jurassic.park-第68章

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his　balance　and　slid　back　down　the　hillside。　As　he　came　to　a　stop；　a　second　py　sprang　forward；　and　took　a　tiny　nip　from　his　hand。　He　looked　with　horror；　seeing　the　blood　flow　over　his　fingers。　He　turned　and　began　to　scramble　up　the　hillside　again。
　　　　Another　py　lumped　onto　his　shoulder；　and　he　felt　a　brief　pain　as　it　bit　the　back　of　his　neck。　He　shrieked　and　smacked　the　animal　away。　He　turned　to　face　the　animals；　breathing　hard；　and　they　stood　all　around　him；　hopping　up　and　down　and　cocking　their　heads；　watching　him。　From　the　bite　on　his　neck；　he　felt　warmth　flow　through　his　shoulders；　down　his　spine。
　　　　Lying　on　his　back　on　the　hillside；　he　began　to　feel　strangely　relaxed；　detached　from　himself。　But　he　realized　that　nothing　was　wrong。　No　error　had　been　made。　Malcolm　was　quite　incorrect　in　his　analysis。　Hammond　lay　very　still；　as　still　as　a　child　in　its　crib；　and　he　felt　wonderfully　peaceful。　When　the　next　py　came　up　and　bit　his　ankle；　he　made　only　a　halfhearted　effort　to　kick　it　away。　The　little　animals　edged　closer。　Soon　they　were　chattering　all　around　him；　like　excited　birds。　He　raised　his　head　as　another　py　jumped　onto　his　chest；　the　animal　surprisingly　light　and　delicate。　Hammond　felt　only　a　slight　pain；　very　slight；　as　the　py　bent　to　chew　his　neck。

The　Beach

Chasing　the　dinosaurs；　following　the　curves　and　slopes　of　concrete；　Grant　suddenly　burst　out　through　a　cavernous　opening；　and　found　himself　standing　on　the　beach；　looking　at　the　Pacific　Ocean。　All　around　him；　the　young　velociraptors　were　scampering　and　kicking　in　the　sand。　But；　one　by　one；　the　animals　moved　back　into　the　shade　of　the　palm　trees　at　the　edge　of　the　mangrove　swamp；　and　there　they　stood；　lined　up　in　their　peculiar　fashion；　watching　the　ocean。　They　stared　fixedly　to　the　south。
　　　　〃I　don't　get　it；〃　Gennaro　said。
　　　　〃I　don't；　either；〃　Grant　said；　〃except　that　they　clearly　don't　like　the　sun。〃　It　wasn't　very　sunny　on　the　beach；　a　light　mist　blew；　and　the　ocean　was　hazy。　But　why　had　they　suddenly　left　the　nest？　What　had　brought　the　entire　colony　to　the　beach？
　　　　Gennaro　flipped　up　the　dial　on　his　watch；　and　looked　at　the　way　the　animals　were　standing。　〃Northeast…soutbwest。　Same　as　before。〃
　　　　Behind　the　beach；　deeper　in　the　woods；　they　heard　the　hum　of　the　electric　fence。　〃At　least　we　know　how　they　get　outside　the　fence；〃　Ellie　said。
　　　　Then　they　heard　the　throb　of　marine　diesels；　and　through　the　mist　they　saw　a　ship　appearing　in　the　south。　A　large　freighter；　it　slowly　moved　north。
　　　　〃So　that's　why　they　came　out？〃　Gennaro　said。
　　　　Grant　nodded。　〃They　must　have　heard　it　ing；〃
　　　　As　the　freighter　passed；　all　the　animals　watched　it；　standing　silent　except　for　the　occasional　chirp　or　squeak。　Grant　was　struck　by　the　coordination　of　their　behavior；　the　way　they　moved　and　acted　as　a　group。　But　perhaps　it　was　not　really　so　mysterious。　In　his　mind；　he　reviewed　the　sequence　of　events　that　had　begun　in　the　cave。
