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

myconsciencebyconfessingtohimafterwardswhatIhaddone.ItistruethatifanysuddendangerhadthreatenedhimIwastoofarawaytobeofuse,andyetIamsurethatyouwillagreewithmethatthepositionwasverydifficult,andthattherewasnothingmorewhichIcoulddo. Ourfriend,SirHenry,andtheladyhadhaltedonthepathandwerestandingdeeplyabsorbedintheirconversation,whenIwassuddenlyawarethatIwasnottheonlywitnessoftheirinterview.Awispofgreenfloatingintheaircaughtmyeye,andanotherglanceshowedmethatitwascarriedonastickbyamanwhowasmovingamongthebrokenground.ItwasStapletonwithhisbutterfly-net.HewasverymuchclosertothepairthanIwas,andheappearedtobemovingintheirdirection.AtthisinstantSirHenrysuddenlydrewMissStapletontohisside.Hisarmwasroundher,butitseemedtomethatshewasstrainingawayfromhimwithherfaceaverted.Hestoopedhisheadtohers,andsheraisedonehandasifinprotest.NextmomentIsawthemspringapartandturnhurriedlyround.Stapletonwasthecauseoftheinterruption.Hewasrunningwildlytowardsthem,hisabsurdnetdanglingbehindhim.Hegesticulatedandalmostdancedwithexcitementinfrontofthelovers.WhatthescenemeantIcouldnotimagine,butitseemedtomethatStapletonwasabusingSirHenry,whoofferedexplanations,whichbecamemoreangryastheotherrefusedtoacceptthem.Theladystoodbyinhaughtysilence.FinallyStapletonturneduponhisheelandbeckonedinaperemptorywaytohissister,who,afteranirresoluteglanceatSirHenry,walkedoffbythesideofherbrother.Thenaturalist’sangrygesturesshowedthattheladywasincludedinhisdispleasure.Thebaronetstoodforaminutelookingafterthem,andthenhewalkedslowlybackthewaythathehadcome,hisheadhanging,theverypictureofdejection. WhatallthismeantIcouldnotimagine,butIwasdeeplyashamedtohavewitnessedsointimateascenewithoutmyfriend’sknowledge.Irandownthehillthereforeandmetthebaronetatthebottom.Hisfacewasflushedwithangerandhisbrowswerewrinkled,likeonewhoisathiswit’sendswhattodo. “Halloa,Watson!Wherehaveyoudroppedfrom?”saidhe.“Youdon’tmeantosaythatyoucameaftermeinspiteofall?” Iexplainedeverythingtohim:howIhadfounditimpossibletoremainbehind,howIhadfollowedhim,andhowIhadwitnessedallthathadoccurred.Foraninstanthiseyesblazedatme,butmyfranknessdisarmedhisanger,andhebrokeatlastintoaratherruefullaugh. “Youwouldhavethoughtthemiddleofthatprairieafairlysafeplaceforamantobeprivate,”saidhe,“but,bythunder,thewholecountrysideseemstohavebeenouttoseemedomywooing—andamightypoorwooingatthat!Wherehadyouengagedaseat?” “Iwasonthathill.” “Quiteinthebackrow,eh?Butherbrotherwaswelluptothefront.Didyouseehimcomeoutonus?” “Yes,Idid.” “Didheeverstrikeyouasbeingcrazy—thisbrotherofhers?” “Ican’tsaythatheeverdid.” “Idaresaynot.Ialwaysthoughthimsaneenoughuntiltoday,butyoucantakeitfrommethateitherheorIoughttobeinastraitjacket.What’sthematterwithme,anyhow?You’velivednearmeforsomeweeks,Watson.Tellmestraight,now!IsthereanythingthatwouldpreventmefrommakingagoodhusbandtoawomanthatIloved?” “Ishouldsaynot.” “Hecan’tobjecttomyworldlyposition,soitmustbemyselfthathehasthisdownon.Whathasheagainstme?IneverhurtmanorwomaninmylifethatIknowof.Andyethewouldnotsomuchasletmetouchthetipsofherfingers.” “Didhesayso?” “That,andadealmore.Itellyou,Watson,I’veonlyknownherthesefewweeks,butfromthefirstIjustfeltthatshewasmadeforme,andshe,too—shewashappywhenshewaswithme,andthatI’llswear.There’salightinawoman’seyesthatspeakslouderthanwords.ButhehasneverletusgettogetheranditwasonlytodayforthefirsttimethatIsawachanceofhavingafewwordswithheralone.Shewasgladtomeetme,butwhenshediditwasnotlovethatshewouldtalkabout,andshewouldn’thaveletmetalkaboutiteitherifshecouldhavestoppedit.Shekeptcomingbacktoitthatthiswasaplaceofdanger,andthatshewouldneverbehappyuntilIhadleftit.ItoldherthatsinceIhadseenherIwasinnohurrytoleaveit,andthatifshereallywantedmetogo,theonlywaytoworkitwasforhertoarrangetogowithme.WiththatIofferedinasmanywordstomarryher,butbeforeshecouldanswer,downcamethisbrotherofhers,runningatuswithafaceonhimlikeamadman.Hewasjustwhitewithrage,andthoselighteyesofhiswereblazingwithfury.WhatwasIdoingwiththelady?HowdaredIofferherattentionswhichweredistastefultoher?DidIthinkthatbecauseIwasabaronetIcoulddowhatIliked?IfhehadnotbeenherbrotherIshouldhaveknownbetterhowtoanswerhim.AsitwasItoldhimthatmyfeelingstowardshissisterweresuchasIwasnotashamedof,andthatIhopedthatshemighthonourmebybecomingmywife.Thatseemedtomakethematternobetter,sothenIlostmytempertoo,andIansweredhimrathermorehotlythanIshouldperhaps,consideringthatshewasstandingby.Soitendedbyhisgoingoffwithher,asyousaw,andhereamIasbadlypuzzledamanasanyinthiscounty.Justtellmewhatitallmeans,Watson,andI’lloweyoumorethaneverIcanhopetopay.” Itriedoneortwoexplanations,but,indeed,Iwascompletelypuzzledmyself.Ourfriend’stitle,hisfortune,hisage,hischaracter,andhisappearanceareallinhisfavour,andIknownothingagainsthimunlessitbethisdarkfatewhichrunsinhisfamily.Thathisadvancesshouldberejectedsobrusquelywithoutanyreferencetothelady’sownwishesandthattheladyshouldacceptthesituationwithoutprotestisveryamazing.However,ourconjecturesweresetatrestbyavisitfromStapletonhimselfthatveryafternoon.Hehadcometoofferapologiesforhisrudenessofthemorning,andafteralongprivateinterviewwithSirHenryinhisstudytheupshotoftheirconversationwasthatthebreachisquitehealed,andthatwearetodineatMerripitHousenextFridayasasignofit. “Idon’tsaynowthatheisn’tacrazyman,”saidSirHenry“Ican’tforgetthelookinhiseyeswhenheranatmethismorning,butImustallowthatnomancouldmakeamorehandsomeapologythanhehasdone.” “Didhegiveanyexplanationofhisconduct?” “Hissisteriseverythinginhislife,hesays.Thatisnaturalenough,andIamgladthatheshouldunderstandhervalue.Theyhavealwaysbeentogether,andaccordingtohisaccounthehasbeenaverylonelymanwithonlyherasacompanion,sothatthethoughtoflosi