The Moth by H.G. Wells
Section [1 | 2]
the moth

by H .G .Wells

probably you_have heard of Hapley-- not W .T .Hapley, the son, but the celebrated Hapley, the Hapley of Periplaneta Hapliia_, Hapley the entomologist .

if_so you_know at_least of_the great feud between Hapley and professor Pawkins, though certain of_its consequences may_be new to_you . for_those who_have_not, a word or two of explanation is necessary, which the idle reader may go over with aglancing eye, if his indolence so incline him .

it_is amazing how very widely diffused is_the ignorance of_such really important matters as_this Hapley-Pawkins feud . those epoch-making controversies, again, that_have convulsed the geological society are, I verily believe, almost entirely unknown outside the fellowship of_that body . I_have heard men of fair general education even refer to_the great scenes at_these meetings as vestry-meeting squabbles . yet the great hate of_the English and Scotch geologists has lasted now half a century, and has " left deep and abundant marks upon_the body of_the science ." and this Hapley-Pawkins business, though perhaps a more personal affair, stirred passions as profound, if_not profounder . your common man has no conception of_the zeal that animates a scientific investigator, the fury of contradiction you_can arouse in him . it_is_the odium theologicum in a new form . there_are men, for instance, who_would gladly burn professor ray Lankester at Smithfield for_his treatment of_the Mollusca in_the Encyclopaedia . that fantastic extension of_the Cephalopods to_cover the Pteropods .. . but I wander from Hapley and Pawkins .

it began years and years_ago, with a revision of_the Microlepidoptera ( whatever these may_be) by Pawkins, in_which he extinguished a new species created by Hapley .Hapley, who was always quarrelsome, replied by astinging impeachment of_the entire classification of Pawkins .[A] Pawkins in_his " rejoinder"[B] suggested that Hapley's microscope was as defective as his power of observation, and called him an " irresponsible meddler"-- Hapley was not a professor at_that_time .Hapley in_his retort,[C] spoke of "blundering collectors," and described, as_if inadvertently, Pawkins' revision as a" miracle of ineptitude ." it_was war to_the knife . however, it would scarcely interest the reader to detail how these two great men quarrelled, and how the split between_them widened until from_the Microlepidoptera they were at war upon every open question in entomology . there were memorable occasions . at times the royal Entomological society meetings resembled nothing so_much as_the chamber of Deputies . on_the whole, I fancy Pawkins was nearer the truth than Hapley . but Hapley was skilful with_his rhetoric, had a turn for ridicule rare in a scientific man, was endowed with vast energy, and had a fine sense of injury in_the matter of_the extinguished species; while Pawkins was a man of dull presence, prosy of speech, in shape not unlike a water- barrel, over conscientious with testimonials, and suspected of jobbing museum appointments . so the young men gathered round Hapley and applauded him . it_was a long struggle, vicious from_the beginning and growing at last to pitiless antagonism . the successive turns of fortune, now an advantage to one side and now to another-- now Hapley tormented by some success of Pawkins, and now Pawkins outshone by Hapley, belong rather to_the history of entomology than to_this story .

[ footnote A: "Remarks on a recent revision of Microlepidoptera ." _Quart .Journ .Entomological Soc ., 1863 .]

[ footnote B: " rejoinder to certain Remarks," etc .Ibid .1864 .]

[ footnote C: " further Remarks," etc .Ibid .]

but in 1891 Pawkins, whose health had_been bad for some_time, published some work upon_the "mesoblast" of_the death's head moth . what the mesoblast of_the death's head moth may_be does_not matter arap in_this story . but the work was far below his usual standard, and gave Hapley an opening he had coveted for years . he_must_have worked night and day to make_the most of_his advantage .

in an elaborate critique he rent Pawkins to tatters-- one can fancy the man's disordered black hair, and_his queer dark eyes flashing as he went for_his antagonist-- and Pawkins made a reply, halting, ineffectual, with painful gaps of silence, and yet malignant . there_was no mistaking his will to wound Hapley, nor his incapacity to_do_it . but few of_those who heard him-- i_was absent from_that meeting--realised how ill the man was .

