第38部分(第1/7 页)

〃I　know　what　power　is；〃　Beth　said；　glaring　at　him。

〃Easy；　easy；〃　Norman　said。　〃Let's　not　get　into　this。〃

Harry　said；　〃What　do　you　think；　Norman？　Do　you　have　a　story　about　the　room；　too？〃

〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃I　don't。〃

〃Oh；　e　on；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　bet　you　do。〃

〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃And　I'm　not　going　to　mediate　between　you　two。　We've　all　got　to　stay　together　on　this。　We　have　to　work　as　a　team；　as　long　as　we're　down　here。〃

〃It's　Harry　who's　divisive；〃　Beth　said。　〃From　the　beginning　of　this　trip；　he's　tried　to　make　trouble　with　everybody。　All　those　snide　little　ments　。。。〃

〃What　snide　little　ments？〃　Harry　said。

〃You　know　perfectly　well　what　snide　little　ments；〃　Beth　said。

Norman　walked　out　of　the　room。　〃Where're　you　going？〃

〃Your　audience　is　leaving。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　you're　both　boring。〃

〃Oh；〃　Beth　said；　〃Mr。　Cool　Psychologist　decides　we　are　boring？〃

〃That's　right；〃　Norman　said；　walking　through　the　glass　tunnel；　not　looking　back。

〃Where　do　you　get　off；　making　all　these　judgments　of　other　people？〃　Beth　shouted　at　him。

＇＇253＇＇　He　kept　walking。

〃I'm　speaking　to　you！　Don't　you　walk　away　while　I'm　speaking　to　you；　Norman！〃

He　came　into　the　galley　once　more　and　started　opening　the　drawers；　looking　for　the　nut　bars。　He　was　hungry　again；　and　the　search　took　his　mind　off　the　other　two。　He　had　to　admit　he　was　disturbed　by　the　way　things　were　going。　He　found　a　bar；　tore　the　foil；　ate　it。

Disturbed；　but　not　surprised。　In　studies　of　group　dynamics　he　had　long　ago　verified　the　truth　of　the　old　statement　〃Three's　a　crowd。〃　For　a　high…tension　situation；　groups　of　three　were　inherently　unstable。　Unless　everybody　had　clearly　defined　responsibilities；　the　group　te