the.lost.world-第31章

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sed。　King　poked　at　his　salad　for　a　while。　〃Why　are　you　telling　me　this？〃
　　　　〃Because　I　see　something　in　you；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃I　see　ambition。　Frustrated　ambition。　And　I'm　telling　you；　Howard；　you　don't　have　to　be　frustrated。　You；　don't　even　have　to　be　fired　from　the　pany　at　the　next　performance　review。　Which　is　exactly　what's　going　to　happen。　How　old　is　your　kid？〃
　　　　〃Four；〃　King　said。
　　　　〃Terrible；　to　be　out　of　work；　with　a　young　family。　And　it　won't　be　easy　to　get　another　job。　Who's　going　to　give　you　a　chance　now？　By　thirty…five；　a　research　scientist　has　already　made　his　mark；　or　he's　not　likely　to。　I　don't　say　that's　right；　but　that's　how　they　think。〃
　　　　King　knew　that's　how　they　thought。　At　every　biotechnology　pany　in　California。
　　　　〃But　Howard；〃　Dodgson　said；　leaning　across　the　table；　lowering　his　voice；　〃a　wonderful　world　awaits　you；　if　you　choose　to　look　at　things　differently。　There's　a　whole　other　way　to　live　your　life。　I　really　think　you　should　consider　what　I'm　saying。〃
　　　　Two　weeks　later；　King　became　Dodgson's　personal　assistant　in　the　Department　of　Future　Biogenic　Trends；　which　was　bow　Biosyn　referred　to　its　efforts　at　industrial　espionage。　And　in　the　years　that　followed；　King　had　once　again　risen　swiftly　at　Biosyn　…　this　time　because　Dodgson　liked　him。
　　　　Now　King　had　all　the　accoutrements　of　success：　a　Porsche；　a　mortgage；　a　divorce；　a　kid　he　saw　on　weekends。　All　because　King　had　proven　to　be　the　perfect　second　in　mand；　working　long　hours；　handling　the　details；　keeping　his　fast…talking　boss　out　of　trouble。　And　in　the　process；　King　had　e　to　know　all　the　sides　of　Dodgson　…　his　charismatic　side；　his　visionary　side；　and　his　dark；　ruthless　side。　King　told　himself　that　he　could　handle　the　ruthless　side；　that　he　could　keep　it　in　check；　that　over　the　years　he　had　learned　how　to　do　that。
　　　　But　sometimes；　he　was　not　so　sure。
　　　　Like　now。
　　　　Because　here　they　were；　in　some　rickety　stinking　fishing　boat；　heading　out　into　the　ocean　off　some　desolate　village　in　Costa　Rica；　and　in　this　tense　moment　Dodgson　had　suddenly　decided　to　play　some　kind　of　game；　meeting　this　woman　and　deciding　to　take　her　along。
　　　　King　didn't　know　what　Dodgson　intended；　but　he　could　see　the　intense　gleam　in　Dodgson's　eyes　that　he　had　seen　only　a　few　times　before；　and　it　was　a　look　that　always　alarmed　him。
　　　　The　woman　Harding　was　now　up　on　the　foredeck；　standing　near　the　bow。　She　was　looking　off　at　the　ocean。　King　saw　Dodgson　walking　around　the　Jeep；　and　beckoned　to　him　nervously。
　　　　〃Listen；〃　King　said；　〃we　have　to　talk。〃
　　　　〃Sure；〃　Dodgson　said；　easily。　〃What's　on　your　mind？〃
　　　　And　he　smiled。　That　charming　smile。

Harding

Sarah　Harding　stared　at　the　gray；　menacing　sky。　The　boat　rolled　in　the　heavy　offshore　swell。　The　deckhands　scrambled　to　tie　down　the　Jeep；　which　threatened　repeatedly　to　break　free。　She　stood　in　the　bow；　fighting　seasickness。　On　the　far　horizon；　dead　ahead；　she　could　just　see　the　low　black　line　that　was　their　first　glimpse　of　Isla　Sorna。
　　　　She　turned　and　looked　back；　and　saw　Dodgson　and　King　were　huddled　by　the　railing　amidships；　in　intense　conversation。　King　seemed　to　be　upset；　gesticulating　rapidly。　Dodgson　was　listening；　and　shaking　his　head。　After　a　moment；　he　put　his　arm　on　King's　shoulder。　He　seemed　to　be　trying　to　calm　the　younger　man　down。　Both　men　ignored　the　activity　around　the　jeep。　Which　was　odd；　she　thought；　considering　how　worried　they　had　been　earlier　about　the　equipment。　Now　they　didn't　seem　to　care。
　　　　As　for　the　third　man；　Baselton；　she　had　of　course　recognized　him；　and　she　was　surprised　to　find　him　here　on　this　little　fishing　boat。　Baselton　had　shaken　her　hand　in　a　perfunctory　way；　and　he　had　disappeared　belowdecks　as　soon　as　the　ship　pulled　away　from　the　dock。　He　had　not　reappeared。　But　perhaps　he　was　seasick；　too。
