the.lost.world-第4部分

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！


distinct　feeling　he　was　being　evasive。　But　she　wasn't　inclined　to　push　it；　those　were　the　days　when　she　was　in　love　with　him；　her　attitude　indulgent。
　　　　Now　he　was　looking　at　her　in　a　questioning　way；　as　if　to　ask　if　she　was　going　to　contradict　him。　Harding　just　raised　an　eyebrow；　and　stared　back。　He　must　have　his　reasons。　She　could　wait　him　out。
　　　　Levine　leaned　forward　across　the　table　toward　Malcolm　and　said；　〃So　the　InGen　story　is　entirely　untrue？〃
　　　　〃Entirely　untrue；〃　Malcolm　said；　nodding　gravely。　〃Entirely　untrue。〃

Malcolm　had　been　denying　the　speculation　for　three　years。　By　now　he　was　getting　good　at　it；　his　weariness　was　no　longer　affected　but　genuine。　In　fact；　he　had　been　a　consultant　to　International　Genetic　Technologies　of　Palo　Alto　in　the　summer　of　1989；　and　he　had　made　a　trip　to　Costa　Rica　for　them；　which　had　turned　out　disastrously。　In　the　aftermath；　everyone　involved　had　moved　quickly　to　quash　the　story。　InGen　wanted　to　limit　its　liability。　The　Costa　Rican　government　wanted　to　preserve　its　reputation　as　a　tourist　paradise。　And　the　individual　scientists　had　been　bound　by　nondisclosure　agreements；　abetted　later　by　generous　grants　to　continue　their　silence。　In　Malcolm's　case；　two　years　of　medical　bills　had　been　paid　by　the　pany。
　　　　Meanwhile；　InGen's　island　facility　in　Costa　Rica　had　been　destroyed。　There　were　no　longer　any　living　creatures　on　the　island。　The　pany　had　hired　the　eminent　Stanford　professor　George　Baselton；　a　biologist　and　essayist　whose　frequent　television　appearances　had　made　him　a　popular　authority　on　scientific　subjects。　Baselton　claimed　to　have　visited　the　island；　and　had　been　tireless　in　denying　rumors　that　extinct　animals　had　ever　existed　there。　His　derisive　snort；　〃Saber…toothed　tigers；　indeed！〃　was　particularly　effective。
　　　　As　time　passed；　interest　in　the　story　waned。　InGen　was　long　since　bankrupt；　the　principal　investors　in　Europe　and　Asia　had　taken　their　losses。　Although　the　pany's　physical　assets；　the　buildings　and　lab　equipment；　would　be　sold　piecemeal；　the　core　technology　that　had　been　developed　would；　they　decided；　never　be　sold。　In　short；　the　InGen　chapter　was　closed。
　　　　There　was　nothing　more　to　say。
　　　　
〃So　there's　no　truth　to　it；〃　Levine　said；　biting　into　his　green…corn　tamale。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　Dr。　Malcolm；　that　makes　me　feel　better。〃
　　　　〃Why？〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃Because　it　means　that　the　remnants　that　keep　turning　up　in　Costa　Rica　must　be　real。　Real　dinosaurs。　I've　got　a　friend　from　Yale　down　there；　a　field　biologist；　and　he　says　he's　seen　them。　I　believe　him。〃
　　　　Malcolm　shrugged。　〃I　doubt；〃　he　said；　〃that　any　more　animals　will　turn　up　in　Costa　Rica。〃
　　　　〃It's　true　there　haven't　been　any　for　almost　a　year　now。　But　if　more　show　up；　I'm　going　down　there。　And　in　the　interim；　I　am　going　to　outfit　an　expedition。　I've　been　giving　a　lot　of　thought　to　how　it　should　be　done。　I　think　the　special　vehicles　could　be　built　and　ready　in　a　year。　I've　already　talked　to　Doc　Thorne　about　it。　Then　I'll　assemble　a　team；　perhaps　including　Dr。　Harding　here；　or　a　similarly　acplished　naturalist；　and　some　graduate　students。。。。〃
　　　　Malcolm　listened；　shaking　his　head。
　　　　〃You　think　I'm　wasting　my　time；〃　Levine　said。　〃I　do；　yes。〃
　　　　〃But　suppose　…　just　suppose　…　that　animals　start　to　show　up　again。〃
　　　　〃Never　happen。〃
　　　　〃But　suppose　they　did？〃　Levine　said。　〃Would　you　be　interested　in　helping　me？　To　plan　an　expedition？〃
　　　　Malcolm　finished　his　meal；　and　pushed　the　plate　aside。　He　stared　at　Levine。
　　　　〃Yes；〃　he　said　finally。　〃If　animals　started　showing　up　again；　I　would　be　interested　in　helping　you。〃
　　　　〃Great！〃　Levine　said。　〃That's　all　I　wanted　to　know。〃

