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your hair。 I assure you that it has not detracted in the tiniest
iota from your appearance。 We shall now see how the electric…blue
dress will become you。 You will find it laid out upon the bed in
your room； and if you would be so good as to put it on we should
both be extremely obliged。'
〃The dress which I found waiting for me was of a peculiar shade of
blue。 It was of excellent material； a sort of beige but it bore
unmistakable signs of having been worn before。 It could not have
been a better fit if I had been measured for it。 Both Mr。 and Mrs。
Rucastle expressed a delight at the look of it； which seemed quite
exaggerated in its vehemence。 They were waiting for me in the
drawing…room； which is a very large room； stretching along the
entire front of the house； with three long windows reaching down to
the floor。 A chair had been placed close to the central window； with
its back turned towards it。 In this I was asked to sit； and then Mr。
Rucastle； walking up and down on the other side of the room； began
to tell me a series of the funniest stories that I have ever
listened to。 You cannot imagine how comical he was； and I laughed
until I was quite weary。 Mrs。 Rucastle； however； who has evidently
no sense of humour； never so much as smiled； but sat with her hands in
her lap； and a sad； anxious look upon her face。 After an hour or so；
Mr。 Rucastle suddenly remarked that it was time to commence the duties
of the day； and that I might change my dress and go to little Edward
in the nursery。
〃Two days later this same performance was gone through under exactly
similar circumstances。 Again I changed my dress； again I sat in the
window； and again I laughed very heartily at the funny stories of
which my employer had an immense repertoire； and which he told
inimitably。 Then he handed me a yellow…backed novel； and moving my
chair a little sideways； that my own shadow might not fall upon the
page； he begged me to read aloud to him。 I read for about ten minutes；
beginning in the heart of a chapter； and then suddenly； in the
middle of a sentence； he ordered me to cease and to change my dress。
〃You can easily imagine； Mr。 Holmes； how curious I became as to what
the meaning of this extraordinary performance could possibly be。
They were always very careful； I observed； to turn my face away from
the window； so that I became consumed with the desire to see what
was going on behind my back。 At first it seemed to be impossible；
but I soon devised a means。 My hand…mirror had been broken； so a happy
thought seized me； and I concealed a piece of the glass in my
handkerchief。 On the next occasion； in the midst of my laughter； I put
my handkerchief up to my eyes； and was able with a little management
to see all that there was behind me。 I confess that I was
disappointed。 There was nothing。 At least that was my first
impression。 At the second glance； however； I perceived that there
was a man standing in the Southampton Road； a small bearded man in a
gray suit； who seemed to be looking in my direction。 The road is an
important highway； and there are usually people there。 This man；
however； was leaning against the railings which bordered our field and
was looking earnestly up。 I lowered my handkerchief and glanced at
Mrs。 Rucastle to find her eyes fixed upon me with a most searching
gaze。 She said nothing； but I am convinced that she had divined that I
had a mirror in my hand and had seen what was behind me。 She rose at
once。
〃'Jephro；' said she； 'there is an impertinent fellow upon the road
there who stares up at Miss Hunter。'
〃'No friend of yours； Miss Hunter？' he asked。
〃'No； I know no one in these parts。'
〃'Dear me！ How very impertinent！ Kindly turn round and motion to him
to go away。'
〃'Surely it would be better to take no notice。'
〃'No； no； we should have him loitering here always。 Kindly turn
round and wave him away like that。'
〃I did as I was told； and at the same instant Mrs。 Rucastle drew
down the blind。 That was a week ago； and from that time I have not sat
again in the window； nor have I worn the blue dress； nor seen the
man in the road。〃
〃Pray continue；〃 said Holmes。 〃Your narrative promises to be a
most interesting one。〃
〃You will find it rather disconnected； I fear； and there may prove
to be little relation between the different incidents of which I
speak。 On the very first day that I was at the Copper Beeches； Mr。
Rucastle took me to a small outhouse which stands near the kitchen
door。 As we approached it I heard the sharp rattling of a chain； and
the sound as of a large animal moving about。
〃Look in here！〃 said Mr。 Rucastle； showing me a slit between two
planks。 〃Is he not a beauty？〃
〃I looked through and was conscious of two glowing eyes； and of a
vague figure huddled up in the darkness。
〃Don't be frightened；〃 said my employer； laughing at the start which
I had given。 〃It's only Carlo； my mastiff。 I call him mine； but really
old Toller； my groom； is the only man who can do anything with him。 We
feed him once a day； and not too much then； so that he is always as
keen as mustard。 Toller lets him loose every night； and God help the
trespasser whom he lays his fangs upon。 For goodness' sake don't you
ever on any pretext set your foot over the threshold at night； for
it's as much as your life is worth。〃
〃The warning was no idle one； for two nights later I happened to
look out of my bedroom window about two o'clock in the morning。 It was
a beautiful moonlight night； and the lawn in front of the house was
silvered over and almost as bright as day。 I was standing； rapt in the
peaceful beauty of the scene； when I was aware that something was
moving under the shadow of the copper beeches。 As it emerged into
the moonshine I saw what it was。 It was a giant dog； as large as a
calf； tawny tinted； with hanging jowl； black muzzle； and huge
projecting bones。 It walked slowly across the lawn and vanished into
the shadow upon the other side。 That dreadful sentinel sent a chill to
my heart which I do not think that any burglar could have done。
〃And now I have a very strange experience to tell you。 I had； as you
know； cut off my hair in London； and I had placed it in a great coil
at the bottom of my trunk。 One evening； after the child was in bed；
I began to amuse myself by examining the furniture of my room and by
rearranging my own little things。 There was an old chest of drawers in
the room； the two upper ones empty and open； the lower one locked。 I
had filled the first two with my linen； and as I had still much to
pack away I was naturally annoyed at not having the use of the third
drawer。 It struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere
oversight； so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it。 The
very first key fitted to perfection； and I drew the drawer open。 There
was only one thing in it； but I am sure that you would never guess
what it was。 It was my coil of hair。
〃I took it up and examined it。 It was of the same peculiar tint； and
the same thickness。 But then the impossibility of the thing