长宇宙系列文顺序 经典科幻文学:《生命 宇宙及一切》第4章(11)

经典科幻文学:《生命 宇宙及一切》第4章(11)  

The Somebody Else’s Problem field is much simpler and more effective
and what’s more can be run for over a hundred years on a single torch battery. This is because it relies on people’s natural disposition not to see anything they don’t want to
weren’t expecting
or can’t explain. If Effrafax had painted the mountain pink and erected a cheap and simple Somebody Else’s Problem field on it
then people would have walked past the mountain
round it
even over it
and simply never have noticed that the thing was there.
And this is precisely what was happening with Slartibartfast’s ship. It wasn’t pink
but if it had been
that would have been the least of its visual problems and people were simply ignoring it like anything.
The most extraordinary thing about it was that it looked only partly like a spaceship with guidance fins
rocket engines and escape hatches and so on
and a great deal like a small upended Italian bistro.
Ford and Arthur gazed up at it with wonderment and deeply offended sensibilities.
Yes
I know
said Slartibartfast
hurrying up to them at that point
breathless and agitated
but there is a reason. Come
we must go. The ancient nigare is e again. Doom confronts us all. We must leave at once.
I fancy somewhere sunny
said Ford.
Ford and Arthur followed Slartibartfast into the ship and were so perplexed by what they saw inside it that they were totally unaware of what happened next outside.
A spaceship
yet another one
but this one sleek and silver
descended from the sky on to the pitch
quietly
without fuss
its long legs unlocking in a smooth ballet of technology.
It landed gently. It extended a short ramp. A tall grey-green figure marched briskly out and approached the small knot of people who were gathered in the centre of the pitch tending to the casualties of the recent bizarre massacre. It moved people aside with quiet
understated authority
and came at last to a man lying in a desperate pool of blood
clearly now beyond the reach of any Earthly medicine
breathing
coughing his last. The figure knelt down quietly beside him.
Arthur Philip Deodat? asked the figure.
The man
with horrified confusion in eyes
nodded feebly.
You’re a no-good dumbo nothing
whispered the creature. I thought you should know that before you went.