Green Tea; Mr. Justice Harbottle | Page 9

odd old books, German editions
in mediaeval Latin, and I was only too happy to be permitted access to
them. This obliging person's books were in the City, a very
out-of-the-way part of it. I had rather out-stayed my intended hour, and,
on coming out, seeing no cab near, I was tempted to get into the
omnibus which used to drive past this house. It was darker than this by
the time the 'bus had reached an old house, you may have remarked,
with four poplars at each side of the door, and there the last passenger
but myself got out. We drove along rather faster. It was twilight now. I
leaned back in my corner next the door ruminating pleasantly.

"The interior of the omnibus was nearly dark. I had observed in the
corner opposite to me at the other side, and at the end next the horses,
two small circular reflections, as it seemed to me of a reddish light.
They were about two inches apart, and about the size of those small
brass buttons that yachting men used to put upon their jackets. I began
to speculate, as listless men will, upon this trifle, as it seemed. From
what centre did that faint but deep red light come, and from what--glass
beads, buttons, toy decorations--was it reflected? We were lumbering
along gently, having nearly a mile still to go. I had not solved the
puzzle, and it became in another minute more odd, for these two
luminous points, with a sudden jerk, descended nearer and nearer the
floor, keeping still their relative distance and horizontal position, and
then, as suddenly, they rose to the level of the seat on which I was
sitting and I saw them no more.
"My curiosity was now really excited, and, before I had time to think, I
saw again these two dull lamps, again together near the floor; again
they disappeared, and again in their old corner I saw them.
"So, keeping my eyes upon them, I edged quietly up my own side,
towards the end at which I still saw these tiny discs of red.
"There was very little light in the 'bus. It was nearly dark. I leaned
forward to aid my endeavour to discover what these little circles really
were. They shifted position a little as I did so. I began now to perceive
an outline of something black, and I soon saw, with tolerable
distinctness, the outline of a small black monkey, pushing its face
forward in mimicry to meet mine; those were its eyes, and I now dimly
saw its teeth grinning at me.
"I drew back, not knowing whether it might not meditate a spring. I
fancied that one of the passengers had forgot this ugly pet, and wishing
to ascertain something of its temper, though not caring to trust my
fingers to it, I poked my umbrella softly towards it. It remained
immovable--up to it--through it. For through it, and back and forward it
passed, without the slightest resistance.
"I can't, in the least, convey to you the kind of horror that I felt. When I

had ascertained that the thing was an illusion, as I then supposed, there
came a misgiving about myself and a terror that fascinated me in
impotence to remove my gaze from the eyes of the brute for some
moments. As I looked, it made a little skip back, quite into the corner,
and I, in a panic, found myself at the door, having put my head out,
drawing deep breaths of the outer air, and staring at the lights and tress
we were passing, too glad to reassure myself of reality.
"I stopped the 'bus and got out. I perceived the man look oddly at me as
I paid him. I dare say there was something unusual in my looks and
manner, for I had never felt so strangely before."
CHAPTER VII
The Journey: First Stage
"When the omnibus drove on, and I was alone upon the road, I looked
carefully round to ascertain whether the monkey had followed me. To
my indescribable relief I saw it nowhere. I can't describe easily what a
shock I had received, and my sense of genuine gratitude on finding
myself, as I supposed, quite rid of it.
"I had got out a little before we reached this house, two or three
hundred steps. A brick wall runs along the footpath, and inside the wall
is a hedge of yew, or some dark evergreen of that kind, and within that
again the row of fine trees which you may have remarked as you came.
"This brick wall is about as high as my shoulder, and happening to raise
my eyes I saw the monkey, with that stooping gait, on all fours,
walking or creeping,