Chapter 34 Summary

The aircar deposits them next to their ship, and then returns the way it came. Parked next to the Heart of Gold, the four notice the policecraft seems unnaturally dark and silent – as dead as its two former occupants. While his three companions hurry out of the cold into their own ship, Ford nearly trips over Marvin as he stops to examine the Blagulon ship. Marvin, depressed as usual, tells Ford that he had tried to talk to the policecraft's computer, and explained his view of the Universe to it. When Ford asks him what happened, Marvin answers, "It committed suicide."

Chapter 34 Analysis

Thanks to Marvin, another improbable coincidence saves the four Galactic adventurers. His habitual manic depression induces the policecraft's computer to commit suicide, killing its two-man crew at the same time since they were dependent on their computerized life-support system.