小说园

第55部分（第1页）

〃What　about？〃　Norman　asked；　without　much　interest。　〃Well；　when　you　were　transferred　to　the　SDC；　Dr。　Adams　mentioned　something　about　a　squid。〃

〃Did　he？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　Only　there　doesnt　seem　to　be　any　squid　recorded　on　the　tapes。〃

〃I　dont　remember　any　squid；〃　Norman　said；　puzzled。　He　turned　to　Harry。　〃Did　you　say　something　about　a　squid；　Harry？〃

Harry　frowned。　〃A　squid？　I　dont　think　so。〃

Norman　turned　back　to　the　Navy　man。　〃What　do　the　videotapes　show；　exactly？〃

〃Well；　the　tapes　go　right　up　to　the　time　when　the　air　in　the　habitat　。。。　you　know；　the　accident　。。。〃

〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。　〃I　remember　the　accident。〃

〃From　the　tapes；　we　think　we　know　what　happened。　Apparently　there　was　a　leak　in　the　habitat　wall；　and　the　scrubber　cylinders　got　wet。　They　became　inoperable；　and　the　ambient　atmosphere　went　bad。〃

〃I　see。〃

〃It　must　have　happened　very　suddenly；　sir。〃

〃Yes；〃　Johnson　said。　〃Yes；　it　did。〃

〃So；　are　you　ready　to　talk　to　someone　now？〃

〃I　think　so。　Yes。〃

Norman　turned　away　from　the　porthole。　He　put　his　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　jacket；　and　felt　a　piece　of　paper。　He　pulled　out　a　picture　and　stared　at　it　curiously。

It　was　a　photograph　of　a　red　Corvette。　Norman　wondered　where　the　picture　had　e　from。　Probably　a　car　that　belonged　to　someone　else；　who　had　worn　the　jacket　before　Norman。　Probably　one　of　the　Navy　people　who　had　died　in　the　underwater　disaster。

Norman　shivered；　crumpled　the　picture　in　his　fist；　and　＇＇371＇＇　tossed　it　into　the　trash。　He　didnt　need　any　mementos。　He　remembered　that　disaster　only　too　well。　He　knew　he　would　never　forget　it　for　the　rest　of　his　life。

He　glanced　back　at　Beth　and　Harry。　They　both　looked　tired。　Beth　stared　into　space；　preoccupied　with　her　own　thoughts。　But　her　face　was　serene；　despite　the　hardships　of　their　time　underwater；　Norman　thought　she　looked　almost　beautiful。

〃You　know；　Beth；〃　he　said；　〃you　look　lovely。〃

Beth　did　not　seem　to　hear；　but　then　she　turned　toward　him　slowly。　〃Why；　thank　you；　Norman；〃　she　said。

And　she　smiled。

THE　END。

Michael　Critchton　…　SPHERE

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