the.lost.world-第31节

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　　　　Eddie　stared　unhappily　at　the　hood。　〃I　hope　we　can　get　that　stuff　off；〃　he　said。　〃I　brought　some　solvents；　but　I　wasn't　expecting；　you　know。。。dino　musk。〃
　　　　The　radio　clicked。　〃Dr。　Thorne；〃　Arby　said。　〃Dr。　Thorne？　Is　everything　all　right？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　Arby。　Thanks　to　you；〃　he　said。
　　　　〃Then　why　are　you　waiting？　Dr。　Thorne？　Didn't　you　see　Dr。　Levine？〃
　　　　〃Not　yet；　no。〃　Thorne　reached　for　his　sensor　unit；　but　it　had　fallen　to　the　floor。　He　bent　over；　and　picked　it　up。　Levine's　coordinates　had　changed。　〃He's　moving。。。。〃
　　　　〃I　know　he's　moving。　Dr。　Thorne？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　Arby；〃　Thorne　said。　And　then　he　said；　〃Wait　a　minute。　How　do　you　know　he's　moving？〃
　　　　〃Because　I　can　see　him；〃　Arby　said。　〃He's　riding　a　bicycle。〃

Kelly　came　into　the　front　of　the　trailer；　yawning　and　pushing　her　hair　back　from　her　face。　〃Who're　you　talking　to；　Arb？〃　She　stared　at　the　monitor　and　said；　〃Hey；　pretty　neat。〃
　　　　〃I　got　onto　the　Site　B　network；〃　he　said。　〃What　network？〃
　　　　〃It's　a　radio　LAN；　Kel。　For　some　reason　it's　still　up。
　　　　'Is　that　right？　But　how　did　…　〃
　　　　〃Kids；〃　Thorne　said；　over　the　radio。　〃If　you　don't　mind。　We're　looking　for　Levine。〃
　　　　Arby　picked　up　the　handset。　〃He's　riding　a　bicycle　down　a　path　in　the　jungle。　It's　pretty　steep　and　narrow。　I　think　he's　following　the　same　path　as　the　tyrannosaur。〃
　　　　Kelly　said；　〃As　the　what？〃
　　　　
Thorne　put　the　car　in　gear；　driving　away　from　the　power　station；　toward　the　worker　pound。　He　went　past　the　gas　station；　and　then　between　the　cottages。　He　followed　the　same　path　the　tyrannosaur　had　taken。　The　game　trail　was　fairly　wide；　easy　to　follow。
　　　　〃We　shouldn't　have　those　kids　here；〃　Malcolm　said；　gloomily。　〃It's　not　safe。〃
　　　　〃Not　much　we　can　do　about　it　now；〃　Thorne　said。　He　clicked　the　radio。　〃Arby；　do　you　see　Levine　now？〃
　　　　The　car　bounced　through　what　had　once　been　a　flower　bed；　and　around　the　back　of　the　Manager's　Residence。　It　was　a　large　two…storey　building　built　in　a　tropical　colonial　style；　with　hardwood　balconies　all　around　the　upper　floor。　Like　the　other　houses；　it　was　overgrown。
　　　　The　radio　clicked。　〃Yes；　Dr。　Thorne。　I　see　him。〃
　　　　〃Where　is　he？〃
　　　　〃He's　following　the　tyrannosaur。　On　his　bicycle。〃
　　　　〃Following　the　tyrannosaur。〃　Malcolm　sighed。　〃I　should　never　have　gotten　involved　with　him。〃
　　　　〃We　all　agree　on　that；〃　Thorne　said。　He　accelerated；　driving　past　a　section　of　broken　stone　wall　which　seemed　to　mark　the　outer　perimeter　of　the　pound。　The　car　plunged　on　into　jungle；　following　the　game　trail。
　　　　Over　the　radio；　Arby　said；　〃Do　you　see　him　yet？〃
　　　　〃Not　yet。〃
　　　　The　trail　became　progressively　narrower；　twisting　as　it　ran　down　the　hillside。　They　came　around　a　curve；　and　suddenly　saw　a　fallen　tree　blocking　the　path。　The　tree　had　been　denuded　in　the　center；　its　branches　stripped　and　broken　…　presumably　because　large　animals　had　repeatedly　stepped　over　it。
　　　　Thorne　braked　to　a　stop　in　front　of　the　tree。　He　got　out；　and　walked　around　to　the　back　of　the　Explorer。
　　　　〃Doc；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Let　me　do　it。〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Thorne　said。　〃If　anything　happens；　you're　the　only　one　who　can　repair　the　equipment　You're　more　important；　especially　now　that　we　have　the　kids。〃
　　　　Standing　behind　the　car；　Thorne　lifted　the　motorcycle　off　the　carrier　hooks。　He　swung　it　down；　checked　the　battery　charge；　and　rolled　it　to　the　front　of　the　car。　He　said　to　Malcolm；　〃Give　me　that　rifle；〃　and　slung　the　rifle　around　his　shoulder。
　　　　Thorne　took　a　headset　from　the　dashboard；　and　put　it　over　his　head。　He　clipped　the　battery　pack　to　his　belt；　placed　the　microphone　alongside　his　cheek。　〃You　two　go　back　to　the　trailer；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Take　care　of　the　kids。〃
　　　　〃But　Doc。。。〃　Eddie　began。
　　　　〃Just　do　it；〃　Thorne　said；　and　lifted　the　motorcycle　over　the　fallen　tree。　He　set　it　down　on　the　other　side；　and　climbed　over　himself。　Then　he　saw　the　same　pungent；　pale　secretions　on　the　trunk；　it　had　smeared　on　his　hands。　He　glanced　back　at　Malcolm；　questioningly。
　　　　〃Marking　territory；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃Great；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Just　great。〃　He　wiped　his　hands　on　his　trousers。
　　　　Then　he　got　on　the　motorcycle；　and　drove　off。

