第38部分(第2/7 页)

nded　to　form　shifting　allegiances；　two　against　one。　That　was　what　was　happening　now。

He　finished　the　nut　bar；　and　immediately　ate　another　one。　How　much　longer　did　they　have　down　here？　At　least　thirty…six　hours　more。　He　looked　for　a　place　to　carry　additional　nut　bars；　but　his　polyester　jumpsuit　had　no　pockets。

Beth　and　Harry　came　into　the　galley；　much　chagrined。

〃Want　a　nut　bar？〃　he　said；　chewing。

〃We　want　to　apologize；〃　she　said。

〃For　what？〃

〃For　acting　like　children；〃　Harry　said。

〃I'm　embarrassed；〃　Beth　said。　〃I　feel　terrible　about　losing　my　temper　that　way；　I　feel　like　a　plete　idiot。　。。。　Beth　was　hanging　her　head；　staring　at　the　floor。　Interesting　how　she　flipped；　he　thought；　from　aggressive　self…confidence　to　the　plete　opposite；　abject　self…apology。　Nothing　in　between。

〃Let's　not　take　it　too　far；〃　he　said。　〃We're　all　tired。〃

〃I　feel　just　awful；〃　Beth　continued。　〃Really　awful。　I　feel　as　if　I've　let　you　both　down。　I　shouldn't　be　here　in　the　first　place。　I'm　not　worthy　to　be　in　this　group。〃

Norman　said；　〃Beth；　have　a　nut　bar　and　stop　feeling　sorry　for　yourself。〃

〃Yes；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　think　I　like　you　better　angry。〃

〃I'm　sick　of　those　nut　bars；〃　Beth　said。　〃Before　you　came　here；　I　ate　eleven　of　them。〃

＇＇254＇＇　〃Well；　make　it　an　even　dozen；〃　Norman　said；　〃and　we'll　go　back　to　the　habitat。〃

Walking　back　across　the　ocean　floor；　they　were　tense；　watching　for　the　squid。　But　Norman　derived　fort　from　the　fact　that　they　were　armed。　And　something　else：　some　inner　confidence　that　came　from　his　earlier　confrontation　with　the　squid。

〃You　hold　that　spear　gun　like　you　mean　it；〃　Beth　said。　〃Yes。　I　guess　so。〃　All　his　life　he　had　been　an　academic；　a　university　researcher；　and　had　never