"Try Your Luck with Professor Challenger"
I always liked McArdle, the crabbed1, old, round-backed, red-headed news editor, and I rather hoped that he liked me. Of course, Beaumont was the real boss; but he lived in the rarefied atmosphere of some Olympian height from which he could distinguish nothing smaller than an international crisis or a split in the Cabinet. Sometimes we saw him passing in lonely majesty2 to his inner sanctum, with his eyes staring vaguely3 and his mind hovering4 over the Balkans or the Persian Gulf5. He was above and beyond us. But McArdle was his first lieutenant6, and it was he that we knew. The old man nodded as I entered the room, and he pushed his spectacles far up on his bald forehead.
"Well, Mr. Malone, from all I hear, you seem to be doing very well," said he in his kindly7 Scotch8 accent.
I thanked him.
"The colliery explosion was excellent. So was the Southwark fire. You have the true descreeptive touch. What did you want to see me about?"
"To ask a favor."
He looked alarmed, and his eyes shunned9 mine. "Tut, tut! What is it?"
"Do you think, Sir, that you could possibly send me on some mission for the paper? I would do my best to put it through and get you some good copy."
"What sort of meesion had you in your mind, Mr. Malone?"
"Well, Sir, anything that had adventure and danger in it. I really would do my very best. The more difficult it was, the better it would suit me."
"You seem very anxious to lose your life."
"Dear me, Mr. Malone, this is very--very exalted11. I'm afraid the day for this sort of thing is rather past. The expense of the `special meesion' business hardly justifies12 the result, and, of course, in any case it would only be an experienced man with a name that would command public confidence who would get such an order. The big blank spaces in the map are all being filled in, and there's no room for romance anywhere. Wait a bit, though!" he added, with a sudden smile upon his face. "Talking of the blank spaces of the map gives me an idea. What about exposing a fraud--a modern Munchausen--and making him rideeculous? You could show him up as the liar13 that he is! Eh, man, it would be fine. How does it appeal to you?"
"Anything--anywhere--I care nothing."
McArdle was plunged14 in thought for some minutes.
"I wonder whether you could get on friendly--or at least on talking terms with the fellow," he said, at last. "You seem to have a sort of genius for establishing relations with people--seempathy, I suppose, or animal magnetism15, or youthful vitality16, or something. I am conscious of it myself."
"You are very good, sir."
"So why should you not try your luck with Professor Challenger, of Enmore Park?"
I dare say I looked a little startled.
"Challenger!" I cried. "Professor Challenger, the famous zoologist17! Wasn't he the man who broke the skull18 of Blundell, of the Telegraph?"
The news editor smiled grimly.
"Do you mind? Didn't you say it was adventures you were after?"
"It is all in the way of business, sir," I answered.
"Exactly. I don't suppose he can always be so violent as that. I'm thinking that Blundell got him at the wrong moment, maybe, or in the wrong fashion. You may have better luck, or more tact19 in handling him. There's something in your line there, I am sure, and the Gazette should work it."
"I really know nothing about him," said I. I only remember his name in connection with the police-court proceedings20, for striking Blundell."
"I have a few notes for your guidance, Mr. Malone. I've had my eye on the Professor for some little time." He took a paper from a drawer. "Here is a summary of his record. I give it you briefly:-
"`Challenger, George Edward. Born: Largs, N. B., 1863. Educ.: Largs Academy; Edinburgh University. British Museum Assistant, 1892. Assistant-Keeper of Comparative Anthropology21 Department, 1893. Resigned after acrimonious22 correspondence same year. Winner of Crayston Medal for Zoological Research. Foreign Member of'--well, quite a lot of things, about two inches of small type--`Societe Belge, American Academy of Sciences, La Plata, etc., etc. Ex-President Palaeontological Society. Section H, British Association'--so on, so on!--`Publications: "Some Observations Upon a Series of Kalmuck Skulls"; "Outlines of Vertebrate Evolution"; and numerous papers, including "The underlying23 fallacy of Weissmannism," which caused heated discussion at the Zoological Congress of Vienna. Recreations: Walking, Alpine24 climbing. Address: Enmore Park, Kensington, W.'
"There, take it with you. I've nothing more for you to-night."
I pocketed the slip of paper.
"One moment, sir," I said, as I realized that it was a pink bald head, and not a red face, which was fronting me. "I am not very clear yet why I am to interview this gentleman. What has he done?"
The face flashed back again.
