Chapter 30 Chapter Twenty Eight

For a long time, no one spoke. Out of the corner of Fogg's eye, he could catch a glimpse of the sea of ​​anxiously awaiting faces in the square outside. "We'll be hanged by the mob, won't we?" he murmured. "It's a tough job," said Deep Thought gently. "42!" Luen Kowal shouted, "Is this the result you showed us after 7.5 million years of calculations?" "I've checked it very carefully," said the computer, "and this is indeed the answer. I think the problem is - let's be honest - that you never know exactly what the questions themselves are."

"But this is indeed a great question! The ultimate question about life, the universe, and everything." Runkwall howled. "Yes." Deep Thought said, with a tone that enjoyed being harassed by fools, "but what exactly is it?" A blank silence ensued as the two looked at the computer and then at each other. "Well, you know, it's all... all..." Fogg said weakly. "Correct!" Deep Thought said, "So, as long as you know exactly what the question is, you can understand what the answer means." "Oh, that's great." Fogg muttered, throwing the notebook aside and wiping away a tear with a wave of his hand.

"Look, all right, all right," said Runkwall, "could you please tell us what the problem is?" "This ultimate question?" "yes!" "About life, the universe, and everything?" "yes!" He pondered for a while. "It's kind of tricky," it said at last. "But can you do it?" Luen Kowal asked in a tearful voice. Think deeply about this time for a long time. Finally it replied: "No." The tone was firm. So the two collapsed on the seats in despair at the same time. "But I can tell you who can do it." Deep Thought continued.

They looked up suddenly at the same time. "Who? Tell us!" Suddenly, Arthur began to feel something creeping on his scalp where it wasn't really there, and he moved slowly but irresistibly towards the console.However, he can guess that this instrument is just a means used by the person who filmed this video to pursue dramatic effects. "What I'm talking about is nothing but the computer that will be born after me." He said in a deep thought, his voice regaining the usual eloquent tone, "This computer, even its most basic operating parameters that I cannot calculate - but I will design for you. This is a computer capable of calculating the answer to the ultimate question, a computer of infinite and subtle complexity, organic life Itself will become part of its operating matrix. You yourself will be thrown into this computer as a new life form to control its 10 million year program! Yes! I will design for you This computer, I'm even going to have a good name for it. It's going to be called...Earth."

Fogg stared thoughtfully. "What a boring name," he said.Then, huge incisions ran through his whole body, and Luen Kowal was suddenly covered with horrific wounds that came from nowhere.The computer console starts to splotch and crackle, the walls start to crack with a flash of light, the whole house collapses "up" towards its own roof... Slartibartfast stood before Arthur holding two wires. "End of tape," he explained.