Againhewascalledtohisimmediatesurroundingssuddenly。Thistimeitmightnothavebeenthesuddensilenceonlywhichtookhisattention;therewasaslightmovementoftheroe,andthelammoved。Withoutstirring,helookedtoseeifhisileofbookswaswithinrange,andthencasthiseyealongtheroe。Ashelookedhesawthegreatratdrofromtheroeontheoakarmchairandsitthereglaringathim。Heraisedabookinhisrighthand,andtakingcarefulaim,flungitattherat。Thelatter,withaquickmovement,srangasideanddodgedthemissile。Hethentookanotherbook,andathird,andflungthemoneafteranotherattherat,buteachtimeunsuccessfully。Atlast,ashestoodwithabookoisedinhishandtothrow,theratsqueakedandseemedafraid。ThismadeMalcolmsonmorethanevereagertostrike,andthebookflewandstrucktherataresoundingblow。Itgaveaterrifiedsqueak,andturningonhisursueralookofterriblemalevolence,ranuthechair-backandmadeagreatjumtotheroeofthealarmbellandranuitlikelightning。Thelamrockedunderthesuddenstrain,butitwasaheavyoneanddidnottoleover。Malcolmsonkethiseyesontherat,andsawitbythelightofthesecondlamleatoamouldingofthewainscotanddisaearthroughaholeinoneofthegreatictureswhichhungonthewall,obscuredandinvisiblethroughitscoatingofdirtanddust。
"Ishalllookumyfriendshabitationinthemorning,
"saidthestudent,ashewentovertocollecthisbooks。
"Thethirdicturefromthefirelace;Ishallnotforget。
"Heickeduthebooksonebyone,commentingonthemasheliftedthem。
"ConicSectionshedoesnotmind,norCycloidalOscillations,northePrinciia,norQuaternions,norThermodynamics。Nowforthebookthatfetchedhim!
"Malcolmsontookituandlookedatit。Ashedidsohestarted,asuddenalloroversreadhisface。Helookedrounduneasilyandshiveredslightly,ashemurmuredtohimself:
"TheBiblemymothergaveme!Whatanoddcoincidence。
"Hesatdowntoworkagain,andtheratsinthewainscotrenewedtheirgambols。Theydidnotdisturbhim,however;somehowtheirresencegavehimasenseofcomanionshi。Buthecouldnotattendtohiswork,andafterstrivingtomasterthesubjectonwhichhewasengagedgaveituindesair,andwenttobedasthehefirststreakofdawnstoleinthroughtheeasternwindow。
Hesletheavilybutuneasily,anddreamedmuch;andwhenMrs。Demsterwokehimlateinthemorningheseemedillatease,andforafewminutesdidnotseemtorealiseexactlywherehewas。Hisfirstrequestrathersurrisedtheservant。
"Mrs。Demster,whenIamouttodayIwishyouwouldgetthestesanddustorwashthoseictures—seciallythatonethethirdfromthefirelace—Iwanttoseewhattheyare。
"
LateintheafternoonMalcolmsonworkedathisbooksintheshadedwalk,andthecheerfulnessofthereviousdaycamebacktohimasthedayworeon,andhefoundthathisreadingwasrogressingwell。Hehadworkedouttoasatisfactoryconclusionalltheroblemswhichhadasyetbaffledhim,anditwasinastateofjubilationthatheaidavisittoMrs。Withamat
"TheGoodTraveller。
"Hefoundastrangerinthecosysitting-roomwiththelandlady,whowasintroducedtohimasDr。Thornhill。Shewasnotquiteatease,andthis,combinedwiththedoctorslungingatonceintoaseriesofquestions,madeMalcolmsoncometotheconclusionthathisresencewasnotanaccident,sowithoutreliminaryhesaid:
"Dr。Thornhill,Ishallwithleasureansweryouanyquestionyoumaychoosetoaskmeifyouwillanswermyonequestionfirst。
"
Thedoctorseemedsurrised,buthesmiledandansweredatonce,
"Done!Whatisit?
"
"DidMrs。Withamaskyoutocomehereandseemeandadviseme?
"
Dr。Thornhillforamomentwastakenaback,andMrs。Withamgotfieryredandturnedaway;butthedoctorwasafrankandreadyman,andheansweredatonceandoenly。
"Shedid:butshedidntintendyoutoknowit。Isuoseitwasmyclumsyhastehatmadeyoususect。Shetoldmethatshedidnotliketheideaofyourbeinginthathouseallbyyourself,andthatshethoughtyoutooktoomuchstrongtea。Infact,shewantsmetoadviseyouifossibletogiveutheteaandtheverylatehours。Iwasasakeenstudentinmytime,soIsuoseImaytakethelibertyofacollegeman,andwithoutoffence,adviseyounotquiteasastranger。