jurassic.park-第6部分

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The　tropical　rain　fell　in　great　drenching　sheets；　hammering　the　corrugated　roof　of　the　clinic　in　Bahía　Anasco。　It　was　nearly　midnight；　power　had　been　lost　in　the　storm；　and　the　midwife　Elena　Morales　was　working　by　flashlight　when　she　heard　a　squeaking；　chirping　sound。　Thinking　that　it　was　a　rat；　she　quickly　put　a　press　on　the　forehead　of　the　mother　and　went　into　the　next　room　to　check　on　the　newborn　baby。　As　her　hand　touched　the　doorknob；　she　heard　the　chirping　again；　and　she　relaxed。　Evidently　it　was　just　a　bird；　flying　in　the　window　to　get　out　of　the　rain。　Costa　Ricans　said　that　when　a　bird　came　to　visit　a　newborn　child；　it　brought　good　luck。
　　　　Elena　opened　the　door。　The　infant　lay　in　a　wicker　bassinet；　swaddled　in　a　light　blanket；　only　its　face　exposed。　Around　the　rim　of　the　bassinet；　three　dark…green　lizards　crouched　like　gargoyles。　When　they　saw　Elena；　they　cocked　their　heads　and　stared　curiously　at　her；　but　did　not　flee。　In　the　light　of　her　flashlight　Elena　saw　the　blood　dripping　from　their　snouts。　Softly　chirping；　one　lizard　bent　down　and；　with　a　quick　shake　of　its　head；　tore　a　ragged　chunk　of　flesh　from　the　baby。
　　　　Elena　rushed　forward；　screaming；　and　the　lizards　fled　into　the　darkness。　But　long　before　she　reached　the　bassinet；　she　could　see　what　had　happened　to　the　infant's　face；　and　she　knew　the　child　must　be　dead。　The　lizards　scattered　into　the　rainy　night；　chirping　and　squealing；　leaving　behind　only　bloody　three…toed　tracks；　like　birds。

The　Shape　of　the　Data

Later；　when　she　was　calmer；　Elena　Morales　decided　not　to　report　the　lizard　attack。　Despite　the　horror　she　had　seen；　she　began　to　worry　that　she　might　be　criticized　for　leaving　the　baby　unguarded。　So　she　told　the　mother　that　the　baby　had　asphyxiated；　and　she　reported　the　death　on　the　forms　she　sent　to　San　José　as　SIDS：　sudden　infant　death　syndrome。　This　was　a　syndrome　of　unexplained　death　among　very　young　children；　it　was　unremarkable；　and　her　report　went　unchallenged。
　　　　The　university　lab　in　San　José　that　analyzed　the　saliva　sample　from　Tina　Bowman's　arm　made　several　remarkable　discoveries。　There　was；　as　expected；　a　great　deal　of　serotonin。　But　among　the　salivary　proteins　was　a　real　monster： molecular　mass　of　1；980；　one　of　the　largest　proteins　known。　Biological　activity　was　still　under　study；　but　it　seemed　to　be　a　neurotoxic　poison　related　to　cobra　venom；　although　more　primitive　in　structure。
　　　　The　lab　also　detected　trace　quantities　of　the　gamma…amino　metbionine　hydrolase。　Because　this　enzyme　was　a　marker　for　genetic　engineering；　and　not　found　in　wild　animals；　technicians　assumed　it　was　a　lab　contaminant　and　did　not　report　it　when　they　called　Dr；　Cruz；　the　referring　physician　in　Puntarenas。
