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〃The day fixed for Ferdinando's return came round。 Filomena； sick
with vague dreads and presentiments； retired to her chamber and her bed。
Sir Hercules received his son alone。 A giant in a brown travelling…suit
entered the room。 'Welcome home； my son；' said Sir Hercules in a voice
that trembled a little。
〃'I hope I see you well； sir。' Ferdinando bent down to shake hands；
then straightened himself up again。 The top of his father's head reached
to the level of his hip。
〃Ferdinando had not come alone。 Two friends of his own age
accompanied him； and each of the young men had brought a servant。 Not
for thirty years had Crome been desecrated by the presence of so many
members of the common race of men。 Sir Hercules was appalled and
indignant； but the laws of hospitality had to be obeyed。 He received the
young gentlemen with grave politeness and sent the servants to the kitchen；
with orders that they should be well cared for。
〃The old family dining…table was dragged out into the light and dusted
（Sir Hercules and his lady were accustomed to dine at a small table twenty
inches high）。 Simon； the aged butler； who could only just look over the
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edge of the big table； was helped at supper by the three servants brought
by Ferdinando and his guests。
〃Sir Hercules presided； and with his usual grace supported a
conversation on the pleasures of foreign travel； the beauties of art and
nature to be met with abroad； the opera at Venice； the singing of the
orphans in the churches of the same city； and on other topics of a similar
nature。 The young men were not particularly attentive to his discourses；
they were occupied in watching the efforts of the butler to change the
plates and replenish the glasses。 They covered their laughter by violent
and repeated fits of coughing or choking。 Sir Hercules affected not to
notice； but changed the subject of the conversation to sport。 Upon this
one of the young men asked whether it was true； as he had heard； that he
used to hunt the rabbit with a pack of pug dogs。 Sir Hercules replied that
it was； and proceeded to describe the chase in some detail。 The young
men roared with laughter。
〃When supper was over； Sir Hercules climbed down from his chair and；
giving as his excuse that he must see how his lady did； bade them good…
night。 The sound of laughter followed him up the stairs。 Filomena was
not asleep； she had been lying on her bed listening to the sound of
enormous laughter and the tread of strangely heavy feet on the stairs and
along the corridors。 Sir Hercules drew a chair to her bedside and sat
there for a long time in silence； holding his wife's hand and sometimes
gently squeezing it。 At about ten o'clock they were startled by a violent
noise。 There was a breaking of glass； a stamping of feet； with an outburst
of shouts and laughter。 The uproar continuing for several minutes； Sir
Hercules rose to his feet and； in spite of his wife's entreaties； prepared to
go and see what was happening。 There was no light on the staircase； and
Sir Hercules groped his way down cautiously； lowering himself from stair
to stair and standing for a moment on each tread before adventuring on a
new step。 The noise was louder here； the shouting articulated itself into
recognisable words and phrases。 A line of light was visible under the
dining…room door。 Sir Hercules tiptoed across the hall towards it。 Just
as he approached the door there was another terrific crash of breaking
glass and jangled metal。 What could they be doing？ Standing on tiptoe
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he managed to look through the keyhole。 In the middle of the ravaged
table old Simon； the butler； so primed with drink that he could scarcely
keep his balance； was dancing a jig。 His feet crunched and tinkled
among the broken glass； and his shoes were wet with spilt wine。 The
three young men sat round； thumping the table with their hands or with the
empty wine bottles； shouting and laughing encouragement。 The three
servants leaning against the wall laughed too。 Ferdinando suddenly
threw a handful of walnuts at the dancer's head； which so dazed and
surprised the little man that he staggered and fell down on his back；
upsetting a decanter and several glasses。 They raised him up； gave him
some brandy to drink； thumped him on the back。 The old man smiled
and hiccoughed。 'To…morrow；' said Ferdinando； 'we'll have a concerted
ballet of the whole household。' 'With father Hercules wearing his club
and lion…skin；' added one of his companions； and all three roared with
laughter。
〃Sir Hercules would look and listen no further。 He crossed the hall
once more and began to climb the stairs； lifting his knees painfully high at
each degree。 This was the end； there was no place for him now in the
world； no place for him and Ferdinando together。
〃His wife was still awake； to her questioning glance he answered；
'They are making mock of old Simon。 To…morrow it will be our turn。'
They were silent for a time。
〃At last Filomena said； 'I do not want to see to…morrow。'
〃'It is better not；' said Sir Hercules。 Going into his closet he wrote in
his day…book a full and particular account of all the events of the evening。
While he was still engaged in this task he rang for a servant and ordered
hot water and a bath to be made ready for him at eleven o'clock。 When
he had finished writing he went into his wife's room； and preparing a dose
of opium twenty times as strong as that which she was accustomed to take
when she could not sleep； he brought it to her； saying； 'Here is your
sleeping…draught。'
〃Filomena took the glass and lay for a little time； but did not drink
immediately。 The tears came into her eyes。 'Do you remember the
songs we used to sing； sitting out there sulla terrazza in the summer…time？'
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She began singing softly in her ghost of a cracked voice a few bars from
Stradella's 'Amor amor； non dormir piu。' 'And you playing on the violin；
it seems such a short time ago； and yet so long； long； long。 Addio； amore；
a rivederti。' She drank off the draught and； lying back on the pillow；
closed her eyes。 Sir Hercules kissed her hand and tiptoed away； as
though he were afraid of waking her。 He returned to his closet； and
having recorded his wife's last words to him； he poured into his bath the
water that had been brought up in accordance with his orders。 The water
being too hot for him to get into the bath at once； he took down from the
shelf his copy of Suetonius。 He wished to read how Seneca had died。
He opened the book at random。 'But dwarfs；' he read； 'he held in
abhorrence as being lusus naturae and of evil omen。' He winced as
though he had been struck。 This same Augustus； he remembered； had
exhibited in the amphitheatre a young man called Lucius； of good family；
who was not quite two feet in height and weighed seventeen pounds； but
had a stentorian voice。 He turned over the pages。 Tiberius； Caligula；
Claudius； Nero： it was a tale of growing horror。 'Seneca his preceptor；
he forced to kill himself。' And there was Petronius； who had called his
friends about him at the last； bidding them talk to him； not of