Hishoarseshoutsbroughtapalefacetothestudydoor, , whoheardthenobleman' : "Acorpseinthegrass—ablood-stainedcorpse." O' Brienatlasthadgoneutterlyoutofhismind.
"WemusttellValentinatonce, " saidthedoctor, whentheotherhadbrokenlydescribedallthathehaddaredtoexamine."Itisfortunatethatheishere" ; andevenashespokethegreatdetectiveenteredthestudy, ; hehadcomewiththecommonconcernofahostandagentleman, , heturnedwithallhisgravityinstantlybrightandbusinesslike; forthis, howeverabruptandawful, washisbusiness.
"Strange, gentlemen, " hesaidastheyhurriedoutintothegarden, "thatIshouldhavehuntedmysteriesallovertheearth, ? " Theycrossedthelawnlesseasily, asaslightmisthadbeguntorisefromtheriver; butundertheguidanceoftheshakenGallowaytheyfoundthebodysunkenindeepgrass — , sotheycouldonlyseethathisbigshoulderswerecladinblackcloth, andthathisbigheadwasbald, .
"Atleast, " saidSimon, withadeepandsingularintonation, "heisnoneofourparty."
"Examinehim, doctor, " criedValentinrathersharply."Hemaynotbedead."
Thedoctorbentdown."Heisnotquitecold, butIamafraidheisdeadenough, " heanswered."Justhelpmetolifthimup."
Theyliftedhimcarefullyaninchfromtheground, ; ."Hemusthavebeenasstrongasagorilla, " hemuttered.
Notwithoutashiver, thoughhewasusedtoanatomicalabortions, , , yellowface, atoncesunkenandswollen, withahawk-likenoseandheavylids—afaceofawickedRomanemperor, with, perhaps, , astheyhadliftedhisbody, , , forhehadcomedressedforsuchanoccasion.
Valentinwentdownonhishandsandkneesandexaminedwithhisclosestprofessionalattentionthegrassandgroundforsometwentyyardsroundthebody, inwhichhewasassistedlessskillfullybythedoctor, , snappedorchoppedintoverysmalllengths, whichValentinliftedforaninstant' sexaminationandthentossedaway.
"Twigs, " hesaidgravely; "twigs, andatotalstrangerwithhisheadcutoff; thatisallthereisonthislawn."
Therewasanalmostcreepystillness, andthentheunnervedGallowaycalledoutsharply: "Who' sthat! Who' sthatovertherebythegardenwall!"
Asmallfigurewithafoolishlylargeheaddrewwaveringlyneartheminthemoonlithaze; lookedforaninstantlikeagoblin, butturnedouttobetheharmlesslittlepriestwhomtheyhadleftinthedrawing-room.
"Isay, " hesaidmeekly, "therearenogatestothisgarden, doyouknow."
Valentin' sblackbrowshadcometogethersomewhatcrossly, ."Youareright, " hesaid."Beforewefindouthowhecametobekilled, , , , gentlemen, , ; , , uponyourhonour, youwillnoneofyouleavethehousetilltomorrowatnoon; , Ithinkyouknowwheretofindmyman, Ivan, inthefronthall; , youarecertainlythebestpersontotelltheladieswhathashappened, ."