　　　　As　she　continued　to　watch；　she　saw　Dodgson　break　away　from　King；　and　hurry　over　to　supervise　the　deckhands。　Left　alone；　King　went　to　check　on　the　straps　that　lashed　the　boxes　and　barrels　to　the　deck　farther　aft。　The　boxes　marked　〃Biosyn。〃
　　　　Harding　had　never　heard　of　the　Biosyn　Corporation。　She　wondered　what　connection　Ian　and　Richard　had　with　it。　Whenever　Ian　was　around　her；　he　had　always　been　critical；　even　contemptuous；　of　biotechnology　panies。　And　these　men　seemed　to　be　unlikely　friends。　They　were　too　rigid；　too。。。geeky。
　　　　But　then；　she　reflected；　Ian　did　have　strange　friends。　They　were　always　showing　up　unexpectedly　at　his　apartment　…　the　Japanese　calligrapher；　the　Indonesian　gamalan　troupe；　the　Las　Vegas　juggler　in　a　shiny　bolero　jacket；　that　weird　French　astrologer　who　thought　the　earth　was　hollow。。。。And　then　there　were　his　mathematician　friends。　They　were　really　crazy。　Or　so　they　seemed　to　Sarah。　They　were　so　wild…eyed；　so　wrapped　up　in　their　proofs。　Pages　and　pages　of　proofs；　sometimes　hundreds　of　pages。　It　was　all　too　abstract　for　her。　Sarah　Harding　liked　to　touch　the　dirt；　to　see　the　animals；　to　experience　the　sounds　and　the　smells。　That　was　real　to　her。　Everything　else　was　just　a　bunch　of　theories：　possibly　right；　possibly　wrong。
　　　　Waves　began　to　crash　over　the　bow；　and　she　moved　a　little　astern；　to　keep　dry。　She　yawned；　she　hadn't　slept　much　in　the　last　twenty…four　hours。　Dodgson　finished　working　on　the　Jeep；　and　came　over　to　her。
　　　　She　said；　〃Everything　all　right？〃
　　　　〃Oh　yes；〃　Dodgson　said；　smiling　cheerfully。
　　　　〃Your　friend　King　seemed　upset。〃
　　　　〃He　doesn't　like　boats；〃　Dodgson　said。　He　nodded　to　the　waves。　〃But　we're　making　better　time。　It'll　only　be　an　hour　or　so；　until　we　land。〃
　　　　〃Tell　me；〃　she　said。　〃What　is　the　Biosyn　Corporation？　I've　never　heard　of　it。〃
　　　　〃It's　a　small　pany；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃We　make　what　are　called　consumer　biologicals。　We　specialize　in　recreational　and　sports　organisms。　For　example；　we　engineered　new　kinds　of　trout；　and　other　game　fish。　We're　making　new　kinds　of　dogs…smaller　pets　for　apartment　dwellers。　That　sort　of　thing。〃
　　　　Exactly　the　sort　of　thing　that　Ian　hated；　she　thought。　〃How　do　you　know　Ian？〃
　　　　〃Oh；　we　go　way　back；〃　Dodgson　said。
　　　　She　noticed　his　vagueness。　〃How　far？〃
　　　　〃Back　to　the　days　of　the　park。〃
　　　　〃The　park；〃　she　said。
　　　　He　nodded。　〃Did　he　ever　tell　you　how　he　hurt　his　leg？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃He　would　never　talk　about　it。　He　just　said　it　happened　on　a　consulting　job　that　had。。。I　don't　know。　Some　sort　of　trouble。　Was　it　a　park？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　in　a　way；〃　Dodgson　said；　staring　out　at　the　ocean；　After　a　moment；　he　shrugged。　〃And　what　about　you？　How　do　you　know　him？〃
　　　　〃He　was　one　of　my　thesis　readers。　I'm　an　ethologist。　I　study　large　mammals　in　African　grassland　ecosystems。　East　Africa。　Carnivores；　in　particular。〃
　　　　〃Carnivores？〃
　　　　〃I've　been　studying　hyenas；〃　she　said。　〃Before　that；　lions。〃
　　　　〃For　a　long　time？〃
　　　　〃Almost　ten　years；　now。　Six　years　continuously；　since　my　doctorate。〃
　　　　〃Interesting；〃　Dodgson　said；　nodding；　〃And　so　did　you　e　here　all　the　way　from　Africa？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　from　Seronera。　In　Tanzania。〃
　　　　Dodgson　nodded　vaguely。　He　looked　past　her　shoulder　toward　the　island。　〃What　do　you　know。　Looks　like　the　weather　may　clear；　after　all。〃
　　　　She　turned　and　saw　streaks　of　blue　in　the　thinning　clouds　overhead。　The　sun　was　trying　to　break　through。　The　sea　was　calmer。　And　she　was　surprised　to　see　the　island　was　much　closer。　She　could　clearly　see　the　cliffs；　rising　above　the　seas。　The　cliffs　were　reddish…gray　volcanic　rock；　very　sheer。
　　　　〃In　Tanzania；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃You　run　a　large　research　team？〃
　　　　〃No。　I　work　alone。〃
　　　　〃No　students？〃　he　said。
