliss has on her mind in just any way you please, and I promise tobe very patient."
“好吧，”崔维兹的口气缓和下来，“请告诉我宝绮思她心里究竟想些什么，随便你用什么方式说，我保证会非常有耐心。”
"Thank you, and as long as you're going to be patient, I think I cancome out with it right away. You see, Bliss wants to come, too."
“谢谢你，只要你有耐心，我想我马上就能讲清楚。你可知道，宝绮思也要去。”
" Bliss wants to come?" said Trevize. "No, I'm explodingagain. I won't explode. Tell me, Janov, why would Bliss want to comealong? I'm asking it quietly."
“宝绮思也要去？”崔维兹说，“不行，我又要爆发了。好，我不发作，告诉我，詹诺夫，为什么宝绮思想要一起去？我是用很冷静的口气在问你。”
"She didn't say. She said she wants to talk to you."
“她没说，只说她想跟你谈谈。”
"Then why isn't she here, eh?"
“那她为什么没来，啊？”
Pelorat said, "I think I say I think thatshe is rather of the opinion that you are not fond of her, Golan, andshe rather hesitates to approach you. I have done my best, old man, toassure her that you have nothing against her. I cannot believe anyonewould think anything but highly of her. Still, she wanted me to broachthe subject with you, so to speak. May I tell her that you'll be willingto see her, Golan?"
裴洛拉特答道：“我想，我是说我猜想，她多少有点认为你不喜欢她，葛兰，所以有些不愿接近你。老友，我已经尽力向她保证，说你对她完全没有敌意。我相信任何人见到她，都只会对她产生无比的好感。然而，这么说吧，她还是要我来跟你提这档子事。我能不能告诉她，说你愿意见她，葛兰？”
"Of course, I'll see her right now."
“当然可以，我现在马上去见她。”
"And you'll be reasonable? You see, old man, she's rather intenseabout it. She said the matter was vital and she must gowith you."
“你会讲理吧？你是知道的，老友，她多少有点紧张。她说这件事很要紧，她一定要跟你去。”
"She didn't tell you why, did she?"
“她没有告诉你原因吗？”
"No, but if she thinks she must go, so must Gaia ."
“没有，但如果她认为非去不可，盖娅也一定非去不可。”
"Which means I mustn't refuse. Is that right, Janov?"
“这就代表我无法拒绝，对不对，詹诺夫？”
"Yes, I think you mustn't, Golan."
“没错，我想你无法拒绝，葛兰。”
3
3
For the first time during his brief stay on Gaia, Trevizeentered Bliss's house which now sheltered Pelorat as well.
在崔维兹暂住盖娅的短暂时日中，这是他第一次造访宝绮思的住处——现在这里也是裴洛拉特的窝。
Trevize looked about briefly. On Gaia, houses tended to be simple. Withthe all-but-complete absence of violent weather of any kind, with thetemperature mild at all times in this particular latitude, with eventhe tectonic plates slipping smoothly when they had to slip, therewas no point in building houses designed for elaborate protection,or for maintaining a comfortable environment within an uncomfortableone. The whole planet was a house, so to speak, designed to shelterits inhabitants.
崔维兹四处浏览了一下。在盖娅上，房舍的结构都显得很简单。既然几乎没有任何不良气候，既然这个特殊纬度的气温常年适中，既然连地壳板块在必须滑动时，也都晓得平稳地慢慢滑，因此并没有必要给房舍添加过多的保护功能，也不必刻意营造一个舒适的环境，将不舒适的大环境隔绝在外。换句话说，整个行星就像一幢大屋子，容纳着其上所有的居民。
Bliss's house within that planetary house was small, the windowsscreened ether than glassed, the furniture sparse and gracefullyutilitarian. There were holographic images on the walls; one of them ofPelorat looking rather astonished and self-conscious. Trevize's lipstwitched but he tried not to let his amusement show, and he fell toadjusting his waist-sash meticulously.
在这座星球屋中，宝绮思的房子是一栋不起眼的小建筑，窗户上只有纱窗而没有玻璃，家具也相当少，但优雅而实用。四周墙上挂着一些全息像，有不少都是裴洛拉特的，其中一张表情显得既惊愕又害羞。崔维兹看了忍不住咧开嘴，但他尽量不让笑意显现，索性低下头来仔细调整宽腰带。
Bliss watched him. She wasn't smiling in her usual fashion. Rather,she looked serious, her fine dark eyes wide, her hair tumbling to hershoulders in a gentle black wave. Only her full lips, touched with red,lent a bit of color to her face.
宝绮思凝视着他。她不像平常那样面带微笑，而是显得有些严肃，一双美丽的眼睛张得很大，微鬈的黑发披在肩上，像是一道黑色的波浪。只有涂着淡淡口红的丰唇，为她的脸庞带来一丝血色。
"Thank you for coming to see me, Trev."
“谢谢你来见我，崔。”
"Janov was very urgent in his request, Blissenobiarella."
“詹诺夫显得很着急，宝绮思奴比雅蕊拉。”
Bliss smiled briefly. "Well returned. If you will call me Bliss, adecent monosyllable, I will try to say your name in full, Trevize." Shestumbled, almost unnoticeably, over the second syllable.
