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！
she awoke with the early sun full in her face。 the air was cool； and the dew had settled in tiny beads on her hair and on the sleeping bag。 she lay for a few minutes lapped in freshness； feeling as if she were the first human being who had ever lived。
she sat up； yawned； stretched； shivered； and washed in the chilly spring before eating a couple of dried figs and taking stock of the place。
behind the little rise she had found herself on； the land sloped gradually down and then up again； the fullest view lay in front； across that immense prairie。 the long shadows of the trees lay toward her now； and she could see flocks of birds wheeling in front of them； so small against the towering green canopy that they looked like motes of dust。
loading her rucksack again； she made her way down onto the coarse； rich grass of the prairie； aiming for the nearest stand of trees； four or five miles away。
the grass was knee…high； and growing among it were low…lying bushes； no higher than her ankles； of something like juniper； and there were flowers like poppies； like buttercups； like cornflowers； giving a haze of different tints to the landscape； and then she saw a large bee； the size of the top segment of her thumb；
visiting a blue flower head and making it bend and sway。 but as it backed out of the petals and took to the air again； she saw that it was no insect； for a moment later it made for her hand and perched on her finger； dipping a long needle…like beak against her skin with the utmost delicacy and then taking flight again when it found no nectar。 it was a minute hummingbird； its bronze…feathered wings moving too fast for her to see。
how every biologist on earth would envy her if they could see what she was seeing！
she moved on and found herself getting closer to a herd of those grazing creatures she had seen the previous evening； whose movement had puzzled her without her knowing why。 they were about the size of deer or antelopes； and similarly colored； but what made her stop still and rub her eyes was the arrangement of their legs。 they grew in a diamond formation： two in the center； one at the front； and one under the tail； so that the animals moved with a curious rocking motion。 mary longed to examine a skeleton and see how the structure worked。
for their part； the grazing creatures regarded her with mild； incurious eyes； showing no alarm。 she would have loved to go closer and take time to look at them； but it was getting hot； and the shade of the great trees looked inviting； and there was plenty of time； after all。
before long she found herself stepping out of the grass onto one of those rivers of stone shed seen from the hill： something else to wonder at。
it might once have been some kind of lava…flow。 the underlying color was dark； almost black； but the surface was paler； as if it had been ground down or worn by crushing。 it was as smooth as a stretch of well…laid road in marys own world； and certainly easier to walk on than the grass。
she followed the one she was on； which flowed in a wide curve toward the trees。 the closer she got； the more astounded she was by the enormous size of the trunks； as wide； she estimated； as the house she lived in； and as tall； as tall as。。。 she couldnt even make a guess。
when she came to the first trunk； she rested her hands on the deeply ridged red…gold bark。 the ground was covered ankle…deep in brown leaf skeletons as long as her hand； soft and fragrant to walk on。 she was soon surrounded by a cloud of midgelike flying things； as well as a little flock of the tiny hummingbirds； a yellow butterfly with a wingspread as broad as her hand； and too many crawling things for fort。 the air was full of humming and buzzing and scraping。
she walked along the floor of the grove feeling much as if she were in a cathedral： there was the same stillness； the same sense of upwardness in the structures； the same awe within herself。
it had taken her longer than she thought it would to walk here。 it was getting on toward midday； for the shafts of light ing down through the canopy were almost vertical。 drowsily mary wondered why the grazing creatures didnt move under the shade of the trees during this hottest part of the day。
she soon found out。
feeling too hot to move any farther； she lay down to rest between the roots of one of the giant trees； with her head on her rucksack； and fell into a doze。
her eyes were closed for twenty minutes or so； and she was not quite asleep； when suddenly； from very close by； there came a resounding crash that shook the ground。
then came another。 alarmed； mary sat up and gathered her wits； and saw a movement that resolved itself into a round object； about three feet across； rolling along the ground； ing to a halt； and falling on its side。
and then another fell； farther off； she saw the massive thing descend； and watched it crash into the buttress…like root of the nearest trunk and roll away。
the thought of one of those things falling on her was enough to make her take her rucksack and run out of the grove altogether。 what were they？ seedpods？
watching carefully upward； she ventured under the canopy again to look at the nearest of the fallen objects。 she pulled it upright and rolled it out of the grove； and then laid it on the grass to look at it more
closely。
it was perfectly circular and as thick as the width of her palm。 there was a depression in the center； where it had been attached to the tree。 it wasnt heavy； but it was immensely hard and covered in fibrous hairs； which lay along the circumference so that she could run her hand around it easily one way but not the other。 she tried her knife on the surface； it made no impression at all。
her fingers seemed smoother。 she smelled them； there was a faint fragrance there； under the smell of dust。 she looked at the seedpod again。 in the center there was a slight glistening； and as she touched it again； she felt it slide easily under her fingers。 it was exuding a kind of oil。
mary laid the thing down and thought about the way this world had evolved。
if her guess about these universes was right； and they were the multiple worlds predicted by quantum theory； t