Затерянный мир
For once I was the Hero
"Ouryoungfriendmakesupformanyobviousmentallacunaebysomemeasureofprimitivecommonsense,"remarkedChallenger."Theinterestsofhisdeplorableprofessionareimmaterialtous;but,asheobserves,wecannotgetdowninanycase,soitisawasteofenergytodiscussit."
"Itisawasteofenergytodoanythingelse,"growledSummerleefrombehindhispipe."Letmeremindyouthatwecamehereuponaperfectlydefinitemission,entrustedtousatthemeetingoftheZoologicalInstituteinLondon.ThatmissionwastotestthetruthofProfessorChallenger’sstatements.Thosestatements,asIamboundtoadmit,wearenowinapositiontoendorse.Ourostensibleworkisthereforedone.Astothedetailwhichremainstobeworkedoutuponthisplateau,itissoenormousthatonlyalargeexpedition,withaveryspecialequipment,couldhopetocopewithit.Shouldweattempttodosoourselves,theonlypossibleresultmustbethatweshallneverreturnwiththeimportantcontributiontosciencewhichwehavealreadygained.ProfessorChallengerhasdevisedmeansforgettingusontothisplateauwhenitappearedtobeinaccessible;Ithinkthatweshouldnowcalluponhimtousethesameingenuityingettingusbacktotheworldfromwhichwecame."
IconfessthatasSummerleestatedhisviewitstruckmeasaltogetherreasonable.
