CHAPTER V "Question!"

usheadnoddingsympathetically,asifhewerebestowingapontificalblessinguponthecrowd),"IhavebeenselectedtomoveavoteofthankstoMr.Waldronfortheverypicturesqueandimaginativeaddresstowhichwehavejustlistened.TherearepointsinitwithwhichIdisagree,andithasbeenmydutytoindicatethemastheyarose,but,nonetheless,Mr.Waldronhasaccomplishedhisobjectwell,thatobjectbeingtogiveasimpleandinterestingaccountofwhatheconceivestohavebeenthehistoryofourplanet.Popularlecturesaretheeasiesttolistento,butMr.Waldron"(herehebeamedandblinkedatthelecturer)"willexcusemewhenIsaythattheyarenecessarilybothsuperficialandmisleading,sincetheyhavetobegradedtothecomprehensionofanignorantaudience."(Ironicalcheering.)"Popularlecturersareintheirnatureparasitic."(AngrygestureofprotestfromMr.Waldron.)"Theyexploitforfameorcashtheworkwhichhasbeendonebytheirindigentandunknownbrethren.Onesmallestnewfactobtainedinthelaboratory,onebrickbuiltintothetempleofscience,faroutweighsanysecond-handexpositionwhichpassesanidlehour,butcanleavenousefulresultbehindit.Iputforwardthisobviousreflection,notoutofanydesiretodisparageMr.Waldroninparticular,butthatyoumaynotloseyoursenseofproportionandmistaketheacolyteforthehighpriest."(AtthispointMr.Waldronwhisperedtothechairman,whohalfroseandsaidsomethingseverelytohiswater-carafe.)"Butenoughofthis!"(Loudandprolongedcheers.)"Letmepasstosomesubjectofwiderinterest.WhatistheparticularpointuponwhichI,asanoriginalinvestigator,havechallengedourlecturer'saccuracy?Itisuponthepermanenceofcertaintypesofanimallifeupontheearth.Idonotspeakuponthissubjectasanamateur,nor,Imayadd,asapopularlecturer,butIspeakasonewhosescientificconsciencecompelshimtoadherecloselytofacts,whenIsaythatMr.Waldronisverywronginsupposingthatbecausehehasneverhimselfseenaso-calledprehistoricanimal,thereforethesecreaturesnolongerexist.Theyareindeed,ashehassaid,ourancestors,buttheyare,ifImayusetheexpression,ourcontemporaryancestors,whocanstillbefoundwithalltheirhideousandformidablecharacteristicsifonehasbuttheenergyandhardihoodtoseektheirhaunts.CreatureswhichweresupposedtobeJurassic,monsterswhowouldhuntdownanddevourourlargestandfiercestmammals,stillexist."(Criesof"Bosh!""Proveit!""HowdoYOUknow?""Question!")"HowdoIknow,youaskme?IknowbecauseIhavevisitedtheirsecrethaunts.IknowbecauseIhaveseensomeofthem."(Applause,uproar,andavoice,"Liar!")"AmIaliar?"(Generalheartyandnoisyassent.)"DidIhearsomeonesaythatIwasaliar?WillthepersonwhocalledmealiarkindlystandupthatImayknowhim?"(Avoice,"Hereheis,sir!"andaninoffensivelittlepersoninspectacles,strugglingviolently,washeldupamongagroupofstudents.)"Didyouventuretocallmealiar?"("No,sir,no!"shoutedtheaccused,anddisappearedlikeajack-in-the-box.)"Ifanypersoninthishalldarestodoubtmyveracity,Ishallbegladtohaveafewwordswithhimafterthelecture."("Liar!")"Whosaidthat?"(Againtheinoffensiveoneplungingdesperately,waselevatedhighintotheair.)"IfIcomedownamongyou——"(Generalchorusof"Come,love,come!"whichinterruptedtheproceedingsforsomemoments,whilethechairman,standingupandwavingbothhisarms,seemedtobeconductingthemusic.TheProfessor,withhisfaceflushed,hisnostrilsdilated,andhisbeardbristling,wasnowinaproperBerserkmood.)"Everygreatdiscovererhasbeenmetwiththesameincredulity—thesurebrandofagenerationoffools.Whengreatfactsarelaidbeforeyou,youhavenottheintuition,theimaginationwhichwouldhelpyoutounderstandthem.Youcanonlythrowmudatthemenwhohaveriskedtheirlivestoopennewfieldstoscience.Youpersecutetheprophets!Galileo!Darwin,andI——"(Prolongedcheeringandcompleteinterruption.) Allthisisfrommyhurriednotestakenatthetime,whichgivelittlenotionoftheabsolutechaostowhichtheassemblyhadbythistimebeenreduced.Soterrificwastheuproarthatseveralladieshadalreadybeatenahurriedretreat.Graveandreverendseniorsseemedtohavecaughttheprevailingspiritasbadlyasthestudents,andIsawwhite-beardedmenrisingandshakingtheirfistsattheobdurateProfessor.Thewholegreataudienceseethedandsimmeredlikeaboilingpot.TheProfessortookastepforwardandraisedbothhishands.Therewassomethingsobigandarrestingandvirileinthemanthattheclatterandshoutingdiedgraduallyawaybeforehiscommandinggestureandhismasterfuleyes.Heseemedtohaveadefinitemessage.Theyhushedtohearit. "Iwillnotdetainyou,"hesaid."Itisnotworthit.Truthistruth,andthenoiseofanumberoffoolishyoungmen—and,IfearImustadd,oftheirequ