嵌套現實

Nested Realities

朋友們講完故事後，卡拉米拉用手肘撐著桌子，雙手托著下巴，又沉思了一兩分鐘，思考著她所聽到的一切。

Caramilla sat with her elbows on the table and her chin resting in her hands for another minute or two after the friends had finished their story contemplating all she had heard.

「這一切聽起來既牽強又真實，我親愛的，」卡拉米拉終於回答。「只是我不建議你們把剛才告訴我的事情告訴其他人。沒有人會相信你們。」

“It all sounds just as far-fetched and it does sound realistic, my dears,” Caramilla responded finally. “Only I don’t advise you to tell anyone else what you have just told me. No-one else would believe you.”

「我們也不指望有人會相信，優雅的卡拉米拉，」傻瓜說。「不過，為什麼你相信我們，為什麼你覺得我們的故事在某些方面聽起來真實？」

“We would not expect anyone to, gracious Caramilla,” said Eejit. “Why do you believe us, though, and why do you think our story sounds in some ways realistic?”

「在一個現實中看似完全不可思議的事情，有時在另一個現實中卻是明顯可能的。」

“Something that seems totally inconceivable in one reality is sometimes distinctly possible in another.”

「你是什麼意思？在另一個現實中？」挑剔的潛水艇問。「是的，比如在夢中。」

“What do you mean? In another reality?” asked fastidious Submarine. “Yes, in a dream for example.”

「在夢中，是的，但夢不是現實！」

“In a dream, yes, but a dream is not real!”

「你確定你們現在所處的現實是真實的嗎？」

“Are you certain that the reality in which you find yourselves now is actually real?”

「當然！看看這張桌子……它是實體的，我們都活得好好的。我們可以互相觸摸。」

“Of course! Take this table... it’s solid and we are all alive and well. We can touch each other.”

「在夢中，一切看起來和感覺上也像是實體的，好像你可以伸手觸摸它們。那麼你如何區分什麼是真正的實體現實，什麼只是看似實體的現實？」

“Everything looks and feels like it’s physically real in a dream, too, as if you can reach out and touch it all. So how can you tell the difference between what is actual, physical reality and what only appears to be a physical reality?”

「這很明顯！」潛水艇說。「我們在實體現實中生活，而夢是我們只有在睡著時才會看到的東西！」

“It’s obvious!” said Submarine. “We live our lives in physical reality, whereas a dream is something we only see when we are asleep!”

「同樣的道理，你可以在夢中入睡，也可以在夢中醒來，」卡拉米拉回答。「在那種情況下，第一個夢是真正的夢，而第二個是嵌套的夢，不是真正的夢，對吧？」

“By the same token, you can fall asleep in a dream and you can wake up inside a dream,” Caramilla replied. “In that case, the first dream would be the real dream, whereas the second would be a nested dream, not a real one, right?”

「嗯，我不知道……」

“Um, I don’t know...”

「好吧，我一點也不確定這個現實是真正的實體現實，」普西拉說。「這裡的人更像是玩偶。當然，除了你自己，卡拉米拉。我甚至在這裡遇到了我自己書中的角色。令人驚訝，但仍然是事實！」

“Well, I’m not at all sure that this reality is genuinely physical reality,” said Puscilla. “The people here are more like dolls. Of catty-course, with the exception of yourself, Caramilla. I have even met characters from my own books here. Surpurrprising, but a fact nonetheless!”

「我們必須假設，如果當前的現實可以像電影膠片一樣暫停，那麼它很難被認為是實體現實，」布倫希爾達評論道。

“We have to assume that if the present reality can be paused like a film strip then it can hardly be considered physical reality,” remarked Brunhilda.

「我不知道哪個現實我會稱為實體現實，」卡拉米拉說。「哦，這很有趣。卡拉米拉，你這是什麼意思？」潛水艇問。

“I have no idea which reality I would call physical reality,” said Caramilla. “Oh, interesting. What do you mean by that Caramilla?” asked Submarine.

「我想我不知道實體現實到底是什麼樣的。我無法知道。你知道嗎？」

“I suppose I don’t know what physical reality is really like. I have no way of knowing. Do you know?”

「卡拉米拉，你所有的問題讓我們完全困惑了！」奶牛說。「它們讓我害怕，」潛水艇補充道。

“Caramilla, all your questions have us completely stumped!” said Cow. “They scare me,” added Submarine.

「當一個人入睡時，他們進入了一個不同的現實。當他們醒來時，他們回到了這個現實。但他們最初是如何進入這個現實的？

“When a person falls asleep, they shift into a different reality. When they wake up, they return to this reality. But how did they enter this reality originally?

