第19部分(第2/7 页)

；〃　Beth　said。　〃Slimy；　cold；　disgusting　things。〃

〃Ah；　Beth；〃　Harry　said；　watching　the　monitor。　〃Got　snake　envy？〃

Onscreen；　Beth　was　saying；　〃If　I　were　a　Martian　who　came　to　Earth　and　I　stumbled　upon　a　snake…a　funny；　cold；　wiggling；　tube…like　life…I　wouldn't　know　what　to　think　of　it。　But　the　chance　that　I　would　stumble　on　a　poisonous　snake　is　very　small。　Less　than　one　percent　of　snakes　are　poisonous。　So；　as　a　Martian；　I　wouldn't　be　in　danger　from　my　discovery　of　snakes；　I'd　just　be　perplexed。　That's　what's　likely　to　happen　with　us。　We'll　be　perplexed。〃

Onscreen；　Beth　was　saying；　〃Anyway；　I　don't　think　we'll　ever　get　the　sphere　open；　no。〃

Tina：　〃I　hope　not。〃

Behind　her　on　the　monitor；　the　sphere　closed。

〃Huh！〃　Harry　said。　〃How　long　was　it　open　all　together？〃　〃Thirty…three　point　four　seconds；〃　Tina　said。

They　stopped　the　tape。　Tina　said；　〃Anybody　want　to　see　it　again？〃　She　looked　pale。

〃Not　right　now；〃　Harry　said。　He　drummed　his　fingers　on　the　arm　of　his　chair；　stared　off；　thinking。

No　one　else　said　anything；　they　just　waited　patiently　for　Harry。　Norman　realized　how　much　the　group　deferred　to　him。　Harry　is　the　person　who　figures　things　out　for　us；　Norman　thought。　We　need　him；　rely　on　him。

〃Okay；〃　Harry　said　at　last。　〃No　conclusions　are　possible。　We　have　insufficient　data。　The　question　is　whether　the　sphere　was　responding　to　something　in　its　immediate　environment；　or　whether　it　just　opened；　for　reasons　of　its　own。　Where's　Ted？〃

〃Ted　left　the　sphere　and　went　to　the　flight　deck。〃

〃Ted's　back；〃　Ted　said；　grinning　broadly。　〃And　I　have　some　real　news。〃

〃So　do　we；〃　Beth　said。

〃It　can　wait；〃　Ted　said。

〃But…〃

〃…I　know　where　this　ship　went；〃　Ted　said　excitedly。　〃I've　been　a