rness,andsmoothingitoutuponthetablehedrewoverthelampandexamineditintently.Ihadleftmychairandwasgazingatitoverhisshoulder.TheenvelopewasaverycoarseoneandwasstampedwiththeGravesendpostmarkandwiththedateofthatveryday,orratherofthedaybefore,foritwasconsiderablyaftermidnight.
“Coarsewriting,”murmuredHolmes.“Surelythisisnotyourhusband’swriting,madam.”
“No,buttheenclosureis.”
“Iperceivealsothatwhoeveraddressedtheenvelopehadtogoandinquireastotheaddress.”
“Howcanyoutellthat?”
“Thename,yousee,isinperfectlyblackink,whichhasdrieditself.Therestisofthegreyishcolour,whichshowsthatblotting-paperhasbeenused.Ifithadbeenwrittenstraightoff,andthenblotted,nonewouldbeofadeepblackshade.Thismanhaswrittenthename,andtherehasthenbeenapausebeforehewrotetheaddress,whichcanonlymeanthathewasnotfamiliarwithit.Itis,ofcourse,atrifle,butthereisnothingsoimportantastrifles.Letusnowseetheletter.Ha!therehasbeenanenclosurehere!”
“Yes,therewasaring.Hissignet-ring.”
“Andyouaresurethatthisisyourhusband’shand?”
“Oneofhishands.”
“One?”
“Hishandwhenhewrotehurriedly.Itisveryunlikehisusualwriting,andyetIknowitwell.”
“‘Dearestdonotbefrightened.Allwillcomewell.Thereisahugeerrorwhichitmaytakesomelittletimetorectify.Waitinpatience.—NEVILLE.’Writteninpenciluponthefly-leafofabook,octavosize,nowater-mark.Hum!Postedto-dayinGravesendbyamanwithadirtythumb.Ha!Andtheflaphasbeengummed,ifIamnotverymuchinerror,byapersonwhohadbeenchewingtobacco.Andyouhavenodoubtthatitisyourhusband’shand,madam?”
“None.Nevillewrotethosewords.”
“Andtheywerepostedto-dayatGravesend.Well,Mrs.St.Clair,thecloudslighten,thoughIshouldnotventuretosaythatthedangerisover.”
“Buthemustbealive,Mr.Holmes.”
“Unlessthisisacleverforgerytoputusonthewrongscent.Thering,afterall,provesnothing.Itmayhavebeentakenfromhim.”
“No,noitis,itishisveryownwriting!”
“Verywell.Itmay,however,havebeenwrittenonMondayandonlypostedto-day.”
“Thatispossible.”
“Ifso,muchmayhavehappenedbetween.”
“Oh,youmustnotdiscourageme,Mr.Holmes.Iknowthatalliswellwithhim.ThereissokeenasympathybetweenusthatIshouldknowifevilcameuponhim.OntheverydaythatIsawhimlasthecuthimselfinthebedroom,andyetIinthedining-roomrushedupstairsinstantlywiththeutmostcertaintythatsomethinghadhappened.DoyouthinkthatIwouldrespondtosuchatrifleandyetbeignorantofhisdeath?”
“Ihaveseentoomuchnottoknowthattheimpressionofawomanmaybemorevaluablethantheconclusionofananalyticalreasoner.Andinthisletteryoucertainlyhaveaverystrongpieceofevidencetocorroborateyourview.Butifyourhusbandisaliveandabletowriteletters,whyshouldheremainawayfromyou?”
“Icannotimagine.Itisunthinkable.”
“AndonMondayhemadenoremarksbeforeleavingyou?”
“No.”
“AndyouweresurprisedtoseehiminSwandamLane?”
“Verymuchso.”
“Wasthewindowopen?”
“Yes.”
“Thenhemighthavecalledtoyou?”
“Hemight.”
“Heonly,asIunderstand,gaveaninarticulatecry?”
“Yes.”
“Acallforhelp,youthought?”
“Yes.Hewavedhishands.”
“Butitmighthavebeenacryofsurprise.Astonishmentattheunexpectedsightofyoumightcausehimtothrowuphishands?”
“Itispossible.”
“Andyouthoughthewaspulledback?”
“Hedisappearedsosuddenly.”
“Hemighthaveleapedback.Youdidnotseeanyoneelseintheroom?”
“No,butthishorriblemanconfessedtohavingbeenthere,andtheLascarwasatthefootofthestairs.”
“Quiteso.Yourhusband,asfarasyoucouldsee,hadhisordinaryclotheson?”
“Butwithouthiscollarortie.Idistinctlysawhisbarethroat.”
“HadheeverspokenofSwandamLane?”
“Never.”
“Hadheevershowedanysignsofhavingtakenopium?”
“Never.”
“Thankyou,Mrs.St.Clair.ThosearetheprincipalpointsaboutwhichIwishedtobeabsolutelyclear.Weshallnowhavealittlesupperandthenretire,forwemayhaveaverybusydayto-morrow.”
Alargeandcomfortabledouble-beddedroomhadbeenplacedatourdisposal,andIwasquicklybetweenthesheets,forIwaswearyaftermynightofadventure.SherlockHolmeswasaman,however,who,whenhehadanunsolvedproblemuponhismind,wouldgofordays,andevenforaweek,withoutrest,turningitover,rearranginghisfacts,lookingatitfromeverypointofviewuntilhehadeitherfathomeditorconvincedhimselfthathisdatawereinsufficient.Itwasso