michael crichton.congo-第42章

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ther；　as　if　they　were　metal　paddles。　More　gorillas　poured　into　the　pound；　ignoring　the　rasping　broadcast　sounds。
　He　saw　a　gorilla　pass　beneath　the　loudspeaker；　very　close；　and　pay　no　attention　at　all。　Elliot　had　the　sickening　realization　that　their　plan　had　failed。
　They　were　finished；　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time。　A　gorilla　charged　him；　bellowing　in　rage；　swinging　stone　paddles　wide。　Terrified；　Amy　threw　her　hands　over　Elliot's　eyes。　〃Amy！〃　he　shouted；　pulling　her　fingers　away；　expecting　to　feel　at　any　moment　the　impact　of　the　paddles　and　the　instant　of　blinding　pain。
　He　saw　the　gorilla　hearing　down　on　him。　He　tensed　his　body。　Six　feet　away；　the　charging　gorilla　stopped　so　abruptly　that　he　literally　skidded　in　the　mud　and　fell　backward。　He　sat　there　surprised；　cocking　his　head；　listening。
　Then　Elliot　realized　that　the　rain　had　nearly　stopped；　that　there　was　now　only　a　light　drizzle　sifting　down　over　the　campsite。　Looking　across　the　pound；　Elliot　saw　another　gorilla　stop　to　listen…then　another…and　another…and　another。　The　pound　took　on　the　quality　of　a　frozen　tableau；　as　the　gorillas　stood　silent　in　the　mist。
　They　were　listening　to　the　broadcast　sounds。
　He　held　his　breath；　not　daring　to　hope。　The　gorillas　seemed　uncertain；　confused　by　the　sounds　they　heard。　Yet　Elliot　sensed　that　at　any　moment　they　could　arrive　at　some　group　decision　and　resume　their　attack　with　the　same　intensity　as　before。
　That　did　not　happen。　The　gorillas　stepped　away　from　the　people；　listening。　Munro　scrambled　to　his　feet；　raising　his　gun　from　the　mud。　but　he　did　not　shoot；　the　gorilla　standing　over　him　seemed　to　be　in　a　trance；　to　have　forgotten　all　about　the　attack。
　In　the　gentle　rain；　with　the　flickering　night　lights；　the　gorillas　moved　away；　one　by　one。　They　seemed　perplexed；　off　balance。　The　rasping　continued　over　the　loudspeaker。
　The　gorillas　left；　moving　back　across　the　trampled　perimeter　fence；　disappearing　once　more　into　the　jungle。　And　then　the　expedition　members　were　alone；　staring　at　each　other；　shivering　in　the　misty　rain。　The　gorillas　were　gone。
　
　Twenty　minutes　later；　as　they　were　trying　to　rebuild　their　shattered　campsite；　the　rain　poured　down　again　with　unabated　fury。
　
　DAY　13：　MUKENKO
　June　25；　1979
　
　1。　Diamonds
　
　IN　THE　MORNING　A　FINE　LAYER　OF　BLACK　ASH　covered　the　campsite；　and　in　the　distance　Mukenko　was　belching　great　quantities　of　black　smoke。　Amy　tugged　at　Elliot's　sleeve。
　Leave　now；　she　signed　insistently。
　〃No；　Amy；〃　he　said。
　Nobody　in　the　expedition　was　in　a　mood　to　leave；　including　Elliot。　Upon　arising；　he　found　himself　thinking　of　additional　data　he　needed　before　leaving　Zinj。　Elliot　was　no
　longer　satisfied　with　a　skeleton　of　one　of　these　creatures；　like　men；　their　uniqueness　went　beyond　the　details　of　physical　structure　to　their　behavior。　Elliot　wanted　videotapes　of　the　gray　apes；　and　more　recordings　of　verbalizations。　And　Ross　was　more　determined　than　ever　to　find　the　diamonds；　with　Munro　no　less　interested。
　Leave　now。
　〃Why　leave　now？〃　he　asked　her。
　Earth　bad。　Leave　now。
　Elliot　had　no　experience　with　volcanic　activity；　but　what　he　saw　did　not　impress　him。　Mukenko　was　more　active　than　it　had　been　in　previous　days；　but　the　volcano　had　ejected　smoke　and　gas　since　their　first　arrival　in　Virunga。
　He　asked　Munro；　〃Is　there　any　danger？〃
　Munro　shrugged。　〃Kahega　thinks　so；　but　he　probably　just　wants　an　excuse　to　go　home。〃
　Amy　came　running　over　to　Munro　raising　her　arms；　slapping　them　down　on　the　earth　in　front　of　him。　Munro　recognized　this　as　her　desire　to　play；　he　laughed　and　began　to　tickle　Amy。　She　signed　to　him。
　〃What's　she　saying？〃　Munro　asked。　〃What　are　you　saying；　you　little　devil？〃
