Острів доктора Моро
The Hunting of the Man.
Suddenlyhedroppedfromthetree,andinanothermomentwasholdingthefrondsapartandstaringcuriouslyatme.
IdidnotfeelthesamerepugnancetowardsthiscreaturewhichIhadexperiencedinmyencounterswiththeotherBeastMen."You,hesaid,"intheboat."Hewasaman,then,—atleastasmuchofamanasMontgomery’sattendant,—forhecouldtalk.
"Yes,"Isaid,"Icameintheboat.Fromtheship."
"Oh!"hesaid,andhisbright,restlesseyestravelledoverme,tomyhands,tothestickIcarried,tomyfeet,tothetatteredplacesinmycoat,andthecutsandscratchesIhadreceivedfromthethorns.Heseemedpuzzledatsomething.Hiseyescamebacktomyhands.Heheldhisownhandoutandcountedhisdigitsslowly,"One,two,three,four,five—eigh?"
Ididnotgrasphismeaningthen;afterwardsIwastofindthatagreatproportionoftheseBeastPeoplehadmalformedhands,lackingsometimeseventhreedigits.Butguessingthiswasinsomewayagreeting,Ididthesamethingbywayofreply.Hegrinnedwithimmensesatisfaction.Thenhisswiftrovingglancewentroundagain;hemadeaswiftmovement—andvanished.Thefernfrondshehadstoodbetweencameswishingtogether,
Ipushedoutofthebrakeafterhim,andwasastonishedtofindhimswingingcheerfullybyonelankarmfromaropeofcreeperthatloopeddownfromthefoliageoverhead.Hisbackwastome.
"Hullo!"saidI.
