Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第7部分 (第5/7頁)

ed。　He　watched　a　rubber　diaphragm　inflate；　pushing　a　needle　up　a　scale。

〃Try　it　again；　sir。　I'm　sure　you　can　do　better　than　that。〃　Norman　didn't　think　he　could；　but　he　tried　again　anyway。　Another　corpsman　entered　the　room；　with　a　sheet　of　paper　covered　with　figures。　〃Here　are　his　BC's；〃　he　said。

The　first　corpsman　frowned。　〃Has　Barnes　seen　this？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　what'd　he　say？〃

〃He　said　it　was　okay。　He　said　to　continue。〃

〃Okay；　fine。　He's　the　boss。〃　The　first　corpsman　turned　back　to　Norman。　〃Let's　try　one　more　big　breath；　Dr。　Johnson；　if　you　would。　。。。〃

Metal　calipers　touched　his　chin　and　his　forehead。　A　tape　went　around　his　head。　Now　the　calipers　measured　from　his　ear　to　his　chin。

〃What's　this　for？〃　Norman　said。

〃Fitting　you　with　a　helmet；　sir。〃

〃Shouldn't　I　be　trying　one　on？〃

〃This　is　the　way　we　do　it；　sir。〃

Dinner　was　macaroni　and　cheese；　burned　underneath。　Norman　pushed　it　aside　after　a　few　bites。

The　corpsman　appeared　at　his　door。　〃Time　for　the　seventeen…hundred…hours　briefing；　sir。〃

〃I'm　not　going　anywhere；〃　Norman　said；　〃until　I　get　some　answers。　What　the　hell　is　all　this　you're　doing　to　me？〃

〃Routine　deepsat　workup；　sir。　Navy　regs　require　it　before　you　go　down。〃

〃And　why　am　I　off　the　graph？〃

〃Sorry；　sir？〃

〃You　said　I　was　off　the　graph。〃

〃Oh；　that。　You're　a　bit　heavier　than　the　Navy　tables　figure　for；　sir。〃

〃Is　there　a　problem　about　my　weight？〃

〃Shouldn't　be；　no；　sir。〃

〃And　the　other　tests；　what　did　they　show？〃

〃Sir；　you　are　in　very　good　health　for　your　age　and　lifestyle。〃

〃And　what　about　going　down　there？〃　Norman　asked；　half　hoping　he　wouldn't　be　able　to　go。

〃Down　there？　I've　talked　with　Captai