da.therestaurantattheendoftheuniverse-第15部分

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　　〃No；〃　said　Zaphod；　〃I　do　not　mean　everything's　under　control。　That　would　not　be　cool　and　froody。　If　you　want　to　know　what　happened　let's　just　say　I　had　the　whole　situation　in　my　pocket。　OK？〃
　　Ford　shrugged。
　　Zaphod　giggled　into　his　drink。　It　frothed　up　over　the　side　of　the　glass　and　started　to　eat　its　way　into　the　marble　bar　top。
　　A　wild…skinned　sky…gypsy　approached　them　and　played　electric　violin　at　them　until　Zaphod　gave　him　a　lot　of　money　and　he　agreed　to　go　away　again。
　　The　gypsy　approached　Arthur　and　Trillian　sitting　in　another　part　of　the　bar。
　　〃I　don't　know　what　this　place　is；〃　said　Arthur；　〃but　I　think　it　gives　me　the　creeps。〃
　　〃Have　another　drink；〃　said　Trillian；　〃Enjoy　yourself。〃
　　〃Which？〃　said　Arthur；　〃the　two　are　mutually　exclusive。〃
　　〃Poor　Arthur；　you're　not　really　cut　out　for　this　life　are　you？〃
　　〃You　call　this　life？〃
　　〃You're　beginning　to　sound　like　Marvin。〃
　　〃Marvin's　the　clearest　thinker　I　know。　How　do　you　think　we　make　this　violinist　go　away？〃
　　The　waiter　approached。
　　〃Your　table　is　ready；〃　he　said。
　　Seen　from　the　outside；　which　it　never　is；　the　Restaurant　resembles　a　giant　glittering　starfish　beached　on　a　forgotten　rock。　Each　of　its　arms　houses　the　bars；　the　kitchens；　the　forcefield　generators　which　protect　the　entire　structure　and　the　decayed　planet　on　which　it　sits；　and　the　Time　Turbines　which　slowly　rock　the　whole　affair　backwards　and　forwards　across　the　crucial　moment。
　　In　the　centre　sits　the　gigantic　golden　dome；　almost　a　plete　globe；　and　it　was　into　this　area　that　Zaphod；　Ford；　Arthur　and　Trillian　now　passed。
　　At　least　five　tons　of　glitter　alone　had　gone　into　it　before　them；　and　covered　every　available　surface。　The　other　surfaces　were　not　available　because　they　were　already　encrusted　with　jewels；　precious　sea　shells　from　Santraginus；　gold　leaf；　mosaic　tiles；　lizard　skins　and　a　million　unidentifiable　embellishments　and　decorations。　Glass　glittered；　silver　shone；　gold　gleamed；　Arthur　Dent　goggled。
　　〃Wowee；〃　said　Zaphod；　〃Zappo。〃
　　〃Incredible！〃　breathed　Arthur；　〃the　people。。。！　The　things。。。！〃
　　〃The　things；〃　said　Ford　Prefect　quietly；　〃are　also　people。〃
　　〃The　people。。。〃　resumed　Arthur；　〃the。。。　other　people。。。〃
　　〃The　lights。。。！〃　said　Trillian。
　　〃The　tables。。。〃　said　Arthur。
　　〃The　clothes。。。！〃　said　Trillian。
　　The　waiter　thought　they　sounded　like　a　couple　of　bailiffs。
　　〃The　End　of　the　Universe　is　very　popular；〃　said　Zaphod　threading　his　way　unsteadily　through　the　throng　of　tables；　some　made　of　marble；　some　of　rich　ultra…mahagony；　some　even　of　platinum；　and　at　each　a　party　of　exotic　creatures　chatting　amongst　themselves　and　studying　menus。
　　〃People　like　to　dress　up　for　it；〃　continued　Zaphod；　〃Gives　it　a　sense　of　occasion。〃
　　The　tables　were　fanned　out　in　a　large　circle　around　a　central　stage　area　where　a　small　band　were　playing　light　music；　at　least　a　thousand　tables　was　Arthur's　guess；　and　interspersed　amongst　them　were　swaying　palms；　hissing　fountains；　grotesque　statuary；　in　short　all　the　paraphernalia　mon　to　all　Restaurants　where　little　expense　has　been　spared　to　give　the　impression　that　no　expense　has　been　spared。　Arthur　glanced　around；　half　expecting　to　see　someone　making　an　American　Express　mercial。