當他們出生時，大概是這樣，但他們是從哪裡來到這裡的？可能是從一個人在死亡時去的同一個現實。那麼他們在出現在那個現實之前又是從哪裡來的呢？然後你必須問自己，這些現實中哪一個是最終的現實？是夢境的現實還是清醒的現實？是另一個世界還是超越另一個世界的世界？你可以這樣一直問下去。」

When they were born, presumably, but where did they come from to get here? Probably from the same reality a person goes to when they die. Then where, in turn, did they come from before appearing in that reality? And then you have to ask yourself, which one of all those realities is the ultimate reality? The reality of dreaming or waking reality? The other world or the world beyond the other world? And you could go on like that forever.”

在這些話之後，每個人都安靜下來，忙於處理自己的想法。

After these words everyone was quiet busy processing their own thoughts.

「看來所有的現實都必須被視為真實的。」傻瓜是第一個開口的。「否則，它們都只是現實的表象。這完全取決於你如何看待它。」

“It seems clear that all realities have to be considered genuine.” Eejit was first to speak. “Otherwise, they are all just an appearance of reality. It all depends how you look at it.”

「你也可以這樣看待它，好像並沒有很多不同的現實，只是一個由不同層次組成的現實，就像洋蔥一樣。當我們入睡並再次醒來，當我們出生和死亡時，我們穿過這些層次，就像一系列嵌套的夢，」卡拉米拉說。

“And you could also look at it as if there weren’t lots of different realities, just one consisting of separate layers, like an onion. And as we fall asleep and wake up again, as we are born and as we die, we pass through the layers like a series of nested dreams,” said Caramilla.

「那麼，所有這些嵌套現實的原始來源可能是什麼，它們在哪裡？」野獸問。「我能記得我自己的幾次化身，但我從未注意到這個過程是如何實際發生的。」

“So, what might be the original source of all those nested realities, and where are they?” asked Beast. “I can remember several of my own incarnations, but I have never noticed how the process actually happens.”

「我也是，」普西拉說。「我的變形就像是從夢境到清醒生活再回來的轉變。這是一種奇怪的貓動畫。」

“Metoo,” said Puscilla. “My metamorphoses are like a shift from dreaming to waking life and back again. It’s a kind of weird moganimation.”

「我也是這樣，」奶牛說，「自發的轉變。」 「我也是！」潛水艇說。

“It’s the same with me,” said Cow, “spontaneous transformation.” “Me too!” said Submarine.

「所有現實的原始來源掌握在造物主手中，」卡拉米拉說。「就像現實的所有秘密都掌握在他手中一樣。現實是最奇怪的玩笑。我們都習慣於看她舞台上發生的事情，很少有人想到去看幕後。」

“The original source of all realities lies in the hands of the Creator,” said Caramilla. “Just as all the secrets of reality lie in his hands. Reality is the strangest of jokes. We are all so used to looking at what’s happening on her stage that few ever think to look in the wings.”

「對我們來說，最重要的是弄清楚我們現在所處的現實：是我們自己的還是其他外來的現實，」傻瓜說。

“The most important thing for us is to work out which reality we are in now: our own or some other, foreign reality,” said Eejit.

「雖然蓋子出現時我們還在自己的現實中，」奶牛指出。

“Although the lid appeared when we were still in our own reality,” noted Cow.

「也許蓋子是從這個現實內部滲透到我們的現實中，」野獸建議。

“Maybe the lid penetrated into our reality from inside this reality,” Beast suggested.

「還有一個對我們很重要的問題，」潛水艇補充道。「我們怎麼回家？」

“And there’s one more enquiring question that’s important to us,” added Submarine. “How do we get home?”

「卡拉米拉，你有沒有見過我們告訴你的那個鏡子般的物體？」傻瓜問。「你對它了解多少？」

“Caramilla, have you ever seen the mirror-like object we told you about?” asked Eejit. “What do you know about it?”

「是的，我見過，」卡拉米拉回答。「它似乎是兩個世界或現實的兩個方面之間的某種邊界。但除此之外我就不知道了。科學也無法為這一現象提供解釋。」

“Yes, I’ve seen it,” Caramilla replied. “It appears to be some kind of boundary between two worlds or two aspects of reality. But I don’t know any more than that. Science is incapable of providing an explanation for the phenomenon either.”

「你的科學不會知道的！」普西拉驚呼。「這完全是胡說八道！」

“Not that your science would know!” Puscilla exclaimed. “It’s a complete pussfranity!”

