云图

孤独之夜
Lonesome night.
婴孩恸哭 寒风刺骨
Rabbits bawlin’, wind bitin’ the bone.
风中夹杂着
Wind like this
千万种声音
full of voices.
那是祖先
Ancestry howlin’ at you,
诉说远古的故事
yibberin’ stories.
所有声音
All voices
汇聚为一
tied up into one.
但有一个声音
One voice different.
与众不同
One voice,
在黑暗中觊觎
whisperin’ out there,
窃窃私语
spyin’ from the dark.
那是青面獠牙的魔鬼
That fangy devil,
老乔治
Ol’ Georgie himself.
靠过来 仔细听
Now you hear up close,
我要给你们讲讲我和他第一次
and I’ll yarn you about the first time we met,
四目相对的时刻
eye to eye.
于是我见到了亨利·古斯医生
And thus it was when I made the acquaintance of Dr. Henry Goose,
期望他能将我从痛苦中解救出来
the man I hoped might cure me of my afflictions.
你丢了什么吗
Have you lost something?
问题一
Question one.
思科史密斯的报告里有什么秘密
What secret in Sixsmith report
竟招来杀身之祸
would be worth killing for?
问题二
Question two.
是不是可以认为
Is it reasonable to believe
他们为了掩盖秘密会再开杀戒
that they would kill again to protect that secret?
如果是的话 第三个问题
And if so, question three.
我他妈的在这干什么
What the fuck am I doing here?
作为一个经验丰富的编辑
While my extensive experience as an editor
我是不屑用闪回
has lead me to a disdain for flashbacks
或是倒叙这种花哨的技巧的
and flash forwards, and all such tricksy gimmicks,
然而 亲爱的读者
I believe that if you, dear reader,
我还是希望您耐心一点
can extend your patience for a just a moment,
从我这疯狂的故事中理出头绪来
you will find there is a method to this tale of madness.
《云图六重奏》 作者：罗伯特·弗洛比舍
亲爱的思科史密斯
My dearest Sixsmith,
今早我用维维安·艾瑞斯的手♥枪♥
I shot myself through the roof of my mouth this morning,
饮弹自尽
with Vyvyan Ayrs’ Luger.
真正的自杀是一场深思熟虑的谋划
A true suicide is a paced, disciplined certainty.
人们断言 自杀系懦夫之为
People pontificate “Suicide is an coward’s act”.
事实却是大相径庭
Couldn’t be further from the truth.
自杀需要极大的勇气
Suicide takes tremendous courage.
有任何情况请按这个按钮
Any problem, sir, you just hit this button.
谢谢
Thank you.
我代表本部门以及统一体的未来
On behalf of my Ministry, and the future of Unanimity,
感谢您接受最后一次审讯
I would like to thank you for this final interview.
叫停核反应堆
不要让核反应堆害死我们
-你好 -媒体通行证
– Hello. – Press pass.
媒体通行证
以为我是找麻烦的吗
Expecting trouble?
我只是德蒙特·霍金斯的出版商
I was Dermot Hoggins’ publisher,
又不是他的心理咨♥询♥师 或是算命的
not his shrink or his astrologer,
所以我确确实实没想到
and the ruddy, bloody truth is,
他那天晚上会干出那种事
I had no idea what the man was gonna do that night.
这片沙滩曾经是食人族
This beach was once a cannibal’s banqueting hall,
吃掉弱者的地方
where the strong gorged on the weak,
但是他们会吐出牙齿
but the teeth, sir, they spat out,
就像我们吐樱桃核一样
like you and I would expel a cherry stone.
你知道一磅牙齿能卖♥♥多少钱吗
Do you know the price a quarter pound of these will earn?
这并非是质问或是审判
Remember this is not an interrogation or a trial.
我们只要你描述事实
Your version of the truth is all that matters.
事实只有一个
Truth is singular.
主观的描述 都不是事实
Its “versions” are mistruths.
不要告诉他们我是为情自尽的
Don’t let them say I killed myself for love.
我的确对其他人动过心 但天地你我皆知
Had my infatuations, but we both know in our hearts
在我昙花一现的生命中 你是我唯一的挚爱
who is the sole love of my short, bright life.
