Загублений світ
For once I was the Hero
Therewerethreeexcellentoff-shoots,likehugerungsofaladder,abovemyhead,andatangleofconvenientbranchesbeyond,sothatIclamberedonwardswithsuchspeedthatIsoonlostsightofthegroundandhadnothingbutfoliagebeneathme.NowandthenIencounteredacheck,andonceIhadtoshinupacreeperforeightortenfeet,butImadeexcellentprogress,andtheboomingofChallenger’svoiceseemedtobeagreatdistancebeneathme.Thetreewas,however,enormous,and,lookingupwards,Icouldseenothinningoftheleavesabovemyhead.Therewassomethick,bush-likeclumpwhichseemedtobeaparasiteuponabranchupwhichIwasswarming.Ileanedmyheadrounditinordertoseewhatwasbeyond,andInearlyfelloutofthetreeinmysurpriseandhorroratwhatIsaw.
Afacewasgazingintomine—atthedistanceofonlyafootortwo.Thecreaturethatownedithadbeencrouchingbehindtheparasite,andhadlookedrounditatthesameinstantthatIdid.Itwasahumanface—oratleastitwasfarmorehumanthananymonkey’sthatIhaveeverseen.Itwaslong,whitish,andblotchedwithpimples,thenoseflattened,andthelowerjawprojecting,withabristleofcoarsewhiskersroundthechin.Theeyes,whichwereunderthickandheavybrows,werebestialandferocious,andasitopeneditsmouthtosnarlwhatsoundedlikeacurseatmeIobservedthatithadcurved,sharpcanineteeth.ForaninstantIreadhatredandmenaceintheevileyes.
