michael crichton.congo-第43节

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t　that　Amy　felt　powerless　to　alter；　especially　considering　whatever　infantile　memories　remained　from　the　traumatic　death　of　her　mother。
　Yet　at　the　time；　Elliot　felt　disappointment　with　Amy's　neutrality。　Of　all　the　possible　reactions　he　had　imagined　when　he　first　set　out　for　the　Congo；　boredom　was　the　least　expected；　and　he　utterly　failed　to　grasp　its　significance…that　the　city　of　Zinj　was　so　fraught　with　danger　that　Amy　felt　obliged　in　her　own　mind　to　push　it　aside；　and　to　ignore　it。
　
　Elliot；　Munro；　and　Ross　spent　a　hot；　difficult　morning　hacking　their　way　through　the　dense　bamboo　and　the　clinging；　tearing　vines　of　secondary　jungle　growth　to　reach　new　buildings　in　the　heart　of　the　city。　By　midday；　their　efforts　were　rewarded　as　they　entered　structures　unlike　any　they　had　seen　before。　These　buildings　were　impressively　engineered；　enclosing　vast　cavernous　spaces　descending　three　and　four　stories　beneath　the　ground。
　Ross　was　delighted　by　the　underground　constructions；　for　it　proved　to　her　that　the　Zinj　people　had　evolved　the　technology　to　dig　into　the　earth；　as　was　necessary　fur　diamond　mines。　Munro　expressed　a　similar　view：　〃These　people；〃　he　said；　〃could　do　anything　with　earthworks。〃
　Despite　their　enthusiasm；　they　found　nothing　of　interest　in　the　depths　of　the　city。　They　ascended　to　higher　levels　later　in　the　day；　ing　upon　a　building　so　filled　with　reliefs　that　they　termed　it　〃the　gallery。〃　With　the　video　camera　hooked　to　the　satellite　linkup；　they　examined　the　pictures　in　the　gallery。
　These　showed　aspects　of　ordinary　city　life。　There　were　domestic　scenes　of　women　cooking　around　fires；　children　playing　a　ball　game　with　sticks；　scribes　squatting　on　the　ground　as　they　kept　records　on　clay　tablets。　A　whole　wall　of　hunting　scenes；　the　men　in　brief　loincloths；　armed　with　spears。　And　finally　scenes　of　mining；　men　carrying　baskets　of　stones　from　tunnels　in　the　earth。
　in　this　rich　panorama；　they　noticed　certain　missing　elements。　The　people　of　Zinj　had　dogs；　used　for　hunting；　and　a　variety　of　civet　cat；　kept　as　household　pets…yet　it　had　apparently　never　occurred　to　them　to　use　animals　as　beasts　of　burden。　All　manual　labor　was　done　by　human　slaves。　And　they　apparently　never　discovered　the　wheel　for　there　were　no　carts　or　rolling　vehicles。　Everything　was　carried　by　hand　in　baskets。
　Munro　looked　at　the　pictures　for　a　long　time　and　finally　said；　〃Something　else　is　missing。〃
　They　were　looking　at　a　scene　from　the　diamond　mines；　the　dark　pits　in　the　ground　from　which　men　emerged　carrying　baskets　heaped　with　gems。
　〃Of　course！〃　Munro　said；　snapping　his　fingers。　〃No　police！''
　Elliot　suppressed　a　smile：　he　considered　it　only　too　predictable　that　a　character　like　Munro　would　wonder　about　police　in　this　long…dead　society。
　But　Munro　insisted　his　observation　was　significant。　〃Look　here；〃　he　said。　〃This　city　existed　because　of　its　diamond　mines。　It　had　no　other　reason　for　being；　out　here　in　the　jungle。　Zinj　was　a　mining　civilization…its　wealth；　its　trade；　its　daily　life；　everything　depended　upon　mining。　It　was　a　classic　one…crop　economy…and　yet　they　didn't　guard　it；　didn't　regulate　it；　didn't　control　it？〃
