经典科幻文学:《 基本上无害 Mostly Harmless》 第5章7

'OK,' said Tricia. 'Right. What is the problem that your leader says you have?'

“好吧。”崔茜卡说，“行，你们的领袖说你们遇上了问题，是什么问题？”

'Triangulation.'

“三角测量。”

'I beg your pardon?'

“抱歉，什么？”

'Astrology is a very precise science. We know this.'

“占星术是一门非常精确的科学，这我们知道。”

'Well…' said Tricia, then left it at that.

“唔……”崔茜卡没往下说。

'But it is precise for you here on Earth.'

“但它的精确是针对你们地球的。”

'Ye… e… s…' She had a horrible feeling she was getting a vague glimmering of something.

“没……没……没错”她有种可怕的感觉，觉得自己好像瞥见了一丁点儿真相的影子。

'So when Venus is rising in Capricorn, for instance, that is from Earth. How does that work if we are out on Rupert? What if the Earth is rising in Capricorn? It is hard for us to know. Amongst the things we have forgotten, which we think are many and profound, is trigonometry.'

“所以，比方说，当提到金星在摩羯座升起的时候，那是从地球的角度说的。那如果我们是在鲁伯特又怎么样？当地球在摩羯座升起的时候又怎么样？这我们实在很难知道。在我们忘记的事情里头——我们认为那些事情不仅数量巨大，而且非常深刻——就包括了三角函数。”

'Let me get this straight,' said Tricia. 'You want me to come with you to… Rupert…'

“看我是不是理解对了。”崔茜卡道，“你们想让我跟你们去……鲁伯特……”

'Yes.'

“是的。”

'To recalculate your horoscopes for you to take account of the relative positions of Earth and Rupert?'

“帮你们重新计算你们的天宫图，好把地球和鲁伯特的相对位置也算进去？”

'Yes.'

“是的。”

'Do I get an exclusive?'

“能让我做个独家报道吗？”

'Yes.'

“能。”

'I'm your girl,' said Tricia, thinking that at the very least she could sell it to the National Enquirer.

“就这么定了。”崔茜卡道，她很有信心，最少最少这也能卖给美国的八卦杂志。

As she boarded the craft that would take her off to the furthest limits of the Solar System, the first thing that met her eyes was a bank of video monitors across which thousands of images were sweeping. A fourth alien was sitting watching them, but was focused on one particular screen that held a steady image. It was a replay of the impromptu interview which Tricia had just conducted with his three colleagues. He looked up when he saw her apprehensively climbing in.

她登上将把自己载往太阳系尽头的飞船，首先映入眼帘的是一大堆监视器，上头闪烁着上千幅图像。第四个外星人坐在飞船上望着他们，只不过他看的是一台画面平稳的监视器——上头正回放崔茜卡刚才的即兴采访。见她忧心忡忡地爬进飞船，外星人抬起头来。

'Good evening, Ms. McMillan,' he said. 'Nice camera work.'

“晚上好，麦克米伦女士。”他说，“摄影机玩得真好。”