Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第14部分 (第2/7頁)

is　time　the　ball　goes　way　up　in　the　air；　and　it　takes　six　seconds　before　the　center　fielder　catches　it。〃

〃Okay。〃

〃Now；　the　paths　of　the　two　balls…the　line　drive　and　the　pop　fly…look　very　different　to　us。　But　both　these　balls　moved　exactly　the　same　in　space…time。〃

〃No；〃　Norman　said。

〃Yes；〃　Ted　said。　〃And　in　a　way；　you　already　know　it。　Suppose　I　ask　you　to　hit　a　high　pop　fly　to　the　center　fielder；　but　to　make　it　reach　the　fielder　in　half　a　second　instead　of　six　seconds。〃

〃That's　impossible；〃　Norman　said。

〃Why？　Just　hit　the　pop　fly　harder。〃

〃If　I　hit　it　harder；　it　will　go　higher　and　end　up　taking　longer。〃

〃Okay；　then　hit　a　low　line　drive　that　takes　six　seconds　to　reach　center　field。〃

〃I　can't　do　that；　either。〃

〃Right；〃　Ted　said。　〃So　what　you　are　telling　me　is　that　you　can't　make　the　ball　do　anything　you　want。　There　is　a　fixed　relationship　governing　the　path　of　the　ball　through　space　and　time。〃

〃Sure。　Because　the　Earth　has　gravity。〃

〃Yes；〃　Ted　said；　〃and　we've　already　agreed　that　gravity　is　a　curvature　of　space…time；　like　the　curve　of　this　bowl。　Any　baseball　on　Earth　must　move　along　the　same　curve　of　＇＇88＇＇　space…time；　as　this　ball　bearing　moves　along　this　bowl。　Look。〃　He　put　the　orange　back　in　the　bowl。　〃Here's　the　Earth。〃　He　put　two　fingers　on　opposite　sides　of　the　orange。　〃Here's　batter　and　fielder。　Now；　roll　the　ball　bearing　from　one　finger　to　the　other；　and　you'll　find　you　have　to　acmodate　the　curve　of　the　bowl。　Either　you　flick　the　ball　lightly　and　it　will　roll　close　to　the　orange；　or　you　can　give　it　a　big　flick　and　it　will　go　way　up　the　side　of　the　bowl；　before　falling　down　again　to　the　other　side。　But　you　can't　make　this　ball　bearing　do　anything　you　want；　because　the　ball　bearing　is