ThethreedetectiveshadmanymattersofdetailintowhichtoinquiresoIreturnedalonetoourmodestquartersatthevillageinn.ButbeforedoingsoItookastrollinthecuriousold-worldgardenwhichflankedthehouse.Rowsofveryancientyewtreescutintostrangedesignsgirdeditround.Insidewasabeautifulstretchoflawnwithanoldsundialinthemiddle,thewholeeffectsosoothingandrestfulthatitwaswelcometomysomewhatjanglednerves.
Inthatdeeplypeacefulatmosphereonecouldforget,orrememberonlyassomefantasticnightmare,thatdarkenedstudywiththesprawling,bloodstainedfigureonthefloor.Andyet,asIstrolledrounditandtriedtosteepmysoulinitsgentlebalm,astrangeincidentoccurred,whichbroughtmebacktothetragedyandleftasinisterimpressioninmymind.
Ihavesaidthatadecorationofyewtreescircledthegarden.Attheendfarthestfromthehousetheythickenedintoacontinuoushedge.Ontheothersideofthishedge,concealedfromtheeyesofanyoneapproachingfromthedirectionofthehouse,therewasastoneseat.AsIapproachedthespotIwasawareofvoices,someremarkinthedeeptonesofaman,answeredbyalittlerippleoffemininelaughter.
AninstantlaterIhadcomeroundtheendofthehedgeandmyeyeslituponMrs.DouglasandthemanBarkerbeforetheywereawareofmypresence.Herappearancegavemeashock.Inthedining-roomshehadbeendemureanddiscreet.Nowallpretenseofgriefhadpassedawayfromher.Hereyesshonewiththejoyofliving,andherfacestillquiveredwithamusementatsomeremarkofhercompanion.Hesatforward,hishandsclaspedandhisforearmsonhisknees,withanansweringsmileuponhisbold,handsomeface.Inaninstant—butitwasjustoneinstanttoolate—theyresumedtheirsolemnmasksasmyfigurecameintoview.Ahurriedwordortwopassedbetweenthem,andthenBarkerroseandcametowardsme.
“Excuseme,sir,”saidhe,“butamIaddressingDr.Watson?”
Ibowedwithacoldnesswhichshowed,Idaresay,veryplainlytheimpressionwhichhadbeenproduceduponmymind.
“Wethoughtthatitwasprobablyyou,asyourfriendshipwithMr.SherlockHolmesissowellknown.WouldyoumindcomingoverandspeakingtoMrs.Douglasforoneinstant?”
Ifollowedhimwithadourface.VeryclearlyIcouldseeinmymind'seyethatshatteredfigureonthefloor.Herewithinafewhoursofthetragedywerehiswifeandhisnearestfriendlaughingtogetherbehindabushintheg