Людина-невидимка
At the House in Great Portland Street
"Yes,thetapetum.Itdidn'tgo. AfterI'dgiventhestufftobleachthebloodanddonecertainotherthingstoher,Igavethebeastopium,andputherandthepillowshewassleepingon,ontheapparatus. Andafteralltheresthadfadedandvanished,thereremainedtwolittleghostsofhereyes."
"Odd!"
"Ican'texplainit. Shewasbandagedandclamped,ofcourse—soIhadhersafe;butshewokewhileshewasstillmisty,andmiaoweddismally,andsomeonecameknocking. Itwasanoldwomanfromdownstairs,whosuspectedmeofvivisecting—adrink-soddenoldcreature,withonlyawhitecattocareforinalltheworld. Iwhippedoutsomechloroform,appliedit,andansweredthedoor. 'DidIhearacat?'sheasked.'Mycat?''Nothere,'saidI,verypolitely. Shewasalittledoubtfulandtriedtopeerpastmeintotheroom;strangeenoughtohernodoubt—barewalls,uncurtainedwindows,truckle-bed,withthegasenginevibrating,andtheseetheoftheradiantpoints,andthatfaintghastlystingingofchloroformintheair. Shehadtobesatisfiedatlastandwentawayagain."
"Howlongdidittake?"askedKemp.
"Threeorfourhours—thecat. Thebonesandsinewsandthefatwerethelasttogo,andthetipsofthecolouredhairs. And,asIsay,thebackpartoftheeye,tough,iridescentstuffitis,wouldn'tgoatall.
"Itwasnightoutsidelongbeforethebusinesswasover,andnothingwastobeseenbutthedimeyesandtheclaws.
