da.solongandthanksforallthefish-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　Ford　looked　wildly　at　his　watch。
　　…　I　have　some　serious　unfinished　business　to　attend　to；　…　he　exclaimed。
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　38
　　
　　Crowds　thronged　as　close　as　they　could　to　the　giant　silver　craft；　which　wasn't　very。　The　immediate　perimeter　was　fenced　off　and　patrolled　by　the　tiny　flying　service　robots。　Staked　out　around　that　was　the　army；　who　had　been　pletely　unable　to　breach　that　inner　perimeter；　but　were　damned　if　anybody　was　going　to　breach　them。　They　in　turn　were　surrounded　by　a　cordon　of　police；　though　whether　they　were　there　to　protect　the　public　from　the　army　or　the　army　from　the　public；　or　to　guarantee　the　giant　ship's　diplomatic　immunity　and　prevent　it　getting　parking　tickets　was　entirely　unclear　and　the　subject　of　much　debate。
　　The　inner　perimeter　fence　was　now　being　dismantled。　The　army　stirred　unfortably；　uncertain　of　how　to　react　to　the　fact　that　the　reason　for　their　being　there　seemed　as　if　it　was　simply　going　to　get　up　and　go。
　　The　giant　robot　had　lurched　back　aboard　the　ship　at　lunchtime；　and　now　it　was　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　and　no　further　sign　had　been　seen　of　it。　Much　had　been　heard　…　more　grindings　and　rumblings　from　deep　within　the　craft；　the　music　of　a　million　hideous　malfunctions；　but　the　sense　of　tense　expectation　among　the　crowd　was　born　of　the　fact　that　they　tensely　expected　to　be　disappointed。　This　wonderful　extraordinary　thing　had　e　into　their　lives；　an　now　it　was　simply　going　to　go　without　them。
　　Two　people　were　particularly　aware　of　this　sensation。　Arthur　and　Fenchurch　scanned　the　crowd　anxiously；　unable　to　find　Ford　Prefect　in　it　anywhere；　or　any　sign　that　he　had　the　slightest　intention　of　being　there。
　　…　How　reliable　is　he？　…　asked　Fenchurch　in　a　sinking　voice。
　　…　How　reliable？　…　said　Arthur。　He　gave　a　hollow　laugh。　…　How　shallow　is　the　ocean？　…　he　said。　…　How　cold　is　the　sun？
　　The　last　parts　of　the　robot's　gantry　transport　were　being　carried　on　board；　and　the　few　remaining　sections　of　the　perimeter　fence　were　now　stacked　at　the　bottom　of　the　ramp　waiting　to　follow　them。　The　soldiers　on　guard　round　the　ramp　bristled　meaningfully；　orders　were　barked　back　and　forth；　hurried　conferences　were　held；　but　nothing；　of　course；　could　be　done　about　any　of　it。
　　Hopelessly；　and　with　no　clear　plan　now；　Arthur　and　Fenchurch　pushed　forward　through　the　crowd；　but　since　the　whole　crowd　was　also　trying　to　push　forward　through　the　crowd；　this　got　them　nowhere。
　　And　within　a　few　minutes　more　nothing　remained　outside　the　ship；　every　last　link　of　the　fence　was　aboard。　A　couple　of　flying　fret　saws　and　a　spirit　level　seemed　to　do　one　last　check　around　the　site；　and　then　screamed　in　through　the　giant　hatchway　themselves。
　　A　few　seconds　passed。
　　The　sounds　of　mechanical　disarray　from　within　changed　in　intensity；　and　slowly；　heavily；　the　huge　steel　ramp　began　to　lift　itself　back　out　of　the　Harrods　Food　Halls。　The　sound　that　acpanied　it　was　the　sound　of　thousands　of　tense；　excited　people　being　pletely　ignored。
　　…　Hold　it！
　　A　megaphone　barked　from　a　taxi　which　screeched　to　a　halt　on　the　edge　of　the　milling　crowd。
　　…　There　has　been；　…　barked　the　megaphone；　…　a　major　scientific　break…in！　Through。　Breakthrough；　…　it　corrected　itself。　The　door　flew　open　and　a　small　man　from　somewhere　in　the　vicinity　of　Betelgeuse　leapt　out　wearing　a　white　coat。
