”’”Ithoughtyouhadbeendeadthisthirtyyears，Henry，”saidshe，inashakingvoice。”’”SoIhave，”saidhe，anditwasawfultohearthetonesthathesaiditin。Hehadaverydark，fearsomeface，andagleaminhiseyesthatcomesbacktomeinmydreams。Hishairandwhiskerswereshotwithgray，andhisfacewasallcrinkledandpuckeredlikeawitheredapple。”’”Justwalkonalittleway，dear，”saidMrs。Barclay；”Iwanttohaveawordwiththisman。Thereisnothingtobeafraidof。”Shetriedtospeakboldly，butshewasstilldeadlypaleandcouldhardlygetherwordsoutforthetremblingofherlips。”’Ididassheaskedme，andtheytalkedtogetherforafewminutes。Thenshecamedownthestreetwithhereyesblazing，andIsawthecrippledwretchstandingbythelamp-postandshakinghisclenchedfistsintheairasifheweremadewithrage。Sheneversaidaworduntilwewereatthedoorhere，whenshetookmebythehandandbeggedmetotellnoonewhathadhappened。”’”It’sanoldacquaintanceofminewhohascomedownintheworld，”saidshe。WhenIpromisedherIwouldsaynothingshekissedme，andIhaveneverseenhersince。Ihavetoldyounowthewholetruth，andifI
withhelditfromthepoliceitisbecauseIdidnotrealizethenthedangerinwhichmydearfriendstood。
Iknowthatitcanonlybetoheradvantagethateverythingshouldbeknown。’”Therewasherstatement，Watson，andtome，asyoucanimagine，itwaslikealightonadarknight。
Everythingwhichhadbeendisconnectedbeforebeganatoncetoassumeitstrueplace，andIhadashadowypresentimentofthewholesequenceofevents。MynextstepobviouslywastofindthemanwhohadproducedsucharemarkableimpressionuponMrs。Barclay。IfhewerestillinAldershotitshouldnotbeaverydifficultmatter。Therearenotsuchaverygreatnumberofcivilians，andadeformedmanwassuretohaveattractedattention。Ispentadayinthesearch，andbyevening——thisveryevening，Watson——I
hadrunhimdown。Theman’snameisHenryWood，andhelivesinlodgingsinthissamestreetinwhichtheladiesmethim。Hehasonlybeenfivedaysintheplace。Inthecharacterofaregistration-agentIhadamostinterestinggossipwithhislandlady。Themanisbytradeaconjurerandperformer，goingroundthecanteensafternightfall，andgivingalittleentertainmentateach。Hecarriessomecreatureaboutwithhiminthatbox；aboutwhichthelandladyseemedtobeinconsiderabletrepidation，forshehadneverseenananimallikeit。Heusesitinsomeofhistricksaccordingtoheraccount。Somuchthewomanwasabletotellme，andalsothatitwasawonderthemanlived，seeinghowtwistedhewas，andthathespokeinastrangetonguesometimes，andthatforthelasttwonightsshehadheardhimgroaningandweepinginhisbedroom。Hewasallright，asfarasmoneywent，butinhisdeposithehadgivenherwhatlookedlikeabadflorin。Sheshowedittome，Watson，anditwasanIndianrupee。”Sonow，mydearfellow，youseeexactlyhowwestandandwhyitisIwantyou。Itisperfectlyplainthataftertheladiespartedfromthismanhefollowedthematadistance，thathesawthequarrelbetweenhusbandandwifethroughthewindow，thatherushedin，andthatthecreaturewhichhecarriedinhisboxgotloose。Thatisallverycertain。Butheistheonlypersoninthisworldwhocantellusexactlywhathappenedinthatroom。””Andyouintendtoaskhim?””Mostcertainly——butinthepresenceofawitness。””AndIamthewitness?””Ifyouwillbesogood。Ifhecanclearthematterup，wellandgood。Ifherefuses，wehavenoalternativebuttoapplyforawarrant。””Buthowdoyouknowhe’llbetherewhenwereturn?””YoumaybesurethatItooksomeprecautions。IhaveoneofmyBakerStreetboysmountingguardoverhimwhowouldsticktohimlikeaburr，gowherehemight。