“Sir Eustace Brackenstall, the driver tells me.”
“Exactly—one of the richest men in Kent—Lady Brackenstallis in the morning-room. Poor lady, she has had a most dreadfulexperience. She seemed half dead when I saw her first. I think youhad best see her and hear her account of the facts. Then we willexamine the dining-room together.”
Lady Brackenstall was no ordinary person. Seldom have I seenso graceful a figure, so womanly a presence, and so beautiful a face.
She was a blonde, golden-haired, blue-eyed, and would no doubthave had the perfect complexion which goes with such colouring,had not her recent experience left her drawn and haggard. Hersufferings were physical as well as mental, for over one eye rose ahideous, plum-coloured swelling, which her maid, a tall, austerewoman, was bathing assiduously with vinegar and water. The ladylay back exhausted upon a couch, but her quick, observant gaze,as we entered the room, and the alert expression of her beautifulfeatures, showed that neither her wits nor her courage had beenshaken by her terrible experience. She was enveloped in a loosedressing-gown of blue and silver, but a black sequin-covereddinner-dress lay upon the couch beside her.
“I have told you all that happened, Mr. Hopkins,” she said,wearily. “Could you not repeat it for me? Well, if you think itnecessary, I will tell these gentlemen what occurred. Have theybeen in the dining-room yet?”
“I thought they had better hear your ladyship’s story first.”
“I shall be glad when you can arrange matters. It is horrible tome to think of him still lying there.” She shuddered and buried herface in her hands. As she did so, the loose gown fell back from herforearms. Holmes uttered an exclamation.
1050 The Complete Sherlock Holmes
“You have other injuries, madam! What is this?” Two vivid redspots stood out on one of the white, round limbs. She hastilycovered it.
“It is nothing. It has no connection with this hideous businessto-night. If you and your friend will sit down, I will tell you all Ican.
“I am the wife of Sir Eustace Brackenstall. I have been marriedabout a year. I suppose that it is no use my attempting to concealthat our marriage has not been a happy one. I fear that all ourneighbours would tell you that, even if I were to attempt to denyit. Perhaps the fault may be partly mine. I was brought up in thefreer, less conventional atmosphere of South Australia, and thisEnglish life, with its proprieties and its primness, is not congenialto me. But the main reason lies in the one fact, which is notoriousto everyone, and that is that Sir Eustace was a confirmeddrunkard. To be with such a man for an hour is unpleasant. Canyou imagine what it means for a sensitive and high-spirited womanto be tied to him for day and night? It is a sacrilege, a crime, avillainy to hold that such a marriage is binding. I say that thesemonstrous laws of yours will bring a curse upon the land—Godwill not let such wickedness endure.” For an instant she sat up, hercheeks flushed, and her eyes blazing from under the terrible markupon her brow. Then the strong, soothing hand of the austeremaid drew her head down on to the cushion, and the wild angerdied away into passionate sobbing. At last she continued:
“I will tell you about last night. You are aware, perhaps, that inthis house all the servants sleep in the modern wing. This centralblock is made up of the dwelling-rooms, with the kitchen behindand our bedroom above. My maid, Theresa, sleeps above my room.
There is no one else, and no sound could alarm those who are inthe farther wing. This must have been well known to the robbers,or they would not have acted as they did.
“Sir Eustace retired about half-past ten. The servants hadalready gone to their quarters. Only my maid was up, and shehad remained in her room at the top of the house until I neededher services. I sat until after eleven in this room, absorbed inbook. Then I walked round to see that all was right before Iwent upstairs. It was my custom to do this myself, for, as I haveexplained, Sir Eustace was not always to be trusted. I went intothe kitchen, the butler’s pantry, the gun-room, the billiard-room,the drawing-room, and finally the dining-room. As I approachedthe window, which is covered with thick curtains, I suddenly feltthe wind blow upon my face and realized that it was open. I flungthe curtain aside and found myself face to face with a broadshoulderedelderly man, who had just stepped into the room. Thewindow is a long French one, which really forms a door leadingThe Return of Sherlock Holmes 1051
to the lawn. I held my bedroom candle lit in my hand, and, byits light, behind the first man I saw two others, who were in theact of entering. I stepped back, but the fellow was on me in aninstant. He caught me first by the wrist and then by the throat.
I opened my mouth to scream, but he struck me a savage blowwith his fist over the eye, and felled me to the ground. I must havebeen unconscious for a few minutes, for when I came to myself,I found that they had torn down the bell-rope, and had securedme tightly to the oaken chair which stands at the head of thedining-table. I was so firmly bound that I could not move, anda handkerchief round my mouth prevented me from uttering asound. It was at this instant that my unfortunate husband enteredthe room. He had evidently heard some suspicious sounds, andhe came prepared for such a scene as he found. He was dressed innightshirt and trousers, with his favourite blackthorn cudgel in hishand. He rushed at the burglars, but another—it was an elderlyman—stooped, picked the poker out of the grate and struck him ahorrible blow as he passed. He fell with a groan and never movedagain. I fainted once more, but again it could only have been for avery few minutes during which I was insensible. When I openedmy eyes I found that they had collected the silver from thesideboard, and they had drawn a bottle of wine which stood there.