Тарзан, приёмыш обезьян
The Height of Civilization
Nowplacetheminjustthesamepositionuponthiscard,here,no—alittletotheright.Wemustleaveroomforthethumbandthefingersofthelefthand.There,that’sit.Nowthesamewiththeleft."
"Come,Tarzan,"criedD’Arnot,"let’sseewhatyourwhorlslooklike."
Tarzancompliedreadily,askingmanyquestionsoftheofficerduringtheoperation.
"Dofingerprintsshowracialcharacteristics?"heasked."Couldyoudetermine,forexample,solelyfromfingerprintswhetherthesubjectwasNegroorCaucasian?"
"Ithinknot,"repliedtheofficer.
"Couldthefingerprintsofanapebedetectedfromthoseofaman?"
"Probably,becausetheape’swouldbefarsimplerthanthoseofthehigherorganism."
"Butacrossbetweenanapeandamanmightshowthecharacteristicsofeitherprogenitor?"continuedTarzan.
"Yes,Ishouldthinklikely,"respondedtheofficial;"butthesciencehasnotprogressedsufficientlytorenderitexactenoughinsuchmatters.Ishouldhatetotrustitsfindingsfurtherthantodifferentiatebetweenindividuals.Thereitisabsolute.Notwopeoplebornintotheworldprobablyhaveeverhadidenticallinesuponalltheirdigits.Itisverydoubtfulifanysinglefingerprintwilleverbeexactlyduplicatedbyanyfingerotherthantheonewhichoriginallymadeit.
