The Invisible Man
hand stand. All men, however highly educated, retain some superstitious inklings. The feeling that is called "eerie" came upon him. He closed the door of the room, came forward to the dressing-table, and put down his burdens. Suddenly, with a start, he perceived a coiled and blood-stained bandage of linen rag hanging in mid-air, between him and the wash-hand stand.
He stared at this in amazement. It was an empty bandage, a bandage properly tied but quite empty. He would have advanced to grasp it, but a touch arrested him, and a voice speaking quite close to him.
"Kemp!" said the Voice.
"Eigh?" said Kemp, with his mouth open.
"Keep your nerve," said the Voice. "I 'm an Invisible Man."
Kemp made no answer for a space, simply stared at the bandage. "Invisible Man," he said.
"I 'm an Invisible Man," repeated the Voice.
The story he had been active to ridicule only that morning rushed through Kemp's brain. He does not appear to have been either very
140
