Человек-невидимка
At the House in Great Portland Street
No,notthoseRöntgenvibrations—Idon'tknowthattheseothersofminehavebeendescribed. Yettheyareobviousenough. Ineededtwolittledynamos,andtheseIworkedwithacheapgasengine. Myfirstexperimentwaswithabitofwhitewoolfabric. Itwasthestrangestthingintheworldtoseeitintheflickeroftheflashessoftandwhite,andthentowatchitfadelikeawreathofsmokeandvanish.
"IcouldscarcelybelieveIhaddoneit. Iputmyhandintotheemptiness,andtherewasthethingassolidasever. Ifeltitawkwardly,andthrewitonthefloor. Ihadalittletroublefindingitagain.
"Andthencameacuriousexperience. Iheardamiaowbehindme,andturning,sawaleanwhitecat,verydirty,onthecisterncoveroutsidethewindow. Athoughtcameintomyhead. 'Everythingreadyforyou,'Isaid,andwenttothewindow,openedit,andcalledsoftly. Shecamein,purring—thepoorbeastwasstarving—andIgavehersomemilk. Allmyfoodwasinacupboardinthecorneroftheroom. Afterthatshewentsmellingroundtheroom,evidentlywiththeideaofmakingherselfathome. Theinvisibleragupsetherabit;youshouldhaveseenherspitatit! ButImadehercomfortableonthepillowofmytruckle-bed. AndIgaveherbuttertogethertowash."
"Andyouprocessedher?"
"Iprocessedher.Butgivingdrugstoacatisnojoke,Kemp!Andtheprocessfailed."
"Failed!"
"Intwoparticulars. Theseweretheclawsandthepigmentstuff,whatisit?—atthebackoftheeyeinacat.Youknow?"
"Tapetum."
