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… And in case it crossed your mind to wonder； as I can see how it possibly might； I am pletely sane。 Which is why I call myself Wonko the Sane； just to reassure people on this point。 Wonko is what my mother called me when I was a kid and clumsy and knocked things over； and sane is what I am； and how； … he added； with one of his smiles that made you feel； … Oh。 Well that's all right then。
… I intend to remain。 Shall we go on to the beach and see what we have to talk about？
They went out on to the beach； which was where he started talking about angels with golden beards and green wings and Dr。 Scholl sandals。
… About the dolphins。。。 … said Fenchurch gently； hopefully。
… I can show you the sandals； … said Wonko the Sane。
… I wonder； do you know。。。
… Would you like me to show you； … said Wonko the Sane； … the sandals？ I have them。 I'll get them。 They are made by the Dr。 Scholl pany； and the angels say that they particularly suit the terrain they have to work in。 They say they run a concession stand by the message。 When I say I don't know what that means they say no； you don't； and laugh。 Well； I'll get them anyway。
As he walked back towards the inside； or the outside depending on how you looked at it； Arthur and Fenchurch looked at each other in a wondering and slightly desperate sort of way； then each shrugged and idly drew figures in the sand。
… How are the feet today？ … said Arthur quietly。
… OK。 It doesn't feel so odd in the sand。 Or in the water。 The water touches them perfectly。 I just think this isn't our world。
She shrugged。
… What do you think he meant； … she said； … by the message？
… I don't know； … said Arthur； though the memory of a man called Prak who laughed at him continuously kept nagging at him。
When Wonko returned he was carrying something that stunned Arthur。 Not the sandals； they were perfectly ordinary woodenbottomed sandals。
… I just thought you'd like to see； … he said； … what angels wear on their feet。 Just out of curiosity。 I'm not trying to prove anything； by the way。 I'm a scientist and I know what constitutes proof。 But the reason I call myself by my childhood name is to remind myself that a scientist must also be absolutely like a child。 If he sees a thing； he must say that he sees it； whether it was what he thought he was going to see or not。 See first； think later； then test。 But always see first。 Otherwise you will only see what you were expecting。 Most scientists forget that。 I'll show you something to demonstrate that later。 So； the other reason I call myself Wonko the Sane is so that people will think I am a fool。 That allows me to say what I see when I see it。 You can't possibly be a scientist if you mind people thinking that you're a fool。 Anyway； I also thought you might like to see this。
This was the thing that Arthur had been stunned to see him carrying； for it was a wonderful silver…grey glass fish bowl； seemingly identical to the one in Arthur's bedroom。
Arthur had been trying for some thirty seconds now； without success； to say； 〃Where did you get that？〃 sharply； and with a gasp in his voice。
Finally his time had e； but he missed it by a millisecond。
… Where did you get that？ … said Fenchurch； sharply and with a gasp in her voice。
Arthur glanced at Fenchurch sharply and with a gasp in his voice said：
… What？ Have you seen one of these before？
… Yes； … she said； … I've got one。 Or at least I did have。 Russell nicked it to put his golfballs in。 I don't know where it came from； just that I was angry with Russell for nicking it。 Why； have you got one？
… Yes； it was。。。
They both became aware that Wonko the Sane was glancing sharply backwards and forwards between them； and trying to get a gasp in edgeways。
… You have one of those too？ … he said to both of them。
… Yes。 … They both said it。
He looked long and calmly at each of them； then he held up the bowl to catch the light of the Californian sun。
The bowl seemed almost to sing with the sun； to chime with the intensity of its light； and cast darkly brilliant rainbows around the sand and upon them。 He turned it； and turned it。 They could see quite clearly in the fine tracery of its etchwork the words 〃So Long； and Thanks For All The Fish。〃
… Do you know； … asked Wonko quietly； … what it is？
They each shook their heads slowly； and with wonder； almost hypnotized by the flashing of the lightning shadows in the grey glass。
… It is a farewell gift from the dolphins； … said Wonko in a low quiet voice； … the dolphins whom I loved and studied； and swam with； and fed with fish； and even tried to learn their language； a task which they seemed to make impossibly difficult； considering the fact that I now realize they were perfectly capable of municating in ours if they decided they wanted to。
He shook his head with a slow； slow smile； and then looked again at Fenchurch； and then at Arthur。
… Have you。。。 … he said to Arthur； … what have you done with yours？ May I ask you that？
… Er； I keep a fish in it； … said Arthur； slightly embarrassed。 … I happened to have this fish I was wondering what to do with； and； er； there was this bowl。 … He tailed off。
… You've done nothing else？ No； … he said； … if you had； you would know。 … He shook his head again。
… My wife kept wheatgerm in ours； … resumed Wonko； with some new tone in his voice； … until last night。。。
… What； … said Arthur slowly and hushedly； … happened last night？
… We ran out of wheatgerm； … said Wonko； evenly。 … My wife； … he added； … has gone to get some more。 … He seemed lost with his own thoughts for a moment。
… And what happened then？ … said Fenchurch； in the same breathless tone。
… I washed it； … said Wonko。 … I washed it very carefully； very very carefully； removing every last speck of wheatgerm； then I dried it slowly with a lint…free cloth； slowly； carefully； turning it over and over。 Then I held it to my ear。 Have you。。。 have you held one to your ear？
They both shook their heads； again slowly； again dumbly。
… Perhaps； … he said； … you should。
Chapter 32
The deep roar of the ocean。
The break of waves on further shores than thought can find。
The silent thunders of the deep。
And from among it； voices calling； and yet not voices； humming trillings； wordlings； the half…articulated songs of thought。
Greetings； waves of greetings； sliding back down into the inarticulate； words breaking together。
A crash of sorrow on the shores of Earth。
Waves of joy on … where？ A world indescribably found； indescribably arrived at； indescribably wet； a song of water。
A fugue of voices now； clamouring explanations； of a disaster unavertable； a world to be destroyed； a surge of helplessness； a spasm of despair； a dying fall； again the break of words。
And then the fling of hope； the finding of a shadow Earth in the implications of enfolded time； submerged dimensions； the pull of parallels； the deep pull； the spin of will； the hurl and split of it； the flight。 A new Earth pulled into replacement； the dolphins gone。
Then stunningly a single voice； quit