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The Professor in His Chair Again

           Itwasaperfectlyrecognisablehumanbody.Hadsomeparticularsoil,likethatofthecemeterySt.Michel,atBordeaux,preserveditthusforsomanyages?Itmightbeso.Butthisdriedcorpse,withitsparchment-likeskindrawntightlyoverthebonyframe,thelimbsstillpreservingtheirshape,soundteeth,abundanthair,andfingerandtoenailsoffrightfullength,thisdesiccatedmummystartledusbyappearingjustasithadlivedcountlessagesago.Istoodmutebeforethisapparitionofremoteantiquity.Myuncle,usuallysogarrulous,wasstruckdumblikewise.Weraisedthebody.Westooditupagainstarock.Itseemedtostareatusoutofitsemptyorbits.Wesoundedwithourknuckleshishollowframe.

           Aftersomemoments’silencetheProfessorwashimselfagain.OttoLiedenbrock,yieldingtohisnature,forgotallthecircumstancesofoureventfuljourney,forgotwherewewerestanding,forgotthevaultedcavernwhichcontainedus.NodoubthewasinmindbackagaininhisJohannæum,holdingforthtohispupils,forheassumedhislearnedair;andaddressinghimselftoanimaginaryaudience,heproceededthus:

           "Gentlemen,Ihavethehonourtointroducetoyouamanofthequaternaryorpost-tertiarysystem.Eminentgeologistshavedeniedhisexistence,othersnolesseminenthaveaffirmedit.TheSt.Thomasesofpalæontology,iftheywerehere,mightnowtouchhimwiththeirfingers,andwouldbeobligedtoacknowledgetheirerror.Iamquiteawarethatsciencehastobeonitsguardwithdiscoveriesofthiskind.IknowwhatcapitalenterprisingindividualslikeBarnumhavemadeoutoffossilmen.IhaveheardthetaleofthekneepanofAjax,thepretendedbodyofOrestesclaimedtohavebeenfoundbytheSpartans,andofthebodyofAsterius,tencubitslong,ofwhichPausaniasspeaks.IhavereadthereportsoftheskeletonofTrapani,foundinthefourteenthcentury,andwhichwasatthetimeidentifiedasthatofPolyphemus;andthehistoryofthegiantunearthedinthesixteenthcenturynearPalermo.

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Roboto Lora
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