小说园

第19部分（第1页）

〃Here　we　go；〃　Tina　said。

The　monitor　showed　jagged　lines；　and　then　resolved。　On　the　screen；　Tina　was　saying；　〃…hours　the　tapes　are　transferred　to　the　submarine。〃

Beth：　〃What　for？〃

Tina：　〃Thats　so；　if　anything　happens　down　here；　the　submarine　will　automatically　go　to　the　surface。〃

Beth：　〃Oh；　great。　I　wont　think　about　that　too　much。　Where　is　Dr。　Fielding　now？〃

Tina：　〃He　gave　up　on　the　sphere；　and　went　into　the　main　flight　deck　with　Edmunds。〃

On　the　screen；　Tina　stepped　out　of　view。　Beth　remained　alone　in　the　chair；　eating　the　cake；　her　back　to　the　monitor。

Onscreen；　Tina　was　saying；　〃Do　you　think　theyll　ever　get　the　sphere　open？〃

Beth　ate　her　cake。　〃Maybe；〃　she　said。　〃I　dont　know。〃

There　was　a　short　pause；　and　then　on　the　monitor　behind　Beth；　the　door　of　the　sphere　slid　open。

〃Hey！　It　did　open！〃

〃Keep　the　tape　running！〃

Onscreen；　Beth　didnt　notice　the　monitor。　Tina；　still　somewhere　offscreen；　said；　〃It　scares　me。〃

Beth：　〃I　dont　think　theres　a　reason　to　be　scared。〃

Tina：　〃Its　the　unknown。〃

〃Sure；〃　Beth　said；　〃but　an　unknown　thing　is　not　likely　to　be　dangerous　or　frightening。　Its　most　likely　to　be　just　inexplicable。〃

〃I　dont　know　how　you　can　say　that。〃

〃You　afraid　of　snakes？〃　Beth　said；　onscreen。

All　during　this　conversation；　the　sphere　remained　open。

Watching；　Harry　said；　〃Too　bad　we　cant　see　inside　it。〃

〃I　may　be　able　to　help　that；〃　Tina　said。　〃Ill　do　some　image…intensification　work　with　the　puter。〃

〃It　almost　looks　like　there　are　little　lights；〃　Harry　said。　〃Little　moving　lights　inside　the　sphere　。。。〃

Onscreen；　Tina　came　back　into　view。　〃Snakes　dont　bother　me。〃

＇＇120＇＇　〃Well；　I　cant　stand　snakes；〃　Beth　said。　〃Slimy；　cold；　disgusting　things。〃

〃Ah；　Beth；〃　Harry　said；　watching　the　monitor。　〃Got　snake　envy？〃

Onscreen；　Beth　was　saying；　〃If　I　were　a　Martian　who　came　to　Earth　and　I　stumbled　upon　a　snake…a　funny；　cold；　wiggling；　tube…like　life…I　wouldnt　know　what　to　think　of　it。　But　the　chance　that　I　would　stumble　on　a　poisonous　snake　is　very　small。　Less　than　one　percent　of　snakes　are　poisonous。　So；　as　a　Martian；　I　wouldnt　be　in　danger　from　my　discovery　of　snakes；　Id　just　be　perplexed。　Thats　whats　likely　to　happen　with　us。　Well　be　perplexed。〃

Onscreen；　Beth　was　saying；　〃Anyway；　I　dont　think　well　ever　get　the　sphere　open；　no。〃

Tina：　〃I　hope　not。〃

Behind　her　on　the　monitor；　the　sphere　closed。

〃Huh！〃　Harry　said。　〃How　long　was　it　open　all　together？〃　〃Thirty…three　point　four　seconds；〃　Tina　said。

They　stopped　the　tape。　Tina　said；　〃Anybody　want　to　see　it　again？〃　She　looked　pale。

〃Not　right　now；〃　Harry　said。　He　drummed　his　fingers　on　the　arm　of　his　chair；　stared　off；　thinking。

No　one　else　said　anything；　they　just　waited　patiently　for　Harry。　Norman　realized　how　much　the　group　deferred　to　him。　Harry　is　the　person　who　figures　things　out　for　us；　Norman　thought。　We　need　him；　rely　on　him。