mIgavesomeaccountofmyadventures.Helistenedwithascepticalsmileonhisgauntface,androaredwithlaughteronhearingthattheProfessorhadconvincedme.
"Mydearchap,thingsdon'thappenlikethatinreallife.Peopledon'tstumbleuponenormousdiscoveriesandthenlosetheirevidence.Leavethattothenovelists.Thefellowisasfulloftricksasthemonkey-houseattheZoo.It'sallbosh."
"ButtheAmericanpoet?"
"Heneverexisted."
"Isawhissketch-book."
"Challenger'ssketch-book."
"Youthinkhedrewthatanimal?"
"Ofcoursehedid.Whoelse?"
"Well,then,thephotographs?"
"Therewasnothinginthephotographs.Byyourownadmissionyouonlysawabird."
"Apterodactyl."
"That'swhatHEsays.Heputthepterodactylintoyourhead."
"Well,then,thebones?"
"FirstoneoutofanIrishstew.Secondonevampedupfortheoccasion.Ifyouarecleverandknowyourbusinessyoucanfakeaboneaseasilyasyoucanaphotograph."
Ibegantofeeluneasy.Perhaps,afterall,Ihadbeenprematureinmyacquiescence.ThenIhadasuddenhappythought.
"Willyoucometothemeeting?"Iasked.
TarpHenrylookedthoughtful.
"Heisnotapopularperson,thegenialChallenger,"saidhe."Alotofpeoplehaveaccountstosettlewithhim.Ishouldsayheisaboutthebest-hatedmaninLondon.Ifthemedicalstudentsturnouttherewillbenoendofarag.Idon'twanttogetintoabear-garden."
"Youmightatleastdohimthejusticetohearhimstatehisowncase."
"Well,perhapsit'sonlyfair.Allright.I'myourmanfortheevening."
WhenwearrivedatthehallwefoundamuchgreaterconcoursethanIhadexpected.Alineofelectricbroughamsdischargedtheirlittlecargoesofwhite-beardedprofessors,whilethedarkstreamofhumblerpedestrians,whocrowdedthroughthearcheddoor-way,showedthattheaudiencewouldbepopularaswellasscientific.Indeed,itbecameevidenttousassoonaswehadtakenourseatsthatayouthfulandevenboyishspiritwasabroadinthegalleryandthebackportionsofthehall.Lookingbehindme,Icouldseerowsoffacesofthefamiliarmedicalstudenttype.Apparentlythegreathospitalshadeachsentdowntheircontingent.Thebehavioroftheaudienceatpresentwasgood-humored,butmischievous.Scrapsofpopularsongswerechorusedwithanenthusiasmwhichwasastrangepreludetoascientificlecture,andtherewasalreadyatendencytopersonalchaffwhichpromisedajovialeven