the.lost.world-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　meteor　that　killed　the　dinosaurs？〃
　　　　No；　Kelly　thought；　yawning。　Probably　the　Yucatán　peninsula。　Manson　was　too　small。
　　　　We　now　think　this　crater　is　too　small；〃　Dr。　Levine　said　aloud。　〃We　believe　it　was　too　small　by　an　order　of　magnitude；　and　the　current　candidate　is　the　crater　near　Mérida；　in　the　Yucatán。　It　seems　difficult　to　imagine；　but　the　impact　emptied　the　entire　Gulf　of　Mexico；　causing　two…thousand…foot…high　tidal　waves　to　wash　over　the　land。　It　must　have　been　incredible。　But　there　are　disputes　about　this　crater；　too；　particularly　concerning　the　meaning　of　the　cenote　ring　structure；　and　the　differential　death　rates　of　phytoplankton　in　ocean　deposits。　That　may　sound　plicated；　but　don't　worry　about　it　for　now。　We'll　go　into　it　in　more　detail　next　time。　So；　that's　it　for　today。〃
　　　　The　lights　came　up。　Their　teacher；　Mrs。　Menzies；　stepped　to　the　front　of　the　class　and　turned　off　the　puter　which　had　been　running　the　display；　and　the　lecture。
　　　　〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　glad　Dr。　Levine　gave　us　this　recording。　He　told　me　he　might　not　be　back　in　time　for　today's　lecture；　but　he'll　be　with　us　again　for　sure　when　we　return　from　spring　break　next　week。　Kelly；　you　and　Arby　are　working　for　Dr。　Levine；　is　that　what　he　told　you？〃
　　　　Kelly　glanced　over　at　Arby；　who　was　slouched　low　in　his　seat；　frowning。
　　　　〃Yes；　Mrs。　Menzies；〃　Kelly　said。
　　　　〃Good。　All　right；　everyone；　the　assignment　for　the　holidays　is　all　of　chapter　seven〃　…　there　were　groans　from　the　class　…　〃including　all　of　the　exercises　at　the　end　of　part　one；　as　well　as　part　two。　Be　sure　to　bring　that　with　you；　pleted；　when　we　return。　Have　a　good　spring　break。　We'll　see　you　back　here　in　a　week。〃
　　　　The　bell　rang；　the　class　got　up；　chairs　scraping；　the　room　suddenly　noisy。　Arby　drifted　over　to　Kelly。　He　looked　up　at　her　mournfully。　Arby　was　a　head　shorter　than　Kelly；　he　was　the　shortest　person　in　the　class。　He　was　also　the　youngest。　Kelly　was　thirteen；　like　the　other　seventh…graders；　but　Arby　was　only　eleven。　He　had　already　been　skipped　two　grades；　because　he　was　so　smart。　And　there　were　rumors　he　would　be　skipped　again。　Arby　was　a　genius；　particularly　with　puters。
　　　　Arby　put　his　pen　in　the　pocket　of　his　white　button…down　shirt；　and　pushed　his　horn…rim　glasses　up　on　his　nose。　R。　B。　Benton　was　black；　both　his　parents　were　doctors　in　San　José；　and　they　always　made　sure　he　was　dressed　very　neatly；　like　a　college　kid　or　something。　Which；　Kelly　reflected；　he　would　probably　be　in　a　couple　of　years；　the　way　he　was　going。
　　　　Standing　next　to　Arby；　Kelly　always　felt　awkward　and　gawky。　Kelly　had　to　wear　her　sister's　old　clothes；　which　her　mother　had　bought　from　Kmart　about　a　million　years　ago。　She　even　had　to　wear　Emily's　old　Reeboks；　which　were　so　scuffed　and　dirty　that　they　never　came　clean；　even　after　Kelly　ran　them　through　the　washing　machine。　Kelly　washed　and　ironed　all　her　own　clothes；　her　mother　never　had　time。　Her　mother　was　never　even　home；　most　of　the　time。　Kelly　looked　enviously　at　Arby's　neatly　pressed　khakis；　his　polished　penny　loafers；　and　sighed。
