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Satisfied that her guest was an eccentric scientist, and in view of the fact that he had paid her in advance, Mrs Hall was prepared to excuse his strange habits and irritable temper. But the stolen money did not last long, and presently Griffin had to admit that he had no more ready cash. He pretended, however, that he was expecting a cheque to arrive at any moment.
Shortly afterwards a curious episode occurred. Very early in the morning a clergyman and his wife were awakened by noises in the study. Creeping downstairs, they heard the chink of money being taken from the clergyman’s desk.
Without making any noise and with a poker grasped firmly in his hand, the clergyman flung open the door.
“Surrender!”
The scientist then arrived at the inn in Iping. The event of a stranger coming and staying at the inn on a winter night was not normal in Iping. It might be because people used to visit Iping during the summer season. But when people came to know about a stranger who visited Iping during winter, it appeared to be weird. The narrator then says they all set their tongues wagging while seeing the scientist's strange appearance. Here the term "tongues are wagging" means talking a lot about something. Here all the people around the Iping were talking a lot about the stranger and his appearance.
The narrator then says that the landlord's wife (the inn where the scientist was staying), Mrs Hall tried to be close to the scientist. She might have made every effort to be friendly because she has to make her guest more comfortable as he is the inn's visitor. Also, it might be because the lady wished to know everything about him while becoming close to the scientist.
But the scientist did not like to talk to her. He told her that his reason for coming to Iping was for peace and quietness, and he did not like to be disturbed in his work. Also, he told her that an accident had affected his face, due to which he had to cover it.
The landlord's wife, Mrs Hall, then accepted that her new guest was a strange scientist and was ready to excuse his temper and habits as he had paid her in advance. The money he had stolen from the previous shop did not last long, and he had no ready cash available for further payment at the inn. As a result, to avoid being caught, he pretended to be waiting for a cheque that would arrive.
Cheque
Then shortly, a strange incident occurred. Noises in the room awoke a clergyman and his wife quite early in the morning. They could hear money being stolen from his desk as they headed downstairs. The clergyman threw open the door silently, holding a metal rod in his hand. He said "surrender" as soon as he opened the door, believing he had caught the robber.
Meanings of the difficult words:
| S.No | Words | Meanings |
| 1 | Stranger | A person whom one does not know or with whom one is not familiar |
| 2 | Unusual | Different from what is usual or expected |
| 3 | Event | Anything that happens, especially something important or unusual |
| 4 | Uncommon | Out of the ordinary or unusual |
| 5 | Appearance | The way that someone or something looks |
| 6 | Tongues wagging | Talking a lot about something |
| 7 | Solitude | The state or situation of being alone |
| 8 | Eccentric | Of a person or their behaviour unconventional and slightly strange |
| 9 | Guest | A person staying at a hotel or guesthouse |
| 10 | Temper | A person's state of mind seen in terms of their being angry or calm |
| 11 | Curious | Eager to know or learn something |
| 12 | Episode | A single event or group of related events |
| 13 | Pretend | To behave as if something is true when you know that it is not, especially to deceive people or as a game |
| 14 | Chink | A short sharp sound |
| 15 | Grasp | Seize and hold firmly |
| 16 | Flung | Move or push something suddenly or violently |
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