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基地系列:基地前奏|Prelude to Foundation

第九章|Chapter 9

属类： 双语小说 【分类】魔幻小说 -[作者: 艾萨克-阿西莫夫] 阅读：[10180]
《基地前奏》 在《基地与地球》中广袤荒凉的星际旅程之后,《基地前奏》将镜头拉回到基地三部曲开场之前几十年,繁华的帝国之都川陀。开创整个基地故事根基.故事的时间线来到《基地》的几十年前，彼时的哈里·谢顿还未开创出完整的心理史学，只是发表了一篇论文。但正是这篇关乎可以预言未来的论文将谢顿带上一段逃亡冒险之旅。
《 字+字- 行+行- 页+页- 字+字- 行+行- 页+页- 》
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他们沿着人行道往前走，四周是柔和、昏黄的光线。夫铭一直警觉地将眼睛转来转去，并让他们的步调与人群保持一致，既没有超越他人，也没有被人超过。

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他不断找些无关的话题，有一句没一句地闲聊着，始终没有间断。

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心浮气躁的谢顿无法做到这点，他说：“这里的人似乎很喜欢步行，来往方向的人行道和天桥上都是无尽的人潮。”

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“有何不对？”丈铭说，“步行仍是短程交通的最佳方式，是最方便、最便宜，也是最健康的，无数年的科技进展未曾改变这个事实。你有恐高症吗，谢顿？”

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谢顿从右手边的栏杆往下看，下面是一道很深的斜坡，将两条人行道分隔开来。两者的通行方向相反，每隔固定距离设有一座天桥。他看得有点发抖。“你若是指害怕站在高处，我通常不会。不过，往下看还是不怎么好玩。下面有多深？”

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“大概有四十到五十层楼高吧，我想。这种设施在皇区，以及其他一些高度发达的区域都很常见。在大部分地区，人们则在所谓的地面下行走。”

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“我有一种想法，这样会鼓励人们萌生自杀的念头。”

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“很少有这种事，想自杀还有简单得多的方法。此外，自杀在川陀并非社会不容的行为。在一些特定的中心，有各种被认可的方法供人结束性命，只要你愿意先花点时间，接受一下心理治疗。至于意外，偶尔也会发生几桩，但这不是我问你有没有恐高症的原因。我们正要去租车站，那里的人知道我是记者。我偶尔会帮他们一些小忙，有时他们也会回报我一下。他们会忘记把我记录下来，也不会注意到我有个同伴。当然，我得多付一笔钱。而且话说回来，若是丹莫茨尔的手下逼得太凶，他们最后还是得吐露实情，推说那是因为会计过于马虎，但那可能需要不少时间。”

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“恐高症跟这又有什么关系？”

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“嗯，如果我们利用重力升降机，可以快些到达那里。没有多少人利用这种设衔，而且我必须告诉你，我自己也不太喜欢这个主意。但如果你自认应付得了，我们最好还是这么做。”

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“什么是重力升降机？”

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“它还在实验阶段，有一天也许会在川陀普及，只要大众在心理上能接受，或是说可让足够多的人接受。到那个时候，或许它也会流传到其他世界。可以这么说，它是一种没有升降舱的升降通道。我们只要走进空旷的空间，就会在反重力作用下缓缓坠落，或是缓缓上升。直到目前为止，它大概是应用反重力的唯一装置，主要因为这是最简单的一种应用。”

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“我们在半空的时候，万一动力突然消失，那会怎么样？”

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“正如你所想的那样，我们会往下掉——除非当时相当接近底层，否则我们准死无疑。我还没听说发生过这种事，相信我，要是发生过的话，我一定会知道。我们也许不能发布这种新闻，因为基于安全的考虑——那是他们隐瞒坏消息的一贯借口，但我自己总有办法知道。它就在前面，你要是不能应付，那我们就别去。可是活动回廊既缓慢又沉闷，很多人不一会儿就感到头昏。”

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夫铭转进一座天桥，来到一个大型凹室，那里已经有些男女在排队等候，其中一两位还带着小孩。

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谢顿压低声音说：“我在家乡从未听过这种东西。当然，我们的媒体过分注重地方新闻，可是想来总该提到这种东西的存在吧。”