　　　　Still；　even　though　she　was　jealous；　Arby　was　her　only　real　friend　…　the　only　person　who　thought　it　was　okay　that　she　was　smart。　Kelly　worried　that　he'd　be　skipped　to　ninth　grade；　and　she　wouldn't　see　him　any　more。
　　　　Beside　her；　Arby　still　frowned。　He　looked　up　at　her　and　said；　〃Why　isn't　Dr。　Levine　here？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃Maybe　something　happened。〃
　　　　〃Like　what？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know。　Something。〃
　　　　〃But　he　promised　he　would　be　here；〃　Arby　said。　〃To　take　us　on　the　field　trip。　It　was　all　arranged。　We　got　permission　and　everything。〃
　　　　〃So？　We　can　still　go。〃
　　　　〃But　he　should　be　here；〃　Arby　insisted　stubbornly。　Kelly　had　seen　this　behavior　before。　Arby　was　accustomed　to　adults　being　reliable。　His　parents　were　both　very　reliable。　Kelly　wasn't　troubled　by　such　ideas'　〃Never　mind；　Arb；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　just　go　see　Dr。　Thorne　ourselves。〃
　　　　〃You　think　so？〃
　　　　〃Sure。　Why　not？〃
　　　　Arby　hesitated。　〃Maybe　I　should　call　my　mom　first；〃
　　　　〃Why？〃　Kelly　said。　〃You　know　she'll　tell　you　that　you　have　to　go　home。　e　on；　Arb。　Let's　just　go。〃
　　　　He　hesitated；　still　troubled。　Arby　might　be　smart；　but　any　change　in　plan　always　bothered　him。　Kelly　knew　from　experience　he　would　grumble　and　argue　if　she　pushed　for　them　to　go　alone；　She　had　to　wait；　while　he　made　up　his　own　mind。
　　　　〃Okay；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Let's　go　see　Thorne。
　　　　Kelly　grinned。　〃Meet　you　in　front；〃　she　said；　〃in　five　minutes。〃
　　　　
As　she　went　down　the　stairs　from　the　second　floor；　the　singsong　chant　began　again。　〃Kelly　is　a　brainer；　Kelly　is　a　brainer。。。。〃
　　　　She　held　her　head　high。　It　was　that　stupid　Allison　Stone　and　her　stupid　friends。　Standing　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　taunting　her。
　　　　〃Kelly　is　a　brainer。。。。〃
　　　　She　swept　past　the　girls；　ignoring　them。　Nearby；　she　saw　Miss　Enders；　the　hall　mointor；　paying　no　attention　as　usual。　Even　though　Mr。　Canosa；　the　assistant　principal；　had　recently　made　a　special　homeroom　announcement　about　teasing　kids。
　　　　Behind　her；　the　girls　called：　〃Kelly　is　a　brainer。。。。She's　the　queen。。。of　the　Screen。。。and　it's　gonna　turn　her　green。。。。。。〃　They　collapsed　in　laughter。
　　　　Up　ahead；　she　saw　Arby　waiting　by　the　door；　a　bundle　of　gray　cables　in　his　hand。　She　hurried　forward。
　　　　When　she　got　to　him；　he　said；　〃Forget　it。〃
　　　　〃They're　stupid　jerkoffs。〃
　　　　〃Right。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　care；　anyway。
　　　　〃I　know。　Just　forget　it。〃
　　　　Behind　them；　the　girls　were　giggling。　〃Kel…ly　and　Ar…by。。。going　to　a　party。。。take　a　bath；　in　their　math。。。。〃
　　　　They　went　outside　into　the　sunlight；　the　sounds　of　the　girls　thankfully　drowned　in　the　noise　of　everyone　going　home。　Yellow　school　buses　were　in　the　parking　lot。　Kids　were　streaming　down　the　steps　to　their　parents'　cars；　which　were　lined　up　all　around　the　block。　There　was　a　lot　of　activity。
　　　　Arby　ducked　a　Frisbee　that　whooshed　over　his　head；　and　glanced　toward　the　street。　〃There　he　is　again。〃
　　　　〃Well；　don't　look　at　him；〃　Kelly　said。
　　　　〃I'm　not；　I'm　not。〃
　　　　〃Remember　what　Dr。　Levine　said。〃　〃Jeez；　Kel。　I　remember；　okay？〃
