Загублений світ
The most Wonderful Things have Happened
Wewerewalkingslowlytowardstheserocks,amongbusheswhichreachedoverourwaists,whenwebecameawareofastrangelowgabblingandwhistlingsound,whichfilledtheairwithaconstantclamorandappearedtocomefromsomespotimmediatelybeforeus.LordJohnhelduphishandasasignalforustostop,andhemadehiswayswiftly,stoopingandrunning,tothelineofrocks.Wesawhimpeepoverthemandgiveagestureofamazement.Thenhestoodstaringasifforgettingus,soutterlyentrancedwashebywhathesaw.Finallyhewavedustocomeon,holdinguphishandasasignalforcaution.Hiswholebearingmademefeelthatsomethingwonderfulbutdangerouslaybeforeus.
Creepingtohisside,welookedovertherocks.Theplaceintowhichwegazedwasapit,andmay,intheearlydays,havebeenoneofthesmallervolcanicblow-holesoftheplateau.Itwasbowl-shapedandatthebottom,somehundredsofyardsfromwherewelay,werepoolsofgreen-scummed,stagnantwater,fringedwithbullrushes.Itwasaweirdplaceinitself,butitsoccupantsmadeitseemlikeascenefromtheSevenCirclesofDante.Theplacewasarookeryofpterodactyls.Therewerehundredsofthemcongregatedwithinview.Allthebottomarearoundthewater-edgewasalivewiththeiryoungones,andwithhideousmothersbroodingupontheirleathery,yellowisheggs.Fromthiscrawlingflappingmassofobscenereptilianlifecametheshockingclamorwhichfilledtheairandthemephitic,horrible,mustyodorwhichturnedussick.
