jurassic.park-第11章

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　seventy　percent　among　some　carnivores。　It　could　have　been　anything　…　disease；　separation　from　the　group；　anything。　Or　even　attack　by　an　adult。　We　know　these　animals　hunted　in　packs；　but　we　don't　know　anything　about　their　social　behavior　in　a　group。〃
　　　　The　students　nodded。　They　had　all　studied　animal　behavior；　and　they　knew；　for　example；　that　when　a　new　male　took　over　a　lion　pride；　the　first　thing　he　did　was　kill　all　the　cubs。　The　reason　was　apparently　genetic：　the　male　had　evolved　to　disseminate　his　genes　as　widely　as　possible；　and　by　killing　the　cubs　he　brought　all　the　females　into　heat；　so　that　he　could　impregnate　them。　It　also　prevented　the　females　from　wasting　their　time　nurturing　the　offspring　of　another　male。
　　　　Perhaps　the　velociraptor　hunting　pack　was　also　ruled　by　a　dominant　male。　They　knew　so　little　about　dinosaurs；　Grant　thought。　After　150　years　of　research　and　excavation　all　around　the　world；　they　still　knew　almost　nothing　about　what　the　dinosaurs　had　really　been　like。
　　　　〃We've　got　to　go；〃　Ellie　said；　〃if　we're　going　to　get　to　Choteau　by　five。〃

Hammond

Gennaro's　secretary　bustled　in　with　a　new　suitcase。　It　still　had　the　sales　tags　on　it。　〃You　know；　Mr。　Gennaro；〃　she　said　severely；　〃when　you　forget　to　pack　it　makes　me　think　you　don't　really　want　to　go　on　this　trip。〃
　　　　〃Maybe　you're　right；〃　Gennaro　said。　〃I'm　missing　my　kid's　birthday。〃　Saturday　was　Amanda's　birthday；　and　Elizabeth　had　invited　twenty　screaming　four…year…olds　to　share　it；　as　well　as　Cappy　the　Clown　and　a　magician。　His　wife　hadn't　been　happy　to　hear　that　Gennaro　was　going　out　of　town。　Neither　was　Amanda。
　　　　〃Well；　I　did　the　best　I　could　on　short　notice；〃　his　secretary　said。　〃There's　running　shoes　your　size；　and　khaki　shorts　and　shirts；　and　a　shaving　kit。　A　pair　of　jeans　and　a　sweatshirt　if　it　gets　cold。　The　car　is　downstairs　to　take　you　to　the　airport。　You　have　to　leave　now　to　make　the　flight。〃
　　　　She　left。　Gennaro　walked　down　the　hallway；　tearing　the　sales　tags　off　the　suitcase。　As　he　passed　the　all…glass　conference　room；　Dan　Ross　left　the　table　and　came　outside。
　　　　〃Have　a　good　trip；〃　Ross　said。　〃But　let's　be　very　clear　about　one　thing。　I　don't　know　how　bad　this　situation　actually　is；　Donald。　But　if　there's　a　problem　on　that　island；　burn　it　to　the　ground。〃
　　　　〃Jesus；　Dan　。　。　。　We're　talking　about　a　big　investment。〃
　　　　〃Don't　hesitate。　Don't　think　about　it。　Just　do　it。　Hear　me？〃
　　　　Gennaro　nodded。　〃I　hear　you；〃　he　said。　〃But　Hammond…　〃
　　　　〃Screw　Hammond；〃　Ross　said。

