经典科幻文学:《 基本上无害 Mostly Harmless》 第9章7

‘I’ve eaten, thanks,’ said Arthur. ‘No, really. I’ve eaten.’

“我吃过了，谢谢。”阿瑟急忙说，“真的不必，我吃过了。”

‘I’m sure you have,’ said the old lady. She stirred with the stick. After a few minutes she fished a lump of something out, blew on it to cool it a little, and then put it in her mouth.

“当然当然。”老妇人说。她继续拿棍子搅她的肉汤。几分钟之后她捞出了块什么东西，吹几口气让它凉下来，然后把它塞进嘴里。

She chewed on it thoughtfully for a bit.

她若有所思地嚼了一会。

Then she hobbled slowly across to the pile of dead goat-like things. She spat the lump out on to the pile. She hobbled slowly back to the can. She tried to unhook it from the sort of tripod-like thing that it was hanging from.

然后她跛着腿，慢吞吞地走到那堆长的好像山羊的东西跟前，把嘴里的那一团吐到上头，又跛着腿慢吞吞地走回锡锅旁边。他想把锅子从那个三脚架一样的东西上解下来。

‘Can I help you?’ said Arthur, jumping up politely. He hurried over.

“要帮忙吗？”阿瑟颇为礼貌地一跃而起，快步上前。

Together they disengaged the tin from the tripod and carried it awkwardly down the slight slope that led downwards from her cave and towards a line of scrubby and gnarled trees, which marked the edge of a steep but quite shallow gully, from which a whole new range of offensive smells was emanating.

他俩齐心协力解下了锡锅。从她的洞口往外是一个角度不大的下坡，顺着坡往下走就会看见一排矮小粗壮的树木，这排树守在一条陡峭却并不太深的水沟边缘。一阵全新的恐怖气味正从沟里往外弥漫。

‘Ready?’ said the old lady.

“准备好了？”老妇人问。

‘Yes…’ said Arthur, though he didn’t know for what.

“恩……”阿瑟回答道，尽管他并不明白自己这是准备好干嘛。

‘One,’ said the old lady.

“一。”老妇人说。

‘Two,’ she said.

“二。”她说。

‘Three,’ she added.

“三。”她又说。

Arthur realised just in time what she intended. Together they tossed the contents of the tin into the gully.

阿瑟在最后一瞬间及时破解了她的意图。他们一道把锅里的东西倒进了水沟。