　　Zaphod　lurched　into　Ford；　who　lurched　back　into　Zaphod。
　　〃Wowee；〃　said　Zaphod。
　　〃Zappo；〃　said　Ford。
　　〃My　great　granddaddy　must　have　really　screwed　up　the　puter's　works；　you　know；〃　said　Zaphod；　〃I　told　it　to　take　us　to　the　nearest　place　to　eat　and　it　sends　us　to　the　End　of　the　Universe。　Remind　me　to　be　nice　to　it　one　day。〃
　　He　paused。
　　〃Hey；　everybody's　here　you　know。　Everybody　who　was　anybody。〃
　　〃Was？〃　said　Arthur。
　　〃At　the　End　of　the　Universe　you　have　to　use　the　past　tense　a　lot；〃　said　Zaphod；　〃'cos　everything's　been　done　you　know。　Hi；　guys；〃　he　called　out　to　a　nearby　party　of　giant　iguana　lifeforms；　〃How　did　you　do？〃
　　〃Is　that　Zaphod　Beeblebrox？〃　asked　one　iguana　of　another　iguana。
　　〃I　think　so；〃　replied　the　second　iguana。
　　〃Well　doesn't　that　just　take　the　biscuit；〃　said　the　first　iguana。
　　〃Funny　old　thing；　life；〃　said　the　second　iguana。
　　〃It's　what　you　make　of　it；〃　said　the　first　and　they　lapsed　back　into　silence。　They　were　waiting　for　the　greatest　show　in　the　Universe。
　　〃Hey；　Zaphod；〃　said　Ford；　grabbing　for　his　arm　and；　on　account　of　the　third　Pan　Galactic　Gargle　Blaster；　missing。　He　pointed　a　swaying　finger。
　　〃There's　an　old　mate　of　mine；〃　he　said；　〃Hotblack　Desiato！　See　the　man　at　the　platinum　table　with　the　platinum　suit　on？〃
　　Zaphod　tried　to　follow　Ford's　finger　with　his　eyes　but　it　made　him　feel　dizzy。　Finally　he　saw。
　　〃Oh　yeah；〃　he　said；　then　recognition　came　a　moment　later。　〃Hey；〃　he　said；　〃did　that　guy　ever　make　it　megabig！　Wow；　bigger　than　the　biggest　thing　ever。　Other　than　me。〃
　　〃Who's　he　supposed　to　be？〃　asked　Trillian。
　　〃Hotblack　Desiato？〃　said　Zaphod　in　astonishment；　〃you　don't　know？　You　never　heard　of　Disaster　Area？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Trillian；　who　hadn't。
　　〃The　biggest；〃　said　Ford；　〃loudest。。。〃
　　〃Richest。。。〃　suggested　Zaphod。
　　〃。。。　rock　band　in　the　history　of。。。〃　he　searched　for　the　word。
　　〃。。。　history　itself；〃　said　Zaphod。
　　〃No；〃　said　Trillian。
　　〃Zowee；〃　said　Zaphod；　〃here　we　are　at　the　End　of　the　Universe　and　you　haven't　even　lived　yet。　Did　you　miss　out。〃
　　He　led　her　off　to　where　the　waiter　had　been　waiting　all　this　time　at　the　table。　Arthur　followed　them　feeling　very　lost　and　alone。
　　Ford　waded　off　through　the　throng　to　renew　an　old　acquaintance。
　　〃Hey；　er；　Hotblack；〃　he　called　out；　〃how　you　doing？　Great　to　see　you　big　boy；　how's　the　noise？　You're　looking　great；　really　very；　very　fat　and　unwell。　Amazing。〃　He　slapped　the　man　on　the　back　and　was　mildly　surprised　that　it　seemed　to　elicit　no　response。　The　Pan　Galactic　Gargle　Blasters　swirling　round　inside　him　told　him　to　plunge　on　regardless。
　　〃Remember　the　old　days？〃　he　said；　〃We　used　to　hang　out；　right？　The　Bistro　Illegal；　remember？　Slim's　Throat　Emporium？　The　Evildrome　Boozarama；　great　days　eh？〃
　　Hotblack　Desiato　offered　no　opinion　as　to　whether　they　were　great　days　or　not。　Ford　was　not　perturbed。
