I said nothing in reply, but turned my face to the wall, sick atheart, with my mind filled with a thousand venomous doubts andsuspicions. What was it that my wife was concealing from me?
Where had she been during that strange expedition? I felt that Ishould have no peace until I knew, and yet I shrank from askingher again after once she had told me what was false. All the rest ofthe night I tossed and tumbled, framing theory after theory, eachmore unlikely than the last.
“I should have gone to the City that day, but I was too disturbedin my mind to be able to pay attention to business matters. Mywife seemed to be as upset as myself, and I could see from thelittle questioning glances which she kept shooting at me that sheunderstood that I disbelieved her statement, and that she wasat her wit’s end what to do. We hardly exchanged a word duringbreakfast, and immediately afterwards I went out for a walk, thatI might think the matter out in the fresh morning air.
“I went as far as the Crystal Palace, spent an hour in thegrounds, and was back in Norbury by one o’clock. It happenedthat my way took me past the cottage, and I stopped for an instantto look at the windows, and to see if I could catch a glimpse ofthe strange face which had looked out at me on the day before. AsI stood there, imagine my surprise, Mr. Holmes, when the doorsuddenly opened and my wife walked out.
“I was struck dumb with astonishment at the sight of her; butmy emotions were nothing to those which showed themselvesupon her face when our eyes met. She seemed for an instant towish to shrink back inside the house again; and then, seeing howuseless all concealment must be, she came forward, with a verywhite face and frightened eyes which belied the smile upon herlips.
“ ‘Ah, Jack,’ she said, ‘I have just been in to see if I can be of anyassistance 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, thatyou 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. ‘Yourvery voice changes as you speak. When have I ever had a secretfrom you? I shall enter that cottage, and I shall probe the matterto the bottom.’
“ ‘No, no, Jack, for God’s sake!’ she gasped, in uncontrollableemotion. Then, as I approached the door, she seized my sleeveand pulled me back with convulsive strength.
“ ‘I implore you not to do this, Jack,’ she cried. ‘I swear thatI will tell you everything some day, but nothing but misery cancome of it if you enter that cottage.’ Then, as I tried to shake heroff, she clung to me in a frenzy of entreaty.
“ ‘Trust me, Jack!’ she cried. ‘Trust me only this once. You willnever have cause to regret it. You know that I would not have asecret from you if it were not for your own sake. Our whole livesare at stake in this. If you come home with me, all will be well. Ifyou force your way into that cottage, all is over between us.’
“There was such earnestness, such despair, in her manner thather 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 promiseme that there shall be no more nightly visits, no more doingswhich are kept from my knowledge. I am willing to forget thosewhich are passed if you will promise that there shall be no more inthe future.’
“ ‘I was sure that you would trust me,’ she cried, with a greatsigh of relief. ‘It shall be just as you wish. Come away—oh, comeaway 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 facewatching us out of the upper window. What link could there bebetween that creature and my wife? Or how could the coarse,rough woman whom I had seen the day before be connected withher? It was a strange puzzle, and yet I knew that my mind couldnever know ease again until I had solved it.
“For two days after this I stayed at home, and my wife appearedto abide loyally by our engagement, for, as far as I know, she neverstirred out of the house. On the third day, however, I had ampleevidence that her solemn promise was not enough to hold herback from this secret influence which drew her away from herhusband and her duty.
“I had gone into town on that day, but I returned by the 2:40instead of the 3:36, which is my usual train. As I entered the housethe 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 upstairsto make sure that she was not in the house. As I did so I happenedto glance out of one of the upper windows, and saw the maid withwhom I had just been speaking running across the field in thedirection of the cottage. Then of course I saw exactly what it allmeant. My wife had gone over there, and had asked the servant tocall her if I should return. Tingling with anger, I rushed down andhurried across, determined to end the matter once and forever.
I saw my wife and the maid hurrying back along the lane, but Idid not stop to speak with them. In the cottage lay the secretwhich was casting a shadow over my life. I vowed that, come whatmight, it should be a secret no longer. I did not even knock whenI reached it, but turned the handle and rushed into the passage.
“It was all still and quiet upon the ground floor. In the kitchena kettle was singing on the fire, and a large black cat lay coiled upin the basket; but there was no sign of the woman whom I hadseen before. I ran into the other room, but it was equally deserted.
