Загублений світ
A Procession! A Procession!
Likemoths,wealllovebesttoflutterinthelight.Heavy-gameshotslikedtobeinapositiontocapthetalesoftheirrivals,andjournalistswerenotaversefromsensationalcoups,evenwhenimaginationhadtoaidfactintheprocess.Eachmemberofthecommitteehadhisownmotiveformakingthemostofhisresults.(‘Shame!shame!’)Hehadnodesiretobeoffensive.(‘Youare!’andinterruption.)Thecorroborationofthesewondroustaleswasreallyofthemostslenderdescription.Whatdiditamountto?Somephotographs.Wasitpossiblethatinthisageofingeniousmanipulationphotographscouldbeacceptedasevidence?Whatmore?Wehaveastoryofaflightandadescentbyropeswhichprecludedtheproductionoflargerspecimens.Itwasingenious,butnotconvincing.ItwasunderstoodthatLordJohnRoxtonclaimedtohavetheskullofaphororachus.Hecouldonlysaythathewouldliketoseethatskull.
"LORDJOHNROXTON:‘Isthisfellowcallingmealiar?’(Uproar.)
"THECHAIRMAN:‘Order!order!Dr.Illingworth,Imustdirectyoutobringyourremarkstoaconclusionandtomoveyouramendment.’
"DR.ILLINGWORTH:‘YourGrace,Ihavemoretosay,butIbowtoyourruling.Imove,then,that,whileProfessorSummerleebethankedforhisinterestingaddress,thewholemattershallberegardedas‘non-proven,’andshallbereferredbacktoalarger,andpossiblymorereliableCommitteeofInvestigation.’
"Itisdifficulttodescribetheconfusioncausedbythisamendment.
