Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第10章

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〃Oh　yes；〃　Ted　said；　reaching　into　his　pocket。　Ted　handed　the　pilot　a　ten…dollar　bill。
Norman　glanced　questioningly　at　Ted。
〃Didn't　they　mention　that　to　you？　Old　tradition。　You　always　pay　the　pilot　on　your　way　down；　for　good　luck。〃
〃I　can　use　some　luck；〃　Norman　said。　He　fumbled　in　his　pocket；　found　a　five…dollar　bill；　thought　better　of　it；　took　out　a　twenty　instead。
〃Thank　you；　gentlemen；　and　have　a　good　bottom　stay；　both　of　you；〃　the　pilot　said。
The　electric　motors　cut　back　in。
The　descent　continued。　The　water　was　dark。　〃Five　hundred　feet；〃　he　said。　〃Halfway　there。〃
The　submarine　creaked　loudly；　then　made　several　explosive　pops。　Norman　was　startled。
〃That's　normal　pressure　adjustment；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃No　problem。〃
＇＇50＇＇　〃Uh…huh；〃　Norman　said。　He　wiped　sweat　on　his　shirtsleeve。　It　seemed　that　the　interior　of　the　submarine　was　now　much　smaller；　the　walls　closer　to　his　face。
〃Actually；〃　Ted　said；　〃if　I　remember；　this　particular　region　of　the　Pacific　is　called　the　Lau　Basin；　isn't　that　right？〃
〃That's　right；　sir；　the　Lau　Basin。〃
〃It's　a　plateau　between　two　undersea　ridges；　the　South　Fiji　or　Lau　Ridge　to　the　west；　and　the　Tonga　Ridge　to　the　east。〃
〃That's　correct；　Dr。　Fielding。〃
Norman　glanced　at　the　instruments。　They　were　covered　with　moisture。　The　pilot　had　to　rub　the　dials　with　a　cloth　to　read　them。　Was　the　sub　leaking？　No；　he　thought。　Just　condensation。　The　interior　of　the　submarine　was　growing　colder。　Take　it　easy；　he　told　himself。
〃Eight　hundred　feet；〃　the　pilot　said。　It　was　now　pletely　black　outside。
〃This　is　very　exciting；〃　Ted　said。　〃Have　you　ever　done　anything　like　this　before；　Norman？〃
〃No；〃　Norman　said。
〃Me；　neither；〃　Ted　said。　〃What　a　thrill。〃　Norman　wished　he　would　shut　up。
〃You　know；〃　Ted　said；　〃when　we　open　this　alien　craft　up　and　make　our　first　contact　with　another　form　of　life；　it's　going　to　be　a　great　moment　in　the　history　of　our　species　on　Earth。　I've　been　wondering　about　what　we　should　say。〃
〃Say？〃
〃You　know；　what　words。　At　the　threshold；　with　the　cameras　rolling。〃
〃Will　there　be　cameras？〃
〃Oh；　I'm　sure　there'll　be　all　sorts　of　documentation。　It's　only　proper；　considering。　So　we　need　something　to　say；　a　memorable　phrase。　I　was　thinking　of　〃This　is　a　momentous　moment　in　human　history。'　〃
〃Momentous　moment？〃　Norman　said；　frowning。
〃You're　right；〃　Ted　said。　〃Awkward；　I　agree。　Maybe　'A　turning　point　in　human　history'？〃
Norman　shook　his　head。
〃How　about　'A　crossroads　in　the　evolution　of　the　human　species'？〃
＇＇51＇＇　〃Can　evolution　have　a　crossroads？〃
〃I　don't　see　why　not；〃　Ted　said。
〃Well；　a　crossroads　is　a　crossing　of　roads。　Is　evolution　a　road？　I　thought　it　wasn't；　I　thought　evolution　was　undirected。〃
〃You're　being　too　literal；〃　Ted　said。
〃Reading　the　bottom；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Nine　hundred　feet。〃　He　slowed　the　descent。　They　heard　the　intermittent　ping　of　sonar。
Ted　said；　〃　'A　new　threshold　in　the　evolution　of　the　human　species'？〃
〃Sure。　Think　it　will　be？〃
〃Will　be　what？〃
〃A　new　threshold。〃
〃Why　not？〃　Ted　said。
