Chapter 11. The Man on the Tor
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Charleslearnedaboutmyaffairs.”
IknewalreadythatSirCharlesBaskervillehadmadeStapletonhisalmoneruponseveraloccasions,sothelady’sstatementboretheimpressoftruthuponit.
“DidyoueverwritetoSirCharlesaskinghimtomeetyou?”Icontinued.
Mrs.Lyonsflushedwithangeragain.“Really,sir,thisisaveryextraordinaryquestion.”
“Iamsorry,madam,butImustrepeatit.”
“ThenIanswer,certainlynot.”
“NotontheverydayofSirCharles’sdeath?”
Theflushhadfadedinaninstant,andadeathlyfacewasbeforeme.Herdrylipscouldnotspeakthe“No”whichIsawratherthanheard.
“Surelyyourmemorydeceivesyou,”saidI.“Icouldevenquoteapassageofyourletter.Itran‘Please,please,asyouareagentleman,burnthisletter,andbeatthegatebyteno’clock.’”
Ithoughtthatshehadfainted,butsherecoveredherselfbyasupremeeffort.
“Istherenosuchthingasagentleman?”shegasped.
“YoudoSirCharlesaninjustice.Hedidburntheletter.Butsometimesalettermaybelegibleevenwhenburned.Youacknowledgenowthatyouwroteit?”
“Yes,Ididwriteit,”shecried,pouringouthersoulinatorrentofwords.“Ididwriteit.WhyshouldIdenyit?Ihavenoreasontobeashamedofit.Iwishedhimtohelpme.IbelievedthatifIhadaninterviewIcouldgainhishelp,soIaskedhimtomeetme.”
“Butwhyatsuchanhour?”
“BecauseIhadonlyjustlearnedthathewasgoingtoLondonnextdayandmightbeawayformonths.TherewerereasonswhyIcouldnotgetthereearlier.”
“Butwhyarendezvousinthegardeninsteadofavisittothehouse?”
“Doyouthinkawomancouldgoaloneatthathourtoabachelor’shouse?”
“Well,whathappenedwhenyoudidgetthere?”
“Ineverwent.”
“Mrs.Lyons!”
“No,IswearittoyouonallIholdsacred.Ineverwent.Somethingintervenedtopreventmygoing.”
“Whatwasthat?”
“Thatisaprivatematter.Icannottellit.”
“YouacknowledgethenthatyoumadeanappointmentwithSirCharlesattheveryhourandplaceatwhichhemethisdeath,butyoudenythatyoukepttheappointment.”
“Thatisthetruth.”
AgainandagainIcross-questionedher,butIcouldnevergetpastthatpoint.
“Mrs.Lyons,”saidIasIrosefromthislongandinconclusiveinterview,“youaretakingaverygreatresponsibilityandputtingyourselfinaveryfalsepositionbynotmakinganabsolutelycleanbreastofallthatyouknow.IfIhavetocallintheaidofthepoliceyouwillfindhowseriouslyyouarecompromised.Ifyourpositionisinnocent,whydidyouinthefirstinstancedenyhavingwrittentoSirCharlesuponthatdate?”
“BecauseIfearedthatsomefalseconclusionmightbedrawnfromitandthatImightfindmyselfinvolvedinascandal.”
“AndwhywereyousopressingthatSirCharlesshoulddestroyyourletter?”
“Ifyouhavereadtheletteryouwillknow.”
“IdidnotsaythatIhadreadalltheletter.”
“Youquotedsomeofit.”
“Iquotedthepostscript.Theletterhad,asIsaid,beenburnedanditwasnotalllegible.IaskyouonceagainwhyitwasthatyouweresopressingthatSirCharlesshoulddestroythisletterwhichhereceivedonthedayofhisdeath.”
“Thematterisaveryprivateone.”
“Themorereasonwhyyoushouldavoidapublicinvestigation.”
“Iwilltellyou,then.IfyouhaveheardanythingofmyunhappyhistoryyouwillknowthatImadearashmarriageandhadreasontoregretit.”
“Ihaveheardsomuch.”
“MylifehasbeenoneincessantpersecutionfromahusbandwhomIabhor.Thelawisuponhisside,andeverydayIamfacedbythepossibilitythathemayforcemetolivewithhim.AtthetimethatIwrotethislettertoSirCharlesIhadlearnedthattherewasaprospectofmyregainingmyfreedomifcertainexpensescouldbemet.Itmeanteverythingtome—peaceofmind,happiness,self-respect—everything.IknewSirCharles’sgenerosity,andIthoughtthatifheheardthestoryfrommyownlipshewouldhelpme.”
“Thenhowisitthatyoudidnotgo?”
“BecauseIreceivedhelpintheintervalfromanothersource.”
“Whythen,didyounotwritetoSirCharlesandexplainthis?”
“SoIshouldhavedonehadInotseenhisdeathinthepapernextmorning.”
Thewoman’sstoryhungcoherentlytogether,andallmyquestionswereunabletoshakeit.Icouldonlycheckitbyfindingifshehad,indeed,instituteddivorceproceedingsagainstherhusbandatoraboutthetimeofthetragedy.
ItwasunlikelythatshewoulddaretosaythatshehadnotbeentoBaskervilleHallifshereallyhadbeen,foratrapwouldbenecessarytotakeherthere,andcouldnothavereturnedtoCoombeTraceyuntiltheearlyhoursofthemorning.Suchanexcursioncouldnotbekeptsecret.Thepr