「普西拉想說的是，這是絕對的褻瀆，」奶牛解釋道。「是的。正是如此。這完全是貓咪的胡言亂語！」

“What Puscilla is trying to say is that it’s an absolute profanity,” Cow explained. “Yes. Precisely. It’s total mogsense!”

「那麼那個物體從這裡的方向是什麼？」潛水艇問。「我們似乎忘記了我們是怎麼到這裡的，或者我們是從哪裡來的，但如果我們能回到那個物體，我們可能會想起來。」

“And what direction is the object from here?” asked Submarine. “We seem to have forgotten how we got here or where we came from, but we might remember if we can get back to the object.”

「向南走。這條街會帶你向南走，如果你離開別墅時向左轉，」卡拉米拉回答。

“To the south. This street will take you southwards if you turn left as you leave the villa,” Caramilla replied.

「但在我們做任何事情之前，我們必須處理那個蓋子，」女王說。「卡拉米拉，真的沒有人擔心天空上有個蓋子嗎？我的意思是，這是一場災難！」

“But before we do anything, we have to deal with the lid,” the queen stated. “Caramilla, is it really true that no-one here is worried that there’s a lid across the sky? I mean, it’s a catastrophe!”

「每個人都接受了這個蓋子，就像他們接受了生態狀況一樣，他們不想改變任何事情，」卡拉米拉回答。「飛機已經停止飛行，但每個人都固執地假裝蓋子沒什麼好擔心的，一切都應該如此。」

“Everyone has accepted the lid, like they’ve accepted the state of the ecology and they don’t want to change anything,” Caramilla replied. “Planes have stopped flying but everyone stubbornly pretends that the lid is nothing to be worried about and everything is just as it should be.”

「所以，這裡有機場，你可以飛往其他目的地？」 「以前有，但現在沒有了。現在每個人都坐火車旅行。」 「你們的偽科學家真的不明白他們做了什麼嗎？」

“So, there’s an airport here and you can fly to other destinations?” “There used to be but not anymore. Everyone travels by train now.” “Do your pseudo-scientists really not understand what they’ve done?”

「目前他們正在努力製造科學證據，證明蓋子完全無害，非常有益，甚至是必需的。」

“At the moment they’re working on producing scientific proof that the lid is totally harmless, quite beneficial and even essential.”

「那麼，沒有什麼可以做的嗎？」布倫希爾達問。

“So, is there nothing that can be done?” asked Brunhilda.

「我倒有個主意，」卡拉米拉說。「我可以派你們去學院，作為監督委員會的代表。你們會通知他們你們正在關閉蓋子項目，並要求他們停止向大氣層發送輻射。」

“I do have an idea,” said Caramilla. “I could send you to the Academy as representatives of the supervisory board. You would inform them that you are closing the lid project and demand that they stop sending radiation into the atmosphere.”

「但卡拉米拉，」傻瓜驚訝地說，「我們看起來都這麼古怪，沒有人會相信我們和官方有任何關係。」

“But Caramilla,” said Eejit in surprise, “we all look so eccentric, no-one would believe we bore any relation to an officialdom.”

「哦，我會給你們準備一份任何官員都不敢違抗的文件。請跟我來，來吧，我親愛的，跟我來！」

“Oh, I’ll cook you up the kind of document that no official would dare disobey. Please, follow me, come on my dears, follow me!”

卡拉米拉帶領客人們進入她的辦公室，他們的目光被一個奇怪的裝置吸引，這個裝置由錯綜複雜的管道和粗糙的金屬結構與精密的電子設備組合而成。卡拉米拉打開了機器。它發出嗡嗡聲，燈泡開始閃爍。

Caramilla led the guests into her office, where their gaze was met by a strange apparatus representing an intricate interweaving of pipes and crude metal constructions in combination with sophisticated electronics. Caramilla turned on the machine. It made a humming noise and its light bulbs began to blink.

「這是我的烘焙機。這是我自己的發明！」她說。「它可以製作任何你想要的文件或證書。我們的系統官僚主義和我們社會的沉睡一樣深，所以這台機器讓生活變得更容易。」

“This is my baking machine. It’s my very own invention!” she said. “It will concoct any document or certificate you like. Our system’s bureaucracy is as vast as our society’s sleep is deep, so this machine makes life much easier.”

「哇！」傻瓜和他的朋友們一樣驚訝地說。

“Wow!” said Eejit just as amazed as his friends.