　Elliot　said；　〃There　are　other　things　we　haven't　seen…　pictures　of　people　eating；　for　example。　Perhaps　it　was　taboo　to　show　the　guards。〃
　〃Perhaps；〃　Munro　said；　unconvinced。　〃But　in　every　other　mining　plex　in　the　world　guards　are　ostentatiously　prominent；　as　proof　of　control。　Go　to　the　South　African　diamond　mines　or　the　Bolivian　emerald　mines　and　the　first　thing　you　are　made　aware　of　is　the　security。　But　here；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　reliefs；　〃there　are　no　guards。〃
　Karen　Ross　suggested　that　perhaps　they　didn't　need　guards；　perhaps　the　Zinjian　society　was　orderly　and　peaceful。　〃After　all；　it　was　a　long　time　ago；〃　she　said。
　〃Human　nature　doesn't　change；〃　Munro　insisted：
　When　they　left　the　gallery；　they　came　to　an　open　courtyard；　overgrown　with　tangled　vines。　The　courtyard　had　a　formal　quality；　heightened　by　the　pillars　of　a　temple…like　building　to　one　side。　Their　attention　was　immediately　drawn　to　the　courtyard　floor。　Strewn　across　the　ground　were　dozens　of　stone　paddles；　of　the　kind　Elliot　had　previously　found。
　〃I'll　be　damned；〃　Elliot　said。　They　picked　their　way　through　this　field　of　paddles；　and　entered　the　building　they　came　to　call　〃the　temple。〃
　It　consisted　of　a　single　large　square　room。　The　ceiling　had　been　broken　in　several　places；　and　hazy　shafts　of　sunlight　filtered　down。　Directly　ahead；　they　saw　an　enormous　mound　of　vines　perhaps　ten　feet　high；　a　pyramid　of　vegetation。　Then　they　recognized　it　was　a　statue。
　Elliot　climbed　up　on　the　statue　and　began　stripping　away　the　clinging　foliage。　It　was　hard　work；　the　creepers　had　dug　tenaciously　into　the　stone。　He　glanced　back　at　Munro。　〃Better？〃
　〃e　and　look；〃　Munro　said；　with　an　odd　expression　on　his　face。
　Elliot　climbed　down；　stepped　back　to　look。　Although　the　statue　was　pitted　and　discolored；　he　could　clearly　see　an　enormous　standing　gorilla；　the　face　fierce；　the　arms　stretched　wide。　In　each　hand；　the　gorilla　held　stone　paddles　like　cymbals；　ready　to　swing　them　together。
　〃My　God；〃　Peter　Elliot　said。
　〃Gorilla；〃　Munro　said　with　satisfaction。
　Ross　said；　〃It's　all　clear　now。　These　people　worshiped　gorillas。　It　was　their　religion。〃
　〃But　why　would　Amy　say　they　weren't　gorillas？〃
　〃Ask　her；〃　Munro　said；　glancing　at　his　watch。　〃I　have　to　get　us　ready　for　tonight。〃
　
　3。Attack
　
　THEY　DUG　A　MOAT　OUTSIDE　THE　PERIMETER　FENCE　with　collapsible　metalloid　shovels。　The　work　continued　long　after　sundown；　they　were　obliged　to　turn　on　the　red　night　lights　while　they　filled　the　moat　with　water　diverted　from　the　nearby　stream。　Ross　considered　the　moat　a　trivial　obstacle…　it　was　only　a　few　inches　deep　and　a　foot　wide。　A　man　could　step　easily　across　it。　In　reply；　Munro　stood　outside　the　moat　and　said；　〃Amy；　e　here；　I'll　tickle　you。〃
　With　a　delighted　grunt；　Amy　came　bounding　toward　him；　but　stopped　abruptly　on　the　other　side　of　the　water。　〃e　on；　I'll　tickle　you；〃　Munro　said　again；　holding　out　his　arms。　〃e　on；　girl。〃
