the.lost.world-第59部分

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ays。　Levine　yelled。
　　　　Thorne　gripped　the　steering　wheel；　tried　to　turn　the　car　back。　He　touched　the　brake；　the　Jeep　straightened　and　continued　down　the　hill。　There　was　a　gap　in　the　palms　…　he　saw　a　field　of　black　boulders　looming　directly　ahead。　The　raptors　were　scrambling　over　the　boulders。　But　maybe　if　he　went　left　…
　　　　〃No！〃　Levine　shouted。　〃No！〃
　　　　〃Hang　on！〃　Thorne　yelled；　and　he　twisted　the　wheel。　The　car　lost　traction　and　slid　downward。　They　hit　the　first　of　the　boulders；　shattering　a　headlight。　The　car　swung　up　at　an　angle；　crashed　down　again。　Thorne　thought　that　had　finished　the　transmission　but　somehow　the　car　was　still　going；　angling　down　the　hillside；　moving　off　to　the　left。　The　second　headlight　smashed　on　a　tree　branch。　They　continued　down　in　darkness；　through　another　layer　of　palms；　and　then　abruptly　they　banged　down　on　level　ground。
　　　　The　Jeep　tires　rolled　across　soft　earth。
　　　　Thorne　brought　the　car　to　a　stop。
　　　　Silence。
　　　　They　peered　out　the　windows；　trying　to　see　where　they　were。　But　it　was　so　dark；　it　was　hard　to　see　anything。　They　seemed　to　be　at　the　bottom　of　a　deep　gully；　a　canopy　of　trees　overhead。
　　　　〃Alluvial　contours；〃　Levine　said。　〃We　must　be　in　a　streambed。〃
　　　　As　his　eyes　adjusted；　Thorne　saw　he　was　right。　The　raptors　were　running　down　the　center　of　the　streambed；　which　was　lined　with　big　boulders　on　both　sides；　But　the　bed　itself　was　sandy；　and　it　was　wide　enough　for　the　car　to　pass　through。　He　followed　them。
　　　　〃You　have　any　idea　where　we　are？〃　Levine　said；　staring　at　the　raptors。
　　　　〃No；〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　The　car　drove　forward。　The　streambed　widened；　opening　out　into　a　flat　basin。　The　boulders　disappeared；　there　were　trees　on　both　sides　of　the　river。　Patches　of　moonlight　appeared　here　and　there。　It　was　easier　to　see。
　　　　But　the　raptors　were　gone。　He　stopped　the　car；　rolled　down　the　window；　and　listened。　He　could　hear　them　hissing　and　growling。　The　sound　seemed　to　be　ing　from　off　to　the　left。
　　　　Thorne　put　the　car　in　gear；　and　left　the　streambed；　in　moving　off　among　ferns　and　occasional　pine　trees。　Levine　said；　〃Do　you　suppose　the　boy　survived　that　hill？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Thorne　said。　〃I　can't　imagine。〃
　　　　He　drove　forward　slowly。　They　came　to　a　break　in　the　trees；　and　saw　a　clearing　where　the　ferns　had　been　tram　led　flat。　Beyond　the　clearing；　they　saw　the　banks　of　the　river；　moonlight　glinting　on　the　water。　Somehow　they　had　returned　to　the　river。
　　　　But　it　was　the　clearing　itself　that　held　their　attention。　Within　the　broad　open　space；　they　saw　the　huge　pale　skeletons　of　several　apatosaurs。　The　giant　rib　cages；　arcs　of　pale　bone；　shone　in　the　silver　light。　The　dark　hulk　of　a　partially　eaten　carcass　lay　on　its　side　in　the　center；　clouds　of　flies　buzzing　above　it　in　the　night。
　　　　〃What　is　this　place？〃　Thorne　said。　〃It　looks　like　graveyard。〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Levine　said。　〃But　it's　not。〃
　　　　The　raptors　were　all　clustered　to　one　side；　fighting　over　the　remains　of　Eddie's　carcass。　At　the　opposite　side　of　the　clearing　they　saw　three　low　mud　mounds；　the　walls　were　broken　in　many　places。　Within　the　nests　they　saw　crushed　fragments　of　eggshells。　There　was　the　strong　stench　of　decay。
　　　　Levine　leaned　forward；　staring。　〃This　is　the　raptor　nest；〃　he　said。

In　the　darkness　of　the　trailer；　Malcolm　sat　up；　wincing。　He　grabbed　the　radio。　〃You　found　it？　The　nest？〃
