On Oxford Street

“In going downstairs the first time I found an unexpected difficulty because I could not see my feet; indeed I stumbled twice, and there was an unaccustomed clumsiness in gripping the bolt. By not looking down, however, I managed to walk on the level passably well.

“The first time I went downstairs, I had unexpected trouble because I couldn't see my feet. I stumbled twice, and I was unusually clumsy when gripping the bolt. But by not looking down, I managed to walk reasonably well on level ground.

“My mood, I say, was one of exaltation. I felt as a seeing man might do, with padded feet and noiseless clothes, in a city of the blind. I experienced a wild impulse to jest, to startle people, to clap men on the back, fling people’s hats astray, and generally revel in my extraordinary advantage.

“I was, as I say, thrilled. I felt like a sighted man in a city of blind people, wearing padded shoes and silent clothes. I had a wild urge to play pranks and startle people. I wanted to slap men on the back, toss people’s hats away, and generally enjoy my extraordinary advantage.

“But hardly had I emerged upon Great Portland Street, however (my lodging was close to the big draper’s shop there), when I heard a clashing concussion and was hit violently behind, and turning saw a man carrying a basket of soda-water syphons, and looking in amazement at his burden. Although the blow had really hurt me, I found something so irresistible in his astonishment that I laughed aloud. ‘The devil’s in the basket,’ I said, and suddenly twisted it out of his hand. He let go incontinently, and I swung the whole weight into the air.

“But I had barely stepped onto Great Portland Street when I heard a clattering crash and was hit hard from behind. (My lodging was near the big fabric shop there.) I turned and saw a man carrying a basket of soda-water siphons. He was staring at the basket in amazement. Although the blow had really hurt me, his astonishment was so irresistible that I laughed aloud. ‘The devil’s in the basket,’ I said, and suddenly twisted the basket out of his hand. He let go at once, and I swung the whole weight into the air.

“But a fool of a cabman, standing outside a public house, made a sudden rush for this, and his extending fingers took me with excruciating violence under the ear. I let the whole down with a smash on the cabman, and then, with shouts and the clatter of feet about me, people coming out of shops, vehicles pulling up, I realised what I had done for myself, and cursing my folly, backed against a shop window and prepared to dodge out of the confusion. In a moment I should be wedged into a crowd and inevitably discovered. I pushed by a butcher boy, who luckily did not turn to see the nothingness that shoved him aside, and dodged behind the cab-man’s four-wheeler. I do not know how they settled the business. I hurried straight across the road, which was happily clear, and hardly heeding which way I went, in the fright of detection the incident had given me, plunged into the afternoon throng of Oxford Street.

“But a foolish cab driver, standing outside a pub, suddenly rushed for it. His outstretched fingers struck me under the ear with agonizing force. I dropped the whole thing on him with a crash. People shouted and their feet clattered around me. They came out of shops, and vehicles pulled up. I realized what I had done to myself. Cursing my foolishness, I backed against a shop window and prepared to dodge out of the confusion. In another moment, I would be trapped in a crowd and certain to be discovered. I pushed past a butcher’s boy, who luckily did not turn to see the empty space that shoved him aside. Then I dodged behind the cab driver’s four-wheeled carriage. I do not know how they settled the matter. I hurried straight across the road, which was fortunately clear. The incident had frightened me so much that I hardly cared which way I went. I plunged into the afternoon crowd on Oxford Street.

“I tried to get into the stream of people, but they were too thick for me, and in a moment my heels were being trodden upon. I took to the gutter, the roughness of which I found painful to my feet, and forthwith the shaft of a crawling hansom dug me forcibly under the shoulder blade, reminding me that I was already bruised severely. I staggered out of the way of the cab, avoided a perambulator by a convulsive movement, and found myself behind the hansom. A happy thought saved me, and as this drove slowly along I followed in its immediate wake, trembling and astonished at the turn of my adventure. And not only trembling, but shivering. It was a bright day in January and I was stark naked and the thin slime of mud that covered the road was freezing. Foolish as it seems to me now, I had not reckoned that, transparent or not, I was still amenable to the weather and all its consequences.

