Людина-невидимка
Dr. Kemp’s Visitor
"Exactly.Butit'soddIshouldblunderintoyourhousetogetmybandaging.Myfirststrokeofluck! AnyhowImeanttosleepinthishouseto-night.Youmuststandthat!It'safilthynuisance,mybloodshowing,isn'tit? Quiteaclotoverthere.Getsvisibleasitcoagulates,Isee. It'sonlythelivingtissueI'vechanged,andonlyforaslongasI'malive.... I'vebeeninthehousethreehours."
"Buthow'sitdone?"beganKemp,inatoneofexasperation."Confoundit!Thewholebusiness—it'sunreasonablefrombeginningtoend."
"Quitereasonable,"saidtheInvisibleMan. "Perfectlyreasonable."
Hereachedoverandsecuredthewhiskeybottle. Kempstaredatthedevouringdressinggown. Arayofcandle-lightpenetratingatornpatchintherightshoulder,madeatriangleoflightundertheleftribs. "Whatweretheshots?"heasked."Howdidtheshootingbegin?"
"Therewasarealfoolofaman—asortofconfederateofmine—cursehim!—whotriedtostealmymoney.Hasdoneso."
"Isheinvisibletoo?"
"No."
"Well?"
"Can'tIhavesomemoretoeatbeforeItellyouallthat?I'mhungry—inpain.Andyouwantmetotellstories!"
Kempgotup. "Youdidn'tdoanyshooting?"heasked.
"Notme,"saidhisvisitor."SomefoolI'dneverseenfiredatrandom. Alotofthemgotscared. Theyallgotscaredatme. Cursethem!—Isay—Iwantmoretoeatthanthis,Kemp."