經典科幻文學:《基本上無害 Mostly Harmless》 第20章3

‘It’s just a bird!’ said Arthur impatiently. ‘It’s like any other bird. It lays eggs and goes ark at things you can’t see. Or kar or rit or something.’

“不過是隻鳥！”阿瑟不耐煩了，“跟別的鳥沒啥區別。它下蛋或者對着你看不見的東西瞎叫喚，噼或者是嘎，還有嘰什麼的。”

‘Have you seen one lay eggs?’ said Ford, suspiciously.

“你見過它下蛋嗎？”福特相當多疑。

‘For heaven’s sake of course I have,’ said Arthur. ‘And I’ve eaten hundreds of them. Make rather a good omelette. The secret is little cubes of cold butter and then whipping it lightly with…’

“看在老天的份上我當然見過。”阿瑟道，“還吃過好幾百個。做成煎蛋其實也挺不錯的。祕訣就在於小塊的冷黃油，然後輕輕攪拌……”

‘I don’t want a zarking recipe,’ said Ford. ‘I just want to be sure it’s a real bird and not some kind of multi-dimensional cybernightmare.’

“我對該死的菜譜沒興趣。”福特說，“我只想確定它真是隻鳥，而不是什麼多元電腦噩夢。”

He slowly stood up from his crouched position and started to brush himself down. He was still watching the bird, though.

他慢吞吞地放鬆了警戒姿勢，開始拍打衣服。不過他的眼睛仍然盯着噼卡鳥。

‘So,’ said Old Thrashbarg to Arthur. ‘Is it written that Bob shall once more take back unto himself the benediction of his once-given sandwich maker?’

“那麼，”老刷希巴對阿瑟說，“難道命運已經註定，鮑伯將召回他賜予的福音，讓我們失去我們的三明治大師嗎？”

Ford almost went back into his crouch.

福特差點再警戒回去。

‘It’s all right,’ muttered Arthur, ‘he always talks like that.’ Aloud, he said, ‘Ah, venerable Thrashbarg. Um, yes. I’m afraid I think I’m going to have to be popping off now. But young Drimple, my apprentice, will be a fine sandwich maker in my stead. He has the aptitude, a deep love of sandwiches, and the skills he has acquired so far, though rudimentary as yet, will, in time mature and, er, well, I think he’ll work out OK is what I’m trying to say.’

“別擔心。”阿瑟喃喃道，“他從來都是那麼說話的。”然後他大聲說，“啊，尊敬的刷希巴。呃，是的。恐怕我的離開的確有些突然。但年輕的德林普爾，我的學徒，會代替我成爲一個出色的三明治大師。他有頭腦，而且深愛着三明治，迄今他所習得的技巧，儘管還不成熟，但是隨着時間的推移，成熟起來，而且，呃，那個，我想我是想說他會幹得不錯。”

Old Thrashbarg regarded him gravely. His old grey eyes moved sadly. He held his arms aloft, one still carrying a bobbing pikka bird, the other his staff.

老刷希巴嚴肅地望着他，蒼老的眼睛裏滿是憂傷，他舉起了自己的胳膊，一隻手上仍然拿着噼卡鳥，另一隻手握着他的法杖。