Человек-невидимка

           "Exactly.Butit'soddIshouldblunderintoyourhousetogetmybandaging.Myfirststrokeofluck! AnyhowImeanttosleepinthishouseto-night.Youmuststandthat!It'safilthynuisance,mybloodshowing,isn'tit? Quiteaclotoverthere.Getsvisibleasitcoagulates,Isee. It'sonlythelivingtissueI'vechanged,andonlyforaslongasI'malive.... I'vebeeninthehousethreehours." 

           "Buthow'sitdone?"beganKemp,inatoneofexasperation."Confoundit!Thewholebusiness—it'sunreasonablefrombeginningtoend." 

           "Quitereasonable,"saidtheInvisibleMan. "Perfectlyreasonable." 

           Hereachedoverandsecuredthewhiskeybottle. Kempstaredatthedevouringdressinggown. Arayofcandle-lightpenetratingatornpatchintherightshoulder,madeatriangleoflightundertheleftribs. "Whatweretheshots?"heasked."Howdidtheshootingbegin?" 

           "Therewasarealfoolofaman—asortofconfederateofmine—cursehim!—whotriedtostealmymoney.Hasdoneso." 

           "Isheinvisibletoo?" 

           "No." 

           "Well?" 

           "Can'tIhavesomemoretoeatbeforeItellyouallthat?I'mhungry—inpain.Andyouwantmetotellstories!" 

           Kempgotup. "Youdidn'tdoanyshooting?"heasked. 

           "Notme,"saidhisvisitor."SomefoolI'dneverseenfiredatrandom. Alotofthemgotscared. Theyallgotscaredatme. Cursethem!—Isay—Iwantmoretoeatthanthis,Kemp."