From fbc8d2a008600c5f453d1f3787f8add74caa7c1c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Safak Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2025 02:55:16 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] init --- .gitignore | 2 + P1/HazinedarSafak_3108590_BDAII_1.ipynb | 536 + P2/HazinedarSafak_3108590_BDA II_P_2.ipynb | 3481 +++++ P2/Sherlock.txt | 13406 +++++++++++++++++++ P2/Sherlock_black.txt | 757 ++ P2/Sherlock_blanched.txt | 710 + P2/Sherlock_blue.txt | 741 + P2/Sherlock_card.txt | 764 ++ 8 files changed, 20397 insertions(+) create mode 100644 .gitignore create mode 100644 P1/HazinedarSafak_3108590_BDAII_1.ipynb create mode 100644 P2/HazinedarSafak_3108590_BDA II_P_2.ipynb create mode 100644 P2/Sherlock.txt create mode 100644 P2/Sherlock_black.txt create mode 100644 P2/Sherlock_blanched.txt create mode 100644 P2/Sherlock_blue.txt create mode 100644 P2/Sherlock_card.txt diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2049435 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitignore @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +/.* +*/datasets/* \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/P1/HazinedarSafak_3108590_BDAII_1.ipynb b/P1/HazinedarSafak_3108590_BDAII_1.ipynb new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0536d5f --- /dev/null +++ b/P1/HazinedarSafak_3108590_BDAII_1.ipynb @@ -0,0 +1,536 @@ +{ + "cells": [ + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "62166c19", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# Lab Work 1: Working with missing data\n", + "This excercise should give you some practice in working with missing data of different feature types.\n", + "\n", + "**Please note, that you can only pass the intial checking, if you write Markdown documention about your findings (not code documentation). Any submission that does not adhere to that will lead to an immediate fail, without the chance of resubmission!**" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "95a1362e", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# 1. Load the iris dataset with missing values into a dataframe \n", + "File: datasets.zip/datasets/iris/data_someMissing.all\n", + "\n", + "Hint: When data is missing, pandas might not be able to determine the proper type of columns by itself. Look carefully at the data types and act accordingly! You have different options to change the types of columns:\n", + "* When reading, have a look at [pandas.read_csv](https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/reference/api/pandas.read_csv.html), esp the parameter *na_filter*\n", + "* In memory, have a look at [dataframe.astype](https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/reference/api/pandas.DataFrame.astype.html) and the transformation functions [dataframe.apply](https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/reference/api/pandas.DataFrame.apply.html) in combination with [pandas.to_numeric](https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/reference/api/pandas.to_numeric.html)" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "6f8573a0", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "import pandas as pd\n", + "import numpy as np\n", + "import matplotlib.pyplot as plt\n", + "import seaborn as sns\n", + "\n", + "\n", + "my_dataframe = pd.read_csv('datasets/iris/data_someMissing.all', \n", + " sep=' ', \n", + " na_values=['?'],\n", + " header=None,\n", + " names=['sl', 'sw', 'pl', 'pw', 'class'])\n", + "\n", + "print(\"Datentypen nach dem Einlesen:\")\n", + "print(my_dataframe.dtypes)\n", + "\n", + "\n", + "# Verwende hier den zweiten Ansatz mit dataframe.apply und pandas.to_numeric, da diese robuster und flexibler ist als dataframe.astype\n", + "numeric_cols = ['sl', 'sw', 'pl', 'pw']\n", + "my_dataframe[numeric_cols] = my_dataframe[numeric_cols].apply(pd.to_numeric, errors='coerce')\n", + "\n", + "print(\"\\nDatentypen nach apply(pd.to_numeric):\")\n", + "print(my_dataframe.dtypes)\n", + "\n", + "my_dataframe" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "26b12836", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# 2. What are your options to work with the missing values? \n", + "- Löschen (Deletion)\n", + " - Listwise Deletion: Entferne alle Zeilen mit fehlenden Werten\n", + "- Imputation mit statistischen Werten\n", + " - Mean Imputation: Ersetze durch Mittelwert der ganzen Spalte\n", + " - Median Imputation: Ersetze durch Median der ganzen Spalte (robuster gegen Ausreißer)\n", + " - Class-spezifische Imputation: Ersetze durch Mittelwert/Median der Spalte gefilter nach jeweiligen Klasse\n", + "- Markierung\n", + " - Fehlende Werte als separate Kategorie behandeln" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "4953a342", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# 3. What is their difference with respect to the features of the dataset and the class associations? \n", + "- Auswirkungen auf Features:\n", + " - Mean Imputation verändert nicht den Mittelwert, reduziert aber die Varianz​\n", + " - Median Imputation ist robuster bei schiefen Verteilungen​\n", + " - (Listwise) Deletion reduziert die Datenmenge und kann daher zu Bias führen, wenn unverhältnismäßig viel aus einer Klasse gelöscht wird\n", + "\n", + "- Auswirkungen auf Klassenzugehörigkeit\n", + " - Mean/ Median Imputation können die klassenspezifischen Muster durch das einsetzten global ermittelter Werte verzerren\n", + " - Class-spezifische Imputation erhält hingegen klassenspezifische Muster besser bei\n", + " - Deletion kann Klassenverteilung verändern, wenn fehlende Werte nicht zufällig verteilt sind" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "89230793", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# 4. Implement some of the options for the dataset\n", + "* check, how these options change the statistical values of\n", + " * each feature\n", + " * each class\n", + "* Visualize and Interpret your results\n", + " * you can use a visualization framework of your choice\n", + " * you MUST write Markdown documentation of your findings!