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夫铭说：“这完全是实验性的设施，而且仅限于皇区。它使用的能量不敷成本，因此政府并不急于推广，不想过早公之于世。克里昂之前的那位老皇帝——斯达涅尔五世，他能寿终正寝令每个人都不敢相信——坚持要在几个地方装设这种升降机。据说，他是想让自己的名字和反重力连在一起，因为他很关心自己在历史上的地位，这是没什么成就的老人常有的心态。正如我所说的，这种科技将来可能广为流传，不过，也可能除了升降机之外，不会再有任何其他应用。”

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“他们还希望将它应用在什么地方？”谢顿问道。

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“反重力太空飞行，然而那需要很多的技术性突破；据我所知，大多数物理学家坚决相信绝无可能——话说回来，当初，他们大多认为连重力升降机都绝无可能。”

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前面的队伍很快变得越来越短，谢顿发现已经与夫铭站在地板的边缘，前方是道开阔的缝隙，面前的空气发出微微闪光。他自然而然伸出手去，感到一阵轻微的发麻。虽然不算痛，但他迅速将手缩回来。

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大铭咕哝道：“这是基本的防范措施，以防有人在控制钮开启前越过界限。”他在控制板上按下几个数宁，闪光随即消失无踪。

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谢顿站在边缘往下望，见到的是一条深邃的升降通道。

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“如果我们勾着手臂，你再把眼睛闭起来，”夫铭说，“你也许会觉得比较好，或者说比较容易。顶多只有几秒钟时间。”

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事实下，他令谢顿毫无选择余地。被他紧紧抓住手臂之后，谢顿又跟上次一样无法挣脱。夫铭向一片虚空走去，谢顿（他听见自己发出一小声尖叫，感到很不好意思）拖着踉跄的脚步尾随在后，他紧闭双眼，并未体会到降落的感觉，也未曾察觉空气的流动。几秒钟之后，他被一股力量往前拉，赶紧向前迈出一步才恢复平衡，此时他发现自己再度脚踏实地。

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他张开眼睛。“我们成功了吗？”

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夫铭冷冷地说：“我们没有死。”然后便往前走，被他抓着的谢顿只好亦步亦趋。

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“我的意思是，我们到达要去的楼层了吗？”

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“当然。”

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“如果我们落下的时候，正好有人往上运动，那会发生什么事？”

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“总共有两条不同的路径。在其中一条路径中，大家以相同的速率下落，另一条中的人则以相同的速率上升。只有在确定每个人至少相隔十米时，升降通道才能出入。如果一切运作正常，不可能有相撞的机会。”

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“我一点感觉都没有。”

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“为什么会有？根本没有加速度。除了最初的十分之一秒，你一直在进行等速运动，你周遭的空气也以同样速率跟着你降落。”

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“不可思议。”

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“的确不可思议，可是并不经济。而且似乎没有多迫切的需要能使它增进效率，变得真正有价值。不论在何处，总是能听到同样的老调：‘我们做不到，那是不可能的。’这种话适用于任何事。”夫铭耸了耸肩，显然是动了气。“无论如何，我们总算到了租车站，让我们进行下一个行动吧。”

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They traveled along walkways where the light was soft and yellow. Hummins eyes moved this way and that, watchful , and he kept their pace at crowd speed, neither passing nor being passed.

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He kept up a mild but steady conversation on indifferent topics. Seldon, edgy and unable to do the same, said, "There seems to be a great deal of walking here. There are endless lines in both directions and along the crossovers."

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"Why not?" said Hummin. "Walking is still the best form of short-distance transportation. Its the most convenient, the cheapest, and the most healthful. Countless years of technological advance have not changed that.--Are you acrophobic , Seldon?"

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Seldon looked over the railing on his right into a deep declivity that separated the two walking lanes--each in an opposite direction between the regularly spaced crossovers. He shuddered slightly. "If you mean fear of heights, not ordinarily. Still, looking down isnt pleasant. How far does it go down?"

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"Forty or fifty levels at this point, I think. This sort of thing is common in the Imperial Sector and a few other highly developed regions. In most places, one walks at what might be considered ground level."

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"I should imagine this would encourage suicide attempts."

