chapter-2

CHAPTER II Mr. Thomas Marvel was a strange -looking man.

He was a short, fat man, with a round nose and a big beard.

He wore a silk hat and an old worn -out suit.

He was sitting by the roadside about two kilometres outside aipping.

His socks were full of holes.

He was staring at two pairs of shoes, his old shoes, and a pair of shoes he had just

found.

The newer shoes were very good, but they were too large for him.

He sat there, trying to decide.

Their boots, anyway, said a voice.

They are very ugly, said Mr. Marvel.

Hmmm, said the voice.

"'I've been looking for a new pair for days,' said Mr. Marvel.

And believe me, I tried my best, but nobody gave me good boots.

And there are good boots in this part of the country.

I guess I was unlucky."

He turned his head to the right to look at the boots of the speaker, but there was nothing.

Neither legs nor boots.

"'Where are you?' he asked.

He was confused.

"'Am I mad?

Am I hearing things?'

"'Don't panic,' said the voice.

"'But where are you?' asked Mr. Marvel, rising to his feet.

"'Don't panic,' repeated the voice.

"'Where are you?

"'Are you under the ground?'

"'There was no answer.'

Mr. Marvel stood bootless and amazed.

He waited for a while, but there was still no answer.

"'I'm sure I heard a voice,' he said to himself.

"'And you did,' said the voice.

"'It's there again,' said Mr. Marvel, closing his eyes.

Suddenly someone held him by the collar and started shaking him.

Mr. Marvel was even more shocked.

"'Don't be frightened,' said the voice.

"'I must be going crazy,' said Mr. Marvel.

"'Or it must be a ghost.

"'Listen to me,' said the voice angrily.

Mr. Marvel felt a finger poking his chest.

"'Do you think I'm just your imagination?' asked the voice.

"'What else can you be?' said Mr. Marvel.

"'Very well,' said the voice.

"'Then I'm going to throw stones at you until you think differently.

"'But where are you?'

"'The voice did not reply.

"'A stone came flying through the air and missed Mr.

Marvel's shoulder.

"'Mr. Marvel turned and saw another stone jump up into the air,

"'hang there for a moment, and then fall at his feet.

"'Another one came and hit his bare toes.

"'He jumped in pain and screamed.

"'He tried to run, but tripped over something and fell.

"'He got up and sat by the road.

"'Now,' said the voice.

"'Am I just your imagination?'

"'Mr. Marvel tried to get up, but he rolled over again.

"'He lay quiet for a moment.

"'I don't understand,' he said.

"'Stones throwing themselves.

"'Stones are talking.

"'It's very simple,' said the voice.

"'I'm an invisible man.

"'Where are you hiding?' asked Mr.

Marvel.

"'How do you do it?'

"'I'm invisible,' said the voice.

"'That's what I want you to understand.

"'I see that.

"'Tell me.

"'Where are you hiding?

"'I'm invisible.

"'And what I want you to understand is this.

"'But where?' interrupted Mr.

Marvel.

"'Here, five metres in front of you.

"'Oh, come on.

"'Next you'll tell me that you're just thin air.

"'Yes, I am thin air.

"'You're looking through me.

"'What?'

"'I am just a human being.

"'I am solid.

"'I need food and drink.

"'And I need covering, too.

"'But I'm invisible.'

"'You understand.

"'Invisible.

"'What?

"'Are you real?'

"'Yes, real.'

"'Give me your hand,' said Mr.

Marvel.

"'He felt with his fingers the hand that was held out towards him.

"'He felt the arm.

"'And then touched the chest.

"'And then the bearded face.

"'He was shocked.

"'Of course, all this isn't as amazing as you think.

"'It's amazing enough for me,' said Mr.

Marvel.

"'How do you do it?'

"'It's a long story.

"'And right now, I need help.

"'I found you by chance.

"'I was walking along, angry, helpless and without clothes.

"'And I saw you.

"'I thought to myself,

"'This is the man who can help me.

"'But how can I help you,' asked Mr.

Marvel.

"'I want you to help me get clothes, shelter and other things.

"'Look here,' said Mr.

"'I'm in shock.

"'Let me go.

"'I must calm down.

"'And you've nearly broken my toe.

"'It's also unreasonable.

