A Discussion

I turned again and went on down towards the sea. I found the hot stream broadened out to a shallow, weedy sand, in which an abundance of crabs and long-bodied, many-legged creatures started from my footfall. I walked to the very edge of the salt water, and then I felt I was safe. I turned and stared, arms akimbo, at the thick green behind me, into which the steamy ravine cut like a smoking gash. But, as I say, I was too full of excitement and (a true saying, though those who have never known danger may doubt it) too desperate to die.

I turned again and continued down toward the sea. The hot stream widened into a shallow, weedy stretch of sand. Crabs and long-bodied, many-legged creatures scurried away in great numbers as I stepped. I walked right to the edge of the salt water, and then I felt safe. I turned and stared, hands on hips, at the thick greenery behind me. The steamy ravine cut through it like a smoking wound. But, as I say, I was too excited and too desperate to die. That is true, though people who have never faced danger may doubt it.

Then it came into my head that there was one chance before me yet. While Moreau and Montgomery and their bestial rabble chased me through the island, might I not go round the beach until I came to their enclosure,—make a flank march upon them, in fact, and then with a rock lugged out of their loosely-built wall, perhaps, smash in the lock of the smaller door and see what I could find (knife, pistol, or what not) to fight them with when they returned? It was at any rate something to try.

Then I realized I still had one chance. While Moreau, Montgomery, and their bestial rabble chased me across the island, could I circle around the beach to their enclosure? I could approach them from the side, in fact. Then perhaps I could pull a rock from their loosely built wall and smash the lock on the smaller door. I could see what I might find, a knife, a pistol, or anything else to fight them with when they returned. At least it was something to try.

So I turned to the westward and walked along by the water’s edge. The setting sun flashed his blinding heat into my eyes. The slight Pacific tide was running in with a gentle ripple. Presently the shore fell away southward, and the sun came round upon my right hand. Then suddenly, far in front of me, I saw first one and then several figures emerging from the bushes,—Moreau, with his grey staghound, then Montgomery, and two others. At that I stopped.

So I turned west and walked along the water’s edge. The setting sun flashed its blinding heat into my eyes. The gentle Pacific tide was coming in with a soft ripple. Soon the shore curved south, and the sun came around to my right. Then, far ahead, I suddenly saw one figure emerge from the bushes, followed by several others. There was Moreau with his grey staghound, then Montgomery and two others. When I saw them, I stopped.

They saw me, and began gesticulating and advancing. I stood watching them approach. The two Beast Men came running forward to cut me off from the undergrowth, inland. Montgomery came, running also, but straight towards me. Moreau followed slower with the dog.

They saw me and began waving their arms and moving toward me. I stood and watched them approach. The two Beast Men ran forward to cut me off from the undergrowth inland. Montgomery ran too, but straight toward me. Moreau followed more slowly with the dog.

At last I roused myself from my inaction, and turning seaward walked straight into the water. The water was very shallow at first. I was thirty yards out before the waves reached to my waist. Dimly I could see the intertidal creatures darting away from my feet.

At last, I stirred myself from my inaction and turned toward the sea. I walked straight into the water. It was very shallow at first. I was thirty yards out before the waves reached my waist. I could just make out creatures darting away from my feet in the shallows.

“What are you doing, man?” cried Montgomery.

“What are you doing, man?” shouted Montgomery.

I turned, standing waist deep, and stared at them. Montgomery stood panting at the margin of the water. His face was bright-red with exertion, his long flaxen hair blown about his head, and his dropping nether lip showed his irregular teeth. Moreau was just coming up, his face pale and firm, and the dog at his hand barked at me. Both men had heavy whips. Farther up the beach stared the Beast Men.

I turned and stared at them, standing waist-deep in the water. Montgomery stood panting at the water's edge. His face was bright red from exertion, and his long blond hair blew around his head. His drooping lower lip exposed his uneven teeth. Moreau was just coming up, his face pale and firm. The dog beside him barked at me. Both men had heavy whips. Farther up the beach, the Beast Men stared.

“What am I doing? I am going to drown myself,” said I.

“What am I doing? I’m going to drown myself,” I said.

Montgomery and Moreau looked at each other. “Why?” asked Moreau.

