the.lost.world-第51部分

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　　　　Malcolm　said；　〃I'm　afraid　so。　Now；　let　me　see　if　I　can　find　ou　…　〃
　　　　A　soft　alarm　sounded。　On　the　wall　panel　above　him；　a　red　light　began　to　flash。　A　moment　later；　the　exterior　lights　above　the　trailer　turned　on；　bathing　the　grassy　clearing　around　them　in　bright　halogen　glare。
　　　　〃What's　that？〃　Harding　said。
　　　　〃The　sensors　…　something　set　them　off。〃　Malcolm　moved　away　from　the　puter；　peered　out　the　window。　He　saw　nothing　but　tall　grass；　and　the　dark　trees　at　the　perimeter。　It　was　silent；　still。
　　　　Sarah；　still　intent　on　the　baby；　said；　〃What　happened？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know。　I　don't　see　anything。〃
　　　　〃But　something　triggered　the　sensors？〃
　　　　〃I　guess。〃
　　　　〃Wind？〃
　　　　〃There's　no　wind；〃　he　said。

In　the　high　hide；　Kelly　said；〃Hey；　look！〃
　　　　Thorne　turned。　From　their　location　in　the　valley；　they　could　look　north　to　the　high　cliff　behind　them　and　the　two　trailers　above；　in　the　grassy　clearing。
　　　　The　exterior　lights　on　the　trailers　had　e　on。
　　　　Thorne　unclipped　the　radio　at　his　belt。　〃Ian？　Are　you　there？〃
　　　　A　momentary　crackle：　〃I'm　here；　Doc。〃
　　　　〃What's　happening？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃The　perimeter　lights　just　turned　on。　I　think　the　sensor　was　activated。　But　we　don't　see　anything　out　there。〃
　　　　Eddie　said；　〃Air's　cooling　off　fast　now。　Might　have　been　convection　currents；　set　it　off。〃
　　　　Thorne　said；　〃Ian？　Everything　okay？〃
　　　　〃Yes。　Fine。　Don't　worry。〃
　　　　Eddie　said；　〃I　always　figured　we　set　the　sensitivity　too　high。　That's　all　it　is。
　　　　Levine　frowned；　and　said　nothing。