　Amy　grunted　with　pleasure；　and　continued　to　sign。
　〃She　says　leave　now；〃　Elliot　translated。
　Munro　stopped　tickling　her。　〃Does　she？〃　he　asked　sharply。　What　exactly　does　she　say？〃
　　Elliot　was　surprised　at　Munro's　seriousness…although　Amy　accepted　his　interest　in　her　munication　as　perfectly　proper。　She　signed　again；　more　slowly；　for　Munro's　benefit；　her　eyes　on　his　face。
　〃She　says　the　earth　is　bad。〃
　〃Hmm；〃　Munro　said。　〃Interesting。〃　He　glanced　at　Amy　and　then　at　his　watch。
　Amy　signed；　Nosehair　man　listen　Amy　go　home　now。
　〃She　says　you　listen　to　her　and　go　home　now；〃　Elliot　said。
　Munro　shrugged。　〃Tell　her　I　understand。〃
　Elliot　translated。　Amy　looked　unhappy；　and　did　not　sign　again。
　〃Where　is　Ross？〃　Munro　asked。
　〃Here；〃　Ross　said。
　〃Let's　get　moving；〃　Munro　said；　and　they　headed　for　the　lost　city。　Now　they　had　another　surprise…Amy　signed　she　was　ing　with　them；　and　she　hurried　to　catch　up　with　them。
　
　This　was　their　final　day　in　the　city；　and　all　the　participants　in　the　Congo　expedition　described　a　similar　reaction：　the　city；　which　had　been　so　mysterious　before；　was　somehow　stripped　of　its　mystery。　On　this　morning；　they　saw　the　city　for　what　it　was：　a　cluster　of　crumbling　old　buildings　in　a　hot　stinking　unfortable　jungle。
　They　all　found　it　tedious；　except　for　Munro。　Munro　was　worried。
　Elliot　was　bored；　talking　about　verbalizations　and　why　he　wanted　tape　recordings；　and　whether　it　was　possible　to　preserve　a　brain　from　one　of　the　apes　to　take　back　with　them。　It　seemed　there　was　some　academic　debate　about　where　language　came　from；　people　used　to　think　language　was　a　development　of　animal　cries；　but　now　they　knew　that　animal　barks　and　cries　were　controlled　by　the　limbic　system　of　the　brain；　and　that　real　language　came　from　some　other　part　of　the　brain　called　Broca's　area。　。　。　。　Munro　couldn't　pay　attention。　He　kept　listening　to　the　distant　rumbling　of　Mukenko。
　Munro　had　firsthand　experience　with　volcanoes；　he　had　been　in　the　Congo　in　1968；　when　Mbuti；　another　of　the　Virunga　volcanoes；　erupted。　When　he　had　heard　the　sharp　explosions　the　day　before；　he　had　recognized　them　as　bromides；　the　unexplained　acpaniments　of　ing　earthquakes。　Munro　had　assumed　that　Mukenko　would　soon　erupt；　and　when　he　had　seen　the　flickering　laser　beam　the　night　before；　he　had　known　there　was　new　rumbling　activity　on　the　upper　slopes　of　the　volcano。
　Munro　knew　that　volcanoes　were　unpredictable…as　witnessed　by　the　fact　that　this　ruined　city　at　the　base　of　an　active　volcano　had　been　untouched　after　more　than　five　hundred　years。　There　were　recent　lava　fields　on　the　mountain　slopes　above；　and　others　a　few　miles　to　the　south；　but　the　city　itself　was　spared。　This　in　itself　was　not　so　remarkable…the　configuration　of　Mukenko　was　such　that　most　eruptions　occurred　on　the　gentle　south　slopes。　But　it　did　not　mean　that　they　were　now　in　any　less　danger。　The　unpredictability　of　volcanic　eruptions　meant　that　they　could　bee　life…threatening　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　The　danger　was　not　from　lava；　which　rarely　flowed　faster　than　a　man　could　walk；　it　would　take　hours　for　lava　to　flow　down　from　Mukenko's　summit。　The　real　danger　from　volcanic　eruptions　was　ash　and　gas。
　Just　as　most　people　killed　by　fires　actually　died　from　smoke　inhalation；　most　deaths　from　volcanoes　were　caused　by　asphyxiation　from　dust　and　carbon　monoxide。　Volcanic　gases　were　heavier　than　air；　the　Lost　City　of　Zinj；　located　in　a　valley；　could　be　filled　in　minutes　with　a　heavy；　poisonous　atmosphere；　should　Mukenko　discharge　a　large　quantity　of　gas。
