“Man, Watson, man. Only one, but a very formidable person.
Strong as a lion—witness the blow that bent that poker! Six footthree in height, active as a squirrel, dexterous with his fingers,finally, remarkably quick-witted, for this whole ingenious story isof his concoction. Yes, Watson, we have come upon the handiworkof a very remarkable individual. And yet, in that bell-rope, he hasgiven us a clue which should not have left us a doubt.”
1058 The Complete Sherlock Holmes
“Where was the clue?”
“Well, if you were to pull down a bell-rope, Watson, where wouldyou expect it to break? Surely at the spot where it is attached to thewire. Why should it break three inches from the top, as this one hasdone?”
“Because it is frayed there?”
“Exactly. This end, which we can examine, is frayed. He wascunning enough to do that with his knife. But the other end is notfrayed. You could not observe that from here, but if you were onthe mantelpiece you would see that it is cut clean off without anymark of fraying whatever. You can reconstruct what occurred. Theman needed the rope. He would not tear it down for fear of givingthe alarm by ringing the bell. What did he do? He sprang up on themantelpiece, could not quite reach it, put his knee on the bracket—you will see the impression in the dust—and so got his knife to bearupon the cord. I could not reach the place by at least three inches—from which I infer that he is at least three inches a bigger man than I.
Look at that mark upon the seat of the oaken chair! What is it?”
“Blood.”
“Undoubtedly it is blood. This alone puts the lady’s story out ofcourt. If she were seated on the chair when the crime was done,how comes that mark? No, no, she was placed in the chair afterthe death of her husband. I’ll wager that the black dress shows acorresponding mark to this. We have not yet met our Waterloo,Watson, but this is our Marengo, for it begins in defeat andends in victory. I should like now to have a few words with thenurse, Theresa. We must be wary for a while, if we are to get theinformation which we want.”
She was an interesting person, this stern Australian nurse—taciturn, suspicious, ungracious, it took some time beforeHolmes’s pleasant manner and frank acceptance of all that she saidthawed her into a corresponding amiability. She did not attemptto conceal her hatred for her late employer.
“Yes, sir, it is true that he threw the decanter at me. I heard himcall my mistress a name, and I told him that he would not dareto speak so if her brother had been there. Then it was that hethrew it at me. He might have thrown a dozen if he had but leftmy bonny bird alone. He was forever ill-treating her, and she tooproud to complain. She will not even tell me all that he has doneto her. She never told me of those marks on her arm that you sawthis morning, but I know very well that they come from a stabwith a hatpin. The sly devil—God forgive me that I should speakof him so, now that he is dead! But a devil he was, if ever onewalked the earth. He was all honey when first we met him—onlyeighteen months ago, and we both feel as if it were eighteen years.
She had only just arrived in London. Yes, it was her first voyage—The Return of Sherlock Holmes 1059
she had never been from home before. He won her with his titleand his money and his false London ways. If she made a mistakeshe has paid for it, if ever a woman did. What month did we meethim? Well, I tell you it was just after we arrived. We arrived inJune, and it was July. They were married in January of last year.
Yes, she is down in the morning-room again, and I have no doubtshe will see you, but you must not ask too much of her, for she hasgone through all that flesh and blood will stand.”
Lady Brackenstall was reclining on the same couch, but lookedbrighter than before. The maid had entered with us, and beganonce more to foment the bruise upon her mistress’s brow.
“I hope,” said the lady, “that you have not come to cross-examineme again?”
“No,” Holmes answered, in his gentlest voice, “I will not causeyou any unnecessary trouble, Lady Brackenstall, and my wholedesire is to make things easy for you, for I am convinced that youare a much-tried woman. If you will treat me as a friend and trustme, you may find that I will justify your trust.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“To tell me the truth.”
“Mr. Holmes!”
“No, no, Lady Brackenstall—it is no use. You may have heard ofany little reputation which I possess. I will stake it all on the factthat your story is an absolute fabrication.”
Mistress and maid were both staring at Holmes with pale facesand frightened eyes.
“You are an impudent fellow!” cried Theresa. “Do you mean tosay that my mistress has told a lie?”
Holmes rose from his chair.
“Have you nothing to tell me?”
“I have told you everything.”
“Think once more, Lady Brackenstall. Would it not be better tobe frank?”
For an instant there was hesitation in her beautiful face. Thensome new strong thought caused it to set like a mask.
“I have told you all I know.”
Holmes took his hat and shrugged his shoulders. “I am sorry,”
he said, and without another word we left the room and the house.
There was a pond in the park, and to this my friend led the way. Itwas frozen over, but a single hole was left for the convenience of asolitary swan. Holmes gazed at it, and then passed on to the lodgegate. There he scribbled a short note for Stanley Hopkins, and leftit with the lodge-keeper.
“It may be a hit, or it may be a miss, but we are bound to dosomething for friend Hopkins, just to justify this second visit,”
said he. “I will not quite take him into my confidence yet. I think1060 The Complete Sherlock Holmes
our next scene of operations must be the shipping office of theAdelaide-Southampton line, which stands at the end of Pall Mall, ifremember right. There is a second line of steamers which connectSouth Australia with England, but we will draw the larger cover first.”
Holmes’s card sent in to the manager ensured instant attention,and he was not long in acquiring all the information he needed.