第37部分(第2/7 页)

ersation　with　Beth。　I　never　talked　to　her　at　all。　I'm　telling　you；　she　was　gone　when　I　woke　up。　There　was　nobody　here。　If　you　ask　me；　she　always　intended　to　go　to　the　ship。〃

Norman　remembered　how　quickly　Beth　had　agreed　to　let　Norman　go　to　the　sub；　how　surprised　he　had　been。　Perhaps　Harry　was　right；　he　thought。　Perhaps　Beth　had　been　planning　it　all　along。

〃You　know　what　I　think？〃　Harry　said。　〃I　think　she's　cracking　up。〃

Over　the　inter；　Beth　said；　〃You　guys　get　it　straightened　out？〃

Norman　said；　〃I　think　so；　Beth；　yes。〃

〃Good；〃　Beth　said。　〃Because　I　have　made　a　discovery　over　here；　in　the　spaceship。〃

〃What's　that？〃

〃I've　found　the　crew。〃

〃You　both　came；〃　Beth　said。　She　was　sitting　on　a　console　in　the　fortable　beige　flight　deck　of　the　spacecraft。　〃Yes；〃　Norman　said；　looking　at　her。　She　looked　okay。　If　anything；　she　looked　better　than　ever。　Stronger；　clearer。　She　actually　looked　rather　beautiful；　he　thought。　〃Harry　thought　that　the　squid　wouldn't　e　back。〃

〃The　squid　was　out　there？〃

Norman　briefly　told　her　about　his　attack。

〃Jesus。　I'm　sorry；　Norman。　I'd　never　have　left　if　I　had　any　idea。〃

She　certainly　didn't　sound　like　somebody　who　was　cracking　up；　Norman　thought。　She　sounded　appropriate　and　sincere。　〃Anyway；〃　he　said；　〃I　injured　it；　and　Harry　thought　it　wouldn't　e　back。〃

Harry　said；　〃And　we　couldn't　decide　who　should　stay　behind；　so　we　both　came。〃

〃Well；　e　this　way；〃　Beth　said。　She　led　them　back；　through　the　crew　quarters；　past　the　twenty　bunks　for　the　＇＇248＇＇　crew；　the　large　galley。　Norman　paused　at　the　galley。　So　did　Harry。

〃I'm　hungry；〃　Harry　said。

〃Eat　something；〃　Beth　said。　〃I　did。　They　have　some　sort　of　nut　bars　or　something；　they　taste　okay。〃　She　opened