The Invisible Man - by H.G. Wells - Chapter 24- 26

"The Invisible Man" is a classic science fiction novel written by H.G. Wells and first published in 1897. The story revolves around the character of Griffin, a brilliant but eccentric scientist who discovers a way to become invisible. After successfully making himself invisible, Griffin quickly realizes that his newfound power comes with significant challenges and consequences.The novel explores the themes of power, morality, and the consequences of unchecked scientific curiosity. Griffin's invisible state allows him to indulge in his darker impulses, leading him down a path of cruelty and criminality. As he struggles to find a way to reverse his condition, he becomes increasingly isolated and desperate.Griffin's invisibility becomes both a physical and metaphorical representation of his detachment from society and his descent into madness. He becomes a symbol of the dangers of unchecked scientific experimentation and the potential for individuals to abuse their power.Throughout the novel, Griffin's actions create a sense of fear and unease in the townspeople who encounter him. As he becomes more unhinged, he becomes a menace, and the novel explores the efforts of those around him to stop his reign of terror."The Invisible Man" is not only a thrilling and suspenseful tale but also a thought-provoking commentary on the human condition and the consequences of playing with forces beyond one's control. It remains a seminal work in the science fiction genre and continues to be studied and adapted into various forms of media

Episode Transcript

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This is a LibriVox recording. AllLibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer,please visit LibriVox dot org. To day's
reading by Alex Foster, dot Medot Uku. The Invisible Man by H.
G. Wells, Chapter twenty four. The plan that failed? But

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now, said Kemp, with aside glance out of the window, what
are we to do? He movednear his guest as he spoke in such
a manner as to prevent the possibilityof a sudden glimpse of the three men
who were advancing up the hill roadwith an intolerable slowness. It seemed to
Kemp, what were you planning todo when you were heading for Port Burdock?
Had you any plan? I wasgoing to clear out of the country,

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But I have altered that plan rathersince seeing you. I thought it
would be wise, now that theweather is hot and invisibility possible, to
make for the south, especially asmy secret was known and everybody would be
on the lookout for a mass muffledman. You have a line of steamers
from here to France. My ideawas to get a board one and run
the risks of the passage. ThenceI could go by train into Spain or

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El Scat to Algiers. It wouldnot be difficult there a man might always
be invisible and yet live and dothings. I was using that tramp as
a money box and luggage carrier untilI decided how to get my books and
things sent over to meet me.That's clear, And then the filthy brute
must needs try to rob me.He has hidden my books, Kemp,
hidden my books. If I canlay my hands on him, best plan

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to get the books out of himfirst. But where is he? Do
you know? He's in the townpolice station, locked up by his own
request, in strongest selling the placekur, said the invisible man. But
that hangs up your plans a little. We must get those books. Those
books are vital, certainly, saidKemp, a little nervously, wondering if

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he heard footsteps outside. Certainly wemust get those books. But that won't
be difficult if he doesn't know therefor you, no, said the invicible
man, and thought Camp tried tothink of something to keep the talk going,
but the invisible man resumed of hisown accord. Blundering into your house,
Camp changes all my plans. Foryou are a man that can understand.

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In spite of all that has happened, in spite of this publicity,
of the loss of my books,of what I have suffered, there still
remain great possibilities, huge possibilities.You have told no one that I am
here, he asked abruptly. Camphesitated, that was implied, he said,
no, one insisted, Griffin,not a soul. Ah. Now

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the invisible man stood up, and, sticking his arms, Akimbo began to
pace the study. I made amistake, Kemp, a huge mistake in
carrying this thing through alone. Ihave wasted strength, time, opportunities alone.
It is wonderful how little a mancan do alone, to rob a
little, to hurt a little.And there is the end. What I

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want, Kemp, is a goalkeeper, a helper, and a hiding
place, an arrangement whereby I cansleep and eat and rest in peace and
unsuspected. I must have a confederate, with a confederate, with food and
rest. A thousand things are possible. Hitherto I have gone on vague lines.
We have to consider all that invisibilitymeans, all that it does not

