ild?”
Shedrewalargesilverlocketfromherbosom.“Youhaveneverseenthisopen.”
“Iunderstoodthatitdidnotopen.”
Shetouchedaspring,andthefronthingedback.Therewasaportraitwithinofamanstrikinglyhandsomeandintelligent-looking,butbearingunmistakablesignsuponhisfeaturesofhisAfricandescent.
“ThatisJohnHebron,ofAtlanta,”saidthelady,“andanoblermanneverwalkedtheearth.Icutmyselfofffrommyraceinordertowedhim,butneveroncewhileheliveddidIforaninstantregretit.Itwasourmisfortunethatouronlychildtookafterhispeopleratherthanmine.Itisoftensoinsuchmatches,andlittleLucyisdarkerfarthaneverherfatherwas.Butdarkorfair,sheismyowndearlittlegirlie,andhermother’spet.”Thelittlecreatureranacrossatthewordsandnestledupagainstthelady’sdress.“WhenIleftherinAmerica,”shecontinued,“itwasonlybecauseherhealthwasweak,andthechangemighthavedoneherharm.ShewasgiventothecareofafaithfulScotchwomanwhohadoncebeenourservant.NeverforaninstantdidIdreamofdisowningherasmychild.Butwhenchancethrewyouinmyway,Jack,andIlearnedtoloveyou,Ifearedtotellyouaboutmychild.Godforgiveme,IfearedthatIshouldloseyou,andIhadnotthecouragetotellyou.Ihadtochoosebetweenyou,andinmyweaknessIturnedawayfrommyownlittlegirl.ForthreeyearsIhavekeptherexistenceasecretfromyou,butIheardfromthenurse,andIknewthatallwaswellwithher.Atlast,however,therecameanoverwhelmingdesiretoseethechildoncemore.Istruggledagainstit,butinvain.ThoughIknewthedanger,Ideterminedtohavethechildover,ifitwerebutforafewweeks.Isentahundredpoundstothenurse,andIgaveherinstructionsaboutthiscottage,sothatshemightcomeasaneighbour,withoutmyappearingtobeinanywayconnectedwithher.Ipushedmyprecautionssofarastoorderhertokeepthechildinthehouseduringthedaytime,andtocoverupherlittlefaceandhandssothateventhosewhomightseeheratthewindowshouldnotgossipabouttherebeingablackchildintheneighbourhood.IfIhadbeenlesscautiousImighthavebeenmorewise,butIwashalfcrazywithfearthatyoushouldlearnthetruth.
“Itwasyouwhotoldmefirstthatthecottagewasoccupied.Ishouldhavewaitedforthemorning,butIcouldnotsleepforexcitement,andsoatlastIslippedout,knowinghowdifficultitistoawakeyou.Butyousawmego,andthatwasthebeginningofmytroubles.Nextdayyouhadmysecretatyourmercy,butyounoblyrefrainedfrompursuingyouradvantage.Threedayslater,however,thenurseandchildonlyjustescapedfromthebackdoorasyourushedinatthefrontone.Andnowto-nightyouatlastknowall,andIaskyouwhatistobecomeofus,mychildandme?”Sheclaspedherhandsandwaitedforananswer.
ItwasalongtenminutesbeforeGrantMunrobrokethesilence,andwhenhisanswercameitwasoneofwhichIlovetothink.Heliftedthelittlechild,kissedher,andthen,stillcarryingher,heheldhisotherhandouttohiswifeandturnedtowardsthedoor.
“Wecantalkitovermorecomfortablyathome,”saidhe.“Iamnotaverygoodman,Effie,butIthinkthatIamabetteronethanyouhavegivenmecreditforbeing.”
HolmesandIfollowedthemdownthelane,andmyfriendpluckedatmysleeveaswecameout.
“Ithink,”saidhe,“thatweshallbeofmoreuseinLondonthaninNorbury.”
Notanotherworddidhesayofthecaseuntillatethatnight,whenhewasturningaway,withhislightedcandle,forhisbedroom.
“Watson,”saidhe,“ifitshouldeverstrikeyouthatIamgettingalittleover-confidentinmypowers,orgivinglesspainstoacasethanitdeserves,kindlywhisper‘Norbury’inmyear,andIshallbeinfinitelyobligedtoyou.”