Read Books Online, for Free |
The Island of Doctor Moreau | H. G. [Herbert George] Wells | |
XIII. A PARLEY. |
Page 2 of 3 |
"Who are these creatures?" said I, pointing to them and raising my voice more and more that it might reach them. "They were men, men like yourselves, whom you have infected with some bestial taint,-- men whom you have enslaved, and whom you still fear. "You who listen," I cried, pointing now to Moreau and shouting past him to the Beast Men,--" You who listen! Do you not see these men still fear you, go in dread of you? Why, then, do you fear them? You are many--" "For God's sake," cried Montgomery, "stop that, Prendick!" "Prendick!" cried Moreau. They both shouted together, as if to drown my voice; and behind them lowered the staring faces of the Beast Men, wondering, their deformed hands hanging down, their shoulders hunched up. They seemed, as I fancied, to be trying to understand me, to remember, I thought, something of their human past. I went on shouting, I scarcely remember what,--that Moreau and Montgomery could be killed, that they were not to be feared: that was the burden of what I put into the heads of the Beast People. I saw the green-eyed man in the dark rags, who had met me on the evening of my arrival, come out from among the trees, and others followed him, to hear me better. At last for want of breath I paused. "Listen to me for a moment," said the steady voice of Moreau; "and then say what you will." "Well?" said I. He coughed, thought, then shouted: "Latin, Prendick! bad Latin, schoolboy Latin; but try and understand. Hi non sunt homines; sunt animalia qui nos habemus--vivisected. A humanising process. I will explain. Come ashore." |
Who's On Your Reading List? Read Classic Books Online for Free at Page by Page Books.TM |
The Island of Doctor Moreau H. G. [Herbert George] Wells |
Home | More Books | About Us | Copyright 2004