|
Talking with Charles
Darwin
'So, then. Um. What are
you doing in these parts?' said the Pirate Captain to Darwin, trying to
make a bit of lighthearted conversation, and feeling more than a little
awkward now.
'We're on a scientific
expedition.'
'Searching for
creatures?'
'I have a theory,' said
Darwin, looking serious. 'I'm afraid it's proved to be rather
controversial. We came here looking for proof.'
'What is this theory? In
terms a pirate might understand.'
'It is not something to
be taken lightly. It will make you look at the world with fresh eyes.
Things may never seem the same again,' said Darwin, in a spooky voice.
'Go on,' said the Pirate
captain, his curiosity bitten.
Darwin gave a dramatic
pause.
'In short, I believe that
a monkey, properly trained, given the correct dietary regime, and
dressed in fancy clothes, can be made indistinguishable from a human
gentleman. I believe he would cease to be a monkey, and become more a .
. . a Man-panzee, if you will.'
A silence held the room.
One of the pirates whistled.
'I . . . see. A Man-panzee?'
said the Pirate Captain.
'But because of my
outlandish theories I have made some powerful enemies--primarily, the
Bishop of Oxford,' said Darwin, unable to keep the bitterness out of his
voice.
'He finds it offensive?'
'He most certainly does!'
'Because it contravenes
his religious beliefs?'
'Oh no! Nothing to do
with that, my dear Pirate Captain. The Bishop of Oxford recently became
the largest shareholder in P. T. Barnum's world-famous Circus of
Freaks.' |
