ryfalsepositionbynotmakinganabsolutelycleanbreastofallthatyouknow.IfIhavetocallintheaidofthepoliceyouwillfindhowseriouslyyouarecompromised.Ifyourpositionisinnocent,whydidyouinthefirstinstancedenyhavingwrittentoSirCharlesuponthatdate?”
“BecauseIfearedthatsomefalseconclusionmightbedrawnfromitandthatImightfindmyselfinvolvedinascandal.”
“AndwhywereyousopressingthatSirCharlesshoulddestroyyourletter?”
“Ifyouhavereadtheletteryouwillknow.”
“IdidnotsaythatIhadreadalltheletter.”
“Youquotedsomeofit.”
“Iquotedthepostscript.Theletterhad,asIsaid,beenburnedanditwasnotalllegible.IaskyouonceagainwhyitwasthatyouweresopressingthatSirCharlesshoulddestroythisletterwhichhereceivedonthedayofhisdeath.”
“Thematterisaveryprivateone.”
“Themorereasonwhyyoushouldavoidapublicinvestigation.”
“Iwilltellyou,then.IfyouhaveheardanythingofmyunhappyhistoryyouwillknowthatImadearashmarriageandhadreasontoregretit.”
“Ihaveheardsomuch.”
“MylifehasbeenoneincessantpersecutionfromahusbandwhomIabhor.Thelawisuponhisside,andeverydayIamfacedbythepossibilitythathemayforcemetolivewithhim.AtthetimethatIwrotethislettertoSirCharlesIhadlearnedthattherewasaprospectofmyregainingmyfreedomifcertainexpensescouldbemet.Itmeanteverythingtome—peaceofmind,happiness,self-respect—everything.IknewSirCharles’sgenerosity,andIthoughtthatifheheardthestoryfrommyownlipshewouldhelpme.”
“Thenhowisitthatyoudidnotgo?”
“BecauseIreceivedhelpintheintervalfromanothersource.”
“Whythen,didyounotwritetoSirCharlesandexplainthis?”
“SoIshouldhavedonehadInotseenhisdeathinthepapernextmorning.”
Thewoman’sstoryhungcoherentlytogether,andallmyquestionswereunabletoshakeit.Icouldonlycheckitbyfindingifshehad,indeed,instituteddivorceproceedingsagainstherhusbandatoraboutthetimeofthetragedy.
ItwasunlikelythatshewoulddaretosaythatshehadnotbeentoBaskervilleHallifshereallyhadbeen,foratrapwouldbenecessarytotakeherthere,andcouldnothavereturnedtoCoombeTraceyuntiltheearlyhoursofthemorning.Suchanexcursioncouldnotbekeptsecret.Theprob