da.therestaurantattheendoftheuniverse-第22部分

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　　Ford　shrugged。
　　〃Nowhere　about；〃　he　said；　〃I've　looked。　They　could　be　anywhere。　An　unprogrammed　teleport　can　throw　you　light　years　in　any　direction。　Judging　by　the　way　I　feel　I　should　think　we've　travelled　a　very　long　way　indeed。〃
　　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
　　〃Bad。〃
　　〃Do　you　think　they're。。。〃
　　〃Where　they　are；　how　they　are；　there's　no　way　we　can　know　and　no　way　we　can　do　anything　about　it。　Do　what　I　do。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Don't　think　about　it。〃
　　Arthur　turned　this　thought　over　in　his　mind；　reluctantly　saw　the　wisdom　of　it；　tucked　it　up　and　put　it　away。　He　took　a　deep　breath。
　　〃Footsteps！〃　exclaimed　Ford　suddenly。
　　〃Where？〃
　　〃That　noise。　That　stomping　throb。　Pounding　feet。　Listen！〃
　　Arthur　listened。　The　noise　echoed　round　the　corridor　at　them　from　an　indeterminate　distance。　It　was　the　muffled　sound　of　pounding　footsteps；　and　it　was　noticeably　louder。
　　〃Let's　move；〃　said　Ford　sharply。　They　both　moved　…　in　opposite　directions。
　　〃Not　that　way；〃　said　Ford；　〃that's　where　they're　ing　from。〃
　　〃No　it's　not；〃　said　Arthur；　〃They're　ing　from　that　way。〃
　　〃They're　not；　they're。。。〃
　　They　both　stopped。　They　both　turned。　They　both　listened　intently。　They　both　agreed　with　each　other。　They　both　set　off　into　opposite　directions　again。
　　Fear　gripped　them。
　　From　both　directions　the　noise　was　getting　louder。
　　A　few　yards　to　their　left　another　corridor　ran　at　right　angles　to　the　inner　wall。　They　ran　to　it　and　hurried　along　it。　It　was　dark；　immensely　long　and；　as　they　passed　down　it；　gave　them　the　impression　that　it　was　getting　colder　and　colder。　Other　corridors　gave　off　it　to　the　left　and　right；　each　very　dark　and　each　subjecting　them　to　sharp　blasts　of　icy　air　as　they　passed。
　　They　stopped　for　a　moment　in　alarm。　The　further　down　the　corridor　they　went；　the　louder　became　the　sound　of　pounding　feet。
　　They　pressed　themselves　back　against　the　cold　wall　and　listened　furiously。　The　cold；　the　dark　and　the　drumming　of　disembodied　feet　was　getting　to　them　badly。　Ford　shivered；　partly　with　the　cold；　but　partly　with　the　memory　of　stories　his　favourite　mother　used　to　tell　him　when　he　was　a　mere　slip　of　a　Betelgeusian；　ankle　high　to　an　Arcturan　Megagrasshopper：　stories　of　dead　ships；　haunted　hulks　that　roamed　restlessly　round　the　obscurer　regions　of　deep　space　infested　with　demons　or　the　ghosts　of　forgotten　crews；　stories　too　of　incautious　travellers　who　found　and　entered　such　ships；　stories　of。。。　…　then　Ford　remembered　the　brown　hessian　wall　weave　in　the　first　corridor　and　pulled　himself　together。　However　ghosts　and　demons　may　choose　to　decorate　their　death　hulks；　he　thought　to　himself；　he　would　lay　any　money　you　liked　it　wasn't　with　hessian　wall　weave。　He　grasped　Arthur　by　the　arm。
　　〃Back　the　way　we　came；〃　he　said　firmly　and　they　started　to　retrace　their　steps。
　　A　moment　later　they　leap　like　startled　lizards　down　the　nearest　corridor　junction　as　the　owners　of　the　drumming　feet　suddenly　hove　into　view　directly　in　front　of　them。
　　Hidden　behind　the　corner　they　goggled　in　amazement　as　about　two　dozen　overweight　men　and　women　pounded　past　them　in　track　suits　panting　and　wheezing　in　a　manner　that　would　make　a　heart　surgeon　gibber。
　　Ford　Prefect　stared　after　them。
　　〃Joggers！〃　he　hissed；　as　the　sound　of　their　feet　echoed　away　up　and　down　the　network　of　corridors。