　　　　Across　the　street　was　parked　the　plain　gray　Taurus　sedan　that　they　had　seen；　off　and　on；　for　the　past　two　months。　Behind　the　wheel；　pretending　to　read　a　newspaper；　was　that　same　man　with　the　scraggly　growth　of　beard。　This　bearded　man　had　been　following　Dr。　Levine　ever　since　he　started　to　teach　the　class　at　Woodside。　Kelly　believed　that　man　was　the　reason　why　Dr。　Levine　asked　her　and　Arby　to　be　his　assistants　in　the　first　place。

Levine　had　told　them　their　job　would　be　to　help　him　by　carrying　equipment；　Xeroxing　class　assignments；　collecting　homework；　and　routine　things　like　that。　They　thought　it　would　be　a　big　honor　to　work　for　Dr。　Levine　…or　anyway；　interesting　to　work　for　an　actual　professional　scientist　…so　they　had　agreed　to　do　it。
　　　　But　it　turned　out　there　never　was　anything　to　be　done　for　the　class；　Dr。　Levine　did　all　that　himself　Instead；　he　sent　them　on　lots　of　little　errands。　And　he　had　told　them　to　be　careful　to　avoid　this　bearded　man　ill　the　car。　That　wasn't　hard；　the　man　never　paid　any　attention　to　them；　because　they　were　kids；
　　　　Dr。　Levine　had　explained　the　bearded　man　was　following　him　because　of　something　to　do　with　his　arrest；　but　Kelly　didn't　believe　that。　Her　own　mother　had　been　arrested　twice　for　drunk　driving；　and　there　was　never　anybody　following　her。　So　Kelly　didn't　know　why　this　man　was　following　Levine；　but　clearly　Levine　was　doing　some　secret　research　and　he　didn't　want　anybody　to　find　out　about　it。　She　knew　one　thing　…　Dr。　Levine　didn't　care　much　about　this　class　he　was　reaching。　He　usually　gave　the　lecture　off　the　top　of　his　head。　Other　times　he　would　walk　in　the　front　door　of　the　school；　hand　them　a　taped　lecture；　and　walk　out　the　back。　They　never　knew　where　he　went；　on　those　days。
　　　　The　errands　he　sent　them　on　were　mysterious；　too。　Once　they　went　to　Stanford　and　picked　up　five　small　squares　of　plastic　from　a　professor　there。　The　plastic　was　light；　and　sort　of　foamy。　Another　time　they　went　downtown　to　an　electronics　store　and　picked　up　a　triangular　device　that　the　man　behind　the　counter　gave　them　very　nervously；　as　if　it　might　be　illegal　or　something。　Another　time　they　picked　up　a　metal　tube　that　looked　like　it　contained　cigars。　They　couldn't　help　opening　it；　but　they　were　uneasy　to　find　four　sealed　plastic　ampoules　of　straw…colored　liquid。　The　ampoules　were　marked　EXTREME　DANGER！　LETHAL　TOXICITY！　and　had　the　three…bladed　international　symbol　for　biohazard。
　　　　But　mostly；　their　assignments　were　mundane。　He　often　sent　them　to　libraries　at　Stanford　to　Xerox　papers　on　all　sorts　of　subjects：　Japanese　sword…making；　X…ray　crystallography；　Mexican　vampire　bats；　Central　American　volcanoes；　oceanic　currents　of　El　Ni？o；　the　mating　behavior　of　mountain　sheep；　sea…cucumber　toxicity；　flying　buttresses　of　Gothic　cathedrals。。。
　　　　Dr。　Levine　never　explained　why　he　was　interested　in　these　subjects。　Often　he　would　send　them　back　day　after　day；　to　search　for　more　material。　And　then；　suddenly；　he　would　drop　the　subject；　and　never　refer　to　it　again。　And　they　would　be　on　to　something　else。
　　　　Of　course；　they　could　figure　some　of　it　out。　A　lot　of　the　questions　had　to　do　with　the　vehicles　th