the.lost.world-第4章

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ven　acknowledge　that　he　had　been　spoken　to。　He　merely　sat；　with　his　hand　on　his　chin；　and　stared　frowning　out　the　window。
　　　　Richard　Levine　wore　sun…faded　field　khakis；　and　an　Australian　slouch　hat　pushed　low　over　his　head。　A　battered　pair　of　binoculars　hung　around　his　neck。　But　despite　his　rugged　appearance；　Levine　conveyed　an　air　of　scholarly　absorption。　Behind　his　wire…frame　spectacles；　his　features　were　sharp；　his　expression　intense　and　critical　as　he　looked　out　the　window。
　　　　〃What　is　this　place？〃
　　　　〃It's　called　Rojas。〃
　　　　〃So　we're　far　south？〃
　　　　〃Yes。　Only　about　fifty　miles　from　the　border　with　Panama。〃
　　　　Levine　stared　at　the　jungle。　〃I　don't　see　any　roads；〃　he　said。　〃How　was　the　thing　found？〃
　　　　〃Couple　of　campers；〃　Guitierrez　said。　〃They　came　in　by　boat；　landed　on　the　beach。〃
　　　　〃When　was　that？〃
　　　　Yesterday。　They　took　one　look　at　the　thing；　and　ran　like　hell。〃
　　　　Levine　nodded。　With　his　long　limbs　folded　up；　his　hands　tucked　under　his　chin；　he　looked　like　a　praying　mantis。　That　had　been　his　nickname　in　graduate　school；　in　part　because　of　his　appearance　…　and　in　part　because　of　his　tendency　to　bite　off　the　head　of　anyone　who　disagreed　with　him。
　　　　Guitierrez　said；　〃Been　to　Costa　Rica　before？〃
　　　　〃No。　First　time；〃　Levine　said。　And　then　he　gave　an　irritable　wave　of　his　hand；　as　'if　he　didn't　want　to　be　bothered　with　small　talk。
　　　　Guitierrez　smiled。　After　all　these　years；　Levine　had　not　changed　at　all。　He　was　still　one　of　the　most　brilliant　and　irritating　men　in　science。　The　two　had　been　fellow　graduate　Students　at　Yale；　until　Levine　quit　the　doctoral　program　to　get　his　degree　in　parative　zoology　instead。　Levine　announced　he　had　no　interest　in　the　kind　of　contemporary　field　research　that　so　attracted　Guitierrez。　With　characteristic　contempt；　he　had　once　described　Guitierrez's　work　as　〃collecting　parrot　crap　from　around　the　world。〃
　　　　The　truth　was　that　Levine　…　brilliant　and　fastidious　…　was　drawn　to　the　past；　to　the　world　that　no　longer　existed。　And　he　studied　this　world　with　obsessive　intensity。　He　was　famous　for　his　photographic　memory；　his　arrogance；　his　sharp　tongue；　and　the　unconcealed　pleasure　he　took　in　pointing　out　the　errors　of　colleagues。　As　a　colleague　once　said；　〃Levine　never　forgets　a　bone　…　and　he　never　lets　you　forget　it；　either。〃
　　　　Field　researchers　disliked　Levine；　and　he　returned　the　sentiment。　He　was　at　heart　a　man　of　detail；　a　cataloguer　of　animal　life；　and　he　was　happiest　poring　over　museum　collections；　reassigning　species；　rearranging　display　skeletons。　He　disliked　the　dust　and　inconvenience　of　life　in　the　field。　Given　his　choice；　Levine　would　never　leave　the　Museum。　But　it　was　his　fate　to　live　in　the　greatest　period　of　discovery　in　the　history　of　paleontology。　The　number　of　known　species　of　dinosaurs　had　doubled　in　the　last　twenty　years；　and　new　species　were　now　being　described　at　the　rate　of　one　every　seven　weeks；　Thus　Levine's　worldwide　reputation　forced　him　to　continually　travel　around　the　World；　inspecting　new　finds；　and　rendering　his　expert　opinion　to　researchers　who　were　annoyed　to　admit　that　they　needed　it。
　　　　〃Where'd　you　e　from？〃　Gtiitierrez　asked　him。
　　　　〃Mongolia；〃　Levine　said。　〃I　was　at　the　Flaming　Cliffs；　in　the　Gobi　Desert；　three　hours　out　of　Ulan　Bator。〃
　　　　〃Oh？　What's　there？〃
　　　　〃John　Roxton's　got　a　dig。　He　found　an　inplete　skeleton　he　thought　might　be　a　new　species　of　Velociraptor；　and　wanted　me　to　have　a　look。〃
　　　　〃And？〃
　　　　Levine　shrugged。　〃Roxton　never　really　did　know　anatomy；　He's　an　enthusiastic　fund…raiser；　but　if　he　actually　uncovers　something；　he's　inpetent　to　proceed。〃
　　　　〃You　told　him　that？〃
　　　　〃Why　not？　It's　the　truth。〃
　　　　〃And　the　skeleton？〃