宝绮思浅浅一笑。“答得妙。如果你愿意叫我宝绮思，这是个很不错的简称，那么我也愿意试着以全名称呼你，崔维兹。”最后两个字她说得有点结巴，但几乎听不出来。
Trevize held up his right hand. "That would be a good arrangement. Irecognize the Gaian habit of using one-syllable name-portions in thecommon interchange of thoughts, so if you should happen to call me Trevnow and then I will not be offended. Still, I will be more comfortableif you try to say Trevize as often as you can and I shall say Bliss."
崔维兹举起右手。“这是个好主意。我知道盖娅人平常在交换讯息时，习惯用简称来称呼对方，所以你如果偶尔称呼我‘崔’，我并不会介意。不过，我更喜欢你尽可能试着叫我崔维兹，而我会称呼你宝绮思。”
Trevize studied her, as he always did when he encountered her. As anindividual, she was a young woman in her early twenties. As part of Gaia,however, she was thousands of years old. It made no difference in herappearance, but it made a difference in the way she spoke sometimes,and in the atmosphere that inevitably surrounded her. Did he want itthis way for everyone who existed? No! Surely, no, and yet Bliss said, "I will get to the point. You stressed your desire tofind Earth "
如同以往每次碰面一样，崔维兹又仔细打量她。就个体而言，她是个二十出头的妙龄女郎，然而身为盖娅的一部分，她已经有好几千岁。这点从外表虽然看不出来，但有时她说话的方式，以及环绕在她身边的气氛，还是多少会显现出差异。他希望一切众生都变成这样吗？不，当然不！可是——宝绮思说：“让我开门见山，你曾强调想要找到地球——”
"I spoke to Dom," said Trevize, determined not to give in to Gaiawithout a perpetual insistence on his own point of view.
“我只跟杜姆提过。”崔维兹决定为自己的观点力争到底，绝不轻易向盖娅让步。
"Yes, but in speaking to Dom, you spoke to Gaia and to every part ofit, so that you spoke to me, for instance."
“我知道，但是你跟杜姆说话的时候，同时也在跟盖娅以及其中每一部分说话，譬如说，就等于在跟我说话。”
"Did you hear me as I spoke?"
“我说的话你都听到了？”
"No, for I wasn't listening, but if, thereafter, I paid attention,I could remember what you said. Please accept that and let us goon. You stressed your desire to find Earth and insisted on itsimportance. I do not see that importance but you have the knack of beingright so I/we/Gaia must accept what you say. If the mission is crucialto your decision concerning Gaia, It is of crucial importance to Gaia,and so Gaia must go with you, if only to try to protect you."
“没有，因为我并未仔细倾听。不过事后我如果集中注意力，有办法记起你说的每句话。请你相信这点，以便我们回到原来的话题——你曾强调想要找到地球，并且坚持这件事极为重要。虽然我看不出其中的重要性，可是既然你天赋异禀，能够作出正确判断，我／们／盖娅就必须接受你的说法。如果这项任务和你选择盖娅有着重大关联，那么盖娅也会认为它是件极重要的任务，因此盖娅必须跟你一道去，即使只是为了试图保护你。”
"When you say Gaia must go with me, you mean you mustgo with me. Am I correct?"
“你说盖娅必须跟我一道去，意思就是你自己必须跟我去，我说得对不对？”
"I am Gaia," said Bliss simply.
“我就是盖娅。”宝绮思干脆地答道。
"But so is everything else on and in this planet. Why, then, you? Whynot some other portion of Gaia?"
“在这颗行星上的一切，每样东西都是盖娅，那么为何是你呢？为何不是盖娅的其他部分？”
"Because Pel wishes to go with you, and if he goes with you, he wouldnot be happy with any other portion of Gaia than myself."
“因为裴希望跟你去，如果他去了，他不会喜欢盖娅的其他部分同行，只有我跟去，他才会开心。”
Pelorat, who sat rather unobtrusively on a chair in another corner(with his back, Trevize noted, to his own image) said softly, "That'strue, Golan. Bliss is my portion of Gaia."
裴洛拉特原本一言不发坐在角落的椅子上（崔维兹注意到，他刚好背对着墙上自己的相片），此时他轻声说道：“这是实话，葛兰，我的盖娅就是宝绮思。”
Bliss smiled suddenly. "It seems rather exciting to be thought of inthat way. It's very alien, of course."
宝绮思突然露出微笑。“你这么想可真令我兴奋。当然，这种说法相当新奇。”
"Well, let's see." Trevize put his hands behind his head and beganto lean backward in his chair. The thin legs creaked as he did so, sothat he quickly decided the chair was not sturdy enough to endure thatgame and brought it down to all four feet. "Will you still be part ofGaia if you leave her?"
“嗯，让我想一想。”崔维兹双手放在后脑勺，将椅子向后倾，细瘦的椅腿随即嘎嘎作响。他立刻发觉这张椅子没那么坚固，不能让他玩这种游戏，赶紧让四只椅腿回复原位。“如果你离开盖娅，你还会不会是它的一部分？”
"I need not be. I can isolate myself, for instance, if I seem in dangerof serious harm, so that harm will not necessarily spill over into Gaia,or if there is any other overriding reason for it. That, however, is amatter of emergency only. Generally, I will remain part of Gaia."
