牛津書(shū)蟲(chóng)系列 星際動(dòng)物園 5 Waiting for fifteen thousand years

5 Waiting for fifteen thousand years

5 一萬(wàn)五千年的等待

'It's too bright in here，'I said.'I can't see.'

“這兒太亮了，”我說(shuō)，“我看不見(jiàn)。”

The light suddenly wasn't so bright and I could see again.I was in a round room，which was empty except for a large square computer.

那盞燈馬上暗了一些，我又看得見(jiàn)了。我站在一個(gè)圓圓的房間里，屋里除了一臺(tái)四四方方的大電腦外什么也沒(méi)有。

The computer didn't look like the modern computers we have.

這臺(tái)電腦看上去和我們用的現(xiàn)代電腦不一樣。

'You are't God!'I said.'You're just a computer!Just a strange old computer!'

“你不是上帝!”我說(shuō)，“你不過(guò)是臺(tái)電腦而已!一臺(tái)怪模怪樣的破電腦而已!”

A voice came from it.'Yes，this is computer.Who are you?'

里面?zhèn)鞒鲆粋€(gè)聲音：“對(duì)，我是電腦。你是誰(shuí)?”

Oh，the computer still worked!I was surprised as it looked so very old.It didn't speak in a natural way as modern computers do.

噢，這電腦還能運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)!我很驚奇，因?yàn)榭瓷先ニ婆f了。它說(shuō)話(huà)的腔調(diào)不像現(xiàn)代電腦那么自然。

'I'm Hummingbird，'I answered.

“我是蜂鳥(niǎo)，”我回答。

'You are not a hummingbird.Hummingbirds fly in the forests here，in Star Zoo.You are human.You are not a child of Star Zoo.Computer is happy.'

“你不是蜂鳥(niǎo)。蜂鳥(niǎo)是在這森林里飛的，在星際動(dòng)物園。你是人。你不是星際動(dòng)物園的孩子。電腦很高興。”

I listened but I didn't understand.'Hummingbird'was just my name—and the name of one of the animals in the Book of Remembering.Why was this place called the Star Zoo?What was a 'zoo'?I had so many questions to ask!

我聽(tīng)著，但無(wú)法理解。“蜂鳥(niǎo)”只是我的名字——《往事追憶》中一種動(dòng)物的名字。這個(gè)地方為什么叫星際動(dòng)物園?什么是“動(dòng)物園”?我有好多問(wèn)題要問(wèn)!

'Computer，'I said，'where do you come from?I never heard of a spaceship as big as this!You speak my language but it sounds different.Why do Hee-Haw and Hoo-Woo think you're God?'

“電腦，”我說(shuō)，“你是哪兒來(lái)的?我從沒(méi)聽(tīng)說(shuō)過(guò)這么大的飛船!你講的是我的語(yǔ)言，可聽(tīng)起來(lái)不大一樣。為什么'嘻嗬'和'呼嗚'把你當(dāng)上帝?”

'Who is Hee-Haw?Who is Hoo-Woo?'the computer asked.

“'嘻嗬'是誰(shuí)?'呼嗚'又是誰(shuí)?”電腦問(wèn)道。

'The two monsters that brought me here，'I answered.

“帶我到這兒來(lái)的那兩個(gè)怪物，”我回答。

'Yes.Dondey.Wolf.All animals believe computer is God.Computer makes ultrasonic sound.Ultrasonics make fear.'

“哦。驢子、狼。所有的動(dòng)物都把電腦當(dāng)成上帝。電腦能發(fā)出超聲波。超聲波能引起恐懼。”

'Animals?'I said slowly.Animals were only a story in the Book of Remembering.There were no animals alive today.What was the computer talking about?'Animals…like EeeEee and Cheep-Cheep?'

“動(dòng)物?”我慢慢地問(wèn)道。動(dòng)物不過(guò)是《往事追憶》中的故事。今天沒(méi)有活著的動(dòng)物了。這電腦在胡說(shuō)什么?“動(dòng)物……'噫噫'和'嘁嘁'那樣的?”

'Eee-Eee is a squirrel，'the computer said.'Cheep-Cheep is a bird.Animals take care of you.'

