Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第6部分 (第5/7頁)

e　kind。　We　hope　to　find　it　within　the　next　twenty…four　to　forty…eight　hours。　Once　we　do；　you're　going　in。　Anything　else？〃

〃Yes；〃　Ted　said。　〃What　was　the　Russian　reaction　to　this　discovery？〃

〃We　haven't　told　the　Russians；〃　Barnes　said。

〃You　haven't　told　them？〃

〃No。　We　haven't。〃

〃But　this　is　an　incredible；　unprecedented　development　in　human　history。　Not　just　American　history。　Human　history。　Surely　we　should　share　this　with　all　the　nations　of　the　world。　This　is　the　sort　of　discovery　that　could　unite　all　of　mankind…〃

〃You'd　have　to　speak　to　the　President；〃　Barnes　said。　〃I　don't　know　the　reasoning　behind　it；　but　it's　his　decision。　Any　other　questions？〃

Nobody　said　anything。　The　team　looked　at　each　other。

〃Then　I　guess　that's　it；〃　Barnes　said。

The　lights　came　on。　There　was　the　scraping　of　chairs　as　people　stood；　stretched。　Then　Harry　Adams　said；　〃Captain　Barnes；　I　must　say　I　resent　this　briefing　very　much。〃

Barnes　looked　surprised。　〃What　do　you　mean；　Harry？〃　The　others　stopped；　looked　at　Adams。　He　remained　seated　in　his　chair；　an　irritated　look　on　his　face。　〃Did　you　decide　you　have　to　break　the　news　to　us　gently？〃

〃What　news？〃

〃The　news　about　the　door。〃

Barnes　laughed　uneasily。　〃Harry；　I　just　got　through　telling　you　that　the　divers　are　cutting　exploratory　trenches；　looking　for　the　door…〃

＇＇36＇＇　〃…I'd　say　you　had　a　pretty　good　idea　where　the　door　was　three　days　ago；　when　you　started　flying　us　in。　And　I'd　say　that　by　now　you　probably　know　exactly　where　the　door　is。　Am　I　right？〃

Barnes　said　nothing。　He　stood　with　a　fixed　smile　on　his　face。

My　God；　Norman　thought；　looking　at　Barnes。　Harry's　right。　Harry　was　known　to　have　a　superbly　logical　brain；　an　astonishing　and　cold