-
- Книги
- Авторы
- Артур Конан Дойл
- Отравленный пояс
- Стр. 1/67
The Poisoned Belt
It
is
imperative
that
now
at
once
,
while
these
stupendous
events
are
still
clear
in
my
mind
,
I
should
set
them
down
with
that
exactness
of
detail
which
time
may
blur
.
But
even
as
I
do
so
,
I
am
overwhelmed
by
the
wonder
of
the
fact
that
it
should
be
our
little
group
of
the
"
Lost
World
"
—
Professor
Challenger
,
Professor
Summerlee
,
Lord
John
Roxton
,
and
myself
—
who
have
passed
through
this
amazing
experience
.
When
,
some
years
ago
,
I
chronicled
in
the
Daily
Gazette
our
epoch
-
making
journey
in
South
America
,
I
little
thought
that
it
should
ever
fall
to
my
lot
to
tell
an
even
stranger
personal
experience
,
one
which
is
unique
in
all
human
annals
and
must
stand
out
in
the
records
of
history
as
a
great
peak
among
the
humble
foothills
which
surround
it
.
The
event
itself
will
always
be
marvellous
,
but
the
circumstances
that
we
four
were
together
at
the
time
of
this
extraordinary
episode
came
about
in
a
most
natural
and
,
indeed
,
inevitable
fashion
.
I
will
explain
the
events
which
led
up
to
it
as
shortly
and
as
clearly
as
I
can
,
though
I
am
well
aware
that
the
fuller
the
detail
upon
such
a
subject
the
more
welcome
it
will
be
to
the
reader
,
for
the
public
curiosity
has
been
and
still
is
insatiable
.
It
was
upon
Friday
,
the
twenty
-
seventh
of
August
—
a
date
forever
memorable
in
the
history
of
the
world
—
that
I
went
down
to
the
office
of
my
paper
and
asked
for
three
days
’
leave
of
absence
from
Mr
.
McArdle
,
who
still
presided
over
our
news
department
.
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
?
"