　　　　〃The　skeleton　wasn't　a　raptor　at　all；〃　Levine　said。　〃Metatarsals　all　wrong；　pubis　too　ventral；　ischium　lacking　a　proper　obturator；　and　the　long　bones　much　too　light。　As　for　the　skull。。。。〃　He　rolled　his　eyes。　〃The　palatal's　too　thick；　antorbital　fenestrae　too　rostra＇；　distal　carida　too　small　…　oh；　it　goes　on　and　on。　And　the　trenchant　ungual's　hardly　present。　So　there　we　are。　I　don't　know　what　Roxton　could　have　been　thinking。　I　suspect　he　actually　has　a　subspecies　of　Stenonychosaurus；　though　I　haven't　decided　for　sure。〃
　　　　〃Stenonychosaurus？〃　Guitierrez　said。
　　　　〃Small　Triassic　carnivore　…　two　meters　from　pes　to　acetabtiltim。　In　point　of　fact；　a　rather　ordinary　theropod。　And　Roxton's　find　wasn't　a　particularly　interesting　example。　Although　there　was　one　curious　detail。　The　material　included　an　integtimental　artifact　…　an　imprint　of　the　dinosaur's　skin。　That　in　itself　is　not　rare。　There　are　perhaps　a　dozen　good　skin　impressions　obtained　so　far；　mostly　among　the　Hadrosauridae。　But　nothing　like　this。　Because　it　was　clear　to　me　that　this　animal's　skin　had　some　very　unusual　characteristics　not　previously　suspected　in　dinosaurs　…　〃
　　　　〃Se？ores；〃　the　pilot　said；　interrupting　them；　〃Juan　Fernández　Bay　is　ahead。〃
　　　　Levine　said；　〃Circle　it　first；　can　we？〃
　　　　Levine　looked　out　the　window；　his　expression　intense　again；　the　conversation　forgotten。　They　were　flying　over　jungle　that　extended　up　into　the　hills　for　miles；　as　far　as　they　could　see。　The　helicopter　banked；　circling　the　beach。
　　　　〃There　it　is　now；〃　Guitierrez　said；　pointing　out　the　window。

The　beach　was　a　clean；　curving　white　crescent；　entirely　deserted　in　the　afternoon　light。　To　the　south；　they　saw　a　single　dark　mass　in　the　sand。　From　the　air；　it　looked　like　a　rock；　or　perhaps　a　large　clump　of　seaweed。　The　shape　was　amorphous；　about　five　feet　across。　There　were　lots　of　footprints　around　it。
　　　　〃Who's　been　here？〃　Levine　said；　with　a　sigh。
　　　　〃Public　Health　Service　people　came　out　earlier　today。〃
　　　　〃Did　they　do　anything？〃　he　said。　〃They　touch　it；　disturb　it　in　any　way？
　　　　〃I　can't　say；〃　Guitierrez　said。
　　　　〃The　Public　Health　Service；〃　Levine　repeated；　shaking　his　head。　〃What　do　they　know？　You　should　never　have　let　them　near　'it；　Marty。〃
　　　　〃Hey；〃　Guitierrez　said。　〃I　don't　run　this　country。　I　did　the　best　I　could。　They　wanted　to　destroy　it　before　you　even　got　here。　At　least　I　managed　to　keep　it　intact　until　you　arrived。　Although　I　don't　know　how　long　they'll　wait。〃
　　　　〃Then　we'd　better　get　started；〃　Levine　said。　He　pressed　the　button　on　his　mike。　〃Why　are　we　still　circling？　We're　losing　light。　Get　down　on　the　beach　now。　I　want　to　see　this　thing　firsthand。〃

Richard　Levine　ran　across　the　sand　toward　the　dark　shape；　his　binoculars　bouncing　on　his　chest。　Even　from　a　distance；　he　could　smell　the　stench　of　decay。　And　already　he　was　logging　his　preliminary　impressions。　The　carcass　lay　half…buried　in　the　sand；　surrounded　by　a　thick　cloud　of　flies。　The　skin　was　bloated　with　gas；　which　made　identification　difficult。
　　　　He　paused　a　few　yards　from　the　creature；　and　took　out　his　camera。　Immediately；　the　pilot　of　the　helicopter　came　up　alongside　him；　pushing　his　hand　down。　〃No　permitado。〃
　　　　〃What？〃
　　　　〃I　am　sorry；　se？or。　No　pictures　arc　allowed。〃
　　　　〃Why　the　hell　not？〃　Levine　said。　He　turned　to　Guitierrez；　who　was　trotting　down　the　beach　toward　them。　〃Marty；　why　no　pictures？　This　could　be　an　important　…　〃
　　　　〃No　pictures；〃　the　pilot　said　again；　and　he　pulled　the　camera　out　of　Levine's　hand。
　　　　〃Marty；　this　is　crazy。〃
　　　　〃Just　go　ahead　and　make　your　examination；〃　Guitierrcz　said；　and　then　he　began　speaking　in　Spanish　to　the　Pilot；　who　answered　sharply　and　angrily；　waving　his　hands。
