Now, he said, Nisbet, I want you to tell me exactly what you see in that picture. Describe it, if you dont mind, rather minutely. Ill tell you why afterwards.
Well, said Nisbet, I have here a view of a country-house English, I presume by moonlight.
Moonlight? Youre sure of that?
Certainly. The moon appears to be on the wane, if you wish for details, and there are clouds in the sky.
All right. Go on. Ill swear, added Williams in an aside, there was no moon when I saw it first.
Well, theres not much more to be said, Nisbet continued. The house has one two three rows of windows, five in each row, except at the bottom, where theres a porch instead of the middle one, and
But what about figures? said Williams, with marked interest.
There arent any, said Nisbet; but
What! No figure on the grass in front?
Not a thing.
Youll swear to that?
Certainly I will. But theres just one other thing.
What?
Why, one of the windows on the ground-floor left of the door is open.
Is it really so? My goodness! he must have got in, said Williams, with great excitement; and he hurried to the back of the sofa on which Nisbet was sitting, and, catching the picture from him, verified the matter for himself.
It was quite true. There was no figure, and there was the open window. Williams, after a moment of speechless surprise, went to the writing-table and scribbled for a short time. Then he brought two papers to Nisbet, and asked him first to sign one it was his own description of the picture, which you have just heard and then to read the other, which was Williamss statement written the night before.
What can it all mean? said Nisbet.
Exactly, said Williams. Well, one thing I must do or three things, now I think of it. I must find out from Garwood this was his last nights visitor what he saw, and then I must get the thing photographed before it goes further, and then I must find out what the place is.
I can do the photographing myself, said Nisbet, and I will. But, you know, it looks very much as if we were assisting at the working out of a tragedy somewhere. The question is, Has it happened already, or is it going to come off? You must find out what the place is. Yes, he said, looking at the picture again, I expect youre right: he has got in. And if I dont mistake therell be the devil to pay in one of the rooms upstairs.
Ill tell you what, said Williams: Ill take the picture across to old Green (this was the senior Fellow of the College, who had been Bursar for many years). Its quite likely hell know it. We have property in Essex and Sussex, and he must have been over the two counties a lot in his time.
Quite likely he will, said Nisbet; but just let me take my photograph first. But look here, I rather think Green isnt up to-day. He wasnt in Hall last night, and I think I heard him say he was going down for the Sunday.
Thats true, too, said Williams; I know hes gone to Brighton. Well, if youll photograph it now, Ill go across to Garwood and get his statement, and you keep an eye on it while Im gone. Im beginning to think two guineas is not a very exorbitant price for it now.
In a short time he had returned, and brought Mr. Garwood with him. Garwoods statement was to the effect that the figure, when he had seen it, was clear of the edge of the picture, but had not got far across the lawn. He remembered a white mark on the back of its drapery, but could not have been sure it was a cross. A document to this effect was then drawn up and signed, and Nisbet proceeded to photograph the picture.
Now what do you mean to do? he said. Are you going to sit and watch it all day?
Well, no, I think not, said Williams. I rather imagine were meant to see the whole thing. You see, between the time I saw it last night and this morning there was time for lots of things to happen, but the creature only got into the house. It could easily have got through its business in the time and gone to its own place again; but the fact of the window being open, I think, must mean that its in there now. So I feel quite easy about leaving it. And, besides, I have a kind of idea that it wouldnt change much, if at all, in the daytime. We might go out for a walk this afternoon, and come in to tea, or whenever it gets dark. I shall leave it out on the table here, and sport the door. My skip can get in, but no one else.
The three agreed that this would be a good plan; and, further, that if they spent the afternoon together they would be less likely to talk about the business to other people; for any rumour of such a transaction as was going on would bring the whole of the Phasmatological Society[33] about their ears.
We may give them a respite until five oclock.
At or near that hour the three were entering Williamss staircase. They were at first slightly annoyed to see that the door of his rooms was unsported; but in a moment it was remembered that on Sunday the skips came for orders an hour or so earlier than on weekdays. However, a surprise was awaiting them. The first thing they saw was the picture leaning up against a pile of books on the table, as it had been left, and the next thing was Williamss skip, seated on a chair opposite, gazing at it with undisguised horror. How was this? Mr. Filcher (the name is not my own invention) was a servant of considerable standing, and set the standard of etiquette to all his own college and to several neighboring ones, and nothing could be more alien to his practice than to be found sitting on his masters chair, or appearing to take any particular notice of his masters furniture or pictures. Indeed, he seemed to feel this himself. He started violently when the three men were in the room, and got up with a marked effort. Then he said:
I ask your pardon, sir, for taking such a freedom as to set down.
Not at all, Robert, interposed Mr. Williams. I was meaning to ask you some time what you thought of that picture.
Well, sir, of course I dont set up my opinion again yours, but it aint the pictur I should ang where my little girl could see it, sir.
Wouldnt you, Robert? Why not?
No, sir. Why, the pore child, I recollect once she see a Door Bible, with pictures not alf what that is, and we ad to set up with her three or four nights afterwards, if youll believe me; and if she was to ketch a sight of this skelinton here, or whatever it is, carrying off the pore baby, she would be in a taking. You know ow it is with children; ow nervish they git with a little thing and all. But what I should say, it dont seem a right pictur to be laying about, sir, not where anyone thats liable to be startled could come on it. Should you be wanting anything this evening, sir? Thank you, sir.
With these words the excellent man went to continue the round of his masters and you may be sure the gentleman whom he left lost no time in gathering round the engraving. There was the house, as before under the waning moon and the drifting clouds The window that had been open was shot, and the figure was once more on the lawn: but not this time crawling cautiously on hands and knees. Now it was erect and stepping swiftly, with long strides, towards the front of the picture. The moon was behind it, and the black drapery hung down over its face so that only hints of that could be seen, and what was visible made the spectators profoundly thankful that they could see no more than a white dome-like forehead and a few straggling hairs. The head was bent down, and the arms were tightly clasped over an object which could be dimly seen and identified as a child, whether dead or living it was not possible to say. The legs of the appearance alone could be plainly discerned, and they were horribly thin.