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06 - The Invisible Man - H G Wells · Daily Sci-Fi Books

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Chapter thirteen, mister Marvel discusses his resignation. When the dust
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: was gathering, an iping was just beginning to peep timorously
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: forth again upon the shattered wreckage of its bank holiday,
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: A short, thick set man in a shabby silk hat
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: was marching painfully through the twilight behind the beech woods
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: on the road to Bramblehurst. He carried three books, bound
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: together by some sort of ornamental elastic ligature, and a
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: bundle wrapped in a blue tablecloth. His rubicund face expressed
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: consternation and fatigue. He appeared to be in some sort
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: of spasmodic hurry. He was accompanied by a voice other
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: than his own, and ever and again he winced under
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: the touch of unseen hands. If you give me the
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: slip again, said the voice. If you attempt to give
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: me the slip again, Lord, said mister Marvel. That shoulders
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  Speaker 1: a mass of bruises, as it is on my honor,
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: said THEO I will kill you. He didn't try to
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: give you the slip, said Marvel, in a voice that
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: was not far remote from tears. I swear I didn't.
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  Speaker 1: I didn't know the blessed turning. That was all how
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  Speaker 1: the devil. Was I to know the blessed turning as
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  Speaker 1: it is, I've been knocked about. You'll get knocked about
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  Speaker 1: a great deal more if you don't mind, said the voice,
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  Speaker 1: and mister Marvel abruptly became silent. He blew out his cheeks,
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  Speaker 1: and his eyes were eloquent of despair. It's bad enough
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  Speaker 1: to let those floundering yokels explode my little secret without
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: your cutting off with my books. It's lucky for some
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: of them they cut and ran when they did. Here
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  Speaker 1: am I? No one knew I was invisible? And now
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: what am I to do? What am I to do?
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: Asked Marvel, sotto vouch, It's all about. It will be
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: in the papers. Everybody will be looking for me, every
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: one on their guard. The voice broke off into vivid
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: curses and ceased. The despair of mister Marvel's face deepened
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: and his pace slackened. Go on, said the voice. Mister
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: Marvell's face assumed a grayish tint between the ruddier patches.
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  Speaker 1: Don't drop those books, stupid, said the voice, sharply, overtaking him.
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: The fact is, said the voice, I shall have to
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  Speaker 1: make use of you. You're a poor tool, But I must.
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: I'm a miserable tool, said Marvel. You are, said the voice.
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  Speaker 1: I'm the worst possible tool you could have, said Marvel.
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: I'm not strong, he said, after a discouraging silence. I'm
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: not over strong, he repeated. No, and my heart's weak.
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: That little business. I pulled it through, of course, but
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: bless you, I could have dropped. Well. I haven't the
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  Speaker 1: nerve and strength for the soret thing you want. I'll
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: stimulate youn. I wish you wouldn't. I wouldn't like to
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  Speaker 1: mess up your plans, you know, but I might out
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  Speaker 1: of sheer funk and misery. You'd better not, said the voice,
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: with quiet emphasis. I you wish I was dead, said Marvel.
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: He ain't justice, he said, you must admit it seems
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  Speaker 1: to me I've a perfect right. Get on, said the voice.
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: Mister Marvel mended his pace, and for a time they
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: went in silence again. It's devilish, horrid, said mister Marvel.
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: This was quite ineffectual. He tried another tack. What do
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  Speaker 1: I make by it? He began, and again in a
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: tone of unendurable wrong. Oh shut up, said the voice,
• 3:51
  Speaker 1: with sudden amazing vigor. I'll see to you all right,
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: you do what you're told. You'll do it, all right,
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: You're a fool and all that, but you'll do Oh.