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mean. It means little advantage foreavesdropping and so forth. One makes sounds.
It's of little help. A littlehelp perhaps in house breaking and so
forth. Once you have caught me, you could easily imprison me. But
on the other hand, I amhard to catch this. Invisibility, in
fact, is only good in twocases. It's useful in getting away,
it's useful in approaching. It's particularlyuseful therefore, in killing. I can

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walk round a man, whatever weaponhe has choose. My point, strike
as I like, dodge, asI like escape, as I like.
Kemp's hand went to his mustache.Was that a movement down stairs? And
it is killing we must do,Kemp. It is killing we must do,
repeated Kemp. I am listening toyour plan, Griffin, but I'm

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not agreeing. Mind why killing notwanton killing, but a judicious slaying.
The point is they know there isan invisible man, as well as we
know there is an invisible man.And that invisible man, Kemp must now
establish a reign of terror. Yes, no doubt it's startling, but I

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mean it a reign of terror.He must take some town like your Burdock
and terrify and dominate it. Hemust issue his orders. He can do
that in a thousand ways. Scrapsof paper thrust under doors would suffice and
all who disobeys orders, he mustkill, and kill all who would defend
them. Humph, said Kemp,no longer listening to Griffin, but to

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the sound of his front door openingand closing. It seems to me,
Griffin, he said, to coverhis wandering attention, Your confederate would be
in a difficult position. No onewould know he was a confederate, said
the invisible man eagerly, and thensuddenly, hush, what's that downstairs?
Nothing, said Kemp, and suddenlybegan to speak loud and fast. I

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don't agree to this, Griffin,he said, understand me. I don't
agree to this. Why dream ofplaying a game against the race? How
can you hope to gain happiness?Don't be a lone wolf. Publish your
results, Take the world, takethe nation at least into your confidence.
Think what you might do with amillion helpers. The invisible man interrupted,
arm extended. There are footsteps comingupstairs, he said, in a low

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voice. Nonsense, said Kemp.Let me see, said the invisible man,
and advanced, arm extended to thedoor. And then things happened very
swiftly, Kemp hesitated for a secondand then moved to intercept him. The
invisible man started and stood still.Traitor cried the voice, and suddenly the

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dressing gown opened, and, sittingdown, the unseen began to robe.
Kemp made three swift steps to thedoor and forthwith the invisible man. His
legs had vanished, sprang to hisfeet. With a shout, Kemp flung
the door open. As it opened, there came a sound of hurrying feet
downstairs and voices. With a quickmovement, Kemp thrust the invisible man back,

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sprang aside, and slammed the door. The key was outside and ready.
In another moment, Griffin would havebeen alone in the belvedere study a
prisoner, save for one little thing. The key had been slipped in hastily
that morning. As Kemp slammed thedoor, it fell noisily upon the carpet.
Kemp's face became white. He triedto grip the door handle with both

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hands. For a moment he stoodlugging. Then the door gave six inches,
but he got it closed again.The second time, it was jerked
a foot wide. In the dressinggown came wedging itself into the opening.
His throat was gripped by invisible fingers, and he left his hold on the
handle to defend himself. He wasforced back, tripped and pitched heavily into
the corner of the landing. Theempty dressing gown was flung on top of

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him. Half Way up the staircasewas Colonel Adye, the recipient of Kemp's
letter, the chief of the BurdockPolice. He was staring aghast at the
sudden appearance of Kemp, followed bythe extraordinary sight of the clothing tossing empty
in the air. He saw Kempfelled and struggling to his feet. He
saw him rush forward and go downagain. Felt like an ox. Then

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suddenly he was struck violently by nothing. A vast weight, it seemed,
leaped upon him, and he washurled headlong down the staircase, with a
grip on his throat and a kneein his groin. An invisible foot trod
on his back. A ghostly patterpassed downstairs. He heard the two police
officers in the hall shout un run, and the front door of the house
slammed violently. He rolled over andsat up, staring. He saw staggering

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down the staircase, Kemp, dustyand disheveled, one side of his face
white from a blow, his lipbleeding, and a pink dressing gown and
some underclothing held in his arms.My God, cried Kemp. The game's
up, he's gone Chapter twenty five, The Hunting of the Invisible Man.

