Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第35部分 (第4/7頁)

　response。

〃I'll　tell　you　something　about　Jerry；〃　Beth　said。　〃He　can't　really　read　minds。　When　we　were　talking　to　him　before；　I　sent　him　a　thought　and　he　didn't　respond。〃

〃I　did；　too；〃　Norman　said。　〃I　sent　both　messages　and　images。　He　never　responded。〃

〃If　we　speak；　he　answers；　but　if　we　just　think；　he　doesn't　answer；〃　Beth　said。　〃So　he's　not　all…powerful。　He　actually　behaves　as　if　he　hears　us。〃

〃That's　right；〃　Norman　said。　〃Although　he　doesn't　seem　to　be　hearing　us　now。〃

〃No。　I　tried　earlier；　too。〃

〃I　wonder　why　he　isn't　answering。〃

〃You　said　he　was　emotional。　Maybe　he's　sulking。〃

Norman　didn't　think　so。　Child　kings　didn't　sulk。　They　were　vindictive　and　whimsical；　but　they　didn't　sulk。

〃By　the　way；〃　she　said；　〃you　might　want　to　look　at　these。〃　She　handed　him　a　stack　of　printouts。　〃They're　the　record　of　all　the　interactions　we've　had　with　him。〃

〃They　may　give　us　a　clue；〃　Norman　said；　thumbing　through　the　sheets　without　any　real　enthusiasm。　He　felt　suddenly　tired。

〃Anyway；　it'll　occupy　your　mind。〃

〃True。〃

〃Personally；〃　Beth　said；　〃I'd　like　to　go　back　to　the　ship。〃

＇＇236＇＇　〃What　for？〃

〃I'm　not　convinced　we've　found　everything　that's　there。〃

〃It's　a　long　way　to　the　ship；〃　Norman　said。

〃I　know。　But　if　we　get　a　clear　time　without　the　squid；　I　might　try　it。〃

〃Just　to　occupy　your　mind？〃

〃I　guess　you　could　say　that。〃　She　glanced　at　her　watch。　〃Norman；　I'm　going　to　get　a　couple　of　hours　of　sleep；〃　she　said。　〃Then　we　can　draw　straws　to　see　who　goes　to　the　submarine。〃

〃Okay。〃

〃You　seem　depressed；　Norman。〃

〃I　am。〃

〃Me；　too；〃　she　said。　〃This　place　feels　like　a　tomb…and　I've　been　prematurely　buried。〃

She　climbed　the　la