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第49部分（第1页）

He　jumped　back　into　the　water。

0500　HOURS

The　sphere　gleamed　in　the　light。　Norman　saw　himself　reflected　in　its　perfectly　polished　surface；　then　saw　his　image　break　up；　fragmented　on　the　convolutions；　as　he　moved　around　to　the　back。

To　the　door。

It　looked　like　a　mouth；　he　thought。　Like　the　maw　of　some　primitive　creature；　about　to　eat　him。　Confronted　by　the　sphere；　seeing　once　again　the　alien；　unhuman　pattern　of　the　convolutions；　he　felt　his　intention　dissolve。　He　was　suddenly　afraid。　He　didnt　think　he　could　go　through　with　it。

Dont　be　silly；　he　told　himself。　Harry　did　it。　And　Beth　did　it。　They　survived。

He　examined　the　convolutions；　as　if　for　reassurance。　But　there　wasnt　any　reassurance　to　be　obtained。　Just　curved　grooves　in　the　metal；　reflecting　back　the　light。

Okay；　he　thought　finally。　Ill　do　it。　Ive　e　this　far；　Ive　survived　everything　so　far。　I　might　as　well　do　it。

Go　ahead　and　open　up。

But　the　sphere　did　not　open。　It　remained　exactly　as　it　was；　a　gleaming；　polished；　perfect　shape。

What　was　the　purpose　of　the　thing？　He　wished　he　understood　its　purpose。

He　thought　of　Dr。　Stein　again。　What　was　Steins　favorite　＇＇330＇＇　line？　〃Understanding　is　a　delaying　tactic。〃　Stein　used　to　get　angry　about　that。　When　the　graduate　students　would　intellectualize；　going　on　and　on　about　patients　and　their　problems；　he　would　interrupt　in　annoyance；　〃Who　cares？　Who　cares　whether　we　understand　the　psychodynamics　in　this　case？　Do　you　want　to　understand　how　to　swim；　or　do　you　want　to　jump　in　and　start　swimming？　Only　people　who　are　afraid　of　the　water　want　to　understand　it。　Other　people　jump　in　and　get　wet。〃

Okay；　Norman　thought。　Lets　get　wet。

He　turned　to　face　the　sphere；　and　thought；　Open　up。

The　sphere　did　not　open。

〃Open　up；〃　he　said　aloud。　The　sphere　did　not　open。

Of　course　he　knew　that　wouldnt　work；　because　Ted　had　tried　it　for　hours。　When　Harry　and　Beth　went　in；　they　hadnt　said　anything。　They　just　did　something　in　their　minds。

He　closed　his　eyes；　focused　his　attention；　and　thought；　Open　up。

He　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　at　the　sphere。　It　was　still　closed。

I　am　ready　for　you　to　open　up；　he　thought。　I　am　ready　now。

Nothing　happened。　The　sphere　did　not　open。

Norman　hadnt　considered　the　possibility　that　he　would　be　unable　to　open　the　sphere。　After　all；　two　others　had　already　done　it。　How　had　they　managed　it？

Harry；　with　his　logical　brain；　had　been　the　first　to　figure　it　out。　But　Harry　had　only　figured　it　out　after　he　had　seen　Beths　tape。　So　Harry　had　discovered　a　clue　in　the　tape；　an　important　clue。

Beth　had　also　reviewed　the　tape；　watching　it　again　and　again；　until　she　finally　figured　it　out；　too。　Something　in　the　tape　。。。

Too　bad　he　didnt　have　the　tape　here；　Norman　thought。　But　he　had　seen　it　often；　he　could　probably　reconstruct　it；　play　it　back　in　his　mind。　How　did　it　go？　In　his　mind　he　saw　the　images：　Beth　and　Tina　talking。　Beth　eating　cake。　Then　＇＇331＇＇　Tina　had　said　something　about　the　tapes　being　stored　in　the　submarine。　And　Beth　said　something　back。　Then　Tina　had　moved　away；　out　of　the　picture；　but　she　had　said；　〃Do　you　think　theyll　ever　get　the　sphere　open？〃

And　Beth　said；　〃Maybe。　I　dont　know。〃　And　the　sphere　had　opened　at　that　moment。

Why？

〃Do　you　think　theyll　ever　get　the　sphere　open？〃　Tina　had　asked。　And　in　response　to　such　a　question；　Beth　must　have　imagined　the　sphere　open；　must　have　seen　an　image　of　the　open　sphere　in　her　mind

There　was　a　deep；　low　rumble；　a　vibration　that　filled　the　room。

The　sphere　was　open；　the　door　gaping　wide　and　black。

Thats　it；　he　thought。　Visualize　it　happening　and　it　happens。　Which　meant　that　if　he　also　visualized　the　sphere　door　closed…

With　another　deep　rumble；　the　sphere　closed。

…or　open…

The　sphere　opened　again。

〃Id　better　not　press　my　luck；〃　he　said　aloud。　The　door　was　still　open。　He　peered　in　the　doorway　but　saw　only　deep；　undifferentiated　blackness。　Its　now　or　never；　he　thought。　He　stepped　inside。

The　sphere　closed　behind　him。

There　is　darkness；　and　then；　as　his　eyes　adjust；　something　like　fireflies。　It　is　a　dancing；　luminous　foam；　millions　of　points　of　light；　swirling　around　him。

What　is　this？　he　thinks。　All　he　sees　is　the　foam。　There　is　no　structure　to　it　and　apparently　no　limit。　It　is　a　surging　ocean；　a　glistening；　multifaceted　foam。　He　feels　great　beauty　and　peace。　It　is　restful　to　be　here。

He　moves　his　hands；　scooping　the　foam；　his　movements　making　it　swirl。　But　then　he　notices　that　his　hands　are　being　transparent；　that　he　can　see　the　sparkling　foam　through　＇＇332＇＇　his　own　flesh。　He　looks　down　at　his　body。　His　legs；　his　torso；　everything　is　being　transparent　to　the　foam。　He　is　part　of　the　foam。　The　sensation　is　very　pleasant。

He　grows　lighter。　Soon　he　is　lifted；　and　floats　in　the　limitless　ocean　foam。　He　puts　his　hands　behind　his　neck　and　floats。　He　feels　happy。　He　feels　he　could　stay　here　forever。

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