Таинственный остров

           "There!"saidPencroft."Andwhatshallwemakeofhim,nowwe’vegothim?"

           "Aservant!"repliedHerbert.

           Theladwasnotjokinginsayingthis,forheknewhowthisintelligentracecouldbeturnedtoaccount.

           Thesettlersthenapproachedtheapeandgazedatitattentively.Hebelongedtothefamilyofanthropoidapes,ofwhichthefacialangleisnotmuchinferiortothatoftheAustraliansandHottentots.Itwasanorangoutang,andassuch,hadneithertheferocityofthegorilla,northestupidityofthebaboon.Itistothisfamilyoftheanthropoidapesthatsomanycharacteristicsbelongwhichprovethemtobepossessedofanalmosthumanintelligence.Employedinhouses,theycanwaitattable,sweeprooms,brushclothes,cleanboots,handleaknife,fork,andspoonproperly,andevendrinkwine...doingeverythingaswellasthebestservantthateverwalkedupontwolegs.Buffonpossessedoneoftheseapes,whoservedhimforalongtimeasafaithfulandzealousservant.

           TheonewhichhadbeenseizedinthehallofGraniteHousewasagreatfellow,sixfeethigh,withanadmirablypoportionedframe,abroadchest,headofamoderatesize,thefacialanglereachingsixty-fivedegrees,roundskull,projectingnose,skincoveredwithsoftglossyhair,inshort,afinespecimenoftheanthropoids.Hiseyes,rathersmallerthanhumaneyes,sparkledwithintelligence;hiswhiteteethglitteredunderhismustache,andheworealittlecurlybrownbeard.

           "Ahandsomefellow!"saidPencroft;"ifweonlyknewhislanguage,wecouldtalktohim."