the.lost.world-第49部分

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　　　　Almost　immediately；　he　was　surrounded　by　dense　jungle。　He　tripped；　tumbled　down　a　muddy　slope；　and　when　he　got　to　his　feet　was　no　longer　sure　which　way　to　go。　He　was　at　the　bottom　of　a　ravine；　and　the　palm　trees　were　ten　feet　tall；　and　very　thick。　He　couldn't　see　more　than　a　few　feet　in　any　direction。　In　a　moment　of　panic；　he　realized　he　didn't　know　which　way　to　go。　He　pushed　forward　through　the　wet　leaves；　hoping　to　get　his　bearings　back。

The　kids　were　still　peering　over　the　railing；　looking　at　the　departing　raptors。　Thorne　pulled　Levine　to　one　side；　and　said　quietly；　〃Why　did　you　want　us　to　e　here？〃
　　　　〃Just　a　precaution；〃　Levine　said。　〃Bringing　the　infant　to　the　trailer　is　asking　for　trouble。〃
　　　　〃What　sort　of　trouble？〃
　　　　Levine　shrugged。　〃We　don't　know；　is　the　point。　But　in　general；　parents　don't　like　it　when　their　babies　are　taken　away。　And　that　baby　has　some　very　big　parents。〃
　　　　From　the　other　side　of　the　shelter　Arby　said；　〃Look！　Look！〃
　　　　〃What　is　it？〃　Levine　said。
　　　　〃It's　a　man。〃
　　　　Gasping　for　breath；　King　emerged　from　the　jungle　and　walked　out　onto　the　plain。　At　last　he　could　see　where　he　was！　He　paused；　soaked　and　muddy；　to　get　his　bearings。
　　　　He　was　disappointed　to　find　that　he　was　nowhere　near　the　boat。　In　fact；　he　still　seemed　to　be　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　road。　He　was　facing　a　broad　grassy　plain；　with　a　river　coursing　through　it。　The　plain　was　mostly　deserted；　although　there　were　several　dinosaurs　farther　down　the　banks。　They　were　the　horned　ones：　triceratops。　And　they　looked　a　little　agitated。　The　big　adults　were　raising　their　heads　up　and　down；　making　barking　sounds。
　　　　Obviously；　he　would　have　to　follow　the　river；　until　it　brought　him　to　the　boat。　But　he'd　have　to　be　careful　getting　past　these　triceratops。　He　reached　in　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　candy　bar。　He　ripped　the　wrapping　while　he　watched　the　triceratops；　wishing　they　would　go　away。　How　long　would　it　take　him　to　reach　the　boat？　That　was　the　only　question　on　his　mind。　He　decided　to　move；　triceratops　or　not。　He　began　walking　through　the　tall　grass。
　　　　Then　he　heard　a　reptilian　hiss。　It　was　ing　from　the　grass；　somewhere　to　his　left。　And　he　noticed　a　smell；　a　peculiar　rotten　smell。　He　paused；　waiting。　The　candy　bar　didn't　taste　so　good；　any　more。
　　　　Then；　behind　him；　he　heard　splashing。　It　was　ing　from　the　river。
　　　　King　turned　to　look。

