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… What do you mean which dolphins？ I'm talking about when all the dolphins disappeared。
She put her hand on his knee； which made him realize that the tingling going up and down his spine was not her gently stroking his back； and must instead be one of the nasty creepy feelings he so often got when people were trying to explain things to him。
… The dolphins？
… Yes。
… All the dolphins； … said Arthur； … disappeared？
… Yes。
… The dolphins？ You're saying the dolphins all disappeared？ Is this； … said Arthur； trying to be absolutely clear on this point； … what you're saying？
… Arthur where have you been for heaven's sake？ The dolphins all disappeared on the same day I。。。 She stared him intently in his startled eyes。
… What？。。。
… No dolphins。 All gone。 Vanished。
She searched his face。
… Did you really not know that？
It was clear from his startled expression that he did not。
… Where did they go？ … he asked。
… No one knows。 That's what vanished means。 … She paused。 … Well； there is one man who says he knows about it； but everyone says he lives in California； … she said； … and is mad。 I was thinking of going to see him because it seems the only lead I've got on what happened to me。
She shrugged； and then looked at him long and quietly。 She lay her hand on the side of his face。
… I really would like to know where you've been； … she said。 … I think something terrible happened to you then as well。 And that's why we recognized each other。
She glanced around the park； which was now being gathered into the clutches of dusk。
… Well； … she said； … now you've got someone you can tell。
Arthur slowly let out a long year of a sigh。
… It is； … he said； … a very long story。
Fenchurch leaned across him and drew over her canvas bag。
… Is it anything to do with this？ … she said。 The thing she took out of her bag was battered and travelworn as it had been hurled into prehistoric rivers； baked under the sun that shines so redly on the deserts of Kakrafoon； half…buried in the marbled sands that fringe the heady vapoured oceans of Santraginus V； frozen on the glaciers of the moon of Jaglan Beta； sat on； kicked around spaceships； scuffed and generally abused； and since its makers had thought that these were exactly the sorts of things that might happen to it； they had thoughtfully encased it in a sturdy plastic cover and written on it； in large friendly letters； the words 〃Don't Panic〃。
… Where did you get this？ … said Arthur； startled； taking it from her。
… Ah； … she said； … I thought it was yours。 In Russell's car that night。 You dropped it。 Have you been to many of these places？
Arthur drew The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy from its cover。 It was like a small； thin； flexible lap puter。 He tapped some buttons till the screen flared with text。
… A few； … he said。
… Can we go to them？
… What？ No； … said Arthur abruptly； then relented； but relented warily。 … Do you want to？ … he said； hoping for the answer no。 It was an act of great generosity on his part not to say； … You don't want to； do you？ … which expects it。
… Yes； … she said。 … I want to know what the message was that I lost； and where it came from。 Because I don't think； … she added； standing up and looking round the increasing gloom of the park； … that it came from here。
… I'm not even sure； … she further added； slipping her arm around Arthur's waist； … that I know where here is。
Chapter 21
The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy is； as has been remarked before often and accurately； a pretty startling kind of a thing。 It is； essentially； as the title implies； a guide book。 The problem is； or rather one of the problems； for there are many； a sizeable portion of which are continually clogging up the civil； mercial and criminal courts in all areas of the Galaxy； and especially； where possible； the more corrupt ones； this。
The previous sentence makes sense。 That is not the problem。
This is：
Change。
Read it through again and you'll get it。
The Galaxy is a rapidly changing place。 There is； frankly； so much of it； every bit of which is continually on the move； continually changing。 A bit of a nightmare； you might think； for a scrupulous and conscientious editor diligently striving to keep this massively detailed and plex electronic tome abreast of all the changing circumstances and conditions that the Galaxy throws up every minute of every hour of every day； and you would be wrong。 Where you would be wrong would be in failing to realize that the editor； like all the editors of the Guide has ever had； has no real grasp of the meanings of the words 〃scrupulous〃； 〃conscientious〃 or 〃diligent〃； and tends to get his nightmares through a straw。
Entries tend to get updated or not across the Sub…Etha Net according to if they read good。
Take for example； the case of Brequinda on the Foth of Avalars； famed in myth； legend and stultifyingly dull tri…d mini…serieses as home of the magnificent and magical Fuolornis Fire Dragon。
In Ancient days； when Fragilis sang and Saxaquine of the Quenelux held sway； when the air was sweet and the nights fragrant； but everyone somehow managed to be； or so they claimed； though how on earth they could have thought that anyone was even remotely likely to believe such a preposterous claim what with all the sweet air and fragrant nights and whatnot is anyone's guess； virgins； it was not possible to heave a brick on Brequinda in the Foth of Avalars without hitting at least half a dozen Fuolornis Fire Dragons。
Whether you would want to do that is another matter。
Not that Fire Dragons weren't an essentially peace…loving species； because they were。 They adored it to bits； and this wholesale adoring of things to bits was often in itself the problem： one so often hurts the one one loves； especially if one is a Fuolornis Fire Dragon with breath like a rocket booster and teeth like a park fence。 Another problem was that once they were in the mood they often went on to hurt quite a lot of the ones that other people loved as well。 Add to all that the relatively small number of madmen who actually went around the place heaving bricks； and you end up with a lot of people on Brequinda in the Foth of Avalars getting seriously hurt by dragons。
But did they mind？ They did not。
Were they heard to bemoan their fate？ No。
The Fuolornis Fire Dragons were revered throughout the lands of Brequinda in the Foth of valors for their savage beauty； their noble ways and their habit of biting people who didn't revere them。
Why was this？
The answer was simple。
Sex。
There is； for some unfathomed reason； something almost unbearably sexy about having huge fire…breathing magical dragons flying low about the sky on moonlit nights which were already dangerously on the sweet and fragrant side。
Why this should be so； the romance…besotted people of Brequinda in the Foth of Avalars could not have told you； and would not have stopped to discuss the matter once the effect was up and going； for no sooner would a flock of half a dozen silk…winged leather…bodied Fuolorn