da.thehitchhikersguidetothegalaxy-第20部分

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dark。　Because　of　this；　Arthur　practically　walked　into　the　old　man　before　he　noticed　him。
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　22
　　
　　He　was　standing　with　his　back　to　Arthur　watching　the　very　last　glimmers　of　light　sink　into　blackness　behind　the　horizon。　He　was　tallish；　elderly　and　dressed　in　a　single　long　grey　robe。　When　he　turned　his　face　was　thin　and　distinguished；　careworn　but　not　unkind；　the　sort　of　face　you　would　happily　bank　with。　But　he　didn't　turn　yet；　not　even　to　react　to　Arthur's　yelp　of　surprise。
　　Eventually　the　last　rays　of　the　sun　had　vanished　pletely；　and　he　turned。　His　face　was　still　illuminated　from　somewhere；　and　when　Arthur　looked　for　the　source　of　the　light　he　saw　that　a　few　yards　away　stood　a　small　craft　of　some　kind　…　a　small　hovercraft；　Arthur　guessed。　It　shed　a　dim　pool　of　light　around　it。
　　The　man　looked　at　Arthur；　sadly　it　seemed。
　　〃You　choose　a　cold　night　to　visit　our　dead　planet；〃　he　said。
　　〃Who。。。　who　are　you？〃　stammered　Arthur。
　　The　man　looked　away。　Again　a　kind　of　sadness　seemed　to　cross　his　face。
　　〃My　name　is　not　important；〃　he　said。
　　He　seemed　to　have　something　on　his　mind。　Conversation　was　clearly　something　he　felt　he　didn't　have　to　rush　at。　Arthur　felt　awkward。
　　〃I。。。　er。。。　you　startled　me。。。〃　he　said；　lamely。
　　The　man　looked　round　to　him　again　and　slightly　raised　his　eyebrows。
　　〃Hmmmm？〃　he　said。
　　〃I　said　you　startled　me。〃
　　〃Do　not　be　alarmed；　I　will　not　harm　you。〃
　　Arthur　frowned　at　him。　〃But　you　shot　at　us！　There　were　missiles。。。〃　he　said。
　　The　man　chuckled　slightly。
　　〃An　automatic　system；〃　he　said　and　gave　a　small　sigh。　〃Ancient　puters　ranged　in　the　bowels　of　the　planet　tick　away　the　dark　millennia；　and　the　ages　hang　heavy　on　their　dusty　data　banks。　I　think　they　take　the　occasional　pot　shot　to　relieve　the　monotony。〃
　　He　looked　gravely　at　Arthur　and　said；　〃I'm　a　great　fan　of　science　you　know。〃
　　〃Oh。。。　er；　really？〃　said　Arthur；　who　was　beginning　to　find　the　man's　curious；　kindly　manner　disconcerting。
　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　the　old　man；　and　simply　stopped　talking　again。
　　〃Ah；〃　said　Arthur；　〃er。。。〃　He　had　an　odd　felling　of　being　like　a　man　in　the　act　of　adultery　who　is　surprised　when　the　woman's　husband　wanders　into　the　room；　changes　his　trousers；　passes　a　few　idle　remarks　about　the　weather　and　leaves　again。
　　〃You　seem　ill　at　ease；〃　said　the　old　man　with　polite　concern。
　　〃Er；　no。。。　well；　yes。　Actually　you　see；　we　weren't　really　expecting　to　find　anybody　about　in　fact。　I　sort　of　gathered　that　you　were　all　dead　or　something。。。〃
　　〃Dead？〃　said　the　old　man。　〃Good　gracious　no；　we　have　but　slept。〃
　　〃Slept？〃　said　Arthur　incredulously。
　　〃Yes；　through　the　economic　recession　you　see；〃　said　the　old　man；　apparently　unconcerned　about　whether　Arthur　understood　a　word　he　was　talking　about　or　not。
　　〃Er；　economic　recession？〃
　　〃Well　you　see；　five　million　years　ago　the　Galactic　economy　collapsed；　and　seeing　that　custom…made　planets　are　something　of　a　luxury　modity　you　see。。。〃
　　He　paused　and　looked　at　Arthur。
　　〃You　know　we　built　planets　do　you？〃　he　asked　solemnly。
　　〃Well　yes；〃　said　Arthur；　〃I'd　sort　of　gathered。。。〃
　　〃Fascinating　trade；〃　said　the　old　man；　and　a　wistful　look　came　into　his　eyes；　〃doing　the　coastlines　was　always　my　favourite。　Used　to　have　endless　fun　doing　the　little　bits　in　fjords。。。　so　anyway；〃　he　said　trying　to　find　his　thread　again；　〃the　recession　came　and　we　decided　it　would　save　us　a　lot　of　bother　if　we　just　slept　through　it。　So　we　programmed　the　puters　to　revive　us　when　it　was　all　over。〃
