牛津书虫系列《星际动物园》Chapter5 附中英双语文本

5 Waiting for fifteen thousand years
5 一万五千年的等待
'It's too bright in here，'I said．'I can't see．'
“这儿太亮了，”我说，“我看不见。”
The light suddenly wasn't so bright and I could see again．I was in a round room，which was empty except for a large square computer．
那盏灯马上暗了一些，我又看得见了。我站在一个圆圆的房间里，屋里除了一台四四方方的大电脑外什么也没有。
The computer didn't look like the modern computers we have．
这台电脑看上去和我们用的现代电脑不一样。
'You are't God！'I said．'You're just a computer！Just a strange old computer！'
“你不是上帝！”我说，“你不过是台电脑而已！一台怪模怪样的破电脑而已！”
A voice came from it．'Yes，this is computer．Who are you？'
里面传出一个声音：“对，我是电脑。你是谁？”
Oh，the computer still worked！I was surprised as it looked so very old．It didn't speak in a natural way as modern computers do．
噢，这电脑还能运转！我很惊奇，因为看上去它太破旧了。它说话的腔调不像现代电脑那么自然。
'I'm Hummingbird，'I answered．
“我是蜂鸟，”我回答。
'You are not a hummingbird．Hummingbirds fly in the forests here，in Star Zoo．You are human．You are not a child of Star Zoo．Computer is happy．'
“你不是蜂鸟。蜂鸟是在这森林里飞的，在星际动物园。你是人。你不是星际动物园的孩子。电脑很高兴。”
I listened but I didn't understand．'Hummingbird'was just my name—and the name of one of the animals in the Book of Remembering．Why was this place called the Star Zoo？What was a 'zoo'？I had so many questions to ask！
我听着，但无法理解。“蜂鸟”只是我的名字——《往事追忆》中一种动物的名字。这个地方为什么叫星际动物园？什么是“动物园”？我有好多问题要问！
'Computer，'I said，'where do you come from？I never heard of a spaceship as big as this！You speak my language but it sounds different．Why do Hee-Haw and Hoo-Woo think you're God？'
“电脑，”我说，“你是哪儿来的？我从没听说过这么大的飞船！你讲的是我的语言，可听起来不大一样。为什么'嘻呵'和'呼呜'把你当上帝？”
'Who is Hee-Haw？Who is Hoo-Woo？'the computer asked．
“'嘻呵'是谁？'呼呜'又是谁？”电脑问道。
'The two monsters that brought me here，'I answered．
“带我到这儿来的那两个怪物，”我回答。
'Yes．Dondey．Wolf．All animals believe computer is God．Computer makes ultrasonic sound．Ultrasonics make fear．'
“哦。驴子、狼。所有的动物都把电脑当成上帝。电脑能发出超声波。超声波能引起恐惧。”
'Animals？'I said slowly．Animals were only a story in the Book of Remembering．There were no animals alive today．What was the computer talking about？'Animals…like EeeEee and Cheep-Cheep？'
“动物？”我慢慢地问道。动物不过是《往事追忆》中的故事。今天没有活着的动物了。这电脑在胡说什么？“动物……'噫噫'和'嘁嘁'那样的？”
'Eee－Eee is a squirrel，'the computer said．'Cheep-Cheep is a bird．Animals take care of you．'
“'噫噫'是只松鼠，”电脑说，“'嘁嘁'是只鸟。照料你的都是动物。”
I was very afraid．Donkey，wolf，squirrel，and bird were all animals named in the Book of Remembering．
我很害怕。驴子、狼、松鼠和鸟都是《往事追忆》中动物的名字。
'Where did these animals come from？'I asked．
“这些动物是哪儿来的？”我问道。
'Star Zoo came from Earth，'the computer answered．'Star Zoo left Earth．Earth was hot．'
“星际动物园来自地球，”电脑回答，“星际动物园离开了地球。地球热。”
I suddenly couldn't stand．I fell down and my mind exploded again．This time I wasn't angry．I was sad，empty，afraid，and a little crazy．This was the Book of Remembering come to life！
我突然站不住了。我倒了下去，头脑又发懵了。这次我没有感到愤怒。我难过、空虚、恐惧，还有点狂乱。《往事追忆》变成了活生生的现实！
Earth hot？That was the Burning！We made the Earth too hot and all life except humans died．And we humans did it！
地球热？那是因为大火灾！我们把地球弄热了，除了人类以外，所有的生物都死了。那是我们人类干的！
'Not necessary to fall down，'the computer said．'Computer is not God．Computer wants to talk to humans．Computer is sad that humans have not spoken for fifteen thousand years．'
“不必趴下，”电脑说，“电脑不是上帝。电脑想和人说话。电脑难过，人类已经一万五千年没说话了。”
I stood up slowly．The Book of Remembering was forremembering the animals but they had been dead for twenty thousand years．