the.lost.world-第43部分

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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　of　my　professors。〃
　　　　〃Really？〃　It　didn't　seem　possible。
　　　　〃Oh　yes；〃　Sarah　said。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact　…　〃
　　　　From　the　other　section　of　the　trailer；　they　heard　Malcolm　say；　No！　No！　Those　idiots！　They　could　ruin　everything！〃
　　　　Sarah　immediately　turned；　and　went　into　the　other　section。　Kelly　jumped　off　the　seat；　and　hurried　after　her。

The　men　were　all　clustered　around　the　monitor。　Everyone　was　talking　at　once；　and　they　seemed　to　be　upset。　〃This　is　terrible；〃　Malcolm　was　saying。　〃Terrible！〃
　　　　Thorne　said；　〃Is　that　a　jeep？〃
　　　　〃They　had　a　red　Jeep；〃　Harding　said；　ing　up　to　look。
　　　　〃Then　it's　Dodgson；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃Damn！〃
　　　　〃What's　he　doing　here？〃
　　　　〃I　can　guess。〃
　　　　Kelly　pushed　through　to　get　a　look。　On　the　screen；　she　saw　foliage；　and　intermittent　flashes　of　a　red…and…black　vehicle。
　　　　〃Where　are　they　now？〃　Malcolm　said　to　Arby。
　　　　〃I　think　they're　in　the　east　valley；〃　Arby　said。　〃Near　where　we　found　Dr。　Levine。〃
　　　　The　radio　clicked。　Levine's　voice　said；　〃Do　you　mean　there　are　now　other　people　on　the　island？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　Richard。〃
　　　　〃Well；　you　better　go　stop　them；　before　they　mess　everything　up。〃
　　　　〃I　know。　Do　you　want　to　e　back？〃
　　　　〃Not　without　a　pelling　reason。　Inform　me　if　one　arises。〃　And　his　radio　clicked　off。
　　　　Harding　stared　at　the　screen；　watching　the　Jeep。　〃That's　them；　all　right；〃　she　said。　〃That's　your　friend　Dodgson。〃
　　　　〃He's　not　my　friend；〃　Malcolm　said。　He　got　up；　wincing　in　pain　from　his　leg。　〃Let's　go；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　to　stop　these　bastards。　There's　no　time　to　waste。〃

Nest

The　red　jeep　Wrangler　rolled　softly　to　a　stop。　Directly　ahead　was　a　wall　of　dense　foliage。　But　through　it　they　could　see　sunlight；　from　the　clearing　beyond。
　　　　Dodgson　sat　quietly　in　the　car；　listening。　King　turned　to　him　I　I　about　to　speak；　but　Dodgson　held　up　his　hand；　gesturing　to　him　to　be　silent。
　　　　Then　he　heard　it　clearly　…　a　low　rumbling　growl；　almost　a　purr。　It　was　ing　from　beyond　the　foliage　ahead。　It　sounded　like　the　biggest　jungle　cat　he　had　ever　heard。　And　intermittently；　he　felt　a　slight　vibration；　hardly　anything；　but　enough　to　make　the　car　keys　clink　against　the　steering　column。　As　he　felt　that　vibration；　it　slowly　dawned　on　him：　It's　walking。
　　　　Something　very　big。　Walking。
　　　　Beside　him；　King　was　staring　forward　in　astonishment；　his　mouth　hung　open。　Dodgson　glanced　back　at　Baselton；　the　professor　was　gripping　the　seat　with　white　fingers；　as　he　listened　to　the　sound。
　　　　A　shadow　moved　across　the　ferns　directly　ahead。　judging　the　shadow；　the　animal　was　twenty　feet　high；　and　forty　feet　long。　It　walked　on　its　hind　legs；　and　had　a　large　body；　a　short　neck；　a　very　big　head。
　　　　A　tyrannosaur。
　　　　Dodgson　hesitated；　staring　at　the　shadow。　His　heart　was　pounding　in　his　chest。　He　considered　going　on　to　the　next　nest；　but　he　was　confident　that　the　box　would　work　here；　too。　He　said；　〃Let's　get　this　over　with。　Give　me　the　box。〃
　　　　Baselton　handed　him　the　box；　just　as　he　had　done　before。
　　　　Dodgson　said；　〃Charged？〃
　　　　〃Batteries　arc　charged；〃　King　said。
　　　　〃Okay；〃　he　said。　〃Here　we　go。　Exactly　the　same　as　before。　I'll　go　first；　you　two　follow；　and　bring　the　eggs　back　to　the　car。　Ready？〃
　　　　〃Ready；〃　Baselton　said。
　　　　King　did　not　answer。　He　was　still　staring　at　the　shadow。　〃What　kind　of　a　dinosaur　is　that？〃
　　　　〃That's　a　tyrannosaurus。〃
　　　　〃Oh　Jesus；〃　King　said。
　　　　〃A　tyrannosaurus？〃　Baselton　said。
　　　　〃It　doesn't　matter　what　it　is；〃　Dodgson　said　irritably。　〃Just　follow　the　plan；　like　before。　Everybody　ready？〃
　　　　〃Just　a　minute；〃　Baselton　said。
　　　　King　said；　〃What　if　it　doesn't　work？〃
　　　　〃We　already　know　it　works；〃　Dodgson　said。
　　　　〃There's　a　rather　curious　fact　about　tyrannosaurs　that　was　recently　reported；〃　Baselton　said。　〃A　paleontologist　named　Roxton　did　a　study　of　the　tyrannosaur　braincase；　and　concluded　that　they　have　a　brain　not　much　different　from　a　frog's；　although　of　course　much　bigger。　The　implication　was　their　nervous　systems　were　adapted　to　motion　only。　They　can　't　see　you　if　you　stand　still。　Stationary　objects　bee　invisible　to　them。〃
　　　　Are　you　sure　about　that？〃　King　said。
　　　　Baselton　said；　〃That　was　the　report。　And　it　makes　perfect　sense。　One　can't　forget　that　dinosaurs；　for　all　their　intimidating　size；　were　actually　rather　primitive　intellects。　It's　quite　logical　that　a　tyrannosaur　would　have　the　mental　equipment　of　a　frog。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　see　why　we're　rushing　into　this；〃　King　said；　nervously。　He　stared　forward。　〃It's　much　bigger　than　the　other　ones。〃
　　　　〃So　what？〃　Dodgson　said。　〃You　heard　what　George　said。　It's　just　a　big　frog。　Let's　get　it　done。　Get　out　of　the　fucking　car。　And　don't　slam　the　doors。〃

