Chapter 9. The Light upon the Moor [Second Report of Dr. Watson]

BaskervilleHall,Oct.15th. MYDEARHOLMES, IfIwascompelledtoleaveyouwithoutmuchnewsduringtheearlydaysofmymissionyoumustacknowledgethatIammakingupforlosttime,andthateventsarenowcrowdingthickandfastuponus.InmylastreportIendeduponmytopnotewithBarrymoreatthewindow,andnowIhavequiteabudgetalreadywhichwill,unlessIammuchmistaken,considerablysurpriseyou.ThingshavetakenaturnwhichIcouldnothaveanticipated.Insomewaystheyhavewithinthelastforty-eighthoursbecomemuchclearerandinsomewaystheyhavebecomemorecomplicated.ButIwilltellyouallandyoushalljudgeforyourself. BeforebreakfastonthemorningfollowingmyadventureIwentdownthecorridorandexaminedtheroominwhichBarrymorehadbeenonthenightbefore.Thewesternwindowthroughwhichhehadstaredsointentlyhas,Inoticed,onepeculiarityaboveallotherwindowsinthehouse—itcommandsthenearestoutlookontothemoor.Thereisanopeningbetweentwotreeswhichenablesonefromthispointofviewtolookrightdownuponit,whilefromalltheotherwindowsitisonlyadistantglimpsewhichcanbeobtained.Itfollows,therefore,thatBarrymore,sinceonlythiswindowwouldservethepurpose,musthavebeenlookingoutforsomethingorsomebodyuponthemoor.Thenightwasverydark,sothatIcanhardlyimaginehowhecouldhavehopedtoseeanyone.Ithadstruckmethatitwaspossiblethatsomeloveintriguewasonfoot.Thatwouldhaveaccountedforhisstealthymovementsandalsofortheuneasinessofhiswife.Themanisastriking-lookingfellow,verywellequippedtostealtheheartofacountrygirl,sothatthistheoryseemedtohavesomethingtosupportit.ThatopeningofthedoorwhichIhadheardafterIhadreturnedtomyroommightmeanthathehadgoneouttokeepsomeclandestineappointment.SoIreasonedwithmyselfinthemorning,andItellyouthedirectionofmysuspicions,howevermuchtheresultmayhaveshownthattheywereunfounded. ButwhateverthetrueexplanationofBarrymore’smovementsmightbe,IfeltthattheresponsibilityofkeepingthemtomyselfuntilIcouldexplainthemwasmorethanIcouldbear.Ihadaninterviewwiththebaronetinhisstudyafterbreakfast,andItoldhimallthatIhadseen.HewaslesssurprisedthanIhadexpected. “IknewthatBarrymorewalkedaboutnights,andIhadamindtospeaktohimaboutit,”saidhe.“TwoorthreetimesIhaveheardhisstepsinthepassage,comingandgoing,justaboutthehouryouname.” “Perhapsthenhepaysavisiteverynighttothatparticularwindow,”Isuggested. “Perhapshedoes.Ifso,weshouldbeabletoshadowhimandseewhatitisthatheisafter.IwonderwhatyourfriendHolmeswoulddoifhewerehere.” “Ibelievethathewoulddoexactlywhatyounowsuggest,”saidI.“HewouldfollowBarrymoreandseewhathedid.” “Thenweshalldoittogether.” “Butsurelyhewouldhearus.” “Themanisratherdeaf,andinanycasewemusttakeourchanceofthat.We’llsitupinmyroomtonightandwaituntilhepasses.”SirHenryrubbedhishandswithpleasure,anditwasevidentthathehailedtheadventureasarelieftohissomewhatquietlifeuponthemoor. ThebaronethasbeenincommunicationwiththearchitectwhopreparedtheplansforSirCharles,andwithacontractorfromLondon,sothatwemayexpectgreatchangestobeginheresoon.TherehavebeendecoratorsandfurnishersupfromPlymouth,anditisevidentthatourfriendhaslargeideasandmeanstosparenopainsorexpensetorestorethegrandeurofhisfamily.Whenthehouseisrenovatedandrefurnished,allthathewillneedwillbeawifetomakeitcomplete.Betweenourselvesthereareprettyclearsignsthatthiswillnotbewantingiftheladyiswilling,forIhaveseldomseenamanmoreinfatuatedwithawomanthanheiswithourbeautifulneighbour,MissStapleton.Andyetthecourseoftruelovedoesnotrunquiteassmoothlyasonewouldunderthecircumstancesexpect.Today,forexample,itssurfacewasbrokenbyaveryunexpectedripple,whichhascausedourfriendconsiderableperplexityandannoyance. AftertheconversationwhichIhavequotedaboutBarrymore,SirHenryputonhishatandpreparedtogoout.AsamatterofcourseIdidthesame. “What,areyoucoming,Watson?”heasked,lookingatmeinacuriousway. “Thatdependsonwhetheryouaregoingonthemoor,”saidI. “Yes,Iam.” “Well,youknowwhatmyinstructionsare.Iamsorrytointrude,butyouheardhowearnestlyHolmesinsistedthatIshouldnotleaveyou,andespeciallythatyoushouldnotgoaloneuponthemoor.” SirHenryputhishanduponmyshoulderwithapleasantsmile. “Mydearfellow,”saidhe,“Holmes,withallhiswisdom,didnotforeseesomethingswhichhavehappenedsinceIhavebeenonthemoor.Youunderstandme?Iamsurethatyouarethelastmanintheworldwhowouldwishtobeaspoil-sport.Imustgooutalone.” Itputmeinamostawkwardposition.Iwasatalosswhattosayorwhattodo,andbeforeIhadmadeupmymindhepickeduphiscaneandwasgone. ButwhenIcametothinkthematterovermyconsciencereproachedmebitterlyforhavingonanypretextallowedhimtogooutofmysight.IimaginedwhatmyfeelingswouldbeifIhadtoreturntoyouandtoconfessthatsomemisfortunehadoccurredthroughmydisregardforyourinstructions.Iassureyoumycheeksflushedattheverythought.Itmightnotevennowbetoolatetoovertakehim,soIsetoffatonceinthedirectionofMerripitHouse. IhurriedalongtheroadatthetopofmyspeedwithoutseeinganythingofSirHenry,untilIcametothepointwherethemoorpathbranchesoff.There,fearingthatperhapsIhadcomeinthewrongdirectionafterall,ImountedahillfromwhichIcouldcommandaview—thesamehillwhichiscutintothedarkquarry.ThenceIsawhimatonce.Hewasonthemoorpathaboutaquarterofamileoff,andaladywasbyhissidewhocouldonlybeMissStapleton.Itwasclearthattherewasalreadyanunderstandingbetweenthemandthattheyhadmetbyappointment.Theywerewalkingslowlyalongindeepconversation,andIsawhermakingquicklittlemovementsofherhandsasifshewereveryearnestinwhatshewassaying,whilehelistenedintently,andonceortwiceshookhisheadinstrongdissent.Istoodamongtherockswatchingthem,verymuchpuzzledastowhatIshoulddonext.Tofollowthemandbreakintotheirintimateconversationseemedtobeanoutrage,andyetmycleardutywasneverforaninstanttolethimoutofmysight.Toactthespyuponafriendwasahatefultask.Still,Icouldseenobettercoursethantoobservehimfromthehill,andtoclear