the.lost.world-第47节
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fitting the foam packing around them carefully。 Both men were grinning like kids。
〃That was amazing！〃
〃Great！ Fantastic！〃
〃What'd I tell you？〃 Dodgsoii said。 〃Nothing to it。〃 He glanced at his watch。 〃At this rate； we'll finish in less than four hours。〃
He climbed behind the steering wheel and turned on the engine。 Baselton got into the back seat。 King got in the passenger seat and took out the map。
〃Next；〃 Dodgson said。
The High Hide
〃I tell you； it's fine；〃 Levine said irritably。 He was sweating in the stifling heat beneath the aluminum roof of the high hide。 〃Look； it didn't even break the skin。〃 He held out his hand。 There was a red semicircle where the py had pressed its teeth into the skin； but that was all。
Beside him； Eddie said； 〃Yeah； well； your ear is bleeding a little。〃
〃I don't feel anything。 It can't be bad。〃
〃No； it's not bad； 〃 Eddie said； opening the first…aid kit。 〃But I better clean it up。〃
〃I prefer；〃 Levine said； 〃to get on with my observations。〃 The dinosaurs were barely a quarter…mile away from him； and he could see them well。 In the still midday air； he could hear them breathe。
He could hear them breathe。
Or at least he could； if this young man would leave him alone。 〃Look；〃 Levine said； 〃I know what I'm doing here。 You came in at the end of a very interesting and successful experiment。 I actually called the dinosaurs to me； by imitating their cry。〃
〃You did？〃 Eddie said。
〃Yes； I did。 That was what led them into the forest in the first place。 So I hardly think that I need your assistance … 〃
〃The thing is；〃 Eddie said； 〃you got some of that dino shit on your ear and there's a couple of little punctures。 I'll just clean it off for you。〃 He soaked a gauze pad with disinfectant。 〃May sting a little。〃
〃I don't care； I have other … Ow！〃
〃Stop moving；〃 Eddie said。 〃It'll only take a second。〃
〃It's absolutely unnecessary。〃
〃If you just stand still； it'll be done。 There。〃 He took the gauze away。 Levine saw brown and a faint streak of red。 Just as he suspected； the injury was trivial。 He reached up and touched his ear。 It didn't hurt at all。
Levine squinted out at the plain； as Eddie packed up the first…aid case。
〃Jeez； it's hot up here；〃 Eddie said。
〃Yes；〃 Levine said； shrugging。
〃Sarah Harding arrived； and I think they took her back to the trailer。 You want to go back now？〃
〃I can't imagine why；〃 Levine said。
〃I just thought you might want to say hello or something；〃 Eddie said。
〃My work is here；〃 Levine said。 He turned away； raised his binoculars to his eyes。
〃So；〃 Eddie said。 〃You don't want to e back？〃
〃Wouldn't dream of it；〃 Levine said； staring through binoculars。 〃Not in a million years。 Not in sixty…five million years。〃
Trailer
Kelly Curtis listened to the sound of the shower。 She couldn't believe it。 She stared at the muddy clothes tossed casually on the bed。 Shorts and a khaki short…sleeve shirt。
Sarah Harding's actual clothes。
She couldn't help it。 Kelly reached out and touched them。 She noticed how the fabric was worn and frayed。 Buttons sewn back on； they didn't match。 And there were some reddish streaks near the pocket that she thought must be old bloodstains。 She reached down and touched the fabric …
〃Kelly？〃
Sarah was calling to her； from the shower。
She remembered my name。
〃Yes？〃 Kelly said； her voice betraying her nervousness。
〃Is there any shampoo？〃
〃I'll look； Dr。 Harding；〃 Kelly said； opening drawers hastily。 The men had all gone into the next partment； leaving her alone with Sarah while she washed。 Kelly searched desperately； opening the drawers； slamming them shut again。
〃Listen；〃 Sarah called； 〃it's okay if you can't find any。〃
〃I'm looking。
〃Is there any dishwashing liquid？〃
Kelly paused。 There was a green plastic bottle by the sink。 〃Yes； Dr。 Harding； but … 〃
〃Give it to me。 It's all the same stuff。 I don't care。〃 The hand reached out； past the shower curtain。 Kelly handed it to her。 〃And my name is Sarah。〃
〃Okay； Dr。 Harding。〃
〃Sarah。〃
〃Okay； Sarah。〃
Sarah Harding was a regular person。 Very informal and normal。
Entranced； Kelly sat on the seat in the kitchen and waited； swinging her feet； in case Dr。 Harding … Sarah … needed anything else。 She listened to Sarah humming 〃I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair。〃 After a few moments； the shower turned off； and her hand reached out and took the towel on the hook。 And then she came out； wrapped in the towel。
