Людина-невидимка
The Hunter Hunted
Therewasabriefstruggletoclearaspace,andthenthecircleofeagerfacessawthedoctorkneeling,asitseemed,fifteeninchesintheair,andholdinginvisiblearmstotheground. Behindhimaconstablegrippedinvisibleankles.
"Don'tyouleavegoofen,"criedthebignavvy,holdingablood-stainedspade;"he'sshamming."
"He'snotshamming,"saidthedoctor,cautiouslyraisinghisknee;"andI'llholdhim." Hisfacewasbruisedandalreadygoingred;hespokethicklybecauseofableedinglip. Hereleasedonehandandseemedtobefeelingattheface. "Themouth'sallwet,"hesaid.Andthen,"GoodGod!"
Hestoodupabruptlyandthenkneltdownonthegroundbythesideofthethingunseen. Therewasapushingandshuffling,asoundofheavyfeetasfreshpeopleturneduptoincreasethepressureofthecrowd. Peoplenowwerecomingoutofthehouses. Thedoorsofthe"JollyCricketers"stoodsuddenlywideopen. Verylittlewassaid.
Kempfeltabout,hishandseemingtopassthroughemptyair. "He'snotbreathing,"hesaid,andthen,"Ican'tfeelhisheart.Hisside—ugh!"
Suddenlyanoldwoman,peeringunderthearmofthebignavvy,screamedsharply. "Lookythere!"shesaid,andthrustoutawrinkledfinger.
Andlookingwhereshepointed,everyonesaw,faintandtransparentasthoughitwasmadeofglass,sothatveinsandarteriesandbonesandnervescouldbedistinguished,theoutlineofahand,ahandlimpandprone. Itgrewcloudedandopaqueevenastheystared.
