Людина-невидимка
Certain First Principles
"Todosuchathingwouldbetotranscendmagic. AndIbeheld,uncloudedbydoubt,amagnificentvisionofallthatinvisibilitymightmeantoaman—themystery,thepower,thefreedom. DrawbacksIsawnone. Youhaveonlytothink! AndI,ashabby,poverty-struck,hemmed-indemonstrator,teachingfoolsinaprovincialcollege,mightsuddenlybecome—this. Iaskyou,Kempifyou...Anyone,Itellyou,wouldhaveflunghimselfuponthatresearch. AndIworkedthreeyears,andeverymountainofdifficultyItoiledovershowedanotherfromitssummit.Theinfinitedetails!Andtheexasperation! Aprofessor,aprovincialprofessor,alwaysprying.'Whenareyougoingtopublishthisworkofyours?'washiseverlastingquestion.Andthestudents,thecrampedmeans!ThreeyearsIhadofit—
"Andafterthreeyearsofsecrecyandexasperation,Ifoundthattocompleteitwasimpossible—impossible."
"How?"askedKemp.
"Money,"saidtheInvisibleMan,andwentagaintostareoutofthewindow.
Heturnedaroundabruptly. "Irobbedtheoldman—robbedmyfather.
"Themoneywasnothis,andheshothimself."
