Загублений світ
Those Were the Real Conquests
Itwasreallyshock,ratherthananyinjury,whichhadprostratedme,andinhalf-an-hour,inspiteofachingheadandstiffneck,Iwassittingupandreadyforanything.
"Butyou’vehadtheescapeofyourlife,youngfellahmylad,"saidLordRoxton."WhenIheardyourcryandranforward,andsawyourheadtwistedhalf-offandyourstohwasserskickin’intheair,Ithoughtwewereoneshort.Imissedthebeastinmyflurry,buthedroppedyouallrightandwasofflikeastreak.ByGeorge!IwishIhadfiftymenwithrifles.I’dclearoutthewholeinfernalgangofthemandleavethiscountryabitcleanerthanwefoundit."
Itwasclearnowthattheape-menhadinsomewaymarkedusdown,andthatwewerewatchedoneveryside.Wehadnotsomuchtofearfromthemduringtheday,buttheywouldbeverylikelytorushusbynight;sothesoonerwegotawayfromtheirneighborhoodthebetter.Onthreesidesofuswasabsoluteforest,andtherewemightfindourselvesinanambush.Butonthefourthside—thatwhichslopeddowninthedirectionofthelake—therewasonlylowscrub,withscatteredtreesandoccasionalopenglades.Itwas,infact,theroutewhichIhadmyselftakeninmysolitaryjourney,anditledusstraightfortheIndiancaves.Thisthenmustforeveryreasonbeourroad.
