the.lost.world-第75章

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　　　　〃Go！〃
　　　　The　Jeep　raced　forward　across　the　clearing…　By　the　carcass；　the　raptors　looked　up　in　surprise　as　they　saw　the　intruder。　By　then　the　jeep　was　past　the　center　of　the　clearing；　driving　past　the　enormous　dead　skeletons；　the　broad　ribs　high　over　their　heads；　and　then　Levine　was　swinging　the　car　left；　pulling　alongside　the　aluminum　cage。　Thorne　jumped　out；　and　grabbed　the　cage　in　both　hands。　In　the　darkness　he　couldn't　tell　how　badly　Arby　was　hurt；　the　boy　was　turned　face　down。　Levine　climbed　out　of　the　car；　Thorne　yelled　for　him　to　get　back　in；　as　he　lifted　the　cage　high　and　swung　it　onto　the　back　of　the　Jeep。　Thorne　jumped　into　the　back；　next　to　the　cage；　and　Levine　shoved　the　car　in　gear。　Behind　them；　the　raptors　snarled　and　raced　forward　in　pursuit；　running　among　the　skeletal　ribs。　They　crossed　the　clearing　with　stunning　speed。
　　　　As　Levine　stepped　on　the　gas；　the　nearest　raptor　leapt　high；　landing　up　on　the　back　of　the　car；　and　grabbing　the　canvas　tarp　in　its　teeth。　The　animal　hissed　and　held　on。
　　　　Levine　accelerated；　and　the　Jeep　bounced　out　of　the　clearing。

In　darkness；　Malcolm　sank　back　into　morphine　dreams；　images　floated　in　front　of　his　eyes：　fitness　landscapes；　the　Multicolored　puter　images　now　employed　to　think　about　evolution。　In　this　mathematical　world　of　peaks　and　valleys；　populations　of　organisms　were　seen　to　climb　the　fitness　peaks；　or　slide　down　into　the　valleys　of　nonadaptation。　Stu　Kauffman　and　his　coworkers　had　shown　that　advanced　organisms　had　plex　internal　constraints　which　made　them　more　likely　to　fall　off　the　fitness　optima；　and　descend　into　the　valleys。　Yet；　at　the　same　time　plex　creatures　were　themselves　selected　by　evolution。　Because　plex　creatures　were　able　to　adapt　on　their　own。　With　tools；　with　learning；　with　cooperation。
　　　　But　plex　animals　had　obtained　their　adaptive　flexibility　at　some　cost…they　had　traded　one　dependency　for　another。　It　was　no　longer　necessary　to　change　their　bodies　to　adapt；　because　now　their　adaptation　was　behavior；　socially　determined。　That　behavior　required　learning。　In　a　sense；　among　higher　animals　adaptive　fitness　was　no　longer　transmitted　to　the　next　generation　by　DNA　at　all。　It　was　now　carried　by　teaching。　Chimpanzees　taught　their　young　to　collect　termites　with　a　stick。　Such　actions　implied　at　least　the　rudiments　of　a　culture。　a　structured　social　life。　But　animals　raised　in　isolation；　without　parents；　without　guidance；　were　not　fully　functional。　Zoo　animals　frequently　could　not　care　for　their　offspring；　because　they　had　never　seen　it　done。　They　would　ignore　their　infants；　or　roll　over　and　crush　them；　or　simply　bee　annoyed　with　them　and　kill　them。
　　　　The　velociraptors　were　among　the　most　intelligent　dinosaurs；　and　the　most　ferocious。　Both　traits　demanded　behavioral　control。　Millions　of　years　ago；　in　the　now…vanished　Jurassic　world；　their　behavior　would　have　been　socially　determined；　passed　on　from　older　to　younger　animals。　Genes　controlled　the　capacity　to　make　such　patterns；　but　not　the　patterns　themselves。　Adaptive　behavior　was　a　kind　of　morality；　it　was　behavior　that　had　evolved　over　many　generations　because　it　was　found　to　succeed　…　behavior　that　allowed　members　of　the　species　to　cooperate；　to　live　together；　to　hunt；　to　raise　young。
　　　　But　on　this　island；　the　velociraptors　had　been　re…created　in　a　genetics　laboratory。　Although　their　physical　bodies　were　genetically　determined；　their　behavior　was　not。　These　newly　created　raptors　came　into　the　world　with　no　older　animals　to　guide　them；　to　show　them　proper　raptor　behavior。　They　were　on　their　own；　and　that　was　just　how　they　behaved　…　in　a　society　without　structure；　without　rules；　without　cooperation。　They　lived　in　an　uncontrolled；　every…creature…for…himself　world　where　the　meanest　and　the　nastiest　survived；　and　all　the　others　died。

