經典科幻文學:《基本上無害 Mostly Harmless》 第20章6

‘Now, Sandwich Maker! Go!’ He performed some elaborate sign and ritual handshake which Arthur couldn’t quite get the hang of because Old Thrashbarg had obviously made it up on the spur of the moment, then he pushed Arthur forward. Taking a deep breath, he clambered up behind Ford on to the great, hot, heaving back of the Beast and held on tight. Huge muscles the size of sea lions rippled and flexed beneath him.

“現在，三明治大師！去吧！”刷希巴搞出好些複雜精妙的手勢，又用古老的禮儀跟阿瑟握手。阿瑟對這一套全然不懂，因爲它們顯然都是老刷希巴臨場發揮的效果。然後刷希巴推他前進，阿瑟深吸一口氣，爬到熱騰騰，不斷起伏的寬大後背上，坐在福特身後抓緊了。在他的屁股底下，海獅一樣壯碩龐大的肌肉塊在起伏摺疊。

Old Thrashbarg held the bird suddenly aloft. The Beast’s head swivelled up to follow it. Thrashbarg pushed upwards and upwards repeatedly with his arms and with the pikka bird; and slowly, heavily the Perfectly Normal Beast lurched up off its knees and stood, at last, swaying slightly. Its two riders held on fiercely and nervously.

老刷希巴突然把噼卡鳥舉起來，獸頭也跟着一揚，刷希巴不斷地把胳膊和噼卡鳥往上擡。慢慢的，絕對正常獸笨重的身軀站了起來，動作稍微有些搖晃。兩位騎士忐忑不安，抓得更緊了。

Arthur gazed out over the sea of hurtling animals, straining in an attempt to see where it was they were going, but there was nothing but heat haze.

阿瑟放眼望去，疾馳的絕對正常獸匯成了一片洶涌的大海；他極目遠眺，想看看它們到底是去了哪兒，但除了一片蒸騰的熱氣眼前什麼也沒有。

‘Can you see anything?’ he said to Ford.

“瞧見什麼了嗎？”他問福特

‘No.’ Ford twisted round to glance back, trying to see if there was any clue as to where they had come from. Still, nothing.

“沒，”福特扭頭往回瞟了一眼，想看看是不是能搞清楚它們從哪兒來，仍然一無所獲。

Arthur shouted down at Thrashbarg.

阿瑟低頭對刷希巴喊話。

‘Do you know where they come from?’ he called. ‘Or where they’re going?’

“你知道它們從哪兒來嗎？”他喊道，“或者要到哪裏去？”

‘The domain of the King!’ shouted Old Thrashbarg back.

“王的領地！”老刷希巴喊回去。

‘King?’ shouted Arthur in surprise. ‘What King?’ The Perfectly Normal Beast was swaying and rocking restlessly under him.

“王？”阿瑟吃了一驚，“什麼王？”他們身下的絕對正常獸已經開始坐立不安，搖搖晃晃。

‘What do you mean, what King?’ shouted Old Thrashbarg. ‘The King.’

“你什麼意思，什麼王？”老刷希巴喊道，“就是王啊！”