Foliage　slapped　at　Thorne's　shoulders　and　legs　as　he　drove　down　the　game　trail；　following　the　tyrannosaur。　The　animal　was　somewhere　up　ahead；　but　he　couldn't　see　it。　He　was　driving　fast。
　　　　The　radio　headset　crackled。　Arby　said；　〃Dr。　Thorne？　I　can　see　you　now。〃
　　　　〃Okay；〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　It　crackled　again。　〃But　I　can't　see　Dr。　Levine　any　more；〃　Arby　said。　He　sounded　worried。
　　　　The　electric　motorcycle　made　hardly　any　noise；　particularly　going　downhill。　Up　ahead；　the　game　trail　divided　in　two。　Thorne　stopped；　leaned　over　the　bike；　looking　at　the　muddy　path。　He　saw　the　footprints　of　the　tyrannosaur；　going　off　to　the　left。　And　he　saw　the　thin　line　of　the　bicycle　tires。　Also　going　off　to　the　left。
　　　　He　took　the　left　fork；　but　now　he　drove　more　slowly。
　　　　Ten　yards　ahead；　Thorne　passed　the　partially　eaten　leg　of　a　creature；　which　lay　at　the　side　of　the　path。　The　leg　was　old；　it　was　crawling　with　white　maggots　and　flies。　In　the　morning　heat；　the　sharp　smell　was　nauseating。　He　continued；　but　soon　saw　the　skull　of　a　large　animal；　some　of　the　flesh　and　green　skin　still　adhering　to　the　bone。　It；　too；　was　covered　with　flies。
　　　　Speaking　into　the　microphone；　he　said；　〃I'm　passing　some　partial　carcasses。。。。〃
　　　　The　radio　crackled。　Now　he　heard　Malcolm　say；　〃I　was　afraid　of　that。〃
　　　　〃Afraid　of　what？〃
　　　　〃There　may　be　a　nest；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃Did　you　notice　the　carcass　that　the　tyrannosaur　had　in　his　jaws？　It　was　scavenged；　but　he　hadn't　eaten　it。　'There's　a　good　chance　he　was　taking　the　food　home；　to　a　nest。〃
　　　　〃A　tyrannosaur　nest。。。〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　〃I'd　be　cautious；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　Thorne　slipped　the　bike　into　neutral；　and　rolled　the　rest　of　the　way　down　the　hill。　When　the　ground　leveled　out；　he　climbed　off　the　motorcycle。　He　could　feel　the　earth　vibrate　beneath　his　feet；　and　from　the　bushes　ahead；　he　heard　a　deep　rumbling　sound；　like　the　purr　of　a　large　jungle　cat。　Thorne　looked　around。　He　didn't　see　any　sign　of　Levine's　bicycle。
　　　　Thorne　unshouldered　the　rifle；　and　gripped　it　in　sweating　hands。　He　heard　the　purring　growl　again；　rising　and　falling。　There　was　something　odd　about　the　sound。　It　took　Thorne　a　moment　to　realize　what　it　was。
　　　　It　came　from　more　than　one　source：　more　than　one　big　animal；　purring　beyond　the　foliage　directly　ahead。
　　　　Thorne　bent　over；　picked　up　a　handful　of　grass；　and　released　it　in　the　air。　The　grass　blew　back　toward　his　legs：　he　was　downwind。　He　slipped　forward　through　the　foliage。
　　　　The　ferns　around　him　were　huge　and　dense；　but　up　ahead　he　could　see　sunlight　shining　through；　from　a　clearing　beyond。　The　sound　of　purring　was　very　loud　now。　There　was　another　sound　as　well…an　odd；　squeaking　sound。　It　was　high…pitched；　and　at　first　sounded　almost　mechanical；　like　a　squeaking　wheel。
　　　　Thorne　hesitated。　Then；　very　slowly；　he　lowered　a　frond。　And　he　stared。

