Путешествие к центру земли

The Professor in His Chair Again

           Iwasgoodenoughnottocontradictthisstartlingassertion.

           "IfIcouldonlywashitinasolutionofsulphuricacid,"pursuedmyuncle,"Ishouldbeabletoclearitfromalltheearthyparticlesandtheshellswhichareincrustedaboutit.ButIdonotpossessthatvaluablesolvent.Yet,suchasitis,thebodyshalltellusitsownwonderfulstory."

           HeretheProfessorlaidholdofthefossilskeleton,andhandleditwiththeskillofadexterousshowman.

           "Yousee,"hesaid,"thatitisnotsixfeetlong,andthatwearestillseparatedbyalongintervalfromthepretendedraceofgiants.Asforthefamilytowhichitbelongs,itisevidentlyCaucasian.Itisthewhiterace,ourown.Theskullofthisfossilisaregularoval,orratherovoid.Itexhibitsnoprominentcheekbones,noprojectingjaws.Itpresentsnoappearanceofthatprognathismwhichdiminishesthefacialangle.Measurethatangle.Itisnearlyninetydegrees.ButIwillgofurtherinmydeductions,andIwillaffirmthatthisspecimenofthehumanfamilyisoftheJapheticrace,whichhassincespreadfromtheIndiestotheAtlantic.Don’tsmile,gentlemen."

           Nobodywassmiling;butthelearnedProfessorwasfrequentlydisturbedbythebroadsmilesprovokedbyhislearnedeccentricities.

           "Yes,"hepursuedwithanimation,"thisisafossilman,thecontemporaryofthemastodonswhoseremainsfillthisamphitheatre.Butifyouaskmehowhecamethere,howthosestrataonwhichhelayslippeddownintothisenormoushollowintheglobe,IconfessIcannotanswerthatquestion.Nodoubtinthepost-tertiaryperiodconsiderablecommotionswerestilldisturbingthecrustoftheearth.Thelong-continuedcoolingoftheglobeproducedchasms,fissures,clefts,andfaults,intowhich,veryprobably,portionsoftheupperearthmayhavefallen.

Настройки
Фон страницы
Размер шрифта
Межстрочный интервал
Фразовые глаголы
Показать / Скрыть меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Страница 245 из 293