　　〃Joggers？〃　whispered　Arthur　Dent。
　　〃Joggers；〃　said　Ford　prefect　with　a　shrug。
　　The　corridor　they　were　concealed　in　was　not　like　the　others。　It　was　very　short；　and　ended　at　a　large　steel　door。　Ford　examined　it；　discovered　the　opening　mechanism　and　pushed　it　wide。
　　The　first　thing　that　hit　their　eyes　was　what　appeared　to　be　a　coffin。
　　And　the　next　four　thousand　nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine　things　that　hit　their　eyes　were　also　coffins。
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　23
　　
　　The　vault　was　low　ceilinged；　dimly　lit　and　gigantic。　At　the　far　end；　about　three　hundred　yards　away　an　archway　let　through　to　what　appeared　to　be　a　similar　chamber；　similarly　occupied。
　　Ford　Prefect　let　out　a　low　whistle　as　he　stepped　down　on　to　the　floor　of　the　vault。
　　〃Wild；〃　he　said。
　　〃What's　so　great　about　dead　people？〃　asked　Arthur；　nervously　stepping　down　after　him。
　　〃Dunno；〃　said　Ford；　〃Let's　find　out　shall　we？〃
　　On　closer　inspection　the　coffins　seemed　to　be　more　like　sarcophagi。　They　stood　about　waist　high　and　were　constructed　of　what　appeared　to　be　white　marble；　which　is　almost　certainly　what　it　was　…　something　that　only　appeared　to　be　white　marble。　The　tops　were　semi…translucent；　and　through　them　could　dimly　be　perceived　the　features　of　their　late　and　presumably　lamented　occupants。　They　were　humanoid；　and　had　clearly　left　the　troubles　of　whatever　world　it　was　they　came　from　far　behind　them；　but　beyond　that　little　else　could　be　discerned。
　　Rolling　slowly　round　the　floor　between　the　sarcophagi　was　a　heavy；　oily　white　gas　which　Arthur　at　first　thought　might　be　there　to　give　the　place　a　little　atmosphere　until　he　discovered　that　it　also　froze　his　ankles。　The　sarcophagi　too　were　intensely　cold　to　the　touch。
　　Ford　suddenly　crouched　down　beside　one　of　them。　He　pulled　a　corner　of　his　towel　out　of　his　satchel　and　started　to　rub　furiously　at　something。
　　〃Look；　there's　a　plaque　on　this　one；〃　he　explained　to　Arthur；　〃It's　frosted　over。〃
　　He　rubbed　the　frost　clear　and　examined　the　engraved　characters。　To　Arthur　they　looked　like　the　footprints　of　a　spider　that　had　had　one　too　many　of　whatever　it　is　that　spiders　have　on　a　night　out；　but　Ford　instantly　recognized　an　early　form　of　Galactic　Eezeereed。
　　〃It　says　'Golgafrincham　Ark　Fleet；　Ship　B；　Hold　Seven；　Telephone　Sanitizer　Second　Class'　…　and　a　serial　number。〃
　　〃A　telephone　sanitizer？〃　said　Arthur；　〃a　dead　telephone　sanitizer？〃
　　〃Best　kind。〃
　　〃But　what's　he　doing　here？〃
　　Ford　peered　through　the　top　at　the　figure　within。
　　〃Not　a　lot；〃　he　said；　and　suddenly　flashed　one　of　those　grins　of　his　which　always　made　people　think　he'd　been　overdoing　things　recently　and　should　try　to　get　some　rest。
　　He　scampered　over　to　another　sarcophagus。　A　moment's　brisk　towel　work　and　he　announced：
　　〃This　one's　a　dead　hairdresser。　Hoopy！〃
　　The　next　sarcophagus　revealed　itself　to　be　the　last　resting　place　of　an　advertising　account　executive；　the　one　after　that　contained　a　second…hand　car　salesman；　third　class。
　　An　inspection　hatch　let　into　the　floor　suddenly　caught　Ford's　attention；　and　he　squatted　down　to　unfasten　it；　thrashing　away　at　the　clouds　of　freezing　gas　that　threatened　to　envelope　him。
　　A　thought　occurred　to　Arthur。
　　〃If　these　are　just　coffins；〃　he　said；　〃Why　are　they　kept　so　cold？〃
　　〃Or；　indeed；　why　are　they　kept　anyway；〃　said　Ford　tugging　the　hatchway　open。　The　gas　poured　down　through　it。　〃Why　in　fact　is　anyone　going　to　all　the　trouble　and　expense　of　carting　five　thousand　dead　bodies　through　space？〃
