Подорож до центру землі

The Professor in His Chair Again

           Iwasgoodenoughnottocontradictthisstartlingassertion.

           "IfIcouldonlywashitinasolutionofsulphuricacid,"pursuedmyuncle,"Ishouldbeabletoclearitfromalltheearthyparticlesandtheshellswhichareincrustedaboutit.ButIdonotpossessthatvaluablesolvent.Yet,suchasitis,thebodyshalltellusitsownwonderfulstory."

           HeretheProfessorlaidholdofthefossilskeleton,andhandleditwiththeskillofadexterousshowman.

           "Yousee,"hesaid,"thatitisnotsixfeetlong,andthatwearestillseparatedbyalongintervalfromthepretendedraceofgiants.Asforthefamilytowhichitbelongs,itisevidentlyCaucasian.Itisthewhiterace,ourown.Theskullofthisfossilisaregularoval,orratherovoid.Itexhibitsnoprominentcheekbones,noprojectingjaws.Itpresentsnoappearanceofthatprognathismwhichdiminishesthefacialangle.Measurethatangle.Itisnearlyninetydegrees.ButIwillgofurtherinmydeductions,andIwillaffirmthatthisspecimenofthehumanfamilyisoftheJapheticrace,whichhassincespreadfromtheIndiestotheAtlantic.Don’tsmile,gentlemen."

           Nobodywassmiling;butthelearnedProfessorwasfrequentlydisturbedbythebroadsmilesprovokedbyhislearnedeccentricities.

           "Yes,"hepursuedwithanimation,"thisisafossilman,thecontemporaryofthemastodonswhoseremainsfillthisamphitheatre.Butifyouaskmehowhecamethere,howthosestrataonwhichhelayslippeddownintothisenormoushollowintheglobe,IconfessIcannotanswerthatquestion.Nodoubtinthepost-tertiaryperiodconsiderablecommotionswerestilldisturbingthecrustoftheearth.Thelong-continuedcoolingoftheglobeproducedchasms,fissures,clefts,andfaults,intowhich,veryprobably,portionsoftheupperearthmayhavefallen.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 245 з 293