Затерянный мир
A Procession! A Procession!
"Youdidn’tgetmyletteratPara,then?"
"No,Igotnoletter."
"Oh,whatapity!Itwouldhavemadeallclear."
"Itisquiteclear,"saidI.
"I’vetoldWilliamallaboutyou,"saidshe."Wehavenosecrets.Iamsosorryaboutit.Butitcouldn’thavebeensoverydeep,couldit,ifyoucouldgoofftotheotherendoftheworldandleavemeherealone.You’renotcrabby,areyou?"
"No,no,notatall.IthinkI’llgo."
"Havesomerefreshment,"saidthelittleman,andheadded,inaconfidentialway,"It’salwayslikethis,ain’tit?Andmustbeunlessyouhadpolygamy,onlytheotherwayround;youunderstand."Helaughedlikeanidiot,whileImadeforthedoor.
Iwasthroughit,whenasuddenfantasticimpulsecameuponme,andIwentbacktomysuccessfulrival,wholookednervouslyattheelectricpush.
"Willyouansweraquestion?"Iasked.
"Well,withinreason,"saidhe.
"Howdidyoudoit?Haveyousearchedforhiddentreasure,ordiscoveredapole,ordonetimeonapirate,orflowntheChannel,orwhat?Whereistheglamourofromance?Howdidyougetit?"
Hestaredatmewithahopelessexpressionuponhisvacuous,good-natured,scrubbylittleface.
"Don’tyouthinkallthisisalittletoopersonal?"hesaid.
"Well,justonequestion,"Icried."Whatareyou?Whatisyourprofession?"
"Iamasolicitor’sclerk,"saidhe."SecondmanatJohnsonandMerivale’s,41ChanceryLane."
