TheOnesWhoWalkAwayFromOmelasWithaclamorofbellsthatsettheswallowssoaring,theFestivalofSummercametothecityOmelas,bright-toweredbythesea.Theriggingoftheboatsinharborsparkledwithflags.Inthestreetsbetweenhouseswithredroofsandpaintedwalls,betweenoldmoss-growngardensandunderavenuesoftrees,pastgreatparksandpublicbuildings,processionsmoved.Someweredecorous:oldpeopleinlongstiffrobesofmauveandgrey,gravemasterworkmen,quiet,merrywomencarryingtheirbabiesandchattingastheywalked.Inotherstreetsthemusicbeatfaster,ashimmeringofgongandtambourine,andthepeoplewentdancing,theprocessionwasadance.Childrendodgedinandout,theirhighcallsrisingliketheswallows’crossingflightsoverthemusicandthesinging.Alltheprocessionswoundtowardsthenorthsideofthecity,whereonthegreatwater-meadowcalledtheGreenFieldsboysandgirls,nakedinthebrightair,withmud-stainedfeetandanklesandlong,lithearms,exercisedtheirrestivehorsesbeforetherace.Thehorsesworenogearatallbutahalterwithoutbit.Theirmaneswerebraidedwithstreamersofsilver,gold,andgreen.Theyflaredtheirnostrilsandprancedandboastedtooneanother;theywerevastlyexcited,thehorsebeingtheonlyanimalwhohasadoptedourceremoniesashisown.FarofftothenorthandwestthemountainsstooduphalfencirclingOmelasonherbay.TheairofmorningwassoclearthatthesnowstillcrowningtheEighteenPeaksburnedwithwhite-goldfireacrossthemilesofsunlitair,underthedarkblueofthesky.Therewasjustenoughwindtomakethebannersthatmarkedtheracecoursesnapandflutternowandthen.Inthesilenceofthebroadgreenmeadowsonecouldhearthemusicwindingthroughthecitystreets,fartherandnearerandeverapproaching,acheerfulfaintsweetnessoftheairthatfromtimetotimetrembledandgatheredtogetherandbrokeoutintothegreatjoyousclangingofthebells.隨著一陣響徹云霄的鐘聲的敲響，一群燕子驚得展翅高翔，白塔映日的海濱城市奧米勒斯迎來了她的夏慶節。港灣里停泊的船只的纜索上都飄揚著鮮艷奪目的彩旗。市區的大街小巷上，一支支游行隊伍穿過街道兩旁那一排排紅頂彩漆墻面的房屋，穿過一座座長滿青苔的古老庭園，走過一條條林蔭大道，一座座公園和公共建筑，迤邐而行。游行隊伍有的顯得十分文雅莊重，其參加者或是一些身著紫衣灰袍的老者，或是一些沉郁肅穆的工人師傅，或是一些文文靜靜、歡歡喜喜的婦女，她們抱著孩子，邊走邊聊天。另外一些游行隊伍的情形卻迥然不同：那兒奏著歡快的音樂，鑼鼓喧天，游行的人們一路上載歌載舞。成群的小孩在隊伍中興高采烈地穿來穿去，他們的歡叫聲像高翔于空中的燕子的嗚叫聲一樣，蓋過游行隊伍的鼓樂聲和歌唱聲。所有游行隊伍都沿著蜿蜒曲折的街道迤邐向北行進，來到一個稱作綠野的大草坪上。草坪上早有一些光著身子、腳踝沾滿泥巴、手臂長大而靈活的青年男女在那兒對他們的劣馬進行賽前訓練。那些馬都沒有上鞍具，只套了一根不帶嚼子的韁繩。馬的鬃毛上扎著一些銀色、金色和綠色飾帶。那些馬都揚著鼻子，歡騰跳躍相互炫耀；它們都興奮異常，因為馬是唯一將人的喜慶活動看作自己的喜慶活動的動物。城外較遠處，環繞奧米勒斯西面和北面的是一道半圓形的山脈。早晨的天空晴明如鏡，湛藍的天幕下積雪未化的十八座峰頂上，白雪映著陽光，猶如燃燒的火焰，發出沖天的金光。賽馬跑道上插著的彩旗在微風吹拂下呼啦啦地飄擺。置身于一片寂靜的大草坪上，人們就可以聽到城區街道上的鼓樂聲由遠及近，猶如陣陣醉人的香風迎面撲來。鼓樂聲時而微弱下去，時而響亮起來，直至最后融入一片歡樂喧鬧的鐘聲之中。