“不一定需要。举例来说，假如我有受重伤的危险，或是有其他特殊理由，我可以把自己孤立起来，这样一来，我受到的伤害就不会连累盖娅。但这仅限于紧急状况，通常我都是盖娅的一部分。”
"Even if we Jump through hyperspace?"
“即使在我们进行超空间跃迁的时候？”
"Even then, though that will complicate matters somewhat."
“即使是那时候，只不过情形比较复杂。”
"Somehow I don't find that comforting."
“我总觉得有点不太对劲。”
Why not?
“为什么？”
Trevize wrinkled his nose in the usual metaphoric response to a badsmell. "It means that anything that is said and done on my ship thatyou hear and see will be heard and seen by all of Gaia."
崔维兹皱起鼻子，仿佛闻到什么怪味。“这就代表说，在太空艇中的一言一行，只要给你听到看到，就等于被所有的盖娅听到看到。”
"I am Gaia so what I see, hear, and sense, Gaia will see, hear,and sense."
“我就是盖娅，因此我所看到、听到、感觉到的一切，盖娅都看得到、听得到、感觉得到。”
"Exactly. Even that wall will see, hear, and sense."
“一点也没错，连那道墙也看得到、听得到、感觉得到。”
Bliss looked at the wall he pointed to and shrugged. "Yes, that wall,too. It has only an infinitesimal consciousness so that it senses andunderstands only infinitesimally, but I presume there are some subatomicshifts in response to what we are saying right now, for instance, thatenable it to fit into Gaia with more purposeful intent for the good ofthe whole."
宝绮思望了望他所指的那堵墙，耸了耸肩。“对，那道墙也可以。它只具有极微小的意识，所以只有极微小的感觉和理解力。可是我想，比如我们现在说的这些话，也会导致它产生某种次原子尺度的移位，让它更能和盖娅融为一体，而更加造福这个大我。”
"But what if I wish privacy? I may not want the wall to be aware ofwhat I say or do."
“可是如果我希望保有隐私呢？我也许不想让这道墙知晓我在说什么或做什么。”
Bliss looked exasperated and Pelorat broke in suddenly. "You know,Golan, I don't want to interfere, since I obviously don't know much aboutGaia. Still, I've been with Bliss and I've gathered somehow some of whatit's all about. If you walk through a crowd on Terminus, you seeand hear a great many things, and you may remember some of it. You mighteven be able to recall all of it under the proper cerebral stimulation,but mostly you don't care. You let it go. Even if you watch some emotionalscene between strangers and even if you're interested; still, if it'sof no great concern to you you let it go you forget. It mustbe so on Gaia, too. Even if all of Gaia knows your business intimately,that doesn't mean that Gaia necessarily cares . Isn'tthat so, Bliss dear?"
宝绮思显得很恼火，裴洛拉特赶紧插嘴道：“你知道的，葛兰，我本来不想多嘴，因为我对盖娅的了解显然有限。不过，这阵子我都和宝绮思在一起，多少能作些推断。这么说吧，如果你走在端点星的人群中，你会看到和听到很多事情，也会记得其中一部分。事后，在适当的大脑刺激下，你甚至可能全部记起来，可是这些事你大多不会注意，会随看随忘。即使某个感性的场面吸引了你的目光，即使你觉得有趣，然而如果素昧平生，如果事不关己，你会看过就算，你会很快忘掉。盖娅的情形也一定如此，即使整个盖娅都对你的举动了若指掌，却不代表盖娅一定在乎——这样说对不对，宝绮思吾爱？”
"I've never thought of it that way, Pel, but there is somethingin what you say. Still, this privacy Trev talks about I mean,Trevize is nothing we value at all. In fact, I/we/Gaia findit incomprehensible. To want to be not part to have your voiceunheard your deeds unwitnessed your thoughts unsensed "Bliss shook her head vigorously. "I said that we can block ourselvesoff in emergencies, but who would want to live that way,even for an hour?"
“我从未这样想过，裴，但你的说法的确有些道理。然而，崔——我是说崔维兹——所说的隐私，在我们眼中一点价值也没有。事实上，我／们／盖娅感到难以理解——不想成为整体的一部分，不让自己的声音被人听到，不让自己的行动曝光，不让自己的思想被他人感知——”宝绮思使劲摇了摇头，“我刚才说，在紧急状况下，我们可以让自己和盖娅隔绝，可是谁会想要那样活着，哪怕只有一个钟头？”
"I would," said Trevize. "That is why I must find Earth to findout the overriding reason, if any, that drove me to choose this dreadfulfate for humanity."
“我就想要，”崔维兹说，“这就是我必须找到地球的原因。我想知道究竟是什么特殊理由——如果真有的话——促使我为人类的未来选择了这么可怕的命运。”
It is not a dreadful fate, but let us not debate the matter. I willbe with you, not as a spy, but as a friend and helper. Gaia will be withyou not as a spy, but as a friend and helper.
“这并不是可怕的命运，不过我们别再争论这个问题了。我跟你一起去，不是要去监视你，而是以朋友的身份帮助你；盖娅跟你同行，也不是要监视你，而是以朋友的身份帮助你。”
Trevize said, somberly, "Gaia could help me best by directing meto Earth."
