第8部分(第4/7 頁)

ersea　ridges；　the　South　Fiji　or　Lau　Ridge　to　the　west；　and　the　Tonga　Ridge　to　the　east。〃

〃That's　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；　it's　going　to　be　a　great　moment　in　the　history　of　our　species　on　Earth。　I've　been　wondering　about　what　we　should　say。〃

〃Say？〃

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

〃Will　there　be　cameras？〃

〃Oh；　I'm　sure　there'll　be　all　sorts　of　documentation。　It's　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。

〃You're　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　don't　see　why　not；〃　Ted　said。

〃Well；　a　crossroads　is　a　crossing　of　roads。　Is　evolution　a　road？　I　thought　it　wasn't；　I　thought　evolution　was　undirected。〃

〃You're　being　too　literal；〃　Ted　said。

〃Reading　the　bottom；〃　the　pilot　sa