The Lost World
are clean off. Therefore, I brought them back, and on the first day at
home I took one round to Spink's, and asked him to have it roughly cut
and valued."
He took a pill-box from his pocket, and spilled out of it a beautiful
glittering diamond, one of the finest stones that I have ever seen.
"There's the result," said he. "He prices the lot at a minimum of two
hundred thousand pounds. Of course it is fair shares between us. I
won't hear of anythin' else. Well, Challenger, what will you do with
your fifty thousand?"
"If you really persist in your generous view," said the Professor, "I
should found a private museum, which has long been one of my dreams."
"And you, Summerlee?"
"I would retire from teaching, and so find time for my final
classification of the chalk fossils."
"I'll use my own," said Lord John Roxton, "in fitting a well-formed
expedition and having another look at the dear old plateau. As to you,
young fellah, you, of course, will spend yours in gettin' married."
"Not just yet," said I, with a rueful smile. "I think, if you will
have me, that I would rather go with you."
Lord Roxton said nothing, but a brown hand was stretched out to me
across the table.