by H G Wells

-----

Chapter 1

Mr Bedford Meets Mr Cavor at Lympne

As I sit down to write here amidst the shadows of vine-leaves under the blue sky of southern Italy, it comes with certain quality of astonishment that my participation amazing adventures of Mr Cavor was, after all, the outcome purest accident It I fell into these things when myself removed slightest possibility of disturbing experiences I had gone to Lympne because I had imagined it the most uneventful place "Here, at any rate," said I, " find peace and chance to work ! "

And this book sequel So utterly at variance is destiny with all the little plans of men perhaps mention here that very recently I had come an ugly cropper in certain business enterprises Sitting now surrounded by all the circumstances of wealth, luxury in admitting my extremity admit, even, that to certain extent my disasters were conceivably own making It directions some capacity, but the conduct of business operations But in those days young, and my youth among other objectionable forms took that of pride in my capacity for affairs young still in years, but the things happened have rubbed something youth from my mind Whether brought any wisdom to light below more doubtful matter

scarcely necessary details speculations that landed me at Lympne, in Kent Nowadays even about business transactions strong spice of adventure risks things invariably certain amount of give and take, and it fell finally giving Reluctantly enough Even when I had got out of everything, one cantankerous creditor saw fit malignant Perhaps met that flaming sense of outraged virtue, or perhaps only felt it He ran me hard It seemed , at last, that nothing but to write play, unless to drudge living as clerk certain imagination, and luxurious tastes, and I meant vigorous fight fate overtook me to my belief in my powers as business man, I had always in those days had an idea that equal to writing play , I believe, very uncommon persuasion nothing man can do outside legitimate business transactions that has such opulent possibilities, and very probably that biased my opinion I had, indeed, got habit of regarding this unwritten drama as convenient little reserve put by for rainy day That rainy day had come, and I set to work

I soon discovered that writing play was longer business than I had supposed; at first I had reckoned ten days , and pied-a-terre while in hand that to Lympne I reckoned myself lucky in getting that little bungalow I got it on three years' agreement I put in few sticks of furniture, and while the play was in hand my own cooking My cooking shocked Mrs Bond And yet, , it had flavour I had coffee-pot, sauce-pan for eggs, and one for potatoes, and frying-pan for sausages and bacon - such simple apparatus comfort One cannot always be magnificent, but simplicity is always possible alternative rest I laid in an eighteen-gallon cask of beer on credit, and trustful baker came not, perhaps, style of Sybaris, but worse times little sorry baker, who was very decent man indeed, but even for him I hoped

Certainly if wants solitude, the place is Lympne clay part of Kent, and my bungalow stood edge of an old sea cliff and stared across the flats of Romney Marsh sea In very wet weather the place is almost inaccessible, and heard that at times the postman used to traverse the more succulent portions route with boards upon his feet I never saw him , but quite imagine it Outside the doors few cottages and houses that make up the present village big birch besoms are stuck, to wipe off the worst clay, which will give some idea texture district place there at all, fading memory of things gone for ever It big port of England in Roman times, Portus Lemanus, and now the sea is four miles away All down the steep hill are boulders and masses of Roman brickwork, and old Watling Street, still paved in places, starts like an arrow north I used to stand hill and think of it all, the galleys and legions, the captives and officials, the women and traders, the speculators like myself, all the swarm and tumult that came clanking in and harbour And now just few lumps of rubble on grassy slope, and sheep or two - and me And where the port were the levels marsh, sweeping round in broad curve to distant Jungeness, and dotted here and there with tree clumps church towers of old medical towns following Lemanus now towards extinction

That outlook marsh was, indeed, finest views ever seen I suppose Jungeness was fifteen miles away; it lay like raft sea, and farther westward were the hills by Hastings under the setting sun Sometimes they hung close and clear, sometimes they were faded and low, and often the drift weather took them clean out of sight And all the nearer parts marsh were laced and lit by ditches and canals

The window at which I worked looked over the skyline crest, and window that I first set eyes on Cavor just as struggling with my scenario, holding down my mind sheer hard work of it, and naturally enough he arrested my attention

The sun had set, the sky was vivid tranquillity of green and yellow, and against that out black - the oddest little figure

short, round-bodied, thin-legged little man, with jerky quality motions; he had seen fit to clothe his extraordinary mind in cricket cap, an overcoat, and cycling knickerbockers and stockings Why so know, for he never cycled and he never played cricket fortuitous concurrence of garments, arising not how He gesticulated hands and arms, and jerked his head about and buzzed He buzzed like something electric You never heard such buzzing And ever and again he cleared his throat with most extraordinary noise

There rain, spasmodic walk was enhanced extreme slipperiness footpath Exactly as against the sun he stopped, pulled out watch, hesitated Then with sort of convulsive gesture he turned and retreated with every manifestation of haste, no longer gesticulating, but going with ample strides that showed the relatively large size feet - they were, I remember, grotesquely exaggerated in size by adhesive clay - best possible advantage

This occurred first day sojourn, when my play-writing energy was at its height and I regarded the incident simply as an annoying distraction - the waste of five minutes I returned to my scenario But when next evening the apparition was repeated with remarkable precision, and again the next evening, and indeed every evening when rain was not falling, concentration scenario became considerable effort "Confound the man," , "one would think learning marionette ! " and for several evenings I cursed him pretty heartily Then my annoyance gave way to amazement and curiosity Why on earth should man thing ? fourteenth evening stand it no longer, and so soon as he appeared I opened the french window, crossed the verandah, and directed myself point where he invariably stopped

He had his watch out as him He had chubby, rubicund face with reddish brown eyes - previously I had seen him only against the light "One moment, sir," said I as he turned He stared "One moment," , "certainly Or for longer, and asking - your moment is up - would it trouble you to accompany me ? "

"Not least," said I, placing myself beside him

"My habits are regular for intercourse - limited "

"This, I presume, is your time for exercise ? "

" I come here to enjoy the sunset "

"You don't "

"Sir ? "

"You never look at it "

"Never look at it ? "

"No I've watched you thirteen nights, and not once looked sunset - not once "

He knitted his brows like one who encounters problem

"Well, I enjoy the sunlight - the atmosphere - I go path, gate " - he jerked his head over his shoulder - " and round -"

"You don't You never It's all nonsense There isn't way To-night for instance"