美丽新世界Brave New World 第16章(11)

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　　大规模生产需要这种转轨。

　　Universal happiness keeps the wheels steadily¹ turning; truth and beauty can't.

　　众人的幸福能让轮子稳定地运转；而真与美不行。

　　And, of course, whenever the masses seized political power, then it was happiness rather than truth and beauty that mattered.

　　而且，当然，只要是群众掌握了政权，重要的就会是幸福而不是真与美。

　　Still, in spite of everytung, unrestricted scientific research was still permitted.

　　但是，尽管如此，那时还是允许无限制地进行科学研究的。

　　People still went on talking about truth and beauty as though they were the sovereign goods.

　　人们还在谈着真与美，仿佛它们就是最高的善，

　　Right up to the time of the Nine Years' War. That made them change their tune² all right.

　　直谈到九年战争之前。是那场战争让他们彻底改变了调子。

　　What's the point of truth or beauty or knowledge when the anthrax bombs are popping all around you?

　　炭疽杆菌炸弹在你周围爆炸，真呀美呀知识呀对你还有什么意思？

　　That was when science first began to be controlled–after the Nine Years' War.

　　就从那时开始科学第一次受到了控制——九年战争之后，

　　People were ready to have even their appetites controlled then.

　　那时候人们还准备好了连裤带都勒紧呢。

　　Anything for a quiet life. We've gone on controlling ever since. It hasn't been very good for truth, of course.

　　为了安定的生活什么都是可以放弃的。我们进行了控制。当然，那对真理不算太好，

　　But it's been very good for happiness. One can't have something for nothing.

　　对幸福却大有好处。有所得必须有所失嘛，

　　Happiness has got to be paid for. You're paying for it, Mr. Watson–paying because you happen to be too much interested in beauty.

　　获得幸福是要付出代价的。你就要付出代价了，华生先生——因为对美的兴趣太浓而付出代价。

　　I was too much interested in truth; I paid too.

　　我曾经对真理的兴趣太浓，我也曾经付出过代价。

　　"But you didn't go to an island," said the Savage³, breaking a long silence.

　　“可是你并不曾到海岛上去。”野蛮人说，打破了长久的沉默。

　　The Controller smiled. "That's how I paid. By choosing to serve happiness. Other people's–not mine. It's lucky,"

　　总统笑了。“我的代价是：为幸福服务。为别人的幸福，不是为我自己的幸福服务。幸运的是，”

　　he added, after a pause, that there are such a lot of islands in the world.

　　他停了一会儿又接下去，世界上有那么多海岛。

　　I don't know what we should do without them.

　　要是没有那么多海岛我可真不知道该怎么办了。

　　Put you all in the lethal⁴ chamber⁵, I suppose.

　　看来只好把你们全送进毒气室了。

　　By the way, Mr. Watson, would you like a tropical climate?

　　附带说一句，你喜欢不喜欢赤道气候？

　　The Marquesas, for example; or Samoa? Or something rather more bracing⁶?

　　比如马奎萨斯群岛或是萨莫亚岛。或是别的更能够刺激你的地方？

　　Helmholtz rose from his pneumatic chair. "I should like a thoroughly⁷ bad climate,"

　　赫姆霍尔兹从他的气垫椅上站了起来。“我宁可选一个气候极端恶劣的地方，”

　　he answered. "I believe one would write better if the climate were bad.

　　他回答，“我相信恶劣气候会使我写得更好。

　　If there were a lot of wind and storms, for example …"

　　比如，常常有狂风暴雨……”

　　The Controller nodded his approbation⁸. I like your spirit, Mr. Watson. I like it very much indeed.

　　总统点头表示赞许。我就喜欢你这种精神，华生先生，的确非常喜欢。

　　As much as I officially disapprove⁹ of it. He smiled. "What about the Falkland Islands?"

　　其程度不亚于我从我的职位上反对它，他微笑了。“那么福克兰岛怎么样？”

　　"Yes, I think that will do," Helmholtz answered. "And now, if you don't mind, I'll go and see how poor Bernard's getting on."

　　“好，我看可以，”赫姆霍尔兹回答，“现在，你如果不介意的话，我要去看看可怜的伯纳怎么样了。”

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