牛津書蟲系列 星際動物園 1 You must marry me

1 You must marry me

1 你必須嫁給我

Nothing ever happens on Just Like Home—that's the name of the planet I live on.I get so bored!

“賽家”總是死氣沉沉的——賽家是我住的行星的名字。我真是煩透了!

But tonight was Remembering Night and that's exciting.There's the big fire where everybody must put on something that they love and watch it burn.Then there's the dancing round the fire.

但今晚是懷舊夜，讓人興奮。點著一堆很大的篝火，每個人都要把一些他們心愛的東西放進火里，看著燒掉。然后，大家圍著火起舞。

But what I like best about Remembering Night are the clothes.We usually wear what we like on Just Like Home—but the clothes must have the name of our name-animal on them.For example，I always have the word'Hummingbird'on my clothes，which means my name is Hummingbird—Hummy for short.

可懷舊夜最讓我喜歡的地方是衣服。我們在賽家平常喜歡穿什么都行——但衣服得寫上我們“名肖”動物的名字。比如，我的衣服上總有“蜂鳥”這個詞，指的是我的名字叫蜂鳥——簡稱蜂兒。

Nobody knows what a hummingbird looks like，but we know what birds are.Birds are animals that fly.The Book of Remembering tells us that.

沒人知道蜂鳥長得什么樣，可我們知道什么是鳥。鳥是會飛的動物?！锻伦窇洝飞鲜沁@么告訴我們的。

I don't always believe what the Book of Remembering says.

我不是太相信《往事追憶》上說的東西。

Nobody knows who you are on Remembering Night because you wear black clothes that cover you from head to foot，and there is no name of your name-animal.You can only see people's eyes looking out of the eye-holes in the clothes.

在懷舊夜沒有人會知道你是誰，因為你從頭到腳罩著黑衣服，也沒有你名肖動物的名字。你只能看見別人的眼睛從衣服的眼洞里往外看。

It was dark outside.The only light came from the big fire.I beld my father's hand at first and we danced together.My mother danced away and I couldn't see her.Soon I lost my father.I didn't know where they were.

外面很黑。唯一的亮光是那堆大篝火發(fā)出的。開始時，我抓著爸爸的手，一起跳舞。我媽媽跳著跳著離我們遠了，我看不見她。沒多久，爸爸也不見了。我不知道他們?nèi)チ四膬骸?/p>

It didn't matter.I was dancing in the middle of the crowd.Our family would meet together in the robot plane afterwards.

沒關(guān)系。我在人群當中跳舞。我們家人最后會在智能飛船上會面。

There were about a thousand people round the fire.Too many people to count.Nearly everybody on Just Like Home was there.

大概有上千人圍著篝火，人多得數(shù)不過來。賽家上幾乎所有人都在那兒。

Everybody，on planets all over the Galaxy，was dancing round fires at the same time.What a wonderful thing!

銀河系每個行星上的所有人都同時在圍著篝火跳舞。多么不可思議啊!

The last dance began.You hold hands in a big circle round the fire—everybody together.You dance round and round in a circle until…

最后一個舞蹈開始了。大家拉著手，在篝火外面圍成一個大圈——每個人都拉著手。大家圍著圈跳啊跳啊，直到……

Well，everybody knows what happens in the end.

唉，誰都知道最后怎么了。

I was holding hands with someone on my right and someone on my left.We were all shouting，'BURN BURN BURN BURN BURN BURN BURN…'

我右邊拉著一個人的手，左邊拉著一個人的手。我們都喊著：“燒阿燒阿燒阿燒……”

The last dance went on for a long time.In the end somebody fell down.He pulled down the people on both sides of him.Then people on both sides of them fell down.Everybody was too tired to stay on their feet.

最后一個舞跳了好久。最后有人倒下了。他把他兩邊的人也拽倒了。然后他們兩側(cè)的人也都倒了。大家都累得站不住了。

People fell down all round the circle.Falling.Dying.

一圈人都倒下了。崩潰了，沉寂了。

We wear black clothes to remember.We remember the Burning.

我們穿著黑衣服是為了懷念。我們紀念“大火災”。

We remember that we have a Galaxy，but we are alone.We are empty in our hearts.We are the only living things in the Galaxy.

我們記得我們有一個銀河系，但我們是孤獨的。我們心里空蕩蕩的。我們是銀河系里唯一的生物。

Sad.Lonely and sad.

傷感。孤獨而傷感。

I lay on the ground，very，very tired.I was happy and sad at the same time.Happy to be with everybody，sad that we were alone.

我躺在地上，精疲力竭。一時間我又高興又難過。我高興和大家在一起，我難過因為我們孤獨。

Then the worst thing in my life happened.Somebody came up to me and said，'Hello.'I didn't know who it was.I could only see his eyes shining in the light of the fire.But it was the voice of a man who was much older than me.