\n", + "* useful functions in pandas for this step\n", + " * find out, if a value [is null](https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/reference/api/pandas.DataFrame.isnull.html)\n", + " * [removing data that null ](https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/reference/api/pandas.DataFrame.dropna.html?highlight=dropna)\n", + " * [fill null data with other value](https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/reference/api/pandas.DataFrame.fillna.html)\n", + " * [replace values](https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/reference/api/pandas.DataFrame.replace.html)" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "bae12445", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "## 4.1 Implentierung der Optionen" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "7d792e4f", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "numeric_cols = ['sl', 'sw', 'pl', 'pw']\n", + "\n", + "# Original Daten\n", + "df_original = my_dataframe.copy()\n", + "\n", + "# Strategie 1: Listwise Deletion\n", + "df_deletion = my_dataframe.copy().dropna()\n", + "\n", + "# Strategie 2: Mean Imputation (global)\n", + "df_mean = my_dataframe.copy()\n", + "for col in numeric_cols:\n", + " df_mean[col].fillna(df_mean[col].mean(), inplace=True)\n", + "\n", + "# Strategie 3: Median Imputation (global)\n", + "df_median = my_dataframe.copy()\n", + "for col in numeric_cols:\n", + " df_median[col].fillna(df_median[col].median(), inplace=True)\n", + "\n", + "# Strategie 4: Class-spezifische Mean Imputation\n", + "df_class_mean = my_dataframe.copy()\n", + "for class_name in df_class_mean['class'].dropna().unique():\n", + " class_mask = df_class_mean['class'] == class_name\n", + " for col in numeric_cols:\n", + " class_mean = df_class_mean.loc[class_mask, col].mean()\n", + " df_class_mean.loc[class_mask, col] = df_class_mean.loc[class_mask, col].fillna(class_mean)\n", + "df_class_mean = df_class_mean.dropna(subset=['class']) # Fehlende Klassenlabels separat behandeln\n" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "57fe2607", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "## 4.2 Statistische Auswertung\n", + "### 4.2.1 Implementierung der statistische Auswertung" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "f30c90db", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# Funktion für statistische Zusammenfassung\n", + "def print_statistics(df, name, df_original=None):\n", + " print(f\"\\n{'='*50}\")\n", + " print(f\"Statistiken für: {name}\")\n", + " print(f\"{'='*50}\")\n", + " print(f\"Anzahl Datenpunkte: {len(df)} \", end='')\n", + " \n", + " if df_original is not None:\n", + " diff_count = len(df) - len(df_original)\n", + " print(f\"(Δ: {diff_count:+d})\")\n", + " else:\n", + " print()\n", + " \n", + " if df_original is not None:\n", + " print(f\"\\nDeskriptive Statistik mit Abweichungen zum Original:\")\n", + " \n", + " stats_current = df.describe()\n", + " stats_original = df_original.describe()\n", + " \n", + " # Interleaved Format: Wert | Abweichung für jede Spalte\n", + " result_dict = {}\n", + " \n", + " for col in stats_current.columns:\n", + " if col in stats_original.columns:\n", + " result_dict[f'{col}_cur'] = stats_current[col]\n", + " result_dict[f'{col}_Δ'] = stats_current[col] - stats_original[col]\n", + " \n", + " result_df = pd.DataFrame(result_dict)\n", + " \n", + " # Sortiere Spalten so, dass sie paarweise erscheinen\n", + " sorted_cols = []\n", + " base_cols = [c.replace('_cur', '').replace('_Δ', '') \n", + " for c in result_df.columns if '_cur' in c]\n", + " for base in base_cols:\n", + " sorted_cols.extend([f'{base}_cur', f'{base}_Δ'])\n", + " \n", + " print(result_df[sorted_cols].to_string(float_format=lambda x: f'{x:8.8f}'))\n", + " else:\n", + " print(f\"\\nDeskriptive Statistik:\")\n", + " print(df.describe())\n", + " \n", + " print(f\"\\nKlassenverteilung:\")\n", + " class_counts = df['class'].value_counts()\n", + " \n", + " if df_original is not None:\n", + " original_counts = df_original['class'].value_counts()\n", + " # DataFrame mit Aktuell und Abweichung\n", + " class_comparison = pd.DataFrame({\n", + " 'Aktuell': class_counts,\n", + " 'Δ': class_counts - original_counts\n", + " })\n", + " print(class_comparison)\n", + " else:\n", + " print(class_counts)\n" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "fffacb88c705402e", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "### 4.2.2 Ausgabe der statistische Auswertung" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "f9a6bc868531a023", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "print_statistics(df_original, \"Original (mit fehlenden Werten)\", df_original)" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "a0a7c2a86d038320", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "print_statistics(df_deletion, \"Listwise Deletion\", df_original)" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "6c9c70769bda4284", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "print_statistics(df_mean, \"Mean Imputation\", df_original)" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "a7023eb6aa50046d", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "print_statistics(df_median, \"Median