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For a space, Kemp was tooinarticulate to make aid I understand the swift
things that had just happened. Theystood on the landing, Kemp speaking swiftly,
the grotesque swathings of Griffin still onhis arm. But presently aid I
began to grip something of the situation. He is mad, said Kemp.
Inhuman, he is pure selfishness.He thinks of nothing but his own advantage,

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his own safety. I have listenedto such a story this morning,
of brutal self seeking. He haswounded men. He will kill them.
Unless we can prevent him. Hewill create a panic. Nothing can stop
him. He is going out now, furious. He must be caught,
said ade I. That is certain, But how cried Kemp, and suddenly

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became full of ideas. You mustbegin at once. You must set every
available man to work. You mustprevent his leaving this district. Once he
gets away, he may go throughthe countryside as he wills, killing and
maiming. He dreams of a ragnof terror, a rain of terror.
I tell you you must set awatch on trains and roads and shipping.
The garrison must help. You mustwire for help. The only thing that

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may keep him here is the thoughtof recovering some books of notes he counts
of value. I will tell youof that. There is a man in
your police station marvel. I know, said Ady. I know these books,
yes, But the tramp he sayshe hasn't got his books. But
he thinks the tramp has. Andyou must prevent him from eating or sleeping
day and night. The country mustbe astir for him. Food must be

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locked up and secured, all food, so that he will have to break
his way to it. The houseseverywhere must be barred against him. Heavens
send us cold nights and rain.The whole countryside must begin hunting and keep
hunting. I tell you, Adi, he is a danger, a disaster
unless he is pinned and secured.It is frightful to think of the things
that may happen. What else canwe do? Said Adi? I must

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go down at once, begin organizing. But why not come? Yes,
you come too, Come and wemust hold a sort of council of war.
Get hops to help, and therailway managers. By jove, it's
urgent. Come along. Tell meas we go what else is there we
can do? Put that stuff down. In another moment, Adi was leaning

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the way downstairs. They found thefront door open and the policeman standing outside
staring at empty air. He's gotaway, sir, said one. We
must go to the central station atonce, said aid I. One of
you go on down and get acab to come up and meet us quickly.
And now, Kemp, what else? Dogs? Said Kemp? Get
dogs. They don't see him,but they win him. Get dogs,

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good, said Adi. It's notgenerally known, but the prison officials over
at Halstead know a man with bloodhoundsdogs. What else bear in mind?
Said Kemp? His food shows aftereating. His food shows until it is
assimilated, so that he has tohide after eating. You must keep on
beating every thicket, every quiet corner, and put all weapons, all implements

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that might be weapons away. Hecan't carry such things for long. And
what he can snatch up and strikemen? With must be hidden away.
Good again, said ad I.We shall have him yet and on the
roads, said Kemp, and hesitated, yes, said ad I. Powdered
glass, said Kemp. It's cruel, I know, but think of what

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he may do. Adi drew thebreath in sharply between his teeth. It's
unsportsmanlike. I don't know, butI'll have powdered glass got ready. If
he goes too far, the man'sbecome inhuman, I tell you, said
Kemp. I am sure he willestablish a reign of terror so soon as

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he has got over the emotions ofthis escape. As I am sure I
am talking to you, our onlychance is to be ahead. He has
cut himself off from his kind.His blood be upon his own head.
Chapter twenty six, The Wicksteed Murder. The Invisible Man seems to have rushed

