michael crichton.congo-第41章

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　They　were　by　now　back　in　the　darkness　of　the　equatorial　rain　forest。　They　proceeded　directly　toward　the　site；　following　the　overhead　laser　beams。　They　could　not　see　these　beams　directly；　but　Ross　had　brought　a　weird　optical　track　guide；　a　cadmium　photocell　filtered　to　record　the　specific　laser　wavelength　emission。　Periodically　during　the　day；　she　inflated　a　small　helium　balloon；　attached　the　track　guide　with　a　wire；　and　released　it。　Lifted　by　the　helium；　the　guide　rose　into　the　sky　above　the　trees。　There　it　rotated；　sighted　one　of　the　laser　lines；　and　transmitted　coordinates　down　the　wire　to　the　puter。　They　followed　the　track　of　diminishing　laser　intensity　from　a　single　beam；　and　waited　for　the　〃blip　reading；〃　the　doubled　intensity　value　that　would　signal　the　intersection　of　two　beams　above　them。
　This　was　a　slow　job　and　their　patience　was　wearing　thin　when；　toward　midday；　they　came　upon　the　characteristic　three…lobed　feces　of　gorilla；　and　they　saw　several　nests　made　of　eucalyptus　leaves　on　the　ground　and　in　the　trees。
　Fifteen　minutes　later；　the　air　was　shattered　by　a　deafening　roar。　〃Gorilla；〃　Munro　announced。　〃That　was　a　male　telling　somebody　off。〃
　Amy　signed；　Gorillas　say　go　away。
　〃We　have　to　continue；　Amy；〃　he　said。
　Gorilla　no　want　human　people　e。
　〃Human　people　won't　harm　gorillas；〃　Elliot　assured　her。　But　Amy　just　looked　blank　at　this；　and　shook　her　head；　as　if　Elliot　had　missed　the　point。
　Days　later　he　realized　that　he　had　indeed　missed　the　point。
　Amy　was　not　telling　him　that　the　gorillas　were　afraid　of　being　harmed　by　people。　She　was　saying　that　the　gorillas　were　afraid　that　the　people　would　be　harmed；　by　gorillas。
　They　had　progressed　halfway　across　a　small　jungle　clearing　when　the　large　silverback　male　reared　above　the　foliage　and　bellowed　at　them。
　Elliot　was　leading　the　group；　because　Munro　had　gone　back　to　help　one　of　the　porters　with　his　pack。　He　saw　six　animals　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing；　dark　black　shapes　against　the　green；　watching　the　human　intruders。　Several　of　the　females　cocked　their　heads　and　pressed　their　lips　in　a　kind　of　disapproval。　The　dominant　male　roared　again。
　He　was　a　large　male　with　silver　hair　down　his　back。　His　massive　head　stood　mote　than　six　feet　above　the　ground；　and　his　barrel　chest　indicated　that　he　weighed　more　than　four　hundred　pounds。　Seeing　him；　Elliot　understood　why　the　first　explorers　to　the　Congo　had　believed　gorillas　to　be　〃hairy　men；〃　for　this　magnificent　creature　looked　like；　a　gigantic　man；　both　in　size　and　shape。
　At　Elliot's　back　Ross　whispered；　〃What　do　we　do？〃
　〃Stay　behind　me；〃　Elliot　said；　〃and　don't　move。〃
　The　silverback　male　dropped　to　all　fours　briefly；　and　began　a　soft　ho…ho…ho　sound；　which　grew　more　intense　as　he　leapt　to　his　feet　again；　grabbing　handfuls　of　grass　as　he　did　so。　He　threw　the　grass　in　the　air；　and　then　beat　his　chest　with　flat　palms；　making　a　hollow　thumping　sound。
　〃Oh；　no；〃　Ross　said。
　The　chest…beating　lasted　five　seconds；　and　then　the　male　dropped　to　all　fours　again。　He　ran　sideways　across　the　grass；　slapping　the　foliage　and　making　as　much　noise　as　possible；　to　frighten　the　intruders　off。　Finally　he　began　the　ho…ho…ho　sound　once　more。
　The　male　stared　at　Elliot；　expecting　that　this　display　would　send　him　running。　When　it　did　not；　the　male　leapt　to　his　feet；　Pounded　his　chest；　and　roared　with　even　greater　fury。
　And　then　he　charged。
　With　a　howling　scream　he　came　crashing　forward　at　frightening　speed；　directly　toward　Elliot。　Elliot　heard　Ross　gasp　behind　him。　He　wanted　to　turn　and　run；　his　every　bodily　instinct　screamed　that　he　should　run；　but　he　forced　himself　to　stand　absolutely　still…and　to　look　down　at　the　ground。
　Staring　at　his　feet　while　he　listened　to　the　gorilla　crashing　through　the　tall　grass　toward　him；　he　had　the　sudden　sensation　that　all　his　abstract　book　knowledge　was　wrong；　that　everything　that　scientists　around　the　world　thought　about　gorillas　was　wrong。　He　had　a　mental　image　of　the　huge　head　and　the　deep　chest　and　the　long　arms　swinging　wide　as　the　powerful　animal　rushed　toward　an　easy　kill；　a　stationary　target　foolish　enough　to　believe　all　the　academic　misinformation　sanctified　by　print。
