Barrymore was crouching at the window with the candle heldagainst the glass. His profile was half turned towards me, and hisface seemed to be rigid with expectation as he stared out intothe blackness of the moor. For some minutes he stood watchingintently. Then he gave a deep groan and with an impatient gesturehe put out the light. Instantly I made my way back to my room,and very shortly came the stealthy steps passing once more upontheir return journey. Long afterwards when I had fallen into alight sleep I heard a key turn somewhere in a lock, but I could nottell whence the sound came. What it all means I cannot guess,but there is some secret business going on in this house of gloomwhich sooner or later we shall get to the bottom of. I do nottrouble you with my theories, for you asked me to furnish you onlywith facts. I have had a long talk with Sir Henry this morning, andwe have made a plan of campaign founded upon my observationsof last night. I will not speak about it just now, but it should makemy next report interesting reading.
Second Report of Dr. Watson
THE LIGHT UPON THE MOOR
BASKERVILLE HALL, Oct. 15th.
MY DEAR HOLMES:
If I was compelled to leave you without much news during theearly days of my mission you must acknowledge that I am makingup for lost time, and that events are now crowding thick andfast upon us. In my last report I ended upon my top note withBarrymore at the window, and now I have quite a budget alreadywhich will, unless I am much mistaken, considerably surprise you.
Things have taken a turn which I could not have anticipated. Insome ways they have within the last forty-eight hours become muchclearer and in some ways they have become more complicated.
But I will tell you all and you shall judge for yourself.
Before breakfast on the morning following my adventure I wentdown the corridor and examined the room in which Barrymorehad been on the night before. The western window through whichhe had stared so intently has, I noticed, one peculiarity above allother windows in the house—it commands the nearest outlook onthe moor. There is an opening between two trees which enablesone from this point of view to look right down upon it, whilefrom all the other windows it is only a distant glimpse which canbe obtained. It follows, therefore, that Barrymore, since only thiswindow would serve the purpose, must have been looking outfor something or somebody upon the moor. The night was verydark, so that I can hardly imagine how he could have hoped tosee anyone. It had struck me that it was possible that some loveintrigue was on foot. That would have accounted for his stealthymovements and also for the uneasiness of his wife. The man is astriking-looking fellow, very well equipped to steal the heart ofa country girl, so that this theory seemed to have something tosupport it. That opening of the door which I had heard after I hadreturned to my room might mean that he had gone out to keepsome clandestine appointment. So I reasoned with myself in themorning, and I tell you the direction of my suspicions, howevermuch the result may have shown that they were unfounded.
But whatever the true explanation of Barrymore’s movementsmight be, I felt that the responsibility of keeping them to myselfuntil I could explain them was more than I could bear. I had aninterview with the baronet in his study after breakfast, and I toldhim all that I had seen. He was less surprised than I had expected.
“I knew that Barrymore walked about nights, and I had a mindto speak to him about it,” said he. “Two or three times I haveheard his steps in the passage, coming and going, just about thehour you name.”
“Perhaps then he pays a visit every night to that particularwindow,” I suggested.
“Perhaps he does. If so, we should be able to shadow him, andsee what it is that he is after. I wonder what your friend Holmeswould do, if he were here.”
“I believe that he would do exactly what you now suggest,” said I.
“He would follow Barrymore and see what he did.”
“Then we shall do it together.”
“But surely he would hear us.”
“The man is rather deaf, and in any case we must take ourchance of that. We’ll sit up in my room to-night and wait untilhe passes.” Sir Henry rubbed his hands with pleasure, and it wasevident that he hailed the adventure as a relief to his somewhatquiet life upon the moor.
The baronet has been in communication with the architect whoprepared the plans for Sir Charles, and with a contractor fromLondon, so that we may expect great changes to begin here soon.
There have been decorators and furnishers up from Plymouth,and it is evident that our friend has large ideas, and means to spareno pains or expense to restore the grandeur of his family. Whenthe house is renovated and refurnished, all that he will need willbe a wife to make it complete. Between ourselves there are prettyclear signs that this will not be wanting if the lady is willing, for Ihave seldom seen a man more infatuated with a woman than he iswith our beautiful neighbour, Miss Stapleton. And yet the courseof true love does not run quite as smoothly as one would underthe circumstances expect. To-day, for example, its surface wasbroken by a very unexpected ripple, which has caused our friendconsiderable perplexity and annoyance.
After the conversation which I have quoted about Barrymore,Sir Henry put on his hat and prepared to go out. As a matter ofcourse I did the same.
“What, are you coming, Watson?” he asked, looking at me in acurious way.
“That depends on whether you are going on the moor,” said I.
“Yes, I am.”
“Well, you know what my instructions are. I am sorry tointrude, but you heard how earnestly Holmes insisted that Ishould not leave you, and especially that you should not go aloneupon the moor.”
Sir Henry put his hand upon my shoulder with a pleasant smile.