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out of Kemp's house in a stateof blind fury. A little child playing
near Kemp's gateway was violently caught upand thrown aside, so that its ankle
was broken, And thereafter, forsome hours the invisible Man passed out of
human perceptions. No one knows wherehe went nor what he did, but
one can imagine him hurrying through thehot June forenoon up the hill and on

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to the open downland behind Port Burdock, raging and despairing at his intolerable fate,
and sheltering at last, heated andweary, amid the thickets of Hinton,
Dean to piece together again his shatteredschemes against his species. That seems
to most probable refuge for him,for there it was he reasserted himself in

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a grimly tragical manner about two inthe afternoon. One wonders what his state
of mind may have been during thattime, and what plans he devised.
No doubt he was almost ecstatically exasperatedby Kemp's treachery, and though we may
be able to understand the motives thatled to that deceit, we may still
imagine and even sympathize a little withthe fury the attempted surprise must have occasioned.

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Perhaps something of the stunned astonishment ofhis Oxford Street experiences may have returned
to him, for he had evidentlycounted on Kemp's co operation in his brutal
dream of a terrorized world. Atany rate, he vanished from human can
about mid day and no living witnesscan tell what he did until about half
past two. It was a fortunatething, perhaps for humanity, but for

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him it was a fatal inaction.During that time, a growing multitude of
men scattered over the countryside were busy. In the morning, he had still
been simply a legend a terror.In the afternoon, by virtue chiefly of
Kemp's dryly worded proclamation, he waspresented as a tangible antagonist to be wounded,
captured, or overcome, and thecountryside began organizing itself with inconceivable rapidity.

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By two o'clock even he might stillhave removed himself out of the district
by getting a board a train,but after two that became impossible. Every
passenger train along the lines on agreat parallelogram between Southampton, Manchester, Brighton
and Horsham traveled with locked doors,and the goods traffic was almost entirely suspended,
and in a great circle of twentymiles around Port Burdock, men armed

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with guns and bludgeons were presently settingout in groups of three and four with
dogs to beat the roads and fields. Mounted policemen rode along the country lanes,
stopping at every cottage, and warningthe people to lock up their houses
and keep indoors unless they were armed. And all the elementary schools had broken
up by three o'clock, and thechildren, scared and keeping together in groups,

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were hurrying home. Kemp's proclamation,signed indeed by ADEI, was posted
over almost the whole district by fouror five o'clock in the aftern noon.
It gave briefly but clearly all theconditions of the struggle, the necessity of
keeping the invisible man from food andsleep, the necessity for incessant watchfulness,
and for a prompt attention to anyevidence of his movements. And so swift

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and decided was the action of theauthorities, so prompt and universal was the
belief in this strange being, thatbefore nightfall an area of several hundred square
miles was in a stringent state ofsiege. And before nightfall, too,
a thrill of horror went through thewhole watching nervous countryside, going from whispering
mouth to mouth, swift and certain, over the length and breadth of the

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country passed the story of the murderof mister Wicksteed. If our supposition that
the Invisible Man's refuge was the Hintondeanthickets. We must suppose that in the
early afternoon he sallied out again,bent upon some project that involved the use
of a weapon. We cannot knowwhat that project was, but the evidence

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that he had the iron rod inhand before he met Wicksteed is to me
at least overwhelming. Of course,we can know nothing of the details of
that encounter. It occurred on theedge of a gravel pit, not two
hundred yards from Lord Burdock's lodge gate. Everything points to a desperate struggle.
The trampled ground, the numerous woundsmister Wixteed received his splintered walking stick.

