Затерянный мир
Who could have Foreseen it?
AsChallengerspokeofhispterodactylIglancedatProfessorSummerlee,andforthefirsttimeIseemedtoseesomesignsofadawningcredulityandrepentance.Therewasnosneeruponhisthinlips,but,onthecontrary,agray,drawnlookofexcitementandamazement.Challengersawit,too,andreveledinthefirsttasteofvictory.
"Ofcourse,"saidhe,withhisclumsyandponderoussarcasm,"ProfessorSummerleewillunderstandthatwhenIspeakofapterodactylImeanastork—onlyitisthekindofstorkwhichhasnofeathers,aleatheryskin,membranouswings,andteethinitsjaws."Hegrinnedandblinkedandboweduntilhiscolleagueturnedandwalkedaway.
Inthemorning,afterafrugalbreakfastofcoffeeandmanioc—wehadtobeeconomicalofourstores—weheldacouncilofwarastothebestmethodofascendingtotheplateauaboveus.
ChallengerpresidedwithasolemnityasifheweretheLordChiefJusticeontheBench.Picturehimseateduponarock,hisabsurdboyishstrawhattiltedonthebackofhishead,hissuperciliouseyesdominatingusfromunderhisdroopinglids,hisgreatblackbeardwaggingasheslowlydefinedourpresentsituationandourfuturemovements.
Beneathhimyoumighthaveseenthethreeofus—myself,sunburnt,young,andvigorousafterouropen-airtramp;Summerlee,solemnbutstillcritical,behindhiseternalpipe;LordJohn,askeenasarazor-edge,withhissupple,alertfigureleaninguponhisrifle,andhiseagereyesfixedeagerlyuponthespeaker.
