“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 ina book. 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 leadingto 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.
Each of them had a glass in his hand. I have already told you, haveI not, that one was elderly, with a beard, and the others young,hairless lads. They might have been a father with his two sons.
They talked together in whispers. Then they came over and madesure that I was securely bound. Finally they withdrew, closing thewindow after them. It was quite a quarter of an hour before I gotmy mouth free. When I did so, my screams brought the maid tomy assistance. The other servants were soon alarmed, and we sentfor the local police, who instantly communicated with London.
That is really all that I can tell you, gentlemen, and I trust that itwill not be necessary for me to go over so painful a story again.”
“Any questions, Mr. Holmes?” asked Hopkins.
“I will not impose any further tax upon Lady Brackenstall’spatience and time,” said Holmes. “Before I go into the diningroom,I should like to hear your experience.” He looked at themaid.
“I saw the men before ever they came into the house,” saidshe. “As I sat by my bedroom window I saw three men in themoonlight down by the lodge gate yonder, but I thought nothingof it at the time. It was more than an hour after that I heard mymistress scream, and down I ran, to find her, poor lamb, just asshe says, and him on the floor, with his blood and brains overthe room. It was enough to drive a woman out of her wits, tiedthere, and her very dress spotted with him, but she never wantedcourage, did Miss Mary Fraser of Adelaide and Lady Brackenstallof Abbey Grange hasn’t learned new ways. You’ve questioned herlong enough, you gentlemen, and now she is coming to her ownroom, just with her old Theresa, to get the rest that she badlyneeds.”
With a motherly tenderness the gaunt woman put her armround her mistress and led her from the room.
“She has been with her all her life,” said Hopkins. “Nursedher as a baby, and came with her to England when they first leftAustralia, eighteen months ago. Theresa Wright is her name,and the kind of maid you don’t pick up nowadays. This way, Mr.
Holmes, if you please!”