午飯後,史密斯和琳達(dá)回到了自己的房間,他們還在議論著上午發(fā)生的事。史密斯脫下自己的外套掛在衣架上,把雙手墊在腦後往牀上一躺,他感到有些累。琳達(dá)坐在梳妝檯前,往指甲上塗著指甲油。琳達(dá)問:“今天的事你怎麼看?”
“這件事可不簡單呢!”史密斯意味深長地說,“也許已經(jīng)引起了國家安全部門的注意;不知你留心了沒有,跟在洛克後面的兩個(gè)便衣根本不像是普通警察,我懷疑他們是聯(lián)邦調(diào)查局的。”
Chapter 9 Is It True Or False
After lunch Smith and Linda returned to their room to be still talking about what happened in the morning. Smith took off his coat on a hanger lay on the bed and put his hands to the back of the head, or he felt a little tired. Linda sat in front of the toilet table to polish nails and painted enamel. Linda asked: ‘What do you think what happened today?’
‘It is not easy!’ Meaningfully Smith said, ‘May have attracted the attention of the national security department, do you look out what the two men who followed Locke don't like ordinary police, I suspect they're Federal Bureau of Investigation.’
“我也有同感,你看那個(gè)洛克警官問得多仔細(xì),跟審犯人似的,可是,他們爲(wèi)什麼要管這件事呢?”
“當(dāng)然是因爲(wèi)國家利益啦!如果能人爲(wèi)控制生命,這對(duì)人類社會(huì)的影響可就大了,從商業(yè)角度來看,它是一個(gè)賺大錢的好機(jī)會(huì),出於人類求生的本能,這個(gè)需求量是很大的;從探索宇宙方面來說,它可能爲(wèi)星際旅行解決了一道難題,在這個(gè)問題上的意義是很深遠(yuǎn)的;人類工業(yè)的發(fā)展,科技的進(jìn)步,使得地球變得太狹小了;哥倫布發(fā)現(xiàn)新大陸的驚喜,在當(dāng)今世界已經(jīng)不會(huì)再出現(xiàn),向外太空發(fā)展,已經(jīng)變得十分迫切。”
‘I feel the same way, you see that Locke officer asked more carefully, as if the interrogation of criminal suspects, but, why do they interfere of this matter?’
‘Of course it is the interest of the state! If homo can control of life, the impact on human society is large, from a business perspective, it is a good chance to make a lot of money, for human survival instinct, the demand is very big. From the aspects of the exploration of the universe, it can solve the problem for interstellar travel, on the issue of meaning is very profound. The development of human industry, the progress of science and technology, makes the earth become too narrow. Columbus discovered the new world to be surprised, has won't appear in the world now, and to the outer space development, have become very urgent.’
“你說的這些當(dāng)然不錯(cuò),不過我想,要是人類生而不死,地球上很快就會(huì)人滿爲(wèi)患的。”
“實(shí)際上這種事情可能很複雜,並不像你想象得那麼糟糕。我感覺這種作業(yè)的成本一定很高,並不是所有的人都能承受得起這種消費(fèi)。”
‘Of course, that you said is good, but I think, if human just to give birth not to die, soon the earth will be crowded.’
‘In fact this kind of thing can be complex, is not so bad as you think. I feel this job must have a high cost, not all people can afford of this consumption.’
琳達(dá)搖搖頭說:“你說的情況只是暫時(shí)的,只要競爭對(duì)手一出現(xiàn),價(jià)格就會(huì)一落千丈。椐報(bào)道說,世界人口照目前的增長速度來看,到這個(gè)世紀(jì)末,地球上的人類可能達(dá)到一百億;如果這種生而不死的生意再一發(fā)展起來,也許到時(shí)候二百億都不止,恐怕你的子孫得爲(wèi)沒有地方站腳而發(fā)愁了。”
“哈哈哈……,”史密斯笑了起來,“琳達(dá),你爲(wèi)我們畫了一幅十分可怕的圖畫,我想事情不會(huì)糟糕到那個(gè)程度吧!自然界會(huì)根椐自己的意志進(jìn)行調(diào)整的。”
Linda shook her head and said: ‘you say the situation is only temporary, as long as the competitors appeared, the price will fall. And reported that the population of the world according to current growth rates, in end of this century, earth humans could reach ten billion; if the born and the undead business developed again, maybe has more than twenty billion, but I afraid your son has to worry about no ground to stand feet.’
