Острів доктора Моро
The Thing in the Forest.
ThevaguedreadthathadbeeninmymindsinceIhadseentheinhumanfaceofthemanatthestreamgrewdistincterasIstoodthere.Ibegantorealisethehardihoodofmyexpeditionamongtheseunknownpeople.Thethicketaboutmebecamealteredtomyimagination.Everyshadowbecamesomethingmorethanashadow,—becameanambush;everyrustlebecameathreat.Invisiblethingsseemedwatchingme.Iresolvedtogobacktotheenclosureonthebeach.Isuddenlyturnedawayandthrustmyselfviolently,possiblyevenfrantically,throughthebushes,anxioustogetaclearspaceaboutmeagain.
Istoppedjustintimetopreventmyselfemerginguponanopenspace.Itwasakindofgladeintheforest,madebyafall;seedlingswerealreadystartinguptostruggleforthevacantspace;andbeyond,thedensegrowthofstemsandtwiningvinesandsplashesoffungusandflowersclosedinagain.Beforeme,squattingtogetheruponthefungoidruinsofahugefallentreeandstillunawareofmyapproach,werethreegrotesquehumanfigures.Onewasevidentlyafemale;theothertwoweremen.Theywerenaked,saveforswathingsofscarletclothaboutthemiddle;andtheirskinswereofadullpinkish-drabcolour,suchasIhadseeninnosavagesbefore.Theyhadfat,heavy,chinlessfaces,retreatingforeheads,andascantbristlyhairupontheirheads.Ineversawsuchbestial-lookingcreatures.