　　…　Hold　it！　…　he　shouted　again；　and　this　time　brandished　a　short　squad　black　rod　with　lights　on　it。　The　lights　winked　briefly；　the　ramp　paused　in　its　ascent；　and　then　in　obedience　to　the　signals　from　the　Thumb　（which　half　the　electronic　engineers　in　the　galaxy　are　constantly　trying　to　find　fresh　ways　of　jamming；　while　the　other　half　are　constantly　trying　to　find　fresh　ways　of　jamming　the　jamming　signals）；　slowly　ground　its　way　downwards　again。
　　Ford　Prefect　grabbed　his　megaphone　from　out　of　the　taxi　and　started　bawling　at　the　crowd　through　it。
　　…　Make　way；　…　he　shouted；　…　make　way；　please；　this　is　a　major　scientific　breakthrough。　You　and　you；　get　the　equipment　from　the　taxi。
　　pletely　at　random　he　pointed　at　Arthur　and　Fenchurch；　who　wrestled　their　way　back　out　of　the　crowd　and　clustered　urgently　round　the　taxi。
　　…　All　right；　I　want　you　to　clear　a　passage；　please；　for　some　important　pieces　of　scientific　equipment；　…　boomed　Ford。　…　Just　everybody　keep　calm。　It's　all　under　control；　there's　nothing　to　see。　It　is　merely　a　major　scientific　breakthrough。　Keep　calm　now。　Important　scientific　equipment。　Clear　the　way。
　　Hungry　for　new　excitement；　delighted　at　this　sudden　reprieve　from　disappointment；　the　crowd　enthusiastically　fell　back　and　started　to　open　up。
　　Arthur　was　a　little　surprised　to　see　what　was　printed　on　the　boxes　of　important　scientific　equipment　in　the　back　of　the　taxi。
　　…　Hang　your　coat　over　them；　…　he　muttered　to　Fenchurch　as　he　heaved　them　out　to　her。　Hurriedly　he　manoeuvred　out　the　large　supermarket　trolley　that　was　also　jammed　against　the　back　seat。　It　clattered　to　the　ground；　and　together　they　loaded　the　boxes　into　it。
　　…　Clear　a　path；　please；　…　shouted　Ford　again。　…　Everything's　under　proper　scientific　control。
　　…　He　said　you'd　pay；　…　said　the　taxi…driver　to　Arthur；　who　dug　out　some　notes　and　paid　him。　There　was　the　distant　sound　of　police　sirens。
　　…　Move　along　there；　…　shouted　Ford；　…　and　no　one　will　get　hurt。
　　The　crowd　surged　and　closed　behind　them　again；　as　frantically　they　pushed　and　hauled　the　rattling　supermarket　trolley　through　the　rubble　towards　the　ramp。
　　…　It's　all　right；　…　Ford　continued　to　bellow。　…　There's　nothing　to　see；　it's　all　over。　None　of　this　is　actually　happening。
　　…　Clear　the　way；　please；　…　boomed　a　police　megaphone　from　the　back　of　the　crowd。　…　There's　been　a　break…in；　clear　the　way。
　　…　Breakthrough；　…　yelled　Ford　in　petition。　…　A　scientific　breakthrough！
　　…　This　is　the　police！　Clear　the　way！
　　…　Scientific　equipment！　Clear　the　way！
　　…　Police！　Let　us　through！
　　…　Walkmen！　…　yelled　Ford；　and　pulled　half　a　dozen　miniature　tape　players　from　his　pockets　and　tossed　them　into　the　crowd。　The　resulting　seconds　of　utter　confusion　allowed　them　to　get　the　supermarket　trolley　to　the　edge　of　the　ramp；　and　to　haul　it　up　on　to　the　lip　of　it。
　　…　Hold　tight；　…　muttered　Ford；　and　released　a　button　on　his　Electronic　Thumb。　Beneath　them；　the　huge　ramp　juddered　and　began　slowly　to　heave　its　way　upwards。
　　…　Ok；　kids；　…　he　said　as　the　milling　crowd　dropped　away　beneath　them　and　they　started　to　lurch　their　way　along　the　tilting　ramp　into　the　bowels　of　the　ship；　…　looks　like　we're　on　our　way。
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　39
　　
　　Arthur　Dent　was　irritated　to　be　continually　wakened　by　the　sound　of　gunfire。
