ebothshownextraordinarypatiencetowardshim,”Ianswered.
“‘“Oh,youdo,doyou?”hesnarls.“Verygood,mate.We’llseeaboutthat!”Heslouchedoutoftheroom,andhalfanhourafterwardsleftthehouse,leavingmyfatherinastateofpitiablenervousness.NightafternightIheardhimpacinghisroom,anditwasjustashewasrecoveringhisconfidencethattheblowdidatlastfall.
“‘Andhow?’Iaskedeagerly.
“‘Inamostextraordinaryfashion.Aletterarrivedformyfatheryesterdayevening,bearingtheFordingbridgepostmark.Myfatherreadit,clappedbothhishandstohishead,andbeganrunningroundtheroominlittlecircleslikeamanwhohasbeendrivenoutofhissenses.WhenIatlastdrewhimdownontothesofa,hismouthandeyelidswereallpuckeredononeside,andIsawthathehadastroke.Dr.Fordhamcameoveratonce.Weputhimtobedbuttheparalysishasspread,hehasshownnosignofreturningconsciousness,andIthinkthatweshallhardlyfindhimalive.’
“‘Youhorrifyme,Trevor!’Icried.‘Whatthencouldhavebeeninthislettertocausesodreadfularesult?’
“‘Nothing.Thereliestheinexplicablepartofit.Themessagewasabsurdandtrivial.Ah,myGod,itisasIfeared!’
“Ashespokewecameroundthecurveoftheavenue,andsawinthefadinglightthateveryblindinthehousehadbeendrawndown.Aswedasheduptothedoor,myfriend’sfaceconvulsedwithgrief,agentlemaninblackemergedfromit.
“‘Whendidithappen,doctor?’askedTrevor.
“‘Almostimmediatelyafteryouleft.’
“‘Didherecoverconsciousness?’
“‘Foraninstantbeforetheend.’
“‘Anymessageforme.’
“‘OnlythatthepaperswereinthebackdraweroftheJapanesecabinet.’
“Myfriendascendedwiththedoctortothechamberofdeath,whileIremainedinthestudy,turningthewholematteroverandoverinmyhead,andfeelingassombreaseverIhaddoneinmylife.WhatwasthepastofthisTrevor,pugilist,traveler,andgold-digger,andhowhadheplacedhimselfinthepowerofthisacid-facedseaman?Why,too,shouldhefaintatanallusiontothehalf-effacedinitialsuponhisarm,anddieoffrightwhenhehadaletterfromFordingbridge?ThenIrememberedthatFordingbridgewasinHampshire,andthatthisMr.Beddoes,whomtheseamanhadgonetovisitandpresumablytoblackmail,hadalsobeenmentionedaslivinginHampshire.Theletter,then,mighteithercomefromHudson,theseaman,sayingthathehadbetrayedtheguiltysecretwhichappearedtoexist,oritmightcomefromBeddoes,warninganoldconfederatethatsuchabetrayalwasimminent.Sofaritseemedclearenough.Butthenhowcouldthisletterbetrivialandgrotesque,asdescribedbytheson?Hemusthavemisreadit.Ifso,itmusthavebeenoneofthoseingenioussecretcodeswhichmeanonethingwhiletheyseemtomeananother.Imustseethisletter.Iftherewereahiddenmeaninginit,IwasconfidentthatIcouldpluckitforth.ForanhourIsatponderingoveritinthegloom,untilatlastaweepingmaidbroughtinalamp,andcloseatherheelscamemyfriendTrevor,palebutcomposed,withtheseverypaperswhichlieuponmykneeheldinhisgrasp.Hesatdownoppositetome,drewthelamptotheedgeofthetable,andhandedmeashortnotescribbled,asyousee,uponasinglesheetofgreypaper.‘ThesupplyofgameforLondonisgoingsteadilyup,’itran.‘Head-keeperHudson,webelieve,hasbeennowtoldtoreceiveallordersforflypaperandforpreservationofyourhenpheasant’slife.’
“IdaresaymyfacelookedasbewilderedasyoursdidjustnowwhenfirstIreadthismessage.ThenIrereaditverycarefully.ItwasevidentlyasIhadthought,andsomesecretmeaningmustlieburiedinthisstrangecombinationofwords.Orcoulditbethattherewasaprearrangedsignificancetosuchphrasesas‘flypaper’and‘henpheasant’?Suchameaningwouldbearbitraryandcouldnotbededucedinanyway.AndyetIwasloathtobelievethatthiswasthecase,andthepresenceoftheword‘Hudson’seemedtoshowthatthesubjectofthemes