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"Not often. There are far easier methods. Besides, suicide is not a matter of social obloquy on Trantor. One can end ones life by various recognized methods in centers that exist for the purpose--if one is willing to go through some psychotherapy at first. There are, occasional accidents, for that matter, but thats not why I was asking about acrophobia . Were heading for a taxi rental where they know me as a journalist. Ive done favors for them occasionally and sometimes they do favors for me in return. Theyll forget to record me and wont notice that I have a companion. Of course, Ill have to pay a premium and, again of course, if Demerzels people lean on them hard enough, theyll have to tell the truth and put it down to slovenly accounting

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, but that may take considerable time."

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"Where does the acrophobia come in?"

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"Well, we can get there a lot faster if we use a gravitic lift. Not many people use it and I must tell you that Im not overjoyed at the idea myself, but if you think you can handle it, we had better."

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"Whats a gravitic lift?"

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"Its experimental. The time may come when it will be widespread over Trantor, provided it becomes psychologically acceptable--or can be made so to enough people. Then, maybe, it will spread to other worlds too. Its an elevator shaft without an elevator cab, so to speak. We just step into empty space and drop slowly--or rise slowly--under the influence of antigravity. Its about the only application of antigravity thats been established so far, largely because its the simplest possible application."

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"What happens if the power blinks out while were in transit ?"

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"Exactly what you would think. We fall and--unless were quite near the bottom to begin with--we die. I havent heard of it happening yet and, believe me, if it had happened I would know. We might not be able to give out the news for security reasons--thats the excuse they always advance for hiding bad news--but I would know. Its just up ahead. If you cant manage it, we wont do it, but the corridors are slow and tedious and many find them nauseating after a while." Hummin turned down a crossover and into a large recess where a line of men and women were waiting, one or two with children.

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Seldon said in a low voice, "I heard nothing of this back home. Of course, our own news media are terribly local, but youd think thered be some mention that this sort of thing exists."

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Hummin said. "Its strictly experimental and is confined to the Imperial Sector. It uses more energy than its worth, so the government is not really anxious to push it right now by giving it publicity . The old Emperor, Stanel VI, the one before Cleon who amazed everyone by dying in his bed, insisted on having it installed in a few places. He wanted his name associated with antigravity, they say, because he was concerned with his place in history, as old men of no great attainments frequently are. As I said, the technique may spread, but, on the other hand, it is possible that nothing much more than the gravitic lift will ever come of it."

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"What do they want to come of it?" asked Seldon.

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"Antigrav spaceflight. That, however, will require many breakthroughs and most physicists , as far as I know, are firmly convinced it is out of the question. But, then, most thought that even gravitic lifts were out of the question."

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The line ahead was rapidly growing shorter and Seldon found himself standing with Hummin at the edge of the floor with an open gap before him. The air ahead faintly glittered. Automatically, he reached out his hand and felt a light shock. It didnt hurt, but he snatched his hand back quickly. Hummin grunted

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. "An elementary precaution to prevent anyone walking over the edge before activating the controls." He punched some numbers on the control board and the glitter vanished.

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Seldon peered over the edge, down the deep shaft. "You might find it better--or easier," said Hummin, "if we link arms and if you close your eyes. It wont take more than a few seconds."

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He gave Seldon no choice, actually. He took his arm and once again there was no hanging back in that firm grip. Hummin stepped into nothingness and Seldon (who heard himself, to his own embarrassment , emit a small squeak) shuffled off with a lurch .

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He closed his eyes tightly and experienced no sense of falling, no feeling of air movement. A few seconds passed and he was pulled forward. He tripped slightly, caught his balance, and found himself on solid ground. He opened his eyes, "Did we make it?"

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Hummin said dryly, "Were not dead," then walked away, his grip forcing Seldon to follow.

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"I mean, did we get to the right level?"

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"Of course."

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"What would have happened if we were dropping down and someone else was moving upward?"

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"There are two separate lanes. In one lane everyone drops at the same speed; in the other everyone rises at the same speed. The shaft clears only when there are no people within ten meters of each other. There is no chance of a collision if all works well."

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"I didnt feel a thing."

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"Why should you? There was no acceleration . After the first tenth of a second, you were at constant speed and the air in your immediate vicinity was moving down with you at the same speed."

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"Marvelous."

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"Absolutely. But uneconomic. And there seems no great pressure to increase the efficiency of the procedure and make it worthwhile. Everywhere one hears the same refrain. We cant do it. It cant be done. It applies to everything." Hummin shrugged in obvious anger and said, "But were here at the taxi rental.

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Lets get on with it."

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