CHAPTER V "Question!"

tuponhimafterthelecture,hewouldbegladtoseesuchacuriosity.(Laughter.)Itwasstrangetothinkthattheclimaxofalltheage-longprocessofNaturehadbeenthecreationofthatgentlemanintheredtie.Buthadtheprocessstopped?Wasthisgentlemantobetakenasthefinaltype—thebe-allandend-allofdevelopment?Hehopedthathewouldnothurtthefeelingsofthegentlemanintheredtieifhemaintainedthat,whatevervirtuesthatgentlemanmightpossessinprivatelife,stillthevastprocessesoftheuniversewerenotfullyjustifiediftheyweretoendentirelyinhisproduction.Evolutionwasnotaspentforce,butonestillworking,andevengreaterachievementswereinstore. Havingthus,amidageneraltitter,playedveryprettilywithhisinterrupter,thelecturerwentbacktohispictureofthepast,thedryingoftheseas,theemergenceofthesand-bank,thesluggish,viscouslifewhichlayupontheirmargins,theovercrowdedlagoons,thetendencyoftheseacreaturestotakerefugeuponthemud-flats,theabundanceoffoodawaitingthem,theirconsequentenormousgrowth."Hence,ladiesandgentlemen,"headded,"thatfrightfulbroodofsaurianswhichstillaffrightoureyeswhenseenintheWealdenorintheSolenhofenslates,butwhichwerefortunatelyextinctlongbeforethefirstappearanceofmankinduponthisplanet." "Question!"boomedavoicefromtheplatform. Mr.Waldronwasastrictdisciplinarianwithagiftofacidhumor,asexemplifieduponthegentlemanwiththeredtie,whichmadeitperiloustointerrupthim.Butthisinterjectionappearedtohimsoabsurdthathewasatalosshowtodealwithit.SolookstheShakespeareanwhoisconfrontedbyarancidBaconian,ortheastronomerwhoisassailedbyaflat-earthfanatic.Hepausedforamoment,andthen,raisinghisvoice,repeatedslowlythewords:"Whichwereextinctbeforethecomingofman." "Question!"boomedthevoiceoncemore. WaldronlookedwithamazementalongthelineofprofessorsupontheplatformuntilhiseyesfelluponthefigureofChallenger,wholeanedbackinhischairwithclosedeyesandanamusedexpression,asifheweresmilinginhissleep. "Isee!"saidWaldron,withashrug."ItismyfriendProfessorChallenger,"andamidlaughterherenewedhislectureasifthiswasafinalexplanationandnomoreneedbesaid. Buttheincidentwasfarfrombeingclosed.Whateverpaththelecturertookamidthewildsofthepastseemedinvariablytoleadhimtosomeassertionastoextinctorprehistoriclifewhichinstantlybroughtthesamebulls'bellowfromtheProfessor.Theaudiencebegantoanticipateitandtoroarwithdelightwhenitcame.Thepackedbenchesofstudentsjoinedin,andeverytimeChallenger'sbeardopened,beforeanysoundcouldcomeforth,therewasayellof"Question!"fromahundredvoices,andanansweringcountercryof"Order!"and"Shame!"fromasmanymore.Waldron,thoughahardenedlecturerandastrongman,becamerattled.Hehesitated,stammered,repeatedhimself,gotsnarledinalongsentence,andfinallyturnedfuriouslyuponthecauseofhistroubles. "Thisisreallyintolerable!"hecried,glaringacrosstheplatform."Imustaskyou,ProfessorChallenger,toceasetheseignorantandunmannerlyinterruptions." Therewasahushoverthehall,thestudentsrigidwithdelightatseeingthehighgodsonOlympusquarrellingamongthemselves.Challengerleveredhisbulkyfigureslowlyoutofhischair. "Imustinturnaskyou,Mr.Waldron,"hesaid,"toceasetomakeassertionswhicharenotinstrictaccordancewithscientificfact." Thewordsunloosedatempest."Shame!Shame!""Givehimahearing!""Puthimout!""Shovehimofftheplatform!""Fairplay!"emergedfromageneralroarofamusementorexecration.Thechairmanwasonhisfeetflappingbothhishandsandbleatingexcitedly."ProfessorChallenger—personal—views—later,"werethesolidpeaksabovehiscloudsofinaudiblemutter.Theinterrupterbowed,smiled,strokedhisbeard,andrelapsedintohischair.Waldron,veryflushedandwarlike,continuedhisobservations.Nowandthen,ashemadeanassertion,heshotavenomousglanceathisopponent,whoseemedtobeslumberingdeeply,withthesamebroad,happysmileuponhisface. Atlastthelecturecametoanend—Iaminclinedtothinkthatitwasaprematureone,astheperorationwashurriedanddisconnected.Thethreadoftheargumenthadbeenrudelybroken,andtheaudiencewasrestlessandexpectant.Waldronsatdown,and,afterachirrupfromthechairman,ProfessorChallengerroseandadvancedtotheedgeoftheplatform.IntheinterestsofmypaperItookdownhisspeechverbatim. "LadiesandGentlemen,"hebegan,amidasustainedinterruptionfromtheback."Ibegpardon—Ladies,Gentlemen,andChildren—Imustapologize,Ihadinadvertentlyomittedaconsiderablesectionofthisaudience"(tumult,duringwhichtheProfessorstoodwithonehandraisedandhisenormo