经典科幻文学:《宇宙尽头的餐馆》第17章11
“Hey, Marvin, is that you?” said Zaphod into the phone, “How you doing, kid?”
There was a long pause before a thin low voice came up the line.
“I think you ought to know I’m feeling very depressed,” it said.
Zaphod cupped his hands over the phone.
“It’s Marvin,” he said.
“Hey, Marvin,” he said into the phone again, “we’re having a great time. Food, wine, a little personal abuse and the Universe going foom. Where can we find you?”
Again the pause.
“You don’t have to pretend to be interested in me you know,” said Marvin at last, “I know perfectly well I’m only a menial robot.”
“OK, OK,” said Zaphod, “but where are you?”
“‘Reverse primary thrust, Marvin,’ that’s what they say to me, ‘open airlock number three, Marvin. Marvin, can you pick up that piece of paper?’ Can I pick up that piece of paper! Here I am, brain the size of a planet and they ask me to…”
“Yeah, yeah,” sympathized Zaphod hardly at all.
“But I’m quite used to being humiliated,” droned Marvin, “I can even go and stick my head in a bucket of water if you like. Would you like me to go and stick my head in a bucket of water? I’ve got one ready. Wait a minute.”
“Er, hey, Marvin…” interrupted Zaphod, but it was too late. Sad little clunks and gurgles came up the line.
“What’s he saying?” asked Trillian.
“Nothing,” said Zaphod, “he just phoned up to wash his head at us.”
“There,” said Marvin, coming back on the line and bubbling a bit, “I hope that gave satisfaction…”
“Yeah, yeah,” said Zaphod, “now will you please tell us where you are?”
“I’m in the car park,” said Marvin.
“嘿，马文，是你吗，”赞福德对着电话说道，“你怎么样啊，伙计？”
很久一段时间之后，电话里传来一个细微而低沉的声音。
“我想你应陔知道，我感到非常沮丧。”它说。
赞福德用手捂住电话。
“是马文。”他说。
“嘿，马文，”他对着电话继续说道，“我们玩得正开心呢。大餐、美酒、一点儿自我放纵，还有，宇宙就快终结了。我们在哪儿能找到体，”
又是一阵停顿。
“你知道，你没有必要装出关心我的样子，”马文最后说，“我很清楚，我只不过是一个机器仆人。”
“好了，好了。”赞福德说，“可你究竟在哪儿？？”
“……‘反转初始推力，马文，’这就是他们对我说的话，‘打开三号气闸，马文。’‘马文，你能把那张纸捡起来吗？’我能把那张纸捡起来吗，我，拥有相当于整整一个星球的智力，他们却叫我……”
“好了，好了。”赞福德几乎役有丝毫的同情。
“不过我已经非常习惯受辱了。”马文嗡嗡地说，“如果你希望的话，我甚至能跑去把我的脑袋撮在一桶水里。你希望我把脑袋浸在一桶水里吗？我已经准备好了。你等一等：”
“嗯，嘿，马文……”赞福德打断他说，可是已经太晚了。电话里传出“当”的一声，还有汩汩的水声。
“他都说了些什么？”崔莉恩问。
“没什么，”赞福德说，“他只是打电话告诉我们他要洗头了。”
“办好了。”马文说，他又回到了线上，嘴里似乎冒着泡，“我希望能满足。”
“好了，好了，”赞福德说，“现在能请你告诉我们你在哪里吗？”
“我在停车场，”马文说。
