da.solongandthanksforallthefish-第4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！


ked　silently　by　the　kerbside。
　　The　girl　hurried　towards　it。
　　Behind　her；　in　the　darkness　of　the　alley；　a　green　flickering　glow　was　bathing　Ford　Prefect's　face；　and　his　eyes　were　slowly　widening　in　astonishment。
　　For　where　he　had　expected　to　find　nothing；　an　erased；　closed…off　entry；　there　was　instead　a　continuous　stream　of　data　…　text；　diagrams；　figures　and　images；　moving　descriptions　of　surf　on　Australian　beaches；　Yoghurt　on　Greek　islands；　restaurants　to　avoid　in　Los　Angeles；　currency　deals　to　avoid　in　Istanbul；　weather　to　avoid　in　London；　bars　to　go　everywhere。　Pages　and　pages　of　it。　It　was　all　there；　everything　he　had　written。
　　With　a　deepening　frown　of　blank　inprehension　he　went　backwards　and　forwards　through　it；　stopping　here　and　there　at　various　entries。
　　…　Tips　for　aliens　in　New　York：　Land　anywhere；　Central　Park；　anywhere。　No　one　will　care；　or　indeed　even　notice。
　　…　Surviving：　get　a　job　as　cab　driver　immediately。　A　cab　driver's　job　is　to　drive　people　anywhere　they　want　to　go　in　big　yellow　machines　called　taxis。　Don't　worry　if　you　don't　know　how　the　machine　works　and　you　can't　speak　the　language；　don't　understand　the　geography　or　indeed　the　basic　physics　of　the　area；　and　have　large　green　antennae　growing　out　of　your　head。　Believe　me；　this　is　the　best　way　of　staying　inconspicuous。
　　…　If　your　body　is　really　weird　try　showing　it　to　people　in　the　streets　for　money。
　　…　Amphibious　life　forms　from　any　of　the　worlds　in　the　Swulling；　Noxios　or　Nausalia　systems　will　particularly　enjoy　the　East　River；　which　is　said　to　be　richer　in　those　lovely　life…giving　nutrients　then　the　finest　and　most　virulent　laboratory　slime　yet　achieved。
　　…　Having　fun：　This　is　the　big　section。　It　is　impossible　to　have　more　fun　without　electrocuting　your　pleasure　centres。。。
　　Ford　flipped　the　switch　which　he　saw　was　now　marked　〃Mode　Execute　Ready〃　instead　of　the　now　old…fashioned　〃Access　Standby〃　which　had　so　long　ago　replaced　the　appallingly　stone…aged　〃Off〃。
　　This　was　a　planet　he　had　seen　pletely　destroyed；　seen　with　his　own　two　eyes　or　rather；　blinded　as　he　had　been　by　the　hellish　disruption　of　air　and　light；　felt　with　his　own　two　feet　as　the　ground　had　started　to　pound　at　him　like　a　hammer；　bucking；　roaring；　gripped　by　tidal　waves　of　energy　pouring　out　of　the　loathsome　yellow　Vogon　ships。　And　then　at　last；　five　seconds　after　the　moment　he　had　determined　as　being　the　last　possible　moment　had　already　passed；　the　gently　swinging　nausea　of　dematerialization　as　he　and　Arthur　Dent　had　been　beamed　up　through　the　atmosphere　like　a　sports　broadcast。
　　There　was　no　mistake；　there　couldn't　have　been。　The　Earth　had　definitely　been　destroyed。　Definitely；　definitely。　Boiled　away　into　space。　And　yet　here　…　he　activated　the　Guide　again　…　was　his　own　entry　on　how　you　would　set　about　having　a　good　time　in　Bournemouth；　Dorset；　England；　which　he　had　always　prided　himself　on　as　being　one　of　the　most　baroque　pieces　of　invention　he　had　ever　delivered。　He　read　it　again　and　shook　his　head　in　sheer　wonder。
　　Suddenly　he　realized　what　the　answer　to　the　problem　was；　and　it　was　this；　that　something　very　weird　was　happening；　and　if　something　very　weird　was　happening；　he　thought；　he　wanted　it　to　be　happening　to　him。
　　He　stashed　the　Guide　back　in　his　satchel　and　hurried　out　on　to　the　street　again。
