Герберт Уэллс - Кентервильское привидение. Человек-невидимка / The Canterville Ghost. The Invisible Man

“But where is he? Do you know?”

“He’s in the town police station. He asked to lock himself up. “Curse him!” said the Invisible Man. “We must get those books!”

“Certainly,” said Kemp, wondering if he heard steps outside. Kemp tried to think of something to keep the talk going.

“When I got into your house, Kemp,” said the Invisible Man, “I changed all my plans. You are a man that can understand. You have told no one I am here?” he asked suddenly.

“No,” Kemp said.

“I made a mistake, Kemp, starting this thing alone. It is wonderful how little a man can do alone!

“What I want, Kemp, is a helper, and a hiding-place. I must have a partner. With a partner, with food and rest, a thousand things are possible. Invisibility is useful in getting away, in approaching. It’s very useful in killing. I can come up to a man, and strike as I like, and escape.”

Kemp heard a movement downstairs.

“And we must kill, Kemp.”

“I’m listening to your plan, Griffin,” said Kemp, “but I do not agree. Why kill?”

“The Invisible Man will establish a Reign of Terror. Yes; a Reign of Terror. He must take some town, like your Burdock, and terrify and dominate it. He will kill all who is against him.”

Kemp was no longer listening to Griffin, but to the sound of his front door opening and closing.

“Your partner would be in a difficult position,” he said

“No one would know he was my partner,” said the Invisible Man. And then suddenly, “Hush! What’s that downstairs?”

“Nothing,” said Kemp, and suddenly began to speak loud and fast. “I don’t agree to this, Griffin,” he said. “Understand me, I don’t agree to this. How can you hope to be happy? Publish your results. Think what you can do with a million helpers.”

The Invisible Man interrupted. “There are steps coming upstairs. Let me see,” said the Invisible Man, and went to the door.

“Traitor!” cried the Invisible Man, the dressing-gown opened, and fell to the floor. Kemp ran to the door and opened it. There was a sound of feet downstairs and voices. Kemp pushed the Invisible Man back, and slammed the door. The key was outside and ready. As Kemp slammed the door it fell on the floor. Kemp’s face became white. He tried to keep the door closed. Then the door opened a little. But he closed it again. Then it opened, and his throat was gripped by invisible fingers, and he was pushed down.

Walking upstairs was Colonel Adye, the chief of the Burdock police. Suddenly he was struck violently. By nothing! Something gripped his throat, pushed him, and he fell. A moment later he heard the two police officers in the hall shout and run, and the front door slammed violently. He sat up on the floor.

“My God!” cried Kemp, “He’s gone!”

Are the following statements true or false? Correct the false ones.

1. Kemp had informed the police about Griffin and now he expected policemen. But he didn’t want Griffin to know about it.

2. Griffin had come to Burdock to continue his investigation of invisibility.

3. Mr. Marvel was locked up in the “Jolly Cricketers”, and Griffin couldn’t get at him.

4. Griffin needed Kemp to help him in the investigation.

5. Griffin planned to use invisibility to kill people to establish his reign.

6. Kemp told Griffin he didn’t agree to his plans.

7. Kemp couldn’t keep his guest in his bedroom as Griffin was stronger than him.

8. The policemen arrested Griffin in Kemp’s house.

1. How do you understand the heading of the chapter? Whose plan failed?

2. Why did Kemp say that Griffin’s partner would be in a difficult position?

3. Did Kemp believe that Griffin would listen to him when he advised him to publish his results? Why did Kemp say it?

4. Do you agree to Griffin’s words that a man can do very little alone? Is it so now or has the situation changed?

5. Why didn’t the policemen arrest Griffin?

It took Kemp some time to make Adye understand what had just happened.

“He is mad,” said Kemp. “He thinks of nothing but his own power. He has wounded men. He will kill them if we don’t prevent him. Nothing can stop him. He is furious!”

“He must be caught,” said Adye. “That is certain.”

“But how?” cried Kemp, and suddenly became full of ideas. “You must begin at once; he mustn’t leave this district. He dreams of a reign of terror! You must watch trains and roads and ships. The only thing that may keep him here is the thought of getting his diaries from the tramp. He is in your police station – Marvel.”

“I know,” said Adye, “Those books – yes. But the tramp…”

“Says he doesn’t have them. But he thinks the tramp has. And you must prevent him from eating or sleeping. Food must be locked up, all food. All the houses must be locked. The nights are cold, and it rains.”

“What else can we do?” said Adye. “I must begin organising at once. Kemp, what else?”

“Dogs,” said Kemp. “Get dogs. They don’t see him, but they feel him.”

“Good,” said Adye. “What else?”

“His food shows,” said Kemp. “After eating, his food shows until it is assimilated. He has to hide after eating.”

“I’ll do that,” said Adye.

* * *

The Invisible Man rushed out of Kemp’s house in rage. A little child playing near Kemp’s house was thrown away, so that his leg was broken.

He was exasperated when he saw that Kemp had betrayed him. The people began to organise themselves. Every train travelled with locked doors. Men with guns in groups of three and four with dogs watched roads and fields. Policemen visited every cottage in the country and told people to lock up their houses and keep indoors.

At half past two, horrible news went through the country. It was the story of the murder of Mr. Wicksteed. He was a man of forty-five, very quiet. It seemed the Invisible Man stopped the man going home to lunch, attacked him, beat him, and smashed his head to jelly. Perhaps, he did it in one of his fits of temper.

He found houses locked, he walked about railway stations and inns, and no doubt he read the leaflets of the police, and realised he was being hunted. In the fields were groups of men with dogs. And he himself had given the information used against him! He was exasperated, furious!

Are the following statements true or false? Correct the false ones.

1. Kemp thought Griffin could start killing people at any moment. And his fears came true on that day.

2. It was Colonel Adye who had ideas of what should be done to catch Griffin.

3. The police hunted Griffin but the local people didn’t take part in it. They were not interested in catching the Invisible Man.

4. Griffin knew the police were after him and the fact that he had given information used against him exasperated him.

1. Why do you think it was Kemp, not Colonel Adye, who offered ideas what should be done to catch Griffin?

2. Do you think the hunting of the Invisible Man was organised well?

3. Why do you think ordinary people were active in looking for the Invisible Man?

Kemp read a note, written in pencil.

“You are against me. For a whole day you have hunted me. But I have had food and slept in spite of you, and the game is only beginning. This will be the first day of the Terror. On the first day I shall kill one man – a man named Kemp. The unseen Death is coming.”