Kitabı oku: «The Invisible Man. B2 / Человек-невидимка», sayfa 2

Сhapter 1
The Strange Man's Arrival

The stranger came early in February, one winter day, through abiting wind and heavy snow. He walked from Bramblehurst railway station, carrying a little black portmanteau in his gloved hand. He was wrapped up from head to foot, and his soft felt hat hid every inch of his face but the shiny tip of his nose. The snow was on his shoulders and chest, and the luggage he carried. He staggered into the “Coach and Horses”, more dead than alive, and flung his portmanteau down. “A fire,” he cried, “A room and a fire!” He stamped his foot and shook the snow off himself in the bar, and followed Mrs. Hall into her guest parlour.

Mrs. Hall lit the fire and left him there while she went to prepare his meal. A guest at Iping in the wintertime was an unheard piece of luck, and she wasresolved to do her best to please him. She brought the cloth, plates, and glasses and began to lay the table. Although it was warm in the room, she was surprised to see that her visitor still wore his hat and coat. His seemed to be lost in thought. Mrs. Hall noticed that the melted snow dripped upon her carpet. “Can I take your hat and coat, sir,” she said, “and give them a good dry in the kitchen?”

“No,” he said without turning.

She was not sure she had heard him, and was about to repeat her question.

He turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder. “I prefer to keep them on,” he said, and she noticed that he wore big blue spectacles and had bushywhiskers over his coat collar that completely hid his face.

“Very well, sir,” she said. “As you like. In a while the room will be even warmer.”

He made no answer and turned his face away from her again, and Mrs. Hall laid the rest of the table things andwhisked out of the room. When she returned he was still standing there, like a man of stone, his back hunched, his collar turned up, hiding his face and ears completely. She put down the eggs and bacon, and called rather than said to him, “Your lunch is served, sir.”

“Thank you,” he said and did not stir until she closed the door.

She noticed that he had taken off his coat and hat and put them on a chair in front of the fire. “Oh,” she thought, “his pair of wet boots can ruin my steel fender!” and said aloud, “I suppose I may dry them now,” she added in a voice that took no denial.

“Leave the hat,” said her visitor, in amuffled voice, and turning she saw he had raised his head and was sitting and looking at her.

For a moment she stoodgaping at him, too surprised to speak.