the.lost.world-第14节

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　could　only　use　the　cardboard　tubes　at　the　center　of　toilet　paper　rolls。　There　were　spattered　eggs　all　over　the　plaza　below。
　　　　Then；　another　year；　Thorne　asked　the　students　to　build　a　chair　to　support　a　two…bundred…pound　man；　using　only；　paper　Q…tips　and　thread。　And　another　time；　he　hung　the　answer　sheet　for　the　final　exam　from　the　classroom　ceiling；　and　invited　his　students　to　pull　it　down；　using　whatever　they　could　make　with　a　cardboard　shoebox　containing　a　pound　of　licorice；　and　some　toothpicks。
　　　　When　he　was　not　in　class；　Thorne　often　served　as　an　expert　witness　in　legal　cases　involving　materials　engineering。　He　specialized　in　explosions；　crashed　airplanes；　collapsed　buildings；　and　other　disasters。　These　forays　into　the　real　world　sharpened　his　view　that　scientists　needed　the　widest　possible　education。　He　used　to　say；　〃How　can　you　design　for　people　if　you　don't　know　history　and　psychology？　You　can't。　Because　your　mathematical　formulas　may　be　perfect；　but　the　people　will　screw　it　up。　And　if　that　happens；　it　means　you　screwed　it　up。〃　He　peppered　his　lectures　with　quotations　from　Plato；　Chaka　Zulu；　Emerson；　and　Chang…tzu。
　　　　But　as　a　professor　who　was　popular　with　his　students…and　who　advocated　general　education…Thorne　found　himself　swimming　against　the　tide。　The　academic　world　was　marching　toward　ever　more　specialized　knowledge；　expressed　in　ever　more　dense　jargon。　In　this　climate；　being　liked　by　your　students　was　a　sign　of　shallowness；　and　interest　in　real…world　problems　was　proof　of　intellectual　poverty　and　a　distressing　indifference　to　theory。　But　in　the　end；　it　was　his　fondness　for　Chang…tzu　that　pushed　him　out　the　door。　In　a　departmental　meeting；　one　of　his　colleagues　got　up　and　announced　that　〃Some　mythical　Chinese　bullshitter　means　fuck…all　for　engineering。〃
　　　　Thorne　took　early　retirement　a　month　later；　and　soon　after　started　his　own　pany。　He　enjoyed　his　work　thoroughly；　but　he　missed　contact　with　the　students；　which　was　why　he　liked　Levine's　two　youthful　assistants。　These　kids　were　smart；　they　were　enthusiastic；　and　they　were　young　enough　so　that　the　schools　hadn't　destroyed　all　their　interest　in　learning。　They　could　still　actually　use　their　brains；　which　in　Thorne's　view　was　a　sure　sign　they　hadn't　yet　pleted　a　formal　education。

〃Jerry！〃　Thorne　bellowed；　to　one　of　the　welders　on　the　RVS。　〃Balance　the　struts　on　both　sides！　Remember　the　crash　tests！〃　Thorne　pointed　to　a　video　monitor　set　on　the　floor；　which　showed　a　puter　image　of　the　RV　crashing　into　a　barrier。　First　it　crashed　end…on；　then　it　crashed　sideways；　then　it　rolled　and　crashed　again。　Each　time；　the　vehicle　survived　with　very　little　damage。　The　puter　program　had　been　developed　by　the　auto　panies；　and　then　discarded。　Thorne　acquired　it；　and　modified　it。　〃Of　course　the　auto　panies　discarded　it　…　it's　a　good　idea。　Don't　want　any　good　ideas　ing　out　of　a　big　pany。　Might　lead　to　a　good　product！〃　He　sighed。　〃Using　this　puter；　we've　crashed　these　vehicles　ten　thousand　times：　designing；　crashing；　modeling；　crashing　again。　No　theories；　just　actual　testing。　The　way　it　ought　to　be。〃