Imputation\", df_original)" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "5c70ccae18401d1c", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "print_statistics(df_class_mean, \"Class-spezifische Mean Imputation\", df_original)" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "ef9b696a67186b4e", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "#### 4.2.2.1 Auswertung der Ausgaben/ Ergebnisse\n", + "##### a) Listwise Deletion\n", + "- Es kommt zu einem beträchtlichen Datenverlust durch die Reduktion von 150 auf 145 Datenpunkte (3,3% Verlust)\n", + "- Die fehlenden Werte konzentrieren sich auf Iris-setosa, was auf einen systematischen Bias hindeutet. Die gelöschten Setosa-Exemplare hatten unterdurchschnittliche pl\n", + "Werte, wodurch der Gesamtmittelwert künstlich steigt. Dies führt zudem zu einer verzerrten Klassenverteilung (50, 50, 45).\n", + "- Die Mittelwerte verschieben sich, was auf eine nicht-zufällige Verteilung der fehlenden Werte hindeutet\n", + "\n", + "| | sl_cur | sl_Δ | sw_cur | sw_Δ | pl_cur | pl_Δ | pw_cur | pw_Δ |\n", + "|------|------------|------------|------------|-------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|\n", + "| mean | 5.87034483 | 0.02604953 | 3.04344828 | -0.00890072 | 3.84000000 | 0.06617450 | 1.23379310 | 0.02027959 |\n", + "\n", + "**Fazit:**\n", + "Modelle werden auf unbalancierten Daten (45:50:50) trainiert. Dies führt zu schlechterer Vorhersagegenauigkeit für Iris-setosa, da weniger Trainingsbeispiele verfügbar sind. Wegen der ungleichmäßigen Klassenverteilung und der Veränderung der Mittelwerte wird *Listwise Deletion* nicht empfohlen" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "c0f461c6020117b3", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "##### b) Mean Imputation (global)\n", + "Verbesserungen zur Listwise Deletion\n", + "- Mittelwerte bleiben identisch zum Original\n", + "\n", + "| | sl_cur | sl_Δ | sw_cur | sw_Δ | pl_cur | pl_Δ | pw_cur | pw_Δ |\n", + "|------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|\n", + "| mean | 5.84429530 | -0.00000000 | 3.05234899 | -0.00000000 | 3.77382550 | 0.00000000 | 1.21351351 | 0.00000000 |\n", + "\n", + "- Alle 150 Datenpunkte bleiben erhalten (minus 1 ohne Klassenlabel), wodurch die Klassenverteilung ausgeglichen bleibt (50, 50, 49).\n", + "\n", + "weiterhin problematisch\n", + "- die Standardabweichung sinkt bei allen Features im Vergleich zum Original, was eine künstlichen vereinheitlichung der Datenverteilung und Varianzreduktion zur Folge hat\n", + "\n", + "| | sl_cur | sl_Δ | sw_cur | sw_Δ | pl_cur | pl_Δ | pw_cur | pw_Δ |\n", + "|-----|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|\n", + "| std | 0.82798231 | -0.00279253 | 0.43157024 | -0.00145555 | 1.75462556 | -0.00591781 | 0.75232513 | -0.00510057 |\n", + "\n", + "- Es wird ein globaler Mittelwert über alle Klassen hinweg verwendet. Die klassenspezifische Unterschiede verwischen dadurch.\n", + " - Beispiel: Fehlende pl Werte bei Iris-setosa (ca. 1,4 cm) werden durch den globalen Mittelwert (ca. 3.8 cm) ersetzt, was die natürlichen Unterschiede zwischen den Arten reduziert." + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "c832ea015529d86d", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "##### c) Median Imputation - Ähnlich wie Mean Imputation\n", + "- Die Ergebnisse sind nahezu identisch mit Mean Imputation und weisen ähnliche Abweichungen zum Original auf\n", + "\n", + "| | sl_cur | sl_Δ | sw_cur | sw_Δ | pl_cur | pl_Δ | pw_cur | pw_Δ |\n", + "|------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|\n", + "| mean | 5.84400000 | -0.00029530 | 3.05200000 | -0.00034899 | 3.77800000 | 0.00417450 | 1.21466667 | 0.00115315 |\n", + "| std | 0.82799021 | -0.00278463 | 0.43159141 | -0.00143439 | 1.75537028 | -0.00517309 | 0.75239097 | -0.00503473 |\n", + "\n", + "**Fazit:** Die Median Imputation wäre robuster gegen Ausreißer, die in diesem Datensatz aber nicht vorhanden sind. Somit ergeben sich keine merklichen Vorteile zur Mean Imputation.\n" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "def99207897ed309", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "##### d) Class-spezifische Mean Imputation\n", + "Verbesserungen zu den Imputations\n", + "- geringste Abweichung der Standardabweichungen zum Original\n", + "\n", + "| Statistik | sl_cur | sl_Δ | sw_cur | sw_Δ | pl_cur | pl_Δ | pw_cur | pw_Δ |\n", + "|---------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|\n", + "| std_csMeanImp | 0.83009005 | -0.00068478 | 0.43409672 | +0.00107093 | 1.76087327 | +0.00032990 | 0.75754371 | +0.00011800 |\n", + "| std_del | 0.82167885 | -0.00909599 | 0.43073158 | -0.00229421 | 1.73775078 | -0.02279259 | 0.75168521 | -0.00574049 |\n", + "| std_meanImp | 0.82798231 | -0.00279253 | 0.43157024 | -0.00145555 | 1.75462556 | -0.00591781 | 0.75232513 | -0.00510057 |\n", + "| std_medImp | 0.82799021 | -0.00278463 | 0.43159141 | -0.00143439 | 1.75537028 | -0.00517309 | 0.75239097 | -0.00503473 |\n", + "\n", + "- Es werden die Mittelwerte der jeweiligen Klasse verwendet und keinen globalen Mittelwert wie bei Mean und Median Imp. Die Unterschiede zwischen den Klassen verwischen dadurch nicht.