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第40部分（第2页）

〃My　God；〃　Beth　said。

〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。　〃It　explains　a　lot。〃

She　was　silent　for　a　while；　staring　at　the　message。　〃But　how　is　he　doing　it？〃

〃I　doubt　if　he　is。　At　least；　not　consciously。〃　Norman　had　been　thinking　about　this。　〃Lets　assume；〃　he　said；　〃that　something　happened　to　Harry　when　he　went　inside　the　sphere…he　acquired　some　kind　of　power　while　in　the　sphere。〃

〃Like　what？〃

〃The　power　to　make　things　happen　just　by　thinking　of　them。　The　power　to　make　his　thoughts　real。〃

Beth　frowned。　〃Make　his　thoughts　real　。。。〃

〃Its　not　so　strange；〃　he　said。　〃Just　think：　if　you　were　a　sculptor；　first　you　would　get　an　idea；　and　then　you　would　carve　it　in　stone　or　wood；　to　make　it　real。　The　idea　es　first；　then　the　execution　follows；　with　some　added　effort　to　create　a　reality　that　reflects　your　prior　thoughts。　Thats　the　way　the　world　works　for　us。　We　imagine　something；　and　then　we　try　to　make　it　happen。　Sometimes　the　way　we　make　it　happen　is　unconscious…like　the　guy　who　just　happens　to　go　home　unexpectedly　at　lunchtime　and　catches　his　wife　in　bed　with　another　man。　He　doesnt　consciously　plan　it。　It　just　sort　of　happens　by　itself。〃

〃Or　the　wife　who　catches　the　husband　in　bed　with　another　woman；〃　Beth　said。

〃Yes；　of　course。　The　point　is；　we　manage　to　make　things　happen　all　the　time　without　thinking　about　them　too　much。　I　dont　think　of　every　word　when　I　talk　to　you。　I　just　intend　to　say　something　and　it　es　out　okay。〃

〃Yes　。。。〃

〃So　we　can　make　plicated　creations　like　sentences　without　effort。　But　we　cant　make　other　plicated　＇＇271＇＇　creations　like　sculptures　without　effort。　We　believe　we　have　to　do　something　besides　simply　have　an　idea。〃

〃And　we　do；〃　Beth　said。

〃Well；　Harry　doesnt。　Harrys　gone　one　step　further。　He　doesnt　have　to　carve　the　statue　any　more。　He　just　gets　the　idea；　and　things　happen　by　themselves。　He　manifests　things。〃

〃Harry　imagines　a　frightening　squid；　and　suddenly　we　have　a　frightening　squid　outside　our　window？〃

〃Exactly。　And　when　he　loses　consciousness；　the　squid　disappears。〃

〃And　he　got　this　power　from　the　sphere？〃

〃Yes。〃

Beth　frowned。　〃Why　is　he　doing　this？　Is　he　trying　to　kill　us？〃

Norman　shook　his　head。　〃No。　I　think　hes　in　over　his　head。〃

〃How　do　you　mean？〃

〃Well；〃　Norman　said；　〃weve　considered　lots　of　ideas　of　what　the　sphere　from　another　civilization　might　be。　Ted　thought　it　was　a　trophy　or　a　message…he　saw　it　as　a　present。　Harry　thought　it　had　something　inside…he　saw　it　as　a　container。　But　I　wonder　if　it　might　be　a　mine。〃

〃You　mean；　an　explosive？〃

〃Not　exactly…but　a　defense；　or　a　test。　An　alien　civilization　could　strew　these　things　around　the　galaxy；　and　any　intelligence　that　picks　them　up　would　get　to　experience　the　power　of　the　sphere。　Which　is　that　whatever　you　think　es　true。　If　you　think　positive　thoughts；　you　get　delicious　shrimp　for　dinner。　If　you　think　negative　thoughts；　you　get　monsters　trying　to　kill　you。　Same　process；　just　a　matter　of　content。〃

〃So；　the　same　way　a　land　mine　blows　up　if　you　step　on　it；　this　sphere　destroys　people　if　they　have　negative　thoughts？〃

〃Or；〃　he　said；　〃if　they　simply　arent　in　control　of　their　consciousness。　Because；　if　youre　in　control　of　your　consciousness；　the　sphere　would　have　no　particular　effect。　If　youre　not　in　control；　it　gets　rid　of　you。〃

〃How　can　you　control　a　negative　thought？〃　Beth　said。　She　seemed　suddenly　very　agitated。　〃How　can　you　say　to　someone；　Dont　think　of　a　giant　squid？　The　minute　you　say　that；　＇＇272＇＇　they　automatically　think　of　the　squid　in　the　course　of　trying　not　to　think　of　it。〃

〃Its　possible　to　control　your　thoughts；〃　Norman　said。　〃Maybe　for　a　yogi　or　something。〃

〃For　anybody；〃　Norman　said。　〃Its　possible　to　deflect　your　attention　from　undesirable　thoughts。　How　do　people　quit　smoking？　How　do　any　of　us　ever　change　our　minds　about　anything？　By　controlling　our　thoughts。〃

〃I　still　dont　see　why　Harry　is　doing　this。〃