Человек-невидимка
Mr. Thomas Marvel
"I'vewornworse—infact,I'vewornnone. Butnonesoowdaciousugly—ifyou'llallowtheexpression.I'vebeencadgingboots—inparticular—fordays.BecauseIwassickofthem. They'resoundenough,ofcourse. Butagentlemanontrampseessuchathunderinglotofhisboots. Andifyou'llbelieveme,I'veraisednothinginthewholeblessedcountry,tryasIwould,butthem. Lookat'em!Andagoodcountryforboots,too,inageneralway.Butit'sjustmypromiscuousluck. I'vegotmybootsinthiscountrytenyearsormore. Andthentheytreatyoulikethis."
"It'sabeastofacountry,"saidtheVoice."Andpigsforpeople."
"Ain'tit?"saidMr.ThomasMarvel."Lord!Butthemboots!Itbeatsit."
Heturnedhisheadoverhisshouldertotheright,tolookatthebootsofhisinterlocutorwithaviewtocomparisons,andlo!wherethebootsofhisinterlocutorshouldhavebeenwereneitherlegsnorboots.Hewasirradiatedbythedawnofagreatamazement. "Whereareyer?"saidMr.ThomasMarveloverhisshoulderandcomingonallfours. Hesawastretchofemptydownswiththewindswayingtheremotegreen-pointedfurzebushes.
"AmIdrunk?"saidMr.Marvel."HaveIhadvisions?WasItalkingtomyself?Whatthe—"
"Don'tbealarmed,"saidaVoice.
"Noneofyourventriloquisingme,"saidMr.ThomasMarvel,risingsharplytohisfeet."Whereareyer?Alarmed,indeed!"
"Don'tbealarmed,"repeatedtheVoice.
"You'llbealarmedinaminute,yousillyfool,"saidMr.ThomasMarvel."Whereareyer?Lemmegetmymarkonyer...