〃It's　one　of　those　men　from　the　jeep；〃　Arby　said；　standing　in　the　high　hide。　〃But　why　is　he　waiting？〃
　　　　From　their　vantage　point；　they　could　see　the　dark　shapes　of　the　raptors；　moving　through　the　grass　on　the　other　side　of　the　river。　Now　two　of　the　raptors　came　forward；　splashing　in　the　water。　Moving　toward　the　man。
　　　　〃Oh　no；〃　Arby　said。
　　　　　　　　
King　saw　two　dark；　striped　lizards　moving　across　the　river。　They　walked　on　their　hind　legs；　with　a　sort　of　hopping　motion。　Their　bodies　were　reflected　in　the　flowing　water　of　the　river。　They　snapped　their　long　jaws；　and　hissed　menacingly　at　King。
　　　　He　glanced　upstream；　and　saw　another　lizard　crossing；　and　another　beyond　that。　Those　other　animals　were　already　deep　in　the　water；　and　had　begun　to　swim。
　　　　Howard　King　backed　away　from　the　river；　moving　deeper　into　the　tall　grass。　Then　he　turned；　and　ran。　He　was　chest…deep　in　grass　and　running　hard；　gasping　for　breath；　when　suddenly　another　lizard　head　rose　up　in　front　of　him；　hissing　and　snarling。　He　dodged；　changed　direction；　but　suddenly　the　nearest　lizard　leapt　in　the　air。　It　jumped　so　high　its　body　cleared　the　grass…；　he　could　see　the　entire　animal　flying　through　the　air；　its　two　hind　legs　raised　to　pounce。　He　glimpsed　curved；　dagger…like　claws。
　　　　King　turned　again　and　the　lizard　shrieked　as　it　landed　on　the　ground　behind　him；　and　tumbled　away　in　the　grass。　King　ran　on。　He　was　energized　by　pure　fear。　Behind　him　he　heard　the　lizard　snarling。　He　ran　hard：　ahead　was　another　twenty　yards　of　grassy　clearing；　and　then　the　jungle　began　again。　He　saw　trees　…　big　trees。　He　could　climb　one　and　get　away。
　　　　Off　to　the　left；　he　saw　another　lizard　moving　diagonally　across　the　clearing　toward　him。　King　could　only　see　the　head　above　the　grass。　The　lizard　seemed　to　be　moving　incredibly　fast。　He　thought：　I'm　not　going　to　make　it。
　　　　But　he　would　try。
　　　　Panting；　lungs　searing；　he　sprinted　for　the　trees。　Only　ten　more　yards　now。　His　arms　pumped；　his　legs　churned。　His　breath　came　in　ragged　gasps。
　　　　And　then　something　heavy　struck　him　from　behind；　forcing　him　to　the　ground；　and　he　felt　searing　pain　down　his　back　and　he　knew　…it　was　the　claws；　they　dug　into　the　flesh　of　his　back　as　he　was　knocked　down。　He　hit　the　dirt　hard；　and　tried　to　roll；　but　the　animal　on　his　back　held　on；　he　could　not　move。　He　was　pinned　down　on　his　stomach；　hearing　the　animal　snarl　behind　him。　The　pain　in　his　back　was　excruciating；　dizzying。
　　　　And　then　he　felt　the　animal's　hot　breath　on　the　back　of　his　neck；　and　he　heard　the　snorting　breath；　and　his　terror　was　extreme。　Then　suddenly　a　kind　of　lassitude；　a　deep　and　wele　sleepiness；　took　him。　Everything　became　slow。　As　if　in　a　dream；　he　could　see　all　the　blades　of　grass　in　the　ground　in　front　of　his　face。　He　saw　them　with　a　kind　of　languid　intensity；　and　he　almost　did　not　mind　the　sharp　pain　on　his　neck；　and　he　almost　did　not　care　that　his　neck　was　within　the　animal's　hot　jaws。　It　seemed　to　be　happening　to　someone　else。　He　was　many　miles　away。　He　had　a　moment　of　surprise　when　he　felt　the　bones　of　his　neck　crunching　loudly　…
　　　　And　then　blackness。
　　　　Nothing。

〃Don't　look；〃　Thorne　said；　turning　Arby　away　from　the　railing　in　the　high　hide。　He　drew　the　boy　toward　his　chest；　but　Arby　impatiently　pushed　away　again；　to　watch　what　was　happening。　Thorne　reached　for　Kelly；　but　she　stepped　away　from　him；　and　stared　out　at　the　plain。
　　　　〃Don't　look；〃　Thorne　kept　saying。　〃Don't　look。〃
　　　　The　kids　watched；　in　silence。

Levine　focused　his　binoculars　on　the　kill。　There　were　now　five　raptors　snarling　around　the　man's　body；　tearing　viciously　at　the　carcass。　As　he　watched；　one　of　the　raptors　jerked　its　head　up；　tearing　away　a　piece　of　blood…soaked　shirt；　the　ragged　edge　of　the　collar。　Another　was　shaking　the　man's　severed　head　in　its　jaws；　before　finally　dropping　it　on　the　ground。　Thunder　rumbled；　and　lightning　flashed　in　the　distant　sky。　It　was　growing　dark；　and　Levine　was　having　difficulty　seeing　exactly　what　was　happening。　But　it　was　clear　that　whatever　hierarchical　organization　they　had　adopted　for　hunting　was　abandoned　for　a　kill。
　　　　Here　it　was　every　animal　for　itself；　the　frenzied　raptors　hopped　and　ducked　their　heads　as　they　tore　the　body　to　pieces；　and　there　was　plenty　of　nipping　and　fighting　among　themselves。　One　animal　came　up；　with　something　brown　hanging　from　its　jaws。　The　animal　got　an　odd　expression　on　its　face　as　it　chewed。　Then　it　turned　away　from　the　rest　of　the　pack；　and　held　the　brown　object　carefully　in　its　forearms。　In　the　growing　darkness；　it　took　Levine　a　moment　to　recognize　what　it　was　doing：　it　was　eating　a　candy　bar。　And　it　seemed　to　be　enjoying　it。
　　　　The　raptor　turned　back；　and　buried　its　long　nose　in　the　bloody　carcass　again。　From　across　the　plain；　other　raptors　were　racing　to　join　the　feast；　half…running；　half…bounding　in　great　forward　leaps。　Snarling　and　furious；　they　threw　themselves　into　the　fray。
　　　　Levine　lowered　his　glasses；　and　looked　at　the　two　kids。　They　were　staring　silently　and　calmly　at　the　kill。

