jurassic.park-第56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！


　　　　Okay；〃　Arnold　said。　〃We're　going。〃
　　　　Gennaro　picked　up　the　phone　and　started　to　dial；　when　he　suddenly　stopped。
　　　　〃Jesus；　look　at　that；〃　he　said。　He　pointed　to　one　of　the　video　monitors。
　　　　But　Arnold　wasn't　listening；　He　was　staring　at　the　map；　where　a　tight　cluster　of　dots　by　the　lagoon　had　started　to　move　in　a　coordinated　way。　Moving　fast；　in　a　kind　of　swirl。
　　　　〃What's　happening？〃　Gennaro　said。
　　　　〃The　duckbills；〃　Arnold　said　tonelessly。　〃They've　stampeded。〃

The　duckbills　charged　with　surprising　speed；　their　enormous　bodies　in　a　tight　cluster；　honking　and　roaring；　the　infants　squealing　and　trying　to　stay　out　from　underfoot。　The　herd　raised　a　great　cloud　of　yellow　dust。　Grant　couldn't　see　the　tyrannosaur。
　　　　The　duckbills　were　running　right　toward　them。
　　　　Still　carrying　Lex；　he　ran　with　Tim　toward　a　rocky　outcrop；　with　a　stand　of　big　conifers。　They　ran　hard；　feeling　the　ground　shake　beneath　their　feet。　The　sound　of　the　approaching　herd　was　deafening；　like　the　sound　of　jets　at　an　airport。　It　filled　the　air；　and　hurt　their　ears。　Lex　was　shouting　something；　but　he　couldn't　hear　what　she　was　saying；　and　as　they　scrambled　onto　the　rocks；　the　herd　closed　in　around　them。
　　　　Grant　saw　the　immense　legs　of　the　first　hadrosaurs　that　charged　past；　each　animal　weighing　five　tons；　and　then　they　were　enveloped　in　a　cloud　so　dense　he　could　see　nothing　at　all。　He　had　the　impression　of　huge　bodies；　giant　limbs；　bellowing　cries　of　pain　as　the　animals　wheeled　and　circled。　One　duckbill　struck　a　boulder　and　it　rolled　past　them；　out　into　the　field　beyond。
　　　　In　the　dense　cloud　of　dust；　they　could　see　almost　nothing　beyond　the　rocks。　They　clung　to　the　boulders；　listening　to　the　screams　and　honks；　the　menacing　roar　of　the　tyrannosaur。　Lex　dug　her　fingers　into　Grant's　shoulder。
　　　　Another　hadrosaur　slammed　its　big　tail　against　the　rocks；　leaving　a　splash　of　hot　blood。　Grant　waited　until　the　sounds　of　the　fighting　had　moved　off　to　the　left；　and　then　he　pushed　the　kids　to　start　climbing　the　largest　tree。　They　climbed　swiftly；　feeling　for　the　branches；　as　the　animals　stampeded　all　around　them　in　the　dust。　They　went　up　twenty　feet；　and　then　Lex　clutched　at　Grant　and　refused　to　go　farther。　Tim　was　tired；　too；　and　Grant　thought　they　were　high　enough。　Through　the　dust；　they　could　see　the　broad　backs　of　the　animals　below　as　they　wheeled　and　bonked。　Grant　propped　himself　against　the　coarse　bark　of　the　trunk；　coughed　in　the　dust；　closed　his　eyes；　and　waited。

Arnold　adjusted　the　camera　as　the　herd　moved　away。　The　dust　slowly　cleared。　He　saw　that　the　hadrosaurs　had　scattered；　and　the　tyrannosaur　had　stopped　running；　which　could　only　mean　it　had　made　a　kill。　The　tyrannosaur　was　now　near　the　lagoon。　Arnold　looked　at　the　video　monitor　and　said；　〃Better　get　Muldoon　to　go　out　there　and　see　how　bad　it　is。〃
　　　　〃I'll　get　him；〃　Gennaro　said；　and　left　the　room。

