retwoofusheputusbothintoitandsteppedhimselfintoafour-wheeler,whichhappenedtobetheonlyothercabinthestreet.Wegottothechurchfirst,andwhenthefour-wheelerdroveupwewaitedforhimtostepout,butheneverdid,andwhenthecabmangotdownfromtheboxandlookedtherewasnoonethere!Thecabmansaidthathecouldnotimaginewhathadbecomeofhim,forhehadseenhimgetinwithhisowneyes.ThatwaslastFriday,Mr.Holmes,andIhaveneverseenorheardanythingsincethentothrowanylightuponwhatbecameofhim.”
“Itseemstomethatyouhavebeenveryshamefullytreated,”saidHolmes.
“Oh,no,sir!Hewastoogoodandkindtoleavemeso.Why,allthemorninghewassayingtomethat,whateverhappened,Iwastobetrueandthatevenifsomethingquiteunforeseenoccurredtoseparateus,IwasalwaystorememberthatIwaspledgedtohim,andthathewouldclaimhispledgesoonerorlater.Itseemedstrangetalkforawedding-morning,butwhathashappenedsincegivesameaningtoit.”
“Mostcertainlyitdoes.Yourownopinionis,then,thatsomeunforeseencatastrophehasoccurredtohim?”
“Yes,sir.Ibelievethatheforesawsomedanger,orelsehewouldnothavetalkedso.AndthenIthinkthatwhatheforesawhappened.”
“Butyouhavenonotionastowhatitcouldhavebeen?”
“None.”
“Onemorequestion.Howdidyourmothertakethematter?”
“Shewasangry,andsaidthatIwasnevertospeakofthematteragain.”
“Andyourfather?Didyoutellhim?”
“Yesandheseemedtothink,withme,thatsomethinghadhappened,andthatIshouldhearofHosmeragain.Ashesaid,whatinterestcouldanyonehaveinbringingmetothedoorsofthechurch,andthenleavingme?Now,ifhehadborrowedmymoney,orifhehadmarriedmeandgotmymoneysettledonhim,theremightbesomereason,butHosmerwasveryindependentaboutmoneyandneverwouldlookatashillingofmine.Andyet,whatcouldhavehappened?Andwhycouldhenotwrite?Oh,itdrivesmehalf-madtothinkofit,andIcan’tsleepawinkatnight.”Shepulledalittlehandkerchiefoutofhermuffandbegantosobheavilyintoit.
“Ishallglanceintothecaseforyou,”saidHolmes,rising,“andIhavenodoubtthatweshallreachsomedefiniteresult.Lettheweightofthematterrestuponmenow,anddonotletyourminddwelluponitfurther.Aboveall,trytoletMr.HosmerAngelvanishfromyourmemory,ashehasdonefromyourlife.”
“Thenyoudon’tthinkI’llseehimagain?”
“Ifearnot.”
“Thenwhathashappenedtohim?”
“Youwillleavethatquestioninmyhands.Ishouldlikeanaccuratedescriptionofhimandanylettersofhiswhichyoucanspare.”
“IadvertisedforhiminlastSaturday’sChronicle,”saidshe.“Hereistheslipandherearefourlettersfromhim.”
“Thankyou.Andyouraddress?”
“No.31LyonPlace,Camberwell.”
“Mr.Angel’saddressyouneverhad,Iunderstand.Whereisyourfather’splaceofbusiness?”
“HetravelsforWesthouse&Marbank,thegreatclaretimportersofFenchurchStreet.”
“Thankyou.Youhavemadeyourstatementveryclearly.Youwillleavethepapershere,andremembertheadvicewhichIhavegivenyou.Letthewholeincidentbeasealedbook,anddonotallowittoaffectyourlife.”
“Youareverykind,Mr.Holmes,butIcannotdothat.IshallbetruetoHosmer.Heshallfindmereadywhenhecomesback.”
Forallthepreposteroushatandthevacuousface,therewassomethingnobleinthesimplefaithofourvisitorwhichcompelledourrespect.Shelaidherlittlebundleofpapersuponthetableandwentherway,withapromisetocomeagainwhenevershemightbesummoned.
SherlockHolmessatsilentforafewminuteswithhisfinger