the.lost.world-第33节

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urprised　if　adult　tyrannosaurs　have　an　extended　parenting　role　that　lasts　for　months。　He　may　teach　his　offspring　to　hunt；　for　example。　Start　by　bringing　in　small　wounded　animals；　and　letting　the　youngsters　finish　them　off。　That　kind　of　thing。　It'll　be　interesting　to　find　out　exactly　what　he　does。　Why　are　we　waiting　here？〃
　　　　Through　Thorne's　earpiece；　the　radio　crackled。　Malcolm　said；　〃It　would　never　occur　to　him　to　thank　you　for　saving　his　life。〃
　　　　Thorne　grunted。　〃Evidently　not；〃　he　said。
　　　　Levine　said；　〃Who　are　you　talking　to？　Is　it　Malcolm？　Is　he　here？〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　I　〃He's　agreeing　with　me；　isn't　he；〃　Levine　said。
　　　　〃Not　exactly；〃　Thorne　said；　shaking　his　head。
　　　　〃Look；　Doc；〃　Levine　said；　〃I'm　sorry　if　you　got　upset。　But　there　was　no　reason　for　it。　The　truth　is；　we　were　never　in　danger　…　except　from　your　bad　driving。〃
　　　　〃Fine。　That's　fine。〃　Thorne's　heart　was　still　pounding　in　his　chest。　He　took　a　deep　breath；　swung　the　bike　to　the　left；　and　headed　down　a　wider　path；　back　toward　their　camp。
　　　　Sitting　behind　him；　Levine　said；　〃I'm　very　glad　to　see　you；　Doc。　I　really　am。〃
　　　　Thorne　didn't　answer。　He　followed　the　path　downward；　through　foliage。　They　descended　to　the　valley；　picking　up　speed。　Soon　they　saw　the　trailers　in　the　clearing　below。　Levine　said；　〃Good。　You　brought　everything。　And　the　equipment's　working？　Everything　in　good　condition？〃
　　　　〃It　all　seems　to　be　fine。〃
　　　　〃Perfect；〃　Levine　said。　〃Then　this　is　just　perfect。〃
　　　　〃Maybe　not；〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　Through　the　back　window　of　the　trailer；　Kelly　and　Arby　were　waving　cheerfully　through　the　glass。
　　　　〃You're　kidding；〃　Levine　said。

FOURTH　CONFIGURATION

〃Approaching　the　chaotic　edge；　elements　show　internal
conflict。　An　unstable　and　potentially　lethal　region。〃

