‘I didn’t know,’ said Ford, ‘that you had a daughter.’

“我还不知道，”福特说，“你竟然有个女儿。”

‘Well, there’s probably a lot you don’t know about me, said Arthur. ‘Come to mention it, there’s probably a lot I don’t know about me either.’

“恩，我的情况你不知道的大概是挺多的。”阿瑟说，“说起来，我的情况我自己不知道的大概也挺多。”

‘Well, well, well. When did this happen then?’

“好吧，好吧，好吧。那么，这是什么时候的事来着？”

‘I’m not quite sure.’

“我不大确定。”

‘That sounds like more familiar territory,’ said Ford. ‘Is there a mother involved?’

“这下听起来终于有些耳熟了。”福特说，“这里头有没有涉及到母亲的问题？”

‘Trillian’

“崔莉恩。”

‘Trillian? I didn’t think that…

“崔莉恩？我还以为……”

‘No. Look, it’s a bit embarrassing.

“不，你看，这话说起来有些难堪。”

‘I remember she told me once she had a kid but only, sort of, in passing. I’m in touch with her from time to time. Never seen her with the kid.’

“我记得她跟我提过今后想要个孩子，可只不过是，你知道，随口那么一说。我时不时地也跟她联系。从没见她带着孩子。”

Arthur said nothing.

阿瑟一言不发。

Ford started to feel the side of his head again in some bemusement.

福特有些茫然似的又开始摸自己头上的大包。

‘Are you sure this was your daughter?’ he said.

“你确定她是你女儿？”他问。

‘Tell me what happened.’

“告诉我发生了什么事。”

‘Phroo. Long story. I was coming to pick up this parcel I’d sent to myself here care of you…

“呃，说来话长。我来拿我寄给自己，由你代管的那个包裹……”

‘Well, what was that all about?’

“恩，那又是怎么回事？”