经典科幻文学:《 再见 多谢你们的鱼》第12章5

In the Left Luggage Office? hooted Arthur.
No, of course not. Don’t be silly. What would my parents be doing in the Left Luggage Office? she said, rather taken aback by the suggestion.
Well, I don’t know, spluttered Arthur, or rather…
It was in the ticket queue.
The…
The ticket queue. Or so they claim. They refuse to elaborate. They only say you wouldn’t believe how bored it is possible to get in the ticket queue at Fenchurch Street Station.
She sipped demurely at her tomato juice and looked at her watch.
Arthur continued to gurgle for a moment or two.
I’m going to have to go in a minute or two, said Fenchurch, and you haven’t begun to tell me whatever this terrifically extraordinary thing is that you were so keen to get off your chest.
Why don’t you let me drive you to London? said Arthur. It’s Saturday, I’ve got nothing particular to do, I’d…
No, said Fenchurch, thank you, it’s sweet of you, but no. I need to be by myself for a couple of days. She smiled and shrugged.
But…
You can tell me another time. I’ll give you my number.
Arthur’s heart went boom boom churn churn as she scribbled seven figures in pencil on a scrap of paper and handed it to him.
A box, said a trailing voice, of cherry liqueurs, and also, and I know you’ll like this, a gramophone record of Scottish bagpipe music…
Yes thank you, very nice, insisted Arthur.
I just thought I’d let you have a look at them, said the permed woman, as you’re down from London…
She was holding them out proudly for Arthur too see. He could see that they were indeed a box of cherry brandy liqueurs and a record of bagpipe music. That was what they were.
I’ll let you have your drink in peace now, she said, patting Arthur lightly on his seething shoulder, but I knew you’d like to see.
Arthur re-engaged his eyes with Fenchurch’s once again, and suddenly was at a loss for something to say. A moment had come and gone between the two of them, but the whole rhythm of it had been wrecked by that stupid, blasted woman.
Don’t worry, said Fenchurch, looking at him steadily from over the top of her glass, we will talk again. She took a sip.
Perhaps, she added, it wouldn’t have gone so well if it wasn’t for her. She gave a wry little smile and dropped her hair forward over her face again.
It was perfectly true.
He had to admit it was perfectly true.

“在失物招领处？”阿瑟尖号着。
“不，当然不是了。别傻了。我父母能在失物招领处干什么呢？”她有些诧异地说。
“好吧，我不清楚，”阿瑟结结巴巴地说，“或者......”
“是在排队买票的时候。”
“排......”
“排队买票的时候。或者至少他们是那么说的。他们拒绝进一步的说明。他们只是说你根本不能相信在芬琪诗街车站里排队买票会有多无聊。”
她故作严肃地抿了一口番茄汁，然后瞅了一眼表。
阿瑟继续咯咯笑了一会。
“再过一两分钟我就得走了，”芬琪诗说，“而你到现在都没开始讲，你那么想告诉我的那个极端非同寻常的事到底是什么。”
“你为什么不让我开车送你去伦敦？”阿瑟说。“今天是星期六，我没什么事可做，我可以......”
“不了，”芬琪诗说，“谢谢你，你人真好，但算了。我需要靠自己一个人过几天。”她微笑着耸了耸肩。
“但是......”
“你可以改天再找我聊。我给你我的电话号码。”
当她在一小片纸上草草写下七个数字并递给阿瑟时，他的心如打鼓一般怦怦直跳。
“一箱子的，”一个拉长的声音说道，“樱桃利口酒，而且还有，我知道您会喜欢这个的，一张苏格兰风笛的留声唱片......”
“好的谢谢你，非常好，”阿瑟不住地说。
“我刚想到我应该让您瞧一眼它们，”卷发女人说，“因为您是来自伦敦的......”
她自豪地把那堆东西展示给阿瑟看。他可以看到那堆东西确实就是一箱子利口酒和一张苏格兰风笛留声唱片。就是这些。
“我现在该让您安静地享用饮料了，”她轻轻地拍着阿瑟怒火中烧的肩膀，“但我知道您想要瞧一眼。”
阿瑟重新把目光聚焦在芬琪诗身上，突然间忘了自己要说什么。那一美妙时刻曾经在两人之间徘徊，但整个基调却被那个该死的蠢女人给毁了。
“别担心，”芬琪诗说着，从眼镜片的上方直直地看着阿瑟，“我们还会再见面的。”她抿了一口番茄汁。
“也许，”她又加了一句，“如果没有那个女人，事情可能不会发展的那么好。”她苦笑了一下，再次将头发垂到面颊前。
这真是太对了。
他不得不承认这真是太对了。