jurassic.park-第25节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　〃I　know　that；　but　just　supposing　one　did　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃You　mean　like　the　animal　that　was　found　on　the　beach？〃　Wu　said；　raising　his　eyebrows。　〃The　one　that　bit　the　American　girl？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　for　example。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know　what　the　explanation　for　that　animal　is；〃　Wu　said。　〃But　I　know　it　can't　possibly　be　one　of　ours；　for　two　reasons。　First；　the　control　procedures：　our　animals　are　counted　by　puter　every　few　minutes。　If　one　were　missing；　we'd　know　at　once。〃
　　　　〃And　the　second　reason？〃
　　　　〃The　mainland　is　more　than　a　hundred　miles　away。　It　takes　almost　a　day　to　get　there　by　boat。　And　in　the　outside　world　our　animals　will　die　within　twelve　hours；〃　Wu　said。
　　　　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　　　　〃Because　I've　made　sure　that's　precisely　what　will　occur；〃　Wu　said；　finally　showing　a　trace　of　irritation。　〃Look；　we're　not　fools。　We　understand　these　are　prehistoric　animals。　They　are　part　of　a　vanished　ecology…a　plex　web　of　life　that　became　extinct　millions　of　years　ago。　They　might　have　no　predators　in　the　contemporary　world；　no　checks　on　their　growth。　We　don't　want　them　to　survive　in　the　wild。　So　I've　made　them　lysine　dependent。　I　inserted　a　gene　that　makes　a　single　faulty　enzyme　in　protein　metabolism。　As　a　result；　the　animals　cannot　manufacture　the　amino　acid　lysine。　They　must　ingest　it　from　the　outside。　Unless　they　get　a　rich　dietary　source　of　exogenous　lysine…supplied　by　us；　in　tablet　form…they'll　go　into　a　a　within　twelve　hours　and　expire。　These　animals　are　genetically　engineered　to　be　unable　to　survive　in　the　real　world。　They　can　only　live　here　in　Jurassic　Park。　They　are　not　free　at　all。　They　are　essentially　our　prisoners。〃

〃Here's　the　control　room；〃　Ed　Regis　said。　〃Now　that　you　know　how　the　animals　are　made；　you'll　want　to　see　the　control　room　for　the　park　itself；　before　we　go　out　on　the…〃
　　　　He　stopped。　Through　the　thick　glass　window；　the　room　was　dark。　The　monitors　were　off；　except　for　three　that　displayed　spinning　numbers　and　the　image　of　a　large　boat。
　　　　〃What's　going　on？〃　Ed　Regis　said。　〃Oh　hell；　they're　docking。〃
　　　　〃Docking？〃
　　　　〃Every　two　weeks；　the　supply　boat　es　in　from　the　mainland。　One　of　the　things　this　island　doesn't　have　is　a　good　harbor；　or　even　a　good　dock。　It's　a　little　hairy　to　get　the　ship　in；　when　the　seas　are　rough。　Could　be　a　few　minutes。〃　He　rapped　on　the　window；　but　the　men　inside　paid　no　attention。　〃I　guess　we　have　to　wait；　then。〃
　　　　Ellie　turned　to　Dr。　Wu。　〃You　mentioned　before　that　sometimes　you　make　an　animal　and　it　seems　to　be　fine　but；　as　it　grows；　it　shows　itself　to　be　flawed。　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Wu　said。　〃I　don't　think　there's　any　way　around　that。　We　can　duplicate　the　DNA；　but　there　is　a　lot　of　timing　in　development；　and　we　don't　know　if　everything　is　working　unless　we　actually　see　an　animal　develop　correctly。〃
　　　　Grant　said；　〃How　do　you　know　if　it's　developing　correctly？　No　one　has　ever　seen　these　animals　before。〃
