Затерянный мир
A Procession! A Procession!
"DR.ILLINGWORTH:‘Nopicturecouldconvinceusofanything.’
"PROFESSORCHALLENGER:‘Youwouldrequiretoseethethingitself?’
"DR.ILLINGWORTH:‘Undoubtedly.’
"PROFESSORCHALLENGER:‘Andyouwouldacceptthat?’
"DR.ILLINGWORTH(laughing):‘Beyondadoubt.’
"Itwasatthispointthatthesensationoftheeveningarose—asensationsodramaticthatitcanneverhavebeenparalleledinthehistoryofscientificgatherings.ProfessorChallengerraisedhishandintheairasasignal,andatonceourcolleague,Mr.E.D.Malone,wasobservedtoriseandtomakehiswaytothebackoftheplatform.Aninstantlaterhere-appearedincompanyofagiganticnegro,thetwoofthembearingbetweenthemalargesquarepacking-case.Itwasevidentlyofgreatweight,andwasslowlycarriedforwardandplacedinfrontoftheProfessor’schair.Allsoundhadhushedintheaudienceandeveryonewasabsorbedinthespectaclebeforethem.ProfessorChallengerdrewoffthetopofthecase,whichformedaslidinglid.PeeringdownintotheboxhesnappedhisfingersseveraltimesandwasheardfromthePressseattosay,‘Come,then,pretty,pretty!’inacoaxingvoice.Aninstantlater,withascratching,rattlingsound,amosthorribleandloathsomecreatureappearedfrombelowandpercheditselfuponthesideofthecase.EventheunexpectedfalloftheDukeofDurhamintotheorchestra,whichoccurredatthismoment,couldnotdistractthepetrifiedattentionofthevastaudience.
