What curious episode occurs in the study?
Very early in the morning, a clergyman and his wife were awakened by noises in the study. They heard the chink of money being taken from the clergyman's desk. The clergyman grasped a poker and flung open the door, shouting "Surrender!"
However, to his amazement, the room appeared to be completely empty. They searched under the desk, behind the curtains, and even up the chimney, but found no sign of anybody. Yet, the desk had been opened and the housekeeping money was missing. This mysterious robbery by an unseen presence was the curious episode that occurred in the study.
Explanation
The curious episode in the study refers to the bizarre burglary experienced by the clergyman and his wife. They heard the sound of money being stolen, but upon opening the door, the room was empty with no visible thief. This happened because Griffin was invisible - he had removed his clothes and bandages, allowing him to steal without being seen. The context clearly describes this incident as a 'curious episode' where money was stolen by someone who could not be found anywhere in the room.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify the event described as 'curious episode' in the text - the burglary at the clergyman's study
Step 2: Extract key details - noises heard, money being taken, room found empty upon investigation, money missing
Step 3: Formulate a concise answer highlighting the mysterious nature of the invisible theft