科幻小说星云奖获奖作品 经典科幻文学:《宇宙尽头的餐馆》第17章9

经典科幻文学:《宇宙尽头的餐馆》第17章9  

“A phone call
sir.”
“For me? Here? Hey
but who knows where I am?”
One of his minds raced. The other dawdled lovingly over the food it was still shovelling in.
“Excuse me if I carry on
won’t you?” said his eating head and carried on.
There were now so many people after him he’d lost count. He shouldn’t have made such a conspicuous entrance. Hell
why not though
he thought. How do you know you’re having fun if there’s no one watching you have it?
“Maybe someone here tipped off the Galactic Police
” said Trillian. “Everyone saw you e in.”
“You mean they want to arrest me over the phone?” said Zaphod
“Could be. I’m a pretty dangerous dude when I’m concerned.”
“Yeah
” said a voice from under the table
“you go to pieces so fast people get hit by the shrapnel.”
“Hey
what is this
Judgment Day?” snapped Zaphod.
“Do we get to see that as well?” asked Arthur nervously.
“I’m in no hurry
” muttered Zaphod
“OK
so who’s the cat on the phone?” He kicked Ford. “Hey get up there
kid
” he said to him
“I may need you.”
“I am not
” said the waiter
“personally acquainted with the metal gentleman in question
sir…”
“Metal?”
“Yes
sir.”
“Did you say metal?”
“Yes
sir. I said that I am not personally acquainted with the metal gentleman in question…”
“OK
carry on.”
“But I am informed that he has been awaiting your return for a considerable number of millennia. It seems you left here somewhat precipitately.”
“Left here?” said Zaphod
“are you being strange? We only just arrived here.”
“Indeed
sir
” persisted the waiter doggedly
“but before you arrived here
sir
I understand that you left here.”
Zaphod tried this in one brain
then in the other.
“You’re saying
” he said
“that before we arrived here
we left here?”
This is going to be a long night
thought the waiter.
“Precisely
sir
” he said.