　　Walking　north　he　again　passed　a　steel　grey　limousine　parked　by　the　kerbside；　and　from　a　nearby　doorway　he　heard　a　soft　voice　saying：
　　…　It's　OK；　honey；　it's　really　OK；　you　got　to　learn　to　feel　good　about　it。　Look　at　the　way　the　whole　economy　is　structured。。。
　　Ford　grinned；　detoured　round　the　next　block　which　was　now　in　flames；　found　a　police　helicopter　which　was　standing　unattended　in　the　street；　broke　into　it；　strapped　himself　in；　crossed　his　fingers　and　sent　it　hurtling　inexpertly　into　the　sky。
　　He　weaved　terrifyingly　up　through　the　canyoned　walls　of　the　city；　and　once　clear　of　them；　hurtled　through　the　black　and　red　pall　of　smoke　which　hung　permanently　above　it。
　　Ten　minutes　later；　with　all　the　copter's　sirens　blaring　and　its　rapid…fire　cannon　blasting　at　random　into　the　clouds；　Ford　Prefect　brought　it　careering　down　among　the　gantries　and　landing　lights　at　Han　Dold　spaceport；　where　it　settled　like　a　gigantic；　startled　and　very　noisy　gnat。
　　Since　he　hadn't　damaged　it　too　much　he　was　able　to　trade　it　in　for　a　first　class　ticket　on　the　next　ship　leaving　the　system；　and　settled　into　one　of　its　huge；　voluptuous　body…hugging　seats。
　　This　was　going　to　be　fun；　he　thought　to　himself；　as　the　ship　blinked　silently　across　the　insane　distances　of　deep　space　and　the　cabin　service　got　into　its　full　extravagant　swing。
　　…　Yes　please；　…　he　said　to　the　cabin　attendants　whenever　they　glided　up　to　offer　him　anything　at　all。
　　He　smiled　with　a　curious　kind　of　manic　joy　as　he　flipped　again　through　the　mysteriously　re…instated　entry　on　the　planet　Earth。　He　had　a　major　piece　of　unfinished　business　that　he　would　now　be　able　to　attend　to；　and　was　terribly　pleased　that　life　had　suddenly　furnished　him　with　a　serious　goal　to　achieve。
　　It　suddenly　occurred　to　him　to　wonder　where　Arthur　Dent　was；　and　if　he　knew。
　　Arthur　Dent　was　one　thousand；　four　hundred　and　thirty…seven　light　years　away　in　a　Saab；　and　anxious。
　　Behind　him　in　the　backseat　was　a　girl　who　had　made　him　crack　his　head　on　the　door　as　he　climbed　in。　He　didn't　know　if　it　was　just　because　she　was　the　first　female　of　his　own　species　that　he　had　laid　eyes　on　in　years；　or　what　it　was；　but　he　felt　stupefied　with；　with。。。　This　is　absurd；　he　told　himself。　Calm　down；　he　told　himself。　You　are　not；　he　continued　to　himself　in　the　firmest　internal　voice　he　could　muster；　in　a　fit　and　rational　state。　You　have　just　hitch…hiked　over　a　hundred　thousand　light　years　across　the　galaxy；　you　are　very　tired；　a　little　confused　and　extremely　vulnerable。　Relax；　don't　panic；　concentrate　on　breathing　deeply。
　　He　twisted　round　in　his　seat。
　　…　Are　you　sure　she's　all　right？　…　he　said　again。
　　Beyond　the　fact　that　she　was；　to　him；　heartthumpingly　beautiful；　he　could　make　out　very　little；　how　tall　she　was；　how　old　she　was；　the　exact　shading　of　her　hair。　And　nor　could　he　ask　her　anything　about　herself　because；　sadly；　she　was　pletely　unconscious。
　　…　She's　just　drugged；　…　said　her　brother；　shrugging；　not　moving　his　eyes　from　the　road　ahead。
　　…　And　that's　all　right；　is　it？　…　said　Arthur；　in　alarm。
　　…　Suits　me；　…　he　said。
　　…　Ah；　…　said　Arthur。　…　Er；　…　he　added　after　a　moment's　thought。
　　The　conversation　so　far　had　been　going　astoundingly　badly。
