NOVEL-The Invisible Man CH5 The Burglary At The Vicarage (Summary)
CH5 THE BURLARY AT THE VICARAGE
SUMMARY
It occurred in the small hours of Whit-Monday, the day devoted in Iping to the Club festivities. Mrs.
Bunting woke up suddenly before dawn, hearing the door of their bedroom open and close. She sat up in
bed listening. Then she heard the pad, pad, pad of bare feet coming out of the adjoining dressing room
and walking along the passage towards the staircase. Now she aroused the Rev. Mr. Bunting as quietly
as possible. Without striking a light he went out on the landing to listen. He distinctly heard a fumbling
going on at his study desk down-stairs, and then a violent sneeze. Armed with a poker he descended the
staircase as noiselessly as possible. Mrs. Bunting came out on the landing. The hour was about four.
Everything was still. Then something snapped, the drawer was opened, and there was a rustle of papers.
A match was struck and the study was flooded with yellow light. Mr. Bunting was now in the hall, and
through the crack of the door he could see the desk and the open drawer and a candle burning on the
desk. But there was no robber. They heard the chink of money, and realised that the robber had found the
housekeeping reserve of gold-two pounds ten, all in half sovereigns. Gripping the poker firmly, Mr. Bunting
rushed into the room. “Surrender!” cried he.
Mrs. Bunting was close at his heels all the while. They stood amazed in the study. There was nobody there to surrender. “I could have sworn—” cried Mr. Bunting. “The candle!” said he. “Who lit the candle?” “The drawer!” said Mrs. Bunting. “And the money’s gone!” There was a violent sneeze in the passage. As they rushed out the kitchen door slammed. “Bring the candle,” called Mr. Bunting, and led the way. They both heard the sound of bolts being hastily shot back. As he opened the kitchen door he saw through the scullery that the back door was just opening. It opened, stood open for a moment, and then closed with a slam. He was certain that nothing went out of the door. They entered the kitchen. The place was empty. There was not a soul to be found in the house, search as they would
Mrs. Bunting was close at his heels all the while. They stood amazed in the study. There was nobody there to surrender. “I could have sworn—” cried Mr. Bunting. “The candle!” said he. “Who lit the candle?” “The drawer!” said Mrs. Bunting. “And the money’s gone!” There was a violent sneeze in the passage. As they rushed out the kitchen door slammed. “Bring the candle,” called Mr. Bunting, and led the way. They both heard the sound of bolts being hastily shot back. As he opened the kitchen door he saw through the scullery that the back door was just opening. It opened, stood open for a moment, and then closed with a slam. He was certain that nothing went out of the door. They entered the kitchen. The place was empty. There was not a soul to be found in the house, search as they would
Comments
Post a Comment