“When I came into this room,” continued
the Invisible Man, after presenting the poker to the
tip of the nose of each of his visitors, “I
did not expect to find it occupied, and I expected
to find, in addition to my books of memoranda, an
outfit of clothing. Where is it? No—don’t
rise. I can see it’s gone. Now, just
at present, though the days are quite warm enough
for an invisible man to run about stark, the evenings
are quite chilly. I want clothing—and
other accommodation; and I must also have those three
books.”
THE INVISIBLE MAN LOSES HIS TEMPER
It is unavoidable that at this point the narrative
should break off again, for a certain very painful
reason that will presently be apparent. While
these things were going on in the parlour, and while
Mr. Huxter was watching Mr. Marvel smoking his pipe
against the gate, not a dozen yards away were Mr.
Hall and Teddy Henfrey discussing in a state of cloudy
puzzlement the one Iping topic.
Suddenly there came a violent thud against the door
of the parlour, a sharp cry, and then—silence.
“Hul-lo!” said Teddy Henfrey.
“Hul-lo!” from the Tap.
Mr. Hall took things in slowly but surely. “That
ain’t right,” he said, and came round
from behind the bar towards the parlour door.
He and Teddy approached the door together, with intent
faces. Their eyes considered. “Summat
wrong,” said Hall, and Henfrey nodded agreement.
Whiffs of an unpleasant chemical odour met them, and
there was a muffled sound of conversation, very rapid
and subdued.
“You all right thur?” asked Hall, rapping.
The muttered conversation ceased abruptly, for a moment
silence, then the conversation was resumed, in hissing
whispers, then a sharp cry of “No! no, you don’t!”
There came a sudden motion and the oversetting of
a chair, a brief struggle. Silence again.
“What the dooce?” exclaimed Henfrey, sotto
voce.
“You—all—right thur?”
asked Mr. Hall, sharply, again.
The Vicar’s voice answered with a curious jerking
intonation: “Quite ri-right. Please
don’t—interrupt.”
“Odd!” said Mr. Henfrey.
“Odd!” said Mr. Hall.
“Says, ‘Don’t interrupt,’”
said Henfrey.
“I heerd’n,” said Hall.
“And a sniff,” said Henfrey.
They remained listening. The conversation was
rapid and subdued.
“I can’t,” said Mr. Bunting,
his voice rising; “I tell you, sir,
I will not.”
“What was that?” asked Henfrey.
“Says he wi’ nart,” said Hall.
“Warn’t speaking to us, wuz he?”
“Disgraceful!” said Mr. Bunting, within.
“‘Disgraceful,’” said Mr.
Henfrey. “I heard it—distinct.”
“Who’s that speaking now?” asked
Henfrey.
“Mr. Cuss, I s’pose,” said Hall.
“Can you hear—anything?”
