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sealed up in that brown paper parcel for the coroner's inquest to
open to…morrow or next day。 He's been here a week； paying his way
fairly enough； and stopping indoors； for the most part； as if he
was ailing。 My girl brought him up his tea at five to…day； and as
he was pouring of it out； he fell down in a faint； or a fit； or a
compound of both； for anything I know。 We couldn't bring him to；
and I said he was dead。 And； the doctor couldn't bring him to；
and the doctor said he was dead。 And there he is。 And the
coroner's inquest's coming as soon as it can。 And that's as much
as I know about it。〃
Arthur held the candle close to the man's lips。 The flame still
burned straight up as steadily as ever。 There was a moment of
silence； and the rain pattered drearily through it against the
panes of the window。
〃If you haven't got nothing more to say to me；〃 continued the
landlord； 〃I suppose I may go。 You don't expect your five
shillings back； do you？ There's the bed I promised you； clean and
comfortable。 There's the man I warranted not to disturb you；
quiet in this world forever。 If you're frightened to stop alone
with him； that's not my lookout。 I've kept my part of the
bargain； and I mean to keep the money。 I'm not Yorkshire myself；
young gentleman； but I've lived long enough in these parts to
have my wits sharpened； and I shouldn't wonder if you found out
the way to brighten up yours next time you come among us。〃
With these words the landlord turned toward the door； and laughed
to himself softly； in high satisfaction at his own sharpness。
Startled and shocked as he was； Arthur had by this time
sufficiently recovered himself to feel indignant at the trick
that had been played on him； and at the insolent manner in which
the landlord exulted in it。
〃Don't laugh；〃 he said sharply； 〃till you are quite sure you have
got the laugh against me。 You shan't have the five shillings for
nothing； my man。 I'll keep the bed。〃
〃Will you？〃 said the landlord。 〃Then I wish you a good night's
rest。〃 With that brief farewell he went out and shut the door
after him。
A good night's rest！ The words had hardly been spoken； the door
had hardly been closed； before Arthur half repented the hasty
words that had just escaped him。 Though not naturally
over…sensitive； and not wanting in courage of the moral as well
as the physical sort； the presence of the dead man had an
instantaneously chilling effect on his mind when he found himself
alone in the roomalone； and bound by his own rash words to stay
there till the next morning。 An older man would have thought
nothing of those words； and would have acted； without reference
to them； as his calmer sense suggested。 But Arthur was too young
to treat the ridicule even of his inferiors with contempttoo
young not to fear the momentary humiliation of falsifying his own
foolish boast more than he feared the trial of watching out the
long night in the same chamber with the dead。
〃It is but a few hours；〃 he thought to himself； 〃and I can get
away the first thing in the morning。〃
He was looking toward the occupied bed as that idea passed
through his mind； and the sharp； angular eminence made in the
clothes by the dead man's upturned feet again caught his eye。 He
advanced and drew the curtains； purposely abstaining； as he did
so； from looking at the face of the corpse； lest he might unnerve
himself at the outset by fastening some ghastly impression of it
on his mind。 He drew the curtain very gently； and sighed
involuntarily as he closed it。
〃Poor fellow；〃 he said； almost as sadly as if he had known the
man。 〃Ah！ poor fellow！〃
He went next to the window。 The night was black； and he could see
nothing from it。 The rain still pattered heavily agai nst the
glass。 He inferred； from hearing it； that the window was at the
back of the house； remembering that the front was sheltered from
the weather by the court and the buildings over it。
While he was still standing at the windowfor even the dreary
rain was a relief； because of the sound it made； a relief； also；
because it moved； and had some faint suggestion； in consequence；
of life and companionship in itwhile he was standing at the
window； and looking vacantly into the black darkness outside； he
heard a distant church clock strike ten。 Only ten！ How was he to
pass the time till the house was astir the next morning？
Under any other circumstances he would have gone down to the
public…house parlor； would have called for his grog； and would
have laughed and talked with the company assembled as familiarly
