the.lost.world-第77节

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　　　　They　came　to　a　Y…junction。　She　looked　both　ways。　To　the　right　was　a　long　straight　passageway；　going　into　darkness。　It　probably　led　to　the　laboratory；　she　thought。　To　the　left　was　a　much　shorter　section　of　tunnel；　with　stairs　at　the　end。
　　　　She　went　left。
　　　　She　crawled　up　through　a　narrow　concrete　shaft；　and　pushed　open　a　wooden　trapdoor　at　the　top。　She　found　herself　in　a　small　utility　building；　surrounded　by　cables　and　rusted　pipes。　Sunlight　streamed　in　through　broken　windows。　The　others　climbed　up　beside　her。
　　　　She　looked　out　the　window；　and　saw　Sarah　Harding　driving　down　the　hill　toward　them。

Harding　drove　the　Explorer　along　the　edge　of　the　river。　Kelly　was　sitting　beside　her　in　the　front　seat。　They　saw　a　wooden　sign　for　the　boathouse　up　ahead。
　　　　〃So　it　was　the　graphics　that　gave　you　the　clue；　Kelly？〃　Harding　said；　admiringly。
　　　　Kelly　nodded。　〃I　just　suddenly　realized；　it　didn't　matter　what　was　actually　on　the　screen。　What　mattered　was　there　was　a　lot　of　data　being　manipulated；　millions　of　pixels　spinning　there；　and　that　meant　there　had　to　be　a　cable。　And　if　there　was　a　cable　there　must　be　a　space　for　it。　And　enough　space　that　workmen　could　repair　it；　all　of　that。〃
　　　　〃So　you　looked　under　the　desk。〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　she　said。
　　　　〃That's　very　good；〃　Harding　said。　〃I　think　these　people　owe　you　their　lives。〃
　　　　〃Not　really；〃　Kelly　said；　with　a　little　shrug。
　　　　Sarah　shot　her　a　look。　〃All　your　life；　other　people　will　try　to　take　your　acplishments　away　from　you。　Don't　you　take　it　away　from　yourself。〃
　　　　The　road　was　muddy　alongside　the　river；　and　heavily　overgrown　with　plants。　They　heard　the　distant　cries　of　the　dinosaurs；　somewhere　behind　them。　Harding　maneuvered　around　a　fallen　tree；　and　then　they　saw　the　boathouse　ahead。
　　　　〃Uh…oh；〃　Levine　said。　〃I　have　a　bad　feeling。〃
　　　　From　the　outside；　the　building　was　in　ruins；　and　heavily　overgrown　with　vines。　The　roof　had　caved　in　in　several　places。　No　one　spoke　as　Harding　pulled　the　Explorer　up　in　front　of　a　pair　of　broad　double　doors　scaled　with　a　rusted　padlock。　They　climbed　out　of　the　car　and　walked　forward　in　inkle…deep　mud。
　　　　〃You　really　think　there's　a　boat　in　there？〃　Arby　said　doubtfully。
　　　　Malcolm　leaned　on　Harding；　while　Thorne　threw　his　weight　against　the　door。　Rotten　timbers　creaked；　then　splintered。　The　padlock　fell　to　the　ground。　Harding　said；　〃Here；　hold　him；〃　and　Put　Malcolm's　arm　over　Thorne's　shoulder。　Then　she　kicked　a　hole　in　the　door　wide　enough　to　crawl　through。　Immediately　she　went　inside；　into　darkness。　Kelly　hurried　in　after　her。
　　　　〃What　do　you　see？〃　Levine　said；　pulling　planks　away　to　widen　the　hole。　A　furry　spider　scurried　up　the　boards；　jumping　away。
　　　　〃There's　a　boat　here；　all　right；〃　Harding　said。　〃And　it　looks　okay。〃
　　　　Levine　pushed　his　head　through　the　hole。
　　　　〃I'll　be　damned；〃　he　said。　〃We　just　might　get　out　of　here；　after　all。〃