　　　　The　lizard　fragment　rested　in　the　freezer　at　Columbia　University；　awaiting　the　return　of　Dr。　Simpson；　who　was　not　expected　for　at　least　a　month。　And　so　things　might　have　remained；　had　not　a　technician　named　Alice　Levin　walked　into　the　Tropical　Diseases　Laboratory；　seen　Tina　Bowman's　picture；　and　said；　〃Oh；　whose　kid　drew　the　dinosaur？〃
　　　　〃What？〃　Richard　Stone　said；　turning　slowly　toward　her。
　　　　〃The　dinosaur。　Isn't　that　what　it　is？　My　kid　draws　them　all　the　time。〃
　　　　〃This　is　a　lizard；〃　Stone　said。　〃From　Costa　Rica。　Some　girl　down　there　drew　a　picture　of　it。〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Alice　Levin　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃Look　at　it。　It's　very　clear。　Big　head；　long　neck；　stands　on　its　hind　legs；　thick　tail。　It's　a　dinosaur。〃
　　　　〃It　can't　be。　It　was　only　a　foot　tall。〃
　　　　〃So？　There　were　little　dinosaurs　back　then；〃　Alice　said。　〃Believe　me；　I　know。　I　have　two　boys；　I'm　an　expert。　The　smallest　dinosaurs　were　under　a　foot。　Teenysaurus　or　something；　I　don't　know。　Those　names　are　impossible。　You'll　never　learn　those　names　if　you're　over　the　age　of　ten。〃
　　　　〃You　don't　understand；〃　Richard　Stone　said。　〃This　is　a　picture　of　a　contemporary　animal。　They　sent　us　a　fragment　of　the　animal。　It's　in　the　freezer　now。〃　Stone　went　and　got　it；　and　shook　it　out　of　the　baggie。
　　　　Alice　Levin　looked　at　the　frozen　piece　of　leg　and　tail；　and　shrugged。　She　didn't　touch　it。　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃But　that　looks　like　a　dinosaur　to　me。〃
　　　　Stone　shook　his　head。　〃Impossible。〃
　　　　〃Why？〃　Alice　Levin　said。　〃It　could　be　a　leftover　or　a　remnant　or　whatever　they　call　them。〃
　　　　Stone　continued　to　shake　his　head。　Alice　was　uninformed；　she　was　just　a　technician　who　worked　in　the　bacteriology　lab　down　the　hall。　And　she　had　an　active　imagination。　Stone　remembered　the　time　when　she　thought　she　was　being　followed　by　one　of　the　surgical　orderlies。　。　。　。
　　　　〃You　know；〃　Alice　Levin　said；　〃if　this　is　a　dinosaur；　Richard；　it　could　be　a　big　deal。〃
　　　　〃It's　not　a　dinosaur。〃
　　　　〃Has　anybody　checked　it。
　　　　〃No；〃　Stone　said。
　　　　〃Well；　take　it　to　the　Museum　of　Natural　History　or　something；〃　Alice　Levin　said。　〃You　really　should。〃
　　　　〃I'd　be　embarrassed。〃
　　　　〃You　want　me　to　do　it　for　you？〃　she　said。
　　　　〃No；〃　Richard　Stone　said。　〃I　don't。〃
　　　　〃You're　not　going　to　do　anything？〃
　　　　〃Nothing　at　all。〃　He　put　the　baggie　back　in　the　freezer　and　slammed　the　door。　〃It's　not　a　dinosaur；　it's　a　lizard。　And　whatever　it　is；　it　can　wait　until　Dr。　Simpson　gets　back　from　Borneo　to　identify　it。　That's　final；　Alice。　This　lizard's　not　going　anywhere。〃

