s are not limited to things that can be weighed and measured.
There are things, Dr. Thorndyke, which are outside the range of our puny
intellects; things that science, with its arrogant materialism, puts
aside and ignores with close-shut eyes. I prefer to believe in things
which obviously exist, even though I cannot explain them. It is the
humbler and, I think, the wiser attitude."

"But, my dear Fred," protested Mr. Brodribb, "this is a rank
fairy-tale."

Calverley turned upon the solicitor. "If you had seen what I have seen,
you would not only believe: you would _know_."

"Tell us what you have seen, then," said Mr. Brodribb.

"I will, if you wish to hear it," said Calverley. "I will continue the
strange history of the Mandarin's Pearl."

He lit a fresh cigarette and continued:

"The night I came to Beech-hurst--that is my cousin's house, you know--a
rather absurd thing happened, which I mention on account of its
connection with what has followed. I had gone to my room early, and sat
for some time writing letters before getting ready for bed. When I had
finished my letters, I started on a tour of inspection of my room. I was
then, you must remember, in a very nervous state, and it had become my
habit to examine the room in which I was to sleep before undressing,
looking under the bed, and in any cupboards and closets that there
happened to be. Now, on looking round my new room, I perceived that
there was a second door, and I at once proceeded to open it to see where
it led to. As soon as I opened the door, I got a terrible start. I
found myself looking into a narrow closet or passage, lined with pegs,
on which the servant had hung some of my clothes; at the farther end was
another door, and, as I stood looking into the closet, I observed, with
startled amazement, a man standing holding the door half-open, and
silently regarding me. I stood for a moment staring at him, with my
heart thumping and my limbs all of a tremble; then I slammed the door
and ran off to look for my cousin.

"He was in the billiard-room with Raggerton, and the pair looked up
sharply as I entered.

"'Alfred,' I said, 'where does that passage lead to out of my room?'

"'Lead to?' said he. 'Why, it doesn't lead anywhere. It used to open
into a cross corridor, but when the house was altered, the corridor was
done away with, and this passage closed up. It is only a cupboard now.'

"'Well, there's a man in it--or there was just now.'

"'No