　　　　Wu　smiled。　〃I　have　often　thought　about　that。　I　suppose　it　is　a　bit　of　a　paradox。　Eventually；　I　hope；　paleontologists　such　as　yourself　will　pare　our　animals　with　the　fossil　record　to　verify　the　developmental　sequence。〃
　　　　Ellie　said；　〃But　the　animal　we　just　saw；　the　velociraptor…you　said　it　was　a　mongoliensis？〃
　　　　〃From　the　location　of　the　amber；〃　Wu　said。　〃It　it　is　from　China。〃
　　　　〃Interesting；〃　Grant　said。　〃I　was　just　digging　up　an　infant　antirrhopus。　Are　there　any　full…grown　raptors　here？〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Ed　Regis　said　without　hesitation。　〃Eight　adult　females。　The　females　are　the　real　hunters。　They're　pack　hunters；　you　know。〃
　　　　〃Will　we　see　them　on　the　tour？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Wu　said；　looking　suddenly　unfortable。　And　there　was　an　awkward　pause。　Wu　looked　at　Regis。
　　　　〃Not　for　a　while；〃　Regis　said　cheerfully。　〃The　velociraptors　haven't　been　integrated　into　the　park　setting　just　yet。　We　keep　them　in　a　holding　pen；〃
　　　　〃Can　I　see　them　there？〃　Grant　said。
　　　　〃Why；　yes；　of　course。　In　fact；　while　we're　waiting〃…he　glanced　at　his　watch…〃you　might　want　to　go　around　and　have　a　look　at　them。〃
　　　　〃I　certainly　would；〃　Grant　said。
　　　　〃Absolutely；〃　Ellie　said。
　　　　〃I　want　to　go；　too；〃　Tim　said　eagerly。
　　　　〃Just　go　around　the　back　of　this　building；　past　the　support　facility；　and　you'll　see　the　pen。　But　don't　get　too　close　to　the　fence。　Do　you　want　to　go；　too？〃　he　said　to　the　girl。
　　　　〃No；〃　Lex　said。　She　looked　appraisingly　at　Regis。　〃You　want　to　play　a　little　pickle？　Throw　a　few？〃
　　　　〃Well；　sure；〃　Ed　Regis　said。　〃Why　don't　you　and　I　go　downstairs　and　we'll　do　that；　while　we　wait　for　the　control　room　to　open　up？〃

Grant　walked　with　Ellie　and　Malcolm　around　the　back　of　the　main　building；　with　the　kid　tagging　along。　Grant　liked　kids…it　was　impossible　not　to　like　any　group　so　openly　enthusiastic　about　dinosaurs。　Grant　used　to　watch　kids　in　museums　as　they　stared　open…mouthed　at　the　big　skeletons　rising　above　them。　He　wondered　what　their　fascination　really　represented。　He　finally　decided　that　children　liked　dinosaurs　because　these　giant　creatures　personified　the　uncontrollable　force　of　looming　authority。　They　were　symbolic　parents。　Fascinating　and　frightening；　like　parents。　And　kids　loved　them；　as　they　loved　their　parents。
　　　　Grant　also　suspected　that　was　why　even　young　children　learned　the　names　of　dinosaurs。　It　never　failed　to　amaze　him　when　a　three…year…old　shrieked：　〃Stegosaurus！〃　Saying　these　plicated　names　was　a　way　of　exerting　power　over　the　giants；　a　way　of　being　in　control。
　　　　〃What　do　you　know　about　Velociraptor？　〃　Grant　asked　Tim。　He　was　just　making　conversation。
　　　　〃It's　a　small　carnivore　that　hunted　in　packs；　like　Deinonychus；　〃　Tim　said。
　　　　〃That's　right；〃　Grant　said；　〃although　the　evidence　for　pack　hunting　is　all　circumstantial。　It　derives　in　part　from　the　appearance　of　the　animals；　which　are　quick　and　strong；　but　small　for　dinosaurs…just　a　hundred　and　fifty　to　three　hundred　pounds　each。　We　assume　they　hunted　in　groups　if　they　were　to　bring　down　larger　prey。　And　there　are　some　fossil　finds　in　which　a　single　large　prey　animal　is　associated　with　several　raptor　skeletons；　suggesting　they　hunted　in　packs。　And；　of　course；　raptors　were　large…brained；　more　intelligent　than　most　dinosaurs。〃
