“I daresay so,” said Cuss. “My nerves are all loose today. It quite made me jump⁠—the door opening like that.”

Mr. Bunting smiled as if he had not jumped. “And now,” he said with a sigh, “these books.”

Someone sniffed as he did so.

“One thing is indisputable,” said Bunting, drawing up a chair next to that of Cuss. “There certainly have been very strange things happen in Iping during the last few days⁠—very strange. I cannot of course believe in this absurd invisibility story⁠—”

“It’s incredible,” said Cuss⁠—“incredible. But the fact remains that I saw⁠—I certainly saw right down his sleeve⁠—”

“But did you⁠—are you sure? Suppose a mirror, for instance⁠—hallucinations are so easily produced. I don’t know if you have ever seen a really good conjuror⁠—”