Kitabı oku: «The Invisible Man. B2 / Человек-невидимка», sayfa 15

Chapter 9
Mr. Thomas Marvel

Mr. Thomas Marvel was astouttramp with a round face and an eccentric beard. He was sitting by the roadside. In a leisurely manner-he did everything in a leisurely manner-he was trying on a pair of boots. They were the best boots he had come across for a long time, but too large for him; whereas the ones he had were, in dry weather, a very comfortable fit, but too thin-soled for damp. It was a pleasant day, and there was nothing better to do. So he put the four shoes in a graceful group on the turf and looked at them. And seeing them there among the grass and spring flowers, it suddenly occurred to him that both pairs were exceedingly ugly to look at. He was not at all startled by a voice behind him.

“They're boots, anyhow,” said the Voice.

“They are-charity boots,” said Mr. Thomas Marvel.

“H'm,” said the Voice.

“I've worn worse-in fact, I've worn none. But none so ugly-. I've been asking boots-in particular-for days. These are good enough, of course. But look at them! It's just my bad luck. I've been getting my boots in this country for ten years or more. And then they treat you like this.”

“It's an awful country,” said the Voice. “And pigs for people.”

Mr. Marvel turned his head over his shoulder to the right, to look at the boots of hisinterlocutor but, seeing neither legs nor boots, was greatly amazed. “Where are you?” said Mr. Thomas Marvel over his shoulder and coming on all fours. “Am I drunk? Have I had visions? Was I talking to myself? What the-”

“Don't be alarmed,” said a Voice.

“None of your tricks,” said Mr. Thomas Marvel, rising sharply to his feet. “Where are you? Alarmed, indeed!”

“Don't be alarmed,” repeated the Voice.

“You'll be alarmed in a minute, you silly fool,” said Mr. Thomas Marvel. “Where are you? Are you buried?” There was no answer. Mr. Thomas Marvel stood bootless and amazed. “This is no time forfoolery. It's the drink!”

“It's not the drink,” said the Voice. “You keep your nerves steady.”

“Ow!” said Mr. Marvel, and his face grew white. “It's the drink!” his lips repeated noiselessly, “I could have sworn I heard a voice,” he whispered.

“Of course you did.”

“It's there again,” said Mr. Marvel, closing his eyes and clasping his hand on his forehead with a tragic gesture. He was suddenly taken by the collar and shaken violently, and felt moredazed than ever. “Don't be a fool,” said the Voice. “Listen!”

“Well?” said Mr. Thomas Marvel.

“You think I'm just imagination? Just imagination?”

“What else can you be?” said Mr. Thomas Marvel.