el.angeleyes-第60部分
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e did so broadside； sending a wave over the side of the pool； inundating Mars。
〃Guess you don't have much of a choice now； rade；〃 Odysseus said； clearly delighted。
。Mars； in an inner rage； resolved to do nothing outwardly to show the Hero he had won this round。 But simple human dignity dictated that he say； ''I have no bathing attire。''
〃That's a quaint thought；〃 the Hero said。 〃I don't need 'bathing attire；' why should you？〃
Mars could think of no appropriate answer； so instead he stalked across the room to the shower area and disrobed。 He wrapped a towel around his middle； reemerged。
〃Wele； Volkov；〃 Odysseus said； 〃to the isle of Polyphemus； the Cyclops。〃
Grim…faced； Mars approached the pool and； deliberately ignoring Tatiana； who was already bobbing alongside the Hero； dropped the towel and slid into the water。
Arbat made quite a fuss； clicking and diving。 For a moment Mars was uneasy。 It suddenly dawned on him that he was in the creature's domain。 What would the dolphin choose to do to him？ Nothing； it seemed； but click and dive。 Arbat never approached him。
〃It's easier here in the water；〃 the Hero said in the silence after the dolphin's last outburst。
''What is？〃 Mars found himself asking。
''Life；'' Odysseus said； staring up at the arched ceiling； alight with reflections from the water。 ''I thought that would be self…evident once you were in here。〃 His gaze lowered。 His eyes； Mars saw； were the color of gun metal today； and seemingly just as hard。 〃But perhaps I have overestimated you。〃
〃I hope not； 〃 Mars said。
〃We'll see。〃
Mars said； 〃I'd like to return to something you spoke about last time。 The unspeakable color you saw in 。。。 Menelaus's eyes after he died。〃 Mars had almost forgotten the name the Hero wanted him to use。 Menelaus； another of the Greek chieftains who took part in the sack of Troy； and； so Homer would have us believe； Odysseus's alter ego。 〃The color of God； so you said。 I'm interested to learn why you used just that term。 Surely there are others that would do as well。''
〃Are there？〃 Odysseus said。 〃If so； it's clear you wouldn't know them。 You're in the dark here； all of you。 I'm the only lamp to guide you。〃
〃That's true；〃 Mars conceded。 〃But God？〃
〃We're back to Him； I'm afraid；〃 Odysseus said。 〃And you said you no longer wanted to talk about God。〃
〃I've changed my mind。〃
〃Really？ Well； that's mighty adaptable of you。 I'm impressed。〃 The Hero closed his eyes for a moment。 〃All right： God。 Do you know that dolphins believe in God？ Arbat has quite a cogent concept of Him； much more sensible than the clumsy versions humans have been able to e up with。'' There it was again； not 〃we〃 but 〃humans；〃 as if he was no longer human。
〃I chose that phrase 'the color of God' because it was the only one that is appropriate；〃 the Hero said。 〃We return to Albat； to dolphins in general。 Their minds don't work like humans' ； Volkov。 Arbat's mind works in a kind of wave pattern and； beyond that； spirals。 Linear thinking is unknown to her。 Interesting； no？〃 his eyes popped open。 〃So。 God to her is Time。 Not day and night； dolphins don't conceive of such categorized sections。 Time as in movement…the movement that has extended before life； that extends through life； and will extend after life has been terminated。〃
Mars tried to absorb this circumlocution。 〃And what has this to do with the color in Menelaus's dead eyes？〃
〃They weren't dead；〃 Odysseus said。 〃Oh； yes； Menelaus himself was an empty husk； embalmed by the winds of space。 But his eyes had bee a conduit。〃
〃What precisely did you see in them？〃
〃That；〃 the Hero said； 〃is the fundamental mistake you've all made。 I didn't see something in them； I saw through them。 It was as if they had bee a telescope of fantastic power。 I saw Elsewhere。 I saw Elsewhen。〃
Mars closed his eyes； pressed his fingers against the lids。 He was getting a headache。 The essential problem was that he couldn't tell whether this discussion was too profound or too laughable for him。 Was he confronting a madman or。。。 what？ What had happened to the two men of Odin…Galaktika II during the event； when all telemetry and monitoring went down？ That was what Mars had been ordered to find out。
Had the Hero in some way been transformed； or was he merely pulling everyone's leg； amusing himself at the state's expense as some kind of sick reparation for his disabilities？
The truly frightening thing。 Mars thought now； was that there was at least the possibility that the Hero had been transformed by the event。 In that case； what had he bee？
〃Can you give me even a hint；〃 Mars said at last； 〃of what 'Elsewhere' and 'Elsewhen' mean？〃
Odysseus held out his arm。 〃Tatiana；〃 he said； 〃would you e here？〃
Tatiana obediently swam in his direction so that she was in front of him。 Then the two of them swam forward until Tatiana's body was pressed so firmly against Mars's that he could feel her hard breasts； the slight swell of her stomach； the press of her pubic mound。 〃What…〃