卡拉米拉按下各種按鈕，拉動一些槓桿，直到螢幕上亮起「監督委員會」的字樣。機器噴出蒸汽，發出內部嘎吱聲，經過短暫的運作後，出具了一份現成的文件。這張帶有信頭和官方印章的紙上寫著：

Caramilla pushed various buttons and pulled a number of levers until an inscription lit up on the screen that read “supervisory board”. The machine puffed, made internal creaking sounds and after a short period of productivity issued a ready-made document. The sheet of paper marked with a letterhead and bearing an official stamp read in the following manner:

「此證書真正證明持有人為最高監督委員會成員，並被授予相關權力，授權他們授予其他相關官員權力，以及剝奪他們的權力。」

“This certificate genuinely certifies that the bearers of said certificate are members of the Supreme Supervisory Board and are vested with the relevant powers authorizing them to empower other relevant officials, as well as to deprive them of said powers.”

「親愛的卡拉米拉，」傻瓜問，「如果我可以澄清一下，這份文件具體賦予我們什麼權力，可以向什麼樣的官員出示？」

“Dear Caramilla,” asked Eejit, “if I might clarify, what specific powers does this document gives us, and what kind of official can it be presented to?”

「就在那裡：『與相關官員相關的相關權力』，」卡拉米拉說。

“It’s right there: ‘relevant powers in relation to relevant officials’,” said Caramilla.

「這應該足夠嗎？」

“And that should be enough?”

「綽綽有餘。最重要的是文件的寫法要符合官方的理解。」

“More than enough. The most important thing is that the document is written in a style concordant with official understanding.”

「如果他們無視這份文件怎麼辦？那時該怎麼辦？」女王問。

“And what if they ignore the document? What then?” asked the queen.

卡拉米拉想了一會兒。

Caramilla thought for a moment.

「你覺得你能像以前一樣暫停電影嗎？」 「絕對貓咪般的正確！」普西拉回答。

“Do you think you could stop the movie like before?” “Abso-catty-lutely!” replied Puscilla.

「那麼聽好了。電報有一個自毀機制。在控制面板的右側，你會看到一個紅色的槓桿，玻璃下有『PES』的字樣。當你停止現實時，打破玻璃並將槓桿轉到底。這將啟動自毀程序，整個科學裝置將化為灰燼。」

“Then listen up. The electric telegraph has a self-destruct mechanism. On the right of the control panel, you will see a red lever beneath the glass bearing the inscription ‘PES’. When you stop reality, smash the glass and turn the lever all the way. That will initiate the self-destruct program and the entire scientific gizmo will go up in flames.”

「卡拉米拉，什麼是『PES』？」傻瓜問。

“Caramilla, what is ‘PES’?” asked Eejit.

「這是『科學實驗結束』的縮寫。」 「那為什麼是以『P』開頭？」

“It’s an abbreviation for ‘end of the experiment of science’.” “So why does is start with a ‘P’?”

「他們說『pend』而不是『end』，讓它聽起來更科學。」

“They say ‘pend’ instead of ‘end’ to make it sound more scientific.”

「貓咪的『pend』，我的尾巴！」普西拉驚呼。「我們會給他們一個完整的貓咪末日！」

“Pussy-pend, my tail!” exclaimed Puscilla. “We’ll give them a complete apo- catty-lypse!”

「要小心，」卡拉米拉說。「如果你不得不使用最後的手段，那麼當電影重新播放時，他們會拉響警報並發動突襲來找你們。」

“Just be careful,” said Caramilla. “If you have to draw on the last resort, do it because when the movie starts playing again, they’ll sound the alarm and launch a raid to find you.”

「不用擔心，卡拉米拉，」女王說。「我們會做好的。謝謝你的一切。」

“Don’t you worry, Caramilla,” said the queen. “We’ll get it right. Thank you for everything.”

「謝謝你們，我親愛的！現在所有的希望都寄託在你們身上！」然後卡拉米拉給他們指引了去學院的方向，並陪他們到門廊。

“Thank you, my dears! All hope lies with you now!” Then Caramilla gave them directions to the Academy and accompanied them to the porch.

「結束後，我們會回來告訴你一切，」潛水艇向她保證。

“When it is over, we’ll come back and tell you all about it,” Submarine assured her.

「我會等你們，我親愛的！」

“I’ll be waiting for you, my dears!”

巢狀現實

Nested Realities

朋友們講完故事後，Caramilla肘支著桌子，下巴托在雙手上，沉思了好一、兩分鐘，細細回味著所聽到的一切。

Caramilla sat with her elbows on the table and her chin resting in her hands for another minute or two after the friends had finished their story contemplating all she had heard.