Montgomery and Moreau looked at each other. “Why?” asked Moreau.

“Because that is better than being tortured by you.”

“Because that is better than being tortured by you.”

“I told you so,” said Montgomery, and Moreau said something in a low tone.

“I told you so,” said Montgomery. Moreau said something quietly.

“What makes you think I shall torture you?” asked Moreau.

“What makes you think I will torture you?” asked Moreau.

“What I saw,” I said. “And those—yonder.”

“What I saw,” I said. “And those over there.”

“Hush!” said Moreau, and held up his hand.

“Quiet!” said Moreau, holding up his hand.

“I will not,” said I. “They were men: what are they now? I at least will not be like them.”

“I won’t,” I said. “They were men. What are they now? At least I won’t be like them.”

I looked past my interlocutors. Up the beach were M’ling, Montgomery’s attendant, and one of the white-swathed brutes from the boat. Farther up, in the shadow of the trees, I saw my little Ape-man, and behind him some other dim figures.

I looked past the people I was speaking to. Farther up the beach stood M’ling, Montgomery’s attendant, and one of the brutes wrapped in white from the boat. Farther up, in the shade of the trees, I saw my little Ape-man. Behind him were some other shadowy figures.

“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.

“Who are these creatures?” I asked, pointing at them and raising my voice so they could hear me. “They were men, men like you, whom you infected with some animal taint. You enslaved them, and you still fear them.

“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—”

“Listen to me!” I cried, pointing at Moreau and shouting past him to the Beast Men. “Listen! Can’t you see these men still fear you? They’re terrified of you. So why do you fear them? There are many of you.”

“For God’s sake,” cried Montgomery, “stop that, Prendick!”

“For God’s sake,” shouted Montgomery, “stop that, Prendick!”

“Prendick!” cried Moreau.

“Prendick!” shouted 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.

They both shouted at once, as if to drown out my voice. Behind them, the Beast Men stared and scowled in wonder, their deformed hands hanging down and their shoulders hunched. It seemed to me that they were trying to understand me. I thought they were trying to remember 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.

I kept shouting, though I barely remember what I said. I told the Beast People that Moreau and Montgomery could be killed and were not to be feared. That was the main idea I tried to put into their heads. I saw the green-eyed man in dark rags come out from among the trees. He had met me on the evening I arrived. Others followed him so they could hear me better. At last I stopped because I was out of breath.

“Listen to me for a moment,” said the steady voice of Moreau; “and then say what you will.”

“Listen to me for a moment,” Moreau said in a steady voice, “and then say whatever you want.”

“Well?” said I.

“Well?” I said.

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.”

He coughed, thought for a moment, then shouted: “Latin, Prendick! Bad Latin, schoolboy Latin, but try to understand. Hi non sunt homines; sunt animalia qui nos habemus, vivisected. A process of making them human. I’ll explain. Come ashore.”

I laughed. “A pretty story,” said I. “They talk, build houses. They were men. It’s likely I’ll come ashore.”

I laughed. “That’s a nice story,” I said. “They talk and build houses. They were men. As if I’d come ashore.”

“The water just beyond where you stand is deep—and full of sharks.”

“The water just beyond where you’re standing is deep and full of sharks.”

“That’s my way,” said I. “Short and sharp. Presently.”

“That’s my way,” I said. “Short and sharp. Soon.”

“Wait a minute.” He took something out of his pocket that flashed back the sun, and dropped the object at his feet. “That’s a loaded revolver,” said he. “Montgomery here will do the same. Now we are going up the beach until you are satisfied the distance is safe. Then come and take the revolvers.”

“Wait a minute.” He took something out of his pocket that flashed in the sunlight and dropped it at his feet. “That’s a loaded revolver,” he said. “Montgomery will do the same. Now we’ll walk up the beach until you’re satisfied we’re at a safe distance. Then come and take the revolvers.”

“Not I! You have a third between you.”

“Not me! You have a third between you.”

“I want you to think over things, Prendick. In the first place, I never asked you to come upon this island. If we vivisected men, we should import men, not beasts. In the next, we had you drugged last night, had we wanted to work you any mischief; and in the next, now your first panic is over and you can think a little, is Montgomery here quite up to the character you give him? We have chased you for your good. Because this island is full of—inimical phenomena. Besides, why should we want to shoot you when you have just offered to drown yourself?”

