jurassic.park-第43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！


　had　asked　about　amphibian　DNA；　Wu　had　intended　to　go　directly　to　his　laboratory　and　check　the　puter　records　of　the　various　DNA　assemblies。　Because；　if　the　dinosaurs　were　in　fact　breeding；　then　everything　about　Jurassic　Park　was　called　into　question…their　genetic　development　methods；　their　genetic　control　methods；　everything。　Even　the　lysine　dependency　might　be　suspect。　And　if　these　animals　could　truly　breed；　and　could　also　survive　in　the　wild　。　。　。
　　　　Henry　Wu　wanted　to　check　the　data　at　once。　But　Hammond　had　stubbornly　insisted　Wu　acpany　him　at　dinner。
　　　　〃Now　then；　Henry；　you　must　save　room　for　ice　cream；〃　Hammond　said；　pushing　back　from　the　table。　〃Maria　makes　the　most　wonderful　ginger　ice　cream。〃
　　　　〃All　right。〃　Wu　looked　at　the　beautiful；　silent　serving　girl。　His　eyes　followed　her　out　of　the　room；　and　then　he　glanced　up　at　the　single　video　monitor　mounted　in　the　wall。　The　monitor　was　dark。　〃Your　monitor's　out；〃　Wu　said。
　　　　〃Is　it？〃　Hammond　glanced　over。　〃Must　be　the　storm。〃　He　reached　behind　him　for　the　telephone。　〃I'll　just　check　with　John　in　control。〃
　　　　Wu　could　hear　the　static　crackle　on　the　telephone　line。　Hammond　shrugged；　and　set　the　receiver　back　in　its　cradle。　〃Lines　must　be　down；〃　he　said。　〃Or　maybe　Nedry's　still　doing　data　transmission。　He　has　quite　a　few　bugs　to　fix　this　weekend。　Nedry's　a　genius　in　his　way；　but　we　had　to　press　him　quite　hard；　toward　the　end；　to　make　sure　he　got　things　right。〃
　　　　〃Perhaps　I　should　go　to　the　control　room　and　check；〃　Wu　said。
　　　　〃No；　no；〃　Hammond　said；　〃There's　no　reason。　If　there　were　any　problem；　we'd　hear　about　it。　Ah。〃
　　　　Maria　came　back　into　the　room；　with　two　plates　of　ice　cream。
　　　　〃You　must　have　just　a　little；　Henry；〃　Hammond　said。　〃It's　made　with　fresh　ginger；　from　the　eastern　part　of　the　island。　It's　an　old　man's　vice；　ice　cream。　But　still　。　。　。〃
　　　　Dutifully；　Wu　dipped　his　spoon。　Outside；　lightning　flashed；　and　there　was　the　sharp　crack　of　thunder。　〃That　was　close；〃　Wu　said。　〃I　hope　the　storm　isn't　frightening　the　children。〃
　　　　〃I　shouldn't　think　so；〃　Hammond　said。　He　tasted　the　ice　cream。　〃But　I　can't　help　but　hold　some　fears　about　this　park；　Henry。〃
　　　　Inwardly；　Wu　felt　relieved。　Perhaps　the　old　man　was　going　to　face　the　facts；　after　all。　〃What　kind　of　fears？〃
　　　　〃You　know；　Jurassic　Park's　really　made　for　children。　The　children　of　the　world　love　dinosaurs；　and　the　children　are　going　to　delight…just　delight…in　this　place。　Their　little　faces　will　shine　with　the　joy　of　finally　seeing　these　wonderful　animals。　But　I　am　afraid　。　。　。　I　may　not　live　to　see　it；　Henry。　I　may　not　live　to　see　the　joy　on　their　faces。〃
　　　　〃I　think　there　are　other　problems；　too；〃　Wu　said；　frowning。
　　　　〃But　none　so　pressing　on　my　mind　as　this；〃　Hammond　said；　〃that　I　may　not　live　to　see　their　shining；　delighted　faces。　This　is　our　triumph；　this　park。　We　have　done　what　we　set　out　to　do。　And；　you　remember；　our　original　intent　was　to　use　the　newly　emerging　technology　of　genetic　engineering　to　make　money。　A　lot　of　money。〃