George　Baselton　had　felt　quite　good　and　authoritative；　recalling　that　obscure　article　from　the　journals。　He　had　been　in　his　accustomed　role；　dispensing　information　to　people　who　lacked　it。　Now　that　he　approached　the　nest；　he　was　astonished　to　notice　that　his　knees　had　begun　to　tremble。　His　legs　felt　like　rubber；　He　had　always　thought　that　was　a　figure　of　speech。　He　was　alarmed　to　realize　it　could　be　literally　true。　He　bit　his　lip；　and　forced　himself　under　control。　He　was　not；　he　told　himself；　going　to　show　fear。　He　was　the　master　of　this　situation。
　　　　Dodgson　was　already　moving　ahead；　holding　the　black　box　like　a　gun　in　his　hand。　Baselton　glanced　over　at　King；　who　was　deathly　pale　and　sweating。　He　looked　on　the　verge　of　collapse；　he　moved　forward　slowly。　Baselton　walked　alongside　him。　Making　sure　he　was　all　right。
　　　　Up　ahead；　Dodgson　gave　a　final　glance　back；　waved　to　Baselton　and　King　to　catch　up。　He　glared　at　both　of　them；　and　then　he　stepped　through　the　foliage　into　the　clearing。
　　　　Baselton　saw　the　tyrannosaur。　No　…　there　were　two！　They　stood　on　both　sides　of　a　mud　mound；　two　adults；　twenty　feet　high　on　their　hind　legs；　powerful；　dark　red；　with　big　vicious　jaws。　Like　the　maiasaurs；　the　animals　stared　at　Dodgson　for　a　moment；　a　dumb　stare；　as　if　amazed　to　see　an　intruder。　And　then　the　tyrannosatirs　roared　in　fury。　An　incredible；　bellowing；　air…shaking　roar。
　　　　Dodgson　lifted　the　box；　pointed　it　at　the　animals。　Immediately；　a　continuous；　high…pitched　shriek　filled　the　clearing。
　　　　The　tyrannosaurs　roared　in　response；　and　lowered　their　heads；　extending　their　necks　forward；　snapping　their　jaws；　preparing　to　attack。　They　were　huge　…　and　they　were　unaffected　by　the　sound。　They　started　to　e　around　the　mound；　toward　Dodgson。　The　earth　shook　as　they　moved。
　　　　〃Oh　fuck；〃　Kin　said。
　　　　But　Dodgson　stayed　cool。　He　twisted　the　dial。　Baselton　clapped　his　hands　over　his　cars。　The　shriek　became　higher；　louder；　ear…splitting；　incredibly　painful。　The　response　was　immediate：　the　tyrannosaurs　stepped　back　as　if　they　had　received　a　physical　blow。　They　ducked　their　heads。　They　blinked　their　eyes　rapidly。　The　sound　seemed　to　vibrate　in　the　air。　They　roared　again；　but　weakly　now；　without　conviction。　A　terrible　screaming　came　from　inside　the　mud　nest。
　　　　Dodgson　moved　forward；　pointing　the　box　in　the　air；　directly　at　the　animals。　The　tyrannosaurs　backed　away；　looking　into　the　nest；　then　to　Dodgson。　They　swung　their　heads　back　and　for