"'Emptyground, empty sky.

"'Nothing visible for miles.

"'And then comes a voice.

"'And stones.

"'And a hand.

"'My God.

"'Pull yourself together,' said the voice.

"'You must do the job.

"'I've chosen you.

"'You must be my helper.

"'Help me.

"'And I will do great things for you.

"'An invisible man is a man of power.

"'He stopped for a moment and sneezed violently.

"'But if you betray me,' he said,

"'If you don't do what I ask you to do,

"'He paused and touched Mr.

"'Marvel's shoulder.

"'Mr. Marvel gave a small cry of fear.

"'I don't want to betray you,' he said,

"'moving away from the fingers.

"'All I want to do is to help you.

"'Just tell me what to do.'

"'About four o 'clock, a stranger entered the village

"'from the direction of the hills.

"'He was a short fat man in an old hat,

"'and he looked very much out of breath.

"'Some of the people in the village

"'notice him.

"'He looked anxious and seemed to be talking to himself.

"'He walked towards the coach and horses in.

"'Mr. Huxter, who was working in his shop across the street,

"'saw the stranger standing in front of the inn.

"'He seemed to be hesitating to go inside.

"'After a few minutes he walked up the steps and went in.

"'Mr. Huxter heard Mr. Hall telling the man not to go into the parlour.

"'That room's private,' shouted Mr. Hall,

"'and the stranger left the inn.

"'A few minutes later Mr. Huxter saw the stranger return.

"'The man looked around the inn,

"'and then walked towards the gates of the yard.

"'The window of the parlour was there.

"'The man rested on one of the gateposts

"'and took out a short pipe.

"'Huxter noticed that the man looked calm,

"'but his fingers were shaking.

"'Suddenly the stranger put his pipe back in his pocket

"'and disappeared into the yard.

"'Huxter thought that the man was a thief,

"'so he rushed out of his shop to go after him.

"'Then the man reappeared.

"'He was carrying some clothes in one hand

"'and three books in the other.

"'When the man noticed Huxter, he started to run.

"'Stop thief!' cried Huxter as he ran after him.

Huxter had taken only a few steps

when suddenly something caught his leg

and sent him flying.

The last thing he remembered

was seeing the ground move close to his face.

At the moment when Mr. Marvel first came into the inn,

Dr. Cuss and Mr. Bunting were in the guest parlour.

They were trying to understand the strange events of the morning,

so they were examining the invisible man's belongings.

Mr. Jaffers had gone home.

Mrs. Hall had removed the invisible man's clothes

and tidied up the room.

And on the table under the window,

Cuss had found three big journals.

"'Now, look at this,' said Cuss,

"'putting the three journals on the table.

"'We will learn something.'"

Cuss sat down and opened one of the journals.

Mr. Bunting looked over his shoulder.

"'Dear me,' said Cuss.

"'It's all code, Bunting.

"'There are no diagrams,' asked Mr. Bunting.

"'No pictures?

"'Some of it is mathematical,' said Cuss.

"'And some of it is Russian or Greek or some other language.'

"'Then suddenly the door opened.

"'The two men turned around in panic.

"'They saw a red face under an old hat.

"'Excuse me,' said the man at the door.

"'Please leave and shut that door,' said Cuss.

"'All right,' said the man.

"'And he closed the door.

"'He did this very slowly.

"'I am nervous today,' said Cuss.

"'The door opening like that.

"'It made me jump.'

"'Very strange things have been happening in

"'Iping in the last few days,' said Bunting.

"'But, of course, I cannot believe in this invisibility story.

"'It's incredible,' said Cuss.

"'But I saw right down his sleeve.

"'But are you sure?

"'Maybe it was an optical illusion.

"'I am sure,' Bunting,' said Cuss.

"'Now let's look at these journals.'

"'He pointed to the middle of the page.

"'Bunting had difficulty reading the strange language,

"'so he brought his face nearer the page.

"'Suddenly he felt a hand holding down his neck.

"'He could not lift his head.

"'Don't move little men or I'll hurt you both,' whispered the voice.

Bunting and Cuss looked at each other in fear.

"'Why do you look through other people's private belongings?' asked the voice.

"'The two men's chins hit the table.

"'Where are my clothes?' asked the voice.

