The Lost World Audiobook - Chapter 2 - By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Read by Dr James Gill

[Music] hello well uh it's been the end of a bit of a busy week here Sarah decided to try and Oh mother apparently someone else is Gladys the weekend permissively I'm working tomorrow but nevertheless now listen you're good to sit down come on sit down one of the problems of this is a larger book he was able to sit down easily on my knee but uh no it doesn't quite work come on down you go I can't quite lift this book over the top of him now you sitting comfortably let's give that again so the lost world chapter to try your luck with professor challenger I was like McArdle the crabbed old round back red-headed news editor I rather hope 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 split in the cabinet sometimes we saw him passing in the lonely majesty tis inner sanctum with his eyes staring vaguely and his mind hovering somewhere over the Balkans or perhaps the Persian Gulf he was above and beyond us but McArdle was his first leftenant 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 what I hear you seem to be doing very well he said it is a slight - Scottish accent what did you want to see me about that to ask a favor he looked alarmed in his eyes shunned mine tut tut what is it do you think so you could possibly send me on a mission for the vapor I do my best to put it through and get you some good coffee what sort of mission did you have in mind mr. Malone well anything that a venture in danger in it not I really would do my very best the more difficult the better that would suit me you seem very anxious to lose your life to justify my life sir didn't mean mr. Malone this is very exalted I'm afraid the day for this sort of thing is rather past the expense of at the special business business hardly justifies the result and of course in any case it would only be an experienced man with a name that could command public confidence who'd get such an order the big blank spaces on the map but all being filled in and there's no room for romance anyway wait a bit though he had with the sudden smile upon his face talking of black spaces on the map gives me an idea what about exposing a fraud a modern Munchausen if you will and making him seem ridiculous you could show him up to be the liar he is you could show him you could show the truth a man would it be fine how does that appeal to you well anything anywhere I care nothing McArdle was plunged into thought for some minutes I wonder whether you could get friendly or at least on talking terms of the federal he said at last do you seem to have a sort of ingenious for establishing relations with people sympathy up or for suppose or animal magnetism or youthful vitality something rather I'm very conscious of it myself thank you a very good sir so why don't you try your luck with professor challenger event Moorpark I daresay I looked a little startled challenger I cried professor challenger the famous zoologist wasn't he the man that broke the skull of Blundell of the Telegraph the news editor smiled grimly do you mind didn't you say it was adventures hereafter it's all by way of business I suppose sir I answered exactly and I don't suppose he can be so violent as that I'm thinking Blundell got him at the wrong Mormon perhaps or in the wrong fashion you may have better luck or more tact and handling him there's something in your line there I'm sure and the Gazette should make it work I really know nothing about him said I and I only remember his name in connection with the court proceedings for striking blundell I have a few notes for you for guidance mr. Malone I've had an eye on the professor for some time he took sandpaper from the draw here's a summary of his record I'll give it to you briefly challenger George Edward born Lorex 1836 education larks Academy Edinburgh University British Museum assistant 1862 assistant keeper of comparative anthropology department 1863 resigned after acrimonious correspondence the same year when if the question medal for zoological research fall remember of well quite a lot of things all about two-inches quite small type associated Bell G American Academy of Science la planta etc etc ex-british paleontological society section H British Association and so on and so on publications some observations on a series of calmac skulls outlines of vertebrate evolution and numerous papers including the underlying fallacy of Wiseman ISM that caused quite a heated discussion a zoological conference of Breanna recreations walking alpine climbing address and Moore Park Kensington there ticket with you I have nothing more for you tonight I pocketed the slip of paper one moment sir I said as I realized it was a pink bald head and not a red face which was now confronting me I'm not very clear as to why I'm to interview this gentleman what's he done the face flashed back again went to South America on a sort expedition two years ago came back last year had undoubtedly been to South America but refused to say exactly where began to tell his adventures in a vague way but somebody started picking halls and he just shut up like an oyster something wonderful happened or the man's a champion liar which is the more probable supposition had some damage photographs said to be fakes got so touchy that he assaults anyone who asked questions and he for the quarters down the stairs in my opinion he's a homicidal megalomaniac with a turn for science that is German mr. Malone now off your own 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 fringe with gingery fluff the interview was at an end I walked across to the savage club but instead of turning into it I leaned upon the railings of the Adelphi Terrace and gazed thoughtfully for a long time at the brown Orly river I can always think more sanely more clearly in the open air I took out the list of Professor challengers exploits and as I read it over and under the electric lamp then I had what I can only regard as an inspiration as a Pressman I felt sure from what I've been told I could never hope to get in touch with this cantankerous professor but these are criminais shion's twice mentioned in his skeleton biography could only mean that he is a fanatic