“'噫噫'是只松鼠，”電腦說(shuō)，“'嘁嘁'是只鳥(niǎo)。照料你的都是動(dòng)物。”

I was very afraid.Donkey，wolf，squirrel，and bird were all animals named in the Book of Remembering.

我很害怕。驢子、狼、松鼠和鳥(niǎo)都是《往事追憶》中動(dòng)物的名字。

'Where did these animals come from?'I asked.

“這些動(dòng)物是哪兒來(lái)的?”我問(wèn)道。

'Star Zoo came from Earth，'the computer answered.'Star Zoo left Earth.Earth was hot.'

“星際動(dòng)物園來(lái)自地球，”電腦回答，“星際動(dòng)物園離開(kāi)了地球。地球熱。”

I suddenly couldn't stand.I fell down and my mind exploded again.This time I wasn't angry.I was sad，empty，afraid，and a little crazy.This was the Book of Remembering come to life!

我突然站不住了。我倒了下去，頭腦又發(fā)懵了。這次我沒(méi)有感到憤怒。我難過(guò)、空虛、恐懼，還有點(diǎn)狂亂?！锻伦窇洝纷兂闪嘶钌默F(xiàn)實(shí)!

Earth hot?That was the Burning!We made the Earth too hot and all life except humans died.And we humans did it!

地球熱?那是因?yàn)榇蠡馂?zāi)!我們把地球弄熱了，除了人類(lèi)以外，所有的生物都死了。那是我們?nèi)祟?lèi)干的!

'Not necessary to fall down，'the computer said.'Computer is not God.Computer wants to talk to humans.Computer is sad that humans have not spoken for fifteen thousand years.'

“不必趴下，”電腦說(shuō)，“電腦不是上帝。電腦想和人說(shuō)話(huà)。電腦難過(guò)，人類(lèi)已經(jīng)一萬(wàn)五千年沒(méi)說(shuō)話(huà)了。”

I stood up slowly.The Book of Remembering was forremembering the animals but they had been dead for twenty thousand years.

我慢慢站起來(lái)。《往事追憶》是為了紀(jì)念動(dòng)物的，但它們已經(jīng)滅亡了兩萬(wàn)年。

But the animals were here!Yes，here in the Star Zoo，after travelling between stars for twenty thousand years!

可動(dòng)物就在這兒!是的，在星際動(dòng)物園這兒，在星際間運(yùn)行了兩萬(wàn)年后到了這兒!

'Why did you leave Earth?What happened?'I asked.

“你們?yōu)槭裁措x開(kāi)地球?發(fā)生了什么事?”我問(wèn)。

The computer answered，'Humans polluted Earth.Earth was hot.Animals died.'

電腦回答：“人類(lèi)污染了地球。地球熱。動(dòng)物死了。”

'Yes，'I said.'I know that.'

“是的，”我說(shuō)。“我知道這些。”

The computer continued，'Humans made zoo in space.No money.Used plastic bottles.'

電腦接著說(shuō)：“人類(lèi)在太空建造動(dòng)物園。沒(méi)有錢(qián)，就用塑料瓶子。”

'What?'I said.I didn't understand.

“什么?”我說(shuō)。我不明白。

'Collected old plastic bottles.Made zoo with plastic bottles.Cheap.Made big zoo with many rooms.'

“回收舊塑料瓶子，用塑料瓶子建造動(dòng)物園。便宜。建造了有很多房間的大動(dòng)物園。”

'Why are there different rooms?'I asked.

“為什么要分不同的房間?”我問(wèn)。

'Animals and plants live in different ways，'the computer said.'Hot，cold，wet，dry.Impossible to keep all animals and all plants in one room.Need different things.Difficult work to get everything right.Necessary to have big computer.No money.Got old computer from army.'

“動(dòng)物和植物的生活方式各不相同，”電腦說(shuō)，“熱的、冷的、濕的、干的。不可能把所有動(dòng)物和所有植物都放在同一個(gè)房間里。需要不同的東西。把一切都弄好是困難的工作。需要有大電腦。沒(méi)有錢(qián)，從軍隊(duì)弄來(lái)舊電腦。”

'So that's you?'I said.'You're an old army computer from Earth?'

“就是你嗎?”我說(shuō)，“你是從地球來(lái)的舊軍用電腦?”

