The Unquiet Grave.docx
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TheUnquietGrave
TheUnquietGravebyM.R.James
■ThePicture
ForseveralyearsMrWilliamsworkedforthemuseumattheUniversityofOxford,enlargingitsalreadyfamouscollectionofdrawingsandpicturesofEnglishcountryhousesandchurches.Itishardtoimagineanythinglessalarmingthancollectingpicturesofhousesandchurches,butMrWilliamsfoundthateventhispeacefulworkhaditsunexpecteddarkcorners.
HeboughtmanypicturesforthemuseumfromtheLondonshopofMrJ.W.Britnell.TwiceayearMrBritnellsentalistofpicturestoallhisregularcustomers,whocouldthenchoosewhichpicturestheywantedtolookatbeforedecidingwhethertobuy.
InFebruary1895MrWilliamsreceivedalistfromMrBritnellwiththefollowingletter:
DearSir,
IthinkyoumightbeinterestedinPictureNumber978inourlist,whichIwillbehappytosendtoyouifyouwish.
J.W.Britnell
MrWilliamsturnedtoNumber978inthelistandfoundthefollowingnote:
Number978.Artistunknown.PictureofanEnglishcountryhouse,earlynineteenthcentury.25centimetresby40centimetres.£20.
Itdidnotsoundveryinterestingandthepriceseemedhigh.However,MrWilliamsaddedittothepicturesthatheaskedMrBritnelltosendtohim.
ThepicturesarrivedatthemuseumoneSaturdayafternoon,justafterMrWilliamshadleft.Theywerebroughtroundtohisroomsincollegesothathecouldlookatthemovertheweekend.MrWilliamsfoundthemonhistablewhenheandhisfriend,MrBinks,cameintohavetea.
PictureNumber978showedthefrontofquitealargecountryhouse.Ithadthreerowsofwindowswiththedoorinthemiddleofthebottomrow.Thereweretreesonbothsidesofthehouseandalargelawninfrontofit.ThelettersA.W.F.werewritteninthecornerofthepicture.MrWilliamsthoughtthatitwasnotverywelldone,probablytheworkofanamateurartist,andhecouldnotunderstandwhyMrBritnellthoughtitwasworthtwentypounds.Heturneditoverandsawthattherewasapieceofpaperonthebackwithpartofanameonit.AllhecouldreadweretheendsoftwolinesofWritingThefirstsaid,'—nglyHall';thesecond,'—ssex'.
MrWilliamsthoughtthatitwouldbeinterestingtoseeifhecouldfindthenameofthehouseinoneofhisguidebooksbe-foresendingthepicturebackonMondaymorning.Meanwhile,heputthepictureonthetable,litthelampbecauseitwasnowgettingdark,andmadethetea.
Whiletheywerehavingtea,hisfriendpickedupthepicture,lookedatitandsaid,Where'sthishouse,Williams?
'
'That'sjustwhatIwasgoingtofindout,'saidWilliams,takingabookfromtheshelf.'Ifyoulookattheback,you'llseeit'sSomethingHallineitherEssexorSussex.Halfthename'smissing,yousee.Idon'tsupposeyourecognizethehouse,doyou?
'
'No,Idon't,'saidMrBinks.'It'sfromBritnell,'Isuppose,isn'tit?
Isitforthemuseum?
'
'Well,Iwouldbuyitifthepricewastwopounds,'repliedMrWilliams,'butforsomereasonhewantstwentypoundsforit.Ican'tthinkwhy.It'snotaverygoodpictureandtherearen'tevenanyfiguresinittomakeitmoreinteresting.'
'Iagreeit'snotworthtwentypounds,'saidBinks,'butIdon'tthinkit'stoobad.ThelightseemsrathergoodtomeandIthinkthereisafigurehere,justattheedge,inthefront.'
'Letmesee,'saidWilliams.'Well,it'struethelightisquitewelldone.Where'sthefigure?
Oh,yes!
Justthehead,intheveryfrontofthepicture.'
Andindeedtherewas——rightontheedgeofthepicture—justtheheadofamanorawoman,whowaslookingtowardsthehouse.Williamshadnotnoticeditbefore.
'Still,'hesaid,'thoughit'sbetterthanIthoughtatfirst,Ican'tspendtwentypoundsofthemuseum'smoneyonapictureofahouseIdon'tevenknow.'
MrBinks,whohadsomeworktofinish,soonleftandMrWilliamsspentthetimebeforedinnertryingtofindthenameofthehouseinhisguidebooks.
'IfIknewtheletterbeforethe“—ngly”,'hesaidtohimself,'itwouldbeeasyenough.Buttherearemanymorenamesendingin“—ngly”thanIthought.'
DinnerinMrWilliams'collegewasatseveno'clockandafterwardsafewofhisfriendscamebacktohisroomstoplaycards.DuringapauseinthegameMrWilliamspickedupthepicturefromthetablewithoutlookingatitandpassedittoamannamedGarwood,whowasinterestedinpictures.Garwoodlookedatitandsaid:
'Thisisreallyaveryfinepicture,youknow,Williams.Thelightisverywelldone,inmyopinion,andthoughthefigureisratherunpleasant,itisquiteinteresting.'
'Yes,isn'tit?
'saidWilliams,whowastoobusygivingdrinkstohisgueststolookatthepictureagain.
