CHAPTER II "Try Your Luck with Professor Challenger"

heavesreportersdownthestairs.Inmyopinionhe'sjustahomicidalmegalomaniacwithaturnforscience.That'syourman,Mr.Malone.Now,offyourun,andseewhatyoucanmakeofhim.You'rebigenoughtolookafteryourself.Anyway,youareallsafe.Employers'LiabilityAct,youknow." Agrinningredfaceturnedoncemoreintoapinkoval,fringedwithgingeryflufftheinterviewwasatanend. IwalkedacrosstotheSavageClub,butinsteadofturningintoitIleanedupontherailingsofAdelphiTerraceandgazedthoughtfullyforalongtimeatthebrown,oilyriver.Icanalwaysthinkmostsanelyandclearlyintheopenair.ItookoutthelistofProfessorChallenger'sexploits,andIreaditoverundertheelectriclamp.ThenIhadwhatIcanonlyregardasaninspiration.AsaPressman,IfeltsurefromwhatIhadbeentoldthatIcouldneverhopetogetintotouchwiththiscantankerousProfessor.Buttheserecriminations,twicementionedinhisskeletonbiography,couldonlymeanthathewasafanaticinscience.Wastherenotanexposedmarginthereuponwhichhemightbeaccessible?Iwouldtry. Ienteredtheclub.Itwasjustaftereleven,andthebigroomwasfairlyfull,thoughtherushhadnotyetsetin.Inoticedatall,thin,angularmanseatedinanarm-chairbythefire.HeturnedasIdrewmychairuptohim.ItwasthemanofallotherswhomIshouldhavechosen—TarpHenry,ofthestaffofNature,athin,dry,leatherycreature,whowasfull,tothosewhoknewhim,ofkindlyhumanity.Iplungedinstantlyintomysubject. "WhatdoyouknowofProfessorChallenger?" "Challenger?"Hegatheredhisbrowsinscientificdisapproval."Challengerwasthemanwhocamewithsomecock-and-bullstoryfromSouthAmerica." "Whatstory?" "Oh,itwasranknonsenseaboutsomequeeranimalshehaddiscovered.Ibelievehehasretractedsince.Anyhow,hehassuppresseditall.HegaveaninterviewtoReuter's,andtherewassuchahowlthathesawitwouldn'tdo.Itwasadiscreditablebusiness.Therewereoneortwofolkwhowereinclinedtotakehimseriously,buthesoonchokedthemoff." "How?" "Well,byhisinsufferablerudenessandimpossiblebehavior.TherewaspooroldWadley,oftheZoologicalInstitute.Wadleysentamessage:'ThePresidentoftheZoologicalInstitutepresentshiscomplimentstoProfessorChallenger,andwouldtakeitasapersonalfavorifhewoulddothemthehonortocometotheirnextmeeting.'Theanswerwasunprintable." "Youdon'tsay?" "Well,abowdlerizedversionofitwouldrun:'ProfessorChallengerpresentshiscomplimentstothePresidentoftheZoologicalInstitute,a