Затерянный мир
It’s Just the very Biggest Thing in the World
"Idonotthinkthattheproblemisaveryobscureone,"saidtheProfessor;"therecanonlybeoneexplanation.SouthAmericais,asyoumayhaveheard,agranitecontinent.Atthissinglepointintheinteriortherehasbeen,insomefardistantage,agreat,suddenvolcanicupheaval.Thesecliffs,Imayremark,arebasaltic,andthereforeplutonic.Anarea,aslargeperhapsasSussex,hasbeenliftedupenblocwithallitslivingcontents,andcutoffbyperpendicularprecipicesofahardnesswhichdefieserosionfromalltherestofthecontinent.Whatistheresult?Why,theordinarylawsofNaturearesuspended.Thevariouscheckswhichinfluencethestruggleforexistenceintheworldatlargeareallneutralizedoraltered.Creaturessurvivewhichwouldotherwisedisappear.YouwillobservethatboththepterodactylandthestegosaurusareJurassic,andthereforeofagreatageintheorderoflife.Theyhavebeenartificiallyconservedbythosestrangeaccidentalconditions."
"Butsurelyyourevidenceisconclusive.Youhaveonlytolayitbeforetheproperauthorities."
"Soinmysimplicity,Ihadimagined,"saidtheProfessor,bitterly."Icanonlytellyouthatitwasnotso,thatIwasmetateveryturnbyincredulity,bornpartlyofstupidityandpartlyofjealousy.Itisnotmynature,sir,tocringetoanyman,ortoseektoproveafactifmywordhasbeendoubted.AfterthefirstIhavenotcondescendedtoshowsuchcorroborativeproofsasIpossess.Thesubjectbecamehatefultome—Iwouldnotspeakofit.Whenmenlikeyourself,whorepresentthefoolishcuriosityofthepublic,cametodisturbmyprivacyIwasunabletomeetthemwithdignifiedreserve.
