Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第64章

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g　on　the　bottom；　tried　to　push　Beth　up　toward　Norman；　but　Beth　kept　bending　over　at　the　waist。　Norman；　grabbing　for　her；　fell　off　the　sub　and　slid　to　the　bottom。
〃Attention；　please。　Six　minutes　and　counting。〃
〃Hurry；　Norman！　Six　minutes！〃
〃I　heard；　damn　it。〃
Norman　got　to　his　feet；　climbed　back　on　the　sub；　but　now　his　suit　was　muddy；　his　gloves　slippery。　Harry　was　counting：　〃Five　twenty…nine　。。。　five　twenty…eight　。。。　five　twentyseven。。。〃　Norman　caught　Beth's　arm；　but　she　slipped　away　again。
〃Damn　it；　Norman！　Hold　on　to　her！〃
〃I'm　trying！〃
〃Here。　Here　she　is　again。〃
〃Attention；　please。　Five　minutes　and　counting。〃
The　alarm　was　now　high…pitched；　beeping　insistently。　They　had　to　shout　over　it　to　be　heard。
〃Harry；　give　her　to　me…〃
〃Well；　here；　take　her…〃
〃Missed…〃
＇＇355＇＇　〃Here…〃
Norman　finally　caught　Beth's　air　hose　in　his　hand；　just　behind　the　helmet。　He　wondered　if　it　would　pull　out；　but　he　had　to　risk　it。　Gripping　the　hose；　he　hauled　Beth　up；　until　she　lay　on　her　back　on　the　top　of　the　sub。　Then　he　eased　her　down　into　the　hatch。
〃Four　twenty…nine　。。。　four　twenty…eight　。。。〃
Norman　had　trouble　keeping　his　balance。　He　got　one　of　Beth's　legs　into　the　hatch；　but　the　other　knee　was　bent；　jammed　against　the　lip　of　the　hatch。　He　couldn't　get　her　down。　Every　time　he　leaned　forward　to　unbend　her　leg；　the　whole　submarine　tipped；　and　he　would　start　to　lose　his　balance　again。
〃Four　sixteen　。。。　four　fifteen　。。。〃
〃Would　you　stop　counting　and　do　something！〃
Harry　pressed　his　body　against　the　side　of　the　submarine；　countering　the　rolling　with　his　weight。　Norman　leaned　forward　and　pressed　Beth's　knee　straight；　she　slid　easily　into　the　open　hatch。　Norman　climbed　in　after　her。　It　was　a　one…man　airlock；　but　Beth　was　unconscious；　and　could　not　work　the　controls。
He　would　have　to　do　it　for　her。
〃Attention；　please。　Four　minutes　and　counting。〃
He　was　cramped　in　the　airlock；　his　body　pressed　up　against　Beth；　chest　to　chest；　her　helmet　banging　against　his。　With　difficulty　he　pulled　the　hatch　closed　over　his　head。　He　blew　out　the　water　in　a　furious　rush　of　pressed　air；　unsupported　by　the　water；　Beth's　body　now　sagged　heavily　against　him。
He　reached　around　her　for　the　handle　to　the　inner　hatch。　Beth's　body　blocked　his　way。　He　tried　to　twist　her　around　sideways。　In　the　confined　space；　he　couldn't　get　any　leverage　on　the　body。　Beth　was　like　a　dead　weight；　he　tried　to　shift　her　body　around；　to　get　to　the　hatch。
The　whole　submarine　began　to　sway：　Harry　was　climbing　up　the　side。
〃What　the　hell's　going　on　in　there？〃
〃Harry；　will　you　shut　up！〃
〃Well；　what's　the　delay？〃
＇＇356＇＇　Norman's　hand　closed　on　the　inner　latch　handle。　He　shoved　it　down；　but　the　door　didn't　move：　the　door　was　hinged　to　swing　inward。　He　couldn't　open　it　with　Beth　in　the　hatch　with　him。　It　was　too　crowded；　her　body　blocked　the　movement　of　the　door。
〃Harry；　we've　got　a　problem。〃
〃Jesus　Christ　。。。　Three　minutes　thirty。〃
Norman　began　to　sweat。　They　were　really　in　trouble　now。
〃Harry；　I've　got　to　pass　her　out　to　you；　and　go　in　alone。〃
〃Jesus；　Norman　。。。〃