　Still　she　would　not　cross。　She　signed　irritably；　Munro　stepped　over　and　lifted　her　across。　〃Gorillas　hate　water；〃　he　told　Ross。　〃I've　seen　them　refuse　to　cross　a　stream　smaller　than　this。〃　Amy　was　reaching　up　and　scratching　under　his　arms；　then　pointing　to　herself。　The　meaning　was　perfectly　clear。　〃Women；〃　Munro　sighed；　and　bent　over　and　tickled　her　vigorously。　Amy　rolled　on　the　ground；　grunting　and　snuffling　and　smiling　broadly。　When　he　stopped；　she　lay　expectantly　on　the　ground；　waiting　for　more。
　〃That's　all；〃　Munro　said。
　She　signed　to　him。
　〃Sorry；　I　don't　understand。　No；〃　he　laughed；　〃signing　slower　doesn't　help。〃　And　then　he　understood　what　she　wanted；　and　he　carried　her　back　across　the　moat　again；　into　the　camp。　She　kissed　him　wetly　on　the　cheek。
　〃Better　watch　your　monkey；〃　Munro　said　to　Elliot　as　he　sat　down　to　dinner。　He　continued　in　this　light　bantering　fashion；　aware　of　the　need　to　loosen　everybody　up；　they　were　all　nervous；　crouching　around　the　fire。　But　when　the　dinner　was　finished；　and　Kahega　was　off　setting　out　the　ammunition　and　checking　the　guns；　Munro　took　Elliot　aside　and　said；　〃Chain　her　in　your　tent。　If　we　start　shooting　tonight；　I'd　hate　to　have　her　running　around　in　the　dark。　Some　of　the　lads　may　not　be　too　particular　about　telling　one　gorilla　from　another。　Explain　to　her　that　it　may　get　very　noisy　from　the　guns　but　she　should　not　be　frightened。〃
　〃Is　it　going　to　get　very　noisy？〃　Elliot　said。
　〃I　imagine；〃　Munro　said。
　He　took　Amy　into　his　tent　and　put　on　the　sturdy　chain　leash　she　often　wore　in　California。　He　tied　one　end　to　his　cot；　but　it　was　a　symbolic　gesture；　Amy　could　move　it　easily　if　she　chose　to。　He　made　her　promise　to　stay　in　the　tent。
　She　promised。　He　stepped　to　the　tent　entrance；　and　she　signed；　Amy　like　Peter。
　〃Peter　like　Amy；〃　he　said；　smiling。　〃Everything's　going　to　be　fine。〃
　
　He　emerged　into　another　world。
　The　red　night　lights　had　been　doused；　but　in　the　flickering　glow　of　the　campfire　he　saw　the　goggle…eyed　sentries　in　position　around　the　pound。　With　the　low　throbbing　pulse　of　the　electrified　fence；　this　sight　created　an　unearthly　atmosphere。　Peter　Elliot　suddenly　sensed　the　precariousness　of　their　position…a　handful　of　frightened　people　deep　in　the　Congo　rain　forest；　more　than　two　hundred　miles　from　the　nearest　human　habitation。
　Waiting。
　He　tripped　over　a　black　cable　on　the　ground。　Then　he　saw　a　network　of　cables；　snaking　over　the　pound；　running　to　the　guns　of　each　sentry。　He　noticed　then　that　the　guns　had　an　unfamiliar　shape…they　were　somehow　too　slender；　too　insubstantial　and　that　the　black　cables　ran　from　the　guns　to　squat；　snub…nosed　mechanisms　mounted　on　short　tripods　at　Intervals　around　the　camp。
　He　saw　Ross　near　the　fire；　setting　up　the　tape　recorder。
　〃What　the　hell　is　all　this？〃　he　whispered；　pointing　to　the　cables。
　〃That's　a　LATRAP。　For　laser…tracking　projectile；〃　she　whispered。　〃The　LATRAP　system　consists　of　multiple　LGSDs　attached　to　sequential　RFSDs。〃
　She　told　him　that　the　sentries　held　guns　which　were　actually　laser…guided　sight　devices；　linked　to　rapid…firing　sensor　devices　on　tripods。　〃They　lock　onto　the　target；〃　she　said；　〃and