I have been as good as my word.

"Well, we have been married now for a year, and very happy we

have been. But about a month ago, at the end of June, I saw

for the first time signs of trouble. One day my wife received

a letter from America. I saw the American stamp. She turned

deadly white, read the letter, and threw it into the fire.

She made no allusion to it afterwards, and I made none, for a

promise is a promise; but she has never known an easy hour from

that moment. There is always a look of fear upon her face --

a look as if she were waiting and expecting. She would do

better to trust me. She would find that I was her best friend.

But until she speaks I can say nothing. Mind you, she is a

truthful woman, Mr. Holmes, and whatever trouble there may have

been in her past life it has been no fault of hers. I am only

a simple Norfolk squire, but there is not a man in England who

ranks his family honour more highly than I do. She knows it well,

and she knew it well before she married me. She would never

bring any stain upon it -- of that I am sure.

08.12.2007