jurassic.park-第74部分

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　　　　〃I've　been　watching；〃　Ellie　said；　shining　her　light　down　at　her　notepad。　〃You'd　have　to　take　photos　to　be　sure；　but　the　snout　markings　of　the　infants　are　all　different。　My　count　is　thirty…three。〃
　　　　〃And　juveniles？〃
　　　　〃Twentyitwo。　But；　Alan…do　you　notice　anything　funny　about　them？〃
　　　　〃Like　what？〃　Grant　whispered。
　　　　〃How　they　arrange　themselves　spatially。　They're　falling　into　some　kind　of　a　pattern　or　arrangement　in　the　room。〃
　　　　Grant　frowned。　He　said；〃It's　pretty　dark。〃
　　　　〃No；　look。　Look　for　yourself。　Watch　the　little　ones。　When　they　are　playing；　they　tumble　and　run　every　which　way。　But　in　between；　when　the　babies　are　standing　around；　notice　how　they　orient　their　bodies。　They　face　either　that　wall；　or　the　opposite　wall。　It's　like　they　line　up。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know；　Ellie。　You　think　there's　a　colony　metastructure？　Like　bees？〃
　　　　〃No；　not　exactly；〃　she　said。　〃It's　more　subtle　than　that。　It's　just　a　tendency。〃
　　　　〃And　the　babies　do　it？〃
　　　　〃No。　They　all　do　it。　The　adults　do　it；　too。　Watch　them。　I'm　telling　you；　they　line　up。〃
　　　　Grant　frowned。　It　seemed　as　if　she　was　right。　The　animals　engaged　in　all　sorts　of　behavior；　but　during　pauses；　moments　when　they　were　watching　or　relaxing；　they　seemed　to　orient　themselves　in　particular　ways；　almost　as　if　there　were　invisible　lines　on　the　floor。
　　　　〃Beats　me；〃　Grant　said。　〃Maybe　there's　a　breeze。　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　feel　one；　Alan。〃
　　　　〃What　are　they　doing？　Some　kind　of　social　organization　expressed　as　spatial　structure？〃
　　　　〃That　doesn't　make　sense；〃　she　said。　〃Because　they　all　do　it。〃
　　　　Gennaro　flipped　up　his　watch。　〃I　knew　this　thing　would　e　in　handy　one　day。〃　Beneath　the　watch　face　was　a　pass；
　　　　Grant　said；　〃You　have　much　use　for　that　in　court？〃
　　　　〃No。〃　Gennaro　shook　his　head。　〃My　wife　gave　it　to　me；〃　he　explained；　〃for　my　birthday。〃　He　peered　at　the　pass。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃they're　not　lined　up　according　to　anything。　。　。　。　I　guess　they're　sort　of　northeast…southwest；　something　like　that。〃
　　　　Ellie　said；　〃Maybe　they're　hearing　something；　turning　their　heads　so　they　can　hear。　。　。　。〃
　　　　Grant　frowned。
　　　　〃Or　maybe　it's　just　ritual　behavior；〃　she　said；　〃species…specific　behavior　that　serves　to　identify　them　to　one　another。　But　maybe　it　doesn't　have　any　broader　meaning。〃　Ellie　sighed。　〃Or　maybe　they're　weird。　Maybe　dinosaurs　are　weird。　Or　maybe　it's　a　kind　of　munication。〃
　　　　Grant　was　thinking　the　same　thing。　Bees　could　municate　spatially；　by　doing　a　kind　of　dance。　Perhaps　dinosaurs　could　do　the　same　thing。
　　　　Gennaro　watched　them　and　said；　〃Why　don't　they　go　outside？〃
　　　　〃They're　nocturnal；〃
　　　　〃Yes；　but　it　almost　seems　like　they're　hiding。〃
　　　　Grant　shrugged。　In　the　next　moment；　the　infants　began　to　squeak　and　hop　excitedly。　The　adults　watched　curiously　for　a　moment。　And　then；　with　hoots　and　cries　that　echoed　in　the　dark　cavernous　space；　all　the　dinosaurs　wheeled　and　ran；　heading　down　the　concrete　tunnel；　into　the　darkness　beyond。

