."

The servants were honestly glad to see him, when he got home. They
had taken it in turn to sit up through the night; knowing his regular
habits, and feeling the dread that some accident had happened. Never
before had they seen him so fatigued. He dropped helplessly into his
chair; his gigantic body shook with shivering fits. The footman begged
him to take some refreshment. "Brandy, and raw eggs," he said. These
being brought to him, he told them to wait until he rang--and locked the
door when they went out.

After waiting until the short winter daylight was at an end, the footman
ventured to knock, and ask if the master wanted lights. He replied that
he had lit the candles for himself. No smell of tobacco smoke came from
the room; and he had let the day pass without going to the laboratory.
These were portentous signs. The footman said to his fellow servants,
"There's something wrong." The women looked at each other in vague
terror. One of them said, "Hadn't we better give notice to leave?" And
the other whispered a question: "Do you think he's committed a crime?"

Towards ten o'clock, the bell rang at last. Immediately afterwards they
heard him calling to them from the hall. "I want you, all three, up
here."

They went up together--the two women anticipating a sight of horror, and
keeping close to the footman.

The master was walking quietly backwards and forwards in the room: the
table had pen and ink on it, and was covered with writings. He spoke to
them in his customary tones; there was not the slightest appearance of
agitation in his manner.

"I mean to leave this house, and go away," he began. "You are dismissed
from my service, for that reason only. Take your written characters
from the table; read them, and say if there is anything to complain of."
There was nothing to complain of. On another part of the table there
were three little heaps of money. "A month's wages for each of you," he
explained, "in place of a month's warning. I wish you good luck." One
of the women (the one who had suggested giving notice to leave) began to
cry. He took no notice of this demonstration, and went on. "I want two
of you to do me a favour before we part. You will please witness the
signature of my Will." The sensitive servant drew back directly. "No!"
she said, "I couldn't do it. I never heard the Death-Watch before in
winter time--I heard it all last night."

The other two witnessed the signature. They observed that