　　　　First　the　infants　had　been　agitated。　Then　the　adults　had　noticed。　And　finally　all　the　animals　had　stampeded　to　the　beach。　That　sequence　seemed　to　imply　that　the　younger　animals；　with　keener　bearing；　had　detected　the　boat　first。　Then　the　adults　had　led　the　troop　out　onto　the　beach。　And　as　Grant　looked；　he　saw　that　the　adults　were　in　charge　now。　There　was　a　clear　spatial　organization　along　the　beach；　and　as　the　animals　settled　down；　it　was　not　loose　and　shifting；　the　way　it　had　been　inside。　Rather；　it　was　quite　regular；　almost　regimented。　The　adults　were　spaced　every　ten　yards　or　so；　each　adult　surrounded　by　a　cluster　of　infants。　The　juveniles　were　positioned　between；　and　slightly　ahead　of；　the　adults。
　　　　But　Grant　also　saw　that　all　the　adults　were　not　equal。　There　was　a　female　with　a　distinctive　stripe　along　her　head；　and　she　was　in　the　very　center　of　the　group　as　it　ranged　along　the　beach。　That　same　female　had　stayed　in　the　center　of　the　nesting　area；　too。　He　guessed　that；　like　certain　monkey　troops；　the　raptors　were　organized　around　a　matriarchal　pecking　order；　and　that　this　striped　animal　was　the　alpha　female　of　the　colony。　The　males；　he　saw；　were　arranged　defensively　at　the　perimeter　of　the　group。
　　　　But　unlike　monkeys；　which　were　loosely　and　flexibly　organized；　the　dinosaurs　settled　into　a　rigid　arrangement…almost　a　military　formation；　it　seemed。　Then；　too；　there　was　the　oddity　of　the　northeast…southwest　spatial　orientation。　That　was　beyond　Grant。　But；　in　another　sense；　he　was　not　surprised。　Paleontologists　had　been　digging　up　bones　for　so　long　that　they　had　forgotten　how　little　information　could　be　gleaned　from　a　skeleton。　Bones　might　tell　you　something　about　the　gross　appearance　of　an　animal；　its　height　and　weight。　They　might　tell　you　something　about　how　the　muscles　attached；　and　therefore　something　about　the　crude　behavior　of　the　animal　during　life。　They　might　give　you　clues　to　the　few　diseases　that　affected　bone。　But　a　skeleton　was　a　poor　thing；　really；　from　which　to　try　and　deduce　the　total　behavior　of　an　organism。
　　　　Since　bones　were　all　the　paleontologists　had；　bones　were　what　they　used。　Like　other　paleontologists；　Grant　had　bee　very　expert　at　working　with　bones。　And　somewhere　along　the　way；　he　had　started　to　forget　the　unprovable　possibilities…that　the　dinosaurs　might　be　truly　different　animals；　that　they　might　possess　behavior　and　social　life　organized　along　lines　that　were　utterly　mysterious　to　their　later；　mammalian　descendants。　That；　since　the　dinosaurs　were　fundamentally　birds…
　　　　〃Oh；　my　God；〃　Grant　said。
　　　　He　stared　at　the　raptors；　ranged　along　the　beach　in　a　rigid　formation；　silently　watching　the　boat。　And　he　suddenly　understood　what　he　was　looking　at。
　　　　〃Those　animals；〃　Gennaro　said；　shaking　his　head；　〃they　sure　are　desperate　to　escape　from　here。〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Grant　said。　〃They　don't　want　to　escape　at　all。〃
　　　　〃They　don't？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Grant　said。　〃They　want　to　migrate。〃

