小说园

第45部分（第3页）

〃Sorry。　Almost　done。〃　Beth　was　following　first…aid　directions　from　the　puter。　To　distract　his　mind　from　the　pain；　he　read　the　screen。

MINOR　MEDICAL　（NON…LETHAL）　PLICATIONS

7。113　Trauma

7。115　Microsleep

7。118　Helium　Tremor

7。119　Otitis

7。121　Toxic　Contaminants

7。143　Synovial　Pain

Choose　one：

〃Thats　what　I　need；〃　he　said。　〃Some　microsleep。　Or　better　yet；　some　serious　macrosleep。〃

〃Yes；　we　all　do。〃

A　thought　occurred　to　him。　〃Beth；　remember　when　you　were　pulling　the　snakes　off　me？　What　was　all　that　you　were　saying　about　the　time　of　day？〃

〃Sea　snakes　are　diurnal；〃　Beth　said。　〃Many　poisonous　snakes　are　alternately　aggressive　and　passive　in　twelve…hour　cycles；　corresponding　to　day　and　night。　During　the　day；　when　theyre　passive；　you　can　handle　them　and　they　will　＇＇309＇＇　never　bite。　For　example；　in　India；　the　highly　poisonous　banded　krait　has　never　been　known　to　bite　during　the　day；　even　when　children　play　with　them。　But　at　night；　watch　out。　So　I　was　trying　to　determine　which　cycle　the　sea　snakes　were　on；　until　I　decided　that　this　must　be　their　passive　daytime　cycle。〃

〃Howd　you　figure　that？〃

〃Because　you　were　still　alive。〃　Then　she　had　used　her　bare　hands　to　remove　the　snakes；　knowing　that　they　wouldnt　bite　her；　either。

〃With　your　hands　full　of　snakes；　you　looked　like　Medusa。〃

〃What　is　that；　a　rock　star？〃

〃No；　its　a　mythological　figure。〃

〃The　one　who　killed　her　children？〃　she　asked；　with　a　quick　suspicious　glance。　Beth；　ever　alert　to　a　veiled　insult。

〃No；　thats　somebody　else。　That　was　Medea。　Medusa　was　a　mythical　woman　with　a　head　full　of　snakes　who　turned　men　to　stone　if　they　looked　at　her。　Perseus　killed　her　by　looking　at　her　reflection　in　his　polished　shield。〃

〃Sorry；　Norman。　Not　my　field。〃

It　was　remarkable；　he　thought；　that　at　one　time　every　educated　Western　person　knew　these　figures　from　mythology　and　the　stories　behind　them　intimately…as　intimately　as　they　knew　the　stories　of　families　and　friends。　Myths　had　once　represented　the　mon　knowledge　of　humanity；　and　they　served　as　a　kind　of　map　of　consciousness。

But　now　a　well…educated　person　such　as　Beth　knew　nothing　of　myths　at　all。　It　was　as　if　men　had　decided　that　the　map　of　human　consciousness　had　changed。　But　had　it　really　changed？　He　shivered。

〃Still　cold；　Norman？〃

〃Yeah。　But　the　worst　thing　is　the　headache。〃

〃Youre　probably　dehydrated。　Lets　see　if　I　can　find　something　for　you　to　drink。〃　She　went　to　the　first…aid　box　on　the　wall。

〃You　know；　that　was　a　hell　of　a　thing　you　did；〃　Beth　said。　〃Jumping　in　like　that　without　a　suit。　That　waters　only　a　couple　of　degrees　above　freezing。　It　was　very　brave。　Stupid；　but　brave。〃　She　smiled。　〃You　saved　my　life；　Norman。〃

＇＇310＇＇　〃I　didnt　think；〃　Norman　said。　〃I　just　did　it。〃　And　then　he　told　her　how；　when　he　had　seen　her　outside；　with　the　churning　cloud　of　sediment　approaching　her；　he　had　felt　an　old　and　childish　horror；　something　from　distant　memory。

〃You　know　what　it　was？〃　he　said。　〃It　reminded　me　of　the　tornado　in　The　Wizard　of　Oz。　That　tornado　scared　the　bejesus　out　of　me　when　I　was　a　kid。　I　just　didnt　want　to　see　it　happen　again。〃

And　then　he　thought；　Perhaps　these　are　our　new　myths。　Dorothy　and　Toto　and　the　Wicked　Witch；　Captain　Nemo　and　the　giant　squid　。。。

〃Well；〃　Beth　said；　〃whatever　the　reason；　you　saved　my　life。　Thank　you。〃

〃Any　time；〃　Norman　said。　He