The　Park

A　faint　crackling　sound；　like　a　fire　in　a　fireplace。　Something　warm　and　wet　tickled　Grant's　ankle。　He　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　an　enormous　beige　head。　The　head　tapered　to　a　flat　mouth　shaped　like　the　bill　of　a　duck。　The　eyes；　protruding　above　the　flat　duckbill；　were　gentle　and　soft　like　a　cow's。　The　duck　mouth　opened　and　chewed　branches　on　the　limb　where　Grant　was　sitting。　He　saw　large　flat　teeth　in　the　check。　The　warm　lips　touched　his　ankle　again　as　the　animal　chewed。
　　　　A　duckbilled　hadrosaur。　He　was　astonished　to　see　it　up　close。　Not　that　he　was　afraid；　all　the　species　of　duckbilled　dinosaurs　were　herbivorous；　and　this　one　acted　exactly　like　a　cow。　Even　though　it　was　huge；　its　manner　was　so　calm　and　peaceful　Grant　didn't　feel　threatened。　He　stayed　where　he　was　on　the　branch；　careful　not　to　move；　and　watched　as　it　ate。
　　　　The　reason　Grant　was　astonished　was　that　he　had　a　proprietary　feeling　about　this　animal：　it　was　probably　a　maiasaur；　from　the　late　Cretaceous　in　Montana。　With　John　Horner；　Grant　had　been　the　first　to　describe　the　species。　Maiasaurs　had　an　upcurved　lip；　which　gave　them　the　appearance　of　smiling。　The　name　meant　〃good　mother　lizard〃；　maiasaurs　were　thought　to　protect　their　eggs　until　the　babies　were　born　and　could　take　care　of　themselves。
　　　　Grant　heard　an　insistent　chirping；　and　the　big　head　swung　down。　He　moved　just　enough　to　see　the　baby　hadrosaur　scampering　around　the　feet　of　the　adult。　The　baby　was　dark　beige　with　black　spots。　The　adult　bent　her　head　low　to　the　ground　and　waited；　unmoving；　while　the　baby　stood　up　on　its　hind　legs；　resting　its　front　legs　on　the　mother's　jaw；　and　ate　the　branches　that　protruded　from　the　side　of　the　mother's　mouth。
　　　　The　mother　waited　patiently　until　the　baby　had　finished　eating；　and　dropped　back　down　to　all　fours　again。　Then　the　big　head　came　back　up　toward　Grant。
　　　　The　hadrosaur　continued　to　eat　just　a　few　feet　from　him。　Grant　looked　at　the　two　elongated　airholes　on　top　of　the　flat　upper　bill。　Apparently　the　dinosaur　couldn't　smell　Grant。　And　even　though　the　left　eye　was　looking　right　at　him；　for　some　reason　the　hadrosaur　didn't　react　to　him。
　　　　He　remembered　how　the　tyrannosaur　had　failed　to　see　him；　the　previous　night。　Grant　decided　on　an　experiment。
　　　　He　coughed。
　　　　Instantly　the　hadrosaur　froze；　the　big　head　suddenly　still；　the　jaws　no　longer　chewing。　Only　the　eye　moved；　looking　for　the　source　of　the　sound。　Then；　after　a　moment；　when　there　seemed　to　be　no　danger；　the　animal　resumed　chewing。
　　　　Amazing；　Grant　thought。
　　　　Sitting　in　his　arms；　Lex　opened　her　eyes　and　said；　〃Hey；　what's　that？〃
　　　　The　hadrosaur　trumpeted　in　alarm；　a　loud　resonant　bonk　that　so　startled　Lex　that　she　nearly　fell　out　of　the　tree。　The　hadrosaur　pulled　its　head　away　from　the　branch　and　trumpeted　again。
　　　　〃Don't　make　her　mad；〃　Tim　said；　from　the　branch　above。
　　　　The　baby　chirped　and　scurried　beneath　the　mother's　legs　as　the　hadrosaur　stepped　away　from　the　tree。　The　mother　cocked　her　head　and　peered　inquisitively　at　the　branch　where　Grant　and　Lex　were　sitting。　With　its　upturned　smiling　lips；　the　dinosaur　had　a　ical　appearance。
　　　　〃Is　it　dumb？〃　Lex　said。
　　　　〃No；〃　Grant　said。　〃You　just　surprised　her。〃
