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  • Once upon a time, a dragon tyrannized the kingdom.

    很久以前,有一條龍壓迫著整個王國。

  • Covered with thick black scales, its eyes glowed with hate ,…

    它全身佈滿著厚厚的黑鱗,而它的眼睛中充滿了仇恨......

  • and from its terrible jaws flowed evil-smelling slime.

    ......且從它可怕的下巴流出惡臭的黏液。

  • Some tried to fight the dragon

    有人試圖去屠龍...

  • priests and magicians called down curses to no avail.

    ......但祭司和魔法師召喚的詛咒對龍卻一點用也沒有。

  • Warriors, armed with the best weapons, attacked, only to be incinerated.

    而擁有最好武器的戰士發起攻擊,結果被焚燒殆盡。

  • The dragon’s claws, jaws, and fire were so effective, …

    那龍的爪子,下巴和火都如此有效,...

  • its scaly armor so hard, as to make it invincible.

    ......它的鱗甲如此堅硬,使它所向無敵。

  • The dragon demanded from humankind a tribute: …

    龍向人類要求供品:......

  • ten thousand men and women, randomly chosen, …

    ......要隨機選擇一萬個男人和女人......

  • to be delivered every evening to the foot of the mountain to be eaten.

    ......並在每天傍晚送到山腳讓它吃。

  • The king and the kingdom, their weapons useless, …

    在國王和整個王國認知到,他們的武器毫無用處的情況下,...

  • had no choice but to pay the grisly tribute, ….

    ......也別無選擇,只能付出駭人的供品,......。

  • to suffer the misery, to feed the insatiable hunger.

    ...忍受苦難,去養活龍那永無滿足的飢餓。

  • And humans, ever adaptable, came to accept the dragon-tyrant as a fact of life; …

    然而人類適應能力極強, 逐漸接受了龍暴君作為生命中一部分的事實; ...

  • knowing, even embracing, that everyone’s final moments would be in its maw.

    ...不僅是知道,甚至去擁抱: 每個人最後都將被其吞入肚內的命運。

  • How could the world be otherwise?

    要不然世界還能怎麼樣呢?

  • The kingdom began to teach its children that the dragon had its place

    這個王國開始教導它的孩子,龍有屬於它的位置......

  • in the natural order and, the very meaning of being human to end up

    ......它在自然的地位, 以及做為人類最終會被它......

  • in the dragon’s stomach, their shorter lives motivating them to lead good lives.

    ......吞入肚中的意義, 人們短暫的生命激勵著他們過上更美好的生活。

  • And the dragon was helping the kingdom by keeping the population

    龍正在幫助這個王國保持人口成長率......

  • from growing too fast.

    ......不會上升地太快。

  • Learning this, attacks on the dragon ceased.

    學習這一點,人們對於龍的攻擊就停止了。

  • But the kingdom still grew, slowly, and with it so did the dragon, …

    但是這個王國依然慢慢成長起來,龍也是這樣,...

  • becoming as big as the mountain on which it lived, its appetite increasing.

    ...它變得和它住的山一樣大,食慾大幅增加。

  • The logistics of collecting and transporting so many every day

    而每天要收集和運輸這麼多人......

  • to the mountain came to occupy the king’s mind more than the deaths and the dragon itself.

    ......到了山上的這件事, 比起死亡和龍本身更能佔據國王的心思。

  • The king had to hire registrars to keep track of who would be sent.

    國王必須聘請註冊服務機構,來追蹤誰將被送去犧牲。

  • There were people-collectors dispatched to fetch the designated victims.

    有專門的人類收集員,被派遣去接送指定的受害者。

  • There were clerks who administered the pensions to be paid to decimated families.

    有些職員管理養老金,用以支付因此破碎的家庭。

  • And there were comforters who would travel with the doomed

    還有安撫者會與那些人們相伴...

  • on their way to the dragon, trying to ease the anguish.

    ......在被送往龍的不歸之旅上,試圖緩解他們的痛苦。

  • And there were dragonologists who studied how these logistic processes could be made more efficient.

