小说园

第8部分（第1页）

een　more　than　eighteen；　younger　than　his　son；　Tim。

〃Ready　to　go；　sir？〃　the　pilot　said。

〃Sure；〃　Norman　said。　He　was　as　ready　as　he　would　ever　be。

Up　close；　the　sub　did　not　look　like　a　toy。　It　was　incredibly　massive　and　strong。　Norman　saw　a　single　porthole　of　curved　acrylic。　It　was　held　in　place　by　bolts　as　big　as　his　fist。　He　touched　them；　tentatively。

The　pilot　smiled。　〃Want　to　kick　the　tires；　sir？〃

〃No；　Ill　trust　you。〃

〃Ladders　this　way；　sir。〃

Norman　climbed　the　narrow　rungs　to　the　top　of　the　sub；　and　saw　the　small　circular　hatch　opening。　He　hesitated。

〃Sit　on　the　edge　here；〃　the　pilot　said；　〃and　drop　your　legs　in；　then　follow　it　down。　You　may　have　to　squeeze　your　shoulders　together　a　bit　and　suck　in　your　。。。　Thats　it；　sir。〃　Norman　wriggled　through　the　tight　hatch　into　an　interior　so　low　he　could　not　stand。　The　sub　was　crammed　with　dials　and　machinery。　Ted　was　already　aboard；　hunched　in　the　back；　grinning　like　a　kid。　〃Isnt　this　fantastic？〃

Norman　envied　his　easy　enthusiasm；　he　felt　cramped　and　a　little　nervous。　Above　him；　the　pilot　clanged　the　heavy　hatch　＇＇48＇＇　shut　and　dropped　down　to　take　the　controls。　〃Everybody　okay？〃

They　nodded。

〃Sorry　about　the　view；〃　the　pilot　said；　glancing　over　his　shoulders。　〃You　gentlemen　are　mostly　going　to　be　seeing　my　hindquarters。　Lets　get　started。　Mozart　okay？〃　He　pressed　a　tape　deck　and　smiled。　〃Weve　got　thirteen　minutes　descent　to　the　bottom；　music　makes　it　a　little　easier。　If　you　dont　like　Mozart；　we　can　offer　you　something　else。〃

〃Mozarts　fine；〃　Norman　said。

〃Mozarts　wonderful；〃　Ted　said。　〃Sublime。〃

〃Very　good；　gentlemen。〃　The　submarine　hissed。　There　was　squawking　on　the　radio。　The　pilot　spoke　softly　into　a　headset。　A　scuba　diver　appeared　at　the　porthole；　waved。　The　pilot　waved　back。

There　was　a　sloshing　sound；　then　a　deep　rumble；　and　they　started　down。

〃As　you　see；　the　whole　sled　goes　under；〃　the　pilot　explained。　〃The　subs　not　stable　on　the　surface；　so　we　sled　her　up　and　down。　Well　leave　the　sled　at　about　a　hundred　feet　or　so。

Through　the　porthole；　they　saw　the　diver　standing　on　the　deck；　the　water　now　waist…deep。　Then　the　water　covered　the　porthole。　Bubbles　came　out　of　the　divers　scuba。

〃Were　under；〃　the　pilot　said。　He　adjusted　valves　above　his　head　and　they　heard　the　hiss　of　air；　startlingly　loud。　More　gurgling。　The　light　in　the　submarine　from　the　porthole　was　a　beautiful　blue。

〃Lovely；〃　Ted　said。

〃Well　leave　the　sled　now；〃　the　pilot　said。　Motors　rumbled　and　the　sub　moved　forward；　the　diver　slipping　off　to　one　side。　Now　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　through　the　porthole　but　undifferentiated　blue　water。　The　pilot　said　something　on　the　radio；　and　turned　up　the　Mozart。

〃Just　sit　back；　gentlemen；〃　he　said。　〃Descending　eighty　feet　a　minute。〃

Norman　felt　the　rumble　of　the　electric　motors；　but　there　was　no　real　sense　of　motion。　All　that　happened　was　that　it　got　darker　and　darker。

＇＇49＇＇　〃You　know；〃　Ted　said；　〃were　really　quite　lucky　about　this　site。　Most　parts　of　the　Pacific　are　so　deep　wed　never　be　able　to　visit　it　in　person。〃　He　explained　that　the　vast　Pacific　Ocean；　which　amounted　to　half　the　total　surface　area　of　the　Earth；　had　an　average　depth　of　two　miles。　〃There　are　only　a　few　places　where　it　is　less。　One　is　the　relatively　small　rectangle　bounded　by　Samoa；　New　Zealand；　Australia；　and　New　Guinea；　which　is　actually　a　great　undersea　plain；　like　the　plains　of　the　American　West；　except　its　at　an　average　depth　of　two　thousand　feet。　Thats　what　we　are　doing　now；　descending　to　that　plain。〃

Ted　spoke　rapidly。　Was　he　nervous？　Norman　couldnt　tell：　he　was　feeling　his　own　heart　pound。　Now　it　was　quite　dark　outside；　the　instruments　glowed　green。　The　pilot　flicked　on　red　interior　lights。

Their　descent　continued。　〃Four　hundred　feet。〃　The　submarine　lurched；　then　eased　forward。　〃This　is　the　river。〃

〃What　river？〃　Norman　said。

〃Sir；　we　are　in　a　current　of　different　salinity　and　temperature；　it　behaves　like　a　river　inside　the　ocean。　We　traditionally　stop　about　here；　sir；　the　sub　sticks　in　the　river；　takes　us　for　a　little　ride。〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　Ted　said；　reaching　into　his　pocket。　Ted　handed　the　pilot　a　ten…dollar　bill。

Norman　glanced　questioningly　at　Ted。

〃Didnt　they　mention　that　to　you？　Old　tradition。　You　always　pay　the　pilot　on　your　way　down；　for　good　luck。〃

〃I　can　use　some　luck；〃　Norman　said。　He　fumbled　in　his　pocket；　found　a　five…dollar　bill；　thought　better　of　it；　took　out　a　twenty　instead。

〃Thank　you；　gentlemen；　and　have　a　good　bottom　stay；　both　of　you；〃　the　pilot　said。

The　electric　motors　cut　back　in。