Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第39部分 (第4/7頁)

〃　Harry　said。

HEY　MAN　GET　OFF　MY　BACK。

〃No　offense；　Jerry；〃　Norman　said　quickly。　There　was　no　reply　on　the　screen。　〃Jerry？〃

The　screen　did　not　respond。

〃He's　gone　again；〃　Harry　said。　He　shook　his　head。　〃God　knows　what　the　little　bastard　will　do　next。〃

FURTHER　ANALYSIS

Norman　went　up　to　the　lab　to　see　beth；　but　she　was　asleep；　curled　up　on　her　couch。　In　sleep；　she　looked　quite　beautiful。　It　was　odd　after　all　the　time　down　here　she　should　seem　so　radiant。　It　was　as　if　the　harshness　had　gone　out　of　her　features。　Her　nose　did　not　seem　so　sharp　any　more；　the　line　of　the　mouth　was　softer；　fuller。　He　looked　at　her　arms；　which　had　been　sinewy；　veins　bulging。　The　muscles　seemed　smoother；　more　feminine　somehow。

Who　knows？　he　thought。　After　so　many　hours　down　here；　you're　no　judge　of　anything。　He　climbed　back　down　the　ladder　and　went　to　his　bunk。　Harry　was　already　there；　snoring　loudly。

Norman　decided　to　take　another　shower。　As　he　stepped　under　the　spray；　he　made　a　startling　discovery。

The　bruises　which　had　covered　his　body　were　gone。　Anyway；　almost　gone；　he　thought；　staring　down　at　the　remaining　patches　of　yellow　and　purple。　They　had　healed　within　hours。　He　moved　his　limbs　experimentally　and　realized　that　the　pain　had　gone；　too。　Why？　What　had　happened？　For　a　moment　he　thought　this　was　all　a　dream；　or　a　nightmare；　and　then　he　thought：　No；　it's　just　the　atmosphere。　Cuts　and　bruises　healing　faster　in　the　high…pressure　environment。　It　wasn't　anything　mysterious。　Just　an　atmospheric　effect。

He　toweled　himself　as　dry　as　he　could　with　the　damp　towel；　and　then　went　back　to　his　bunk。　Harry　was　still　snoring；　as　loud　as　ever。

Norman　lay　on　his　back；　stared　at　the　red　humming　coils　of　the　ceiling　heater。　He　had　an