　The　gorilla　（who　must　have　been　quite　close）　made　a　snorting　noise；　and　Elliot　could　see　his　heavy　shadow　on。　the　grass　near　his　feet。　But　he　did　not　look　up　until　the　shadow　moved　away。
　When　Elliot　raised　his　head；　he　saw　the　male　gorilla　retreating　backward；　toward　the　far　edge　of　the　clearing。　There　the　male　turned；　and　scratched　his　head　in　a　puzzled　way；　as　if　wondering　why　his　terrifying：　display　had　not　driven　off　the　intruders。　He　slapped　the　ground　a　final　time；　and　then　he　and　the　rest　of　the　troop　melted　away　into　the　tall　grass。　It　was　silent　in　the　clearing　until　Ross　collapsed　into　Elliot's　arms。
　〃Well；〃　Munro　said　as　he　came　up；　〃it　seems　you　know　a　thing　or　two　about　gorillas　after　all。〃　Munro　patted　Ross's　arm。　〃It's　all　right。　They　don't　do　anything　unless　you　run　away。　Then　they　bite　you　on　the　ass。　That's　the　mark　for　cowardice　in　these　regions…because　it　means　you　ran　away。〃
　Ross　was　sobbing　quietly；　and　Elliot　discovered　that　his　own　knees　were　shaky；　he　went　to　sit　down。　It　had　all　happened　so　fast　that　it　was　a　few　moments　before　he　realized　that　these　gorillas　had　behaved　in　exactly　the　textbook　manner；　which　included　not　making　any　verbalizations　even　remotely　like　speech。
　
　3。The　Consortium
　
　AN　HOUR　LATER　THEY　FOUND　THE　WRECKAGE　OF　the　C…130　transport。　The　largest　airplane　in　the　world　appeared　in　correct　scale　as　it　lay　half　buried　in　the　jungle；　the　gigantic　nose　crushed　against　equally　gigantic　trees；　the　enormous　tail　section　twisted　toward　the　ground；　the　massive　wings　buckled　casting　shadows　on　the　jungle　floor。
　Through　the　shattered　cockpit　windshield；　they　saw　the　body　of　the　pilot；　covered　with　black　flies。　The　flies　buzzed　and　thumped　against　the　glass　as　they　peered　in。　Moving　aft；　they　tried　to　look　into　the　fuselage　windows；　but　even　on　crumpled　landing　gear　the　body　of　the　plane　stood　too　high　above　the　jungle　floor。
　Kahega　managed　to　climb　an　overturned　tree；　and　from　there　moved　onto　one　wing　and　looked　into　the　interior。　〃No　people；〃　he　said。
　〃Supplies？〃
　〃Yes；　many　supplies。　Boxes　and　containers。〃　Munro　left　the　others；　walking　beneath　the　crushed　tail　section　to　examine　the　far　side　of　the　plane。　The　port　wing；　concealed　from　their　view；　was　blackened　and　shattered；　the　engines　gone。　That　explained　why　the　plane　crashed…the　last　FZA　missile　had　found　its　target；　blowing　away　most　of　the　port　wing。　Yet　the　wreck　remained　oddly　mysterious　to　Munro；　something　about　its　appearance　was　wrong。　He　looked　along　the　length　of　the　fuselage；　from　the　crushed　nose；　down　the　line　of　windows；　past　the　stump　of　wing；　past　the　rear　exit　doors。。。。
　〃I'll　be　damned；〃　Munro　said　softly。
　He　hurried　back　to　the　others；　who　were　sitting　on　one　of　the　tires；　in　the　shadow　of　the　starboard　wing　The　tire　was　so　enormous　that　Ross　could　sit　on　it　and　swing　her　feet　in　the　air　without　touching　the　ground。
　〃Well；〃　Ross　said；　with　barely　concealed　satisfaction。
　〃They　didn't　get　their　damn　supplies。〃
　〃No；〃　Munro　said。　〃And　we　saw　this　plane　the　night　before　last；　which　means　it's　been　down　at　least　thirty…six　hours。〃
　Munro　waited　for　Ross　to　figure　it　out。
　〃Thirty…six　hours？〃
　〃That's　right。　Thirty…six　hours。〃
　〃And　they　never　came　back　to　get　their　supplies　　　　　
　〃They　didn't　even　try　to　get　them；〃　Munro　said。　〃Look　at　the　main　cargo　doors；　fore　and　aft…no　one　has　tried　to　open　them。　I　wonder　why　they　never　came　back？〃
　
　In　a　section　of　dense　jungle；　the　ground　underfoot
　crunched　and　crackled。　Pushing　aside　the　palm　fronds；　they　saw　a　carpeting　of　shattered　white　bones。
　〃Kanyamagufa；〃　Munro　said。　The　place　of　bones。　He　glanced　quickly　at　the　porters　to　see　what　their　reaction　was；　but　they　showed　only　puzzlement；　no　fear。　They　were　East　African　Kikuyu　and　they　had　none　of　the　superstitions　of　the　tribes　that　bordered　the　rain　forest。
　Amy　lifted　her　feet　from　the　sharp　bleached　fragments。　She　signed；　Ground　hurt。
　Elliot　signed；　What　place　this？
　We　e　bad　place。
　What　bad　place？
　Amy　had　no　reply。
　〃These　ar