Solitary Island, Part III, Chapters II-III [pp. 70-93]

i885.J SOLJTARYJsLAArD. 75
dread that the terrible sight would direct its glances to her; but
she was so fascinated and terrified, and doubtful of herself, that
she did not venture to move, only sat there staring and fearing
and waiting like a criminal for his fate. And at last the eyes did
fall on her, and, with one wild scream of terror, the spell was
broken and the face disappeared. Billy, jumping a foot from his
sleep in the chair, found her nervously sewing as usual. He
looked around him in amazement.
"What's up?" said he.
"You," she answered, choking down her sobs; "perhaps you
have seen your divil since. Seemingly, I have."
Disgusted, Billy proceeded to retire without giving due attention to her words. Mrs. Winifred had a nervous time of it
for an hour or two before following his example, when it came
to locking doors, closing shutters, examining rooms, closets, and
those terrible spaces under beds. She saw nothing to cause her
further fright, however, and slept at least two hours in fitful
dozing.
It became known the next day that a foreign gentleman was
stopping at the hotel known as the Fisherman's Retreat; and
this was the first piece of information which was hurled at
Billy when he made his appearance next morning to institute
iliquiries as to the stranger with the mysterious countenance.
He could speak but very little English, and seemed to be a sort
of Dutchman, and to all appearances impressed the people very
favorably. He came into the office while they were discussing
his probable antecedents, and at once fixed his eyes-greenish,
unpleasant eyes-on the wrinkled face. It was more than Billy
could stand without an explosion, and he went away hastily, and
so long as the man was in the town contemplated him at a
distance.
The mysterious stranger made himself acquainted, by sight
at least, with all the villagers, and was more talked about than
if he were the president. One day he would spend his time
wandering about the docks, watching the boats or the stormy
waves; another he would`?e seen in this or that quarter staring,
simply staring.
P~re Rougevin, reading his weekly Freeman after dinner, was
moved to look out of the window by a passing shadow, and saw
the stranger's face the very first moment; thinking it a very
disagreeable one and not willing to show it any courtesy. The
stranger was looking at the church-a plain, homely affair not
worth inspection~but it pleased him so much that he came in to