Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第39部分

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〃Jerry　。。。〃
YES　NORMAN。　I　AM　HERE。
〃Let's　talk。〃
GOOD。　I　LIKE　THAT　MUCH。
〃Tell　us　about　the　squid；　Jerry。〃
THE　ENTITY　SQUID　IS　A　MANIFESTATION。
〃Where　did　it　e　from？〃
DO　YOU　LIKE　IT？　I　CAN　MANIFEST　IT　MORE　FOR　YOU。
〃No；　no；　don't　do　that；〃　Norman　said　quickly。
YOU　DO　NOT　LIKE　IT？
〃No；　no。　We　like　it；　Jerry。〃
THIS　IS　TRUE？
〃Yes；　true。　We　like　it。　Really　we　do。〃
GOOD。　I　AM　PLEASED　YOU　LIKE　IT。　IT　IS　A　VERY　IMPRESSIVE　ENTITY　OF　LARGE　SIZE。
〃Yes；　it　is；〃　Norman　said；　wiping　sweat　from　his　forehead。　Jesus；　he　thought；　this　is　like　talking　to　a　child　with　a　loaded　gun。
IT　IS　DIFFICULT　FOR　ME　TO　MANIFEST　THIS　LARGE　ENTITY。　I　AM　PLEASED　THAT　YOU　LIKE　IT。
〃Very　impressive；〃　Norman　agreed。　〃But　you　do　not　need　to　repeat　that　entity　for　us。〃
YOU　WISH　A　NEW　ENTITY　MANIFESTED　FOR　YOU？
〃No；　Jerry。　Nothing　right　now；　thank　you。〃
MANIFESTING　IS　HAPPY　FOR　ME。
〃Yes；　I'm　sure　it　is。〃
I　AM　ENJOYING　TO　MANIFEST　FOR　YOU　NORMAN。　AND　ALSO　FOR　YOU　HARRY。
〃Thank　you；　Jerry。〃
I　AM　ENJOYING　YOUR　MANIFESTATIONS　ALSO。
〃Our　manifestations？〃　Norman　said；　glancing　at　Harry。　Apparently　Jerry　thought　that　the　people　on　the　habitat　were　manifesting　something　in　return。　Jerry　seemed　to　consider　it　an　exchange　of　some　kind。
＇＇260＇＇　YES　I　AM　ENJOYING　YOUR　MANIFESTATIONS　ALSO。
〃Tell　us　about　our　manifestations；　Jerry；〃　Norman　said。
THE　MANIFESTATIONS　ARE　SMALL　AND　THEY　DO　NOT　EXTEND　BEYOND　YOUR　ENTITIES　BUT　THE　MANIFESTATIONS　ARE　NEW　FOR　ME。　THEY　ARE　HAPPY　FOR　ME。
〃What's　he　talking　about？〃　Harry　said。
YOUR　MANIFESTATIONS　HARRY。
〃What　manifestations；　for　Christ's　sake？〃
〃Don't　get　mad；〃　Norman　warned。　〃Stay　calm。〃
I　AM　LIKING　THAT　ONE　HARRY。　DO　AN　OTHER。
Norman　thought：　Is　he　reading　emotions？　Does　he　regard　our　emotions　as　manifestations？　But　that　didn't　make　sense。　Jerry　couldn't　read　their　minds；　they'd　already　determined　that。　Maybe　he'd　better　check　again。　Jerry；　he　thought；　can　you　hear　me？
I　AM　LIKING　HARRY。　HIS　MANIFESTATIONS　ARE　RED。　THEY　ARE　WITFUL。
〃Witful？〃
WITFUL　=　FULL　OF　WIT？
〃I　see；〃　Harry　said。　〃He　thinks　we're　funny。〃
FUNNY　=　FULL　OF　FUN？
〃Not　exactly；〃　Norman　said。　〃We　entities　have　the　concept　of　。。。〃　He　trailed　off。　How　was　he　going　to　explain　〃funny〃？　What　was　a　joke；　anyway？　〃We　entities　have　the　concept　of　a　situation　which　causes　disfort　and　we　call　this　situation　humorous。〃
HUME　OR　US？
〃No。　One　word。〃　Norman　spelled　it　for　him。
I　SEE。　YOUR　MANIFESTATIONS　ARE　HUMOROUS。　THE　ENTITY　SQUID　MAKES　MANY　HUMOROUS　MANIFESTATIONS　FROM　YOU。
〃We　don't　think　so；〃　Harry　said。
I　THINK　SO。

And　that　about　summed　it　up；　Norman　thought；　sitting　at　the　console。　Somehow　he　had　to　make　Jerry　understand　the　seriousness　of　his　actions。　〃Jerry；〃　Norman　＇＇261＇＇　explained；　〃your　manifestations　injure　our　entities。　Some　of　our　entities　are　already　gone。〃
