Side Story｜Alice-Tenniel（7）

7-1 "

A dark garden betwixt forest and flowers.  在丛生的林木与鲜花之间有一片昏暗的花园。 A silver web glints in a corner of glass.  一张银色的蛛网在玻璃的角落处闪烁着微光。 Well, is it glass?  哦，那是玻璃吗？ More likely it's stone, but this particular world operates more strangely than any other.  看起来倒更像是石头，不过这个独特世界的运作机制比任何其它的世界都要怪异。 Reality bleeds in from elsewhere, through floating shards that fill the air, projecting colorful memory into lands of ruin and white.  来自异界的现实通过空中漫舞的碎片渗入这里，将五彩斑斓的记忆投影到荒芜的白色大地。 Now there are pillars of amethyst, glowing from a light beneath that fills the entire floor.  周围是紫水晶构成的立柱，满溢出整个地面的光芒让它们也晶莹靓丽。 She sits in a fanciful, pale green chair, before a small and pale-green table,  她坐在浅绿色的精美椅子上，面前是同样浅绿色的小桌。 her hand atop her suitcase which rests beside her. She drags her finger down the leather of its top.  她一只手伸在身旁的行李箱上，食指随意地沿着皮箱的顶部划动。  There are no other people here. 这里别无他人。 "We should leave, Alice." "我们该走了，爱丽丝。" "No other people"—but there is at least one other person.  "这里没有别人"——然而这里确是有一个"别人"的。 He's here, holding tea as he often is, having again prepared it when her eyes were turned away.  他就在这儿，像往常一样端着茶杯，在她转过目光的片刻便又准备好了香茶。 She lays her palm on her suitcase. 她将手掌抚在行李箱上。 "You hear that?" she asks.  "你听到了吗？"她问道。 He tilts his head, listening closely before replying: "I hear nothing." 他转头仔细聆听，然后才答道："我什么都没听见。" Lifting her other arm, she rests her elbow on the table, slouches forward, and props her chin up with her hand.  她举起另一只手，手肘放在桌上，身体前倾，眉眼低垂，慵懒地望着桌子，用手托起下巴。 "That's right," she says, "in this one... or these ones... it's quiet." "那就对了"，她说道。"这个……或者说，这些……很安静。" "And what should that matter?" "那又怎么样呢？" "When was the last!?" she slightly raises her voice, telling him with its tone that she finds his question absurd.  "上一次是什么时候呢！？"她略微提高了音调，用这种语气表达着他这个问题的荒谬。 "Silence and a pleasant view... Look at the gardens, Tenniel. This landscape is... handsome."  "赏心悦目的寂静风景……看看这片花园，坦尼尔。这幅景观很……俊美。" She picks up her hand from her suitcase and indicates the dark wilds fading in and out before them, and to the sky-blue flowers dotting the shade. 她的手从行李箱上举起，指向了两人面前淡入淡出的昏暗原野，以及阴影中点缀着的天蓝花朵。 "I," Tenniel starts, gesturing toward himself with his teacup, "am handsome." "我，"坦尼尔开口了，他腰板一直，将茶杯指向自己道，"这样子就很俊美。" Her brow twitches at the gall.  这般自吹自擂让她皱起了眉头。 "Shut," Alice starts, gesturing toward him with her hand, "up." 爱丽丝开口了，她倾身指向他："给我闭嘴。" "Terribly rude. Awfully rude," he notes.  "何等粗鲁，何等失态。"他无谓地回嘴。 She shakes her head, grumbles, and leans back in her seat. 她一边摇头一边小声抱怨着，又靠回了椅子。 Precisely how long has she been stuck in this world, unable to travel to any others?  具体来说，距离她被困在这个世界、无法去往其它世界已经过去多久了呢？ Forever, the ward Tenniel has been with her, steadfast in his claims of "I cannot be apart from you." 她的护花使者坦尼尔一路上都追随着她，还坚定地宣称："我无法与你分离。" However, that largely proves itself to be a pain.  不过很大程度上，这件事被证明是个麻烦。 She looks at him now.  她正盯着他。 A black and orange butterfly flutters past his eyes, and after it passes he looks into his cup. 一只橙黑相间的蝴蝶飘过他的眼前，随后他将注意力转向了自己的茶杯。 Then, he tosses the cup's contents to the ground, having not drunk even a sip of it.  然后，他一口都未品尝，便将杯中的液体泼到了地上。 A very, very usual habit—in fact, consistent Tenniel behavior.  一个非常非常寻常的行为——事实上，坦尼尔一直如此。 He opens his mouth, not to lap the dregs, but to speak.  他张开了嘴，倒不是为了舔舐杯中的残香，而是打算说话。 "We really should go," says Alice, preempting him.  "我们真的该走了"，爱丽丝先发制人。 "That's what you want to say, isn't it?" "这就是你想说的，对吧？" "If you understand, let us take care," he says.  "如果你明白，那我们就动身吧。"他说道。 And she listens to him. He never seems, she thinks, entirely without reason.  她听从了他。她觉得，他行事从不会毫无理由。 So she stands and follows him to the white horizon.  于是她站了起来，跟着他迈向白色的地平线。 The memory fades around them as they pass. It melts and drips, all, into nothing.  在两人穿行的路上，记忆若隐若现。它融化、滴落，然后消失于无形。 All except the butterfly, which flies along at her shoulder.  不过蝴蝶却是例外，它在她的肩膀处一路随行。 For now, Tenniel watches it again.  坦尼尔姑且又关注了它一下。  But it will fade, too— 不过，它也终将淡去—— All memories do.  所有的记忆都将淡去。

