‘Now, Sandwich Maker! Go!’ He performed some elaborate sign and ritual handshake which Arthur couldn’t quite get the hang of because Old Thrashbarg had obviously made it up on the spur of the moment, then he pushed Arthur forward. Taking a deep breath, he clambered up behind Ford on to the great, hot, heaving back of the beast and held on tight. Huge muscles the size of sea lions rippled and flexed beneath him.

“现在，三明治大师！去吧！”刷希巴搞出好些复杂精妙的手势，又用古老的礼仪跟阿瑟握手。阿瑟对这一套全然不懂，因为它们显然都是老刷希巴临场发挥的效果。然后刷希巴推他前进，阿瑟深吸一口气，爬到热腾腾，不断起伏的宽大后背上，坐在福特身后抓紧了。在他的屁股底下，海狮一样壮硕庞大的肌肉块在起伏折叠。

Old Thrashbarg held the bird suddenly aloft. The Beast’s head swivelled up to follow it. Thrashbarg pushed upwards and upwards repeatedly with his arms and with the pikka bird; and slowly, heavily the Perfectly Normal Beast lurched up off its knees and stood, at last, swaying slightly. Its two riders held on fiercely and nervously.

老刷希巴突然把噼卡鸟举起来，兽头也跟着一扬，刷希巴不断地把胳膊和噼卡鸟往上抬。慢慢的，绝对正常兽笨重的身躯站了起来，动作稍微有些摇晃。两位骑士忐忑不安，抓得更紧了。

Arthur gazed out over the sea of hurtling animals, straining in an attempt to see where it was they were going, but there was nothing but heat haze.

阿瑟放眼望去，疾驰的绝对正常兽汇成了一片汹涌的大海；他极目远眺，想看看它们到底是去了哪儿，但除了一片蒸腾的热气眼前什么也没有。

‘Can you see anything?’ he said to Ford.

“瞧见什么了吗？”他问福特

‘No.’ Ford twisted round to glance back, trying to see if there was any clue as to where they had come from. Still, nothing.

“没，”福特扭头往回瞟了一眼，想看看是不是能搞清楚它们从哪儿来，仍然一无所获。

Arthur shouted down at Thrashbarg.

阿瑟低头对刷希巴喊话。

‘Do you know where they come from?’ he called. ‘Or where they’re going?’

“你知道它们从哪儿来吗？”他喊道，“或者要到哪里去？”

‘The domain of the King!’ shouted Old Thrashbarg back.

“王的领地！”老刷希巴喊回去。

‘King?’ shouted Arthur in surprise. ‘What King?’ The Perfectly Normal Beast was swaying and rocking restlessly under him.

“王？”阿瑟吃了一惊，“什么王？”他们身下的绝对正常兽已经开始坐立不安，摇摇晃晃。

‘What do you mean, what King?’ shouted Old Thrashbarg. ‘The King.’

“你什么意思，什么王？”老刷希巴喊道，“就是王啊！”