by W. W. Jacobs
slowlyextinguished the candles.
"'Blind man's holiday,' he said, with clumsy jocosity, and groping hisway to the door opened it. Somebody came back into the room with him,and in a slow, uncertain fashion took a seat at the table, and thestrangest voice I have ever heard broke a silence which was fast becomingoppressive.
"'A cold night,' it said slowly.
"I replied in the affirmative, and light or no light, fell to with anappetite which had only been sharpened by the snack in the middle of theday. It was somewhat difficult eating in the dark, and it was evidentfrom the behaviour of my invisible companions that they were as unused todining under such circumstances as I was. We ate in silence until theold woman blundered into the room with some sweets and put them with acrash upon the table.
"'Are you a stranger about here?' inquired the curious voice again.
"I replied in the affirmative, and murmured something about my luck instumbling upon such a good dinner.
"'Stumbling is a very good word for it,' said the voice grimly. 'Youhave forgotten the port, father.'
"'So I have,' said the old man, rising. 'It's a bottle of the"Celebrated" to-day; I will get it myself.'
"He felt his way to the door, and closing it behind him, left me alonewith my unseen neighbour. There was something so strange about the wholebusiness that I must confess to more than a slight feeling of uneasiness.
"My host seemed to be absent a long time. I heard the man opposite laydown his fork and spoon, and half fancied I could see a pair of wild eyesshining through the gloom like a cat's.
"With a growing sense of uneasiness I pushed my chair back. It caughtthe hearthrug, and in my efforts to disentangle it the screen fell overwith a crash and in the flickering light of the fire I saw the face ofthe creature opposite. With a sharp catch of my breath I left my chairand stood with clenched fists beside it. Man or beast, which was it?The flame leaped up and then went out, and in the mere red glow of thefire it looked more devilish than before.
"For a few moments we regarded each other in silence; then the dooropened and the old man returned. He stood aghast as he saw the warmfirelight, and then approaching the table mechanically put down a coupleof bottles.
"'I beg your pardon,' said I, reassured by his presence, 'but I haveaccidentally overturned the screen. Allow me to replace it.'
"'No,' said the old man, gently, 'let it be.
"'We have had enough of the dark. I'll give you a light.'
"He struck a match and slowly lit the candles. Then--I saw that the manopposite had but the remnant of a face, a gaunt wolfish face in which oneunquenched eye, the sole remaining feature, still glittered. I wasgreatly moved, some suspicion of the truth occurring to me.
"'My son was injured some years ago in a burning house,' said the oldman. 'Since then we have lived a very retired life. When you came tothe door we--' his voice trembled, 'that is-my son---'
"'I thought," said the son simply, 'that it would be better for me not tocome to the dinner-table. But it happens to be my birthday, and myfather would not hear of my dining alone, so we hit upon this foolishplan of dining in the dark. I'm sorry I startled you.'
"'I am sorry,' said I, as I reached across the table and gripped hishand, 'that I am such a fool; but it was only in the dark that youstartled me.'
"From a faint tinge in the old man's cheek and a certain pleasantsoftening of the poor solitary eye in front of me I secretlycongratulated myself upon this last remark.
"'We never see a friend,' said the old man, apologetically, 'and thetemptation to have company was too much for us. Besides, I don't knowwhat else you could have done.'
"'Nothing else half so good, I'm sure,' said I.
"'Come,' said my host, with almost a sprightly air. 'Now we know eachother, draw our chairs to the fire and let's keep this birthday in aproper fashion.'
"He drew a small table to the fire for the glasses and produced a box ofcigars, and placing a chair for the old servant, sternly bade her to sitdown and drink. If the talk was not sparkling, it did not lack forvivacity, and we were soon as merry a party as I have ever seen. Thenight wore on so rapidly that we could hardly believe our ears when in alull in the conversation a clock in the hall struck twelve.
"'A last toast before we retire,' said my host, pitching the end of hiscigar into the fire and turning to the small table.
"We had drunk several before this, but there was something impressive inthe old man's manner as he rose and took up his glass. His tall figureseemed to get taller, and his voice rang as he gazed proudly at hisdisfigured son.
"'The health of the children my boy saved!' he said, and drained hisglass at a draught."