"'Listen, I am a strong man,

"'and I could kill you both and get away quite easily.

"'Do you understand?

"'If I let you go, will you promise to do what I tell you?'

"'The vicar and the doctor looked at one another.

"'Yes,' they said.

"'The invisible hands let go of their necks,

"'and the two men sat up, both very red in the face.

"'Now, where are my clothes?' asked the invisible man.

"'The days are warm, but the evenings are quite cold.

"'I want some clothes, and I must also have those three books.

"'While these things were going on in the parlour,

"'and Mr. Huxter was watching Mr. Marvel by the gate,

"'Mr. Hall and Mr. Henry were in the inn talking.

"'Suddenly there came a loud knock against the parlour door,

"'a cry, and then silence.

"'Mr. Hall and Mr. Henry looked at each other.

"'Something's wrong,' said Hall.

"'The two men approached the door.

"'They could smell a strange chemical odor

"'and heard noises coming from behind the door.

"'Is everything all right?' asked Hall, knocking on the door.

"'Quite right, right,' answered Mr. Bunting.

"'Please don't interrupt.'

"'Hall and Henry were confused.

"'They stood listening.

"'Then they heard Mr. Bunting's voice.

"'I can't,' he said loudly.

"'I tell you, sir, I will not.'

"'The two men looked at each other.

"'They kept on listening.

"'Then there was silence.

"'It sounds like someone is throwing a tablecloth,' said Mr. Hall.

"'Mrs. Hall came in.

"'Very quietly they explained to her what was happening.

"'She refused to believe what they told her.

"'She thought perhaps Dr. Cuss and Mr. Bunting were moving the furniture.

"'Shh,' said Henry.

"'I heard the window.

"'Everyone stood listening.

"'Then suddenly they heard someone shouting outside the inn.

"'They looked out.

"'It was Mr. Huxter who had come out of his shop.

"'Stop thief!' he shouted and ran towards the gates.

"'At the same moment they heard a loud noise from the parlour

"'and the sound of windows being closed.

"'Hall, Henry, and everyone in the inn rushed out into the street.

"'They saw someone running towards the hill road

"'and Huxter flying in the air and falling on his face.

"'Then they saw Mr. Marvel disappearing behind the church wall.

"'Henry stopped to help Huxter,

"'and Hall and the others ran after Mr. Marvel.

"'They believed that he was the invisible man who had become visible.

"'Suddenly Hall gave a loud cry and went flying in the air

"'and crashed into the ground.

"'Another man came running and he was also tripped by the ankle and fell.

"'Then another one was kicked down.

"'When Hall and Henry had rushed out of the inn,

"'Mrs. Hall had stayed there.

"'Suddenly the parlour door was opened and Dr. Coos appeared.

"'Hold him,' he cried as he ran.

"'The invisible man had given the books and the clothes to Mr. Marvel,

"'but Cuss did not know about this.

"'He was dressed in a very strange costume.

"'He was wrapped in a tablecloth.

"'Hold him,' he shouted angrily.

"'He's got my trousers and the vicar's clothes.'

"'As he ran towards the crowd in the street, Cuss was suddenly knocked off his feet.

"'He tried to get up, but somebody stepped on his finger.

"'He got up but was kicked down again.

"'He saw that everyone was running back to the village.

"'He rose again and was struck behind the ear.

"'With great difficulty, he started running back to the inn.

"'As he was going into the inn, Cuss heard an angry yell behind him.

"'He knew it was the invisible man.

"'He rushed into the parlour in panic.

"'He's coming back, Bunting,' he cried.

"'Save yourself!'

"'Mr. Bunting was standing in the middle of the room,

"'trying to cover himself with a rug.

"'He looked at Cuss.

"'We'd better get out of here,' said Cuss.

"'He's mad, mad.'

"'In another moment, he was out in the yard.

"'Bunting stood there thinking for a moment.

"'Then he climbed out of the window, fixed his costume,

"'and ran to the village as fast as his fat little legs would go.

"'The sun was setting as Mr. Marvel walked through the woods

"'on the road to Bramblehurst.

"'He was carrying three books and some clothes wrapped in a blue tablecloth.

"'His red face looked tired and anxious as he hurried along.