in science was there not been exposed margin there upon which he might be accessible I would try I entered the club it was just after 11:00 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 armchair 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 on the staff of nature a thin dry leathery creature who is known to those who knew him as having kindly humanity I plunged instantly into my subject what what do you know professor challenger challenger he gathered his eyebrows in a scientific disapproval challenge was the man who came with some cotton ball store from South America look what story it was some rank mops us about some quit animal who discovered I believe he's retracted it since anyhow he suppressed it all gave an interview to Reuters and was such a howl about it that he saw it wouldn't do it was a diss credible business there were one or two folk who are inclined to take him seriously but he soon took them off how well by his insufferable rudeness and impossible behavior there was poor old Bradley of the zoological Institute widely sent a message the president of the Zoological Institute presents 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 he gave was unprintable you don't say well a bold Erised 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 my word yes I expect that's exactly what old Wadley said I remember his wail at the meeting it becomes something like in 50 years of experience scientific intercourse it quite broke the old man up anything more about challenger well I'm a bachelor ologist you know I live in a 900 diameter microscope I can hardly claim to take a serious notice of anything I see with the naked eye I'm a frontiersman from the extreme edge of the knowable I'm feeling 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 conversations I have heard something of challenger for he is one of those men nobody can ignore he's as clever as they make him a full charge battery of force and vitality but quarrelsome an ill-conditioned fattest and unscrupulous but that he'd gone to some lengths faking some photographs over South American business you say it was a fade Asst what was his particular fad well he had a thousand but his latest was something about Wiseman and evolution had a fearful Rao about it in Vienna I believe can you tell me the point not at the moment but a translation the proceedings exists we haven't filed at the office would you care to come that's just what I want I have to interview the fellow and I could really do with a lead up on him it's awfully good of you to give me a lift I will go with you now if it's not too late half an hour later I was seated in the newspaper office with the huge tome in front of me which had been opened at the article Wiseman vs. Darwin with the subheading spirited protests of Vienna lively proceedings my scientific education having been somewhat neglected was unable to follow the argument but it was evident that this English professor had handled this subject in a very aggressive fashion and had thoroughly annoyed his continental 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 it conveyed to my brain I wish you could translate it into English for me I said pathetically to my helpmate well it is a translation then I better try my luck with the original it certainly is rather deep for a layman if I could only get a single good meaty sentence which seemed to convey some definite human ideas that would really serve my turn yes this one will do I it seems vague but oh I almost understand it I'll copy it out this should be my link with a terrible professor nothing else I can do well I suppose I could write to him I could frame it on a letter from here and use your address it could give atmosphere we'll have to fill around him making a round breaking the furniture no no no a bean you'll see the letter nothing contentious I assure you well there's my desk and my chair you'll find paper there I'd like to censor 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 with the critical factor ologist and had some pride in my handiwork a dear professor challenger it said as a humble student of nature I have always taken the most profound interest in your speculation as the differences between Darwin and Wiseman I have recently had the occasion to refresh my memory by reading you infernal liar under tarp Henry by rereading your master dress at Vienna that lucid an 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 an entirely dogmatic assertion that each separate end is a microcosm possessed as a historical architecture elaborated slowly through a series of generations have you no desire in the view of later research to modify that statement do you not think it is over accentuated with your permission I would ask the favor of an interview as I feel strongly on the subject and have certain suggestions that I could only elaborate in a personal conversation with your consent I trust to have the honour of calling at eleven o'clock the day after tomorrow Wednesday I remain sir with assurances profound respect yours very truly Edward T Malone how's that I asked triumphantly well if your constituents can stand it was never felt me add what do you mean to do to get there once I'm in his room I may see some opening I may even go to the length of an open confession if it's a sportsman you'll be tickled tickled indeed is more likely to do with the tickling chainmail on an American football suit that's what you want well goodbye I'll have to answer for you here on Wednesday morning if he ever Dame's to answer you he is a violent dangerous cantankerous character hated by everyone who comes across him and the butt of the students so far as they dare to take Liberty with him perhaps it would be best for you if you'd never heard from the fellow end of chapter two well I turned about you guys but this is a much better read for me certainly than three men in a boat I love conan doyle's way of describing his characters hopefully you guys are gonna get a similar benefit from this as like well and yeah if you if you've enjoyed this please subscribe hit the like button and you'll get a notification when I publish the next version of this or an even further medical book medical talks okay with that take care you [Music]