Hammond

John　Hammond　sat　down　heavily　in　the　damp　earth　of　the　hillside　and　tried　to　catch　his　breath。　Dear　God；　it　was　hot；　he　thought。　Hot　and　humid。　He　felt　as　if　he　were　breathing　through　a　sponge。
　　　　He　looked　down　at　the　streambed；　now　forty　feet　below。　It　seemed　like　hours　since　he　had　left　the　trickling　water　and　begun　to　climb　the　hill。　His　ankle　was　now　swollen　and　dark　purple。　He　couldn't　put　any　weight　on　it　at　all。　He　was　forced　to　hop　up　the　hill　on　his　other　leg；　which　now　burned　with　pain　from　the　exertion。
　　　　And　he　was　thirsty。　Before　leaving　the　stream　behind；　he　had　drunk　from　it；　even　though　he　knew　this　was　unwise。　Now　he　felt　dizzy；　and　the　world　sometimes　swirled　around　him。　He　was　having　trouble　with　his　balance。　But　he　knew　he　had　to　climb　the　hill；　and　get　back　to　the　path　above。　Hammond　thought　he　had　heard　footsteps　on　the　path　several　times　during　the　previous　hour；　and　each　time　he　had　shouted　for　help。　But　somehow　his　voice　hadn't　carried　far　enough；　he　hadn't　been　rescued。　And　so；　as　the　afternoon　wore　on；　he　began　to　realize　that　he　would　have　to　climb　the　hillside；　injured　leg　or　not。　And　that　was　what　he　was　doing　now。
　　　　Those　damned　kids。
　　　　Hammond　shook　his　head；　trying　to　clear　it…　He　had　been　climbing　for　more　than　an　hour；　and　he　had　gone　only　a　third　of　the　distance　up　the　hill。　And　he　was　tired；　panting　like　an　old　dog。　His　leg　throbbed。　He　was　dizzy。　Of　course；　he　knew　perfectly　well　that　he　was　in　no　danger…he　was　almost　within　sight　of　his　bungalow；　for　God's　sake…but　he　had　to　admit　he　was　tired。　Sitting　on　the　hillside；　he　found　he　didn't　really　want　to　move　any　more。
　　　　And　why　shouldn't　he　be　tired？　he　thought。　He　was　seventy…six　years　old。　That　was　no　age　to　be　climbing　around　hillsides。　Even　though　Hammond　was　in　peak　condition　for　a　man　his　age。　Personally；　he　expected　to　live　to　be　a　hundred。　It　was　just　a　matter　of　taking　care　of　yourself；　of　taking　care　of　things　as　they　came　up。　Certainly　he　had　plenty　of　reasons　to　live。　Other　parks　to　build。　Other　wonders　to　create…
　　　　He　heard　a　squeaking；　then　a　chattering　sound。　Some　kind　of　small　birds；　hopping　in　the　undergrowth。　He'd　been　hearing　small　animals　all　afternoon。　There　were　all　kinds　of　things　out　here：　rats；　possums；　snakes。
　　　　The　squeaking　got　louder；　and　small　bits　of　earth　rolled　down　the　hillside　past　him。　Something　was　ing。　Then　he　saw　a　dark　green　animal　hopping　down　the　hill　toward　him…and　another…and　another。
　　　　pys；　he　thought　with　a　chill。
　　　　Scavengers。
　　　　The　pys　didn't　look　dangerous。　They　were　about　as　big　as　chickens；　and　they　moved　up　and　down　with　little　nervous　jerks；　like　chickens。　But　he　knew　they　were　poisonous。　Their　bites　had　a　slow…acting　poison　that　they　used　to　kill　crippled　animals。
　　　　Crippled　animals；　he　thought；　frowning。
　　　　The　first　of　the　pys　perched　on　the　hillside；　staring　at　him。　It　stayed　about　five　feet　away；　beyond　his　reach；　and　just　watched　him。　Others　came　down　soon　after；　and　they　stood　in　a　row。　Watching。　They　hopped　up　and　down　and　chittered　and　waved　their　little　clawed　hands。
　　　　〃Sboo！　Get　out！〃　he　said；　and　threw　a　rock。
　　　　The　pys　backed　away；　but　only　a　foot　or　two。　They　weren't　afraid。　They　seemed　to　know　he　couldn't　hurt　them。
　　　　Angrily；　Hammond　tore　a　branch　from　a　tree　and　swiped　at　them　with　it。　The　pys　dodged；　nipped　at　the　leaves；　squeaked　happily。　They　seemed　to　think　he　was　playing　a　game。
　　　　He　thought　again　about　the　poison。　He　remembered　that　one　of　the　animal　handlers　had　been　bitten　by　a　py　in　a　cage。　The　handler　had　said　the　poison　was　like　a　narcotic…peaceful；　dreamy。　No　pain。
　　　　You　just　wanted　to　go　to　sleep。
　　　　The　hell　with　that；　he　thought。　Hammond　picked　up　a　rock；　aimed　carefully；　and　threw　it；　striking　one　py　flat　in　the　chest。　The　little　animal　shrieked　in　alarm　as　it　was　knocked　backward；　and　rolled　over　its　tail。　The　other　animals　immediately　backed　away。
　　　　Better。
　　　　Hammond　turned　away；　and　started　to　climb　the　hill　once　more。　Holding　branches　in　both　hands；　he　hopped　on　his　left　leg；　feeling　the　ache　in　his　thigh。　He　had　not　gone　more　than　ten　feet　when　one　of　the　pys　jumped　onto　his　back。　He　flung　his　arms　wildly；　knocking　the　animal　away；　but　lost　his　balance　and　slid　back　down　the　hillside。　As　he　came　to　a　stop；　a　second　py　sprang　forward；　and　took　a　tiny　nip　from　his　hand。　He　looked　with　horror；　seeing　the　blood　flow　over　his　fingers。　He　turned　and　began　to　scramble　up　the　hillside　again。
　　　　Another　py　lumped　onto　his　shoulder；　and　he　felt　a　brief　pain　as　it　bit　the　back　of　his　neck。　He　shrieked　and　smacked　the　animal　away。　He　turned　to　face　the　animals；　breathing　hard；　and　they　stood　all　around　him；　hopping　up　and　down　and　cocking　their　heads；　watching　him。　From　the　bite　on　his　neck；　he　felt　warmth　flow　through　his　shoulders；　down　his　spine。
　　　　Lying　on　his　back　on　the　hillside；　he　began　to　feel　strangely　relaxed；　detached　from　himself。　But　he　realized　that　nothing　was　wrong。　No　error　had　been　made。　Malcolm　was　quite　incorrect　in　his　analysis。　Hammond　lay　very　still；　as　still　as　a　child　in　its　crib；　and　he　felt　wonderfully　peaceful。　When　the　next　py　came　up　and　bit　his　ankle；　he　made　only　a　halfhearted　effort　to　kick　it　away。　The　little　animals　edged　closer。　Soon　they　were　chattering　all　around　him；　like　excited　birds。　He　raised　his　head　as　another　py　jumped　onto　his　chest；　the　animal　surprisingly　light　and　delicate。　Hammond　felt　only　a　slight　pain；　very　slight；　as　the　py　bent　to　chew　his　neck。