然后我一生最糟糕的事發(fā)生了。有個人走到我面前說道：“你好。”我不知道是誰。我只能看到他的眼睛在火光下閃光。但那是一個比我大好多的男人的聲音。

'Hello?'I answered.I didn't want to talk to him.

“你好?”我答道。我不想和他說話。

'I saw you in the dance，'he said.'I know you're a young girl because you were dancing like a young girl.I think you're seventeen years old.'

“我看見你跳舞了，”他說，“我知道你是個年輕的姑娘，因為你的舞姿像個年輕姑娘。我猜你有十七歲了。”

'No，I'm only sixteen，'I said.

“不，我才十六，”我說。

'Wonderful.Just what I want，'said the man.'I will marry you.You must marry me.'

“太好了。正合我意，”這個男人說，“我要娶你。你必須嫁給我。”

I couldn't believe what he was saying.This was terrible.And very bad luck.

我簡直無法相信他在說什么。這太可怕了。真是倒霉透頂。

Yes，it was true a woman must marry any man who asks her on Remembering Night—by order of the Star Council.I'm sixteen so I'm a woman，not a child.I couldn't say no to this man.I was sick in my heart.

是的，在懷舊夜，女人必須嫁給向她求婚的男人，這是真的——是星際理事會定下的規(guī)矩。我已十六歲，是女人，不是孩子了。我不能拒絕這個男人。我心里一陣惡心。

'My name's Buff，'the man said.'What's your name，sweetheart?'

“我叫牛子，”這男人說。“你叫什么，親愛的?”

'Er，my name's，er…Caterpillar，'I lied.'I'm usually called Kate.'

“呃，我叫，呃……毛蟲，”我騙他道，“他們都叫我蟲子。”

'Well，Kate，'Buff said，'will you marry me?'

“好，蟲子，”牛子說，“你肯嫁給我嗎?”

'I'm sorry，Buff.I know I'm sixteen and old enough to get married but my parents don't want me to get married yet.I'm their only daughter.'

“對不起，牛子。我知道我已十六，到了可以結(jié)婚的年齡，但我父母還不想讓我結(jié)婚。他們只有我這一個女兒。”

Buff laughed.It was a horrible Iaugh.He enjoyed knowing I didn't want him.What a monster!

牛子大笑起來。笑得好可怕。知道我不喜歡他，他很開心。真是個混蛋!

Oh，thank Earth-and-animals I hadn't told him my real name!

噢，感謝地球及其動物我沒告訴他我的真名!

I jumped up suddenly and ran into the crowds of people in the dark.I was safe.He couldn't find me.I went to our robot plane and sat inside until my parents came.

我突然跳起來，跑進黑暗中的人群。我安全了。他找不著我。我回到我們的智能飛船上，坐在里面直到我父母回來。

I didn't tell my parents anything.I was afraid.The Star Council said Buff was right and I was wrong，and I didn't know what my parents would do.

我什么也沒對父母說。我害怕。星際理事會說牛子是對的，我是錯的，我不知道我父母會怎么做。

Next morning I forgot about it.How could Buff find me?There were hundreds of girls on our planet.He didn't know my name.He had only seen my eyes.

第二天上午我就把這事兒忘了。牛子怎么能找得到我?我們的行星上有好幾百個姑娘。他不知道我的名字。他只看見了我的眼睛。

Suddenly my father came into my room.'Hummingbird，'he said sadly.

忽然，我爸爸進了我的房間。“蜂鳥，”他滿面愁容地說道。

'What's the matter?'I asked.'Why are you calling me Hummingbird，not Hummy?'

“怎么啦?”我問，“您為什么叫我蜂鳥，不叫蜂兒?”

'Hummingbird，ask your robot for a wedding dress.'

“蜂鳥，讓你的機器人給你一套婚紗。”

'Why?Why?'But I knew the answer.

“為什么?為什么?”但我知道是怎么回事兒了。

'You will marry a gentleman called Buffalo.'

“你要嫁給一個叫水牛的男人。”

'No，father，I can't.'I started crying.'I don't want to.I'm too young.I don't want to leave you.I hate him!'

“不，爸爸，我不能。”我哭了起來。“我不要嫁人。我太小了。我不想離開您。我討厭他!”

My father shook his head.'Please，Hummy，it's only for one year.You can't be a child forever.Lots of girls don't want to get married at first.The Star Council says we must get married as often as possible and have children.You know why.'

爸爸搖了搖頭。“好了，蜂兒，不過是一年的功夫。你不能總是個孩子。好多姑娘開始都不想嫁人。星際理事會說我們必須盡量頻繁地結(jié)婚，然后生孩子。你知道原因。”

'Why?'I spoke like a small child.

“為什么?”我孩子似地說道。

'Because we are lonely.Because there is nothing in the Galaxy except us.You know all that，Hummy.'

“因為我們孤獨。因為除了我們，銀河系就沒有其他東西了。這些你都知道的，蜂兒。”

The dressing-robot made me a wedding dress—we have robots for everything like that.The dress was white and covered me all over except for my eyes.