‘Ha ha ha......,’ Smith laughed, ‘Linda, you painted a horrible picture for us, I don't think that something to be terrible of this extent! Nature will adjust in accordance with his will.’
“看來,好像你已經(jīng)相信那個(gè)小男孩真的是我爸爸了?”
“這事很蹊蹺,你若不相信他是真的吧?可是,那孩子說話的態(tài)度,走路的姿勢和思維的方式都與你爸爸完全一樣,一個(gè)六歲的小孩兒如果不是一個(gè)大人,根本做不到這一點(diǎn);克萊門特說是有人教唆的,這個(gè)觀點(diǎn)不能成立,在有些微妙的細(xì)節(jié)和特點(diǎn)上,是教不會(huì)的;可是,你若相信他是真的,那麼他是怎麼變化而來的呢?你爸爸的骨頭架子已經(jīng)長得那麼大,可怎麼縮小呢?他的皮肉,器官已經(jīng)老化,怎麼更換呢?就算是找到了這個(gè)途徑,也不可能在短短的五個(gè)小時(shí)裡就進(jìn)行得如此完美徹底;此外,要知道人類的大腦也會(huì)老化,就算你爸爸的腦袋是世界上使用壽命最長的,可怎麼給他搬家呢?開刀嗎?你看見手術(shù)刀痕了嗎?所以移植也是不行的;總之,我還沒有想象出他們是怎麼幹的。也許,像那些小蟲子,先做繭,然後一脫殼,就變成美麗的蝴蝶了。”
“哈哈哈……,你這是憑空幻想,實(shí)際上根本不可能。”
‘Looks alike, you have believed that the little boy is really my dad?’
‘This thing is very strange, if you don't believe that he is real, but, the child to speak, to walk and the way of thinking with exactly the same to your father, a six-year-old child can't do these things, if it is not an *****. Clement said the boy was instigated, this idea cannot be established, about on some subtle details and features, anyone can not teach, but, if you believe that he is real, so how did he change? Your father's skeleton already grow so big, how can it shrink? His flesh and organs have been aging, how to change? Even someone found this way, it is impossible to do thoroughly in as little as five hours just so perfect. In addition, to know that the human brain will be aging, even if your dad's head is the longest service life in the world, but how to give him to move? Operation? Have you seen surgical scar? So transplantation that it is can not do, in short, I haven't even imagine how they do. Maybe, like those crawlers, cocoon is done first, and then to shell, to turn into a beautiful butterfly.’
‘Ha ha ha, butterfly? You are just fantasy that actually impossible.’
“所以說,這事很蹊蹺。”
“那個(gè)謝爾曼真是個(gè)醫(yī)界天才,我倒是有些佩服他了,真不簡單。”琳達(dá)讚歎地說。
“有些事也不盡然,對(duì)於門外漢來說可能是高不可攀的很玄妙,可是一旦進(jìn)了門,也許就跟吃飯睡覺一樣簡單,根本不用動(dòng)什麼腦筋。”
“你說得真輕巧。”
“對(duì)於這種事,有人比我們更關(guān)心。”
‘So to say this thing is very strange.’
‘The Sherman is a genius of the medical profession, and I some admire him who he really is not easy.’ Linda said with compliment.
‘Some things maybe very complicated for layman what mysterious and unattainable, but once entered the door, may be as simple as eating sleeping, it completely doesn't need your mind.’
‘You said easily.’
‘For this sort of thing, someone care more about that than us.’
“你指的是聯(lián)邦**?”
“是的,”史密斯點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭說,“好了,別在這些事上浪費(fèi)時(shí)間了,我想我還是回公司去,那邊還有很多事情等著我去處理呢!有時(shí)間的話,我一定去查查那個(gè)謝爾曼博士倒底是個(gè)什麼人。”背景
“好吧!你先回去,”琳達(dá)說,“我繼續(xù)留在這兒觀察動(dòng)向;剛纔,聽說莊園門口圍了一大羣記者,警察還設(shè)了崗,你一出去準(zhǔn)會(huì)被他們圍住,我想你還是走側(cè)門吧!”
