第20部分(第1/7 页)

〃Let's　all　stay　calm；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Everything's　under　control。　This　is　just　a　temporary　delay。　There's　no　reason　to　get　upset。〃

But　Norman　didn't　feel　upset。　He　felt　suddenly　exhausted。　＇＇126＇＇　Beth　was　sulking；　angry；　feeling　deceived；　Ted　was　excited；　already　planning　another　excursion　to　the　spacecraft；　arranging　equipment　with　Edmunds。

But　Norman　felt　only　tired。　His　eyes　were　heavy；　he　thought　he　might　go　to　sleep　standing　there　in　front　of　the　monitors。　He　excused　himself　hurriedly；　went　back　to　his　bunk；　lay　down。　He　didn't　care　that　the　sheets　were　clammy；　he　didn't　care　that　the　pillow　was　cold；　he　didn't　care　that　diesels　were　droning　and　vibrating　in　the　next　cylinder。　He　thought：　This　is　a　very　strong　avoidance　reaction。　And　then　he　was　asleep。

BEYOND　PLUTO

Norman　rolled　out　of　bed　and　looked　for　his　watch；　but　he'd　gotten　into　the　habit　of　not　wearing　one　down　here。　He　had　no　idea　what　time　it　was；　how　long　he　had　been　asleep。　He　looked　out　the　porthole；　saw　nothing　but　black　water。　The　grid　lights　were　still　off。　He　lay　back　in　his　bunk　and　looked　at　the　gray　pipes　directly　over　his　head；　they　seemed　closer　than　before；　as　if　they　had　moved　toward　him　while　he　slept。　Everything　seemed　cramped；　tighter；　more　claustrophobic。

Several　more　days　of　this；　he　thought。　God。

He　hoped　the　Navy　would　think　to　notify　his　family。　After　so　many　days；　Ellen　would　start　to　worry。　He　imagined　her　first　calling　the　FAA；　then　calling　the　Navy；　trying　to　find　out　what　had　happened。　Of　course；　no　one　would　know　anything；　because　the　project　was　classified；　Ellen　would　be　frantic。

Then　he　stopped　thinking　about　Ellen。　It　was　easier；　he　thought；　to　worry　about　your　loved　ones　than　to　worry　about　yourself。　But　there　wasn't　an