Людина-невидимка
Certain First Principles
Andifyouwillconsideronlyasecond,youwillseealsothatthepowderofglassmightbemadetovanishinair,ifitsrefractiveindexcouldbemadethesameasthatofair; forthentherewouldbenorefractionorreflectionasthelightpassedfromglasstoair."
"Yes,yes,"saidKemp."Butaman'snotpowderedglass!"
"No,"saidGriffin."He'smoretransparent!"
"Nonsense!"
"Thatfromadoctor!Howoneforgets!Haveyoualreadyforgottenyourphysics,intenyears? Justthinkofallthethingsthataretransparentandseemnottobeso. Paper,forinstance,ismadeupoftransparentfibres,anditiswhiteandopaqueonlyforthesamereasonthatapowderofglassiswhiteandopaque. Oilwhitepaper,filluptheintersticesbetweentheparticleswithoilsothatthereisnolongerrefractionorreflectionexceptatthesurfaces,anditbecomesastransparentasglass. Andnotonlypaper,butcottonfibre,linenfibre,woolfibre,woodyfibre,andbone,Kemp,flesh,Kemp,hair,Kemp,nailsandnerves,Kemp,infactthewholefabricofamanexcepttheredofhisbloodandtheblackpigmentofhair,areallmadeupoftransparent,colourlesstissue. Solittlesufficestomakeusvisibleonetotheother. Forthemostpartthefibresofalivingcreaturearenomoreopaquethanwater."
"GreatHeavens!"criedKemp."Ofcourse,ofcourse!Iwasthinkingonlylastnightofthesealarvaeandalljelly-fish!"
"Nowyouhaveme!AndallthatIknewandhadinmindayearafterIleftLondon—sixyearsago. ButIkeptittomyself.
