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第11节

michael crichton.congo-第11节

小说: michael crichton.congo 字数: 每页4000字

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 In 1334; another Arab; Ibn Mohammed; stated that 〃our number made arrangements to seek out the city of Zinj; but quitted our quest upon learning that the city was long since abandoned; and much ruined。 It is said that the aspect of the city is wondrous strange; for doors and windows are built in the curve of a half…moon; and the residences are now overtaken by a violent race of hairy men who speak in whispers no known language     
 Then the Portuguese; those indefatigable explorers; arrived。 By 1544; they were venturing inland from the west coast up the mighty Congo River; but they soon encountered all the obstacles that would prevent exploration of central Africa for hundreds of years to e。 The Congo was not navigable beyond the first set of rapids; two hundred miles inland (at what was once Léopoldville; and is now Kinshasa)。 The natives were hostile and cannibalistic。 And the hot steaming jungle was the source of disease…malaria; sleeping sickness; bilharzia; blackwater fever…which decimated foreign intruders。
 The Portuguese never managed to penetrate the central
 
 *The fabled city of Zinj formed the basis for H。 Rider Haggard's popular novel King Solomon's Mines; first published in 1885。 Haggard; a gifted linguist; had served on the staff of the Governor of Natal in 1875。 and he presumably heard of Zinj from the neighboring Zulus at that time。
 
 Congo。 Neither did the English; under Captain Brenner; in 1644; his entire party was lost。 The Congo would remain for two hundred years as a blank spot on the civilized maps of the world。
 But the early explorers repeated the legends of the interior; including the story of Zinj。 A Portuguese artist; Juan Diego de Valdez; drew a widely acclaimed picture of the Lost City of Zinj in 1642。 〃But;〃 Sarah Johnson said; 〃he also drew pictures of men with tails; and monkeys having carnal knowledge of native women。〃
 Somebody groaned。
 〃Apparently Valdez was crippled;〃 she continued。 〃He lived all his life in the town of Settibal; drinking with sailors and drawing pictures based on his conversations。〃
 Africa was not thoroughly explored until the mid… nineteenth century; by Burton and Speke; Baker and Living…stone; and especially Stanley。 No trace of the Lost City of Zinj was found by any of them。 Nor had any trace of the apocryphal city been found in the hundred years since。
 The gloom that descended over the Project Amy staff meeting was profound。 〃I told you it was bad news;〃 Sarah Johnson said。
 〃You mean;〃 Peter Elliot said; 〃that this picture is based on a description; and we don't know whether the city actually exists or not。〃
 〃I'm afraid so;〃 Sarah Johnson said。 〃There is no proof that the city in the picture exists at all。 It's just a story。〃
 
 4。 Resolution
 
 PETER ELLIOT'S UNQUESTIONED RELIANCE ON twentieth…century hard data…facts; figures; graphs…left him unprepared for the possibility that the 1642 engraving; in all its detail; was merely the fanciful speculation of an uninhibited artist。 The news came as a shock。
 Their plans to take Amy to the Congo suddenly appeared childishly na?ve; the resemblance of her sketchy; schematic drawings to the 1642 Valdez engraving was obviously coincidental。 How could they ever have imagined that a Lost City of Zinj was anything but the stuff of ancient fable? In the seventeenth…century world of widening horizons and new wonders; the idea of such a city would have seemed perfectly reasonable; even pelling。 But in the puterized twentieth century; the Lost City of Zinj was as unlikely as Camelot or Xanadu。 They had been fools ever to take it seriously。 〃The lost city doesn't exist;〃 he said。
 〃Oh; it exists; all right;〃 she said。 〃There's no doubt about that。〃
 Elliot glanced up quickly; and then he saw that Sarah Johnson had not answered him。 A tall gangly girl in her early twenties stood at the back of the room。 She might have been considered beautiful except for her cold; aloof demeanor。 This girl was dressed in a severe; businesslike suit; and she carried a briefcase; which she now set on the table; popping the latches。
 〃I'm Dr。 Ross;〃 she announced; 〃from the Wildlife Fund; and I'd like your opinion of these pictures。〃
 She passed around a series of photographs; which were viewed by the staff with an assortment of whistles and sighs。 At the head of the table; Elliot waited impatiently until the photographs came down to him。
 They were grainy black…and…white images with horizontal scanning line streaks; photographed off a video screen。 But the image was unmistakable: a ruined city in the jungle; with curious inverted crescent…shaped doors and windows。
 
