Затерянный мир
The most Wonderful Things have Happened
"Itisworthnoting,"Challengercontinued,"thatouryoungfriendhasreceivedanundoubtedstab,whileLordJohn’scoatcouldonlyhavebeentornbyabite.Inmyowncase,Iwasbeatenabouttheheadbytheirwings,sowehavehadaremarkableexhibitionoftheirvariousmethodsofoffence."
"Ithasbeentouchandgoforourlives,"saidLordJohn,gravely,"andIcouldnotthinkofamorerottensortofdeaththantobeoutedbysuchfilthyvermin.Iwassorrytofiremyrifle,but,byJove!therewasnogreatchoice."
"Weshouldnotbehereifyouhadn’t,"saidI,withconviction.
"Itmaydonoharm,"saidhe."Amongthesewoodstheremustbemanyloudcracksfromsplittingorfallingtreeswhichwouldbejustlikethesoundofagun.Butnow,ifyouareofmyopinion,wehavehadthrillsenoughforoneday,andhadbestgetbacktothesurgicalboxatthecampforsomecarbolic.Whoknowswhatvenomthesebeastsmayhaveintheirhideousjaws?"
Butsurelynomeneverhadjustsuchadaysincetheworldbegan.Somefreshsurprisewaseverinstoreforus.When,followingthecourseofourbrook,weatlastreachedourgladeandsawthethornybarricadeofourcamp,wethoughtthatouradventureswereatanend.Butwehadsomethingmoretothinkofbeforewecouldrest.ThegateofFortChallengerhadbeenuntouched,thewallswereunbroken,andyetithadbeenvisitedbysomestrangeandpowerfulcreatureinourabsence.
