human
Now, old fellow, he began,
gpt
What am I?
human
Ay, your profession, your calling; lawyer, M.D., scrivener--which?
gpt
I am a naturalist.
human
A what?
gpt
A naturalist.
human
Ralph, said Peterkin slowly,
gpt
Yes, I replied, laughing;
human
I have suffered from it from my earliest infancy, more or less.
gpt
I thought so, rejoined my companion, shaking his head gravely.
human
I fancied that I observed the development of that disease when we lived together on the coral island. It don't bring you in many thousands a year, does it?
gpt
No, said I,
human
Ralph, you're a trump!
gpt
Possibly, said I,
human
I mean, said Peterkin slowly, placing both hands on his knees and looking me steadily in the face--
gpt
I mean to go a-hunting in--but I forgot. You don't know that I'm a hunter, a somewhat famous hunter?
human
Of course I don't. You are so full of your plans and proposals that you have not yet told me where you have been or what doing these six years. And you ye never written to me once all that time, shabby fellow. I thought you were dead.
gpt
Did you go into mourning for me, Ralph?
human
No, of course not.
gpt
A pretty fellow you are to find fault. You thought that I, your oldest and best friend, was dead, and you did not go into mourning. How could I write to you when you parted from me without giving me your address? It was a mere chance my finding you out even now. I was taking a quiet cup of coffee in the commercial room of a hotel not far distant, when I overheard a stranger speaking of his friend `Ralph Rover, the philosopher,' so I plunged at him promiscuously, and made him give me your address. But I've corresponded with Jack ever since we parted on the pier at Dover.
human
What! Jack--Jack Martin? I exclaimed, as a warm gush of feeling filled my heart at the sound of his well-remembered name.
gpt
Is Jack alive?
human
Alive! I should think so. If possible, he's more alive than ever; for I should suppose he must be full-grown now, which he was not when we last met. He and I have corresponded regularly. He lives in the north of England, and by good luck happens to be just now within thirty miles of this town. You don't mean to say, Ralph, that you have never met!
gpt
Never. The very same mistake that happened with you occurred between him and me. We parted vowing to correspond as long as we should live, and three hours after I remembered that we had neglected to exchange our addresses, so that we could not correspond. I have often, often made inquiries both for you and him, but have always failed. I never heard of Jack from the time we parted at Dover till to-day.
human
Then no doubt you thought us both dead, and yet you did not go into mourning for either of us! O Ralph, Ralph, I had entertained too good an opinion of you.
gpt
But tell me about Jack,
human
Not just now, my boy; more of him in a few minutes. First let us return to the point. What was it? Oh! a--about my being a celebrated hunter. A very Nimrod--at least a miniature copy. Well, Ralph, since we last met I have been all over the world, right round and round it. I'm a lieutenant in the navy now--at least I was a week ago. I've been fighting with the Kaffirs and the Chinamen, and been punishing the rascally sepoys in India, and been hunting elephants in Ceylon and tiger-shooting in the jungles, and harpooning whales in the polar seas, and shooting lions at the Cape; oh, you've no notion where all I've been. It's a perfect marvel I've turned up here alive. But there's one beast I've not yet seen, and I'm resolved to see him and shoot him too--
gpt
But, said I, interrupting,
human
I mean that I've given it up. I'm tired of the sea. I only value it as a means of getting from one country to another. The land, the land for me! You must know that an old uncle, a rich old uncle of mine, whom I never saw, died lately and left me his whole fortune. Of course he died in India. All old uncles who die suddenly and leave unexpected fortunes to unsuspecting nephews are old Indian uncles, and mine was no exception to the general rule. So I'm independent, like you, Ralph, only I've got three or four thousand a year instead of hundreds, I believe; but I'm not sure and don't care--and I'm determined now to go on a long hunting expedition. What think ye of all that, my boy?
gpt
In truth, said I,
human
If I can! echoed Peterkin, with a contemptuous curl of the lip.
gpt
Did not I tell you that I was a _celebrated_ hunter? Without meaning to boast, I may tell you that there is no peradventure in my shooting. If I only get there and see the brute within long range, I'll--ha! won't I!
human
Get _where_, and see _what_?
gpt
Get to Africa and see the gorilla! cried Peterkin, while a glow of enthusiasm lighted up his eyes.
human
You've heard of the gorilla, Ralph, of course--the great ape--the enormous puggy--the huge baboon--the man monkey, that we've been hearing so much of for some years back, and that the niggers on the African coast used to dilate about till they caused the very hair of my head to stand upon end? I'm determined to shoot a gorilla, or prove him to be a myth. And I mean you to come and help me, Ralph; he's quite in your way. A bit of natural history, I suppose, although he seems by all accounts to be a very unnatural monster. And Jack shall go too--I'm resolved on that; and we three shall roam the wild woods again, as we did in days of yore, and--
gpt
Hold, Peterkin, said I, interrupting.
human
How do you know that Jack will go?
gpt
How do I know? Intuitively, of course. I shall write to him to-night; the post does not leave till ten. He'll get it to-morrow at breakfast, and will catch the forenoon coach, which will bring him down here by two o'clock, and then we'll begin our preparations at once, and talk the matter over at dinner. So you see it's all cut and dry. Give me a sheet of paper and I'll write at once. Ah! here's a bit; now a pen. Bless me, Ralph, haven't you got a quill? Who ever heard of a philosophical naturalist writing with steel. Now, then, here goes:--`B'luv'd Jack,'--will that do to begin with, eh? I'm afraid it's too affectionate; he'll think it's from a lady friend. But it can't be altered,--`Here I am, and here's Ralph--Ralph Rover!!!!!! think of that,' (I say, Ralph, I've put six marks of admiration there); `I've found him out. Do come to see us. Excruciatingly important business. Ever thine--Peterkin Gay.' Will that bring him, d'ye think?
human
I think it will,
gpt
Then off with it, Ralph,