　　　　The　radio　crackled。　Levine　said；　〃Yes。　I　think　so。〃
　　　　〃Describe　it；〃　Malcolm　said。

Levine　spoke　quietly；　reporting　features；　estimating　dimensions；　to　Levine；　the　velociraptor　nest　appeared　slovenly；　uncared　for；　ill…made。　He　was　surprised；　because　dinosaur　nests　usually　conveyed　an　unmistakable　sense　of　order。　Levine　had　seen　it　time　and　again；　in　fossil　sites　from　Montana　to　Mongolia。　The　eggs　in　the　nest　were　arranged　in　neat　concentric　circles。　Often　there　were　more　than　thirty　eggs　in　a　single　nest；　suggesting　that　many　females　cooperated　to　share　a　single　mud　mound。　Numerous　adult　fossils　would　be　found　nearby；　indicating　that　the　dinosaurs　cared　munally　for　the　eggs。　At　a　few　excavations；　it　was　even　possible　to　get　a　sense　of　the　spatial　arrangement；　with　the　nests　in　the　center；　the　adults　moving　carefully　around　the　outside；　so　as　not　to　disturb　the　incubating　eggs。　In　this　rigid　structure；　the　dinosaurs　were　reminiscent　of　their　descendants　the　birds；　which　also　displayed　precise　courtship；　mating；　and　nest…building　patterns。
　　　　But　the　velociraptors　behaved　differently。　There　was　a　disorderly　chaotic　feeling　to　the　scene　before　him：　ill…formed　nests；　quarreling　adults；　very　few　young　and　juvenile　animals；　the　eggshells　crushed；　the　broken　mounds　stepped　on。　Around　the　mounds；　Levine　now　saw　scattered　small　bones　which　he　presumed　were　the　remains　of　newborns。　He　saw　no　living　infants　anywhere　in　the　clearing。　There　were　three　juveniles；　but　these　younger　animals　were　forced　to　fend　for　themselves；　and　they　already　showed　many　scars　on　their　bodies。　The　youngsters　looked　thin；　undernourished。　Poking　around　the　periphery　of　the　carcass；　they　were　cautious；　backing　away　whenever　one　of　the　adults　snapped　at　them。
　　　　〃And　what　about　the　apatosaurs？〃　Malcolm　asked。　〃What　about　the　carcasses？〃
　　　　Levine　counted　four；　all　together。　In　various　stages　of　deposition。
　　　　〃You　have　to　tell　Sarah；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　But　Levine　was　wondering　about　something　else：　he　was　wondering　how　these　big　carcasses　had　gotten　here　in　the　first　place。　They　hadn't　died　here　by　accident；　surely　all　animals　would　have　avoided　this　nest。　They　couldn't　have　been　lured　here；　and　they　were　too　large　to　carry。　So　how　did　they　get　here？　Something　was　tickling　the　back　of　his　mind；　some　obvious　thought　that　he　wasn't　…
　　　　〃They　brought　Arby；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Levine　said。　〃They　did。〃
　　　　He　stared　at　the　nest；　trying　to　figure　it　out。　Then　Thorne　nudged　him。　〃There's　the　cage；〃　he　said；　pointing。　At　the　far　side　of　the　clearing　lying　on　the　ground；　partially　hidden　behind　fronds；　Levine　saw　the　glint　of　aluminum　struts。　But　he　couldn't　see　Arby。
　　　　〃Way　over　there；〃　Levine　said。
　　　　The　raptors　were　ignoring　the　cage；　still　fighting　over　Eddie's　carcass。　Thorne　brought　out　a　Lindstradt　rifle；　snapped　open　the　cartridge　pack。　He　saw　six　darts。　〃Not　enough；〃　he　said；　and　snapped　it　shut。　There　were　at　least　ten　raptors　in　the　clearing。
　　　　Levine　rummaged　in　the　back　seat；　found　his　knapsack；　which　had　fallen　to　the　floor。　He　unzipped　it；　came　out　with　a　small　silver　cylinder　the　size　of　a　large　soft…drink　bottle。　It　had　a　skull　and　crossbones　stenciled　on　it；　Beneath；　lettering　read：　CAUTION　TOXIC　METACHOLINE　（MIVACURIAM）。
　　　　〃What's　that？〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　〃Something　they　cooked　up　in　Los　Alamos；〃　Levine　said。　〃It's　a　nonlethal　area　neutralizer。　Releases　a　short…acting　cholinesterase　aerosol。　Paralyzes　all　life　forms　for　up　to　three　minutes。　It'll　knock　all　the　raptors　out。