　　The　man　stifled　a　very　slight　yawn　and　continued。
　　〃The　puters　were　index　linked　to　the　Galactic　stock　market　prices　you　see；　so　that　we'd　all　be　revived　when　everybody　else　had　rebuilt　the　economy　enough　to　afford　our　rather　expensive　services。〃
　　Arthur；　a　regular　Guardian　reader；　was　deeply　shocked　at　this。
　　〃That's　a　pretty　unpleasant　way　to　behave　isn't　it？〃
　　〃Is　it？〃　asked　the　old　man　mildly。　〃I'm　sorry；　I'm　a　bit　out　of　touch。〃
　　He　pointed　down　into　the　crater。
　　〃Is　that　robot　yours？〃　he　said。
　　〃No；〃　came　a　thin　metallic　voice　from　the　crater；　〃I'm　mine。〃
　　〃If　you'd　call　it　a　robot；〃　muttered　Arthur。　〃It's　more　a　sort　of　electronic　sulking　machine。〃
　　〃Bring　it；〃　said　the　old　man。　Arthur　was　quite　surprised　to　hear　a　note　of　decision　suddenly　present　in　the　old　man's　voice。　He　called　to　Marvin　who　crawled　up　the　slope　making　a　big　show　of　being　lame；　which　he　wasn't。
　　〃On　second　thoughts；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃leave　it　here。　You　must　e　with　me。　Great　things　are　afoot。〃　He　turned　towards　his　craft　which；　though　no　apparent　signal　had　been　given；　now　drifted　quietly　towards　them　through　the　dark。
　　Arthur　looked　down　at　Marvin；　who　now　made　an　equally　big　show　of　turning　round　laboriously　and　trudging　off　down　into　the　crater　again　muttering　sour　nothings　to　himself。
　　〃e；〃　called　the　old　man；　〃e　now　or　you　will　be　late。〃
　　〃Late？〃　said　Arthur。　〃What　for？〃
　　〃What　is　your　name；　human？〃
　　〃Dent。　Arthur　Dent；〃　said　Arthur。
　　〃Late；　as　in　the　late　Dentarthurdent；〃　said　the　old　man；　sternly。
　　〃It's　a　sort　of　threat　you　see。〃　Another　wistful　look　came　into　his　tired　old　eyes。　〃I've　never　been　very　good　at　them　myself；　but　I'm　told　they　can　be　very　effective。〃
　　Arthur　blinked　at　him。
　　〃What　an　extraordinary　person；〃　he　muttered　to　himself。
　　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃　said　the　old　man。
　　〃Oh　nothing；　I'm　sorry；〃　said　Arthur　in　embarrassment。　〃Alright；　where　do　we　go？〃
　　〃In　my　aircar；〃　said　the　old　man　motioning　Arthur　to　get　into　the　craft　which　had　settled　silently　next　to　them。　〃We　are　going　deep　into　the　bowels　of　the　planet　where　even　now　our　race　is　being　revived　from　its　five…million…year　slumber。　Magrathea　awakes。〃
　　Arthur　shivered　involuntarily　as　he　seated　himself　next　to　the　old　man。　The　strangeness　of　it；　the　silent　bobbing　movement　of　the　craft　as　it　soared　into　the　night　sky　quite　unsettled　him。
　　He　looked　at　the　old　man；　his　face　illuminated　by　the　dull　glow　of　tiny　lights　on　the　instrument　panel。
　　〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said　to　him；　〃what　is　your　name　by　the　way？〃
　　〃My　name？〃　said　the　old　man；　and　the　same　distant　sadness　came　into　his　face　again。　He　paused。　〃My　name；〃　he　said；　〃。。。　is　Slartibartfast。〃
　　Arthur　practically　choked。
　　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃　he　spluttered。
　　〃Slartibartfast；〃　repeated　the　old　man　quietly。
　　〃Slartibartfast？〃
　　The　old　man　looked　at　him　gravely。
　　〃I　said　it　wasn't　important；〃　he　said。
　　The　aircar　sailed　through　the　night。
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　23
　　
