ch.nativetongue-第3部分

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　〃When's　the　last　time　you　heard　a　child　say　that　word？〃
　〃Which　word；　Charlie？〃
　〃You　know。　The　〃F　word。〃
　〃I've　heard　children　say　it。　Plenty　of　times。〃
　〃Not　here；　you　haven't。〃　Charles　Chelsea　sat　up　straight；　trying　to　radiate　authority。　〃This　is　a　major　event　for　us；　Joey。　We've　had　a　robbery　on　the　premises。　Felons　invaded　the　theme　park。　Somebody　could've　been　hurt。〃
　〃Rat…nappers；〃　Winder　remarked。　〃Not　exactly　Ted　Bundy。〃
　〃Hey；〃　Chelsea　said；　tapping　a　lacquered　fingernail　on　the　desk。　〃Hey；　this　is　serious。　Mr。　X　is　watching　very　closely　to　see　how　we　do。　All　of　us；　Joe；　all　of　us　in　Publicity　are　on　red　alert　until　this　thing　blows　over。　We　mishandle　it；　and　it　blows　up　into　a　story　about　crime　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom。　If　we　can　spin　it　around；　it's　a　story　about　a　crime　against　Nature。　Nature　with　a　capital　〃N。〃　The　annihilation　of　an　entire　species。　Where's　your　notebook？〃
　〃Downstairs；　on　my　desk。〃
　〃Listen；　you're　my　ace　in　the　hole。　Whatever　gets　dumped　in　my　lap　gets　dumped　in　yours。〃
　Joe　Winder's　sinuses　hurt　so　much　he　thought　his　eyeballs　must　be　leaking　from　the　inside。　He　didn't　want　to　be　Chelsea's　ace　in　the　hole。
　Chelsea　said；　〃And；　Joe；　while　we're　at　it；　what'd　I　tell　you　about　the　hair？　No　braids。〃
　〃But　it's　all　the　rage；〃　Winder　said。
　〃Get　it　cut　before　Kingsbury　sees　you。　Please；　Joe；　you　look　like　a　Navajo　nightmare。〃
　〃Nice　talk；　Charlie。〃
　〃Sit　down；〃　said　Chelsea；　〃and　put　on　your　writing　cap。〃
　〃I'd　love　to　look　as　spiffy　as　you；　but　you　bought　up　all　the　oxford　shirts　in　Miami。　Either　that　or　you　wear　the　same　one　every　day。〃
　Chelsea　wasn't　listening。　〃Before　we　begin；　there's　some　stuff　you　need　to　know。〃
　〃Like　what？〃
　〃Like　their　names。〃
　〃Whose　names？〃
　〃The　voles；〃　Charles　Chelsea　said。　〃Vance　and　Violet…two　helpless；　adorable；　fuzzy　little　furballs。　Mated　for　life。　The　last　of　their　species；　Joey。〃
　With　a　straight　face；　Winder　repeated　the　names　of　the　missing　creatures。　〃Vance　and　Violet　Vole。　That's　lovely。〃　He　glanced　at　his　wristwatch；　and　saw　that　it　was　half　past　five。　〃Charlie；〃　he　said；　〃you　don't　happen　to　have　any　Darvons？〃
　Chelsea　said；　〃I　wish　you　were　writing　this　stuff　down。〃
　〃What　the　hell　for？〃
　〃For　the　story。　The　story　of　how　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　tried　everything　in　his　power　to　save　the　blue…tongued　mango　voles　from　extinction。〃
　〃Only　to　be　thwarted　by　robbers？〃
　〃You　got　it；〃　said　Charles　Chelsea。　〃Stay　late　if　necessary　and　take　a　p　day　next　week…I　need　a　thousand　words　by　tomorrow　morning。　I　promised　Corporate　a　press　kit。〃　He　stood　up　and　waited　for　Joe　Winder　to　do　the　same。　〃Get　with　Koocher　for　more　background　on　the　missing　animals。　He's　got　reams　of　pictures；　too；　in　case　you　need　inspiration。　By　the　way；　did　you　ever　get　to　see　them？〃
　Winder　felt　oddly　detached。　〃The　voles？　No；　not　in　person；〃　he　said。　〃I　wasn't　even　aware　they　had　actual　names。〃
　〃They　do　now。〃
　At　the　door；　Charles　Chelsea　winked　and　shook　Joe　Winder's　hand。　〃You　know；　Joe；　some　people　in　the　organization　weren't　too　thrilled　when　we　brought　you　aboard。　I　mean；　after　what　happened　up　at　Disney。〃
　Winder　nodded　politely。　Chelsea's　hand　felt　moist　and　lifeless；　like　a　slab　of　cold　grouper。
　〃But；　by　God；　I　knew　you'd　be　fine。　That　speech　today　was　masterful；　Joey；　a　classic。〃
　〃A　classic。〃
