第一小说网

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第38部分（第3页）

〃I　think　Ill　check。〃

〃Be　my　guest；〃　Beth　said；　〃but　I　did　a　thorough　job。〃　Norman　thought　another　argument　was　about　to　start；　but　Beth　and　Harry　dropped　it。　They　came　to　the　hatch　and　climbed　up　into　DH…8。

THE　CONSOLE

〃Jerry？〃

Norman　stared　at　the　console　screen。　It　remained　blank；　just　a　blinking　cursor。

〃Jerry；　are　you　there？〃　The　screen　was　blank。

〃I　wonder　why　we　arent　hearing　from　you；　Jerry；〃　Norman　said。

The　screen　remained　blank。

〃Trying　a　little　psychology？〃　Beth　said。　She　was　checking　the　controls　for　the　external　sensors；　reviewing　the　graphs。　〃If　you　ask　me；　the　person　you　should　use　your　psychology　on　is　Harry。〃

＇＇257＇＇　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃What　I　mean　is；　I　dont　think　Harry　should　be　screwing　around　with　our　life…support　systems。　I　dont　think　hes　stable。〃

〃Stable？〃

〃Thats　a　psychologists　trick；　isnt　it？　To　repeat　the　last　word　in　a　sentence。　Its　a　way　to　keep　the　person　talking。〃

〃Talking？〃　Norman　said；　smiling　at　her。

〃Okay；　maybe　I　am　a　little　stressed　out；〃　she　said。　〃But；　Norman；　seriously。　Before　I　left　for　the　ship；　Harry　came　into　this　room　and　said　he　would　take　over　for　me。　I　told　him　you　were　at　the　sub　but　there　werent　any　squid　around　and　that　I　wanted　to　go　to　the　ship。　He　said　fine；　hed　take　over。　So　I　left。　And　now　he　doesnt　remember　any　of　that。　Doesnt　that　strike　you　as　pretty　screwy？〃

〃Screwy？〃　Norman　said。

〃Stop　it；　be　serious。〃

〃Serious？〃　Norman　said。

〃Are　you　trying　to　avoid　this　conversation？　I　notice　how　you　avoid　what　you　dont　want　to　talk　about。　You　keep　everybody　on　an　even　keel；　steer　the　conversation　away　from　hard　topics。　But　I　think　you　should　listen　to　what　Im　saying；　Norman。　Theres　a　problem　with　Harry。〃

〃Im　listening　to　what　youre　saying；　Beth。〃

〃And？〃

〃I　wasnt　present　for　this　particular　episode；　so　I　dont　really　know。　What　I　see　of　Harry　now　looks　like　the　same　old　Harry…arrogant；　disdainful；　and　very；　very　intelligent。〃

〃You　dont　think　hes　cracking　up？〃

〃No　more　than　the　rest　of　us。〃

〃Jesus！　What　do　I　have　to　do　to　convince　you？　I　had　a　whole　conversation　with　the　man　and　now　he　denies　it。　You　think　thats　normal？　You　think　we　can　trust　a　person　like　that？〃

〃Beth。　I　wasnt　there。〃

〃You　mean　it　might　be　me。〃

〃I　wasnt　there。〃

〃You　think　I　might　be　the　one　whos　cracking　up？　I　say　there　was　a　conversation　when　there　really　wasnt？〃

＇＇258＇＇　〃Beth。〃

〃Norman；　Im　telling　you。　There　is　a　problem　about　Harry　and　you　arent　facing　up　to　it。〃