you.Ishalllookforwardtoseeingyouagainthisafternoon.”Shedroppedherthickblackveiloverherfaceandglidedfromtheroom.
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofitall,Watson?”askedSherlockHolmes,leaningbackinhischair.
“Itseemstometobeamostdarkandsinisterbusiness.”
“Darkenoughandsinisterenough.”
“Yetiftheladyiscorrectinsayingthattheflooringandwallsaresound,andthatthedoor,window,andchimneyareimpassable,thenhersistermusthavebeenundoubtedlyalonewhenshemethermysteriousend.”
“Whatbecomes,then,ofthesenocturnalwhistles,andwhatoftheverypeculiarwordsofthedyingwoman?”
“Icannotthink.”
“Whenyoucombinetheideasofwhistlesatnight,thepresenceofabandofgipsieswhoareonintimatetermswiththisolddoctor,thefactthatwehaveeveryreasontobelievethatthedoctorhasaninterestinpreventinghisstepdaughter’smarriage,thedyingallusiontoaband,and,finally,thefactthatMissHelenStonerheardametallicclang,whichmighthavebeencausedbyoneofthosemetalbarsthatsecuredtheshuttersfallingbackintoitsplace,Ithinkthatthereisgoodgroundtothinkthatthemysterymaybeclearedalongthoselines.”
“Butwhat,then,didthegipsiesdo?”
“Icannotimagine.”
“Iseemanyobjectionstoanysuchtheory.”
“AndsodoI.ItispreciselyforthatreasonthatwearegoingtoStokeMoranthisday.Iwanttoseewhethertheobjectionsarefatal,oriftheymaybeexplainedaway.Butwhatinthenameofthedevil!”
Theejaculationhadbeendrawnfrommycompanionbythefactthatourdoorhadbeensuddenlydashedopen,andthatahugemanhadframedhimselfintheaperture.Hiscostumewasapeculiarmixtureoftheprofessionalandoftheagricultural,havingablacktop-hat,alongfrock-coat,andapairofhighgaiters,withahunting-cropswinginginhishand.Sotallwashethathishatactuallybrushedthecrossbarofthedoorway,andhisbreadthseemedtospanitacrossfromsidetoside.Alargeface,searedwithathousandwrinkles,burnedyellowwiththesun,andmarkedwitheveryevilpassion,wasturnedfromonetotheotherofus,whilehisdeep-set,bile-shoteyes,andhishigh,thin,fleshlessnose,gavehimsomewhattheresemblancetoafierceoldbirdofprey.
“WhichofyouisHolmes?”askedthisapparition.
“Myname,sirbutyouhavetheadvantageofme,”saidmycompanionquietly.
“IamDr.GrimesbyRoylott,ofStokeMoran.”
“Indeed,Doctor,”saidHolmesblandly.“Praytakeaseat.”
“Iwilldonothingofthekind.Mystepdaughterhasbeenhere.Ihavetracedher.Whathasshebeensayingtoyou?”
“Itisalittlecoldforthetimeoftheyear,”saidHolmes.
“Whathasshebeensayingtoyou?”screamedtheoldmanfuriously.
“ButIhaveheardthatthecrocusespromisewell,”continuedmycompanionimperturbably.
“Ha!Youputmeoff,doyou?”saidournewvisitor,takingastepforwardandshakinghishunting-crop.“Iknowyou,youscoundrel!Ihaveheardofyoubefore.YouareHolmes,themeddler.”
Myfriendsmiled.
“Holmes,thebusybody!”
Hissmilebroadened.
“Holmes,theScotlandYardJack-in-office!”
Holmeschuckledheartily.“Yourconversationismostentertaining,”saidhe.“Whenyougooutclosethedoor,forthereisadecideddraught.”
“IwillgowhenIhavehadmysay.Don’tyoudaretomeddlewithmyaffairs.IknowthatMissStonerhasbeenhere.Itracedher!Iamadangerousmantofallfoulof!Seehere.”Hesteppedswiftlyforward,seizedthepoker,andbentitintoacurvewithhishugebrownhands.
“Seethatyoukeepyourselfoutofmygrip,”hesnarled,andhurlingthetwistedpokerintothefireplacehestrodeoutoftheroom.
“Heseemsaveryamiableperson,”saidHolmes,laughing.“Iamnotquitesobulky,butifhehadremainedImighthaveshownhimthatmygripwasnotmuchmorefeeblethanhisown.”Ashespokehepickedupthesteelpokerand,withasuddeneffort,straighteneditoutagain.
“Fancyhishavingtheinsolencetoconfoundmewiththeofficialdetectiveforce!Thisincidentgiveszesttoourinvestigation,however,andIonlytrustthatourlittlefriendwillnotsufferfromherimprudenceinallowingthisbrutetotraceher.Andnow,Watson,weshallorderbreakfast,andafterwardsIshallwalkdowntoDoctors’Commons,whereIhopetogetsomedatawhichmayhelpusinthismatter.”
Itwasnearlyoneo’clockwhenSherlockHolmesreturnedfromhisexcursion.Heheldinhishandasheetofbluepaper,scrawledoverwithnotesandfigures.
“Ihaveseenthewillofthedeceasedwife,”saidhe.“TodetermineitsexactmeaningIhavebeenobligedtoworkoutthepresentpricesoftheinvestmentswithwhichitisconcerned.Thetotalincome,whichatthetimeofthewife’sdeathwaslittleshortof￡1,100,isnow,throughthefallinagriculturalprices,notmorethan￡750.Eachdaughtercanclaimanincomeof￡250,incaseofmarriage.Itisevident,therefore,thatifbothgirlshadmarried,thisbeautywouldhavehadamerepittance,whileevenoneofthemwouldcripplehimtoaveryseriousextent.Mymorning’sworkhasnotbeenwasted,sinceithasprovedthathe