When the dusk was gathering and Iping was just beginning to peep timorously forth again upon the shattered wreckage of its Bank Holiday, a short, thick-set man in a shabby silk hat was marching painfully through the twilight behind the beechwoods on the road to Bramblehurst. He carried three books bound together by some sort of ornamental elastic ligature, and a bundle wrapped in a blue table-cloth. His rubicund face expressed consternation and fatigue; he appeared to be in a spasmodic sort of hurry. He was accompanied by a voice other than his own, and ever and again he winced under the touch of unseen hands.
โIf you give me the slip again,โ said the Voice, โif you attempt to give me the slip againโโ
โLord!โ said Mr. Marvel. โThat shoulderโs a mass of bruises as it is.โ
โOn my honour,โ said the Voice, โI will kill you.โ
โI didnโt try to give you the slip,โ said Marvel, in a voice that was not far remote from tears. โI swear I didnโt. I didnโt know the blessed turning, that was all! How the devil was I to know the blessed turning? As it is, Iโve been knocked aboutโโ
โYouโll get knocked about a great deal more if you donโt mind,โ said the Voice, and Mr. Marvel abruptly became silent. He blew out his cheeks, and his eyes were eloquent of despair.
โItโs bad enough to let these floundering yokels explode my little secret, withoutย yourย cutting off with my books. Itโs lucky for some of them they cut and ran when they did! Here am I … No one knew I was invisible! And now what am I to do?โ
โWhat amย Iย to do?โ asked Marvel,ย sotto voce.
โItโs all about. It will be in the papers! Everybody will be looking for me; everyone on their guardโโ The Voice broke off into vivid curses and ceased.
The despair of Mr. Marvelโs face deepened, and his pace slackened.
โGo on!โ said the Voice.
Mr. Marvelโs face assumed a greyish tint between the ruddier patches.
โDonโt drop those books, stupid,โ said the Voice, sharplyโovertaking him.
โThe fact is,โ said the Voice, โI shall have to make use of you…. Youโre a poor tool, but I must.โ
โIโm aย miserableย tool,โ said Marvel.
โYou are,โ said the Voice.
โIโm the worst possible tool you could have,โ said Marvel.
โIโm not strong,โ he said after a discouraging silence.
โIโm not over strong,โ he repeated.
โNo?โ
โAnd my heartโs weak. That little businessโI pulled it through, of courseโbut bless you! I could have dropped.โ
โWell?โ
โI havenโt the nerve and strength for the sort of thing you want.โ
โIโllย stimulate you.โ
โI wish you wouldnโt. I wouldnโt like to mess up your plans, you know. But I mightโout of sheer funk and misery.โ
โYouโd better not,โ said the Voice, with quiet emphasis.
โI wish I was dead,โ said Marvel.
โIt ainโt justice,โ he said; โyou must admit…. It seems to me Iโve a perfect rightโโ
โGetย on!โ said the Voice.
Mr. Marvel mended his pace, and for a time they went in silence again.
โItโs devilish hard,โ said Mr. Marvel.
This was quite ineffectual. He tried another tack.
โWhat do I make by it?โ he began again in a tone of unendurable wrong.
โOh!ย shut up!โ said the Voice, with sudden amazing vigour. โIโll see to you all right. You do what youโre told. Youโll do it all right. Youโre a fool and all that, but youโll doโโ
โI tell you, sir, Iโm not the man for it. Respectfullyโbut itย isย soโโ
โIf you donโt shut up I shall twist your wrist again,โ said the Invisible Man. โI want to think.โ
Presently two oblongs of yellow light appeared through the trees, and the square tower of a church loomed through the gloaming. โI shall keep my hand on your shoulder,โ said the Voice, โall through the village. Go straight through and try no foolery. It will be the worse for you if you do.โ
โI know that,โ sighed Mr. Marvel, โI know all that.โ
The unhappy-looking figure in the obsolete silk hat passed up the street of the little village with his burdens, and vanished into the gathering darkness beyond the lights of the windows.