jurassic.park-第31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！


　　　　〃You　wanted　to　fit　them　with　radio　collars；〃　Hammond　said。　〃And　I　agreed。〃
　　　　〃Yes。　And　they　promptly　chewed　the　collars　off。　But　even　if　the　raptors　never　get　free；〃　Arnold　said；　〃I　think　we　have　to　accept　that　Jurassic　Park　is　 inherently　hazardous。〃
　　　　〃Oh　balls；　〃　Hammond　said。　〃Whose　side　are　you　on；　anyway？
　　　　〃We　now　have　fifteen　species　of　extinct　animals；　and　most　of　them　are　dangerous；〃　Arnold　said。　〃We've　been　forced　to　delay　the　jungle　River　Ride　because　of　the　dilophosaurs；　and　the　Pteratops　Lodge　in　the　aviary；　because　the　pterodactyls　are　so　unpredictable。　These　aren't　engineering　delays；　Mr。　Hammond。　They're　problems　with　control　of　the　animals。〃
　　　　〃You've　had　plenty　of　engineering　delays；〃　Hammond　said。　〃Don't　blame　it　on　the　animals。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　we　have。　In　fact；　it's　all　we　could　do　to　get　the　main　attraction；　Park　Drive；　working　correctly；　to　get　the　CD…ROMs　inside　the　cars　to　be　controlled　by　the　motion　sensors。　It's　taken　weeks　of　adjustment　to　get　that　working　properly…and　now　the　electric　gearshifts　on　the　cars　are　acting　up！　The　gearshifts！〃
　　　　〃Let's　keep　it　in　perspective；〃　Hammond　said。　〃You　get　the　engineering　correct　and　the　animals　will　fall　into　place。　After　all；　they're　trainable。〃
　　　　From　the　beginning；　this　had　been　one　of　the　core　beliefs　of　the　planners。　The　animals；　however　exotic；　would　fundamentally　behave　like　animals　in　zoos　anywhere。　They　would　learn　the　regularities　of　their　care；　and　they　would　respond。
　　　　〃Meanwhile；　how's　the　puter？〃　Hammond　said。　He　glanced　at　Dennis　Nedry；　who　was　working　at　a　terminal　in　the　corner　of　the　room。　〃This　damn　puter　has　always　been　a　headache。〃
　　　　〃We're　getting　there；〃　Nedry　said。
　　　　〃If　you　had　done　it　right　in　the　first　place；〃　Hammond　began；　but　Arnold　put　a　restraining　band　on　his　arm。　Arnold　knew　there　was　no　point　in　antagonizing　Nedry　while　he　was　working。
　　　　〃It's　a　large　system；〃　Arnold　said。　〃There　are　bound　to　be　glitches。〃
　　　　In　fact；　the　bug　list　now　ran　to　more　than　130　items；　and　included　many　odd　aspects。　For　example：
　　　　The　animal…feeding　program　reset　itself　every　twelve　hours；　not　every　twenty…four　hours；　and　would　not　record　feedings　on　Sundays。　As　a　result；　the　staff　could　not　accurately　measure　how　much　the　animals　were　eating。
　　　　The　security　system；　which　controlled　all　the　security…card…operated　doors；　cut　out　whenever　main　power　was　lost；　and　did　not　e　back　on　with　auxiliary　power。　The　security　Program　only　ran　with　main　power。
　　　　The　physical　conservation　program；　intended　to　dim　lights　after　10：00　p。m。；　only　worked　on　alternate　days　of　the　week。
　　　　The　automated　fecal　analysis　（called　Auto　Poop）；　designed　to　check　for　parasites　in　the　animal　stools；　invariably　recorded　all　specimens　as　having　the　parasite　Phagostomum　venulosum；　although　none　did。　The　program　then　automatically　dispensed　medication　into　the　animals'　food。　If　the　handlers　dumped　the　medicine　out　of　the　hoppers　to　prevent　its　being　dispensed；　an　alarm　sounded　which　could　not　be　turned　off。
