第一小说网

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第32部分（第4页）

〃You　think　Im　cracking　up？〃

〃No。　I　just　said　it　looks　cozy。〃

〃You　can　tell　me　if　you　think　Im　cracking　up。〃

〃I　think　youre　fine；　Beth。　What　about　Tina？　Youve　seen　her　injury？〃

〃Yes。〃　Beth　frowned。　〃And　Ive　seen　these。〃　She　gestured　to　some　white　eggs　in　a　glass　container　on　the　lab　bench。

〃More　eggs？〃

〃They　were　clinging　to　Tinas　suit　when　she　came　back　in。　Her　injury　is　consistent　with　these　eggs。　Also　the　smell：　you　remember　the　smell　when　we　pulled　her　back　in？〃

Norman　remembered　very　well。　Tina　had　smelled　strongly　of　ammonia。　It　was　almost　as　if　shed　been　doused　in　smelling　salts。

Beth　said；　〃As　far　as　I　know；　theres　only　one　animal　that　smells　of　ammonia　that　way。　Architeuthis　sanctipauli。〃

〃Which　is？〃

〃One　of　the　species　of　giant　squid。〃

〃Thats　what　attacked　us？〃

〃I　think　so；　yes。〃

She　explained　that　little　was　known　about　the　giant　squid；　because　the　only　specimens　studied　were　dead　animals　that　＇＇218＇＇　washed　ashore；　generally　in　a　state　of　advanced　decay；　and　reeking　of　ammonia。　For　most　of　human　history；　the　giant　squid　was　considered　a　mythical　sea　monster；　like　the　kraken。　But　in　1861　the　first　reliable　scientific　reports　appeared；　after　a　French　warship　managed　to　haul　in　fragments　of　one　dead　animal。　And　many　killed　whales　which　showed　scars　from　giant　suckers；　testimony　of　undersea　battles。　Whales　were　the　only　known　predator　of　the　giant　squid…the　only　animals　large　enough　to　be　predators。

〃By　now；〃　Beth　said；　〃giant　squid　have　been　observed　in　every　major　ocean　of　the　world。　There　are　at　least　three　distinct　species。　The　animals　grow　very　large　and　can　weigh　a　thousand　pounds　or　more。　The　head　is　about　twenty　feet　long；　with　a　crown　of　eight　arms。　Each　arm　is　about　ten　feet　long；　with　long　rows　of　suckers。　In　the　center　of　the　crown　is　a　mouth　with　a　sharp　beak；　like　a　parrots　beak；　except　the　jaws　are　seven　inches　long。〃

〃Levys　torn　suit？〃

〃Yes。〃　She　nodded。　〃The　beak　is　mounted　in　a　ring　of　muscle　so　it　can　twist　in　circles　as　it　bites。　And　the　radula…the　tongue　of　the　squid…has　a　raspy；　file…like　surface。〃

〃Tina　mentioned　something　about　a　leaf；　a　brown　leaf。〃　〃The　giant　squid　has　two　tentacles　that　extend　out　much　further　than　the　arms；　as　long　as　forty　feet。　Each　tentacle　ends　in　a　flattened　manus　or　palm；　which　looks　very　much　like　a　big　leaf。　The　manus　is　what　the　squid　really　uses　to　catch　prey。　The　suckers　on　the　manus　are　surrounded　by　a　little　hard　ring　of　chitin；　which　is　why　you　see　the　circular　toothmarks　around　the　injury。〃

Norman　said；　〃How　would　you　fight　one？〃

〃Well；〃　Beth　said；　〃in　theory；　although　giant　squid　are　very　large；　they　are　not　particularly　strong。〃

〃So　much　for　theory；〃　Norman　said。

She　nodded。　〃Of　course；　nobody　knows　how　strong　they　are；　since　a　living　specimen　has　never　been　encountered。　We　have　the　dubious　distinction　of　being　first。〃

〃But　it　can　be　killed？〃

〃I　would　think　rather　easily。　The　squids　brain　is　located　behind　the　eye；　which　is　about　fifteen　inches　across；　the　size　＇＇219＇＇　of　a　big　dinner　plate。　If　you　directed　an　explosive　charge　into　the　animal　anywhere　in　that　area；　you　would　almost　certainly　disrupt　the　nervous　system　and　it　would　die。〃

〃Do　you　think　Barnes　killed　the　squid？〃

She　shrugged。　〃I　dont　know。〃

〃Is　there　more　than　one　in　an　area？〃

〃I　dont　know。〃

〃Will　we　see　one　again？〃

〃I　dont　know。〃

THE　VISITOR

Norman　went　downstairs　to　the　munications　center　to　see　if　he　could　talk　to　Jerry；　but　Jerry　was　not　responding。　Norman　must　have　dozed　off　in　the　console　chair；　because　he　l