第54部分(第1/7 頁)

〃Because　it's　literally　a　sort　of　mirror　for　us；〃　Norman　said。

〃Speaking　of　which；　there's　another　possibility；〃　Harry　said。　〃It　may　not　be　alien　at　all。　It　may　be　man…made。〃　That　took　Norman　pletely　by　surprise。　Harry　explained。

〃Consider；〃　Harry　said。　〃A　ship　from　our　own　future　went　through　a　black　hole；　into　another　universe；　or　another　part　＇＇364＇＇　of　our　universe。　We　cannot　imagine　what　would　happen　as　a　result　of　that。　But　suppose　there　were　some　major　distortion　of　time。　Suppose　that　ship；　which　left　with　a　human　crew　in　the　year　2043；　actually　has　been　in　transit　for　thousands　and　thousands　of　years。　Couldn't　the　human　crew　have　invented　it　during　that　time？〃

〃I　don't　think　that's　likely；〃　Beth　said。

〃Well；　let's　consider　for　a　moment；　Beth；〃　Harry　said　gently。　Norman　noticed　that　Harry　wasn't　arrogant　any　more。　They　were　all　in　this　together；　Norman　thought；　and　they　were　working　together　in　a　way　they　never　had　before。　All　the　time　underwater　they　had　been　at　odds；　but　now　they　functioned　smoothly　together；　coordinated。　A　team。

〃There　is　a　real　problem　about　the　future；〃　Harry　was　saying；　〃and　we　don't　admit　it。　We　assume　we　can　see　into　the　future　better　than　we　really　can。　Leonardo　da　Vinci　tried　to　make　a　helicopter　five　hundred　years　ago；　and　Jules　Verne　predicted　a　submarine　a　hundred　years　ago。　From　instances　like　that；　we　tend　to　believe　that　the　future　is　predictable　in　a　way　that　it　really　isn't。　Because　neither　Leonardo　nor　Jules　Verne　could　ever　have　imagined；　say；　a　puter。　The　very　concept　of　a　puter　implies　too　much　knowledge　that　was　simply　inconceivable　at　the　time　those　men　were　alive。　It　was；　if　you　will；　information　that　came　out　of　nowhere；　later　on。

〃And　we're　no　wiser；　sitting　here　now。　We　cou