“I tried to join the flow of people, but the crowd was too dense. Within moments, people were stepping on my heels. I moved into the gutter, but the rough surface hurt my feet. Then the shaft of a slowly moving horse-drawn cab struck me hard under the shoulder blade. It reminded me that I was already badly bruised. I staggered out of the cab’s way and jerked aside to avoid a baby carriage. I found myself behind the cab. Then a happy thought saved me. As the cab moved slowly along, I followed close behind it. I trembled, astonished at the turn my adventure had taken. And I was not just trembling, but shivering. It was a bright January day, and I was completely naked. The thin layer of mud on the road was freezing. Foolish as it seems to me now, I had not considered the weather. Whether transparent or not, I was still subject to it and all its effects.

“Then suddenly a bright idea came into my head. I ran round and got into the cab. And so, shivering, scared, and sniffing with the first intimations of a cold, and with the bruises in the small of my back growing upon my attention, I drove slowly along Oxford Street and past Tottenham Court Road. My mood was as different from that in which I had sallied forth ten minutes ago as it is possible to imagine. This invisibility indeed! The one thought that possessed me was—how was I to get out of the scrape I was in.

“Then suddenly a bright idea came to me. I ran around and got into the cab. I was shivering, scared, and sniffing with the first signs of a cold. The bruises on my lower back were also making themselves felt. So I rode slowly along Oxford Street and past Tottenham Court Road. My mood was as different as possible from when I had set out ten minutes earlier. So much for invisibility! All I could think about was how to get out of the mess I was in.

“We crawled past Mudie’s, and there a tall woman with five or six yellow-labelled books hailed my cab, and I sprang out just in time to escape her, shaving a railway van narrowly in my flight. I made off up the roadway to Bloomsbury Square, intending to strike north past the Museum and so get into the quiet district. I was now cruelly chilled, and the strangeness of my situation so unnerved me that I whimpered as I ran. At the northward corner of the Square a little white dog ran out of the Pharmaceutical Society’s offices, and incontinently made for me, nose down.

“We moved slowly past Mudie’s. There, a tall woman carrying five or six books with yellow labels hailed my cab. I jumped out just in time to avoid her, narrowly missing a railway van as I fled. I ran up the road to Bloomsbury Square. I meant to head north past the Museum and reach the quiet district beyond. I was now painfully cold. My strange situation had so unnerved me that I whimpered as I ran. At the northern corner of the Square, a little white dog ran out of the Pharmaceutical Society’s offices. It immediately headed for me, nose down.

“I had never realised it before, but the nose is to the mind of a dog what the eye is to the mind of a seeing man. Dogs perceive the scent of a man moving as men perceive his vision. This brute began barking and leaping, showing, as it seemed to me, only too plainly that he was aware of me. I crossed Great Russell Street, glancing over my shoulder as I did so, and went some way along Montague Street before I realised what I was running towards.

“I had never realized it before, but a dog’s nose is to its mind what a seeing person’s eyes are to theirs. Dogs smell a man moving just as people see him moving. The brute began barking and jumping. It seemed only too clear to me that he knew I was there. I crossed Great Russell Street, looking over my shoulder as I went. I had gone some way along Montague Street before I realized what I was running toward.

“Then I became aware of a blare of music, and looking along the street saw a number of people advancing out of Russell Square, red shirts, and the banner of the Salvation Army to the fore. Such a crowd, chanting in the roadway and scoffing on the pavement, I could not hope to penetrate, and dreading to go back and farther from home again, and deciding on the spur of the moment, I ran up the white steps of a house facing the museum railings, and stood there until the crowd should have passed. Happily the dog stopped at the noise of the band too, hesitated, and turned tail, running back to Bloomsbury Square again.

