"I can quite understand that," said the visitor.

He was afraid, one time, that he'd have to have an op'ration--he

was that bad, sir."

The visitor laughed abruptly, a bark of a laugh that he seemed to

bite and kill in his mouth. "Was he?" he said.

He was, sir. And no laughing matter to them as had the doing for

him, as I had--my sister being took up with her little ones so

much. There was bandages to do, sir, and bandages to undo. So that

if I may make so bold as to say it, sir--"

Will you get me some matches?" said the visitor, quite abruptly.

My pipe is out."

Mrs. Hall was pulled up suddenly. It was certainly rude of him,

after telling him all she had done. She gasped at him for a moment,

and remembered the two sovereigns. She went for the matches.

"Thanks," he said concisely, as she put them down, and turned his

shoulder upon her and stared out of the window again. It was

altogether too discouraging. Evidently he was sensitive on the

topic of operations and bandages. She did not "make so bold as to

say," however, after all. But his snubbing way had irritated her,

The Invisible Man