Norman　flooded　the　airlock；　opened　the　upper　hatch　once　again。　Harry's　balance　atop　the　submarine　was　precarious。　He　grabbed　Beth　by　the　air　hose；　dragged　her　up。
Norman　reached　up　to　close　the　hatch。
〃Harry；　can　you　get　her　feet　out　of　the　way？〃
〃I'm　trying　to　keep　my　balance　here。〃
〃Can't　you　see　her　feet　are　blocking…〃　Irritably；　Norman　pushed　Beth's　feet　aside。　The　hatch　clanged　down。　The　air　blasted　past　him。　The　hatch　pressurized。
〃Attention；　please。　Two　minutes　and　counting。〃
He　was　inside　the　submarine。　The　instruments　glowed　green。
He　opened　the　inner　hatch。
〃Norman？〃
〃Try　and　get　her　down；〃　Norman　said。　〃Do　it　as　fast　as　you　can。〃
But　he　was　thinking　they　were　in　terrible　trouble：　at　least　thirty　seconds　to　get　Beth　into　the　hatch；　and　thirty　seconds　more　for　Harry　to　e　down。　A　minute　all　together…
〃She's　in。　Vent　it。〃
Norman　jumped　for　the　air　vent；　blew　out　the　water。
〃How'd　you　get　her　in　so　fast；　Harry？〃
〃Nature's　way；〃　Harry　said；　〃to　get　people　through　tight　spaces。〃　And　before　Norman　could　ask　what　that　meant；　he　had　opened　the　hatch　and　saw　that　Harry　had　pushed　Beth　into　the　airlock　head　first。　He　grabbed　her　shoulders　and　eased　her　onto　the　floor　of　the　submarine；　then　slammed　the　＇＇357＇＇　　hatch　shut。　Moments　later；　he　heard　the　blast　of　air　as　Harry；　too；　vented　the　airlock。


The　submarine　hatch　clanged。　Harry　came　forward。　〃Christ；　one　minute　forty；〃　Harry　said。　〃Do　you　know　how　to　work　this　thing？〃
〃Yes。〃
Norman　sat　in　the　seat；　placed　his　hands　on　the　controls。　They　heard　the　whine　of　the　props；　felt　the　rumble。　The　sub　lurched；　moved　off　the　bottom。
〃One　minute　thirty　seconds。　How　long　did　you　say　to　the　surface？〃
〃Two　thirty；〃　Norman　said；　cranking　up　the　ascent　rate。　He　pushed　it　past　6。6；　to　the　far　end　of　the　dial。
They　heard　a　high…pitched　shriek　of　air　as　the　ballast　tanks　blew。　The　sub　nosed　up　sharply；　began　to　rise　swiftly。
〃Is　this　as　fast　as　it　goes？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Jesus。〃
〃Take　it　easy；　Harry。〃
Looking　back　down；　they　could　see　the　habitat　with　its　lights。　And　then　the　long　lines　of　explosives　set　over　the　spaceship　itself。　They　rose　past　the　high　fin　of　the　spacecraft；　leaving　it　behind；　seeing　only　black　water　now。
〃One　minute　twenty。〃
〃Nine　hundred　feet；〃　Norman　said。　There　was　very　little　sensation　of　movement；　only　the　changing　dials　on　the　instrument　panel　to　tell　them　they　were　moving。
〃It's　not　fast　enough；〃　Harry　said。　〃That's　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　explosive　down　there。〃
It　is　fast　enough；　Norman　thought；　correcting　him。
〃The　shock　wave　will　crush　us　like　a　can　of　sardines；〃　Harry　said；　shaking　his　head。
The　shock　wave　will　not　harm　us。
Eight　hundred　feet。
〃Forty　seconds；〃　Harry　said。　〃We'll　never　make　it。〃
〃We'll　make　it。〃
＇＇358＇＇　They　were　at　seven　hundred　feet；　rising　fast。　The　water　now　had　a　faint　blue　color：　sunlight　filtering　down。
〃Thirty　seconds；〃　Harry　said。　〃Where　are　we？　Twenty…nine　。。。　eight　。。。〃
〃Six　hundred　twenty　feet；〃　Norman　said。　〃Six　ten。〃
They　looked　back　down　the　side　of　the　sub。　They　could　barely　discern　the　habitat；　faint　pinpricks　of　light　far　beneath　them。
