Загублений світ

           "Youdidn’tgetmyletteratPara,then?"

           "No,Igotnoletter."

           "Oh,whatapity!Itwouldhavemadeallclear."

           "Itisquiteclear,"saidI.

           "I’vetoldWilliamallaboutyou,"saidshe."Wehavenosecrets.Iamsosorryaboutit.Butitcouldn’thavebeensoverydeep,couldit,ifyoucouldgoofftotheotherendoftheworldandleavemeherealone.You’renotcrabby,areyou?"

           "No,no,notatall.IthinkI’llgo."

           "Havesomerefreshment,"saidthelittleman,andheadded,inaconfidentialway,"It’salwayslikethis,ain’tit?Andmustbeunlessyouhadpolygamy,onlytheotherwayround;youunderstand."Helaughedlikeanidiot,whileImadeforthedoor.

           Iwasthroughit,whenasuddenfantasticimpulsecameuponme,andIwentbacktomysuccessfulrival,wholookednervouslyattheelectricpush.

           "Willyouansweraquestion?"Iasked.

           "Well,withinreason,"saidhe.

           "Howdidyoudoit?Haveyousearchedforhiddentreasure,ordiscoveredapole,ordonetimeonapirate,orflowntheChannel,orwhat?Whereistheglamourofromance?Howdidyougetit?"

           Hestaredatmewithahopelessexpressionuponhisvacuous,good-natured,scrubbylittleface.

           "Don’tyouthinkallthisisalittletoopersonal?"hesaid.

           "Well,justonequestion,"Icried."Whatareyou?Whatisyourprofession?"

           "Iamasolicitor’sclerk,"saidhe."SecondmanatJohnsonandMerivale’s,41ChanceryLane."