Собака Баскервіллів
The Stapletons of Merripit House
Theotherismywife,andIcananswerforitthatthesoundcouldnothavecomefromher."
Andyetheliedashesaidit,foritchancedthatafterbreakfastImetMrs.Barrymoreinthelongcorridorwiththesunfulluponherface. Shewasalarge,impassive,heavy-featuredwomanwithasternsetexpressionofmouth. Buthertell-taleeyeswereredandglancedatmefrombetweenswollenlids. Itwasshe,then,whoweptinthenight,andifshedidsoherhusbandmustknowit. Yethehadtakentheobviousriskofdiscoveryindeclaringthatitwasnotso. Whyhadhedonethis? Andwhydidsheweepsobitterly? Alreadyroundthispale-faced,handsome,black-beardedmantherewasgatheringanatmosphereofmysteryandofgloom. ItwashewhohadbeenthefirsttodiscoverthebodyofSirCharles,andwehadonlyhiswordforallthecircumstanceswhichleduptotheoldman’sdeath. WasitpossiblethatitwasBarrymoreafterallwhomwehadseeninthecabinRegentStreet? Thebeardmightwellhavebeenthesame. Thecabmanhaddescribedasomewhatshorterman,butsuchanimpressionmighteasilyhavebeenerroneous. HowcouldIsettlethepointforever? ObviouslythefirstthingtodowastoseetheGrimpenpostmaster,andfindwhetherthetesttelegramhadreallybeenplacedinBarrymore’sownhands. Betheanswerwhatitmight,IshouldatleasthavesomethingtoreporttoSherlockHolmes.
SirHenryhadnumerouspaperstoexamineafterbreakfast,sothatthetimewaspropitiousformyexcursion. Itwasapleasantwalkoffourmilesalongtheedgeofthemoor,leadingmeatlasttoasmallgrayhamlet, inwhichtwolargerbuildings,whichprovedtobetheinnandthehouseofDr.Mortimer,stoodhighabovetherest. Thepostmaster,whowasalsothevillagegrocer,hadaclearrecollectionofthetelegram.