Beth　coughed。　〃It's　too　late　now；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　knew　from　the　beginning　we'd　never　make　it。〃
〃Yes　we　will；〃　Norman　said。
〃Ten　seconds；〃　Harry　said。　〃Nine　。。。　eight　。。。　Brace　yourself！〃
Norman　pulled　Beth　to　his　chest　as　the　explosion　rocked　the　submarine；　spinning　it　like　a　toy；　upending　it；　then　righting　it　again；　and　lifting　it　in　a　giant　upward　surge。
〃Mama！〃　Harry　shouted；　but　they　were　still　rising；　they　were　okay。　〃We　did　it！〃
〃Two　hundred　feet；〃　Norman　said。　The　water　outside　was　now　light　blue。　He　pushed　buttons；　slowing　the　ascent。　They　were　going　up　very　fast。
Harry　was　screaming；　pounding　Norman　on　the　back。　〃We　did　it！　God　damn　it；　you　son　of　a　bitch；　we　did　it！　We　survived！　I　never　thought　we　would！　We　survived！〃
Norman　was　having　trouble　seeing　the　instruments　for　tears　in　his　eyes。
And　then　he　had　to　squint　as　bright　sunlight　streamed　into　the　bubble　canopy　as　they　surfaced；　and　they　saw　calm　seas；　sky；　and　fluffy　clouds。
〃Do　you　see　that？〃　Harry　cried。　He　was　screaming　in　Norman's　ear。　〃Do　you　see　that？　It　is　a　perfect　goddamned　day！〃

0000　HOURS

Norman　awoke　to　see　a　brilliant　shaft　of　light；　streaming　through　the　single　porthole；　shining　down　on　the　chemical　toilet　in　the　corner　of　the　depression　chamber。　He　lay　on　his　bunk　and　looked　around　the　chamber；　a　horizontal　cylinder　fifty　feet　long：　bunks；　a　metal　table　and　chairs　in　the　center　of　the　cylinder；　toilet　behind　a　small　partition。　Harry　snored　in　the　bunk　above　him。　Across　the　chamber；　Beth　slept；　one　arm　flung　over　her　face。　Faintly；　from　a　distance；　he　heard　men　shouting。
Norman　yawned；　and　swung　off　the　bunk。　His　body　was　sore　but　he　was　otherwise　all　right。　He　walked　to　the　shining　porthole　and　looked　out；　squinting　in　the　bright　Pacific　sun。
He　saw　the　rear　deck　of　the　research　ship　John　Hawes：　the　white　helicopter　pad；　heavy　coiled　cables；　the　tubular　metal　frame　of　an　underwater　robot。　A　Navy　crew　was　lowering　a　second　robot　over　the　side；　with　a　lot　of　shouting　and　swearing　and　waving　of　hands；　Norman　had　heard　their　voices　faintly　through　the　thick　steel　walls　of　the　chamber。
Near　the　chamber　itself；　a　muscular　seaman　rolled　a　large　green　tank　marked　〃Oxygen〃　alongside　a　dozen　other　tanks　on　the　deck。　The　three…man　medical　crew　which　supervised　the　depression　chamber　played　cards。
Looking　through　the　inch…thick　glass　of　the　porthole；　Norman　felt　as　if　he　were　peering　into　a　miniature　world　to　which　he　had　little　connection；　a　kind　of　terrarium　populated　by　interesting　and　exotic　specimens。　This　new　world　was　as　alien　to　him　as　the　dark　ocean　world　had　once　seemed　from　inside　the　habitat。
He　watched　the　crew　slap　down　their　cards　on　a　wooden　packing　crate；　watched　them　laugh　and　gesture　as　the　game　proceeded。　They　never　glanced　in　his　direction；　never　looked　at　the　depression　chamber。　Norman　didn't　understand　these　young　men。　Were　they　supposed　to　be　paying　attention　to　the　depression？　They　looked　young　and　inexperienced　to　Norman。　Focused　on　their　card　game；　they　seemed　＇＇360＇＇　indifferent　to　the　huge　metal　chamber　nearby；　indifferent　to　the　three　survivors　inside　th