「聽起來既荒謬得令人難以置信，又似乎真有其事，我的親愛的，」Caramilla終於回道，「但我建議你們不要將剛才所說的告訴他人，因為沒有人會相信你們的話。」

“It all sounds just as far-fetched and it does sound realistic, my dears,” Caramilla responded finally. “Only I don’t advise you to tell anyone else what you have just told me. No-one else would believe you.”

「我們本就不指望任何人會信，親愛的Caramilla，」Eejit說，「但你憑什麼相信我們？又是什麼讓你覺得我們的故事在某些方面看起來真實呢？」

“We would not expect anyone to, gracious Caramilla,” said Eejit. “Why do you believe us, though, and why do you think our story sounds in some ways realistic?”

「有些在一個現實中看似完全不可思議的事物，有時在另一個現實中卻明顯是可能的。」

“Something that seems totally inconceivable in one reality is sometimes distinctly possible in another.”

「你是什麼意思？在另一個現實中？」一絲不苟的Submarine問道，「比如說，在夢裡。」

“What do you mean? In another reality?” asked fastidious Submarine. “Yes, in a dream for example.”

「夢中是這樣，但夢境始終不是真實的！」

“In a dream, yes, but a dream is not real!”

「你們真的確定，眼下這個現實真的是現實嗎？」

“Are you certain that the reality in which you find yourselves now is actually real?”

「當然！看看這張桌子……它堅固得很，而且我們都活生生地在這裡，還能彼此觸摸。」

“Of course! Take this table... it’s solid and we are all alive and well. We can touch each other.”

「就算是在夢裡，一切看起來也彷彿真實存在，彷彿你能伸手觸碰所有事物。所以，你又怎能分辨到底什麼是真正的物質現實，和那僅僅看似物質現實的幻象呢？」

“Everything looks and feels like it’s physically real in a dream, too, as if you can reach out and touch it all. So how can you tell the difference between what is actual, physical reality and what only appears to be a physical reality?”

「這太明顯了！」Submarine說道，「我們的生活是在物質現實裡，而夢境只是在睡覺時才會出現的幻象！」

“It’s obvious!” said Submarine. “We live our lives in physical reality, whereas a dream is something we only see when we are asleep!”

「同樣地，你甚至可以在夢中入睡，也可以在夢中醒來，」Caramilla回答說，「那樣的話，第一層夢境才是真正的夢境，而第二層只是一個嵌套的夢境，不是真正的夢境，對吧？」

“By the same token, you can fall asleep in a dream and you can wake up inside a dream,” Caramilla replied. “In that case, the first dream would be the real dream, whereas the second would be a nested dream, not a real one, right?”

「呃，我不太清楚……」

“Um, I don’t know...”

「我完全無法確定這個現實是否真的是物質現實，」Puscilla說，「這裡的人們更像是玩偶——當然，除了你之外，Caramilla。我甚至在這裡遇過我書中那種『人物』，令人驚異，但事實就是如此！」

“Well, I’m not at all sure that this reality is genuinely physical reality,” said Puscilla. “The people here are more like dolls. Of catty-course, with the exception of yourself, Caramilla. I have even met characters from my own books here. Surpurrprising, but a fact nonetheless!”

「我們必須假設，如果現今這個現實能像電影膠卷一樣被暫停，那它就很難算是真正的物質現實，」Brunhilda評論道。

“We have to assume that if the present reality can be paused like a film strip then it can hardly be considered physical reality,” remarked Brunhilda.

「我完全不知道哪個現實算作是物質現實，」Caramilla說。「哦，有趣。Caramilla，你這是什麼意思？」Submarine追問。

“I have no idea which reality I would call physical reality,” said Caramilla. “Oh, interesting. What do you mean by that Caramilla?” asked Submarine.

「我想我無法真正了解物質現實到底是什麼樣子，我也無法得知。你知道嗎？」

“I suppose I don’t know what physical reality is really like. I have no way of knowing. Do you know?”

「Caramilla，你提的這些問題真讓我們摸不著頭緒！」Cow打破沉默說，「這些問題讓我感到害怕，」Submarine補充道。

“Caramilla, all your questions have us completely stumped!” said Cow. “They scare me,” added Submarine.

「當一個人入睡時，他們就會轉入另一個現實；而當他們醒來時，又回到了這個現實。但究竟他們最初又是怎麼進入這個現實的呢？」

“When a person falls asleep, they shift into a different reality. When they wake up, they return to this reality. But how did they enter this reality originally?

