评论
打印
"Help!" I cried. When my feet were wound together,
“救命啊！”我喊着。这时我的两脚被缠在一起了，
I fell, I was dragged away from the dear ferns and the living hills,
我倒下去，便从那些可爱的蕨类植物和活生生的群山给拉走了，
and past the great metal stopper (I can tell you this part), and I thought it might save me again if I caught hold of the handle.
经过那金属的大制动器（我可以告诉您这一部分），于是我想，要是我能够抓住那个把手的话，它可能再救我一次。
It also was enwrapped, it also. Oh, the whole dell was full of the things.
它也是被包缠着，它也是这样。哦，那整个小山谷满是这些东西。
They were searching it in all directions, they were denuding it,
它们向各各方向搜索着，它们在搞光它，
and the white snouts of others peeped out of the hole, ready if needed.
另外一些正从洞口探出又长又白的鼻子来，已经做好准备，如果需要它们的话。
Everything that could be moved they brought – brushwood, bundles of fern, everything,
种种能搬动的东西，它们都带——木柴，一捆捆的蕨类植物，种种东西，
and down we all went intertwined into hell.
接着我们整个纠缠成乱糟糟一团下到地底下来了。
The last things that I saw, ere the stopper closed after us, were certain stars, and I felt that a man of my sort lived in the sky.
在制动器随着我们之后关闭以前，我所看到的最后的东西是些星星，我还感到有一个像我这样的人住在天空中。
For I did fight, I fought till the very end, and it was only my head hitting against the ladder that quieted me.
我的确战斗过，我战斗到最后，只因为我的头撞到了那个梯子，达才使我安静下来。
I woke up in this room. The worms had vanished.
我在这间房里醒过来。那些虫无影无踪了。
I was surrounded by artificial air, artificial light, artificial peace,
我被人工空气、人工光、人工的恬静所环绕。
and my friends were calling to me down speaking-tubes to know whether I had come across any new ideas lately."
我的朋友们通过说话筒访问我，想要知道我最近有没有偶然想到什么新的思想意念。”
Here his story ended. Discussion of it was impossible, and Vashti turned to go.
他的事迹到此结束。讨论它是不可能的，于是瓦西蒂转身要走。
"It will end in Homelessness," she said quietly.
“结果一定是判你无家可归。”她平静地说。
"I wish it would," retorted Kuno.
“我但愿是这样。”基诺反击说。
"The Machine has been most merciful."
“大机器一度是最宽大不过的。”
"I prefer the mercy of God."
“我宁愿要上帝的仁慈。”
"By that superstitious phrase, do you mean that you could live in the outer air?"
“难道你的意思是说，靠这句迷信的话，你能够生活在外界的空气里吗？”
"Yes." "Have you ever seen, round the vomitories, the bones of those who were extruded after the Great Rebellion?"
“是的。”“你有没有看见在那些出口的周围，那些在大叛乱以后被推出去的人们的尸体？”
"Yes." "Have you ever seen, round the vomitories, the bones of those who were extruded after the Great Rebellion?"
“是的。”“你有没有看见在那些出口的周围，那些在大叛乱以后被推出去的人们的尸体？”
"Yes." "They were left where they perished for our edification.
“看见了。”“让他们留在他们死亡的地方是给我们的道德教训。
A few crawled away, but they perished, too – who can doubt it?
有少数几个爬走了，可是他们也死掉了——谁能怀疑这个呢？
And so with the Homeless of our own day. The surface of the earth supports life no longer."
我们自己这个时代的无家可归的人也是如此。地球的表面不再能维持生命了。”
"Indeed." "Ferns and a little grass may survive, but all higher forms have perished. Has any air-ship detected them?"
“的确是的。” “蕨类植物和一点点草可以存活下去，但一切较高类型的已经灭绝了。飞艇有没有侦察过它们？”
"No." "Has any lecturer dealt with them?"
“没有。”“演说家们有没有谈到过它们？”
"No." "Then why this obstinacy?"
“没有。”“那末你为什么这样顽强呢？”
"Because I have seen them," he exploded.
“因为我看见了他们。”他突然高声说。
"Seen what?" "Because I have seen her in the twilight – because she came to my help when I called –
“看见了什么？” “因为在黄昏里我看见了她——
because she, too, was entangled by the worms, and, luckier than I, was killed by one of them piercing her throat."
因为我一喊叫，她就来帮我忙——因为她也是被那些虫缠住的，可是她比我幸运，被它们当中的一个刺穿了喉咙死掉了。”
He was mad. Vashti departed, nor, in the troubles that followed, did she ever see his face again.
他疯了。瓦西蒂动身走了，在以后纷至沓来的烦恼中，她再也没有看见过他的脸庞。
