第34部分(第1/7 頁)

〃Ten　yards。〃

For　a　moment；　the　great　creature　turned　sideways　to　the　habitat；　and　they　could　see　its　profile…the　enormous　glowing　body；　thirty　feet　long；　with　the　huge　unblinking　eye；　the　circle　of　arms；　waving　like　evil　snakes；　the　two　long　tentacles；　each　terminating　in　a　flattened；　leaf…shaped　section。

The　squid　continued　to　turn　until　its　arms　and　tentacles　stretched　toward　the　habitat；　and　they　glimpsed　the　mouth；　the　sharp…edged　chomping　beak　in　a　mass　of　glowing　green　muscle。

〃Oh　God。。。〃

The　squid　moved　forward。　They　could　see　each　other　in　the　glow　through　the　portholes。　It's　starting；　Norman　thought。　It's　starting；　and　this　time　we　can't　survive　it。

There　was　a　thump　as　a　tentacle　swung　against　the　habitat。　〃Jerry！〃　Ted　shouted。　His　voice　was　high；　strained　with　tension。

The　squid　paused。　The　body　moved　laterally；　and　they　could　see　the　huge　eye　staring　at　them。

〃Jerry！　Listen　to　me！〃

The　squid　appeared　to　hesitate。

〃He's　listening！〃　Ted　shouted；　and　he　grabbed　a　flashlight　off　a　wall　bracket　and　shined　it　out　the　porthole。　He　blinked　the　light　once。

The　great　body　of　the　squid　glowed　green；　then　went　momentarily　dark；　then　glowed　green　again。

〃He's　listening；〃　Beth　said。

〃Of　course　he's　listening。　He's　intelligent。〃　Ted　blinked　his　light　twice　in　rapid　succession。

The　squid　blinked　back；　twice。　〃How　can　he　do　that？〃　Norman　said。

〃It's　a　kind　of　skin　cell　called　a　chromatophore；〃　Beth　said。　〃The　animal　can　open　and　close　these　cells　at　will；　and　block　the　light。〃

Ted　blinked　three　times。

＇＇227＇＇　The　squid　blinked　three　times。　〃He　can　do　it　fast；〃　Norman　said。

〃Yes；　fast。〃

〃He's　intelligent；〃　Ted　said。　〃I　keep　telling　you。　He's　intell