第一小说网

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第47部分（第3页）

He　stopped　the　tape。　The　monitor　now　showed　Beth　at　the　console　in　the　room　below。

＇＇321＇＇　Pushing　buttons　on　the　console。

〃Beth？〃　he　said。

She　didnt　reply；　she　just　went　on　working　at　the　console；　muttering　to　herself。

〃Youre　a　real　son　of　a　bitch；　Norman；　do　you　know　that？　You　feel　so　terrible　that　you　need　to　make　everybody　else　just　as　low　as　you　are。〃

She　was　talking　about　herself；　he　thought。

〃Youre　so　big　on　the　unconscious；　Norman。　The　unconscious　this；　the　unconscious　that。　Jesus　Christ；　Im　sick　of　you。　Your　unconscious　probably　wants　to　kill　us　all；　just　because　you　want　to　kill　yourself　and　you　think　everybody　else　should　die　with　you。〃

He　felt　a　shuddering　chill。　Beth；　with　her　lack　of　self…esteem；　her　deep　core　of　self…hate；　had　gone　inside　the　sphere；　and　now　she　was　acting　with　the　power　of　the　sphere；　but　without　stability　to　her　thoughts。　Beth　saw　herself　as　a　victim　who　struggled　against　her　fate；　always　unsuccessfully。　Beth　was　victimized　by　men；　victimized　by　the　establishment；　victimized　by　research；　victimized　by　reality。　In　every　case　she　failed　to　see　how　she　had　done　it　to　herself。　And　shes　put　explosives　all　around　the　habitat；　he　thought。

〃I　wont　let　you　do　it；　Norman。　Im　going　to　stop　you　before　you　kill　us　all。〃

Everything　she　said　was　the　reverse　of　the　truth。　He　began　to　see　the　pattern　now。

Beth　had　figured　out　how　to　open　the　sphere；　and　she　had　gone　there　in　secret；　because　she　had　always　been　attracted　to　power…she　always　felt　she　lacked　power　and　needed　more。　But　Beth　wasnt　prepared　to　handle　power　once　she　had　it。　Beth　still　saw　herself　as　a　victim；　so　she　had　to　deny　the　power；　and　arrange　to　be　victimized　by　it。

It　was　very　different　from　Harry。　Harry　had　denied　his　fears；　and　so　fearful　images　had　manifested　themselves。　But　Beth　denied　her　power；　and　so　she　manifested　a　churning　cloud　of　formless；　uncontrolled　power。

Harry　was　a　mathematician　who　lived　in　a　conscious　world　of　abstraction；　of　equations　and　thoughts。　A　concrete　form；　like　a　squid；　was　what　Harry　feared。　But　Beth；　the　zoologist　＇＇322＇＇　who　dealt　every　day　with　animals；　creatures　she　could　touch　and　see；　created　an　abstraction。　A　power　that　she　could　not　touch　or　see。　A　formless　abstract　power　that　was　ing　to　get　her。

And　to　defend　herself；　she　had　armed　the　habitat　with　explosives。　It　wasnt　much　of　a　defense；　Norman　thought。　Unless　you　secretly　wanted　to　kill　yourself。

The　horror　of　his　true　predicament　became　clear　to　him。　〃You　wont　get　away　with　this；　Norman。　I　wont　let　it　happen。　Not　to　me。〃

She　was　punching　keys　on　the　console。　What　was　she　planning？　What　could　she　do　to　him？　He　had　to　think。　Suddenly；　the　lights　in　the　laboratory　went　off。　A　moment　later；　the　big　space　heater　died；　the　red　elements　cooling；　turning　dark。

She　had　shut　off　the　power。

With　the　heater　turned　off；　how　long　could　he　last？　He　took　the　blankets　from　her　bed；　wrapped　himself　in　them。　How　long；　without　heat？　Certainly　not　six　hours；　he　thought　grimly。

〃Im　sorry；　Norman。　But　you　understand　the　position　Im　in。　As　long　as　youre　conscious；　Im　in　danger。〃

Maybe　an　hour；　he　thought。　Maybe　I　can　last　an　hour。

〃Im　sorry；　Norman。　But　I　have　to　do　this　to　you。〃

He　heard　a　soft　hiss。　The　alarm　on　his　chest　badge　began　to　beep。　He　looked　down　at　it。　Even　in　the　darkness；　he　could　see　it　was　now　gray。　He　knew　immediately　what　had　happened。

Beth　had　turned　off　his　air。

0535　HOURS

Huddled　in　the　darkness；　listening　to　the　beep　of　his　alarm　and　the　hiss　of　the　escaping　air。　The　pressure　diminishing　rapidly：　his　ears　popped；　as　if　he　were　in　an　airplane　taking　off。

Do　something；　he　thought；　feeling　a　surge　of　panic。

But　there　was　nothing　he　could　do。　He　was　locked　in　the　upper　chamber　of　D　Cyl。　He　could　not　get　out。　Beth　had　control　of　the　entire