Exit

Lewis　Dodgson　fell。
　　　　Tumbling　through　the　air　he　dropped　from　the　month　of　the　tyrannosaur；　and　landed　hard　on　an　earthen　slope。　The　breath　was　knocked　out　of　him；　his　head　slammed　down；　and　he　was　dizzy　for　a　moment。　He　opened　his　eyes；　and　saw　a　sloping　bank　of　dried　mud。　He　smelled　a　sour　odor　of　decay。　And　then　he　heard　a　sound　that　chilled　him：　it　was　a　high…pitched　squeaking。
　　　　He　got　up　on　one　elbow；　and　saw　he　was　in　the　tyrannosaur　nest。　The　sloping　mound　of　dried　mud　was　all　around　him。　Now　there　were　three　infants　here；　including　one　with　a　piece　of　aluminum　wrapped　around　its　leg。　The　infants　were　squeaking　with　excitement　as　they　toddled　to…ward　him。
　　　　Dodgson　scrambled　to　his　feet；　unsure　of　what　to　do。　The　other　adult　tyrannosaur　was　on　the　far　side　of　the　nest；　purring　and　snorting。　The　one　that　had　brought　him　was　standing　over　him。
　　　　Dodgson　watched　the　babies　moving　toward　him；　with　their　downy　necks　and　their　sharp　little　jaws。　And　then　he　turned　to　run。　In　an　instant；　the　big　adult　brought　his　head　down；　knocking　Dodgson　over。　Then　the　tyrannosaur　raised　its　head　again；　and　waited。　Watching。
　　　　What　the　hell　is　going　on？　Dodgson　thought。　Cautiously；　he　got　to　his　feet　again。　And　again；　he　was　knocked　down。　The　infants　squeaked　and　came　closer。　He　saw　that　their　bodies　were　covered　in　bits　of　flesh　and　excrement。　He　could　smell　them。　He　got　up　on　all　fours；　and　began　crawling　away。
　　　　Something　grabbed　his　leg；　holding　him。　He　looked　back　and　saw　that　his　leg　was　in　the　jaws　of　the　tyrannosaur。　The　big　animal　held　it　gently　for　a　moment。　Then　it　bit　down　decisively。　The　bones　snapped　and　crunched。
　　　　Dodgson　screamed　in　pain。　He　could　no　longer　move。　He　could　no　longer　do　anything　but　scream。　The　babies　toddled　forward　eagerly。　For　a　few　seconds　they　kept　their　distance；　heads　darting　forward　to　take　quick　bites。　But　then；　when　Dodgson　did　not　move　away；　one　hopped　up　on　his　leg；　and　began　to　bite　at　the　bleeding　flesh。　The　second　jumped　on　his　crotch；　and　pecked　with　razor…sharp　jaws　at　his　waist。
　　　　The　third　came　right　alongside　his　face；　and　with　a　single　snap　bit　into　his　cheek。　Dodgson　howled。　He　saw　the　baby　eating　the　flesh　of　his　own　face。　His　blood　was　dripping　down　its　jaws。　The　baby　threw　its　head　back　and　swallowed　the　cheek；　and　then　turned；　opened　its　jaws　again；　and　closed　over　Dodgson's　neck。

SEVENTH　CONFIGURATION

〃Partial　restabilization　may　occur　after　eliminating
destructive　elements。　Survival　partly　determined　by　chance　events。〃