　　　　Thorne's　dislike　of　theory　was　legendary。　In　his　view'　a　theory　was　nothing　more　than　a　substitute　for　experience　put　forth　by　someone　who　didn't　know　what　he　was　talking　about。　〃And　now　look。　Jerry？　Jerry！　Why'd　we　do　all　these　simulations；　if　you　guys　aren't　going　to　follow　the　plans？　Is　everybody　brain…dead　around　here？〃
　　　　〃Sorry；　Doc。。。〃
　　　　〃Don't　be　sorry！　Be　right！〃
　　　　〃Well；　we're　massively　overbuilt　anyway…〃
　　　　〃Oh？　Is　that　your　decision？　You're　the　designer　now？　Just　follow　the　plans！〃
　　　　Arby　trotted　alongside　Thorne。　〃I'm　worried　about　Dr。　Levine；〃　he　said。
　　　　'Really？　I'm　not。〃
　　　　〃But　he's　always　been　reliable。　And　very　well　organized。〃
　　　　〃That's　true；〃　Thorne　said。　〃He's　also　pletely　impulsive　and　does　whatever　he　feels　like。〃
　　　　〃Maybe　so；〃　Arby　said；　〃but　I　don't　think　he'd　be　missing　without　a　good　reason。　I'm　afraid　he　might　be　in　trouble。　Only　last　week；　he　had　us　go　with　him　to　visit　Professor　Malcolm　in　Berkeley；　who　had　this　map　of　the　world　in　his　office；　and　it　showed　…　〃
　　　　〃Malcolm！〃　Thorne　snorted。　〃Spare　me！　Peas　in　a　pod；　those　two。　Each　more　impractical　than　the　other。　But　I'd　better　get　hold　of　Levine　now。〃　He　turned　on　his　heel；　and　walked　toward　his　office。
　　　　Arby　said；　〃You　going　to　use　the　satphone？〃
　　　　Thorne　paused。　〃The　what？〃
　　　　〃The　satphone；〃　Arby　said。　〃Didn't　Dr。　Levine　take　a　satphone　with　him？〃
　　　　〃How　could　he？〃　Thorne　said。　〃You　know　the　smallest　satellite　phones　are　the　size　of　a　suitcase。〃
　　　　〃Yeah；　but　they　don't　have　to　be；〃　Arby　said。　〃You　could　have　made　one　very　small。〃
　　　　〃Could　I？　How？〃　Despite　himself；　Thorne　was　amused　by　this　kid。　You　had　to　like　him。
　　　　〃With　that　VLSI　　board　that　we　picked　up；〃　Arby　said。　〃The　triangular　one。　It　had　two　Motorola　BSN…23　chip　arrays；　and　they're　restricted　technology　developed　for　the　CIA　because　they　allow　you　to　make　a　…　〃
　　　　Thorne　said；　interrupting　him。　〃Where　did　you　learn　all　this？　I've　warned　you　about　hacking　systems　…　〃
　　　　〃Don't　worry；　I'm　careful；〃　Arby　said。　〃But　it's　true　about　the　　board；　isn't　it？　You　could　use　it　to　make　a　one…pound　satphone。　So：　did　you？〃
　　　　Thorne　stared　at　him　for　a　long　time。
　　　　〃Maybe；〃　he　said　finally。　〃What　of　it？〃
　　　　Arby　grinned。　〃Cool；〃　he　said。

Thorne's　small　office　was　located　in　a　corner　of　the　shed。　Inside　the　walls　were　plastered　with　blueprints；　order　forms　on　clipboards；　and　three…dimensional　cutaway　puter　drawings；　Electronic　ponents；　equipment　catalogs；　and　stacks　of　faxes　were　scattered　across　his　desk。　Thorne　rummaged　through　them；　and　finally　came　up　with　a　small　gray　handheld　telephone。　〃Here　we　are。〃　He　held　it　up　for　Arby　to　see。　〃Pretty　good；　huh？　Designed　it　myself。〃
　　　　Kelly　said；　〃It　looks　just　like　a　cellular　phone。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　but　it's　not。　A　cellular　phone　uses　a　grid　in　place。　A　satellite　phone　links　directly　to　munication　satellites　in　space。　With　one　of　these　I　can　talk　anywhere　in　the　world。〃　He　dialed　swiftly。　〃Used　to　be；　they　needed　a　three…foot　dish。　Then　it　was　a　one…foot　dish。　Now　no　dish　at　all　…　just　the　handset。　Not　bad；　if　I　say　so　myself。　Let's　see　if　he's　answering。〃　He　pushed　the　speakerphone。　They　heard　the　call　dial　through；　hissing　static。