崔维兹以阴郁的口吻说：“盖娅如果想帮我，最好的办法就是领我到地球去。”
Slowly, Bliss shook her head. "Gaia doesn't know the location of Earth. Dom has already told you that."
宝绮思缓缓摇了摇头。“盖娅并不知道地球的位置，这点杜姆已经告诉过你。”
"I don't quite believe that. After all, you must have records. Whyhave I never been able to see those records during my stay here? Evenif Gaia honestly doesn't know where Earth might be located, I might gainsome knowledge from the records. I know the Galaxy in considerable detail,undoubtedly much better than Gaia does. I might be able to understand andfollow hints in your records that Gaia, perhaps, doesn't quite catch."
“这点我可不大相信。无论如何，你们一定有些记录，但我来到盖娅之后，为什么从未看到任何记录？即使盖娅真的不知道地球的位置，我也有可能从那些记录中，找到一些蛛丝马迹。我对银河相当熟悉，绝对要比盖娅在这方面的知识更丰富，我可能有办法从你们的记录中，解读出或许连盖娅也不完全了解的线索。”
"But what records are these you talk of, Trevize?"
“你指的是什么样的记录，崔维兹？”
"Any records. Books, films, recordings, holographs, artifacts, whateverit is you have. In the time I've been here I haven't seen one item thatI would consider in any way a record. Have you, Janov?"
“任何记录，书籍、影片、录音、全息相片、工艺制品等等，只要你们有的都好。自从来到盖娅，直到目前为止，我还没发现什么可称之为记录的东西——你呢，詹诺夫？”
"No," said Pelorat hesitantly, "but I haven't really looked."
“没有，”裴洛拉特以迟疑的口气说，“但我并未认真找过。”
Yet I have, in my quiet way, said Trevize, "and I've seennothing. Nothing! I can only suppose they're being hidden from me. Why,I wonder? Would you tell me that?"
“我找过了，暗地里找的。”崔维兹说，“而我什么都没看到，什么都没有！我唯一能想到的答案，是有人故意将那些记录藏了起来。我很纳闷，这是为什么呢？你能不能告诉我？”
Bliss's smooth young forehead wrinkled into a puzzled frown. "Whydidn't you ask before this? I/we/Gaia hide nothing, and we tell nolies. An Isolate an individual in isolation might telllies. He is limited, and is fearful because he is limited. Gaia, however,is a planetary organism of great mental ability and has no fear. For Gaiato tell lies, to create descriptions that are at variance with reality,is totally unnecessary."
宝绮思皱起细嫩光滑的前额，显出很讶异的样子。“你以前怎么不问呢？我／们／盖娅不会隐藏什么，我们也从来不说谎。一个孤立体——孤立的个体——可能会说谎，因为他是有限的，所以他会感到恐惧。然而，盖娅是个具有强大心灵力量的行星级生命体，根本就没什么好怕的，因此盖娅完全不需要说谎，或是杜撰一些与事实不符的陈述。”
Trevize snorted. "Then why have I carefully been kept from seeingany records? Give me a reason that makes sense."
崔维兹嗤之以鼻。“那么为何刻意不让我见到任何记录？给我一个说得通的理由。”
"Of course." She held out both hands, palms up before her. "We don'thave any records."
“当然可以，”她伸出双手并摊开手掌，“因为我们根本没有任何记录。”
4
4
Pelorat recovered first, seeming the less astonishedof the two.
裴洛拉特首先回过神来，他似乎没有崔维兹那么吃惊。
My dear, he said gently, "that is quite impossible. You cannot have a reasonable civilization without records of some kind."
“亲爱的，”他温柔地说，“这实在不大可能，任何像样的文明都不会没有任何记录。”
Bliss raised her eyebrows. "I understand that. I merely mean wehave no records of the type that Trev Trevize is talkingabout, or was at all likely to come across. I/we/Gaia have no writings,no printings, no films, no computer data banks, nothing. We have nocarvings on stone, for that matter. That's all I'm saying. Naturally,since we have none of these, Trevize found none of these."
宝绮思扬起一对柳眉。“这点我了解，我只是说我们没有崔——崔维兹所说的或想找的那些记录。我／们／盖娅没有任何种类的手稿、印刷品、影片或电脑资料库，完全没有。我们甚至没有石刻文物。既然这些东西通通不存在，崔维兹自然什么也找不到。”
Trevize said, "What do you have, then, if you don't have any recordsthat I would recognize as records?
崔维兹问道：“如果你们没有任何我所谓的记录，请问你们到底有些什么？”
"Bliss said, enunciating carefully, as though she were speaking to achild. "I/we/Gaia have a memory. I remember ."
宝绮思一个字一个字说得很仔细，仿佛跟小孩子说话一样。“我／们／盖娅有一组记忆，我都记得。”
"What do you remember?" asked Trevize.
“你都记得些什么？”崔维兹问。
"Everything."
“每一件事。”
"You remember all reference data?"
“你记得所有的参考资料？”
"Certainly."
“当然。”
"For how long? For how many years back?"
“前后多长时间？能延伸到多少年前？”
"For indefinite lengths of time."
“能延伸到无限久远。”
"You could give me historical data, biographical, geographical,scientific? Even local gossip?"
