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Bellingham rushed out through the door； slammed it loudly behind
him； and hurried down the stairs。 About half…way down Smith heard him
stop； and thought he caught the sound of whispering。 A moment later the
door beneath him shut； a key creaked in a lock； and Bellingham； with
beads of moisture upon his pale face； ascended the stairs once more； and
re…entered the room。
〃It's all right；〃 he said； throwing himself down in a chair。 〃It was that
fool of a dog。 He had pushed the door open。 I don't know how I came
to forget to lock it。〃
〃I didn't know you kept a dog；〃 said Smith； looking very thoughtfully
at the disturbed face of his companion。
〃Yes； I haven't had him long。 I must get rid of him。 He's a great
nuisance。〃
〃He must be； if you find it so hard to shut him up。 I should have
thought that shutting the door would have been enough； without locking
it。〃
〃I want to prevent old Styles from letting him out。 He's of some
value； you know； and it would be awkward to lose him。〃
〃I am a bit of a dog…fancier myself；〃 said Smith； still gazing hard at his
companion from the corner of his eyes。 〃Perhaps you'll let me have a
look at it。〃
〃Certainly。 But I am afraid it cannot be to… night； I have an
appointment。 Is that clock right？ Then I am a quarter of an hour late
already。 You'll excuse me； I am sure。〃
He picked up his cap and hurried from the room。 In spite of his
appointment； Smith heard him re…enter his own chamber and lock his door
upon the inside。
This interview left a disagreeable impression upon the medical
student's mind。 Bellingham had lied to him； and lied so clumsily that it
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looked as if he had desperate reasons for concealing the truth。 Smith
knew that his neighbour had no dog。 He knew； also； that the step which
he had heard upon the stairs was not the step of an animal。 But if it were
not； then what could it be？ There was old Styles's statement about the
something which used to pace the room at times when the owner was
absent。 Could it be a woman？ Smith rather inclined to the view。 If so；
it would mean disgrace and expulsion to Bellingham if it were discovered
by the authorities； so that his anxiety and falsehoods might be accounted
for。 And yet it was inconceivable that an undergraduate could keep a
woman in his rooms without being instantly detected。 Be the explanation
what it might； there was something ugly about it； and Smith determined；
as he turned to his books； to discourage all further attempts at intimacy on
the part of his soft…spoken and ill…favoured neighbour。
But his work was destined to interruption that night。 He had hardly
caught tip the broken threads when a firm； heavy footfall came three steps
at a time from below； and Hastie； in blazer and flannels； burst into the
room。
〃Still at it！〃 said he； plumping down into his wonted arm…chair。
〃What a chap you are to stew！ I believe an earthquake might come and
knock Oxford into a cocked hat； and you would sit perfectly placid with
your books among the rains。 However； I won't bore you long。 Three
whiffs of baccy； and I am off。〃
〃What's the news； then？〃 asked Smith； cramming a plug of bird's…eye
into his briar with his forefinger。
〃Nothing very much。 Wilson made 70 for the freshmen against the
eleven。 They say that they will play him instead of Buddicomb； for
Buddicomb is clean off colour。 He used to be able to bowl a little； but it's
nothing but half…vollies and long hops now。〃
〃Medium right；〃 suggested Smith； with the intense gravity which
comes upon a 'varsity man when he speaks of athletics。
〃Inclining to fast； with a work from leg。 Comes with the arm about
three inches or so。 He used to be nasty on a wet wicket。 Oh； by…the…
way； have you heard about Long Norton？〃
〃What's that？〃
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〃He's been attacked。〃
〃Attacked？〃
〃Yes； just as he was turning out of the High Street； and within a
hundred yards of the gate of Old's。〃
〃But who〃
〃Ah； that's the rub！ If you said ‘what；' you would be more
grammatical。 Norton swears that it was not human； and； indeed； from the
scratches on his throat； I should be inclined to agree with him。〃
〃What； then？ Have we come down to spooks？〃
Abercrombie Smith puffed his scientific contempt。
〃Well； no； I don't think that is quite the idea； either。 I am inclined to
think that if any showman has lost a great ape lately； and the brute is in
these parts； a jury would find a true bill against it。 Norton passes that
way every night； you know； about the same hour。 There's a tree that
hangs low over the paththe big elm from Rainy's garden。 Norton thinks
the thing dropped on him out of the tree。 Anyhow； he was nearly
strangled by two arms； which； he says； were as strong and as thin as steel
bands。 He saw nothing； only those beastly arms that tightened and
tightened on him。 He yelled his head nearly off； and a couple of chaps
came running； and the thing went over the wall like a cat。 He never got a
fair sight of it the whole time。 It gave Norton a shake up； I can tell you。
I tell him it has been as good as a change at the sea…side for him。〃
〃A garrotter； most likely；〃 said Smith。
〃Very possibly。 Norton says not； but we don't mind what he says。
The garrotter had long nails； and was pretty smart at swinging himself
over walls。 By…the…way； your beautiful neighbour would be pleased if he
heard about it。 He had a grudge against Norton； and he's not a man； from
what I know of him； to forget his little debts。 But hallo； old chap； what
have you got in your noddle？〃
〃Nothing；〃 Smith answered curtly。
He had started in his chair； and the look had flashed over his face
which comes upon a man who is struck suddenly by some unpleasant idea。
〃You looked as if something I had said had taken you on the raw。
By…the…way； you have made the acquaintance of Master B。 since I looked
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in last； have you not？ Young Monkhouse Lee told me something to that
effect。〃
〃Yes； I know him slightly。 He has been up here once or twice。〃
〃Well； you're big enough and ugly enough to take care of yourself。
He's not what I should call exactly a healthy sort of Johnny； though； no
doubt； he's very clever； and all that。 But you'll soon find out for yourself。
Lee is all right； he's a very decent little fellow。 Well； so long； old chap！
I row Mullins for the Vice…Chancellor's pot on Wednesday week； so mind
you come down； in case I don't see you before。〃
Bovine Smith laid down his pipe and turned stolidly to his books once
more。 But with all the will in the world； he found it very hard to keep his
mind upon his work。 It would slip away to brood upon the man beneath
him； and upon the little mystery which hung round his chambers。 Then
his thoughts turned to this singular attack of which Hastie had spoken； and
to the grudge which Bellingham was said to owe the object of it。 The
two ideas would persist in rising together in his mind； as though there
were some close and intimate connection between them。 And yet the
suspicion was so dim and vague that it could not be put down in words。
〃Confound the chap！〃 cried Smith； as he shied his book on pathology
across the room。 〃He has spoiled my night's reading； and that's reason
enough；