The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Chapter 26

“Yes, very salutary,” said Arthur, after Slartibartfast had related the salient points of the story to him, “but I don’t understand what all this has got to do with the Earth and mice and things.”

“That is but the first half of the story, Earthman,” said the old man. “If you would care to discover what happened seven and a half millions later, on the great day of the Answer, allow me to invite you to my study where you can experience the events yourself on our Sens-O-Tape records. That is unless you would care to take a quick stroll on the surface of New Earth. It’s only half completed I’m afraid—we haven’t even finished burying the artificial dinosaur skeletons in the crust yet, then we have the Tertiary and Quarternary Periods of the Cenozoic Era to lay down, and . . .”

“No thank you,” said Arthur, “it wouldn’t be quite the same.”

“No,” said Slartibartfast, “it won’t be,” and he turned the aircar round and headed back towards the mind-numbing wall.