沸腾文学

第38部分（第1页）

〃I　know　what　power　is；〃　Beth　said；　glaring　at　him。

〃Easy；　easy；〃　Norman　said。　〃Lets　not　get　into　this。〃

Harry　said；　〃What　do　you　think；　Norman？　Do　you　have　a　story　about　the　room；　too？〃

〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃I　dont。〃

〃Oh；　e　on；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　bet　you　do。〃

〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃And　Im　not　going　to　mediate　between　you　two。　Weve　all　got　to　stay　together　on　this。　We　have　to　work　as　a　team；　as　long　as　were　down　here。〃

〃Its　Harry　whos　divisive；〃　Beth　said。　〃From　the　beginning　of　this　trip；　hes　tried　to　make　trouble　with　everybody。　All　those　snide　little　ments　。。。〃

〃What　snide　little　ments？〃　Harry　said。

〃You　know　perfectly　well　what　snide　little　ments；〃　Beth　said。

Norman　walked　out　of　the　room。　〃Wherere　you　going？〃

〃Your　audience　is　leaving。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　youre　both　boring。〃

〃Oh；〃　Beth　said；　〃Mr。　Cool　Psychologist　decides　we　are　boring？〃

〃Thats　right；〃　Norman　said；　walking　through　the　glass　tunnel；　not　looking　back。

〃Where　do　you　get　off；　making　all　these　judgments　of　other　people？〃　Beth　shouted　at　him。

＇＇253＇＇　He　kept　walking。

〃Im　speaking　to　you！　Dont　you　walk　away　while　Im　speaking　to　you；　Norman！〃

He　came　into　the　galley　once　more　and　started　opening　the　drawers；　looking　for　the　nut　bars。　He　was　hungry　again；　and　the　search　took　his　mind　off　the　other　two。　He　had　to　admit　he　was　disturbed　by　the　way　things　were　going。　He　found　a　bar；　tore　the　foil；　ate　it。

Disturbed；　but　not　surprised。　In　studies　of　group　dynamics　he　had　long　ago　verified　the　truth　of　the　old　statement　〃Threes　a　crowd。〃　For　a　high…tension　situation；　groups　of　three　were　inherently　unstable。　Unless　everybody　had　clearly　defined　responsibilities；　the　group　tended　to　form　shifting　allegiances；　two　against　one。　That　was　what　was　happening　now。

He　finished　the　nut　bar；　and　immediately　ate　another　one。　How　much　longer　did　they　have　down　here？　At　least　thirty…six　hours　more。　He　looked　for　a　place　to　carry　additional　nut　bars；　but　his　polyester　jumpsuit　had　no　pockets。

Beth　and　Harry　came　into　the　galley；　much　chagrined。

〃Want　a　nut　bar？〃　he　said；　chewing。

〃We　want　to　apologize；〃　she　said。

〃For　what？〃

〃For　acting　like　children；〃　Harry　said。

〃Im　embarrassed；〃　Beth　said。　〃I　feel　terrible　about　losing　my　temper　that　way；　I　feel　like　a　plete　idiot。　。。。　Beth　was　hanging　her　head；　staring　at　the　floor。　Interesting　how　she　flipped；　he　thought；　from　aggressive　self…confidence　to　the　plete　opposite；　abject　self…apology。　Nothing　in　between。

〃Lets　not　take　it　too　far；〃　he　said。　〃Were　all　tired。〃

〃I　feel　just　awful；〃　Beth　continued。　〃Really　awful。　I　feel　as　if　Ive　let　you　both　down。　I　shouldnt　be　here　in　the　first　place。　Im　not　worthy　to　be　in　this　group。〃

Norman　said；　〃Beth；　have　a　nut　bar　and　stop　feeling　sorry　for　yourself。〃

〃Yes；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　think　I　like　you　better　angry。〃