XII.THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES

pbetweenthecrimeandthedock.Butlookattheselonelyhouses,eachinitsownfields,filledforthemostpartwithpoorignorantfolkwhoknowlittleofthelaw.Thinkofthedeedsofhellishcruelty,thehiddenwickednesswhichmaygoon,yearin,yearout,insuchplaces,andnonethewiser.HadthisladywhoappealstousforhelpgonetoliveinWinchester,Ishouldneverhavehadafearforher.Itisthefivemilesofcountrywhichmakesthedanger.Still,itisclearthatsheisnotpersonallythreatened.” “No.IfshecancometoWinchestertomeetusshecangetaway.” “Quiteso.Shehasherfreedom.” “Whatcanbethematter,then?Canyousuggestnoexplanation?” “Ihavedevisedsevenseparateexplanations,eachofwhichwouldcoverthefactsasfarasweknowthem.Butwhichoftheseiscorrectcanonlybedeterminedbythefreshinformationwhichweshallnodoubtfindwaitingforus.Well,thereisthetowerofthecathedral,andweshallsoonlearnallthatMissHunterhastotell.” TheBlackSwanisaninnofreputeintheHighStreet,atnodistancefromthestation,andtherewefoundtheyoungladywaitingforus.Shehadengagedasitting-room,andourlunchawaitedusuponthetable. “Iamsodelightedthatyouhavecome,”shesaidearnestly.“ItissoverykindofyoubothbutindeedIdonotknowwhatIshoulddo.Youradvicewillbealtogetherinvaluabletome.” “Praytelluswhathashappenedtoyou.” “Iwilldoso,andImustbequick,forIhavepromisedMr.Rucastletobebackbeforethree.Igothisleavetocomeintotownthismorning,thoughhelittleknewforwhatpurpose.” “Letushaveeverythinginitsdueorder.”Holmesthrusthislongthinlegsouttowardsthefireandcomposedhimselftolisten. “Inthefirstplace,ImaysaythatIhavemet,onthewhole,withnoactualill-treatmentfromMr.andMrs.Rucastle.Itisonlyfairtothemtosaythat.ButIcannotunderstandthem,andIamnoteasyinmymindaboutthem.” “Whatcanyounotunderstand?” “Theirreasonsfortheirconduct.Butyoushallhaveitalljustasitoccurred.WhenIcamedown,Mr.Rucastlemetmehereanddrovemeinhisdog-carttotheCopperBeeches.Itis,ashesaid,beautifullysituated,butitisnotbeautifulinitself,foritisalargesquareblockofahouse,whitewashed,butallstainedandstreakedwithdampandbadweather.Therearegroundsroundit,woodsonthreesides,andonthefourthafieldwhichslopesdowntotheSouthamptonhighroad,whichcurvespastaboutahundredyardsfromthefrontdoor.Thisgroundinfrontbelongstothehouse,butthewoodsallroundarepartofLordSoutherton’spreserves.Aclumpofcopperbeechesimmediatelyinfrontofthehalldoorhasgivenitsnametotheplace. “Iwasdrivenoverbymyemployer,whowasasamiableasever,andwasintroducedbyhimthateveningtohiswifeandthechild.Therewasnotruth,Mr.Holmes,intheconjecturewhichseemedtoustobeprobableinyourroomsatBakerStreet.Mrs.Rucastleisnotmad.Ifoundhertobeasilent,pale-facedwoman,muchyoungerthanherhusband,notmorethanthirty,Ishouldthink,whilehecanhardlybelessthanforty-five.FromtheirconversationIhavegatheredthattheyhavebeenmarriedaboutsevenyears,thathewasawidower,andthathisonlychildbythefirstwifewasthedaughterwhohasgonetoPhiladelphia.Mr.Rucastletoldmeinprivatethatthereasonwhyshehadleftthemwasthatshehadanunreasoningaversiontoherstepmother.Asthedaughtercouldnothavebeenlessthantwenty,Icanquiteimaginethatherpositionmusthavebeenuncomfortablewithherfather’syoungwife. “Mrs.Rucastleseemedtometobecolourlessinmindaswellasinfeature.Sheimpressedmeneitherfavourablynorthereverse.Shewasanonentity.Itwaseasytoseethatshewaspassionatelydevotedbothtoherhusbandandtoherlittleson.Herlightgreyeyeswanderedcontinuallyfromonetotheother,notingeverylittlewantandforestallingitifpossible.Hewaskindtoheralsoinhisbluff,boisterousfashion,andonthewholetheyseemedtobeahappycouple.Andyetshehadsomesecretsorrow,thiswoman.Shewouldoftenbelostindeepthought,withthesaddestlookuponherface.MorethanonceIhavesurprisedherintears.Ihavethoughtsometimesthatitwasthedispositionofherchildwhichweigheduponhermind,forIhavenevermetsoutterlyspoiledandsoill-naturedalittlecreature.Heissmallforhisage,withaheadwhichisquitedisproportionatelylarge.Hiswholelifeappearstobespentinanalternationbetweensavagefitsofpassionandgloomyintervalsofsulking.Givingpaintoanycreatureweakerthanhimselfseemstobehisoneideaofamusement,andheshowsquiteremarkabletalentinplanningthecaptureofmice,littlebirds,andinsects.ButIwouldrathernottalkaboutthecreature,Mr.Holmes,and,indeed,hehaslittletodowithmystory.” “Iamgladofalldetails,”remarkedmyfriend,“whethertheyseemtoyoutoberelevantornot.” “Ishalltrynottomissanythingofimportance.Theoneunpleasantthingaboutthehouse,whichstruckmeatonce,wastheappearanceandconductoftheservants