YES　I　KNOW。
〃If　you　continue　your　manifestations…〃
YES　I　AM　LIKING　TO　MANIFEST。　IT　IS　HUMOROUS　FOR　YOU。
〃…then　pretty　soon　all　our　entities　will　be　gone。　And　then　there　will　be　no　one　to　talk　to　you。〃
I　DO　NOT　WISH　THAT。
〃I　know　that。　But　many　entities　are　gone　already。〃
BRING　THEM　BACK。
〃We　can't　do　that。　They　are　gone　forever。〃
WHY？
〃We　cannot　bring　them　back。〃
WHY？
Just　like　a　kid；　Norman　thought。　Just　exactly　like　a　kid。　Telling　the　kid　you　can't　do　what　he　wants；　you　can't　play　the　way　he　wants　to　play；　and　he　refuses　to　accept　it。
〃We　do　not　have　the　power；　Jerry；　to　bring　them　back。〃
I　WISH　YOU　TO　BRING　THE　OTHER　ENTITIES　BACK　NOW。
〃He　thinks　we're　refusing　to　play；〃　Harry　said。
BRING　BACK　THE　ENTITY　TED。
Norman　said；　〃We　can't；　Jerry。　We　would　if　we　could。〃
I　AM　LIKING　THE　ENTITY　TED。　HE　IS　VERY　HUMOROUS。
〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。　〃Ted　liked　you；　too。　Ted　was　trying　to　talk　to　you。〃
YES　I　AM　LIKING　HIS　MANIFESTATIONS。　BRING　BACK　TED。
〃We　can't。〃
There　was　a　long　pause。
I　AM　OFFENDED　YOU？
〃No；　not　at　all。〃
WE　ARE　FRIENDS　NORMAN　AND　HARRY。
〃Yes；　we　are。〃
THEN　BRING　BACK　THE　ENTITIES。
〃He　just　refuses　to　understand；〃　Harry　said。　〃Jerry；　for　God's　sake；　we　can't　do　it！〃
YOU　ARE　HUMOROUS　HARRY。　MAKE　IT　AGAIN。
＇＇262＇＇　He's　definitely　reading　strong　emotional　reactions　as　some　kind　of　manifestation；　Norman　thought。　Was　this　his　idea　of　play…to　make　a　provocation　to　the　other　party；　and　then　to　be　amused　by　their　responses？　Was　he　delighted　to　see　the　vivid　emotions　brought　on　by　the　squid？　Was　this　his　idea　of　a　game？
HARRY　MAKE　IT　AGAIN。　HARRY　MAKE　IT　AGAIN。
〃Hey；　man；〃　Harry　said　angrily。　〃Get　off　my　back！〃
THANK　YOU。　I　AM　LIKING　THAT。　IT　WAS　RED　ALSO。　NOW　YOU　WILL　PLEASE　BRING　BACK　THE　ENTITIES　GONE。
Norman　had　an　idea。　〃Jerry；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　wish　the　entities　back；　why　don't　you　bring　them　back？〃
I　AM　NOT　PLEASED　TO　DO　THIS。
〃But　you　could　do　it；　if　you　wanted　to。〃
I　CAN　DO　ANY　THING。
〃Yes；　of　course　you　can。　So　why　don't　you　bring　back　the　entities　you　desire？〃
NO。　I　AM　NOT　HAPPY　TO　DO　THIS。
〃Why　not？〃　Harry　said。
HEY　MAN　GET　OFF　MY　BACK。
〃No　offense；　Jerry；〃　Norman　said　quickly。　There　was　no　reply　on　the　screen。　〃Jerry？〃
The　screen　did　not　respond。
〃He's　gone　again；〃　Harry　said。　He　shook　his　head。　〃God　knows　what　the　little　bastard　will　do　next。〃

FURTHER　ANALYSIS

Norman　went　up　to　the　lab　to　see　beth；　but　she　was　asleep；　curled　up　on　her　couch。　In　sleep；　she　looked　quite　beautiful。　It　was　odd　after　all　the　time　down　here　she　should　seem　so　radiant。　It　was　as　if　the　harshness　had　gone　out　of　her　features。　Her　nose　did　not　seem　so　sharp　any　more；　the　line　of　the　mouth　was　softer；　fuller。　He　looked　at　her　arms；　which　had　been　sinewy；　veins　bulging。　The　muscles　seemed　smoother；　more　feminine　somehow。
