Отравленный пояс
Chapter III. Submerged
"Outwentthebeardanddowncametheeyelids.
"Well,youlivedanobstinatedogmatist,andyoumeantodieone,"saidSummerleesourly.
"Andyou,sir,havelivedanunimaginativeobstructionistandnevercanhopenowtoemergefromit."
"Yourworstcriticswillneveraccuseyouoflackingimagination,"Summerleeretorted.
"Uponmyword!"saidLordJohn."Itwouldbelikeyouifyouusedupourlastgaspofoxygeninabusingeachother.Whatcanitmatterwhetherfolkcomebackornot?Itsurelywon’tbeinourtime."
"Inthatremark,sir,youbetrayyourownverypronouncedlimitations,"saidChallengerseverely."Thetruescientificmindisnottobetieddownbyitsownconditionsoftimeandspace.Itbuildsitselfanobservatoryerectedupontheborderlineofpresent,whichseparatestheinfinitepastfromtheinfinitefuture.Fromthissurepostitmakesitssallieseventothebeginningandtotheendofallthings.Astodeath,thescientificminddiesatitspostworkinginnormalandmethodicfashiontotheend.Itdisregardssopettyathingasitsownphysicaldissolutionascompletelyasitdoesallotherlimitationsupontheplaneofmatter.AmIright,ProfessorSummerlee?"
Summerleegrumbledanungraciousassent.
"Withcertainreservations,Iagree,"saidhe.
"Theidealscientificmind,"continuedChallenger—"Iputitinthethirdpersonratherthanappeartobetooself-complacent—theidealscientificmindshouldbecapableofthinkingoutapointofabstractknowledgeintheintervalbetweenitsownerfallingfromaballoonandreachingtheearth.
