Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第53部分 (第3/7頁)

edical　crew　which　supervised　the　depression　chamber　played　cards。

Looking　through　the　inch…thick　glass　of　the　porthole；　Norman　felt　as　if　he　were　peering　into　a　miniature　world　to　which　he　had　little　connection；　a　kind　of　terrarium　populated　by　interesting　and　exotic　specimens。　This　new　world　was　as　alien　to　him　as　the　dark　ocean　world　had　once　seemed　from　inside　the　habitat。

He　watched　the　crew　slap　down　their　cards　on　a　wooden　packing　crate；　watched　them　laugh　and　gesture　as　the　game　proceeded。　They　never　glanced　in　his　direction；　never　looked　at　the　depression　chamber。　Norman　didn't　understand　these　young　men。　Were　they　supposed　to　be　paying　attention　to　the　depression？　They　looked　young　and　inexperienced　to　Norman。　Focused　on　their　card　game；　they　seemed　＇＇360＇＇　indifferent　to　the　huge　metal　chamber　nearby；　indifferent　to　the　three　survivors　inside　the　chamber…and　indifferent　to　the　larger　meaning　of　the　mission；　to　the　news　the　survivors　had　brought　back　to　the　surface。　These　cheerful　Navy　cardplayers　didn't　seem　to　give　a　damn　about　Norman's　mission。　But　perhaps　they　didn't　know。

He　turned　back　to　the　chamber；　sat　down　at　the　table。　His　knee　throbbed；　and　the　skin　was　swollen　around　the　white　bandage。　He　had　been　treated　by　a　Navy　physician　during　their　transfer　from　the　submarine　to　the　depression　chamber。　They　had　been　taken　off　the　minisub　Deepstar　III　in　a　pressurized　diving　bell；　and　from　there　had　been　transferred　to　the　large　chamber　on　the　deck　of　the　ship…the　SDC；　the　Navy　called　it；　the　surface　depression　chamber。　They　were　going　to　spend　four　days　here。　Norman　wasn't　sure　how　long　he　had　been　here　so　far。　They　had　all　immediately　gone　to　sleep；　and　there　was　no　clock　in　the　chamber。　The　face　of　his　own　wristwatch　was　smashed；　althou