"It's getting on my nerves, this business, Mr.Holmes," said he, as he sank, like a wearied man, into an arm-chair."It's bad enough to feel that you are surrounded by unseen, unknown folk, who have some kind of design upon you; but when, in addition to that, you know that it is just killing your wife by inches, then it becomes as much as flesh and blood can endure.She's wearing away under it -- just wearing away before my eyes.""Has she said anything yet?"
"No, Mr.Holmes, she has not.And yet there have been times when the poor girl has wanted to speak, and yet could not quite bring herself to take the plunge.I have tried to help her;but I dare say I did it clumsily, and scared her off from it.
She has spoken about my old family, and our reputation in the county, and our pride in our unsullied honour, and I always felt it was leading to the point; but somehow it turned off before we got there.""But you have found out something for yourself?""A good deal, Mr.Holmes.I have several fresh dancing men pictures for you to examine, and, what is more important, I have seen the fellow.""What, the man who draws them?"
"Yes, I saw him at his work.But I will tell you everything in order.When I got back after my visit to you, the very first thing I saw next morning was a fresh crop of dancing men.
They had been drawn in chalk upon the black wooden door of the tool-house, which stands beside the lawn in full view of the front windows.I took an exact copy, and here it is."He unfolded a paper and laid it upon the table.Here is a copy of the hieroglyphics:--GRAPHIC
"Excellent!" said Holmes."Excellent! Pray continue.""When I had taken the copy I rubbed out the marks;but two mornings later a fresh inscription had appeared.
I have a copy of it here":--
GRAPHIC
Holmes rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight.
"Our material is rapidly accumulating," said he.
"Three days later a message was left scrawled upon paper, and placed under a pebble upon the sun-dial.Here it is.
The characters are, as you see, exactly the same as the last one.
After that I determined to lie in wait; so I got out my revolver and I sat up in my study, which overlooks the lawn and garden.
About two in the morning I was seated by the window, all being dark save for the moonlight outside, when I heard steps behind me, and there was my wife in her dressing-gown.She implored me to come to bed.I told her frankly that I wished to see who it was who played such absurd tricks upon us.She answered that it was some senseless practical joke, and that I should not take any notice of it.
"`If it really annoys you, Hilton, we might go and travel, you and I, and so avoid this nuisance.'
"`What, be driven out of our own house by a practical joker?'
said I.`Why, we should have the whole county laughing at us.'
"`Well, come to bed,' said she, `and we can discuss it in the morning.'
"Suddenly, as she spoke, I saw her white face grow whiter yet in the moonlight, and her hand tightened upon my shoulder.
Something was moving in the shadow of the tool-house.I saw a dark, creeping figure which crawled round the corner and squatted in front of the door.Seizing my pistol I was rushing out, when my wife threw her arms round me and held me with convulsive strength.I tried to throw her off, but she clung to me most desperately.At last I got clear, but by the time I had opened the door and reached the house the creature was gone.
He had left a trace of his presence, however, for there on the door was the very same arrangement of dancing men which had already twice appeared, and which I have copied on that paper.
There was no other sign of the fellow anywhere, though I ran all over the grounds.And yet the amazing thing is that he must have been there all the time, for when I examined the door again in the morning he had scrawled some more of his pictures under the line which I had already seen.""Have you that fresh drawing?"
"Yes; it is very short, but I made a copy of it, and here it is."Again he produced a paper.The new dance was in this form:--GRAPHIC
