Fourth, nature would be closer. It might seem that to withdraw underground is to withdraw fromthe natural world, but would that be so? Would the withdrawal be more complete than it is now, when so many people work in city buildings that are often windowless and artificially conditioned? Even where there are windows, what is the prospect one views (if one bothers to) but sun, sky, and buildings to the horizon - plus some limited greenery?
第四,人們與自然界的距離將會縮短。退到地下,看起來似乎是遠離了自然界,但果真如此嗎? 現今,這么多人在城市的建筑物內工作,那里常常沒有窗戶,而靠人工調節一切。即便有窗戶,你又能看到什么呢(如果你肯費心看一看的話)無非是太陽,天空,以及一直伸展到天邊的建筑物--外加一點有限的綠色草木而已。搬到地下以后,與自然界隔絕的情況還會勝過于此嗎?
And to get away from the city now? To reach the real countryside? One must travel horizontally for miles, first across city pavements and then across suburban sprawls.
現在你想離開城市嗎? 到真正的鄉村去嗎? 你必須旅行數英里,先得走過城市的街道,然后還得走過郊區雜亂無章的建筑群。
In an underworld culture, the countryside would be right there, a few hundred yards above the upper level of the cities - wherever you are. The surface would have to be protected from too frequent, or too intense, or too careless visiting, but however carefully restricted the upward trips might be, the chances are that the dwellers of the new caves would see more greenery, under ecologically healthier conditions, than dwellers of surface cities to today.
在地下世界文化中,鄉村就在城市上面幾百碼遠的地方--不管你在哪里都是這樣。地表當然必須得到保護,不允許過分頻繁地、過分集中地、或過分隨便地參觀訪問,但不管對向上的旅行作出多么認真的限制,新洞穴里的居民們將有可能比今天地面城市的居民在更為健康的生態環境下生活,并見到更多的青枝綠葉。
However odd and repulsive underground living may seem at first thought, there are things to be said for it - and I haven't even said them all.
盡管地下生活乍想起來多么的奇怪和不那么令人喜歡,它的好處可以舉出好多--而我在這里只不過是略說一二。