jurassic.park-第19部分

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　weapons　that　plants　had　evolved。　There　were　terpenes；　which　plants　spread　to　poison　the　soil　around　them　and　inhibit　petitors；　alkaloids；　which　made　them　unpalatable　to　insects　and　predators　（and　children）；　and　pheromones；　used　for　munication。　When　a　Douglas　fir　tree　was　attacked　by　beetles；　it　produced　an　anti…feedant　chemical…and　so　did　other　Douglas　firs　in　distant　parts　of　the　forest。　It　happened　in　response　to　a　warning　alleochemical　secreted　by　the　trees　that　were　under　attack。
　　　　People　who　imagined　that　life　on　earth　consisted　of　animals　moving　against　a　green　background　seriously　misunderstood　what　they　were　seeing。　That　green　background　was　busily　alive。　Plants　grew；　moved；　twisted；　and　turned；　fighting　for　the　sun；　and　they　interacted　continuously　with　ammals…discouraging　some　with　bark　and　thorns；　poisoning　others；　and　feeding　still　others　to　advance　their　own　reproduction；　to　spread　their　pollen　and　seeds。　It　was　a　plex；　dynamic　process　which　she　never　ceased　to　find　fascinating。　And　which　she　knew　most　people　simply　didn't　understand。
　　　　But　if　planting　deadly　ferns　at　poolside　was　any　indication；　then　it　was　clear　that　the　designers　of　Jurassic　Park　had　not　been　as　careful　as　they　should　have　been。
　　　　〃Isn't　it　just　wonderful？〃　Ed　Regis　was　saying。　〃If　you　look　up　ahead；　you'll　see　our　Safari　Lodge。〃　Ellie　saw　a　dramatic；　low　building；　with　a　series　of　glass　pyramids　on　the　roof。　〃That's　where　you'll　all　be　staying　here　in　Jurassic　Park。〃

Grant's　suite　was　done　in　beige　tones；　the　rattan　furniture　in　green　jungle…print　motifs。　The　room　wasn't　quite　finished；　there　were　stacks　of　lumber　in　the　closet；　and　pieces　of　electrical　conduit　on　the　floor。　There　was　a　television　set　in　the　corner；　with　a　card　on　top：

Channel　2：　Hypsilophodont　Highlands
Channel　3：　Triceratops　Territory
Channel　4：　Sauropod　Swamp
Channel　5：　Carnivore　Country
Channel　6：　Stegosaurus　South
Channel　7：　Velociraptor　Valley
Channel　8：　Pterosaur　Peak

　　　　He　found　the　names　irritatingly　cute。　Grant　turned　on　the　television　but　got　only　static。　He　shut　it　off　and　went　into　his　bedroom；　tossed　his　suitcase　on　the　bed。　Directly　over　the　bed　was　a　large　pyramidal　skylight。　It　created　a　tented　feeling；　like　sleeping　under　the　stars。　Unfortunately　the　glass　had　to　be　protected　by　heavy　bars；　so　that　striped　shadows　fell　across　the　bed。
　　　　Grant　paused。　He　had　seen　the　plans　for　the　lodge；　and　be　didn't　remember　bars　on　the　skylight。　In　fact；　these　bars　appeared　to　be　a　rather　crude　addition。　A　black　steel　frame　had　been　constructed　outside　the　glass　walls；　and　the　bars　welded　to　the　frame。
　　　　Puzzled；　Grant　moved　from　the　bedroom　to　the　living　room。　His　window　looked　out　on　the　swimming　pool。
　　　　〃By　the　way；　those　ferns　are　poison；〃　Ellie　said；　walking　into　his　room。　〃But　did　you　notice　anything　about　the　rooms；　Alan？〃
　　　　〃They　changed　the　plans。〃
　　　　〃I　think　so；　yes。〃　She　moved　around　the　room。　〃The　windows　are　small；〃　she　said。　〃And　the　glass　is　tempered；　set　in　a　steel　frame。　The　doors　are　steel…clad。　That　shouldn't　be　necessary。　And　did　you　see　the　fence　when　we　came　in？〃
　　　　Grant　nodded。　The　entire　lodge　was　enclosed　within　a　fence；　with　bars　of　incb…thick　steel。　The　fence　was　gracefully　landscaped　and　painted　flat　black　to　resemble　wrought　iron；　but　no　cosmetic　effort　could　disguise　the　thickness　of　the　metal；　or　its　twelve…foot　height。
　　　　〃I　don't　think　the　fence　was　in　the　plans；　either；〃　Ellie　said。　〃It　looks　to　me　like　they've　turned　this　place　into　a　fortress。〃
　　　　Grant　looked　at　his　watch。　〃We'll　be　sure　to　ask　why；〃　he　said。　〃The　tour　starts　in　twenty　minutes。〃

