Open Window

The Open Window Story is a short story written by the British writer Hector Hugh Munro, who was publishing his stories under the name “Saki.” It tells of a man who was suffering from psychological problems, so he goes to the countryside to calm his nerves, and falls prey to a girl with a wide imagination who tells him stories that make him lose his nerve . . .

Story events :

The story tells of Mr. Farmton Nettle, who suffers from a disorder of his nerves. His sister advises him to go to the country, where she has been staying for about four years, and gives him the names and addresses of some nice neighbors in the country so that he can get to know them and talk to them instead of burying his soul and his nerves getting worse.

In the country, Natell goes to Mrs. Sappleton's house to get to know her, because social visits can replace the psychotherapy which Natell must undergo as advised by his doctors.

While he was waiting, the girl told him that her aunt preferred to leave the window open all the time, after her husband and her two younger brothers, on that day three years ago, went out from that window and were going to hunt birds with the little dog, but they never came back because they drowned in the swamp and could never exhume their bodies. Aunt Mrs. Sappleton still thought that they would return from the same window, and Aunt Sappleton continued to speak of her husband, who had gone out in his white suit and with his waterproof coat on his hand, and the girl added that many evenings she had a strange feeling that the three were crossing that window !

When Mrs. Sappleton came down to see Mr. Nuttle, she apologized to him for being late, and told him she had to leave the window open even though it was October because she was waiting for her husband and younger siblings to return, and her eyes were continually going to the window.

At that time, Natel thought about the strange coincidence that made him visit her on the anniversary of her family's death, and he was suffering from delusions greatly, and he tried to change the subject, telling the lady that the doctors had asked him for complete rest and to stay away from any physical activity or mental agitation.

While they were speaking Mrs. Sappleton noticed, but not because of Mr. Nuttle's speech, but she looked at the window and said, ' Here they are at last. ' The three carry weapons and with them the small dog !

Mr. Nuttle hastily left his coat and hat and trotted toward the door, crashing into it before rushing out, while the man in white came in through the window, somewhat muddy, and asked, ' Who is it that pulled away when we arrived ? ' .

' It is poor Mr. Nettle, ' said Mrs. Sappleton, ' who never ceased to speak of his sickness, and withdrew without goodbye upon seeing you as though he had seen a ghost in the window ' .

The little girl said, “ Maybe he was afraid of the dog. ” The poor man was shocked while he was hunting one day and fell into a dug grave, and he remained all night and the dogs gathered around him panting and salivating over him, and this is enough to make anyone lose his nerve.