\n", + "- Ausgeglichene Klassenverteilung: 50, 50, 49 (nur 1 Datenpunkt mit fehlendem Klassenlabel entfernt)" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "b60421d8", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "### 4.2.3 Vergleich der globalen und klassenspezifischen Mittelwerte" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "9174db7e5b881f2a", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# Klassenspezifische Mittelwerte vergleichen\n", + "print(\"Mittelwerte pro Klasse - Class-Mean Imputation:\")\n", + "print(df_class_mean.groupby('class')[numeric_cols].mean())" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "5205727bfc86f", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "print(\"\\nMittelwerte pro Klasse - Global Mean Imputation:\")\n", + "print(df_mean.groupby('class')[numeric_cols].mean())" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "7ee84597afc8204c", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "print(\"\\nAbweichung Class-Mean vs. Global Mean:\")\n", + "class_diff = df_class_mean.groupby('class')[numeric_cols].mean() - df_mean.groupby('class')[numeric_cols].mean()\n", + "print(class_diff)\n" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "87446999ef3a62c3", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "##### 4.2.3.1 Auswertung des Vergleichs der globalen und klassenspezifischen Mittelwerte\n", + "Bei Global Mean Imputation erhalten alle Klassen die gleichen Ersatzwerte (globaler Mittelwert), was besonders bei Iris-setosa problematisch ist. Die Abweichungstabelle zeigt, dass Setosa-Werte durch zu große pl/ pw Ersatzwerte verfälscht werden.\n", + "\n", + "Wenn ein Setosa-Exemplar einen fehlenden pl Wert hat, wird bei \n", + "- Global Mean durch ca. 3.7 cm ersetzt, was sehr stark von anderen Werten aus der Klasse abweicht,\n", + "- Class-Mean durch ca. 1.4 cm ersetzt, was eher den vorhandenen Eigenschaften der Klasse passt\n", + "\n", + "**Fazit:**\n", + "Class-spezifische Imputation bewahrt die Unterschiede zwischen den Arten und verhindert, dass z.B. Setosa-Exemplare künstlich andere Merkmale erhalten. " + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "cc74fd49f372d412", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "### 4.2.4 Visualisierung der statistische Auswertung" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "9342d3875e1133c0", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "fig, axes = plt.subplots(2, 2, figsize=(15, 10))\n", + "features = ['sl', 'sw', 'pl', 'pw']\n", + "\n", + "for idx, feature in enumerate(features):\n", + " ax = axes[idx//2, idx%2]\n", + "\n", + " # Boxplots für verschiedene Strategien\n", + " data_to_plot = [\n", + " df_deletion[feature],\n", + " df_mean[feature],\n", + " df_median[feature],\n", + " df_class_mean[feature]\n", + " ]\n", + "\n", + " ax.boxplot(data_to_plot, tick_labels=['Deletion', 'Mean', 'Median', 'Class-Mean'])\n", + " ax.set_title(f'{feature}')\n", + " ax.set_ylabel('Wert')\n", + " ax.grid(True, alpha=0.3)\n", + "\n", + "plt.tight_layout()\n", + "plt.show()\n", + "\n", + "print(\"Tabelle: Vergleich der Mittelwerte und Standardabweichungen\")\n", + "comparison_data = []\n", + "for strategy_name, df_strategy in [('Original', df_original),\n", + " ('Deletion', df_deletion),\n", + " ('Mean', df_mean),\n", + " ('Median', df_median),\n", + " ('Class-Mean', df_class_mean)]:\n", + " for feature in features:\n", + " comparison_data.append({\n", + " 'Feature': feature,\n", + " 'Strategie': strategy_name,\n", + " 'Mittelwert': df_strategy[feature].mean(),\n", + " 'Std': df_strategy[feature].std()\n", + " })\n", + "\n", + "df_comparison = pd.DataFrame(comparison_data)\n", + "df_comparison\n" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": null + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "256193a4", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "#### 4.2.4.1 Auswertung der Visualsierung\n", + "##### Boxplot-Analyse\n", + "Die Boxplots zeigen deutliche Unterschiede zwischen den Strategien:\n", + "- **sl & sw:** Alle Strategien produzieren nahezu identische Verteilungen (Median und Quartile überlagern sich), da hier wenige fehlende Werte vorlagen.\n", + "- **pl:** Listwise Deletion verschiebt den Median leicht nach oben (sichtbar in der Box-Position), was die Löschung kleinerer Setosa-Werte bestätigt. Die Imputation-Strategien erhalten die Median-Position besser.\n", + "- **pw:** Ähnliches Muster wie pl, aber weniger ausgeprägt.\n", + "\n", + "##### Vergleichstabelle-Analyse\n", + "Die df_comparison Tabelle zeigt, dass Class-Mean Imputation die geringsten Abweichungen bei den Standardabweichungen aufweist, während andere Methoden durchweg Varianzreduktion zeigen.\n", + "\n", + "##### Fazit\n", + "Visuell sind die Unterschiede minimal, aber statistisch relevant. Die Erhaltung der Variabilität (Box-Höhe) ist bei Class-Mean am besten, was für robuste nachfolgende Analysen sorgen wird." + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "bf72cedd90434218", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "## 5. Abschlißende Empfehlung\n", + "Class-spezifische Mean Imputation\n", + "- Die Standardabweichung bleibt am nächsten zum Original. Diese bessere Erhaltung der Streuung bildet die natürliche Variabilität biologischer Messungen besser ab.\n", + "- Die Ersetzung der fehlenden Werte durch klassenspezifische Mittelwerte anstelle der globalen Mittelwerte verhindert, dass zB Iris-Setosa \"Ausreißer\" in pw bekommen und somit die Eigenschaften der Klassen verwischen.