Острів доктора Моро
The Sayers of the Law.
Iperceivedthepausewasinterrogative."Hecomestolivewithyou,"Isaid.
"Itisaman.HemustlearntheLaw."
Ibegantodistinguishnowadeeperblacknessintheblack,avagueoutlineofahunched-upfigure.ThenInoticedtheopeningoftheplacewasdarkenedbytwomoreblackheads.Myhandtightenedonmystick.
Thethinginthedarkrepeatedinaloudertone,"Saythewords."Ihadmisseditslastremark."Nottogoonall-fours;thatistheLaw,"itrepeatedinakindofsing-song.
Iwaspuzzled.
"Saythewords,"saidtheApe-man,repeating,andthefiguresinthedoorwayechoedthis,withathreatinthetoneoftheirvoices.
IrealisedthatIhadtorepeatthisidioticformula;andthenbegantheinsanestceremony.Thevoiceinthedarkbeganintoningamadlitany,linebyline,andIandtheresttorepeatit.Astheydidso,theyswayedfromsidetosideintheoddestway,andbeattheirhandsupontheirknees;andIfollowedtheirexample.IcouldhaveimaginedIwasalreadydeadandinanotherworld.Thatdarkhut,thesegrotesquedimfigures,justfleckedhereandtherebyaglimmeroflight,andallofthemswayinginunisonandchanting,
"Nottogoonall-fours;thatistheLaw.ArewenotMen?"NottosuckupDrink;thatistheLaw.ArewenotMen?"NottoeatFishorFlesh;thatistheLaw.ArewenotMen?"NottoclawtheBarkofTrees;thatistheLaw.
