michael crichton.congo-第31节

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　〃You　see；　Professor？　Nothing　to　it。〃
　Amy　never　strayed　far　from　the　group　again。
　
　If　Elliot　had　an　unfortable　sense　of　the　rain　forest　as　the　natural　domain　of　his　own　animal；　Karen　Ross　viewed　it　in　terms　of　earth　resources…in　which　it　was　poor。　She　was　not　fooled　by　the　luxuriant；　oversized　vegetation；　which　she　knew　represented　an　extraordinarily　efficient　ecosystem　built　in　virtually　barren　soil。*
　The　developing　nations　of　the　world　did　not　understand　this　fact；　once　cleared；　the　jungle　soil　yielded　disappointing　crops。　Yet　the　rain　forests　were　being　cleared　at　the　incredible　rate　of　fifty　acres　a　minute；　day　and　night。　The　rain　forests　of　the　world　had　circled　the　equator　in　a　green　belt　for　at　least　sixty　million　years…but　man　would　have　cleared　them　within　twenty　years。
　This　widespread　destruction　had　caused　some　alarm　Ross　did　not　share。　She　doubted　that　the　world　climate　would　change　or　the　atmospheric　oxygen　be　reduced。　Ross　was　not　an　alarmist；　and　not　impressed　by　the　calculations　of　those　who　were。　The　only　reason　she　felt　uneasy　was　that　the　forest　was　so　little　understood。　A　clearing　rate　of　fifty　acres　a　minute　meant　that　plant　and　animal　species　were　being　extinct　at　the　incredible　rate　of　one　species　per　hour。　Life　forms　that　had　evolved　for　millions　of　years　were　being　wiped　out　every　few　minutes；　and　no　one　could　predict　the　consequences　of　this　stupendous　rate　of　destruction。　The　extinction　of　species　was　proceeding　much　faster　than　anybody　recognized；　and　the　publicized　lists　of　〃endangered〃　species　told　only　a　fraction　of　the　story；　the　disaster　extended　all　the　way　down　the　animal　phyla　to　insects；　worms；　and　mosses。
　
　*　The　rain　forest　ecosystem　is　an　energy　utilization　plex　far　more　efficient　than　any　energy　conversion　system　developed　by　man。　See　C。　F。　Higgins　et　at。；　Energy　Resources　and　Ecosystem　Utilization　（Englewood　Cliffs；　N。J。　Prentice　Hall；　1977）。　pp。　232…255。
　
　The　reality　was　that　entire　ecosystems　were　being　destroyed　by　man　without　a　care　or　a　backward　glance。　And　these　ecosystems　were　for　the　most　part　mysterious；　poorly　understood。　Karen　Ross　felt　herself　plunged　into　a　world　entirely　different　from　the　exploitable　world　of　mineral　resources；　this　was　an　environment　in　which　plant　life　reigned　supreme。　It　was　no　wonder；　she　thought；　that　the　Egyptians　called　this　the　Land　of　Trees。　The　rain　forest　provided　a　hothouse　environment　for　plant　life；　an　environment　in　which　gigantic　plants　were　much　superior　to…and　much　favored　over…mammals；　including　the　insignificant　human　mammals　who　were　now　picking　their　way　through　its　perpetual　darkness。
　
　The　Kikuyu　porters　had　an　immediate　reaction　to　the　forest：　they　began　to　laugh　and　joke　and　make　as　much　noise　as　possible。　Ross　said　to　Kahega；　〃They　certainly　are　jolly。〃
　〃Oh；　no；〃　Kahega　said。　〃They　are　warning。〃
　〃Warning？〃
　Kahega　explained　that　the　men　made　noise　to　warn　off　the　buffalo　and　leopards。　And　the　tembo；　he　added；　pointing　to　the　trail。
　〃Is　this　a　tembo　trail？〃　she　asked。
