經典科幻文學:《生命 宇宙及一切》第31章2
Marvin! hissed a voice.
His head snapped up, almost dislodging the intricate network of electrodes which connected him to the central Krikkit War Computer.
An inspection hatch had opened and one of a pair of unruly heads was peering through whilst the other kept on jogging it by continually darting to look this way and that extremely nervously.
Oh, it’s you, muttered the robot. I might have known.
Hey, kid, said Zaphod in astonishment, was that you singing just then?
I am, Marvin acknowledged bitterly, in particularly scintillating form at the moment.
Are you alone? he said.
Yes, said Marvin. Wearily I sit here, pain and misery my only companions. And vast intelligence of course. And infinite sorrow. And…
Yeah, said Zaphod. Hey, what’s your connection with all this?
This, said Marvin, indicating with his less damaged arm all the electrodes which connected him with the Krikkit computer.
Then, said Zaphod awkwardly, I guess you must have saved my life. Twice.
Three times, said Marvin.
Zaphod’s head snapped round (his other one was looking hawkishly in entirely the wrong direction) just in time to see the lethal killer robot directly behind him seize up and start to smoke. It staggered backwards and slumped against a wall. It slid down it. It slipped sideways, threw its head back and started to sob inconsolably.
Zaphod looked back at Marvin.
You must have a terrific outlook on life, he said.
Just don’t even ask, said Marvin.
I won’t, said Zaphod, and didn’t. Hey look, he added, you’re doing a terrific job.
Which means, I suppose, said Marvin, requiring only one ten thousand million billion trillion grillionth part of his mental powers to make this particular logical leap, that you’re not going to release me or anything like that.
Kid, you know I’d love to.
But you’re not going to.
No.
I see.
You’re working well.
“馬文！”有人輕聲喊道。
它猛地擡起頭，纏在周圍的電極、電線被繞得更亂了。
一扇安全門打開來。一個頭鬼鬼祟祟地伸了近來，另一個頭則小心翼翼地四處瞅着，緊張得不得了。
“噢，是你。”機器人咕噥着，“我早該想到的。”
“嘿，孩子。”贊福德見了它，大驚，“剛纔是你在唱歌？”
“是我。”馬文辛酸地答道，“我剛纔處於所謂的靈感閃現狀態。”
“你一個人？”贊福德問。
“是的。”馬文答道，“身心疲憊的我，唯一的同伴就是痛苦與悲涼。當然，還有巨量的智能。還有無盡的傷悲，還有——”
“嗯。”贊福德說，“嘿，你這些東西是連哪兒的？”
“這兒。”馬文舉起他傷得輕點兒的那隻手，指了指電線和版求電腦。
“這麼說，”贊福德微露窘態，“看來是你救了我，兩次。”
“三次。”馬文道。
贊福德猛一回頭（另一個頭雖然警覺十足，卻完全沒覺察到危險），才發現背後站了個機器殺手。那機器人突然僵直了身子，抽起煙來。它跌跌撞撞地退到牆邊，頹唐地靠上去，然後滑了下來，耷拉了腦袋，開始啜泣，哭得肝腸寸斷。
贊福德轉向馬文。
“你對生活一定有很棒的見解。”他說。
“別提了。”馬文道。
“我不會的。”贊福德便不再提了。“嘿瞧啊，你幹得真棒！”
“我想，你的意思是，”馬文用它大腦的十萬億兆考分之一的智能，就推出了這道邏輯題，“你不會放我出去的。”
“孩子，你知道我其實很想的。”
“但你不會的。”
“對。”
“明白了。”
“你幹得不錯。”