Who　knows？　he　thought。　After　so　many　hours　down　here；　you're　no　judge　of　anything。　He　climbed　back　down　the　ladder　and　went　to　his　bunk。　Harry　was　already　there；　snoring　loudly。
Norman　decided　to　take　another　shower。　As　he　stepped　under　the　spray；　he　made　a　startling　discovery。
The　bruises　which　had　covered　his　body　were　gone。　Anyway；　almost　gone；　he　thought；　staring　down　at　the　remaining　patches　of　yellow　and　purple。　They　had　healed　within　hours。　He　moved　his　limbs　experimentally　and　realized　that　the　pain　had　gone；　too。　Why？　What　had　happened？　For　a　moment　he　thought　this　was　all　a　dream；　or　a　nightmare；　and　then　he　thought：　No；　it's　just　the　atmosphere。　Cuts　and　bruises　healing　faster　in　the　high…pressure　environment。　It　wasn't　anything　mysterious。　Just　an　atmospheric　effect。
He　toweled　himself　as　dry　as　he　could　with　the　damp　towel；　and　then　went　back　to　his　bunk。　Harry　was　still　snoring；　as　loud　as　ever。
Norman　lay　on　his　back；　stared　at　the　red　humming　coils　of　the　ceiling　heater。　He　had　an　idea；　and　got　out　of　bed；　and　shifted　Harry's　talker　from　the　base　of　his　throat　to　one　side。　Immediately　the　snores　changed　to　a　soft；　high…pitched　hiss。
Much　better；　he　thought。　He　lay　on　the　damp　pillow；　and　was　almost　immediately　asleep。　He　awoke　with　no　sense　of　passing　time…it　might　have　been　only　a　few　seconds…but　he　felt　refreshed。　He　stretched　and　yawned；　and　got　out　of　bed。
Harry　still　slept。　Norman　moved　the　talker　back；　and　the　＇＇264＇＇　snores　resumed。　He　went　into　D　Cyl；　to　the　console。　Still　on　the　screen　were　the　words：
HEY　MAN　GET　OFF　MY　BACK。
〃Jerry？〃　Norman　said。　〃Are　you　there；　Jerry？〃
The　screen　did　not　respond。　Jerry　wasn't　there。　Norman　looked　at　the　stack　of　printouts　to　one　side。　I　really　should　go　over　this　stuff；　he　thought。　Because　something　troubled　him　about　Jerry。　Norman　couldn't　put　his　finger　on　it；　but　even　if　one　imagined　the　alien　as　a　spoiled　child…king；　Jerry's　behavior　didn't　make　sense。　It　just　didn't　add　up。　Including　the　last　message。
HEY　MAN　GET　OFF　MY　BACK。
Street　talk？　Or　just　imitating　Harry？　In　any　case　it　wasn't　Jerry's　usual　mode　of　munication。　Usually　Jerry　was　ungrammatical　and　sort　of　spacy；　talking　about　entities　and　awareness。　But　from　time　to　time　he　would　bee　sharply　colloquial。　Norman　looked　at　the　sheets。
WE'LL　BE　RIGHT　BACK　AFTER　A　SHORT　BREAK　FOR　THESE　MESSAGES　FROM　OUR　SPONSOR。
That　was　one　example。　Where　had　that　e　from？　It　sounded　like　Johnny　Carson。　Then　why　didn't　Jerry　sound　like　Johnny　Carson　all　the　time？　What　caused　the　shift？
Then；　too；　there　was　the　problem　of　the　squid。　If　Jerry　liked　to　scare　them；　if　he　enjoyed　rattling　their　cage　and　seeing　them　jump；　why　use　a　squid？　Where　had　that　idea　e　from？　And　why　only　a　squid？　Jerry　seemed　to　enjoy　manifesting　different　things。　So　why　hadn't　he　produced　giant　squid　one　time；　great　white　sharks　another　time；　and　so　on？　Wouldn't　that　provide　a　greater　challenge　to　his　abilities？
