The Invisible Man Loses His Temper
It is unavoidable that at this point the narrative should break off again, for a certain very
painful reason that will presently be apparent. And while these things were going on in
the parlour, and while Mr. Huxter was watching Mr. Marvel smoking his pipe against the
gate, not a dozen yards away were Mr. Hall and Teddy Henfrey discussing in a state of
cloudy puzzlement the one Iping topic.
Suddenly there came a violent thud against the door of the parlour, a sharp cry, and
then -- silence.
"Hul-lo!" said Teddy Henfrey.
Mr. Hall took things in slowly but surely. "That ain't right," he said, and came round
from behind the bar towards the parlour door.
He and Teddy approached the door together, with intent faces. Their eyes considered.
"Summat wrong," said Hall, and Henfrey nodded agreement. Whiffs of an unpleasant
chemical odour met them, and there was a muffled sound of conversation, very rapid and
subdued.
"You all raight thur?" asked Hall, rapping.
The muttered conversation ceased abruptly, for a moment silence, then the
conversation was resumed, in hissing whispers, then a sharp cry of "No! no, you don't!"
There came a sudden motion and the oversetting of a chair, a brief struggle. Silence
again.
"What the dooce?" exclaimed Henfrey, sotto voce.
"You -- all -- raight -- thur?" asked Mr. Hall, sharply, again.
The Vicar's voice answered with a curious jerking intonation: "Quite ri -- ight. Please
don't -- interrupt."
"Says, 'Don't interrupt,'" said Henfrey.
