importancethatweshouldbeinourplacesbeforeitgrowsdarksowithyourpermissionweshallgetstartedatonce.”
WepassedalongtheouterboundsoftheManorHouseparkuntilwecametoaplacewheretherewasagapintherailswhichfencedit.Throughthisweslipped,andtheninthegatheringgloomwefollowedHolmesuntilwehadreachedashrubberywhichliesnearlyoppositetothemaindoorandthedrawbridge.Thelatterhadnotbeenraised.Holmescroucheddownbehindthescreenoflaurels,andweallthreefollowedhisexample.
“Well,whatarewetodonow?”askedMacDonaldwithsomegruffness.
“Possessoursoulsinpatienceandmakeaslittlenoiseaspossible,”Holmesanswered.
“Whatarewehereforatall?Ireallythinkthatyoumighttreatuswithmorefrankness.”
Holmeslaughed.“WatsoninsiststhatIamthedramatistinreallife,”saidhe.“Sometouchoftheartistwellsupwithinme,andcallsinsistentlyforawell-stagedperformance.Surelyourprofession,Mr.Mac,wouldbeadrabandsordidoneifwedidnotsometimessetthescenesoastoglorifyourresults.Thebluntaccusation,thebrutaltapupontheshoulder—whatcanonemakeofsuchadenouement?Butthequickinference,thesubtletrap,thecleverforecastofcomingevents,thetriumphantvindicationofboldtheories—arethesenottheprideandthejustificationofourlife'swork?Atthepresentmomentyouthrillwiththeglamourofthesituationandtheanticipationofthehunt.WherewouldbethatthrillifIhadbeenasdefiniteasatimetable?Ionlyaskalittlepatience,Mr.Mac,andallwillbecleartoyou.”
“Well,Ihopetheprideandjustificationandtherestofitwillcomebeforeweallgetourdeathofcold,”saidtheLondondetectivewithcomicresignation.
Weallhadgoodreasontojoinintheaspirationforourvigilwasalongandbitterone.Slowlytheshadowsdarkenedoverthelong,sombrefaceoftheoldhouse.Acold,dampreekfromthemoatchilledustothebonesandsetourteethchattering.Therewasasinglelampoverthegatewayandasteadyglobeoflightinthefatalstudy.Everythingelsewasdarkandstill.
“Howlongisthistolast?”askedtheinspectorfinally.“Andwhatisitwearewatchingfor?”
“Ihavenomorenotionthanyouhowlongitistolast,”Holmesansweredwithsomeasperity.“Ifcriminalswouldalwaysscheduletheirmovementslikerailwaytrains,itwouldcertainlybemoreconvenientforallofus.Astowhatitiswe—Well,THAT'Swhatwearewatchingfor!”
Ashespokethebright,yellowlightinthestudywasobscuredbysomebodypassingtoandfrobeforeit.Thelaurelsamongwhichwelaywereimmediatelyoppositethewindowandnotmorethanahundredfeetfromit.Presentlyitwasthrownopenwithawhiningofhinges,andwecoulddimlyseethedarkoutlineofaman'sheadandshoulderslookingoutintothegloom.Forsomeminuteshepeeredforthinfurtive,stealthyfashion,asonewhowishestobeassuredthatheisunobserved.Thenheleanedforward,andintheintensesilencewe