7-2 "

So, what is this place? And what is "real"?  所以，这里究竟是哪里？什么才是"真实"？ This is true: she once walked between worlds.  的确，她曾经遍行于无数世界之间。 She still does. For her, this is an aspect of life as normal as eating or drinking,  她现在也依然如此。对她来说，这是与生俱来的习惯，犹如进食和饮水一般。 not that she has had need of either since finding this latest realm.  但在她发现最后踏足的这片境界之后，上述两点好像就没那么必要了。 In the past, before Arcaea, it was countless how many new places she'd seen, how many strange plants and people she had found.  在以前，在来到Arcaea之前，她见识过无数的地方，各种奇形怪状的植物和形形色色的人物。 Fantastic creatures, magic too, everything one could ever imagine: she has seen it, and recorded it.  人可以想象出的一切，包括幻想生物和魔法，也都只是她目睹并记录过的东西。  For... an "inter-dimensional" encyclopedia?  对于一个……"超次元"百科全书？ Whatever it was (it seems to have been lost). The nature of the work keeps her profession fresh, certainly, but...  不管是什么（似乎已经被遗忘了），这份工作的特性让她一直都保持着新鲜感和安定感，然而…… This world really is terribly unique.  这个世界实在是过于特殊。  The memories of further worlds dance into this one, and not as mere images, either.  其它世界的记忆纷至沓来，且不仅以影像的形式呈现。 You can hear the other places... smell the foreign nature... taste from these memories, and touch them as if they're real.  她可以听见那些地方的声音……闻到异域的气息……品尝那些记忆的甘苦，甚至从它们身上获得真实的触感。 Therefore it begs the question: what is real?  那么问题随之出现：什么是真实？ In a world such as Arcaea, she feels that is a very important question to ask. 在Arcaea这样的世界，她认为这是一个至关重要的问题。 If... it can be experienced fully, but only for a limited time, is it an illusion or is it valid?  如果……这种全方位的体验只能持续有限的时间，那么它究竟是虚幻还是真实？ Well-traveled though she is, nothing in her memory tells of a world like this. What is the purpose of it?  尽管她曾周游四方，但记忆中却并无这样的世界。它的存在目的究竟为何？ So she asks her companion: without flare, without context.  于是毫无征兆亦无缘由地，她询问自己的同伴： "So... what is reality, Tenniel? How can we know that here is real?" "那么……真相是什么，坦尼尔？我们怎样才能判断这里是否真实？" "It's real," he says, as he casts tea from his cup,  "这里是真实的"，他一边从杯中洒出茶水，一边说道。 "because every sense of yours 'knows' that it's real.  "因为你所有的感官都'认为'这里是真实的。 Why do you wonder about artifice or illusion?  为什么要担心这是某种诡计或者幻象呢？ Why do you question even what you can touch with your own hands, Alice? That should be enough." 为什么你要质疑自己亲手触摸到的东西呢，爱丽丝？这就足够了。" "Fine," she replies with finality. It is worthless when he gets like this.  "好吧"，她结束了自己的发言。在他这样的状态下，说什么都没有意义的。 "If that is over with, look there," he says, and he points to the ground.  "不说话了么，那就看这里"，他指着地面说道。  They had wandered into memory of a campfire, and Tenniel's tea had doused the flame.  两人步入了一个篝火的记忆中，坦尼尔的茶水浇灭了火焰。 "How the devil does that work?" he asked.  "这究竟是个什么原理？"他疑惑道。 "You're asking me?" replies Alice, incredulous.  "你问我？"爱丽丝觉得莫名其妙。 "I've ruined their party..." mutters her companion.  "我毁了他们的派对……"她的同伴低语道。 "The memory will fade soon, so there's nothing to be glum over, Tenniel." "记忆很快就会淡去，没什么值得你自责的，坦尼尔。" "What we see is real, Alice. And when you stop looking at something, does it cease to be?  "我们看到的都是真实的，爱丽丝。就算你没看到某个东西，难道它就不复存在了吗？ Of course it doesn't. That fire has ceased by my hand, though." 当然不会。不过，那个篝火确实被我弄得不复存在了。" "You need to stop spilling tea everywhere." "你以后不要乱洒茶水了。" "I will leave an apology." "我会留下一封道歉信。" "No one will see it! No one is here!" "给谁看呢！这里一个人都没有！" Tenniel smirks while whipping out a pad and pen.  坦尼尔挤眉弄眼地笑着，又嗖地一下掏出便签和笔。 She groans, and tries not to smile herself as he writes. 她一边低声抱怨着，一边在他书写时努力压制着笑意。 It's a moment that reminds her why she never questions his company.  在这个片刻，她想起了自己为何从不质疑同伴。 But, it's a moment rare of late.  不过，最近她很少这样了。 "Of late", she thinks...  "最近"，她想着…… In the beginning... was it different?  在开始的时候……有什么不一样吗？ She ponders for a little while, but new scenery distracts her as they walk.  她只思考了一小会儿，路上的新景色就分散了她的注意力。 She forgets to wonder. 她忘却了这个问题。 And the day goes on.  于是时光继续流逝。

7-3 "

Never does he really "lie".  他从来不会真的"撒谎"。 He knows what he knows, just as well as one knows to draw breath—though he doesn't need to breathe.  他对自己所知的事物如数家珍，就好像呼吸一样理所当然——虽然他根本就无需呼吸。 Or that one knows to feed, though he needs no food; to drink, though he needs no water.  或者说，就好像进食和饮水一样理所当然，虽然他也无需进食和饮水。 Or, to remain at her side and shelter her, though...  不过理所当然地，他还是会陪伴并保护她…… ...There is a raw and almost perfectly unshakable comfort in reality.  ……真实会给人以纯粹且几乎无可动摇的舒适。 What exists is what you see and sense. Knowing that what you see and sense is real means that is the truth.  所见所感即真实。看到和感知到的是真实存在的，这意味着真相。 Having truth puts the mind at ease. Without it, with unknowns, you open yourself to fear.  真相带来安心感。如果没有了它，只剩下未知，恐惧就会席卷而来。 Or to, perhaps, what is worse: truths you do not need to hear. 或者，来的也许是更糟糕的东西：不应得知的真相，令人受伤的真相。 Truths that will damage you. To know you aren't capable of everything you wish to be capable of. To know that there is an end, that it is inevitable. That truth, and truths like it, can make a person truly suffer.  人会发现自己无法做到想做到的事情，遇到不可避免的结局。那样的真相只会让人深陷痛苦。 But, he does not lie.  不过，他不会撒谎。 It's true that "he" has always watched over her.  没错，"他"一直都照看着她。 It's true that "he" has always given her freedom, and guided her into places that were exciting, new... different.  的确，"他"总是会予以她自由，引领她前往新奇、有趣……不同的地方。 That was real. That is.  这是真的，事实如此。 He wants nothing more than her smile.  他只想看到她的笑容。 But with heaviness inside where a heart should be, he knows that she is seeking something more: beyond what can be seen.  但他并非无心无念，他知道她所寻求的不止如此：那是无法看见的东西。 "...You hid that?" he asks, as she presents him a flower from the garden-memory they had left.  "……你偷偷摘的？"他问道。她将一朵花展现给他，那来自之前离开的花园记忆。 "You know, I love its color... pale..." she reveals, gazing upon it fondly.  "你知道的，我喜欢它的颜色……淡色……"她不再隐藏，盯着花的眼神中充满着喜爱。 "It's like the skies we see in other worlds," she asserts.  "它就像我们在其它世界里看到的天空"，她肯定地说道。 "What's its name?" "它叫什么名字？" He knows.  他知道答案。 "I don't know," he says. "It will vanish, surely, as everything does. There is no need to keep it, Alice." "我不知道"，他答道。"它终究会消失，就像所有东西那样。你没必要带着它，爱丽丝。" "...Perhaps no need, but I like it," Alice tells him, and he already knew this.  "……也许吧，但我喜欢"，爱丽丝把这件他早已知晓的事情又告诉了他。 "I think that it won't disappear." "我觉得它不会消失。" His gaze drifts away. With no rhyme or reason, he dumps his tea.  他凝视的目光飘向了别处。没有征兆和理由地，他倒掉了茶。 He also knows this very well:  他也清楚地知道： She is right: it won't. And that concerns him most of all.  她说的没错，花不会消失，而这正是他最为担心的。 He tells her, "Do as you like... Alice." 他又告诉她："你高兴就好……爱丽丝。" And she playfully fires back, "I will!" as she slips the flower behind her ear.  她也玩笑般地回应："那当然！"，一边将花枝插在了耳边。 With pompousness, she declares: "You can't decide how I live!" 她态度高傲地宣称道："你无法左右我的意志！" Tenniel taps his chest and gazes at nothing.  坦尼尔轻叩着自己的胸口，目光中并无焦点。 How unfortunate...  何等不幸…… She is entirely right about that as well.  她的这句话也完全没错。

