Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第43部分 (第4/7頁)

ldn't。

Same　as　the　rest　of　us；　Norman　thought。　He　glanced　at　the　monitor　clocks。　They　showed　1230　hours；　and　counted　backward。　He　put　a　blanket　over　Harry　and　went　over　to　the　console。

The　sphere　was　still　there；　with　its　changed　pattern　of　grooves。　In　all　the　excitement　he　had　almost　forgotten　his　initial　fascination　with　the　sphere；　where　it　had　e　from；　what　it　meant。　Although　they　understood　now　what　it　meant。　What　had　Beth　called　it？　A　mental　enzyme。　An　enzyme　was　something　that　made　chemical　reactions　possible　without　actually　participating　in　them。　Our　bodies　needed　to　perform　chemical　reactions；　but　our　body　temperatures　were　too　cold　for　most　chemical　reactions　to　proceed　smoothly。　So　we　had　enzymes　to　help　the　process　along；　speed　it　up。　The　enzymes　made　it　all　possible。　And　she　had　called　the　sphere　a　mental　enzyme。

Very　clever；　he　thought。　Clever　woman。　Her　impulsiveness　＇＇293＇＇　had　turned　out　to　be　just　what　was　needed。　With　Harry　unconscious；　Beth　still　looked　beautiful；　but　Norman　was　relieved　to　find　that　his　own　features　had　returned　to　pudgy　normalcy。　He　saw　his　own　familiar　reflection　in　the　screen　as　he　stared　at　the　sphere　on　the　monitor。

That　sphere。

With　Harry　unconscious；　he　wondered　if　they　would　ever　know　exactly　what　had　happened；　exactly　what　it　had　been　like。　He　remembered　the　lights；　like　fireflies。　And　what　had　Harry　said？　Something　about　foam。　The　foam。　Norman　heard　a　whirring　sound；　and　looked　out　the　porthole。

The　sub　was　moving。

Freed　of　its　tethers；　the　yellow　minisub　glided　across　the　bottom；　its　lights　shining　on　the　ocean　floor。　Norman　pushed　the　inter　button：　〃Beth？　Beth！〃

〃I'm　here；　Norman。〃

〃What're　you　doing？〃

〃Just　take　it　easy；　Norman。〃

〃What're　you　d