Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第22部分 (第5/7頁)

s　would　jump　out　of　its　hiding　place　and　catch　the　crab。

＇＇144＇＇　〃In　fact；　an　octopus　is　so　smart　that　the　biggest　limitation　to　its　behavior　is　its　lifespan。　An　octopus　lives　only　three　years；　and　that's　not　long　enough　to　develop　anything　as　plicated　as　a　culture　or　civilization。　Maybe　if　octopi　lived　as　long　as　we　do；　they　would　long　ago　have　taken　over　the　world。

〃But　squid　are　pletely　different。　I　have　no　feelings　about　squid。　Except　I　don't　really　like　'em。〃

He　smiled。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃at　least　you　finally　found　some　life　down　here。〃

〃You　know；　it's　funny；〃　she　said。　〃Remember　how　barren　it　was　out　there？　Nothing　on　the　bottom？〃

〃Sure。　Very　striking。〃

〃Well；　I　went　around　the　side　of　the　habitat；　to　get　these　squid。　And　there're　all　sorts　of　sea　fans　on　the　bottom。　Beautiful　colors；　blues　and　purples　and　yellows。　Some　of　them　quite　large。〃

〃Think　they　just　grew？〃

〃No。　They　must　have　always　been　in　that　spot；　but　we　never　went　over　there。　I'll　have　to　investigate　it　later。　I'd　like　to　know　why　they　are　localized　in　that　particular　place；　next　to　the　habitat。〃

Norman　went　to　the　porthole。　He　had　switched　on　the　exterior　habitat　lights；　shining　onto　the　bottom。　He　could　indeed　see　many　large　sea　fans；　purple　and　pink　and　blue；　waving　gently　in　the　current。　They　extended　out　to　the　edge　of　the　light；　to　the　darkness。

〃In　a　way；〃　Beth　said；　〃it's　reassuring。　We're　deep　for　the　majority　of　oceanic　life；　which　is　found　in　the　first　hundred　feet　of　water。　But　even　so；　this　habitat　is　located　in　the　most　varied　and　abundant　marine　environment　in　the　world。〃　Scientists　had　made　species　counts　and　had　determined　that　the　South　Pacific　had　more　species　of　coral　and　sponges　than　anywhere　else　on　Earth。