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And inside, in the artificial darkness of the parlour, into which only one thin jet of sunlight penetrated, the stranger, hungry we must suppose, and fearful, hidden in his uncomfortable hot wrappings, pored through his dark glasses upon his paper or chinked his dirty little bottles, and occasionally swore savagely at the boys, audible if invisible, outside the windows. In the corner by the fireplace lay the fragments of half a dozen smashed bottles, and a pungent twang of chlorine tainted the air. So much we know from what was heard at the time and from what was subsequently seen in the room.
About noon he suddenly opened his parlour door and stood glaring fixedly at the three or four people in the bar. Mrs. Hall, he said. Somebody went sheepishly and called for Mrs. Hall.
Mrs. Hall appeared after an interval, a little short of breath, but all the fiercer for that. Hall was still out. She had deliberated over this scene, and she came holding a little tray with an unsettled bill upon it. Is it your bill youre wanting, sir? she said.
Why wasnt my breakfast laid? Why havent you prepared my meals and answered my bell? Do you think I live without eating?
Why isnt my bill paid? said Mrs. Hall. Thats what I want to know.
I told you three days ago I was awaiting a remittance
I told you two days ago I wasnt going to await no remittances. You cant grumble if your breakfast waits a bit, if my bills been waiting these five days, can you?
The stranger swore briefly but vividly.
Nar, nar! from the bar.
And Id thank you kindly, sir, if youd keep your swearing to yourself, sir, said Mrs. Hall.
The stranger stood looking more like an angry diving-helmet than ever. It was universally felt in the bar that Mrs. Hall had the better of him. His next words showed as much.
Look here, my good woman he began.
Dont good woman me, said Mrs. Hall.
Ive told you my remittance hasnt come.
Remittance indeed! said Mrs. Hall.
Still, I daresay in my pocket
You told me three days ago that you hadnt anything but a sovereigns worth of silver upon you.
Well, Ive found some more
Ul-lo! from the bar.
I wonder where you found it, said Mrs. Hall.
That seemed to annoy the stranger very much. He stamped his foot. What do you mean? he said.
That I wonder where you found it, said Mrs. Hall. And before I take any bills or get any breakfasts, or do any such things whatsoever, you got to tell me one or two things I dont understand, and what nobody dont understand, and what everybody is very anxious to understand. I want to know what you been doing tmy chair upstairs, and I want to know how tis your room was empty, and how you got in again. Them as stops in this house comes in by the doors thats the rule of the house, and that you didnt do, and what I want to know is how you did come in. And I want to know
Suddenly the stranger raised his gloved hands clenched, stamped his foot, and said, Stop! with such extraordinary violence that he silenced her instantly.
You dont understand, he said, who I am or what I am. Ill show you. By Heaven! Ill show you. Then he put his open palm over his face and withdrew it. The centre of his face became a black cavity. Here, he said. He stepped forward and handed Mrs. Hall something which she, staring at his metamorphosed face, accepted automatically. Then, when she saw what it was, she screamed loudly, dropped it, and staggered back. The nose it was the strangers nose! pink and shining rolled on the floor.
Then he removed his spectacles, and everyone in the bar gasped. He took off his hat, and with a violent gesture tore at his whiskers and bandages. For a moment they resisted him. A flash of horrible anticipation passed through the bar. Oh, my Gard! said some one. Then off they came.
It was worse than anything. Mrs. Hall, standing openmouthed and horrorstruck, shrieked at what she saw, and made for the door of the house. Everyone began to move. They were prepared for scars, disfigurements, tangible horrors, but nothing! The bandages and false hair flew across the passage into the bar, making a hobbledehoy jump to avoid them. Everyone tumbled on everyone else down the steps. For the man who stood there shouting some incoherent explanation, was a solid gesticulating figure up to the coat-collar of him, and then nothingness, no visible thing at all!
People down the village heard shouts and shrieks, and looking up the street saw the Coach and Horses violently firing out its humanity. They saw Mrs. Hall fall down and Mr. Teddy Henfrey jump to avoid tumbling over her, and then they heard the frightful screams of Millie, who, emerging suddenly from the kitchen at the noise of the tumult, had come upon the headless stranger from behind. These increased suddenly.
Forthwith everyone all down the street, the sweetstuff seller, cocoanut shy proprietor and his assistant, the swing man, little boys and girls, rustic dandies, smart wenches, smocked elders and aproned gipsies began running towards the inn, and in a miraculously short space of time a crowd of perhaps forty people, and rapidly increasing, swayed and hooted and inquired and exclaimed and suggested, in front of Mrs. Halls establishment. Everyone seemed eager to talk at once, and the result was Babel. A small group supported Mrs. Hall, who was picked up in a state of collapse. There was a conference, and the incredible evidence of a vociferous eyewitness. O Bogey! Whats he been doin, then? Aint hurt the girl, as e? Run at en with a knife, I believe. No ed, I tell ye. I dont mean no manner of speaking. I mean marn ithout a ed! Narnsense! tis some conjuring trick. Fetched off is wrapping, e did
In its struggles to see in through the open door, the crowd formed itself into a straggling wedge, with the more adventurous apex nearest the inn. He stood for a moment, I heerd the gal scream, and he turned. I saw her skirts whisk, and he went after her. Didnt take ten seconds. Back he comes with a knife in uz hand and a loaf; stood just as if he was staring. Not a moment ago. Went in that there door. I tell e, e aint gart no ed at all. You just missed en
There was a disturbance behind, and the speaker stopped to step aside for a little procession that was marching very resolutely towards the house; first Mr. Hall, very red and determined, then Mr. Bobby Jaffers, the village constable, and then the wary Mr. Wadgers. They had come now armed with a warrant.
People shouted conflicting information of the recent circumstances. Ed or no ed, said Jaffers, I got to rest en, and rest en I will.
Mr. Hall marched up the steps, marched straight to the door of the parlour and flung it open. Constable, he said, do your duty.
Jaffers marched in. Hall next, Wadgers last. They saw in the dim light the headless figure facing them, with a gnawed crust of bread in one gloved hand and a chunk of cheese in the other.
Thats him! said Hall.
What the devils this? came in a tone of angry expostulation from above the collar of the figure.
Youre a damned rum customer, mister, said Mr. Jaffers. But ed or no ed, the warrant says body, and dutys duty
Keep off! said the figure, starting back.
Abruptly he whipped down the bread and cheese, and Mr. Hall just grasped the knife on the table in time to save it. Off came the strangers left glove and was slapped in Jaffers face. In another moment Jaffers, cutting short some statement concerning a warrant, had gripped him by the handless wrist and caught his invisible throat. He got a sounding kick on the shin that made him shout, but he kept his grip. Hall sent the knife sliding along the table to Wadgers, who acted as goalkeeper for the offensive, so to speak, and then stepped forward as Jaffers and the stranger swayed and staggered towards him, clutching and hitting in. A chair stood in the way, and went aside with a crash as they came down together.