The Island of Doctor Moreau (6 page)

They were talking, or at least one of the men was talking to the other two,
and all three had been too closely interested to heed the rustling of
my approach. They swayed their heads and shoulders from side to side.
The speaker's words came thick and sloppy, and though I could
hear them distinctly I could not distinguish what he said.
He seemed to me to be reciting some complicated gibberish.
Presently his articulation became shriller, and spreading his hands
he rose to his feet. At that the others began to gibber in unison,
also rising to their feet, spreading their hands and swaying their
bodies in rhythm with their chant. I noticed then the abnormal
shortness of their legs, and their lank, clumsy feet. All three began
slowly to circle round, raising and stamping their feet and waving
their arms; a kind of tune crept into their rhythmic recitation,
and a refrain,—"Aloola," or "Balloola," it sounded like.
Their eyes began to sparkle, and their ugly faces to brighten,
with an expression of strange pleasure. Saliva dripped from their
lipless mouths.

Suddenly, as I watched their grotesque and unaccountable gestures,
I perceived clearly for the first time what it was that had offended me,
what had given me the two inconsistent and conflicting impressions
of utter strangeness and yet of the strangest familiarity.
The three creatures engaged in this mysterious rite were human in shape,
and yet human beings with the strangest air about them of some
familiar animal. Each of these creatures, despite its human form,
its rag of clothing, and the rough humanity of its bodily form,
had woven into it—into its movements, into the expression of
its countenance, into its whole presence—some now irresistible
suggestion of a hog, a swinish taint, the unmistakable mark of
the beast.

I stood overcome by this amazing realisation and then the most horrible
questionings came rushing into my mind. They began leaping in the air,
first one and then the other, whooping and grunting. Then one slipped,
and for a moment was on all-fours,—to recover, indeed, forthwith.
But that transitory gleam of the true animalism of these monsters
was enough.

I turned as noiselessly as possible, and becoming every now
and then rigid with the fear of being discovered, as a branch
cracked or a leaf rustled, I pushed back into the bushes.
It was long before I grew bolder, and dared to move freely.
My only idea for the moment was to get away from these foul beings, and I
scarcely noticed that I had emerged upon a faint pathway amidst the trees.
Then suddenly traversing a little glade, I saw with an unpleasant start
two clumsy legs among the trees, walking with noiseless footsteps
parallel with my course, and perhaps thirty yards away from me.
The head and upper part of the body were hidden by a tangle of creeper.
I stopped abruptly, hoping the creature did not see me.
The feet stopped as I did. So nervous was I that I controlled
an impulse to headlong flight with the utmost difficulty.
Then looking hard, I distinguished through the interlacing network
the head and body of the brute I had seen drinking. He moved his head.
There was an emerald flash in his eyes as he glanced at me from
the shadow of the trees, a half-luminous colour that vanished as
he turned his head again. He was motionless for a moment, and then
with a noiseless tread began running through the green confusion.
In another moment he had vanished behind some bushes.
I could not see him, but I felt that he had stopped and was watching me
again.

What on earth was he,—man or beast? What did he want with me?
I had no weapon, not even a stick. Flight would be madness.
At any rate the Thing, whatever it was, lacked the courage to attack me.
Setting my teeth hard, I walked straight towards him.
I was anxious not to show the fear that seemed chilling my backbone.
I pushed through a tangle of tall white-flowered bushes,
and saw him twenty paces beyond, looking over his shoulder at me
and hesitating. I advanced a step or two, looking steadfastly into
his eyes.

"Who are you?" said I.

He tried to meet my gaze. "No!" he said suddenly, and turning went
bounding away from me through the undergrowth. Then he turned
and stared at me again. His eyes shone brightly out of the dusk
under the trees.

My heart was in my mouth; but I felt my only chance was bluff,
and walked steadily towards him. He turned again, and vanished
into the dusk. Once more I thought I caught the glint of his eyes,
and that was all.

For the first time I realised how the lateness of the hour
might affect me. The sun had set some minutes since, the swift
dusk of the tropics was already fading out of the eastern sky,
and a pioneer moth fluttered silently by my head. Unless I would
spend the night among the unknown dangers of the mysterious forest,
I must hasten back to the enclosure. The thought of a return
to that pain-haunted refuge was extremely disagreeable, but still
more so was the idea of being overtaken in the open by darkness
and all that darkness might conceal. I gave one more look
into the blue shadows that had swallowed up this odd creature,
and then retraced my way down the slope towards the stream,
going as I judged in the direction from which I had come.

I walked eagerly, my mind confused with many things,
and presently found myself in a level place among scattered trees.
The colourless clearness that comes after the sunset flush
was darkling; the blue sky above grew momentarily deeper,
and the little stars one by one pierced the attenuated light;
the interspaces of the trees, the gaps in the further vegetation,
that had been hazy blue in the daylight, grew black and mysterious.
I pushed on. The colour vanished from the world.
The tree-tops rose against the luminous blue sky in inky silhouette,
and all below that outline melted into one formless blackness.
Presently the trees grew thinner, and the shrubby undergrowth
more abundant. Then there was a desolate space covered with
a white sand, and then another expanse of tangled bushes.
I did not remember crossing the sand-opening before.
I began to be tormented by a faint rustling upon my right hand.
I thought at first it was fancy, for whenever I stopped there
was silence, save for the evening breeze in the tree-tops.
Then when I turned to hurry on again there was an echo to
my footsteps.

