经典科幻文学:《生命 宇宙及一切》第22章(4)

We must find the Silver Bail, it is here somewhere.
Can’t we just relax a little? Arthur said. I’ve had a tough day. Trillian’s here, incidentAlly, she didn’t say how, it probably doesn’t matter.
Think of the danger to the Universe…
The Universe, said Arthur, is big enough and old enough to look after itself for half an hour. All right, he added, in response to Slartibartfast’s increasing agitation, I’ll wander round and see if anybody’s seen it.
Good, good, said Slartibartfast, good. He plunged into the crowd himself, and was told to relax by everybody he passed.
Have you seen a bail anywhere? said Arthur to a little man who seemed to be standing eagerly waiting to listen to somebody. It’s made of silver, vitally important for the future safety of the Universe, and about this long.
No, said the enthusiastically wizened little man, but do have a drink and tell me all about it.
Ford Prefect writhed past, dancing a wild, frenetic and not entirely unobscene dance with someone who looked as if she was wearing Sydney Opera House on her head. He was yelling a futile conversation at her above the din.
I like that hat! he bawled.
What?
I said, I like the hat.
I’m not wearing a hat.
Well, I like the head, then.
What?
I said, I like the head. Interesting bone-structure.
What?
Ford worked a shrug into the complex routine of other movements he was performing.
I said, you dance great, he shouted, just don’t nod so much.
What?
It’s just that every time you nod, said Ford, –…ow! he added as his partner nodded forward to say What? and once again pecked him sharply on the forehead with the sharp end of her swept-forward skull.
My planet was blown up one morning, said Arthur, who had found himself quite unexpectedly telling the little man his life story or, at least, edited highlights of it, that’s why I’m dressed like this, in my dressing gown. My planet was blown up with all my clothes in it, you see. I didn’t realize I’d be coming to a party.
The little man nodded enthusiastically.

“我们得找出银横木，就在这附近。”
“我们就不能放松一下吗？”阿瑟说，“我今天过得很不好。崔莉安也在这儿。很偶然。她也没说清楚。也许并不重要。”
“想想宇宙的危险……”
“宇宙，”阿瑟说，“已经够大够成熟了，照顾自己半个小时总该能行吧。行行行……”他接着说，因为司拉提巴特法斯不停地鼓动他快去，“我去溜一圈，看有谁见过没。”
“很好很好。” 司拉提巴特法斯说，“很好。”他亲自挤进人群，所遇到的每一个人都叫他“放松一下”。
“你见过一块横木没？”阿瑟发现一个小个子，似乎很期待听人说说话，于是向他问道。“是银子做的，对宇宙未来的安全至关重要，这是很久以来的事了。”
“没。”小个子热心地皱起了脸，“不过你可以喝一杯，再跟我讲讲怎么回事。”
福特十分扭曲地蹦达着经过。他正在跳一种疯狂的、颇为猥琐的舞蹈，舞伴头上戴着一个好似悉尼歌剧院的东西。喧嚣之中，他向她大声喊着什么——真是徒劳的对话。
“我喜欢这个！”他喊道。
“什么？”
“我说，我喜欢这顶帽子！”
“我没有戴帽子！”
“哦，那我喜欢这种脑袋！”
“什么？”
“我说，我喜欢这种脑袋，头骨结构很有趣！”
“什么？”
福特一边保持他那复杂的舞蹈动作，一边耸了耸肩。
“我说，你跳得很棒，”他叫道，“只是别老点头！”
“什么？”
“因为每次你一点头，”福特说，“嗷！”他的舞伴说“什么”时又点了一下头，于是福特就叫了一声。因为他的额头再次被她前突的头骨狠狠地啄了一下。
“一天早上，我的星球被炸飞了，”阿瑟说着。他没想到自己会跟这个小个子讲述人生故事，或者，至少是剪辑精华版，“所以我穿成这样，穿着睡袍。我的星球和我的衣服一起被炸飞了。你瞧，我没想到要参加派对。”
小个子很热情地点点头。