ticImayrelyupon,butIshouldvalueyouropinionuponthemitral.”
Ilistenedtohisheart,asrequested,butwasunabletofindanythingamiss,saveindeedthathewasinanecstasyoffear,forheshiveredfromheadtofoot.“Itappearstobenormal,”Isaid.“Youhavenocauseforuneasiness.”
“Youwillexcusemyanxiety,MissMorstan,”heremarked,airily.“Iamagreatsufferer,andIhavelonghadsuspicionsastothatvalve.Iamdelightedtohearthattheyareunwarranted.Hadyourfather,MissMorstan,refrainedfromthrowingastrainuponhisheart,hemighthavebeenalivenow.”
Icouldhavestruckthemanacrosstheface,sohotwasIatthiscallousandoff-handreferencetosodelicateamatter.MissMorstansatdown,andherfacegrewwhitetothelips.“Iknewinmyheartthathewasdead,”saidshe.
“Icangiveyoueveryinformation,”saidhe,“and,whatismore,IcandoyoujusticeandIwill,too,whateverBrotherBartholomewmaysay.Iamsogladtohaveyourfriendshere,notonlyasanescorttoyou,butalsoaswitnessestowhatIamabouttodoandsay.ThethreeofuscanshowaboldfronttoBrotherBartholomew.Butletushavenooutsiders,—nopoliceorofficials.Wecansettleeverythingsatisfactorilyamongourselves,withoutanyinterference.NothingwouldannoyBrotherBartholomewmorethananypublicity.”Hesatdownuponalowsetteeandblinkedatusinquiringlywithhisweak,wateryblueeyes.
“Formypart,”saidHolmes,“whateveryoumaychoosetosaywillgonofurther.”
Inoddedtoshowmyagreement.
“Thatiswell!Thatiswell!”saidhe.“MayIofferyouaglassofChianti,MissMorstan?OrofTokay?Ikeepnootherwines.ShallIopenaflask?No?Well,then,Itrustthatyouhavenoobjectiontotobacco-smoke,tothemildbalsamicodouroftheEasterntobacco.Iamalittlenervous,andIfindmyhookahaninvaluablesedative.”Heappliedatapertothegreatbowl,andthesmokebubbledmerrilythroughtherose-water.Wesatallthreeinasemi-circle,withourheadsadvanced,andourchinsuponourhands,whilethestrange,jerkylittlefellow,withhishigh,shininghead,puffeduneasilyinthecentre.
“WhenIfirstdeterminedtomakethiscommunicationtoyou,”saidhe,“Imighthavegiv