Chapter 29

           "Zaphod!Wakeup!"

           "Mmmmmwwwwwerrrrr?"

           "Heycomeon,wakeup."

           "JustletmesticktowhatI’mgoodat,yeah?"mutteredZaphodandrolledawayfromthevoicebacktosleep.

           "Doyouwantmetokickyou?"saidFord.

           "Woulditgiveyoualotofpleasure?"saidZaphod,blearily.

           "No."

           "Norme.Sowhat’sthepoint?Stopbuggingme."Zaphodcurledhimselfup.

           "Hegotadoubledoseofthegas,"saidTrillianlookingdownathim,"twowindpipes."

           "Andstoptalking,"saidZaphod,"it’shardenoughtryingtosleepanyway.What’sthematterwiththeground?It’sallcoldandhard."

           "It’sgold,"saidFord.

           WithanamazinglyballeticmovementZaphodwasstandingandscanningthehorizon,becausethatwashowfarthegoldgroundstretchedineverydirection,perfectlysmoothandsolid.Itgleamedlike…it’simpossibletosaywhatitgleamedlikebecausenothingintheUniversegleamsinquitethesamewaythataplanetofsolidgolddoes.

           "Whoputallthatthere?"yelpedZaphod,goggle-eyed.

           "Don’tgetexcited,"saidFord,"it’sonlyacatalogue."

           "Awho?"

           "Acatalogue,"saidTrillian,"anillusion."

           "Howcanyousaythat?"criedZaphod,fallingtohishandsandkneesandstaringattheground.Hepokeditandproddeditwithhisfingernail.Itwasveryheavyandveryslightlysoft—hecouldmarkitwithhisfingernail.Itwasveryyellowandveryshiny,andwhenhebreathedonithisbreathevaporatedoffitinthatverypeculiarandspecialwaythatbreathevaporatesoffsolidgold.

           "TrillianandIcameroundawhileago,"saidFord.