Then　there　was　the　problem　of　Ted。　Ted　had　been　playing　with　Jerry　at　the　time　he　was　killed。　If　Jerry　liked　to　play　so　much；　why　would　he　kill　off　a　player？　It　just　didn't　make　sense。
Or　did　it？
Norman　sighed。　His　trouble　lay　in　his　assumptions。　Norman　was　assuming　that　the　alien　had　logical　processes　similar　to　his　own。　But　that　might　not　be　true。　For　one　thing；　Jerry　might　operate　at　a　much　faster　metabolic　rate；　and　thus　have　a　different　sense　of　time。　Kids　played　with　a　toy　only　until　＇＇265＇＇　they　got　tired　of　it；　then　they　changed　to　another。　The　hours　that　seemed　so　painfully　long　to　Norman　might　be　only　a　few　seconds　in　the　consciousness　of　Jerry。　He　might　just　be　playing　with　the　squid　for　a　few　seconds；　until　he　dropped　it　for　another　toy。
Kids　also　had　a　poor　idea　about　breaking　things。　If　Jerry　didn't　know　about　death；　then　he　wouldn't　mind　killing　Ted；　because　he　would　think　the　death　was　just　a　temporary　event；　a　〃humorous〃　manifestation　by　Ted。　He　might　not　realize　he　was　actually　breaking　his　toys。
And　it　was　also　true；　when　he　thought　about　it；　that　Jerry　had　manifested　different　things。　Assuming　that　the　jellyfish　and　the　shrimps　and　the　sea　fans　and　now　the　sea　snakes　were　his　manifestations。　Were　they？　Or　were　they　just　normal　parts　of　the　environment？　Was　there　any　way　to　tell？
And　the　Navy　seaman；　he　thought　suddenly。　Let's　not　forget　the　seaman。　Where　had　he　e　from？　Was　that　seaman　another　of　Jerry's　manifestations？　Could　Jerry　manifest　his　playmates　at　will？　In　that　case；　he　really　wouldn't　care　if　he　killed　them　all。
But　I　think　that's　clear；　Norman　thought。　Jerry　doesn't　care　if　he　kills　us。　He　just　wants　to　play；　and　he　doesn't　know　his　own　strength。
Yet　there　was　something　else。　He　scanned　the　sheets　of　printout；　feeling　instinctively　some　underlying　organization　to　everything。　Something　he　wasn't　getting；　some　connection　he　wasn't　making。
As　he　thought　about　it；　he　kept　ing　back　to　one　question：　Why　a　squid？　Why　a　squid？
Of　course；　he　thought。　They　had　been　talking　about　a　squid；　during　the　conversation　at　dinner。　Jerry　must　have　overheard　that。　He　must　have　decided　that　a　squid　would　be　a　provocative　item　to　manifest。　And　he　was　certainly　right　about　that。
Norman　shifted　the　papers；　and　came　upon　the　very　first　message　that　Harry　had　decoded。
HELLO。　HOW　ARE　YOU？　I　AM　FINE。　WHAT　IS　YOUR　NAME？　MY　NAME　IS　JERRY。
＇＇266＇＇　That　was　as　good　a　place　to　begin　as　any。　It　had　been　quite　a　feat　for　Harry　to　decode　it；　Norman　thought。　If　Harry　hadn't　succeeded　with　that；　they　would　never　have　ever　started　talking　to　Jerry　at　all。
Norman　sat　at　the　console；　stared　at　the　keyboard。　What　had　Harry　said？　The　keyboard　was　a　spiral：　the　letter　G　was　one；　and　B　was　two；　and　so　on。　Very　clever　to　figure　it　out。　Norman　would　never　hav