by H. G. Wells
X. THE CRYING OF THE MAN.
AS I drew near the house I saw that the light shone fromthe open door of my room; and then I heard coming from outof the darkness at the side of that orange oblong of light,the voice of Montgomery shouting, "Prendick!" I continued running.Presently I heard him again. I replied by a feeble "Hullo!"and in another moment had staggered up to him.
"Where have you been?" said he, holding me at arm's length,so that the light from the door fell on my face. "We have bothbeen so busy that we forgot you until about half an hour ago."He led me into the room and sat me down in the deck chair.For awhile I was blinded by the light. "We did not think you would startto explore this island of ours without telling us," he said; and then,"I was afraid--But--what--Hullo!"
My last remaining strength slipped from me, and my head fell forwardon my chest. I think he found a certain satisfaction in givingme brandy.
"For God's sake," said I, "fasten that door."
"You've been meeting some of our curiosities, eh?" said he.
He locked the door and turned to me again. He asked me no questions,but gave me some more brandy and water and pressed me to eat.I was in a state of collapse. He said something vague about hisforgetting to warn me, and asked me briefly when I left the houseand what I had seen.
I answered him as briefly, in fragmentary sentences. "Tell mewhat it all means," said I, in a state bordering on hysterics.
"It's nothing so very dreadful," said he. "But I think youhave had about enough for one day." The puma suddenly gavea sharp yell of pain. At that he swore under his breath."I'm damned," said he, "if this place is not as bad as Gower Street,with its cats."
"Montgomery," said I, "what was that thing that came after me?Was it a beast or was it a man?"
"If you don't sleep to-night," he said, "you'll be off yourhead to-morrow."
I stood up in front of him. "What was that thing that came after me?"I asked.
He looked me squarely in the eyes, and twisted his mouth askew.His eyes, which had seemed animated a minute before, went dull."From your account," said he, "I'm thinking it was a bogle."
I felt a gust of intense irritation, which passed as quickly as it came.I flung myself into the chair again, and pressed my hands on my forehead.The puma began once more.
Montgomery came round behind me and put his hand on my shoulder."Look here, Prendick," he said, "I had no business to letyou drift out into this silly island of ours. But it's notso bad as you feel, man. Your nerves are worked to rags.Let me give you something that will make you sleep. _That_--will keepon for hours yet. You must simply get to sleep, or I won't answerfor it."
I did not reply. I bowed forward, and covered my face with my hands.Presently he returned with a small measure containing a dark liquid.This he gave me. I took it unresistingly, and he helped me intothe hammock.
When I awoke, it was broad day. For a little while I lay flat,staring at the roof above me. The rafters, I observed, were madeout of the timbers of a ship. Then I turned my head, and saw a mealprepared for me on the table. I perceived that I was hungry,and prepared to clamber out of the hammock, which, very politelyanticipating my intention, twisted round and deposited me uponall-fours on the floor.
I got up and sat down before the food. I had a heavy feelingin my head, and only the vaguest memory at first of the thingsthat had happened over night. The morning breeze blew verypleasantly through the unglazed window, and that and the foodcontributed to the sense of animal comfort which I experienced.Presently the door behind me--the door inward towards the yardof the enclosure--opened. I turned and saw Montgomery's face.
"All right," said he. "I'm frightfully busy." And he shut the door.
Afterwards I discovered that he forgot to re-lock it.Then I recalled the expression of his face the previous night,and with that the memory of all I had experienced reconstructeditself before me. Even as that fear came back to me came a cryfrom within; but this time it was not the cry of a puma.I put down the mouthful that hesitated upon my lips, and listened.Silence, save for the whisper of the morning breeze. I began to think myears had deceived me.
After a long pause I resumed my meal, but with my ears still vigilant.Presently I heard something else, very faint and low.I sat as if frozen in my attitude. Though it was faint and low,it moved me more profoundly than all that I had hitherto heard ofthe abominations behind the wall. There was no mistake this time inthe quality of the dim, broken sounds; no doubt at all of their source.For it was groaning, broken by sobs and gasps of anguish.It was no brute this time; it was a human being in torment!
As I realised this I rose, and in three steps had crossed the room,seized the handle of the door into the yard, and flung it openbefore me.
"Prendick, man! Stop!" cried Montgomery, intervening.
A startled deerhound yelped and snarled. There was blood, I saw,in the sink,--brown, and some scarlet--and I smelt the peculiarsmell of carbolic acid. Then through an open doorway beyond,in the dim light of the shadow, I saw something bound painfullyupon a framework, scarred, red, and bandaged; and then blottingthis out appeared the face of old Moreau, white and terrible.In a moment he had gripped me by the shoulder with a hand that wassmeared red, had twisted me off my feet, and flung me headlong backinto my own room. He lifted me as though I was a little child.I fell at full length upon the floor, and the door slammedand shut out the passionate intensity of his face.Then I heard the key turn in the lock, and Montgomery's voicein expostulation.
"Ruin the work of a lifetime," I heard Moreau say.
"He does not understand," said Montgomery. and other thingsthat were inaudible.
"I can't spare the time yet," said Moreau.
The rest I did not hear. I picked myself up and stood trembling,my mind a chaos of the most horrible misgivings. Could it be possible,I thought, that such a thing as the vivisection of men was carriedon here? The question shot like lightning across a tumultuous sky;and suddenly the clouded horror of my mind condensed into a vividrealisation of my own danger.