　　It　is　an　important　and　popular　fact　that　things　are　not　always　what　they　seem。　For　instance；　on　the　planet　Earth；　man　had　always　assumed　that　he　was　more　intelligent　than　dolphins　because　he　had　achieved　so　much　…　the　wheel；　New　York；　wars　and　so　on　…　whilst　all　the　dolphins　had　ever　done　was　muck　about　in　the　water　having　a　good　time。　But　conversely；　the　dolphins　had　always　believed　that　they　were　far　more　intelligent　than　man　…　for　precisely　the　same　reasons。
　　Curiously　enough；　the　dolphins　had　long　known　of　the　impending　destruction　of　the　planet　Earth　and　had　made　many　attempts　to　alert　mankind　of　the　danger；　but　most　of　their　munications　were　misinterpreted　as　amusing　attempts　to　punch　footballs　or　whistle　for　tidbits；　so　they　eventually　gave　up　and　left　the　Earth　by　their　own　means　shortly　before　the　Vogons　arrived。
　　The　last　ever　dolphin　message　was　misinterpreted　as　a　surprisingly　sophisticated　attempt　to　do　a　double…backwards…somersault　through　a　hoop　whilst　whistling　the　〃Star　Sprangled　Banner〃；　but　in　fact　the　message　was　this：　So　long　and　thanks　for　all　the　fish。
　　In　fact　there　was　only　one　species　on　the　planet　more　intelligent　than　dolphins；　and　they　spent　a　lot　of　their　time　in　behavioural　research　laboratories　running　round　inside　wheels　and　conducting　frighteningly　elegant　and　subtle　experiments　on　man。　The　fact　that　once　again　man　pletely　misinterpreted　this　relationship　was　entirely　according　to　these　creatures'　plans。
　　
　　
　　　
　　　
　　　Chapter　24
　　
　　Silently　the　aircar　coasted　through　the　cold　darkness；　a　single　soft　glow　of　light　that　was　utterly　alone　in　the　deep　Magrathean　night。　It　sped　swiftly。　Arthur's　panion　seemed　sunk　in　his　own　thoughts；　and　when　Arthur　tried　on　a　couple　of　occasions　to　engage　him　in　conversation　again　he　would　simply　reply　by　asking　if　he　was　fortable　enough；　and　then　left　it　at　that。
　　Arthur　tried　to　gauge　the　speed　at　which　they　were　travelling；　but　the　blackness　outside　was　absolute　and　he　was　denied　any　reference　points。　The　sense　of　motion　was　so　soft　and　slight　he　could　almost　believe　they　were　hardly　moving　at　all。　Then　a　tiny　glow　of　light　appeared　in　the　far　distance　and　within　seconds　had　grown　so　much　in　size　that　Arthur　realized　it　was　travelling　towards　them　at　a　colossal　speed；　and　he　tried　to　make　out　what　sort　of　craft　it　might　be。　He　peered　at　it；　but　was　unable　to　discern　any　clear　shape；　and　suddenly　gasped　in　alarm　as　the　aircraft　dipped　sharply　and　headed　downwards　in　what　seemed　certain　to　be　a　collision　course。　Their　relative　velocity　seemed　unbelievable；　and　Arthur　had　hardly　time　to　draw　breath　before　it　was　all　over。　The　next　thing　he　was　aware　of　was　an　insane　silver　blur　that　seemed　to　surround　him。　He　twisted　his　head　sharply　round　and　saw　a　small　black　point　dwindling　rapidly　in　the　distance　behind　them；　and　it　took　him　several　seconds　to　realize　what　had　happened。
　　They　had　plunged　into　a　tunnel　in　the　ground。　The　colossal　speed　had　been　their　own　relative　to　the　glow　of　light　which　was　a　stationary　hole　in　the　ground；　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel。　The　insane　blur　of　silver　was　the　circular　wall　of　the　tunnel　down　which　they　were　shooting；　apparently　at　several　hundred　miles　an　hour。
　　He　closed　his　eyes　in　terror。　After　a　length　of　time　which　he　made　no　attempt　to　judge；　he　sensed　a　slight　subsidence　in　their　speed　and　some　while　later　became　aware　that　they　were　gradually　gliding　to　a　gentle　halt。
　　He　opened　his　eyes　again。　They　were　still　in　the　silver　tunnel；　threading　and　weaving　their　way　through　what　appeared　to　be　a　crisscross　warren　of　converging　tunnels。　When　they　finally　stopped　it　was　in　a　smal