"Arthur C. Doyle - The Poison Belt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Clarke Arthur C)

The good old Scotchman shook his head, scratched his dwindling
fringe of ruddy fluff, and finally put his reluctance into words.

"I was thinking, Mr. Malone, that we could employ you to
advantage these days. I was thinking there was a story that you
are the only man that could handle as it should be handled."

"I am sorry for that," said I, trying to hide my disappointment.
"Of course if I am needed, there is an end of the matter. But the
engagement was important and intimate. If I could be spared----"

"Well, I don't see that you can."

It was bitter, but I had to put the best face I could upon it.
After all, it was my own fault, for I should have known by this
time that a journalist has no right to make plans of his own.

"Then I'll think no more of it," said I with as much
cheerfulness as I could assume at so short a notice. "What was
it that you wanted me to do?"

"Well, it was just to interview that deevil of a man down at
Rotherfield."

"You don't mean Professor Challenger?" I cried.

"Aye, it's just him that I do mean. He ran young Alec Simpson of
the _Courier_ a mile down the high road last week by the collar
of his coat and the slack of his breeches. You'll have read of
it, likely, in the police report. Our boys would as soon
interview a loose alligator in the zoo. But you could do it, I'm
thinking--an old friend like you."

"Why," said I, greatly relieved, "this makes it all easy. It so
happens that it was to visit Professor Challenger at Rotherfield
that I was asking for leave of absence. The fact is, that it is
the anniversary of our main adventure on the plateau three years
ago, and he has asked our whole party down to his house to see
him and celebrate the occasion."

"Capital!" cried McArdle, rubbing his hands and beaming through
his glasses. "Then you will be able to get his opeenions out of
him. In any other man I would say it was all moonshine, but the
fellow has made good once, and who knows but he may again!"

"Get what out of him?" I asked. "What has he been doing?"

"Haven't you seen his letter on `Scientific Possibeelities' in
to-day's _Times_?"