　　　　〃I'm　afraid　not。　It's　because　my　work　just　isn't　very　glamorous。　The　big　savannah　carnivores　in　Africa　are　primarily　nocturnal。　So　my　research　is　mostly　conducted　at　night。〃
　　　　〃Must　be　hard　on　your　husband。〃
　　　　〃Oh；　I'm　not　married；〃　she　said；　with　a　little　shrug。
　　　　〃I'm　surprised；〃　he　said。　〃After　all；　a　beautiful　woman　like　you。。。〃
　　　　〃I　never　had　time；〃　she　said　quickly。　To　change　the　subject；　she　said；　〃Where　do　you　land　on　this　island？〃
　　　　Dodgson　turned　to　look。　They　were　now　close　enough　to　the　island　to　see　the　waves　crashing；　high　and　white；　against　the　base　of　the　cliffs。　They　were　only　a　mile　or　two　away。
　　　　〃It's　an　unusual　island；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃This　whole　region　of　central　America　is　volcanic。　There　are　something　like　thirty　active　volcanoes　between　Mexico　and　Colombia。　All　these　offshore　islands　were　at　one　time　active　volcanoes；　part　of　the　central　chain。　But　unlike　the　mainland；　the　islands　are　now　dormant。　Haven't　erupted　for　a　thousand　years　or　so。
　　　　〃So　we're　seeing　the　outside　of　the　crater？〃
　　　　〃Exactly。　The　cliffs　are　all　the　result　of　erosion　from　rainfall；　but　the　ocean　erodes　the　base　of　the　cliffs；　too。　Those　flat　sections　on　the　cliff　you　see　are　where　the　ocean　cut　in　at　the　bottom；　and　huge　areas　of　the　cliff　face　were　undermined；　and　just　cleaved；　falling　straight　down　into　the　sea。　It's　all　soft　volcanic　rock。〃
　　　　〃And　so　you　land。。。〃
　　　　〃There　are　several　places　on　the　windward　side　where　the　ocean　has　cut　caves　into　the　cliff。　And　at　two　of　those　places；　the　caves　meet　rivers　flowing　out　from　the　interior。　So　they're　passable。〃　He　pointed　ahead。　〃You　see　there；　you　can　just　now　see　one　of　the　caves。〃
　　　　Sarah　Harding　saw　a　dark　irregular　opening　cut　into　the　base　of　the　cliff。　All　around　it；　the　waves　crashed；　plumes　of　white　water　rising　fifty　feet　up　into　the　air。
　　　　〃You're　going　to　take　this　boat　into　that　cave　there？〃
　　　　〃If　the　weather　holds；　yes。〃　Dodgson　turned　away。　〃Don't　worry；　it's　not　as　bad　as　it　looks。　Anyway；　you　were　saying。　About　Africa。　When　did　you　leave　Africa？〃
　　　　〃Right　after　Doc　Thorne　called。　He　said　he　was　going　with　Ian　to　rescue　Richard；　and　asked　if　I　wanted　to　e。〃
　　　　〃And　what　did　you　say？〃
　　　　〃I　said　I'd　think　about　it。〃
　　　　Dodgson　frowned。　〃You　didn't　tell　him　you　were　ing？〃
　　　　〃No。　Because　I　wasn't　sure　I　wanted　to。　I　mean；　I'm　busy。　I　have　my　work。　And　it's　a　long　way。〃
　　　　〃For　an　old　lover；〃　Dodgson　said；　nodding　sympathetically。
　　　　She　sighed。　〃Well。　You　know。　Ian。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　I　know　Ian；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃Quite　a　character。〃
　　　　〃That's　one　way　to　put　it；〃　she　said。
　　　　There　was　an　awkward　silence。　Dodgson　cleared　his　throat。　〃I'm　confused；〃　he　said；　〃Who　exactly　did　you　tell　you　were　ing　here？〃
　　　　〃Nobody；〃　she　said。　〃I　just　jumped　on　the　next　plane　and　came。〃
　　　　〃But　what　about　your　university；　your　colleagues。。。〃
　　　　She　shrugged。　〃There　wasn't　time。　And　as　I　said；　I　work　alone。〃　She　looked　again　at　the　island。　The　cliffs　rose　high　above　the　boat。　They　were　only　a　few　hundred　yards　away。　The　cave　appeared　much　larger　now；　but　the　waves　crashed　high　on　either　side。　She　shook　her　head。　〃It　looks　pretty　rough。〃
　　　　〃Don't　worry；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃See？　The　captain's　already　making　for　it。　We'll　be　perfectly　safe；　once　we're　passing　through。　And　then。。。It　should　be　very　exciting。〃
　　　　The　boat　rolled　and　dipped　in　the　sea；　an　uncertain　motion。　She　gripped　the　railing。　Beside　her；　Dodgson　grinned。　〃See　what　I　mean？　Exciting；　isn't　it？〃　He　seemed　suddenly　energized；　almost　agitated。　His　body　became　tense；　he　rubbed　his　hands　together。　〃No　need　to　worry；　Ms。　Harding；　I　can't　allow　anything　to　happen　to　…　〃
　　　　She　didn't　know　what　he　was　talking　about；　but　before　she　could　reply；　the　nos