 5。 Amy
 
 〃BY SATELLITE?〃 ELLIOT REPEATED; HEARING THE tension in his voice。
 〃That's right; the pictures were transmitted by satellite from Africa two days ago。〃
 〃Then you know the location of this ruin?〃
 〃Of course。〃
 〃And your expedition leaves in a matter of hours?〃
 〃Six hours and twenty…three minutes; to be exact;〃 Ross said; glancing at her digital watch;
 Elliot adjourned the meeting; and talked privately with Ross for more than an hour。 Elliot later claimed that Ross had 〃deceived〃 him about the purpose of the expedition and the hazards they would face。 But Elliot was eager to go; and probably not inclined to be too fussy about the reasons behind Ross's ing expedition; or the dangers involved。 As a skilled grantsman; he had long ago grown fortable with situations where other peoples' money and his own motivations did not exactly coincide。 This was the cynical side of academic life: how much pure research had been funded because it might cure cancer? A researcher promised anything to get his money。
 Apparently it never occurred to Elliot that Ross might be using him as coldly as he was using her。 From the start Ross was never entirely truthful; she had been instructed by Travis to explain the ERTS Congo mission 〃with a little data dropout。〃 Data dropout was second nature to her; everyone at ERTS had learned to say no more than was necessary。 Elliot treated her as if she were an ordinary funding agency; and that was a serious mistake。
 In the final analysis; Ross and Elliot misjudged each other; for each presented a deceptive appearance; and in the same way。 Elliot appeared so shy and retiring that one Berkeley faculty member had mented; 〃It's no wonder he's devoted his life to apes; he can't work up the nerve to talk to people。〃 But Elliot had been a tough middle linebacker in college; and his diffident academic demeanor concealed a head…crunching ambitious drive。
 Similarly; Karen Ross; despite her youthful cheerleader beauty and soft; seductive Texas accent; possessed great intelligence and a deep inner toughness。 (She had matured early; and a high…school teacher had once appraised her as 〃the very flower of virile Texas womanhood。〃) Ross felt responsible for the previous ERTS expedition; and she was determined to rectify past errors。 It was at least possible that Elliot and Amy could help her when she got onsite; that was reason enough to take them with her。 Beyond that; Ross was concerned about the consortium; which was obviously seeking Elliot; since Morikawa was calling。 If she took Elliot and Amy with her; she removed a possible advantage to the consortium…again; reason enough to take them with her。 Finally; she needed a cover in case her expedition was stopped at one of the borders…and a primatologist and an ape provided a perfect cover。
 But in the end Karen Ross wanted only the Congo diamonds…and she was prepared to say anything; do anything; sacrifice anything to get them。
 In photographs taken at San Francisco airport; Elliot and Ross appeared as two smiling; youthful academics; embarking on a lark of an expedition to Africa。 But in fact; their motivations were different; and grimly held。 Elliot was reluctant to tell her how theoretical and academic his goals were…and Ross was reluctant to admit how pragmatic were hers。
 In any case; by midday on June 14; Karen Ross found herself riding with Peter Elliot in his battered Fiat sedan along Hallowell Road; going past the University athletic field。 She had some misgivings: they were going to meet Amy。
 Elliot unlocked the door with its red sign DO NOT DISTURB ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION IN PROGRESS。 Behind the door; Amy was grunting and scratching impatiently。 Elliot paused。
 〃When you meet her;〃 he said; 〃remember that she is a gorilla and not a human being。 Gorillas have their own etiquette。 Don't speak loudly or make any sudden movements until she gets used to you。 If you smile; don't show your teeth; because bared teeth are a threat。 And keep your eyes downcast; because direct stares from strangers are considered hostile。 Don't stand too close to me or touch me; be…cause she's very jealous。 If you talk to her; don't lie。 Even though she uses sign language; she understands most human speech; and we usually just talk to her。 She can tell when you're lying and she doesn't like it。〃
 〃She doesn't like it?〃
 〃She dismisses you; won't talk to you; and gets bitchy。〃
 〃Anything else?〃
 〃No; it should be okay。〃 He smiled reassuringly。 〃We have this traditional greeting; even though she's getting a little big for it。〃 He opened the door; braced hims

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