ItwastheendofNovember,andHolmesandIsat,uponarawandfoggynight,oneithersideofablazingfireinoursitting-roominBakerStreet.SincethetragicupshotofourvisittoDevonshirehehadbeenengagedintwoaffairsoftheutmostimportance,inthefirstofwhichhehadexposedtheatrociousconductofColonelUpwoodinconnectionwiththefamouscardscandaloftheNonpareilClub,whileinthesecondhehaddefendedtheunfortunateMme.Montpensierfromthechargeofmurderwhichhungoverherinconnectionwiththedeathofherstep-daughter,Mlle.Carére,theyoungladywho,asitwillberemembered,wasfoundsixmonthslateraliveandmarriedinNewYork.Myfriendwasinexcellentspiritsoverthesuccesswhichhadattendedasuccessionofdifficultandimportantcases,sothatIwasabletoinducehimtodiscussthedetailsoftheBaskervillemystery.IhadwaitedpatientlyfortheopportunityforIwasawarethathewouldneverpermitcasestooverlap,andthathisclearandlogicalmindwouldnotbedrawnfromitspresentworktodwelluponmemoriesofthepast.SirHenryandDr.Mortimerwere,however,inLondon,ontheirwaytothatlongvoyagewhichhadbeenrecommendedfortherestorationofhisshatterednerves.Theyhadcalleduponusthatveryafternoon,sothatitwasnaturalthatthesubjectshouldcomeupfordiscussion.
“Thewholecourseofevents,”saidHolmes,“fromthepointofviewofthemanwhocalledhimselfStapletonwassimpleanddirect,althoughtous,whohadnomeansinthebeginningofknowingthemotivesofhisactionsandcouldonlylearnpartofthefacts,itallappearedexceedinglycomplex.IhavehadtheadvantageoftwoconversationswithMrs.Stapleton,andthecasehasnowbeensoentirelyclearedupthatIamnotawarethatthereisanythingwhichhasremainedasecrettous.YouwillfindafewnotesuponthematterundertheheadingBinmyindexedlistofcases.”
“Perhapsyouwouldkindlygivemeasketchofthecourseofeventsfrommemory.”
“Certainly,thoughIcannotguaranteethatIcarryallthefactsinmymind.Intensementalconcentrationhasacuriouswayofblottingoutwhathaspassed.Thebarristerwhohashiscasea