Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
1. My Recall
“Weirdbeaststheyseemtohavehadknockingaboutthecountryinthosedays.Whackingbigsizetoo,ifonemayjudge.ByJove,that’llbeacave-tigertryingtopuffdownamammoth.Ishouldn’tcaretohavelivedinthosedays.”
“Probablytheyhadsomewayoffightingthecreatures.However,thatwillshowitselfasIgetalongwiththetranslation.”Helookedathiswatch—“IsupposeIoughttobeashamedofmyself,butIhaven’tbeentobed.Areyougoingout?”
“IshalldrivebacktoLasPalmas.Ipromisedamantohavearoundatgolfthisafternoon.”
“Verywell,seeyouatdinner.Ihopethey’vesentbackmydressshirtsfromthewash.O,lord!Iamsleepy.”
Ilefthimgoinguptobed,andwentoutsideandorderedacarriagetotakemedown,andthereImaysaywepartedforaconsiderabletime.AcablewaswaitingformeinthehotelatLasPalmastogohomeforbusinessforthwith,andtherewasaLiverpoolboatintheharbourwhichIjustmanagedtocatchasshewassteamingout.Itwasaclosething,andtheboatmenmadeasmallfortuneoutofmyhurry.
NowCoppingerwasonlyanhotelacquaintance,andasIwasuptotheeyesinworkwhenIgotbacktoEngland,I’mafraidIdidn’tthinkverymuchmoreabouthimatthetime.Onedoesn’twithpeopleonejustmeetscasuallyabroadlikethat.AnditmusthavebeenatleastayearlaterthatIsawbyaparagraphinoneofthepapers,thathehadgiventhelumpofsheetstotheBritishMuseum,andthattheestimatedworthofthemwastenthousandpoundsatthelowestvaluation
