ThefreshbeautyofthefollowingmorningdidsomethingtoeffacefromourmindsthegrimandgreyimpressionwhichhadbeenleftuponbothofusbyourfirstexperienceofBaskervilleHall.AsSirHenryandIsatatbreakfastthesunlightfloodedinthroughthehighmullionedwindows,throwingwaterypatchesofcolourfromthecoatsofarmswhichcoveredthem.Thedarkpanellingglowedlikebronzeinthegoldenrays,anditwashardtorealisethatthiswasindeedthechamberwhichhadstrucksuchagloomintooursoulsupontheeveningbefore.
“Iguessitisourselvesandnotthehousethatwehavetoblame!”saidthebaronet.“Weweretiredwithourjourneyandchilledbyourdrive,sowetookagreyviewoftheplace.Nowwearefreshandwell,soitisallcheerfuloncemore.”
“Andyetitwasnotentirelyaquestionofimagination,”Ianswered.“Didyou,forexample,happentohearsomeone,awomanIthink,sobbinginthenight?”
“Thatiscurious,forIdidwhenIwashalfasleepfancythatIheardsomethingofthesort.Iwaitedquiteatime,buttherewasnomoreofit,soIconcludedthatitwasalladream.”
“Ihearditdistinctly,andIamsurethatitwasreallythesobofawoman.”
“Wemustaskaboutthisrightaway.”HerangthebellandaskedBarrymorewhetherhecouldaccountforourexperience.Itseemedtomethatthepallidfeaturesofthebutlerturnedashadepalerstillashelistenedtohismaster’squestion.
“Thereareonlytwowomeninthehouse,SirHenry,”heanswered.“Oneisthescullery-maid,whosleepsintheotherwing.Theotherismywife,andIcananswerforitthatthesoundcouldnothavecomefromher.”
Andyetheliedashesaidit,foritchancedthatafterbreakfastImetMrs.Barrymoreinthelongcorridorwiththesunfulluponherface.Shewasalarge,impassive,heavy-featuredwomanwithasternsetexpressionofmouth.Buthertelltaleeyeswereredandglancedatmefrombetweenswollenlids.Itwasshe,then,whoweptinthenight,andifshedidsoherhusbandmustknowit.Yethehadtakentheobviousriskofdiscoveryindeclaringthatitwasnotso.Whyhadhedonethis?Andwhydidsheweepsobitterly?Alreadyroundthispale-faced,handsome,black-beardedmantherewasgatheringanatmosphereofmysteryandofgloom.ItwashewhohadbeenthefirsttodiscoverthebodyofSirCharles,andwehadonlyhiswordforallthecircumstanceswhichleduptotheoldman’sdeath.WasitpossiblethatitwasBarrymore,afterall,whomwehadseeninthecabinRegentStreet?Thebeardmightwellhavebeenthesame.Thecabmanhaddescribedasomewhatshorterman,butsuchanimp