经典科幻文学:《生命 宇宙及一切》第4章(2)

Yes. An alligator, I think, of some description.
Ah. And had anyone else noticed it?
Apparently not. And no one was able to get a very detailed description from him, so only the most perfunctory search was made.
And what happened to the man?
Well, I think someone offered to take him off and give him some lunch, but he explained that he’d already had a rather good one, so the matter was dropped and Warwickshire went on to win by three wickets.
So, not very like this current instance. For those of you who’ve just tuned in, you may be interested to know that, er… two men, two rather scruffily attired men, and indeed a sofa a Chesterfield I think?
Yes, a Chesterfield.
Have just materialized here in the middle of Lord’s Cricket Ground. But I don’t think they meant any harm, they’ve been very good-natured about it, and…
Sorry, can I interrupt you a moment Peter and say that the sofa has just vanished.
So it has. Well, that’s one mystery less. Still, it’s definitely one for the record books I think, particularly occurring at this dramatic moment in play, England now needing only twenty-four runs to win the series. The men are leaving the pitch in the company of a police officer, and I think everyone’s settling down now and play is about to resume.
Now, sir, said the policeman after they had made a passage through the curious crowd and laid Arthur’s peacefully inert body on a blanket, perhaps you’d care to tell me who you are, where you come from, and what that little scene was all about?
Ford looked at the ground for a moment as if steadying himself for something, then he straightened up and aimed a look at the policeman which hit him with the full force of every inch of the six hundred light-years’ distance between Earth and Ford’s home near Betelgeuse.
All right, said Ford, very quietly, I’ll tell you.
Yes, well, that won’t be necessary, said the policeman hurriedly, just don’t let whatever it was happen again. The policeman turned around and wandered off in search of anyone who wasn’t from Betelgeuse. Fortunately, the ground was full of them.
Arthur’s consciousness approached his body as from a great distance, and reluctantly. It had had some bad times in there. Slowly, nervously, it entered and settled down in to its accustomed position.
Arthur sat up.
Where am I? he said.
Lord’s Cricket Ground, said Ford.
Fine, said Arthur, and his consciousness stepped out again for a quick breather. His body flopped back on the grass.
Ten minutes later, hunched over a cup of tea in the refreshment tent, the colour started to come back to his haggard face.
How’re you feeling? said Ford.

“是的。一只短吻鳄，我想。就他的描述来看。”
“啊。别人注意到了吗？”
“显然没有。并且，也没人能从他那得到更详细的描述，所以只做了一点粗略的调查。”
“那他后来怎么样了呢？”
“嗯，我想，后来有人提出要带走他，给他吃点午餐，但他解释说他已经吃了很好的一顿午餐。所以事就这么完了，然后沃里克郡队继续比赛，最后以三跑的优势取胜。”
“这么说，跟这次的情况并不太相似。刚刚打开收音机的朋友，您也许会有兴趣了解，嗯……有两个人，两个着装相当不整齐的人，以及一张沙发——一张长靠背的沙发床我想？”
“是的，一张长靠背的沙发床。”
“……刚才在罗德板球场的正中央凭空出现了。不过我想他们并无恶意，他们的态度很好，而且……”
“抱歉，我能打断一下你吗彼得，刚才沙发消失了。”
“哦，的确。嗯，那就又少了一件神秘事物了。很明显它依然会被记录下来的，我想，尤其是当它发生在如此戏剧性的时刻，英格兰只要再获得二十四跑就可以赢得系列赛。那个人已经离开球道了，在警察的陪同下……我想大家都已经平静下来，比赛就要重新开始了。”
“现在，先生，”在与好奇的群众简短对话几句、并将阿瑟无力的身躯放到毯子上之后，警察开口道：“您是否介意告诉我你们是谁，从哪里来？这究竟是怎么回事？”
福特久久地看着地面，仿佛要坚定一下什么。然后他直起身子，面对这位警察。这位警察所在的地球，和他的老家参宿四之间，有六百光年之遥，其中的每一英寸都在打击着福特的信心。
“那好吧，”福特轻轻地说，“我告诉你。”
“好的……嗯，也不是一定要，”警察忙说，“只是别让这事再发生了。”警察转身离开，去找那些不是来自参宿四的人了。幸运的是，这片土地上充满了这样的人。
阿瑟的意识从远方渐渐回到他的身体。意识其实有点不情愿，因为它在那儿过得可不太好。慢慢地，略微有点紧张地，它进来了，回到它正常的位置上。
阿瑟坐起来了。
“我在哪儿？”他说。
“罗德板球场。”福特说。
“哦好。”阿瑟说。他的意识又随着一口气溜出去了。他的身体则咚地一声倒在草地上。
十分钟后，喝下一口护理帐篷里的茶，血色渐渐重返阿瑟憔悴的脸上。
“感觉如何？”福特说。