Острів доктора Моро
How the Beast Folk Taste Blood.
Imaginethesceneifyoucan!Wethreeblue-cladmen,withourmisshapenblack-facedattendant,standinginawideexpanseofsunlityellowdustundertheblazingbluesky,andsurroundedbythiscircleofcrouchingandgesticulatingmonstrosities,—somealmosthumansaveintheirsubtleexpressionandgestures,somelikecripples,somesostrangelydistortedastoresemblenothingbutthedenizensofourwildestdreams;and,beyond,thereedylinesofacanebrakeinonedirection,adensetangleofpalm-treesontheother,separatingusfromtheravinewiththehuts,andtothenorththehazyhorizonofthePacificOcean.
"Sixty-two,sixty-three,"countedMoreau."Therearefourmore."
"IdonotseetheLeopard-man,"saidI.
PresentlyMoreausoundedthegreathornagain,andatthesoundofitalltheBeastPeoplewrithedandgrovelledinthedust.Then,slinkingoutofthecanebrake,stoopingnearthegroundandtryingtojointhedust-throwingcirclebehindMoreau’sback,cametheLeopard-man.ThelastoftheBeastPeopletoarrivewasthelittleApe-man.Theearlieranimals,hotandwearywiththeirgrovelling,shotviciousglancesathim.
"Cease!"saidMoreau,inhisfirm,loudvoice;andtheBeastPeoplesatbackupontheirhamsandrestedfromtheirworshipping.
"WhereistheSayeroftheLaw?"saidMoreau,andthehairy-greymonsterbowedhisfaceinthedust.
"Saythewords!"saidMoreau.