7-4 "

The world shifts and blends fantastically, fascinating her always.  这个世界不断地发生着神奇的变化和融合，让她为之着迷。 Tenniel, however, never seems very thrilled by it. 然而坦尼尔看起来并不怎么为之所动。 Therefore, as they leave the scene of a horrific fire spurred by flying machines, the last burning wisps of tragic memory trailing behind them, Alice confronts him with a question: "Have you no passion at all, Tenniel?" 因此，爱丽丝直接了当地询问了他："你真的就毫无激情吗，坦尼尔？"两人刚刚离开一个记忆场景，那些飞翔的机器就洒下骇人的烈焰，他们的背后只留下灼烧的悲叹。 To this, he smirks and says, "I never suffer, no." 面对询问，他没心没肺地笑道："我从未感到痛苦，从不。" To this, she looks at him dully.  面对回答，她只是淡漠地望着他。 He must have something in that tied up chest of his.  他那锁紧的胸膛里肯定藏着什么。 With that in mind, she tries to catch any sparkle in his eye, any breath cut short, any sort of pleased look—as he looks upon pleasant things.  带着这种想法，她试图在他看到令人愉悦的事物时，找出他眼中的激情火花，亦或是片刻的窒息、欢喜的面容。 One day—if time can be so divided in a world where night never comes—they come across the memory of an old workshop.  有一天——如果在这个从无夜晚的世界里还有这种说法的话——他们遇见了一个旧画室的记忆。 There, she decides to hatch a little plan. In a rare moment of Tenniel's distraction, she hides away from him, carefully, behind a door.  在那里，她决定略施小计。趁着坦尼尔罕见的片刻失神，她藏到了远处，小心翼翼地躲在了一扇门的后面。  When he realizes he's lost her, he glances back, forth, and there mutters,  当他意识到自己失去了她的踪迹后，他来回张望，又小声呼唤道： "Alice...? Well, you must be nearby. Never mind it, never mind it..." "爱丽丝……？嗯，你肯定就在附近。没关系，没关系……" From her hiding place she watches him step past dusty tables and stools... until he reaches an easel, upon which is a canvas.  她从藏身处看着他走过落满灰尘的桌椅……最后停在一个摆放着画布的画架旁。 He checks the surroundings, finds a piece of charcoal, and sits at the stool before the blank sheet.  他查看了四周，找到了一根炭笔，然后就坐在了空白的画布前。 And, he sketches.  随即，他开始了绘画。 The ticklish joy from "teasing" him begins to fade, and she instead observes him steadily. "戏耍"他的那种微妙愉悦感开始消退，她换上了平稳的心态来观察对方。 That's right...  没错…… When she first woke up in this world...  当她当初苏醒在这个世界的时候…… Tenniel would often change their hats. He would tease her and be sure to always ask what she wanted to do.  坦尼尔经常互换两人的帽子。他会和她打趣，也总是会询问她想要做什么。 He also recited things—poetry, prose—very often.  他还会频繁地引经据典，例如诗歌、散文之类。 He oriented her, when she was so disoriented by waking in a caged world.  当她因苏醒在一个牢笼世界中而迷失无措时，他曾引导过她。 He was sillier, delightful. 以前的他略显憨傻，却令人欣喜。 But... rather quickly... he stopped all of that.  只是……很快……他就不再是那样了。 The Tenniel she knew now wore a mask. It had almost become his new face, and so she'd forgotten...  她所认识的坦尼尔如今戴上了一张面具。这几乎成为了他的新面孔，因此她也差点忘记了…… He did like art, didn't he? He used to remark on it whenever they found memories of galleries...  他以前是喜欢艺术的，应该没记错吧？每当两人找到有关画廊的记忆，他就会开始指点江山…… Now he sketches his surroundings, adding to them a teacup sitting on the floor before the canvas instead of a stool.  现在他正摹绘着周围的景象，并在画布面前加了一个茶杯。茶杯位于画布前面的地板上，而不是凳子上。 An invention of his own, not a part of the scene.  这是他个人的创新，并不是实际场景的样子。 She remarks from behind the door, "That's very nice, Tenniel." 她在门后评论道："画的真棒，坦尼尔。" He slows to nothing, and rests the charcoal back where he found it. He glances over his shoulder.  他慢慢停手，终于将炭笔放回了原处，又隔着自己的肩头回瞥了一眼。 "It's only an imitation," he says.  "只是模仿而已"，他说道。 "But you imagined that," she says, pointing toward the sketch, "the cup." "但那是你想象出来的"，她指着画作道。"那个茶杯。" "...It is imagined, yes," he admits. "...But I believe you likely have a better imagination than me, Alice." "……那是想象出来的，没错"，他承认道。"……但我觉得你的想象力大概会比我更好吧，爱丽丝。" He smiles, again.  他又露出了微笑。 And she replies, "Don't let it bother you, Brother. Your technique is impressive, and comparing it to my flawless mind is—" 于是她回应道："别管那种事情，哥哥。你的画技令人惊艳，将它和我无暇的思维相比——" And they stop, and meet one another's eyes, as they both realize what it is that she just said.  两人的气息为之一滞，对望了一眼后，他们意识到了她刚才所说的究竟是什么。

