經典科幻文學:《生命 宇宙及一切》第10章4

They were left standing on a quiet hilltop on a tranquil evening.
The sun was setting. All around them softly undulating green countryside rolled off gently into the distance. Birds sang about what they thought of it all, and the general opinion seemed to be good. A little way away could be heard the sound of children playing, and a little further away than the apparent source of that sound could be seen in the dimming evening light the outlines of a small town.
The town appeared to consist mostly of fairly low buildings made of white stone. The skyline was of gentle pleasing curves.
The sun had nearly set.
As if out of nowhere, music began. SlArtibartfast tugged at a switch and it stopped.
A voice said, “This…” Slartibartfast tugged at a switch and it stopped.
I will tell you about it, he said quietly.
The place was peaceful. Arthur felt happy. Even Ford seemed cheerful. They walked a short way in the direction of the town, and the Informational Illusion of the grass was pleasant and springy under their feet, and the Informational Illusion of the flowers smelt sweet and fragrant. Only Slartibartfast seemed apprehensive and out of sorts.
He stopped and looked up.
It suddenly occurred to Arthur that, coming as this did at the end, so to speak, or rather the beginning of all the horror they had just blurredly experienced, something nasty must be about to happen. He was distressed to think that something nasty could happen to somewhere as idyllic as this. He too glanced up. There was nothing in the sky.
They’re not about to attack here, are they? he said. He realized that this was merely a recording he was walking through, but he still felt alarmed.
Nothing is about to attack here, said Slartibartfast in a voice which unexpectedly trembled with emotion. This is where it all started. This is the place itself. This is Krikkit.
He stared up into the sky.
The sky, from one horizon to another, from east to west, from north to south, was utterly and completely black.

他們正站在一座寧靜的小山上，這是一個靜謐的傍晚。
太陽正在落山。環繞身邊的，是連綿起伏、柔美的村野風光，一片綠色蔓延直至遠方。鳥兒唱着它們對此的看法，大意是覺得不錯。稍遠的地方，似乎有兒童嬉戲的聲音。比這聲音再遠一點的地方，則能看見暮色中的一座小鎮。
小鎮大約由許多矮矮的白色石頭房子組成。天空映襯之下，它們有着優美的曲線。
太陽就要落山了。
不知從哪兒響起一陣音樂。司拉提巴特法斯急忙拉下一個開關，音樂停了。
一個聲音開口道：“這……”司拉提巴特法斯急忙拉下一個開關，聲音停了。
“我會告訴你們的。”他輕輕地說。
這是個祥和的地方。阿瑟心情愉悅，連福特也很開心。他們朝小鎮的方向走了一點路，草地的信息幻影十分鮮美，踩在腳下頗有彈性。花兒的信息幻影芳香撲鼻。只有司拉提巴特法斯表情驚惶不安。
他停步仰望。
阿瑟突然想到，帶子的結局已經看過了，一切災難他們剛纔也瀏覽過了。那就是說，馬上會有可怕的事發生。一想到可怕的事會發生在如此恬靜的地方，他就覺得悲哀。他也向上望去。天上，什麼也沒有。
“他們不會攻擊這兒吧？會嗎？”他問。他知道自己只是走在錄象帶裏，但依然有點慌張。
“沒人會攻擊這兒。”司拉提巴特法斯的聲音突然有點發抖，“這就是一切開始的地方。就是它本身。這裏是版求。”
他擡頭凝望天空。
天空，從地平線的一端到另一端，從東到西，從北到南，是完全的、徹底的黑暗。