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But why the attack was made savein a murderous frenzy, it is impossible
to imagine. Indeed, the theoryof madness is almost unavoidable. Mister Wicksteed
was a man of forty five orforty six, steward to Lord Burdock,
of inoffensive habits and appearance, thevery last person in the world to provoke
such a terrible antagonist against him.It would seem the invisible Man used an

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iron rod dragged from a broken pieceof fence. He stopped this quiet man
going quietly home to his midday meal, attacked him, beat down his feeble
defenses, broke his arm, felledhim, and mashed his head to a
jelly. Of course, he musthave dragged this rod out of the fencing
before he met his victim. Hemust have been carrying it ready in his

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hand. Only two details beyond whathas already been stated, seemed to bear
on the matter. One is thecircumstance that the gravel pit was not in
mister Wicksteed's direct path home, butnearly a couple of hundred yards out of
his way. The other is theassertion of a little girl to that effect
that, going to her afternoon school, she saw the murdered man trotting in

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a peculiar manner across a field towardsthe gravel pit. Her pantomime of his
action suggests a man pursuing something onthe ground before him and striking at it
ever and again with his walking stick. She was the last person to see
him alive. He passed out ofher sight to his death, the struggle
being hidden from her only by aclump of beech trees and a slight depression

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in the ground. Now, this, to the present writer's mind, at
least lifts the murder out of therealm of the absolately wanton. We may
imagine that Griffin had taken the rodas a weapon, indeed, but without
any deliberate intention of using it inmurder. Wicksteed may then have come by
and noticed this rod inexplicably moving throughthe air, without any thought of the

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invisible man. For Port Burdock isten miles away, he may have pursued
it. It is quite conceivable thathe may not even have heard of the
invisible man. One can then imaginethe invisible man making off quietly in order
to avoid discovering his presence in theneighborhood, and Wigsteed, excited and curious,

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pursuing this unaccountably locomotive object, finallystriking at it. No doubt,
the invisible Man could easily have distancedhis middle aged pursuer under ordinary circumstances,
but the position in which Wixted's bodywas found suggests that he had had the
ill luck to drive his quarry intoa corner between a drift of stinging lettles
and the gravel pit. To thosewho appreciate the extraordinary irrascisability of the Invisible

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Man, the rest of the encounterwill be easy to imagine, but this
is pure hypothesis. The only undeniablefacts, for stories of children are often
unreliable. Of the discovery of Wicksteed'sbody done to death, and of the
blood stained iron rod flung among thenettles. The abandonment of the rod by

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Griffin suggests that in the emotional excitementof the affair, the purpose for which
he took it, if he hada purpose, was abandoned. He was
certainly an intensely egotistical and unfeeling man, but the sight of his victim,
his first victim, bloody and pitifulat his feet, may have released some
long pent fountain of remorse, whichfor a time may have flooded whatever scheme
of action he had contrived. Afterthe murder of mister Wicksteed, he would

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seem to have struck across the countrytowards the Downland. There is a story
of a voice heard about sunset bya couple of men in a field near
fern Bottom. It was wailing andlaughing, sobbing and grows, and ever
and again it shouted. It musthave been a queer hearing. It drove
up across the middle of a cloverField and died away towards the hills.

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That afternoon, the invisible man musthave learnt something of the rapid use Kemp
had made of his confidences. Hemust have found houses locked and secured.
He may have loitered about railway stationsand prowled about inns, and no doubt
he read the proclamations and realized somethingof the nature of the campaign against him.
And as the evening advanced, thefields became dotted here and there with

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groups of three or four men,and noisy with the yelping of dogs.
These men hunters had peculiar instructions inthe case of an encounter as to the
way they should support one another,but he avoided them all. We may
understand something of his exasperation, andit could have been none the less because
he himself had supplied the information thatwas being used, though remorselessly, against

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him. For that day at leasthe lost heart for nearly twenty four hours
saved when he turned on Wicksteed.He was a hunted man. In the
night he must have eaten and slept, for in the morning he was himself
again, active, powerful, angryand malignant, prepared for his last Great
struggle against the world end of Chaptertwenty six, Recorded in Nottingham, England,

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on the eleventh of April twenty osix by Alex Foster www. Dot
Alex Foster dot me dot UK