Отравленный пояс
Chapter IV. A Diary Of The Dying
"I’mnottroublin’myheadwhetherhe’saliveordead,"saidhe."Wedon’tsomuchasknoweachotherbysight,sowhyshouldItakeittoheart?Idon’tsupposehe’sworryin’himselfoverthestateofourhealth."
Ilaughedatthis,andChallengerlookedinmydirectionwithhiscoldestandmostsuperciliousstare.Itwasamostpetrifyingexperience.
"Theflippancyofthehalf-educatedismoreobstructivetosciencethantheobtusenessoftheignorant,"saidhe."IfLordJohnRoxtonwouldcondescend——"
"MydearGeorge,don’tbesopeppery,"saidhiswife,withherhandontheblackmanethatdroopedoverthemicroscope."Whatcanitmatterwhethertheamoebaisaliveornot?"
"Itmattersagreatdeal,"saidChallengergruffly.
"Well,let’shearaboutit,"saidLordJohnwithagood-humouredsmile."Wemayaswelltalkaboutthatasanythingelse.IfyouthinkI’vebeentoooff-handwiththething,orhurtitsfeelin’sinanyway,I’llapologize."
"Formypart,"remarkedSummerleeinhiscreaky,argumentativevoice,"Ican’tseewhyyoushouldattachsuchimportancetothecreaturebeingalive.Itisinthesameatmosphereasourselves,sonaturallythepoisondoesnotactuponit.Ifitwereoutsideofthisroomitwouldbedead,likeallotheranimallife."
"Yourremarks,mygoodSummerlee,"saidChallengerwithenormouscondescension(oh,ifIcouldpaintthatover-bearing,arrogantfaceinthevividcircleofreflectionfromthemicroscopemirror!)—"yourremarksshowthatyouimperfectlyappreciatethesituation.Thisspecimenwasmountedyesterdayandishermeticallysealed.