.Thereareonlytwo,amanandhiswife.Toller,forthatishisname,isarough,uncouthman,withgrizzledhairandwhiskers,andaperpetualsmellofdrink.TwicesinceIhavebeenwiththemhehasbeenquitedrunk,andyetMr.Rucastleseemedtotakenonoticeofit.Hiswifeisaverytallandstrongwomanwithasourface,assilentasMrs.Rucastleandmuchlessamiable.Theyareamostunpleasantcouple,butfortunatelyIspendmostofmytimeinthenurseryandmyownroom,whicharenexttoeachotherinonecornerofthebuilding. “FortwodaysaftermyarrivalattheCopperBeechesmylifewasveryquietonthethird,Mrs.Rucastlecamedownjustafterbreakfastandwhisperedsomethingtoherhusband. “‘Oh,yes,’saidhe,turningtome,‘weareverymuchobligedtoyou,MissHunter,forfallinginwithourwhimssofarastocutyourhair.Iassureyouthatithasnotdetractedinthetiniestiotafromyourappearance.Weshallnowseehowtheelectric-bluedresswillbecomeyou.Youwillfinditlaidoutuponthebedinyourroom,andifyouwouldbesogoodastoputitonweshouldbothbeextremelyobliged.’ “ThedresswhichIfoundwaitingformewasofapeculiarshadeofblue.Itwasofexcellentmaterial,asortofbeige,butitboreunmistakablesignsofhavingbeenwornbefore.ItcouldnothavebeenabetterfitifIhadbeenmeasuredforit.BothMr.andMrs.Rucastleexpressedadelightatthelookofit,whichseemedquiteexaggeratedinitsvehemence.Theywerewaitingformeinthedrawing-room,whichisaverylargeroom,stretchingalongtheentirefrontofthehouse,withthreelongwindowsreachingdowntothefloor.Achairhadbeenplacedclosetothecentralwindow,withitsbackturnedtowardsit.InthisIwasaskedtosit,andthenMr.Rucastle,walkingupanddownontheothersideoftheroom,begantotellmeaseriesofthefunnieststoriesthatIhaveeverlistenedto.Youcannotimaginehowcomicalhewas,andIlaugheduntilIwasquiteweary.Mrs.Rucastle,however,whohasevidentlynosenseofhumour,neversomuchassmiled,butsatwithherhandsinherlap,andasad,anxiouslookuponherface.Afteranhourorso,Mr.Rucastlesuddenlyremarkedthatitwastimetocommencethedutiesoftheday,andthatImightchangemydressandgotolittleEdwardinthenursery. “Twodayslaterthissameperformancewasgonethroughunderexactlysimilarcircumstances.AgainIchangedmydress,againIsatinthewindow,andagainIlaughedveryheartilyatthefunnystoriesofwhichmyemployerhadanimmenserépertoire,andwhichhetoldinimitably.Thenhehandedmeayellow-backednovel,andmovingmychairalittlesideways,thatmyownshadowmightnotfalluponthepage,hebeggedmetoreadaloudtohim.Ireadforabouttenminutes,beginningintheheartofachapter,andthensuddenly,inthemiddleofasentence,heorderedmetoceaseandtochangemydress. “Youcaneasilyimagine,Mr.Holmes,howcuriousIbecameastowhatthemeaningofthisextraordinaryperformancecouldpossiblybe.Theywerealwaysverycareful,Iobserved,toturnmyfaceawayfromthewindow,sothatIbecameconsumedwiththedesiretoseewhatwasgoingonbehindmyback.Atfirstitseemedtobeimpossible,butIsoondevisedameans.Myhand-mirrorhadbeenbroken,soahappythoughtseizedme,andIconcealedapieceoftheglassinmyhandkerchief.Onthenextoccasion,inthemidstofmylaughter,Iputmyhandkerchiefuptomyeyes,andwasablewithalittlemanagementtoseeallthattherewasbehindme.IconfessthatIwasdisappointed.Therewasnothing.Atleastthatwasmyfirstimpression.Atthesecondglance,however,IperceivedthattherewasamanstandingintheSouthamptonRoad,asmallbeardedmaninagreysuit,whoseemedtobelookinginmydirection.Theroadisanimportanthighway,andthereareusuallypeoplethere.Thisman,however,wasleaningagainsttherailingswhichborderedourfieldandwaslookingearnestlyup.IloweredmyhandkerchiefandglancedatMrs.Rucastletofindhereyesfixeduponmewithamostsearchinggaze.Shesaidnothing,butIamconvincedthatshehaddivinedthatIhadamirrorinmyhandandhadseenwhatwasbehindme.Sheroseatonce. “‘Jephro,’saidshe,‘thereisanimpertinentfellowupontheroadtherewhostaresupatMissHunter.’ “‘Nofriendofyours,MissHunter?’heasked. “‘No,Iknownooneintheseparts.’ “‘Dearme!Howveryimpertinent!Kindlyturnroundandmotiontohimtogoaway.’ “‘Surelyitwouldbebettertotakenonotice.’ “‘No,no,weshouldhavehimloiteringherealways.Kindlyturnroundandwavehimawaylikethat.’ “IdidasIwastold,andatthesameinstantMrs.Rucastledrewdowntheblind.Thatwasaweekago,andfromthattimeIhavenotsatagaininthewindow,norhaveIwornthebluedress,norseenthemanintheroad.” “Praycontinue,”saidHolmes.“Yournarrativepromisestobeamostinterestingone.” “Youwillfinditratherdisconnected,Ifear,andtheremayprovetobelittlerelationbetweenthedifferentincidentsofwhichIspeak.OntheveryfirstdaythatIwasattheCopperBeeches,Mr.Rucastletookmetoasmallouthousewhichstandsnearthekitchendoor.AsweapproacheditIheardthesharprattlin