Joyous!Howisonetotellaboutjoy?HowdescribethecitizensofOmelas?Theywerenotsimplefolk,yousee,thoughtheywerehappy.Butwedonotsaythewordsofcheermuchanymore.Allsmileshavebecomearchaic.Givenadescriptionsuchasthisonetendstomakecertainassumptions.GivenadescriptionsuchasthisonetendstolooknextfortheKing,mountedonasplendidstallionandsurroundedbyhisnobleknights,orperhapsinagoldenlitterbornebygreat-muscledslaves.Buttherewasnoking.Theydidnotuseswords,orkeepslaves.Theywerenotbarbarians.Idonotknowtherulesandlawsoftheirsociety,butIsuspectthattheyweresingularlyfew.Astheydidwithoutmonarchyandslavery,sotheyalsogotonwithoutthestockexchange,theadvertisement,thesecretpolice,andthebomb.YetIrepeatthatthesewerenotsimplefolk,notdulcetshepherds,noblesavages,blandutopians.Theywerenotlesscomplexthanus.Thetroubleisthatwehaveabadhabit,encouragedbypedantsandsophisticates,ofconsideringhappinessassomethingratherstupid.Onlypainisintellectual,onlyevilinteresting.Thisisthetreasonoftheartist:arefusaltoadmitthebanalityofevilandtheterribleboredomofpain.Ifyoucan’tlick‘em,join‘em.Ifithurts,repeatit.Buttopraisedespairistocondemndelight,toembraceviolenceistoloseholdofeverythingelse.Wehavealmostlosthold;wecannolongerdescribeahappyman,normakeanycelebrationofjoy.HowcanItellyouaboutthepeopleofOmelas?Theywerenotnaiveandhappychildren—thoughtheirchildrenwere,infact,happy.Theyweremature,intelligent,passionateadultswhoseliveswerenotwretched.Omiracle!butIwishIcoulddescribeitbetter.IwishIcouldconvinceyou.Omelassoundsinmywordslikeacityinafairytale,longagoandfaraway,onceuponatime.Perhapsitwouldbebestifyouimagineditasyourownfancybids,assumingitwillrisetotheoccasion,forcertainlyIcannotsuityouall.Forinstance,howabouttechnology?Ithinkthattherewouldbenocarsorhelicoptersinandabovethestreets;thisfollowsfromthefactthatthepeopleofOmelasarehappypeople.Happinessisbasedonajustdiscriminationofwhatisnecessary,whatisneithernecessarynordestructive,andwhatisdestructive.Inthemiddlecategory,however—thatoftheunnecessarybutundestructive,thatofcomfort,luxury,exuberance,etc.—theycouldperfectlywellhavecentralheating,subwaytrains,washingmachines,andallkindsofmarvelousdevicesnotyetinventedhere,floatinglight-sources,fuellesspower,acureforthecommoncold.Ortheycouldhavenoneofthat;itdoesn’tmatter.Asyoulikeit.IinclinetothinkthatpeoplefromtownsupanddownthecoasthavebeencomingintoOmelasduringthelastdaysbeforetheFestivalonveryfastlittletrainsanddouble-deckedtrams,andthatthetrainstationofOmelasisactuallythehandsomestbuildingintown,thoughplainerthanthemagnificentFarmers’Market.Butevengrantedtrains,IfearthatOmelassofarstrikessomeofyouasgoody-goody.Smiles,bells,parades,horses,bleh.Ifso,pleaseaddanorgy.Ifanorgywouldhelp,don’thesitate.Letusnot,however,havetemplesfromwhichissuebeautifulnudepriestsandpriestessesalreadyhalfinecstasyandreadytocopulatewithanymanorwoman,loverorstranger,whodesiresunionwiththedeepgodheadoftheblood,althoughthatwasmyfirstidea.ButreallyitwouldbebetternottohaveanytemplesinOmelas—atleast,notmannedtemples.Religionyes,clergyno.Surelythebeautifulnudescanjustwanderabout,offeringthemselveslikedivinesoufflestothehungeroftheneedyandtheraptureoftheflesh.Letthemjointheprocessions.Lettambourinesbestruckabovethecopulations,andthegloryofdesirebeproclaimeduponthegongs,and(anotunimportantpoint)lettheoffspringofthesedelightfulritualsbebelovedandlookedafterbyall.OnethingIknowthereisnoneofinOmelasisguilt.Butwhatelseshouldtherebe?Ithoughtatfirsttherewerenotdrugs,butthatispuritanical.Forthosewholikeit,thefaintinsistentsweetnessofdroozmayperfumethewaysofthecity,droozwhichfirstbringsagreatlightnessandbrilliancetothemindandlimbs,andthenaftersomehoursadreamylanguor,andwonderfulvisionsatlastoftheveryarcanaandinmostsecretsoftheUniverse,aswellasexcitingthepleasureofsexbeyondbelief;anditisnothabit-forming.FormoremodesttastesIthinkthereoughttobebeer.Whatelse,whatelsebelongsinthejoyouscity?Thesenseofvictory,surely,thecelebrationofcourage.Butaswedidwithoutclergy,letusdowithoutsoldiers.Thejoybuiltuponsuccessfulslaughterisnottherightkindofjoy;itwillnotdo;itisfearfulanditistrivial.Aboundlessandgenerouscontentment,amagnanimoustriumphfeltnotagainstsomeouterenemybutincommunionwiththefinestandfairestinthesoulsofallmeneverywhereandthesplendoroftheworld’ssummer:thisiswhatswellstheheartsofthepeopleofOmelas,andthevictorytheycelebrateisthatoflife.Ireallydon’tthinkmanyofthemneedtotakedrooz.歡樂!究竟怎樣才叫歡樂?該怎樣描述奧米勒斯城的市民的歡樂情形呢?說起來，他們并不是一些頭腦簡單的人，盡管他們過得很快活。人們不再把快樂一類的字眼掛在嘴邊上了，因為快樂的歡笑也已變成了過時的時尚。聽到這樣的描述，人們可能會作出一些想當然的推斷；聽到這樣的描述，人們也許就會意想到Theyallknowitisthere,allthepeopleofOmelas.Someofthemhavecometoseeit,othersarecontentmerelytoknowitisthere.Theyallknowthatithastobethere.Someofthemunderstandwhy,andsomedonot,buttheyallunderstandthattheirhappiness,thebeautyoftheircity,thetendernessoftheirfriendships,thehealthoftheirchildren,thewisdomoftheirscholars,theskilloftheirmakers,eventheabundanceoftheirharvestandthekindlyweathersoftheirskies,dependwhollyonthischild’sabominablemisery.所有的奧米勒斯人都知道他(她)在那兒。有些人還去看過他(她)還有些人則覺得沒必要親自去看，知道他(她)在那兒就夠了。大家都明白他(她)必須呆在那兒。至于他(她)為什么必須呆在那兒，這原因就只有一部分才明白，有些人并不知曉。但所有的人都清楚一個道理：他們的幸福生活，他們城市的美景，他們之間的親愛和睦的關系，他們的孩子的健康成長，他們的學者們的智慧，他們的工人的技藝，甚至連他們那片天地里的風調雨順、五谷豐登的繁榮景象，這一切全都有賴于那孩子所受的苦難。Thisisusuallyexplainedtochildrenwhentheyarebetweeneightandtwelve,whenevertheyseemcapableofunderstanding;andmostofthosewhocometoseethechildareyoungpeople,thoughoftenenoughanadultcomes,orcomesbacktoseethechild.Nomatterhowwellthematterhasbeenexplainedtothem,theseyoungspectatorsarealwaysshockedandsickenedatthesight.Theyfeeldisgust,whichtheyhadthoughtthemselvessuperiorto.Theyfeelanger,outrage,impotence,despitealltheexplanations.Theywouldliketodosomethingforthechild.Butthereisnothingtheycando.Ifthechildwerebroughtupintothesunlightoutofthatvileplace,ifitwerecleanedandfedandcomforted,thatwouldbeagoodthingindeed;butifitweredone,inthatdayandhouralltheprosperityandbeautyanddelightofOmelaswouldwitherandbedestroyed.Thosearetheterms.ToexchangeallthegoodnessandgraceofeverylifeinOmelasforthatsingle,smallimprovement:tothrowawaythehappinessofthousandsforthechanceofthehappinessofone:thatwouldbetoletguiltwithinthewallsindeed.Thetermsarestrictandabsolute;theremaynotevenbeakindwordspokentothechild.