‘It’s just a bird!’ said Arthur impatiently. ‘It’s like any other bird. It lays eggs and goes ark at things you can’t see. Or kar or rit or something.’

“不过是只鸟！”阿瑟不耐烦了，“跟别的鸟没啥区别。它下蛋或者对着你看不见的东西瞎叫唤，噼或者是嘎，还有叽什么的。”

‘Have you seen one lay eggs?’ said Ford, suspiciously.

“你见过它下蛋吗？”福特相当多疑。

‘For heaven’s sake of course I have,’ said Arthur. ‘And I’ve eaten hundreds of them. Make rather a good omelette. The secret is little cubes of cold butter and then whipping it lightly with…’

“看在老天的份上我当然见过。”阿瑟道，“还吃过好几百个。做成煎蛋其实也挺不错的。秘诀就在于小块的冷黄油，然后轻轻搅拌……”

‘I don’t want a zarking recipe,’ said Ford. ‘I just want to be sure it’s a real bird and not some kind of multi-dimensional cybernightmare.’

“我对该死的菜谱没兴趣。”福特说，“我只想确定它真是只鸟，而不是什么多元电脑噩梦。”

He slowly stood up from his crouched position and started to brush himself down. He was still watching the bird, though.

他慢吞吞地放松了警戒姿势，开始拍打衣服。不过他的眼睛仍然盯着噼卡鸟。

‘So,’ said Old Thrashbarg to Arthur. ‘Is it written that Bob shall once more take back unto himself the benediction of his once-given sandwich maker?’

“那么，”老刷希巴对阿瑟说，“难道命运已经注定，鲍伯将召回他赐予的福音，让我们失去我们的三明治大师吗？”

Ford almost went back into his crouch.

福特差点再警戒回去。

‘It’s all right,’ muttered Arthur, ‘he always talks like that.’ Aloud, he said, ‘Ah, venerable Thrashbarg. Um, yes. I’m afraid I think I’m going to have to be popping off now. But young Drimple, my apprentice, will be a fine sandwich maker in my stead. He has the aptitude, a deep love of sandwiches, and the skills he has acquired so far, though rudimentary as yet, will, in time mature and, er, well, I think he’ll work out OK is what I’m trying to say.’

“别担心。”阿瑟喃喃道，“他从来都是那么说话的。”然后他大声说，“啊，尊敬的刷希巴。呃，是的。恐怕我的离开的确有些突然。但年轻的德林普尔，我的学徒，会代替我成为一个出色的三明治大师。他有头脑，而且深爱着三明治，迄今他所习得的技巧，尽管还不成熟，但是随着时间的推移，成熟起来，而且，呃，那个，我想我是想说他会干得不错。”

Old Thrashbarg regarded him gravely. His old grey eyes moved sadly. He held his arms aloft, one still carrying a bobbing pikka bird, the other his staff.

老刷希巴严肃地望着他，苍老的眼睛里满是忧伤，他举起了自己的胳膊，一只手上仍然拿着噼卡鸟，另一只手握着他的法杖。