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第25部分（第2页）

〃I　like　it；〃　Ted　said。　〃Now；　if　we　only　had　seaweed　salad。　Isnt　that　what　Captain　Nemo　served？〃

〃Maybe　something　lighter？〃　Barnes　said。

〃Lighter　than　seaweed？〃

〃Lighter　than　Bach。〃

〃What　was　the　submarine　called？〃　Ted　said。

〃The　Nautilus；〃　Edmunds　said。

〃Oh；　right。　Nautilus。〃

〃It　was　the　name　of　the　first　atomic　submarine；　too；　launched　in　1954；〃　she　said。　And　she　gave　Ted　a　bright　smile。

〃True；〃　Ted　said。　〃True。〃

Norman　thought；　Hes　met　his　match　in　irrelevant　trivia。　Edmunds　went　to　the　porthole　and　said；　〃Oh；　more　visitors。〃

〃What　now？〃　Harry　said；　looking　up　quickly。

Frightened？　Norman　thought。　No；　just　quick；　manic。　Interested。

〃Theyre　beautiful；〃　Edmunds　was　saying。　〃Some　kind　of　little　jellyfish。　All　around　the　habitat。　We　should　really　film　them。　What　do　you　think；　Dr。　Fielding？　Should　we　go　film　them？〃

〃I　think　Ill　just　eat　now；　Jane；〃　Ted　said；　a　bit　severely。　Edmunds　looked　stricken；　rejected。　Norman　thought；　Ill　have　to　watch　that。　She　turned　to　leave。　The　others　glanced　toward　the　porthole；　but　nobody　left　the　table。

〃Have　you　ever　eaten　jellyfish？〃　Ted　said。　〃I　hear　theyre　a　delicacy。〃

〃Some　of　them　are　poisonous；〃　Beth　said。　〃Toxins　in　the　tentacles。〃

＇＇162＇＇　〃Dont　the　Chinese　eat　jellyfish？〃　Harry　said。

〃Yes；〃　Tina　said。　〃They　make　a　soup；　too。　My　grandmother　used　to　make　it　in　Honolulu。〃

〃Youre　from　Honolulu？〃

〃Mozart　would　be　better　for　dining；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Or　Beethoven。　Something　with　strings。　This　organ　music　is　gloomy。〃

〃Dramatic；〃　Ted　said；　playing　imaginary　keys　in　the　air；　in　time　to　the　music。　Swaying　his　body　like　James　Mason。

〃Gloomy；〃　Barnes　said。

The　inter　crackled。　〃Oh；　you　should　see　this；〃　Edmunds　said；　over　the　inter。　〃Its　beautiful。〃

〃Where　is　she？〃

〃She　must　be　outside；〃　Barnes　said。　He　went　to　the　porthole。

〃Its　like　pink　snow；〃　Edmunds　said。　They　all　got　up　and　went　to　the　portholes。

Edmunds　was　outside　with　the　video　camera。　They　could　hardly　see　her　through　the　dense　clouds　of　jellyfish。　The　jellyfish　were　small；　the　size　of　a　thimble；　and　a　delicate；　glowing　pink。　It　was　indeed　like　a　snowfall。　Some　of　the　jellyfish　came　quite　close　to　the　porthole；　they　could　see　them　well。

〃They　have　no　tentacles；〃　Harry　said。　〃Theyre　just　little　pulsating　sacs。〃

〃Thats　how　they　move；〃　Beth　said。　〃Muscular　contractions　expel　the　water。〃

〃Like　squid；〃　Ted　said。

〃Not　as　developed；　but　the　general　idea。〃

〃Theyre　sticky；〃　Edmunds　said；　over　the　inter。　〃Theyre　sticking　to　my　suit。〃

〃That　pink　color　is　fantastic；〃　Ted　said。　〃Like　snow　in　a　sunset。〃

〃Very　poetic。〃

〃I　thought　so。〃

〃You　would。〃

〃Theyre　sticking　to　my　faceplate；　too；〃　Edmunds　said。　〃I　have　to　pull　them　off。　They　leave　a　smeary　streak…〃

＇＇163＇＇　She　broke　off　abruptly；　but　they　could　still　hear　her　breathing。

〃Can　you　see　her？〃　Ted　said。

〃Not　very　well。　Shes　there；　to　the　left。〃