The girl laughed and stepped forward a little out of the shadow. She was tall, and had that kind of self-possessed shyness which is a great trick if you can do it.
It’s my big number, she said. I have a Master’s degree in Social Economics and can be very convincing. People love it. Especially in this city.
Goosnargh, said Ford Prefect, which was a special Betelgeusian word he used when he knew he should say something but didn’t know what it should be.
He sat on a step, took from his satchel a bottle of that Ol’ Janx Spirit and a towel. He opened the bottle and wiped the top of it with the towel, which had the opposite effect to the one intended, in that the Ol’ Janx Spirit instantly killed off millions of the germs which had been slowly building up quite a complex and enlightened civilization on the smellier patches of the towel.
Want some? he said, after he’d had a swig himself.
She shrugged and took the proffered bottle.
They sat for a while, peacefully listening to the clamour of burglar alarms in the next block.
As it happens, I’m owed a lot of money, said Ford, so if I ever get hold of it, can I come and see you then maybe?
Sure, I’ll be here, said the girl. So how much is a lot?
Fifteen years’ back pay.
For?
Writing two words.
Zarquon, said the girl. Which one took the time?
The first one. Once I’d got that the second one just came one afternoon after lunch.
A huge electronic drum kit hurtled through the window high above them and smashed itself to bits in the street in front of them.
It soon became apparent that some of the burglar alarms on the next block had been deliberately set off by one police tribe in order to lay an ambush for the other. Cars with screaming sirens converged on the area, only to find themselves being picked off by copters which came thudding through the air between the city’s mountainous tower blocks.
In fact, said Ford, having to shout now above the din, it wasn’t quite like that. I wrote an awful lot, but they just cut it down.
He took his copy of the Guide back out of his satchel.
Then the planet got demolished, he shouted. Really worthwhile job, eh? They’ve still got to pay me, though.
You work for that thing? the girl yelled back.
Yeah.
Good number.
女孩笑着，稍稍走出了阴影。她身材修长，带着一种恬静的羞涩，那种羞涩对你来说可是一种高难度技巧。
“那是给我的大客户的服务，”她说。“我有交际经济学的硕士学位并且很有说服力。人们都喜欢我这么说。特别是在这个城市。”
“古斯纳尔，”福特说，那是一个特殊的贝特吉欧西安词汇，用于当他知道自己该说些什么但却不知道说些什么的场合。
他在台阶上坐下，从包里拿出一瓶奥坚科斯之魂和一条毛巾。他把瓶子打开，用毛巾擦着瓶口，结果适得其反，上百万栖息在那条臭毛巾上的微生物刚要逐渐建立起一个复杂而开化的文明世界，就被酒精立刻消灭了。
“来一点？”在自己猛灌了一大口之后，他说到。
她耸了耸肩，接过那个瓶子。
他们坐了一会儿，静静地聆听着临近街区的防盗警报在吵闹。
“不巧别人欠了我一大笔钱，”福特说，“那么如果有朝一日我把它拿回来了，是不是可以来找你？”
“当然，我会在这儿的，”女孩说。“那么那笔钱有多少？”
“十五年的薪水。”
“为了？”
“写两个词。”
“扎昆大神（注1）啊，”女孩说。“哪个词花了那么长时间？”
“第一个词。第二个词是在一个午饭后的下午偶得的。”
一套巨大的电子鼓从上方的窗户中飞出，在他们面前的大街上摔成了一个个比特（注2）。
事情很快明朗起来，临近街区的警铃被一个警察派系有意关闭，以伏击另一个警察派系。嘶吼着警笛的车聚到这一片，却发现自己被从林立的高塔街区中呼啸而至的直升机给提溜起来了。
“实际上，”福特不得不叫喊着以盖过噪音，“并不完全是那样。我其实写了一大坨东西，但他们给删减了。”
他把自己的《银河系漫游指南》从包里掏出来。
“接着那个星球就被毁了，”他喊着。“真是很划算的工作，嗯？但他们仍然得付我钱。”
“你为那玩意儿工作？”女孩吼了回去。
“是哦。”
“好家伙。”