Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第7部分 (第6/7頁)

n　Barnes。　Shouldn't　be　any　problem　at　all；　sir。　If　you'll　just　e　this　way　to　the　briefing；　sir　。。。〃

The　others　were　sitting　around　in　the　briefing　room；　with　Styrofoam　cups　of　coffee。　Norman　felt　glad　to　see　them。　He　dropped　into　a　chair　next　to　Harry。　〃Jesus；　did　you　have　the　damn　physical？〃

〃Yeah；〃　he　said。　〃Had　it　yesterday。〃

〃They　stuck　me　in　the　leg　with　this　long　needle；〃　Norman　said。

〃Really？　They　didn't　do　that　to　me。〃

〃And　how　about　breathing　with　that　clip　on　your　nose？〃

〃I　didn't　do　that；　either；〃　Harry　said。　〃Sounds　like　you　got　some　special　treatment；　Norman。〃

Norman　was　thinking　the　same　thing；　and　he　didn't　like　the　implications。　He　felt　suddenly　tired。

〃All　right；　men；　we've　got　a　lot　to　cover　and　just　three　hours　to　do　it；〃　a　brisk　man　said；　turning　off　the　lights　as　he　came　into　the　room。　Norman　hadn't　even　gotten　a　good　look　at　him。　Now　it　was　just　a　voice　in　the　dark。　〃As　you　know；　Dalton's　law　governs　partial　pressures　of　mixed　gases；　or；　as　represented　here　in　algebraic　form　。。。〃

The　first　of　the　graphs　flashed　up。

PPa　=　Ptot　x　％　Vola

＇＇44＇＇　〃Now　let's　review　how　calculation　of　the　partial　pressure　might　be　done　in　atmospheres　absolute；　which　is　the　most　mon　procedure　we　employ…〃

The　words　were　meaningless　to　Norman。　He　tried　to　pay　attention；　but　as　the　graphs　continued　and　the　voice　droned　on；　his　eyes　grew　heavier　and　he　fell　asleep。

〃…be　taken　down　in　the　submarine　and　once　in　the　habitat　module　you　will　be　pressurized　to　thirty…three　atmospheres。　At　that　time　you　will　be　switched　over　to　mixed　gases；　since　it　is　not　possible　to　breathe　Earth　atmosphere　beyond　eighteen　atmospheres…〃

Norman　stopped　listening。　These　technical　details　only　filled　him