　　　　And　so　it　went；　page　after　page　of　errors。
　　　　When　he　had　arrived；　Dennis　Nedry　had　been　under　the　impression　that　he　could　make　all　the　fixes　himself　over　the　weekend。　He　had　paled　when　he　saw　the　full　listing。　Now　he　was　calling　his　office　in　Cambridge；　telling　his　staff　programmers　they　were　going　to　have　to　cancel　their　weekend　plans　and　work　overtime　until　Monday。　And　he　had　told　John　Arnold　that　he　would　need　to　use　every　telephone　link　between　Isla　Nublar　and　the　mainland　just　to　transfer　program　data　back　and　forth　to　his　programmers。
　　　　While　Nedry　worked；　Arnold　punched　up　a　new　window　in　his　own　monitor。　It　allowed　him　to　see　what　Nedry　was　doing　at　the　corner　console。　Not　that　he　didn't　trust　Nedry。　But　Arnold　just　liked　to　know　what　was　going　on。
　　　　He　looked　at　the　graphics　display　on　his　right…hand　console；　which　showed　the　progress　of　the　electric　Land　Cruisers。　They　were　following　the　river；　just　north　of　the　aviary；　and　the　ornithischian　paddock。

〃If　you　look　to　your　left；〃　said　the　voice；　〃you　will　see　the　dome　of　the　Jurassic　Park　aviary；　which　is　not　yet　finished　for　visitors。〃　Tim　saw　sunlight　glinting　off　aluminum　struts　in　the　distance。　〃And　directly　below　is　our　Mesozoic　jungle　river…where；　if　you　are　lucky；　you　just　may　catch　a　glimpse　of　a　very　rare　carnivore。　Keep　your　eyes　peeled；　everyone！〃
　　　　Inside　the　Land　Cruiser；　the　screens　showed　a　bird…like　head　topped　with　a　flaming　red　crest。　But　everyone　in　Tim's　car　was　looking　out　the　windows。　The　car　was　driving　along　a　high　ridge；　overlooking　a　fast…moving　river　below。　The　river　was　almost　enclosed　by　dense　foliage　on　both　sides。
　　　　〃There　they　are　now；〃　said　the　voice。　〃The　animals　you　see　are　called　dilophosaurs。〃
　　　　Despite　what　the　recording　said；　Tim　saw　only　one。　The　dilophosaur　crouched　on　its　hind　legs　by　the　river；　drinking。　It　was　built　on　the　basic　carnivore　pattern；　with　a　heavy　tail；　strong　hind　limbs；　and　a　long　neck。　Its　ten…foot…tall　body　was　spotted　yellow　and　black；　like　a　leopard。
　　　　But　it　was　the　head　that　held　Tim's　attention。　Two　broad　curving　crests　ran　along　the　top　of　the　head　from　the　eyes　to　the　nose。　The　crests　met　in　the　center；　making　a　V　shape　above　the　dinosaur's　head。　The　crests　had　red　and　black　stripes；　reminiscent　of　a　parrot　or　toucan。　The　animal　gave　a　soft　hooting　cry；　like　an　owl。
　　　　〃They're　pretty；〃　Lex　said。
　　　　〃Dilophosaurus；　〃　the　tape　said；　〃is　one　of　the　earliest　carnivorous　dinosaurs。　Scientists　thought　their　jaw　muscles　were　too　weak　to　kill　prey；　and　imagined　they　were　primarily　scavengers。　But　now　we　know　they　are　poisonous。〃
　　　　〃Hey。〃　Tim　grinned。　〃All　right。〃
　　　　Again　the　distinctive　booting　call　of　the　dilophosaur　drifted　across　the　afternoon　air　toward　them。
　　　　Lex　shifted　uneasily　in　her　seat。　〃Are　they　really　poisonous；　Mr。　Regis？〃
　　　　〃Don't　worry　about　it；〃　Ed　Regis　said。
　　　　〃But　are　they？〃
　　　　〃Well；　yes；　Lex。〃
　　　　〃Along　with　such　living　reptiles　as　Gila　monsters　and　rattlesnakes；　Dilophosaurus　secretes　a　hematotoxin　from　glands　in　its　mouth。　Unconsciousness　follows　within　minutes　of　a　bite。　The　dinosaur　will　then　finish　the　victim　off　at　its　leisure…making　Dilophosaurus　a　beautiful　but　deadly　addition　to　the　animals　you　see　here　at　Jurassic　Park。〃
