PALE INGLÉS A

The Three Strangers

by Thomas Hardy

It began with a knock on the door at a lonely cottage. Inside, all was bright and cheerful, with music and dancing and people enjoying themselves. Outside, the rain beat down and a stranger knocked on the door. The man was about forty years old and took a seat in the chimney corner.

People were just getting up to start another dance when there was a second knock at the door. The new stranger was another man who was several years older with graying hair. He sat next to the first stranger who seemed very busy with him.

Some time afterwards, there was another knock on the door. The third stranger was a little man who turned and run away into the darkness and the rain when he saw the man in grey.

All the men in the house went to help look for the prisoner but when the third stranger was found he explained to them that the prisoner was his brother, the first stranger, and the second stranger was the hangman! So the prisoner was never found.