, 1916-06-08

some coch anu Jun stoFy iTon SOUTH
America"
What story?"
"Oh, it was rank nonsense about
some queer animals he had discover.
ed. I believe he has retracted since
Anyhow. he has suppressed It all. He
gave an interview to a news agency.
and there was such a howl thar he
saw 1t wouldn't do. Ii was a discred-
table business. There were one or
two folk who were inclined to take
him seriously. but he soon choked
them Off"
'HowT'
well. by his insufferable rudeness
and impossible behavior. There was
poor old Wadley of the Geological in.
stitute. Wadley sent a message. The
president of the Geological institute
presents his compliments to Professor
Challenger and would take it as a per
sonal favor If he would do them the
honor to come to their next meeting.
The answer made by Professor Chal.
Ienger was unprintable."
you don't sayT"
well. a bowdlerized version of II
would run, Professor Challenger pre-
sents his compliments to the president
OF the Geological institute and would
take it as a personal favor II he would
go to the devil"
Good Lordr'
Yes; | expect that's what old Wad-
ley said. | remember his wall at the
meeting, which began. In fifty years
experience of scientific Intercourse
1t quite broke the old man up. He
hasn't recovered yet"
Anything more about Challenger"
We'll. I'm a bacteriologist, you know.
| live in a 300 diameter microscope. |
can hardly claim to take serious notice
Of anything that ] can see with my
naked eye. I'm a frontiersman from
the extreme edge of the movable, and
| feel quite out of place when | 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 1 have
heard something of Challenger. for he
is n of those men whom nobody al
ignore. He's as clever as they make
EN-. a full charged battery of force and
vitality. but a quarrelsome, i'll condi
toned faddist and INSCRIPTIONS at
that He had gone the length of fax
ing some photographs over the South
American business"
You say he is a. faddist. What is
his particular fadT"
"He has q thousand. but the latest is
something about Weissmann and evo-
luton. He had a fearful row about 1t
in Vienna, ! believe"
Half an hour later l was seated in
the newspaper office, with a huge tome
In front of me, which had been opened
at the article "Weissmann versus Oar
win." with the subheading: Spirited
Protest at Vienna. Lively Proceed
ings." My scientific education having
been somewhat neglected. ! was un
able to follow the whole argument. but
it was evident that the English pro
lessor had handled his subject in
very aggressive fashion and had thor
oughly annoyed his continental col.
leagues. Protests" "Uproar'' and
General appeal to the chairman" were
three of the first brackets which
caught my eye. Most of the matter
u huNC Dtth "IlllCh III ShlhCot
for any definite meaning that 1t con
veyed to my brain.
II wish you could translate it into
English for me-" l said pathetically to
my helpmate.
well, it is a translation. That is
the trouble"
'Then I'd better try my luck with
the original"
1T is certainly rather deep for a lay
man."
IF | could only get a single good.
meaty sentence which seemed to con
vey some sort OF definite human idea
1t would serve my turn. All. yes. this
N will do, | seem in a vague way al
most to understand 1t. III copy 1t out.
This shall be my link with the terrible
professor"
Nothing else | can doT"
well, yes; / propose to write to him.
II | could frame the letter here and
use your address 1t would give atmos
phere.'
Wen have the fellow around here
making a row and breaking the furni
ture."
mo, no.; yOu'n see the letter-nothing
contentious. | assure you
We'll, that's my chair and desk.
Youll find paper there I'd like to cen.
sor 1t before it goes"
II took some time doing. but I hatter
myself that II wasn't such a bad job
when 1t was finished. | read 1t aloud
TO the critical bacteriologist with some
pride in my handiwork. This is the
way l worded it:
Dear Professor ~Challenger-As a humble
student OF nature, | ave always taken the
most profound interest in your specula-
lions as to the differences between Oar
win and Weissmann. 1 have recently had
occasion to refresh my memory by re-