　〃I　need　you　on　this　one。　The　other　kids　are　fine；　they　can　turn　a　phrase。　But　they're　right　out　of　school；　most　of　them；　and　they're　not　ready　for　something　so　big。　For　this　I　need　somebody　with　scars。　bat　experience。〃
　With　effort；　Joe　Winder　said；　〃Guess　I'm　your　man。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　chucked　him　on　the　arm　and　opened　the　door。
　〃What　about　a　reward？〃　Winder　asked。　〃In　the　press　release；　should　I　say　we're　offering　a　reward？〃
　Thinking　about　it；　Chelsea　nearly　rubbed　the　tan　off　his　chin。　〃I　guess　it　couldn't　hurt；〃　he　said　finally。　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　〃For　two　rats？　Ten　grand　is　good。〃
　〃Voles；　Joe。　Don't　ever　say　rats。　And　five　grand　is　plenty。〃
　Winder　shrugged。　〃The　park　netted　forty…two　million　dollars　last　year。　I　know　a　few　reporters　who'd　be　happy　to　remind　us。〃
　〃All　right；　go　for　ten；〃　said　Charles　Chelsea。　〃But　don't　overplay　it。　Otherwise　every　geek　in　Miami　is　going　to　show　up　at　the　gate　with　shoe　boxes　full　of　God　knows　what。〃
　The　thought　of　it　made　Joe　Winder　smile　for　the　first　time　all　day。
　
　One　of　the　few　things　Winder　liked　about　his　new　job　was　the　golf　cart　he　got　to　drive　around　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　It　was　a　souped…up　Cushman　with　an　extra　set　of　twelve…volts；　and　headlights　scavenged　off　a　real　Jeep。　It　was　the　closest　thing　to　a　pany　car　that　Joe　Winder　had　ever　had；　and　sometimes　（especially　on　that　long　downhill　stretch　between　Magic　Mansion　and　the　Wet　Willy）　he　could　stomp　on　the　tiny　accelerator　and　forget　what　exactly　he　did　for　a　living。　At　night　Joe　Winder　tried　to　drive　more　carefully；　because　it　was　harder　to　watch　out　for　the　tourists。　The　tourists　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　seldom　paid　attention　to　where　they　were　going；　they　wandered　and　weaved；　peered　and　pointed。　And　who　could　blame　them？　There　were　so　many　colorful　and　entertaining　distractions。　Before　Charles　Chelsea　had　given　Joe　Winder　the　keys　to　the　Cushman；　he　had　warned　him　to　be　wary　when　driving　near　the　tourists。　〃Whatever　you　do；　don't　hit　one；〃　Chelsea　had　said。　〃If　you're　going　to　crash；　aim　for　a　building；〃　he　had　advised；　〃or　even　a　park　employee。　Anything　but　a　paying　customer。〃
　So　Joe　Winder　drove　with　extra　caution　in　the　golf　cart　at　night。　He　arrived　at　the　Rare　Animal　Pavilion　shortly　after　eight；　and　parked　in　the　back。　Dr。　Will　Koocher；　the　vole　man；　was　waiting　inside　with　handouts　and　glossy　photographs。　Winder　sat　on　a　lab　stool　and　skimmed　the　material。
　Koocher　said；　〃We　kept　the　information　fairly　general。　They　tell　me　the　pictures　usually　go　over　big。〃
　As　Winder　studied　the　photographs；　he　said；　〃Cute　little　buggers。〃
　〃They're　just　rodents；〃　the　doctor　noted；　without　malice。
　〃You　don't　understand；〃　Winder　said；　〃Cuteness　is　vital　for　a　story　like　this。〃　He　explained　how　newspapers　and　television　stations　got　much　more　excited　about　animal　stories　when　the　animal　came　across　as　cuddly　and　lovable。　〃I'm　not　saying　it's　good　or　bad；　but　that's　the　way　it　is。〃
　Will　Koocher　nodded。　〃Like　with　the　manatees…everybody　wants　to　save　the　manatees；　but　nobody　gives　a　hoot　about　the　poor　crocodiles。〃
　〃Because　they're　not　particularly　cute；〃　Winder　said。　〃Who　wants　to　hug　a　reptile？〃
　〃I　see　your　point。〃　Will　Koocher　was　a　gaunt　young　man　with　the　longest　neck　that　Joe　Winder　had　ever　seen。　He　seemed　painfully　earnest　and　shy；　and　Winder　liked　him　immediately。
　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　can；〃　Koocher　said；　〃but　I've　only　been　here　a　month。〃
