第15部分(第1/7 頁)

〃A　black　hole；〃　Harry　said；　〃is　a　dead；　pressed　star。　Basically；　a　star　is　like　a　big　beach　ball　inflated　by　the　atomic　explosions　occurring　inside　it。　When　a　star　gets　old；　and　runs　out　of　nuclear　fuel；　the　ball　collapses　to　a　much　smaller　size。　If　it　collapses　enough；　it　bees　so　dense　and　it　has　so　much　gravity　that　it　keeps　on　collapsing；　squeezing　down　on　itself　until　it　is　very　dense　and　very　small…only　a　few　miles　in　diameter。　Then　it's　a　black　hole。　Nothing　else　in　the　universe　is　as　dense　as　a　black　hole。〃

〃So　they're　black　because　they're　dead？〃

〃No。　They're　black　because　they　trap　all　the　light。　Black　holes　have　so　much　gravity；　they　pull　everything　into　them；　like　vacuum　cleaners…all　the　surrounding　interstellar　gas　and　dust；　and　even　light　itself。　They　just　suck　it　right　up。〃

〃They　suck　up　light？〃　Norman　said。　He　found　it　hard　to　think　of　that。

〃Yes。〃

〃So　what　were　you　two　so　excited　about；　with　your　calculations？〃

〃Oh；　it's　a　long　story；　and　it's　just　speculation。〃　Harry　yawned。　〃It　probably　won't　amount　to　anything；　anyway。　Talk　about　it　later？〃

〃Sure；〃　Norman　said。

Harry　rolled　over；　went　to　sleep。　Ted　was　still　in　the　showers；　hacking　and　sputtering。　Norman　went　back　to　D　Cyl；　to　Tina's　console。

〃Did　Harry　find　you　all　right？〃　he　said。　〃I　know　he　wanted　to　see　you。〃

〃Yes；　sir。　And　I　have　the　information　he　requested　now。　Why？　Did　you　want　to　make　out　your　will；　too？〃

Norman　frowned。

〃Dr。　Adams　said　he　didn't　have　a　will　and　he　wanted　to　make　one。　He　seemed　to　feel　it　was　quite　urgent。　Anyway；　I　checked　with　the　surface　and　you　can't　do　it。　It's　some　legal　problem　about　it　being　in　your　own　handwriting；　you　can't　transmit　your　will　over　electronic　lines。〃

〃I　see