"Went to South America on a solitary25 expedeetion two years ago. Came back last year. Had undoubtedly26 been to South America, but refused to say exactly where. Began to tell his adventures in a vague way, but somebody started to pick holes, and he just shut up like an oyster27. Something wonderful happened--or the man's a champion liar, which is the more probable supposeetion. Had some damaged photographs, said to be fakes. Got so touchy28 that he assaults anyone who asks questions, and heaves reporters doun the stairs. In my opinion he's just a homicidal megalomaniac with a turn for science. That's your man, Mr. Malone. Now, off you run, and see what you can make of him. You're big enough to look after yourself. Anyway, you are all safe. Employers' Liability Act, you know."
A grinning red face turned once more into a pink oval, fringed with gingery29 fluff; the interview was at an end.
I walked across to the Savage30 Club, but instead of turning into it I leaned upon the railings of Adelphi Terrace and gazed thoughtfully for a long time at the brown, oily river. I can always think most sanely31 and clearly in the open air. I took out the list of Professor Challenger's exploits, and I read it over under the electric lamp. Then I had what I can only regard as an inspiration. As a Pressman, I felt sure from what I had been told that I could never hope to get into touch with this cantankerous32 Professor. But these recriminations, twice mentioned in his skeleton biography, could only mean that he was a fanatic33 in science. Was there not an exposed margin34 there upon which he might be accessible? I would try.
I entered the club. It was just after eleven, and the big room was fairly full, though the rush had not yet set in. I noticed a tall, thin, angular man seated in an arm-chair by the fire. He turned as I drew my chair up to him. It was the man of all others whom I should have chosen--Tarp Henry, of the staff of Nature, a thin, dry, leathery creature, who was full, to those who knew him, of kindly humanity. I plunged instantly into my subject.
"What do you know of Professor Challenger?"
"Challenger?" He gathered his brows in scientific disapproval35. "Challenger was the man who came with some cock-and-bull story from South America."
"What story?"
"Oh, it was rank nonsense about some queer animals he had discovered. I believe he has retracted36 since. Anyhow, he has suppressed it all. He gave an interview to Reuter's, and there was such a howl that he saw it wouldn't do. It was a discreditable business. There were one or two folk who were inclined to take him seriously, but he soon choked them off."
"How?"
"Well, by his insufferable rudeness and impossible behavior. There was poor old Wadley, of the Zoological Institute. Wadley sent a message: `The President of the Zoological Institute presents his compliments to Professor Challenger, and would take it as a personal favor if he would do them the honor to come to their next meeting.' The answer was unprintable."
"You don't say?"
"Well, a bowdlerized version of it would run: `Professor Challenger presents his compliments to the President of the Zoological Institute, and would take it as a personal favor if he would go to the devil.'"
"Good Lord!"
"Yes, I expect that's what old Wadley said. I remember his wail37 at the meeting, which began: `In fifty years experience of scientific intercourse----' It quite broke the old man up."
"Anything more about Challenger?"
"Well, I'm a bacteriologist, you know. I live in a nine-hundred-diameter microscope. I can hardly claim to take serious notice of anything that I can see with my naked eye. I'm a frontiersman from the extreme edge of the Knowable, and I feel quite out of place when I leave my study and come into touch with all you great, rough, hulking creatures. I'm too detached to talk scandal, and yet at scientific conversaziones I HAVE heard something of Challenger, for he is one of those men whom nobody can ignore. He's as clever as they make 'em--a full-charged battery of force and vitality, but a quarrelsome, ill-conditioned faddist38, and unscrupulous at that. He had gone the length of faking some photographs over the South American business."
"You say he is a faddist. What is his particular fad39?"
"He has a thousand, but the latest is something about Weissmann and Evolution. He had a fearful row about it in Vienna, I believe."
"Can't you tell me the point?"
"Not at the moment, but a translation of the proceedings exists. We have it filed at the office. Would you care to come?"
"It's just what I want. I have to interview the fellow, and I need some lead up to him. It's really awfully40 good of you to give me a lift. I'll go with you now, if it is not too late."
Half an hour later I was seated in the newspaper office with a huge tome in front of me, which had been opened at the article "Weissmann versus41 Darwin," with the sub heading, "Spirited Protest at Vienna. Lively Proceedings." My scientific education having been somewhat neglected, I was unable to follow the whole argument, but it was evident that the English Professor had handled his subject in a very aggressive fashion, and had thoroughly42 annoyed his Continental43 colleagues. "Protests," "Uproar," and "General appeal to the Chairman" were three of the first brackets which caught my eye. Most of the matter might have been written in Chinese for any definite meaning that it conveyed to my brain.
