SirHenrywasmorepleasedthansurprisedtoseeSherlockHolmes,forhehadforsomedaysbeenexpectingthatrecenteventswouldbringhimdownfromLondon.Hedidraisehiseyebrows,however,whenhefoundthatmyfriendhadneitheranyluggagenoranyexplanationsforitsabsence.Betweenuswesoonsuppliedhiswants,andthenoverabelatedsupperweexplainedtothebaronetasmuchofourexperienceasitseemeddesirablethatheshouldknow.ButfirstIhadtheunpleasantdutyofbreakingthenewstoBarrymoreandhiswife.Tohimitmayhavebeenanunmitigatedrelief,butsheweptbitterlyinherapron.Toalltheworldhewasthemanofviolence,halfanimalandhalfdemonbuttoherhealwaysremainedthelittlewilfulboyofherowngirlhood,thechildwhohadclungtoherhand.Evilindeedisthemanwhohasnotonewomantomournhim.
“I’vebeenmopinginthehousealldaysinceWatsonwentoffinthemorning,”saidthebaronet.“IguessIshouldhavesomecredit,forIhavekeptmypromise.IfIhadn’tswornnottogoaboutaloneImighthavehadamorelivelyevening,forIhadamessagefromStapletonaskingmeoverthere.”
“Ihavenodoubtthatyouwouldhavehadamorelivelyevening,”saidHolmesdrily.“Bytheway,Idon’tsupposeyouappreciatethatwehavebeenmourningoveryouashavingbrokenyourneck?”
SirHenryopenedhiseyes.“Howwasthat?”
“Thispoorwretchwasdressedinyourclothes.Ifearyourservantwhogavethemtohimmaygetintotroublewiththepolice.”
“Thatisunlikely.Therewasnomarkonanyofthem,asfarasIknow.”
“That’sluckyforhim—infact,it’sluckyforallofyou,sinceyouareallonthewrongsideofthelawinthismatter.Iamnotsurethatasaconscientiousdetectivemyfirstdutyisnottoarrestthewholehousehold.Watson’sreportsaremostincriminatingdocuments.”
“Buthowaboutthecase?”askedthebaronet.“Haveyoumadeanythingoutofthetangle?Idon’tknowthatWatsonandIaremuchthewisersincewecamedown.”
“IthinkthatIshallbeinapositiontomakethesituationrathermorecleartoyoubeforelong.Ithasbeenanexceedinglydifficultandmostcomplicatedbusiness.Thereareseveralpointsuponwhichwestillwantlight—butitiscomingallthesame.”
“We’vehadoneexperience,asWatsonhasn