“I want you to think things over, Prendick. First, I never asked you to come to this island. If we experimented on living men, we would bring men here, not animals. Second, we had you drugged last night, if we had wanted to harm you. And third, now that your first panic is over, you can think a little. Is Montgomery really the kind of man you say he is? We chased you for your own good, because this island is full of hostile things. Besides, why would we want to shoot you when you have just offered to drown yourself?”

“Why did you set—your people onto me when I was in the hut?”

“Why did you send your people after me when I was in the hut?”

“We felt sure of catching you, and bringing you out of danger. Afterwards we drew away from the scent, for your good.”

“We were sure we could catch you and get you out of danger. Afterward, we moved away from the scent for your sake.”

I mused. It seemed just possible. Then I remembered something again. “But I saw,” said I, “in the enclosure—”

I thought about it. It seemed barely possible. Then I remembered something else. “But I saw,” I said, “in the enclosure...”

“That was the puma.”

“That was the puma.”

“Look here, Prendick,” said Montgomery, “you’re a silly ass! Come out of the water and take these revolvers, and talk. We can’t do anything more than we could do now.”

“Look, Prendick,” said Montgomery, “you’re an idiot! Come out of the water, take these revolvers, and let’s talk. We can’t do any more than we can now.”

I will confess that then, and indeed always, I distrusted and dreaded Moreau; but Montgomery was a man I felt I understood.

I admit that I distrusted and feared Moreau then, and always did. But I felt I understood Montgomery.

“Go up the beach,” said I, after thinking, and added, “holding your hands up.”

“Go up the beach,” I said after thinking. Then I added, “holding your hands up.”

“Can’t do that,” said Montgomery, with an explanatory nod over his shoulder. “Undignified.”

“Can’t do that,” said Montgomery, nodding over his shoulder by way of explanation. “Not dignified.”

“Go up to the trees, then,” said I, “as you please.”

“Go up to the trees, then,” I said, “if you like.”

“It’s a damned silly ceremony,” said Montgomery.

“It’s a damn silly ceremony,” said Montgomery.

Both turned and faced the six or seven grotesque creatures, who stood there in the sunlight, solid, casting shadows, moving, and yet so incredibly unreal. Montgomery cracked his whip at them, and forthwith they all turned and fled helter-skelter into the trees; and when Montgomery and Moreau were at a distance I judged sufficient, I waded ashore, and picked up and examined the revolvers. To satisfy myself against the subtlest trickery, I discharged one at a round lump of lava, and had the satisfaction of seeing the stone pulverised and the beach splashed with lead. Still I hesitated for a moment.

Both turned to face the six or seven grotesque creatures standing in the sunlight. They were solid, casting shadows and moving, yet they seemed impossibly unreal. Montgomery cracked his whip at them, and they all turned and fled wildly into the trees. When I thought Montgomery and Moreau were far enough away, I waded ashore. I picked up the revolvers and examined them. To make sure there was no trickery, however subtle, I fired one at a round lump of lava. To my satisfaction, the stone shattered, and lead splashed across the beach. Still, I hesitated for a moment.

“I’ll take the risk,” said I, at last; and with a revolver in each hand I walked up the beach towards them.

“I’ll take the risk,” I said at last. With a revolver in each hand, I walked up the beach toward them.

“That’s better,” said Moreau, without affectation. “As it is, you have wasted the best part of my day with your confounded imagination.” And with a touch of contempt which humiliated me, he and Montgomery turned and went on in silence before me.

“That’s better,” said Moreau, plainly. “As it is, you’ve wasted most of my day with your confounded imagination.” He and Montgomery turned and walked on ahead of me in silence. His touch of contempt humiliated me.

The knot of Beast Men, still wondering, stood back among the trees. I passed them as serenely as possible. One started to follow me, but retreated again when Montgomery cracked his whip. The rest stood silent—watching. They may once have been animals; but I never before saw an animal trying to think.

The group of Beast Men stood back among the trees, still puzzled. I walked past them as calmly as I could. One started to follow me, but backed away when Montgomery cracked his whip. The rest stood silently, watching. They may once have been animals, but I had never before seen an animal trying to think.