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The Beetle A Mystery

Chapter 4 A LONELY VIGIL

Word Count: 2024    |    Released on: 06/12/2017

iousness during the long hours which followed. I was aware of the extinction of the lamp, and of the black darkness which ensued. I heard a rustling sound, as if the man in the bed was settling hims

speculation, in the days gone by, I had imagined it as quite possible that he would feel. It is very far from certain that feeling necessarily expires with what we call life. I continually asked

barked-there was the clatter of a milk can. Shafts of light stole past the blind, increasing in intensity. It still rained, now and again it pattered against the pane. The wind must have shi

at my side, looking down at me. It stooped, then knelt. My only covering was unceremoniously thrown from off me, so that I lay there in my nakedness. Fingers prodded me then and there, as if I had been some beast ready for the butcher's stall. A face looked into mine, and, in front of me, were those dreadful eyes. Then, whether I was dead or living, I said to mysel

d to his feet, and said, whether speaki

as dead!-and better!

eard a door open and shut,

e night before I could not guess. My first fear was that he had left it behind him in the room with me,-it might be, as a sort of watchdog. But, as the minutes and the hours passed, and there was still no sign or

ttention of whoever was within. Vehicles-probably tradesmen's carts-drew up in front, their stopping being followed by more or less assiduous assaults upon the knocker and the bell. But in every case their appeals remained unheeded. Wh

e times, and then there was the sound of footsteps quietly retreating, and the gate re-closing. Between one and two the caller came again; there was a repetition of the same signal,-that it was a signal I did not doubt; followed by the same retreat. About three the mysterious visitant returned. The signal was repeated, and, when there was no response, fingers tapped softl

g him without. He went through the familiar pantomime of the three squeaky calls both at the front door and the back,-followed by the tapping of the fingers on the panels. This time, however, he also tried the window panes,-I could hear, quite distinctly, the clear, yet disti

le as a perpendicular brick wall. There was the noise of what seemed to be the scratching of claws, as if it experienced considerable difficulty in obtaining a hold on the unyielding surface. What kind of creature it was I could not think,-I was astonished to find that it was a creature at all. I ha

dly that which was likely to be the product of human fingers,-it was sharp and definite, rather resembling the striking of the point of a nail against the glass. It was not loud, but in time-it continued with much persistency-it became plainly vicious. It

vouring, by force of pressure, to gain an entrance through the pane. So violent did its contortions become that I momentarily anticipated the yielding of the glass, and the excited assailant coming crashing through. Considerably to my relief the window proved more impregnable than seemed at one time likely. The stolid resistance proved,

queaks of the persistent caller. I imagined that he had returned, as before, alone, to renew his attacks upon the window,-until it was made plain, as it quickly was, that, with him, was some sort of a companion. Immediately there arose, from without, the noise of battle. Two creatures, whose cries were, to me, of so unusual a character, that I found it impossible to even guess at their identity, seemed to be waging war to the knife upon the doorstep. After a minute or two of furious contention, victory seemed to rest with one of the combatants, for the other fled, squeaking as with pain. While I listened, with strained attention, for t

and

y, at the word of comman

in which I had seen him last, was the being I had made acquaintance with under

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1 Chapter 1 OUTSIDE2 Chapter 2 INSIDE3 Chapter 3 THE MAN IN THE BED4 Chapter 4 A LONELY VIGIL5 Chapter 5 AN INSTRUCTION TO COMMIT BURGLARY6 Chapter 6 A SINGULAR FELONY7 Chapter 7 THE GREAT PAUL LESSINGHAM8 Chapter 8 THE MAN IN THE STREET9 Chapter 9 THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKET10 Chapter 10 REJECTED11 Chapter 11 A MIDNIGHT EPISODE12 Chapter 12 A MORNING VISITOR13 Chapter 13 THE PICTURE14 Chapter 14 THE DUCHESS' BALL15 Chapter 15 MR LESSINGHAM SPEAKS16 Chapter 16 ATHERTON'S MAGIC VAPOUR17 Chapter 17 MAGIC -OR MIRACLE 18 Chapter 18 THE APOTHEOSIS OF THE BEETLE19 Chapter 19 THE LADY RAGES20 Chapter 20 A HEAVY FATHER21 Chapter 21 THE TERROR IN THE NIGHT22 Chapter 22 THE HAUNTED MAN23 Chapter 23 THE WAY HE TOLD HER24 Chapter 24 A WOMAN'S VIEW25 Chapter 25 THE MAN IN THE STREET No.2526 Chapter 26 A FATHER'S NO27 Chapter 27 THE TERROR BY NIGHT28 Chapter 28 THE STRANGE STORY OF THE MAN IN THE STREET29 Chapter 29 THE HOUSE ON THE ROAD FROM THE WORKHOUSE30 Chapter 30 THE SINGULAR BEHAVIOUR OF MR HOLT31 Chapter 31 THE TERROR BY DAY32 Chapter 32 A NEW CLIENT33 Chapter 33 WHAT CAME OF LOOKING THROUGH A LATTICE34 Chapter 34 AFTER TWENTY YEARS35 Chapter 35 A BRINGER OF TIDINGS36 Chapter 36 WHAT THE TIDINGS WERE37 Chapter 37 WHAT WAS HIDDEN UNDER THE FLOOR38 Chapter 38 THE REST OF THE FIND39 Chapter 39 MISS LOUISA COLEMAN40 Chapter 40 WHAT MISS COLEMAN SAW THROUGH THE WINDOW41 Chapter 41 THE CONSTABLE,-HIS CLUE,-AND THE CAB42 Chapter 42 THE QUARRY DOUBLES43 Chapter 43 THE MURDER AT MRS 'ENDERSON'S44 Chapter 44 THE MAN WHO WAS MURDERED45 Chapter 45 ALL THAT MRS 'ENDERSON KNEW46 Chapter 46 THE SUDDEN STOPPING47 Chapter 47 THE CONTENTS OF THE THIRD-CLASS CARRIAGE48 Chapter 48 THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER