The Land Of Mist

An unexpected interruption came to check Challenger's exploration of the young woman's conscience or motives. The invalid was sitting up, a vivid red patch against his white pillows, and he was speaking with an energy which was in itself an indication of his coming cure.

«Professor Challenger!» he cried, «you are insulting my best friend. Under this roof at least she shall be safe from the sneers of scientific prejudice. I beg you to leave the room if you cannot address Nurse Ursula in a more respectful manner.»

Challenger glared, but the peacemaking Delicia was at work in a moment.

«You are far too hasty, dear Dr. Ross Scotton!» she cried. «Professor Challenger has had no time to understand this. You were just as sceptical yourself at first. How can you blame him?»

«Yes, yes, that is true,» said the young doctor. «It seemed to me to open the door to all the quackery in the Universe – indeed it does, but the fact remains.»

«' One thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see',» quoted Miss Delicia. «Ah, Professor, you may raise your eyebrows and shrug your shoulders, but we've dropped something into your big mind this afternoon which will grow and grow until no man can see the end of it.» She dived into the bag. «There is a little slip here 'Brain versus Soul'. I do hope, dear Professor, that you will read it and then pass it on.»

15. In Which Traps are Laid for a Great Quarry

MALONE was bound in honour not to speak of love to Enid Challenger, but looks can speak, and so their communications had not broken down completely. In all other ways he adhered closely to the agreement, though the situation was a difficult one. It was the more difficult since he was a constant visitor to the Professor, and now that the irritation of the debate was over, a very welcome one. The one object of Malone's life w as to get the great man's sympathetic consideration of those psychic subjects which had gained such a hold upon himself. This he pursued with assiduity, but also with great caution, for he knew that the lava was thin, and that a fiery explosion was always possible. Once or twice it came and caused Malone to drop the subject for a week or two, until the ground seemed a little more firm.

Malone developed a remarkable cunning in his approaches. One favourite device was to consult Challenger upon some scientific point – on the zoological importance of the Straits of Banda, for example, or the Insects of the Malay Archipelago, and lead him on until Challenger in due course would explain that our knowledge on the point was due to Alfred Russel Wallace. «Oh, really! To Wallace the Spiritualist!» Malone would say in an innocent voice, on which Challenger would glare and change the topic.

Sometimes it was Lodge that Malone would use as a trap. «I suppose you think highly of him.»

«The first brain in Europe,» said Challenger.

«He is the greatest authority on ether, is he not?»

«Undoubtedly.»

«Of course, I only know him by his psychic works.»

Challenger would shut up like a clam. Then Malone would wait a few days and remark casually: «Have you ever met Lombroso!»

«Yes, at the Congress at Milan.»

«I have been reading a book of his.»

«Criminology, I presume?»

«No, it was called After Death – What?»

«I have not heard of it.»

«It discusses the psychic question.»

«Ah, a man of Lombroso's penetrating brain would make short work of the fallacies of these charlatans.»

«No, it is written to support them.»