Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第4部分 (第3/7頁)

ve　included　you　on　the　team　as　the　psychologist；　although　a　younger　man　would　be　more　appropriate。〃

〃I　appreciate　that；〃　Norman　said。

〃I　knew　you　would；〃　Barnes　said；　smiling　cheerfully。　He　extended　a　beefy　hand。　〃Wele　to　the　ULF　Team；　Dr。　Johnson。〃

BETH

An　ensign　showed　norman　to　his　room；　tiny　and　gray；　more　like　a　prison　cell　than　anything　else。　Norman's　day　bag　lay　on　his　bunk。　In　the　corner　was　a　puter　console　and　a　keyboard。　Next　to　it　was　a　thick　manual　with　a　blue　cover。

He　sat　on　the　bed；　which　was　hard；　unweling。　He　leaned　back　against　a　pipe　on　the　wall。

〃Hi；　Norman；〃　a　soft　voice　said。　〃I'm　glad　to　see　they　dragged　you　into　this。　This　is　all　your　fault；　isn't　it？〃　A　woman　stood　in　the　doorway。

Beth　Halpern；　the　team　zoologist；　was　a　study　in　contrasts。　She　was　a　tall；　angular　woman　of　thirty…six　who　could　be　called　pretty　despite　her　sharp　features　and　the　almost　masculine　quality　of　her　body。　In　the　years　since　Norman　had　last　seen　her；　she　seemed　to　have　emphasized　her　masculine　side　even　more。　Beth　was　a　serious　weight…lifter　and　runner；　the　veins　and　muscles　bulged　at　her　neck　and　on　her　forearms；　and　her　legs；　beneath　her　shorts；　were　powerful。　Her　hair　was　cut　short；　hardly　longer　than　a　man's。

At　the　same　time；　she　wore　jewelry　and　makeup；　and　she　moved　in　a　seductive　way。　Her　voice　was　soft；　and　her　eyes　were　large　and　liquid；　especially　when　she　talked　about　the　living　things　that　she　studied。　At　those　times　she　became　almost　maternal。　One　of　her　colleagues　at　the　University　of　Chicago　had　referred　to　her　as　〃Mother　Nature　with　muscles。〃

Norman　got　up；　and　she　gave　him　a　quick　peck　on　the　cheek。　〃My　room's　next　to　yours；　I　heard　you　arrive。　When　did　you　get　in？〃

〃An　hour　ago。　I　th