　Kahega　nodded。
　〃The　tembo　live　nearby？〃
　Kahega　laughed。　〃I　hope　no；〃　Kahega　said。　〃Tembo。　Elephant。〃
　〃So　this　is　a　game　trail。　Will　we　see　elephants？〃
　〃Maybe　yes；　maybe　no；〃　Kahega　said。　〃I　hope　no。　They　are　very　big；　elephants。〃
　There　was　no　arguing　with　his　logic。　Ross　said；　〃They　tell　me　these　are　your　brothers；〃　nodding　down　the　line　of　porters。
　〃Yes；　they　are　my　brothers。〃
　〃Ah。〃
　〃But　you　mean　that　my　brothers；　we　have　the　same　mother？〃
　〃Yes；　you　have　the　same　mother。〃
　〃No；〃　Kahega　said。
　Ross　was　confused。　'You　are　not　real　brothers？〃
　〃Yes；　we　are　real　brothers。　But　we　do　not　have　the　same　mother。〃
　〃Then　why　are　you　brothers？〃
　〃Because　we　live　in　the　same　village。〃
　〃With　your　father　and　mother？〃
　Kahega　looked　shocked。　〃No；〃　he　said　emphatically。　〃Not　the　same　village。〃
　〃A　different　village；　then？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course…we　are　Kikuyu。〃
　Ross　was　perplexed。　Kahega　laughed。
　
　Kahega　offered　to　carry　the　electronic　equipment　that　Ross　had　slung　over　her　shoulder；　but　she　declined。　Ross　was　obliged　to　try　and　link　up　with　Houston　at　intervals　throughout　the　day；　and　at　noon　she　found　a　clear　window；　probably　because　the　consortium　jamming　operator　took　a　break　for　lunch。　She　managed　to　link　through　and　register　another　Field　Time…Position。
　The　console　read：
　 FILD　TME…POSITN　CHEK…10：03　H
　They　had　lost　nearly　an　hour　since　the　previous　check　the　night　before。　〃We've　got　to　go　fester；〃　she　told　Munro。
　〃Perhaps　you'd　prefer　to　jog；〃　Munro　said。　〃Very　good　exercise。〃　And　then；　because　he　decided　he　was　being　too　hard　on　her；　he　added；　〃A　lot　can　happen　between　here　and　Virunga。〃
　They　heard　the　distant　growl　of　thunder　and　minutes　later　were　drenched　in　a　torrential　rain；　the　drops　so　dense　and　heavy　that　they　actually　hurt。　The　rain　fell　solidly　for　the　next　hour；　then　stopped　as　abruptly　as　it　had　begun。　They　were　all　soaked　and　miserable；　and　when　Munro　called　a　halt　for　food；　Ross　did　not　protest。
　Amy　promptly　went　off　into　the　forest　to　forage；　the　porters　cooked　curried　meat　gravy　on　rice；　Munro；　Ross；　and
　Elliot　burned　leeches　off　their　legs　with　cigarettes。　The　leeches　were　swollen　with　blood。　〃I　didn't　even　notice　them；〃　Ross　said。
　〃Rain　makes　'em　worse；〃　Munro　said。　Then　he　looked　up　sharply；　glancing　at　the　jungle。
　〃Something　wrong？〃
　〃No；　nothing；〃　Munro　said；　and　he　went　into　an　explanation　of　why　leeches　had　to　be　burned　off；　if　they　were　pulled　off；　a　part　of　the　head　remained　lodged　in　the　flesh　and　caused　an　infection。
　Kahega　brought　them　food；　and　Munro　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Are　the　men　all　right？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Kahega　said。　〃The　men　are　all　right。　They　will　not　be　afraid。〃
　〃Afraid　of　what？〃　Elliot　said。
　〃Keep　eating。　Just　be　natural；〃　Munro　said。
　Elliot　looked　nervously　around　the　little　clearing。
　〃Eat！〃　Munro　whispered。　〃Don't　insult　them。　You're　not　supposed　to　know　they're　here。〃
　The　group　ate　in　silence　for　several　minutes。　And　then　the　nearby　brush　rustled　and　a　pygmy　stepped　out。
　
　2。 The　Dancers　of　God
　
