經典科幻文學:《 再見 多謝你們的魚》第20章2
They found a patch of grass which was relatively free of couples actually lying on top of each other and sat and watched the stunning ducks and the low sunlight rippling on the water which ran beneath the stunning ducks.
A story, said Fenchurch, cuddling his arm to her.
Which will tell you something of the sort of things that happen to me. It’s absolutely true.
You know sometimes people tell you stories that are supposed to be something that happened to their wife’s cousin’s best friend, but actually probably got made up somewhere along the line.
Well, it’s like one of those stories, except that it actually happened, and I know it actually happened, because the person it actually happened to was me.
Like the raffle ticket.
Arthur laughed. Yes. I had a train to catch, he went on. I arrived at the station…
Did I ever tell you, interrupted Fenchurch, what happened to my parents in a station?
Yes, said Arthur, you did.
Just checking.
Arthur glanced at his watch. I suppose we could think of getting back, he said.
Tell me the story, said Fenchurch firmly. You arrived at the station.
I was about twenty minutes early. I’d got the time of the train wrong. I suppose it is at least equally possible, he added after a moment’s reflection, that British Rail had got the time of the train wrong. Hadn’t occurred to me before.
Get on with it. Fenchurch laughed.
So I bought a newspaper, to do the crossword, and went to the buffet to get a cup of coffee.
You do the crossword?
Yes.
Which one?
The Guardian usually.
I think it tries to be too cute. I prefer the Times. Did you solve it?
What?
The crossword in the Guardian.
I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet, said Arthur, I’m still trying to buy the coffee.
All right then. Buy the coffee.
I’m buying it. I am also, said Arthur, buying some biscuits.
What sort?
Rich Tea.
Good choice.
他們在到處是相互躺在身上的情侶的草地上奇蹟般地找到了一片空地，然後坐了下來，看着美妙的鴨子和美妙的鴨子下面潺潺流水上夕陽倒映着的粼粼波光。
“一個故事，”芬琪詩說着，摟住他的胳臂。
“將會告訴你一些發生在我身上的事兒。這是千真萬確的故事。”
“你知道，有的時候人們給你講據說是發生在他們的老婆的表哥的好朋友身上的奇異故事，但其實很可能就是東拼西湊胡謅出來的。”
“好吧，它有點像那種故事，除了它確實發生過，而且我知道它確實發生過，因爲它確實就發生在我身上。”
“就好像那張彩票。”
阿瑟樂了。“對。我當時要趕火車。”他繼續道，“我到了車站……”
“我有沒有跟你說過，”芬琪詩打斷他，“我父母在車站裏的事？”
“是的，”阿瑟說，“你說了。”
“只是確認一下。”
阿瑟瞄了一眼表。“我認爲我們可以往回走了。”他說。
“給我講那個故事，”芬琪詩堅定地說。“你到了車站。”
“我大概早了二十分鐘。我搞錯了列車時刻。我認爲這至少有相同的可能性，”他沉思了一會補充道，“是不列顛鐵路局搞錯了列車時刻。我以前從沒碰上這種事。”
“繼續說啊。”芬琪詩笑着說。
“所以我買了份報紙，去做填字遊戲，然後去小賣部買了杯咖啡。”
“你做填字遊戲？”
“是啊。”
“那份報紙的？”
“通常是《衛報》的。”
“我覺得衛報的太做作了。我更喜歡《泰晤士報》的。你解決它了麼？”
“啥？”
“《衛報》的填字遊戲。”
“我根本來不及看，”阿瑟說，“我仍然要去買咖啡。”
“那麼好吧。買咖啡。”
“我在買咖啡。同時我也，”阿瑟說，“買一些餅乾。”
“什麼類型的？”
“富茶餅乾（注2）。”
“明智之選。”
