Part 5

[the][··]|1} others agreed that this was good plan. They also wanted to avoid talking to anyone about this extraordinary picture, knowing what excitement and argument it would cause.

At about five o’clock they came back to Mr Williams’ rooms for tea. When they entered room, they were surprised to find Mr Filcher, servant, sitting in Mr Williams’ armchair and staring in horror at picture on table. Mr Filcher had worked in college for many years and had never before behaved in such unusual way. He seemed to feel this himself, and tried to jump to feet when three men came in.

‘I’m sorry, sir,’ he said. ‘I didn’t mean to sit down.’

‘That’s all right, Robert,’ said Mr Williams. ‘I was going to ask you what you thought of that picture.’

‘Well, sir,’ replied servant, ‘of course, I don’t really understand pictures, but I wouldn’t like my little girl to see it. I’m sure it would give her bad dreams. It doesn’t seem right kind of picture to leave lying around. It could frighten anybody — seeing that awful thing carrying off poor baby. That’s what I think, sir. Will you need me any more today, sir? Thank you, sir.’

Filcher left room and three men went at once to look at picture. There was house as before, under moon and clouds. But window that had been open was now shut, and figure was once more on lawn; but not crawling this time.

Now it was walking, with long steps, towards front of picture. moon was behind it and black material of its garment nearly covered its face. three men were deeply thankful that they could see no more of face than high, white forehead and few long, thin hairs. Its legs beneath garment were horribly thin, and its arms held something which seemed to be child, whether dead or living it was not possible to say.

three friends watched picture until it was time for dinner but it did not change at all. They hurried back to Williams’ rooms as soon as dinner was finished. picture was where they had left it, but figure had gone, and house was quiet under moon and clouds.

‘Well,’ said Mr Williams, ‘now we really must try to find where this house is.’ They got out guidebooks and began to work.

It was nearly two hours later when Williams suddenly cried, ‘Ha! This looks like it.’
He read aloud from Guide to Essex that he was holding:

‘Anningly. Interesting twelfth-century church containing tombs of Francis family, whose home, Anningly Hall, stands just behind church. family is now extinct. last member of family disappeared very mysteriously in 1802 while still child. His father, Sir Arthur Francis, well-known amateur artist, lived quite alone after that until he was found dead in his house three years later, after he had just completed picture of Hall.’