manthatIloved?”
“Ishouldsaynot.”
“Hecan’tobjecttomyworldlyposition,soitmustbemyselfthathehasthisdownon.Whathasheagainstme?IneverhurtmanorwomaninmylifethatIknowof.Andyethewouldnotsomuchasletmetouchthetipsofherfingers.”
“Didhesayso?”
“That,andadealmore.Itellyou,Watson,I’veonlyknownherthesefewweeks,butfromthefirstIjustfeltthatshewasmadeforme,andshe,too—shewashappywhenshewaswithme,andthatI’llswear.There’salightinawoman’seyesthatspeakslouderthanwords.ButhehasneverletusgettogetheranditwasonlytodayforthefirsttimethatIsawachanceofhavingafewwordswithheralone.Shewasgladtomeetme,butwhenshediditwasnotlovethatshewouldtalkabout,andshewouldn’thaveletmetalkaboutiteitherifshecouldhavestoppedit.Shekeptcomingbacktoitthatthiswasaplaceofdanger,andthatshewouldneverbehappyuntilIhadleftit.ItoldherthatsinceIhadseenherIwasinnohurrytoleaveit,andthatifshereallywantedmetogo,theonlywaytoworkitwasforhertoarrangetogowithme.WiththatIofferedinasmanywordstomarryher,butbeforeshecouldanswer,downcamethisbrotherofhers,runningatuswithafaceonhimlikeamadman.Hewasjustwhitewithrage,andthoselighteyesofhiswereblazingwithfury.WhatwasIdoingwiththelady?HowdaredIofferherattentionswhichweredistastefultoher?DidIthinkthatbecauseIwasabaronetIcoulddowhatIliked?IfhehadnotbeenherbrotherIshouldhaveknownbetterhowtoanswerhim.AsitwasItoldhimthatmyfeelingstowardshissisterweresuchasIwasnotashamedof,andthatIhopedthatshemighthonourmebybecomingmywife.Thatseemedtomakethematternobetter,sothenIlostmytempertoo,andIansweredhimrathermorehotlythanIshouldperhaps,consideringthatshewasstandingby.Soitendedbyhisgoingoffwithher,asyousaw,andhereamIasbadlypuzzledamanasanyinthiscounty.Justtellmewhatitallmeans,Watson,andI’lloweyoumorethaneverIcanhopetopay.”
Itriedoneortwoexplanations,but,indeed,Iwascompletelypuzzledmyself.Ourfriend’stitle,hisfortune,hisage,hischaracter,andhisappearanceareallinhisfavour,andIknownothingagainsthimunlessitbethisdarkfatewhichrunsinhisfamily.Thathisadvancesshouldberejectedsobrusquelywithoutanyreferencetothelady’sownwishesandthattheladyshouldacceptthesituationwithoutprotestisveryamazing.However,ourconjecturesweresetatrestbyavisitfromStapletonhimselfthatveryafternoon.Hehadcometoofferapologiesforhisrudenessofthemorning,andafteralongprivateinterviewwithSirHenryinhisstudytheupshotoftheirconversationwasthatthebreachisquitehealed,andthatwearetodineatMerripitHousenextFridayasasignofit.
“Idon’tsaynowthatheisn’tacrazyman,”saidSirHenry“Ican’tforgetthelookinhiseyeswhenheranatmethismorning,butImustallowthatnomancouldmakeamorehandsomeapologythanhehasdone.”
“Didhegiveanyexplanationofhisconduct?”
“Hissisteriseverythinginhislife,hesays.Thatisnaturalenough,andIamgladthatheshouldunderstandhervalue.Theyhavealwaysbeentogether,andaccordingtohisaccounthehasbeenaverylonelymanwithonlyherasacompanion,sothatthethoughtoflosi