Затерянный мир

           "Whynot?"

           "Becauseheisnotafraudatall."

           "What!"roaredMcArdle."Youdon’tmeantosayyoureallybelievethisstuffofhisaboutmammothsandmastodonsandgreatseasairpents?"

           "Well,Idon’tknowaboutthat.Idon’tthinkhemakesanyclaimsofthatkind.ButIdobelievehehasgotsomethingnew."

           "ThenforHeaven’ssake,man,writeitup!"

           "I’mlongingto,butallIknowhegavemeinconfidenceandonconditionthatIdidn’t."IcondensedintoafewsentencestheProfessor’snarrative."That’showitstands."

           McArdlelookeddeeplyincredulous.

           "Well,Mr.Malone,"hesaidatlast,"aboutthisscientificmeetingto-night;therecanbenoprivacyaboutthat,anyhow.Idon’tsupposeanypaperwillwanttoreportit,forWaldronhasbeenreportedalreadyadozentimes,andnooneisawarethatChallengerwillspeak.Wemaygetascoop,ifwearelucky.You’llbethereinanycase,soyou’lljustgiveusaprettyfullreport.I’llkeepspaceuptomidnight."

           Mydaywasabusyone,andIhadanearlydinnerattheSavageClubwithTarpHenry,towhomIgavesomeaccountofmyadventures.Helistenedwithascepticalsmileonhisgauntface,androaredwithlaughteronhearingthattheProfessorhadconvincedme.

           "Mydearchap,thingsdon’thappenlikethatinreallife.Peopledon’tstumbleuponenormousdiscoveriesandthenlosetheirevidence.