經典科幻文學:《 基本上無害 Mostly Harmless》 第12章3
‘Up, up, up!’
“上，上，上！”
A slug was preparing to launch a rocket at him. Ford couldn’t believe it. He was hanging from a towel in mid-air and a slug was preparing to fire rockets at him. He was running out of anything he could think of doing and was beginning to get seriously alarmed.
一條鼻涕蟲正準備向他發射導彈。福特簡直不敢相信自己的眼睛，他抓着毛巾懸在半空，而一條鼻涕蟲還準備拿導彈打他。別的招數他再也想不出來了。現在福特貨真價實地緊張起來。
This was the sort of predicament that he usually relied on having the Guide available for to give advice, however infuriating or glib, but this was not a moment for reaching into his pocket. And the Guide seemed to be no longer a friend and ally but was now itself a source of danger. These were the Guide offices he was hanging outside, for Zark’s sake, in danger of his life from the people who now appeared to own the thing. What had become of all the dreams he vaguely remembered having on the Bwenelli Atoll? They should have let it all be. They should have stayed there. Stayed on the beach. Loved good women. Lived on fish. He should have known it was all wrong the moment they started hanging grand pianos over the sea-monster pool in the atrium. He began to feel thoroughly wasted and miserable. His fingers were on fire with clenched pain. And his ankle was still hurting.
過去遇到這種狀況，他通常都會依賴《指南》爲自己提供的建議，無論它的建議多麼油腔滑調，多麼讓他火冒三丈，但現在可不是往包裏伸手的時候。而且，《指南》似乎也不再是他的老夥計和盟友，反而變成了危險的源泉。看在老天的份上，他現在就掛在《指南》的大樓外邊，生命安全被那些似乎掌握了大樓所有權的傢伙威脅着。他隱約回想起他們在布溫內利.阿托爾的那些夢想，它們都哪兒去了？他們本該就那樣算了。他們本該留在那兒，留在海灘上，愛那些好女人，把魚當飯吃。他們剛開始在前庭的海怪水池上掛大鋼琴的時候他就該想到，這一切最後肯定沒有好結果。福特開始覺得自己虛弱悲慘到了極點。他的手指抓的太緊，好像着了火，而且他的腳踝也仍然在痛。
Oh thank you, ankle, he thought to himself bitterly. Thank you for bringing up your problems at this time. I expect you’d like a nice warm footbath to make you feel better, wouldn’t you? Or at least you’d like me to…
哦，真是多謝你，腳踝，他苦哈哈地想。謝謝你在這種時候提起你的麻煩。我猜你是想熱乎乎地洗個腳好舒服舒服，唔？或者你至少想要我……
He had an idea.
他有了個主意。