IAN　MALCOLM
Levine

They　came　running　across　the　clearing；　shouting；　〃Dr。　Levine！　Dr。　Levine！　You're　safe！〃　They　hugged　Levine；　who　smiled　despite　himself。　He　turned　to　Thorne。
　　　　〃Doc；〃　Levine　said。　〃This　was　very　unwise。〃
　　　　〃Why　don't　you　explain　that　to　them？〃　Thorne　said。　〃They're　your　students。〃
　　　　Kelly　said；　〃Don't　be　mad；　Dr。　Levine。〃
　　　　〃It　was　our　decision；〃　Arby　explained　to　Levine。　〃We　came　on　our　own。〃
　　　　〃On　your　own？〃　Levine　said。
　　　　〃We　thought　you'd　need　help；〃　Arby　said。　〃And　you　did。　He　turned　to　Thorne。
　　　　Thorne　nodded。　〃Yes。　They've　helped　us。〃
　　　　〃And　we　promise；　we　won't　get　in　the　way；〃　Kelly　said。　〃You　go　ahead　and　do　whatever　you　have　to　do；　and　we　will　just　…　〃
　　　　〃The　kids　were　worried　about　you；〃　Malcolm　said；　ing　up　to　Levine。　〃Because　they　thought　you　were　in　trouble。〃
　　　　〃Anyway；　what's　the　big　rush？〃　Eddie　said。　〃I　mean；　you　build　all　these　vehicles；　and　then　you　leave　without　them　…　〃
　　　　〃I　had　no　choice；〃　Levine　said。　〃The　government　has　an　outbreak　of　some　new　encephalitis　on　its　hands。　They've　decided　it's　related　to　the　occasional　dinosaur　carcass　that　washes　up　there。　Of　course；　the　whole　idea　is　idiotic；　but　that　won't　stop　them　from　destroying　every　animal　on　this　island　the　minute　they　find　out　about　it。　I　had　to　get　here　first。　Time　is　short。〃
　　　　〃So　you　came　here　alone；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃Nonsense；　Ian。　Stop　pouting。　I　was　going　to　call　you；　as　soon　as　I　verified　this　was　the　island。　And　I　didn't　e　here　alone。　I　had　a　guide　named　Diego；　a　local　man　who　swore　he　had　been　on　this　island　as　a　kid；　years　before。　And　he　seemed　entirely　knowledgeable。　He　led　me　up　the　cliff　without　any　problem。　And　everything　was　going　just　fine；　until　we　were　attacked　at　the　stream；　and　Diego　…　〃
　　　　〃Attacked？〃　Malcolm　said。　〃By　what？〃
　　　　〃I　didn't　really　see　what　it　was；〃　Levine　said。　〃It　happened　extremely　fast。　The　animal　knocked　me　down；　and　tore　the　backpack；　and　I　don't　really　know　what　happened　after　that。　Possibly　the　shape　of　my　pack　confused　it；　because　I　got　up　and　started　running　again；　and　it　didn't　chase　me。〃
　　　　Malcolm　was　staring　at　him。　〃You　were　damn　lucky；　Richard。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　well；　I　ran　for　a　long　time。　When　I　looked　back；　I　was　alone　in　the　jungle。　And　lost。　I　didn't　know　what　to　do；　so　I　climbed　a　tree。　That　seemed　like　a　good　idea　…　and　then；　around　nightfall；　the　velociraptors　showed　up。〃
　　　　〃Velociraptors？〃　Arby　said。
　　　　〃Small　carnivores；〃　Levine　said。　〃Basic　theropod　body　shape；　long　snout；　binocular　vision。　Roughly　two　meters　tall；　weighing　perhaps　ninety　kilos。　Very　fast；　intelligent；　nasty　little　dinosaurs；　and　they　travel　in　packs。　And　last　night　there　were　eight　of　them；　jumping　all　around　my　tree；　trying　to　get　to　me。　All　night　long；　jumping　and　snarling；　jumping　and　snarling。。。I　didn't　get　any　sleep　at　all。〃
　　　　〃Aw；　that's　a　shame；〃　Eddie　said。
　　　　〃Look；〃　Levine　said　crossly。　〃It's　not　my　problem　if　…　〃
　　　　Thorne　said　〃You　spent　the　night　in　the　tree？〃
　　　　Yes；　and　in　the　morning　the　raptors　had　gone。　So　I　came　down　and　started　looking　around。　I　found　the　lab；　or　whatever　it　is。　Clearly；　they　abandoned　it　in　a　hurry；　leaving　some　animals　behind。　I　went　through　the　building；　and　discovered　that　there　is　still　power　…　some　systems　are　still　going；　all　these　years　later。　And；　most　important；　there　is　a　network　of　security　cameras。　That's　a　very　lucky　break。　So　I　decided　to　check　on　those　cameras；　and　I　was　hard　at　work　when　you　people　barged　in　…　〃
　　　　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　Eddie　said；　〃We　came　here　to　rescue　you。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know　why；〃　Levine　said。　〃I　certainly　never　asked　you　to。〃
　　　　Thorne　said；　〃it　sounded　like　you　did；　over　the　phone。〃
　　　　〃That　is　a　misunderstanding；〃　Levine　said。　〃I　was　momentarily　upset；　because　I　couldn't　work　the　phone。　You've　made　that　phone　too　plicated；　Doc。　That's　the　problem。　So：　shall　we　get　started？〃
　　　　Levine　paused。　He　looked　at　the　angry　faces　all　around　him。　Malcolm　turned　to　Thorne。　〃A　great　scientist；〃　he　said；　〃and　a　great　human　being。〃
　　　　〃Look；〃　Levine　said；　〃I　don't　know　what　your　problem　is。　The　expedition　was　going　to　e　to　this　island　sooner　or　later。　In　this　instance；　sooner　is　better。　Everything　has　turned　out　quite　well；　and；　frankly；　I　don't　see　any　reason　to　discuss　it　further。　This　is　not　the　time　for　petty　bickering。　We　have　important　things　to　do　…　and　I　think　we　should　get　started。　Because　this　island　is　an　extraordinary　opportunity；　and　it　isn't　going　to　last　forever。

