Chapter 7. The Stapletons of Merripit House

ThefreshbeautyofthefollowingmorningdidsomethingtoeffacefromourmindsthegrimandgreyimpressionwhichhadbeenleftuponbothofusbyourfirstexperienceofBaskervilleHall.AsSirHenryandIsatatbreakfastthesunlightfloodedinthroughthehighmullionedwindows,throwingwaterypatchesofcolourfromthecoatsofarmswhichcoveredthem.Thedarkpanellingglowedlikebronzeinthegoldenrays,anditwashardtorealisethatthiswasindeedthechamberwhichhadstrucksuchagloomintooursoulsupontheeveningbefore. “Iguessitisourselvesandnotthehousethatwehavetoblame!”saidthebaronet.“Weweretiredwithourjourneyandchilledbyourdrive,sowetookagreyviewoftheplace.Nowwearefreshandwell,soitisallcheerfuloncemore.” “Andyetitwasnotentirelyaquestionofimagination,”Ianswered.“Didyou,forexample,happentohearsomeone,awomanIthink,sobbinginthenight?” “Thatiscurious,forIdidwhenIwashalfasleepfancythatIheardsomethingofthesort.Iwaitedquiteatime,buttherewasnomoreofit,soIconcludedthatitwasalladream.” “Ihearditdistinctly,andIamsurethatitwasreallythesobofawoman.” “Wemustaskaboutthisrightaway.”HerangthebellandaskedBarrymorewhetherhecouldaccountforourexperience.Itseemedtomethatthepallidfeaturesofthebutlerturnedashadepalerstillashelistenedtohismaster’squestion. “Thereareonlytwowomeninthehouse,SirHenry,”heanswered.“Oneisthescullery-maid,whosleepsintheotherwing.Theotherismywife,andIcananswerforitthatthesoundcouldnothavecomefromher.” Andyetheliedashesaidit,foritchancedthatafterbreakfastImetMrs.Barrymoreinthelongcorridorwiththesunfulluponherface.Shewasalarge,impassive,heavy-featuredwomanwithasternsetexpressionofmouth.Buthertelltaleeyeswereredandglancedatmefrombetweenswollenlids.Itwasshe,then,whoweptinthenight,andifshedidsoherhusbandmustknowit.Yethehadtakentheobviousriskofdiscoveryindeclaringthatitwasnotso.Whyhadhedonethis?Andwhydidsheweepsobitterly?Alreadyroundthispale-faced,handsome,black-beardedmantherewasgatheringanatmosphereofmysteryandofgloom.ItwashewhohadbeenthefirsttodiscoverthebodyofSirCharles,andwehadonlyhiswordforallthecircumstanceswhichleduptotheoldman’sdeath.WasitpossiblethatitwasBarrymore,afterall,whomwehadseeninthecabinRegentStreet?Thebeardmightwellhavebeenthesame.Thecabmanhaddescribedasomewhatshorterman,butsuchanimpressionmighteasilyhavebeenerroneous.HowcouldIsettlethepointforever?ObviouslythefirstthingtodowastoseetheGrimpenpostmasterandfindwhetherthetesttelegramhadreallybeenplacedinBarrymore’sownhands.Betheanswerwhatitmight,IshouldatleasthavesomethingtoreporttoSherlockHolmes. SirHenryhadnumerouspaperstoexamineafterbreakfast,sothatthetimewaspropitiousformyexcursion.Itwasapleasantwalkoffourmilesalongtheedgeofthemoor,leadingmeatlasttoasmallgreyhamlet,inwhichtwolargerbuildings,whichprovedtobetheinnandthehouseofDr.Mortimer,stoodhighabovetherest.Thepostmaster,whowasalsothevillagegrocer,hadaclearrecollectionofthetelegram. “Certainly,sir,”saidhe,“IhadthetelegramdeliveredtoMr.Barrymoreexactlyasdirected.” “Whodeliveredit?” “Myboyhere.James,youdeliveredthattelegramtoMr.BarrymoreattheHalllastweek,didyounot?” “Yes,father,Ideliveredit.” “Intohisownhands?”Iasked. “Well,hewasupintheloftatthetime,sothatIcouldnotputitintohisownhands,butIgaveitintoMrs.Barrymore’shands,andshepromisedtodeliveritatonce.” “DidyouseeMr.Barrymore?” “No,sirItellyouhewasintheloft.” “Ifyoudidn’tseehim,howdoyouknowhewasintheloft?” “Well,surelyhisownwifeoughttoknowwhereheis,”saidthepostmastertestily.“Didn’thegetthetelegram?IfthereisanymistakeitisforMr.Barrymorehimselftocomplain.” Itseemedhopelesstopursuetheinquiryanyfarther,butitwasclearthatinspiteofHolmes’srusewehadnoproofthatBarrymorehadnotbeeninLondonallthetime.Supposethatitwereso—supposethatthesamemanhadbeenthelastwhohadseenSirCharlesalive,andthefirsttodogthenewheirwhenhereturnedtoEngland.Whatthen?Washetheagentofothersorhadhesomesinisterdesignofhisown?WhatinterestcouldhehaveinpersecutingtheBaskervillefamily?IthoughtofthestrangewarningclippedoutoftheleadingarticleoftheTimes.Wasthathisworkorwasitpossiblythedoingofsomeonewhowasbentuponcounteractinghisschemes?TheonlyconceivablemotivewasthatwhichhadbeensuggestedbySirHenry,thatifthefamilycouldbescaredawayacomfortableandpermanenthomewouldbesecuredfortheBarrymores.Butsurelysuchanexplanationasthatwouldbequiteinadequatetoaccountforthedeepandsubtleschemingwhichseemedtobeweavinganinvisiblenetroundtheyoungbaronet.Holmeshimselfhadsaidthatnomorecomplexcasehadcometohiminallth