SECOND　ITERATION

〃With　subsequent　drawings　of　the　fractal　curve；　sudden　changes　may　appear。〃
IAN　MAL
The　Shore　of　the　Inland　Sea

Alan　Grant　crouched　down；　his　nose　inches　from　the　ground。　The　temperature　was　over　a　hundred　degrees。　His　knees　ached；　despite　the　rug…layer's　pads　he　wore。　His　lungs　burned　from　the　harsh　alkaline　dust。　Sweat　dripped　off　his　forehead　onto　the　ground。　But　Grant　was　oblivious　to　the　disfort。　His　entire　attention　was　focused　on　the　six…inch　square　of　earth　in　front　of　him。
　　　　Working　patiently　with　a　dental　pick　and　an　artist's　camel　brush；　he　exposed　the　tiny　L…shaped　fragment　of　jawbone。　It　was　only　an　inch　long；　and　no　thicker　than　his　little　finger。　The　teeth　were　a　row　of　small　points；　and　had　the　characteristic　media＇　angling。　Bits　of　bone　flaked　away　as　he　dug。　Grant　paused　for　a　moment　to　paint　the　bone　with　rubber　cement　before　continuing　to　expose　it。　There　was　no　question　that　this　was　the　jawbone　from　an　infant　carnivorous　dinosaur。　Its　owner　had　died　seventy…nine　million　years　ago；　at　the　age　of　about　two　months。　With　any　luck；　Grant　might　find　the　rest　of　the　skeleton　as　well。　If　so；　it　would　be　the　first　plete　skeleton　of　a　baby　carnivore　
　　　　〃Hey；　Alan！〃
　　　　Alan　Grant　looked　up；　blinking　in　the　sunlight。　He　pulled　down　his　sunglasses；　and　wiped　his　forehead　with　the　back　of　his　arm。
　　　　He　was　crouched　on　an　eroded　hillside　in　the　badlands　outside　Snakewater；　Montana。　Beneath　the　great　blue　bowl　of　sky；　blunted　hills；　exposed　outcroppings　of　crumbling　limestone；　stretched　for　miles　in　every　direction。　There　was　not　a　tree；　or　a　bush。　Nothing　but　barren　rock；　hot　sun；　and　whining　wind。
　　　　Visitors　found　the　badlands　depressingly　bleak；　but　when　Grant　looked　at　this　landscape；　he　saw　something　else　entirely。　This　barren　land　was　what　remained　of　another；　very　different　world；　which　had　vanished　eighty　million　years　ago。　In　his　mind's　eye；　Grant　saw　himself　back　in　the　warm；　swampy　bayou　that　formed　the　shoreline　of　a　great　inland　sea。　This　inland　sea　was　a　thousand　miles　wide；　extending　all　the　way　from　the　newly　upthrust　Rocky　Mountains　to　the　sharp；　craggy　peaks　of　the　Appalachians。　All　of　the　American　West　was　underwater。　　　　
　　　　At　that　time；　there　were　thin　clouds　in　the　sky　overhead；　darkened　by　the　smoke　of　nearby　volcanoes。　The　atmosphere　was　denser；　richer　in　carbon　dioxide。　Plants　grew　rapidly　along　the　shoreline。　There　were　no　fish　in　these　waters；　but　there　were　clams　and　snails。　Pterosaurs　swooped　down　to　scoop　algae　from　the　surface。　A　few　carnivorous　dinosaurs　prowled　the　swampy　shores　of　the　lake；　moving　among　the　palm　trees。　And　offshore　was　a　small　island；　about　two　acres　in　size。　Ringed　with　dense　vegetation；　this　island　formed　a　protected　sanctuary　where　herds　of　herbivorous　duckbilled　dinosaurs　laid　their　eggs　in　munal　nests；　and　raised　their　squeaking　young。
　　　　Over　the　millions　of　years　that　followed；　the　pale　green　alkaline　lake　grew　shallower；　and　finally　vanished。　The　exposed　land　buckled　and　cracked　under　the　heat。　And　the　offshore　island　with　its　dinosaur　eggs　became　the　eroded　hillside　in　northern　Montana　which　Alan　Grant　was　now　excavating。
　　　　〃Hey；　Alan！〃
　　　　He　stood；　a　barrel…chested；　bearded　man　of　forty。　He　heard　the　chugging　of　the　portable　generator；　and　the　distant　clatter　of　the　jackhammer　cutting　into　the　dense　rock　on　the　next　hill。　He　saw　the　kids　working　around　the　jackhammer；　moving　away　the　big　pieces　of　rock　after　checking　them　for　fossils。　At　the　foot　of　the　hill；　he　saw　the　six　tipis　of　his　camp；　the　flapping　mess　tent；　and　the　trailer　that　served　as　their　field　laboratory。　And　he　saw　Ellie　waving　to　him；　from　the　shadow　of　the　field　laboratory。
　　　　〃Visitor！〃　she　called；　and　pointed　to　the　east。
　　　　Grant　saw　the　cloud　of　dust；　and　the　blue　Ford　sedan　bouncing　over　the　rutted　road　toward　them。　He　glanced　at　his　watch：　right　on　time。　On　the　other　hill；　the　kids　looked　up　with　interest。　They　didn't　get　many　visitors　in　Snakewater；　and　there　had　been　a　lot　of　speculation　about　what　a　lawyer　from　the　Environmental　Protection　Agency　would　want　to　see　Alan　Grant　about。
　　　　But　Grant　knew　that　paleontology；　the　study　of　extinct　life；　had　in　recent　years　taken　on　an　unexpected　relevance　to　the　modern　world。　The　modem　world　was　changing　fast；　and　urgent　questions　about　the　weather；　deforestation；　global　warming；　or　the　ozone　layer　often　seemed　answerable；　at　least　in　part；　with　information　from　the　past。　Information　that　paleontologists　could　provide。　He　had　been　called　as　an　expert　witness　twice　in　the　past　few　years。
　　　　Grant　started　down　the　hill　to　meet　the　car。

The　visitor　coughed　in　the　white　dust　as　he　slammed　the　car　door。　〃Bob　Morris；　EPA；〃　he　said；　extending　his　hand。　〃I'm　with　the　San　Francisco　office。　〃
　　　　Grant　introduced　himself　and　said；　〃You　look　hot。　Want　a　beer？〃
　　　　〃Jesus；　yeah。〃　Morris　was　in　his　late　twenties；　wearing　a　tie；　and　pants　from　a　business　suit。　He　carried　a　briefcase。　His　wing…tip　shoes　crunched　on　the　rocks　as　t