the.lost.world-第38节

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　　　　She　turned　and　looked　back；　and　saw　Dodgson　and　King　were　huddled　by　the　railing　amidships；　in　intense　conversation。　King　seemed　to　be　upset；　gesticulating　rapidly。　Dodgson　was　listening；　and　shaking　his　head。　After　a　moment；　he　put　his　arm　on　King's　shoulder。　He　seemed　to　be　trying　to　calm　the　younger　man　down。　Both　men　ignored　the　activity　around　the　jeep。　Which　was　odd；　she　thought；　considering　how　worried　they　had　been　earlier　about　the　equipment。　Now　they　didn't　seem　to　care。
　　　　As　for　the　third　man；　Baselton；　she　had　of　course　recognized　him；　and　she　was　surprised　to　find　him　here　on　this　little　fishing　boat。　Baselton　had　shaken　her　hand　in　a　perfunctory　way；　and　he　had　disappeared　belowdecks　as　soon　as　the　ship　pulled　away　from　the　dock。　He　had　not　reappeared。　But　perhaps　he　was　seasick；　too。
　　　　As　she　continued　to　watch；　she　saw　Dodgson　break　away　from　King；　and　hurry　over　to　supervise　the　deckhands。　Left　alone；　King　went　to　check　on　the　straps　that　lashed　the　boxes　and　barrels　to　the　deck　farther　aft。　The　boxes　marked　〃Biosyn。〃
　　　　Harding　had　never　heard　of　the　Biosyn　Corporation。　She　wondered　what　connection　Ian　and　Richard　had　with　it。　Whenever　Ian　was　around　her；　he　had　always　been　critical；　even　contemptuous；　of　biotechnology　panies。　And　these　men　seemed　to　be　unlikely　friends。　They　were　too　rigid；　too。。。geeky。
　　　　But　then；　she　reflected；　Ian　did　have　strange　friends。　They　were　always　showing　up　unexpectedly　at　his　apartment　…　the　Japanese　calligrapher；　the　Indonesian　gamalan　troupe；　the　Las　Vegas　juggler　in　a　shiny　bolero　jacket；　that　weird　French　astrologer　who　thought　the　earth　was　hollow。。。。And　then　there　were　his　mathematician　friends。　They　were　really　crazy。　Or　so　they　seemed　to　Sarah。　They　were　so　wild…eyed；　so　wrapped　up　in　their　proofs。　Pages　and　pages　of　proofs；　sometimes　hundreds　of　pages。　It　was　all　too　abstract　for　her。　Sarah　Harding　liked　to　touch　the　dirt；　to　see　the　animals；　to　experience　the　sounds　and　the　smells。　That　was　real　to　her。　Everything　else　was　just　a　bunch　of　theories：　possibly　right；　possibly　wrong。
　　　　Waves　began　to　crash　over　the　bow；　and　she　moved　a　little　astern；　to　keep　dry。　She　yawned；　she　hadn't　slept　much　in　the　last　twenty…four　hours。　Dodgson　finished　working　on　the　Jeep；　and　came　over　to　her。
　　　　She　said；　〃Everything　all　right？〃
　　　　〃Oh　yes；〃　Dodgson　said；　smiling　cheerfully。
　　　　〃Your　friend　King　seemed　upset。〃
　　　　〃He　doesn't　like　boats；〃　Dodgson　said。　He　nodded　to　the　waves。　〃But　we're　making　better　time。　It'll　only　be　an　hour　or　so；　until　we　land。〃
　　　　〃Tell　me；〃　she　said。　〃What　is　the　Biosyn　Corporation？　I've　never　heard　of　it。〃
　　　　〃It's　a　small　pany；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃We　make　what　are　called　consumer　biologicals。　We　specialize　in　recreational　and　sports　organisms。　For　example；　we　engineered　new　kinds　of　trout；　and　other　game　fish。　We're　making　new　kinds　of　dogs…smaller　pets　for　apartment　dwellers。　That　sort　of　thing。〃
　　　　Exactly　the　sort　of　thing　that　Ian　hated；　she　thought。　〃How　do　you　know　Ian？〃
　　　　〃Oh；　we　go　way　back；〃　Dodgson　said。
　　　　She　noticed　his　vagueness。　〃How　far？〃