Hapley got his opponent down, and meant to finish him . he followed with a simply brutal attack upon Pawkins, in_the form of a paper upon_the development of moths in general, a paper showing evidence of a most extraordinary amount of mental labour, and yet couched in a violently controversial tone . violent as it_was, an editorial note witnesses that_it_was modified . it must_have covered Pawkins with shame and confusion of face . it left no loophole; it_was murderous in argument, and utterly contemptuous in tone; an awful thing for_the declining years of a man's career .

the world of entomologists waited breathlessly for_the rejoinder from Pawkins . he_would try one, for Pawkins had always been game . but when it came it surprised them . for_the rejoinder of Pawkins was to catch influenza, proceed to pneumonia, and die .

it_was perhaps as effectual a reply as he_could make under the circumstances, and largely turned the current of feeling against Hapley . the very people who had most gleefully cheered on those gladiators became serious at_the consequence . there could_be no reasonable doubt the fret of_the defeat had contributed to_the death of Pawkins . there_was a limit even to scientific controversy, said serious people . another crushing attack was already in_the press and appeared on_the day before_the funeral .I don't think Hapley exerted himself to stop it . people remembered how Hapley had hounded down his rival, and forgot that rival's defects . scathing satire reads ill over fresh mould . the thing provoked comment in_the daily papers . this it was_that made me think that you had probably heard of Hapley and this controversy . but, as I_have already remarked, scientific workers live very_much in a world of_their own; half the people, I dare say, who go along Piccadilly to_the academy every year, could_not tell you where the learned societies abide . many even think that research is a kind of happy- family cage in_which all kinds of men lie down together in peace .

in_his private thoughts Hapley could_not forgive Pawkins for dying . in_the first place, it_was a mean dodge to escape the absolute pulverisation Hapley had in hand for him, and in_the second, it left Hapley's mind with a queer gap in_it . for twenty years he had worked hard, sometimes far into_the night, and seven days a week, with microscope, scalpel, collecting- net, and pen, and almost entirely with reference to Pawkins . the European reputation he had won had come as an incident in_that great antipathy . he had gradually worked up_to a climax in_this last controversy . it had killed Pawkins, but it had also thrown Hapley out of gear, so to_speak, and_his doctor advised him to_give up work for a time, and rest . so Hapley went down into a quiet village in Kent, and thought day and night of Pawkins, and good things it_was now impossible to_say about him .

at last Hapley began to realise in what direction the pre- occupation tended . he determined to_make a fight for_it, and started by trying to read novels . but he_could_not get his mind off Pawkins, white in_the face and making his last speech-- every sentence a beautiful opening for Hapley . he turned to fiction-- and found it had no grip on him . he read the " island Nights' Entertainments" until his " sense of causation" was shocked beyond endurance by_the bottle imp . then he went to Kipling, and found he " proved nothing," besides being irreverent and vulgar . these scientific people have their limitations . then unhappily, he tried Besant's " inner house," and_the opening chapter set his mind upon learned societies and Pawkins at once .

so Hapley turned to chess, and found it a little more soothing . he soon mastered the moves and_the chief gambits and commoner closing positions, and began to beat the vicar . but then the cylindrical contours of_the opposite king began to resemble Pawkins standing up and gasping ineffectually against check- mate, and Hapley decided to_give up chess .

perhaps the study of some new branch of science would after all be better diversion . the best rest is change of occupation .Hapley determined to plunge at diatoms, and had one of_his smaller microscopes and halibut's monograph sent down from London . he thought that perhaps if he_could get up a vigorous quarrel with halibut, he_might_be able to_begin life afresh and forget Pawkins . and very_soon he_was hard at work in_his habitual strenuous fashion, at_these microscopic denizens of_the way- side pool .

