Остров доктора Моро
How the Beast Folk Taste Blood.
Thensuddenlythroughapolygonofgreen,inthehalfdarknessundertheluxuriantgrowth,Isawthecreaturewewerehunting.Ihalted.Hewascrouchedtogetherintothesmallestpossiblecompass,hisluminousgreeneyesturnedoverhisshoulderregardingme.
Itmayseemastrangecontradictioninme,—Icannotexplainthefact,—butnow,seeingthecreaturethereinaperfectlyanimalattitude,withthelightgleaminginitseyesanditsimperfectlyhumanfacedistortedwithterror,Irealisedagainthefactofitshumanity.Inanothermomentotherofitspursuerswouldseeit,anditwouldbeoverpoweredandcaptured,toexperienceoncemorethehorribletorturesoftheenclosure.AbruptlyIslippedoutmyrevolver,aimedbetweenitsterror-struckeyes,andfired.AsIdidso,theHyena-swinesawtheThing,andflungitselfuponitwithaneagercry,thrustingthirstyteethintoitsneck.AllaboutmethegreenmassesofthethicketwereswayingandcrackingastheBeastPeoplecamerushingtogether.Onefaceandthenanotherappeared.
"Don’tkillit,Prendick!"criedMoreau."Don’tkillit!"andIsawhimstoopingashepushedthroughunderthefrondsofthebigferns.
InanothermomenthehadbeatenofftheHyena-swinewiththehandleofhiswhip,andheandMontgomerywerekeepingawaytheexcitedcarnivorousBeastPeople,andparticularlyM’ling,fromthestillquiveringbody.Thehairy-greyThingcamesniffingatthecorpseundermyarm.
