"No, no; it is, it is his very own writing!"
"Very well. It may, however, have been written on Monday and onlyposted to-day."
"That is possible."
"If so, much may have happened between."
"Oh, you must not discourage me, Mr. Holmes. I know that all iswell with him. There is so keen a sympathy between us that Ishould know if evil came upon him. On the very day that I saw himlast he cut himself in the bedroom, and yet I in the dining-roomrushed upstairs instantly with the utmost certainty thatsomething had happened. Do you think that I would respond to sucha trifle and yet be ignorant of his death?"
"I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a womanmay be more valuable than the conclusion of an analyticalreasoner. And in this letter you certainly have a very strongpiece of evidence to corroborate your view. But if your husbandis alive and able to write letters, why should he remain awayfrom you?"
"I cannot imagine. It is unthinkable."
"And on Monday he made no remarks before leaving you?"
"No."
"And you were surprised to see him in Swandam Lane?"
"Very much so."
"Was the window open?"
"Yes."
"Then he might have called to you?"
"He might."
"He only, as I understand, gave an inarticulate cry?"
"Yes."
"A call for help, you thought?"
"Yes. He waved his hands."
"But it might have been a cry of surprise. Astonishment at theunexpected sight of you might cause him to throw up his hands?"
"It is possible."
"And you thought he was pulled back?"
"He disappeared so suddenly."
"He might have leaped back. You did not see anyone else in theroom?"
"No, but this horrible man confessed to having been there, andthe Lascar was at the foot of the stairs."
"Quite so. Your husband, as far as you could see, had hisordinary clothes on?"
"But without his collar or tie. I distinctly saw his barethroat."
"Had he ever spoken of Swandam Lane?"
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"Never."