“你是说包括了历史、传记、地理以及科学的资料？甚至地方上的里巷之谈？”
"Everything."
“包括任何资料。”
"All in that little head." Trevize pointed sardonically at Bliss'sright temple.
“通通装在这个小脑袋里？”崔维兹以嘲讽的动作，指着宝绮思右侧的太阳穴。
"No," she said. "Gaia's memories are not limited to the contents of myparticular skull. See here" for the moment she grew formal and evena little stern, as she ceased being Bliss solely and took on an amalgamof other units "there must have been a time before the beginningof history when human beings were so primitive that, although they couldremember events, they could not speak. Speech was invented and servedto express memories and to transfer them from person to person. Writingwas eventually invented in order to record memories and transfer themacross time from generation to generation. All technological advancesince then has served to make more room for the transfer and storageof memories and to make the recall of desired items easier. However,once individuals joined to form Gaia, all that became obsolete. We canreturn to memory, the basic system of record-keeping on which all elseis built. Do you see that?"
“并不尽然，”她答道，“盖娅的记忆并不仅限于我头颅中的成分。听着——”此时她的神情变得十分庄重，甚至有些严肃；现在的她不只是宝绮思，同时也是盖娅其他单位的混合体，“在有历史记载之前，人类一定有过一段原始时期，当时的人类虽然也有记忆，可是根本不会说话。后来人类发明了语言，作为表达记忆的工具，记忆才能在人与人之间流传。为了记录各种记忆，并将它们一代一代传下去，文字终于应运而生。从此以后，科技发展都是为了创造更多传递和储存记忆的空间，并且尽量简化取得某项资料的手续。然而，当所有的个体都融合成盖娅之后，那些发展就全部过时了。我们可以重新回归最原始的记忆，也就是最基本的记录保存系统，你明白了吗？”
Trevize said, "Are you saying that the sum total of all brains onGaia can remember far more data than a single brain can?"
崔维兹说：“你的意思是，盖娅上所有头脑的总和，能比单一头脑记得更多的资料？”
"Of course."
“当然。”
"But if Gaia has all the records spread through the planetary memory,what good is that to you as an individual portion of Gaia?"
“假如盖娅把所有的记录散布在行星级记忆中，这对身为盖娅一部分的你，又有什么好处呢？”
"All the good you can wish. Whatever I might want to know is inan individual mind somewhere, maybe in many of them. If it is veryfundamental, such as the meaning of the word `chair,' it is in everymind. But even if it is something esoteric that is in only one smallportion of Gaia's mind, I can call it up if I need it, though such recallmay take a bit longer than if the a memory is more widespread. Look,Trevize, if you want to know some. thing that isn't in your mind, youlook at some appropriate book-film, or make use of a computer's databanks. I scan Gaia's total mind."
“好处应有尽有。我想知道的任何资料，都一定储存在某人或某些人心灵中。如果是非常基本的资料，例如‘椅子’这两个字的意思，那么每个心灵中都会有。但即使是一些十分奥秘的事物，仅存在于盖娅心灵中某个小小角落，如果我有需要，也随时可以叫出来，只不过会比取得普通的记忆多花一点时间。听好，崔维兹，如果你要查一项原本不知道的资料，你会去查阅相关的影视书，或是查询电脑资料库，而我的做法则是扫描盖娅的全心灵。”
Trevize said, "How do you keep all that information from pouring intoyour mind and bursting your cranium?"
崔维兹说：“你怎样防止大量资讯涌入你的心灵，以免把你的颅腔撑爆？”
Are you indulging in sarcasm, Trevize?
“你讽刺成瘾了吗，崔维兹？”
Pelorat said, "Come, Golan, don't be unpleasant."
裴洛拉特赶紧说：“拜托，葛兰，别讨人厌。”
Trevize looked from one to the other and, with a visible effort,allowed tightness about his face to relax. "I'm sorry. I'm borne downby a responsibility I don't want and don't know how to get rid of. Thatmay make me sound unpleasant when I don't intend to be. Bliss, I reallywish to know. How do you draw upon the contents of the brains of otherswithout then storing it in your own brain and quickly overloading its capacity?"
崔维兹轮流瞪视他们两人，显然在一番努力之后，才终于放松了脸上绷紧的肌肉。“很抱歉。我被一个强行加在身上的重担压得喘不过气，又不知道该如何解脱。或许由于这个缘故，我的口气听来不大好，但这绝非我的本意。宝绮思，我真的很想知道答案。你如何能取用他人脑中的记忆，却不会很快塞满自己的脑袋？”
Bliss said, "I don't know, Trevize; any more than you know the detailedworkings of your single brain. I presume you know the distance from yoursun to a neighboring star, but you are not always conscious of it. Youstore it somewhere and can retrieve the figure at any time if asked. Ifnot asked, you may with time forget it, but you can then always retrieveit from some data bank. If you consider Gaia's brain a vast data bank, itis one I can call on, but there is no need for me to remember consciouslyany particular item I have made use of. Once I have made use of a factor memory, I can allow it to pass out of memory. For that matter, I candeliberately put it back, so to speak, in the place I got it from."
