經典科幻文學:《銀河系漫遊指南》第31章5

"You see," he said, "if they're just sitting there in the studio looking very relaxed and, you know, just mentioning that they happen to know the Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything, and then eventually have to admit that in fact it's Forty-two, then the show's probably quite short. No follow-up, you see."
"We have to have something that sounds good," said Benji."Something that sounds good?" exclaimed Arthur. "An Ultimate Question that sounds good? From a couple of mice?" The mice bristled.

"Well, I mean, yes idealism, yes the dignity of pure research, yes the pursuit of truth in all its forms, but there comes a point I'm afraid where you begin to suspect that if there's any real truth, it's that the entire multi-dimensional infinity of the Universe is almost certainly being run by a bunch of maniacs. And if it comes to a choice between spending yet another ten million years finding that out, and on the other hand just taking the money and running, then I for one could do with the exercise," said Frankie.

“是這樣的，”他說，“請設想一下，：他們坐在演播室裏，輕鬆自在，隨口提一句他們恰好知道關於生命、宇宙以及一切的答案。可到頭來，他們不得不承認這個答案的的確確就是42.那樣一來，這個節目可能會相當短，拍不了續集。懂嗎？”

“我們一定的有點聽上去很不賴的東西。”本吉說。 “什麼東西聽上去很不賴？”阿瑟驚呼道，“那個終極問題聽上去很不賴？從一對老鼠嘴裏說出來？”兩隻老鼠頓時毛髮上豎，勃然大怒。
“好吧，我承認，理想主義是對的，純粹學術研究的尊嚴是對的，對真理的各種表現形式的追求也是對的。但是恐怕到一定的時候，你就會開始懷疑是否真的存在所謂真正的真理。你會懷疑整個無限多維的宇宙背後是由一羣瘋子操縱。如果面臨這種選擇，一是再花1000萬年去找出答案，二是拿了錢繼續走下去，那麼我當然樂意溜達溜達鍛鍊一下。”弗蘭克說。