the.lost.world-第74部分

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it　was　even　possible　to　get　a　sense　of　the　spatial　arrangement；　with　the　nests　in　the　center；　the　adults　moving　carefully　around　the　outside；　so　as　not　to　disturb　the　incubating　eggs。　In　this　rigid　structure；　the　dinosaurs　were　reminiscent　of　their　descendants　the　birds；　which　also　displayed　precise　courtship；　mating；　and　nest…building　patterns。
　　　　But　the　velociraptors　behaved　differently。　There　was　a　disorderly　chaotic　feeling　to　the　scene　before　him：　ill…formed　nests；　quarreling　adults；　very　few　young　and　juvenile　animals；　the　eggshells　crushed；　the　broken　mounds　stepped　on。　Around　the　mounds；　Levine　now　saw　scattered　small　bones　which　he　presumed　were　the　remains　of　newborns。　He　saw　no　living　infants　anywhere　in　the　clearing。　There　were　three　juveniles；　but　these　younger　animals　were　forced　to　fend　for　themselves；　and　they　already　showed　many　scars　on　their　bodies。　The　youngsters　looked　thin；　undernourished。　Poking　around　the　periphery　of　the　carcass；　they　were　cautious；　backing　away　whenever　one　of　the　adults　snapped　at　them。
　　　　〃And　what　about　the　apatosaurs？〃　Malcolm　asked。　〃What　about　the　carcasses？〃
　　　　Levine　counted　four；　all　together。　In　various　stages　of　deposition。
　　　　〃You　have　to　tell　Sarah；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　But　Levine　was　wondering　about　something　else：　he　was　wondering　how　these　big　carcasses　had　gotten　here　in　the　first　place。　They　hadn't　died　here　by　accident；　surely　all　animals　would　have　avoided　this　nest。　They　couldn't　have　been　lured　here；　and　they　were　too　large　to　carry。　So　how　did　they　get　here？　Something　was　tickling　the　back　of　his　mind；　some　obvious　thought　that　he　wasn't　…
　　　　〃They　brought　Arby；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Levine　said。　〃They　did。〃
　　　　He　stared　at　the　nest；　trying　to　figure　it　out。　Then　Thorne　nudged　him。　〃There's　the　cage；〃　he　said；　pointing。　At　the　far　side　of　the　clearing　lying　on　the　ground；　partially　hidden　behind　fronds；　Levine　saw　the　glint　of　aluminum　struts。　But　he　couldn't　see　Arby。
　　　　〃Way　over　there；〃　Levine　said。
　　　　The　raptors　were　ignoring　the　cage；　still　fighting　over　Eddie's　carcass。　Thorne　brought　out　a　Lindstradt　rifle；　snapped　open　the　cartridge　pack。　He　saw　six　darts。　〃Not　enough；〃　he　said；　and　snapped　it　shut。　There　were　at　least　ten　raptors　in　the　clearing。
　　　　Levine　rummaged　in　the　back　seat；　found　his　knapsack；　which　had　fallen　to　the　floor。　He　unzipped　it；　came　out　with　a　small　silver　cylinder　the　size　of　a　large　soft…drink　bottle。　It　had　a　skull　and　crossbones　stenciled　on　it；　Beneath；　lettering　read：　CAUTION　TOXIC　METACHOLINE　（MIVACURIAM）。
　　　　〃What's　that？〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　〃Something　they　cooked　up　in　Los　Alamos；〃　Levine　said。　〃It's　a　nonlethal　area　neutralizer。　Releases　a　short…acting　cholinesterase　aerosol。　Paralyzes　all　life　forms　for　up　to　three　minutes。　It'll　knock　all　the　raptors　out。
　　　　〃But　what　about　the　boy？〃　Thorne　said。　〃You　can't　use　that。　You'll　paralyze　him。〃
　　　　Levine　pointed。　〃If　we　throw　the　canister　to　the　right　of　the　cage；　the　gas'll　blow　away　from　him；　toward　the　raptors。〃
　　　　〃Or　it　may　not；〃　Thorne　said；　〃And　he　may　be　badly　injured。〃
　　　　Levine　nodded。　He　put　the　cylinder　back　in　the　knapsack；　then　sat；　facing　forward；　staring　at　the　raptors。　〃So；〃　Levine　said。　〃What　do　we　do　now？〃
　　　　Thorne　looked　over　at　the　aluminum　cage；　partially　blocked　by　ferns。　Then　he　saw　something　that　made　him　sit　up：　the　cage　moved　slightly；　the　bars　shifting　in　the　moonlight。
　　　　〃Did　you　see　that？〃　Levine　said。
　　　　Thorne　said；　〃I'm　going　to　get　that　kid　out　of　there。〃
　　　　〃But　how？〃　Levine　said。
　　　　〃The　old…fashioned　way；　〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　He　climbed　out　of　the　car。

