Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第53部分 (第6/7頁)

〃I'm　afraid　that's　true；〃　Norman　said。〃The　sphere　was　built　to　test　whatever　intelligent　life　might　pick　it　up；　and　we　simply　failed　that　test。〃

〃Is　that　what　you　think　the　sphere　was　made　for？〃　H　said。　〃I　don't。〃

〃Then　what？〃　Norman　said。

〃Well；〃　Harry　said；　〃look　at　it　this　way：　Suppose　you　were　an　intelligent　bacterium　floating　in　space；　and　you　came　upon　one　of　our　munication　satellites；　in　orbit　around　the　Earth。　You　would　think；　What　a　strange；　alien　object　this　is；　let's　explore　it。　Suppose　you　opened　it　up　and　crawled　inside。　You　would　find　it　very　interesting　in　there；　with　lots　of　huge　things　to　puzzle　over。　But　eventually　you　might　climb　into　one　of　the　fuel　cells；　and　the　hydrogen　would　kill　you。　And　your　last　thought　would　be：　This　alien　device　was　obviously　made　to　test　bacterial　intelligence　and　to　kill　us　if　we　make　a　false　step。

〃Now；　that　would　be　correct　from　the　standpoint　of　the　dying　bacterium。　But　that　wouldn't　be　correct　at　all　from　the　standpoint　of　the　beings　who　made　the　satellite。　From　our　point　of　view；　the　munications　satellite　has　nothing　to　do　with　intelligent　bacteria。　We　don't　even　know　that　there　are　intelligent　bacteria　out　there。　We're　just　trying　to　＇＇363＇＇　municate；　and　we've　made　what　we　consider　a　quite　ordinary　device　to　do　it。〃

〃You　mean　the　sphere　might　not　be　a　message　or　a　trophy　or　a　trap　at　all？〃

〃That's　right；〃　Harry　said。　〃The　sphere　may　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　search　for　other　life　forms；　or　testing　life；　as　we　might　imagine　those　activities　to　occur。　It　may　be　an　accident　that　the　sphere　causes　such　profound　changes　in　us。〃

〃But　why　would　someone　build　such　a　machine？〃　Norman　said。

〃That's　the　same　question　an　intelligent　bacterium　would　ask　about　a　munication