The stranger rarely left the inn by day, but in the evening he
would go out, wrapped up to the eyes, whether the weather was
cold or not, and he chose the loneliest paths. His glasses and
bandaged face under his great black hat would appear suddenly
out of the darkness to one or two workmen going home, and
one night Teddy Henfrey, coming out of the Dog and Duck, was
frightened by the stranger's white, round head (he was walking
hat in hand) lit by the sudden light of the open inn door. It
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seemed doubtful whether the stranger hated boys more than they
hated him, but there was certainly hatred enough on both sides.
Of course they talked about him in Iping, and were unable to
decide what his business was. Mrs Hall said he 'discovered things',
that he had had an accident, and that he did not like people to
see the ugly marks on his body. Some said that he was a criminal
hiding from the police, and others that he was part white and
part black, and 'if he chose to show himself at fairs he would
make a great deal of money'. A few thought that he was simply
and harmlessly mad. And in the end some of the women began
to think that he was a spirit or a magician.
No one liked him, for he was always angry and never friendly.
They drew to one side as he passed down the village street, and
when he had gone by young men would put their coat collars up
and turn the edges of their hats down, and follow him for a joke.
Cuss, the doctor, was interested in the bandages and bottles. All
through April and May he wanted to talk to the stranger, and at
last he could bear it no longer and went to visit him. He was
surprised to find that Mr Hall did not know his guest's name.
'He gave a name,' said Mrs Hall - this was untrue - 'but I
didn't hear it properly.' She thought it seemed silly not to know
the man's name.
Cuss could hear swearing inside the parlour. He knocked at
the door and entered.
'Please forgive me for breaking in on you,' said Cuss, and then
the door closed and shut out Mrs Hall.
She could hear the sound of voices for the next ten minutes,
then a cry of surprise, a moving of feet, a chair being knocked
over, a laugh, quick steps to the door, and Cuss appeared, his face
white, his eyes staring over his shoulder. He left the door open
behind him and, without looking at her, went across the hall and
down the steps, and she heard his feet hurrying along the road.
He carried his hat in his hand. She stood behind the bar, looking
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at the open door of the parlour. Then she heard the stranger
laughing quietly, and his footsteps came across the room. She
could not see his face from where she stood. The parlour door
shut loudly, and the place was silent again.