it_was on_the third day of_the diatoms that Hapley became aware of a novel addition to_the local fauna . he_was working late at_the microscope, and_the only light in_the room was_the brilliant little lamp with_the special form of green shade . like all experienced microscopists, he kept both eyes open . it_is_the only way to avoid excessive fatigue . one eye was over the instrument, and bright and distinct before_that was_the circular field of_the microscope, across which a brown diatom was slowly moving . with_the other eye Hapley saw, as it were, without seeing . he_was only dimly conscious of_the brass side of_the instrument, the illuminated part of_the table- cloth, a sheet of notepaper, the foot of_the lamp, and_the darkened room beyond .

suddenly his attention drifted from one eye to_the other . the table- cloth was of_the material called tapestry by shopmen, and rather brightly coloured . the pattern was in gold, with a small amount of crimson and pale blue upon agreyish ground . at one point the pattern seemed displaced, and there_was avibrating movement of_the colours at_this point .

Hapley suddenly moved his head back and looked with both eyes . his mouth fell open with astonishment .

it_was a large moth or butterfly; its wings spread in butterfly fashion !

it_was strange it should_be in_the room at all, for_the windows were closed . strange that_it should_not have attracted his attention when fluttering to its present position . strange that_it should match the table- cloth . stranger far that to him, Hapley, the great entomologist, it_was altogether unknown . there_was no delusion . it_was crawling slowly towards the foot of_the lamp .

" new genus, by heavens ! and in England ! " said Hapley, staring .

then he suddenly thought of Pawkins . nothing would_have maddened Pawkins more .. . and Pawkins was dead !

something about_the head and body of_the insect became singularly suggestive of Pawkins, just as_the chess king had_been .

" confound Pawkins ! " said Hapley ." but I_must catch this ." and looking round him for some means of capturing the moth, he rose slowly out of_his chair . suddenly the insect rose, struck the edge of_the lampshade--Hapley heard the "ping"-- and vanished into_the shadow .

in a moment Hapley had whipped off the shade, so that_the whole room was illuminated . the thing had disappeared, but soon his practised eye detected it upon_the wall- paper near the door . he went towards it poising the lamp- shade for capture . before he_was within striking distance, however, it had risen and was fluttering round the room . after_the fashion of_its kind, it flew with sudden starts and turns, seeming to vanish here and reappear there . once Hapley struck, and missed; then again .

the third time he hit his microscope . the instrument swayed, struck and overturned the lamp, and fell noisily upon_the floor . the lamp turned over on_the table and, very luckily, went out .Hapley was left in_the dark . with a start he_felt the strange moth blunder into his face .

it_was maddening . he had no lights . if he opened the door of_the room the thing would get away . in_the darkness he_saw Pawkins quite distinctly laughing at him .Pawkins had ever an oily laugh . he swore furiously and stamped his foot on_the floor .

there_was a timid rapping at_the door .

then it opened, perhaps a foot, and very slowly . the alarmed face of_the landlady appeared behind a pink candle flame; she wore a night-cap over her grey hair and had some purple garment over her shoulders ." what _was that fearful smash ? " she said ." has anything----" the strange moth appeared fluttering about_the chink of_the door ." shut that door ! " said Hapley, and suddenly rushed at her .

the door slammed hastily .Hapley was left alone in_the dark . then in_the pause he heard his landlady scuttle upstairs, lock her door, and drag something heavy across the room and put against it .

it became evident to Hapley that his conduct and appearance had_been strange and alarming . confound the moth ! and Pawkins ! however, it_was a pity to lose the moth now . he_felt his way into_the hall and found the matches, after sending his hat down upon_the floor with a noise like a drum . with_the lighted candle he returned to_the sitting- room . no moth was to_be seen . yet once for a moment it seemed that_the thing was fluttering round his head .Hapley very suddenly decided to_give up the moth and go to bed . but he_was excited . all night long his sleep was broken by dreams of_the moth, Pawkins, and_his landlady . twice in_the night he turned out and soused his head in cold water .

one_thing was very clear to him . his landlady could_not possibly understand about_the

Section [1 | 2]