Острів доктора Моро
Doctor Moreau Explains.
Nowandthentherewasatouchofsarcasminhisvoice.PresentlyIfoundmyselfhotwithshameatourmutualpositions.
ThecreaturesIhadseenwerenotmen,hadneverbeenmen.Theywereanimals,humanisedanimals,—triumphsofvivisection.
"Youforgetallthataskilledvivisectorcandowithlivingthings,"saidMoreau."Formyownpart,I’mpuzzledwhythethingsIhavedoneherehavenotbeendonebefore.Smallefforts,ofcourse,havebeenmade,—amputation,tongue-cutting,excisions.Ofcourseyouknowasquintmaybeinducedorcuredbysurgery?Theninthecaseofexcisionsyouhaveallkindsofsecondarychanges,pigmentarydisturbances,modificationsofthepassions,alterationsinthesecretionoffattytissue.Ihavenodoubtyouhaveheardofthesethings?"
"Ofcourse,"saidI."Butthesefoulcreaturesofyours—"
"Allingoodtime,"saidhe,wavinghishandatme;"Iamonlybeginning.Thosearetrivialcasesofalteration.Surgerycandobetterthingsthanthat.Thereisbuildingupaswellasbreakingdownandchanging.Youhaveheard,perhaps,ofacommonsurgicaloperationresortedtoincaseswherethenosehasbeendestroyed:aflapofskiniscutfromtheforehead,turneddownonthenose,andhealsinthenewposition.Thisisakindofgraftinginanewpositionofpartofananimaluponitself.Graftingoffreshlyobtainedmaterialfromanotheranimalisalsopossible,—thecaseofteeth,forexample.