Mr. Marvel’s Visit to Iping

           AfterthefirstgustypanichadspentitselfIpingbecameargumentative.Scepticismsuddenlyreareditshead—rathernervousscepticism,notatallassuredofitsback,butscepticismnevertheless. Itissomucheasiernottobelieveinaninvisibleman;andthosewhohadactuallyseenhimdissolveintoair,orfeltthestrengthofhisarm,couldbecountedonthefingersoftwohands. AndofthesewitnessesMr.Wadgerswaspresentlymissing,havingretiredimpregnablybehindtheboltsandbarsofhisownhouse,andJafferswaslyingstunnedintheparlourofthe"CoachandHorses." Greatandstrangeideastranscendingexperienceoftenhavelesseffectuponmenandwomenthansmaller,moretangibleconsiderations. Ipingwasgaywithbunting,andeverybodywasingaladress. WhitMondayhadbeenlookedforwardtoforamonthormore. BytheafternooneventhosewhobelievedintheUnseenwerebeginningtoresumetheirlittleamusementsinatentativefashion,onthesuppositionthathehadquitegoneaway,andwiththescepticshewasalreadyajest. Butpeople,scepticsandbelieversalike,wereremarkablysociableallthatday. 

           Haysman'smeadowwasgaywithatent,inwhichMrs.Buntingandotherladieswerepreparingtea,while,without,theSunday-schoolchildrenranracesandplayedgamesunderthenoisyguidanceofthecurateandtheMissesCussandSackbut. Nodoubttherewasaslightuneasinessintheair,butpeopleforthemostparthadthesensetoconcealwhateverimaginativequalmstheyexperienced. Onthevillagegreenaninclinedstrong[rope?],downwhich,clingingthewhiletoapulley-swunghandle,onecouldbehurledviolentlyagainstasackattheotherend,cameinforconsiderablefavouramongtheadolescents,asalsodidtheswingsandthecocoanutshies. Therewasalsopromenading,andthesteamorganattachedtoasmallroundaboutfilledtheairwithapungentflavourofoilandwithequallypungentmusic.