gns.batsoutofhell-第1节

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　　It　was　humid　inside　the　small　laboratory　in　spite　of　the　window　which　was　open　contrary　to　all　regulations。　Outside　the　sun　shone　and；　but　for　the　absence　of　foliage　on　the　trees　surrounding　the　squat　grey　stone　buildings　which　prised　the　Midlands　Biological　Research　Centre；　one　would　have　been　forgiven　for　assuming　that　summer　had　already　begun。　Small　birds　twittered　incessantly　as　they　busied　themselves　searching　for　twigs　and　dry　grass　with　。which　to　plete　the　building　of　their　nests。　Rooks　circled　and　cawed　noisily　above　a　line　of　tall　elms。　Another　cycle　of　life　had　begun。
　　
　　The　tall；　fair…haired　man　in　the　long　white　coat　moved　away　from　the　window　and；　ignoring　the　'no　smoking'　sign　above　the　long　table　which　supported　several　oblong　glass　cases；　he　lit　a　cigarette；　inhaled　deeply；　and　slowly　blew　twin　streams　of　smoke　out　through　his　nostrils。　His　handsome；　tanned　features　wore　a　worried　expression；　his　lips　were　a　tight；　bloodless　line；　his　pale　blue　eyes　focused　on　the　end　container。　He　drew　even　more　fiercely　on　his　cigarette；　seemingly　unaware　of　the　attractive　blonde　girl　who　watched　his　every　move　intently。
　　
　　The　rats；　mice　and　guinea　pigs　in　the　other　cages　were　unnaturally　still；　almost　as　though　they　sensed　that　something　untoward　was　happening　in　that　very　room；　something　totally　in　contrast　to　the　laws　of　Nature；　something　which　they　could　not　understand　but　feared　all　the　more　because　it　was　beyond　their　prehension。
　　
　　Even　the　reinforced　glass　could　not　muffle　the　shrill；　almost　insane　shrieking　of　the　bats　within　the　cage。　Usually　they　were　motionless　and　silent　by　day；　only　being　active　when　the　laboratory　was　in　darkness　and　the　bacteriologists　had　left。　Not　so　today。　For　the　last　three　days　they　had　been　abnormally　active；　with　the　exception　of　those　that　lay　dead　on　the　floor　of　their　prison。　Even　in　death　they　had　an　unnatural　look　about　them；　the　corpses　stiff　and　twisted　beyond　the　limits　of　rigor　mortis；　the　tiny　faces　masks　of　pain　and　rage；　proof　that　the　creatures　had　died　in　extreme　agony。
　　
　　The　living　flung　themselves　blindly　at　the　walls；　some　dropping　stunned　with　the　impact；　lying　inert　for　several　moments　and　then　recovering　surprisingly　quickly；　piping　their　rage　and　hurling　themselves　back　at　the　glass　again。　Some　eight　or　nine　lay　dead　below　the　maddened　twenty　or　so　that　continued　their　crazed　aerobatics　in　the　cramped　enclosure。
　　
　　One　small；　reddish…brown　silky　body　attempted　to　secure　a　hold　on　the　smooth　sides　of　the　case　with　its　minute　claws；　slipped；　and　fell　to　the　floor。　It　rolled　onto　its　back；　kicking　frantically　at　first；　then　slowly　the　twitching　limbs　stiffened　as　though　rigor　mortis　were　preceding　death。　Yet　the　two　watching　humans　knew　by　the　way　the　bat's　eyes　dilated　that　it　still　lived。　They　realised　also　that　it　was　in　indescribable　pain…and　there　was　nothing　whatsoever　that　they　could　do　about　it。
　　
