第27部分(第6/7 頁)

X C15 V7 B2 N8 M ； 。 ？

〃They　just　keep　spiraling　outward…M　is　sixteen；　K　is　seventeen；　and　so　forth。　So　finally　I　understood　the　message。〃

〃What　is　the　message；　Harry？〃

Harry　hesitated。　〃I　have　to　tell　you。　It's　strange。〃

〃How　do　you　mean；　strange？〃

Harry　tore　another　sheet　off　his　yellow　pad　and　handed　it　to　them。　Norman　read　the　short　message；　printed　in　neat　block　letters：

HELLO。　HOW　ARE　YOU？　I　AM　FINE。　WHAT　IS　YOUR　NAME？　MY　NAME　IS　JERRY。

THE　FIRST　EXCHANGE

〃Well；〃　Ted　said　finally。　〃this　is　not　what　I　expected　at　all。〃

〃It　looks　childish；〃　Beth　said。　〃Like　something　out　＇＇183＇＇　of　those　old　'See　Spot　run'　readers　for　kids。〃

〃That's　exactly　what　it　looks　like。〃

〃Maybe　you　translated　it　wrong；〃　Barnes　said。

〃Certainly　not；〃　Harry　said。

〃Well；　this　alien　sounds　like　an　idiot；〃　Barnes　said。

〃I　doubt　very　much　that　he　is；〃　Ted　said。

〃You　would　doubt　it；〃　Barnes　said。　〃A　stupid　alien　would　blow　your　whole　theory。　But　it's　something　to　consider；　isn't　it？　A　stupid　alien。　They　must　have　them。〃

〃I　doubt；〃　Ted　said；　〃that　anyone　in　mand　of　such　high　technology　as　that　sphere　is　stupid。〃

〃Then　you　haven't　noticed　all　the　ninnies　driving　cars　back　home；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Jesus；　after　all　this　effort：　'How　are　you？　I　am　fine。'　Jesus。〃

Norman　said；　〃I　don't　feel　that　this　message　implies　a　lack　of　intelligence；　Hal。〃

〃On　the　contrary；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　think　the　message　is　very　smart。〃

〃I'm　listening；〃　Barnes　said。

〃The　content　certainly　appears　childish；〃　Harry　said。　〃But　when　you　think　about　it；　it's　highly　logical。　A　simple　message　is　unambiguous；　friendly；　and　not　frightening。　It　makes　a　lot　of　sense　to　send　such　a　message。　I　think　he