Людина-невидимка

           Duringthattimeagrowingmultitudeofmenscatteredoverthecountrysidewerebusy.Inthemorninghehadstillbeensimplyalegend,aterror; intheafternoon,byvirtuechieflyofKemp'sdrilywordedproclamation,hewaspresentedasatangibleantagonist,tobewounded,captured,orovercome,andthecountrysidebeganorganisingitselfwithinconceivablerapidity. Bytwoo'clockevenhemightstillhaveremovedhimselfoutofthedistrictbygettingaboardatrain,butaftertwothatbecameimpossible. EverypassengertrainalongthelinesonagreatparallelogrambetweenSouthampton,Manchester,BrightonandHorsham,travelledwithlockeddoors,andthegoodstrafficwasalmostentirelysuspended. AndinagreatcircleoftwentymilesroundPortBurdock,menarmedwithgunsandbludgeonswerepresentlysettingoutingroupsofthreeandfour,withdogs,tobeattheroadsandfields. 

           Mountedpolicemenrodealongthecountrylanes,stoppingateverycottageandwarningthepeopletolockuptheirhouses,andkeepindoorsunlesstheywerearmed,andalltheelementaryschoolshadbrokenupbythreeo'clock,andthechildren,scaredandkeepingtogetheringroups,werehurryinghome. Kemp'sproclamation—signedindeedbyAdye—waspostedoveralmostthewholedistrictbyfourorfiveo'clockintheafternoon. Itgavebrieflybutclearlyalltheconditionsofthestruggle,thenecessityofkeepingtheInvisibleManfromfoodandsleep,thenecessityforincessantwatchfulnessandforapromptattentiontoanyevidenceofhismovements.