Whenhisvisitorshadgone,Williamshadtofinishwritingaletter,soitwasaftermidnightbeforehewasreadytogotobed.ThepicturelayfaceupwardsonthetablewhereGarwoodhadleftitand,asWilliamswasputtingoutthelamp,hesawit.Foramomenthewastoosurprisedtomove,thenheslowlypickedupthepictureandstaredatitinhorror.Inthemiddleofthelawn,infrontoftheunknownhouse,therewasafigurewheretherehadbeennofigureearlier.Itwascrawlingonhandsandkneestowardsthehouse,anditwascoveredinastrangeblackgarmentwithawhitecrossontheback.
AfterasecondortwoMrWilliamstookthepicturebyonecornerandcarriedittoanemptyroom.There,helockedit,facedownwards,inacupboard,thenclosedandlockedthedooroftheemptyroom.Hewentbacktohisownroomandlockedthedoorbehindhim.Beforegoingtobed,hesatdownandwroteanotedescribingindetailtheextraordinarychangeinthepicturesincehehadreceivedit.
HewasgladtorememberthatMrGarwood,whohadlookedatthepictureearlierintheevening,hadalsoseena'ratherunpleasant'figure.Hedecidedthatinthemorninghemustasksomeonetolookcarefullyatthepicturewithhim,andhemusttryveryhardtodiscoverthenameofthehouse.Hewouldaskhisneighbour,MrNisbet,tohavebreakfastwithhim.Thenhewouldspendthemorninglookingforthehouseinhisguidebooks.
MrNisbetarrivedatnineo'clockandthetwomensatdowntobreakfast.Whentheyhadfinished,MrWilliams,feelingbothnervousandexcited,hurriedtotheemptyroom.Heunlockedthecupboard,tookoutthepicture,stillfacedown-wards,and,withoutlookingatit,wentbacktohisownroomandputitintoNisbet'shands.
'Now,Nisbet,'hesaid,'Iwantyoutotellmewhatyouseeinthatpicture.Describeit,please,indetail.I'lltellyouwhyafterwards.'
'Well,'saidNisbet,'IhavehereapictureofanEnglishcountryhousebymoonlight.'
'Moonligh?
Areyousure?
'
'Oh,yes.Themoonisshownquiteclearlyandtherearecloudsinthesky.'
'Allright.Goon.ButI'msure,'addedWilliamsquietly,'thattherewasnomoonwhenIfirstsawit.'
'Well,there'snotmuchmoreIcansay,'Nisbetcontinued.'Thehousehasthreerowsofwindows,fiveineachrow,exceptatthebottom,wherethere'sadoorinsteadofthemiddleoneand…'
'Butwhataboutfigures?
'saidWilliamswithgreatinterest.
'Figures?
'repliedNisbet.'Therearen'tany.'
'What?
Nofigureonthegrassinfront?
'
'No.Notathing.'
'Areyousure?
'
'OfcourseIam.Butthere'soneotherthing.'
'What'sthat?
'
'Oneofmewindowsonthegroundfloor,ontheleftofthedoor,isopen.'
'Isitreally?
Ohdear!
Isupposehe'sgotintothehouse,'saidWilliams,withgreatexcitement.
HehurriedacrosstowhereNisbetwassittingand,takingthepicturefromhim,sawforhimself.Itwasquitetrue.Therewasnofigureonthelawn,andtherewastheopenwin-dow.
Foramomentwilliamswastoosurprisedtospeak,thenhesatdownathisdeskandwroteforafewminutes.Whenhehadfinished,hebroughttwopapersacrosstoNisbet.Heaskedhimtosignthefirstone,whichwasNisbet'sownde-scriptionofthepicture,thentoreadtheotherone,whichwasthenoteWilliamshadwrittenthenightbefore.
'Whatcanitallmean?
'askedNisbet.
'That'swhatImustfindout,'saidWilliams.'Now,therearethreethingsImustdo.First,ImustaskGarwoodexactlywhathesawwhenhelookedatthepicturelastnight,thenImusthavethepicturephotographedbeforeitgoesanyfurtherand,thirdly,Imustfindoutwherethishouseis.'
'Icantakethephotographforyoumyself,'saidNisbet.'But,youknow,Ithinkweareseeingsomethingterriblehappeninghere.Thequestionis,hasitalreadyhappenedorisitgoingtohappen?
Youreallymustfindoutwherethishouseis.'Helookedatthepictureagainandshookhishead.'Ithinkyouareright,youknow.Hehasgotin.I'msuretherewillbesometroubleinthathouse.'
'I'lltellyouwhatI'lldo,'saidWilliams.'I'llshowthepicturetooldDoctorGreen.HegrewupinEssexandheoftengoestoSussextoseehisbrotherwholivesthere.He'sbeengoingthereforyears.Hemustknowbothplacesquitewell.'
'That'saverygoodidea,'agreedNisbet.'ButIthinkIheardGreensaythathewasgoingawaythisweekend.'
'You'reright,saidWilliams.'Iremembernow—he'sgonetoBrightonfortheweekend.I'llleaveanoteaskinghimtoseemeassoonashereturns.Meanwhile,youtakethepictureandphotographitandI'llseeGarwoodandaskhimwhathesawwhenhelookedatitlastnight.'Hepaused.'Youknow,'headded,'Idon'tthinktwentypoundsistoomuchtoaskforthispicture,afterall.'
InashorttimeWilliamsreturnedtohisroom,bringingMrGarwoodwithhim.MrGarwoodsaidthatwhenhehadlookedatthepicturethefigurewasjuststartingtocrawlacrossthelawn.Herememberedthatitwaswearingablackgarmentwithsomethingwhiteontheback—hewasnotsureifitwasacross.Whilehewaswritingthisdown,MrNisbetreturnedandsaidthathehadphotographedthepicture.
'Whatareyougoingtodonow,Williams?
'askedMrGar-wood.'Areyougoi