正當(dāng)史密斯夫婦談?wù)撔⊥旭R斯的時(shí)候,克萊門特夫婦也不例外。索菲亞說:“你跟他鬧翻了,我真爲(wèi)你擔(dān)心。”
“這是沒有辦法的事,難道你想把一切都留給那個(gè)孩子?”克萊門特說。
‘What do you mean to be about the federal government?’
‘Yes,’nodded Smith said, ‘well, don't waste time on these things, I think I'll go back to the company, there are a lot of things waiting for me to deal! If enough to have time, I must check the Dr Sherman what is the man really backdrop of hidden card.’
‘OK! You go back first,’ Linda said, ‘I continue to stay here and to watch movements, just now I heard that farm surrounded by a swarm of journalists, the police still have the sentry on the gate, you go out would have surrounded by them, I think you will walk side door!’
When Mr And Mrs Smith talked about Small Thomas, Clement couple were no exception. Sophia said: ‘You fell out with him, and I really worried about you.’
‘This is no way to it, don't you want to leave everything to the child?’ Clement said.
“當(dāng)然不能!不過我真有些擔(dān)心。”
“坦率地說,我真的不知道我做得對(duì)不對(duì),我只是從直覺感到,我必須反抗。”
“如果經(jīng)過調(diào)查,那孩子真是你爸爸變的,當(dāng)局也承認(rèn)這一點(diǎn),那麼我們就完了。”
‘Of course not it is. But some I really worry.’
‘Frankly, I really don't know what I am doing that is the right, I just from the intuitive feel, I must resist.’
‘If they had been investigated, the child is really your dad to change, authorities also admit it, then we all finished.’
“即使不跟他鬧翻也沒用,他現(xiàn)在才六歲,過不了多久,他就會(huì)把持一切;你想,他那麼年輕,而我已經(jīng)五十歲了,我們永遠(yuǎn)也沒有機(jī)會(huì)。”
“到時(shí)候,你也可以返老還童呀!”
“那又有什麼意思呢?還不是在他的控制之下。”意義
“那是沒辦法的,也許你的命該如此。”
‘If we don't fall out with him, it's even no use, because he is only six years old now, before long, he will control everything. You want to think, what he is so young, and I'm already fifty years old, so we will never have the chance.’
‘At that time, you can also rejuvenation!’
‘What fun does it have? Is not under his control?’
‘That is no way, maybe your fate.’
“命該如此?我看不一定吧!就算他真是我爸爸變的,對(duì)於這種返老還童的現(xiàn)象,至少現(xiàn)在法律上還不承認(rèn),等到美國產(chǎn)生相應(yīng)的法律來調(diào)整這種關(guān)係時(shí),可能時(shí)間早已過了很多年;我們不承認(rèn)他是托馬斯,別人也沒有什麼辦法。”
“你現(xiàn)在總經(jīng)理的位置,暫時(shí)還不會(huì)有什麼問題,我想你是不是應(yīng)該爲(wèi)以後做些準(zhǔn)備。”
“我知道,我該回去工作了,你留在這兒。”
‘Is it my fate? I don’t think so! Even if he is my father, for this kind of phenomenon of rejuvenation, at least now the law also denied it, and waits for America to produce corresponding legislation to adjust the relationship, may be past a long time even years, we don't admit that he is Thomas, others have no way.’
‘You now the position of the general manager, that it temporary also won't have what problem, I think you should do to prepare for later.’
‘I know, I should go back to work, and you stay here.’
小托馬斯面對(duì)眼前的事非常頭痛,根本沒有心思顧及到沃德先生請(qǐng)來的客人。瓊斯夫婦和萊昂斯小姐這時(shí)表現(xiàn)得很大度,他們不願(yuàn)意在這個(gè)時(shí)候再去煩擾主人。他們湊在一起談?wù)撝衔绨l(fā)生的驚濤駭浪,準(zhǔn)備休息片刻便告辭。
對(duì)於沃德先生的巨大變化,萊昂斯小姐並不反感,她甚至更喜歡這個(gè)小托馬斯,也許以後,她還可以經(jīng)常陪著小托馬斯下下象棋。
但是,瓊斯先生對(duì)此卻有不同的感受,他覺得小托馬斯是個(gè)孫輩的小孩子,以後難以再和他進(jìn)行同層次的交往了。他倒反而留戀起與老沃德在一塊兒的那種融恰,他爲(wèi)自己永遠(yuǎn)失去了一位好朋友而百感交集。
Small Thomas had a very bad headache to face these things, didn't have a mind to take care of the guests who by Mr Ward please of. Miss Lyons and Mr Jones couple were very magnanimous, they didn't want to disturb the master at this time. They together talking about the huge waves in the morning, ready to rest for a moment then left.
