評論
打印
"Help!" I cried. When my feet were wound together,
“救命啊！”我喊著。這時我的兩腳被纏在一起了，
I fell, I was dragged away from the dear ferns and the living hills,
我倒下去，便從那些可愛的蕨類植物和活生生的群山給拉走了，
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.
經過那金屬的大制動器（我可以告訴您這一部分），于是我想，要是我能夠抓住那個把手的話，它可能再救我一次。
It also was enwrapped, it also. Oh, the whole dell was full of the things.
它也是被包纏著，它也是這樣。哦，那整個小山谷滿是這些東西。
They were searching it in all directions, they were denuding it,
它們向各各方向搜索著，它們在搞光它，
and the white snouts of others peeped out of the hole, ready if needed.
另外一些正從洞口探出又長又白的鼻子來，已經做好準備，如果需要它們的話。
Everything that could be moved they brought – brushwood, bundles of fern, everything,
種種能搬動的東西，它們都帶——木柴，一捆捆的蕨類植物，種種東西，
and down we all went intertwined into hell.
接著我們整個糾纏成亂糟糟一團下到地底下來了。
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.
在制動器隨著我們之后關閉以前，我所看到的最后的東西是些星星，我還感到有一個像我這樣的人住在天空中。
For I did fight, I fought till the very end, and it was only my head hitting against the ladder that quieted me.
我的確戰斗過，我戰斗到最后，只因為我的頭撞到了那個梯子，達才使我安靜下來。
I woke up in this room. The worms had vanished.
我在這間房里醒過來。那些蟲無影無蹤了。
I was surrounded by artificial air, artificial light, artificial peace,
我被人工空氣、人工光、人工的恬靜所環繞。
and my friends were calling to me down speaking-tubes to know whether I had come across any new ideas lately."
我的朋友們通過說話筒訪問我，想要知道我最近有沒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.
他的事跡到此結束。討論它是不可能的，于是瓦西蒂轉身要走。
"It will end in Homelessness," she said quietly.
“結果一定是判你無家可歸?！彼届o地說。
"I wish it would," retorted Kuno.
“我但愿是這樣。”基諾反擊說。
"The Machine has been most merciful."
“大機器一度是最寬大不過的。”
"I prefer the mercy of God."
“我寧愿要上帝的仁慈?！?/p>
"By that superstitious phrase, do you mean that you could live in the outer air?"
“難道你的意思是說，靠這句迷信的話，你能夠生活在外界的空氣里嗎？”
"Yes." "Have you ever seen, round the vomitories, the bones of those who were extruded after the Great Rebellion?"
“是的。”“你有沒有看見在那些出口的周圍，那些在大叛亂以后被推出去的人們的尸體？”
"Yes." "Have you ever seen, round the vomitories, the bones of those who were extruded after the Great Rebellion?"
“是的?！薄澳阌袥]有看見在那些出口的周圍，那些在大叛亂以后被推出去的人們的尸體？”
"Yes." "They were left where they perished for our edification.
“看見了?！薄白屗麄兞粼谒麄兯劳龅牡胤绞墙o我們的道德教訓。
A few crawled away, but they perished, too – who can doubt it?
有少數幾個爬走了，可是他們也死掉了——誰能懷疑這個呢？
And so with the Homeless of our own day. The surface of the earth supports life no longer."
我們自己這個時代的無家可歸的人也是如此。地球的表面不再能維持生命了。”
"Indeed." "Ferns and a little grass may survive, but all higher forms have perished. Has any air-ship detected them?"
“的確是的?！?“蕨類植物和一點點草可以存活下去，但一切較高類型的已經滅絕了。飛艇有沒有偵察過它們？”
"No." "Has any lecturer dealt with them?"
“沒有?！薄把菡f家們有沒有談到過它們？”
"No." "Then why this obstinacy?"
“沒有?！薄澳悄┠銥槭裁催@樣頑強呢？”
"Because I have seen them," he exploded.
“因為我看見了他們?！彼蝗桓呗曊f。
"Seen what?" "Because I have seen her in the twilight – because she came to my help when I called –
“看見了什么？” “因為在黃昏里我看見了她——
because she, too, was entangled by the worms, and, luckier than I, was killed by one of them piercing her throat."
因為我一喊叫，她就來幫我忙——因為她也是被那些蟲纏住的，可是她比我幸運，被它們當中的一個刺穿了喉嚨死掉了?！?/p>
He was mad. Vashti departed, nor, in the troubles that followed, did she ever see his face again.
他瘋了。瓦西蒂動身走了，在以后紛至沓來的煩惱中，她再也沒有看見過他的臉龐。
