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2. After breakfast that morning, Malcolm goes out for a long walk. He has several of his

books with him. He also has a few small sandwiches. He doesn't want to come back for lunch. He

sits in a quiet spot among high trees and reads his books. On his way back home, he stops

at the inn and talks with Mrs. Whittom. She is pleased to see him.

You mustn't work so hard, Mr. Malcomson. You look very pale, she says. I hope you are able to

sleep in that house. Yes, indeed I am. The house is full of rats, but they don't scare me.

Their noise disturbs me a little, but that's all right, he says. Then he tells her about the

enormous rat. Oh, an old devil! It's trying to tell you something. Please, Mr. Malcomson, be very

careful, Mrs. Whittom says, with fearful eyes. An old devil, what do you mean, Mrs. Whittom?

asks Malcolm and laughs. You think it is funny, but be careful please, she warns Malcolm again.

Malcolm apologizes to her for laughing and leaves for the judge's house. After dinner,

Malcolm sits in the high -backed old chair by the fire and smokes a cigarette. Then he puts the

books out on the table again and begins to study. The rats are squeaking and running up and down

all over the room. They are not afraid of Malcolm. Malcolm watches them with a smile on his face.

They are very playful tonight. I'm beginning to like these rats, he says to himself. But he

wants to really concentrate on his work, so he makes a frightening sound by hitting the table

with his hands. The rats run away and hide in their holes for a short while. They come out again

and continue to scratch and squeak. Malcolm tries not to hear them. He continues to read.

Suddenly the room becomes quiet, just like the night before. The rats are all gone.

Malcolm thinks of the enormous rat and looks at the high -backed chair next to the fire.

The enormous rat is sitting on it again and looking at Malcolm with anger in his glittering eyes.

Malcolm throws a thick book at the big rat, but the book misses it. Then he runs toward it with

the fire poker. The rat runs up the rope and disappears again. Malcolm looks up at the ceiling,

but the upper parts of the walls are very dark. He can't see anything. It is midnight now.

Malcolm makes a pot of tea and continues to work. After studying for one more hour,

he feels tired. He sits on the high -backed chair and smokes a cigarette. He begins to think of a

rat on the floor in the right -hand corner by the fireplace. He wants to see the enormous rat

coming down or going up the alarm bell rope. Suddenly he has a very good idea. He lifts up the

end of the rope from the floor and places it on the table under his study lamp. He is surprised

because the thick, heavy rope is very soft. Then he places all of his books in a pile on the table.

This time I will kill that rat. I have enough books to throw at it, he thinks to himself again.

Then he goes back to his work and doesn't think about the big rat anymore.

About ten minutes later the room becomes very quiet because the rats are all gone again.

The rope on the table moves and it shakes the lamp on it. Malcolm quickly looks up the wall on the

right side of the room. With the light from the lamp on the floor, he can clearly see the giant rat.

It is coming down the rope, but it drops onto the high -backed chair. Then it sits upright on it

and begins to look at Malcolm. Malcolm takes a book from the pile and throws it at the rat.

But the rat quickly moves to the side. Malcolm throws three more books at it,

one after the other. But he is unsuccessful each time. Finally, the fourth book strikes the rat.

It gives out a very loud squeak. It quickly runs up the back of the armchair, jumps on the rope,

and climbs up. It then goes into a hole on a big painting on the wall and disappears.

Malcolm sees this clearly in the light from the lamp on the floor. I must look into the hole

on that painting in daylight tomorrow. It is the third painting from the fireplace.

I will remember it, he says to himself. The rats are out again running and squeaking,

but their noise isn't disturbing Malcolm. They are like his friends now. He is glad for not

being alone in the room. He works until dawn again.

The sun is coming out. I must get some sleep now. I must work harder tomorrow, he thinks to himself.

He puts out the two lamps and goes to bed. He sleeps heavily, but very uneasily. He has bad dreams.

He wakes up late in the morning. He feels very nervous.

Mrs. Dempster serves his breakfast, but he doesn't eat it. He just drinks tea.