I turned away from the thickets, keeping to the more open ground,
and endeavouring by sudden turns now and then to surprise something
in the act of creeping upon me. I saw nothing, and nevertheless
my sense of another presence grew steadily. I increased my pace,
and after some time came to a slight ridge, crossed it, and turned sharply,
regarding it steadfastly from the further side. It came out black
and clear-cut against the darkling sky; and presently a shapeless
lump heaved up momentarily against the sky-line and vanished again.
I felt assured now that my tawny-faced antagonist was stalking me
once more; and coupled with that was another unpleasant realisation,
that I had lost my way.

For a time I hurried on hopelessly perplexed, and pursued by that
stealthy approach. Whatever it was, the Thing either lacked the courage
to attack me, or it was waiting to take me at some disadvantage.
I kept studiously to the open. At times I would turn and listen;
and presently I had half persuaded myself that my pursuer had abandoned
the chase, or was a mere creation of my disordered imagination.
Then I heard the sound of the sea. I quickened my footsteps
almost into a run, and immediately there was a stumble in
my rear.

I turned suddenly, and stared at the uncertain trees behind me.
One black shadow seemed to leap into another. I listened,
rigid, and heard nothing but the creep of the blood in my ears.
I thought that my nerves were unstrung, and that my imagination
was tricking me, and turned resolutely towards the sound of the
sea again.

In a minute or so the trees grew thinner, and I emerged upon
a bare, low headland running out into the sombre water.
The night was calm and clear, and the reflection of the growing
multitude of the stars shivered in the tranquil heaving of the sea.
Some way out, the wash upon an irregular band of reef shone
with a pallid light of its own. Westward I saw the zodiacal
light mingling with the yellow brilliance of the evening star.
The coast fell away from me to the east, and westward it was hidden
by the shoulder of the cape. Then I recalled the fact that Moreau's
beach lay to the west.

A twig snapped behind me, and there was a rustle. I turned, and stood
facing the dark trees. I could see nothing—or else I could see too much.
Every dark form in the dimness had its ominous quality, its peculiar
suggestion of alert watchfulness. So I stood for perhaps a minute,
and then, with an eye to the trees still, turned westward to cross
the headland; and as I moved, one among the lurking shadows moved
to follow me.

My heart beat quickly. Presently the broad sweep of a bay
to the westward became visible, and I halted again.
The noiseless shadow halted a dozen yards from me.
A little point of light shone on the further bend of the curve,
and the grey sweep of the sandy beach lay faint under the starlight.
Perhaps two miles away was that little point of light.
To get to the beach I should have to go through the trees where the
shadows lurked, and down a bushy slope.

I could see the Thing rather more distinctly now. It was no animal,
for it stood erect. At that I opened my mouth to speak, and found
a hoarse phlegm choked my voice. I tried again, and shouted,
"Who is there?" There was no answer. I advanced a step.
The Thing did not move, only gathered itself together. My foot
struck a stone. That gave me an idea. Without taking my eyes off
the black form before me, I stooped and picked up this lump of rock;
but at my motion the Thing turned abruptly as a dog might have done,
and slunk obliquely into the further darkness. Then I recalled
a schoolboy expedient against big dogs, and twisted the rock into
my handkerchief, and gave this a turn round my wrist. I heard a movement
further off among the shadows, as if the Thing was in retreat.
Then suddenly my tense excitement gave way; I broke into a profuse
perspiration and fell a-trembling, with my adversary routed and this
weapon in my hand.

It was some time before I could summon resolution to go down through
the trees and bushes upon the flank of the headland to the beach.
At last I did it at a run; and as I emerged from the thicket
upon the sand, I heard some other body come crashing after me.
At that I completely lost my head with fear, and began running
along the sand. Forthwith there came the swift patter of soft
feet in pursuit. I gave a wild cry, and redoubled my pace.
Some dim, black things about three or four times the size of rabbits
went running or hopping up from the beach towards the bushes as
I passed.

So long as I live, I shall remember the terror of that chase.
I ran near the water's edge, and heard every now and then the splash
of the feet that gained upon me. Far away, hopelessly far,
was the yellow light. All the night about us was black and still.
Splash, splash, came the pursuing feet, nearer and nearer.
I felt my breath going, for I was quite out of training; it whooped
as I drew it, and I felt a pain like a knife at my side. I perceived
the Thing would come up with me long before I reached the enclosure,
and, desperate and sobbing for my breath, I wheeled round upon it
and struck at it as it came up to me,—struck with all my strength.
The stone came out of the sling of the handkerchief as I did so.
As I turned, the Thing, which had been running on all-fours,
rose to its feet, and the missile fell fair on its left temple.
The skull rang loud, and the animal-man blundered into me,
thrust me back with its hands, and went staggering past me to fall
headlong upon the sand with its face in the water; and there it lay
still.

I could not bring myself to approach that black heap. I left
it there, with the water rippling round it, under the still stars,
and giving it a wide berth pursued my way towards the yellow glow
of the house; and presently, with a positive effect of relief,
came the pitiful moaning of the puma, the sound that had
originally driven me out to explore this mysterious island.
At that, though I was faint and horribly fatigued, I gathered
together all my strength, and began running again towards the light.
I thought I heard a voice calling me.

AS I drew near the house I saw that the light shone from
the open door of my room; and then I heard coming from out
of 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 both
been 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 start
to 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 forward
on my chest. I think he found a certain satisfaction in giving
me 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 his
forgetting to warn me, and asked me briefly when I left the house
and what I had seen.

I answered him as briefly, in fragmentary sentences. "Tell me
what it all means," said I, in a state bordering on hysterics.