　　　　〃Knowing　Richard；〃　Thorne　said；　〃he　probably　just　missed　his　plane；　or　forgot　that　he　was　supposed　to　be　back　here　today　for　final　approvals。　And　we're　pretty　much　finished　here。　When　you　see　we're　down　to　the　exterior　struts　and　the　upholstery；　the　fact　is；　we're　done。　He's　going　to　hold　us　up。　It's　very　inconsiderate　of　him。〃　The　phone　rang；　repeated　electronic　beeps。　〃If　I　can't　get　through　to　him；　I'll　try　Sarah　Harding。〃
　　　　〃Sarah　Harding？〃　Kelly　asked；　looking　up。
　　　　Arby　said；　〃Who's　Sarah　Harding？〃
　　　　〃Only　the　most　famous　young　animal　behaviorist　in　the　world；　Arb。〃　Sarah　Harding　was　one　of　Kelly's　personal　heroes。　Kelly　had　read　every　article　she　could　about　her。　Sarah　Harding　had　been　a　poor　scholarship　student　at　the　University　of　Chicago　but　now；　at　thirty…three；　she　was　an　assistant　professor　at　Princeton。　She　was　beautiful　and　independent；　a　rebel；　who　went　her　own　way。　She　had　chosen　the　life　of　a　scientist　in　the　field；　living　alone　in　Africa；　where　she　studied　lions　and　hyenas。　She　was　famously　tough。　Once；　when　her　Land　Rover　broke　down；　she　walked　twenty　miles　across　the　savannah　all　by　herself；　driving　away　lions　by　throwing　rocks　at　them。
　　　　In　photographs；　Sarah　was　usually　posed　in　shorts　and　a　khaki　shirt；　with　binoculars　around　her　neck；　next　to　a　Land　Rover。　With　her　short；　dark　hair　and　her　strong；　muscular　body；　she　looked　rugged　but　glamorous　at　the　same　time。　At　least；　that　was　how　she　appeared　to　Kelly；　who　always　studied　the　pictures　intently；　taking　in　every　detail。
　　　　〃Never　heard　of　her；〃　Arby　said。
　　　　Thorne　said；　〃Spending　too　much　time　with　puters；　Arby？〃
　　　　Arby　said；　〃No。〃　Kelly　saw　Arby's　shoulders　hunch；　and　he　sort　of　withdrew　into　himself；　the　way　he　always　did　when　he　felt　criticized。　Sulky；　he　said；　〃Animal　behaviorist？〃
　　　　〃That's　right；〃　Thorne　said。　〃I　know　Levine's　talked　to　her　several　times　in　the　last　few　weeks。　She's　helping　him　with　all　this　equipment；　when　it　finally　goes　into　the　field。　Or　advising　him。　Or　something。　Or　maybe　the　connection　is　with　Malcolm。　After　all；　she　was　in　love　with　Malcolm。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　believe　it〃；　Kelly　said。　〃Maybe　he　was　in　love　with　her。。。。〃
　　　　Thorne　looked　at　her。　〃You've　met　her？〃
　　　　〃No。　But　I　know　about　her。〃
　　　　〃I　see。〃　Thorne　said　no　more。　He　could　see　all　the　signs　of　hero　worship；　and　he　approved。　A　girl　could　do　worse　than　admire　Sarah　Harding。　At　least　she　wasn't　an　athlete　or　a　rock　star。　In　fact；　it　was　refreshing　for　a　kid　to　admire　somebody　who　actually　tried　to　advance　knowledge。
　　　　The　phone　continued　to　ring。　There　was　no　answer。
　　　　〃Well；　we　know　Levine's　equipment　is　in　order；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Because　the　call　is　going　through。　We　know　that　much。〃
　　　　Arby　said；　〃Can　you　trace　it？〃
　　　　〃Unfortunately；　no。　And　if　we　keep　this　up；　we'll　probably　drain　the　field　battery；　which　means…　〃
　　　　There　was　a　click；　and　they　heard　a　man's　voice；　remarkably　distinct　and　clear：　〃Levine。〃
　　　　〃Ok