da.therestaurantattheendoftheuniverse-第4部分

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d　amazed。
　　〃You　go　swanning　your　way　round　the　Galaxy　with　your。。。〃　the　ancestor　waved　a　contemptuous　hand；　〃with　your　disreputable　friends；　too　busy　to　put　flowers　on　my　grave；　plastic　ones　would　have　done；　would　have　been　quite　appropriate　from　you；　but　no。　Too　busy。　Too　modern。　Too　sceptical　…　till　you　suddenly　find　yourself　in　a　bit　of　a　fix　and　e　over　suddenly　all　astrally…minded！〃
　　He　shook　his　head　…　carefully；　so　as　not　to　disturb　the　slumber　of　the　other　one；　which　was　already　being　restive。
　　〃Well；　I　don't　know；　young　Zaphod；〃　he　continued；　〃I　think　I'll　have　to　think　about　this　one。〃
　　〃One　minute　ten；〃　said　Ford　hollowly。
　　Zaphod　Beeblebrox　the　Fourth　peered　at　him　curiously。
　　〃Why　does　that　man　keep　talking　in　numbers？〃　he　said。
　　〃Those　numbers；〃　said　Zaphod　tersely；　〃are　the　time　we've　got　left　to　live。〃
　　〃Oh；〃　said　his　great　grandfather。　He　grunted　to　himself。　〃Doesn't　apply　to　me；　of　course；〃　he　said　and　moved　off　to　a　dimmer　recess　of　the　bridge　in　search　of　something　else　to　poke　around　at。
　　Zaphod　felt　he　was　teetering　on　the　edge　of　madness　and　wondered　if　he　shouldn't　just　jump　over　and　have　done　with　it。
　　〃Great　Grandfather；〃　he　said；　〃It　applies　to　us！　We　are　still　alive；　and　we　are　about　to　lose　our　lives。〃
　　〃Good　job　too。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃What　use　is　your　life　to　anyone？　When　I　think　of　what　you've　made　of　it　the　phrase　'pig's　ear'　es　irresistibly　to　my　mind。〃
　　〃But　I　was　President　of　the　Galaxy；　man！〃
　　〃Huh；〃　muttered　his　ancestor；　〃And　what　kind　of　a　job　is　that　for　a　Beeblebrox？〃
　　〃Hey；　what？　Only　President　you　know！　Of　the　whole　Galaxy！〃
　　〃Conceited　little　megapuppy。〃
　　Zaphod　blinked　in　bewilderment。
　　〃Hey；　er；　what　are　you　at；　man？　I　mean　Great　Grandfather。〃
　　The　hunched　up　little　figure　stalked　up　to　his　great　grandson　and　tapped　him　sternly　on　the　knee。　This　had　the　effect　of　reminding　Zaphod　that　he　was　talking　to　a　ghost　because　he　didn't　feel　a　thing。
　　〃You　know　and　I　know　what　being　President　means；　young　Zaphod。　You　know　because　you've　been　it；　and　I　know　because　I'm　dead　and　it　gives　one　such　a　wonderfully　uncluttered　perspective。　We　have　a　saying　up　here。　'Life　is　wasted　on　the　living。'〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　said　Zaphod　bitterly；　〃very　good。　Very　deep。　Right　now　I　need　aphorisms　like　I　need　holes　in　my　heads。〃
　　〃Fifty　seconds；〃　grunted　Ford　Prefect。
　　〃Where　was　I？〃　said　Zaphod　Beeblebrox　the　Fourth。
　　〃Pontificating；〃　said　Zaphod　Beeblebrox。
　　〃Oh　yes。〃
　　〃Can　this　guy；〃　muttered　Ford　quietly　to　Zaphod；　〃actually　in　fact　help　us？〃
　　〃Nobody　else　can；〃　whispered　Zaphod。
　　Ford　nodded　despondently。
　　〃Zaphod！〃　the　ghost　was　saying；　〃you　became　President　of　the　Galaxy　for　a　reason。　Have　you　forgotten？〃
　　〃Could　we　go　into　this　later？〃
　　〃Have　you　forgotten！〃　insisted　the　ghost。
　　〃Yeah！　Of　course　I　forgot！　I　had　to　forget。　They　screen　your　brain　when　you　get　the　job　you　know。　If　they'd　found　my　head　full　of　tricksy　ideas　I'd　have　been　right　out　on　the　streets　again　with　nothing　but　a　fat　pension；　secretarial　staff；　a　fleet　of　ships　and　a　couple　of　slit　throats。〃
