Затерянный мир
It’s Just the very Biggest Thing in the World
"Butyouwon’tadmitthatitisfinal?"
"Surelyitmightbeacoincidence,orthisAmericanmayhaveseenapictureofthekindandcarrieditinhismemory.Itwouldbelikelytorecurtoamaninadelirium."
"Verygood,"saidtheProfessor,indulgently;"weleaveitatthat.Iwillnowaskyoutolookatthisbone."Hehandedovertheonewhichhehadalreadydescribedaspartofthedeadman’spossessions.Itwasaboutsixincheslong,andthickerthanmythumb,withsomeindicationsofdriedcartilageatoneendofit.
"Towhatknowncreaturedoesthatbonebelong?"askedtheProfessor.
Iexamineditwithcareandtriedtorecallsomehalf-forgottenknowledge.
"Itmightbeaverythickhumancollar-bone,"Isaid.
Mycompanionwavedhishandincontemptuousdeprecation.
"Thehumancollar-boneiscurved.Thisisstraight.Thereisagrooveuponitssurfaceshowingthatagreattendonplayedacrossit,whichcouldnotbethecasewithaclavicle."
"ThenImustconfessthatIdon’tknowwhatitis."
"Youneednotbeashamedtoexposeyourignorance,forIdon’tsupposethewholeSouthKensingtonstaffcouldgiveanametoit."Hetookalittlebonethesizeofabeanoutofapill-box.