Nest

In　the　midmorning　light；　two　enormous　tyrannosaurs　…　each　twenty　feet　high　…　loomed　above　him。　Their　reddish　skin　had　a　leathery　appearance。　Their　huge　heads　were　fierce…looking；　with　heavy　jaws　and　large　sharp　teeth。　But　somehow　here　the　animals　conveyed　no　sense　of　menace　to　Thorne。　They　moved　slowly；　almost　gently；　bending　repeatedly　over　a　large　circular　rampart　of　dried　mud；　nearly　four　feet　high。　The　two　adults　held　bits　of　red　flesh　in　their　jaws　as　they　ducked　their　heads　below　the　mud　wall。　This　movement　was　greeted　by　a　frantic　high…pitched　squeaking　sound；　which　stopped　almost　immediately。　Then；　when　the　adults　lifted　their　heads　again；　the　flesh　was　gone。
　　　　There　was　no　question：　this　was　the　nest。　And　Malcolm　had　been　right：　one　tyrannosaur　was　noticeably　larger　than　the　other。
　　　　In　a　few　moments；　the　squeaking　resumed。　It　sounded　to　Thorne　like　baby　birds。　The　adults　continued　to　duck　their　heads；　feeding　the　unseen　babies。　A　bit　of　torn　flesh　landed　on　the　top　of　the　mud　mound。　As　he　watched；　Thorne　saw　an　infant　tyrannosaur　rise　into　view　above　the　rampart；　and　start　to　scramble　over　the　side。　The　infant　was　about　the　size　of　a　turkey；　with　a　large　head　and　very　large　eyes。　Its　body　was　covered　with　a　fluffy　red　down；　which　gave　it　a　scraggly　appearance。　A　ring　of　pale…white　down　circled　its　neck。　The　infant　squeaked　repeatedly　and　it　crawled　awkwardly　toward　the　meat；　using　its　weak　forearms。　But　when　it　finally　reached　the　carrion；　it　jabbed；　biting　the　flesh　decisively　with　tiny；　sharp　teeth。
　　　　It　was　busily　eating　the　food　when　it　screeched　in　alarm　and　started　to　slide　down　the　outer　wall　of　dried　mud。　Immediately；　the　mother　tyrannosaur　dropped　her　head　and　intercepted　the　baby's　fall；　then　gently　nudged　the　animal　back　inside　the　nest。　Thorne　was　impressed　by　the　delicacy　of　her　movements；　the　attentive　way　she　cared　for　her　young。　The　father；　meanwhile；　continued　to　tear　small　pieces　of　meat。　Both　animals　kept　up　a　continuous　purring　growl；　as　if　to　reassure　the　infants。
　　　　As　Thorne　watched；　he　shifted　his　position。　His　foot　stepped　on　a　branch：　there　was　a　sharp　crack。
　　　　Immediately；　both　adults　jerked　their　heads　up。
　　　　Thorne　froze；　he　held　his　breath。
　　　　The　tyrannosaurs　scanned　the　area　around　the