宝绮思回答说：“我也不知道，崔维兹，正如你不了解自己头脑运作的细节。我想，你应该知道你们的太阳和最近一颗恒星的距离，可是你未必一直放在心上。你把这个数字储存在某处，不论何时被人问起，你随时都能想起来。如果你没有机会用到，久而久之也许就会忘记，但你总能在某个电脑资料库中查到。你可将盖娅的头脑视为一座大型电脑资料库，我随时能使用它，却不需要刻意记住曾经用过的资料。用完某一项资料或记忆之后，我就可以让它从自己的记忆中消失，换句话说，可以专程把它放回原处。”
"How many people on Gaia, Bliss? How many human beings?"
“盖娅上有多少人，宝绮思？有多少人类？”
About a billion. Do you want the exact figure as of now?
“大约有十亿，你要知道目前确实的数字吗？”
Trevize smiled ruefully. "I quite see you can call up the exact figureif you wish, but I'll take the approximation."
崔维兹露出一抹苦笑。“我很明白，只要你愿意，就能把正确的数字叫出来，但我知道大概数目就够了。”
"Actually," said Bliss, "the population is stable and oscillates abouta particular number that is slightly in excess of a billion. I can tellby how much the number exceeds or falls short of the mean by extending myconsciousness and well feeling the boundaries. I can't explainit better than that to some one who has never shared the experience."
“事实上，”宝绮思接着说，“人口数目一直很稳定，总是在比十亿多一点的地方上下起伏。我可以延伸我的意识——嗯——到达盖娅的边缘，查出目前人口数比平均值多了或少了多少。对于没有类似经验的人，我实在无法解释得更清楚。”
"It seems to me, however, that a billion human minds a numberof them being those of children are surely not enough to hold inmemory all the data needed by a complex society."
“可是我以为，十亿人口的心灵，其中还有不少是儿童，当然容纳不下一个复杂社会所需要的一切资料。”
"But human beings are not the only living things on Gaia, Trev."
“可是人类并非盖娅上唯一的生物，崔。”
"Do you mean that animals remember, too?"
“你的意思是动物也能记忆？”
"Nonhuman brains can't store memories with the same density humanbrains can, and much of the room in all brains, human and nonhuman alike,must be given over to personal memories which are scarcely useful exceptto the particular component of the planetary consciousness that harborsthem. However, significant quantities of advanced data can be, andare, stored in animal brains, also in plant tissue, and in the mineralstructure of the planet."
“动物脑部储存记忆的密度没有人脑那么高，而且不论人脑或其他动物的头脑，大部分空间都用来储存个体的记忆，那些记忆对行星级意识几乎没什么用处。尽管如此，仍有许多高等资料可储存在动物大脑、植物组织以及矿物结构中，事实上也的确如此。”
"In the mineral structure? The rocks and mountain range, you mean?"
“矿物结构？你是指岩石和山脉？”
"And, for some kinds of data, the ocean and atmosphere. All that isGaia, too."
“还有几类资料储存于海洋和大气层，它们通通都是盖娅。”
"But what can nonliving systems hold?"
“无生物系统能容纳些什么呢？”
"A great deal. The intensity is low but the volume is so great thata large majority of Gaia's total memory is in its rocks. It takes alittle longer to retrieve and replace rock memories so that it is thepreferred place for storing dead data, so to speak items that,in the normal course of events, would rarely be called upon."
“太多了。比如说，岩石的记忆能力虽然低，但是由于体积庞大，所以盖娅的全记忆有一大部分存在那里。由于岩石记忆的存取时间较长，所以最适合储存一些‘死资料’，也就是平常极少用到的资料。”
"What happens when someone dies whose brain stores data of considerablevalue?"
“假设一个脑部存有十分重要资料的人死了，那又会怎么样？”
The data is not lost. It is slowly crowded out as the braindisorganizes after death, but there is ample time to distribute thememories into other parts of Gaia. And as new brains appear in babiesand become more organized with growth, they not only develop theirpersonal memories and thoughts but are fed appropriate knowledge fromother sources. What you would call education is entirely automatic withme/us/Gaia.
“里面的资料并不会遗失。人死了之后，随着大脑组织解体，资料会慢慢挤出脑部，这些记忆有充分的时间分散到盖娅其他部分。每个新生儿都有一个新的大脑，这些大脑随着年龄逐渐发育，不但会发展出个体的记忆和思想，还会从其他来源吸收适当的知识。你们所谓的教育，对我／们／盖娅而言，完全是自动自发的过程。”
Pelorat said, "Frankly, Golan, it seems to me that this notion of aliving world has a great deal to be said for it."
裴洛拉特说：“坦白讲，葛兰，我觉得这种活生生的世界，是个具有许多优点的概念。”
Trevize gave his fellow-Foundationer a brief, sidelong glance. "I'msure of that, Janov, but I'm not impressed. The planet, however bigand however diverse, represents one brain. One! Every new brain thatarises is melted into the whole. Where's the opportunity for opposition,for disagreement? When you think of human history, you think of theoccasional human being whose minority view may be condemned by societybut who wins out in the end and changes the world. What chance is thereon Gaia for the great rebels of history?"