　　　　The　Land　Cruiser　turned　a　corner；　leaving　the　river　behind。　Tim　looked　back；　hoping　for　a　last　glimpse　of　the　dilophosaur。　This　was　amazing！　Poisonous　dinosaurs！　He　wished　he　could　stop　the　car；　but　everything　was　automatic。　He　bet　Dr。　Grant　wanted　to　stop　the　car；　too。
　　　　〃If　you　look　on　the　bluff　to　the　right；　you'll　see　Les　Gigantes；　the　site　of　our　superb　three…star　dining　room。　Chef　Alain　Richard　hails　from　the　world…famous　Le　Beaumanière　in　France。　Make　your　reservations　by　dialing　four　from　your　hotel　rooms。〃
　　　　Tim　looked　up　on　the　bluff；　and　saw　nothing。
　　　　〃Not　for　a　while；　though；〃　Ed　Regis　said。　〃The　restaurant　won't　even　start　construction　until　November。〃
　　　　〃Continuing　on　our　prehistoric　safari；　we　e　next　to　the　herbivores　of　the　ornithischian　group。　If　you　look　to　your　right；　you　can　probably　see　them　now。〃
　　　　Tim　saw　two　animals；　standing　motionless　in　the　shade　of　a　large　tree。　Triceratops：　the　size　and　gray　color　of　an　elephant；　with　the　truculent　stance　of　a　rhino。　The　horns　above　each　eye　curved　five　feet　into　the　air；　looking　almost　like　inverted　elephant　tusks。　A　third；　rhino…like　born　was　located　near　the　nose。　And　they　had　the　beaky　snout　of　a　rhino。
　　　　〃Unlike　other　dinosaurs；〃　the　voice　said；　〃Triceratops　serratus　can't　see　well。　They're　nearsighted；　like　the　rhinos　of　today；　and　they　tend　to　be　surprised　by　moving　objects。　They'd　charge　our　car　if　they　were　close　enough　to　see　it！　But　relax；　folks…we're　safe　enough　here。〃
　　　　〃Triceratops　have　a　fan…shaped　crest　behind　their　heads。　It's　made　of　solid　bone；　and　it's　very　strong。　These　animals　weigh　about　seven　tons　each。　Despite　their　appearance；　they　are　actually　quite　docile。　They　know　their　handlers；　and　they'll　allow　themselves　to　be　petted。　They　particularly　like　to　be　scratched　in　the　hindquarters。〃
　　　　〃Why　don't　they　move？〃　Lex　said。　She　rolled　down　her　window。　〃Hey！　Stupid　dinosaur！　Move！〃
　　　　〃Don't　bother　the　animals；　Lex；〃　Ed　Regis　said。
　　　　〃Why？　It's　stupid。　They　just　sit　there　like　a　picture　in　a　book；〃　Lex　said。
　　　　The　voice　was　saying；　〃…easygoing　monsters　from　a　bygone　world　stand　in　sharp　contrast　to　what　we　will　see　next。　The　most　famous　predator　in　the　history　of　the　world：　the　mighty　tyrant　lizard；　known　as　Tyrannosaurus　rex。〃
　　　　〃Good；　Tyrannosaurus　rex；　〃　Tim　said。
　　　　〃I　hope　he's　better　than　these　bozos；〃　Lex　said；　turning　away　from　the　triceratops。
　　　　The　Land　Cruiser　rumbled　forward。

Big　Rex

〃The　mighty　tyrannosaurs　arose　late　in　dinosaur　history。　Dinosaurs　ruled　the　earth　for　a　hundred　and　twenty　million　years；　but　there　were　tyrannosaurs　for　only　the　last　fifteen　million　years　of　that　period。〃
　　　　The　Land　Cruisers　had　stopped　at　the　rise　of　a　hill。　They　overlooked　a　forested　area　sloping　down　to　the　edge　of　the　lagoon。　The　sun　was　falling　to　the　west；　sinking　into　a　misty　horizon。　The　whole　landscape　of　Jurassic　Park　was　bathed　in　soft　light；　with　lengthening　shadows。　The　surface　of　the　l