　　　　〃Well；〃　Lex　said；　〃is　she　going　to　let　us　get　down；　or　what？〃
　　　　The　hadrosaur　had　backed　ten　feet　away　from　the　tree。　She　bonked　again。　Grant　had　the　impression　she　was　trying　to　frighten　them　away。　But　the　dinosaur　didn't　really　seem　to　know　what　to　do。　She　acted　confused　and　uneasy。　They　waited　in　silence；　and　after　a　minute　the　hadrosaur　approached　the　branch　again；　jaws　moving　in　anticipation。　She　was　clearly　going　to　resume　eating。
　　　　〃Forget　it；〃　Lex　said。　〃I'm　not　staying　here。〃　She　started　to　climb　down　the　branches。　At　her　movement；　the　hadrosaur　trumpeted　in　fresh　alarm。
　　　　Grant　was　amazed。　He　thought；　It　really　can't　see　us　when　we　don't　move。　And　after　a　minute　it　literally　forgets　that　we're　here。　This　was　just　like　the　tyrannosaur…another　classic　example　of　an　amphibian　visual　cortex。　Studies　of　frogs　had　shown　that　amphibians　only　saw　moving　things；　like　insects。　If　something　didn't　move；　they　literally　didn't　see　it。　The　same　thing　seemed　to　be　true　of　dinosaurs。
　　　　In　any　case；　the　maiasaur　now　seemed　to　find　these　strange　creatures　climbing　down　the　tree　too　upsetting。　With　a　final　honk；　she　nudged　her　baby；　and　lumbered　slowly　away。　She　paused　once；　and　looked　back　at　them；　then　continued　on。
　　　　They　reached　the　ground。　Lex　shook　herself　off。　Both　children　were　covered　in　a　layer　of　fine　dust。　All　around　them；　the　grass　had　been　flattened。　There　were　streaks　of　blood；　and　a　sour　smell。
　　　　Grant　looked　at　his　watch。　〃We　better　get　going；　kids；〃　he　said。
　　　　〃Not　me；〃　Lex　said。　〃I'm　not　walking　out　there　any　more。〃　
　　　　〃We　have　to。〃
　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　〃Because；〃　Grant　said；　〃we　have　to　tell　them　about　the　boat。　Since　they　can't　seem　to　see　us　on　the　motion　sensors；　we　have　to　go　all　the　way　back　ourselves。　It's　the　only　way。〃
　　　　〃Why　can't　we　take　the　raft？〃　Tim　said。
　　　　〃What　raft？〃
　　　　Tim　pointed　to　the　low　concrete　maintenance　building　with　the　bars；　where　they　had　spent　the　night。　It　was　twenty　yards　away；　across　the　field。　〃I　saw　a　raft　back　there；〃　he　said。
　　　　Grant　immediately　understood　the　advantages。　It　was　now　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning。　They　had　at　least　eight　miles　to　go。　If　they　could　take　a　raft　along　the　river；　they　would　make　much　faster　progress　than　going　overland。　〃Let's　do　it；〃　Grant　said。

Arnold　punched　the　visual　search　mode　and　watched　as　the　monitors　began　to　scan　throughout　the　park；　the　images　changing　every　two　seconds。　It　was　tiring　to　watch；　but　it　was　the　fastest　way　to　find　Nedry's　Jeep；　and　Muldoon　had　been　adamant　about　that。　He　had　gone　out　with　Gennaro　to　look　at　the　stampede；　but　now　that　it　was　daylight；　he　wanted　the　car　found。　He　wanted　the　weapons。
　　　　His　inter　clicked。　〃Mr。　Arnold；　may　I　have　a　word　with　you；　please？〃
　　　　It　was　Hammond。　He　sounded　like　the　voice　of　God。
　　　　〃You　want　to　e　here；　Mr。　Hammond？〃
　　　　〃No；　Mr。　Arnold；〃　Hammond　said。　〃e　to　me。　I'm　in　the　genetics　lab　with　Dr。　Wu。　We'll　be　waiting　for　you。〃
　　　　Arnold　sighed；　and　stepped　away　from　the　screens。

Grant　stumbled　deep　in　the　gloomy　recesses　of　the　building。　He　pushed　past　five…gallon　containers　of　herbicide；　tree…pruning　equipment；　spare　tires　for　a