Автостопом по галактике

           Itprecededavoicethatwasequallyhollow,reedyandinsubstantial.Thevoicesaid"Greetingstoyou…"

           Someonefromthedeadplanetwastalkingtothem.

           "Computer!"shoutedZaphod.

           "Hithere!"

           "Whatthephotonisit?"

           "Oh,justsomefive-million-year-oldtapethat’sbeingbroadcastatus."

           "Awhat?Arecording?"

           "Shush!"saidFord."It’scarryingon."

           Thevoicewasold,courteous,almostcharming,butwasunderscoredwithquiteunmistakablemenace.

           "Thisisarecordedannouncement,"itsaid,"asI’mafraidwe’realloutatthemoment.ThecommercialcouncilofMagratheathanksyouforyouresteemedvisit…"

           ("AvoicefromancientMagrathea!"shoutedZaphod."OK,OK,"saidFord.)

           "…butregrets,"continuedthevoice,"thattheentireplanetistemporarilyclosedforbusiness.Thankyou.Ifyouwouldcaretoleaveyournameandtheaddressofaplanetwhereyoucanbecontacted,kindlyspeakwhenyouhearthetone."

           Ashortbuzzfollowed,thensilence.

           "Theywanttogetridofus,"saidTrilliannervously."Whatdowedo?"

           "It’sjustarecording,"saidZaphod."Wekeepgoing.Gotthat,computer?"

           "Igotit,"saidthecomputerandgavetheshipanextrakickofspeed.

           Theywaited.

           Afterasecondorsocamethefanfareonceagain,andthenthevoice.

           "Wewouldliketoassureyouthatassoonasourbusinessisresumedannouncementswillbemadeinallfashionablemagazinesandcoloursupplements,whenourclientswillonceagainbeabletoselectfromallthat’sbestincontemporarygeography."Themenaceinthevoicetookonasharperedge.