The Man Who Passed

This novel tells the story of Mr. Mannering. Excerpt: Mr. Mannering was called the Captain in the village of Woodern Green, which is on the southern edge of Buckingham. Possibly because of his military appearance and the frigidity of his manner; though why captains are supposed to be frigid nobody knows. He lived at Hexleigh Manor, which was a small house in a large park, and by all accounts, he was a gentleman who had no great store of money…The captain had a staff of three, two of whom lived in the house and the third in a cottage within the grounds. They were three hard-faced men, who never came to the village, and it was believed that they were old soldiers who had served with the captain during the war. It was to the cottage that all the provisions were delivered by local tradesmen—none of them was invited to go farther. The bills were paid weekly by cheque to a London bank. One curious circumstance: no letters, save the inevitable appeals by secretaries of local working men's cricket, football, or other clubs, were ever addressed to Captain or Mr. Mannering. He seemed to have no friends.