日本科幻文学 经典科幻文学:《宇宙尽头的餐馆》第16章2

经典科幻文学:《宇宙尽头的餐馆》第16章2  

Seen from the outside
which it never is
the Restaurant resembles a giant glittering starfish beached on a fotten rock. Each of its arms houses the bars
the kitchens
the forcefield generators which protect the entire structure and the decayed pla on which it sits
and the Time Turbines which slowly rock the whole affair backwards and forwards across the crucial moment. In the centre sits the gigantic golden dome
almost a plete globe
and it was into this area that Zaphod
Ford
Arthur and Trillian now passed.
At least five tons of glitter alone had gone into it before them
and covered every available surface. The other surfaces were not available because they were already encrusted with jewels
precious sea shells from Santraginus
gold leaf
mosaic tiles
lizard skins and a million unidentifiable embellishments and decorations. Glass glittered
silver shone
gold gleamed
Arthur Dent goggled.
“Wowee
” said Zaphod
“Zappo.”
“Incredible!” breathed Arthur
“the people…! The things…!”
“The things
” said Ford Prefect quietly
“are also people.”
“The people…” resumed Arthur
“the… other people…”
“The lights…!” said Trillian.
“The tables…” said Arthur.
“The clothes…!” said Trillian.
The waiter thought they sounded like a couple of bailiffs.
“The End of the Universe is very popular
” said Zaphod threading his way unsteadily through the throng of tables
some made of marble
some of rich ultra-mahagony
some even of platinum
and at each a party of exotic creatures chatting amongst themselves and studying menus.
“People like to dress up for it
” continued Zaphod
“Gives it a sense of occasion.”
The tables were fanned out in a large circle around a central stage area where a small band were playing light music
at least a thousand tables was Arthur’s guess
and interspersed amongst them were swaying palms
hissing fountains
grotesque statuary
in short all the paraphernalia mon to all Restaurants where little expense has been spared to give the impression that no expense has been spared. Arthur glanced around
half expecting to see someone making an American Express mercial.
Zaphod lurched into Ford
who lurched back into Zaphod.
“Wowee
” said Zaphod.
“Zappo
” said Ford.
“My great granddaddy must have really screwed up the puter’s works
you know
” said Zaphod
“I told it to take us to the nearest place to eat and it sends us to the End of the Universe. Remind me to be nice to it one day.”
He paused.
“Hey
everybody’s here you know. Everybody who was anybody.”
“Was?” said Arthur.