　　　　Levine　watched　a　moment；　then　turned　away。　The　hell　with　this；　he　thought。　They　could　argue　forever。　He　hurried　forward；　breathing　through　his　mouth。　The　odor　became　much　stronger　as　he　approached　it。　Although　the　carcass　was　large　he　noticed　there　were　no　birds；　rats；　or　other　scavengers　feeding　on　it。　There　were　only　flies　…　flies　so　dense　they　covered　the　skin；　and　obscured　the　outline　of　the　dead　animal。
　　　　Even　so；　it　was　clear　that　this　had　been　a　substantial　creature；　roughly　the　size　of　a　cow　or　horse　before　the　bloat　began　to　enlarge　it　further。　The　dry　skin　had　cracked　in　the　sun　and　was　now　peeling　upward；　exposing　the　layer　of　runny；　yellow　subdermal　fat　beneath。
　　　　Oof；　it　stunk！　Levine　winced。　He　forced　himself　closer；　directing　all　his　attention　to　the　animal。
　　　　Although　it　was　the　size　of　a　cow；　it　was　clearly　not　a　mammal。　The　skin　was　hairless。　The　original　skin　color　appeared　to　have　been　green；　with　a　suggestion　of　darker　striations　running　through　it。　The　epidermal　surface　was　pebbled　in　polygonal　tubercles　of　varying　sizes；　the　pattern　reminiscent　of　the　skin　of　a　lizard。　This　texture　varied　in　different　parts　of　the　animal；　the　pebbling　larger　and　less　distinct　on　the　underbelly。　There　were　prominent　skin　folds　at　the　neck；　shoulder；　and　hip　joints　…　again；　like　a　lizard。
　　　　But　the　carcass　was　large。　Levine　estimated　the　animal　had　originally　weighed　about　a　hundred　kilograms；　roughly　two　hundred　and　twenty　pounds；　No　lizards　grew　that　large　anywhere　in　the　world；　except　the　Komodo　dragons　of　Indonesia。　Varanus　komodoensis　were　nine…foot…long　monitor　lizards；　crocodile…size　carnivores　that　ate　goats　and　pigs；　and　on　occasion　human　beings　as　well。　But　there　were　no　monitor　lizards　anywhere　in　the　New　World。　Of　course；　it　was　conceivable　that　this　was　one　of　the　Iguanidae。　Iguanas　were　found　all　over　South　America；　and　the　marine　iguanas　grew　quite　large。　Even　so；　this　would　be　a　record…size　animal。
　　　　Levine　moved　slowly　around　the　carcass；　toward　the　front　of　the　animal。　No；　he　thought；　it　wasn't　a　lizard。　The　carcass　lay　on　its　side；　its　left　rib　cage　toward　the　sky。　Nearly　half　of　it　was　buried；　the　row　of　protruberances　that　marked　the　dorsal　spinous　processes　of　the　backbone　were　just　a　few　inches　above　the　sand。　The　long　neck　was　curved；　the　head　hidden　beneath　the　bulk　of　the　body　like　a　duck's　head　under　feathers。　Levine　saw　one　forelimb；　which　seemed　small　and　weak。　The　distal　appendage　was　buried　in　sand。　He　would　dig　that　out　and　have　a　look　at　it；　but　he　wanted　to　take　pictures　before　he　disturbed　the　specimen　in　situ。
　　　　In　fact；　the　more　Levine　saw　of　this　carcass；　the　more　carefully　he　thought　he　should　proceed。　Because　one　thing　was　clear　…　this　was　a　very　rare；　and　possibly　unknown；　animal。　Levine　felt　simultaneously　excited　and　cautious。　If　this　discovery　was　as　significant　as　he　was　beginning　to　think　it　was；　then　it　was　essential　that　it　be　properly　documented。
　　　　Up　the　beach；　Guitierrez　was　still　shouting　at　the　pilot；　who　kept　shaking　his　head　stubbornly。　These　banana…republic　bureaucrats；　Levine　thought。　Why　shouldn't　he　take　pictures？　It　couldn't　harm　anything。　And　it　was　vital　to　document　the　changing　state　of　the　creature。
　　　　He　heard　a　thumping；　and　looked　up　to　see　a　second　helicopter　circling　the　bay；　its　dark　shadow　sliding　across　the　sand。　This　helicopter　was　ambulance…white；　with　red　lettering　on　the　side。　In　the　glare　of　the　setting　sun；　he　couldn't　read　it。
　　　　He　turned　back　to　the　carcass；　noticing　now　that　the　hind　leg　of　the　animal　was　powerfully　muscled；　very　different　from　the　foreleg。　It　suggested　that　this　creature　walked　upright；　balanced　on　strong　hind　legs。　Many　lizards　were　known　to　stand　upright；　of　course；　but　none　so　large　as　this。　In　point　of　fact；　as　Levine　looked　at　the　general　shape　of　the　carcass；　he　felt　increasingly　certain　that　this　was　no