CHAPTER V "Question!"

ningtoothers,howeverembarrassingitmightbetotherecipientsofthesedubioushonors. Thus,whenoldDoctorMeldrum,withhiswell-knowncurly-brimmedopera-hat,appearedupontheplatform,therewassuchauniversalqueryof"WhereDIDyougetthattile?"thathehurriedlyremovedit,andconcealeditfurtivelyunderhischair.WhengoutyProfessorWadleylimpeddowntohisseatthereweregeneralaffectionateinquiriesfromallpartsofthehallastotheexactstateofhispoortoe,whichcausedhimobviousembarrassment.Thegreatestdemonstrationofall,however,wasattheentranceofmynewacquaintance,ProfessorChallenger,whenhepasseddowntotakehisplaceattheextremeendofthefrontrowoftheplatform.SuchayellofwelcomebrokeforthwhenhisblackbeardfirstprotrudedroundthecornerthatIbegantosuspectTarpHenrywasrightinhissurmise,andthatthisassemblagewastherenotmerelyforthesakeofthelecture,butbecauseithadgotrumoredabroadthatthefamousProfessorwouldtakepartintheproceedings. Therewassomesympatheticlaughteronhisentranceamongthefrontbenchesofwell-dressedspectators,asthoughthedemonstrationofthestudentsinthisinstancewasnotunwelcometothem.Thatgreetingwas,indeed,afrightfuloutburstofsound,theuproarofthecarnivoracagewhenthestepofthebucket-bearingkeeperisheardinthedistance.Therewasanoffensivetoneinit,perhaps,andyetinthemainitstruckmeasmereriotousoutcry,thenoisyreceptionofonewhoamusedandinterestedthem,ratherthanofonetheydislikedordespised.Challengersmiledwithwearyandtolerantcontempt,asakindlymanwouldmeettheyappingofalitterofpuppies.Hesatslowlydown,blewouthischest,passedhishandcaressinglydownhisbeard,andlookedwithdroopingeyelidsandsuperciliouseyesatthecrowdedhallbeforehim.TheuproarofhisadventhadnotyetdiedawaywhenProfessorRonaldMurray,thechairman,andMr.Waldron,thelecturer,threadedtheirwaytothefront,andtheproceedingsbegan. ProfessorMurraywill,Iamsure,excusemeifIsaythathehasthecommonfaultofmostEnglishmenofbeinginaudible.Whyonearthpeoplewhohavesomethingtosaywhichisworthhearingshouldnottaketheslighttroubletolearnhowtomakeitheardisoneofthestrangemysteriesofmodernlife.Theirmethodsareasreasonableastotrytopoursomepreciousstufffromthespringtothereservoirthroughanon-conductingpipe,whichcouldbytheleasteffortbeopened.ProfessorMurraymadeseveralprofoundremarkstohiswhitetieandtothewater-carafeuponthetable,withahumorous,twinklingasidetothesilvercandlestickuponhisright.Thenhesatdown,andMr.Waldron,thefamouspopularlecturer,roseamidageneralmurmurofapplause.Hewasastern,gauntman,withaharshvoice,andanaggressivemanner,buthehadthemeritofknowinghowtoassimilatetheideasofothermen,andtopassthemoninawaywhichwasintelligibleandeveninterestingtothelaypublic,withahappyknackofbeingfunnyaboutthemostunlikelyobjects,sothattheprecessionoftheEquinoxortheformationofavertebratebecameahighlyhumorousprocessastreatedbyhim. Itwasabird's-eyeviewofcreation,asinterpretedbyscience,which,inlanguagealwaysclearandsometimespicturesque,heunfoldedbeforeus.Hetoldusoftheglobe,ahugemassofflaminggas,flaringthroughtheheavens.Thenhepicturedthesolidification,thecooling,thewrinklingwhichformedthemountains,thesteamwhichturnedtowater,theslowpreparationofthestageuponwhichwastobeplayedtheinexplicabledramaoflife.Ontheoriginoflifeitselfhewasdiscreetlyvague.Thatthegermsofitcouldhardlyhavesurvivedtheoriginalroastingwas,hedeclared,fairlycertain.Thereforeithadcomelater.Haditbuiltitselfoutofthecooling,inorganicelementsoftheglobe?Verylikely.Hadthegermsofitarrivedfromoutsideuponameteor?Itwashardlyconceivable.Onthewhole,thewisestmanwastheleastdogmaticuponthepoint.Wecouldnot—oratleastwehadnotsucceededuptodateinmakingorganiclifeinourlaboratoriesoutofinorganicmaterials.Thegulfbetweenthedeadandthelivingwassomethingwhichourchemistrycouldnotasyetbridge.ButtherewasahigherandsubtlerchemistryofNature,which,workingwithgreatforcesoverlongepochs,mightwellproduceresultswhichwereimpossibleforus.Therethemattermustbeleft. Thisbroughtthelecturertothegreatladderofanimallife,beginninglowdowninmolluscsandfeebleseacreatures,thenuprungbyrungthroughreptilesandfishes,tillatlastwecametoakangaroo-rat,acreaturewhichbroughtforthitsyoungalive,thedirectancestorofallmammals,andpresumably,therefore,ofeveryoneintheaudience.("No,no,"fromascepticalstudentinthebackrow.)Iftheyounggentlemanintheredtiewhocried"No,no,"andwhopresumablyclaimedtohavebeenhatchedoutofanegg,wouldwai