7-5 "

"...'Comparing it to your flawless mind,' what?" he asks.  "……将它和你无暇的思维相比，然后呢？"他问道。 "...Tenniel..." she addresses him.  "……坦尼尔……"她念着他的名字。 "My name is no verb. Where precisely is this comparison going?" he teases.  "我的名字可不是动词。你刚才的对比具体是要表达什么呢？"他打趣道。 But, Alice insists.  然而爱丽丝才不管这些。 "Tenniel!" She shouts, stomping into the room. "You know why it is that I called you that, don't you!?" "坦尼尔！"她大喊着，气势汹汹地冲进了房间。"你知道我刚才那样称呼你的原因，对吧！？" "It is my name," he replies.  "那是我的名字"，他回答道。 "'Brother'?" she answers, baffled.  "哥哥？"她疑惑地做出反应。 "Tenniel," he confirms with a smile. "坦尼尔"，他微笑着坚称道。 "Not that!!" she yells, balling her fists and stomping again—now once in place. "Are we... family!?" "不是那个！！"她吼叫着，又是挥拳又是跺脚。"我们是……亲人！？" "I like t—" Tenniel begins, turning 'round on his stool. He looks self-satisfied, and obnoxious,  "我喜欢——"坦尼尔坐在凳子上转过身。他看起来很满意的样子，却显得令人讨厌。 but before he can say what it is he's thinking, he thinks on it again.  但在他开口表述想法之前，他又重新陷入了思考。 He holds his tongue, and grimaces as he turns his eyes away.  他闭口不言，一边目光漂移，一边露出一副怪异的苦脸。 "You're shutting up, then?" she accuses him.  "你现在又不说话了？"她的言语毫不留情。 "I knew I was right...! I noticed it... Only lately you've been like this." "我就知道，我没想错……！我都注意到了……你是最近才变成这样子的。" "Handsome?" he tries. "No, that's always—" "变帅了？"他试图转移话题。"不，我一直都这么——" "Tenniel, I am being quite serious," Alice tells him coldly, cutting him off.  "坦尼尔，我现在的态度非常严肃。"爱丽丝以冷漠的口吻打断了他。 "Quite seriously," says Tenniel, "I would like to end this conversation." "我想要结束这场对话"，坦尼尔说道。"我的态度非常严肃。" "Because it worries you? Mysteriously? Why?"  "因为你在担心这件事？神神秘秘的，到底是为什么？" Alice persists. She steps further into the room, angrily telling him,  爱丽丝的气势并未松懈。她向屋子里又迈了几步，气愤地朝他说道： "'Brother', I called you, and I said it quite sincerely. What could that be for?  "哥哥，我是这么称呼你的，而且态度相当真诚。这意味着什么？ You're not unaware, Tenniel. Not unknowing. You're very obvious in that regard.  你并非毫无意识，并非一无所知，坦尼尔。你在这方面表现得相当明显。 Now, I insist! I insist that you tell me!" 现在，我要求你，必须把真相告诉我！" "I would rather not," he growls.  "我不会说的"，他低吼着。 "Tenniel!" "坦尼尔！" "Just leave it alone!" "别说这件事了！" "I'm a grown woman. I can handle unpleasant words or truths!" "我已经成年了。我可以面对痛苦的真相！" "It isn't that simple!" "这没有那么简单！" "You aren't my parent!" "你又不是我父亲！" "He may as well have been!" "或许他真的当过你父亲呢！" With a foot forward, the glowering Alice stops, her eyes set on Tenniel who is standing now.  怒目的爱丽丝踏出的一只脚停在原地，愣愣地注视着已经起身的坦尼尔。 She processes what he told her, and asks, only, "...What?" 她的脑中高速处理着来自对方的信息，却只是问出了一句话："……什么？" "Ah... oh... dear me, I said it," Tenniel speaks in a near whisper.  "啊……哦……天啊，我竟然说出来了"，坦尼尔的自言自语几乎微不可闻。  His eyes shine a moment, and he bends his head so the brim of his cap might hide them.  他的眼中光芒闪过，然后他底下了头，让帽檐遮挡自己的眼神。 "No, Alice... I am not your brother. But I remember him." "不，爱丽丝……我不是你的哥哥。但我记得他。" "...Go on," Alice bids, resolute.  "……继续"，爱丽丝的语气透露出坚定。 And her companion fishes from his vest: a shining shard. A piece of Arcaea.  她的同伴从背心中掏出了一块闪光的碎片：那是Arcaea的一部分。 "A memory?" she asks.  "一段记忆？"她疑惑道。 And Tenniel replies: 然后坦尼尔便答道： "Yours." "你的。" Alice is silent. She looks at the shard between his fingertips and waits.  爱丽丝沉默了。她看着指间的碎片，良久未言。 "I don't understand this world," he says,  "我并不了解这个世界"，他说道。 "but I know that memories project into this place because of you.  "但我知道这些记忆是因为你而投影进了这个地方。  None do the same for me.  我可没引发过这种事情。 I believe... given what recollection I was born with... Well, though it was rather... scattered, from the myriad of shards around you where you were first sleeping, I strongly remembered 'him'.  我认为……根据我出生时拥有的记忆……呃，虽然它……在你最初苏醒之处的四周散落成了无数碎片，但我清楚地记得'他'。 I 'felt' as him, though my head is... certainly a bit strange." 我'感觉'自己就是他，不过我的脑袋……显然有些不对劲。" He smiles before going on to say, "What I knew made me wish for nothing but your ignorance." 他笑了笑，又继续说道："我只知道，我不希望你去了解这一切，仅此而已。" "...I will be fine, Tenniel," Alice speaks to assure him.  "……我没事的，坦尼尔"，爱丽丝开口安慰着他。 A light falls from his face to the floor, scattering in a minuscule splash.  一道光从他的脸上滴落到地上，像小水花那样散成碎片。 He tells her, with a fluttering voice, "I might say that you aren't." 他用颤抖的声音告诉她："我觉得并非如此。" Nonetheless, he extends the shard to her.  不过，他还是把碎片递给了她。 She takes it.  她收下了。 In the glass, she sees a curtain waving before a window. Daylight.  透过玻璃般的碎片，她看到一个窗帘在窗前飘动。还有阳光。 She feels a hand falling down on her hat. Tenniel's sleeve obscures his face.  她感到一只手抚在了帽子上。坦尼尔的袖口遮住了他此刻的表情。 "If you look there," he says, "I know you will understand. Also, Alice..." "如果你看到了那里"，他说道。"你肯定就会明白的。以及，爱丽丝……" She grips the shard before answering, "Yes?" 她握住碎片，然后回应道："什么？" "I am surely just an imitation, but would you—" he stops.  "我当然只是个仿冒品，但你能否——"他顿了顿。 "Would you..." "能否……" "Yes?" she prompts him.  "什么？"她催促着。 "...Take care," he says, "and stay safe, Alice?" "……保重"，他说道。"注意安全，爱丽丝。" "That doesn't follow... You're an imitation, you said... 'An imitation, but'...?" "这根本接不上……你是个仿冒品，你自己说了……'一个仿冒品，但是'……？" "...Hmph," he makes a light and dismissive sound as he takes his hand from her hat.  "……哼"，他发出了小声的不满，一边将手抽离她的帽子。 Or rather, he takes her hat from her head, and replaces it with his own.  更准确地说，是将她的帽子摘下，换成了他自己的那顶。 Turning before she can glare at him, he tells her, "I'm an imitation, but listen to me just this once. That's what I was going to say and nothing else,"  他迅速地趁她望向自己之前转身，又说道："我是个仿冒品，但这一次还是听我一句话吧。我只是想说这句话而已。" he lies. 他撒谎了。 She does not push, and instead looks into the glass, activating it.  她并没有追根问底，而是望向碎片，激活了它。 But, as color swirls around her she hears the young man say— 不过，当五彩斑斓在开始环绕她时，她听到了年轻人在说—— "Right, an imitation can't ever have their wishes heard." "好吧，仿冒品的愿望从来就没人能够听见。" But before she can ask him what he means, she enters a familiar place.  但还没来得及问他这究竟是什么意思，她就来到了一个熟悉的地方。

7-6 "

She finds herself in something unremarkable, and even a little dull.  她发现自己身处一个平淡无奇，甚至有些灰暗的地方。 It is a hospital room with white walls and ceiling.  这是一间医院的房间，有着白色的墙壁和天花板。 To be precise: a patient's room—a quiet room, with monarch butterflies fluttering outside the open window.  准确地说，这是一间病房——一个安静的房间，窗外是几只扑扇着翅膀的帝王蝶。 And, to her surprise, in the moment she recognizes the place, memories she hadn't realized she'd lost rush into her skull. 而令她惊讶的是，她在片刻之间就认出了这里，她从未意识到的遗失记忆涌入了自己的脑海。 That there was a park outside.  这里的外面有一座公园。  That the nurses were friendly and kind.  这里的护士们友善而耐心。  That the weather always seemed perfect.  这里的天气似乎总是晴朗。  That she nearly always lived here.  她几乎一直都住在这里。 She feels overwhelmed, trying to sort it all, but before she can even begin she hears footsteps behind and turns.  