　The　question　was　how　rapidly　Mukenko　was　building　toward　a　major　eruptive　phase。　That　was　why　Munro　was　so　interested　in　Amy's　reactions：　it　was　well　known　that　primates　could　anticipate　geological　events　such　as　earthquakes　and　eruptions。　Munro　was　surprised　that　Elliot；　babbling　away　about　freezing　gorilla　brains；　didn't　know　about　that。　And　he　was　even　more　surprised　that　Ross；　with　her　extensive　geological　knowledge；　did　not　regard　the　morning　ash…fall　as　the　start　of　a　major　volcanic　eruption。
　
　Ross　knew　a　major　eruption　was　building。　That　morning；　she　had　routinely　tried　to　establish　contact　with　Houston；　to　her　surprise；　the　transmission　keys　immediately　locked　through。　After　the　scrambler　notations　registered；　she　began　typing　in　field　updates；　but　the　screen　went　blank；　and　flashed：
　
　HUSTN　STAIN　OVRIDE　CLR　BANX。
　
　This　was　an　emergency　signal；　she　had　never　seen　it　before　on　a　field　expedition。　She　cleared　the　memory　banks　and　pushed　the　transmit　button。　There　was　a　burst　transmission　delay；　then　the　screen　printed：
　
　PUTR　DESIGNATN　MAJR　ERUPIN　SIGNATR　MU…KENKO　ADVIS　LEAV　SITE　NOW　EXPEDN　JEPRDY　DANGR　REPET　ALL　LEAV　SITE　NOW。
　
　Ross　glanced　across　the　campsite。　Kahega　was　making　breakfast；　Amy　squatted　by　the　fire；　eating　a　roasted　banana　（she　had　got　Kahega　to　make　special　treats　for　her）；　Munro　and　Elliot　were　having　coffee。　Except　for　the　black　ashfall；　it　was　a　perfectly　normal　morning　at　the　camp。　She　looked　back　at　the　screen。
　
　MAJR　ERUPTN　SIGNATR　MUKENKO　ADVIS　LEAV　SITE　NOW。
　
　Ross　glanced　up　at　the　smoking　cone　of　Mukenko。　The　hell　with　it；　she　thought。　She　wanted　the　diamonds；　and　she　had　gone　too　far　to　quit　now。
　The　screen　blinked：　PLS　SIGNL　REPLY。
　Ross　turned　the　transmitter　off。
　
　As　the　morning　progressed　they　felt　several　sharp　jolting　earth　tremors；　which　released　clouds　of　dust　from　the　crumbling　buildings。　The　rumblings　of　Mukenko　became　more　frequent。　Ross　paid　no　attention。　〃It　just　means　this　is　elephant　country；〃　she　said。　That　was　an　old　geological　adage：　〃If　you're　looking　for　elephants；　go　to　elephant　country。〃　Elephant　country　meant　a　likely　spot　to　find　whatever　minerals　you　were　looking　for。　〃And　if　you　want　diamonds；〃　Ross　said；　shrugging；　〃you　go　to　volcanoes。〃
　The　association　of　diamonds　with　volcanoes　had　been　recognized　for　more　than　a　century；　but　it　was　still　poorly　understood。　Most　theories　postulated　that　diamonds；　crystals　of　pure　carbon；　were　formed　in　the　intense　heat　and　pressure　of　the　upper　mantle　one　thousand　miles　beneath　the　earth's　surface。　The　diamonds　remained　inaccessible　at　this　depth　except　in　volcanic　areas　where　rivers　of　molten　magma　carried　them　to　the　surface。
　But　this　did　not　mean　that　you　went　to　erupting　volcanoes　to　catch　diamonds　being　spewed　out；　Most　diamond　mines　were　at　the　site　of　extinct　volcanoes；　in　fossilized　cones　called　kimberlite　pipes；　named　for　the　geological　formations　in　Kimberley；　South　Africa。　Virunga；　near　the　geologically　unstable　Rift　Valley；　showed　evidence　of　continuous　volcanic　activity　for　more　than　fifty　million　years。　They　were　now　looking　for　the　same　fossil　volcanoes　which　the　earlier　inhabitants　of　Zinj　had　found。
　Shortly　before　noon　they　found　them；　halfway　up　the　hills　east　of　the　city…a　series　of　excavated　tunnels　running　into　the　mountain　slopes　of　Mukenko。
　
　Elliot　felt　disappointed。　〃I　don't　know　what　I　was　expecting；〃　he　said　later；　〃but　it　was　just　a　brown…colored　tunnel　in　the　earth；　with　occasional　bits　of　dull　brown　rock　sticking　out。　I　couldn't　understand　why　Ross　got　so　excited。〃　Those　bits　of　dull　brown　rock　were　diamonds；　when　cleaned；　they　had　the　transparency　of　dirty　glass。
　〃They　thought　I　was　crazy；〃　Ross　said；　〃because　I　began　jumping　up　and　down。　But　they　didn't　know　what　they　were　looking　at。〃
　In　an　ordinary　kimberilte　pipe；　diamonds　were　distributed　sparsely　in　the　rock　matrix。　The　average　mine　recovered　only　thirty…two　karats…a　fifth　of　an　ounce…for　every　hundred　tons　of　rock　removed。　Wh