For the great changes in Mr Ward, Miss Lyons did not hate, and she even more like this little Thomas, maybe later she could often play chess also with Small Thomas.
However, Mr Jones had a different feeling, he felt little Thomas is a grandchild of boy who he is the diverse level, after he hard again contacted him. He instead is nostalgia that kind harmony to stay with the old Ward together, and he felt of mixed feelings for lost a good friend forever.
“別胡思亂想了,”瓊斯太太勸道,“若是返老還童真有此事,你也可以去變一變,你們不是就可以重新在一起了嗎?”
說的也是,一句話讓瓊斯先生茅塞頓開,臉上的表情也漸漸鬆弛舒展開了。他們現(xiàn)在更關(guān)心的是,這返老還童是真還是假。
‘Don't think much,’ Mrs Jones persuaded, ‘if rejuvenation really has it, you can also go to a change, you can be back together with him, isn't it?’
The sentence made Mr Jones suddenly enlightened, on his face of the expression slowly relaxed to spread out. Now they were more concerned about the rejuvenation case is true or false.
沃德先生的巨大變化,在奧特明內(nèi)外各處都引起了動(dòng)盪,人們議論紛紛,焦點(diǎn)就是真假的問題。除此之外,對(duì)於奧特明的僱工階層,他們更關(guān)心的是:小托馬斯與克萊門特之戰(zhàn)究竟誰會(huì)贏。有的人暗地裡正在用著心,希望自己在今後的較量中,不要幫錯(cuò)了人。
Mr Ward's great changes, both inside and outside of the Autumn everywhere caused turmoil, people talk about the center issue that is true or false. In addition, for the Autumn’s classes of workers, they were more care about is: Small Thomas of the battle with Clement who will win. Some people secretly were in the heart, hope oneself in the future of the contest, not to help the wrong man.
作爲(wèi)事件的中心人物,小托馬斯,這時(shí)在沃德太太的房間裡。沃德太太和埃米莉正陪著他說話呢!
沃德太太說:“你走的這些天,可把我急死了。”
“對(duì)不起,非常抱歉!”小托馬斯說。
As a central figure in the event, the Small Thomas was at this time in the room of Mrs Ward. Mrs Ward and Emily accompanied him to talk!
Mrs Ward said: ‘In these days of you have left, but I'm very worried.’
‘I'm sorry, I'm very sorry!’ Thomas said.
“你爲(wèi)什麼不跟我說一聲?”
“我怕你不讓我走。”
“那不一定,我也許會(huì)陪你去。”
“是嗎!”小托馬斯的臉上露出了笑容,“反正事情已經(jīng)過去了,別再提它了。”
‘Why didn't you say with me?’
‘I'm afraid you don't let me go.’
‘That is not necessary, maybe I will accompany you.’
‘Is that so!’ Small Thomas's face with a **ile, ‘Anyway, the things have past and don't mention it again.’
“是啊,不去說它了。”路易絲說。
“親愛的,”小托馬斯說,“你什麼時(shí)候也到馬爾科姆那兒去呢?”
“我?……那也得等這件事有個(gè)說法再說。”
“你不相信我?”
‘Yeah, don't say it.’ Louise said.
‘Honey,’ the Small Thomas said, ‘when will you also go to Malcolm there?’
‘Me? It must wait this matter to have a conclusion then for to that.’
‘You don't believe me?’
“怎麼會(huì)呢?”
“在返老還童之前,要提前七、八年進(jìn)行身體檢查,我建議你儘快到謝爾曼那裡去一次。”
“我相信你,我會(huì)去的,”路易絲說,“要是我也返老還童了,親愛的,你還會(huì)娶我嗎?”
“難道我們解除了婚姻?”
‘Why don't believe you?’
‘Before the rejuvenation, there is an appointment in advance about seven or eight years for physical examination, so I suggest you to Sherman as soon as possible.’