　HE　WAS　A　LIGHT…SKINNED　MAN　ABOUT　FOUR　AND　A　half　feet　tall；　barrel…chested；　wearing　only　a　loincloth；　with　a　bow　and　arrow　over　his　shoulder。　He　looked　around　the　expedition；　apparently　trying　to　determine　who　was　the　leader。
　Munro　stood；　and　said　something　quickly　in　a　language　that　was　not　Swahili。　The　pygmy　replied。　Munro　gave　him　one　of　the　cigarettes　they　had　been　using　to　burn　off　the　leeches。　The　pygmy　did　not　want　it　lit；　instead　he　dropped　it　into　a　small　leather　pouch　attached　to　his　quiver。　A　brief　conversation　followed。　The　pygmy　pointed　off　into　the　jungle　several　times。
　〃He　says　a　white　man　is　dead　in　their　village；〃　Munro　said。　He　picked　up　his　pack；　which　contained　the　first…aid　kit。　〃I'll　have　to　hurry。〃
　Ross　said；　〃We　can't　afford　the　time。〃
　Munro　frowned　at　her。
　〃Well；　the　man's　dead　anyway。〃
　〃He's　not　pletely　dead；〃　Munro　said。　〃He's　not　dead…for…ever。〃
　The　pygmy　nodded　vigorously。　Munro　explained　that　pygmies　graded　illness　in　several　stages。　First　a　person　was　hot；　then　he　was　with　fever；　then　ill；　then　dead；　then　pletely　dead…and　finally　dead…for…ever。
　From　the　bush；　three　more　pygmies　appeared。　Munro　nodded。　〃Knew　he　wasn't　alone；〃　he　said。　〃These　chaps　never　are　alone。　Hate　to　travel　alone。　The　others　were　watching　us；　if　we'd　made　a　wrong　move；　we'd　get　an　arrow　for　our　trouble。　See　those　brown　tips？　Poison。〃
　Yet　the　pygmies　appeared　relaxed　now…at　least　until　Amy　came　crashing　back　through　the　underbrush。　Then　there　were　shouts　and　swiftly　drawn　bows；　Amy　was　terrified　and　ran　to　Peter；　jumping　up　on　him　and　clutching　his　chest…and　making　him　thoroughly　muddy。
　The　pygmies　engaged　in　a　lively　discussion　among　themselves；　trying　to　decide　what　Amy's　arrival　meant。　Several　questions　were　asked　of　Munro。　Finally；　Elliot　set　Amy　back　down　on　the　ground　and　said　to　Munro；　〃What　did　you　tell　them？〃
　〃They　wanted　to　know　if　the　gorilla　was　yours；　and　I　said　yes。　They　wanted　to　know　if　the　gorilla　was　female；　and　I　said　yes。　They　wanted　to　know　if　you　had　relations　with　the　gorilla；　I　said　no。　They　said　that　was　good；　that　you　should
　not　bee　too　attached　to　the　gorilla；　because　that　would　cause　you　pain。〃
　〃Why　pain？〃
　〃They　said　when　the　gorilla　grows　up；　she　will　either　run　away　into　the　forest　and　break　your　heart　or　kill　you。〃
　
　
　
　Ross　still　opposed　making　a　detour　to　the　pygmy　village；　which　was　several　miles　away　on　the　banks　of　the　Liko　River。　〃We're　behind　on　our　timeline；〃　she　said；　〃and　slipping　further　behind　every　minute。〃
　For　the　first　and　last　time　during　the　expedition；　Munro　lost　his　temper。　〃Listen；　Doctor；〃　he　said；　〃this　isn't　downtown　Houston；　this　is　the　middle　of　the　goddamn　Congo　and　it's　no　place　to　be　injured。　We　have　medicines。　That　man　may　need　it。　You　don't　leave　him　behind。　You　just　don't。〃
　〃If　we　go　to　that　village；〃　Ross　said；　〃we　blow　the　rest　of　the　day。　It　puts　us　nine　or　ten　hours　further　back。　Right　now　we　can　still　make　it。　With　another　delay；　we　won't　have　a　chance。〃
　One　of　the　pygmies　began　talking　quickly　to　Munro。　He　nodded；　glancing　several　times　at　Ross。　Then　he　turned　to　the　others。
　〃H