Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第54部分 (第3/7頁)

aradoxes；〃　Beth　said。　〃You　know；　how　you　can't　go　back　and　meet　yourself　in　the　past。　。。。〃

Harry　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　think　it's　a　paradox；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　that　all　knowledge　of　that　ship　is　going　to　be　lost。〃

〃You　mean；　we　are　going　to　forget　it。〃

〃Yes；〃　Harry　said。　〃And；　frankly；　I　think　it's　a　much　better　solution。　For　a　long　time　while　we　were　down　there；　I　assumed　none　of　us　would　ever　get　back　alive。　That　was　the　only　explanation　I　could　think　of。　That's　why　I　wanted　to　make　out　my　will。〃

〃But　if　we　decide　to　forget　。。。〃

〃Exactly；〃　Harry　said。　〃If　we　decide　to　forget；　that　will　produce　the　same　result。〃

〃The　knowledge　will　be　gone　forever；〃　Norman　said　quietly。　He　found　himself　hesitating。　Now　that　they　had　arrived　at　this　moment；　he　was　strangely　reluctant　to　proceed。　He　ran　＇＇366＇＇　his　fingertips　over　the　scarred　table；　touching　the　surface；　as　if　it　might　provide　an　answer。

In　a　sense；　he　thought；　all　we　consist　of　is　memories。　Our　personalities　are　constructed　from　memories；　our　lives　are　organized　around　memories；　our　cultures　are　built　upon　the　foundation　of　shared　memories　that　we　call　history　and　science。　But　now；　to　give　up　a　memory；　to　give　up　knowledge；　to　give　up　the　past　。。。

〃It's　not　easy；〃　Harry　said；　shaking　his　head。

〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃It's　not。〃　In　fact　he　found　it　so　difficult　he　wondered　if　he　was　experiencing　a　human　characteristic　as　fundamental　as　sexual　desire。　He　simply　could　not　give　up　this　knowledge。　The　information　seemed　so　important　to　him；　the　implications　so　fascinating。　。。。　His　entire　being　rebelled　against　the　idea　of　forgetting。

〃Well；〃　Harry　said；　〃I　think　we　have　to　do　it；　anyway。〃

〃I　was　thinking　of　Ted；〃　Beth　said。　〃And　Barnes；　and　the　other