〃My　boy；　my　boy；〃　the　familiar　raspy　voice　said。　〃How　have　you　been；　my　boy？〃
　　　　〃Very　well；　sir；〃　Gennaro　replied。　He　leaned　back　in　the　padded　leather　chair　of　the　Gulfstream　II　jet　as　it　flew　east；　toward　the　Rocky　Mountains。
　　　　〃You　never　call　me　any　more；〃　Hammond　said　reproachfully。　〃I've　missed　you；　Donald。　How　is　your　lovely　wife？〃
　　　　〃She's　fine。　Elizabeth's　fine。　We　have　a　little　girl　now。〃
　　　　〃Wonderful；　wonderful。　Children　are　such　a　delight。　She'd　get　a　kick　out　of　our　new　park　in　Costa　Rica。〃
　　　　Gennaro　had　forgotten　how　short　Hammond　was；　as　he　sat　in　the　chair；　his　feet　didn't　touch　the　carpeting…he　swung　his　legs　as　he　talked。　There　was　a　childlike　quality　to　the　man；　even　though　Hammond　must　now　be　。　。　。　what？　Seventy…five？　Seventy…six？　Something　like　that。　He　looked　older　than　Gennaro　remembered；　but　then；　Gennaro　hadn't　seen　him　for　almost　five　years。
　　　　Hammond　was　flamboyant；　a　born　showman；　and　back　in　1983　he　had　had　an　elephant　that　he　carried　around　with　him　in　a　little　cage。　The　elephant　was　nine　inches　high　and　a　foot　long；　and　perfectly　formed；　except　his　tusks　were　stunted。　Hammond　took　the　elephant　with　him　to　fund…raising　meetings。　Gennaro　usually　carried　it　into　the　room；　the　cage　covered　with　a　little　blanket；　like　a　tea　cozy；　and　Hammond　would　give　his　usual　speech　about　the　prospects　for　developing　what　he　called　〃consumer　biologicals。〃　Then；　at　the　dramatic　moment；　Hammond　would　whip　away　the　blanket　to　reveal　the　elephant。　And　he　would　ask　for　money。
　　　　The　elephant　was　always　a　rousing　success；　its　tiny　body；　hardly　bigger　than　a　cat's；　promised　untold　wonders　to　e　from　the　laboratory　of　Norman　Atherton；　the　Stanford　geneticist　who　was　Hammond's　partner　in　the　new　venture。
　　　　But　as　Hammond　talked　about　the　elephant；　he　left　a　great　deal　unsaid。　For　example；　Hammond　was　starting　a　genetics　pany；　but　the　tiny　elephant　hadn't　been　made　by　any　genetic　procedure；　Atherton　had　simply　taken　a　dwarf…elephant　embryo　and　raised　it　in　an　artificial　womb　with　hormonal　modifications。　That　in　itself　was　quite　an　achievement；　but　nothing　like　what　Hammond　hinted　had　been　done。
　　　　Also；　Atherton　hadn't　been　able　to　duplicate　his　miniature　elephant；　and　he'd　tried。　For　one　thing；　everybody　who　saw　the　elephant　wanted　one。　Then；　too；　the　elephant　was　prone　to　colds；　particularly　during　winter。　The　sneezes　ing　through　the　little　trunk　filled　Hammond　with　dread。　And　sometimes　the　elephant　would　get　his　tusks　stuck　between　the　bars　of　the　cage　and　snort　irritably　as　he　tried　to　get　free；　sometimes　he　got　infections　around　the　tusk　line。　Hammond　always　fretted　that　his　elephant　would　die　before　Atherton　could　grow　a　replacement。
　　　　Hammond　also　concealed　from　prospective　investors　the　fact　that　the　elephant's　behavior　had　changed　substantially　in　the　process　of　miniaturization。　The　little　creature　might　look　like　an　elephant；　but　he　acted　like　a　vicious　rodent；　quick…moving　and　mean…tempered。　Hammond　discouraged　people　from　petting　the　elephant；　to　avoid　nipped　fingers。
　　　　And　although　Hammond　spoke　confidently　of　seven　billion　dollars　in　annual　revenues　by　1993；　his　project　was　intensely　speculative。　Hammond　had　vision　and　enthusiasm；　but　there　was　no　certainty　that　his　plan　would　work　at　all。　Particularly　since　Norman　Atherton；　the　brains　behind　the　project；　bad　terminal　cancer…which　was　a　final　point　Hammond　neglected　to　mention。
　　　　Even　so；　with　Gennaro's　help；　Hammond　got　his　money。　Between　September　of　1983　and　November　of　1985；　John　Alfred　Hammond　and　his　〃Pachyderm　Portfolio〃　raised　870　million　in　venture　capital　to　finance　his　proposed　corporation；　International　Genetic　Technologies；　Inc。　And　they　could　have　raised　more；　except　Hammond　insisted　on　absolute　secrecy；　and　he　offered　no　return　on　capital　for　at　least　five　years。　That　scared　a　lot　of　investors　off。　In　the　end；　they'd　had　to　take　mostly　Japanese　consortia。　The　Japanese　were　the　only　investors　who　had　the　patience。