“Then I heard a blast of music. Looking down the street, I saw a group of people coming out of Russell Square. Red shirts and the Salvation Army banner led the way. The crowd was chanting in the road and jeering on the pavement. I could not hope to get through them, and I dreaded going back and getting farther from home again. On the spur of the moment, I ran up the white steps of a house facing the museum railings. I stood there to wait until the crowd had passed. Luckily, the dog stopped at the sound of the band too. It hesitated, then turned and ran back to Bloomsbury Square.

“On came the band, bawling with unconscious irony some hymn about ‘When shall we see His face?’ and it seemed an interminable time to me before the tide of the crowd washed along the pavement by me. Thud, thud, thud, came the drum with a vibrating resonance, and for the moment I did not notice two urchins stopping at the railings by me. ‘See ’em,’ said one. ‘See what?’ said the other. ‘Why—them footmarks—bare. Like what you makes in mud.’

“The band came on, loudly singing a hymn about ‘When shall we see his face?’ They seemed unaware of the irony. It felt like forever before the tide of people flowed past me along the sidewalk. Thud, thud, thud, the drum sounded with a vibrating resonance. For a moment, I did not notice two children stopping at the railings beside me. ‘See them,’ said one. ‘See what?’ said the other. ‘Why, them footprints, bare. Like what you make in mud.’

“I looked down and saw the youngsters had stopped and were gaping at the muddy footmarks I had left behind me up the newly whitened steps. The passing people elbowed and jostled them, but their confounded intelligence was arrested. ‘Thud, thud, thud, when, thud, shall we see, thud, his face, thud, thud.’ ‘There’s a barefoot man gone up them steps, or I don’t know nothing,’ said one. ‘And he ain’t never come down again. And his foot was a-bleeding.’

“I looked down and saw that the kids had stopped. They were staring at the muddy footprints I had left on the freshly whitened steps. People passing by elbowed and jostled them, but their damned minds were fixed on the footprints. ‘Thud, thud, thud, when, thud, shall we see, thud, his face, thud, thud.’ ‘There's a barefoot man gone up those steps, or I don't know nothing,’ said one. ‘And he ain't never come down again. And his foot was bleeding.’

“The thick of the crowd had already passed. ‘Looky there, Ted,’ quoth the younger of the detectives, with the sharpness of surprise in his voice, and pointed straight to my feet. I looked down and saw at once the dim suggestion of their outline sketched in splashes of mud. For a moment I was paralysed.

“Most of the crowd had already passed. ‘Look there, Ted,’ said the younger detective, his voice sharp with surprise. He pointed straight at my feet. I looked down and immediately saw their faint outlines traced in splashes of mud. For a moment, I was paralyzed.

“‘Why, that’s rum,’ said the elder. ‘Dashed rum! It’s just like the ghost of a foot, ain’t it?’ He hesitated and advanced with outstretched hand. A man pulled up short to see what he was catching, and then a girl. In another moment he would have touched me. Then I saw what to do. I made a step, the boy started back with an exclamation, and with a rapid movement I swung myself over into the portico of the next house. But the smaller boy was sharp-eyed enough to follow the movement, and before I was well down the steps and upon the pavement, he had recovered from his momentary astonishment and was shouting out that the feet had gone over the wall.

“‘Why, that’s strange,’ said the older boy. ‘Really strange! It’s just like the ghost of a foot, ain’t it?’ He hesitated, then moved forward with his hand outstretched. A man stopped suddenly to see what he was trying to catch, and then a girl stopped too. In another moment, he would have touched me. Then I saw what to do. I took a step, and the boy jumped back with a cry. I quickly swung myself over into the porch of the next house. But the smaller boy was sharp-eyed enough to follow my movement. Before I had reached the pavement, he had recovered from his momentary surprise. He was shouting that the feet had gone over the wall.

“They rushed round and saw my new footmarks flash into being on the lower step and upon the pavement. ‘What’s up?’ asked someone. ‘Feet! Look! Feet running!’

“They rushed around and saw my new footprints suddenly appear on the bottom step and on the sidewalk. ‘What’s going on?’ someone asked. ‘Feet! Look! Feet running!’