　　　　〃But　what　about　the　boy？〃　Thorne　said。　〃You　can't　use　that。　You'll　paralyze　him。〃
　　　　Levine　pointed。　〃If　we　throw　the　canister　to　the　right　of　the　cage；　the　gas'll　blow　away　from　him；　toward　the　raptors。〃
　　　　〃Or　it　may　not；〃　Thorne　said；　〃And　he　may　be　badly　injured。〃
　　　　Levine　nodded。　He　put　the　cylinder　back　in　the　knapsack；　then　sat；　facing　forward；　staring　at　the　raptors。　〃So；〃　Levine　said。　〃What　do　we　do　now？〃
　　　　Thorne　looked　over　at　the　aluminum　cage；　partially　blocked　by　ferns。　Then　he　saw　something　that　made　him　sit　up：　the　cage　moved　slightly；　the　bars　shifting　in　the　moonlight。
　　　　〃Did　you　see　that？〃　Levine　said。
　　　　Thorne　said；　〃I'm　going　to　get　that　kid　out　of　there。〃
　　　　〃But　how？〃　Levine　said。
　　　　〃The　old…fashioned　way；　〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　He　climbed　out　of　the　car。

Sarah　accelerated；　racing　the　motorcycle　up　the　mud　banks　of　the　river。　The　raptor　was　just　ahead；　cutting　diagonally　toward　them；　heading　for　the　water。
　　　　〃Go！〃　Kelly　shouted。　〃Go！〃
　　　　The　raptor　saw　them　and　changed　course；　angling　farther　ahead。　It　was　trying　to　get　distance　on　them　but　they　were　moving　faster　on　the　open　banks。　They　came　abreast　of　the　animal；　flanking　it；　and　then　Sarah　left　the　banks；　heading　back　onto　the　grassy　plain。　The　raptor　moved　right；　deeper　into　the　plain。　Away　from　the　river。
　　　　〃You　did　it！〃　Kelly　shouted。
　　　　Sarah　maintained　her　speed；　moving　slowly　closer　to　the　raptor。　It　seemed　to　have　given　up　on　the　river；　and　now　had　no　plan。　It　was　just　running　up　the　plain。　And　they　were　steadily；　inexorably　gaining。　Kelly　was　excited。　She　tried　to　wipe　the　maid　off　her　rifle；　preparing　to　shoot　again。
　　　　〃Damn！〃　Sarah　shouted。
　　　　〃What？〃
　　　　〃Look！〃
　　　　Kelly　leaned　forward；　stared　past　Sarah's　shoulder。　Directly　ahead；　she　saw　the　herd　of　apatosaurs。　They　were　only　fifty　yards　from　the　first　of　the　enormous　animals；　which　bellowed　and　wheeled　in　sudden　fear。　Their　bodies　were　green…gray　in　the　moonlight。
　　　　The　raptor　streaked　directly　toward　the　herd。
　　　　〃It　thinks　it's　going　to　lose　us！〃　Sarah　gunned　the　bike；　moving　closer。　〃Get　it　now！　Now！〃
　　　　Kelly　aimed　and　fired。　The　gun　bucked。　But　the　raptor　kept　going。
　　　　〃Missed！〃
　　　　Up　ahead；　the　apatosaurs　were　turning；　their　big　legs　stomping　the　ground。　Their　heavy　tails　whipped　through　the　air。　But　they　were　too　slow　to　move　away。　The　raptor　raced　forward；　heading　directly　beneath　the　big　apatosaurs。
　　　　〃What　do　we　do？〃　Kelly　shouted。
　　　　〃No　choice！〃'　Sarah　yelled。　She　pulled　parallel　to　the　raptor　just　as　they　passed　into　shadow；　racing　beneath　the　first　animal。　Kelly　glimpsed　the　curve　of　the　belly；　hanging　three　feet　above　her。　The　legs　were　as　thick　as　tree　trunks；　stamping　and　turning。
　　　　The　raptor　ran　on；　darting　among　the　moving　legs。　Sarah　swerved；　followed。　Above　them；　the　animals　roared　and　turned；　and　roared　again。　They　were　beneath　another　belly；　then　out　into　moonlight；　then　in　shadow　again。　Now　they　were　in　the　middle　of　the　herd。　It　was　like　being　in　a　forest　of　moving　trees。
　　　　Directly　ahead；　a　big　leg　came　down　with　a　slam！　that　shook　the　ground。　The　bike　bounced　as　Sarah　swung　left；　they　scraped　against　the　animal's　flesh。　〃Hang　on！〃　she　shouted；　and　swerved　again；　following　the　raptor。　Above　them；　the　apatosaurs　were　bellowing　and　moving。　The　raptor　dodged　and　turned；　and　then　broke　clear；　racing　out　the　back　of　th