「大概是從出生那刻開始，但他們究竟從哪裡來到這裡呢？也許正是來自那個人在死亡時所進入的現實。那麼，他們又是從哪裏來，才得以出現在那個現實中呢？接著，你就不得不自問，在所有這些現實中，究竟哪一個才是終極現實？是夢境的現實，還是清醒的現實？是另一個世界，還是超越那個世界的更大世界？而這樣的追問，可能永遠無法停歇……」

When they were born, presumably, but where did they come from to get here? Probably from the same reality a person goes to when they die. Then where, in turn, did they come from before appearing in that reality? And then you have to ask yourself, which one of all those realities is the ultimate reality? The reality of dreaming or waking reality? The other world or the world beyond the other world? And you could go on like that forever.”

聽完這些話後，大家都安靜下來，各自忙著整理思緒。

After these words everyone was quiet busy processing their own thoughts.

「看來所有現實都必須被視作真實的，」Eejit率先發言道，「否則，它們就僅僅是現實的假象，一切都取決於你如何去看待它。」

“It seems clear that all realities have to be considered genuine.” Eejit was first to speak. “Otherwise, they are all just an appearance of reality. It all depends how you look at it.”

「你也可以把它看作，其實並不存在許多不同的現實，而只有一個由不同層次構成的現實，就像洋蔥一樣；當我們入睡、醒來，出生或死亡時，我們就好像穿越一層又一層的嵌套夢境，」Caramilla說。

“And you could also look at it as if there weren’t lots of different realities, just one consisting of separate layers, like an onion. And as we fall asleep and wake up again, as we are born and as we die, we pass through the layers like a series of nested dreams,” said Caramilla.

「那麼，這些嵌套現實的原始來源究竟是什麼？又藏在哪裡？」Beast問道，「我記得自己曾有過好幾次轉世的經歷，但從來沒注意到這個過程到底是怎麼發生的。」

“So, what might be the original source of all those nested realities, and where are they?” asked Beast. “I can remember several of my own incarnations, but I have never noticed how the process actually happens.”

「我也是，」Puscilla說，「我的變形彷彿是一種從夢境到清醒，再回到夢境的轉換，這完全是一種奇異的moganimation (moganimation) 方式。」

“Metoo,” said Puscilla. “My metamorphoses are like a shift from dreaming to waking life and back again. It’s a kind of weird moganimation.”

「我也一樣，」Cow說，「那是自發的轉變。」

“It’s the same with me,” said Cow, “spontaneous transformation.” “Me too!” said Submarine.

「所有現實的原始來源都掌握在創造者 (Creator) 的手中，」Caramilla說，「正如現實中的一切秘密也都寄託於他的手中。現實本身就是個最荒謬的玩笑，我們都習慣只關注她舞臺上發生的事情，卻很少有人會去注意幕後的世界。」

“The original source of all realities lies in the hands of the Creator,” said Caramilla. “Just as all the secrets of reality lie in his hands. Reality is the strangest of jokes. We are all so used to looking at what’s happening on her stage that few ever think to look in the wings.”

「對我們來說，最重要 的事情就是弄清自己目前身處的是哪個現實：究竟是我們自己的現實，還是某個外來的、異域的現實，」Eejit說。

“The most important thing for us is to work out which reality we are in now: our own or some other, foreign reality,” said Eejit.

「儘管那個蓋子（lid）是在我們尚屬於自己現實的時候出現的，」Cow指出。

“Although the lid appeared when we were still in our own reality,” noted Cow.

「也許這個蓋子是從這個現實內部滲透進來的，」Beast建議道。

“Maybe the lid penetrated into our reality from inside this reality,” Beast suggested.

「還有一個對我們來說至關重要 的疑問，」Submarine補充道，「那就是，我們該如何才能回家？」

“And there’s one more enquiring question that’s important to us,” added Submarine. “How do we get home?”

「Caramilla，你曾見過我們提過的那個鏡面般的物體嗎？你知道它是什麼嗎？」Eejit問。

“Caramilla, have you ever seen the mirror-like object we told you about?” asked Eejit. “What do you know about it?”

「是的，我見過，」Caramilla回答，「它似乎是一種界限，存在於兩個世界之間，或是現實的兩個層面之間。但我也僅止於此了解。科學也無法對這種現象給出解釋。」

“Yes, I’ve seen it,” Caramilla replied. “It appears to be some kind of boundary between two worlds or two aspects of reality. But I don’t know any more than that. Science is incapable of providing an explanation for the phenomenon either.”

