Загублений світ
The most Wonderful Things have Happened
Butabove,perchedeachuponitsownstone,tall,gray,andwithered,morelikedeadanddriedspecimensthanactuallivingcreatures,satthehorriblemales,absolutelymotionlesssavefortherollingoftheirredeyesoranoccasionalsnapoftheirrat-trapbeaksasadragon-flywentpastthem.Theirhuge,membranouswingswereclosedbyfoldingtheirfore-arms,sothattheysatlikegiganticoldwomen,wrappedinhideousweb-coloredshawls,andwiththeirferociousheadsprotrudingabovethem.Largeandsmall,notlessthanathousandofthesefilthycreatureslayinthehollowbeforeus.
Ourprofessorswouldgladlyhavestayedthereallday,soentrancedweretheybythisopportunityofstudyingthelifeofaprehistoricage.Theypointedoutthefishanddeadbirdslyingaboutamongtherocksasprovingthenatureofthefoodofthesecreatures,andIheardthemcongratulatingeachotheronhavingclearedupthepointwhythebonesofthisflyingdragonarefoundinsuchgreatnumbersincertainwell-definedareas,asintheCambridgeGreen-sand,sinceitwasnowseenthat,likepenguins,theylivedingregariousfashion.
Finally,however,Challenger,bentuponprovingsomepointwhichSummerleehadcontested,thrusthisheadovertherockandnearlybroughtdestructionuponusall.Inaninstantthenearestmalegaveashrill,whistlingcry,andflappeditstwenty-footspanofleatherywingsasitsoaredupintotheair.