Outside；　in　the　bright　sunlight　on　Guadalupe　Street；　Malcolm　walked　with　Sarah　toward　Malcolm's　battered　Ford　sedan。　Levine　climbed　into　a　bright…red　Ferrari；　waved　cheerfully；　and　roared　off。
　　　　〃You　think　it　will　ever　happen？〃　Sarah　Harding　said。　〃That　these；　ah；　animals　will　start　showing　up　again？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Malcolm　said；　〃I　am　quite　sure　they　never　will。〃
　　　　〃You　sound　hopeful。〃
　　　　He　shook　his　head；　and　got　awkwardly　in　the　car；　swinging　his　bad　leg　tinder　the　steering　wheel。　Harding　climbed　in　beside　him。　He　glanced　at　her；　and　turned　the　key　in　the　ignition。　They　drove　back　to　the　Institute。

The　following　day；　she　went　back　to　Africa。　During　the　next　eighteen　months；　she　had　a　rough　sense　of　Levine's　progress；　since　from　time　to　time　he　called　her　with　some　question　about　field　protocols；　or　vehicle　tires；　or　the　best　anaesthetic　to　use　on　animals　in。　the　wild。　Sometimes　she　got　a　call　from　Doc　Thorne；　who　was　building　the　vehicles。　He　usually　sounded　harassed。
　　　　From　Malcolm　she　heard　nothing　at　all；　although　he　sent　her　a　card　on　her　birthday。　It　arrived　a　month　late。　He　had　scrawled　at　the　bottom；　〃Have　a　happy　birthday。　Be　glad　you're　nowhere　near　him。　He's　driving　me　crazy。〃

FIRST　CONFIGURATION

〃In　the　conservative　region　far　from　the　chaotic　edge；
individual　elements　coalesce　slowly；　showing　no　clear　pattern。〃

