評論
打印
"For in nature it takes thirty years for two hundred eggs to reach maturity.
“因為在自然狀態下，要讓兩百個卵子成熟需要三十年之久。
But our business is to stabilize the population at this moment, here and now.
但我們現在的任務是穩定人口，穩定在此時此地的水平。
Dribbling out twins over a quarter of a century–what would be the use of that?"
花四分之一個世紀去生產少數幾個多生子——那能有什么用處？”
Obviously, no use at all. But Podsnap's Technique had immensely accelerated the process of ripening.
顯然毫無用處。但是潑孜納普技術卻大大加速了成熟的過程。
They could make sure of at least a hundred and fifty mature eggs within two years.
他們有把握在兩年之內至少生產出二百五十個成熟的卵子。
Fertilize and bokanovskify–in other words, multiply by seventy-two–and you get an average of nearly eleven thousand brothers
然后讓它們受精，再波坎諾夫斯基化——換句話說，乘以七十二，于是你得到差不多一萬一千個兄弟姐妹，
and sisters in a hundred and fifty batches of identical twins, all within two years of the same age.
一百五十批恒等多生子女，全都在兩年之內出生，年齡一樣大。
"And in exceptional cases we can make one ovary yield us over fifteen thousand adult individuals."
“在特殊的例外情況下我們可以用一個卵子培養出一萬五千個成年人。”
Beckoning to a fair-haired, ruddy young man who happened to be passing at the moment.
主任向一個淺色頭發的壯健青年招了招手——那人正好路過。
"Mr. Foster," he called. The ruddy young man approached. "Can you tell us the record for a single ovary, Mr. Foster?"
“福斯特先生。”他叫道。那壯健的青年走了過來。“你能夠告訴我們一個卵子的最高記錄是多少么？”
"Sixteen thousand and twelve in this Centre," Mr. Foster replied without hesitation.
“在本中心是一萬六千零一十二個。”福斯特先生毫不猶豫地回答。
He spoke very quickly, had a vivacious blue eye, and took an evident pleasure in quoting figures.
他長著一對快活的藍眼睛，說話迅速，顯然很以引述數字為樂。
"Sixteen thousand and twelve; in one hundred and eighty-nine batches of identicals.
“一萬六千零一十二個，共是一百八十九批恒等多生子。
But of course they've done much better," he rattled on, "in some of the tropical Centres.
但是在赤道的有些孵化中心”他滔滔不絕地說了下去，
Singapore has often produced over sixteen thousand five hundred; and Mombasa has actually touched the seventeen thousand mark.
“成績還要好得多。新加坡的產量常常超過一萬六千五百個；而蒙巴薩實際上已達到一萬七千的指標。
But then they have unfair advantages. You should see the way a negro ovary responds to pituitary!
但是他們的條件優越。你要是能看看黑人卵子對新液的反應就好了！
It's quite astonishing, when you're used to working with European material.
你若是習慣于使用歐洲材料的話，黑人卵子的反應會叫你大吃一驚的。
Still," he added, with a laugh (but the light of combat was in his eyes and the lift of his chin was challenging), "still, we mean to beat them if we can.
不過，”他笑了笑，又說（但眼里卻有戰斗的光彩，翹起的下巴也帶有挑戰意味），“不過，只要有可能我們還是想超過他們。
I'm working on a wonderful Delta-Minus ovary at this moment. Only just eighteen months old.
目前我正在培養一個驚人的德爾塔加卵子，只有十八個月時間，
Over twelve thousand seven hundred children already, either decanted or in embryo. And still going strong. We'll beat them yet."
卻已經有一千二百七十個孩子，有的已經換瓶，有的還處于胚胎狀態，可仍然健壯。我們還有可能超過蒙巴薩。”
"That's the spirit I like!" cried the Director, and clapped Mr. Foster on the shouder.
“我喜歡的就是這種精神戶主任拍了拍福斯特先生的肩膀，叫道，
"Come along with us, and give these boys the benefit of your expert knowledge."
“跟我們一塊走走吧，讓孩子們有幸獲得你的專門知識。”
Mr. Foster smiled modestly. "With pleasure." They went.
福斯特先生客氣地笑了笑。“樂意效勞。”便一起走了。
In the Bottling Room all was harmonious bustle and ordered activity.
裝瓶室一片繁忙，卻節奏和諧，井井有條。
Flaps of fresh sow's peritoneum ready cut to the proper size came shooting up in little lifts from the Organ Store in the sub-basement.
切成適當大小的新鮮母豬腹膜片從大樓次底層的器官庫里由小電梯里送出來，吱的一聲，然后是咔噠！
Whizz and then, click! the lift-hatches hew open; the bottle-liner had only to reach out a hand, take the flap, insert, smooth-down,
電梯孵化器打開；裝瓶線上的人只須伸出一只手，抓住腹膜片，塞進瓶里，按平，
and before the lined bottle had had time to travel out of reach along the endless band, whizz, click!
已經裝好的瓶子還沒有沿著運輸線走開，吱，咔噠！
another flap of peritoneum had shot up from the depths, ready to be slipped into yet another bottle, the next of that slow interminable procession on the band.
又一塊腹膜片已經從下面冒了出來，只等著被塞進另一個瓶子——那緩慢的傳送帶上的無窮的行列里的下一個瓶子。