「你的科學哪能懂這些！」Puscilla驚呼，「這簡直就是一派pussfranity (pussfranity)！」

“Not that your science would know!” Puscilla exclaimed. “It’s a complete pussfranity!”

「Puscilla的意思是說，這完全是一種絕對的褻瀆，」Cow解釋道，「對，正是如此，這就是徹底的mogsense (mogsense)！」

“What Puscilla is trying to say is that it’s an absolute profanity,” Cow explained. “Yes. Precisely. It’s total mogsense!”

「那個物體離這裡的方向是在哪裡？」Submarine問道，「我們似乎已經忘記了如何到達這裡，也不記得從哪裡來，但如果能回到那個物體旁邊，也許我們會重新想起來。」

“And what direction is the object from here?” asked Submarine. “We seem to have forgotten how we got here or where we came from, but we might remember if we can get back to the object.”

「往南走。離開別墅時，只要左轉，這條街就會帶你向南，」Caramilla回答道。

“To the south. This street will take you southwards if you turn left as you leave the villa,” Caramilla replied.

「但在我們採取任何行動之前，我們必須先處理那個蓋子，」女王陳述道，「Caramilla，這真的是沒有人擔心天空上竟然掛著一個蓋子嗎？我的意思是，這簡直就是一場災難！」

“But before we do anything, we have to deal with the lid,” the queen stated. “Caramilla, is it really true that no-one here is worried that there’s a lid across the sky? I mean, it’s a catastrophe!”

「每個人都已經接受了這個蓋子，就像接受目前生態的狀況一樣，沒有人願意改變什麼，」Caramilla回答道，「飛機已經不再起飛，但大家還是固執地假裝這個蓋子完全無需擔心，一切都如它本該那樣。」

“Everyone has accepted the lid, like they’ve accepted the state of the ecology and they don’t want to change anything,” Caramilla replied. “Planes have stopped flying but everyone stubbornly pretends that the lid is nothing to be worried about and everything is just as it should be.”

「那麼，這裡有機場，可以飛往其他目的地？」

“So, there’s an airport here and you can fly to other destinations?” “There used to be but not anymore. Everyone travels by train now.” “Do your pseudo-scientists really not understand what they’ve done?”

「目前他們正忙著製造科學證據，來證明這個蓋子完全無害，甚至有益，甚至說是必不可少的。」

“At the moment they’re working on producing scientific proof that the lid is totally harmless, quite beneficial and even essential.”

「那麼，真的就束手無策了嗎？」Brunhilda問道。

“So, is there nothing that can be done?” asked Brunhilda.

「我倒是有個主意，」Caramilla說，「我可以把你們派往學院，作為監督委員會的代表，告訴他們要終止蓋子計劃，並要求他們停止向大氣中發射輻射。」

“I do have an idea,” said Caramilla. “I could send you to the Academy as representatives of the supervisory board. You would inform them that you are closing the lid project and demand that they stop sending radiation into the atmosphere.”

「但是Caramilla，」Eejit驚訝地說，「我們看起來那麼古怪，沒有人會相信我們與官僚體系有任何關聯。」

“But Caramilla,” said Eejit in surprise, “we all look so eccentric, no-one would believe we bore any relation to an officialdom.”

「哦，我會為你們做出一份連官員都不敢違抗的文件。請跟我來，親愛的們，快跟上！」

“Oh, I’ll cook you up the kind of document that no official would dare disobey. Please, follow me, come on my dears, follow me!”

Caramilla引領客人進入她的辦公室，眼前擺著一個奇特的裝置，由複雜交織的管道、粗糙的金屬結構與精密電子設備組成。Caramilla啟動了那台機器，它發出嗡嗡聲，燈泡也開始閃爍。

Caramilla led the guests into her office, where their gaze was met by a strange apparatus representing an intricate interweaving of pipes and crude metal constructions in combination with sophisticated electronics. Caramilla turned on the machine. It made a humming noise and its light bulbs began to blink.

「這是我的製文機——完全是我的獨家發明！」她說，「它能製作出任何你們想要的文件或證書。我們體制內的官僚機制就像我們社會的深沉睡眠一樣廣大，這台機器能讓一切變得輕鬆許多。」

“This is my baking machine. It’s my very own invention!” she said. “It will concoct any document or certificate you like. Our system’s bureaucracy is as vast as our society’s sleep is deep, so this machine makes life much easier.”

「哇！」Eejit驚嘆道，與他的朋友們一樣目瞪口呆。

“Wow!” said Eejit just as amazed as his friends.

