allbemarried,withthecontrolofmyownincome,andthenatleastyoushallnotfindmeungrateful.”
Holmesturnedtohisdeskand,unlockingit,drewoutasmallcase-book,whichheconsulted.
“Farintosh,”saidhe.“Ahyes,Irecallthecaseitwasconcernedwithanopaltiara.Ithinkitwasbeforeyourtime,Watson.Icanonlysay,madam,thatIshallbehappytodevotethesamecaretoyourcaseasIdidtothatofyourfriend.Astoreward,myprofessionisitsownrewardbutyouareatlibertytodefraywhateverexpensesImaybeputto,atthetimewhichsuitsyoubest.AndnowIbegthatyouwilllaybeforeuseverythingthatmayhelpusinforminganopinionuponthematter.”
“Alas!”repliedourvisitor,“theveryhorrorofmysituationliesinthefactthatmyfearsaresovague,andmysuspicionsdependsoentirelyuponsmallpoints,whichmightseemtrivialtoanother,thatevenhetowhomofallothersIhavearighttolookforhelpandadvicelooksuponallthatItellhimaboutitasthefanciesofanervouswoman.Hedoesnotsayso,butIcanreaditfromhissoothinganswersandavertedeyes.ButIhaveheard,Mr.Holmes,thatyoucanseedeeplyintothemanifoldwickednessofthehumanheart.Youmayadvisemehowtowalkamidthedangerswhichencompassme.”
“Iamallattention,madam.”
“MynameisHelenStoner,andIamlivingwithmystepfather,whoisthelastsurvivorofoneoftheoldestSaxonfamiliesinEngland,theRoylottsofStokeMoran,onthewesternborderofSurrey.”
Holmesnoddedhishead.“Thenameisfamiliartome,”saidhe.
“ThefamilywasatonetimeamongtherichestinEngland,andtheestatesextendedoverthebordersintoBerkshireinthenorth,andHampshireinthewest.Inthelastcentury,however,foursuccessiveheirswereofadissoluteandwastefuldisposition,andthefamilyruinwaseventuallycompletedbyagamblerinthedaysoftheRegency.Nothingwasleftsaveafewacresofground,andthetwo-hundred-year-oldhouse,whichisitselfcrushedunderaheavymortgage.Thelastsquiredraggedouthisexistencethere,livingthehorriblelifeofanaristocraticpauperbuthisonlyson,mystepfather,seeingthathemustadapthimselftothenewconditions,obtainedanadvancefromarelative,whichenabledhimtotakeamedicaldegreeandwentouttoCalcutta,where,byhisprofessionalskillandhisforceofcharacter,heestablishedalargepractice.Inafitofanger,however,causedbysomerobberieswhichhadbeenperpetratedinthehouse,hebeathisnativebutlertodeathandnarrowlyescapedacapitalsentence.Asitwas,hesufferedalongtermofimprisonmentandafterwardsreturnedtoEnglandamoroseanddisappointedman.
“WhenDr.RoylottwasinIndiahemarriedmymother,Mrs.Stoner,theyoungwidowofMajor-GeneralStoner,oftheBengalArtillery.MysisterJuliaandIweretwins,andwewereonlytwoyearsoldatthetimeofmymother’sre-marriage.Shehadaconsiderablesumofmoney—notlessthan￡1000ayear—andthisshebequeathedtoDr.Roylottentirelywhileweresidedwithhim,withaprovisionthatacertainannualsumshouldbeallowedtoeachofusintheeventofourmarriage.ShortlyafterourreturntoEnglandmymotherdied—shewaskilledeightyearsagoinarailwayaccidentnearCrewe.Dr.RoylottthenabandonedhisattemptstoestablishhimselfinpracticeinLondonandtookustolivewithhimintheoldancestralhouseatStokeMoran.Themoneywhichmymotherhadleftwasenoughforallourwants,andthereseemedtobenoobstacletoourhappiness.
“Butaterriblechangecameoverourstepfatheraboutthistime.Insteadofmakingfriendsandexchangingvisitswithourneighbours,whohadatfirstbeenoverjoyedtoseeaRoylottofStokeMoranbackintheoldfamilyseat,heshuthimselfupinhishouseandseldomcameoutsavetoindulgeinferociousquarrelswithwhoevermightcrosshispath.Violenceoftemperapproachingtomaniahasbeenhereditaryinthemenofthefamily,andinmystepfather’scaseithad,Ibelieve,beenintensifiedbyhislongresidenceinthetropics.Aseriesofdisgracefulbrawlstookplace,twoofwhichendedinthepolice-court,untilatlasthebecametheterrorofthevillage,andthefolkswouldflyathisapproach,forheisamanofimmensestrength,andabsolutelyuncontrollableinhisanger.
“Lastweekhehurledthelocalblacksmithoveraparapetintoastream,anditwasonlybypayingoverallthemoneywhichIcouldgathertogetherthatIwasabletoavertanotherpublicexposure.Hehadnofriendsatallsavethewanderinggipsies,andhewouldgivethesevagabondsleavetoencampuponthefewacresofbramble-coveredlandwhichrepresentthefamilyestate,andwouldacceptinreturnthehospitalityoftheirtents,wanderingawaywiththemsometimesforweeksonend.HehasapassionalsoforIndiananimals,whicharesentovertohimbyacorrespondent,andhehasatthismomentacheetahandababoon,whichwanderfreelyoverhisgroundsandarefearedbythevillagersalmostasmuchastheirmaster.
“YoucanimaginefromwhatIsaythatmypoorsisterJuliaandIhadnogreatpleasureinourlives.Noservantwouldstaywithus,andforalongtimewedidalltheworkofthehouse.