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: I tell you, sir, I'm not the man for it, respectfully,
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: but he is. So if you don't shut up, I
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: shall twist your wrist again, said the invisible man. I
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: want to think presently. Two oblongs of yellow light appeared
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: through the trees, and the square tower of a church
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: loomed through the gloaming. I shall keep my hand on
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  Speaker 1: your shoulder, said the voice, all through the village. Go
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  Speaker 1: straight through and try no foolery. It'll be the worse
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  Speaker 1: for you if you do. I know that, sighed mister Marvell. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: I know all that. The unhappy looking figure in the
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: obsolete silk hat passed up the street of the little
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  Speaker 1: village with his burdens and vanished into the gathering darkness
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: beyond the lights of the windows. Chapter fourteen, at port Stone,
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  Speaker 1: ten o'clock the next morning found mister Marvel, unshaped, dirty
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  Speaker 1: and travel stained, sitting with the books beside him and
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  Speaker 1: his hands deep in his pockets, looking very weary, nervous
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  Speaker 1: and uncomfortable, and inflating his cheeks at infrequent intervals on
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  Speaker 1: the bench outside a little inn on the outskirts of
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  Speaker 1: port Stow. Beside him were the books, but now they
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  Speaker 1: were tied with string. The bundle had been abandoned in
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  Speaker 1: the pine woods beyond Bramblehurst, in accordance with a change
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  Speaker 1: of plans in the Invisible Man. Mister Marvell sat on
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  Speaker 1: the bench, and although no one took the slightest notice
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  Speaker 1: of him, his agitation remained at fever heat. His hands
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  Speaker 1: would go ever and again to his various pockets with
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  Speaker 1: a curious, nervous fumbling. When he had been sitting for
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  Speaker 1: the best part of an hour, however, an elderly mariner
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  Speaker 1: carrying a newspaper came out of the inn and sat
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  Speaker 1: down beside him. Pleasant day, said the mariner. Mister Marvell
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: glanced about him with something very like terror. Very, he said,
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: just season weather for the time of year, said the mariner,
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: taking no denial, quite, said mister Marvel. The mariner produced
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: a toothpick, and, saving his regard, was engrossed thereby for
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  Speaker 1: some minutes. His eyes, meanwhile, were at liberty to examine
• 6:16
  Speaker 1: mister Marvel's dusty figure and the books beside him. As
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  Speaker 1: he had approached mister Marvell, he had heard a sound
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  Speaker 1: like the dropping of coins into a pocket. He was
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  Speaker 1: struck by the contrast of mister Marvel's appearance with this
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  Speaker 1: sudden suggestion of opulence. Thence, his mind wandered back again
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  Speaker 1: to a topic that had taken a curiously firm hold
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  Speaker 1: of his imagination. Books, he said, suddenly, noisily finishing with
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  Speaker 1: the tuthpick. Mister Marvel started and looked at them. Oh, yes,
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  Speaker 1: he said, Yes, they're books. There are some extraordinary things
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  Speaker 1: in books, said the mariner. We believe you, said mister Marvel,
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  Speaker 1: And some extraordinary things out of them, said the mariner. True, likewise,
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: said mister Marvel. He eyed his interlocutor, and then glanced
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  Speaker 1: about him. There's some extraordinary things in newspapers, for example,
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  Speaker 1: said the mariner. There are in this newspaper, said the mariner. Ah,
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: said mister Marvel. There's a story, said the mariner, fixing
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: mister Marvel with an eye that was firm and deliberate.
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  Speaker 1: There's a story about an invisible man, for instance. Mister
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: Marvell pulled his mouth askew and scratched his cheek, and
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  Speaker 1: felt his ears glowing. What will they be writing next?
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  Speaker 1: He asked faintly, Austria or America. Neither, said the mariner. Here, lord,
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: said mister Marvel. Starting when I say here, said the mariner,
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: said mister Marvel's intense relief. I don't, of course mean
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  Speaker 1: here in this place. I mean hereabouts and in visible man,
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: said mister Marvel. And what's he been up to? Everything,
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: said the mariner, controlling Marvel with his eye, and then
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  Speaker 1: amplifying every blessed thing. I ain't seen a paper these
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  Speaker 1: four days, said Marvel. Iping's the place he started at,
• 8:17
  Speaker 1: said the mariner. Indeed, said mister Marvel, he started there,
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  Speaker 1: and where he came from. Nobody don't seem to know here.
