Загублений світ
Who could have Foreseen it?
"Iammuchindebtedtoyouforyourgraciouspermission,"saidtheangryProfessor;forneverwasamansointolerantofeveryformofauthority."Sinceyouaregoodenoughtoallowit,Ishallmostcertainlytakeituponmyselftoactaspioneeruponthisoccasion."
Seatinghimselfwithalegoverhangingtheabyssoneachside,andhishatchetslunguponhisback,Challengerhoppedhiswayacrossthetrunkandwassoonattheotherside.Heclamberedupandwavedhisarmsintheair.
"Atlast!"hecried;"atlast!"
Igazedanxiouslyathim,withavagueexpectationthatsometerriblefatewoulddartathimfromthecurtainofgreenbehindhim.Butallwasquiet,savethatastrange,many-coloredbirdflewupfromunderhisfeetandvanishedamongthetrees.
Summerleewasthesecond.Hiswiryenergyiswonderfulinsofrailaframe.Heinsisteduponhavingtworiflesslunguponhisback,sothatbothProfessorswerearmedwhenhehadmadehistransit.Icamenext,andtriedhardnottolookdownintothehorriblegulfoverwhichIwaspassing.Summerleeheldoutthebutt-endofhisrifle,andaninstantlaterIwasabletograsphishand.AstoLordJohn,hewalkedacross—actuallywalkedwithoutsupport!Hemusthavenervesofiron.
Andtherewewere,thefourofus,uponthedreamland,thelostworld,ofMapleWhite.Toallofusitseemedthemomentofoursupremetriumph.