Sarah　finished　with　the　baby；　and　wrapped　him　in　a　blanket；　and　gently　strapped　him　down　to　the　table　with　cloth　restraint　straps。　She　came　over　and　stood　beside　Malcolm。　She　looked　out　the　window。
　　　　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　　　　Malcolm　shrugged。　〃Eddie　says　the　system's　too　sensitive。〃
　　　　〃Is　it？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know。　It's　never　been　tested　before。〃　He　scanned　the　trees　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing；　looking　for　any　movement。　Then　he　thought　he　heard　a　snorting　sound；　almost　a　growl。　It　seemed　like　it　was　answered　from　somewhere　behind　him。　He　went　to　look　out　the　other　side　of　the　trailer；　at　the　trees　on　the　other　side。
　　　　Malcolm　and　Harding　looked　out；　straining　to　see　something　in　the　night。　Malcolm　held　his　breath；　tensely。　After　a　moment；　Harding　sighed。　〃I　don't　see　anything；　Ian。〃
　　　　〃No。　Me　neither。〃
　　　　'Must　be　a　false　alarm。〃
　　　　Then　he　felt　the　vibration；　a　deep　resonant　thumping　in　the　ground；　that　was　carried　to　them　through　the　floor　of　the　trailer。　He　glanced　at　Sarah。　Her　eyes　widened。
　　　　Malcolm　knew　what　it　was。　The　vibration　came　again；　unmistakably　this　time。
　　　　Sarah　stared　out　the　window。　She　whispered；　〃Ian：　I　see　it。〃
　　　　Malcolm　turned；　and　joined　her。　She　was　pointing　out　the　window　toward　the　nearest　trees。
　　　　〃What？〃
　　　　And　then　he　saw　the　big　head　emerge　from　the　foliage　midway　u　one　tree。　The　head　turned　slowly　from　side　to　side；　as　if　listening。　It　was　an　adult　Tyrannosaurus　rex。
　　　　〃Ian；〃　she　whispered。　〃Look　…　there　are　two　of　them。〃
　　　　Over　to　the　right；　he　saw　a　second　animal　step　from　behind　the　trees。　It　was　larger；　the　female　of　the　pair。　The　animals　growled；　a　deep　rumble　in　the　night。　They　emerged　slowly　from　the　cover　of　the　trees；　stepping　into　the　clearing。　They　blinked　in　the　harsh　light。
　　　　〃Are　those　the　parents？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know。　I　think　so。〃
　　　　He　glanced　over　at　the　baby。　It　was　still　unconscious；　breathing　steadily；　the　blanket　rising　and　falling　regularly。
　　　　〃What　are　they　doing　here？〃　she　said。
　　　　〃I　don't　know。〃
　　　　The　animals　were　still　standing　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing；　near　the　cover　of　the　trees。　They　seemed　hesitant；　waiting。
　　　　〃Are　they　looking　for　the　baby？〃　she　said。
　　　　〃Sarah；　please。〃
　　　　〃I'm　serious。〃
　　　　〃That's　ridiculous。〃
　　　　〃Why？　They　must　have　tracked　it　here。〃
　　　　The　tyrannosaurs　raised　their　heads；　lifting　their　jaws。　Then　they　turned　their　heads　left　and　right；　in　slow　arcs。　They　repeated　the　movement；　then　took　a　step　forward；　toward　the　trailer。
　　　　〃Sarah；〃　he　said。　〃We're　miles　from　the　nest。　There　isn't　any　way　for　them　to　track　it。〃
　　　　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　　　　〃Sarah　…　〃
　　　　〃You　said　yourself；　we　don't　know　anything　about　these　animals。　We　don't　know　anything　about　their　physiology；　their　biochemistry；　their　nervous　systems；　their　behavior。　And　we　don't　know　anything　about　their　sensory　equipment；　either。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　but　…　〃
　　　　〃They're　predators；　Ian。　Good　sense　of　vision；　good　sense　of　hearing　and　smell。〃
　　　　〃I　assume　so；　yes。〃
　　　　〃But　we　don't　know　what　else；〃　Sarah　said。
　　　　〃What　else？〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃Ian。　There　are　other　sensory　modalities。　Snakes　sense　infrared。　Bats　have　echolocation。　Birds　and　turtles　have　magnetosensors　…　they　can　detect　the　earth's　magnetic　field；　which　is　how　they　migrate。　Dinosaurs　may　have　other　sensory　modalities　that　we　can't　imagine。〃
　　　　〃Sarah；　this　is　ridiculous。〃
　　　　〃Is　it？　Then　you　tell　me。　What　are　they　doing　out　there？〃
　　　　Outside；　near　the　trees；　the　tyrannosaurs　had　bee　silent。　They　were　no　longer　growling；　but　they　were　still　moving　their　heads　back　and　forth　in　slow　arcs；　turning　left　and　right。
　　　　Malcolm　frowned。　〃It　looks　like。。。they're　looking　around。。。。〃
　　　　〃Straight　into　bright　lights？　No；　Ian。　They're　blinded。〃
　　　　As　soon　as　she　said　it；　he　realized　she　was　right。　But　the　heads　were　turning　back　and　forth　in　that　regular　way。　〃Then　what　are　they　doing？　Smelling？〃
　　　　〃No。　Heads　are　high。　Nostrils　aren't　moving。〃
　　　　〃Listening？〃
　　　　She　nodded。　〃Possibly。〃
　　　　〃Listening　to　what？〃
　　　　〃Maybe　to　the　baby。〃
　　　　He　glanced　over　again。　〃Sarah。　The　baby　is　out　cold。〃
　　　　〃I　know。〃
　　　　〃It　isn't　making　any　noise。〃
　　　　〃None　that　we　can　hear。〃　She　stared　at　the　tyrannosaurs。　〃But　they're　doing　something；　Ian。　That　behavior　we're　seeing　has　meaning。　We　just　don't　know　what　it　is。〃

From　the　high　hide；　Levine　stared　through　his　night…vision　glasses　at　the　clearing。　He　saw　the　two　tyrannosaurs　standing　at　the　edge　of　the　forest。　They　were　moving　their　heads　in　an　odd；　synchronized　way。
　　　　They　took　a　few　hesitant　steps　toward　the　trailer；　lifted　their　heads；　turned　right　and　left；　and　then　seemed　finally　to　make　up　their　minds。　The　animals　moved　quickly；　almost　aggressively；　across　the　clearing。
　　　　Over　the　radio；　they　heard　Malcolm　say；　〃It's　the　lights！　The　lights　are　drawing　them。〃
　　　　A　moment　later；　the　exterior　lights　were　turned　off；　and　the　clearing　went　black。　They　all　squinted　in　the　darkness。　They　heard　Malcolm　say；　〃That　did　it。〃
　　　　Thorne　said　to　Levine；　〃What　do　you　see？〃
　　　　〃Nothing。〃
　　　　〃What're　they　doing？〃
　　　　〃They're　just　standing　there。〃
　　　　Through　the　night…vision　goggles；　he　saw　that　the　tyrannosaurs　had　paused；　as　if　confused　by　this　change　in　light。　Even　from　a　distance；　he　could　hear　their　growls；　but　they　were　uneasy。　They　swung　their　great　heads　up　and　down；　and　snapped　their　jaws。　But　they　did　not　move　closer。
　　　　Kelly　said；　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　　〃They're　waiting；〃　Levine　said。　〃At　least　for　the　moment。〃
　　　　Levine　had　the　distinct　impression　that　the　tyrannosaurs　were　unsettled。　The　trailer　must　represent　a　large　and　fearsome　change　in　their　environment。　Perhaps　they　would　turn　away；　he　thought；　and　leave。　Despite　their　enormous　size；　they　were　cautious；　almost　timid　animals。
　　　　They　growled　again。　And　then　he　saw　them　move　forward；　toward　the　darkened　trailer。

