The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

towards my house. 'I see that you have only just

  moved in, so I thought that if I could be of any help

  to you in any--'

  "'Ay, we'll just ask ye when we want ye,' said she,

  and shut the door in my face. Annoyed at the churlish

  rebuff, I turned my back and walked home. All

  evening, though I tried to think of other things, my

  mind would still turn to the apparition at the window

  and the rudeness of the woman. I determined to say

  nothing about the former to my wife, for she is a

  nervous, highly strung woman, and I had no wish that

  she would share the unpleasant impression which had

  been produced upon myself. I remarked to her,

  however, before I fell asleep, that the cottage was

  now occupied, to which she returned no reply.

  "I am usually an extremely sound sleeper. It has been

  a standing jest in the family that nothing could ever

  wake me during the night. And yet somehow on that

  particular night, whether it may have been the slight

  excitement produced by my little adventure or not I

  know not, but I slept much more lightly than usual.

  Half in my dreams I was dimly conscious that something

  was going on in the room, and gradually became aware

  that my wife had dressed herself and was slipping on

  her mantle and her bonnet. My lips were parted to

  murmur out some sleepy words of surprise or

  remonstrance at this untimely preparation, when

  suddenly my half-opened eyes fell upon her face,

  illuminated by the candle-light, and astonishment held

  me dumb. She wore an expression such as I had never

  seen before--such as I should have thought her

  incapable of assuming. She was deadly pale and

  breathing fast, glancing furtively towards the bed as

  she fastened her mantle, to see if she had disturbed

  me. Then, thinking that I was still asleep, she

  slipped noiselessly from the room, and an instant

  later I heard a sharp creaking which could only come

  from the hinges of the front door. I sat up in bed

  and rapped my knuckles against the rail to make

  certain that I was truly awake. Then I took my watch

  from under the pillow. It was three in the morning.

  What on this earth could my wife be doing out on the

  country road at three in the morning?

  "I had sat for about twenty minutes turning the thing

  over in my mind and trying to find some possible

  explanation. The more I thought, the ore

  extraordinary and inexplicable did it appear. I was

  still puzzling over it when I heard the door gently

  close again, and her footsteps coming up the stairs.

  "'Where in the world have you been, Effie?' I asked as

  she entered.

  "She gave a violent start and a kind of gasping cry

  when I spoke, and that cry and start troubled me more

  than all the rest, for there was something

  indescribably guilty about them. My wife had always

  been a woman of a frank, open nature, and it gave me a

  chill to see her slinking into her own room, and

  crying out and wincing when her own husband spoke to

  her.

  "'You awake, Jack!' she cried, with a nervous laugh.

  'Why, I thought that nothing could awake you.'

  "'Where have you been?' I asked, more sternly.

  "'I don't wonder that you are surprised,' said she,

  and I could see that her fingers were trembling as she

  undid the fastenings of her mantle. 'Why, I never

  remember having done such a thing in my life before.

  The fact is that I felt as though I were choking, and

  had a perfect longing for a breath of fresh air. I

  really think that I should have fainted if I had not

  gone out. I stood at the door for a few minutes, and

  now I am quite myself again.'

  "All the time that she was telling me this story she

  never once looked in my direction, and her voice was

  quite unlike her usual tones. It was evident to me

  that she was saying what was false. I said nothing in

  reply, but turned my face to the wall, sick at heart,

  with my mind filled with a thousand venomous doubts

  and suspicions. What was it that my wife was

  concealing from me? Where had she been during that

  strange expedition? I felt that I should have no

  peace until I knew, and yet I shrank from asking her

  again after once she had told me what was false. All

  the rest of the night I tossed and tumbled, framing

  theory after theory, each more unlikely than the last.

  "I should have gone to the City that day, but I was

  too disturbed in my mind to be able to pay attention

  to business matters. My wife seemed to be as upset as

  myself, and I could see from the little questioning

  glances which she kept shooting at me that she

  understood that I disbelieved her statement, and that

  she was at her wits' end what to do. We hardly

  exchanged a word during breakfast, and immediately

  afterwards I went out for a walk, that I might think

  the matter out in the fresh morning air.

  "I went as far as the Crystal Palace, spent an hour in

  the grounds, and was back in Norbury by one o'clock.

  It happened that my way took me past the cottage, and

  I stopped for an instant to look at the windows, and

  to see if I could catch a glimpse of the strange face

  which had looked out at me on the day before. As I

  stood there, imagine my surprise, Mr. Holmes, when the

  door suddenly opened and my wife walked out.

  "I was struck dumb with astonishment at the sight of

  her; but my emotions were nothing to those which

  showed themselves upon her face when our eyes met.

  She seemed for an instant to wish to shrink back

  inside the house again; and then, seeing how useless

  all concealment must be, she came forward, with a very

  white face and frightened eyes which belied the smile

  upon her lips.

  "'Ah, Jack,' she said, 'I have just been in to see if

  I can be of any assistance to our new neighbors. Why

  do you look at me like that, Jack? You are not angry

  with me?'

