you imagine that the ether of Kent is in some
way superior to the ether of Surrey, through which this train is now
bearing us. There really are no bounds to the credulity and ignorance of
the average layman. Is it conceivable that the ether in Sumatra should
be so deadly as to cause total insensibility at the very time when the
ether here has had no appreciable effect upon us whatever? Personally, I
can truly say that I never felt stronger in body or better balanced in
mind in my life."

"That may be. I don't profess to be a scientific man," said I, "though I
have heard somewhere that the science of one generation is usually the
fallacy of the next. But it does not take much common sense to see that,
as we seem to know so little about ether, it might be affected by some
local conditions in various parts of the world and might show an effect
over there which would only develop later with us."

"With 'might' and 'may' you can prove anything," cried Summerlee
furiously. "Pigs may fly. Yes, sir, pigs _may_ fly--but they don't. It
is not worth arguing with you. Challenger has filled you with his
nonsense and you are both incapable of reason. I had as soon lay
arguments before those railway cushions."

"I must say, Professor Summerlee, that your manners do not seem to have
improved since I last had the pleasure of meeting you," said Lord John
severely.

"You lordlings are not accustomed to hear the truth," Summerlee answered
with a bitter smile. "It comes as a bit of a shock, does it not, when
someone makes you realize that your title leaves you none the less a very
ignorant man?"

"Upon my word, sir," said Lord John, very stern and rigid, "if you were a
younger man you would not dare to speak to me in so offensive a fashion."

Summerlee thrust out his chin, with its little wagging tuft of goatee
beard.

"I would have you know, sir, that, young or old, there has never been a
time in my life when I was afraid to speak my mind to an ignorant
coxcomb--yes, sir, an ignorant coxcomb, if you had as many titles as
slaves could invent and fools could adopt."

For a moment Lord John's eyes blazed, and then, with a tremendous effort,
he mastered his anger and leaned back in his seat with arms folded and a
bitter smile upon his face. To me all this was dreadful and deplorable.
Like a wave, the memory of the past swept over me, the good comradeship,
the happy, adventurous days--all that we had suffered and worked for