Approaching　Dark

〃Migrating！〃　Ellie　said。　〃That's　fantastic！〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Grant　said。　He　was　grinning。
　　　　Ellie　said；　〃Where　do　you　suppose　they　want　to　go？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Grant　said；　and　then　the　big　helicopters　burst　through　the　fog；　thundering　and　wheeling　over　the　landscape；　their　underbellies　heavy　with　armament。　The　raptors　scattered　in　alarm　as　one　of　the　helicopters　circled　back；　following　the　line　of　the　surf；　and　then　moved　in　to　land　on　the　beach。　A　door　was　flung　open　and　soldiers　in　olive　uniforms　came　running　toward　them。　Grant　heard　the　rapid　babble　of　voices　in　Spanish　and　saw　that　Muldoon　was　already　aboard　with　the　kids。　One　of　the　soldiers　said　in　English；　〃Please；　you　will　e　with　us。　Please；　there　is　no　time　here。〃
　　　　Grant　looked　back　at　the　beach　where　the　raptors　had　been；　but　they　were　gone。　All　the　animals　had　vanished。　It　was　as　if　they　had　never　existed。　The　soldiers　were　tugging　at　him；　and　he　allowed　himself　to　be　led　beneath　the　thumping　blades　and　climbed　up　through　the　big　door。　Muldoon　leaned　over　and　shouted　in　Grant's　ear；　〃They　want　us　out　of　here　now。　They're　going　to　do　it　now！〃
　　　　The　soldiers　pushed　Grant　and　Ellie　and　Gennaro　into　seats；　and　helped　them　clip　on　the　harnesses。　Tim　and　Lex　waved　to　him　and　he　suddenly　saw　how　young　they　were；　and　how　exhausted。　Lex　was　yawning；　leaning　against　her　brother's　shoulder。
　　　　An　officer　came　toward　Grant　and　shouted；　〃Se？or：　are　you　in　charge？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Grant　said。　〃I'm　not　in　charge。〃
　　　　〃Who　is　in　charge；　please？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know。〃
　　　　The　officer　went　on　to　Gennaro；　and　asked　the　same　question：　〃Are　you　in　charge？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Gennaro　said。
　　　　The　officer　looked　at　Ellie；　but　said　nothing　to　her。　The　door　was　left　open　as　the　helicopter　lifted　away　from　the　beach；　and　Grant　leaned　out　to　see　if　he　could　catch　a　last　look　at　the　raptors；　but　then　the　helicopter　was　above　the　palm　trees；　moving　north　over　the　island。
　　　　Grant　leaned　to　Muldoon；　and　shouted：　〃What　about　the　others？〃
　　　　Muldoon　shouted；　〃They've　already　taken　off　Harding　and　some　workmen。　Hammond　had　an　accident。　Found　him　on　the　hill　near　his　bungalow。　Must　have　fallen。〃
　　　　〃Is　he　all　right？〃　Grant　said。
　　　　〃No。　pys　got　him。〃
　　　　〃What　about　Malcolm？〃　Grant　said。
　　　　Muldoon　shook　his　head。
　　　　Grant　was　too　tired　to　feel　much　of　anything。　He　turned　away；　and　looked　back　out　the　door。　It　was　getting　dark　now；　and　in　the　fading　light　he　could　barely　see　the　little　rex；　with　bloody　jaws；　crouched　over　a　hadrosaur　by　the　edge　of　the　lagoon　and　looking　up　at　the　helicopter　and　roaring　as　it　passed　by。
　　　　Somewhere　behind　them　they　heard　explosions；　and　then　ahead　they　saw　another　helicopter　wheeling　through　the　mist　over　the　visitor　center；　and　a　moment　later　the　building　burst　in　a　bright　orange　fireball；　and　Lex　began　to　cry；　and　Ellie　put　her　arm　around　her　and　tried　to　get　her　not　to　look。
　　　　Grant　was　staring　down　at　the　ground；　and　he　had　a　last　glimpse　of　the　hypsilophodonts；　leaping　gracefully　as　gazelles；　moments　before　another　explosion　flared　bright　beneath　them。　Their　helicopter　gained　altitude；　and　then　moved　cast；　out　over　the　ocean。
　　　　Grant　sat　back　in　his　seat。　He　thought　of　the　dinosaurs　standing　on　the　beach；　and　he　wondered　where　they　would　migrate　if　they　could；　and　he　realized　he　would　never　know；　and　he　felt　sad　and　relieved　in　the　same　moment。
　　　　The　officer　came　forward　again；　bending　close　to　his　face。　〃Are　you　in　charge？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Grant　said。
　　　　〃Please；　se？or；　who　is　in　charge？〃
　　　　〃Nobody；〃　Grant　said。
　　　　The　helicopter　gained　speed　as　it　headed　toward　the　mainland。　It　was　cold　now；　and　the　soldiers　muscled　the　door　closed。　As　they　did；　Grant　looked　back　just　once；　and　saw　the　island　against　a　deep　purple　sky　and　sea；　cloaked　in　a　deep　mist　that　blurred　the　white…hot　explosions　that　burst　rapidly；　one　after　another；　until　it　seemed　the　entire　island　was　glowing；　a　diminishing　bright　spot　in　the　darkening　night。

Epilogue：
San　José
　　　　
　　　　　Days　went　by。　The　government　was　polite；　and　put　them　up　in　a　nice　hotel　in　San　José。　They　were　free　to　e　and　go；　and　to　call　whomever　they　wished。　But　they　were　not　permitted　to　leave　the　country。　Each　day　a　young　man　from　the　American　Embassy　came　to　visit　them；　to　ask　if　they　needed　anything；　and　to　explain　that　Washington　was　doing　everything　it　could　to　hasten　their　departure。　But　the　plain　fact　was　that　many　people　had　died　in　a　territorial　possession　of　Costa　Rica。　The　plain　fact　was　that　an　ecological　disaster　had　been　narrowly　averted。　The　government　of　Costa　Rica　felt　it　had　been　misled　and　deceived　by　John　Hammond　and　his　plans　for　the　island。　Under　the　circumstances；　the　government　was　not　disposed　to　release　survivors　in　a　hurry。　They　did　not　even　permit　the　burial　of　Hammond　or　Ian　Malcolm。　They　simply　waited。
　　　　Each　day　it　seemed　to　Grant　he　was　taken　to　another　government　office；　where　he　was　questioned　by　another　courteous；　intelligent　government　officer。　They　made　him　go　over　his　story；　again　and　again。　How　Grant　had　met　John　Hammond。　What　Grant　knew　of　the　project。　How　Grant　had　received　the　fax　from　New　York。　Why　Grant　had　gone　to　the　island。　What　had　happened　at　the　island。
　　　　The　same　details；　again　and　again；　day　after　day。　The　same　story。
　　　　For　a　long　time；　Grant　thought　they　must　believe　he　was　lying　to　them；　and　that　there　was　something　they　wa