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ieve。
It suddenly occurred to him to wonder where Arthur Dent was； and if he knew。
Arthur Dent was one thousand； four hundred and thirty…seven light years away in a Saab； and anxious。
Behind him in the backseat was a girl who had made him crack his head on the door as he climbed in。 He didn't know if it was just because she was the first female of his own species that he had laid eyes on in years； or what it was； but he felt stupefied with； with。。。 This is absurd； he told himself。 Calm down； he told himself。 You are not； he continued to himself in the firmest internal voice he could muster； in a fit and rational state。 You have just hitch…hiked over a hundred thousand light years across the galaxy； you are very tired； a little confused and extremely vulnerable。 Relax； don't panic； concentrate on breathing deeply。
He twisted round in his seat。
… Are you sure she's all right？ … he said again。
Beyond the fact that she was； to him； heartthumpingly beautiful； he could make out very little； how tall she was； how old she was； the exact shading of her hair。 And nor could he ask her anything about herself because； sadly； she was pletely unconscious。
… She's just drugged； … said her brother； shrugging； not moving his eyes from the road ahead。
… And that's all right； is it？ … said Arthur； in alarm。
… Suits me； … he said。
… Ah； … said Arthur。 … Er； … he added after a moment's thought。
The conversation so far had been going astoundingly badly。
After an initial flurry of opening hellos； he and Russell … the wonderful girl's brother's name was Russell； a name which； to Arthur's mind； always suggested burly men with blond moustaches and blow…dried hair； who would at the slightest provocation start wearing velvet tuxedos and frilly shirtfronts and would then have to be forcibly restrained from mentating on snooker matches … had quickly discovered they didn't like each other at all。
Russell was a burly man。 He had a blond moustache。 His hair was fine and blow dried。 To be fair to him … though Arthur didn't see any necessity for this beyond the sheer mental exercise of it … he； Arthur； was looking pretty grim himself。 A man can't cross a hundred thousand light years； mostly in other people's baggage partments； without beginning to fray a little； and Arthur had frayed a lot。
… She's not a junkie； … said Russell suddenly； as if he clearly thought that someone else in the car might be。 … She's under sedation。
… But that's terrible； … said Arthur； twisting round to look at her again。 She seemed to stir slightly and her head slipped sideways on her shoulder。 Her dark hair fell across her face； obscuring it。
… What's the matter with her； is she ill？
… No； … said Russell； … merely barking mad。
… What？ … said Arthur； horrified。
… Loopy； pletely bananas。 I'm taking her back to the hospital and telling them to have another go。 They let her out while she still thought she was a hedgehog。
… A hedgehog？
Russell hooted his horn fiercely at the car that came round the corner towards them half…way on to their side of the road； making them swerve。 The anger seemed to make him feel better。
… Well； maybe not a hedgehog； … he said after he'd settled down again。 … Though it would probably be simpler to deal with if she did。 If somebody thinks they're a hedgehog； presumably you just give 'em a mirror and a few pictures of hedgehogs and tell them to sort it out for themselves； e down again when they feel better。 At least medical science could deal with it； that's the point。 Seems that's no good enough for Fenny； though。
… Fenny？。。。
… You know what I got her for Christmas？
… Well； no。
… Black's Medical Dictionary。
… Nice present。
… I thought so。 Thousands of diseases in it； all in alphabetical order。
… You say her name is Fenny？
… Yeah。 Take your pick； I said。 Anything in here can be dealt with。 The proper drugs can be prescribed。 But no； she has to have something different。 Just to make life difficult。 She was like that at school； you know。
… Was she？
… She was。 Fell over playing hockey and broke a bone nobody had ever heard of。
… I can see how that would be irritating； … said Arthur doubtfully。 He was rather disappointed to discover her name was Fenny。 It was a rather silly； dispiriting name； such as an unlovely maiden aunt might vote herself if she couldn't sustain the name Fenella properly。
… Not that I wasn't sympathetic； … continued Russell； … but it did get a bit irritating。 She was limping for months。
He slowed down。
… This is your turning isn't it？
… Ah； no； … said Arthur； … five miles further on。 If that's all right。
… OK； … said Russell after a very tiny pause to indicate that it wasn't； and speeded up again。
It was in fact Arthur's turning； but he couldn't leave without finding out something more about this girl who seemed to have taken such a grip on his mind without even waking up。 He could take either of the next two turnings。
They led back to the village that had been his home； though what he would find there he hesitated to imagine。 Familiar landmarks had been flitting by； ghostlike； in the dark； giving rise to the shudders that only very very normal things can create； when seen where the mind is unprepared for them； and in an unfamiliar light。
By his own personal time scale； so far as he could estimate it； living as he had been under the alien rotations of distant suns； it was eight years since he had left； but what time had passed here he could hardly guess。 Indeed； what events had passed were beyond his exhausted prehension because this planet； his home； should not be here。
Eight years ago； at lunchtime； this planet had been demolished； utterly destroyed； by the huge yellow Vogon ships which had hung in the lunchtime sky as if the law of gravity was no more than a local regulation； and breaking it no more than a parking offence。
… Delusions； … said Russell。
… What？ … said Arthur； started out of his train of thought。
… She says she suffers from strange delusions that she's living in the real world。 It's no good telling her that she is living in the real world because she just says that's why the delusions are so strange。 Don't know about you； but I find that kind of conversation pretty exhausting。 Give her the tablets and piss off for a beer is my answer。 I mean you can only muck about so much can't you？
Arthur frowned； not for the first time。
… Well。。。
… And all this dreams and nightmare stuff。 And the doctors going on about strange jumps in her brainwave patterns。
… Jumps？
… This； … said Fenny。
Arthur whirled round in his seat and stared into her suddenly open but utterly vacant eyes。 Whatever she was looking at wasn't in the car。 Her eyes fluttered； her head jerked once； and then she was sleeping peacefully。
… What did she say？ … he asked anxiously。
… She said 〃this〃。
… This what？
… This what？ How the heck should I know？ This hedgehog； that chimney pot； the other pair of Don Alfonso's tweezers。 She's barking mad； I thought I'd mentioned that。
… You don't seem to care very much