〃What　if　we　open　it　up　and　it's　just　a　lot　of　rusted　junk　inside；　and　nothing　valuable　or　enlightening　at　all？〃
〃Good　point；〃　Ted　said。
〃Nine　hundred　fifty　feet。　Exterior　lights　are　on；〃　the　pilot　said。
Through　the　porthole　they　saw　white　flecks。　The　pilot　explained　this　was　suspended　matter　in　the　water。
〃Visual　contact。　I　have　bottom。〃
〃Oh；　let's　see！〃　Ted　said。　The　pilot　obligingly　shifted　to　one　side　and　they　looked。
Norman　saw　a　flat；　dead；　dull…brown　plain　stretching　away　to　the　limit　of　the　lights。　Blackness　beyond。
〃Not　much　to　look　at　right　here；　I'm　afraid；〃　the　pilot　said。
〃Surprisingly　dreary；〃　Ted　said；　without　a　trace　of　disappointment。　〃I　would　have　expected　more　life。〃
〃Well；　it's　pretty　cold。　Water　temperature　is；　ah；　thirty…six　degrees　Fahrenheit。〃
〃Almost　freezing；〃　Ted　said。
〃Yes；　sir。　Let's　see　if　we　can　find　your　new　home。〃
The　motors　rumbled。　Muddy　sediment　churned　up　in　front　of　the　porthole。　The　sub　turned；　moved　across　the　bottom。　For　several　minutes　they　saw　only　the　brown　landscape。
Then　lights。　〃There　we　are。〃
＇＇52＇＇　A　vast　underwater　array　of　lights；　arranged　in　a　rectangular　pattern。
〃That's　the　grid；〃　the　pilot　said。
The　submarine　planed　up；　and　glided　smoothly　over　the　illuminated　grid；　which　extended　into　the　distance　for　half　a　mile。　Through　the　porthole；　they　saw　divers　standing　on　the　bottom；　working　within　the　grid　structure。　The　divers　waved　to　the　passing　sub。　The　pilot　honked　a　toy　horn。
〃They　can　hear　that？〃
〃Oh　sure。　Water's　a　great　conductor。〃
〃My　God；〃　Ted　said。
Directly　ahead　the　giant　titanium　fin　rose　sharply　above　the　ocean　floor。　Norman　was　pletely　unprepared　for　its　dimension；　as　the　submarine　moved　to　port；　the　fin　blocked　their　entire　field　of　view　for　nearly　a　minute。　The　metal　was　dull　gray　and；　except　for　small　white　speckles　of　marine　growth；　entirely　unmarked。
〃There　isn't　any　corrosion；〃　Ted　said。
〃No；　sir；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Everybody's　mentioned　that。　They　think　it's　because　it's　a　metal…plastic　alloy；　but　I　don't　think　anybody　is　quite　sure。〃
The　fin　slipped　away　to　the　stern；　the　submarine　again　turned。　Directly　ahead；　more　lights；　arranged　in　vertical　rows。　Norman　saw　a　single　cylinder　of　yellow…painted　steel；　and　bright　portholes。　Next　to　it　was　a　low　metal　dome。
〃That's　DH…7；　the　divers'　habitat；　to　port；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃It's　pretty　utilitarian。　You　guys　are　in　DH…8；　which　is　much　nicer；　believe　me。〃
He　turned　starboard；　and　after　a　momentary　blackness；　they　saw　another　set　of　lights。　ing　closer；　Norman　counted　five　different　cylinders；　some　vertical；　some　horizontal；　interconnected　in　a　plex　way。
〃There　you　are。　DH…8；　your　home　away　from　home；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Give　me　a　minute　to　dock。〃


Metal　clanged　against　metal；　there　was　a　sharp　jolt；　and　then　the　motors　cut　off。　Silence。　Hissing　air。　The　＇＇53＇＇　pilot　scrambled　to　open　the　hatch；　and　surprisingly　cold　air　washed　down　on　them。
〃Airlock's　open；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　stepping　aside。　Norman　looked　up　through　the　lock。　He　saw　banks　of　red　lights　above。　He　climbed　up　through　the　submarine；　and　into　a　round　steel　cylinder　approximately　eight　feet　in　diameter。　On　all　sides　there　were　handholds；　a　narrow　metal　bench；　the　glowing　heat　lamps　overhead；　though　they　didn't　seem　to　do　much　good。