\n", + "- Bei der class-spezifischen Mean Imputation geht nur ein einziger Datenpunkt verloren. Der Datensatz mit fehlendem Klassenlabel (Zeile 10), da hier keine Klassenzugehörigkeit für die Imputation ermittelt werden kann. Die Klassenverteilung bleibt daher ausgeglichener (49:50:50). Dies vermeidet eine Verzerrung, der bei Listwise Deletion entsteht (45:50:50) und bei nachfolgenden Klassifikationsaufgaben zu einer Benachteiligung der Iris-setosa Klasse führen würde." + ] + } + ], + "metadata": { + "kernelspec": { + "display_name": ".env", + "language": "python", + "name": "python3" + }, + "language_info": { + "codemirror_mode": { + "name": "ipython", + "version": 3 + }, + "file_extension": ".py", + "mimetype": "text/x-python", + "name": "python", + "nbconvert_exporter": "python", + "pygments_lexer": "ipython3", + "version": "3.14.0" + } + }, + "nbformat": 4, + "nbformat_minor": 5 +} diff --git a/P2/HazinedarSafak_3108590_BDA II_P_2.ipynb b/P2/HazinedarSafak_3108590_BDA II_P_2.ipynb new file mode 100644 index 0000000..04a5f17 --- /dev/null +++ b/P2/HazinedarSafak_3108590_BDA II_P_2.ipynb @@ -0,0 +1,3481 @@ +{ + "cells": [ + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "a50898c4-de05-4d74-b3af-528cbe6b0a64", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# Lab Work 2: Text Processing: Preparation of texts\n", + "\n", + "Use this notebook for the subsequence excecise's parts.\n", + "\n", + "**Please note, that you can only pass the intial checking, if you write Markdown documention about your findings (not code documentation). Any submission that does not adhere to that will lead to an immediate fail, without the chance of resubmission!**" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "fe962d49-11f0-4a11-80d7-0cc290cf1f6b", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "## 6.2.1 Load the data and CountVectorize them\n", + "You will find a list of files in Ilias [sherlock.zip](https://www.ili.fh-aachen.de/goto_elearning_file_815003_download.html)\n", + "Download the zip file and adapt your next line accordingly." + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "29c253cc-3060-4da3-bc9b-1aa5f5874db1", + "metadata": { + "ExecuteTime": { + "end_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:12.293443866Z", + "start_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:12.265187964Z" + } + }, + "source": [ + "import numpy as np\n", + "import pandas as pd\n", + "\n", + "filenames = [r\"./Sherlock.txt\", \n", + " r\"./Sherlock_blanched.txt\",\n", + " r\"./Sherlock_black.txt\",\n", + " r\"./Sherlock_blue.txt\",\n", + " r\"./Sherlock_card.txt\"]" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": 255 + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "286d1d4f-78cb-40b4-aae8-d69df3460b4b", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "Now we create a count Vectorizer. The parameter given tells the CountVectorizer that its methods shall operate on a list of filenames." + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "dee15bba-e43b-4e4b-b1a2-d798411820cb", + "metadata": { + "ExecuteTime": { + "end_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:12.328889973Z", + "start_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:12.310259053Z" + } + }, + "source": [ + "from sklearn.feature_extraction.text import CountVectorizer\n", + "vectorizer = CountVectorizer(input=\"filename\")" + ], + "outputs": [], + "execution_count": 256 + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "cca48347-0f31-47e0-8432-183f61b38222", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "Now generate the Bag of Words with the CountVectorizer and check:\n", + "* the total number of different words\n", + "* the total number of words per document\n", + "* the total number of occurences of each word" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "f94a5742-9b26-40ff-a093-b5f0f0bce12f", + "metadata": { + "ExecuteTime": { + "end_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:12.507512779Z", + "start_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:12.330004728Z" + } + }, + "source": [ + "# create the bag of words matrix\n", + "bag_of_words = vectorizer.fit_transform(filenames)\n", + "\n", + "# count the total number of unique words in all documents, which corresponds to amount of columns in the matrix\n", + "total_unique_words = len(vectorizer.get_feature_names_out())\n", + "\n", + "# count the total number of words in each document\n", + "words_per_document = bag_of_words.sum(axis=1)\n", + "words_per_doc_flat = np.asarray(words_per_document).flatten()\n", + "\n", + "# count the total number of each word in all documents\n", + "word_counts = bag_of_words.sum(axis=0)\n", + "word_counts_flat = np.asarray(word_counts).flatten()\n", + "\n", + "print(f\"Total number of different words: {total_unique_words}\")\n", + "print()\n", + "\n", + "print(f\"{'Document-Name':<30} {'Word count'}\")\n", + "print(\"-\" * 45)\n", + "for filename, count in zip(filenames, words_per_doc_flat):\n", + " print(f\"{filename:<30} {count}\")\n", + "print()\n", + "\n", + "print(f\"{'Word':<30} {'Count'}\")\n", + "print(\"-\" * 45)\n", + "for word, count in list(zip(feature_names, word_counts_flat)):\n", + " print(f\"{word:<30} {count}\")\n" + ], + "outputs": [ + { + "name": "stdout", + "output_type": "stream", + "text": [ + "Total number of different words: 8879\n", + "\n", + "Document-Name Word count\n", + "---------------------------------------------\n", + "./Sherlock.txt 107416\n", + "./Sherlock_blanched.txt 7258\n", + "./Sherlock_black.txt 7775\n", + "./Sherlock_blue.txt 7497\n", + "./Sherlock_card.txt 8242\n", + "\n", + "Word Count\n", + "---------------------------------------------\n", + "1883 2\n", + "1884 1\n", + "1901 1\n", + "30 1\n", + "45 2\n", + "46 1\n", + "83 1\n", + "95 1\n", + "aback 2\n", + "abandon 1\n", + "abbey 1\n", + "able 1\n", + "abnormally 10\n", + "abrasion 3\n", + "abroad 1\n", + "absconding 1\n", + "absence 1\n", + "absent 1\n", + "absolute 4\n", + "absolutely 1\n", + "absorbed 1\n", + "abstracted 1\n", + "accept 2\n", + "accepted 1\n", + "accident 1\n", + "according 1\n", + "account 2\n", + "accounts 1\n", + "accuse 1\n", + "accused 