〃Ian：　what　do　we　do？〃
　　　　〃Damned　if　I　know；〃　Malcolm　whispered。
　　　　They　were　crouched　down　side　by　side　in　the　passageway；　trying　to　stay　out　of　sight　in　the　windows。　The　tyrannosaurs　moved　implacably　forward。　They　could　feel　each　step　as　a　distinct　vibration　now　…　two　ten　ton　animals；　moving　toward　them。
　　　　〃They're　ing　right　at　us！〃
　　　　〃I　noticed；〃　he　said。
　　　　The　first　of　the　animals　reached　the　trailer；　ing　so　close　that　the　body　blocked　the　entire　window。　All　Malcolm　could　see　was　powerfully　muscled　legs　and　underbelly。　The　head　was　far　above　them；　out　of　view。
　　　　Then　the　second　tyrannosaur　came　up　on　the　opposite　side。　The　two　animals　began　to　circle　the　trailer；　growling　and　snorting。　Heavy　footsteps　shook　the　floor　beneath　them。　They　smelled　the　pungent　predator　odor。　One　of　the　tyrannosaurs　brushed　against　the　side　of　the　trailer　and　they　heard　a　scraping　sound；　scaly　flesh　on　metal。
　　　　Malcolm　felt　sudden　panic。　It　was　the　smell　that　did　it；　the　smell　that　he　suddenly　remembered；　from　before。　He　began　to　sweat。　He　glanced　over　at　Sarah；　and　saw　that　she　was　intent；　watching　the　movements　of　the　animals。　〃This　isn't　hunting　behavior；〃　she　whispered。
　　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃Maybe　it　is。　They　aren't　lions；　you　know。〃
　　　　One　of　the　tyrannosaurs　bellowed　in　the　night；　a　frightening　earsplitting　sound。
　　　　〃Not　hunting；〃　she　said　〃They're　searching；　Ian。〃
　　　　A　moment　later；　the　second　tyrannosaur　bellowed　in　reply。　Then　the　big　head　swung　down；　and　peered　in　through　the　window　in　front　of　them。　Malcolm　ducked　down；　flattening　himself　on　the　trailer　floor；　and　Sarah　collapsed　on　top　of　him。　Her　shoe　pressed　on　his　ear。
　　　　〃It's　going　to　be　fine；　Sarah。〃
　　　　Outside；　they　heard　the　tyrannosaurs　snorting　and　growling。　　　
　　　　Malcolm　whispered；　〃Would　you　mind　moving？〃
　　　　She　edged　to　one　side；　and　he　eased　up　slowly；　peering　cautiously　over　the　seat　cushions。　He　had　a　glimpse　of　the　big　eye　of　the　rex　staring　in　at　him。　The　eye　swiveled　in　the　socket。　He　saw　the　jaws　open　and　close。　The　hot　breath　of　the　animal　fogged　the　glass。
　　　　The　tyrannosaur's　head　swung　away；　moving　back　from　the　trailers　and　for　a　moment　Malcolm　breathed　more　easily。　But　then　the　head　swung　back；　and　slammed　with　a　heavy　thud　into　the　trailer；　rocking　it　hard。
　　　　〃Don't　worry；　Sarah。　The　trailer's　very　strong。〃
　　　　She　whispered；　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　relieved　I　am。〃
　　　　From　the　opposite　side；　the　other　rex　bellowed　and　struck　the　trailer　with　it's　snout。　The　suspension　creaked　with　the　impact。
　　　　The　two　tyrannosaurs　now　began　an　alternating；　rhythmic　pounding　of　the　trailer　from　either　side。　Malcolm　and　Harding　were　thrown　back　and　forth。　Sarah　tried　to　steady　herself；　but　was　knocked　away　at　the　next　impact。　The　floor　tilted　crazily　under　each　blow。　Lab　equipment　flew　off　the　t