asthemanofallotherswhomIshouldhavechosen—TarpHenry,ofthestaffofNature,athin,dry,leatherycreature,whowasfull,tothosewhoknewhim,ofkindlyhumanity.Iplungedinstantlyintomysubject.
"WhatdoyouknowofProfessorChallenger?"
"Challenger?"Hegatheredhisbrowsinscientificdisapproval."Challengerwasthemanwhocamewithsomecock-and-bullstoryfromSouthAmerica."
"Whatstory?"
"Oh,itwasranknonsenseaboutsomequeeranimalshehaddiscovered.Ibelievehehasretractedsince.Anyhow,hehassuppresseditall.HegaveaninterviewtoReuter's,andtherewassuchahowlthathesawitwouldn'tdo.Itwasadiscreditablebusiness.Therewereoneortwofolkwhowereinclinedtotakehimseriously,buthesoonchokedthemoff."
"How?"
"Well,byhisinsufferablerudenessandimpossiblebehavior.TherewaspooroldWadley,oftheZoologicalInstitute.Wadleysentamessage:'ThePresidentoftheZoologicalInstitutepresentshiscomplimentstoProfessorChallenger,andwouldtakeitasapersonalfavorifhewoulddothemthehonortocometotheirnextmeeting.'Theanswerwasunprintable."
"Youdon'tsay?"
"Well,abowdlerizedversionofitwouldrun:'ProfessorChallengerpresentshiscomplimentstothePresidentoftheZoologicalInstitute,andwouldtakeitasapersonalfavorifhewouldgotothedevil.'"
"GoodLord!"
"Yes,Iexpectthat'swhatoldWadleysaid.Irememberhiswailatthemeeting,whichbegan:'Infiftyyearsexperienceofscientificintercourse——'Itquitebroketheoldmanup."
"AnythingmoreaboutChallenger?"
"Well,I'mabacteriologist,youknow.Iliveinanine-hundred-diametermicroscope.IcanhardlyclaimtotakeseriousnoticeofanythingthatIcanseewithmynakedeye.I'mafrontiersmanfromtheextremeedgeoftheKnowable,andIfeelquiteoutofplacewhenIleavemystudyandcomeintotouchwithallyougreat,rough,hulkingcreatures.I'mtoodetachedtotalkscandal,andyetatscientificconversazionesIHAVEheardsomethingofChallenger,forheisoneofthosemenwhomnobodycanignore.He'sascleverastheymake'em—afull-chargedbatteryofforceandvitality,but