　　Being　careful　not　to　wake　Fenchurch；　who　was　still　managing　to　sleep　fitfully；　he　slid　his　way　out　of　the　maintenance　hatchway　which　they　had　fashioned　into　a　kind　of　bunk　for　themselves；　slung　himself　down　the　access　ladder　and　prowled　the　corridors　moodily。
　　They　were　claustrophobic　and　ill…lit。　The　lighting　circuits　buzzed　annoyingly。
　　This　wasn't　it；　though。
　　He　paused　and　leaned　backwards　as　a　flying　power　drill　flew　past　him　down　the　dim　corridor　with　a　nasty　screech；　occasionally　clanging　against　the　walls　like　a　confused　bee　as　it　did　so。
　　That　wasn't　it　either。
　　He　clambered　through　a　bulkhead　door　and　found　himself　in　a　larger　corridor。　Acrid　smoke　was　drifting　up　from　one　end　so　he　walked　towards　the　other。
　　He　came　to　an　observation　monitor　let　into　the　wall　behind　a　plate　of　toughened　but　still　badly　scratched　perspex。
　　…　Would　you　turn　it　down　please？　…　he　said　to　Ford　Prefect　who　was　crouching　in　front　of　it　in　the　middle　of　a　pile　of　bits　of　video　equipment　he'd　taken　from　a　shop　window　in　Tottenham　Court　Road；　having　first　hurled　a　small　brick　through　it；　and　also　a　nasty　heap　of　empty　beer　cans。
　　…　Shhhh！　…　hissed　Ford；　and　peered　with　manic　concentration　at　the　screen。　He　was　watching　The　Magnificent　Seven。
　　…　Just　a　bit；　…　said　Arthur。
　　…　No！　…　shouted　Ford。　…　We're　just　getting　to　the　good　bit！　Listen；　I　finally　got　it　all　sorted　out；　voltage　levels；　line　conversion；　everything；　and　this　is　the　good　bit！
　　With　a　sigh　and　a　headache；　Arthur　sat　down　beside　him　and　watched　the　good　bit。　He　listened　to　Ford's　whoops　and　yells　and　〃yeehay！〃s　as　placidly　as　he　could。
　　…　Ford；　…　he　said　eventually；　when　it　was　all　over；　and　Ford　was　hunting　through　a　stack　of　cassettes　for　the　tape　of　Casablanca；　…　how　e；　if。。。
　　…　This　is　the　big　one；　…　said　Ford。　…　This　is　the　one　I　came　back　for。　Do　you　realize　I　never　saw　it　all　through？　Always　I　missed　the　end。　I　saw　half　of　it　again　the　night　before　the　Vogons　came。　When　they　blew　the　place　up　I　thought　I'd　never　get　to　see　it。　Hey；　what　happened　with　all　that　anyway？
　　…　Just　life；　…　said　Arthur；　and　plucked　a　beer　from　a　six…pack。
　　…　Oh；　that　again；　…　said　Ford。　…　I　thought　it　might　be　something　like　that。　I　prefer　this　stuff；　…　he　said　as　Rick's　Bar　flickered　on　to　the　screen。　…　How　e　if　what？
　　…　What？
　　…　You　started　to　say；　〃how　e　if。。。〃
　　…　How　e　if　you're　so　rude　about　the　Earth；　that　you。。。　oh　never　mind；　let's　just　watch　the　movie。
　　…　Exactly；　…　said　Ford。
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　40
　　
　　There　remains　little　still　to　tell。
　　Beyond　what　used　to　be　known　as　the　Limitless　Lightfields　of　Flanux　until　the　Grey　Binding　Fiefdoms　of　Saxaquine　were　discovered　lying　behind　them；　lie　the　Grey　Binding　Fiefdoms　of　Saxaquine。　Within　the　Grey　Binding　Fiefdoms　of　Saxaquine　lies　the　star　named　Zarss；　around　which　orbits　the　planet　Preliumtarn　in　which　is　the　land　of　Sevorbeupstry；　and　it　was　to　the　land　of　Sevorbeupstry　that　Arthur　and　Fenchurch　came　at　last；　a　little　tired　by　the　journey。
　　And　in　the　land　of　Sevorbeupstry；　they　came　to　the　Great　Red　Plain　of　Rars；　which　was　bounded　on　the　South　side　by　the　Quentulus　Quazgar　Mountains；　on　the　further　side　of　which；　according　to　the　dying　words　of　Prak；　they　would　find　in　thirty…foot…high　letters　of　fire　God's　Final　Message　to　His　Creation。
　　According　to　Prak；　if　Arthur's　memory　saved　him　right；　the　place　was　guarded　by　the　Lajestic　Vantrashell　of　Lob；　and　so；　after　a　manner；　it　proved　to　be。　He　was　a　little　man　in　a　strange　hat　and　he　sold　them