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Человек-невидимка / The Invisible Man

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Герберт Уэллс / Herbert Wells
Человек-Невидимка  / The invisible man

© Глушенкова Е.В., адаптация текста, словарь

© ООО «Издательство АСТ», 2019

Chapter I
The Strange Man’s Arrival

The stranger came in February, as it was snowing heavily, walking from Bramblehurst Railway Station, and carrying a little black bag. He came into the “Coach and Horses[1] more dead than alive. “A fire!” he cried, “A room and a fire!” He shook the snow off himself, and followed Mrs. Hall into her guest room, where he put some sovereigns on the table.

Mrs. Hall lit the fire and left him there while she went to prepare him a meal. A guest to stop at Iping in the winter time was an unheard-of piece of luck[2], especially a guest who paid in cash.

When lunch was ready, she carried plates, and glasses into the room. She was surprised to see that her visitor still wore his hat and coat, and stood with his back to her and looking out of the window at the falling snow, with his gloved hands behind him.

“Can I take your hat and coat, sir,” she said, “and dry them in the kitchen?”

“No,” he said.

He turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder. “I’ll keep them on,” he said; and she noticed that he wore big blue spectacles and had whiskers. The spectacles, the whiskers, and his coat collar completely hid his face.

“Very well, sir,” she said. “As you like. In a moment the room will be warmer.”

He made no answer, and Mrs. Hall, feeling that it was a bad time for a conversation, quickly laid the table and left the room. When she returned he was still standing there, his collar turned up, his hat hiding his face completely.

She put down the eggs and bacon, and said to him:

“Your lunch is served, sir.”