IAN　MALCOLM

Departure

The　boat　left　the　jungle　river　behind；　and　moved　into　darkness。　The　walls　of　the　cave　echoed　the　throb　of　the　engines　as　Thorne　steered　the　boat　through　the　swift　tidal　current。　To　their　left；　a　waterfall　splashed　down；　a　ray　of　light　on　cascading　water。　And　then　they　burst　out；　moving　beyond　the　high　cliff　wall　and　the　crashing　surf；　into　the　open　ocean。　Kelly　gave　a　cheer；　and　threw　her　arms　around　Arby；　who　winced　and　smiled。
　　　　Levine　looked　back　at　the　Island。　〃I　have　to　admit；　I　never　thought　we''d　make　it。　But　with　our　cameras　in　place；　and　the　uplink　working；　I　we　expect　we　can　continue　to　gather　the　data；　until　we　finally　get　our　answer　about　extinction。〃
　　　　Sarah　Harding　stared　at　him。　〃Maybe　we　will；　and　maybe　we　won't。〃
　　　　〃Why　not？　It's　a　perfect　Lost　World。〃
　　　　She　stared　at　him　in　disbelief。　〃It's　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　she　said。　〃Too　many　predators；　remember？〃
　　　　〃Well；　so　it　may　appear；　but　we　don't　know　…　〃
　　　　〃Richard；〃　she　said。　〃Ian　and　I　checked　the　records。　They　made　a　mistake　on　that　island；　many　years　ago。　Back　when　the　lab　was　still　in　production。〃
　　　　〃What　mistake？〃
　　　　〃They　were　manufacturing　infant　dinosaurs；　and　they　didn't　know　what　to　feed　them。　For　a　while　they　gave　them　goat's　milk；　which　was　fine。　It's　very　hypoallergenic。　But　as　the　carnivores　grew；　they　fed　them　a　special　animal…protein　extract。　And　the　extract　was　made　from　ground…up　sheep。〃
　　　　Levine　said；　〃So？　What's　wrong　with　that？〃
　　　　〃In　a　zoo；　they　never　use　sheep　extract；〃　she　said。　〃Because　of　the　danger　of　infection。〃
　　　　〃Infection；〃　Levine　repeated；　in　a　low　voice。　〃What　kind　of　infection？〃
　　　　〃Prions；〃　Malcolm　said；　from　the　other　side　of　the　boat。
　　　　Levine　looked　blank。
　　　　〃Prions；〃　Harding　said　are　the　simplest　disease…causing　entities　known；　even　simpler　than　viruses。　They're　just　protein　fragments。　They're　so　simple；　they　can't　even　invade　a　body　…　they　have　to　be　passively　ingested。　But　once　eaten；　they　cause　disease：　scrapie；　in　sheep；　mad…cow　disease；　and　kuru；　a　brain　disease　in　human　beings。　And　the　dinosaurs　developed　a　prion…disease　called　DX；　from　a　bad　batch　of　sheep　protein　extract。　The　lab　battled　it　for　years；　trying　to　get　rid　of　it；〃
　　　　〃You're　saying　they　didn't？〃
　　　　〃For　a　while；　it　seemed　as　if　they　did。　The　dinosaurs　were　flourishing。　But　then　something　happened。　The　disease　began　to　spread。　The　prions　are　excreted　in　feces；　so　it　is　possible　…　〃
　　　　〃Excreted　in　feces？〃　Levine　said。　〃The　pys　were　eating　feces。。。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　the　pys　are　all　infected。　The　pys　are　scavengers；　they　spread　the　protein　over　carcasses；　and　other　scavengers　became　infected。　Eventually；　all　the　raptors　were　infected。　Raptors　attack　healthy　animals；　not　always　successfully。　One　bite；　and　the　animal　bees　infected。　And　so；　bit　by　bit；　the　infection　spread　through　the　island　again。　That's　why　the　animals　die　early。　And　the　rapid　die…off　supports　a　much　larger　predator　population　than　you　would　expect　…　〃
　　　　Levine　was　visibly　anxious。　〃You　know；〃　he　said；　〃one　of　the　pys　bit　me。〃
　　　　〃I　wouldn't　worry；〃　Harding　said。　〃There　may　be　a　mild　encephalitis；　but　it's　usually　just　a　headache。　We'll　get　you　to　a　doctor　in　San　José。〃
　　　　Levine　began　to　sweat。　He　wiped　his　forehead　with　his　hand。　〃Actually；　I　don't　feel　very　good　at　all。〃
　　　　〃It　takes　a　week；　Richard；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　sure　you'll　be　fine。〃
　　　　Levine　sank　back　in　his　seat　unhappily。
　　　　〃But　the　point；〃　she　said；　〃is　that　I　doubt　this　island　will　be　able　to　tell　you　very　much　about　extinction。〃
　　　　Malcolm　stared　back　at　the　dark　cliffs　for　a　moment；　and　then　began　to　speak。　〃Maybe　that's　the　way　it　should　be；〃　he　said。　〃Because　extinction　has　always　been　a　great　mystery。　It's　happened　five　major　times　on　this　planet；　and　not　always　because　of　an　asteroid。　Everyone's　int