"I wish you could translate it into English for me," I said, pathetically, to my help-mate.
"Well, it is a translation."
"Then I'd better try my luck with the original."
"It is certainly rather deep for a layman44."
"If I could only get a single good, meaty sentence which seemed to convey some sort of definite human idea, it would serve my turn. Ah, yes, this one will do. I seem in a vague way almost to understand it. I'll copy it out. This shall be my link with the terrible Professor."
"Nothing else I can do?"
"Well, yes; I propose to write to him. If I could frame the letter here, and use your address it would give atmosphere."
"We'll have the fellow round here making a row and breaking the furniture."
"No, no; you'll see the letter--nothing contentious45, I assure you."
"Well, that's my chair and desk. You'll find paper there. I'd like to censor46 it before it goes."
It took some doing, but I flatter myself that it wasn't such a bad job when it was finished. I read it aloud to the critical bacteriologist with some pride in my handiwork.
"DEAR PROFESSOR CHALLENGER," it said, "As a humble47 student of Nature, I have always taken the most profound interest in your speculations48 as to the differences between Darwin and Weissmann. I have recently had occasion to refresh my memory by re-reading----"
"You infernal liar!" murmured Tarp Henry.
--"by re-reading your masterly address at Vienna. That lucid49 and admirable statement seems to be the last word in the matter. There is one sentence in it, however--namely: `I protest strongly against the insufferable and entirely50 dogmatic assertion that each separate id is a microcosm possessed51 of an historical architecture elaborated slowly through the series of generations.' Have you no desire, in view of later research, to modify this statement? Do you not think that it is over-accentuated? With your permission, I would ask the favor of an interview, as I feel strongly upon the subject, and have certain suggestions which I could only elaborate in a personal conversation. With your consent, I trust to have the honor of calling at eleven o'clock the day after to-morrow (Wednesday) morning.
"I remain, Sir, with assurances of profound respect, yours very truly, EDWARD D. MALONE."
"How's that?" I asked, triumphantly52.
"Well if your conscience can stand it----"
"It has never failed me yet."
"But what do you mean to do?"
"To get there. Once I am in his room I may see some opening. I may even go the length of open confession53. If he is a sportsman he will be tickled54."
"Dickled, indeed! He's much more likely to do the tickling55. Chain mail, or an American football suit--that's what you'll want. Well, good-bye. I'll have the answer for you here on Wednesday morning--if he ever deigns56 to answer you. He is a violent, dangerous, cantankerous character, hated by everyone who comes across him, and the butt57 of the students, so far as they dare take a liberty with him. Perhaps it would be best for you if you never heard from the fellow at all."
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1
crabbed
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| adj.脾气坏的；易怒的；（指字迹）难辨认的；（字迹等）难辨认的v.捕蟹( crab的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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shunned
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| v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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justifies
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| 证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护） | |
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liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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magnetism
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| n.磁性，吸引力，磁学 | |
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vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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zoologist
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| n.动物学家 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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anthropology
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| n.人类学 | |
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acrimonious
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| adj.严厉的，辛辣的，刻毒的 | |
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underlying
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| adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的 | |
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alpine
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| adj.高山的；n.高山植物 | |
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25
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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oyster
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| n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人 | |
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touchy
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| adj.易怒的；棘手的 | |
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gingery
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| adj.姜味的 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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sanely
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| ad.神志清楚地 | |
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cantankerous
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| adj.爱争吵的，脾气不好的 | |
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fanatic
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| n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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36
retracted
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| v.撤回或撤消( retract的过去式和过去分词 )；拒绝执行或遵守；缩回；拉回 | |
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wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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faddist
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| n.趋于时尚者，好新奇的人 | |
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fad
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| n.时尚；一时流行的狂热；一时的爱好 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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versus
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| prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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continental
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| adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的 | |
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layman
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| n.俗人，门外汉，凡人 | |
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contentious
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| adj.好辩的，善争吵的 | |
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censor
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| n./vt.审查，审查员；删改 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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lucid
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| adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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51
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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52
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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53
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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54
tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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55
tickling
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| 反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法 | |
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56
deigns
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| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的第三人称单数 ) | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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