牛津书虫系列 星际动物园 7 The answer is robots

7 The answer is robots

7 答案是机器人

Ipushed Buff as he tried to shoot Hoo-Woo.The laser gun burnt a hole in the plastic wall，but it didn't hit Hoo-Woo.

当牛子要向“呼呜”射击时，我把他推开了。激光枪在塑料墙上烧出一个洞，但没打着“呼呜”。

Buff was screaming and the whites of his eyes were showing.He fell on the ground and water ran out of his mouth.He was crazy.I remembered the way I had gone crazy when I first came into the Star Zoo. It was seeing the animals. It was the Book of Remembering coming to life.It made people go crazy.

牛子尖叫起来，翻着白眼。他倒在地上，嘴里流出口水。他发疯了。我还记得第一次来到星际动物园时我发疯的样子。都是看到动物的缘故。因为《往事追忆》突然变成真的了。这确实会让人发疯的。

I hid Buff's laser gun and used some long plants to tie him up.Hee-Haw sat on him while I did it.A bell was ringing and all the animals started looking for something.What were they looking for?

我把牛子的激光枪藏了起来，然后用一些长长的植物把他绑上。我绑的时候“嘻嗬”坐在他身上。一声铃响，所有的动物都开始找什么东西。它们在找什么呢?

A bird found it.It was the hole where the laser had burnt through the wall.

有一只鸟发现了。它们找的是激光枪在墙上烧出的洞。

The Star Zoo was losing air. I could hear the air escaping.

星际动物园在漏气。我能听见漏气的声音。

It was the computer's job to check for damage like that.Then it rang the bell. But how could the animals mend the hole?

检查这样的破损是电脑的事。然后它会响铃。但动物怎么补这个洞呢?

Eee-Eee went to a pipe on the wall and waited.Warm wet plastic came out of the end of the pipe.The squirrel held little bits of the plastic and ran quickly up the wall. She put the soft plastic over the hole and ran down to get more plastic from the pipe.

“噫噫”走到墙上的一根管子那儿等着。管子的出口流出热乎乎的液体塑料。松鼠拿着小块塑料快步跑到墙上。她把软塑料放在洞上，然后跑下去到管子那儿去取更多的塑料。

In one minute the hole was covered.Eee-Eee went on working until the bell stopped ringing.

洞很快就被补上了。“噫噫”一直在干，直到铃声停止。

The computer and the animals worked together to mend the Star Zoo.After fifteen thousand years they were very good at it!

电脑和动物一起修补星际动物园。经过一万五千年，它们对此十分熟练了!

Buff had crazy eyes.The animals didn't want to go near him so I took care of him. I hoped he would get better soon.

牛子的目光还是狂乱的。动物们不想靠近他，只有我照料他。我希望他早点儿好过来。

But he didn't get better.Three days later he still wanted to kill and destroy every animal that he saw.He thought I was ananimal too.

但他没有。三天后他还是见动物就想杀、就想摧毁。他把我也当动物了。

He never spoke.Perhaps he had forgotten how to speak.Hewouldn't touch food or water.

他一句话也不说。也许他已经忘记怎么说话了。他不肯吃饭，水也不肯沾。

I didn't know what to do. In the end I went to see the computer with Hee-Haw and the robot.

我不知道该怎么办。最后，我与“嘻嗬”和机器人会见电脑。

There was the same terrible light and the fear.But I knew it was ultrasonics that made me afraid.The robot didn't have any feelings，of course. The robot and I went into the computer room but Hee-Haw stayed outside.

还是那盏眩目的灯光，还是一样的恐惧。但我知道让我害怕的是超声波。当然，机器人什么感觉也没有。机器人和我进了电脑室，但“嘻嗬”留在外面。

The ultrasonics stopped and the light went soft.

超声波停了，灯光也弱了一些。

'Hummingbird，'the computer said.'You have come back.Computer is happy.Who is the other human?'

“蜂鸟，”电脑说，“你回来了。电脑高兴。另一个人是谁?”

'This isn't a human，'I explained.'This is just a family robot.'

“这不是人。”我解释道，“这只是个家用机器人。”

'Not human?Looks very human.'

“不是人?看上去很象人。”

'I know，'I said.'But that's not important.Everything's gone crazy!'

“我知道，”我说，“可这不重要。大家都疯了!”

'What is the problem?'the computer asked.