Ted　climbed　up　and　sat　on　the　bench　opposite　him。　They　were　so　close　their　knees　touched。　Below　their　feet；　the　pilot　closed　the　hatch。　They　watched　the　wheel　spin。　They　heard　a　clank　as　the　submarine　disengaged；　then　the　whirr　of　motors　as　it　moved　away。
Then　nothing。
〃What　happens　now？〃　Norman　said。
〃They　pressurize　us；〃　Ted　said。　〃Switch　us　over　to　exotic…gas　atmosphere。　We　can't　breathe　air　down　here。〃
〃Why　not？〃　Norman　said。　Now　that　he　was　down　here；　staring　at　the　cold　steel　walls　of　the　cylinder；　he　wished　he　had　stayed　awake　for　the　briefing。
〃Because；〃　Ted　said；　〃the　atmosphere　of　the　Earth　is　deadly。　You　don't　realize　it；　but　oxygen　is　a　corrosive　gas。　It's　in　the　same　chemical　family　as　chlorine　and　fluorine；　and　hydrofluoric　acid　is　the　most　corrosive　acid　known。　The　same　quality　of　oxygen　that　makes　a　half…eaten　apple　turn　brown；　or　makes　iron　rust；　is　incredibly　destructive　to　the　human　body　if　exposed　to　too　much　of　it。　Oxygen　under　pressure　is　toxic…with　a　vengeance。　So　we　cut　down　the　amount　of　oxygen　you　breathe。　You　breathe　twenty…one　percent　oxygen　at　the　surface。　Down　here；　you　breathe　two　percent　oxygen。　But　you　won't　notice　any　difference…〃
A　voice　over　a　loudspeaker　said；　〃We're　starting　to　pressurize　you　now。〃
〃Who's　that？〃　Norman　said。
〃Barnes；〃　the　voice　said。　But　it　didn't　sound　like　Barnes。　It　sounded　gritty　and　artificial。
〃It　must　be　the　talker；〃　Ted　said；　and　then　laughed。　His　＇＇54＇＇　voice　was　noticeably　higher…pitched。　〃It's　the　helium；　Norman。　They're　pressurizing　us　with　helium。〃
〃You　sound　like　Donald　Duck；〃　Norman　said；　and　he　laughed；　too。　His　own　voice　sounded　squeaky；　like　a　cartoon　character's。
〃Speak　for　yourself；　Mickey；〃　Ted　squeaked。
〃I　taut　I　taw　a　puddy　tat；〃　Norman　said。　They　were　both　laughing；　hearing　their　voices。
〃Knock　it　off；　you　guys；〃　Barnes　said　over　the　inter。　〃This　is　serious。〃
〃Yes；　sir；　Captain；〃　Ted　said；　but　by　now　his　voice　was　so　high…pitched　it　was　almost　unintelligible；　and　they　fell　into　laughter　again；　their　tinny　voices　like　those　of　schoolgirls　reverberating　inside　the　steel　cylinder。
Helium　made　their　voices　high　and　squeaky。　But　it　also　had　other　effects。
〃Getting　chilled；　boys？〃　Barnes　said。
They　were　indeed　getting　colder。　He　saw　Ted　shivering；　felt　goosebumps　on　his　own　legs。　It　felt　as　if　a　wind　were　blowing　across　their　bodies…except　there　wasn't　any　wind。　The　lightness　of　the　helium　increased　evaporation；　made　them　cold。
Across　the　cylinder；　Ted　said　something；　but　Norman　couldn't　understand　Ted　at　all　any　more；　his　voice　was　too　high…pitched　to　be　prehensible。　It　was　just　a　thin　squeal。
〃Sounds　like　a　couple　of　rats　in　there　now；〃　Barnes　said；　with　satisfaction。
Ted　rolled　his　eyes　toward　the　loudspeaker　and　squeaked　something。
〃If　you　want　to　talk；　get　a　talker；〃　Barnes　said。　〃You'll　find　them　in　the　locker　under　the　seat。〃
Norman　found　a　metal　locker；　clicked　it　open。　The　metal　squealed　loudly；　like　chalk　on　a　blackboard。　All　the　sounds　in　the　chambe