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第8部分（第2页）

The　descent　continued。　The　water　was　dark。　〃Five　hundred　feet；〃　he　said。　〃Halfway　there。〃

The　submarine　creaked　loudly；　then　made　several　explosive　pops。　Norman　was　startled。

〃Thats　normal　pressure　adjustment；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃No　problem。〃

＇＇50＇＇　〃Uh…huh；〃　Norman　said。　He　wiped　sweat　on　his　shirtsleeve。　It　seemed　that　the　interior　of　the　submarine　was　now　much　smaller；　the　walls　closer　to　his　face。

〃Actually；〃　Ted　said；　〃if　I　remember；　this　particular　region　of　the　Pacific　is　called　the　Lau　Basin；　isnt　that　right？〃

〃Thats　right；　sir；　the　Lau　Basin。〃

〃Its　a　plateau　between　two　undersea　ridges；　the　South　Fiji　or　Lau　Ridge　to　the　west；　and　the　Tonga　Ridge　to　the　east。〃

〃Thats　correct；　Dr。　Fielding。〃

Norman　glanced　at　the　instruments。　They　were　covered　with　moisture。　The　pilot　had　to　rub　the　dials　with　a　cloth　to　read　them。　Was　the　sub　leaking？　No；　he　thought。　Just　condensation。　The　interior　of　the　submarine　was　growing　colder。　Take　it　easy；　he　told　himself。

〃Eight　hundred　feet；〃　the　pilot　said。　It　was　now　pletely　black　outside。

〃This　is　very　exciting；〃　Ted　said。　〃Have　you　ever　done　anything　like　this　before；　Norman？〃

〃No；〃　Norman　said。

〃Me；　neither；〃　Ted　said。　〃What　a　thrill。〃　Norman　wished　he　would　shut　up。

〃You　know；〃　Ted　said；　〃when　we　open　this　alien　craft　up　and　make　our　first　contact　with　another　form　of　life；　its　going　to　be　a　great　moment　in　the　history　of　our　species　on　Earth。　Ive　been　wondering　about　what　we　should　say。〃

〃Say？〃

〃You　know；　what　words。　At　the　threshold；　with　the　cameras　rolling。〃

〃Will　there　be　cameras？〃

〃Oh；　Im　sure　therell　be　all　sorts　of　documentation。　Its　only　proper；　considering。　So　we　need　something　to　say；　a　memorable　phrase。　I　was　thinking　of　〃This　is　a　momentous　moment　in　human　history。　〃

〃Momentous　moment？〃　Norman　said；　frowning。

〃Youre　right；〃　Ted　said。　〃Awkward；　I　agree。　Maybe　A　turning　point　in　human　history？〃

Norman　shook　his　head。

〃How　about　A　crossroads　in　the　evolution　of　the　human　species？〃

＇＇51＇＇　〃Can　evolution　have　a　crossroads？〃

〃I　dont　see　why　not；〃　Ted　said。

〃Well；　a　crossroads　is　a　crossing　of　roads。　Is　evolution　a　road？　I　thought　it　wasnt；　I　thought　evolution　was　undirected。〃

〃Youre　being　too　literal；〃　Ted　said。

〃Reading　the　bottom；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Nine　hundred　feet。〃　He　slowed　the　descent。　They　heard　the　intermittent　ping　of　sonar。

Ted　said；　〃　A　new　threshold　in　the　evolution　of　the　human　species？〃

〃Sure。　Think　it　will　be？〃

〃Will　be　what？〃

〃A　new　threshold。〃

〃Why　not？〃　Ted　said。

〃What　if　we　open　it　up　and　its　just　a　lot　of　rusted　junk　inside；　and　nothing　valuable　or　enlightening　at　all？〃

〃Good　point；〃　Ted　said。