  "'So,' said I, 'this is where you went during the

  night.'

  "'What do you mean?" she cried.

  "'You came here. I am sure of it. Who are these

  people, that you should visit them at such an hour?'

  "'I have not been here before.'

  "'How can you tell me what you know is false?' I

  cried. 'Your very voice changes as you speak. When

  have I ever had a secret from you? I shall enter that

  cottage, and I shall probe the matter to the bottom.'

  "'No, no, Jack, for God's sake!' she gasped, in

  uncontrollable emotion. Then, as I approached the

  door, she seized my sleeve and pulled me back with

  convulsive strength.

  "'I implore you not to do this, Jack,' she cried. 'I

  swear that I will tell you everything some day, but

  nothing but misery can come of it if you enter that

  cottage.' Then, as I tried to shake her off, she

  clung to me
in a frenzy of entreaty.

  "'Trust me, Jack!' she cried. 'Trust me only this

  once. You will never have cause to regret it. You

  know that I would not have a secret from you if it

  were not for your own sake. Our whole lives are at

  stake in this. If you come home with me, all will be

  well. If you force your way into that cottage, all is

  over between us.'

  "There was such earnestness, such despair, in her

  manner that her words arrested me, and I stood

  irresolute before the door.

  "'I will trust you on one condition, and on one

  condition only,' said I at last. 'It is that this

  mystery comes to an end from now. You are at liberty

  to preserve your secret, but you must promise me that

  there shall be no more nightly visits, no more doings

  which are kept from my knowledge. I am willing to

  forget those which are passed if you will promise that

  there shall be no more in the future.'

  "'I was sure that you would trust me,' she cried, with

  a great sigh of relief. 'It shall be just as you

  wish. Come away--oh, come away up to the house.'

  "Still pulling at my sleeve, she led me away from the

  cottage. As we went I glanced back, and there was

  that yellow livid face watching us out of the upper

  window. What link could there be between that

  creature and my wife? Or how could the coarse, rough

  woman whom I had seen the day before be connected with

  her? It was a strange puzzle, and yet I knew that my

  mind could never know ease again until I had solved

  it.

  "For two days after this I stayed at home, and my wife

  appeared to abide loyally by our engagement, for, as

  far as I know, she never stirred out of the house. On

  the third day, however, I had ample evidence that her

  solemn promise was not enough to hold her back from

  this secret influence which drew her away from her

  husband and her duty.

  "I had gone into town on that day, but I returned by

  the 2.40 instead of the 3.36, which is my usual train.

  As I entered the house the maid ran into the hall with

  a startled face.

  "'Where is your mistress?' I asked.

  "'I think that she has gone out for a walk,' she

  answered.

  "My mind was instantly filled with suspicion. I

  rushed upstairs to make sure that she was not in the

  house. As I did so I happened to glance out of one of

  the upper windows, and saw the maid with whom I had

  just been speaking running across the field in the

  direction of the cottage. Then of course I saw

  exactly what it all meant. My wife had gone over

  there, and had asked the servant to call her if I

  should return. Tingling with anger, I rushed down and

  hurried across, determined to end the matter once and

  forever. I saw my wife and the maid hurrying back

  along the lane, but I did not stop to speak with them.

  In the cottage lay the secret which was casting a

  shadow over my life. I vowed that, come what might,

  it should be a secret no longer. I did not even knock

  when I reached it, but turned the handle and rushed

  into the passage.

  "It was all still and quiet upon the ground floor. In

  the kitchen a kettle was singing on the fire, and a

  large black cat lay coiled up in the basket; but there

  was no sign of the woman whom I had seen before. I

  ran into the other room, but it was equally deserted.

  Then I rushed up the stairs, only to find two other

  rooms empty and deserted at the top. There was no one

  at all in the whole house. The furniture and pictures

  were of the most common and vulgar description, save

  in the one chamber at the window of which I had seen

  the strange face. That was comfortable and elegant,

  and all my suspicions rose into a fierce bitter flame

  when I saw that on the mantelpiece stood a copy of a

  fell-length photograph of my wife, which had been

  taken at my request only three months ago.

  "I stayed long enough to make certain that the house

  was absolutely empty. Then I left it, feeling a

  weight at my heart such as I had never had before. My

  wife came out into the hall as I entered my house; but

  I was too hurt and angry to speak with her, and

  pushing past her, I made my way into my study. She

  followed me, however, before I could close the door.

  "'I am sorry that I broke my promise, Jack,' said she;

  'but if you knew all the circumstances I am sure that

  you would forgive me.'

  "'Tell me everything, then,' said I.

  "'I cannot, Jack, I cannot,' she cried.

  "'Until you tell me who it is that has been living in

  that cottage, and who it is to whom you have given

  that photograph, there can never be any confidence

  between us,' said I, and breaking away from her, I

  left the house. That was yesterday, Mr. Holmes, and I

  have not seen her since, nor do I know anything more

  about this strange business. It is the first shadow

  that has come between us, and it has so shaken me that

  I do not know what I should do for the best. Suddenly

  this morning it occurred to me that you were the man

  to advise me, so I have hurried to you now, and I

  place myself unreservedly in your hands. If there is

  any point which I have not made clear, pray question

  me about it. But, above all, tell me quickly what I

  am to do, for this misery is more than I can bear."