    還有一些龍學家,研究如何使這些運送過程更有效率。

  • Steam engines were invented and a railway constructed leading to the dragon’s abode.

    為此,人們發明了蒸汽機, 並建造了通往龍的居所的鐵路。

  • Trains arrived at the mountain terminal crammed with people and return empty.

    火車滿載著人群到達了的山區終點站,然後空著回來。

  • Some dragonologists also studied the dragon’s behavior and collected samples

    一些龍學家也研究龍的行為和收集樣本...

  • its shed scales, the slime, the excrement speckled with fragments of human bone.

    ......它的鱗片,粘液,帶有人骨碎片的糞便。

  • The more the beast was understood, the more its invincibility confirmed.

    當野獸被理解得越多,它的不可戰勝性就越證實。

  • But. . . humanity is a curious species.

    但......人類是一種好奇的物種。

  • Every once in a while, someone gets a good idea.

    每隔一段時間,就有人會想到一個好主意。

  • Others copy the idea, adding to it their own improvements.

    而其他人複製了這個想法,並加上了自己的改進。

  • Over time, many wondrous tools and systems are developed.

    隨著時間的推移,許多奇妙的工具和系統被研發出來。

  • Some of these tools make it easier to generate new ideas.

    且其中一些工具,可以讓人們更容易地產生新的想法。

  • Thus, the great wheel of invention, …

    因此,發明的巨輪...

  • which in the older ages turned imperceptibly slow, …

    ...雖在早期運轉地十分緩慢......

  • began to accelerate and humans did what would have seemed magic before, …

    ...但卻逐漸開始加速, 人類做出了在過去看起來像是魔法一般的事情,......

  • communicating instantly across great distance, building machines that could fly,

    ......能夠遠距離及時通信,並製造可以飛行的機器,

  • and many other astonishing things.

    ......和許多其他驚人的事情。

  • A few dragonologists argued it might be time argued for a new attack

    一些龍學家們認為, 應該是策畫另一波新攻擊的時候了......

  • one had invented a material so sharp it could pierce a dragon’s scale.

    ......有個人發明了一種非常尖銳的材料, 它可以刺穿龍的鱗片。

  • It would not be easy but if a huge projectile could be made out of this material

    這不是一件容易的事情, 但如果可以用這種材料製造出巨大的導彈......

  • and launched with sufficient force and sufficient precision it might penetrate the dragon’s armor.

    ......並以足夠的力量和足夠的精度發射, 它可能可以穿透龍的鱗片盔甲。

  • However, it would be difficult and expensive and time-consuming to do.

    但是,這樣做會很困難,而且既費時又費錢。

  • The dragonologists explained their proposal to anyone who would listen.

    龍學家們向任何願意傾聽的人解釋他們的建議。

  • But the people were skeptical; they had been taught the dragon-tyrant was invincible and the sacrifices it demanded a fact of life.

    但人們持懷疑態度,他們被教導龍暴君是不可戰勝的, 它所要求的犧牲是一種生命的事實。

  • Yet when they learnt about the new material and the idea for a projectile, many became intrigued.

    然而,當他們了解到有關導彈的新材料和想法時, 許多人都很感興趣。

  • When the king read about the plans, he decided to hold an open hearing

    當國王閱讀這些計劃時,他決定舉行公開聽證會......

  • it took place on the last and darkest day of the year, in the largest hall of the royal castle.

    ......它舉辦在一年中最黑暗的最後一天, 在皇家城堡中最大的大廳裡。

  • People packed in to every last seat and crowded the aisles.

    人們擠滿了每一個座位,還擠滿了走道。

  • The king's advisor spoke first: telling the people it was best they accept the inevitability of the dragon

    國王的顧問首先發言: 告訴人們他們最好接受龍的必然性......

  • and the dragon-administration department provided many jobs

    龍管理部門提供了許多工作......

  • that would be lost were the dragon slaughtered and, in any case, …

    ......屠殺龍後,這些工作都會消失而且無論如何......

