Mr. Teddy Henfrey said he was “taken aback” when he saw this bandaged person.
“Good afternoon,” said the stranger. “I understand,” he said, turning to Mrs. Hall, “that this room is for my private use.”
“I thought, sir,” said Mrs. Hall, “you’d prefer the clock —”
“Certainly,” said the stranger, “certainly – but as a rule I like to be alone and undisturbed.”
Then he asked Mrs. Hall if she had asked anybody to bring his boxes from Bramblehurst. She told him she had spoken to the postman, and that they would be here tomorrow.
“Can’t it be done earlier?” he said. She answered coldly it couldn’t.
“I’ll explain,” he added, “what I haven’t explained before because I was too cold and tired. I am a scientist.”
“Indeed, sir,” said Mrs. Hall. She was much impressed.
“And my luggage contains some apparatus. And I’m anxious to get on with my experiments.”
“Of course, sir.”
“I came to Iping,” he went on, “to be alone. I do not want to be disturbed in my work. I had an accident —”
“I thought as much[9],” said Mrs. Hall to herself.
“My eyes are sometimes so weak and painful that I have to be in the dark for hours. I want you to understand this.”
“Certainly, sir,” said Mrs. Hall. “And may I ask you —”
“That is all, I think” said the stranger, putting an end to the conversation.
Mr. Henfrey worked with the lamp close to him, which left the rest of the room in shadow. As he was curious by nature, Mr. Henfrey was not in a hurry to finish his work with the idea of having a conversation with the stranger. But the stranger stood there, perfectly silent and still. Henfrey looked up, and there was the bandaged head and huge, dark glasses. For a minute they remained staring at one another. Then Henfrey looked down again. Very uncomfortable position! Should he say that the weather was very cold for the time of the year?
“The weather —” he began.
“Why don’t you finish and go?” said the stranger, evidently in a state of rage. “All you’ve got to do is to fix the hour hand. You’re simply humbugging.”
“One minute more, sir.” And Mr. Henfrey finished and went.
But he went off feeling very annoyed. “Damn it!” said Mr. Henfrey to himself, walking through the falling snow, “If the police wanted you, you couldn’t be more bandaged.”
At the moment he saw Hall, who had married the owner of the “Coach and Horses” a few months before.