Australian Tales - Setis

ull's-eye lantern from one of the policemen, she hastened to her
chamber to put herself into more becoming attire; while the inspector and
his men, at her request, went down stairs to investigate the cause of such
varied disasters. In a few minutes Mrs. Lemonpip descended the stairs
too, with a palpitating heart, and the first object her gratified eyes gazed
upon was her much prized husband — all alive — sitting upon the hall
mat, replying to the numerous questions of the inspector.
“My dear, dear Jacky!” exclaimed Mrs. Lemonpip, rushing up and
throwing her arms about his neck with a warmth of affection which she
had long disowned. “My own dear Lemonpip; I am so glad you are not
dead! Forgive me, pray forgive me, Jacky, my love! It was all my fault
that you got into this terrible trouble, but I will faithfully promise and
vow, never to grieve you again as long as I live.” The little woman was
here fairly overcome with emotion and gave vent to a flood of tears,
which slightly affected the inspector and all his men. “Oh! I am so glad
you are alive, Jacky! You can't think, and I can't tell you all I have felt
about you; I have had an awful time, I can assure you, I never was so
frightened in all my life before. But do tell me, dear, what has been the
matter with you; you needn't mind these gentlemen, they are all friends.
Tell us all about it, dear, what it was that knocked you down and hurt
you? Where all this blood came from? What it was that made that
frightful noise?”
Thus entreated, Mr. Lemonpip began to explain all he could recollect
of the tragical occurrences of the last three hours. In descending to the
hall in the dark, he had unfortunately trodden upon something soft,
which was coiled up on a dogskin mat at the foot of the stairs. The
goblin, or whatever it was, had very reasonably shrieked out, under the
pressure of Mr. Lemonpip's fifteen stone person, and had at the same
time made violent efforts to claw and bite off the leg which had crushed
it; as witnessed the marks on the limb itself. The unexpected attack of
some unknown, though formidable teeth and talons, and the startling
shrieks too, had naturally enough made Mr. Lemonpip jump — as the
saying is — and in doing so he had knocked his head against the
ponderous umbrella-stand in the hall, and overturned it; then falling
down upon it he so stunned himself, that he had lain for an hour or more,
totally unconscious of what was going on around him. When his reason
returned his nervous system was so shaken, that he had been afraid to
move hand or foot, or his tongue either, lest he should again step upon or
otherwise arouse the dreaded fury of the mysterious enemy, which had so
painfully lacerated his left leg, and so terribly frightened him besides.
There he had lain upon the cold oil-cloth, silently watching for daylight,
and wondering what all the riot was about outside his house, and inside
his neighbour's houses on either side of him. There he lay surmising all
sorts of unpleasant reasons for his cruel desertion, in this time of trial, by