[翻译][科幻][旧文整理]两个明天

http://www.douban.com/group/topic/1398843/

note: 其实翻译这个主要是因为喜欢这种用很多小细节来描写感情（亲情），感觉很实在。（当然还因为它短……）
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两个明天
　　
[澳] 斯蒂芬•鲍森 著
水龙吟 译

　　明天我的孙女爱尔斯帕就两岁大了。自从她回家以来我就一直照顾她。而且我敢说，她让过去的两年充满了欢乐。
　　为此我应该感谢我的儿子凯斯特。他告诉我他进入了第三等级的那天晚上我流下了眼泪。凯斯特，他是个好男孩；是米奈拉的好丈夫，爱尔斯帕的好爸爸，我的好儿子。他妈妈也会为他自豪的。
　　如果没有他的晋级，这段和爱尔斯帕在一起日子就不可能存在。事情总是变得越来越棘手。第四等级以及更低等级的人甚至都不再允许有孩子，只有第一等级的人才允许有两个。
　　人们说爱尔斯帕看起来有点像我，她有我的眼睛。但是她有柔软的红头发和完美的皮肤，就像她的妈妈那样。米奈拉本来想照顾爱尔斯帕的，但是生下爱尔斯帕两周后，她就必须回到她工作的广告中心去——她无从选择。爱尔斯帕从那以后就归我了。当时只有两个选择，我或者广告中心育儿院。
　　我因此变得极度幸运，因为我最了解她。甚至比她的爸爸妈妈还要多。在他们、或者任何人面前，她再也不会像现在这样。再也不会。到她十岁大或者十一岁的时候，或者甚至十四、五岁，他们可能不会记得她怎么说，“我奈一，”来代替“我爱你。”或者她怎样坐在镜子面前对着自己的镜像亲吻、扮鬼脸。但是我会——对于我来说，她会一直都是这样。
　　给她喂奶时她弄出的满意的小声音，还有她紧紧握住我的拇指的方式都成了我的记忆。她经常在我胳膊上睡着的样子。在我抱着她时她发出的满足而感激的叹息声。我安慰她时她沿着脸颊汩汩而下的小眼泪。
　　我会记得她在洗澡的时候欢快地用她的双手溅起水花，她蓝色的眼睛闪闪发亮，她咯咯笑着，鼓鼓的小肚子晃颠颠的。
　　她的第一步是朝着我走来。她把自己扶着椅子腿站立起来的时候，我看到她充满决心的表情，在她摇摇晃晃的走向我等待的双臂时变成了胜利的欢笑。
　　那天她学会说“爷丫”时，骄傲几乎撑爆了我的胸膛。她绕着屋子一圈一圈的走，边走边笑，重复着这个词。我笑得太厉害，脸部都笑疼了。我怎能忘记她拽着我的一只裤腿，说“卜，卜”其实是想要我抱一抱？
　　明天爱尔斯帕就两岁了。所以明天我们中的一个有义务向终结中心汇报，因为我们的重叠时期就要过期，两代人法令就要生效。现在爱尔斯帕必须得去广告中心的育儿院，而我，要去其他的地方……
　　我已经向凯斯特和米奈拉道了别。我很幸运地得到他们的信任，他们允许我去终结中心的路上送爱尔斯帕到育儿院。
　　很多人在终结日的时候会把孩子从祖父母面前藏起来。直到一切结束。但是我是个老人，而且他们知道我挚爱着爱尔斯帕。我不会带着她到我的地方。她面前还有她整个人生……
　　现在剩下的事，就是和她说再见。而我一想到这一点就已经泪流满面了。算是一种生日礼物。
　　但那是生活的方式——长江后浪推前浪。
　　我会记得爱尔斯帕直到永远——我唯一的孙女，我唯一的希望。
　　我不知道她将来是否还会记得我？
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　Two Tomorrow
　　
　　Steven Paulsen
　　
　　Tomorrow my granddaughter Elspie will be two years old. I have been responsible for her since the day she came home. And, if I do say so myself, she has made these last two years a delight.
　　I can thank my boy Kester for that. I wept the night he told me he had made Grade Three. He's a good boy, Kester; a good husband to Minella, a good father to Elspie, and a good son to me. His mother would have been proud.
　　Without his promotion this time with Elspie would have been impossible. Things are getting tougher and tougher all the time. Grade Fours and below aren't even allowed a child any more, and only Grade Ones are allowed two.
　　People say Elspie looks a bit like me for a girl, she has my eyes. But she has soft red hair and flawless skin just like her mother. Minella would have liked to look after Elspie, but she had to return to her job at Ad Central two weeks after Elspie was born - she had no choice. Elspie has been my girl ever since. It was either me or the Ad Central creche.
　　So I have been extremely fortunate, because I know her best. Better even than her father or mother. She won't ever be like this again for them or anyone. Never ever. When she's ten or eleven, or even fourteen or fifteen, they probably won't remember how she says, "I luth oo," instead of, "I love you." Or the way she sits in front of the mirror kissing and pulling faces at her reflection. But I will - for me she will always be like this.
　　The satisfied little sounds she made as a baby when I fed her her formula, and the way she grasped my thumb are my memories. The way she would often fall asleep in my arms. Her sighs of contentment and gratitude when I cuddled her. The little tears that streamed down her face when I comforted her distress.
　　I'll remember her gleefully splashing her hands in the bath, her blue eyes bright, her little fat stomach wobbling with the force of her cackle.
　　Her first steps were to me. I saw her expression of determination as she pulled herself to her feet on a chair leg change to one of triumph and glee as she took those wobbly steps into my waiting arms.
　　Pride almost burst my chest the day she learnt to say "Gramp". She walked around and around the room giggling, repeating it time and again. My face hurt I smiled so much. And how could I forget the way she tugs at my trouser leg, saying, "cuh, cuh," when she wants a cuddle?
　　Tomorrow Elspie will be two. So tomorrow it's mandatory for one of us to report to the Termination Centre, because our overlap expires and the two-generation law comes into effect. Now Elspie will have to go to the Ad Central creche, while I go to the other place . . .
　　I've said goodbye to Kester and Minella. I'm fortunate to have their trust because they're allowing me to take Elspie to the creche on my way to the Centre.
　　A lot of people would hide their child from its grandfather or grandmother on termination day. Until it was over. But I'm an old man and they know I worship Elspie. I couldn't take her there in my place, she has her entire life before her . . .
　　All that's left now is to say goodbye to her and I'm weeping already just thinking about it. Some birthday present.
　　But that's the way of life - the new replaces the old.
　　I'll remember Elspie into eternity - my only granddaughter, my only future.
　　I wonder if she'll remember me?