第一小说网

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第51部分（第1页）

uickly；　effortlessly…he　would　reach　the　surface　in　two　and　a　half　minutes。

There　was　plenty　of　time。

He　moved　the　submarine　close　to　DH…8。　The　exterior　＇＇344＇＇　habitat　floodlights　were　yellow　and　pale。　Power　must　be　dropping。　He　could　see　the　damage　to　the　cylinders…streams　of　bubbles　rising　from　the　weakened　A　and　B　Cylinders；　the　dents　in　the　D；　and　the　gaping　hole　in　E　Cyl；　which　was　flooded。　The　habitat　was　battered；　and　dying。

Why　had　he　e　so　close？　He　squinted　at　the　portholes；　then　realized　he　was　hoping　to　catch　sight　of　Harry　and　Beth；　one　last　time。　He　wanted　to　see　Harry；　unconscious　and　unresponsive。　He　wanted　to　see　Beth　standing　at　the　window；　shaking　her　fist　at　him　in　maniacal　rage。　He　wanted　confirmation　that　he　was　right　to　leave　them。

But　he　saw　only　the　fading　yellow　light　inside　the　habitat。　He　was　disappointed。

〃Norman。〃

〃Yes；　Beth。〃　He　felt　fortable　answering　her　now。　He　had　his　hands　on　the　controls　of　the　submarine；　ready　to　make　his　ascent。　There　was　nothing　she　could　do　to　him　now。　〃Norman；　you　really　are　a　son　of　a　bitch。〃

〃You　tried　to　kill　me；　Beth。〃

〃I　didnt　want　to　kill　you。　I　had　no　choice；　Norman。〃

〃Yeah；　well。　Me；　too。　I　have　no　choice。〃　As　he　spoke；　he　knew　he　was　right。　Better　for　one　person　to　survive。　Better　than　nothing。

〃Youre　just　going　to　leave　us？〃

〃Thats　right；　Beth。〃

His　hand　moved　to　the　ascent…rate　dial。　He　set　it　to　6。6　feet。　Ready　to　ascend。

〃Youre　just　going　to　run　away？〃　He　heard　the　contempt　in　her　voice。

〃Thats　right；　Beth。〃

〃You；　the　one　who　kept　talking　about　how　we　had　to　stay　together　down　here？〃

〃Sorry；　Beth。〃

〃You　must　be　very　afraid；　Norman。〃

〃Im　not　afraid　at　all。〃　And　indeed　he　felt　strong　and　confident；　setting　the　controls；　preparing　for　his　ascent。　He　felt　better　than　he　had　felt　for　days。

〃Norman；〃　she　said。

〃Please　help　us。　Please。〃

Her　words　struck　him　at　some　deep　level；　arousing　feelings　＇＇345＇＇　of　caring；　of　professional　petence；　of　simple　human　kindness。　For　a　moment　he　felt　confusion；　his　strength　and　conviction　weakened。　But　then　he　got　a　grip　on　himself；　and　shook　his　head。　The　strength　flew　back　into　his　body。

〃Sorry；　Beth。　Its　too　late　for　that。〃

And　he　pressed　the　〃ASCEND〃　button；　heard　the　roar　as　the　ballast　tanks　blew；　and　Deepstar　III　swayed。　The　habitat　slipped　away　below　him；　and　he　started　toward　the　surface；　a　thousand　feet　above。

Black　water；　no　sense　of　movement　except　for　the　readings　on　the　glowing　green　instrument　panel。　He　began　to　review　the　events　in　his　mind；　as　if　he　were　already　facing　a　Navy　inquiry。　Had　he　done　the　right　thing；　leaving　the　others　behind？

Unquestionably；　he　had。　The　sphere　was　an　alien　object　which　gave　a　person　the　power　to　manifest　his　thoughts。　Well　and　good；　except　that　human　beings　had　a　split　in　their　brains；　a　split　in　their　mental　processes。　It　was　almost　as　if　men　had　two　brains。　The　conscious　brain　could　be　consciously　controlled；　and　presented　no　problem。　But　the　unconscious　brain；　wild　and　abandoned；　was　dangerous　and　destructive　when　its　impulses　were　manifested。

The　trouble　with　people　like　Harry　and　Beth　was　that　they　were　literally　unbalanced。　Their　conscious　brains　were　overdeveloped；　but　they　had　never　bothered　to　explore　their　unconscious。　That　was　the　difference　between　Norman　and　them。　As　a　psychologist；　Norman　had　some　acquaintance　with　his　unconscious。　It　held　no　surprises　for　him。

That　was　why　Harry　and　Beth　had　manifested　monsters；　but　Norman　had　not。　Norman　knew　his　unconscious。　No　monsters　awaited　him。

No。　Wrong。

He　was　startled　by　the　suddenness　of　the　thought；　the　abruptness　of　it。　Was　he　really　wrong？　He　considered　carefully；　and　decided　once　again　that　he　was　correct　after　all。　Beth　and　Harry　were　at　risk　from　the　products　of　their　＇＇346＇＇　unconscious；　but　Norman　was　not。　Norman　knew　himself；　the　others　did　not。

〃The　fears　unleashed　by　contact　with　a　new　life　form　are　not　understood。　The　most　likely　consequence　of　contact　is　absolute　terror。〃

The　statements　from　his　own　report　popped　into　his　head。　Why　should　he　think　of　them　now？　It　had　been　years　since　he　had　written　his　report。