hatIhadstruckthelimit.IhavenotmoveditsincethedayIwasmarried,anditwouldhavetakenafiletogetitoff.Idon'tknow,anyhow,thatIshouldhavecaredtopartwithitbutifIhadwantedtoIcouldn't.Sowejusthadtoleavethatdetailtotakecareofitself.Ontheotherhand,IbroughtabitofplasterdownandputitwhereIamwearingonemyselfatthisinstant.Youslippedupthere,Mr.Holmes,cleverasyouareforifyouhadchancedtotakeoffthatplasteryouwouldhavefoundnocutunderneathit.
“Well,thatwasthesituation.IfIcouldlielowforawhileandthengetawaywhereIcouldbejoinedbymy'widow'weshouldhaveachanceatlastoflivinginpeacefortherestofourlives.ThesedevilswouldgivemenorestsolongasIwasabovegroundbutiftheysawinthepapersthatBaldwinhadgothisman,therewouldbeanendofallmytroubles.Ihadn'tmuchtimetomakeitallcleartoBarkerandtomywifebuttheyunderstoodenoughtobeabletohelpme.Iknewallaboutthishidingplace,sodidAmesbutitneverenteredhisheadtoconnectitwiththematter.Iretiredintoit,anditwasuptoBarkertodotherest.
“Iguessyoucanfillinforyourselveswhathedid.Heopenedthewindowandmadethemarkonthesilltogiveanideaofhowthemurdererescaped.Itwasatallorder,thatbutasthebridgewasuptherewasnootherway.Then,wheneverythingwasfixed,herangthebellforallhewasworth.Whathappenedafterwardyouknow.Andso,gentlemen,youcandowhatyoupleasebutI'vetoldyouthetruthandthewholetruth,sohelpmeGod!WhatIaskyounowishowdoIstandbytheEnglishlaw?”
TherewasasilencewhichwasbrokenbySherlockHolmes.
“TheEnglishlawisinthemainajustlaw.Youwillgetnoworsethanyourdesertsfromthat,Mr.Douglas.ButIwouldaskyouhowdidthismanknowthatyoulivedhere,orhowtogetintoyourhouse,orwheretohidetogetyou?”
“Iknownothingofthis.”
Holmes'sfacewasverywhiteandgrave.“Thestoryisnotoveryet,Ifear,”saidhe.“YoumayfindworsedangersthantheEnglishlaw,oreventhanyourenemiesfromAmerica.Iseetroublebeforeyou,Mr.Douglas.You'lltakemyadviceandstillbeonyourguard.”
Andnow,mylong-sufferingreaders,Iwillaskyoutocomeawaywithmeforatime,farfromtheSussexManorHouseofBirlstone,andfaralsofromtheyearofgraceinwhichwemadeoureventfuljourneywhichendedwiththestrangestoryofthemanwhohadbeenknownasJohnDouglas.Iwishyoutojourneybacksometwentyyearsintime,andwestwardsomethousandsofmilesinspace,thatImaylaybeforeyouasingularandterriblenarrative—sosingularandsoterriblethatyoumayfindithardtobelievethatevenasItellit,evensodiditoccur.
DonotthinkthatIintrudeonestorybeforeanotherisfinished.Asyoureadonyouwillfindthatthisisnotso.AndwhenIhavedetailedthosedistanteventsandyouhavesolvedthismysteryofthepast,weshallmeetoncemoreinthoseroomsonBakerStreet,wherethis,likesomanyotherwonderfulhappenings,willfinditsend.