Algernon Blackwood

“ Outlined against the white road where a moment before had been empty dusk, of indefinite shape in the mingling of the lights, stock still and bang in the centre of their path⁠—the slang alone describes the uncompromising attitude of the thing⁠—stood this fourth figure, facing them with a deliberate calmness of survey that seemed a little than more insolence, and only a little less than menace. ”

“ The road, winding like a white stream, and slippery with occasional ice, ran downhill out of the nest of cottages, and the trio followed its course headlong through the gloom, regardless of ruts or loose stones. A couple of villagers, walking briskly by, turned their heads to stare; a dog made a sudden run, barking shrilly; a cat shot silently across the road im front of them; and then, quite suddenly the village was left behind and the broad highway dwindled into a country lane. ”

“ For the moment they forgot their immediate purpose of meeting a hungry bicycle-rider and hurrying back to tea at the inn. The passage of time shpped back, as in dreams, to where it was of no account, and they stood there, half fascinated, half frightened by this imp of a creature who seemed to them about to lift a corner of the veil that hangs ever between the illusions ef the broken senses and the realities that lie beyond. ”

“ A few children played near the well, a line of white geese straggled over from the pond, aad a typical village dog strayed dangerously near the hoofs of a typical village donkey that was trying its best to nibble grass where grass there was none. For the rest, the hamlet seemed deserted, the street peopled by shadows only, and the dishevelled yew-tree in the churchyard spread vaguely through the gloom till it embraced the church and most of the gravestones into the compass of its aged arms. ”

“ For the elder girl thought it was a “woman or a shadow,” and her sister said it looked like an animal on its hind legs, pausing to start in its flight across the road⁠—a hare, for instance, magnified hugely by the dusk⁠—while the man could have sworn, he declared, that at first he saw several figures, a whole line of them, indeed, which had then suddenly telescoped down into the single outline of this diminutive boy. ”

“ They were waiting for the arrival of another friend, who was to bicycle over and meet them at the inn, and then return for the Christmas Eve party when they realised that the cold had grown suddenly much greater, and one of them⁠—it was the younger girl⁠—made the suggestion that they should go part of the way to meet him. The proposal was welcomed, and instantly acted upon, and the man and the two girls were up and away in a twinkling, leaving the others behind to nurse the tea against their speedy return. ”