The Stolen Bacillus by H.G. Wells
Section [1 | 2]
.Chiefly he_was afraid of being caught before he_could accomplish his purpose, but behind this_was avaguer but larger fear of_the awfulness of_his crime .But his exultation far exceeded his fear .No Anarchist before him had ever approached this conception of_his .Ravachol, Vaillant, all those distinguished persons whose fame he had envied dwindled into insignificance beside him .He had only to_make sure of_the water supply, and break the little tube into areservoir .How brilliantly he had planned it, forged the letter of introduction and got into_the laboratory, and how brilliantly he had seized his opportunity ! The world should hear of him at last .All those people who had sneered at him, neglected him, preferred other people to him, found his company undesirable, should consider him at last .Death, death, death ! They had always treated him as aman of no importance .All the world had_been in aconspiracy to_keep him under . he_would teach them yet what it_is to isolate aman .What was_this familiar street ? Great Saint Andrew's Street, of_course ! How fared the chase ? He craned out_of_the cab .The Bacteriologist was scarcely fifty yards behind .That was bad . he_would_be caught and stopped yet . he_felt in_his pocket for money, and found half asovereign .This he thrust up through_the trap in_the top of_the cab into_the man's face ."More," he shouted, "if only we get away ."

The money was snatched out of_his hand ."Right you_are," said the cabman, and_the trap slammed, and_the lash lay along the glistening side of_the horse .The cab swayed, and_the Anarchist, half-standing under the trap, put the hand containing the little glass tube upon_the apron to preserve his balance . he_felt the brittle thing crack, and_the broken half of it rang upon_the floor of_the cab .He fell back into_the seat with acurse, and stared dismally at_the two_or_three drops of moisture on_the apron .

He shuddered .

"Well, I suppose I_shall_be the first .Phew ! Anyhow, I_shall_be aMartyr .That's something .But it_is afilthy death, nevertheless .I wonder if_it hurts as_much as_they say ."

Presently athought occurred to him--he groped between his feet .alittle drop was still in_the broken end of_the tube, and he drank that to_make sure . it_was better to_make sure .At any rate, he_would_not fail .

Then it dawned upon him that there_was no further need to escape the Bacteriologist .In Wellington Street he_told the cabman to stop, and got out .He slipped on_the step, and_his head felt queer . it_was rapid stuff, this cholera poison .He waved his cabman out of existence, so to_speak, and stood on_the pavement with_his arms folded upon his breast awaiting the arrival of_the Bacteriologist . there_was something tragic in_his pose .The sense of imminent death gave him acertain dignity .He greeted his pursuer with adefiant laugh .

"Vive l'Anarchie ! you_are too late, my friend, I_have drunk it .The cholera is abroad ! "

The Bacteriologist from_his cab beamed curiously at him through his spectacles ." you_have drunk it ! An Anarchist ! I_see now ." he_was about to_say something more, and then checked himself .asmile hung in_the corner of_his mouth .He opened the apron of_his cab as_if to descend, at which the Anarchist waved him adramatic farewell and strode off towards Waterloo Bridge, carefully jostling his infected body against as_many people as possible .The Bacteriologist was so preoccupied with_the vision of him that he scarcely manifested the slightest surprise at_the appearance of Minnie upon_the pavement with_his hat and shoes and overcoat ." very_good of you to bring my things," he_said, and remained lost in contemplation of_the receding figure of_the Anarchist .

"You had better get in," he_said, still staring .Minnie felt absolutely convinced now that he_was mad, and directed the cabman home on her own responsibility ."Put on my shoes ? Certainly, dear," said he, as_the cab began to_turn, and hid the strutting black figure, now small in_the distance, from_his eyes .Then suddenly something grotesque struck him, and he laughed .Then he remarked, " it_is really very serious, though .

" you_see, that man came to my house to_see me, and he_is an Anarchist .No--don't faint, or I_cannot possibly tell you the rest .And i_wanted to astonish him, not knowing he_was an Anarchist, and took up acultivation of_that new species of Bacterium i_was telling you of_that infest, and i_think cause, the blue patches upon various monkeys; and, like afool, I_said it_was Asiatic cholera .And he ran away with it to poison the water of London, and he certainly might_have made things look blue for_this civilised city .And now he has swallowed it . of_course, I cannot_say what_will happen, but you_know it turned that kitten blue, and_the three puppies--in patches, and_the sparrow--bright blue .But the bother is, I_shall_have all the trouble and expense of preparing some more .

"Put on my coat on_this hot day ! Why ? Because we_might meet Mrs Jabber .My dear, Mrs Jabber is_not adraught .But why should I wear acoat on ahot day because of Mrs ----- .Oh ! very_well ."

Section [1 | 2]