　　〃Ten　thousand；〃　said　Arthur；　pointing　at　the　archway　through　which　the　next　chamber　was　dimly　visible。
　　Ford　stuck　his　head　down　through　the　floor　hatchway。　He　looked　up　again。
　　〃Fifteen　thousand；〃　he　said；　〃there's　another　lot　down　there。〃
　　〃Fifteen　million；〃　said　a　voice。
　　〃That's　a　lot；〃　said　Ford；　〃A　lot　a　lot。〃
　　〃Turn　around　slowly；〃　barked　the　voice；　〃and　put　your　hands　up。　Any　other　move　and　I　blast　you　into　tiny　tiny　bits。〃
　　〃Hello？〃　said　Ford；　turning　round　slowly；　putting　his　hands　up　and　not　making　any　other　move。
　　〃Why；〃　said　Arthur　Dent；　〃isn't　anyone　ever　pleased　to　see　us？〃
　　Standing　silhouetted　in　the　doorway　through　which　they　had　entered　the　vault　was　the　man　who　wasn't　pleased　to　see　them。　His　displeasure　was　municated　partly　by　the　barking　hectoring　quality　of　his　voice　and　partly　by　the　viciousness　with　which　he　waved　a　long　silver　Kill…O…Zap　gun　at　them。　The　designer　of　the　gun　had　clearly　not　been　instructed　to　beat　about　the　bush。　〃Make　it　evil；〃　he'd　been　told。　〃Make　it　totally　clear　that　this　gun　has　a　right　end　and　a　wrong　end。　Make　it　totally　clear　to　anyone　standing　at　the　wrong　end　that　things　are　going　badly　for　them。　If　that　means　sticking　all　sort　of　spikes　and　prongs　and　blackened　bits　all　over　it　then　so　be　it。　This　is　not　a　gun　for　hanging　over　the　fireplace　or　sticking　in　the　umbrella　stand；　it　is　a　gun　for　going　out　and　making　people　miserable　with。〃
　　Ford　and　Arthur　looked　at　the　gun　unhappily。
　　The　man　with　the　gun　moved　from　the　door　and　circled　round　them。　As　he　came　into　the　light　they　could　see　his　black　and　gold　uniform　on　which　the　buttons　were　so　highly　polished　that　they　shone　with　an　intensity　that　would　have　made　an　approaching　motorist　flash　his　lights　in　annoyance。
　　He　gestured　at　the　door。
　　〃Out；〃　he　said。　People　who　can　supply　that　amount　of　fire　power　don't　need　to　supply　verbs　as　well。　Ford　and　Arthur　went　out；　closely　followed　by　the　wrong　end　of　the　Kill…O…Zap　gun　and　the　buttons。
　　Turning　into　the　corridor　they　were　jostled　by　twenty…four　oning　joggers；　now　showered　and　changed；　who　swept　on　past　them　into　the　vault。　Arthur　turned　to　watch　them　in　confusion。
　　〃Move！〃　screamed　their　captor。
　　Arthur　moved。
　　Ford　shrugged　and　moved。
　　In　the　vault　the　joggers　went　to　twenty…four　empty　sarcophagi　along　the　side　wall；　opened　them；　climbed　in；　and　fell　into　twenty…four　dreamless　sleeps。
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　24
　　
　　〃Er；　captain。。。〃
　　〃Yes；　Number　One？〃
　　〃Just　heard　a　sort　of　report　thingy　from　Number　Two。〃
　　〃Oh；　dear。〃
　　High　up　in　the　bridge　of　the　ship；　the　Captain　stared　out　into　the　infinite　reaches　of　space　with　mild　irritation。　From　where　he　reclined　beneath　a　wide　domed　bubble　he　could　see　before　and　above　them　the　vast　panorama　of　stars　through　which　they　were　moving　…　a　panorama　that　had　thinned　out　noticably　during　the　course　of　the　voyage。　Turning　and　looking　backwards；　over　the　vast　two…mile　bulk　of　the　ship　he　could　see　the　far　denser　mass　of　stars　behind　them　which　seemed　to　form　almost　a　solid　band。　This　was　the　view　through　the　Galactic　centre　from　which　they　were　travelling；　and　indeed　had　been　travelling　for　years；　at　a　speed　that　he　couldn't　quite　remember　at　the　moment；　but　he　knew　it　was　terribly　fast。　It　was　something　approaching　the　speed　of　something　or　other；　o