ch.nativetongue-第82章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nch　poodle　could　master　the　same　feat。
　It　is　certainly　true；　however；　that　captive　dolphins　exhibit　distinct　and　plex　personalities。　Some　are　gregarious　and　easily　tamed；　while　others　are　aloof　and　belligerent；　some　are　happy　to　perform　stunts　for　cheering　tourists；　while　others　get　ulcers。　Because　each　dolphin　is　so　sensitive　and　unique；　curators　must　be　extremely　careful　when　selecting　the　animals　for　mercial　aquarium　shows。
　When　it　came　to　jumping　hula　hoops；　Dickie　the　Dolphin　was　petent　if　unspectacular。　The　same　could　be　said　for　his　tail…walking；　his　backward　flips　and　his　mastery　of　the　beach　ball。　While　most　spectators　thought　he　was　a　lovable　ham；　experienced　dolphin　trainers　could　see　he　was　just　going　through　the　motions。　Ever　since　replacing　the　deceased　Orky　as　the　Amazing　Kingdom's　aquatic　star；　Dickie　had　approached　each　performance　with　the　same　sullen　indifference。　He　took　a　similar　attitude　into　the　swim…along　sessions；　where　he　habitually　kept　a　large　distance　between　himself　and　whatever　loud　pale　humanoid　had　been　suckered　into　entering　the　tank。
　The　exception；　of　course；　was　when　Dickie　the　Dolphin　got　into　one　of　his　〃moods。〃　Then　he　would　frolic　and　nuzzle　and　rub　eagerly　against　the　swimmer；　who　inevitably　mistook　these　gestures　for　honest　affection。　Dolphin　researchers　have　documented　numerous　sexual　advances　upon　human　beings　of　both　genders；　but　they　cannot　agree　on　the　animal's　intention　in　these　circumstances。　If　dolphins　truly　are　second　to　people　on　the　intelligence　scale；　then　they　most　certainly　would　not　mistake　a　bikini…clad　legal　secretary　for　a　member　of　their　own　species。　Which　raises　a　more　intriguing　hypothesis：　that　captive　male　dolphins　attempt　these　outrageous　liaisons　out　of　mischief；　or　perhaps　even　revenge。　The　truth　is　locked　deep　inside　the　dolphin's　large　and　plicated　cerebrum；　but　the　phenomenon　has　been　widely　reported。
　On　the　evening　of　August　6；　Dickie　the　Dolphin　was　in　a　state　of　high　agitation　as　he　circled　the　darkened　whale　tank　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　Perhaps　it　was　the　percussion　of　the　nearby　fireworks　that　disrupted　the　powerful　creature's　peace；　or　perhaps　it　was　the　effect　of　a　long　and　lonely　confinement。　Although　the　trained　seals　and　pelicans　could　be　entertaining；　Dickie　the　Dolphin　probably　would　have　preferred　the　panionship　of　a　female　partner。　And　he　would　have　had　one　if　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　had　not　been　so　cheap。　In　any　event；　the　solitary　dolphin　was　keeping　a　sharp　and　wily　eye　on　the　motion　taking　place　along　the　walkway　above。
　At　the　first　splash；　Dickie　swiftly　sounded；　tracking　a　small　steel　object　to　the　bottom　of　his　tank。　He　never　considered　retrieving　the　item；　as　there　would　be　no　reward　for　his　effort…the　buckets　of　cut　fish　had　been　hauled　away　hours　ago。　So　the　dolphin　disregarded　Pedro　Luz's　gun；　glided　slowly　to　the　surface　and　waited。
　The　second　splash　was　different。
　Pedro　Luz　was　astonished　by　the　strength　of　the　one…eyed　man。　He　took　a　punch　as　well　as　anyone　that　Pedro　Luz　had　ever　assaulted；　plus　he　was　quick。　Every　time　Pedro　Luz　swung　and　missed；　the　bearded　stranger　hit　him　two　or　three　times　in　the　gut。　It　was　starting　to　hurt　immensely。
　Having　lost　his　own　gun；　Pedro　Luz　tried　to　retrieve　the　spare…Joe　Winder's　gun…from　the　pocket　of　his　trousers。　Every　attempt　brought　a　new　flurry　of　punches　from　the　one…eyed　hobo；　so　Pedro　Luz　abandoned　the　plan。　With　a　bellowing　lunge；　he　was　able　to　get　a　grip　on　the　stranger's　collar…an　animal　collar！…and　pull　him　close。　Pedro　Luz　preferred　squeezing　to　boxing；　and　was　confident　he　could　end　the　fight　（and　the　big　freak's　life）　with　a　vigorous　hug。　That's　when　somebody　grabbed　Pedro　Luz's　hair　from　behind；　and　yanked　his　head　back　so　fiercely　that　a　popping　noise　came　from　his　neck。　Next　thing　he　knew；　his　pants　were　off　and　he　was　thrashing　in　the　warm　water。　Above　him　stood　Joe　Winder　and　the　stranger；　peering　over　the　rail。
