n't decide at once. Think it over. Here we are at
our homes, you see. We live just opposite to each other."

We were standing at this moment in the narrow lane at my uncle's door.
As he spoke, he raised his hand in a farewell salute with that dignity
of gesture which was in all his movements. On the instant, to my
surprise, the door of the house opposite opened slowly, till it was
about half open. No one opened it, as I could see; it swung back of
itself. After my friend had stepped across the threshold it swung to
with a click in the same mysterious way. It was as though it had a
knowledge of Mr. Jermyn's mind, as though the raised hand had had a
magical power over it. When I went indoors to my uncle's house I was
excited. I felt that I was in the presence of something romantic,
something mysterious. I liked Mr. Jermyn. He had been very kind. But
I kept wondering why he wore a false beard, why his door opened so
mysteriously, why he valued a book of sums above the worth of a King's
crown. As for his offer of a present, I did not like it, though he had
not given me time to say as much. I remembered how indignant the Oulton
wherrymen had been when a gentleman offered them money for saving his
daughter's life. I had seen the man robbed, what else could I have done?
I could have done no less than tell him. I resolved that I would refuse
the gift when next I saw him.

At dinner that day, I was full of Mr. Jermyn, much to my uncle's
annoyance.

"Who is this Mr. Jermyn, Martin?" he asked. "I don't know him. Is he a
gentleman?"

"Yes, uncle."

"Do you know him, Ephraim?"

"No, sir. I know him by sight, sir. Gentleman who lives over the way,
Mr. Hyde."

"That's Mr. Scott's, though."

"No, sir. Mr. Jermyn's been there ever since February."

"But the house is empty."

"The lower floor is furnished, sir."

"Do you know anything of him? Do you know his man?"

"They say he's in the fruit way, sir. In the Spanish trade. His men are
Spaniards. They do say he's not quite to be trusted."

"Who says this?" my uncle asked.

"I don't like to mention names, sir," Ephraim said.

"Quite right. Quite right. But what do they say?"

"Very queer things goes on in that 'ouse," said Ephraim. "I don't 'ardly
like to say. But they think 'e raises the devil, sir. Awful noises goes
on there. I seen some things myself there, as I don't like to talk of.
Well. I saw a black bird as big as a man stand flapping in the window.
Then I se