　　　　〃How　intelligent　is　that？〃　Malcolm　asked。
　　　　〃Depends　on　who　you　talk　to；〃　Grant　said。　〃Just　as　paleontologists　have　e　around　to　the　idea　that　dinosaurs　were　probably　warm…blooded；　a　lot　of　us　are　starting　to　think　some　of　them　might　have　been　quite　intelligent；　too。　But　nobody　knows　for　sure。〃
　　　　They　left　the　visitor　area　behind；　and　soon　they　heard　the　loud　hum　of　generators；　smelled　the　faint　odor　of　gasoline。　They　passed　a　grove　of　palm　trees　and　saw　a　large；　low　concrete　shed　with　a　steel　roof。　The　noise　seemed　to　e　from　there。　They　looked　in　the　shed。
　　　　〃It　must　be　a　generator；〃　Ellie　said。
　　　　〃It's　big；〃　Grant　said；　peering　inside。
　　　　The　power　plant　actually　extended　two　stories　below　ground　level：　a　vast　plex　of　whining　turbines　and　piping　that　ran　down　in　the　earth；　lit　by　harsh　electric　bulbs。　〃They　can't　need　all　this　just　for　a　resort；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃They're　generating　enough　power　here　for　a　small　city。〃
　　　　〃Maybe　for　the　puters？〃
　　　　〃Maybe。〃
　　　　Grant　heard　bleating；　and　walked　north　a　few　yards。　He　came　to　an　animal　enclosure　with　goats。　By　a　quick　count；　he　estimated　there　were　fifty　or　sixty　goats。
　　　　〃What's　that　for？〃　Ellie　asked。
　　　　〃Beats　me。〃
　　　　〃Probably　they　feed　'em　to　the　dinosaurs；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　The　group　walked　on；　following　a　dirt　path　through　a　dense　bamboo　grove。　At　the　far　side；　they　came　to　a　double…layer　chain…link　fence　twelve　feet　high；　with　spirals　of　barbed　wire　at　the　top。　There　was　an　electric　hum　along　the　outer　fence。
　　　　Beyond　the　fences；　Grant　saw　dense　clusters　of　large　ferns；　five　feet　high。　He　heard　a　snorting　sound；　a　kind　of　snuffling。　Then　the　sound　of　crunching　footsteps；　ing　closer。
　　　　Then　a　long　silence。
　　　　〃I　don't　see　anything；〃　Tim　whispered；　finally。
　　　　〃Ssssh。〃
　　　　Grant　waited。　Several　seconds　passed。　Flies　buzzed　in　the　air。　He　still　saw　nothing。
　　　　Ellie　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder；　and　pointed。
　　　　Amid　the　ferns；　Grant　saw　the　head　of　an　animal。　It　was　motionless；　partially　hidden　in　the　fronds；　the　two　large　dark　eyes　watching　them　coldly。
　　　　The　head　was　two　feet　long。　From　a　pointed　snout；　a　long　row　of　teeth　ran　back　to　the　hole　of　the　auditory　meatus　which　served　as　an　ear。　The　head　reminded　him　of　a　large　lizard；　or　perhaps　a　crocodile。　The　eyes　did　not　blink；　and　the　animal　did　not　move。　Its　skin　was　leathery；　with　a　pebbled　texture；　and　basically　the　same　coloration　as　the　infant's：　yellow…brown　with　darker　reddish　markings；　like　the　stripes　of　a　tiger。
　　　　As　Grant　watched；　a　single　forelimb　reached　up　very　slowly　to　part　the　ferns　beside　the　animal's　face。　The　limb；　Grant　saw；　was　strongly　muscled。　The　hand　had　three　grasping　fingers；　each　ending　in　curved　claws。　The　band　gently；　slowly；　pushed　aside　the　ferns。
　　　　Grant　felt　a　chill　and　thought；　He's　hunting　us。
　　　　For　a　mammal　like　man；　there　was　something　indescribably　alien　about　the　way　reptiles　hunted　their　prey。　No　wonder　men　hated　reptiles。　The　stillness；　the　coldness；　the　pace　was　all　wrong。　To　be　among　alligators　or　other　large　reptiles　was　to　be　reminded　of　a　different　kind　of　life；　a　different　ki