　　〃Ah；〃　nodded　the　ghost　in　satisfaction；　〃then　you　do　remember！〃
　　He　paused　for　a　moment。
　　〃Good；〃　he　said　and　the　noise　stopped。
　　〃Forty…eight　seconds；〃　said　Ford。　He　looked　again　at　his　watch　and　tapped　it。　He　looked　up。
　　〃Hey；　the　noise　has　stopped；〃　he　said。
　　A　mischievous　twinkle　gleamed　in　the　ghost's　hard　little　eyes。
　　〃I've　slowed　down　time　for　a　moment；〃　he　said；　〃just　for　a　moment　you　understand。　I　would　hate　you　to　miss　all　I　have　to　say。〃
　　〃No；　you　listen　to　me；　you　see…through　old　bat；〃　said　Zaphod　leaping　out　of　his　chair；　〃A　…　thanks　for　stopping　time　and　all　that；　great；　terrific；　wonderful；　but　B　…　no　thanks　for　the　homily；　right？　I　don't　know　what　this　great　think　I'm　meant　to　be　doing　is；　and　it　looks　to　me　as　if　I　was　supposed　not　to　know。　And　I　resent　that；　right？
　　〃The　old　me　knew。　The　old　me　cared。　Fine；　so　far　so　hoopy。　Except　that　the　old　me　cared　so　much　that　he　actually　got　inside　his　own　brain　…　my　own　brain　…　and　locked　off　the　bits　that　knew　and　cared；　because　if　I　knew　and　cared　I　wouldn't　be　able　to　do　it。　I　wouldn't　be　able　to　go　and　be　President；　and　I　wouldn't　be　able　to　steal　this　ship；　which　must　be　the　important　thing。
　　〃But　this　former　self　of　mine　killed　himself　off；　didn't　he；　by　changing　my　brain？　OK；　that　was　his　choice。　This　new　me　has　its　own　choices　to　make；　and　by　a　strange　coincidence　those　choices　involve　not　knowing　and　not　caring　about　this　big　number；　whatever　it　is。　That's　what　he　wanted；　that's　what　he　got。
　　〃Except　this　old　self　of　mine　tried　to　leave　himself　in　control；　leaving　orders　for　me　in　the　bit　of　my　brain　he　locked　off。　Well；　I　don't　want　to　know；　and　I　don't　want　to　hear　them。　That's　my　choice。　I'm　not　going　to　be　anybody's　puppet；　particularly　not　my　own。〃
　　Zaphod　banged　the　console　in　fury；　oblivious　to　the　dumbfolded　looks　he　was　attracting。
　　〃The　old　me　is　dead！〃　he　raved；　〃Killed　himself！　The　dead　shouldn't　hang　about　trying　to　interfere　with　the　living！〃
　　〃And　yet　you　summon　me　up　to　help　you　out　of　a　scrape；〃　said　the　ghost。
　　〃Ah；〃　said　Zaphod；　sitting　down　again；　〃well　that's　different；　isn't　it？〃
　　He　grinned　at　Trillian；　weakly。
　　〃Zaphod；〃　rasped　the　apparition；　〃I　think　the　only　reason　I　waste　my　breath　on　you　is　that　being　dead　I　don't　have　any　other　use　for　it。〃
　　〃OK；〃　said　Zaphod；　〃why　don't　you　tell　me　what　the　big　secret　is。　Try　me。〃
　　〃Zaphod；　you　knew　when　you　were　President　of　the　Galaxy；　as　did　Yooden　Vranx　before　you；　that　the　President　is　nothing。　A　cipher。　Somewhere　in　the　shadows　behind　is　another　man；　being；　something；　with　ultimate　power。　That　man；　or　being；　or　something；　you　must　find　…　the　man　who　controls　this　Galaxy；　and　…　we　suspect　…　others。　Possibly　the　entire　Universe。〃
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃Why？〃　exclaimed　an　astonished　ghost；　〃Why？　Look　around　you　lad；　does　it　look　to　you　as　if　it's　in　very　good　hands？〃
　　〃It's　alright。〃
　　The　old　ghost　glowered　at　him。