'Computer works and never stops.'

“電腦永遠(yuǎn)工作，從不停止。”

'I understand!'I said.'A group of people made this Star Zoo.They knew that Earth was dying.They wanted to save the animals.They sent the Star Zoo away from Earth.'

“我知道!”我說(shuō)，“有一些人建造了這個(gè)星際動(dòng)物園。他們知道地球就要滅亡。他們希望拯救動(dòng)物。他們把星際動(dòng)物園從地球上發(fā)射走了。”

'Star Zoo went，'the computer said.'No money.Went slowly.'

“星際動(dòng)物園走了，”電腦說(shuō)，“沒(méi)有錢(qián)。慢慢地走了。”

'Very slowly，'I agreed.'But What happened to the humans inside the Star Zoo?'

“非常慢，”我也這么認(rèn)為。“但星際動(dòng)物園里的人呢?”

'Five thousand years humans gave orders.Computer worked.Computer mended walls.Computer kept Star Zoo alive and safe.Star Zoo worked well.No problems.Humans stopped giving orders.Not necessary to talk. Humans enjoyed eating，playing，sleeping.Computer can do work.For fifteen thousand years computer has worked，thought，learnt，grown.Now you have come.Computer is happy.'

“人類(lèi)在5000年發(fā)布指令。電腦執(zhí)行。電腦修補(bǔ)墻壁。電腦維持星際動(dòng)物園的生存和安全。星際動(dòng)物園運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)良好。沒(méi)有問(wèn)題。人類(lèi)不再給指令了。沒(méi)有必要說(shuō)話(huà)。人類(lèi)喜歡吃、玩、睡。電腦可以工作。一萬(wàn)五千年了，電腦工作、思想、學(xué)習(xí)、成長(zhǎng)?，F(xiàn)在你來(lái)了。電腦高興。”

I was happy too and I wasn't afraid.It was wonderful news.The Galaxy wasn't empty!Animals could live on all the worlds and all humans could be happy again.

我也高興，我不害怕了。這是個(gè)好消息。銀河系不再是空蕩蕩的了!動(dòng)物們可以在任何世界上生活，所有的人類(lèi)又可以快樂(lè)了。

Humans were lonely without animals.Humans needed animals.

沒(méi)有動(dòng)物，人類(lèi)感覺(jué)孤獨(dú)。人類(lèi)需要?jiǎng)游铩?/p>

'The animals must leave the Star Zoo，'I said to the computer.'We have planets where they can live.Do you agree?'

“動(dòng)物們得離開(kāi)星際動(dòng)物園，”我對(duì)電腦說(shuō)，“我們有行星，它們可以在上面生活。你同意么?”

'Star Zoo is not strong，'the computer said.'Holes in walls lose air and water.Animals need planets.Can have more animals on planets.'

“星際動(dòng)物園不結(jié)實(shí)，”電腦說(shuō)，“墻上的破洞漏氣、漏水。動(dòng)物們需要行星。行星上可以有更多的動(dòng)物生活。”

'Then I must go home，'I said.'I will come back with spaceships.We will take the animals to different planets.Planets everywhere in the Galaxy.'

“那我必須回家，”我說(shuō)，“我會(huì)帶著些飛船來(lái)。我們把動(dòng)物送到各個(gè)行星上去。銀河系里的所有行星。”

'Computer will choose planets for different animals，'it said.'First plants will grow.Animals will follow.'

“電腦將為不同的動(dòng)物挑選行星，”它說(shuō)，“先種植物。接著是動(dòng)物。”

'You can tell us what to do，'I said.'This is wonderful.I want to leave now.Is Hee-Haw waiting?'

“你可以告訴我們?cè)趺醋觯?rdquo;我說(shuō)，“這太好了。我現(xiàn)在要走了。'嘻嗬'還在等著嗎?”

'Donkey waits.'the computer made a noise that was like crying.'Donkey has waited for a few minutes.Computer has waited for fifteen thousand years.You come back.Computer is sad and afraid.'

“驢子在等著。”電腦發(fā)出一種像哭一樣的聲音：“驢子等了幾分鐘。電腦等了一萬(wàn)五千年。你回來(lái)了。電腦又難過(guò)，又害怕。”