经典科幻文学:《宇宙尽头的餐馆》第3章8

On Zaphod’s brow stood beads of sweat, first of concentration, then of frustration and finally of embarrassment.
At last he let out a cry of anger, snatched back his hands from Trillian and Ford and stabbed at the light switch.
“Ah, I was beginning to think you’d never turn the lights on,” said a voice. “No, not too bright please, my eyes aren’t what they once were.”
Four figures jolted upright in their seats. Slowly they turned their heads to look, though their scalps showed a distinct propensity to try and stay in the same place.
“Now. Who disturbs me at this time?” said the small, bent, gaunt figure standing by the sprays of fern at the far end of the bridge. His two small wispy-haired heads looked so ancient that it seemed they might hold dim memories of the birth of the galaxies themselves. One lolled in sleep, but the other squinted sharply at them. If his eyes weren’t what they once were, they must once have been diamond cutters.
Zaphod stuttered nervously for a moment. He gave the intricate little double nod which is the traditional Betelgeusian gesture of familial respect.
“Oh… er, hi Great Granddad…” he breathed.

赞福德的眉头出现了汗珠，刚开始时是由于努力集中意念，接下来是由于奇*书*电&子^书受到了挫败，后来则是由于窘迫。
最后，他愤怒地大叫一声，从崔莉恩和福特手中抽回自己的手，戳在灯的开关上。
“噢，我都快以为你永远不会再开灯了呢。”一个声音说道，“不，请别调得太亮，我的眼睛毕竟和从前不太一样了。”
四个人在座位里一震。慢慢地，他们开始环顾四周，但他们的脑袋却明显试图保持原位不动。
“说说吧，是谁在这个时候来打扰我？”一个瘦小、佝偻、憔悴的人站在舰桥远端的蕨类植物旁边。他的头发像扫帚一样束着，两个小脑袋看上去是如此苍老，里面似乎保存着银河系本身诞生时的模糊记忆。其中一颗低垂着，正在打盹儿，另一颗则用锐利的眼神斜睨着他们。如果真像他说的那样，他的眼睛已经大不如前了，那么当年，这双眼睛肯定是钻石切割仪。
赞福德紧张地结巴了好一会儿。他以一种复杂的方式小幅度地点了两下头，这是参宿四人表达家族内部敬意的传统姿势。
“哦……嗯，嗨，曾祖父……”他深吸了一口气，说。