Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第20部分

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〃Why　would　Barnes　want　to　go？〃　Ted　said。
〃I　think　it's　clear；〃　Harry　said。　〃Because　of　the　storm　on　the　surface。〃
〃The　storm　isn't　here　yet；〃　Ted　said。
〃No；〃　Harry　said。　〃And　when　it　es；　we　don't　know　how　long　it　will　last。〃
〃Barnes　said　twenty…four　to　forty…eight　hours…〃
＇＇92＇＇　〃Neither　Barnes　nor　anyone　else　can　predict　how　long　the　storm　will　last；〃　Harry　said。　〃What　if　it　lasts　five　days？〃
〃We　can　hold　out　that　long。　We　have　air　and　supplies　for　five　days。　What're　you　so　worried　about？〃
〃I'm　not　worried；〃　Harry　said。　〃But　I　think　Barnes　is　worried。〃
〃Nothing　will　go　wrong；　for　Christ's　sake；〃　Ted　said。　〃I　think　we　should　stay。〃　And　then　there　was　a　squishing　sound。　They　looked　down　at　the　all…weather　carpeting　at　their　feet。　The　carpet　was　dark；　soaked。
〃What's　that？〃
〃I'd　say　it　was　water；〃　Harry　said。
〃Salt　water？〃　Ted　said；　bending　over；　touching　the　damp　spot。　He　licked　his　finger。　〃Doesn't　taste　salty。〃
From　above　them；　a　voice　said；　〃That's　because　it's　urine。〃　Looking　up；　they　saw　Teeny　Fletcher　standing　on　a　platform　among　a　network　of　pipes　near　the　curved　top　of　the　cylinder。　〃Everything's　under　control；　gentlemen。　Just　a　small　leak　in　the　liquid　waste　disposal　pipe　that　goes　to　the　H2O　recycler。〃
〃Liquid　waste？〃　Ted　was　shaking　his　head。
〃Just　a　small　leak；〃　Fletcher　said。　〃No　problem；　sir。〃　She　sprayed　one　of　the　pipes　with　white　foam　from　a　spray　canister。　The　foam　sputtered　and　hardened　on　the　pipe。　〃We　just　urethane　the　suckers　when　we　get　them。　Makes　a　perfect　seal。
〃How　often　do　you　get　these　leaks？〃　Harry　said。　
〃Liquid　waste？〃　Ted　said　again。
〃Hard　to　say；　Dr。　Adams。　But　don't　worry。　Really。〃
〃I　feel　sick；〃　Ted　said。
Harry　slapped　him　on　the　back。　〃e　on；　it　won't　kill　you。　Let's　get　some　sleep。〃
〃I　think　I'm　going　to　throw　up。〃


They　went　into　the　sleeping　chamber。　Ted　immediately　ran　off　to　the　showers；　they　heard　him　coughing　and　gagging。
〃Poor　Ted；〃　Harry　said；　shaking　his　head。
＇＇93＇＇　Norman　said；　〃What's　all　this　business　about　a　black　hole；　anyway？〃
〃A　black　hole；〃　Harry　said；　〃is　a　dead；　pressed　star。　Basically；　a　star　is　like　a　big　beach　ball　inflated　by　the　atomic　explosions　occurring　inside　it。　When　a　star　gets　old；　and　runs　out　of　nuclear　fuel；　the　ball　collapses　to　a　much　smaller　size。　If　it　collapses　enough；　it　bees　so　dense　and　it　has　so　much　gravity　that　it　keeps　on　collapsing；　squeezing　down　on　itself　until　it　is　very　dense　and　very　small…only　a　few　miles　in　diameter。　Then　it's　a　black　hole。　Nothing　else　in　the　universe　is　as　dense　as　a　black　hole。〃
〃So　they're　black　because　they're　dead？〃
〃No。　They're　black　because　they　trap　all　the　light。　Black　holes　have　so　much　gravity；　they　pull　everything　into　them；　like　vacuum　cleaners…all　the　surrounding　interstellar　gas　and　dust；　and　even　light　itself。　They　just　suck　it　right　up。〃
〃They　suck　up　light？〃　Norman　said。　He　found　it　hard　to　think　of　that。
〃Yes。〃
〃So　what　were　you　two　so　excited　about；　with　your　calculations？〃
〃Oh；　it's　a　long　story；　and　it's　just　speculation。〃　Harry　yawned。　〃It　probably　won't　amount　to　anything；　anyway。　Talk　about　it　later？〃
〃Sure；〃　Norman　said。
Harry　rolled　over；　went　to　sleep。　Ted　was　still　in　the　showers；　hacking　and　sputtering。　Norman　went　back　to　D　Cyl；　to　Tina's　console。
〃Did　Harry　find　you　all　right？〃　he　said。　〃I　know　he　wanted　to　see　you。〃
〃Yes；　sir。　And　I　have　the　information　he　requested　now。　Why？　Did　you　want　to　make　out　your　will；　too？〃
Norman　frowned。
〃Dr。　Adams　said　he　didn't　have　a　will　and　he　wanted　to　make　one。　He　seemed　to　feel　it　was　quite　urgent。　Anyway；　I　checked　with　the　surface　and　you　can't　do　it。　It's　some　legal　problem　about　it　being　in　your　own　handwriting；　you　can't　transmit　your　will　over　electronic　lines。〃
〃I　see。〃
＇＇94＇＇　〃I'm　sorry；　Dr。　Johnson。　Should　I　tell　the　others　as　well？〃
〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃Don't　bother　the　others。　We'll　be　going　to　the　surface　soon。　Right　after　we　have　one　last　look　at　the　ship。〃