1\n", + "accustomed 1\n", + "acquaintance 2\n", + "acquaintances 1\n", + "acquiescence 1\n", + "acquired 1\n", + "act 5\n", + "acted 1\n", + "action 1\n", + "actions 3\n", + "actors 2\n", + "acts 2\n", + "actually 1\n", + "adapted 1\n", + "added 1\n", + "address 1\n", + "adequate 2\n", + "admiration 1\n", + "admit 7\n", + "advanced 1\n", + "advantage 3\n", + "advertisement 7\n", + "advertisements 1\n", + "advice 1\n", + "advise 11\n", + "affair 4\n", + "affairs 8\n", + "affection 1\n", + "afford 1\n", + "africa 1\n", + "african 1\n", + "afternoon 2\n", + "age 1\n", + "aged 1\n", + "agency 1\n", + "agent 44\n", + "agents 2\n", + "ages 2\n", + "agony 1\n", + "agree 1\n", + "agreed 1\n", + "agreement 211\n", + "ah 27\n", + "ahead 2\n", + "aid 1\n", + "aided 4\n", + "air 2\n", + "akimbo 1\n", + "alarm 2\n", + "alas 9\n", + "albert 8\n", + "alert 18\n", + "alighting 19\n", + "alive 9\n", + "allardyce 4\n", + "allow 2\n", + "allowance 13\n", + "allowed 3\n", + "allowing 1\n", + "allows 3\n", + "allude 1\n", + "aloud 1\n", + "alternative 4\n", + "alternatives 1\n", + "altogether 1\n", + "amateur 2\n", + "amazed 2\n", + "amazement 1\n", + "amazing 1\n", + "ambitions 10\n", + "ambuscade 1\n", + "america 1\n", + "american 2\n", + "amid 1\n", + "amounted 2\n", + "amused 4\n", + "anaemic 1\n", + "analysis 1\n", + "angel 1\n", + "anger 3\n", + "angle 51\n", + "angry 2\n", + "ankles 6\n", + "annoyed 1\n", + "answered 1\n", + "anxiety 2\n", + "anxious 1\n", + "apart 1\n", + "apartment 1\n", + "apologies 4\n", + "apologize 2\n", + "apology 1\n", + "apparent 10\n", + "apparently 1\n", + "appeal 3\n", + "appealed 1\n", + "appear 4\n", + "appearance 2\n", + "appeared 1\n", + "appears 3\n", + "appetite 3\n", + "applicant 1\n", + "application 1\n", + "applied 1\n", + "appointment 1\n", + "appreciated 54\n", + "apprehension 12\n", + "approach 11\n", + "approaching 2\n", + "aproned 27\n", + "arctic 3\n", + "argentine 12\n", + "argued 1\n", + "arise 1\n", + "arm 3\n", + "armchair 1\n", + "arms 2\n", + "army 4\n", + "aroused 10\n", + "arrest 1\n", + "arrested 1\n", + "arrival 14\n", + "arrive 1\n", + "arrived 4\n", + "arrives 8\n", + "arriving 4\n", + "art 1\n", + "article 5\n", + "articles 1\n", + "artists 1\n", + "ascertained 17\n", + "aside 6\n", + "asking 1\n", + "aspect 4\n", + "assault 2\n", + "assistance 1\n", + "assisting 1\n", + "assizes 1\n", + "associated 1\n", + "associates 1\n", + "assume 1\n", + "assumed 1\n", + "assure 10\n", + "assured 1\n", + "astonish 1\n", + "astonishment 8\n", + "ate 1\n", + "attached 2\n", + "attack 1\n", + "attained 21\n", + "attempt 1\n", + "attendant 4\n", + "attentions 1\n", + "attitude 2\n", + "attracted 3\n", + "audience 11\n", + "august 1\n", + "austere 1\n", + "author 6\n", + "authorities 1\n", + "autumn 30\n", + "available 6\n", + "avoid 1\n", + "avoided 1\n", + "aware 2\n", + "awkward 6\n", + "baccy 2\n", + "bachelor 1\n", + "backed 11\n", + "background 3\n", + "backward 3\n", + "bad 1\n", + "bade 1\n", + "badly 31\n", + "baggage 12\n", + "baker 1\n", + "balance 1\n", + "balanced 3\n", + "band 1\n", + "banish 1\n", + "bank 1\n", + "banker 1\n", + "bankers 8\n", + "banks 1\n", + "bar 1\n", + "barbed 1\n", + "bare 11\n", + "barred 10\n", + "basil 6\n", + "basis 127\n", + "basket 15\n", + "battle 21\n", + "bawl 134\n", + "bay 77\n", + "bear 2\n", + "beard 16\n", + "bearded 8\n", + "bearing 1\n", + "beast 2\n", + "beat 10\n", + "beautiful 8\n", + "bed 2\n", + "bedroom 2\n", + "beer 1\n", + "beetle 1\n", + "beg 7\n", + "began 8\n", + "begin 43\n", + "beginning 1\n", + "begun 6\n", + "behalf 5\n", + "behold 1\n", + "belated 4\n", + "belief 4\n", + "believe 34\n", + "believed 1\n", + "bell 5\n", + "bellow 11\n", + "belong 5\n", + "belonged 1\n", + "belonging 1\n", + "belongs 1\n", + "bench 29\n", + "bending 1\n", + "beneath 2\n", + "berth 2\n", + "bespattered 17\n", + "best 4\n", + "bet 2\n", + "bewildered 2\n", + "bind 1\n", + "bird 3\n", + "birds 16\n", + "bit 1\n", + "bits 1\n", + "bitter 1\n", + "bitterly 3\n", + "bizarre 2\n", + "blacker 1\n", + "blackest 2\n", + "blade 1\n", + "blank 3\n", + "blazed 2\n", + "blazing 1\n", + "bless 9\n", + "blessed 462\n", + "blew 2\n", + "blind 1\n", + "blinds 8\n", + "block 2\n", + "blow 10\n", + "blown 2\n", + "blue 2\n", + "bluebottles 4\n", + "blunt 2\n", + "blurted 3\n", + "board 2\n", + "boards 1\n", + "boat 16\n", + "body 27\n", + "bold 35\n", + "bone 8\n", + "bonny 7\n", + "book 2\n", + "books 61\n", + "boots 81\n", + "bore 1\n", + "bored 1\n", + "born 1\n", + "bottle 1\n", + "bought 1\n", + "bow 16\n", + "bowed 2\n", + "box 11\n", + "boy 8\n", + "brain 64\n", + "brambletye 239\n", + "brandy 5\n", + "break 1\n", + "breakfast 3\n", + "breakfasted 28\n", + "breaking 6\n", + "breast 1\n", + "breath 2\n", + "breathing 2\n", + "breathless 2\n", + "brick 6\n", + "bridge 11\n", + "bright 1\n", + "brightest 1\n", + "brilliant 11\n", + "brindled 1\n", + "bring 3\n", + "bringing 50\n", + "brisk 2\n", + "bristled 5\n", + "bristling 4\n", + "britain 1\n", + "british 1\n", + "brixton 1\n", + "broke 1\n", + "broken 1\n", + "broker 6\n", + "brokers 4\n", + "brother 2\n", + "brow 519\n", + "brown 2\n", + "brows 5\n", + "brushed 1\n", + "brutal 1\n", + "brute 1\n", + "building 1\n", + "built 6\n", + "bulky 3819\n", + "bull 1\n", + "bulldog 1\n", + "bullet 2\n", + "bully 1\n", + "bulwark 2\n", + "bunk 10\n", + "burden 4\n", + "bureau 1\n", + "burglar 1\n", + "burglars 7\n", + "buried 1\n", + "burned 1\n", + "burning 2\n", + "burrow 2\n", + "burst 3\n", + "bushes 2\n", + "busy 4\n", + "busybody 1\n", + "butcher 1\n", + "butler 2\n", + "buttoned 1\n", + "buy 4\n", + "bye 3\n", + "cab 