　Swimming　is　an　exercise　that　depends　more　on　style　than　muscle；　and　Pedro　Luz　was　plainly　a　terrible　swimmer。　The　throbbing　of　his　truncated　leg　added　pain　to　ineptitude　as　he　paddled　the　tank　haplessly　in　search　of　a　ladder。　When　the　massive　dolphin　rolled　beside　him　in　the　dark；　Pedro　Luz　cursed　and　splashed　his　arms　angrily。　He　was　not　the　least　bit　afraid　of　stupid　fish；　perhaps　he　was　deceived　by　the　dolphin's　friendly　smile；　or　misled　by　childhood　memories　of　the　hokey　〃Flipper〃　television　series。　In　any　event；　Pedro　Luz　struck　out　at　the　creature　with　the　misguided　assumption　that　he　could　actually　hurt　it；　and　that　it　was　too　tame　and　good…natured　to　retaliate。　Pedro's　drug…inflamed　brain　failed　to　register　the　fact　that　Dickie　the　Dolphin　was　a　more　attuned　physiological　specimen　than　Pedro　Luz　himself；　and　about　five　hundred　pounds　larger。　When　the　animal　nudged　him　playfully　with　its　snout；　Pedro　Luz　balled　his　fists　and　slugged　its　silky　gray　flank。
　〃Be　careful；〃　Joe　Winder　advised　from　the　walkway；　but　Pedro　Luz　paid　no　attention。　The　damn　fish　would　not　go　away！　Using　its　pectoral　flippers　almost　as　arms；　it　held　Pedro　Luz　in　a　grasp　that　was　gentle　yet　firm。
　Spitting　curses；　he　kicked　the　dolphin　savagely　and　pushed　away。　Stroking　clumsily　for　the　wall　of　the　tank；　he　saw　the　long　sleek　form　rise　beneath　him。　A　fin　found　Pedro　Luz's　armpit　and　spun　him　roughly。　He　came　up　choking；　but　again　the　creature　tugged　him　down。　Once　more　Pedro　Luz　fought　his　way　to　the　top；　and　this　time　Dickie　the　Dolphin　began　to　nip　mischievously…tiny　needle…like　teeth　raking　Pedro's　neck；　his　shoulders；　his　bare　thighs。　Then　the　dolphin　rolled　languidly　on　its　side　and　gave　a　soft　inquisitive　whistle；　the　same　sound　Flipper　used　to　make　at　the　end　of　the　TV　show　when　he　waved　at　the　camera。　Pedro　Luz　tried　not　to　be　afraid；　but　he　couldn't　understand　what　this　dolphin　was　trying　to　say；　or　do。　The　salt　water　stung　his　eyes　and　his　throat；　and　the　stump　of　his　leg　felt　as　if　it　were　on　fire。
　Again　Pedro　Luz　felt　cool　fins　slide　under　his　arms　as　the　dolphin　gradually　steered　him　toward　the　deepest　part　of　the　tank。　The　security　man　tried　to　break　free；　but　it　did　no　good。　Something　else　propelled　him　now…a　formidable　protuberance　that　left　no　doubt　as　to　Dickie　the　Dolphin's　true　purpose。
　Pedro　Luz　was　awestruck　and　mortified。　The　long　pale　thing　loomed　from　the　gray　water　and　touched　him…hooking；　in　fact；　around　his　buttocks。　The　amphibious　prodding　brought　an　unfamiliar　plea　to　Pedro　Luz's　lips：　〃Help！〃
　Watching　events　unfold　in　the　tank　below；　Skink　agreed　it　was　an　extraordinary　scene。
　〃I　told　you；〃　said　Joe　Winder。　〃It's　one　of　Nature's　marvels。〃
　Pedro　Luz　began　to　whimper。　No　regimen　of　weight　training　and　pharmaceutical　enhancement　could　have　prepared　him；　or　any　mortal　man；　for　an　all…out　sexual　attack　by　a　healthy　bottle…nosed　dolphin。　Pedro　Luz　had　never　felt　so　helpless；　exhausted　and　inadequate；　desperately　he　punched　at　the　prodigious　inquiring　tuber；　only　to　be　rebuked　by　a　well…placed　slap　from　Dickie's　sinewy　fluke。
　Leaning　over　the　rail；　Joe　Winder　offered　more　advice：　〃Just　roll　with　it。　Don't　fight　him。〃
　But　the　futility　of　resistance　was　already　clear　to　Pedro　Luz；　who　found　himself…for　the　first　time　in　his　adult　life…pletely　out　of　strength。　As　he　was　pulled　underwater　for　the　final　time；　terror　gave　way　to　abject　humiliation：　he　was　being　fucked　to　death　by　a　damn　fish。
　
　THIRTY…FIVE
　Nina　asked　where　he　was　calling　from。
　〃Charlie's　office；〃　Winder　said。　〃Here's　what　I'm　going　to　do：　I'll　leave　the　phone　off　the　hook　all　night。　That　way　you　can　work　on　your　poetry　and　still　make　money。〃
　〃Joe；　that'll　cost　him　a　fortune。　It's　four　bucks　a　minute。〃
　〃I　know　the　rates；　Nina。　Don't　worry　about　it。〃
　〃You　ready　for　the　latest？〃
　〃Just　one　verse。　Time's　running　out。〃
　〃Here　goes；〃　she　said；　and　began　to　recite：
　
　〃You　flooded　me　with　passions
　Hard　and　lingering。
　You　took　me　down　again
　Pumping　breathless；　biting　blind。
　Hot　in　your　bloodrush；　I　dreamed　of　more。〃
　
　〃Wow；〃　Winder　said。　Obviously　things　were　going　gangbusters　between　Nina　and　the　light…truck　salesman。　
　〃You　really　like　it？　Or　are　you　patronizing　me　again？〃　
　〃Nina；　you're　breaking　new　ground