“出什么问题了?”电脑问道。

I told the computer about visiting my parents and that they didn't believe me.I explained about Buff and said，'But he's gone crazy.I know I went crazy at first but I got better.Buff isn't getting better.'

我向电脑讲了回去看父母，而他们不相信我的事。我解释了牛子的事，然后说：“可他疯了。我知道开始我也疯过，但后来又好了。牛子却一直没有好转。”

'Why?'the computer said.'You are human.Buff is human.What is different?'

“为什么?”电脑问道，“你是人。牛子是人。有什么不同?”

'I don't know，'I answered.'I'm younger than Buff.Perhaps people's minds get hard like rock as they get older.They can't change how they think.'

“我不知道。”我回答，“我比牛子校也许人随着年龄的增加，头脑也僵化得象岩石了。他们改变不了自己的想法。”

'When will Buff get better?'the computer asked.

“牛子什么时候能好转?”电脑问道。

'Never…I think，'I said.'Buff's too old.'

“不会好了……我想。”我说，“牛子太老了。”

There was silence.After a long time the computer said slowly， 'Computer is old.'

沉默。过了好久，电脑缓缓地说道：“电脑也老了。”

'Oh，that's different，'I said.'I think you are growing very，very slowly.I think you're still young，like me You're still growing and changing.Not like Buff.'

“噢，那不一样。”我说，“我觉得你长得特别慢。我觉得你还很年轻，象我一样。你还在成长和变化。不象牛子。”

Another silence.Then，'Hummingbird is friend.'

又是沉默。然后它说：“蜂鸟是朋友。”

I felt wonderful.The computer was twenty thousand years old and it wanted to be friends with me!

我感觉好极了。这台电脑两万岁了，它还想和我做朋友!

'Yes， I'm your friend，computer，'I said.'I'll be your friend all my life， but my life isn't long like yours Perhaps my children and grandchildren can be your friends too.'

“是的，我是你的朋友，电脑。”我说，“我永远都是你的朋友，可我的生命没有你那么长。也许我的孩子和孙子们也可以做你的朋友。”

'Computer is happy.'

“电脑高兴。”

'Oh，computer，everything's finished!'I said.'I thought Buff could learn to accept the animals like me， but he can't.He can't change how he thinks.And I think most people in the Galaxy are like him.They can't change.If they find the Star Zoo，they'll destroy all the animals.So it's impossible! We can't put the animals on different planets.The animals will have to stay in the Star Zoo.One day the Star Zoo will die.After that there will be no life in the Galaxy except humans.Forever.

“噢，电脑，一切都完了!”我说，“我还以为牛子会象我一样学着接受动物，可他不能。他不能改变他的想法。而且我想银河系的大多数人都会象他。他们无法改变。如果他们发现星际动物园，他们会消灭所有动物的。所以我们不能把动物送到不同的行星上。根本不可能!总有一天星际动物园会毁灭。以后，银河系除了人类就再也没有其他生物了。永远。”

The computer said，'Computer will find answer to problem.Wait.'

电脑说：“电脑会找到这个问题的答案。等一等。”

I waited.And waited.I couldn't understand it.Computers think so fast!Why wasn't the computer telling me theanswer?

我等着。等了又等。我弄不明白。电脑的思维很快!为什么电脑不告诉我答案?

At last it spoke.'Computer has answer to problem.The answer is robots. Your robot looks very human. You will make a robot like an animal Humans will know it is a robot， not an animal.Humans will not go crazy.Humans will learn about animals.After some time humans will meet animals.Humans will not go crazy.'

它终于说话了：“电脑有这个问题的答案。答案是机器人。你们的机器人长得很象人。你们可以把机器人造成动物的样子。人类知道那是机器人，不是动物。这样人就不会发疯了。人类就可以了解动物。过一段时间再让人见动物。人就不会发疯了。”

'I think I understand，'I said.'People have to spend a long time with robot animals first. When they are not afraid， they can meet the real animals and accept them. Yes， it's a wonderful idea，computer!I could kiss you!'

“我想我明白了。”我说，“一开始，人得和机器动物相处很长一段时间。他们不害怕的时候就可以见真动物，接受它们。对，真是个好主意，电脑!我想亲亲你!”

'Nobody has kissed computer.Computer is interested.'

“没有人亲过电脑。电脑有兴趣。”

So I kissed the computer and I think it kissed me.

于是我亲了电脑，我想它也亲了我。