Dodgson
　　　　
Dodgson　was　awakened　by　a　noisy　chattering；　like　the　sound　of　a　hundred　tiny　birds。　It　seemed　to　be　ing　from　all　around　him。　Slowly；　he　realized　that　he　was　lying　on　his　back；　on　damp　sloping　ground。　He　tried　to　move；　but　his　body　felt　painful　and　heavy。　Some　sort　of　weight　pressed　down　on　his　legs；　his　stomach；　his　arms。　The　weight　on　his　chest　made　it　difficult　to　breathe。
　　　　And　he　was　sleepy；　incredibly　sleepy。　He　wanted　nothing　more　in　all　the　world　than　to　go　back　to　sleep。　Dodgson　started　to　drift　off　to　unconsciousness；　but　something　was　pulling　at　his　hand。　Tugging　at　his　fingers；　one　by　one。　As　if　pulling　him　back　to　consciousness。　Slowly；　slowly；　pulling　him　back。
　　　　Dodgson　opened　his　eyes。
　　　　There　was　a　little　green　dinosaur　standing　beside　his　hand。　It　leaned　over；　and　bit　his　finger　in　its　tiny　jaws；　tugging　at　the　flesh。　His　fingers　were　bleeding；　ragged　chunks　of　flesh　had　already　been　bitten　away。
　　　　He　pulled　his　hand　away　in　surprise；　and　suddenly　the　chattering　grew　louder。　He　turned　and　saw　that　he　was　surrounded　by　these　little　dinosaurs；　they　were　standing　on　his　chest　and　legs　as　well。　They　were　the　size　of　chickens　and　they　pecked　at　him　like　chickens；　quick　darting　bites　on　his　stomach；　his　thighs；　his　crotch　…
　　　　Revolted；　Dodgson　jumped　to　his　feet；　scattering　the　lizards；　which　hopped　away；　chirping　in　annoyance。　The　little　animals　moved　a　few　feet　away；　then　stopped。　They　turned　back；　and　stared　at　him；　showing　no　sign　of　fear。　On　the　contrary；　they　seemed　to　be　waiting。
　　　　That　was　when　he　realized　what　they　were。　They　were　propsognathids。　pys。
　　　　Scavengers。
　　　　Christ；　he　thought。　They　thought　I　was　dead。
　　　　He　staggered　back；　almost　losing　his　balance。　He　felt　pain　and　a　wave　of　dizziness。　The　little　animals　chittered；　watched　his　every　move。
　　　　〃Go　on；〃　he　said；　waving　his　hand。　〃Get　out　of　here。〃
　　　　They　did　not　leave。　They　stood　there；　cocking　their　heads　to　one　side　quizzically；　and　waited。　　　　
　　　　He　bent　his　head；　stared　down　at　himself。　His　shirt；　his　trousers　were　torn　in　a　hundred　places。　Blood　dribbled　from　a　hundred　tiny　wounds　down　his　clothes。　He　felt　a　wave　of　dizziness　and　put　his　hands　on　his　knees。　He　took　a　deep　breath；　and　watched　his　blood　drip　onto　the　leaf…strewn　ground。
　　　　Christ；　he　thought。　He　took　another　deep　breath。
　　　　When　he　did　not　move；　the　animals　began　to　inch　forward。　He　stood　up；　and　they　backed　away。　But　a　moment　later；　they　began　to　e　forward　again。
　　　　One　came　close。　Dodgson　kicked　it　viciously；　sending　the　little　body　flying　through　the　air。　The　animal　squealed　in　alarm；　but　it　landed　like　a　cat；　upright　and　uninjured。
　　　　The　others　remained　where　they　were。　Waiting。

He　looked　around；　realized　it　was　getting　dark。　He　looked　at　his　watch：　6：40。　There　were　only　a　few　minutes　more　of　daylight。　Beneath　the　jungle　canopy；　i