她感到了晕眩，试图将信息都整理一遍，但还未来得及开始，就听到了身后的脚步声。 There is a person there, at the door, with a hydrangea in hand, presently dressed in a thin and open, hooded sweatshirt.  她转过身，看到门边有一个人，他手持一朵绣球花，敞开穿着一件轻薄的带兜帽运动衫，看起来颇有现代感。 He wears a T-shirt beneath that, looser slacks over his legs, simple and comfortable shoes...  他在里面穿的是一件T恤，下面是一件宽松的裤子，以及简约而舒适的鞋子。 and his face. She knows his face.  他的表情透露着单纯和安心——她认识这张脸。  This man is a man who looks like Tenniel.  这个人看来就像是坦尼尔。 "His" name, however, is... 不过，"他"的名字…… "...Cedric." "……塞德里克。" From the bed by the window, a weak voice calls out.  靠窗的病床上传来了一声虚弱的呼唤。 The young man passes her by, politely nodding as he goes, and he moves to the waking patient.  年轻人路过她，礼貌地点了点头，然后就走向等待着的那位病人。  She doesn't have to see the golden hair, the thin frame, nor the kind face to know: of course, it is her.  不用去看那金发娇躯，也不用看那般面庞就知道，那就是她自己。 This is her memory. Her name is Alice.  这里是她的回忆，她的名字是爱丽丝。 Cedric puts the flower he bought in a vase. A true bouquet of them sits beside her original self.  塞德里克将鲜花放进了花瓶里。她的原身旁边已经积累了整整一束花。 He pulls over a chair and sits down beside her. He has no tea in his hands, nor does he ask for any. 他拉来一张椅子就坐在了她的身旁。他手中并无茶杯，也并无言语。 "Cedric..." the girl repeats, groggily, as she sits up in bed. "I thought you were at the studio today." "塞德里克……"女孩无力地重复道，一边从床上坐了起来。"我以为你今天要去工作室。" "No, not there. And I work on my own time, Alice," says Tenn—... Cedric. It sounds like him.  "不，不去那里了。我现在自主安排工作时间，爱丽丝"，坦——塞德里克说道。他们的声音听起来很像。 "How are you? You're alright?" "怎么会？你没事吧？" They both look at her, and smile.  两个人都看向她，然后微笑着。 The words had just come out of her without thinking.  她未加思索就脱口而出。 Well, she could barely think, for what it was worth.  嗯，因为理所当然，她也做不到多加思索。 A new world of truth, here to process,  这是一个新的真相世界，即将开始运转。 and it seems that as an observer in a place of one part of this memory she merely recited what was said at the time automatically.  看起来，作为身处记忆片隅的观察者，她只是自发地重复了当初说过的话。 "Have you been writing?" asks Cedric.  "你还在写作吗？"塞德里克问道。 "Have you been drawing?" asks the sickly girl, grinning in light mockery.  "你还在画画吗？"病弱的女孩问道，嬉笑中又带着些许戏弄。 "'Have I been drawing'," he echoes, looking to the ceiling and then rolling his eyes.  "'我还在画画吗'"，他复读了一遍，他盯着天花板，眼神闪动。 "You came here!" she fires back with a laugh. "I swear, I thought you were busy!" "你来这儿了！"她笑着回应道。"说真的，我还以为你很忙呢！" "Three pages I finished," he answers with pride and a smile.  "我画完了三页"，他面带微笑，自豪地答道。 "Good!" "很好！" "And you've got no pages?" "你呢，一个字都没动吗？" "I've written! I've written plenty!" "我写了！我写了好多！" "Then let's see it, then. I've this other book, too..." "那就让我瞧瞧。我这儿也有一本书……" "'Lright!" "好啊！" The girl reaches to a cupboard beside the bed.  女孩把手伸向病床旁边的橱柜。 She keeps her notebooks and utensils there, as well as a tablet she could probably use more often.  她都把笔记本和餐具放在里面，除此之外，还有一个她不怎么爱使用的平板计算机。 The young man fishes out a tome from his bag.  年轻人从袋子里拿出一本书。 Right... it never had been traveling, had it?  是啊……这本书其实哪里也没有去过，对吧？ It was always written stories... told tales... dreams. 那都只是编出来的故事……听到的传言……以及美梦。 They begin to share. Laughter, teasing.  两个人开始分享、欢笑、打趣。 Four days.  这四天就这样过去了。 In four days, all of this ended.  在四天后，一切都结束了。  They both believed that, if not forever, she had at least three hundred and sixty-five.  他们本来以为，就算无法永远活下去，但她至少还有三百六十五天的时间。 She didn't get to see him in the end. In the early morning she felt a pain and faded.  她并没能在临终时见到他。她在一个清晨感到痛苦，并就此消逝。 Then, nothing.  然后，没有然后了。 