Острів доктора Моро
The Thing in the Forest.
ThensuddenlyuponthebankofthestreamappearedSomething—atfirstIcouldnotdistinguishwhatitwas.Itboweditsroundheadtothewater,andbegantodrink.ThenIsawitwasaman,goingonall-fourslikeabeast.Hewasclothedinbluishcloth,andwasofacopper-colouredhue,withblackhair.Itseemedthatgrotesqueuglinesswasaninvariablecharacteroftheseislanders.Icouldhearthesuckofthewaterathislipsashedrank.
Ileantforwardtoseehimbetter,andapieceoflava,detachedbymyhand,wentpatteringdowntheslope.Helookedupguiltily,andhiseyesmetmine.Forthwithhescrambledtohisfeet,andstoodwipinghisclumsyhandacrosshismouthandregardingme.Hislegswerescarcelyhalfthelengthofhisbody.So,staringoneanotheroutofcountenance,weremainedforperhapsthespaceofaminute.Then,stoppingtolookbackonceortwice,heslunkoffamongthebushestotherightofme,andIheardtheswishofthefrondsgrowfaintinthedistanceanddieaway.Longafterhehaddisappeared,Iremainedsittingupstaringinthedirectionofhisretreat.Mydrowsytranquillityhadgone.
Iwasstartledbyanoisebehindme,andturningsuddenlysawtheflappingwhitetailofarabbitvanishinguptheslope.Ijumpedtomyfeet.Theapparitionofthisgrotesque,half-bestialcreaturehadsuddenlypopulatedthestillnessoftheafternoonforme.Ilookedaroundmerathernervously,andregrettedthatIwasunarmed.
