Mr. Cuss Interviews the Stranger

           Ihavetoldthecircumstancesofthestranger'sarrivalinIpingwithacertainfulnessofdetail,inorderthatthecuriousimpressionhecreatedmaybeunderstoodbythereader. Butexceptingtwooddincidents,thecircumstancesofhisstayuntiltheextraordinarydayoftheclubfestivalmaybepassedoververycursorily. TherewereanumberofskirmisheswithMrs.Hallonmattersofdomesticdiscipline,butineverycaseuntillateApril,whenthefirstsignsofpenurybegan,heover-rodeherbytheeasyexpedientofanextrapayment. Halldidnotlikehim,andwheneverhedaredhetalkedoftheadvisabilityofgettingridofhim;butheshowedhisdislikechieflybyconcealingitostentatiously,andavoidinghisvisitorasmuchaspossible. "Waittillthesummer,"saidMrs.Hallsagely,"whentheartisksarebeginningtocome.Thenwe'llsee. Hemaybeabitoverbearing,butbillssettledpunctualisbillssettledpunctual,whateveryou'dliketosay." 

           Thestrangerdidnotgotochurch,andindeedmadenodifferencebetweenSundayandtheirreligiousdays,evenincostume. Heworked,asMrs.Hallthought,veryfitfully. Somedayshewouldcomedownearlyandbecontinuouslybusy. Onothershewouldriselate,pacehisroom,frettingaudiblyforhourstogether,smoke,sleepinthearmchairbythefire. Communicationwiththeworldbeyondthevillagehehadnone. Histempercontinuedveryuncertain;forthemostparthismannerwasthatofamansufferingunderalmostunendurableprovocation,andonceortwicethingsweresnapped,torn,crushed,orbrokeninspasmodicgustsofviolence. Heseemedunderachronicirritationofthegreatestintensity. Hishabitoftalkingtohimselfinalowvoicegrewsteadilyuponhim,butthoughMrs.Halllistenedconscientiouslyshecouldmakeneitherheadnortailofwhatsheheard.