rheldbacktobepublishedlater,accordingtothewishesofProfessorChallenger,sincewecouldnotyetknowwhatconditionshemightattachtothosedirectionswhichshouldguideustotheunknownland.Inresponsetoatelephoneinquiry,wereceivednothingmoredefinitethanafulminationagainstthePress,endingupwiththeremarkthatifwewouldnotifyourboathewouldhandusanydirectionswhichhemightthinkitpropertogiveusatthemomentofstarting.Asecondquestionfromusfailedtoelicitanyansweratall,saveaplaintivebleatfromhiswifetotheeffectthatherhusbandwasinaveryviolenttemperalready,andthatshehopedwewoulddonothingtomakeitworse.Athirdattempt,laterintheday,provokedaterrificcrash,andasubsequentmessagefromtheCentralExchangethatProfessorChallenger'sreceiverhadbeenshattered.Afterthatweabandonedallattemptatcommunication.
Andnowmypatientreaders,Icanaddressyoudirectlynolonger.Fromnowonwards(if,indeed,anycontinuationofthisnarrativeshouldeverreachyou)itcanonlybethroughthepaperwhichIrepresent.InthehandsoftheeditorIleavethisaccountoftheeventswhichhaveleduptooneofthemostremarkableexpeditionsofalltime,sothatifIneverreturntoEnglandthereshallbesomerecordastohowtheaffaircameabout.IamwritingtheselastlinesinthesaloonoftheBoothlinerFrancisca,andtheywillgobackbythepilottothekeepingofMr.McArdle.LetmedrawonelastpicturebeforeIclosethenotebook—apicturewhichisthelastmemoryoftheoldcountrywhichIbearawaywithme.Itisawet,foggymorninginthelatespringathin,coldrainisfalling.Threeshiningmackintoshedfiguresarewalkingdownthequay,makingforthegang-plankofthegreatlinerfromwhichtheblue-peterisflying.Infrontofthemaporterpushesatrolleypiledhighwithtrunks,wraps,andgun-cases.ProfessorSummerlee,along,melancholyfigure,walkswithdraggingstepsanddroopinghead,asonewhoisalreadyprofoundlysorryforhimself.LordJohnRoxtonstepsbriskly,andhisthin,eagerfacebeamsforthbetweenhishunting-capandhismuffler.Asformyself,Iamgladtohavegotthebustlingdaysofpreparationandthepangsofleave-takingbehindme,andIhaven