When　Dinosaurs　ruled　the　Earth

They　met　in　the　visitor　building：　two　stories　high；　and　all　glass　with　exposed　black　anodized　girders　and　supports。　Grant　found　it　determinedly　high…tech。
　　　　There　was　a　small　auditorium　dominated　by　a　robot　Tyrannosaurus　rex；　poised　menacingly　by　the　entrance　to　an　exhibit　area　labeled　WHEN　DINOSAURS　RULED　THE　EARTH。　Farther　on　were　other　displays：　WHAT　IS　A　DINOSAUR？　and　THE　MESOZOIC　WORLD。　But　the　exhibits　weren't　pleted；　there　were　wires　and　cables　all　over　the　floor。　Gennaro　climbed　up　on　the　stage　and　talked　to　Grant；　Ellie；　and　Malcolm；　his　voice　echoing　slightly　in　the　room。
　　　　Hammond　sat　in　the　back；　his　hands　folded　across　his　chest。
　　　　〃We're　about　to　tour　the　facilities；〃　Gennaro　said。　〃I'm　sure　Mr。　Hammond　and　his　staff　will　show　everything　in　the　best　light。　Before　we　go；　I　wanted　to　review　why　we　are　here；　and　what　I　need　to　decide　before　we　leave。　Basically；　as　you　all　realize　by　now；　this　is　an　island　in　which　genetically　engineered　dinosaurs　have　been　allowed　to　move　in　a　natural　park…like　setting；　forming　a　tourist　attraction。　The　attraction　isn't　open　to　tourists　yet；　but　it　will　be　in　a　year。
　　　　〃Now；　my　question　for　you　is　a　simple　one。　Is　this　island　safe？　Is　it　safe　for　visitors；　and　is　it　safely　containing　the　dinosaurs？〃
　　　　Gennaro　turned　down　the　room　lights。　〃There　are　two　pieces　of　evidence　which　we　have　to　deal　with。　First　of　all；　there　is　Dr。　Grant's　identification　of　a　previously　unknown　dinosaur　on　the　Costa　Rican　mainland。　This　dinosaur　is　known　only　from　a　partial　fragment。　It　was　found　in　July　of　this　year；　after　it　supposedly　bit　an　American　girl　on　a　beach。　Dr。　Grant　can　tell　you　more　later。　I've　asked　for　the　original　fragment；　which　is　in　a　lab　in　New　York；　to　be　flown　here　so　that　we　can　inspect　it　directly。　Meanwhile；　there　is　a　second　piece　of　evidence。
　　　　〃Costa　Rica　has　an　excellent　medical　service；　and　it　tracks　all　kinds　of　data。　Beginning　in　March；　there　were　reports　of　lizards　biting　infants　in　their　cribs…and　also；　I　might　add；　biting　old　people　who　were　sleeping　soundly。　These　lizard　bites　were　sporadically　reported　in　coastal　villages　from　Ismaloya　to　Puntarenas。　After　March；　lizard　bites　were　no　longer　reported。　However；　I　have　this　graph　from　the　Public　Health　Service　in　San　Jos6　of　infant　mortality　in　the　towns　of　the　west　coast　earlier　this　year。〃

