I must ask you, however, to drop these inquiries. Every family hasits own inner knowledge and its own motives, which cannot alwaysbe made clear to outsiders, however well-intentioned. My wife isanxious to hear something of Godfrey’s past which you are in aposition to tell her, but I would ask you to let the present and thefuture alone. Such inquiries serve no useful purpose, sir, and placeus in a delicate and difficult position.’
“So I came to a dead end, Mr. Holmes. There was no gettingpast it. I could only pretend to accept the situation and registera vow inwardly that I would never rest until my friend’s fate hadbeen cleared up. It was a dull evening. We dined quietly, the threeof us, in a gloomy, faded old room. The lady questioned me eagerlyabout her son, but the old man seemed morose and depressed. Iwas so bored by the whole proceeding that I made an excuse assoon as I decently could and retired to my bedroom. It was a large,bare room on the ground floor, as gloomy as the rest of the house,but after a year of sleeping upon the veldt, Mr. Holmes, one isnot too particular about one’s quarters. I opened the curtains andlooked out into the garden, remarking that it was a fine night witha bright half-moon. Then I sat down by the roaring fire with thelamp on a table beside me, and endeavoured to distract my mindwith a novel. I was interrupted, however, by Ralph, the old butler,who came in with a fresh supply of coals.
“ ‘I thought you might run short in the night-time, sir. It isbitter weather and these rooms are cold.’
“He hesitated before leaving the room, and when I lookedround he was standing facing me with a wistful look upon hiswrinkled face.
“ ‘Beg your pardon, sir, but I could not help hearing what yousaid of young Master Godfrey at dinner. You know, sir, that mywife nursed him, and so I may say I am his foster-father. It’snatural we should take an interest. And you say he carried himselfwell, sir?’
“ ‘There was no braver man in the regiment. He pulled me outonce from under the rifles of the Boers, or maybe I should not behere.’
“The old butler rubbed his skinny hands.
“ ‘Yes, sir, yes, that is Master Godfrey all over. He was alwayscourageous. There’s not a tree in the park, sir, that he has notclimbed. Nothing would stop him. He was a fine boy—and oh, sir, hewas a fine man.’
“I sprang to my feet.
“ ‘Look here!’ I cried. ‘You say he was. You speak as if he were dead.
What is all this mystery? What has become of Godfrey Emsworth?’
“I gripped the old man by the shoulder, but he shrank away.
“ ‘I don’t know what you mean, sir. Ask the master about MasterGodfrey. He knows. It is not for me to interfere.’
“He was leaving the room, but I held his arm“ ‘Listen,’ I said. ‘You are going to answer one question beforeyou leave if I have to hold you all night. Is Godfrey dead?’
“He could not face my eyes. He was like a man hypnotized Theanswer was dragged from his lips. It was a terrible and unexpectedone.
“ ‘I wish to God he was!’ he cried, and, tearing himself free hedashed from the room.
“You will think, Mr. Holmes, that I returned to my chair in novery happy state of mind. The old man’s words seemed to me tobear only one interpretation. Clearly my poor friend had becomeinvolved in some criminal or, at the least, disreputable transactionwhich touched the family honour. That stern old man had senthis son away and hidden him from the world lest some scandalshould come to light. Godfrey was a reckless fellow. He was easilyinfluenced by those around him. No doubt he had fallen into badhands and been misled to his ruin. It was a piteous business, if itwas indeed so, but even now it was my duty to hunt him out andsee if I could aid him. I was anxiously pondering the matter whenI looked up, and there was Godfrey Emsworth standing beforeme.”
My client had paused as one in deep emotion.
“Pray continue,” I said. “Your problem presents some veryunusual features.”
“He was outside the window, Mr. Holmes, with his face pressedagainst the glass. I have told you that I looked out at the night.
When I did so I left the curtains partly open. His figure wasframed in this gap. The window came down to the ground andI could see the whole length of it, but it was his face which heldmy gaze. He was deadly pale—never have I seen a man so white. Ireckon ghosts may look like that; but his eyes met mine, and theywere the eyes of a living man. He sprang back when he saw that Iwas looking at him, and he vanished into the darkness.
“There was something shocking about the man, Mr. Holmes. Itwasn’t merely that ghastly face glimmering as white as cheese inthe darkness. It was more subtle than that—something slinking,something furtive, something guilty—something very unlike thefrank, manly lad that I had known. It left a feeling of horror in mymind.
“But when a man has been soldiering for a year or two withbrother Boer as a playmate, he keeps his nerve and acts quickly.
Godfrey had hardly vanished before I was at the window. Therewas an awkward catch, and I was some little time before I couldthrow it up. Then I nipped through and ran down the garden pathin the direction that I thought he might have taken.
“It was a long path and the light was not very good, but itseemed to me something was moving ahead of me. I ran on andcalled his name, but it was no use. When I got to the end of thepath there were several others branching in different directionsto various outhouses. I stood hesitating, and as I did so I hearddistinctly the sound of a closing door. It was not behind me inthe house, but ahead of me, somewhere in the darkness. That wasenough, Mr. Holmes, to assure me that what I had seen was nota vision. Godfrey had run away from me, and he had shut a doorbehind him. Of that I was certain.