“Everybody in the road, except my three pursuers, was pouring along after the Salvation Army, and this blow not only impeded me but them. There was an eddy of surprise and interrogation. At the cost of bowling over one young fellow I got through, and in another moment I was rushing headlong round the circuit of Russell Square, with six or seven astonished people following my footmarks. There was no time for explanation, or else the whole host would have been after me.

“Everyone in the street, except my three pursuers, was hurrying after the Salvation Army. The blow slowed them down as well as me. People stopped in confusion and began asking questions. I knocked over a young man as I pushed through. A moment later, I was racing around Russell Square, with six or seven astonished people following my footprints. There was no time to explain, or the whole crowd would have been after me.

“Twice I doubled round corners, thrice I crossed the road and came back upon my tracks, and then, as my feet grew hot and dry, the damp impressions began to fade. At last I had a breathing space and rubbed my feet clean with my hands, and so got away altogether. The last I saw of the chase was a little group of a dozen people perhaps, studying with infinite perplexity a slowly drying footprint that had resulted from a puddle in Tavistock Square, a footprint as isolated and incomprehensible to them as Crusoe’s solitary discovery.

“Twice I doubled back around corners. Three times I crossed the road and retraced my steps. Then, as my feet grew hot and dry, the damp footprints began to fade. At last I had a moment to catch my breath and rubbed my feet clean with my hands. That was how I got away altogether. The last I saw of my pursuers, a small group of perhaps a dozen people were studying a slowly drying footprint. It had been left by a puddle in Tavistock Square. They were utterly puzzled by it. The footprint was as isolated and incomprehensible to them as the one Crusoe found.

“This running warmed me to a certain extent, and I went on with a better courage through the maze of less frequented roads that runs hereabouts. My back had now become very stiff and sore, my tonsils were painful from the cabman’s fingers, and the skin of my neck had been scratched by his nails; my feet hurt exceedingly and I was lame from a little cut on one foot. I saw in time a blind man approaching me, and fled limping, for I feared his subtle intuitions. Once or twice accidental collisions occurred and I left people amazed, with unaccountable curses ringing in their ears. Then came something silent and quiet against my face, and across the Square fell a thin veil of slowly falling flakes of snow. I had caught a cold, and do as I would I could not avoid an occasional sneeze. And every dog that came in sight, with its pointing nose and curious sniffing, was a terror to me.

“This run warmed me somewhat, and I felt braver as I continued through the maze of quieter roads in the area. My back had become very stiff and sore. My tonsils hurt from the cabman’s fingers, and his nails had scratched the skin of my neck. My feet hurt terribly, and a small cut on one foot made me limp. I spotted a blind man approaching in time and limped away, afraid of his keen senses. Once or twice I accidentally bumped into people. I left them amazed, with curses they could not explain ringing in their ears. Then something silent and soft touched my face, and a thin veil of snowflakes drifted down across the Square. I had caught a cold, and no matter what I did, I could not avoid sneezing now and then. Every dog I saw terrified me, with its nose pointing and sniffing curiously.

“Then came men and boys running, first one and then others, and shouting as they ran. It was a fire. They ran in the direction of my lodging, and looking back down a street I saw a mass of black smoke streaming up above the roofs and telephone wires. It was my lodging burning; my clothes, my apparatus, all my resources indeed, except my cheque-book and the three volumes of memoranda that awaited me in Great Portland Street, were there. Burning! I had burnt my boats—if ever a man did! The place was blazing.”

“Then men and boys came running, first one and then others, shouting as they ran. There was a fire. They ran toward my lodging. I looked back down a street and saw a mass of black smoke rising above the roofs and telephone wires. My lodging was on fire. My clothes, my equipment, all my resources were there. The only exceptions were my checkbook and the three volumes of notes waiting for me in Great Portland Street. Burning! I had burned my boats, if ever a man did! The place was blazing.”

The Invisible Man paused and thought. Kemp glanced nervously out of the window. “Yes?” he said. “Go on.”

The Invisible Man paused and thought. Kemp looked nervously out the window. “Yes?” he said. “Go on.”