Sarah ran her fingers through her short hair； which seemed to be all the attention she gave to her appearance。 〃That feels better。 Boy； this is a plush field trailer。 Doc really did a great job。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃It's nice。〃
She smiled at Kelly。 〃How old are you； Kelly？〃
〃Thirteen。〃
〃What is that； eighth grade？〃
〃Seventh。〃
〃Seventh grade；〃 Sarah said； thoughtfully。
Kelly said； 〃Dr。 Malcolm left some clothes for you。 He said he thought they'd fit。〃 She pointed to a clean pair of shorts and a tee shirt。
〃Whose are these？〃
〃I think they're Eddie's。〃
Sarah held them up。 〃Might work。〃 She took them around the corner； into the sleeping area； and started getting dressed。 She said； 〃What are you going to do when you grow up？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Kelly said。
〃That's a very good answer。〃
〃It is？〃 Kelly's mother was always pushing her to get a part…time job to decide what she wanted to do with her life。
〃Yes；〃 Sarah said。 〃Nobody smart knows what they want to do until they get into their twenties or thirties。〃
〃Oh。〃
〃What do you like to study？〃
〃Actually； uh； I like math；〃 she said； in a sort of guilty voice。
Sarah must have heard her tone； because she said； 〃What's wrong with math？〃
〃Well； girls aren't good at it。 I mean； you know。〃
〃No； I don't know。〃 Sarah's voice was flat。
Kelly felt panic。 She had been experiencing this warm feeling with Sarah Harding； but now she sensed it was dissolving away； as if she had given a wrong answer to a disapproving teacher。 She decided not to say anything else。 She waited in silence。
After a moment Sarah came out again； wearing Eddie's baggy clothes。 She sat down and started putting on a pair of boots。 She moved in a very normal； matter…of…fact way。 〃What did you mean girls aren't good at mathematics？〃
〃Well； that's what everybody says。〃
〃Everybody like who？〃
〃My teachers。〃
Sarah sighed。 〃Great〃 she said； shaking her head。 〃Your teachers。。。〃
〃And the other kids call me a brainer。 Stuff like that。 You know。〃 Kelly Just blurted it out。 She couldn't believe that she was saying all this to Sarah Harding； whom she hardly knew at all except from articles and pictures； but here she was； telling her all this personal stuff。 All these things that upset her。
Sarah just smiled cheerfully。 〃Well； if they say that； you must be pretty good at math； huh？〃
〃I guess。〃
She smiled。 〃That's wonderful； Kelly。
〃But the thing is； boys don't like girls who are too smart。〃
Sarah's eyebrows went up。 〃Is that so？〃
〃Well； that's what everybody says。
〃Like who？〃
〃Like my mom。〃
〃Uh…huh。 And she probably knows what she's talking about。〃
〃I don't know；〃 Kelly admitted。 〃My mom only dates jerks； actually。〃
〃So she could be wrong？〃 Sarah asked； glancing up at Kelly as she tied her laces。
〃I guess。〃
〃Well； in my experience； Some men like smart women； and some don't。 It's like everything else in the world。 She stood up。 〃You know about George Schaller？〃
〃Sure。 He studied pandas。〃
〃Right。 Pandas； and before that； snow leopards and lions and gorillas。 He's the most important animal researcher in the twentieth century…and you know how he works？〃
Kelly shook her head。
〃Before he goes into the field； George reads everything that's ever been written about the animal he's going to study。 Popular books； newspaper accounts； scientific papers； everything。 Then he goes out and observes the animal for himself。 And you know what he usually finds？〃
She shook her head； not trusting herself to speak。
〃That nearly everything that's been written or said is wrong。 Like the gorilla。 George studied mountain gorillas ten years before Dian Fossey ever thought of it。 And he found that what was believed about gorillas was exaggerated； or misunderstood； or just plain fantasy … like the idea that you couldn't take women on gorilla expeditions； because the gorillas would rape them； Wrong。 Everything。。。just。。。 wrong。〃
Sarah finished tying her boots； and stood。
〃So； Kelly； even at your young age； there's something you might as well learn now。 All your life people will tell you things。 And most of the time； probably ninety…five percent of the time； what they'll tell you will be wrong。〃
Kelly said nothing。 She felt oddly disheartened to hear this。
〃It's a fact of life；〃 Sarah said。 〃Human beings are just stuffed full of misinformation。 So it's hard to know who to believe。 I know how you feel。〃
〃You do？〃
〃Sure。 My mom used to tell me I'd never amount to anything。〃 She smiled。 〃So did some
