CHAPTER V "Question!"

allyfoolishseniors—cannotaffectthematter.IclaimthatIhaveopenedanewfieldofscience.Youdisputeit."(Cheers.)"ThenIputyoutothetest.Willyouaccreditoneormoreofyourownnumbertogooutasyourrepresentativesandtestmystatementinyourname?" Mr.Summerlee,theveteranProfessorofComparativeAnatomy,roseamongtheaudience,atall,thin,bitterman,withthewitheredaspectofatheologian.Hewished,hesaid,toaskProfessorChallengerwhethertheresultstowhichhehadalludedinhisremarkshadbeenobtainedduringajourneytotheheadwatersoftheAmazonmadebyhimtwoyearsbefore. ProfessorChallengeransweredthattheyhad. Mr.SummerleedesiredtoknowhowitwasthatProfessorChallengerclaimedtohavemadediscoveriesinthoseregionswhichhadbeenoverlookedbyWallace,Bates,andotherpreviousexplorersofestablishedscientificrepute. ProfessorChallengeransweredthatMr.SummerleeappearedtobeconfusingtheAmazonwiththeThamesthatitwasinrealityasomewhatlargerriverthatMr.SummerleemightbeinterestedtoknowthatwiththeOrinoco,whichcommunicatedwithit,somefiftythousandmilesofcountrywereopenedup,andthatinsovastaspaceitwasnotimpossibleforonepersontofindwhatanotherhadmissed. Mr.Summerleedeclared,withanacidsmile,thathefullyappreciatedthedifferencebetweentheThamesandtheAmazon,whichlayinthefactthatanyassertionabouttheformercouldbetested,whileaboutthelatteritcouldnot.HewouldbeobligedifProfessorChallengerwouldgivethelatitudeandthelongitudeofthecountryinwhichprehistoricanimalsweretobefound. ProfessorChallengerrepliedthathereservedsuchinformationforgoodreasonsofhisown,butwouldbepreparedtogiveitwithproperprecautionstoacommitteechosenfromtheaudience.WouldMr.Summerleeserveonsuchacommitteeandtesthisstoryinperson? Mr.Summerlee:"Yes,Iwill."(Greatcheering.) ProfessorChallenger:"ThenIguaranteethatIwillplaceinyourhandssuchmaterialaswillenableyoutofindyourway.Itisonlyright,however,sinceMr.SummerleegoestocheckmystatementthatIshouldhaveoneormorewithhimwhomaycheckhis.Iwillnotdisguisefromyouthattherearedifficultiesanddangers.Mr.Summerleewillneedayoungercolleague.MayIaskforvolunteers?" Itisthusthatthegreatcrisisofaman'slifespringsoutathim.CouldIhaveimaginedwhenIenteredthathallthatIwasabouttopledgemyselftoawilderadventurethanhadevercometomeinmydreams?ButGladys—wasitnottheveryopportunityofwhichshespoke?Gladyswouldhavetoldmetogo.Ihadsprungtomyfeet.Iwasspeaking,andyetIhadpreparednowords.TarpHenry,mycompanion,waspluckingatmyskirtsandIheardhimwhispering,"Sitdown,Malone!Don'tmakeapublicassofyourself."AtthesametimeIwasawarethatatall,thinman,withdarkgingeryhair,afewseatsinfrontofme,wasalsouponhisfeet.Heglaredbackatmewithhardangryeyes,butIrefusedtogiveway. "Iwillgo,Mr.Chairman,"Ikeptrepeatingoverandoveragain. "Name!Name!"criedtheaudience. "MynameisEdwardDunnMalone.IamthereporteroftheDailyGazette.Iclaimtobeanabsolutelyunprejudicedwitness." "WhatisYOURname,sir?"thechairmanaskedofmytallrival. "IamLordJohnRoxton.IhavealreadybeenuptheAmazon,Iknowalltheground,andhavespecialqualificationsforthisinvestigation." "LordJohnRoxton'sreputationasasportsmanandatraveleris,ofcourse,world-famous,"saidthechairman"atthesametimeitwouldcertainlybeaswelltohaveamemberofthePressuponsuchanexpedition." "ThenImove,"saidProfessorChallenger,"thatboththesegentlemenbeelected,asrepresentativesofthismeeting,toaccompanyProfessorSummerleeuponhisjourneytoinvestigateandtoreportuponthetruthofmystatements." Andso,amidshoutingandcheering,ourfatewasdecided,andIfoundmyselfborneawayinthehumancurrentwhichswirledtowardsthedoor,withmymindhalfstunnedbythevastnewprojectwhichhadrisensosuddenlybeforeit.AsIemergedfromthehallIwasconsciousforamomentofarushoflaughingstudents—downthepavement,andofanarmwieldingaheavyumbrella,whichroseandfellinthemidstofthem.Then,amidamixtureofgroansandcheers,ProfessorChallenger'selectricbroughamslidfromthecurb,andIfoundmyselfwalkingunderthesilverylightsofRegentStreet,fullofthoughtsofGladysandofwonderastomyfuture. Suddenlytherewasatouchatmyelbow.Iturned,andfoundmyselflookingintothehumorous,masterfuleyesofthetall,thinmanwhohadvolunteeredtobemycompaniononthisstrangequest. "Mr.Malone,Iunderstand,"saidhe."Wearetobecompanions—what?Myroomsarejustovertheroad,intheAlbany.Perhapsyouwouldhavethekindnesstosparemehalfanhour,forthereareoneortwothingsthatIbadlywanttosaytoyou."