　　　　Wu　knew　Hammond　was　about　to　launch　into　one　of　his　old　speeches。　He　held　up　his　hand。　〃I'm　familiar　with　this；　John…〃
　　　　〃If　you　were　going　to　start　a　bioengineering　pany；　Henry；　what　would　you　do？　Would　you　make　products　to　help　mankind；　to　fight　illness　and　disease？　Dear　me；　no。　That's　a　terrible　idea。　A　very　poor　use　of　new　technology。〃
　　　　Hammond　shook　his　head　sadly。　〃Yet；　you'll　remember；〃　he　said；　〃the　original　genetic　engineering　panies；　like　Genentech　and　Cetus；　were　all　started　to　make　pharmaceuticals。　New　drugs　for　mankind。　Noble；　noble　purpose。　Unfortunately；　drugs　face　all　kinds　of　barriers。　FDA　testing　alone　takes　five　to　eight　years…if　you're　lucky。　Even　worse；　there　are　forces　at　work　in　the　marketplace。　Suppose　you　make　a　miracle　drug　for　cancer　or　heart　disease…as　Genentech　did。　Suppose　you　now　want　to　charge　a　thousand　dollars　or　two　thousand　dollars　a　dose。　You　might　imagine　that　is　your　privilege。　After　all；　you　invented　the　drug；　you　paid　to　develop　and　test　it；　you　should　be　able　to　charge　whatever　you　wish。　But　do　you　really　think　that　the　government　will　let　you　do　that？　No；　Henry；　they　will　not。　Sick　people　aren't　going　to　pay　a　thousand　dollars　a　dose　for　needed　medication…they　won't　be　grateful；　they'll　be　outraged。　Blue　Cross　isn't　going　to　pay　it。　They'll　scream　highway　robbery。　So　something　will　happen。　Your　patent　application　will　be　denied。　Your　permits　will　be　delayed。　Something　will　force　you　to　see　reason…and　to　sell　your　drug　at　a　lower　cost。　From　a　business　standpoint；　that　makes　helping　mankind　a　very　risky　business。　Personally；　I　would　never　help　mankind。〃
　　　　Wu　had　heard　the　argument　before。　And　he　knew　Hammond　was　right；　some　new　bioengineered　pharmaceuticals　had　indeed　suffered　inexplicable　delays　and　patent　problems。
　　　　〃Now；〃　Hammond　said；　〃think　how　different　it　is　when　you're　making　entertainment；　Nobody　needs　entertainment。　That's　not　a　matter　for　government　intervention。　If　I　charge　five　thousand　dollars　a　day　for　my　park；　who　is　going　to　stop　me？　After　all；　nobody　needs　to　e　here。　And；　far　from　being　highway　robbery；　a　costly　price　tag　actually　increases　the　appeal　of　the　park。　A　visit　bees　a　status　symbol；　and　all　Americans　love　that。　So　do　the　Japanese；　and　of　course　they　have　far　more　money。〃　
　　　　Hammond　finished　his　ice　cream；　and　Maria　silently　took　the　dish　away。　〃She's　not　from　here；　you　know；〃　he　said。　〃She's　Haitian。　Her　mother　is　French。　But　in　any　case；　Henry；　you　will　recall　that　the　original　purpose　behind　pointing　my　pany　in　this　direction　in　the　first　place…was　to　have　freedom　from　government　intervention；　anywhere　in　the　world。〃
　　　　〃Speaking　of　the　rest　of　the　world　。　。　。〃
　　　　Hammond　smiled。　〃We　have　already　leased　a　large　tract　in　the　Azores；　for　Jurassic　Park　Europe。　And　you　know　we　long　ago　obtained　an　island　near　Guam；　for　Jurassic　Park　Japan。　Construction　on　the　next　two　Jurassic　Parks　will　begin　early　next　year。　They　will　all　be　open　within　four　years。　At　that　time；　direct　revenues　will　exceed　ten　billion　dollars　a　year；　and　merchandising；　television；　and　ancillary　rights　should　double　that。　I　see　no　reason　to　bother　with　children's　pets；　which　I'm　told　Lew　Dodgson　thinks　we're　planning　to　make。〃