　　　　〃Back　to　the　days　of　the　park。〃
　　　　〃The　park；〃　she　said。
　　　　He　nodded。　〃Did　he　ever　tell　you　how　he　hurt　his　leg？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃He　would　never　talk　about　it。　He　just　said　it　happened　on　a　consulting　job　that　had。。。I　don't　know。　Some　sort　of　trouble。　Was　it　a　park？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　in　a　way；〃　Dodgson　said；　staring　out　at　the　ocean；　After　a　moment；　he　shrugged。　〃And　what　about　you？　How　do　you　know　him？〃
　　　　〃He　was　one　of　my　thesis　readers。　I'm　an　ethologist。　I　study　large　mammals　in　African　grassland　ecosystems。　East　Africa。　Carnivores；　in　particular。〃
　　　　〃Carnivores？〃
　　　　〃I've　been　studying　hyenas；〃　she　said。　〃Before　that；　lions。〃
　　　　〃For　a　long　time？〃
　　　　〃Almost　ten　years；　now。　Six　years　continuously；　since　my　doctorate。〃
　　　　〃Interesting；〃　Dodgson　said；　nodding；　〃And　so　did　you　e　here　all　the　way　from　Africa？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　from　Seronera。　In　Tanzania。〃
　　　　Dodgson　nodded　vaguely。　He　looked　past　her　shoulder　toward　the　island。　〃What　do　you　know。　Looks　like　the　weather　may　clear；　after　all。〃
　　　　She　turned　and　saw　streaks　of　blue　in　the　thinning　clouds　overhead。　The　sun　was　trying　to　break　through。　The　sea　was　calmer。　And　she　was　surprised　to　see　the　island　was　much　closer。　She　could　clearly　see　the　cliffs；　rising　above　the　seas。　The　cliffs　were　reddish…gray　volcanic　rock；　very　sheer。
　　　　〃In　Tanzania；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃You　run　a　large　research　team？〃
　　　　〃No。　I　work　alone。〃
　　　　〃No　students？〃　he　said。
　　　　〃I'm　afraid　not。　It's　because　my　work　just　isn't　very　glamorous。　The　big　savannah　carnivores　in　Africa　are　primarily　nocturnal。　So　my　research　is　mostly　conducted　at　night。〃
　　　　〃Must　be　hard　on　your　husband。〃
　　　　〃Oh；　I'm　not　married；〃　she　said；　with　a　little　shrug。
　　　　〃I'm　surprised；〃　he　said。　〃After　all；　a　beautiful　woman　like　you。。。〃
　　　　〃I　never　had　time；〃　she　said　quickly。　To　change　the　subject；　she　said；　〃Where　do　you　land　on　this　island？〃
　　　　Dodgson　turned　to　look。　They　were　now　close　enough　to　the　island　to　see　the　waves　crashing；　high　and　white；　against　the　base　of　the　cliffs。　They　were　only　a　mile　or　two　away。
　　　　〃It's　an　unusual　island；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃This　whole　region　of　central　America　is　volcanic。　There　are　something　like　thirty　active　volcanoes　between　Mexico　and　Colombia。　All　these　offshore　islands　were　at　one　time　active　volcanoes；　part　of　the　central　chain。　But　unlike　the　mainland；　the　islands　are　now　dormant。　Haven't　erupted　for　a　thousand　years　or　so。
　　　　〃So　we're　seeing　the　outside　of　the　crater？〃
　　　　〃Exactly。　The　cliffs　are　all　the　result　of　erosion　from　rainfall；　but　the　ocean　erodes　the　base　of　the　cliffs；　too。　Those　flat　sections　on　the　cliff　you　see　are　where　the　ocean　cut　in　at　the　bottom；　and　huge　areas　of　the　cliff　face　were　undermined；　and　just　cleaved；　falling　straight　down　into　the　sea。　It's　all　soft　volcanic　rock。〃
　　　　〃And　so　you　land。。。〃
　　　　〃There　are　several　places　on　the　windward　side　where　the　ocean　has　cut　caves　into　the　cliff。　And　at　two　of　those　places；　the　caves　meet　rivers　flowing　out　from　the　interior。　So　they're　passable。〃　He　pointed　ahead。　〃You　see　there；　you　can　just　now　see　one　of　the　caves。〃
