fmybelovedsister.”
“Onemoment,”saidHolmes,“areyousureaboutthiswhistleandmetallicsound?Couldyousweartoit?”
“Thatwaswhatthecountycoroneraskedmeattheinquiry.ItismystrongimpressionthatIheardit,andyet,amongthecrashofthegaleandthecreakingofanoldhouse,Imaypossiblyhavebeendeceived.”
“Wasyoursisterdressed?”
“No,shewasinhernight-dress.Inherrighthandwasfoundthecharredstumpofamatch,andinherleftamatch-box.”
“Showingthatshehadstruckalightandlookedaboutherwhenthealarmtookplace.Thatisimportant.Andwhatconclusionsdidthecoronercometo?”
“Heinvestigatedthecasewithgreatcare,forDr.Roylott’sconducthadlongbeennotoriousinthecounty,buthewasunabletofindanysatisfactorycauseofdeath.Myevidenceshowedthatthedoorhadbeenfastenedupontheinnerside,andthewindowswereblockedbyold-fashionedshutterswithbroadironbars,whichweresecuredeverynight.Thewallswerecarefullysounded,andwereshowntobequitesolidallround,andtheflooringwasalsothoroughlyexamined,withthesameresult.Thechimneyiswide,butisbarredupbyfourlargestaples.Itiscertain,therefore,thatmysisterwasquitealonewhenshemetherend.Besides,therewerenomarksofanyviolenceuponher.”
“Howaboutpoison?”
“Thedoctorsexaminedherforit,butwithoutsuccess.”
“Whatdoyouthinkthatthisunfortunateladydiedof,then?”
“Itismybeliefthatshediedofpurefearandnervousshock,thoughwhatitwasthatfrightenedherIcannotimagine.”
“Weretheregipsiesintheplantationatthetime?”
“Yes,therearenearlyalwayssomethere.”
“Ah,andwhatdidyougatherfromthisallusiontoaband—aspeckledband?”
“SometimesIhavethoughtthatitwasmerelythewildtalkofdelirium,sometimesthatitmayhavereferredtosomebandofpeople,perhapstotheseverygipsiesintheplantation.Idonotknowwhetherthespottedhandkerchiefswhichsomanyofthemwearovertheirheadsmighthavesuggestedthestrangeadjectivewhichsheused.”
Holmesshookhisheadlikeamanwhoisfarfrombeingsatisfied.
“Theseareverydeepwaters,”saidhe“praygoonwithyournarrative.”
“Twoyearshavepassedsincethen,andmylifehasbeenuntillatelylonelierthanever.Amonthago,however,adearfriend,whomIhaveknownformanyyears,hasdonemethehonourtoaskmyhandinmarriage.HisnameisArmitage—PercyArmitage—thesecondsonofMr.Armitage,ofCraneWater,nearReading.Mystepfatherhasofferednooppositiontothematch,andwearetobemarriedinthecourseofthespring.Twodaysagosomerepairswerestartedinthewestwingofthebuilding,andmybedroomwallhasbeenpierced,sothatIhavehadtomoveintothechamberinwhichmysisterdied,andtosleepintheverybedinwhichsheslept.Imagine,then,mythrillofterrorwhenlastnight,asIlayawake,thinkingoverherterriblefate,Isuddenlyheardinthesilenceofthenightthelowwhistlewhichhadbeentheheraldofherowndeath.Isprangupandlitthelamp,butnothingwastobeseenintheroom.Iwastooshakentogotobedagain,however,soIdressed,andassoonasitwasdaylightIslippeddown,gotadog-cartattheCrownInn,whichisopposite,anddrovetoLeatherhead,fromwhenceIhavecomeonthismorningwiththeoneobjectofseeingyouandaskingyouradvice.”
“Youhavedonewisely,”saidmyfriend.“Buthaveyoutoldmeall?”
“Yes,all.”
“MissRoylott,youhavenot.Youarescreeningyourstepfather.”
“Why,whatdoyoumean?”
ForanswerHolmespushedbackthefrillofblacklacewhichfringedthehandthatlayuponourvisitor’sknee.Fivelittlelividspots,themarksoffourfingersandathumb,wereprinteduponthewhitewrist.
“Youhavebeencruellyused,”saidHolmes.
Theladycoloureddeeplyandcoveredoverherinjuredwrist.“Heisahardman,”shesaid,“andperhapshehardlyknowshisownstrength.”
Therewasalongsilence,duringwhichHolmesleanedhischinuponhishandsandstaredintothecracklingfire.
“Thisisaverydeepbusiness,”hesaidatlast.“ThereareathousanddetailswhichIshoulddesiretoknowbeforeIdecideuponourcourseofaction.Yetwehavenotamomenttolose.IfweweretocometoStokeMoranto-day,woulditbepossibleforustoseeovertheseroomswithouttheknowledgeofyourstepfather?”
“Asithappens,hespokeofcomingintotownto-dayuponsomemostimportantbusiness.Itisprobablethathewillbeawayallday,andthattherewouldbenothingtodisturbyou.Wehaveahousekeepernow,butsheisoldandfoolish,andIcouldeasilygetheroutoftheway.”
“Excellent.Youarenotaversetothistrip,Watson?”
“Bynomeans.”
“Thenweshallbothcome.Whatareyougoingtodoyourself?”
“IhaveoneortwothingswhichIwouldwishtodonowthatIamintown.ButIshallreturnbythetwelveo’clocktrain,soastobethereintimeforyourcoming.”
“Andyoumayexpectusearlyintheafternoon.Ihavemyselfsomesmallbusinessmatterstoattendto.Willyounotwaitandbreakfast?”
“No,Imustgo.MyheartislightenedalreadysinceIhaveconfidedmytroubleto