ficulty.If,ontheotherhand,asIfancyismorelikely,theinmateswerewarnedofyourcoming,andleftbeforeyouenteredyesterday,thentheymaybebacknow,andweshouldclearitallupeasily.Letmeadviseyou,then,toreturntoNorbury,andtoexaminethewindowsofthecottageagain.Ifyouhavereasontobelievethatitisinhabited,donotforceyourwayin,butsendawiretomyfriendandme.Weshallbewithyouwithinanhourofreceivingit,andweshallthenverysoongettothebottomofthebusiness.”
“Andifitisstillempty?”
“InthatcaseIshallcomeoutto-morrowandtalkitoverwithyou.Good-byand,aboveall,donotfretuntilyouknowthatyoureallyhaveacauseforit.”
“Iamafraidthatthisisabadbusiness,Watson,”saidmycompanion,ashereturnedafteraccompanyingMr.GrantMunrotothedoor.“Whatdoyoumakeofit?”
“Ithadanuglysound,”Ianswered.
“Yes.There’sblackmailinit,orIammuchmistaken.”
“Andwhoistheblackmailer?”
“Well,itmustbethecreaturewholivesintheonlycomfortableroomintheplace,andhasherphotographabovehisfireplace.Uponmyword,Watson,thereissomethingveryattractiveaboutthatlividfaceatthewindow,andIwouldnothavemissedthecaseforworlds.”
“Youhaveatheory?”
“Yes,aprovisionalone.ButIshallbesurprisedifitdoesnotturnouttobecorrect.Thiswoman’sfirsthusbandisinthatcottage.”
“Whydoyouthinkso?”
“Howelsecanweexplainherfrenziedanxietythathersecondoneshouldnotenterit?Thefacts,asIreadthem,aresomethinglikethis:ThiswomanwasmarriedinAmerica.Herhusbanddevelopedsomehatefulqualitiesorshallwesaythathecontractedsomeloathsomedisease,andbecamealeperoranimbecile?Shefliesfromhimatlast,returnstoEngland,changeshername,andstartsherlife,asshethinks,afresh.Shehasbeenmarriedthreeyears,andbelievesthatherpositionisquitesecure,havingshownherhusbandthedeathcertificateofsomemanwhosenameshehasassumed,whensuddenlyherwhereaboutsisdiscoveredbyherfirsthusbandor,wemaysuppose,bysomeunscrupulouswomanwhohasattachedherselftotheinvalid.Theywritetothewife,andthreatentocomeandexposeher.Sheasksforahundredpounds,andendeavourstobuythemoff.Theycomeinspiteofit,andwhenthehusbandmentionscasuallytothewifethattherearenew-comersinthecottage,sheknowsinsomewaythattheyareherpursuers.Shewaitsuntilherhusbandisasleep,andthensherushesdowntoendeavourtopersuadethemtoleaveherinpeace.Havingnosuccess,shegoesagainnextmorning,andherhusbandmeetsher,ashehastoldus,asshecomesout.Shepromiseshimthennottogothereagain,buttwodaysafterwardsthehopeofgettingridofthosedreadfulneighbourswastoostrongforher,andshemadeanotherattempt,takingdownwithherthephotographwhichhadprobablybeendemandedfromher.Inthemidstofthisinterviewthemaidrushedintosaythatthemasterhadcomehome,onwhichthewife,knowingthathewouldcomestraightdowntothecottage,hurriedtheinmatesoutatthebackdoor,intothegroveoffir-trees,probably,whichwasmentionedasstandingnear.Inthiswayhefoundtheplacedeserted.Ishallbeverymuchsurprised,however,ifitisstillsowhenhereconnoitresitthisevening.Whatdoyouthinkofmytheory?”
“Itisallsurmise.”
“Butatleastitcoversallthefacts.Whennewfactscometoourknowledgewhichcannotbecoveredbyit,itwillbetimeenoughtoreconsiderit.WecandonothingmoreuntilwehaveamessagefromourfriendatNorbury.”
Butwehadnotaverylongtimetowaitforthat.Itcamejustaswehadfinishedourtea.“Thecottageisstilltenanted,”itsaid.“Haveseenthefaceagainatthewindow.Willmeettheseveno’clocktra