機器人裁縫給我做了一套婚紗——我們做什么都有機器人。婚紗是白的，除了眼睛，把我全罩住了。

My father took my arm.

爸爸挽著我的胳膊。

Buff was waiting with my mother.I saw his eyes through the eye-holes of his wedding suit.They were small mean eyes.

牛子和我媽媽在一起等著。我通過他結(jié)婚禮服的眼洞看見了他的眼睛。一雙刻薄的小眼睛。

'Hello，Kate，'he said.

“你好，蟲子，”他說。

My father said，'Her name is Hummingbird.'

我爸爸說道：“她的名字叫蜂鳥。”

'I know，I know，'Buff said.

“我知道，我知道，”牛子說。

'How did you find me?'I asked Buff.

“你怎么找到我的?”我問牛子。

'I had a small camera，'he answered.'I took a photo of your eyes.Did you know that everybody's eyes are different?Nobody has eyes like yours.'

“我有個小照相機，”他回答，“我給你的眼睛照了張像。難道你不知道每個人的眼睛都不同嗎?沒有人長著和你一樣的眼睛。”

I turned to my father.'Listen to him!Can't you see how horrible he is?Please don't make me marry him.'

我轉(zhuǎn)向爸爸：“聽他說的話!您難道看不出他有多壞嗎?求您別讓我嫁給他。”

My father didn't say anything.He couldn't help me.

我爸爸沒說話。他幫不了我。

You can say no if a man asks you to marry him on Remembering Night.But you must have a very special reason.A reason that the Star Council will accept.If you are doing work that is important for the Galaxy，the Council will usually accept that as a good reason.

懷舊夜里，男人向你求婚你可以拒絕。但你要有非同尋常的理由，一個星際理事會能接受的理由。如果你正在為銀河系做重要的工作，理事會一般會認為這是可以接受的正當理由。

I couldn't think of anything like that.But it was something to hope for…if I could escape.

我想不出任何這種理由?？蛇@只能是癡心妄想……我要是能逃跑該多好。

I was afraid.I didn't want to run away and never see my family again.

我害怕。我不愿逃跑，不愿將來永遠見不到我的家人。

Some neighbours arrived，and the wedding began immediately.

幾個鄰居到了，于是婚禮馬上開始。

Buff stood next to me and held my hand.His hand was large and a little wet.How I hated him!

牛子站在我身邊，抓著我的手。他的手很大，有點濕。我恨死他了!

My father picked up the Book of Remembering.He read，'In the beginning there were millions of planets in the Galaxy but there was only life on one.That was the planet Earth.People and animals lived together.But people polluted Earth.It became too hot for animals to live.They died.All the animals died.So people left Earth and never returned to that planet.Their hearts were empty when they left Earth，empty today，empty forever…'

爸爸拿起《往事追憶》。他讀道：“開始的時候，銀河系有數(shù)以百萬計的行星，但只有一顆行星上有生命，那就是地球。人類和動物生活在一起。但人類污染了地球。它變得太熱了，動物無法生存。它們死了。所有的動物都死了。所以，人類離開了地球，再也沒有回到那顆行星。他們離開地球的時候，心里空蕩蕩的，今天仍是空蕩蕩的，永遠空蕩蕩的……”

Buff was still holding my hand.

牛子還抓著我的手。

My father spoke again.'Buffalo，will you take my daughter Hummingbird to be your wife for one year，in the name of Earth and the animals?'

爸爸又說話了：“水牛，以地球和動物的名義，你愿意娶我的女兒讓她做你一年妻子嗎?”

Buff answered，'I will.'

牛子答道：“我愿意。”

My father turned to me.'Hummingbird，will you take this man Buffalo to be your husband for one year，in the name of Earth and the animals?'

我爸爸轉(zhuǎn)向我：“蜂鳥，以地球和動物的名義，你愿意嫁給水牛讓他做你一年的丈夫嗎?”

That's when I ran.

就在這時候我跑開了。

I let the wedding dress fall off me.I ran fast.They ran afterme but I could run much faster without the wedding dress.I got to our robot spaceship，jumped into it and said，'Take off.'

我把婚紗扯了下來。我跑得很快。他們追我，但我沒穿婚紗，跑得比他們快得多。我跑上我們的智能飛船，跳了上去，說道：“起飛。”

'Why are people running towards us?'the spaceship asked.

“為什么人們朝我們跑?”飛船問道。

'Take off now!'I shouted.'It's life or death!'

“馬上起飛!”我叫道。“生死攸關(guān)!”

The spaceship couldn't argue.It took off.

飛船不會爭辯。起飛了。

Just Like Home was green all over—fields of wheat everywhere.I was out in space looking back at my planet.All around me were stars.

賽家整個都是綠的——到處都是麥田。我在太空中回頭看著我的行星。我的周圍都是星星。

The millions of stars in the Galaxy—that's where I could hide!

銀河系的數(shù)百萬顆星星——那正是我的藏身之地!