cantankerous
character, hated by everyone who comes across him, and the butt of the
students, so far as they dare take a liberty with him. Perhaps it
would be best for you if you never heard from the fellow at all."

CHAPTER III

"He is a Perfectly Impossible Person"

My friend's fear or hope was not destined to be realized. When I
called on Wednesday there was a letter with the West Kensington
postmark upon it, and my name scrawled across the envelope in a
handwriting which looked like a barbed-wire railing. The contents were
as follows:--

"ENMORE PARK, W.

"SIR,--I have duly received your note, in which you claim to endorse my
views, although I am not aware that they are dependent upon endorsement
either from you or anyone else. You have ventured to use the word
'speculation' with regard to my statement upon the subject of
Darwinism, and I would call your attention to the fact that such a word
in such a connection is offensive to a degree. The context convinces
me, however, that you have sinned rather through ignorance and
tactlessness than through malice, so I am content to pass the matter
by. You quote an isolated sentence from my lecture, and appear to have
some difficulty in understanding it. I should have thought that only a
sub-human intelligence could have failed to grasp the point, but if it
really needs amplification I shall consent to see you at the hour
named, though visits and visitors of every sort are exceeding
distasteful to me. As to your suggestion that I may modify my opinion,
I would have you know that it is not my habit to do so after a
deliberate expression of my mature views. You will kindly show the
envelope of this letter to my man, Austin, when you call, as he has to
take every precaution to shield me from the intrusive rascals who call
themselves 'journalists.'

"Yours faithfully,
"GEORGE EDWARD CHALLENGER."

This was the letter that I read aloud to Tarp Henry, who had come down
early to hear the result of my venture. His only remark was, "There's
some new stuff, cuticura or something, which is better than arnica."
Some people have such extraordinary notions of humor.

It was nearly half-past ten before I had received my message, but a
taxicab took me round in good time for my appointment. It was an
imposing porticoed house at which we s