Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第47部分 (第3/7頁)

What　was　the　objective　evidence　that　Norman　had　gone　to　the　sphere？　They　had　made　tapes　of　everything　that　occurred　in　the　habitat。　If　Norman　had　gone　to　the　sphere　many　hours　ago；　somewhere　there　was　a　tape　showing　him　in　the　airlock；　alone；　getting　dressed；　slipping　away。　Beth　should　be　able　to　show　him　that　tape。　Where　was　that　tape？

In　the　submarine；　of　course。

It　would　long　ago　have　been　taken　to　the　submarine。　Norman　himself　might　have　taken　it；　when　he　made　his　excursion　to　the　sub。

No　objective　evidence。

〃Norman；　give　up。　Please。　For　all　our　sakes。〃

Perhaps　she　was　right；　he　thought。　She　was　so　sure　of　herself。　If　he　was　evading　the　truth；　if　he　was　putting　the　＇＇319＇＇　expedition　in　jeopardy；　then　he　had　to　give　himself　up　and　let　her　put　him　under。　Could　he　trust　her　to　do　that？　He　would　have　to。　There　wasn't　any　choice。

It　must　be　me；　he　thought。　It　must　be。　The　thought　was　so　horrible　to　him…that　in　itself　was　suspicious。　He　was　resisting　it　so　violently…not　a　good　sign；　he　thought。　Too　much　resistance。

〃Norman？〃

〃Okay；　Beth。〃

〃Will　you　do　it？〃

〃Don't　push。　Give　me　a　minute；　will　you？〃

〃Sure；　Norman。　Of　course。〃

He　looked　at　the　video　recorder　next　to　the　monitor。　He　remembered　how　Beth　had　used　this　recorder　to　play　the　same　tape；　again　and　again；　the　tape　in　which　the　sphere　had　opened　by　itself。　That　tape　was　now　lying　on　the　counter　beside　the　recorder。　He　pushed　the　tape　into　the　slot；　clicked　the　recorder　on。　Why　bother　to　look　at　it　now？　he　thought。　You're　just　delaying。　You're　wasting　time。

The　screen　flickered；　and　he　waited　for　the　familiar　image　of　Beth　eating　cake；　her　back　to　the　monitor。　But　this　was　a　different　tape。　This　was　a　direct　monitor　feed　showing