The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance Read online

  CHAPTER XVIII

  THE INVISIBLE MAN SLEEPS

  Exhausted and wounded as the Invisible Man was, he refused to acceptKemp's word that his freedom should be respected. He examined thetwo windows of the bedroom, drew up the blinds and opened thesashes, to confirm Kemp's statement that a retreat by them would bepossible. Outside the night was very quiet and still, and the newmoon was setting over the down. Then he examined the keys of thebedroom and the two dressing-room doors, to satisfy himself thatthese also could be made an assurance of freedom. Finally heexpressed himself satisfied. He stood on the hearth rug and Kempheard the sound of a yawn.

  "I'm sorry," said the Invisible Man, "if I cannot tell you all thatI have done to-night. But I am worn out. It's grotesque, no doubt.It's horrible! But believe me, Kemp, in spite of your arguments ofthis morning, it is quite a possible thing. I have made a discovery.I meant to keep it to myself. I can't. I must have a partner. Andyou.... We can do such things ... But to-morrow. Now, Kemp, I feelas though I must sleep or perish."

  Kemp stood in the middle of the room staring at the headless garment."I suppose I must leave you," he said. "It's--incredible. Threethings happening like this, overturning all my preconceptions--wouldmake me insane. But it's real! Is there anything more that I canget you?"

  "Only bid me good-night," said Griffin.

  "Good-night," said Kemp, and shook an invisible hand. He walkedsideways to the door. Suddenly the dressing-gown walked quicklytowards him. "Understand me!" said the dressing-gown. "No attemptsto hamper me, or capture me! Or--"

  Kemp's face changed a little. "I thought I gave you my word," hesaid.

  Kemp closed the door softly behind him, and the key was turned uponhim forthwith. Then, as he stood with an expression of passiveamazement on his face, the rapid feet came to the door of thedressing-room and that too was locked. Kemp slapped his brow withhis hand. "Am I dreaming? Has the world gone mad--or have I?"

  He laughed, and put his hand to the locked door. "Barred out of myown bedroom, by a flagrant absurdity!" he said.

  He walked to the head of the staircase, turned, and stared at thelocked doors. "It's fact," he said. He put his fingers to hisslightly bruised neck. "Undeniable fact!

  "But--"

  He shook his head hopelessly, turned, and went downstairs.

  He lit the dining-room lamp, got out a cigar, and began pacing theroom, ejaculating. Now and then he would argue with himself.

  "Invisible!" he said.

  "Is there such a thing as an invisible animal? ... In the sea, yes.Thousands--millions. All the larvae, all the little nauplii andtornarias, all the microscopic things, the jelly-fish. In the seathere are more things invisible than visible! I never thought ofthat before. And in the ponds too! All those little pond-lifethings--specks of colourless translucent jelly! But in air? No!

  "It can't be.

  "But after all--why not?

  "If a man was made of glass he would still be visible."

  His meditation became profound. The bulk of three cigars had passedinto the invisible or diffused as a white ash over the carpet beforehe spoke again. Then it was merely an exclamation. He turned aside,walked out of the room, and went into his little consulting-room andlit the gas there. It was a little room, because Dr. Kemp did notlive by practice, and in it were the day's newspapers. The morning'spaper lay carelessly opened and thrown aside. He caught it up,turned it over, and read the account of a "Strange Story from Iping"that the mariner at Port Stowe had spelt over so painfully to Mr.Marvel. Kemp read it swiftly.

  "Wrapped up!" said Kemp. "Disguised! Hiding it! 'No one seems tohave been aware of his misfortune.' What the devil _is_ his game?"

  He dropped the paper, and his eye went seeking. "Ah!" he said, andcaught up the _St. James' Gazette_, lying folded up as it arrived."Now we shall get at the truth," said Dr. Kemp. He rent the paperopen; a couple of columns confronted him. "An Entire Village inSussex goes Mad" was the heading.

  "Good Heavens!" said Kemp, reading eagerly an incredulous accountof the events in Iping, of the previous afternoon, that havealready been described. Over the leaf the report in the morningpaper had been reprinted.

  He re-read it. "Ran through the streets striking right and left.Jaffers insensible. Mr. Huxter in great pain--still unable todescribe what he saw. Painful humiliation--vicar. Woman ill withterror! Windows smashed. This extraordinary story probably afabrication. Too good not to print--_cum grano_!"

  He dropped the paper and stared blankly in front of him. "Probablya fabrication!"

  He caught up the paper again, and re-read the whole business. "Butwhen does the Tramp come in? Why the deuce was he chasing a tramp?"

  He sat down abruptly on the surgical bench. "He's not onlyinvisible," he said, "but he's mad! Homicidal!"

  When dawn came to mingle its pallor with the lamp-light and cigarsmoke of the dining-room, Kemp was still pacing up and down, tryingto grasp the incredible.

  He was altogether too excited to sleep. His servants, descendingsleepily, discovered him, and were inclined to think thatover-study had worked this ill on him. He gave them extraordinarybut quite explicit instructions to lay breakfast for two in thebelvedere study--and then to confine themselves to the basementand ground-floor. Then he continued to pace the dining-room untilthe morning's paper came. That had much to say and little to tell,beyond the confirmation of the evening before, and a very badlywritten account of another remarkable tale from Port Burdock. Thisgave Kemp the essence of the happenings at the "Jolly Cricketers,"and the name of Marvel. "He has made me keep with him twenty-fourhours," Marvel testified. Certain minor facts were added to theIping story, notably the cutting of the village telegraph-wire.But there was nothing to throw light on the connexion betweenthe Invisible Man and the Tramp; for Mr. Marvel had supplied noinformation about the three books, or the money with which he waslined. The incredulous tone had vanished and a shoal of reportersand inquirers were already at work elaborating the matter.

  Kemp read every scrap of the report and sent his housemaid out toget every one of the morning papers she could. These also hedevoured.

  "He is invisible!" he said. "And it reads like rage growing tomania! The things he may do! The things he may do! And he'supstairs free as the air. What on earth ought I to do?"

  "For instance, would it be a breach of faith if--? No."

  He went to a little untidy desk in the corner, and began a note. Hetore this up half written, and wrote another. He read it over andconsidered it. Then he took an envelope and addressed it to "ColonelAdye, Port Burdock."

  The Invisible Man awoke even as Kemp was doing this. He awoke in anevil temper, and Kemp, alert for every sound, heard his patteringfeet rush suddenly across the bedroom overhead. Then a chair wasflung over and the wash-hand stand tumbler smashed. Kemp hurriedupstairs and rapped eagerly.