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  Speaker 1: It is peculiar story from Iping. And it says in
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  Speaker 1: this paper that the evidence is extraordinarily strong. Extraordinary, Lord,
• 8:37
  Speaker 1: said mister Marvel. But then it's an extraordinary story. There
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  Speaker 1: was a clergyman and a medical gent. Witnesses saw him
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  Speaker 1: all right and proper at least ways didn't see him.
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  Speaker 1: He was staying it as at the coach and horses,
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  Speaker 1: and don't no one seemed to be being aware of
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  Speaker 1: his misfortune. Aware of his misfortune, it says, until in
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  Speaker 1: an altercation at the inn, it says his bandit his eyes,
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  Speaker 1: his head was ornoff. Was then observed that his head
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  Speaker 1: was invisible. Attempts were at once made to secure him,
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  Speaker 1: but casting off his garments. It says he succeeded in escaping,
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  Speaker 1: but not until after a desperate struggle in which he
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  Speaker 1: had inflicted serious injuries. It says on our worthy and
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  Speaker 1: able Constable, mister J. A. Jaffers, pretty straight story, eh
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  Speaker 1: names and everything, Lord, said mister Marvell, looking nervously about him,
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  Speaker 1: trying to count the money in his pockets by his
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  Speaker 1: unaided sense of touch, and full of a strange novel idea,
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  Speaker 1: it sounds most astonishing, don't it extraordinary? I call it?
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  Speaker 1: Never a tell of invisible men before I haven't, but
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  Speaker 1: nowadays when he hears such a lot of extraordinary things.
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  Speaker 1: That that all he did, asked Marvel, trying to seem
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  Speaker 1: at his ease. It's enough, ain't it? Said the Mariner.
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  Speaker 1: Didn't go back by any chance, asked Marvel. Just escaped,
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  Speaker 1: and that's all, eh all, said the mariner. Why ain't
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  Speaker 1: it enough? Quite enough? Said Marvel. I should think it
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  Speaker 1: was enough, said the mariner, I should think it was enough.
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  Speaker 1: He didn't have any pals. It don't say he had
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  Speaker 1: any pals, does it, asked mister Marvel. Anxious. Ain't one
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  Speaker 1: of a sort enough for you, asked the Mariner. No,
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  Speaker 1: thank heaven, as one say he didn't. He nodded his
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  Speaker 1: head slowly. It makes me regular uncomfortable the bare thought
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  Speaker 1: of that chap running about the country. He is at
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  Speaker 1: present at large, and from certain evidence, it is supposed
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  Speaker 1: that he has taken took I suppose they mean the
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  Speaker 1: road to port Stow. You see, we're right in it,
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  Speaker 1: none of your American wonderers this time. And just think
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  Speaker 1: of the things he might do. Where'd ye be if
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: he took a drop over and above and had a
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  Speaker 1: fancy to go for you? Supposing he wants to rob,
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  Speaker 1: who can prevent him? He can trespass, he can burgle,
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  Speaker 1: He could walk through the cordon of a policeman as
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  Speaker 1: easy as me. Or you could give the slip to
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  Speaker 1: a blind man easier for thesire. Blind chapsk here uncommon, sharp,
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  Speaker 1: I'm told, And wherever there was liquor, he fancied. He's
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  Speaker 1: got a tremendous advantage, certainly, said mister Marvel. And well
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  Speaker 1: you're right, said the Mariner, he has. All of this time,
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: mister Marvell had been glancing about him intently, listening for
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  Speaker 1: faint footfalls, trying to detect imperceptible movements. He seemed on
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  Speaker 1: the point of some great resolution. He coughed behind his hand.
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: He looked about him again, listened, bent towards the Mariner,
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  Speaker 1: and lowered his voice. The fact of it is, I
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  Speaker 1: happen to know just a thing or two about this
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: invisible man from private sources. Oh, said the mariner. Interested you, Yes,
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: said mister Marvel. Me indeed, said the mariner. And may
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  Speaker 1: I ask you will be astonished, said mister Marvel behind
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  Speaker 1: his hand. It's tremendous, indeed, said the mariner. The fact is,
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: began mister Marvell eagerly, in a confidential undertone. Suddenly his
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  Speaker 1: expression changed marvelously. Ow, he said. He rose stiffly in
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  Speaker 1: his seat. His face was eloquent of physical softening. Wow,
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: he said, what's up, said the mariner. Concerned toothache, said
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: mister Marvell, and put his hand to his ear. He
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  Speaker 1: caught hold of his books. I must be getting one,
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: I think, he edged in a curious way along the seat,
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  Speaker 1: away from his interlocutor. But you was just a gunna
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: tell me about this here, invisible man, protested the mariner.