The　Jeep　picked　up　speed；　bouncing　hard。　Thorne　held　on　to　the　bars；　to　keep　from　being　thrown　out。　Behind　him；　he　saw　the　raptor　swinging　back　and　forth　in　the　air；　still　clinging　to　the　tarp。　It　wasn't　letting　go。　Levine　drove　back　onto　the　flat　muddy　banks　of　the　river；　and　turned　right；　following　the　edge　of　the　water。　The　raptor　hung　on　tenaciously。
　　　　Directly　ahead；　lying　in　the　mud；　Levine　saw　another　skeleton。　Another　skeleton？　Why　were　all　these　skeletons　here？　But　there　was　no　time　to　think　…　he　drove　forward；　passing　beneath　the　row　of　ribs。　Without　lights；　he　leaned　forward　and　squinted　in　the　moonlight；　looking　for　obstacles　ahead。
　　　　In　the　back　of　the　car；　the　raptor　scrambled　up；　released　the　tarp；　clamped　its　jaws　on　the　cage；　and　began　to　pull　it　out　of　the　back　of　the　Jeep。　Thorne　lunged；　grabbed　the　end　of　the　cage　nearest　him。　The　cage　twisted　rolling　Thorne　onto　his　back。　He　found　himself　in　a　tug　of　war　with　the　raptor　…　and　the　raptor　was　winning。　Thorne　locked　his　legs　around　the　front　passenger　seat；　trying　to　hold　on。　The　raptor　snarled；　Thorne　sensed　the　sheer　fury　of　the　animal；　enraged　that　it　might　lose　its　prize。
　　　　〃Here！〃　Levine　shouted；　holding　a　gun　out　to　Thorne。　Thorne　was　on　his　back；　gripping　the　cage　in　both　hands。　He　couldn't　take　the　gun。　Levine　looked　back；　and　saw　the　situation。　He　looked　in　the　rearview　mirror。　Behind　them；　he　saw　the　rest　of　the　pack　still　in　pursuit；　snarling　and　growling。　He　could　not　slow　down。　Thorne　could　not　let　go　of　the　cage。　Still　driving　fast；　Levine　swung　around　in　the　passenger　seat；　and　aimed　the　rifle　backward。　He　tried　to　maneuver　the　gun；　knowing　what　would　happen　if　he　accidentally　shot　Thorne；　or　Arby。
　　　　〃Watch　it！〃　Thorne　was　shouting。　〃Watch　it！〃
　　　　Levine　managed　to　get　the　safety　off；　and　swung　the　barrel　straight　at　the　raptor；　which　was　still　gripping　the　cage　bars　in　its　jaws。　The　animal　looked　up；　and　in　a　quick　movement　closed　its　jaws　over　the　barrel。　It　tugged　at　the　gun。
　　　　Levine　fired。
　　　　The　raptor's　eyes　popped　wide　as　the　dart　slammed　into　the　back　of　its　throat。　It　made　a　gurgling　sound；　then　went　into　convulsions；　toppling　backward　out　of　the　Jeep　…　and　yanking　the　gun　from　Levine's　hands　as　it　fell。
　　　　Thorne　scrambled　to　his　knees；　and　pulled　the　cage　inside　the　car。　He　looked　down　inside　it；　but　he　couldn't　tell　about　Arby。　Looking　back；　he　saw　the　other　raptors　were　still　pursuing；　but　they　were　now　twenty　yards　back；　and　losing　ground。
　　　　On　the　dashboard；　the　radio　hissed。　〃Doc。〃　Thorne　recognized　Sarah's　voice。
　　　　〃Yes；　Sarah。〃
　　　　〃Where　are　you？〃
　　　　〃Following　the　river；〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　The　storm　clouds　had　now　cleared；　and　it　was　a　bright　moonlit　night。　Behind　him；　the　raptors　still　continued　to　chase　the　Jeep。　But　they　were　now　failing　steadily　behind。
　　　　〃I　can't　see　your　lights；〃　Sarah　said。
　　　　〃Don't　have　any。〃
　　　　There　was　a　pause。　The　radio　crackled。　Her　voice　was　tense：　〃What　about　Arby。〃
　　　　〃We　have　him；〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　〃Thank　God。　How　is　he？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know。　Alive。〃
　　　　The　landscape　opened　out。　They　came　back　into　a　broad　valley；　the　grass　silvery　in　the　moonlight。　Thorne　looked　around；　trying　to　orient　himself。　Then　he　realized：　they　were　back　on　the　plain；　but　much　farther　to　the　south。　They　must　still　be　on　the　same　side　of　the　river　as　the　high　hide。　In　that　case；　they　ought　to　be　able　to　make　their　way　up　onto　the　ridge　road；　somewhere　to　the　left。　That　road　would　lead　them　back　to　the　clearing；　and　the　remaining　trailer。　And　safety。　He　nudged　Levine；　pointed　to　the　right。　〃Go　there！〃
　　　　Levine　turned　the　car；　Thorne　clicked　the　radio。　〃Sarah。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　Doc。〃
　　　　〃We're　going　back　to　the　trailer　on　the　ridge　road。〃
　　　　〃Okay；〃　Sarah　said。　〃We'll　find　you。〃

Sarah　looked　back　at　Kelly。　〃Where's　the　ridge　road？〃
　　　　〃I　think　it's　that　one　up　there；〃　Kelly　said；　pointing　to　the　spine　of　the　ridge；　on　the　cliffs　high　above　them。
　　　　〃Okay；〃　Sarah　said。　She　gunned　the　bike　forward。

The　Jeep　rumbled　across　the　plain；　deep　in　silvery　grass。　They　were　moving　fast。　The　raptors　were　no　longer　visible　behind　them。　〃Looks　like　we　lost　them；〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　〃Maybe；〃　Levine　said。　When　he　had　pulled　out　of　the　streambed；　he　had　seen　several　animals　dart　off　to　the　left。　They　would　now　be　hidden　in　the　grass。　He　wasn't　sure　they　would　give　up　so　easily。
　　　　The　Jeep　was　roaring　toward　the　cliffs。　Directly　ah