奧米勒斯人等他們的孩子長到八至十二歲，能懂事明理的時候便把這一道理講給他們聽。去地窖里看那孩子的多半是青年人，不過還有一個成年人更經常去看那孩子。不管大人們把這事對那些青年人怎么解釋，這些青年看到那孩子的悲慘情狀都不禁大為震驚并感到惡心。他們感到厭惡，這是他們原來所沒有料到的。盡管他們聽了許多的解釋，他們還是感到氣憤、憤怒但又無能為力。他們本想為那孩子做點什么的，但卻什么也不能做。假若能把那孩子弄出那個悲慘的地方，讓他(她)重見天日，假若能把他(她)洗得干干凈凈，將他(她)喂得飽飽的，并讓他(她)有個舒舒服服的睡覺的地方，那無疑是一件很好的事情。但只要那樣做了，奧米勒斯的一切，包括她的繁榮氣象、美麗景色和歡樂生活等都會立刻化為烏有。這是條約上有明文規定的。為了做那一件微不足道的善事而犧牲善良的奧米勒斯全體眾生，為了給一個人創造幸福的機會而破壞千萬人的幸福，那無疑是將罪惡引進奧米勒斯城。條約上的規定極其嚴格，沒有半點變通的余地。就連對那孩子講一句仁慈友善的話都在被禁止之列Oftentheyoungpeoplegohomeintears,orinatearlessrage,whentheyhaveseenthechildandfacedthisterribleparadox.Theymaybroodoveritforweeksoryears.Butastimegoesontheybegintorealizethatevenifthechildcouldbereleased,itwouldnotgetmuchgoodofitsfreedom:alittlevaguepleasureofwarmthandfood,nodoubt,butlittlemore.Itistoodegradedandimbeciletoknowanyrealjoy.Ithasbeenafraidtoolongevertobefreeoffear.Itshabitsaretoouncouthforittorespondtohumanetreatment.Indeed,aftersolongitwouldprobablybewretchedwithoutwallsaboutittoprotectit,anddarknessforitseyes,anditsownexcrementtositin.Theirtearsatthebitterinjusticedrywhentheybegintoperceivetheterriblejusticeofreality,andtoacceptit.Yetitistheirtearsandanger,thetryingoftheirgenerosityandtheacceptanceoftheirhelplessness,whichareperhapsthetruesourceofthesplendoroftheirlives.Theirsisnovapid,irresponsiblehappiness.Theyknowthatthey,likethechild,arenotfree.Theyknowcompassion.Itistheexistenceofthechild,andtheirknowledgeofitsexistence,thatmakespossiblethenobilityoftheirarchitecture,thepoignancyoftheirmusic,theprofundityoftheirscience.Itisbecauseofthechildthattheyaresogentlewithchildren.Theyknowthatifthewretchedonewerenottheresnivelinginthedark,theotherone,theflute-player,couldmakenojoyfulmusicastheyoungriderslineupintheirbeautyfortheraceinthesunlightofthefirstmorningofsummer.Nowdoyoubelieveinthem?Aretheynotmorecredible?Butthereisonemorethingtotell,andthisisquiteincredible.當那些青年去看了那個孩子，面對那種痛苦的矛盾處境后再回到家里時，他們往往會痛哭流涕，或是悲憤難抑。他們可能要為此悲傷若干個星期，甚至若干年。但隨著時間的推移，他們會漸漸認識到，即使那孩子獲得釋放，他(她)也不會感受到自由的好處。當然，他(她)可能因為溫飽問題得到解決而感受到一點模模糊糊的愉悅，再不會有多少別的好處了。他(她)太低能了，他(她)太愚笨了。甚至真正的歡樂也不能體味到。他(她)擔驚受怕的時日太久，再也不可能擺脫恐懼了。他(她)缺乏教養，性情也很樸拙，即使再對他(她)施以人道的待遇，他(她)也會無動于衷。說實在的，他(她)對那種生活已經習以為常了，若是將他(她)放出來，失去了牢籠的保護，失去了他(她)的眼睛所習慣的黑暗，再也不能坐在自己的屎尿上，他(她)倒可能覺得難受。當那些青年人開始認識到現實的這種悲哀的公正性后，他們因看到那孩子的悲慘遭遇而悲傷的淚水便自動地干了。然而，正因為他們在自己的仁義之心經受考驗時悲傷流淚，無可奈何地接受現實時悲憤難抑，他們的生活才如此光輝燦爛。他們的幸福并不是一種平淡無奇的、不帶義務和條件的幸福。他們完全明白，他們自己其實也像那孩子一樣沒有自由。他們懂得憐憫。正是因為有了那孩子的存在以及他們對這一事實的認識，他們的建筑才有可能如此的雄偉壯觀，他們的音樂才有可能如此的震撼人心，他們的科學才有可能如此的高明玄妙。他們對一般兒童也那樣溫和，也正是因為那孩子的關系。他們懂得，假如沒有那個可憐的孩子在黑暗的地窖中悲泣，那另一個孩子，即那個吹木笛的孩子，就不可能在那些青年騎手騎著美麗的駿馬迎著第一個夏日列隊等候賽馬開始時吹奏出那樣歡快的樂曲來。

現在你相信我描述的這一切了嗎?它們的可信度是否增加了一些?不過，我還有一件事情要講，這件事情卻是真