　Like　everything　else　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom；　the　Vole　Project　had　begun　as　a　scheme　to　pete　with　Walt　Disney　World。　Years　earlier；　Disney　had　tried　to　save　the　dusky　seaside　sparrow；　a　small　marsh　bird　whose　habitat　was　being　wiped　out　by　overdevelopment　along　Florida's　coastline。　With　much　fanfare；　Disney　had　unveiled　a　captive…breeding　program　for　the　last　two　surviving　specimens　of　the　dusky。　Unfortunately；　the　last　two　surviving　specimens　were　both　males；　and　even　the　wizards　of　Disney　could　not　induce　the　scientific　miracle　of　homosexual　procreation。　Eventually　the　sparrow　fell　to　extinction；　but　the　Disney　organization　won　gobs　of　fawning　publicity　for　its　conservation　efforts。
　Not　to　be　outdone　（although　he　invariably　was）；　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　had　selected　another　endangered　species　and　manded　that　his　staff　save　it；　ASAP。　And　so　the　Vole　Project　was　born。
　Koocher　had　gotten　the　phone　call　while　finishing　his　thesis　at　Cornell。　〃I'd　published　two　field　studies　on　the　genus　Microtus；　so　I　suppose　that's　where　they　got　my　name。　Anyway；　this　guy　Chelsea　calls　and　asks　if　I'd　heard　of　Microtus　mango；　and　I　said　no；　all　my　work　was　on　the　northern　species。　He　sent　me　a　scientific　paper　that　had　been　published；　and　offered　me　a　job。　Forty　grand　a　year。〃
　〃That's　good　money　right　out　of　school。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　it。　I　burned　up　the　interstate　getting　down　here。〃
　〃And　that's　when　you　met　Violet　and　Vance。〃
　〃Who's　that？〃
　〃The　voles；〃　Winder　said。　〃They've　got　names　now。〃
　〃Really？〃　Will　Koocher　looked　doubtful。　〃I　always　called　them　Male　One　and　Female　One。〃
　〃Not　anymore。　Kingsbury's　got　big　plans；　PR…wise。　The　little　mango　curies　are　going　to　be　famous…don't　be　surprised　if　the　networks　show　up　tomorrow。〃
　〃Is　that　so；〃　Koocher　said；　with　not　the　wildest　enthusiasm。　Winder　sensed　that　the　scientist　disapproved　of　anthropomorphizing　rodents；　so　he　decided　to　lay　off　the　Vance…and…Violet　routine。　Instead　he　asked　about　the　tongue。
　〃Well；　it　really　is　blue；〃　Koocher　said　stiffly。　〃Remarkably　blue。〃
　〃Could　I　say　indigo？〃　Joe　Winder　was　taking　notes。
　〃Yeah；〃　said　Koocher；　〃that's　about　right。〃　He　started　to　say　something　more；　but　caught　himself。
　Joe　Winder　asked：　〃So　what　killed　off　the　rest　of　them？　Was　it　disease？〃
　〃No；　same　old　story。　The　encroachment　of　mankind。〃　Koocher　unfolded　a　map　that　illustrated　how　the　mango　vole　had　once　ranged　from　the　Middle　Keys　up　to　Palm　Beach。　As　the　coastline　surrendered　to　hotels；　subdivisions　and　condominiums；　the　voles〃　territory　shrank。　〃They　tell　me　the　last　known　colony　was　here；　on　North　Key　Largo。　One　of　Kingsbury's　foremen　found　it　in　1988；　but　so　did　a　hungry　barn　owl。　They　were　lucky　to　save　the　two　that　they　did。〃
　〃And　they　mated　for　life？〃　said　Winder。
　Koocher　seemed　amused。　〃Who　told　you　that？〃
　〃Chelsea。〃
　〃That　figures。　Voles　don't　mate　for　life。　They　mate　for　fun；　and　they　mate　with　just　about　anything　that　resembles　another　vole。〃
　Winder　said；　〃Then　here's　another　dumb　question：　Why　were　there　only　two　in　our　exhibit？　They'd　been　together；　what；　a　year？　So　where're　all　the　bouncing　baby　voles？〃
　Edgily；　Koocher　said；　〃That's　been　our　biggest　disappointment。〃
　〃I　did　some　reading　up　on　it；〃　Winder　said。　〃With　your　typical　Microtus；　the　female　gives　birth　every　two　months。　Each　litter's　got　eight　or　nine　babies…at　that　rate；　you　could　replenish　the　whole　species　in　a　year。〃
　Will　Koocher　shifted　unfortably。　〃Female　One　was　not　receptiv