as if he had known them all his life。 But the very thought of
whiling away the time in this manner was now distasteful to him。
The new situation in which he was placed seemed to have altered
him to himself already。 Thus far his life had been the common；
trifling； prosaic； surface…life of a prosperous young man； with
no troubles to conquer and no trials to face。 He had lost no
relation whom he loved； no friend whom he treasured。 Till this
night； what share he had of the immortal inheritance that is
divided among us all had lain dormant within him。 Till this
night； Death and he had not once met； even in thought。
He took a few turns up and down the room； then stopped。 The noise
made by his boots on the poorly…carpeted floor jarred on his ear。
He hesitated a little； and ended by taking the boots off； and
walking backward and forward noiselessly。
All desire to sleep or to rest had left him。 The bare thought of
lying down on the unoccupied bed instantly drew the picture on
his mind of a dreadful mimicry of the position of the dead man。
Who was he？ What was the story of his past life？ Poor he must
have been； or he would not have stopped at such a place as the
Two Robins Inn； and weakened； probably； by long illness； or he
could hardly have died in the manner which the landlord had
described。 Poor； ill； lonelydead in a strange placedead； with
nobody but a stranger to pity him。 A sad story； truly； on the
mere face of it； a very sad story。
While these thoughts were passing through his mind； he had
stopped insensibly at the window； close to which stood the foot
of the bed with the closed curtains。 At first he looked at it
absently； then he became conscious that his eyes were fixed on
it； and then a perverse desire took possession of him to do the
very thing which he had resolved not to do up to this timeto
look at the dead man。
He stretched out his hand toward the curtains； but checked
himself in the very act of undrawing them； turned his back
sharply on the bed； and walked toward the chimney…piece； to see
what things were placed on it； and to try if he could keep the
dead man out of his mind in that way。
There was a pewter inkstand on the chimney…piece； with some
mildewed remains of ink in the bottle。 There were two coarse
china ornaments of the commonest kind； and there was a square of
embossed card； dirty and fly…blown； with a collection of wretched
riddles printed on it； in all sorts of zigzag directions； and in
variously colored inks。 He took the card and went away to read it
at the table on which the candle was placed； sitting down with
his back resolutely turned to the curtained bed。
He read the first riddle； the second； the third； all in one
corner of the card； then turned it round impatiently to look at
another。 Before he could begin reading the riddles printed here
the sound of the church clock stopped him。
Eleven。
He had got through an hour of the time in the room with the dead
man。
Once more he looked at the card。 It was not easy to make out the
letters printed on it in consequence of the dimness of the light
which the landlord had left hima common tallow candle；
furnished with a pair of heavy old…fashioned steel snuffers。 Up
to this time his mind had been too much occupied to think of the
light。 He had left the wick of the candle unsnuffed till it had
risen higher than the flame； and had burned into an odd
pent…house shape at the top； from which morsels of the charred
cotton fell off from time to time in little flakes。 He took up
the snuffers now and trimmed the wick。 The light brightened
directly； and the room became less dismal。
Again he turned to the riddles； reading them doggedly and
resolutely； now in one corner of the card； now in another。 All
his efforts； however； could not fix his attention on them。 He
pursued his occupation mechanically； deriving no sort of
impression from what he was reading。 It was as if a shadow from
the curtained bed had got between his mind and the gayly printed
lettersa shadow that nothing could dispel。 At last he gave up
the struggle； threw the card from him impatiently； and took to
walking softly up and down the room again。
The dead man； the dead man； the _hidden_ dead man on the bed！
There was the one persistent idea still haunting him。 Hidden！ Was
it only the body being there； or was it the body being there
_concealed；_ that was preying on his mind？ He stopped at the
window with that doubt in him； once more listening to the
pattering rain； once more looking out into the black darkness。
Still the dead man！
The darkness forced his mind back upon itself； and set