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The Furniture That Went Mad
"Justadropmore,Janny,"saidHall."Yournervesisallupset."
TheysentMillieacrossthestreetthroughthegoldenfiveo'clocksunshinetorouseupMr.SandyWadgers,theblacksmith. Mr.Hall'scomplimentsandthefurnitureupstairswasbehavingmostextraordinary.WouldMr.Wadgerscomeround? Hewasaknowingman,wasMr.Wadgers,andveryresourceful.Hetookquiteagraveviewofthecase. "Armdarmedifthetentwitchcraft,"wastheviewofMr.SandyWadgers."Youwarnthorseshoesforsuchgentryashe."
Hecameroundgreatlyconcerned. Theywantedhimtoleadthewayupstairstotheroom,buthedidn'tseemtobeinanyhurry. Hepreferredtotalkinthepassage. OverthewayHuxter'sapprenticecameoutandbegantakingdowntheshuttersofthetobaccowindow. Hewascalledovertojointhediscussion. Mr.Huxternaturallyfollowedoverinthecourseofafewminutes. TheAnglo-Saxongeniusforparliamentarygovernmentasserteditself;therewasagreatdealoftalkandnodecisiveaction. "Let'shavethefactsfirst,"insistedMr.SandyWadgers. "Let'sbesurewe'dbeactingperfectlyrightinbustin'thattheredooropen. Adooronbustisalwaysopentobustin',butyecan'tonbustadooronceyou'vebusteden."
Andsuddenlyandmostwonderfullythedooroftheroomupstairsopenedofitsownaccord,andastheylookedupinamazement,theysawdescendingthestairsthemuffledfigureofthestrangerstaringmoreblacklyandblanklythaneverwiththoseunreasonablylargeblueglasseyesofhis. Hecamedownstifflyandslowly,staringallthetime;hewalkedacrossthepassagestaring,thenstopped.
"Lookthere!"hesaid,andtheireyesfollowedthedirectionofhisglovedfingerandsawabottleofsarsaparillahardbythecellardoor.