　　It　was　a　quarter　of　an　hour　before　the　bat's　eyes　dulled　and　it　died。　The　last　victim；　an　hour　ago；　had　suffered　for　forty…five　minutes　before　it　was　granted　a　merciful　release　from　its　suffering。
　　
　　'Hell；'　the　tall　man　muttered　to　himself；　'I've　never　seen　anything　like　it　before！'
　　
　　The　girl　moved　closer　to　him；　and　asked　in　a　low；　husky　whisper；　'What　is　it；　Brian？　What's　happening　to　them？'
　　
　　He　seemed　to　notice　her　presence　for　the　first　time；　and　his　expression　softened　momentarily。　'I　don't　know；'　he　murmured；　averting　his　eyes　from　her　gaze。
　　
　　'But。　。　。　'　her　fingers　closed　over　his　as　she　spoke；　and　he　made　no　attempt　to　remove　them。　'The　tests。　The　tests　we　did　yesterday。　They're　bound　to　show　something　。　。　。　the　reason　for　this　paralysis　in　the　bats；　the　mad　rages；　the　pain　。。。'
　　
　　Professor　Brian　Newman　looked　silently　out　of　the　window。　Out　there；　across　the　soft；　springy　heather　which　was　just　beginning　its　new　growth；　were　something　in　the　region　of　twenty…five　thousand　acres　of　woodland　and　heath…Cannock　Chase；　a　well…known　beauty　spot　to　which　crowds　of　tourists　thronged　at　weekends　and　on　bank…holidays。　A　natural　environment；　except　for　this　place；　the　Midlands　Biological　Research　Centre；　an　ugly　scar　on　the　landscape。
　　
　　Newman　remembered　the　beginning　of　it　all；　the　protests；　the　petitions　by　the　locals。　It　hadn't　got　them　anywhere。　They　hadn't　achieved　anything；　simply　because　they　had　been　conned　by　the　authorities。　Local　councils　had　been　persuaded　that　the　centre　was　for　the　good　of　the　people。　Well；　the　Professor　thought；　smiling　wryly　to　himself；　it　was　certainly　supposed　to　be　for　the　good　of　all　mankind。　Except　for。。。　for　this　His　gaze　was　drawn　irresistibly　back　to　the　glass　cage；　the　dead　and　dying　bats；　the　small　bodies　of　the　doomed　thudding　continuously　against　the　sides　as　they　swooped　and　fluttered　insanely；　often　colliding　with　each　other。　Soon　these　creatures　would　all　be　dead。　It　might　take　until　the　day　after　tomorrow。　There　was　no　way　of　helping　them　or　alleviating　their　suffering。　All　he　could　do　was　to　watch　them　die　and　hope　that　it　would　end　there。　Then　cremate　the　corpses　and　say　nothing；　not　even　to　Haynes。　Haynes　wouldn't　understand。　He…was　an　administration　man；　and　the　less　he　knew；　the　better。　Likewise　the　other　scientists。　There　must　be　no　more　meddling。　Once　these　bats　were　dead；　that　had　to　be　the　end　of　it。
　　
　　'The　tests；'　Susan　Wylie　squeezed　his　hand　and　whispered　huskily。　'What　did　they　show；　Brian？'
　　
　　Newman　turned　to　her；　and　sighed　loudly。　They　showed　that　the　inexplicable　has　happened。　Something　which　we　cannot　explain；　only　accept。　The　virus　is　a　mutated　one　caused　by　experimenting。　I've　tried　to　determine　the　difference　between　bacterial　and　viral　meningitis。　In　humans　it's　difficult　to　tell　in　the　early　stage；　which　is　the　very　time　when　either　the　virus　or　the　bacteria　might　be　destroyed。　Take　meningococcus；　for　example。　There　are　ten　types　of　viruses。　The　symptoms　are　all　the　same：　severe　headache；　high　fever；　vomiting；　stiffness　of　back　and　neck　muscles；　but　not　。　。　。　this。　I've　never　known　the　disease　lead　to　madness　or　such　awful　agony。　And　I　have　created　a　new　horror。　A　mutated　virus！　God　knows　how　it　happened；　it　was　a　million…to…one　accident。　Those　tests　we　did　。。。　my…God；　how　far　it　could　spread；　and　to　which　species：　rats；　mice；　other　rodents　；　。　。　even　humans！　It　doesn't　bear　thinking　about！'