1\n", + "cabin 1\n", + "cairns 61\n", + "calling 43\n", + "calls 1\n", + "canadian 27\n", + "canary 3\n", + "candle 1\n", + "cap 1\n", + "capable 1\n", + "capacity 1\n", + "capricious 1\n", + "captain 2\n", + "captive 1\n", + "cardboard 1\n", + "cardinal 2\n", + "cards 1\n", + "care 6\n", + "career 17\n", + "carefully 1\n", + "careless 195\n", + "carelessly 15\n", + "carey 42\n", + "carpet 71\n", + "carriage 2\n", + "carriages 3\n", + "carried 3\n", + "carry 4\n", + "carrying 1\n", + "cases 2\n", + "catastrophe 1\n", + "catch 3\n", + "caught 4\n", + "cause 1\n", + "causes 3\n", + "ceased 1\n", + "ceiling 3\n", + "cell 6\n", + "centre 10\n", + "chain 5\n", + "chair 1\n", + "challenged 1\n", + "chanced 27\n", + "change 20\n", + "changed 1\n", + "changing 31\n", + "chap 10\n", + "character 5\n", + "characteristic 2\n", + "characteristics 1\n", + "characters 4\n", + "charcoal 2\n", + "charge 2\n", + "charts 5\n", + "chattering 1\n", + "chatting 1\n", + "cheeks 1\n", + "cheery 7\n", + "chest 3\n", + "chief 2\n", + "chimed 1\n", + "chimes 1\n", + "chin 2\n", + "choice 7\n", + "choose 17\n", + "choosing 3\n", + "chose 1\n", + "chronicle 1\n", + "chuckle 2\n", + "chuckled 2\n", + "church 2\n", + "cigar 3\n", + "cigarette 1\n", + "circle 1\n", + "circumstances 1\n", + "city 1\n", + "claim 1\n", + "clapped 1\n", + "claret 4\n", + "clasp 2\n", + "clatter 469\n", + "claw 1\n", + "clay 2\n", + "clean 1\n", + "cleaned 2\n", + "cleared 1\n", + "clearer 1\n", + "clearing 7\n", + "clenched 1\n", + "click 1\n", + "client 3\n", + "clients 1\n", + "climbed 3\n", + "clinking 22\n", + "clock 7\n", + "closer 2\n", + "closing 15\n", + "cloth 18\n", + "clothes 4\n", + "clouded 1\n", + "club 8\n", + "clue 2\n", + "clues 5\n", + "clutched 5\n", + "coarse 5\n", + "coast 2\n", + "coat 1\n", + "coax 1\n", + "coffee 1\n", + "coincidence 1\n", + "coldly 23\n", + "collapsed 14\n", + "collar 1\n", + "collection 5\n", + "colonel 7\n", + "colour 17\n", + "coloured 2\n", + "column 2\n", + "combination 1\n", + "comes 6\n", + "command 1\n", + "commanded 15\n", + "commence 7\n", + "commend 6\n", + "comments 1\n", + "commercial 2\n", + "commission 2\n", + "committed 926\n", + "common 1\n", + "communicated 1\n", + "compelled 2\n", + "complaint 6\n", + "completely 1\n", + "composure 4\n", + "comrade 2\n", + "conceal 3\n", + "concealed 1\n", + "conceivable 3\n", + "concentrated 1\n", + "concentration 7\n", + "concerned 64\n", + "concerns 1\n", + "concise 91\n", + "conclusion 11\n", + "conclusions 1\n", + "conclusive 2\n", + "conduct 1\n", + "confederate 1\n", + "confess 1\n", + "confidence 4\n", + "confidentially 6\n", + "confirmed 1\n", + "conjectured 1\n", + "connected 1\n", + "connection 1\n", + "conscious 2\n", + "consequences 1\n", + "considerable 2\n", + "considerably 1\n", + "consideration 1\n", + "consisted 1\n", + "constables 12\n", + "contact 4\n", + "contained 2\n", + "containing 3\n", + "contented 2\n", + "contents 4\n", + "continually 2\n", + "continue 1\n", + "continued 3\n", + "contracted 2\n", + "contrary 2\n", + "conventional 2\n", + "conversation 23\n", + "conveyed 11\n", + "conveying 1\n", + "conviction 1\n", + "convinced 1\n", + "convincing 2\n", + "convulsive 7\n", + "cord 2\n", + "corner 1\n", + "corners 11\n", + "cornwall 1\n", + "correct 2\n", + "correspond 1\n", + "corresponded 1\n", + "correspondents 1\n", + "costa 1025\n", + "couch 3\n", + "couldn 1\n", + "countess 3\n", + "countryside 3\n", + "county 2\n", + "couple 1\n", + "cover 1\n", + "covered 1\n", + "cowardly 5\n", + "cowering 1\n", + "crack 7\n", + "cracked 2\n", + "crackling 1\n", + "craft 2\n", + "cravats 6\n", + "creak 17\n", + "creature 5\n", + "creatures 1\n", + "creditor 1\n", + "creditors 1\n", + "crew 3\n", + "cries 1\n", + "crimean 1\n", + "crimes 52\n", + "crisp 2\n", + "crop 1\n", + "cross 1\n", + "crossed 1\n", + "crossing 2\n", + "crouched 1\n", + "crowd 6\n", + "crumbling 2\n", + "crumpled 1\n", + "crushed 1\n", + "cunning 1\n", + "curious 1\n", + "curled 2\n", + "curse 3\n", + "cursing 6\n", + "curtain 5\n", + "curtains 6\n", + "curve 1\n", + "curving 6\n", + "cutting 2\n", + "daily 4\n", + "damning 3\n", + "danger 2\n", + "dangerous 1\n", + "dapper 4\n", + "dare 2\n", + "dared 2\n", + "daresay 1\n", + "daring 1\n", + "dark 1\n", + "darkest 1\n", + "darkness 2\n", + "dashed 1\n", + "date 1\n", + "dates 1\n", + "daughter 1\n", + "dawn 14\n", + "dawson 4\n", + "days 1\n", + "dazed 2\n", + "deadly 3\n", + "dealer 3\n", + "death 1\n", + "decanters 3\n", + "december 33\n", + "decent 93\n", + "decided 3\n", + "deductions 1\n", + "deed 4\n", + "deeply 1\n", + "defiantly 1\n", + "deformed 1\n", + "deftly 1\n", + "degree 1\n", + "dejection 1\n", + "delay 2\n", + "delicate 4\n", + "delighted 209\n", + "delivered 3\n", + "demure 2\n", + "dense 1\n", + "deny 5\n", + "departed 2\n", + "deposed 1\n", + "depressed 23\n", + "depths 3\n", + "descending 7\n", + "described 1\n", + "description 7\n", + "deserted 2\n", + "desire 2\n", + "desk 1\n", + "desperate 2\n", + "details 1\n", + "detected 1\n", + "detective 43\n", + "detectives 2\n", + "determine 5\n", + "determined 2\n", + "development 1\n", + "develops 1\n", + "devices 1\n", + "devil 1\n", + "devilry 1\n", + "devised 1\n", + "devoid 3\n", + "devote 1\n", + "devoted 1\n", + "diamond 1\n", + "diary 1\n", + "die 2\n", + "died 7\n", + "difference 1\n", + "different 3\n", + "difficult 2\n", + "difficulties 1\n", + "difficulty 1\n", + "dilemma 2\n", + "dim 23\n", + "dine 9\n", + "dinghy 2\n", + "dinner 1\n", + "direct 7\n", + "directed 4\n", + "direction 1\n", + "directions 1\n", + "dirty 9\n", + "disappeared 1\n", + "disappointed 