I remembered the place the moment Betteredge mentioned it.The farm-house stood in a sheltered inland valley, on the banks of the prettiest stream in that part of Yorkshire: and the farmer had a spare bedroom and parlour, which he was accustomed to let to artists, anglers, and tourists in general.
A more agreeable place of abode, during my stay in the neighbourhood, Icould not have wished to find.
`Are the rooms to let?' I inquired.
`Mrs.Hotherstone herself, sir, asked for my good word to recommend the rooms, yesterday.'
`I'll take them, Betteredge, with the greatest pleasure.'
We went back to the yard, in which I had left my travelling-bag.After putting a stick through the handle, and swinging the bag over his shoulder, Betteredge appeared to relapse into the bewilderment which my sudden appearance had caused, when I surprised him in the beehive chair.He looked incredulously at the house, and then he wheeled about, and looked more incredulously still at me.
`I've lived a goodish long time in the world,' said this best and dearest of all old servants--`but the like of this, I never did expect to see.
There stands the house, and here stands Mr.Franklin Blake--and, Damme, if one of them isn't turning his back on the other, and going to sleep in a lodging!'
He led the way out, wagging his head and growling ominously.`There's only one more miracle that can happen,' he said to me, over his shoulder.`The next thing you'll do, Mr.Franklin, will be to pay me back that seven and sixpence you borrowed of me when you were a boy.'
This stroke of sarca** put him in a better humour with himself and with me.We left the house, and passed through the lodge gates.Once clear of the grounds, the duties of hospitality (in Betteredge's code of morals)ceased, and the privileges of curiosity began.
He dropped back, so as to let me get on a level with him.`Fine evening for a walk, Mr.Franklin,' he said, as if we had just accidentally encountered each other at that moment.`Supposing you had gone to the hotel at Frizinghall, sir?'
`Yes?'
`I should have had the honour of breakfasting with you, tomorrow morning.'
`Come and breakfast with me at Hotherstone's Farm, instead.'
`Much obliged to you for your kindness, Mr.Franklin.But it wasn't exactly breakfast that I was driving at.I think you mentioned that you had something to say to me? If it's no secret, sir,' said Betteredge, suddenly abandoning the crooked way, and taking the straight one, `I'm burning to know what's brought you down here, if you please, in this sudden way.'
`What brought me here before?' I asked.
`The Moonstone, Mr.Franklin.But what brings you now, sir?'
`The Moonstone again, Betteredge.'
The old man suddenly stood still, and looked at me in the grey twilight as if he suspected his own ears of deceiving him.
`If that's a joke, sir,' he said, `I am afraid I'm getting a little dull in my old age.I don't take it.'
`It's no joke,' I answered.`I have come here to take up the inquiry which was dropped when I left England.I have come here to do what nobody has done yet--to find out who took the Diamond.'
`Let the Diamond be, Mr.Franklin! Take my advice, and let the Diamond be! That cursed Indian jewel has misguided everybody who has come near it.Don't waste your money and your temper--in the fine spring-time of your life, sir--by meddling with the Moonstone.How can you hope to succeed (saving your presence), when Sergeant Cuff himself made a mess of it? Sergeant Cuff!' repeated Betteredge, shaking his forefinger at me sternly.`The greatest policeman in England!'
`My mind is made up, my old friend.Even Sergeant Cuff doesn't daunt me.By the by, I may want to speak to him, sooner or later.Have you heard anything of him lately?'
`The Sergeant won't help you, Mr.Franklin.'
`Why not?'
`There has been an event, sir, in the police circles, since you went away.The great Cuff has retired from business.He has got a little cottage at Dorking; and he's up to his eyes in the growing of roses.I have it in his own handwriting, Mr.Franklin.He has grown the white moss rose, without budding it on the dog-rose first.And Mr.Begbie the gardener is to go to Dorking, and own that the Sergeant has beaten him at last.'
`It doesn't much matter,' I said.`I must do without Sergeant Cuff's help.And I must trust to you, at starting.'
It is likely enough that I spoke rather carelessly.At any rate, Betteredge seemed to be piqued by something in the reply which I had just made to him.`You might trust to worse than me, Mr.Franklin--I can tell you that,'