第37部分(第3/7 页)

a　drawer　in　the　galley；　produced　bars　wrapped　in　metal　foil；　gave　them　each　one。　Norman　tore　the　foil　and　saw　something　that　looked　like　chocolate。　It　tasted　dry。

〃Anything　to　drink？〃

〃Sure。〃　She　threw　open　a　refrigerator　door。　〃Diet　Coke？〃

〃You're　kidding。　。。。。。

〃The　can　design　is　different；　and　I'm　afraid　it's　warm；　but　it's　Diet　Coke；　all　right。〃

〃I'm　buying　stock　in　that　pany；〃　Harry　said。　〃Now　that　we　know　it'll　still　be　there　in　fifty　years。〃　He　read　the　can。　〃Official　drink　of　the　Star　Voyager　Expedition。〃

〃Yeah；　it's　a　promo；〃　Beth　said。

Harry　turned　the　can　around。　The　other　side　was　printed　in　Japanese。　〃Wonder　what　this　means？〃

〃It　means；　don't　buy　that　stock　after　all；〃　she　said。　Norman　sipped　the　Coke　with　a　sense　of　vague　unease。　The　galley　seemed　subtly　changed　from　the　last　time　he　had　seen　it。　He　wasn't　sure…he'd　only　glanced　briefly　at　the　room　before…but　he　usually　had　a　good　memory　for　room　layouts；　and　his　wife　had　always　joked　that　Norman　could　find　his　way　around　any　kitchen。　〃You　know；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　remember　a　refrigerator　in　the　galley。〃

〃I　never　really　noticed；　myself；〃　Beth　said。

〃As　a　matter　of　fact；〃　Norman　said；　〃this　whole　room　looks　different　to　me。　It　looks　bigger；　and…I　don't　know…different。〃

〃It's　'cause　you're　hungry。〃　Harry　grinned。

〃Maybe；〃　Norman　said。　Harry　could　actually　be　right。　In　the　sixties；　there　had　been　a　number　of　studies　of　visual　perception　which　demonstrated　that　subjects　interpreted　blurred　slides　according　to　their　predispositions。　Hungry　people　saw　all　the　slides　as　food。

But　this　room　really　did　look　different。　For　instance；　he　didn't　remember　the　door　to　the　galley　being　to　the　left；　as　＇＇249＇＇　it　was　now。　He　remembere