,Ihavenoticedthat.Butifthiswerethepracticaljokeofsomestudentsfromthedissecting-rooms,itwouldbeaseasyforthemtosendtwooddearsasapair.”
“Precisely.Butthisisnotapracticaljoke.”
“Youaresureofit?”
“Thepresumptionisstronglyagainstit.Bodiesinthedissecting-roomsareinjectedwithpreservativefluid.Theseearsbearnosignsofthis.Theyarefresh,too.Theyhavebeencutoffwithabluntinstrument,whichwouldhardlyhappenifastudenthaddoneit.Again,carbolicorrectifiedspiritswouldbethepreservativeswhichwouldsuggestthemselvestothemedicalmind,certainlynotroughsalt.Irepeatthatthereisnopracticaljokehere,butthatweareinvestigatingaseriouscrime.”
AvaguethrillranthroughmeasIlistenedtomycompanion’swordsandsawthesterngravitywhichhadhardenedhisfeatures.Thisbrutalpreliminaryseemedtoshadowforthsomestrangeandinexplicablehorrorinthebackground.Lestrade,however,shookhisheadlikeamanwhoisonlyhalfconvinced.
“Thereareobjectionstothejoketheory,nodoubt,”saidhe,“buttherearemuchstrongerreasonsagainsttheother.WeknowthatthiswomanhasledamostquietandrespectablelifeatPengeandhereforthelasttwentyyears.Shehashardlybeenawayfromherhomeforadayduringthattime.Whyonearth,then,shouldanycriminalsendhertheproofsofhisguilt,especiallyas,unlesssheisamostconsummateactress,sheunderstandsquiteaslittleofthematteraswedo?”
“Thatistheproblemwhichwehavetosolve,”Holmesanswered,“andformypartIshallsetaboutitbypresumingthatmyreasoningiscorrect,andthatadoublemurderhasbeencommitted.Oneoftheseearsisawoman’s,small,finelyformed,andpiercedforanearring.Theotherisaman’s,sun-burned,discoloured,andalsopiercedforanearring.Thesetwopeoplearepresumablydead,orweshouldhaveheardtheirstorybeforenow.To-dayisFriday.ThepacketwaspostedonThursdaymorning.Thetragedy,then,occurredonWednesdayorTuesdayorearlier.Ifthetwopeopleweremurdered,whobuttheirmurdererwouldhavesentthissignofhisworktoMissCushing?Wemaytakeitthatthesenderofthepacketisthemanwhomwewant.ButhemusthavesomestrongreasonforsendingMissCushingthispacket.Whatreasonthen?Itmusthavebeentotellherthatthedeedwasdone!ortopainher,perhaps.Butinthatcasesheknowswhoitis.Doessheknow?Idoubtit.Ifsheknew,whyshouldshecallthepolicein?Shemighthaveburiedtheears,andnoonewouldhavebeenthewiser.Thatiswhatshewouldhavedoneifshehadwishedtoshieldthecriminal.Butifshedoesnotwishtoshieldhimshewouldgivehisname.Thereisatangleherewhichneedsstraighteningout.”Hehadbeentalkinginahigh,quickvoice,staringblanklyupoverthegardenfence,butnowhesprangbrisklytohisfeetandwalkedtowardsthehouse.
“IhaveafewquestionstoaskMissCushing,”saidhe.
“InthatcaseImayleaveyouhere,”saidLestrade,“forIhaveanothersmallbusinessonhand.IthinkthatIhavenothingfurthertolearnfromMissCushing.Youwillfindmeatthepolice-station.”
“Weshalllookinonourwaytothetrain,”answeredHolmes.AmomentlaterheandIwerebackinthefrontroom,wheretheimpassiveladywasstillquietlyworkingawayatherantimacassar.Sheputitdownonherlapasweenteredandlookedatuswithherfrank,searchingblueeyes.
“Iamconvinced,sir,”shesaid,“thatthismatterisamistake,andthattheparcelwasnevermeantformeatall.IhavesaidthisseveraltimestothegentlemanfromScotlandYard,buthesimplylaughsatme.Ihavenotanenemyintheworld,asfarasIknow,sowhyshouldanyoneplaymesuchatrick?”
“Iamcomingtobeofthesameopinion,MissCushing,”saidHolmes,takingaseatbesideher.“Ithinkthatitismorethanprobable——”hepaused,andIwassurprised,onglancingroundtoseethathewasstaringwithsingularintentnessatthelady’sprofile.Surpriseandsatisfactionwerebothforaninstanttobereaduponhiseagerface,thoughwhensheglancedroundtofindoutthecauseofhissilencehehadbecomeasdemureasever.Istaredhardmyselfatherflat,grizzledhair,hertrimcap,herlittlegiltearrings,herplacidfeaturesbutIcouldseenothingwhichcouldaccountformycompanion’sevidentexcitement.
“Therewereoneortwoquestions——”
“Oh,Iamwearyofquestions!”criedMissCushingimpatiently.
“Youhavetwosisters,Ibe