Ted Chiang [Tower of Babylon] 特德姜 巴比伦塔

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1、12TowerofBabylonWerethetowertobelaiddownacrosstheplainofShinar,itwouldbetwodays’journeytowalkfromoneendtotheother.Whilethetowerstands,ittakesafullmonthandahalftoclimbfromitsbasetoitssummit,ifamanwalksunburdened.Butfewmenclimbthetowerwithemptyhands;thepaceofmostmenisslowedbythecartofbr

2、icksthattheypullbehindthem.Fourmonthspassbetweenthedayabrickisloadedontoacart,andthedayitistakenofftoformapartofthetower.HillalumhadspentallhislifeinElam,andknewBabylononlyasabuyerofElam’scopper.ThecopperingotswerewerecarriedonboatsthattraveleddowntheKaruntotheLowerSea,headedfortheEup

3、hrates.Hillalumandtheotherminerstraveledoverland,alongsideamerchant’scaravanofloadedonagers.Theywalkedalongadustypathleadingdownfromtheplateau,acrosstheplains,tothegreenfieldssectionedbycanalsanddikes.Noneofthemhadseenthetowerbefore.Itbecamevisiblewhentheywerestillleaguesaway:alineast

4、hinasastrandofflax,waveringintheshimmeringair,risingupfromthecrustofmudthatwasBabylonitself.Astheydrewcloser,thecrustgrewintothemightycitywalls,butalltheysawwasthetower.Whentheydidlowertheirgazestotheleveloftheriver-plain,theysawthemarksthetowerhadmadeoutsidethecity:theEuphratesitself

5、nowflowedatthebottomofawide,sunkenbed,dugtoprovideclayforbricks.Tothesouthofthecitycouldbeseenrowsuponrowsofkilns,nolongerburning.Astheyapproachedthecitygates,thetowerappearedmoremassivethananythingHillalumhadeverimagined:asinglecolumnthatmusthavebeenaslargearoundasanentiretemple,yetr

6、isingsohighthatitshrankintoinvisibility.Allofthemwalkedwiththeirheadstiltedback,squintinginthesun.Hillalum’sfriendNanniproddedhimwithanelbow,awe-struck.”We’retoclimbthat?Tothetop?”“Goinguptodig.Itseems...unnatural.”Theminersreachedthecentralgateinthewesternwall,whereanothercaravanwasl

7、eaving.Whiletheycrowdedforwardintothenarrowstripofshadeprovidedbythewall,theirforemanBelishoutedtothegatekeeperswhostoodatopthegatetowers,“WearetheminerssummonedfromthelandofElam.”Thegatekeepersweredelighted.Onecalledback,”Youaretheoneswhoaretodigthroughthevaultofheaven?”“Weare.”Theen

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