經典科幻文學:《生命 宇宙及一切》第29章1

Chapter 29
Tell us, said the thin, pale-faced Krikkiter who had stepped forward from the ranks of the others and stood uncertainly in the circle of torchlight, handling his gun as if he was just holding it for someone else who’d just popped off somewhere but would be back in a minute, do you know anything about something called the Balance of Nature?
There was no reply from their captives, or at least nothing more Articulate than a few confused mumbles and grunts. The torchlight continued to play over them. High in the sky above them dark activity continued in the Robot zones.
It’s just, continued the Krikkiter uneasily, something we heard about, probably nothing important. Well, I suppose we’d better kill you then. He looked down at his gun as if he was trying to find which bit to press.
That is, he said, looking up again, unless there’s anything you want to chat about?
Slow, numb astonishment crept up the bodies of Slartibartfast, Ford and Arthur. Very soon it would reach their brains, which were at the moment solely occupied with moving their jawbones up and down. Trillian was shaking her head as if trying to finish a jigsaw by shaking the box.
We’re worried, you see, said another man from the crowd, about this plan of universal destruction.
Yes, added another, and the balance of nature. It just seemed to us that if the whole of the rest of the Universe is destroyed it will somehow upset the balance of nature. We’re quite keen on ecology, you see. His voice trailed away unhappily.
And sport, said another, loudly. This got a cheer of approval from the others.
Yes, agreed the first, and sport… He looked back at his fellows uneasily and scratched fitfully at his cheek. He seemed to be wrestling with some deep inner confusion, as if everything he wanted to say and everything he thought were entirely different things, between which he could see no possible connection.
You see, he mumbled, some of us… and he looked around again as if for confirmation. The others made encouraging noises. Some of us, he continued, are quite keen to have sporting links with the rest of the Galaxy, and though I can see the argument about keeping sport out of politics, I think that if we want to have sporting links with the rest of the Galaxy, which we do, then it’s probably a mistake to destroy it. And indeed the rest of the Universe… his voice trailed away again –… which is what seems to be the idea now…
Wh… said Slartibartfast. Wh…
Hhhh… ? said Arthur.
Dr… said Ford Prefect.
OK, said Trillian. Let’s talk about it. She walked forward and took the poor confused Krikkiter by the arm. He looked about twenty-five, which meant, because of the peculiar manglings of time that had been going on in this area, that he would have been just twenty when the Krikkit Wars were finished, ten billion years ago.
Trillian led him for a short walk through the torchlight before she said anything more. He stumbled uncertainly after her. The encircling torch beams were drooping now slightly as if they were abdicating to this strange, quiet girl who alone in the Universe of dark confusion seemed to know what she was doing.
She turned and faced him, and lightly held both his arms. He was a picture of bewildered misery.
Tell me, she said.

29
“請告訴我們，”那位瘦削、蒼白的版求人站了出來，其他人站在後面，映着電筒的光，有些不知所措。說話人手上有把槍，可看他的樣子，彷彿只是替某人拿着，而那個人很快就會回來似的，“你們瞭解‘大自然的平衡’這個東西嗎？”
俘虜們一言不發。他們最多算是發出了一些迷惑的咕噥聲。光柱投在他們身上。他們頭頂的天空中，仍是那些機器人戰區。
“只不過是……”版求人有點緊張地說，“我們聽說的一點東西而已。也許並不重要。嗯……我想我們還是殺了你們吧。”他低頭看看槍，彷彿在找該按哪兒似的。
“或者……”他又擡頭說道，“你們還想聊點什麼？”
司拉提巴特法斯、福特和阿瑟，覺得後背一陣麻木。他們的腦子也快麻木了。不過，現在腦子還在忙於努力控制下巴張開的程度。崔莉安搖着頭，像是想用搖盒子的辦法拼出拼圖一樣。
“你們瞧，”對方的另一個人開口道，“我們有點擔心那個摧毀宇宙的計劃。”
“是的。”第一個人說，“還有大自然的平衡。因爲，如果把宇宙其他地方都毀掉，可能損害到大自然的平衡。我們很重視環保的。你們瞧……”他說着說着，聲音低了下來，似乎有點不快。
“還有體育！”又一個人大聲說道，引起不少贊同之聲。
“是的，”第一個表示同意，“還有體育……”他回頭望了望同伴們，撓撓臉頰，似乎正與自己內心深處的迷惑作鬥爭，好象他要說的都不是自己真正所想，甚至沒有任何聯繫似的。
“你們瞧……”他嘟噥着，“我們中有些人，”他看了看其他人，似乎在尋求確認，其他人用嗯聲表示了支持。“我們中有些人，”他接着說，“很想和銀河系其他地區保持體育方面的交流——當然，關於體育要不要脫離政治也會有爭議的。我想，如果要和其他地區保持體育交流的話，那毀滅也許是個錯誤……而且，銀河系的其他地區……”他的聲音又低了下來，“似乎是……”
“什……” 司拉提巴特法斯開口道，“什……”
“怎……”阿瑟開口道。
“那……”福特開口道。
“行了。”崔莉安開口道，“咱們談談吧。”她走上前去，拉住那可憐的版求人。他約摸二十五歲，也就是說，版求戰爭結束的時候，他才二十。當然，此地的時間被扭曲過，實際上那是一百億年前了。
崔莉安帶着他，一言不發地往前走。他不知所措地跟着她。四周的光柱也弱了下來，似乎大家都只得聽從這位女孩的領導，因爲她是黑暗矇昧的宇宙中唯一一位清醒的人了。
她轉向他，輕輕抓住他的雙臂。他則是一臉的憂鬱和迷茫。
“告訴我吧。”她說。