da.therestaurantattheendoftheuniverse-第33章
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mind？〃
Zarniwoop stared at him。 The steam began to rise from his sodden clothes。
〃So you answer all questions like this？〃 he said。
The man answered quickly。
〃I say what it occurs to me to say when I think I hear people say things。 More I cannot say。〃
Zaphod laughed happily。
〃I'll drink to that；〃 he said and pulled out the bottle of Janx spirit。 He leaped up and handed the bottle to the ruler of the Universe； who took it with pleasure。
〃Good on you； great ruler；〃 he said； 〃tell it like it is。〃
〃No； listen to me；〃 said Zarniwoop； 〃people e to you do they？ In ships。。。〃
〃I think so；〃 said the man。 He handed the bottle to Trillian。
〃And they ask you；〃 said Zarniwoop； 〃to take decisions for them？ About people's lives； about worlds； about economies； about wars； about everything going on out there in the Universe？〃
〃Out there？〃 said the man； 〃out where？〃
〃Out there！〃 said Zarniwoop pointing at the door。
〃How can you tell there's anything out there；〃 said the man politely； 〃the door's closed。〃
The rain continued to pound the roof。 Inside the shack it was warm。
〃But you know there's a whole Universe out there！〃 cried Zarniwoop。 〃You can't dodge your responsibilities by saying they don't exist！〃
The ruler of the Universe thought for a long while whilst Zarniwoop quivered with anger。
〃You're very sure of your facts；〃 he said at last； 〃I couldn't trust the thinking of a man who takes the Universe … if there is one … for granted。〃
Zarniwoop still quivered； but was silent。
〃I only decide about my Universe；〃 continued the man quietly。 〃My Universe is my eyes and my ears。 Anything else is hearsay。〃
〃But don't you believe in anything？〃
The man shrugged and picked up his cat。
〃I don't understand what you mean；〃 he said。
〃You don't understand that what you decide in this shack of yours affects the lives and fates of millions of people？ This is all monstrously wrong！〃
〃I don't know。 I've never met all these people you speak of。 And neither； I suspect； have you。 They only exist in words we hear。 It is folly to say you know what is happening to other people。 Only they know； if they exist。 They have their own Universes of their own eyes and ears。〃
Trillian said：
〃I think I'm just popping outside for a moment。〃
She left and walked into the rain。
〃Do you believe other people exist？〃 insisted Zarniwoop。
〃I have no opinion。 How can I say？〃
〃I'd better see what's up with Trillian；〃 said Zaphod and slipped out。
Outside； he said to her：
〃I think the Universe is in pretty good hands； yeah？〃
〃Very good；〃 said Trillian。 They walked off into the rain。
Inside； Zarniwoop continued。
〃But don't you understand that people live or die on your word？〃
The ruler of the Universe waited for as long as he could。 When he heard the faint sound of the ship's engines starting he spoke to cover it。
〃It's nothing to do with me；〃 he said； 〃I am not involved with people。 The Lord knows I am not a cruel man。〃
〃Ah！〃 barked Zarniwoop； 〃you say 'The Lord'。 You believe in something！〃
〃My cat；〃 said the man benignly； picking it up and stroking it； 〃I call him The Lord。 I am kind to him。〃
〃Alright；〃 said Zarniwoop； pressing home his point； 〃How do you know he exists？ How do you know he knows you to be kind； or enjoys what he thinks of as your kindness？〃
〃I don't；〃 said the man with a smile； 〃I have no idea。 It merely pleases me to behave in a certain way to what appears to be a cat。 Do you behave any differently？ Please； I think I am tired。〃
Zarniwoop heaved a thoroughly dissatisfied sigh and looked about。
〃Where are the other two？〃 he said suddenly。
〃What other two？〃 said the ruler of the Universe； settling back into his chair and refilling his whisky glass。
〃Beeblebrox and the girl！ The two who were here！〃
〃I remember no one。 The past is a fiction to account for。。。〃
〃Stuff it；〃 snapped Zarniwoop and ran out into the rain。 There was no ship。 The rain continued to churn the mud。 There was no sign to show where the ship had been。 He hollered into the rain。 He turned and ran back to the shack and found it locked。
The ruler of the Universe dozed lightly in his chair。 After a while he played with the pencil and the paper again and was delighted when he discovered how to make a mark with the one on the other。 Various noises continued outside； but he didn't know whether they were real or not。 He then talked to his table for a week to see how it would react。
Chapter 30
The stars came out that night； dazzling in their brilliance and clarity。 Ford and Arthur had walked more miles than they had any means of judging and finally stopped to rest。 The night was cool and balmy； the air pure； the Sub…Etha Sens…O…Matic totally silent。
A wonderful stillness hung over the world； a magical calm which bined with the soft fragrances of the woods； the quiet chatter of insects and the brilliant light of the stars to soothe their jangled spirits。 Even Ford Prefect； who had seen more worlds than he could count on a long afternoon； was moved to wonder if this was the most beautiful he had ever seen。 All that day they had passed through rolling green hills and valleys； richly covered with grasses； wild scented flowers and tall thickly leaved trees； the sun had warmed them； light breezes had kept them cool； and Ford Prefect had checked his Sub…Etha Sens…O…Matic at less and less frequent intervals； and had exhibited less and less annoyance at its continued silence。 He was beginning to think he liked it here。
Cool though the night air was they slept soundly and fortably in the open and awoke a few hours later with the light dewfall feeling refreshed but hungry。 Ford had stuffed some small rolls into his satchel at Milliways and they breakfasted off those before moving on。
So far they had wandered purely at random； but now they struck out firmly eastwards； feeling that if they were going to explore this world they should have some clear idea of where they had e from and where they were going。
Shortly before noon they had their first indication that the world they had landed on was not an uninhabited one： a half glimpsed face amongst the trees； watching them。 It vanished at the moment they both saw it； but the image they were both left with was of a humanoid creature； curious to see them but not alarmed。 Half an hour later they glimpsed another such face； and ten minutes after that another。
A minute later they stumbled into a wide clearing and stopped short。
Before them in the middle of the clearing stood a group of about two dozen men and women。 They stood still and quiet facing Ford and Arthur。 Around some of the women huddled some small children and behind the group was a ramshackle array of small dwellings made of mud and branches。
Ford and Arthur held their breath。
The tallest of the men stood a little over five feet high； they all stooped forward slightly； had longish arms and lowish foreheads； and clear bright eyes with which they stared intently at the strangers。
Seeing that they carried no weapons and made no move towards them； Ford and Arthur relaxed slightly。
For a while the two groups simply stared at each other； neither side making any move。 The natives seemed puzzled by the intruders； and whilst they showed no sign of aggression they were quite clearly not issuing any invitations。
For a full two minutes nothing continued to happen。
After two minutes Ford decided it was time something happened。
〃Hello；〃 he said。
The women drew their children slightly closer to them。
The men made hardly any discernible move and yet their whole disposition made it clear that the greeting was not wele … it was not resented in any great degree； it was just not wele。
One of the men； who had been standing slightly forward of the rest of the group and who might therefore have been their leader； stepped forward。 His face was quiet and calm； almost serene。
〃Ugghhhuuggghhhrrrr uh uh ruh uurgh；〃 he said quietly。
This caught Arthur by surprise。 He had grown so used to receiving an instantane