好了 尤因先生
There you are, Mr. Ewing,
不信教的地方
as binding a covenant there can ever be between men
就是这么签订契约的
outside the province of Scripture.
谢谢你 霍洛牧师
Thank you, Reverend Horrox,
我想我岳父听了一定欣喜若狂
I know my father-in-law is profoundly excited about this deal.
汉斯科尔·摩尔是一位伟人
Haskell Moore is a great man.
未来靠的就是他这种人
Future generations depend on men like him,
敢于直话直说
men capable of speaking the truth.
确实如此
Quite.
第一次看汉斯科尔·摩尔的作品时
When I first encountered
我赞叹不已
Haskell Moore’s writing,
他的文字简明而有力度
its perspicuity stroke me
犹如神旨天降
as though delivered through divine revelation.
这位博学的医生和我
The learned doctor here and I,
经常在晚上 研究讨论他的文章
already spent many a night debating Mr. Moore’s tractus.
我倒想听听他如何解释
I’m only willing to conceive that he makes a compelling case
为何我们能坐下来 大快朵颐
as to why we are sitting here, enjoying this divine lamb,
库巴卡却要站在一旁 听候差遣
while Kupaka stands there, contempt to serve.
可不是吗 库巴卡
Indeed, ain’it. Kupaka,
你在这里过的挺自在的 对吧
you enjoy your life here with us, do you not?
先生 那是当然
Yes, Reverend, sir.
库巴卡很开心
Kupaka very happy here.
看吧 这就是摩尔的文明梯度理论
See, you see, this is Moore’s ladder of civilization.
之所以会这样是因为
The reason behind this natural order…
好了 吉尔斯 闭嘴吧
Please, Giles, do shut up.
听你说了几个星期了
I’ve been listening to this for weeks,
来听听他自己女婿的看法
I would love to know what his own son-in-law has to say about it.
好吧
Let’s see.
我认为 这是出于神的旨意和男人的天性
It is an inquiry concerning God’s will and the nature of men.
那他对女人的天性有何看法
And what does he have to say about the nature of women?
恐怕他回避了这一问题
I’m afraid that’s a subject he prefers to pass by in silence.
男人都这德行
He wouldn’t be the first.
好了 继续吧
Prey, Mr. Ewing, continue.
他关注的问题是
The question he does pose is
如果神是造物主
if God created the world,
那我们如何判断 哪些事物我们可以改变
how do we know what things we can change,
哪些又神圣不可侵犯呢
and what things must remain sacred and inviolable?
霍洛牧师相信 管理殖民地最好的方法
Reverend Horrox’ real specific how to run plantation.
就是乔治亚州的方法
Georgian way best way he say.
天啊 这么炎热的天
God, this heat is unbearable.
他们怎么受得了
How do they take it?
霍洛牧师说
Reverend Horrox say
奴隶如骆驼 生养于沙漠
slaves like camel, bred for desert.
他们并非文明人 是感觉不到炎热的
He say they not feel heat like civilized folk.
我们找个地方乘凉吧
Now we should get you out of the sun.
那是什么声音
Now what is that noise?
-你醒了 -发生了什么事
– There you are. – What happened?
跟我猜的一样 寄生虫惹的祸
It is as I suspected. Gusano Coco Cervello,
波利尼西亚蛆虫
better known as the Polynesian worm.
我见过生这种病
Once saw a man’s brain
死掉的人 大脑像花椰菜一样
after the worm had finished with him maggoty cauliflower.
不过别担心
But have no fear,
我和这小魔鬼已经是老相识了
this particular devil and I are well acquainted.
吞下去 好了好了 没事了
Here we go. Yes, yes, all gone.
真不敢想要是没遇见你
I don’t know what I would have done
我会怎么样
had our paths not crossed.
最起码你是活不成了
Well, for starters, you would have died.
我得报答你的恩情
I shall find a way to repay you.
没必要 真的
Unnecessary, I assure you.
我可是医生 亚当
I am a doctor, Adam.
这叫做江山易改 本性难移
A tiger cannot change its stripes.
思科史密斯
Sixsmith,
我恳请你原谅我
I do hope you will be able to find it in your heart to forgive me.
弗洛比舍先生
Mr. Frobisher.
罗伯特·弗洛比舍先生
Mr. Robert Frobisher!