　　〃I　will　not　argue　with　you。　You　will　simply　take　this　ship；　this　Improbability　Drive　ship　to　where　it　is　needed。　You　will　do　it。　Don't　think　you　can　escape　your　purpose。　The　Improbability　Field　controls　you；　you　are　in　its　grip。　What's　this？〃
　　He　was　standing　tapping　at　one　of　the　terminals　of　Eddie　the　Shipboard　puter。　Zaphod　told　him。
　　〃What's　it　doing？〃
　　〃It　is　trying；〃　said　Zaphod　with　wonderful　restraint；　〃to　make　tea。〃
　　〃Good；〃　said　his　great　grandfather；　〃I　approve　of　that。　Now　Zaphod；　〃he　said；　turning　and　wagging　a　finger　at　him；　〃I　don't　know　if　you　are　really　capable　of　succeeding　in　your　job。　I　think　you　will　not　be　able　to　avoid　it。　However；　I　am　too　long　dead　and　too　tired　to　care　as　much　as　I　did。　The　principal　reason　I　am　helping　you　now　is　that　I　couldn't　bear　the　thought　of　you　and　your　modern　friends　slouching　about　up　here。　Understood？〃
　　〃Yeah；　thanks　a　bundle。〃
　　〃Oh；　and　Zaphod？〃
　　〃Er；　yeah？〃
　　〃If　you　ever　find　you　need　help　again；　you　know；　if　you're　in　trouble；　need　a　hand　out　of　a　tight　corner。。。〃
　　〃Yeah？〃
　　〃Please　don't　hesitate　to　get　lost。〃
　　Within　the　space　of　one　second；　a　bolt　of　light　flashed　from　the　wizened　old　ghost's　hands　to　the　puter；　the　ghost　vanished；　the　bridge　filled　with　billowing　smoke　and　the　Heart　of　Gold　leapt　an　unknown　distance　through　the　dimensions　of　time　and　space。
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　4
　　
　　Ten　light　years　away；　Gag　Halfrunt　jacked　up　his　smile　by　several　notches。　As　he　watched　the　picture　on　his　vision　screen；　relayed　across　the　sub…ether　from　the　bridge　of　the　Vogon　ship；　he　saw　the　final　shreds　of　the　Heart　of　Gold's　force…shield　ripped　away；　and　the　ship　itself　vanish　in　a　puff　of　smoke。
　　Good；　he　thought。
　　The　end　of　the　last　stray　survivors　of　the　demolition　he　had　ordered　on　the　planet　Earth；　he　thought。
　　The　final　end　of　this　dangerous　（to　the　psychiatric　profession）　and　subversive　（also　to　the　psychiatric　profession）　experiment　to　find　the　Question　to　the　Ultimate　Question　of　Life；　the　Universe；　and　Everything；　he　thought。
　　There　would　be　some　celebration　with　his　fellows　tonight；　and　in　the　morning　they　would　meet　again　their　unhappy；　bewildered　and　highly　profitable　patients；　secure　in　the　knowledge　that　the　Meaning　of　Life　would　not　now　be；　once　and　for　all；　well　and　truly　sorted　out；　he　thought。
　　〃Family's　always　embarrassing　isn't　it？〃　said　Ford　to　Zaphod　as　the　smoke　began　to　clear。
　　He　paused；　then　looked　about。
　　〃Where's　Zaphod？〃　he　said。
　　Arthur　and　Trillian　looked　about　blankly。　They　were　pale　and　shaken　and　didn't　know　where　Zaphod　was。
　　〃Marvin？〃　said　Ford；　〃Where's　Zaphod？〃
　　A　moment　later　he　said：
　　〃Where's　Marvin？〃
　　The　robot's　corner　was　empty。
　　The　ship　was　utterly　silent。　It　lay　in　thick　black　space。　Occasionally　it　rocked　and　swayed。　Every　instrument　was　dead；　every　vision　screen　was　dead。　They　consulted　the　puter。　It　said：
　　〃I　regret　that　I　have　been　temporarily　closed　to　all　munication。　Meanwhile；　here　is　some　light　music。〃
　　They　turned　off　the　light　music。
　　They　searched　every　corner　of　the　ship　in　increasing　bewil