Sarah　accelerated；　racing　the　motorcycle　up　the　mud　banks　of　the　river。　The　raptor　was　just　ahead；　cutting　diagonally　toward　them；　heading　for　the　water。
　　　　〃Go！〃　Kelly　shouted。　〃Go！〃
　　　　The　raptor　saw　them　and　changed　course；　angling　farther　ahead。　It　was　trying　to　get　distance　on　them　but　they　were　moving　faster　on　the　open　banks。　They　came　abreast　of　the　animal；　flanking　it；　and　then　Sarah　left　the　banks；　heading　back　onto　the　grassy　plain。　The　raptor　moved　right；　deeper　into　the　plain。　Away　from　the　river。
　　　　〃You　did　it！〃　Kelly　shouted。
　　　　Sarah　maintained　her　speed；　moving　slowly　closer　to　the　raptor。　It　seemed　to　have　given　up　on　the　river；　and　now　had　no　plan。　It　was　just　running　up　the　plain。　And　they　were　steadily；　inexorably　gaining。　Kelly　was　excited。　She　tried　to　wipe　the　maid　off　her　rifle；　preparing　to　shoot　again。
　　　　〃Damn！〃　Sarah　shouted。
　　　　〃What？〃
　　　　〃Look！〃
　　　　Kelly　leaned　forward；　stared　past　Sarah's　shoulder。　Directly　ahead；　she　saw　the　herd　of　apatosaurs。　They　were　only　fifty　yards　from　the　first　of　the　enormous　animals；　which　bellowed　and　wheeled　in　sudden　fear。　Their　bodies　were　green…gray　in　the　moonlight。
　　　　The　raptor　streaked　directly　toward　the　herd。
　　　　〃It　thinks　it's　going　to　lose　us！〃　Sarah　gunned　the　bike；　moving　closer。　〃Get　it　now！　Now！〃
　　　　Kelly　aimed　and　fired。　The　gun　bucked。　But　the　raptor　kept　going。
　　　　〃Missed！〃
　　　　Up　ahead；　the　apatosaurs　were　turning；　their　big　legs　stomping　the　ground。　Their　heavy　tails　whipped　through　the　air。　But　they　were　too　slow　to　move　away。　The　raptor　raced　forward；　heading　directly　beneath　the　big　apatosaurs。
　　　　〃What　do　we　do？〃　Kelly　shouted。
　　　　〃No　choice！〃'　Sarah　yelled。　She　pulled　parallel　to　the　raptor　just　as　they　passed　into　shadow；　racing　beneath　the　first　animal。　Kelly　glimpsed　the　curve　of　the　belly；　hanging　three　feet　above　her。　The　legs　were　as　thick　as　tree　trunks；　stamping　and　turning。
　　　　The　raptor　ran　on；　darting　among　the　moving　legs。　Sarah　swerved；　followed。　Above　them；　the　animals　roared　and　turned；　and　roared　again。　They　were　beneath　another　belly；　then　out　into　moonlight；　then　in　shadow　again。　Now　they　were　in　the　middle　of　the　herd。　It　was　like　being　in　a　forest　of　moving　trees。
　　　　Directly　ahead；　a　big　leg　came　down　with　a　slam！　that　shook　the　ground。　The　bike　bounced　as　Sarah　swung　left；　they　scraped　against　the　animal's　flesh。　〃Hang　on！〃　she　shouted；　and　swerved　again；　following　the　raptor。　Above　them；　the　apatosaurs　were　bellowing　and　moving。　The　raptor　dodged　and　turned；　and　then　broke　clear；　racing　out　the　back　of　the　herd。
　　　　〃Shit！〃　Sarah　said；　spinning　the　bike　around。　A　whiptail　swung　low；　narrowly　missing　them；　and　then　they　too　were　free；　chasing　the　raptor　again。
　　　　The　motorcycle　raced　across　the　grassy　plain。
　　　　〃Last　chance！〃　Sarah　shouted。　〃Do　it〃'
　　　　Kelly　raised　the　rifle。　Sarah　was　driving　hard　and　fast；　pulling　very　close　to　the　running　raptor。　The　animal　turned　to　butt　her；　but　she　held　her　position；　punched　it　hard　in　the　head　with　her　fist。　〃Now！　〃
　　　　Kelly　shoved　the　barrel　against　the　flesh　of　the　neck；　and　squeezed　the　trigger。　The　gun　snapped　back　hard；　jolting　her　in　the　stomach。
　　　　The　raptor　ran　on。
　　　　〃No！〃　she　shouted。　〃No！〃
　　　　And　then　suddenly　the　raptor　fell；　tumbling　end　over　end　in　the　grass；　and　Sarah　swung　the　bike　away　and　pulled　to　a　stop。　The　raptor　was　five　yards　away；　flopping　in　the　grass。　It　snarled　and　yelped。　Then　it　was　silent。
　　　　Sarah　took　the　rifle；　snapped　open　the　cartridge　pack。　Kelly　saw　five　more　darts。
　　　　〃I　thought　that　was　the　last　one；〃　she　said。
　　　　〃I　lied；〃　Sarah　said。　〃Wait　here。〃
　　　　Kelly　stayed　by　the　bike　while　Sarah　moved　cautiously　forward　through　the　grass。　Sarah　fired　one　more　shot；　then　stood　waiting　for　a　few　moments。　Then　she　bent　down。
　　　　When　she　came　back；　she　was　holding　the　key　in　her　hand。

In　the　nest；　the　raptors　were　still　tearing　at　the　carcass；　off　to　one　side。　But　the　intensity　of　the　behavior　was　diminishing：　some　of　the　animals　were　turning　away；　rubbing　their　jaws　with　their　clawed　hands；　drifting　slowly　toward　the　center　of　the　clearing。
　　　　Moving　closer　to　the　cage。
　　　　Thorne　climbed　into　the　back　of　the　jeep；　pushing　aside　the　canvas　cover。　He　checked　the　rifle　in　his　hands。
　　　　Levine　slid　into　the　driver's　seat。　He　started　the　engine。　Thorne　steadied　himself　in　the　back　of　the　jeep；　gripped　the　rear　bar。　He　turned　to　Levine。
　　　　〃Go！〃
　　　　The　Jeep　raced　forward　across　the　clearing…　By　the　carcass；　the　raptors　looked　up　in　surprise　as　they　saw　the　intruder。　By　then　the　jeep　was　past　the　center　of　the　cle