And why they have to take place in the Forest, and why it is in everybody’s best interest, the Forest Dwellers included, that they should? Er… In the long run. Er, yes. And the messenger did understand the Reason, and he returned to his people in the Forest. But as he approached them, as he walked through the Forest and amongst the trees, he found that all he could remember of the Reason was how terribly clear the argument had seemed. What it actually was he couldn’t remember at all. And this, of course, was a great comfort when next the Tribesmen and the Princes came hacking and burning their way through the Forest, killing every Forest Dweller in their way. Prak paused in his story and coughed pathetically. I was the messenger, he said, after the battles precipitated by the appearance of your ship, which were pArticularly savage. Many of our people died. I thought I could bring the Reason back. I went and was told it by the leader of the Princes, but on the way back it slipped and melted away in my mind like snow in the sun. That was many years ago, and much has happened since then. He looked up at Arthur and giggled again very gently. There is one other thing I can remember from the truth drug. Apart from the frogs, and that is God’s last message to his creation. Would you like to hear it? For a moment they didn’t know whether to take him seriously. ‘Strue, he said. For real. I mean it. His chest heaved weakly and he struggled for breath. His head lolled slightly. I wasn’t very impressed with it when I first knew what it was, he said, but now I think back to how impressed I was by the Prince’s Reason, and how soon afterwards I couldn’t recall it at all, I think it might be a lot more helpful. Would you like to know what it is? Would you? They nodded dumbly. I bet you would. If you’re that interested I suggest you go and look for it. It is written in thirty-foot-high letters of fire on top of the Quentulus Quazgar Mountains in the land of Sevorbeupstry on the planet Preliumtarn, third out from the sun Zarss in Galactic Sector QQ7 Active J Gamma. It is guarded by the Lajestic Vantrashell of Lob. There was a long silence following this announcement, which was finally broken by Arthur. Sorry, it’s where? he said. “明白爲什麼戰爭要在森林裏進行，爲什麼這是對每個人最好的——包括森林居民在內？” “呃……” “長遠地看。” “呃，嗯。” 於是，使者把理由弄清楚了，啓程返回森林。但當他回到那兒——當他走在森林中、走在樹底下時，他發現，自己唯一記得的，就是那談話過程是多麼的清晰明瞭。具體內容他已經完全忘記了。 當然，這麼一來，當部落人和王子們一路燒殺、踏進森林、砍死每一個遭遇的森林居民時，不知道理由倒也不錯。 普啦刻停了下來，咳了好一會兒。 “我就是那個使者，”他說，“你們這艘飛船一出現，戰爭就爆發了。相當殘酷。我這邊死了很多人。我以爲自己可以帶回理由。我去找王子們的首領，他告訴我了。但回來的路上，它從我腦中溜走了，像陽光下的雪一樣，化掉了。那已經是很久以前的事。在那之後，又發生了很多事。” 他看着阿瑟，溫和地笑了笑。 “關於吃真話藥以後所說的事，除了青蛙，我還記得一件。那是神給他的造物留下的最後訊息。你們想聽嗎？” 衆人遲疑許久，不知該不該當真。 “真的，”他說，“說實話。我是認真的。” 他胸口微弱地起伏，困難地呼吸着。他的頭無力地垂着。 “剛知道的時候，我不以爲意。”他說，“但是，聽了王子們的理由之後，我非常以爲意，結果那麼快就忘了。我想，這個也許比那還要重要吧。你們想聽嗎？想聽嗎？” 衆人無話可說地點點頭。 “你們絕對想聽。如果有興趣，我建議你們去找它。它是用三十英尺高的火焰字，寫在普列留塔恩星的瑟文畢奧普斯特里大陸上的昆塔勒斯·誇茲加山脈的頂峯，這顆星是銀河系QQ7放射J伽瑪軍區的查斯恆星的第三顆行星。它被洛布的凡察謝爾陛將守衛着。” 一陣長久的沉默。最後由阿瑟開口，將它打破： “抱歉，在哪？”