　　　　Sarah　Harding　saw　a　dark　irregular　opening　cut　into　the　base　of　the　cliff。　All　around　it；　the　waves　crashed；　plumes　of　white　water　rising　fifty　feet　up　into　the　air。
　　　　〃You're　going　to　take　this　boat　into　that　cave　there？〃
　　　　〃If　the　weather　holds；　yes。〃　Dodgson　turned　away。　〃Don't　worry；　it's　not　as　bad　as　it　looks。　Anyway；　you　were　saying。　About　Africa。　When　did　you　leave　Africa？〃
　　　　〃Right　after　Doc　Thorne　called。　He　said　he　was　going　with　Ian　to　rescue　Richard；　and　asked　if　I　wanted　to　e。〃
　　　　〃And　what　did　you　say？〃
　　　　〃I　said　I'd　think　about　it。〃
　　　　Dodgson　frowned。　〃You　didn't　tell　him　you　were　ing？〃
　　　　〃No。　Because　I　wasn't　sure　I　wanted　to。　I　mean；　I'm　busy。　I　have　my　work。　And　it's　a　long　way。〃
　　　　〃For　an　old　lover；〃　Dodgson　said；　nodding　sympathetically。
　　　　She　sighed。　〃Well。　You　know。　Ian。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　I　know　Ian；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃Quite　a　character。〃
　　　　〃That's　one　way　to　put　it；〃　she　said。
　　　　There　was　an　awkward　silence。　Dodgson　cleared　his　throat。　〃I'm　confused；〃　he　said；　〃Who　exactly　did　you　tell　you　were　ing　here？〃
　　　　〃Nobody；〃　she　said。　〃I　just　jumped　on　the　next　plane　and　came。〃
　　　　〃But　what　about　your　university；　your　colleagues。。。〃
　　　　She　shrugged。　〃There　wasn't　time。　And　as　I　said；　I　work　alone。〃　She　looked　again　at　the　island。　The　cliffs　rose　high　above　the　boat。　They　were　only　a　few　hundred　yards　away。　The　cave　appeared　much　larger　now；　but　the　waves　crashed　high　on　either　side。　She　shook　her　head。　〃It　looks　pretty　rough。〃
　　　　〃Don't　worry；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃See？　The　captain's　already　making　for　it。　We'll　be　perfectly　safe；　once　we're　passing　through。　And　then。。。It　should　be　very　exciting。〃
　　　　The　boat　rolled　and　dipped　in　the　sea；　an　uncertain　motion。　She　gripped　the　railing。　Beside　her；　Dodgson　grinned。　〃See　what　I　mean？　Exciting；　isn't　it？〃　He　seemed　suddenly　energized；　almost　agitated。　His　body　became　tense；　he　rubbed　his　hands　together。　〃No　need　to　worry；　Ms。　Harding；　I　can't　allow　anything　to　happen　to　…　〃
　　　　She　didn't　know　what　he　was　talking　about；　but　before　she　could　reply；　the　nose　of　the　boat　dipped　again；　kicking　up　spray；　and　she　stumbled　a　little。　Dodgson　bent　over　quickly　…　apparently　to　steady　her　…　but　it　seemed　as　if　something　went　wrong　　…　his　body　struck　against　her　legs；　then　lifted　…　and　then　another　wave　crashed　over　them　and　she　felt　her　body　twist　and　she　screamed　and　clutched　at　the　railing。　But　it　was　all　happening　too　fast；　the　world　upended　and　swirled　around　her；　her　head　clanged　once　on　the　railing　and　then　she　was　tumbling；　falling　through　space。　She　saw　the　peeling　paint　on　the　hull　of　the　boat　sliding　past　her；　she　saw　the　green　ocean　rush　up　toward　her；　and　then　she　was　shocked　with　the　sudden　stinging　cold　as　she　plunged　into　the　rough；　heaving　sea；　and　sank　beneath　the　waves；　into　darkness。

The　Valley
　　　　
〃This　is　going　extremely　well；〃　Levine　said；　rubbing　his　hands　together。　〃Far　beyond　my　expectations；　I　must　say。　I　couldn't　be　more　pleased。〃
　　　　He　was　standing　in　the　high　hide　with　Thorne；　Eddie；　M