Загублений світ
The most Wonderful Things have Happened
Thefemalesandyoungoneshuddledtogetherbesidethewater,whilethewholecircleofsentinelsroseoneaftertheotherandsailedoffintothesky.Itwasawonderfulsighttoseeatleastahundredcreaturesofsuchenormoussizeandhideousappearanceallswoopinglikeswallowswithswift,shearingwing-strokesaboveus;butsoonwerealizedthatitwasnotoneonwhichwecouldaffordtolinger.Atfirstthegreatbrutesflewroundinahugering,asiftomakesurewhattheexactextentofthedangermightbe.Then,theflightgrewlowerandthecirclenarrower,untiltheywerewhizzingroundandroundus,thedry,rustlingflapoftheirhugeslate-coloredwingsfillingtheairwithavolumeofsoundthatmademethinkofHendonaerodromeuponaraceday.
"Makeforthewoodandkeeptogether,"criedLordJohn,clubbinghisrifle."Thebrutesmeanmischief."
Themomentweattemptedtoretreatthecircleclosedinuponus,untilthetipsofthewingsofthosenearesttousnearlytouchedourfaces.Webeatatthemwiththestocksofourguns,buttherewasnothingsolidorvulnerabletostrike.Thensuddenlyoutofthewhizzing,slate-coloredcirclealongneckshotout,andafiercebeakmadeathrustatus.Anotherandanotherfollowed.Summerleegaveacryandputhishandtohisface,fromwhichthebloodwasstreaming.Ifeltaprodatthebackofmyneck,andturneddizzywiththeshock.Challengerfell,andasIstoopedtopickhimupIwasagainstruckfrombehindanddroppedonthetopofhim.
