Загублений світ
Those Were the Real Conquests
WasthistheluxuriousLordJohnRoxtonwhohadsatthateveningintheAlbanyamidsthisPersianrugsandhispicturesinthepinkradianceofthetintedlights?AndwasthistheimposingProfessorwhohadswelledbehindthegreatdeskinhismassivestudyatEnmorePark?And,finally,couldthisbetheaustereandprimfigurewhichhadrisenbeforethemeetingattheZoologicalInstitute?NothreetrampsthatonecouldhavemetinaSurreylanecouldhavelookedmorehopelessandbedraggled.Wehad,itistrue,beenonlyaweekorsouponthetopoftheplateau,butallourspareclothingwasinourcampbelow,andtheoneweekhadbeenasevereoneuponusall,thoughleasttomewhohadnottoendurethehandlingoftheape-men.Mythreefriendshadalllosttheirhats,andhadnowboundhandkerchiefsroundtheirheads,theirclotheshunginribbonsaboutthem,andtheirunshavengrimyfaceswerehardlytoberecognized.BothSummerleeandChallengerwerelimpingheavily,whileIstilldraggedmyfeetfromweaknessaftertheshockofthemorning,andmyneckwasasstiffasaboardfromthemurderousgripthatheldit.Wewereindeedasorrycrew,andIdidnotwondertoseeourIndiancompanionsglancebackatusoccasionallywithhorrorandamazementontheirfaces.
Inthelateafternoonwereachedthemarginofthelake,andasweemergedfromthebushandsawthesheetofwaterstretchingbeforeusournativefriendssetupashrillcryofjoyandpointedeagerlyinfrontofthem.
