Затерянный мир

           Atlastthelecturecametoanend—Iaminclinedtothinkthatitwasaprematureone,astheperorationwashurriedanddisconnected.Thethreadoftheargumenthadbeenrudelybroken,andtheaudiencewasrestlessandexpectant.Waldronsatdown,and,afterachirrupfromthechairman,ProfessorChallengerroseandadvancedtotheedgeoftheplatform.IntheinterestsofmypaperItookdownhisspeechverbatim.

           "LadiesandGentlemen,"hebegan,amidasustainedinterruptionfromtheback."Ibegpardon—Ladies,Gentlemen,andChildren—Imustapologize,Ihadinadvertentlyomittedaconsiderablesectionofthisaudience"(tumult,duringwhichtheProfessorstoodwithonehandraisedandhisenormousheadnoddingsympathetically,asifhewerebestowingapontificalblessinguponthecrowd),"IhavebeenselectedtomoveavoteofthankstoMr.Waldronfortheverypicturesqueandimaginativeaddresstowhichwehavejustlistened.TherearepointsinitwithwhichIdisagree,andithasbeenmydutytoindicatethemastheyarose,but,nonetheless,Mr.Waldronhasaccomplishedhisobjectwell,thatobjectbeingtogiveasimpleandinterestingaccountofwhatheconceivestohavebeenthehistoryofourplanet.Popularlecturesaretheeasiesttolistento,butMr.Waldron"(herehebeamedandblinkedatthelecturer)"willexcusemewhenIsaythattheyarenecessarilybothsuperficialandmisleading,sincetheyhavetobegradedtothecomprehensionofanignorantaudience."(Ironicalcheering.)"Popularlecturersareintheirnatureparasitic."(AngrygestureofprotestfromMr.Waldron.)"Theyexploitforfameorcashtheworkwhichhasbeendonebytheirindigentandunknownbrethren.Onesmallestnewfactobtainedinthelaboratory,onebrickbuiltintothetempleofscience,faroutweighsanysecond-handexpositionwhichpassesanidlehour,butcanleavenousefulresultbehindit.