　　After　an　initial　flurry　of　opening　hellos；　he　and　Russell　…　the　wonderful　girl's　brother's　name　was　Russell；　a　name　which；　to　Arthur's　mind；　always　suggested　burly　men　with　blond　moustaches　and　blow…dried　hair；　who　would　at　the　slightest　provocation　start　wearing　velvet　tuxedos　and　frilly　shirtfronts　and　would　then　have　to　be　forcibly　restrained　from　mentating　on　snooker　matches　…　had　quickly　discovered　they　didn't　like　each　other　at　all。
　　Russell　was　a　burly　man。　He　had　a　blond　moustache。　His　hair　was　fine　and　blow　dried。　To　be　fair　to　him　…　though　Arthur　didn't　see　any　necessity　for　this　beyond　the　sheer　mental　exercise　of　it　…　he；　Arthur；　was　looking　pretty　grim　himself。　A　man　can't　cross　a　hundred　thousand　light　years；　mostly　in　other　people's　baggage　partments；　without　beginning　to　fray　a　little；　and　Arthur　had　frayed　a　lot。
　　…　She's　not　a　junkie；　…　said　Russell　suddenly；　as　if　he　clearly　thought　that　someone　else　in　the　car　might　be。　…　She's　under　sedation。
　　…　But　that's　terrible；　…　said　Arthur；　twisting　round　to　look　at　her　again。　She　seemed　to　stir　slightly　and　her　head　slipped　sideways　on　her　shoulder。　Her　dark　hair　fell　across　her　face；　obscuring　it。
　　…　What's　the　matter　with　her；　is　she　ill？
　　…　No；　…　said　Russell；　…　merely　barking　mad。
　　…　What？　…　said　Arthur；　horrified。
　　…　Loopy；　pletely　bananas。　I'm　taking　her　back　to　the　hospital　and　telling　them　to　have　another　go。　They　let　her　out　while　she　still　thought　she　was　a　hedgehog。
　　…　A　hedgehog？
　　Russell　hooted　his　horn　fiercely　at　the　car　that　came　round　the　corner　towards　them　half…way　on　to　their　side　of　the　road；　making　them　swerve。　The　anger　seemed　to　make　him　feel　better。
　　…　Well；　maybe　not　a　hedgehog；　…　he　said　after　he'd　settled　down　again。　…　Though　it　would　probably　be　simpler　to　deal　with　if　she　did。　If　somebody　thinks　they're　a　hedgehog；　presumably　you　just　give　'em　a　mirror　and　a　few　pictures　of　hedgehogs　and　tell　them　to　sort　it　out　for　themselves；　e　down　again　when　they　feel　better。　At　least　medical　science　could　deal　with　it；　that's　the　point。　Seems　that's　no　good　enough　for　Fenny；　though。
　　…　Fenny？。。。
　　…　You　know　what　I　got　her　for　Christmas？
　　…　Well；　no。
　　…　Black's　Medical　Dictionary。
　　…　Nice　present。
　　…　I　thought　so。　Thousands　of　diseases　in　it；　all　in　alphabetical　order。
　　…　You　say　her　name　is　Fenny？
　　…　Yeah。　Take　your　pick；　I　said。　Anything　in　here　can　be　dealt　with。　The　proper　drugs　can　be　prescribed。　But　no；　she　has　to　have　something　different。　Just　to　make　life　difficult。　She　was　like　that　at　school；　you　know。
　　…　Was　she？
　　…　She　was。　Fell　over　playing　hockey　and　broke　a　bone　nobody　had　ever　heard　of。
　　…　I　can　see　how　that　would　be　irritating；　…　said　Arthur　doubtfully。　He　was　rather　disappointed　to　discover　her　name　was　Fenny。　It　was　a　rather　silly；　dispiriting　name；　such　as　an　unlovely　maiden　aunt　might　vote　herself　if　she　couldn't　sustain　the　name　Fenella　properly。
　　…　Not　that　I　wasn't　sympathetic；　…　continued　Russell；　…　but　it　did　get　a　bit　irritating。　She　was　limping　for　months。
　　He　slowed　down。
　　…　This　is　your　turning　isn't　it？
　　…　Ah；　no；　…　said　Arthur；　…　five　miles　further　on。　If　that's　all　right。
　　…　OK；　…　said　Russell　after　a　very　tiny　pause　to　indicate　that　it　wasn't；　and　speeded　up　again。
　　It　was　in　fact　Arthur's　turning；　but　he　couldn't　leave　without　finding　out　something　more　about　this　girl　who　seemed　to　have　taken　such　a　grip　on　his　mind　without　even　waking　up。　He　could　take　either　of　the　next　two　turnings。
　　They　led　back　to　the　village　that　had　been　his　home；　though　what　he　would　find　there　he　hesitated　to　imagine。　Familiar　landmarks