Chapter 8. First Report of Dr. Watson

inonourwalkhome,andsincethenhardlyadayhaspassedthatwehavenotseensomethingofthebrotherandsister.Theydineheretonight,andthereissometalkofourgoingtothemnextweek.OnewouldimaginethatsuchamatchwouldbeverywelcometoStapleton,andyetIhavemorethanoncecaughtalookofthestrongestdisapprobationinhisfacewhenSirHenryhasbeenpayingsomeattentiontohissister.Heismuchattachedtoher,nodoubt,andwouldleadalonelylifewithouther,butitwouldseemtheheightofselfishnessifheweretostandinthewayofhermakingsobrilliantamarriage.YetIamcertainthathedoesnotwishtheirintimacytoripenintolove,andIhaveseveraltimesobservedthathehastakenpainstopreventthemfrombeingtête-à-tête.Bytheway,yourinstructionstomenevertoallowSirHenrytogooutalonewillbecomeverymuchmoreonerousifaloveaffairweretobeaddedtoourotherdifficulties.MypopularitywouldsoonsufferifIweretocarryoutyourorderstotheletter. Theotherday—Thursday,tobemoreexact—Dr.Mortimerlunchedwithus.HehasbeenexcavatingabarrowatLongDownandhasgotaprehistoricskullwhichfillshimwithgreatjoy.Neverwastheresuchasingle-mindedenthusiastashe!TheStapletonscameinafterwards,andthegooddoctortookusalltotheyewalleyatSirHenry’srequesttoshowusexactlyhoweverythingoccurreduponthatfatalnight.Itisalong,dismalwalk,theyewalley,betweentwohighwallsofclippedhedge,withanarrowbandofgrassuponeitherside.Atthefarendisanoldtumble-downsummer-house.Halfwaydownisthemoor-gate,wheretheoldgentlemanlefthiscigar-ash.Itisawhitewoodengatewithalatch.Beyonditliesthewidemoor.Irememberedyourtheoryoftheaffairandtriedtopictureallthathadoccurred.Astheoldmanstoodtherehesawsomethingcomingacrossthemoor,somethingwhichterrifiedhimsothathelosthiswitsandranandranuntilhediedofsheerhorrorandexhaustion.Therewasthelong,gloomytunneldownwhichhefled.Andfromwhat?Asheep-dogofthemoor?Oraspectralhound,black,silent,andmonstrous?Wasthereahumanagencyinthematter?Didthepale,watchfulBarrymoreknowmorethanhecaredtosay?Itwasalldimandvague,butalwaysthereisthedarkshadowofcrimebehindit. OneotherneighbourIhavemetsinceIwrotelast.ThisisMr.Frankland,ofLafterHall,wholivessomefourmilestothesouthofus.Heisanelderlyman,red-faced,white-haired,andcholeric.HispassionisfortheBritishlaw,andhehasspentalargefortuneinlitigation.Hefightsforthemerepleasureoffightingandisequallyreadytotakeupeithersideofaquestion,sothatitisnowonderthathehasfounditacostlyamusement.Sometimeshewillshutuparightofwayanddefytheparishtomakehimopenit.Atothershewillwithhisownhandsteardownsomeotherman’sgateandd