The　Beach

Chasing　the　dinosaurs；　following　the　curves　and　slopes　of　concrete；　Grant　suddenly　burst　out　through　a　cavernous　opening；　and　found　himself　standing　on　the　beach；　looking　at　the　Pacific　Ocean。　All　around　him；　the　young　velociraptors　were　scampering　and　kicking　in　the　sand。　But；　one　by　one；　the　animals　moved　back　into　the　shade　of　the　palm　trees　at　the　edge　of　the　mangrove　swamp；　and　there　they　stood；　lined　up　in　their　peculiar　fashion；　watching　the　ocean。　They　stared　fixedly　to　the　south。
　　　　〃I　don't　get　it；〃　Gennaro　said。
　　　　〃I　don't；　either；〃　Grant　said；　〃except　that　they　clearly　don't　like　the　sun。〃　It　wasn't　very　sunny　on　the　beach；　a　light　mist　blew；　and　the　ocean　was　hazy。　But　why　had　they　suddenly　left　the　nest？　What　had　brought　the　entire　colony　to　the　beach？
　　　　Gennaro　flipped　up　the　dial　on　his　watch；　and　looked　at　the　way　the　animals　were　standing。　〃Northeast…soutbwest。　Same　as　before。〃
　　　　Behind　the　beach；　deeper　in　the　woods；　they　heard　the　hum　of　the　electric　fence。　〃At　least　we　know　how　they　get　outside　the　fence；〃　Ellie　said。
　　　　Then　they　heard　the　throb　of　marine　diesels；　and　through　the　mist　they　saw　a　ship　appearing　in　the　south。　A　large　freighter；　it　slowly　moved　north。
　　　　〃So　that's　why　they　came　out？〃　Gennaro　said。
　　　　Grant　nodded。　〃They　must　have　heard　it　ing；〃
　　　　As　the　freighter　passed；　all　the　animals　watched　it；　standing　silent　except　for　the　occasional　chirp　or　squeak。　Grant　was　struck　by　the　coordination　of　their　behavior；　the　way　they　moved　and　acted　as　a　group。　But　perhaps　it　was　not　really　so　mysterious。　In　his　mind；　he　reviewed　the　sequence　of　events　that　had　begun　in　the　cave。
　　　　First　the　infants　had　been　agitated。　Then　the　adults　had　noticed。　And　finally　all　the　animals　had　stampeded　to　the　beach。　That　sequence