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: Mister Marvel seemed to consult it himself. Hoax, said a voice.
• 13:09
  Speaker 1: It's a hoax, said mister Marvel. But it's in the paper,
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: said the mariner. Hoax all the same, said Marvel. I
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  Speaker 1: know the chat that started to lie. There ain't no
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  Speaker 1: invisible man whatsoever bloy me. But how about this paper?
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  Speaker 1: Do you mean to say not a word of it?
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  Speaker 1: Said Marvel, stoutly. The Mariner stared paper in hand. Mister
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: Marvel jerkily faced about Wait a bit, said the mariner,
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  Speaker 1: rising and speaking slowly. Do you mean to say I do,
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: said mister Marvel. Then why do you let me go
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  Speaker 1: on and tell you all this blasted stuff? Then what
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: do you mean by letting a man make a fool
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: of himself like that? For hey, mister Marvel blew out
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  Speaker 1: his cheeks. The mariner was suddenly very red. Indeed, he
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: clenched his hands. I've been torkin here. This's ten minutes,
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  Speaker 1: he said. And you, your little pot bellied, leathery faced
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: son of an old boot, couldn't have the elementary manners.
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: Don't you come bandying words with me, said mister Marvel,
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  Speaker 1: bandying words. I've a jolly good mind. Come up, said
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: a voice, and mister Marvell was suddenly whirled about and
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: started marching off in a curious, spasmodic manner. You'd better
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: move on, said the mariner. Who's moving on, said mister Marvell,
• 14:31
  Speaker 1: who was receding obliquely with a curious hurrying gait, with
• 14:34
  Speaker 1: occasional violent jerks forward. Somewhere along the road. He began
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: a muttered monolog protests and recriminations. Silly devil, said the mariner,
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: legs wide apart, elbows akimbo, watching the receding figure. I'll
• 14:49
  Speaker 1: show you, you silly ass hoaxing me. It's here on
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: the paper, mister Marvel retorted incoherently, and receding was hidden
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: by a bend in the road, but the mariner still
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: stood magnificent in the midst of the way until the
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: approach of a butcher's cart dislodged him. Then he turned
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: himself towards Portstow. Full of extraordinary asses, he said softly
• 15:12
  Speaker 1: to himself, Just take me down a bit. That was
• 15:15
  Speaker 1: his silly game, as on the paper, And there was
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: another extraordinary thing. He was presently to hear that had
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: happened quite close to him, And that was a vision
• 15:26
  Speaker 1: of a fistful of money, no less, traveling without visible
• 15:30
  Speaker 1: agency along by the wall at the corner of Saint
• 15:32
  Speaker 1: Michael's Lane. A brother Mariner had seen this wonderful sight
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: that very morning. He had snatched at the money forthwith
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: and had been knocked headlong, And when he got to
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: his feet, the butterfly money had vanished. Our Mariner was
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: in the mood to believe anything, he declared, but that
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: was a bit too stiff. Afterwards, however, he began to
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: think things over, the story of the flying money was true,
• 15:58
  Speaker 1: and all about that neighborhood, even from the August London
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: and Country Banking Company, from the tills of shops and
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: inns doors, standing that sunny weather entirely open, money had
• 16:08
  Speaker 1: been quietly and dexterously making off that day in handfuls
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: and ruleou, floating quietly along by walls and shady places,
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: dodging quickly from the approaching eyes of men. And it had,
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: though no man had traced it, invariably ended its mysterious
• 16:23
  Speaker 1: flight in the pocket of that agitated gentleman in the
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: obsolete silk hat sitting outside the little End on the
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: outskirts of Port Stow. It was ten days after, and
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: indeed only when the Burdock story was already old, that
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: the mariner collated these facts and began to understand how
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: near he had been to the wonderful invisible man.