IAN　MALCOLM



Aberrant　Forms
　　　　
In　the　fading　afternoon　light；　the　helicopter　skimmed　low　along　the　coast；　following　the　line　where　the　dense　jungle　met　the　beach。　The　last　of　the　fishing　villages　had　flashed　by　beneath　them　ten　minutes　ago。　Now　there　was　only　impenetrable　Costa　Rican　jungle；　mangrove　swamps；　and　mile　after　mile　of　deserted　sand。　Sitting　beside　the　pilot；　Marty；　Guitierrez　stared　out　the　window　as　the　coastline　swept　past。　There　weren't　even　any　roads　in　this　area；　at　least　none　that　Guitierrez　could　see。
　　　　Guitierrez　was　a　quiet；　bearded　American　of　thirty…six；　a　field　biologist　who　had　lived　for　the　last　eight　years　in　Costa　Rica。　He　had　originally　e　to　study　toucan　speciation　in　the　rain　forest；　but　stayedon　as　a　consultant　to　the　Reserva　Biológica　de　Carara；　the　national　park　in　the　north。　He　clicked　the　radio　mike　and　said　to　the　pilot；　〃How　much　farther？〃
　　　　〃Five　minutes；　Se？ior　Guitierrez。〃
　　　　Guitierrez　turned　and　said；　〃It　won't　be　long　now。〃　But　the　tall　man　folded　up　in　the　back　seat　of　the　helicopter　didn't　answer；　or　even　acknowledge　that　he　had　been　spoken　to。　He　merely　sat；　with　his　hand　on　his　chin；　and　stared　frowning　out　the　window。
　　　　Richard　Levine　wore　sun…faded　field　khakis；　and　an　Australian　slouch　hat　pushed　low　over　his　head。　A　battered　pair　of　binoculars　hung　around　his　neck。　But　despite　his　rugged　appearance；　Levine　conveyed　an　air　of　scholarly　absorption。　Behind　his　wire…frame　spectacles；　his　features　were　sharp；　his　expression　intense　and　critical　as　he　looked　out　the　window。
　　　　〃What　is　this　place？〃
　　　　〃It's　called　Rojas。〃
　　　　〃So　we're　far　south？〃
　　　　〃Yes。　Only　about　fifty　miles　from　the　border　with　Panama。〃
　　　　Levine　stared　at　the　jungle。　〃I　don't　see　any　roads；〃　he　said。　〃How　was　the　thing　found？〃
　　　　〃Couple　of　campers；〃　Guitierrez　said。　〃They　came　in　by　boat；　landed　on　the　beach。〃
　　　　〃When　was　that？〃
　　　　Yesterday。　They　took　one　look　at　the　thing；　and　ran　like　hell。〃
　　　　Levine　nodded。　With　his　long　limbs　folded　up；　his　hands　tucked　under　his　chin；　he　looked　like　a　praying　mantis。　That　had　been　his　nickname　in　graduate　school；　in　part　because　of　his　appearance　…　and　in　part　because　of　his　tendency　to　bite　off　the　head　of　anyone　who　disagreed　with　him。
　　　　Guitierrez　said；　〃Been　to　Costa　Rica　before？〃
　　　　〃No。　First　time；〃　Levine　said。　And　then　he　gave　an　irritable　wave　of　his　hand；　as　'if　he　didn't　want　to　be　bothered　with　small　talk。
　　　　Guitierrez　smiled。　After　all　these　years；　Levine　had　not　changed　at　all。　He　was　still　one　of　the　most　brilliant　and　irritating　men　in　science。　The　two　had　been　fellow　graduate　Students　at　Yale；　until　Levine　quit　the　doctoral　program　to　get　his　degree　in　parative　zoology　instead。　Levine　announced　he　had　no　interest　in　the　kind　of　contemporary　field　research　that　so　attracted　Guitierrez。　With　characteristic　contempt；　he　had　once　described　Guitierrez's　work　as　〃collecting　parrot　crap　from　around　the　world。〃
　　　　The　truth　was　that　Levine　…　brilliant　and　fastidious　…　was　drawn　to　the　past；　to　the　world　that　no　longer　existed。　And　he　studied　this　world　with　obsessive　intensity。　He　was　famous　for　his　photographic　memory；　his　arrogance；　his　sharp　tongue；　and　the　unconcealed　pleasure　he　took　in　pointing　out　the　errors　of　colleagues。　As　a　colleague　once　said；　〃Levine　never　forgets　a　bone　…　and　he　never　lets　you　forget　it；　either。〃
　　　　Field　researchers　disliked　Levine；　and　he　returned　the　sentiment。　He　was　at　heart　a　man　of　detail；　a　cataloguer　of　animal　life；　and　he　was　happiest　poring　over　museum　collections；　reassigning　species；　rearranging　display　skeletons。　He　disliked　the　dust　and　inconvenience　of　life　in　the　field。　Given　his　choice；　Levine　would　never　leave　the　Museum。　But　it　was　his　fate　to　live　in　the　greatest　period　of　discovery　in　the　history　of　paleontology。　The　number　of　known　species　of　dinosaurs　had　doubled　in　the　last　twenty　years；　and　new　species　were　now　being　described　at　the　rate　of　one　every　seven　weeks；　Thus　Levine's　worldwide　reputation　forced　him　to　continually　travel　around　the　World；　inspecting　new　finds；　and　rendering　his　expert　opinion　to　researchers　who　were　annoyed　to　admit　that　they　needed　it。
　　　　〃Where'd　you　e　from？〃　Gtiitierrez