She remembered hearing them yelling to call. That was it.  她只记得有一群人高声喊着她的名字，仅此而已。 Tenniel knew this.  坦尼尔知道这一切。 The memory is long. She feels it. It encompasses these last days, but she doesn't want to see it.  这段回忆很漫长。她能感觉到。它涵盖了临终的这段时光，但她并不想看这些。 Strong though she is, facing such a thing terrifies her.  虽然她很坚强，但面对这些时还是感到了恐惧。 No part of it can change. Her health was always failing, they were always alone, and he couldn't be there: the end.  这段回忆中没有任何可以改变的地方。她的健康总是会崩坏，两个人总是独处，而他总是来不及赶赴结局。 Dreams and stories... can't become real by wishing.  美梦和故事……只靠许愿是无法变成现实的。 She leaves the memory while they're smiling.  她在两人欢笑时离开了这段记忆。 She doesn't remember if it was their last time together.  她不记得这是不是两人最后相处时的样子了。 She doesn't want to know.  她不想知道。 You will die.  你会死。 You have died. 你已经死了。 Standing in the memory of the workshop, this is what Alice remembers.  爱丽丝站在画室的回忆中，记起了这件事。 "Tenn—" she starts, looking up.  "坦——"她开始寻找。 But Tenniel is gone.  但坦尼尔已经不在了。 And there, the memory fades. 随即，回忆开始淡去。 She can guess... As he'd said, he was only an imitation, and with the truth revealed, his time was up.  她能猜到这点……就像他说的，他只是仿冒品，当真相被揭晓时，他就大限已至。 Alice stands in the void of Arcaea, staring forward with unseeing eyes.  爱丽丝站在Arcaea的虚空中，用无神的双眼望向前方。 And everything screams at her at once.  万物同时向她发起尖啸。 This "plane" is false. This "body": a shell. The "memories" were distorted.  这个"位面"是虚假的，这幅"身躯"是空壳，这段"回忆"是捏造的。 Her "life" was not hers; her life ended with no arc, no culmination, no brother beside her.  她的"人生"不是自己的，直至结束也没有什么波澜曲折，更没有陪在身边的哥哥。 You are alone, Alice.  你是孤独的，爱丽丝。 And you died alone.  你孤独至死。 Alice eventually finds herself on her knees, her gloved fingers dug through the earth.  回过神来时，爱丽丝发现自己跪在地上，带着手套的手指插在土壤中。 She feels very cold. She wants to cry, but tears wouldn't come.  她感到寒冷。她想要哭嚎，但眼泪却不见踪影。 She feels...  她感受着…… She feels.  她感受到了。 "It's real,  "这里是真实的。 because every sense of you 'knows' that it's real." 因为你所有的感官都'认为'这里是真实的。" Tenniel's words reflect in her head.  她的脑海中浮现出坦尼尔的话语。 She looks at her hand, and she sees it.  她看着自己的手，她看见了。 She pulls her glove taut, and she feels it.  她将手套拉紧，她感觉到了。 She takes the flower from her hair and hears it. Smells it.  她将花朵从发丝间摘下，她听到了，闻到了。 She opens her mouth over the petals. 她对着花瓣张开了嘴。 What is reality? Is it what you see? What you taste? What you touch?  什么才是真实？是我看到的吗？是我尝到的吗？是我摸到的吗？ If that is so...  如果是那样…… "Alice" is dead, and Alice is alive.  "爱丽丝"死了，但爱丽丝活着。 And if Tenniel was a memory, then he must remain as well.  如果坦尼尔只是一段回忆，那么他肯定还存在着。 In reality, she knows herself to be a wanderer of worlds.  以真实而言，她只是个四处游荡的灵魂。 She made it here, didn't she?  她一路来到了这里，不是吗？  Regardless of the "truth". 如果不去管所谓的"真相"的话。 And if that is so... there is a way out.  如果是这样……那便还有出路。 She'll find it.  她一定会找出办法。 The way back: to the one who cared for her the most in life.  那条来路：通往她一生中最重视她的人。 And for the other...  至于另一个家伙…… If she cannot find him again on her journey, she knows a fragment of him will be there with her, remaining in her heart.  如果她没法在旅途中再次找到他，他也知道对方的一部分会永远陪伴在自己身旁，留在自己心里。 Perhaps she'll start making and never drinking tea.  也许她也会开始只泡茶而不喝茶。 The thought... makes her smile and laugh once again. 这份思绪……让她重新露出了笑容，发出了笑声。 Alice decides then and there, feet on the ground and holding the shard of "truth" between her fingers:  爱丽丝当场下定了决心，她站了起来，手指紧抓着"真相"的碎片： even if she may always look forward, to the horizon that marks a new way...  她总是向前看，朝着崭新路途的地平线迈进…… ...she will never, ever, forget what brought her there.  ……她永远也不会忘记是什么带领着她前行。