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My wife belongs； on her mother's side； to the South of France。 The
South of France breeds fine women with hot tempers。 I say no more。
Married men will understand my position。 Single men may need to be
told that there are occasions when we must not only love and honor…
…we must also obeyour wives。
I turn to the door to obey MY wife； and find myself confronted by a
stranger who has stolen on us unawares。 The stranger is a tiny；
sleepy； rosy old man； with a vacant pudding…face； and a shining
bald head。 He wears drab breeches and gaiters； and a respectable
square…tailed ancient black coat。 I feel instinctively that here
is the landlord of the inn。
〃Good morning； sir；〃 says the rosy old man。 〃I'm a little hard of
hearing。 Was it you that was a…calling just now in the yard？〃
Before I can answer； my wife interposes。 She insists （in a shrill
voice； adapted to our host's hardness of hearing） on knowing who
that unfortunate person is sleeping on the straw。 〃Where does he
come from？ Why does he say such dreadful things in his sleep？ Is
he married or single？ Did he ever fall in love with a murderess？
What sort of a looking woman was she？ Did she really stab him or
not？ In short； dear Mr。 Landlord； tell us the whole story！〃
Dear Mr。 Landlord waits drowsily until Mrs。 Fairbank has quite
donethen delivers himself of his reply as follows：
〃His name's Francis Raven。 He's an Independent Methodist。 He was
forty…five year old last birthday。 And he's my hostler。 That's
his story。〃
My wife's hot southern temper finds its way to her foot； and
expresses itself by a stamp on the stable yard。
The landlord turns himself sleepily round； and looks at the horses。
〃A fine pair of horses； them two in the yard。 Do you want to put
'em in my stables？〃 I reply in the affirmative by a nod。 The
landlord； bent on making himself agreeable to my wife； addresses
her once more。 〃I'm a…going to wake Francis Raven。 He's an
Independent Methodist。 He was forty…five year old last birthday。
And he's my hostler。 That's his story。〃
Having issued this second edition of his interesting narrative； the
landlord enters the stable。 We follow him to see how he will wake
Francis Raven； and what will happen upon that。 The stable broom
stands in a corner； the landlord takes itadvances toward the
sleeping hostlerand coolly stirs the man up with a broom as if he
was a wild beast in a cage。 Francis Raven starts to his feet with
a cry of terrorlooks at us wildly； with a horrid glare of
suspicion in his eyesrecovers himself the next momentand
suddenly changes into a decent； quiet； respectable serving…man。
〃I beg your pardon； ma'am。 I beg your pardon； sir。〃
The tone and manner in which he makes his apologies are both above
his apparent station in life。 I begin to catch the infection of
Mrs。 Fairbank's interest in this man。 We both follow him out into
the yard to see what he will do with the horses。 The manner in
which he lifts the injured leg of the lame horse tells me at once
that he understands his business。 Quickly and quietly； he leads
the animal into an empty stable； quickly and quietly； he gets a
bucket of hot water； and puts the lame horse's leg into it。 〃The
warm water will reduce the swelling； sir。 I will bandage the leg
afterwards。〃 All that he does is done intelligently； all that he
says； he says to the purpose。
Nothing wild； nothing strange about him now。 Is this the same man
whom we heard talking in his sleep？the same man who woke with
that cry of terror and that horrid suspicion in his eyes？ I
determine to try him with one or two questions。
III
〃Not much to do here；〃 I say to the hostler。
〃Very little to do； sir；〃 the hostler replies。
〃Anybody staying in the house？〃
〃The house is quite empty； sir。〃
〃I thought you were all dead。 I could make nobody hear me。〃
〃The landlord is very deaf； sir； and the waiter is out on an
errand。〃
〃Yes； and YOU were fast asleep in the stable。 Do you often take a
nap in the daytime？〃
The worn face of the hostler faintly flushes。 His eyes look away
from my eyes for the first time。 Mrs。 Fairbank furtively pinches
my arm。 Are we on the eve of a discovery at last？ I repeat my
question。 The man has no civil alternative but to give me an
answer。 The answer is given in these words：
〃I was tired out； sir。 You wouldn't have found me asleep in the
daytime but for that。〃
〃Tired out； eh？ You had been hard at work； I suppose？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃What was it； then？〃
He hesitates again； and answers unwillingly； 〃I was up all night。〃
〃Up all night？ Anything going on in the town？〃
〃Nothing going on； sir。〃
〃Anybody ill？〃
〃Nobody ill； sir。〃
That reply is the last。 Try as I may； I can extract nothing more
from him。 He turns away and busies himself in attending to the
horse's leg。 I leave the stable to speak to the landlord about the
carriage which is to take us back to Farleigh Hall。 Mrs。 Fairbank
remains with the hostler； and favors me with a look at parting。
The look says plainly； 〃I mean to find out why he was up all night。
Leave him to Me。〃
The ordering of the carriage is easily accomplished。 The inn
possesses one horse and one chaise。 The landlord has a story to
tell of the horse； and a story to tell of the chaise。 They
resemble the story of Francis Ravenwith this exception； that the
horse and chaise belong to no religious persuasion。 〃The horse
will be nine year old next birthday。 I've had the shay for four…
and…twenty year。 Mr。 Max； of Underbridge； he bred the horse； and
Mr。 Pooley； of Yeovil； he built the shay。 It's my horse and my
shay。 And that's THEIR story！〃 Having relieved his mind of these
details； the landlord proceeds to put the harness on the horse。 By
way of assisting him； I drag the chaise into the yard。 Just as our
preparations are completed； Mrs。 Fairbank appears。 A moment or two
later the hostler follows her out。 He has bandaged the horse's
leg； and is now ready to drive us to Farleigh Hall。 I observe
signs of agitation in his face and manner； which suggest that my
wife has found her way into his confidence。 I put the question to
her privately in a corner of the yard。 〃Well？ Have you found out
why Francis Raven was up all night？〃
Mrs。 Fairbank has an eye to dramatic effect。 Instead of answering
plainly； Yes or No； she suspends the interest and excites the
audience by putting a question on her side。
〃What is the day of the month； dear？〃
〃The day of the month is the first of March。〃
〃The first of March； Percy； is Francis Raven's birthday。〃
I try to look as if I was interestedand don't succeed。
〃Francis was born；〃 Mrs。 Fairbank proceeds gravely； 〃at two o'clock
in the morning。〃
I begin to wonder whether my wife's intellect is going the way of
the landlord's intellect。 〃Is that a