第24部分(第2/7 頁)

　gone；　the　animals　are　back？〃

〃That's　my　guess。〃

〃That's　all　there　is　to　it？〃　Norman　said；　frowning。

〃Why　are　you　asking　me？〃　Harry　said。　〃Ask　Beth；　she'll　give　you　a　definitive　answer。　But　I　know　animals　are　sensitive　to　all　kinds　of　stimuli　we　don't　notice。　You　can't　run　God　knows　how　many　million　volts　through　underwater　cables；　to　light　a　half…mile　grid　in　an　environment　that　has　never　seen　light　before；　and　not　expect　to　have　an　effect。〃

＇＇154＇＇　Something　about　this　argument　tickled　the　back　of　Norman's　mind。　He　knew　something；　something　pertinent。　But　he　couldn't　get　it。

〃Harry。〃

〃Yes；　Norman。　You　look　a　little　worried。　You　know；　this　substitution　code　is　really　a　bitch。　I'll　tell　you　the　truth；　I'm　not　sure　I'll　be　able　to　crack　it。　You　see；　the　problem　is；　if　it　is　a　letter　substitution；　you　will　need　two　digits　to　describe　a　single　letter；　because　there　are　twenty…six　letters　in　the　alphabet；　assuming　no　punctuation…which　may　or　may　not　be　included　here　as　well。　So　when　I　see　a　two　next　to　a　three；　I　don't　know　if　it　is　letter　two　followed　by　letter　three；　or　just　letter　twenty…three。　It's　taking　a　long　time　to　work　through　the　permutations。　You　see　what　I　mean？〃

〃Harry。〃

〃Yes；　Norman。〃

〃What　happened　inside　the　sphere？〃

〃Is　that　what　you're　worried　about？〃　Harry　asked。

〃What　makes　you　think　I'm　worried　about　anything？〃　Norman　asked。

〃Your　face；〃　Harry　said。　〃That's　what　makes　me　think　you're　worried。〃

〃Maybe　I　am；〃　Norman　said。　〃But　about　this　sphere。。。〃

〃You　know；　I've　been　thinking　a　lot　about　that　sphere。〃

〃And？〃

〃It's　quite　amazing。　I　really　don't　remember　what　happened。〃

〃Harry。〃

〃I　feel　fine…I　feel　better　all　the　time；　honest　to　G