  • the kingdom's coffers were empty after building the new railway.

    ......在建造新鐵路後,王國的金庫已經空了。

  • Next the leading dragonologist explained how the proposed device would work, …

    接下來,領先的龍學家解釋了該裝置如何運作,...

  • how the requisite amount of new invented material could be manufactured.

    ......及如何製造所需數量的新發明材料。

  • Given the requested amount of funding, it may be possible to complete the work in fifteen to twenty years.

    鑑於所要求的資金金額, 有可能在15至20年內完成這項工作。

  • With greater funding, maybe twelve. However, there could be no guarantee.

    如果有了更多的資金,有可能在12年內完成。 但是,我們不能保證。

  • Last to speak was the king’s advisor for morality:

    最後發言的是國王的道德顧問:

  • "Let us grant" he said "The project is technologically possible, though it hasn’t been proven to me. …

    “讓我們假設,”他說,“這個計畫在技術上是可行的, 儘管它還沒有被我證實。”

  • Presumably, you think you've got the right not to be chewed up.

    ...或許,你認為你有權不被龍吃了。

  • How willful, how presumptuous, how vain. The shortness of human life is a blessing.

    這多麼恣意,多麼放肆,多麼虛榮。 人生的短暫是一件幸事。

  • Getting rid of the dragon, which might seem such a convenient thing to do, would undermine our dignity.

    把龍除掉或許看起來對我們方便多了,但會損害我們的尊嚴。

  • This preoccupation with killing the dragon will deflect us from realizing more fully

    對殺死龍的這種專注會使我們無法更充分地實現...

  • the aspirations to which our lives naturally point, from living well rather than merely staying alive.

    ......我們生命自然地指向的抱負,使生命的意義是活得有價值而不是苟延殘喘地活著。

  • The nature of the dragon is to eat, and our own nature, my friends, is nobly fulfilled only by getting eaten.

    龍的天性是吃,而我們的天性, 朋友們,只有透過被龍吃才能高尚地實現。

  • The dragon is necessary. The dragon is good."

    龍是必要的。龍是好的。“

  • The great hall was silent.

    大廳裡闃寂無聲。

  • Then a small child yelled out from the audience: "The dragon is bad!"

    然後有一個小孩從觀眾中大喊:“龍是壞的!”

  • The child’s parents turned red and hushed, but the child said again:

    孩子的父母臉脹紅了,趕緊要孩子安靜,但是孩子又說:

  • "The dragon is bad -- it kills people... it ate my Granny... I want my Granny back."

    “龍是壞的 - 它會殺人......牠吃了我的奶奶...... 我想要我的奶奶回來。”

  • The hall was silent again -- then a woman stood: “The dragon killed my parents.”

    大廳再次沉默 - 然後一個女人站了起來:“龍殺了我的父母。”

  • And man followed and stood: “The dragon killed my wife and my daughter.”

    男人跟著站起來:“龍殺了我的妻子和我的女兒。”

  • More and more people stood -- the simple fact that the dragon killed everyone, the loss of it, the weight of it, crashing over the hall.

    越來越多的人站了起來 - 一個簡單的事實,就是龍殺死了所有人。無數死亡的失落感如同重捶一般,摔進了大廳裡。

  • The way out from under remote, yet maybe possible.

    結束這一切的計畫雖然幾近渺茫,但或許可行。

  • The king, looking at the first child to speak, announced: "Let us kill the dragon".

    國王看著第一個說話的孩子宣布:“讓我們殺死龍吧。”

  • The next morning, a billion people woke to realize they or those they loved might be sent to the dragon before the projectile launched.

    第二天早上,有十億人醒來發現他們或他們所愛的人 可能會在發射導彈之前被送到龍口中。

  • Whereas before, active support for the anti-dragon cause had been limited, …

    而在這之前,對於反龍的積極支持是有限的,...

  • it now became the number one priority and concern on everyone’s mind.

    ......而現在它成為每個人心頭上的首要任務和關注點。

  • Mass rallies raised money for the projectile project and urged the king to increase support, …

    群眾集會為導彈計畫募集資金並敦促國王增加支持......