　　
　　'But　Brian；'　Susan　slipped　an　arm　about　him。　'There's　no　harm　done。　Whatever　you've　created　is　confined　in　that　single　glass　cage。　The　whole　disease　is　trapped　in　there。　It　can't　get　out。　Admittedly　there's　nothing　we　can　do　to　ease　these　creatures'　suffering；　but　once　they're　all　dead；　that's　that。　As　you　say；　cremate　the　bodies　and　nobody　will　be　any　the　wiser。'
　　
　　'I　guess　you're　right；'　he　tossed　the　butt　of　his　cigarette　out　of　the　window。　'A　couple　of　days　and　I　reckon　it　will　all　be　over。　But　it's　frightening　to　think　what　freak　mutations　can　be　brought　about　by　experiments　like　this　one。　All　over　the　world　scientists　are　conducting　such。　experiments　daily。　Students；　too。　It　could　happen　anywhere；　anytime；　and　something　far　more　terrible　than　nuclear　war　could　be　unleashed　upon　the　world　I　don't　know　how　this　came　about。　I'd　feel　one　helluva　lot　easier　if　I　did。　Nevertheless；　we　must　end　it　here　and　now。　This　laboratory　must　be　kept　locked。　Nobody　must　e　in　here；　not　even　Haynes。　At　the　end　of　the　week；　when　there's　no　trace　of　this　mess　left；　I　shall　report　that　my　experiments　were　a　failure。　Negative　results。'
　　
　　'I　suppose　that's　the　best　thing；'　her　pert　features　puckered　into　a　smile。　'Let's　forget　all　about　it　tonight　and　enjoy　ourselves。'
　　
　　He　stiffened　slightly；　and　looked　away。
　　
　　'What's　the　matter？'　there　was　concern　in　her　voice。
　　
　　'I。。。　I'm　afraid　we'll　have　to　postpone　tonight；　Susan。　I'm　sorry；　but　that's　the　way　it　is。'
　　
　　'Why？'　her　smile　vanished；　replaced　by　an　expression　of　disappointment　and　indignation。　'Why；　Brian？　A　whole　week　now　and　you've　done　nothing　but　work　round　the　clock。　Okay；　that　was　fair　enough　in　the　interests　of　science；　but　now　。　。　。　well；　there's　nothing　more　you　can　do。'
　　
　　'You　don't　understand。'
　　
　　'I　understand　you　better　than　any　woman；'　she　retorted。　'Better　than　Emma　ever　did。'
　　
　　'There's　no　need　to　bring　my　wife　into　this。'
　　
　　'Your　ex…wife；　Brian。　You're　divorced。　Free。　Or　had　you　forgotten　it？'
　　
　　'No；'　he　drew　deeply　on　the　remains　of　his　second　cigarette。　'I　hadn't　forgotten　it。　But　I　still　have　work　to　do　in　spite　of　this。。。　this　disaster。'
　　
　　'But　you're　going　to　write　it　off。　Forget　it。'
　　
　　'As　far　as　the　world　is　concerned；'　he　spoke　sharply；　irritably。　'But　I'm　not　forgetting　it。　Not　ever。　I've　got　to　go　into　it　deeper；　for　my　own　satisfaction　if　for　no　other　reason。'
　　
　　'But　what　about　tonight？'
　　
　　'I'm　sorry。　There's　no　way。'
　　
　　She　released　his　hand　and　turned　away　so　that　he　could　not　see　the　tears　welling　up　in　her　eyes。　For　the　past　two　months　they　had　been　living　together；　something　of　which　Haynes　disapproved。　Damn　Haynes。　Bacteriologists　were　entitled　to　lead　their　own　private　l