– H H Munro
Summary
Framton Nuttel, the central character to the story, suffering from nervous condition, follows his doctor’s advice and moves to the country (b). Prior to that, his sister, who has previously
lived in the area that Framton now inhabits, gives him letters of introduction to the new neighbors. The Open Window deals with Framton’s visit to Mrs. Sappleton, one of his new neighbors.
The story opens with Framton waiting for Mrs. Sappleton to come downstairs. In the meantime, he is being entertained be her niece Vera, ‘a very self-possessed lady of fifteen’ is obviously bored and does not lack good imagination. In the absence of her aunt, she decides to entertain the guest, or rather herself with a morbid story.
Vera is sure that Framton knows nothing of the family, or other people in the area, she invents a tale depicting her aunt as not exactly mentally stable person. She points Mr. Nuttel to an open French window and asks why he thinks they keep it open this time of the year. Afterwards she tells a story of how one day three years ago, Mrs. Sappleton’s husband and her brothers went to hunt to the bogs . They left through the window but they never returned and their bodies were never found. Mrs. Sappleton keeps the window open every evening till dusk hoping ‘they will come back someday” (a).
Later, Mrs. Sappleton comes downstairs and also explains why the window is open. She says that her husband and her two brothers went to hunt and they always come back ‘in that way’. Framton finds it disturbing and conflicting remarks with Vera and decides to mention his nervous disorder and the fact that he should avoid any ‘mental excitement’. Mrs. Sappleton is not too interested in what he is saying, however, she shows enthusiasm when she notices her husband and her brothers coming from the hunt. Upon this sight, Vera puts on a show and acts horrified. As a result of that, the terrified guest escapes the house quickly.
The fact that Vera’s story was purely imaginary and is revealed only in the closing paragraphs. The men had gone only for one day. Nevertheless, Mr. Nuttel hasty retreat does not stop Vera from entertaining herself some more. Instead of explaining his odd behavior to the rest of the family, she invents a new story saying that Framton terrifies form the dog and he was once hunted by a ‘pack of pariah dogs’ somewhere on the banks of Ganges and the sight of the spaniel (type of dog) accompanying the three hunters and he had difficulty to spend the night in the newly dug grave where the snarling creatures were above him. This incident probably made him lose the nerve.
