第98章 The Adventure of the Abbey Grange(6)

He sprang up on the mantelpiece, could not quite reach it, put his knee on the bracket -- you will see the impression in the dust -- and so got his knife to bear upon the cord.I could not reach the place by at least three inches, from which I infer that he is at least three inches a bigger man than I.Look at that mark upon the seat of the oaken chair! What is it?""Blood."

"Undoubtedly it is blood.This alone puts the lady's story out of court.If she were seated on the chair when the crime was done, how comes that mark? No, no; she was placed in the chair AFTER the death of her husband.I'll wager that the black dress shows a corresponding mark to this.We have not yet met our Waterloo, Watson, but this is our Marengo, for it begins in defeat and ends in victory.I should like now to have a few words with the nurse Theresa.We must be wary for awhile, if we are to get the information which we want."She was an interesting person, this stern Australian nurse.

Taciturn, suspicious, ungracious, it took some time before Holmes's pleasant manner and frank acceptance of all that she said thawed her into a corresponding amiability.She did not attempt to conceal her hatred for her late employer.

"Yes, sir, it is true that he threw the decanter at me.

I heard him call my mistress a name, and I told him that he would not dare to speak so if her brother had been there.

Then it was that he threw it at me.He might have thrown a dozen if he had but left my bonny bird alone.He was for ever illtreating her, and she too proud to complain.She will not even tell me all that he has done to her.She never told me of those marks on her arm that you saw this morning, but I know very well that they come from a stab with a hat-pin.

The sly fiend -- Heaven forgive me that I should speak of him so, now that he is dead, but a fiend he was if ever one walked the earth.

He was all honey when first we met him, only eighteen months ago, and we both feel as if it were eighteen years.She had only just arrived in London.Yes, it was her first voyage -- she had never been from home before.He won her with his title and his money and his false London ways.If she made a mistake she has paid for it, if ever a woman did.What month did we meet him? Well, I tell you it was just after we arrived.We arrived in June, and it was July.They were married in January of last year.

Yes, she is down in the morning-room again, and I have no doubt she will see you, but you must not ask too much of her, for she has gone through all that flesh and blood will stand."Lady Brackenstall was reclining on the same couch, but looked brighter than before.The maid had entered with us, and began once more to foment the bruise upon her mistress's brow.

"I hope," said the lady, "that you have not come to cross-examine me again?""No," Holmes answered, in his gentlest voice, "I will not cause you any unnecessary trouble, Lady Brackenstall, and my whole desire is to make things easy for you, for I am convinced that you are a much-tried woman.If you will treat me as a friend and trust me you may find that I will justify your trust.""What do you want me to do?"

"To tell me the truth."

"Mr.Holmes!"

"No, no, Lady Brackenstall, it is no use.You may have heard of any little reputation which I possess.I will stake it all on the fact that your story is an absolute fabrication."Mistress and maid were both staring at Holmes with pale faces and frightened eyes.

"You are an impudent fellow!" cried Theresa."Do you mean to say that my mistress has told a lie?"Holmes rose from his chair.

"Have you nothing to tell me?"

"I have told you everything."

"Think once more, Lady Brackenstall.Would it not be better to be frank?"For an instant there was hesitation in her beautiful face.

Then some new strong thought caused it to set like a mask.

"I have told you all I know."

Holmes took his hat and shrugged his shoulders."I am sorry,"he said, and without another word we left the room and the house.There was a pond in the park, and to this my friend led the way.It was frozen over, but a single hole was left for the convenience of a solitary swan.Holmes gazed at it and then passed on to the lodge gate.There he scribbled a short note for Stanley Hopkins and left it with the lodge-keeper.

"It may be a hit or it may be a miss, but we are bound to do something for friend Hopkins, just to justify this second visit,"said he."I will not quite take him into my confidence yet.

I think our next scene of operations must be the shipping office of the Adelaide-Southampton line, which stands at the end of Pall Mall, if I remember right.There is a second line of steamers which connect South Australia with England, but we will draw the larger cover first."Holmes's card sent in to the manager ensured instant attention, and he was not long in acquiring all the information which he needed.In June of '95 only one of their line had reached a home port.It was the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR, their largest and best boat.A reference to the passenger list showed that Miss Fraser of Adelaide, with her maid, had made the voyage in her.The boat was now on her way to Australia, somewhere to the south of the Suez Canal.Her officers were the same as in '95, with one exception.The first officer, Mr.Jack Croker, had been made a captain and was to take charge of their new ship, the BASS ROCK, sailing in two days' time from Southampton.He lived at Sydenham, but he was likely to be in that morning for instructions, if we cared to wait for him.

No; Mr.Holmes had no desire to see him, but would be glad to know more about his record and character.

His record was magnificent.There was not an officer in the fleet to touch him.As to his character, he was reliable on duty, but a wild, desperate fellow off the deck of his ship, hot-headed, excitable, but loyal, honest, and kind-hearted.