THE　LARGE　GLASS

This　time　they　split　up　inside　the　spaceship。　Barnes；　Ted；　and　Edmunds　continued　forward　in　the　vast　cargo　bays；　to　search　the　parts　of　the　ship　that　were　still　unexplored。　Norman；　Beth；　and　Harry　stayed　in　what　they　now　called　the　flight　deck；　looking　for　the　flight　recorder。
Ted's　parting　words　were　〃It　is　a　far；　far　better　thing　that　I　do；　than　I　have　ever　done。〃　Then　he　set　off　with　Barnes。　Edmunds　left　them　a　small　video　monitor　so　they　could　see　the　progress　of　the　other　team　in　the　forward　section　of　the　ship。　And　they　could　hear：　Ted　chattered　continuously　to　Barnes；　giving　his　views　about　structural　features　of　the　ship。　The　design　of　the　big　cargo　bays　reminded　Ted　of　the　stonework　of　the　ancient　Mycenaeans　in　Greece；　particularly　the　Lion　Gate　ramp　at　Mycenae。　。。。
〃Ted　has　more　irrelevant　facts　at　his　fingertips　than　any　man　I　know；〃　Harry　said。　〃Can　we　turn　the　volume　down？〃　Yawning；　Norman　turned　the　monitor　down。　He　was　tired。　The　bunks　in　DH…8　were　damp；　the　electric　blankets　heavy　and　clinging。　Sleep　had　been　almost　impossible。　And　then　Beth　had　e　storming　in　after　her　talk　with　Barnes。
She　was　still　angry　now。　〃God　damn　Barnes；〃　she　said。　〃Where　does　he　get　off？〃
〃He's　doing　the　best　he　can；　like　everyone　else；〃　Norman　said。
She　spun。　〃You　know；　Norman；　sometimes　you're　too　＇＇95＇＇　psychological　and　understanding。　The　man　is　an　idiot。　A　plete　idiot。〃
〃Let's　just　find　the　flight　recorder；　shall　we？〃　Harry　said。　〃That's　the　important　thing　now。〃　Harry　was　following　the　umbilicus　cable　that　ran　out　the　back　of　the　mannequin；　into　the　floor。　He　was　lifting　up　floor　panels；　tracing　the　wires　aft。
〃I'm　sorry；〃　Beth　said；　〃but　he　wouldn't　speak　like　that　to　a　man。　Certainly　not　to　Ted。　Ted's　hogging　the　whole　show；　and　I　don't　see　why　he　should　be　allowed　to。〃
〃What　does　Ted　have　to　do　with…〃　Norman　began。　
〃…The　man　is　a　parasite；　that's　what　he　is。　He　takes　the　ideas　of　others　and　promotes　them　as　his　own。　Even　the　way　he　quotes　famous　sayings…it's　outrageous。〃
〃You　feel　he　takes　other　people's　ideas？〃　Norman　said。　
〃Listen；　back　on　the　surface；　I　mentioned　to　Ted　that　we　ought　to　have　some　words　ready　when　we　opened　this　thing。　And　the　next　thing　I　know；　Ted's　making　up　quotes　and　positioning　himself　in　front　of　the　camera。〃
〃Well　。。。〃
〃Well　what；　Norman？　Don't　well　me；　for　Christ's　sake。　It　was　my　idea　and　he　took　it　without　so　much　as　a　thank　you。〃
〃Did　you　say　anything　to　him　about　it？〃　Norman　said。　
〃No；　I　did　not　say　anything　to　him　about　it。　I'm　sure　he　wouldn't　remember　if　I　did；　he'd　go；　'Did　you　say　that；　Beth？　I　suppose　you　might　have　mentioned　something　like　that；　yes。　。。。'　〃
〃I　still　think　you　should　talk　to　him。〃
〃Norman；　you're　not　listening　to　me。〃
〃If　you　talked　to　him；　at　least　you　wouldn't　be　so　angry　about　it　now。〃
〃Shrink　talk；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃Look；　Ted　does　whatever　he　wants　on　this　expedition；　he　makes　his　stupid　speeches；　whatever　he　wants。　But　I　go　through　the　door　first　and　Barnes　gives　me　hell。　Why　shouldn't　I　go　first？　What's　wrong　with　a　woman　being　the　first；　for　once　in　the　history　of　science？〃
〃Beth…〃
〃…And　then　I　had　the　gall　to　turn　on　the　lights。　You　know　what　Barnes　said　about　that？　He　said　I　might　have　started　＇＇96＇＇　a　short…circuit　and　put　us　all　in　jeopardy。　He　said　I　didn't　know　what　I　was　doing。　He　said　I　was　impulsive。　Jesus。　Impulsive。　Stone…age　military　cretin。〃
〃Turn　the　volume　back　up；〃　Harry　said。　〃I'd　rather　hear　Ted。〃
〃e　on；　guys。〃
〃We're　all　under　a　lot　of　pressure；　Beth；〃　Norman　said。　〃It's　going　to　affect　everybody　in　different　ways。〃
She　glared　at　Norman。　〃You're　saying　Barnes　was　right？〃
〃I'm　saying　we're　all　under　pressure。　Including　him。　Including　you。〃
〃Jesus；　you　men　always　stick　together。　You　know　why　I'm　still　an　assistant　professor　and　not　tenured？〃
〃Your　pleasant；　easygoing　personality？〃　Harry　said。
〃I　can　do　without　this。　I　really　can。〃
〃Beth；〃　Harry　said；　〃you　see　the　way　these　cables　are　going？　They're　running　toward　that　bulkhead　there。　See　if　they　go　up　the　wall　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。〃
〃You　trying　to　get　rid　of　me？〃
〃If　possible。〃
She　laughed；　breaking　the　tension。　〃All　right；　I'll　look　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。〃
When　she　was　gone；　Harry　said；　〃She's　pretty　worked　up。〃　
Norman　said；　〃You　know　t