Острів доктора Моро
The Thing in the Forest.
ThenIthoughtthatthemanIhadjustseenhadbeenclothedinbluishcloth,hadnotbeennakedasasavagewouldhavebeen;andItriedtopersuademyselffromthatfactthathewasafterallprobablyapeacefulcharacter,thatthedullferocityofhiscountenancebeliedhim.
YetIwasgreatlydisturbedattheapparition.Iwalkedtotheleftalongtheslope,turningmyheadaboutandpeeringthiswayandthatamongthestraightstemsofthetrees.Whyshouldamangoonall-foursanddrinkwithhislips?PresentlyIheardananimalwailingagain,andtakingittobethepuma,Iturnedaboutandwalkedinadirectiondiametricallyoppositetothesound.Thisledmedowntothestream,acrosswhichIsteppedandpushedmywayupthroughtheundergrowthbeyond.
Iwasstartledbyagreatpatchofvividscarletontheground,andgoinguptoitfoundittobeapeculiarfungus,branchedandcorrugatedlikeafoliaceouslichen,butdeliquescingintoslimeatthetouch;andthenintheshadowofsomeluxuriantfernsIcameuponanunpleasantthing,—thedeadbodyofarabbitcoveredwithshiningflies,butstillwarmandwiththeheadtornoff.Istoppedaghastatthesightofthescatteredblood.Hereatleastwasonevisitortotheislanddisposedof!Therewerenotracesofotherviolenceaboutit.Itlookedasthoughithadbeensuddenlysnatchedupandkilled;andasIstaredatthelittlefurrybodycamethedifficultyofhowthethinghadbeendone.
