第一小说网

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第54部分（第3页）

Beth　became　suddenly　agitated；　twisting　in　her　chair。　〃But　how　do　we　do　it；　exactly？〃

〃We　just　do　it；〃　Norman　said。　〃Close　your　eyes　and　tell　yourself　to　forget　it。〃

Beth　said；　〃But　are　you　sure　we　should　do　it？　Really　sure？〃　She　was　still　agitated；　moving　nervously。

〃Yes；　Beth。　You　just　。。。　give　up　the　power。〃

〃Then　we　have　to　do　it　all　together；〃　she　said。　〃At　the　same　time。〃

〃Okay；〃　Harry　said。　〃On　the　count　of　three。〃

They　closed　their　eyes。

〃One　。。。〃

With　his　eyes　closed；　Norman　thought；　People　always　forget　that　they　have　power；　anyway。

〃Two　。。。〃Harry　said。

And　then　Norman　focused　his　mind。　With　a　sudden　intensity　he　saw　the　sphere　again；　shining　like　a　star；　perfect　and　polished；　and　he　thought：　I　want　to　forget　I　ever　saw　the　sphere。

And　in　his　minds　eye；　the　sphere　vanished。

〃Three；〃　Harry　said。

〃Three　what？〃　Norman　said。　His　eyes　ached　and　burned。　He　rubbed　them　with　his　thumb　and　forefinger；　then　opened　them。　Beth　and　Harry　were　sitting　around　the　table　in　the　＇＇369＇＇　depression　chamber　with　him。　They　all　looked　tired　and　depressed。　But　that　was　to　be　expected；　he　thought；　considering　what　they　had　all　been　through。

〃Three　what？〃　Norman　said　again。

〃Oh；〃　Harry　said；　〃I　was　just　thinking　out　loud。　Only　three　of　us　left。〃

Beth　sighed。　Norman　saw　tears　in　her　eyes。　She　fumbled　in　her　pocket　for　a　Kleenex；　blew　her　nose。

〃You　cant　blame　yourselves；〃　Norman　said。　〃It　was　an　accident。　There　was　nothing　we　could　do　about　it。〃

〃I　know；〃　Harry　said。　〃But　those　people　suffocating；　while　we　were　in　the　submarine　。。。　I　keep　hearing　the　screams。　。。。　God；　I　wish　it　had　never　happened。〃

There　was　a　silence。　Beth　blew　her　nose　again。

Norman　wished　it　had　never　happened；　too。　But　wishing　wasnt　going　to　make　a　difference　now。

〃We　cant　change　what　happened；〃　Norman　said。　〃We　can　only　learn　to　accept　it。〃

〃I　know；〃　Beth　said。

〃Ive　had　a　lot　of　experience　with　accident　trauma；〃　he　said。　〃You　simply　have　to　keep　telling　yourself　that　you　have　no　reason　to　be　guilty。　What　happened　happened…some　people　died；　and　you　were　spared。　It　isnt　anybodys　fault。　Its　just　one　of　those　things。　It　was　an　accident。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　Harry　said；　〃but　I　still　feel　bad。〃

〃Keep　telling　yourself　its　just　one　of　those　things；〃　Norman　said。　〃Keep　reminding　yourself　of　that。〃　He　got　up　from　the　table。　They　ought　to　eat；　he　thought。　They　ought　to　have　food。　〃Im　going　to　ask　for　food。〃

〃Im　not　hungry；〃　Beth　said。

〃I　know　that；　but　we　should　eat　anyway。〃

Norman　walked　to　the　porthole。　The　attentive　Navy　crew　saw　him　at　once；　pressed　the　radio　inter。　〃Do　anything　for　you；　Dr。　Johnson？〃

〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。　〃We　need　some　food。〃

〃Right　away；　sir。〃

Norman　saw　the　sympathy　on　the　faces　of　the　Navy　crew。　These　senior　men　understood　what　a　shock　it　must　be　for　the　three　survivors。

＇＇370＇＇　〃Dr。　Johnson？　Are　your　people　ready　to　talk　to　somebody　now？〃

〃Talk？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　The　intelligence　experts　have　been　reviewing　the　videotapes　from　the　submarine；　and　they　have　some　questions　for　you。〃

〃What　about？〃　Norman　asked；　without　much　interest。　〃Well；　when　you　were　transferred