In Transit

The eighth chapter is exceedingly brief, and relates that Gibbons, the amateur naturalist of the district, while lying out on the spacious open downs without a soul within a couple of miles of him, as he thought, and almost dozing, heard close to him the sound as of a man coughing, sneezing, and then swearing savagely to himself; and looking, beheld nothing. Yet the voice was indisputable. It continued to swear with that breadth and variety that distinguishes the swearing of a cultivated man. It grew to a climax, diminished again, and died away in the distance, going as it seemed to him in the direction of Adderdean. It lifted to a spasmodic sneeze and ended. Gibbons had heard nothing of the morning’s occurrences, but the phenomenon was so striking and disturbing that his philosophical tranquillity vanished; he got up hastily, and hurried down the steepness of the hill towards the village, as fast as he could go.

The eighth chapter is very brief. It tells how Gibbons, the local amateur naturalist, was lying on the wide, open downs, almost dozing. He thought there was no one within a couple of miles. Then, close by, he heard what sounded like a man coughing, sneezing, and swearing savagely to himself. Gibbons looked but saw nothing. Yet there was no doubt about the voice. It kept swearing with the range and variety that distinguish a cultivated man's swearing. The swearing reached a climax, then quieted and faded into the distance. It seemed to Gibbons to be going toward Adderdean. It rose in a sudden sneeze and stopped. Gibbons had heard nothing about the morning's events. But the experience was so striking and disturbing that his philosophical calm vanished. He got up quickly and hurried down the steep hill toward the village as fast as he could.