靠谱电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > the.lost.world >

第14部分

the.lost.world-第14部分

小说: the.lost.world 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



 could only use the cardboard tubes at the center of toilet paper rolls。 There were spattered eggs all over the plaza below。
    Then; another year; Thorne asked the students to build a chair to support a two…bundred…pound man; using only; paper Q…tips and thread。 And another time; he hung the answer sheet for the final exam from the classroom ceiling; and invited his students to pull it down; using whatever they could make with a cardboard shoebox containing a pound of licorice; and some toothpicks。
    When he was not in class; Thorne often served as an expert witness in legal cases involving materials engineering。 He specialized in explosions; crashed airplanes; collapsed buildings; and other disasters。 These forays into the real world sharpened his view that scientists needed the widest possible education。 He used to say; 〃How can you design for people if you don't know history and psychology? You can't。 Because your mathematical formulas may be perfect; but the people will screw it up。 And if that happens; it means you screwed it up。〃 He peppered his lectures with quotations from Plato; Chaka Zulu; Emerson; and Chang…tzu。
    But as a professor who was popular with his students…and who advocated general education…Thorne found himself swimming against the tide。 The academic world was marching toward ever more specialized knowledge; expressed in ever more dense jargon。 In this climate; being liked by your students was a sign of shallowness; and interest in real…world problems was proof of intellectual poverty and a distressing indifference to theory。 But in the end; it was his fondness for Chang…tzu that pushed him out the door。 In a departmental meeting; one of his colleagues got up and announced that 〃Some mythical Chinese bullshitter means fuck…all for engineering。〃
    Thorne took early retirement a month later; and soon after started his own pany。 He enjoyed his work thoroughly; but he missed contact with the students; which was why he liked Levine's two youthful assistants。 These kids were smart; they were enthusiastic; and they were young enough so that the schools hadn't destroyed all their interest in learning。 They could still actually use their brains; which in Thorne's view was a sure sign they hadn't yet pleted a formal education。

〃Jerry!〃 Thorne bellowed; to one of the welders on the RVS。 〃Balance the struts on both sides! Remember the crash tests!〃 Thorne pointed to a video monitor set on the floor; which showed a puter image of the RV crashing into a barrier。 First it crashed end…on; then it crashed sideways; then it rolled and crashed again。 Each time; the vehicle survived with very little damage。 The puter program had been developed by the auto panies; and then discarded。 Thorne acquired it; and modified it。 〃Of course the auto panies discarded it … it's a good idea。 Don't want any good ideas ing out of a big pany。 Might lead to a good product!〃 He sighed。 〃Using this puter; we've crashed these vehicles ten thousand times: designing; crashing; modeling; crashing again。 No theories; just actual testing。 The way it ought to be。〃
    Thorne's dislike of theory was legendary。 In his view' a theory was nothing more than a substitute for experience put forth by someone who didn't know what he was talking about。 〃And now look。 Jerry? Jerry! Why'd we do all these simulations; if you guys aren't going to follow the plans? Is everybody brain…dead around here?〃
    〃Sorry; Doc。。。〃
    〃Don't be sorry! Be right!〃
    〃Well; we're massively overbuilt anyway…〃
    〃Oh? Is that your decision? You're the designer now? Just follow the plans!〃
    Arby trotted alongside Thorne。 〃I'm worried about Dr。 Levine;〃 he said。
    'Really? I'm not。〃
    〃But he's always been reliable。 And very well organized。〃
    〃That's true;〃 Thorne said。 〃He's also pletely impulsive and does whatever he feels like。〃
    〃Maybe so;〃 Arby said; 〃but I don't think he'd be missing without a good reason。 I'm afraid he might be in trouble。 Only last week; he had us go with him to visit Professor Malcolm in Berkeley; who had this map of the world in his office; and it showed … 〃
    〃Malcolm!〃 Thorne snorted。 〃Spare me! Peas in a pod; those two。 Each more impractical than the other。 But I'd better get hold of Levine now。〃 He turned on his heel; and walked toward his office。
    Arby said; 〃You going to use the satphone?〃
    Thorne paused。 〃The what?〃
    〃The satphone;〃 Arby said。 〃Didn't Dr。 Levine take a satphone with him?〃
    〃How could he?〃 Thorne said。 〃You know the smallest satellite phones are the size of a suitcase。〃
    〃Yeah; but they don't have to be;〃 Arby said。 〃You could have made one very small。〃
    〃Could I? How?〃 Despite himself; Thorne was amused by this kid。 You had to like him。
    〃With that VLSI  board that we picked up;〃 Arby said。 〃The triangular one。 It had two Motorola BSN…23 chip arrays; and they're restricted technology developed for the CIA because they allow you to make a … 〃
    Thorne said; interrupting him。 〃Where did you learn all this? I've warned you about hacking systems … 〃
    〃Don't worry; I'm careful;〃 Arby said。 〃But it's true about the  board; isn't it? You could use it to make a one…pound satphone。 So: did you?〃
    Thorne stared at him for a long time。
    〃Maybe;〃 he said finally。 〃What of it?〃
    Arby grinned。 〃Cool;〃 he said。

