In a moment more he started with surprise to see that there was something extremely odd about Sir William's head.
A gleam of sunlight was pouring into the room through a long window which opened on to the lawn at the back of the house. It fell full upon the upper portion of the scientist's body, and with a muffled expression of surprise, Mr. Charliewood saw that Sir William was wearing a sort of helmet, a curved shining head-dress of brass, like the cup of an acorn, from the top of which a thick black cord rose upwards to a china plug set in the wall not far away.
"Good heavens, Gouldesbrough!" he said in uncontrollable surprise, "what——"
As he spoke Sir William turned and held up one hand, motioning him to silence.
The handsome and intellectual face that was so well known to the public was fixed and set into attention, and did not relax or change at Charliewood's ejaculation.
The warning hand remained held up, and that was all.
Charliewood stood frozen to the floor in wonder and uneasiness, utterly at a loss to understand what was going on. The tremor of his nerves began again, his whole body felt like a pincushion into which innumerable pins were being pushed.
Then, with extreme suddenness, he experienced another shock.
Somewhere in the room, quite close to him, an electric bell, like the sudden alarm of a clock on a dark dawn, whirred a shrill summons.
The big man jumped where he stood.