‘I believe you, and I'll go to there,’ Louise said, ‘dear if I'm rejuvenation, will you marry me again?’
‘Do we divorce the marriage?’
“當(dāng)然沒有。”路易絲楞了一下說。
“那就對(duì)了,我們本來就是夫妻,用不著再次結(jié)婚,即使讓我重新選擇,我還是會(huì)娶你的。自從我們結(jié)合以來,你給我?guī)砹撕芏嗪眠\(yùn)氣,我想這是上帝的意思。”
聽小托馬斯這麼說,沃德太太激動(dòng)地把他摟在懷中,眼睛裡閃動(dòng)著幸福的淚花,這一老一小緊緊地?fù)肀г谝黄稹?
‘Of course not.’ Louise is a little hesitation.
‘That's the right, already we are the couples so don't have to get married again, even if let me choose again, I will marry you. Since we combine after you brought me a lot of good luck, I think this is the meaning of God."
Mrs Ward excitedly hugged him in her arms, eyes flashing with tears of happiness, when her listening of little Thomas to say, whereupon the old and the **all tightly embraced together.
埃米莉看著他們沉浸在幸福裡,心中十分欣慰。從感情上來說,她十分願(yuàn)意相信小托馬斯就是她爺爺變的,但是,現(xiàn)實(shí)存在的許多疑團(tuán)層層地困擾著她。她回到自己的房間,陷入了深深地思索中。
埃米莉是克萊門特的獨(dú)生女,沃德先生的長孫女,大學(xué)畢業(yè)前在耶魯[2]讀書。她在學(xué)校裡的時(shí)候,一直爲(wèi)在校的男生們所矚目,這不僅是因爲(wèi)她的學(xué)習(xí)成績名列前矛,而且,她有一副令人賞心悅目的容貌。
Emily watched of them filled with happiness, in the heart to be very gratified. In feelings, she is very willing to believe that little Thomas is her grandfather to change, however, that is a fact of many layers of mystery to haunt her. She went back to her room to get into of deep thinking.
Emily is Clement's only daughter, Mr Ward's elder granddaughter, before graduating from university she read in Yale. In the school, she had been attention by school boys, not only because of her grades in the top spear, and she had a pleasing appearance.
即使你沒見過沙倫·斯通[3]本人,也一定看過她的銀幕形像,眉清目秀,紅脣皓齒,冰肌玉骨,儀態(tài)萬方,不知迷倒了多少影迷。而我們這位埃米莉的容貌,卻與之有著驚人的相似。按照當(dāng)時(shí)的學(xué)生會(huì)主席,一位全校公認(rèn)的帥哥兒,布盧姆菲爾德同學(xué)的觀點(diǎn)來看,兩人相比,風(fēng)度翩翩的埃米莉在某些指標(biāo)上還稍占上風(fēng)。
像許多美國人一樣,埃米莉很關(guān)心自己的健康。爲(wèi)了對(duì)付一時(shí)有些發(fā)胖的身體,醫(yī)生告誡她應(yīng)該增加體育鍛煉,於是,她選中了慢跑。在最初的日子裡,一到早晨五點(diǎn)鐘,學(xué)生們總能看見她正在運(yùn)動(dòng)的身影。
Even if you haven't seen Sharon Stone herself, also must have seen her screen image, sharply cut eyes, red lips and white teeth, **ooth and fair, appear in all her glory, don't know when her comes how many of the fans to be crazy. And our Emily's looks are striking resemblance with her. According to the student body president at that time, a boy who recognized handsome in the whole school, Bloomfield student of point of view, Emily compares with Sharon Stone on some indicators also slightly to have the upper hand.
Like many Americans, Emily concerned about her health. In order to deal of the a few fat body, the doctor told her should increase physical exercise, so she chose jogging. In the first days, when to five o'clock in the morning, the students always could see her in motion.
