"You don't mean to say there's an invisible cat at large!" said

Kemp.

"If it hasn't been killed," said the Invisible Man. "Why not?"

"Why not?" said Kemp. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's very probably been killed," said the Invisible Man. "It

was alive four days after, I know, and down a grating in Great

Titchfield Street; because I saw a crowd round the place, trying

to see whence the miaowing came."

He was silent for the best part of a minute. Then he resumed

abruptly:

"I remember that morning before the change very vividly. I must have

gone up Great Portland Street. I remember the barracks in Albany

Street, and the horse soldiers coming out, and at last I found the

summit of Primrose Hill. It was a sunny day in January--one of those

sunny, frosty days that came before the snow this year. My weary

brain tried to formulate the position, to plot out a plan of action.

I was surprised to find, now that my prize was within my grasp, how

inconclusive its attainment seemed. As a matter of fact I was worked

out; the intense stress of nearly four years' continuous work left

157

The Invisible Man