  Holmes and I had listened with the utmost interest to

  this extraordinary statement, which had been delivered

  in the jerky, broken fashion of a man who is under the

  influence of extreme emotions. My companion sat

  silent for some time, with his chin upon his hand,

  lost in thought.

  "Tell me," said he at last, "could you swear that this

  was a man's face which you saw at the window?"

  "Each time that I saw it I was some distance away from

  it, so that it is impossible for me to say."

  "You appear, however, to have been disagreeably

  impressed by it."

  "It seemed to be of an unnatural color, and to have a

  strange rigidity about the features. When I

  approached, it vanished with a jerk."

  "How long is it since your wife asked you for a

  hundred pounds?"

  "Nearly two months."

  "Have you ever seen a photograph of her first

  husband?"

  "No; there was a great fire at Atlanta very shortly

  after his death, and all her papers were destroyed."

  "And yet she had a certificate of death. You say that

  you saw it."

  "Yes; she got a duplicate after the fire."

  "Did you ever meet any one who knew her in America?"

  "No."

  "Did she ever talk of revisiting the place?"

  "No."

  "Or get letters from it?"

  "No."

  "Thank you. I should like to think over the matter a

  little now. If the cottage is now permanently

  deserted we may
have some difficulty. If, on the

  other hand, as I fancy is more likely, the inmates

  were warned of you coming, and left before you entered

  yesterday, then they may be back now, and we should

  clear it all up easily. Let me advise you, then, to

  return to Norbury, and to examine the windows of the

  cottage again. If you have reason to believe that is

  inhabited, do not force your way in, but send a wire

  to my friend and me. We shall be with you within an

  hour of receiving it, and we shall then very soon get

  to the bottom of the business."

  "And if it is still empty?"

  "In that case I shall come out to-morrow and talk it

  over with you. Good-by; and, above all, do not fret

  until you know that you really have a cause for it."

  "I am afraid that this is a bad business, Watson,"

  said my companion, as he returned after accompanying

  Mr. Grant Munro to the door. "What do you make of

  it?"

  "It had an ugly sound," I answered.

  "Yes. There's blackmail in it, or I am much

  mistaken."

  "And who is the blackmailer?"

  "Well, it must be the creature who lives in the only

  comfortable room in the place, and has her photograph

  above his fireplace. Upon my word, Watson, there is

  something very attractive about that livid face at the

  window, and I would not have missed the case for

  worlds."

  "You have a theory?"

  "Yes, a provisional one. But I shall be surprised if

  it does not turn out to be correct. This woman's

  first husband is in that cottage."

  "Why do you think so?"

  "How else can we explain her frenzied anxiety that her

  second one should not enter it? The facts, as I read

  them, are something like this: This woman was married

  in America. Her husband developed some hateful

  qualities; or shall we say that he contracted some

  loathsome disease, and became a leper or an imbecile?

  She flies from him at last, returns to England,

  changes her name, and starts her life, as she thinks,

  afresh. She has been married three years, and

  believes that her position is quite secure, having

  shown her husband the death certificate of some man

  whose name she has assumed, when suddenly her

  whereabouts is discovered by her first husband; or, we

  may suppose, by some unscrupulous woman who has

  attached herself to the invalid. They write to the

  wife, and threaten to come and expose her. She asks

  for a hundred pounds, and endeavors to buy them off.

  They come in spite of it, and when the husband

  mentions casually to the wife that there a new-comers

  in the cottage, she knows in some way that they are

  her pursuers. She waits until her husband is asleep,

  and then she rushes down to endeavor to persuade them

  to leave her in peace. Having no success, she goes

  again next morning, and her husband meets her, as he

  has told us, as she comes out. She promises him then

  not to go there again, but two days afterwards the

  hope of getting rid of those dreadful neighbors was

  too strong for her, and she made another attempt,

  taking down with her the photograph which had probably

  been demanded from her. In the midst of this

  interview the maid rushed in to say that the master

  had come home, on which the wife, knowing that he

  would come straight down to the cottage, hurried the

  inmates out at the back door, into the grove of

  fir-trees, probably, which was mentioned as standing

  near. In this way he found the place deserted. I

  shall be very much surprised, however, if it still so

  when he reconnoitres it this evening. What do you

  think of my theory?"

  "It is all surmise."

  "But at least it covers all the facts. When new facts

  come to our knowledge which cannot be covered by it,

  it will be time enough to reconsider it. We can do

  nothing more until we have a message from our friend

  at Norbury."

  But we had not a very long time to wait for that. It

  came just as we had finished our tea. "The cottage is

  still tenanted," it said. "Have seen the face again

  at the window. Will meet the seven o'clock train, and

  will take no steps until you arrive."

  He was waiting on the platform when we stepped out,

  and we could see in the light of the station lamps