崔维兹瞟了这位基地同胞一眼。“这点我也同意，詹诺夫，可是我不怎么感兴趣。这颗行星不论多大，不论如何多样化，仍然等于只有一个头脑，只有一个！新生的头脑个个都和整体融合为一，怎么会有反对意见出现的机会？如果回顾人类的历史，你将会发现，某些人的想法虽然一时无法见容于社会，却能赢得最后的胜利，进而改变整个世界。可是在盖娅上，有什么机会出现创造历史的伟大叛逆？”
"There is internal conflict," said Bliss. "Not every aspect of Gaianecessarily accepts the common view."
“盖娅也会有内部冲突。”宝绮思说，“并非盖娅每一部分都会接受共同的观点。”
It must be limited, said Trevize. "You cannot have too much turmoilwithin a single organism, or it would not work properly. If progress anddevelopment are not stopped altogether, they must certainly be slowed. Canwe take the chance of inflicting that on the entire Galaxy? On all ofhumanity?"
“但是一定有限。”崔维兹说，“在单一生物体内，不可能容许过多的骚动，否则就无法正常运作。在这种情况下，整体的进步和发展纵使没有完全停滞，步调也一定相当缓慢。我们能冒险将这种情形强行加诸整个银河吗？加在全体人类身上吗？”
Bliss said, without open emotion, "Are you now questioning your owndecision? Are you changing your mind and are you now saying that Gaiais an undesirable future for humanity?"T
宝绮思毫不动容地答道：“你是在质疑自己的决定吗？难道你已经改变主意，认为盖娅不适合做人类未来的典范？”
revize tightened his lips and hesitated. Then, he said, slowly,"I would like to, but not yet. I made my decision on somebasis some unconscious basis and until I find out what thatbasis was, I cannot truly decide whether I am to maintain or change mydecision. Let us therefore return to the matter of Earth."
崔维兹紧抿着嘴唇，迟疑了一下，然后缓缓说道：“我很想这样做，不过，还不到时候。我所作的决定是有根据的——某种潜意识的根据——除非我找出它的真面目，我还不能决定要不要变卦。所以说，我们还是回到地球这个题目吧。”
"Where you feel you will learn the nature of the basis on which youmade your decision. Is that it, Trevize?"
“你觉得在地球上，能领悟到促使你作出那个决定的根据，对不对，崔维兹？”
"That is the feeling I have. Now Dom says Gaia does not knowthe location of Earth. And you agree with him, I believe."
“我的感觉正是这样。杜姆说盖娅不知道地球的位置，我相信你一定同意他的说法。”
"Of course I agree with him. I am no less Gaia than he is."
“我当然同意，我和他同是盖娅。”
"And do you withhold knowledge from me? Consciously, I mean?"
“你有没有什么事瞒着我？我是指刻意瞒着我？”
"Of course not. Even if it were possible for Gaia to lie, it wouldnot lie to you. Above all, we depend upon your conclusions, and we needthem to be accurate, and that requires that they be based on reality."
“当然没有。即使盖娅能说谎，也不会对你这么做。无论如何，我们得仰赖你所作的决断，而我们希望它正确无误，这就需要一切皆以事实为基础。”
"In that case," said Trevize, "let's make use of yourworld-memory. Probe backward and tell me how far you can remember."
“既然如此，”崔维兹说，“咱们来利用你们的世界级记忆吧。往前回溯，告诉我你能记得多久以前的事。”
There was a small hesitation. Bliss looked blankly at Trevize,as though, for a moment, she was in a trance. Then she said, "Fifteenthousand years."
宝绮思茫然地望着崔维兹，迟疑了好一会儿，仿佛处于一种精神恍惚的境界。然后她说：“一万五千年。”
"Why did you hesitate?"
“你为什么犹豫了一下？”
"It took time. Old memories really old are almost all inthe mountain roots where it takes time to dig them out."
“这需要些时间。陈旧的记忆，尤其是那些实在陈旧的，几乎都藏在群山根部，要花点时间才能挖出来。”
"Fifteen thousand years ago, then? Is that when Gaia was settled?"
“一万五千年前？是不是盖娅刚创建的时候？”
"No, to the best of our knowledge that took place some three thousandyears before that."
“不，据我们所知，那还要再往前回溯约三千年。”
"Why are you uncertain? Don't you or Gaia remember?"
“你为什么不能肯定？你，或者盖娅，难道不记得吗？”
Bliss said, "That was before Gaia had developed to the point wherememory became a global phenomenon."
宝绮思说：“当时盖娅尚未发展出全球性记忆。”
"Yet before you could rely on your collective memory, Gaia must have kept records, Bliss. Records in the usual sense recorded, written,filmed, and so on."
“可是在你们仰赖集体记忆之前，盖娅一定保有些记录，宝绮思。一般性的记录，录下来的、写下来的、拍下来的等等。”
"I imagine so, but they could scarcely endure all this time."
“我想应该有吧，可是过了那么久，这些东西不可能还存在。”
"They could have been copied or, better yet, transferred into theglobal memory, once that was developed."
“也许会有副本，或者，当全球性记忆发展成功之后，它们就被转移到那里去，果真如此就更好了。”
Bliss frowned. There was another hesitation, longer this time. "Ifind no sign of these earlier records you speak of."
宝绮思皱了一下眉头，接下来又是一阵犹豫，这次持续的时间更久。“你说的那些早期记录，我找不到任何踪迹。”
"Why is that?"