Dodgson
　　　　
Lewis　Dodgson　sat　hunched　in　a　dark　corner　of　the　Chesperito　Cantina　in　Puerto　Cortés；　nursing　a　beer。　Beside　him；　George　Baselton；　the　Regis　Professor　of　Biology　at　Stanford；　was　enthusiastically　devouring　a　plate　of　huevos　rancheros。　The　egg　yolks　ran　yellow　across　green　salsa。　It　made　Dodgson　sick　just　to　look　at　it。　He　turned　away；　but　he　could　still　hear　Baselton　licking　his　lips；　noisily。
　　　　There　was　no　one　else　in　the　bar；　except　for　some　chickens　clucking　around　the　floor。　Every　so　often；　a　young　boy　would　e　to　the　door；　throw　a　handful　of　rocks　at　the　chickens；　and　run　away　again；　giggling。　A　scratchy　stereo　played　an　old　Elvis　Presley　tape　through　corroded　speakers　above　the　bar。　Dodgson　hummed　〃Falling　in　Love　With　You；〃　and　tried　to　control　his　temper。　He　had　been　sitting　in　this　dump　for　damn　near　an　hour。
　　　　Baselton　finished　his　eggs；　and　pushed　the　plate　away。　He　brought　out　the　small　notebook　he　carried　everywhere　with　him。　〃Now　Lew；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　thinking　about　how　to　handle　this。〃
　　　　〃Handle　what？〃　Dodgson　said　irritably。　〃There's　nothing　to　handle；　unless　we　can　get　to　that　island。〃　While　he　spoke；　he　tapped　a　small　photograph　of　Richard　Levine　on　the　edge　of　the　bar　table。　Turned　it　over。　Looked　at　the　image　upside　down。　Then　right　side　up。
　　　　He　sighed。　He　looked　at　his　watch。
　　　　〃Lew；〃　Baselton　said　patiently；　〃getting　to　the　island　is　not　the　important　part。　The　important　part　is　how　we　present　our　discovery　to　the　world。〃
　　　　Dodgson　paused。　〃Our　discovery；〃　he　repeated。　〃I　like　that；　George。　That's　very　good。　Our　discovery。〃
　　　　〃Well；　that's　the　truth；　isn't　it？〃　Baselton　said；　with　a　bland　smile。　〃InGen　is　bankrupt；　its　technology　lost　to　mankind。　A　tragic；　tragic　loss；　as　I　have　said　many　times　on　television。　But　under　the　circumstances；　anyone　who　finds　it　again　has　made　a　discovery。　I　don't　know　what　else　you　would　call　it。　As　Henri　Poincaré　put　it　…　〃
　　　　〃Okay；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃So　we　make　a　discovery。　And　then　what？　Hold　a　press　conference？〃
　　　　〃Absolutely　not；〃　Baselton　said；　looking　horrified。　〃A　press　conference　would　appear　extremely　crass。　It　would　open　us　up　to　all　sorts　of　criticism。　No；　no。　A　discovery　of　this　magnitude　must　be　treated　with　decorum。　It　must　be　reported；　Lew。〃
　　　　〃Reported？〃
　　　　〃In　the　literature：　Nature；　I　imagine。　Yes。〃
　　　　Dodgson　squinted。　〃You　want　to　announce　this　in　an　academic　publication？〃
　　　　〃What　better　way　to　make　it　legitimate？〃　Baselton　said。　〃It's　entirely　proper　to　present　our　findings　to　our　scholarly　peers。　Of　course　it　will　start　a　debate　…　but　what　will　that　debate　consist　of？　An　academic　squabble；　professors　sniping　at　professors；　which　will　fill　the　science　pages　of　the　newspapers　for　three　days；　until　it　is　pushed　aside　by　the　latest　news　on　breast　implants。　And　in　those　three　days；　we　will　have　staked　our　claim。〃
　　　　〃You'll　write　it？〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Baselton　said。　〃And　later；　I　think；　an　article　in　American　Scholar；　or