  • which he did, passing extra appropriations bills and selling his summer castle, announcing:

    ......而國王也的確照做,通過額外的撥款法案 並出售他的夏季城堡,宣布:

  • "I believe that this kingdom should commit itself to achieving the goal, …

    “我相信這個王國應該致力於實現這個目標......

  • before the decade is out, of freeing the world from the ancient scourge of the dragon."

    ......在十年以內,我們將會把世界 從龍的千古災禍中解放出來。“

  • Thus started a great technological race against time.

    由此開始了一場偉大的科技競賽,與時間賽跑。

  • To make the dragon-killing weapon required solutions to a thousand technical problems, …

    為了製造這種殺龍武器,需解決上千個技術問題,...

  • each of which required dozens of time-consuming steps and missteps.

    ...其中的每一個都需要許多費時的步驟和試誤。

  • Test-missiles were fired but fell dead to the ground or flew off in the wrong direction.

    試射導彈成功發射但卻太快落到地面 或是朝錯誤的方向飛去。

  • Terrible accidents happened.

    發生了許多可怕的事故。

  • But there was now a seriousness of purpose, and the work continued.

    但由於現在有了一個重要目的,工作繼續進行。

  • But despite almost unlimited funding and round-the-clock work by technicians, the king’s deadline could not be met.

    儘管幾乎無限的資金和技術人員的全天候工作, 還是無法在國王的最後期限內實現。

  • The task was hard.

    任務很艱難。

  • The decade concluded and the dragon still livedstill ate.

    十年過去了,龍仍然活著 - 仍然再吃人。

  • But the effort was getting closer.

    但努力即將有成果。

  • A year later the first prototype missile successfully launched.

    一年後,第一枚原型導彈成功發射。

  • The construction of the final projectile eventually set to complete and launch on New Year’s Eve, …

    最終射彈的建造工作預定將在除夕完成並發射......

  • twelve years after the project’s inauguration.

    也就是計劃展開後十二年。

  • The last day of the year was cold and overcast, but still and cleargood launch conditions.

    今年的最後一天很冷,烏雲密布, 但無風且無霧 - 發射條件良好。

  • As the sun set, technicians scuttled around making the final adjustments and checks.

    隨著太陽下山,技術人員來回奔走做最後的調整和檢查。

  • The king and his advisors observed from a platform close to the launch pad.

    國王和他的顧問從靠近發射台的平台觀察。

  • Further away, behind a fence, the public assembled to witness the great event.

    在圍牆後面,公眾聚集在一起,目睹大事。

  • A large clock counted down: ten minutes to go -- the dark slumped profile of the dragon beyond, eating.

    一個大鐘倒數計時著:還有十分鐘 - 遠處黑暗中那隻龍巨大的輪廓,仍然在吃人

  • From the crowd, someone jumped the fence and ran to the platform where the king sat.

    在人群中,有人跳過柵欄,跑到國王坐的平台。

  • He arrived, accompanied by security, in a frenzied state, his nose bleeding.

    他在安全人員的制止下到達瘋狂的狀態, 他的鼻子流著血。

  • He shouted: "The last train! Stop the last train!"

    他喊道:“最後一班火車!停止最後一班火車!”

  • The young man was a junior clerk in the ministry of transportation.

    這位年輕人是交通部的初級職員。

  • He had discovered that his father was on the last train to the mountain.

    他剛發現他的父親正在去往山上的最後一班火車上。

  • The king had ordered the trains to continue to the very end, …

    國王已經命令列車繼續行駛直到最後,...

  • fearing any disruption might cause the dragon to stir and the missile to miss.

    ......因為擔心任何擾動可能會驚動龍而導致導彈無法命中。

  • The young man begged the king to issue a recall-order for the last train, …

    這位年輕人懇求國王發出最後一班火車的召回令,......

  • due to arrive at the mountain terminal five minutes before time zero.