“怎么会这样？”
"I don't know, Trevize. I presume that they proved of no greatimportance. I imagine that by the time it was understood that the earlynon-memory records were decaying, it was decided that they had grownarchaic and were not needed."
“我也不知道，崔维兹，我猜是因为它们看起来不太重要。我想，当这些早期的非记忆性记录开始腐坏时，就被认定已经过时和没有用了。”
"You don't know that. You presume and you imagine, but you don't knowthat. Gaia doesn't know that."
“但你并不知道，你只是猜测和想象罢了。你不知道，盖娅也不知道。”
Bliss's eyes fell. "It must be so."
宝绮思垂下眼睑。“一定就是这样。”
"Must be? I am not a part of Gaia and therefore I need not presumewhat Gaia presumes which gives you an example of the importanceof isolation. I, as an Isolate, presume something else."
“一定是这样？我可不是盖娅的一部分，因此我不需要同意盖娅的看法。这是个很好的例子，让你知道独立性有多重要。我，身为一个孤立体，我有不同的看法。”
"What do you presume?"
“你的看法如何？”
"First, there is something I am sure of. A civilization in being isnot likely to destroy its early records. Far from judging them to bearchaic and unnecessary, they are likely to treat them with exaggeratedreverence and would labor to preserve them. If Gaia's pre-globalrecords were destroyed, Bliss, that destruction is not likely to havebeen voluntary."
“首先，有一点我相当肯定，一个现存的文明不太可能毁掉早期的记录。他们非但不会判定那些资料陈旧无用，还很有可能珍重过了头，因而努力设法保存。如果盖娅在全球性记忆出现之前的记录被毁坏殆尽，宝绮思，那不太可能是自发性的行为。”
"How would you explain it, then?"
“那么你要如何解释呢？”
"In the Library at Trantor, all references to Earth were removedby someone or some force other than that of the Trantorian SecondFoundationers themselves. Isn't it possible, then, that on Gaia, too, allreferences to Earth were removed by something other than Gaia itself?"
“在川陀那座图书馆中，有关地球的参考资料全被移走，主事者不知是何方神圣，反正不是川陀的第二基地分子。所以说，盖娅上有关地球的参考资料，会不会也是被外力清除的？”
"How do you know the early records involved Earth?"
“你又怎么知道早期记录提到了地球？”
According to you, Gaia was founded at least eighteen thousand yearsago. That brings us back to the period before the establishment of theGalactic Empire, to the period when the Galaxy was being settled andthe prime source of settlers was Earth. Pelorat will confirm that.
“根据你的说法，盖娅至少是在一万八千年前建立的。那是银河帝国尚未兴起的时代，当时人类正在大举殖民银河，而殖民者的主要来源正是地球。裴洛拉特可以证实这一点。”
Pelorat, caught a little by surprise by suddenly being called on,cleared his throat. "So go the legends, my dear. I take those legendsseriously and I think, as Golan Trevize does, that the human species wasoriginally confined to a single planet and that planet was Earth. Theearliest Settlers came from Earth."
突然听到被人点名，裴洛拉特有点惊讶，赶紧清了清喉咙。“根据传说的确如此，亲爱的。我对这些传说相当认真，而且我和葛兰·崔维兹都认为，人类这个物种原本局限在一颗行星上，那颗行星就是地球。最初的殖民者全部来自地球。”
"If, then," said Trevize, "Gaia was founded in the early days ofhyperspatial travel, then it is very likely to have been colonizedby Earthmen, or possibly by natives of a not very old world thathad not long before been colonized by Earthmen. For that reason, therecords of Gaia's settlement and of the first few millennia thereaftermust clearly have involved Earth and Earthmen and those records aregone. Something seems to be seeing to it that Earth is notmentioned anywhere in the records of the Galaxy. And if so, there mustbe some reason for it."
“因此，”崔维兹接口道，“盖娅若是在超空间旅行初期建立的，就非常可能是地球人的殖民世界；即使那些殖民者不是地球人，也该来自某个由地球人所建立的新兴世界。因此，盖娅的开拓史，以及其后数千年的记录，一定提到了有关地球和地球人的史实，可是这些记录通通不见了。似乎有什么神秘力量，不让地球在银河的任何记录中曝光。果真如此，其中一定有重大的隐情。”
Bliss said indignantly, "This is conjecture, Trevize. You have noevidence for this."
宝绮思气呼呼地说：“这只是臆测罢了，崔维兹，你没有任何证据。”
"But it is Gaia that insists that my special talent is that of comingto correct conclusions on the basis of insufficient evidence. If, then,I come to a firm conclusion, don't tell me I lack evidence."
“可是盖娅坚称我有特殊的天分，在证据不足的情况下，我也能作出正确的结论。所以，在我作出一个确切的结论之后，请别再说我缺乏证据。”
Bliss was silent.
宝绮思沉默不语。
Trevize went on, "All the more reason then for finding Earth. I intendto leave as soon as the Far Star is ready. Do you two still wantto come?"
崔维兹继续说道：“正因为如此，我们更应该找到地球。我打算在远星号准备就绪后马上出发，你们两位还是要去吗？”
"Yes," said Bliss at once, and "Yes," said Pelorat.
“要去。”宝绮思不假思索立刻回答。“要去。”裴洛拉特也这么说。