　　〃And　when　we　were　hungry　we'd　pose　as　public　health　inspectors；　you　remember　that？　And　go　around　confiscating　meals　and　drinks　right？　Till　we　got　food　poisoning。　Oh；　and　then　there　were　the　long　nights　of　talking　and　drinking　in　those　smelly　rooms　above　the　Cafe　Lou　in　Gretchen　Town；　New　Betel；　and　you　were　always　in　the　next　room　trying　to　write　songs　on　your　ajuitar　and　we　all　hated　them。　And　you　said　you　didn't　care；　and　we　said　we　did　because　we　hated　them　so　much。〃　Ford's　eyes　were　beginning　to　mist　over。
　　〃And　you　said　you　didn't　want　to　be　a　star；〃　he　continued；　wallowing　in　nostalgia；　〃because　you　despised　the　star　system。　And　we　said；　Hadra　and　Sulijoo　and　me；　that　we　didn't　think　you　had　the　option。　And　what　do　you　do　now？　You　buy　star　systems！〃
　　He　turned　and　solicited　the　attention　of　those　at　nearby　tables。
　　〃Here；〃　he　said；　〃is　a　man　who　buys　star　systems！〃
　　Hotblack　Desiato　made　no　attempt　either　to　confirm　or　deny　this　fact；　and　the　attention　of　the　temporary　audience　waned　rapidly。
　　〃I　think　someone's　drunk；〃　muttered　a　purple　bush…like　being　into　his　wine　glass。
　　Ford　staggered　slightly；　and　sat　down　heavily　on　the　chair　facing　Hotblack　Desiato。
　　〃What's　that　number　you　do？〃　he　said；　unwisely　grabbing　at　a　bottle　for　support　and　tipping　it　over　…　into　a　nearby　glass　as　it　happened。　Not　to　waste　a　happy　accident；　he　drained　the　glass。
　　〃That　really　huge　number；〃　he　continued；　〃how　does　it　go？　'Bwarm！　Bwarm！　Baderr！！'　something；　and　in　the　stage　act　you　do　it　ends　up　with　this　ship　crashing　right　into　the　sun；　and　you　actually　do　it！〃
　　Ford　crashed　his　fist　into　his　other　hand　to　illustrate　this　feat　graphically。　He　knocked　the　bottle　over　again。
　　〃Ship！　Sun！　Wham　bang！〃　he　cried。　〃I　mean　forget　lasers　and　stuff；　you　guys　are　into　solar　flares　and　real　sunburn！　Oh；　and　terrible　songs。〃
　　His　eyes　followed　the　stream　of　liquid　glugging　out　of　the　bottle　on　to　the　table。　Something　ought　to　be　done　about　it；　he　thought。
　　〃Hey；　you　want　a　drink？〃　he　said。　It　began　to　sink　into　his　squelching　mind　that　something　was　missing　from　this　reunion；　and　that　the　missing　something　was　in　some　way　connected　with　the　fact　that　the　fat　man　sitting　opposite　him　in　the　platinum　suit　and　the　silvery　trilby　had　not　yet　said　〃Hi；　Ford〃　or　〃Great　to　see　you　after　all　this　time；〃　or　in　fact　anything　at　all。　More　to　the　point　he　had　not　yet　even　moved。
　　〃Hotblack？〃　said　Ford。
　　A　large　meaty　hand　landed　on　his　shoulder　from　behind　and　pushed　him　aside。　He　slid　gracelessly　off　his　seat　and　peered　upwards　to　see　if　he　could　spot　the　owner　of　this　discourteous　hand。　The　owner　was　not　hard　to　spot；　on　account　of　his　being　something　of　the　order　of　seven　feet　tall　and　not　slightly　built　with　it。　In　fact　he　was　built　the　way　one　builds　leather　sofas；　shiny；　lumpy　and　with　lots　of　solid　stuffing。　The　suit　into　which　the　man's　body　had　been　stuffed　looked　as　if　it's　only　purpose　in　life　was　to　demonstrate　how　difficult　it　was　to　get　this　sort　of　body　into　a　suit。　The　face　had　the　texture　o