ts which i had seen,
but the pith of the letter lay in the postscript:--
"i am sure that you will respect my confidence, mr. holmes,
when i tell you that my place here has become difficult
owing to the fact that my employer has proposed marriage to
me. i am convinced that his feelings are most deep and
most honourable. at the same time my promise is, of
course, given. he took my refusal very seriously, but also
very gently. you can understand, however, that the
situation is a little strained."
"our young friend seems to be getting into deep waters,"
said holmes, thoughtfully, as he finished the letter. "the
case certainly presents more features of interest and more
possibility of development than i had originally thought.
i should be none the worse for a quiet, peaceful day in the
country, and i am inclined to run down this afternoon and
test one or two theories which i have formed."
holmes's quiet day in the country had a singular
termination, for he arrived at baker street late in the
evening with a cut lip and a discoloured lump upon his
forehead, besides a general air of dissipation which would
have made his own person the fitting object of a scotland
yard investigation. he was immensely tickled by his own
adventures, and laughed heartily as he recounted them.
"i get so little active exercise that it is always a
treat," said he. "you are aware that i have some
proficiency in the good old british sport of boxing.
occasionally it is of service. to-day, for example,
i should have come to very ignominious grief without it."
i begged him to tell me what had occurred.
"i found that country pub which i had already recommended
to your notice, and there i made my discreet inquiries.
i was in the bar, and a garrulous landlord was giving me all
that i wanted. williamson is a white-bearded man, and he
lives alone with a small staff of servants at the hall.
there is some rumour that he is or has been a clergyman;
but one or two incidents of his short residence at the hall
struck me as peculiarly unecclesiastical. i have already
made some inquiries at a clerical agency, and they tell me
that there _was_ a man of that name in orders whose career
has been a singularly dark one. the landlord further
informed me that there are usually week-end visitors --
'a warm lot, sir' -- at the hall, and especially one gentleman
with a red moustache, mr. woodley by name, who was always
there. we had got as far as this when who should walk in
but the gentleman himself, who had been drinking his beer
in the tap-room and had heard the whole conversation.
who was i? what did i want? what did i mean by asking
questions? he had a fine flow of language, and his
adjectives were very vigorous. he ended a string of abuse
by a vicious back-hander which i failed to entirely avoid.
the next few minutes were delicious. it was a straight
left against a slogging ruffian. i emerged as you see me.
mr. woodley went home in a cart. so ended my country trip,
and it must be confessed that, however enjoyable, my day on
the surrey border has not been much more profitable than
your own."
the thursday brought us another letter from our client.
"you will not be surprised, mr. holmes," said she, "to hear
that i am leaving mr. carruthers's employment. even the
high pay cannot reconcile me to the discomforts of my
situation. on saturday i come up to town and i do not
intend to return. mr. carruthers has got a trap, and so
the dangers of the lonely road, if there ever were any
dangers, are now over.
"as to the special cause of my leaving, it is not merely
the strained situation with mr. carruthers, but it is the
reappearance of that odious man, mr. woodley. he was
always hideous, but he looks more awful than ever now,
for he appears to have had an accident and he is much
disfigured. i saw him out of the window, but i am glad
to say i did not meet him. he had a long talk with mr.
carruthers, who seemed much excited afterwards. woodley
must be staying in the neighbourhood, for he did not sleep
here, and yet i caught a glimpse of him again this morning
slinking about in the shrubbery. i would sooner have a
savage wild animal loose about the place. i loathe and
fear him more than i can say. how _can_ mr. carruthers
endure such a creature for a moment? however, all my
troubles will be over on saturday."
"so i trust, watson; so i trust," said holmes, gravely.
"there is some deep intrigue going on round that little
woman, and it is our duty to see that no one molests her
upon that last journey. i think, watson, that we must
spare time to run down together on saturday morning, and
make sure that this curious and inconclusive investigation
has no untoward ending."
i confess that i had not up to now taken a very serious
view of the case, which had seemed to
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