eyouonyourownterms,”saidtheinspector“butwhenitcomestotellingustoabandonthecase—whyinthenameofgoodnessshouldweabandonthecase?”
“Forthesimplereason,mydearMr.Mac,thatyouhavenotgotthefirstideawhatitisthatyouareinvestigating.”
“WeareinvestigatingthemurderofMr.JohnDouglasofBirlstoneManor.”
“Yes,yes,soyouare.Butdon'ttroubletotracethemysteriousgentlemanuponthebicycle.Iassureyouthatitwon'thelpyou.”
“Thenwhatdoyousuggestthatwedo?”
“Iwilltellyouexactlywhattodo,ifyouwilldoit.”
“Well,I'mboundtosayI'vealwaysfoundyouhadreasonbehindallyourqueerways.I'lldowhatyouadvise.”
“Andyou,Mr.WhiteMason?”
Thecountrydetectivelookedhelplesslyfromonetotheother.Holmesandhismethodswerenewtohim.“Well,ifitisgoodenoughfortheinspector,itisgoodenoughforme,”hesaidatlast.
“Capital!”saidHolmes.“Well,then,Ishouldrecommendanice,cheerycountrywalkforbothofyou.TheytellmethattheviewsfromBirlstoneRidgeovertheWealdareveryremarkable.Nodoubtlunchcouldbegotatsomesuitablehostelrythoughmyignoranceofthecountrypreventsmefromrecommendingone.Intheevening,tiredbuthappy—”
“Man,thisisgettingpastajoke!”criedMacDonald,risingangrilyfromhischair.
“Well,well,spendthedayasyoulike,”saidHolmes,pattinghimcheerfullyupontheshoulder.“Dowhatyoulikeandgowhereyouwill,butmeetmeherebeforeduskwithoutfail—withoutfail,Mr.Mac.”
“Thatsoundsmorelikesanity.”
“AllofitwasexcellentadvicebutIdon'tinsist,solongasyouareherewhenIneedyou.Butnow,beforewepart,IwantyoutowriteanotetoMr.Barker.”
“Well?”
“I'lldictateit,ifyoulike.Ready?
“DearSir:
“Ithasstruckmethatitisourdutytodrainthemoat,inthehopethatwemayfindsome—”
“It'simpossible,”saidtheinspector.“I'vemadeinquiry.”
“Tut,tut!Mydearsir,pleasedowhatIaskyou.”
“Well,goon.”
“—inthehopethatwemayfindsomethingwhichmaybearuponourinvestigation.Ihavemadearrangements,andtheworkmenwillbeatworkearlyto-morrowmorningdivertingthestream—”
“Impossible!”
“—divertingthestreamsoIthoughtitbesttoexplainmattersbeforehand.
“Nowsignthat,andsenditbyhandaboutfouro'clock.Atthathourweshallmeetagaininthisroom.UntilthenwemayeachdowhatwelikeforIcanassureyouthatthisinquiryhascometoadefinitepause.”
Eveningwasdrawinginwhenwereassembled.Holmeswasveryseriousinhismanner,myselfcurious,andthedetectivesobviouslycriticalandannoyed.
“Well,gentlemen,”saidmyfriendgravely,“Iamaskingyounowtoputeverythingtothetestwithme,andyouwilljudgeforyourselveswhethertheobservationsIhavemadejustifytheconclusionstowhichIhavecome.Itisachillevening,andIdonotknowhowlongourexpeditionmaylastsoIbegthatyouwillwearyourwarmestcoats.Itisofthefirst