安德鲁·斯科特 | 朗读诗歌《腾空而上》

It begins as a house, an end terrace in this case

它始于一座房子，这里是说联排房屋中最尽头一座，

but it will not stop there. Soon it is an avenue

但它不会在那儿停止。接着是一条林荫道，

which cambers arrogantly past the Mechanics' Institute,

它的拱形傲慢地穿过力学研究所，在主干道

turns left at the main road without even looking

甚至看也没看一眼便向左拐，很快便是

and quickly it is a town with all four major clearing banks,

一个城镇，有着四家大清算银行，一家日报

a daily paper and a football team pushing for promotion.

和一支带着晋级雄心的足球队。

On it goes, oblivious of the Planning Acts, the green belts,

它继续前进，无视规划法案，绿化带，

and before we know it it is out of our hands:

在我们意识到之前它已远在掌控之外：城市，国家，

city, nation, hemisphere, universe, hammering out in all directions

半球，宇宙，从四面八方涌来，直到突然，

until suddenly, mercifully, it is drawn aside through the eye

它被仁慈地拖到一边，穿过一个黑洞的眼睛，

of a black hole and bulleted into a neighbouring galaxy, emerging

射进邻近的星系，看起来比台球

smaller and smoother than a billiard ball but weighing more than Saturn.

更小更平滑，但比土星更重。

People stop me in the street, badger me in the check-out queue

人们在街上拦住我，在等待结账的队伍里缠住我问，

and ask "What is this, this that is so small and so very smooth

“这是什么，这么小又这么光滑，

but whose mass is greater than the ringed planet?"

但它的质量却比那环状星球更重？”这正是

It's just words I assure them. But they will not have it.

我向他们断言的话。但他们不会明白。