Caramilla操作著各種按鈕和操縱桿，不久螢幕上亮起「監督委員會」的字樣。機器隨後冒出些煙，發出內部嘎吱聲，短暫運轉後印出一份現成的文件。那張印有信頭和官方印章的紙上寫道：

Caramilla pushed various buttons and pulled a number of levers until an inscription lit up on the screen that read “supervisory board”. The machine puffed, made internal creaking sounds and after a short period of productivity issued a ready-made document. The sheet of paper marked with a letterhead and bearing an official stamp read in the following manner:

「此證書特此證明，持本證書者為最高監督委員會成員，並享有相應權力，授權其進一步賦予其他相關官員權力，同時亦有權撤銷其所賦予的權力。」

“This certificate genuinely certifies that the bearers of said certificate are members of the Supreme Supervisory Board and are vested with the relevant powers authorizing them to empower other relevant officials, as well as to deprive them of said powers.”

「親愛的Caramilla，」Eejit問道，「如果我可以釐清一下，這份文件究竟賦予我們哪些具體權力，而且可以向哪類官員出示？」

“Dear Caramilla,” asked Eejit, “if I might clarify, what specific powers does this document gives us, and what kind of official can it be presented to?”

「就在這裡：『關於相關官員的相關權力』，」Caramilla回答道。

“It’s right there: ‘relevant powers in relation to relevant officials’,” said Caramilla.

「那應該就足夠了吧？」

“And that should be enough?”

「絕對綽綽有餘。最重要的是，這份文件的格式完全符合官方的理解方式。」

“More than enough. The most important thing is that the document is written in a style concordant with official understanding.”

「如果他們置之不理，那又怎麼辦？」女王問道。

“And what if they ignore the document? What then?” asked the queen.

Caramilla沉思片刻。

Caramilla thought for a moment.

「你覺得你能像以前那樣停掉那部電影嗎？」

“Do you think you could stop the movie like before?” “Abso-catty-lutely!” replied Puscilla.

「那麼，請注意。這台電報機 (electric telegraph) 內置有自爆機制。在控制面板的右側，你會看到一根玻璃下方的紅色操縱桿，上面刻有『PES』的字樣。當你停止現實，打破那塊玻璃並徹底拉動該操縱桿，就會啟動自爆程序，整個科學裝置將瞬間化為灰燼。」

“Then listen up. The electric telegraph has a self-destruct mechanism. On the right of the control panel, you will see a red lever beneath the glass bearing the inscription ‘PES’. When you stop reality, smash the glass and turn the lever all the way. That will initiate the self-destruct program and the entire scientific gizmo will go up in flames.”

「Caramilla，『PES』是什麼意思？」Eejit問道。

“Caramilla, what is ‘PES’?” asked Eejit.

「這是‘科學實驗之結束’(end of the experiment of science) 的縮寫。」

“It’s an abbreviation for ‘end of the experiment of science’.” “So why does is start with a ‘P’?”

「因為他們用‘pend’取代了‘end’，使這個詞聽起來更具科學氛圍。」

“They say ‘pend’ instead of ‘end’ to make it sound more scientific.”

「貓懸，喵——我的尾巴！」Puscilla驚呼，「我們將給他們一個徹底的貓末日(apo-catty-lypse)！」

“Pussy-pend, my tail!” exclaimed Puscilla. “We’ll give them a complete apo- catty-lypse!”

「但請小心，」Caramilla說，「如果你必須訴諸最後手段，就務必這麼做，因為當電影再次播放時，他們會拉響警鐘，並發起突襲將你們捉拿回去。」

“Just be careful,” said Caramilla. “If you have to draw on the last resort, do it because when the movie starts playing again, they’ll sound the alarm and launch a raid to find you.”

「別擔心，Caramilla，」女王說，「我們一定會搞定的。謝謝你的一切。」

“Don’t you worry, Caramilla,” said the queen. “We’ll get it right. Thank you for everything.”

「謝謝你們，我的親愛的！現在所有的希望都寄託在你們身上了！」然後，Caramilla向他們指明前往學院的路線，並陪同他們走到門廊上。

“Thank you, my dears! All hope lies with you now!” Then Caramilla gave them directions to the Academy and accompanied them to the porch.

「結束之後，我們會回來向你詳細說明一切，」Submarine向她保證道。

“When it is over, we’ll come back and tell you all about it,” Submarine assured her.

「我會等著你們，我的親愛的們！」

“I’ll be waiting for you, my dears!”