Thorne's small office was located in a corner of the shed。 Inside the walls were plastered with blueprints; order forms on clipboards; and three…dimensional cutaway puter drawings; Electronic ponents; equipment catalogs; and stacks of faxes were scattered across his desk。 Thorne rummaged through them; and finally came up with a small gray handheld telephone。 〃Here we are。〃 He held it up for Arby to see。 〃Pretty good; huh? Designed it myself。〃
    Kelly said; 〃It looks just like a cellular phone。〃
    〃Yes; but it's not。 A cellular phone uses a grid in place。 A satellite phone links directly to munication satellites in space。 With one of these I can talk anywhere in the world。〃 He dialed swiftly。 〃Used to be; they needed a three…foot dish。 Then it was a one…foot dish。 Now no dish at all … just the handset。 Not bad; if I say so myself。 Let's see if he's answering。〃 He pushed the speakerphone。 They heard the call dial through; hissing static。
    〃Knowing Richard;〃 Thorne said; 〃he probably just missed his plane; or forgot that he was supposed to be back here today for final approvals。 And we're pretty much finished here。 When you see we're down to the exterior struts and the upholstery; the fact is; we're done。 He's going to hold us up。 It's very inconsiderate of him。〃 The phone rang; repeated electronic beeps。 〃If I can't get through to him; I'll try Sarah Harding。〃
    〃Sarah Harding?〃 Kelly asked; looking up。
    Arby said; 〃Who's Sarah Harding?〃
    〃Only the most famous young animal behaviorist in the world; Arb。〃 Sarah Harding was one of Kelly's personal heroes。 Kelly had read every article she could about her。 Sarah Harding had been a poor scholarship student at the University of Chicago but now; at thirty…three; she was an assistant professor at Princeton。 She was beautiful and independent; a rebel; who went her own way。 She had chosen the life of a scientist in the field; living alone in Africa; where she studied lions and hyenas。 She was famously tough。 Once; when her Land Rover broke down; she walked twenty miles across the savannah all by herself; driving away lions by throwing rocks at them。
    In photographs; Sarah was usually posed in shorts and a khaki shirt; with binoculars around her neck; next to a Land Rover。 With her short; dark hair and her strong; muscular body; she looked rugged but glamorous at the same time。 At least; that was how she appeared to Kelly; who always studied the pictures intently; taking in every detail。
    〃Never heard of her;〃 Arby said。
    Thorne said; 〃Spending too much time with puters; Arby?〃
    Arby said; 〃No。〃 Kelly saw Arby's shoulders hunch; and he sort of withdrew into himself; the way he always did when he felt criticized。 Sulky; he said; 〃Animal behaviorist?〃
    〃That's right;〃 Thorne said。 〃I know Levine's talked to her several times in the last few weeks。 She's helping him with all this equipment; when it finally goes into the field。 Or advising him。 Or something。 Or maybe the connection is with Malcolm。 After all; she was in love with Malcolm。〃
    〃I don't believe it〃; Kelly said。 〃Maybe he was in love with her。。。。〃
    Thorne looked at her。 〃You've met her?〃
    〃No。 But I know about her。〃
    〃I see。〃 Thorne said no more。 He could see all the signs of hero worship; and he approved。 A girl could do worse than admire Sarah Harding。 At least she wasn't an athlete or a rock star。 In fact; it was refreshing for a kid to admire somebody who actually tried to advance knowledge。
    The phone continued to ring。 There was no answer。
    〃Well; we know Levine's equipment is in order;〃 Thorne said。 〃Because the call is going through。 We know that much。〃
    Arby said; 〃Can you trace it?〃
    〃Unfortunately; no。 And if we keep this up; we'll probably drain the field battery; which means… 〃
    There was a click; and they heard a man's voice; remarkably distinct and clear: 〃Levine。〃
    〃Ok

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的