Sitting　in　the　leather　chair　of　the　jet；　Gennaro　thought　about　how　evasive　Hammond　was。　The　old　man　was　now　ignoring　the　fact　that　Gennaro's　law　firm　had　forced　this　trip　on　him。　Instead；　Hammond　behaved　as　if　they　were　engaged　in　a　purely　social　outing。　〃It's　too　bad　you　didn't　bring　your　family　with　you；　Donald；〃　he　said　。
　　　　Gennaro　shrugged。　〃It's　my　daughter's　birthday。　Twenty　kids　already　scheduled。　The　cake　and　the　clown。　You　know　how　it　is。〃
　　　　〃Oh；　I　understand；〃　Hammond　said。　〃Kids　set　their　hearts　on　things。〃
　　　　〃Anyway；　is　the　park　ready　for　visitors？〃　Gennaro　asked。
　　　　〃Well；　not　officially；〃　Hammond　said。　〃But　the　hotel　is　built；　so　there　is　a　place　to　stay。　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃And　the　animals？〃
　　　　〃Of　course；　the　animals　are　all　there。　All　in　their　spaces。〃
　　　　Gennaro　said；　〃I　remember　in　the　original　proposal　you　were　hoping　for　a　total　of　twelve。　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃Ob；　we're　far　beyond　that。　We　have　two　hundred　and　thirty…eight　an'mals；　Donald。〃
　　　　Two　hundred　and　thirty…eight？〃
　　　　The　old　man　giggled；　pleased　at　Gennaro's　reaction。　〃You　can't　imagine　it。　We　have　herds　of　them。〃
　　　　〃Two　hundred　and　thirty…eight　。　。　。　How　many　species？〃
　　　　〃Fifteen　different　species；　Donald。〃
　　　　〃That's　incredible；〃　Gennaro　said。　〃That's　fantastic。　And　what　about　all　the　other　things　you　wanted？　The　facilities？　The　puters？〃
　　　　〃All　of　it；　all　of　it；〃　Hammond　said。　〃Everything　on　that　island　is　state…of…the…art。　You'll　see　for　yourself；　Donald。　It's　perfectly　wonderful。　That's　why　this　。　。　。　concern　。　。　。　is　so　misplaced。　There's　absolutely　no　problem　with　the　island。〃
　　　　Gennaro　said；　〃Then　there　should　be　absolutely　no　problem　with　an　inspection。〃
　　　　〃And　there　isn't；〃　Hammond　said。　〃But　it　slows　things　down。　Everything　has　to　stop　for　the　official　visit。　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃You've　had　delays　anyway。　You've　postponed　the　opening。〃
　　　　〃Oh；　that　〃　Hammond　tugged　at　the　red　silk　handkerchief　in　the　breast　pocket　of　his　sportcoat。　〃It　was　bound　to　happen。　Bound　to　happen。〃
　　　　〃Why？〃　Gennaro　asked。
　　　　〃Well；　Donald；〃　Hammond　said；　〃to　explain　that；　you　have　to　go　back　to　the　initial　concept　of　the　resort。　The　concept　of　the　most　advanced　amusement　park　in　the　world；　bining　the　latest　electronic　and　biological　technologies。　I'm　not　talking　about　rides。　Everybody　has　rides。　Coney　Island　has　rides。　And　these　days　everybody　has　animatronic　environments。　The　haunted　house；　the　pirate　den；　the　wild　west；　the　earthquake…everyone　has　those　things。　So　we　set　out　to　make　biological　attractions。　Living　attractions。　Attractions　so　astonishing　they　would　capture　the　imagination　of　the　entire　world。〃
　　　　Gennaro　had　to　smile。　It　was　almost　the　same　speech；　word　for　word；　that　he　had　used　on　the　investors；　so　many　years　ago。　〃And　we　can　never　forget　the　ultimate　object　of　the　project　in　Costa　Rica…to　make　money；〃　Hammond　said；　staring　out　the　windows　of　the　jet。　〃Lots　and　lots　of　money。
　　　　〃I　remember；〃　Gennaro　said。
　　　　〃And　the　secret　to　making　money　in　a　park；〃　Hammond　said；　〃is　to　limit　your　Personnel　costs。　The　food　handlers；　ticket　takers；　cleanup　crews；　repair　teams。　To　make　a　park　that　runs　with　minimal　staff。　That　was　why　we　invested　in　all　the　puter　technology…we　automated　wherever　we　could。〃
　　　　〃I　remember。　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃But　the　plain　fact　is；〃　Hammond　said；　when　you　put　together　all　the　animals　and　all　the　puter　systems；　you　run　into　snags。　Who　ever　got　a　major　puter　system　up　and　running　on　schedule？　Nobody　I　know。〃
　　　　〃So　you've　just　had　normal　start…up　delays？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　that's　right；〃　Hammond　said。　〃Normal　delays。〃
　　　　〃I　heard　there　were　accidents　during　construction；〃　Gennaro　said。　〃Some　workmen　died。　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　there　were　several　accidents；〃　Hammond　said。　〃And　a　total　of　three　deaths。　Two　workers　died　building　the　cliff　road。　One　other　died　as　a　result　of　an　earth…mover　accident　in　January。　But　we　haven't　had　any　accidents　for　months　now。〃　He　put　his　band　on　the　younger　man's　arm。　〃Donald；〃　he　said；　〃believe　me　when　I　tell　you　that　everything　on　the　island　is　going　forward　as　planned。　Everything　on　that　island　is　perfectly　fine。〃
　　　　The　inter　clicked。　The　pilot　said；　〃Seat　belts；　please。　We're　landing　in　Choteau。〃

Choteau

Dry　plains　stretched　away　toward　distant　black　buttes。　The　afternoon　wind　blew　dust　and　tumbleweed　across　the　cracked　concrete。　Grant　stood　with　Ellie　near　the　Jeep　and　waited　while　the　sleek　Grumman　jet　circled　for　a　landing。
　　　　〃I　hate　to　wait　on　the　money　men；〃　Grant　grumbled。
　　　　Ellie　shrugged。〃Goes　with　the　job。〃
　　　　Although　many　fields　of　science；　such　as　physics　and　chemistry；　had　bee　federally　funded；　paleontology　remained　strongly　dependent　on　private　patrons。　Quite　apart　from　his　own　curiosity　about　the　island　in　Costa　Rica；　Grant　understood　that；　if　John　Hammond　asked　for　his　hel