她的系裡有一位中國留學(xué)生,名叫凱西·陳,現(xiàn)在在一傢俬人公司服務(wù)。他長得並不怎麼出衆(zhòng),像很多亞洲人一樣黑頭髮,黑眼睛。每當(dāng)埃米莉想跟他聊上幾句時(shí),他就變得十分靦腆。他向埃米莉講述了許多中國的事情,什麼兵馬俑啦,長城啦,故宮啦,黃山啦,灕江啦,冰糖葫蘆啦,還有臭豆腐啦等等。然而,能讓埃米莉著迷的還是圍棋,那些圍棋子是凱西·陳從中國帶來的;它們個(gè)個(gè)做工精細(xì),園滑勻稱。只要有一大把黑子,一大把白子,就可以在棋盤上攻城掠地了;多麼神奇的構(gòu)想呀!埃米莉雖然喜歡,但是卻下不好,遠(yuǎn)不如下國際象棋那麼得心應(yīng)手。在與凱西·陳的交往之中,對(duì)埃米莉影響最大的是,他會(huì)打一套十分利落的“少林拳”。幾年下來,埃米莉也變成了武林好手;習(xí)武防身,在時(shí)有暴力發(fā)生的社會(huì)裡,可能是個(gè)明智的選擇。畢業(yè)前一年的署假,她和一羣美國同學(xué)特意去了一次中國;在那次旅遊中,他們到了很多地方。
Her department there was a Chinese student named Kathy Chen who was now that an employee of private companies. He looks not so outstanding, like a lot of Asians are the black eye and black hair. When Emily wants to talk with him a few words, he became very shy. He told Emily for many Chinese things, what the Terra Cotta Warriors, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Huangshan mountain, Lijiang river, ice-sugar gourd a hawthorn fruit food, and stinky tofu, and so on. But fascinated, however, can let Emily that is"go" that is a kind of chess, it was what Kathy Chen brought from China, these chess pieces are fine workmanship, circular and are uniform like the buttons. As long as some chess pieces black and white, like soldiers of two teams combat on the chess board, what an amazing idea! Although Emily like it too, then plays no well, far not good as comfortable as chess. In contact with Kathy Chen, the greatest influence for Emily is that he will play a "Shaolin boxing" very agile. A few years later, Emily became the martial arts player, and the martial arts can be self-defense in the society where against violence, so it might be a wise choice. In summers off of one year before graduation, she and a group of American students specially went to the Chinese of many places in the trip.
年輕的大學(xué)生們常常在課餘之時(shí)光顧的士高舞廳,有力的節(jié)奏的確也讓埃米莉喜歡。但是,她對(duì)此並不太熱衷,她把省下來的時(shí)間花在了偵探小說上。她喜歡追根問底,從福爾摩斯[4]到比利時(shí)人波洛[5],最後是詹姆士·邦德[6],這樣的書她看了一本又一本。然而,她沒想到,命運(yùn)之神這次將她推入了難解的迷宮,不是在書本上,而是在活生生的現(xiàn)實(shí)裡。
今天的事,使得埃米莉又驚奇,又疑惑,在一陣猶豫和彷徨之後,她終於下定了決心。爲(wèi)了她的爺爺,她要去揭開這件事情的真相。
她想起了一份雜誌曾經(jīng)介紹過的腦外科專家,利奧·布羅德黑德博士,以及有關(guān)神經(jīng)、大腦方面的論述。他是這方面的權(quán)威;埃米莉決定去找一下他。
Young students often in their spare time patronage disco dance halls, strong rhythm also let Emily like indeed. But, she isn't too keen on, and she put her the saving time to spend on detective novel. She likes tracing the end asked, from Sherlock Holmes to the Belgian Poirot, the last of James Bond, these stories that she read a book and a book again. She didn't expect, however, the God of destiny pushed her into a abstruse labyrinth, not on books but in the actual life.
Today, it makes Emily of surprise and confusion, and after a moment of hesitation and uncertainty, she finally determined. For the sake of her grandfather, she is going to uncover the truth.
She remembered a magazine that had been introduced, the surgeon of Dr Leo, Broad black, and discourse on nerve and the brain. He is the authority on the subject, Emily decided to look for him.
注 [1]這個(gè)世紀(jì)末,這裡是指二十一世紀(jì)。
[2]耶魯大學(xué)是美國的一所著名的大學(xué)。
[3]沙倫·斯通,美國著名影星。
[4]福爾摩斯是英國作家柯南道爾筆下的探案專家。
[5]波洛是作家阿加莎·克里斯蒂的小說裡的探長。他在《尼羅河上的慘案》裡有傑出的表現(xiàn)。
[6]詹姆士·邦德是英國懸念小說大師——伊恩·弗來明——筆下的超級(jí)間諜,代號(hào)007便是。