''Bear with me； rade；'' Odysseus said firmly。 〃And don't back up； this is all in the name of so…called science。'' He peered into Mars's face。 〃I want you to imagine that still being you； you feel Tatiana's breasts as if they were your own； you feel her sexual organs as well as yours； swim in the pulse of her blood as well as your own； wander through her thought patterns。 Can you do that； Volkov？ No； I suppose not。〃 He let Tatiana go。 〃But that is what I meant when I said 'Elsewhere。' 〃
'〃This means；〃 Mars said slowly； taking it a step at a time； 〃that in Menelaus's dead eyes you sense the presence of another entity。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And during the event you merged with the entity。〃
〃Not merged；〃 the Hero said。 〃It was more as if I was allowed in for just a moment to take a look around。〃
〃I want you to be absolutely clear about this；〃 Mars said。 〃By 'entity' do I take it you mean an extraterrestrial？〃
〃I can't think what else it might be。〃
This is rapidly being infuriating。 Mars thought。 He's so clear about this that I'm beginning to believe his madness。 Perhaps I'm ing here too often。 Can madness be municative？ No。 Impossible。 But then he reminded himself that if Odysseus were； indeed； mad； it was an entirely new form of madness； which the scientific team had yet to identify； let alone begin to define。
〃All right；〃 Mars said。 〃Let's leave the issue of 'Elsewhere' for the time being。 What about 'Elsewhen'？〃
〃In an odd way； that's simpler to explain；〃 the Hero said； 〃because it more directly relates to the color between the stars； the color of God。 God is Time； and Time is what I saw。 Not the present or the past or even the future。''
''Now you're talking in riddles；'' Mars said testily。 ''Einstein proved that…〃
〃Einstein was wrong；〃 Odysseus said matter…of…factly。 〃His mind； brilliant though it was； was human； and therefore bound by certain limitations。〃
〃But when it es to time； there is only past； present； and future。〃
〃Not so； Volkov；〃 the Hero said。 〃What I saw was all three at once： past； present； and future merged； not three streams； but a continuum。 It was like ing to the edge of a dense forest and； beyond； walking down a shoreline to a vast ocean that I never before imagined was there。〃 Now Mars felt a peculiar crawling in his belly； an icy fear gripping his bowels； for as he spoke； the Hero's face had bee transfigured。
Odysseus said； 〃There I was wading in it。 In Time。 And I came upon Existence。 I saw myself existing in past…present…future all at once。 They were the same； not different。 There was no younger or older。 There was no death。 Age and death are myths； Volkov； but they 're not the only ones。〃 He reached down； plucked at his sleek； silvery flesh。 〃The body； too； is a myth。 It's what inhibits us； what gives rise to the myths of age and death。 Without the body； we can step freely into the ocean of Time。〃
Mars experienced once again that vertiginous sensation that es with the proximity to madness； but he still did not know which of them in the pool was mad。
''You don't believe me；〃 Odysseus said。 ''I can see it in your face。'' He shrugged。 ''Well； you asked for the truth。 Don't blame me if you're unable to accept it。'' He gave Mars a pitying look。 〃However； I can't； in all good conscience； blame you。 You weren't there。 How could you believe？〃
Mars took a long time thinking over what the Hero had said。 At last he said； 〃One thing disturbs me。〃
〃Only one？〃 Odysseus said sardonically。
〃From what you claim you experienced during the event； it would seem as if you would have returned to Earth in a kind of state of grace； in possession of a great peacefulness。 Yet if I remember correctly； you have said that you are suspended between heaven and a living hell； and it's obvious you have a great deal of rage that you barely suppress。 How do you explain these discrepancies？〃
Odysseus turned to Tatiana。 〃I want to get out。〃
Immediately she launched herself onto the coping。 Still dripping； she went off。
〃Are you going to…〃
''Be patient； Volkov。''
Arbat's head bobbed upon the water； looking inquisitively between the two men。
Tatiana returned with the Hero's special wheelchair。 Then she bent down； lifted him out of the water。 Arbat began a long series of clicks； her nose bobbing incessantly； as if she were distressed。
When Tatiana had settled the Hero in； draped the oversized towel across his loins； he said； 〃Wait here for a moment； rade。 Talk to Tatiana。 I'm sure you can benefit from her insights。〃 He threw the wheelchair's engine into gear； motored off across the huge room。
Mars； at the edge of the pool； crossed his arms over one another on me coping。 He gazed into Tatiana's face for a long time before saying； 〃What do you think is going on here？〃
〃What you want to know；〃 Tatiana said； 〃is whether or not he's mad。〃
〃In a sense；〃 Mars conceded。 〃I have to know whether or not he's telling the truth。 Did he e face…to…face with an extraterrestrial or has the cosmic radiation he was exposed to affected his brain？〃
''Oh； yes；〃 Tatiana said unhelpfully； ''he could be telling the truth as he knows it； and also be quite insane。〃
Her tone was so like the one the Hero used that Mars was momentarily nonpluss