　　　　〃Twenty　billion　dollars　a　year；〃　Wu　said　softly；　shaking　his　head。
　　　　〃That's　speaking　conservatively；〃　Hammond　said。　He　smiled。　〃There's　no　reason　to　speculate　wildly。　More　ice　cream；　Henry？〃

〃Did　you　find　him？〃　Arnold　snapped；　when　the　guard　walked　into　the　control　room。
　　　　〃No；　Mr。　Arnold。〃
　　　　〃Find　him。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　think　he's　in　the　building；　Mr。　Arnold。〃
　　　　〃Then　look　in　the　lodge；〃　Arnold　said；　〃look　in　the　maintenance　buildIng；　look　in　the　utility　shed；　look　everywhere；　but　just　find　him。〃
　　　　〃The　thing　is　。　。　。〃　The　guard　hesitated。　〃Mr。　Nedry's　the　fat　man；　is　that　right？〃
　　　　〃That's　right；〃　Arnold　said。　〃He's　fat。　A　fat　slob。〃
　　　　〃Well；　Jimmy　down　in　the　main　lobby　said　he　saw　the　fat　man　go　into　the　garage。〃
　　　　Muldoon　spun　around。　〃Into　the　garage？　When？〃
　　　　〃About　ten；　fifteen　minutes　ago。〃
　　　　〃Jesus；〃　Muldoon　said。

The　Jeep　screeched　to　a　stop。　〃Sorry；〃　Harding　said。
　　　　In　the　headlamps；　Ellie　saw　a　herd　of　apatosaurs　lumbering　across　the　road。　There　were　six　animals；　each　the　size　of　a　house；　and　a　baby　as　large　as　a　full…grown　horse。　The　apatosaurs　moved　in　unhurried　silence；　never　looking　toward　the　Jeep　and　its　glowing　headlamps。　At　one　point；　the　baby　stopped　to　lap　water　from　a　puddle　in　the　road；　then　moved　on。
　　　　A　parable　herd　of　elephants　would　have　been　startled　by　the　arrival　of　a　car；　would　have　trumpeted　and　circled　to　protect　the　baby。　But　these　animals　showed　no　fear。　〃Don't　they　see　us？〃　she　said。
　　　　〃Not　exactly；　no；〃　Harding　said。　〃Of　course；　in　a　literal　sense　they　do　see　us；　but　we　don't　really　mean　anything　to　them。　We　hardly　ever　take　cars　out　at　night；　and　so　they　have　no　experience　of　them。　We　are　just　a　strange；　smelly　object　in　their　environment。　Representing　no　threat；　and　therefore　no　interest。　I've　occasionally　been　out　at　night；　visiting　a　sick　animal；　and　on　my　way　back　these　fellows　blocked　the　road　for　an　hour　or　more。
　　　　〃What　do　you　do？〃
　　　　Harding　grinned。　〃Play　a　recorded　tyrannosaur　roar。　That　gets　them　moving。　Not　that　they　care　much　about　tyrannosaurs。　These　apatosaurs　are　so　big　they　don't　really　have　any　predators。　They　can　break　a　tyrannosaur's　neck　with　a　swipe　of　their　tail。　And　they　know　it。　So　does　the　tyrannosaur。〃
　　　　〃But　they　do　see　us。　I　mean；　if　we　were　to　get　out　of　the　car　。　。　。〃
　　　　Harding　shrugged。　〃They　probably　wouldn't　react。　Dinosaurs　have　excellent　visual　acuity；　but　they　have　a　basic　amphibian　visual　system：　it's　attuned　to　movement。　They　don't　see　unmoving　things　well　at　all。〃
　　　　The　animals　moved　on；　their　skin　glistening　in　the　rain。　Harding　put　the　car　in　gear。　〃I　think　we　can　continue　now；〃　he　said。

Wu　said；　〃I　suspect　you　may　find　there　are　pressures　on　your　park；　just　as　there　are　pressures　on　Genentech's　drugs。〃　He　and　Hammond　had　moved　to　the　living　room；　and　they　were　now　watching　the　storm　lash　the　big　glass　windows。
　　　　〃I　can't　see　how；〃　Hammond　said。
　　　　〃The　scientists　may　wish　to　constrain　you。　Even　to　stop　you。
　　　　〃Well；　they　can't　do　th