Chapter 13. Fixing the Nets
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SirHenrywasmorepleasedthansurprisedtoseeSherlockHolmes,forhehadforsomedaysbeenexpectingthatrecenteventswouldbringhimdownfromLondon.Hedidraisehiseyebrows,however,whenhefoundthatmyfriendhadneitheranyluggagenoranyexplanationsforitsabsence.Betweenuswesoonsuppliedhiswants,andthenoverabelatedsupperweexplainedtothebaronetasmuchofourexperienceasitseemeddesirablethatheshouldknow.ButfirstIhadtheunpleasantdutyofbreakingthenewstoBarrymoreandhiswife.Tohimitmayhavebeenanunmitigatedrelief,butsheweptbitterlyinherapron.Toalltheworldhewasthemanofviolence,halfanimalandhalfdemonbuttoherhealwaysremainedthelittlewilfulboyofherowngirlhood,thechildwhohadclungtoherhand.Evilindeedisthemanwhohasnotonewomantomournhim.
“I’vebeenmopinginthehousealldaysinceWatsonwentoffinthemorning,”saidthebaronet.“IguessIshouldhavesomecredit,forIhavekeptmypromise.IfIhadn’tswornnottogoaboutaloneImighthavehadamorelivelyevening,forIhadamessagefromStapletonaskingmeoverthere.”
“Ihavenodoubtthatyouwouldhavehadamorelivelyevening,”saidHolmesdrily.“Bytheway,Idon’tsupposeyouappreciatethatwehavebeenmourningoveryouashavingbrokenyourneck?”
SirHenryopenedhiseyes.“Howwasthat?”
“Thispoorwretchwasdressedinyourclothes.Ifearyourservantwhogavethemtohimmaygetintotroublewiththepolice.”
“Thatisunlikely.Therewasnomarkonanyofthem,asfarasIknow.”
“That’sluckyforhim—infact,it’sluckyforallofyou,sinceyouareallonthewrongsideofthelawinthismatter.Iamnotsurethatasaconscientiousdetectivemyfirstdutyisnottoarrestthewholehousehold.Watson’sreportsaremostincriminatingdocuments.”
“Buthowaboutthecase?”askedthebaronet.“Haveyoumadeanythingoutofthetangle?Idon’tknowthatWatsonandIaremuchthewisersincewecamedown.”
“IthinkthatIshallbeinapositiontomakethesituationrathermorecleartoyoubeforelong.Ithasbeenanexceedinglydifficultandmostcomplicatedbusiness.Thereareseveralpointsuponwhichwestillwantlight—butitiscomingallthesame.”
“We’vehadoneexperience,asWatsonhasnodoubttoldyou.Weheardthehoundonthemoor,soIcanswearthatitisnotallemptysuperstition.IhadsomethingtodowithdogswhenIwasoutWest,andIknowonewhenIhearone.IfyoucanmuzzlethatoneandputhimonachainI’llbereadytoswearyouarethegreatestdetectiveofalltime.”
“IthinkIwillmuzzlehimandchainhimallrightifyouwillgivemeyourhelp.”
“WhateveryoutellmetodoIwilldo.”
“VerygoodandIwillaskyoualsotodoitblindly,withoutalwaysaskingthereason.”
“Justasyoulike.”
“IfyouwilldothisIthinkthechancesarethatourlittleproblemwillsoonbesolved.Ihavenodoubt—”
Hestoppedsuddenlyandstaredfixedlyupovermyheadintotheair.Thelampbeatuponhisface,andsointentwasitandsostillthatitmighthavebeenthatofaclear-cutclassicalstatue,apersonificationofalertnessandexpectation.
“Whatisit?”webothcried.
Icouldseeashelookeddownthathewasrepressingsomeinternalemotion.Hisfeatureswerestillcomposed,buthiseyesshonewithamusedexultation.
“Excusetheadmirationofaconnoisseur,”saidheashewavedhishandtowardsthelineofportraitswhichcoveredtheoppositewall.“Watsonwon’tallowthatIknowanythingofartbutthatismerejealousybecauseourviewsuponthesubjectdiffer.Now,theseareareallyveryfineseriesofportraits.”
“W