Острів доктора Моро
The Thing in the Forest.
ForthefirsttimeIrealisedhowthelatenessofthehourmightaffectme.Thesunhadsetsomeminutessince,theswiftduskofthetropicswasalreadyfadingoutoftheeasternsky,andapioneermothflutteredsilentlybymyhead.UnlessIwouldspendthenightamongtheunknowndangersofthemysteriousforest,Imusthastenbacktotheenclosure.Thethoughtofareturntothatpain-hauntedrefugewasextremelydisagreeable,butstillmoresowastheideaofbeingovertakenintheopenbydarknessandallthatdarknessmightconceal.Igaveonemorelookintotheblueshadowsthathadswallowedupthisoddcreature,andthenretracedmywaydowntheslopetowardsthestream,goingasIjudgedinthedirectionfromwhichIhadcome.
Iwalkedeagerly,mymindconfusedwithmanythings,andpresentlyfoundmyselfinalevelplaceamongscatteredtrees.Thecolourlessclearnessthatcomesafterthesunsetflushwasdarkling;theblueskyabovegrewmomentarilydeeper,andthelittlestarsonebyonepiercedtheattenuatedlight;theinterspacesofthetrees,thegapsinthefurthervegetation,thathadbeenhazyblueinthedaylight,grewblackandmysterious.Ipushedon.Thecolourvanishedfromtheworld.Thetree-topsroseagainsttheluminousblueskyininkysilhouette,andallbelowthatoutlinemeltedintooneformlessblackness.Presentlythetreesgrewthinner,andtheshrubbyundergrowthmoreabundant.Thentherewasadesolatespacecoveredwithawhitesand,andthenanotherexpanseoftangledbushes.
