Bokelskere.no

"I suppose you are aware, said he," checking off points upon his fingers, "that the cranial index is a constant factor?"

"Naturally," said I.

"And the telegony is still sub judice?"

"Undoubtedly."

"And that the germ plasm is *differend from the parthenogenetic egg?

"Why surely! I cried, and glorified in my own audacity.

"But was does that prove?" * he asked in a gentle peruasive voice.

"Ah, what indeed?" I murmured. "What does it prove?"

"Shall I tell you?" he cooed.

"Pray do."

"It proves," he roared, with a sudden blast of fury, "that you are the rankest impostor in London - a vile, crawling journalist, who has no more science than he has decency in his composition!"

I turned it over, and gave an exclamation of surprise. There was a full-page picture of the most extraordinary creature that I had ever seen. It was the wild dream of an opium smoker, a vision of delirium. The head was like that of a fowl, the body that of a bloated lizard, the trailing tail was furnished with upward-turned spikes, and the curved back was edged with a high serrated fringe, which looked like a dozen cocks' wattles placed behind each other. In front of this creature was an absurd mannikin, or dwarf, in human form, who stood staring at it.

So tomorrow we disappear into the unknown. This account I am transmitting down the river by canoe, and it may be our last word to those who are interested in our fate. I have, according to our arrangement, addressed it to you, my dear Mr. McArdle, and I leave it to your discretion to delete, alter, or do what you like with it. From the assurance of Professor Challenger's manner--and in spite of the continued scepticism of Professor Summerlee--I have no doubt that our leader will make good his statement, and that we are really on the eve of some most remarkable experiences.