    ...而火車預計在零點前五分鐘到達山腳的終點站。

  • "I cannot do it," said the king, "I cannot take the risk it will alert the dragon“.

    “我做不到,”國王說, “我不能冒險,這麼做可能會使龍驚覺我們的計畫。”

  • The clouds above their head let loose the rain.

    他們上方的雲朵緩緩降下了雨水。

  • “I am so sorryThe king continued, “had we started but one day earlier your father would not have to die.”

    “我很抱歉”國王繼續說, “如果我們提早一天開始,你父親就不用死。”

  • Looking at the crowd, thinking of all the losses that they and he, had endured.

    看著人群,想著他們和他所遭受的所有損失、不幸。

  • This project should have been started years earlier than we did.

    “這個計畫早應在幾年前就該開始了。

  • So many need not have been killed by the dragon, had we but awoken from our acceptance of its horror sooner.”

    要是我們能提早從我們對龍的恐怖行為的接受 中覺醒的話,有如此多的人不必被龍殺死。“

  • The young man's wailing ceased.

    年輕人的哭聲停止了。

  • The king looked up at the countdown clock: five seconds remaining.

    國王抬頭看倒數的時鐘,剩下五秒鐘。

  • Four.

    四。

  • Three.

    三。

  • Two.

    二。

  • One.

    一。

  • Zero.

    零。

  • A ball of fire enveloped the launch pad and the missile shot out.

    一個火球籠罩了發射台,導彈發射了。

  • The masses, the king, the low and the high, the young and the old

    群眾、國王,窮人和富人,年輕人和老年人......

  • ... that white flame, shooting into the dark embodied the human spirit, its fear and its hope.

    ......那個射向黑暗的白色火焰展現了人類的精神, 恐懼和希望。

  • It struck the heart of evil.

    它擊中了邪惡之心。

  • The silhouette on the horizon tumbled and fell.

    地平線上的輪廓倒下了。

  • Thousands of voices of joy rose from the masses, joined seconds later by a deafening drawn-out thud from the collapsing monster.

    來自倒下的怪物的震耳欲聾,且漫長的轟隆一響後幾秒鐘,成千上萬的歡樂聲從群眾中湧現出來。

  • After all this time, humanity was at last free from the dragon.

    過了那麼久,人類終於從龍解脫出來了。

  • The joy cry resolved into a jubilating chant:

    歡樂的哭聲結成了歡騰的詠唱:

  • "Long live the king! Long live us all!"

    “國王萬歲!我們萬歲!”

  • The royal entourage, huddling in the downpour, accumulated around their monarch.

    皇室隨從在傾盆大雨中蜷縮在他們的君主周圍。

  • So much had changed in the last hour.

    在這過去一個小時裡發生了很多變化。

  • The right to an open future had been regained, a primordial fear abolished, and many long-held assumptions overturned.

    獲得自由未來的權利已經恢復,一個原始的恐懼被終結, 許多長久的假設被推翻。

  • What do we do now?" they asked.

    “我們現在要做什麼?”他們問道。

  • "We have come a long way. . ." said the king, "yet now we are like children again.

    “我們走了很長一段路......”國王說, “但現在我們又像孩子了。

  • The future lies open before us.

    未來的道路敞開於我們之前。

  • We shall go and try to do better than we have done in the past, for we have time now

    我們會盡力做得比過去做得更好, 因為現在我們有時間......

  • time to get things right, time to grow up, time to learn from our mistakes.

    ......有時間做好事情,有時間成長, 有時間從錯誤中學習。

  • Let all the bells in the kingdom ring until midnight, in remembrance of our dead.

    讓這個王國的所有鐘聲響至午夜,來紀念我們的死者。

  • Then after, we will celebrate and begin the process of building a better world. . . for we have time now.

    然後,我們將慶祝並開始建設一個更美好世界的過程........ 因為我們現在有時間了。

  • [Music and crackling sounds]

    [音樂和材火聲]

Once upon a time, a dragon tyrannized the kingdom.

很久以前,有一條龍壓迫著整個王國。

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