"'The voice was accompanying him,

"'and unseen hands were holding him by the arm.

"'If you try to run away again,' said the voice,

"'I will kill you.

"'I didn't try to run away,' said Mr. Marvel, his voice shaking.

"'I was lost.

"'It's bad enough that those fools found out my little secret,' said the voice.

"'Here I am.

"'What am I going to do now?

"'It will be in the papers.

"'Everybody will be looking for me.

"'Mr. Marvel looked even more hopeless.

"'He walked slowly.

"'Move,' said the voice.

"'And don't drop those books.

"'I'm not strong,' said Mr. Marvel.

"'I'm old and unhealthy.

"'I can't help you.

"'Oh, be quiet,' said the voice.

"'I'll make you do what you're told.

"'You'll do it all right.

"'You're a fool, but you'll do.'

"'Sir, I'm not the man for it.

"'Be quiet,' said the voice.

"'I want to think.'

"'Soon they saw the lights of a village.'

"'Go straight through and don't try anything.'

"'said the voice.

"'The unhappy -looking man in the old silk hat

"'walked along the main street of the little village

"'and disappeared into the darkness.

"'At ten o 'clock the next morning,

"'Mr. Marvel, dirty, tired and nervous,

"'was sitting on a bench outside a little inn at Port Stowe.

"'Besides him were the books, tied together with string.

"'He had left the clothes in the woods.

"'He had been sitting there for an hour

"'when an old sailor carrying a newspaper

"'came out of the inn and sat down beside him.

"'Pleasant day,' said the sailor.

"'Very,' said Mr. Marvel,

"'looking around with fear in his eyes.

"'The old sailor looked at Mr. Marvel's dirty clothes

"'and the books beside him.

"'Books,' he said suddenly.

"'Mr. Marvel jumped and looked at them.

"'Oh, yes,' he said.

"'Yes, they're books.

"'There are some extraordinary things in books,' said the sailor.

"'That's true,' said Mr. Marvel.

"'He looked at the sailor and then looked around.

"'There are some extraordinary things in newspapers, too,' said the sailor.

"'There are.

"'In this newspaper,' said the sailor.

"'Ah,' said Mr. Marvel.

"'There's a story,' said the sailor.

"'Looking straight into Mr. Marvel's eyes.

"'There's a story about an invisible man.'

"'Mr. Marvel scratched his head nervously.

"'Where? Australia or America,' he asked.

"'near here,' replied the old sailor.

"'In Iping.

"'Nobody knows where he came from.

"'It is a very strange story.

"'The witnesses were a vicar and a doctor.'

"'He escaped, but he injured many people.

"'Oh, it sounds incredible,' said Mr. Marvel.

"'Looking nervously around him.

"'Did he have anyone helping him?'

"'No, he didn't,' said the sailor.

"'Mr. Marvel looked around again, listened,

"'and in a low voice,' he said.

"'I know something about this invisible man.'

"'Oh,' said the sailor.

"'You?'

"'Yes,' said Mr. Marvel very quietly.

"'He was about to continue, but his face suddenly changed.

"'He appeared to be in pain.

"'Ow,' he said.

"'He jumped up from his seat.

"'What's wrong?' asked the old sailor.

"'Too fake,' replied Mr. Marvel, and put his hand to his ear.

"'He picked up the books.

"'I must go,' he said.

"'But you were just going to tell me about the invisible man,' said the sailor.

"'A lie,' said a voice.

"'It's a lie,' said Mr. Marvel.

"'But it's in the paper,' said the sailor.

"'It's all a lie,' said Mr. Marvel.

"'I know the man that started the lie.

"'There is no invisible man.

"'But wait,' said the sailor.

"'Do you mean, come on,' said a voice.

"'And Mr. Marvel suddenly turned around and started walking very strangely.

"'The old sailor sat there confused as he watched the man walk away.

"'Later that day, he heard of another strange thing.

"'A sailor had seen a handful of money flying in the air.

"'He had tried to take it, but had been knocked down to the ground.

"'When he got up, the money had disappeared.

"'The story of the flying money was true.

"'And all around that neighborhood from banks, shops and inns,

"'money quietly disappeared.

"'And it went into the pocket of that anxious -looking man in the old silk hat.