Затерянный мир
He is a Perfectly Impossible Person
"ThenIapologizetoyouinadvance.Imusttellyouthatheisaperfectlyimpossibleperson—absolutelyimpossible.Ifyouareforewarnedyouwillbethemorereadytomakeallowances."
"Itismostconsiderateofyou,madam."
"Getquicklyoutoftheroomifheseemsinclinedtobeviolent.Don’twaittoarguewithhim.Severalpeoplehavebeeninjuredthroughdoingthat.Afterwardsthereisapublicscandalanditreflectsuponmeandallofus.Isupposeitwasn’taboutSouthAmericayouwantedtoseehim?"
Icouldnotlietoalady.
"Dearme!Thatishismostdangeroussubject.Youwon’tbelieveawordhesays—I’msureIdon’twonder.Butdon’ttellhimso,foritmakeshimveryviolent.Pretendtobelievehim,andyoumaygetthroughallright.Rememberhebelievesithimself.Ofthatyoumaybeassured.Amorehonestmanneverlived.Don’twaitanylongerorhemaysuspect.Ifyoufindhimdangerous—reallydangerous—ringthebellandholdhimoffuntilIcome.EvenathisworstIcanusuallycontrolhim."
WiththeseencouragingwordstheladyhandedmeovertothetaciturnAustin,whohadwaitedlikeabronzestatueofdiscretionduringourshortinterview,andIwasconductedtotheendofthepassage.Therewasatapatadoor,abull’sbellowfromwithin,andIwasfacetofacewiththeProfessor.
Hesatinarotatingchairbehindabroadtable,whichwascoveredwithbooks,maps,anddiagrams.AsIentered,hisseatspunroundtofaceme.Hisappearancemademegasp.Iwaspreparedforsomethingstrange,butnotforsooverpoweringapersonalityasthis.