　　　　〃I　direct　your　attention　to　two　features　of　this　graph；〃　Gennaro　said。　〃First；　infant　mortality　is　low　in　the　months　of　January　and　February；　then　spikes　in　March；　then　it's　low　again　in　April。　But　from　May　onward；　it　is　high；　right　through　July；　the　month　the　American　girl　was　bitten。　The　Public　Health　Service　feels　that　something　is　now　affecting　infant　mortality；　and　it　is　not　being　reported　by　the　workers　in　the　coastal　villages。　The　second　feature　is　the　puzzling　biweekly　spiking；　which　seems　to　suggest　some　kind　of　alternating　phenomenon　is　at　work。〃
　　　　The　lights　came　back　on。　〃All　right；〃　Gennaro　said。　〃That's　the　evidence　I　want　explained。　Now；　are　there　any…〃
　　　　〃We　can　save　ourselves　a　great　deal　of　trouble；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃I'll　explain　it　for　you　now。〃
　　　　〃You　will？〃　Gennaro　said。
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃First　of　all；　animals　have　very　likely　gotten　off　the　island。〃
　　　　〃Oh　balls；〃　Hammond　growled；　from　the　back。
　　　　〃And　second；　the　graph　from　the　Public　Health　Service　is　almost　certainly　unrelated　to　any　animals　that　have　escaped。〃
　　　　Grant　said；　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
　　　　〃You'll　notice　that　the　graph　alternates　between　high　and　low　spikes；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃That　is　characteristic　of　many　plex　systems。　For　example；　water　dripping　from　a　tap。　If　you　turn　on　the　faucet　lust　a　little；　you'll　get　a　constant　drip；　drip；　drip。　But　if　you　open　it　a　little　more；　so　that　there's　a　bit　of　turbulence　in　the　flow；　then　you'll　get　alternating　large　and　small　drops。　Drip　drip　。　。　。　Drip　drip　。　。　。　Like　that。　You　can　try　it　yourself。　Turbulence　produces　alternation…it's　a　signature。　And　you　will　get　an　alternating　graph　like　this　for　the　spread　of　any　new　illness　in　a　munity；〃
　　　　〃But　why　do　you　say　it　isn't　caused　by　escaped　dinosaurs？〃　Grant　said。
　　　　〃Because　it　is　a　nonlinear　signature；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃You'd　need　hundreds　of　escaped　dinosaurs　to　cause　it。　And　I　don't　think　hundreds　of　dinosaurs　have　escaped。　So　I　conclude　that　some　other　phenomenon；　such　as　a　new　variety　of　flu；　is　causing　the　fluctuations　you　see　in　the　graph。〃
　　　　Gennaro　said；　〃But　you　think　that　dinosaurs　have　escaped？〃
　　　　〃　Probably；　yes。〃
　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　〃Because　of　what　you　are　attempting　here。　Look；　this　island　is　an　attempt　to　re…create　a　natural　environment　from　the　past。　To　make　an　isolated　world　where　extinct　creatures　roam　freely。　　Correct？〃
　　　　〃Yes。〃
　　　　〃But　from　my　point　of　view；　such　an　undertaking　is　impossible。　The　mathematics　are　so　self…evident　that　they　don't　need　to　be　calculated。　It's　rather　like　my　asking　you　whether；　on　a　billion　dollars　in　ine；　you　had　to　pay　tax。　You　wouldn't　need　to　pull　out　your　calculator　to　check。　You'd　know　tax　was　owed。　And；　similarly；　I　know　overwhelmingly　that　one　cannot　successfully　duplicate　nature　in　this　way；　or　hope　to　isolate　it。〃
　　　　〃Why　not？　After　all；　there　are　zoos。〃
　　　　〃Zoos　don't　re…create　nature；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃Let's　be　clear。　Zoos　take　the　nature　that　already　exists　and　modify　it　very　slightly；　to　create　holding　pens　for　animals。　Even　those　minimal　modifications　often　fail。　The　animals　escape　with　regularity。　But　a　zoo　is　not　a　model　for　this　park。　This　park　is　attempting　something　far　more　ambitious　than　that。　Something　much　more　akin　to　maki