Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第32章
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＇＇150＇＇ 〃Yes？〃 Norman said。
〃Don't tell me you don't see the pattern；〃
Ted said。 〃I don't see the pattern；〃 Norman said。
〃Squint at it；〃 Ted said。
Norman squinted。 〃Sorry。〃
〃But it is obviously a picture of the creature；〃 Ted said。 〃Look； that's the vertical torso； three legs； two arms。 There's no head； so presumably the creature's head is located within the torso itself。 Surely you see that； Norman。〃
〃Ted 。。。〃
〃For once； Harry has missed the point entirely！ The message is not only a picture； it's a self…portrait！〃
〃Ted 。。。〃
Ted sat back。 He sighed。 〃You're going to tell me I'm trying too hard。〃
〃I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm；〃 Norman said。
〃But you don't see the alien？〃
〃Not really； no。〃
〃Hell。〃 Ted tossed the papers aside。 〃I hate that son of a bitch。 He's so arrogant； he makes me so mad。 。。。 And on top of that； he's young！〃
〃You're forty；〃 Norman said。 〃I wouldn't exactly call that over the hill。〃
〃For physics； it is；〃 Ted said。 〃Biologists can sometimes do important work late in life。 Darwin was fifty when he published the Origin of Species。 And chemists sometimes do good work when they're older。 But in physics； if you haven't done it by thirty…five； the chances are； you never will。〃
〃But Ted； you're respected in your field。〃
Ted shook his head。 〃I've never done fundamental work。 I've analyzed data； I've e to some interesting conclusions。 But never anything fundamental。 This expedition is my chance to really do something。 To really 。。。 get my name in the books。〃
Norman now had a different sense of Ted's enthusiasm and energy； that relentlessly juvenile manner。 Ted wasn't emotionally retarded； he was driven。 And he clung to his youth out of a sense that time was slipping by and he hadn't yet acplished anything。 It wasn't obnoxious。 It was sad。
＇＇151＇＇ 〃Well；〃 Norman said； 〃the expedition isn't finished yet。〃
〃No；〃 Ted said； suddenly brightening。 〃You're right。 You're absolutely right。 There are more； wonderful experiences awaiting us。 I just know there are。 And they'll e； won't they。〃
〃Yes； Ted；〃 Norman said。 〃They'll e。〃
BETH
〃Damn it； nothing works！〃 She waved a hand to her laboratory bench。 〃Not a single one of the chemicals or reagents here is worth a damn！〃
〃What've you tried？〃 Barnes said calmly。 〃Zenker…Formalin； H and E； the other stains。 Proteolytic extractions； enzyme breaks。 You name it。 None of it works。 You know what I think； I think that whoever stocked this lab did it with outdated ingredients。〃
〃No；〃 Barnes said； 〃it's the atmosphere。〃
He explained that their environment contained only 2 percent oxygen； 1 percent carbon dioxide； but no nitrogen at all。 〃Chemical reactions are unpredictable；〃 he said。 〃You ought to take a look at Levy's recipe book sometime。 It's like nothing you've ever seen in your life。 The food looks normal when she's finished； but she sure doesn't make it the normal way。〃
〃And the lab？〃
〃The lab was stocked without knowing the working depth we would be at。 If we were shallower； we'd be breathing pressed air； and all your chemical reactions would work…they'd just go very fast。 But with heliox； reactions are unpredictable。 And if they won't go； well 。。。〃 He shrugged。
〃What am I supposed to do？〃 she said。
〃The best you can；〃 Barnes said。 〃Same as the rest of us。〃
＇＇152＇＇ 〃Well； all I can really do is gross anatomical analyses。 All this bench is worthless。〃
〃Then do the gross anatomy。〃
〃I just wish we had more lab capability。 。。。〃
〃This is it；〃 Barnes said。 〃Accept it and go on。〃
Ted entered the room。 〃You better take a look outside； everybody；〃 he said； pointing to the portholes。 〃We have more visitors。〃
The squid were gone。 For a moment norman saw nothing but the water； and the white suspended sediment caught in the lights。
〃Look down。 At the bottom。〃
The sea floor was alive。 Literally alive； crawling and wiggling and tremulous as far as they could see in the lights。 〃What is that？〃
Beth said； 〃It's shrimps。 A hell of a lot of shrimps。〃 And she ran to get her net。
〃Now； that's what we ought to be eating；〃 Ted said。 〃I love shrimp。 And those look perfect…size； a little smaller than crayfish。 Probably delicious。 I remember once in Portugal； my second wife and I had the most fabulous crayfish。 。。。〃
Norman felt slightly uneasy。 〃What're they doing here？〃
〃I don't know。 What do shrimps do； anyway？ Do they migrate？〃
〃Damned if I know；〃 Barnes said。 〃I always buy 'em frozen。 My wife hates to peel 'em。〃
Norman remained uneasy； though he could not say why。 He could clearly see now that the bottom was covered in shrimps； they were everywhere。 Why should it bother him？
Norman moved away from the window； hoping his sense of vague uneasiness would go away if he looked at something else。 But it didn't go away； it just stayed there…a small tense knot in the pit of his stomach。 He didn't like the feeling at all。
HARRY
〃Harry。〃
〃Oh； hi； Norman。 I heard the excitement。 Lot of shrimps outside； is that it？〃
Harry sat on his bunk； with the paper printout of numbers on his knees。 He had a pencil and pad； and the page was covered with calculations； scratchouts； symbols； arrows。
〃Harry；〃 Norman said； 〃what's going on？〃
〃Damned if I know。〃
〃I'm just wondering why we should suddenly be finding life down here…the squid； the shrimps…when before there was nothing。 Ever。〃
〃Oh； that。 I think that's pretty clear。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Sure。 What's different between then and now？〃
〃You've been inside the sphere。〃
〃No； no。 I mean； what's different in the outside environment？〃
Norman frowned。 He didn't grasp what Harry was driving at。
〃Well； just look outside；〃 Harry said。 〃What could you see before that you can't see now？〃
〃The grid？〃
〃Uh…huh。 The grid and the divers。 Lot of activity…and a lot of electricity。 I think it scared off the normal fauna of the area。 This is the South Pacific； you know； it ought to be teeming with life。〃
〃And now that the divers are gone； the animals are back？〃
〃That's my guess。〃
〃That's all there is to it？〃 Norman said； frowning。
〃Why are you asking me？〃 Harry said。 〃Ask Beth； she'll give you a definitive answer。 But I know animals are sensitive to all kinds of stimuli we don't notice。 You can't run God knows how many million volts through underwater cables； to light a half…mile grid in an environment that has never seen light before； and not expect to have an effect。〃
＇＇154＇＇ Something about this argument tickled the back of Norman's mind。 He knew something； something pertinent。 But he couldn't get it。
〃Harry。〃
〃Yes； Norman。 You look a little worried。 You know； this substitution code is really a bitch。 I'll tell you the truth； I'm not sure I'll be able to crack it。 You see； the problem is； if it is a letter substitution； you will need two digits to describe a single letter； because there are twenty…six letters in the alphabet； assuming no punctuation…which may or may not be included here as well。 So when I see a two next to a three； I don't know if it is letter two followed by letter three； or just letter twenty…three。 It's taking a long time to work through the permutations。 You see what I mean？〃
〃Harry。〃
〃Yes； Norman。〃
〃What happened inside the sphere？〃
〃Is that what you're worried about？〃 Harry asked。
〃What makes you think I'm worried about anything？〃 Norman asked。
〃Your face；〃 Harry said。 〃That's what makes me think you're worried。〃
〃Maybe I am；〃 Norman said。 〃Bu
