第11部分(第2/7 頁)

；〃　Barnes　said。

〃Opening；　sir。〃

The　robot　hand　moved　forward；　toward　the　〃Open〃　button。　The　hand　pressed　several　times。　There　was　a　clanking　sound；　but　nothing　happened。

〃What's　wrong？〃　Barnes　said。

〃Sir；　we're　not　able　to　impact　the　button。　The　extensor　arm　is　too　large　to　fit　inside　the　panel。〃

〃Great。〃

〃Shall　I　try　the　probe？〃

〃Try　the　probe。〃

The　claw　hand　moved　back；　and　a　thin　needle　probe　extended　out　toward　the　button。　The　probe　slid　forward；　adjusted　position　delicately；　touched　the　button。　It　pushed…and　slipped　off。

〃Trying　again；　sir。〃

The　probe　again　pressed　the　button；　and　again　slid　off。

〃Sir；　the　surface　is　too　slippery。〃

〃Keep　trying。〃

〃You　know；〃　Ted　said　thoughtfully；　〃this　is　still　a　remarkable　situation。　In　one　sense；　it's　even　more　remarkable　than　contact　with　extraterrestrials。　I　was　already　quite　certain　that　extraterrestrial　life　exists　in　the　universe。　But　time　travel！　Frankly；　as　an　astrophysicist　I　had　my　doubts。　From　everything　we　know；　it's　impossible；　contradicted　by　the　laws　of　physics。　And　yet　now　we　have　proof　that　time　travel　is　possible…and　that　our　own　species　will　do　it　in　the　future！〃

Ted　was　smiling；　wide…eyed；　and　happy　again。　You　had　to　＇＇68＇＇　admire　him；　Norman　thought…he　was　so　wonderfully　irrepressible。

〃And　here　we　are；〃　Ted　said；　〃on　the　threshold　of　our　first　contact　with　our　species　from　the　future！　Think　of　it！　We　are　going　to　meet　ourselves　from　some　future　time！〃

The　probe　pressed　again；　and　again；　without　success。

〃Sir；　we　cannot　impact　the　button。〃

〃I　see　that；〃　Barnes　said；　standing　up。　〃Okay；　shut　it　down　and　get　it　out　of　there。　Ted；　looks　like　you're　going　to　get　your　wish　after　all。　We'll