CHAPTER IV "It's Just the very Biggest Thing in the World"

.Therewasapale-greenforegroundoffeatheryvegetation,whichslopedupwardsandendedinalineofcliffsdarkredincolor,andcuriouslyribbedlikesomebasalticformationswhichIhaveseen.Theyextendedinanunbrokenwallrightacrossthebackground.Atonepointwasanisolatedpyramidalrock,crownedbyagreattree,whichappearedtobeseparatedbyacleftfromthemaincrag.Behinditall,abluetropicalsky.Athingreenlineofvegetationfringedthesummitoftheruddycliff. "Well?"heasked. "Itisnodoubtacuriousformation,"saidI"butIamnotgeologistenoughtosaythatitiswonderful." "Wonderful!"herepeated."Itisunique.Itisincredible.Nooneonearthhaseverdreamedofsuchapossibility.Nowthenext." Iturneditover,andgaveanexclamationofsurprise.Therewasafull-pagepictureofthemostextraordinarycreaturethatIhadeverseen.Itwasthewilddreamofanopiumsmoker,avisionofdelirium.Theheadwaslikethatofafowl,thebodythatofabloatedlizard,thetrailingtailwasfurnishedwithupward-turnedspikes,andthecurvedbackwasedgedwithahighserratedfringe,whichlookedlikeadozencocks'wattlesplacedbehindeachother.Infrontofthiscreaturewasanabsurdmannikin,ordwarf,inhumanform,whostoodstaringatit. "Well,whatdoyouthinkofthat?"criedtheProfessor,rubbinghishandswithanairoftriumph. "Itismonstrous—grotesque." "Butwhatmadehimdrawsuchananimal?" "Tradegin,Ishouldthink." "Oh,that'sthebestexplanationyoucangive,isit?" "Well,sir,whatisyours?" "Theobviousonethatthecreatureexists.Thatisactuallysketchedfromthelife." IshouldhavelaughedonlythatIhadavisionofourdoinganotherCatharine-wheeldownthepassage. "Nodoubt,"saidI,"nodoubt,"asonehumorsanimbecile."Iconfess,however,"Iadded,"thatthistinyhumanfigurepuzzlesme.IfitwereanIndianwecouldsetitdownasevidenceofsomepigmyraceinAmerica,butitappearstobeaEuropeaninasun-hat." TheProfessorsnortedlikeanangrybuffalo."Youreallytouchthelimit,"saidhe."Youenlargemyviewofthepossible.Cerebralparesis!Mentalinertia!Wonderful!" Hewastooabsurdtomakemeangry.Indeed,itwasawasteofenergy,forifyouweregoingtobeangrywiththismanyouwouldbeangryallthetime.Icontentedmyselfwithsmilingwearily."Itstruckmethatthemanwassmall,"saidI. "Lookhere!"hecried,leaningforwardanddabbingagreathairysausageofafingerontothepicture."YouseethatplantbehindtheanimalIsupposeyouthoughtitwasadandelionoraBrusselssprout—what?Well,itisavegetableivorypalm,andtheyruntoaboutfiftyorsixtyfeet.Don'tyouseethatthemanisputinforapurpose?Hecouldn'treallyhavestoodinfrontofthatbruteandlivedtodrawit.Hesketchedhimselfintogiveascaleofheights.Hewas,wewillsay,overfivefeethigh.Thetreeistentimesbigger,whichiswhatonewouldexpect." "Goodheavens!"Icried."Thenyouthinkthebeastwas——Why,CharingCrossstationwouldhardlymakeakennelforsuchabrute!" "Apartfromexaggeration,heiscertainlyawell-grownspecimen,"saidtheProfessor,complacently. "But,"Icried,"surelythewholeexperienceofthehumanraceisnottobesetasideonaccountofasinglesketch"—Ihadturnedovertheleavesandascertainedthattherewasnothingmoreinthebook—"asinglesketchbyawanderingAmericanartistwhomayhavedoneitunderhashish,orinthedeliriumoffever,orsimplyinordertogratifyafreakishimagination.Youcan't,asamanofscience,defendsuchapositionasthat." ForanswertheProfessortookabookdownfromashelf. "Thisisanexcellentmonographbymygiftedfriend,RayLankester!"saidhe."Thereisanillustrationherewhichwouldinterestyou.Ah,yes,hereitis!Theinscriptionbeneathitruns:'ProbableappearanceinlifeoftheJurassicDinosaurStegosaurus.Thehindlegaloneistwiceastallasafull-grownman.'Well,whatdoyoumakeofthat?" Hehandedmetheopenbook.IstartedasIlookedatthepicture.Inthisreconstructedanimalofadeadworldtherewascertainlyaverygreatresemblancetothesketchoftheunknownartist. "Thatiscertainlyremarkable,"saidI. "Butyouwon'tadmitthatitisfinal?" "Surelyitmightbeacoincidence,orthisAmericanmayhaveseenapictureofthekindandcarrieditinhismemory.Itwouldbelikelytorecurtoamaninadelirium." "Verygood,"saidtheProfessor,indulgently"weleaveitatthat.Iwillnowaskyoutolookatthisbone."Hehandedovertheonewhichhehadalreadydescribedaspartofthedeadman'spossessions.Itwasaboutsixincheslong,andthickerthanmythumb,withsomeindicationsofdriedcartilageatoneendofit. "Towhatknowncreaturedoesthatbonebelong?"askedtheProfessor. Iexamineditwithcareandtriedtorecallsomehalf-forgottenknowledge. "Itmightbeaverythickhumancollar-bone,"Isaid. Mycompanionwavedhishandincontemptuousdeprecation. "Thehumancollar-boneiscurved.Thisisstraight.Thereisagrooveuponitssurfaceshowingthatagreattendonplayedacrossit,whichcouldnotbethecasewithaclavicle." "ThenImustconfessthatIdon'tknowwhatitis." "Youneednotbeashamedtoexposeyourignorance,forIdon'tsupposethewholeSouthKensingtonstaffcouldgiveanametoit."Hetookalittlebonethesizeofabeanoutofapill-box."SofarasIamajudgethishumanboneistheanalogueoftheonewhichyouholdinyourhand.Thatwillgiveyousomeideaofthesizeofthecreature.Youwillobservefromthecartilagethatthisisnofossilspecimen,butrecent.Whatdoyousaytothat?" "Surelyinanelephant——" Hewincedasifinpain. "Don't!Don'ttalkofelephantsinSouthAmerica.EveninthesedaysofBoardschools——" "Well,"Iinterrupted,"anylargeSouthAmericananimal—at