1\n", + "disappointment 1\n", + "disclose 7\n", + "discolouration 4\n", + "discoloured 1\n", + "discovered 1\n", + "discovering 1\n", + "discretion 1\n", + "discuss 1\n", + "discussion 3\n", + "disease 1\n", + "disfigured 8\n", + "disguises 3\n", + "disgust 2\n", + "dismay 1\n", + "dismissal 1\n", + "displacement 1\n", + "disproved 1\n", + "disreputable 2\n", + "distance 1\n", + "distant 3\n", + "distinct 3\n", + "distinctly 1\n", + "district 2\n", + "divided 4\n", + "division 1\n", 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"murderer 1\n", + "murders 4\n", + "murmured 1\n", + "museum 1\n", + "muzzle 5\n", + "mysterious 1\n", + "mystery 14\n", + "named 9\n", + "names 2\n", + "narrative 3\n", + "narratives 3\n", + "narrow 3\n", + "narrowed 1\n", + "natural 2\n", + "naturally 3\n", + "nature 1\n", + "nay 3\n", + "nearer 1\n", + "nearing 9\n", + "nearly 2\n", + "neat 3\n", + "necessary 1\n", + "neck 2\n", + "needed 3\n", + "needs 16\n", + "neglect 6\n", + "neighbourhood 3\n", + "neighbours 1\n", + "neligan 1\n", + "nerve 1\n", + "nerves 1\n", + "nervous 3\n", + "new 5\n", + "newly 2\n", + "news 1\n", + "newspapers 1\n", + "nightfall 12\n", + "nights 5\n", + "nocturnal 1\n", + "nodded 2\n", + "noiseless 8\n", + "norfolk 22\n", + "north 4\n", + "norway 2\n", + "norwegian 8\n", + "nose 1\n", + "note 3\n", + "notebook 24\n", + "noted 1\n", + "notes 1\n", + "notice 1\n", + "noticed 3\n", + "notorious 1\n", + "novel 1\n", + "number 1\n", + "numbers 1\n", + "numerous 4\n", + "nurse 1\n", + "nursed 3\n", + "oak 4\n", + "object 3\n", + "objects 1\n", + "obliged 7\n", + "obscure 1\n", + "observation 1\n", + "observations 6\n", + "observe 1\n", + "observed 1\n", + "obstinate 4\n", + "obtain 10\n", + "obtuse 16\n", + "obvious 1\n", + "obviously 1\n", + "occasion 3\n", + "occasional 8\n", + "occupies 3\n", + "occur 3\n", + "odd 1\n", + "odour 2\n", + "offence 7\n", + "offer 1\n", + "offered 5\n", + "offering 17\n", + "office 4\n", + "officers 4\n", + "offices 1\n", + "official 3\n", + "older 1\n", + "oldest 1\n", + "ones 1\n", + "opening 3\n", + "opportunity 5\n", + "opposite 2\n", + "ordered 1\n", + "ordinary 1\n", + "ore 1\n", + "original 19\n", + "originally 7\n", + "ought 2\n", + "ounce 1\n", + "outhouse 2\n", + "outrage 2\n", + "outside 1\n", + "outstretched 2\n", + "overboard 1\n", + "overhung 1\n", + "overlook 2\n", + "overlooked 5\n", + "overpowered 1\n", + "overtook 5\n", + "owe 1\n", + "owed 1\n", + "owner 2\n", + "oxford 3\n", + "paced 1\n", + "pacific 2\n", + "pack 12\n", + "packet 5\n", + 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"person 5\n", + "personal 28\n", + "personality 6\n", + "peter 2\n", + "physical 1\n", + "pick 1\n", + "picture 1\n", + "pictures 14\n", + "piece 1\n", + "pierced 8\n", + "pig 2\n", + "pile 1\n", + "pink 2\n", + "pinned 2\n", + "pipe 5\n", + "pippin 11\n", + "pistol 1\n", + "piteous 1\n", + "pitiable 1\n", + "pity 1\n", + "placed 2\n", + "places 1\n", + "plague 3\n", + "plainly 3\n", + "plans 2\n", + "plates 1\n", + "plausible 1\n", + "play 1\n", + "played 5\n", + "playing 2\n", + "pleasant 4\n", + "pleasure 1\n", + "pledge 1\n", + "plumber 430\n", + "pockets 18\n", + "pointing 1\n", + "points 3\n", + "poisonous 1\n", + "policeman 4\n", + "polite 1\n", + "political 2\n", + "pool 2\n", + "poor 10\n", + "pope 1\n", + "popular 1\n", + "port 49\n", + "portrait 2\n", + "position 4\n", + "positive 10\n", + "possession 14\n", + "possibility 6\n", + "possibly 1\n", + "post 76\n", + "pouch 1\n", + "pound 16\n", + "pounds 1\n", + "poured 2\n", + "pouring 1\n", + "power 1\n", + "powerful 1\n", + "practical 3\n", + "practically 3\n", + "practice 3\n", + "practised 1\n", + "pray 15\n", + "praying 19\n", + "precaution 2\n", + "precedes 1\n", + "precious 3\n", + "precisely 1\n", + "prefer 2\n", + "premises 1\n", + "prepared 2\n", + "presence 4\n", + "presents 1\n", + "preserved 3\n", + "pressed 3\n", + "pressing 1\n", + "pressure 2\n", + "presumably 3\n", + "presume 3\n", + "presuming 1\n", + "pretence 1\n", + "pretend 1\n", + "pretty 1\n", + "prevent 1\n", + "previous 3\n", + "prey 1\n", + "price 1\n", + "prim 3\n", + "principal 1\n", + "printed 1\n", + "prisoner 1\n", + "privacy 3\n", + "private 1\n", + "probability 1\n", + "probable 3\n", + "probably 1\n", + "problems 13\n", + "proceeded 2\n", + "proceeding 4\n", + "proceedings 1\n", + "process 2\n", + "produce 4\n", + "professed 2\n", + "profession 1\n", + "professional 7\n", + "profile 4\n", + "profit 2\n", + "progress 80\n", + "prompted 4\n", + "proof 83\n", + "proofs 2\n", + "property 4\n", + "proportion 41\n", + "prospect 4\n", + "prosperity 5\n", + "protect 1\n", + "protested 1\n", + "protruded 4\n", + "proud 3\n", + "prove 1\n", + "proved 1\n", + "proves 1\n", + "provide 1\n", + "provided 6\n", + "public 1\n", + "pull 1\n", + "pulled 1\n", + "punished 1\n", + "punishment 2\n", + "pupil 10\n", + "purchased 1\n", + "pure 25\n", + "puritan 7\n", + "purpose 2\n", + "purposes 1\n", + "pursued 4\n", + "pursuing 5\n", + "purveyor 4\n", + "push 1\n", + "pushed 1\n", + "putting 1\n", + "putty 10\n", + "puzzle 2\n", + "puzzled 1\n", + "puzzling 1\n", + "qualities 2\n", + "quality 1\n", + "quarrel 4\n", + "quarrelled 1\n", + "quarter 3\n", + "quarters 3\n", + "queer 15\n", + "queerer 1\n", + "queerest 1\n", + "quest 1\n", + "questioned 1\n", + "questioning 1\n", + "quickly 24\n", + "quiet 1\n", + "quietly 1\n", + "quitted 2\n", + "quivered 1\n", + "quivering 1\n", + "rack 1\n", + "rage 1\n", + "rail 2\n", + "railway 2\n", + "rain 1\n", + "raised 1\n", + "ralph 14\n", + "rang 1\n", + "ranging 1\n", + "rapidly 6\n", + "rare 1\n", + "rat 1\n", + "ratcliff 1\n", + "rate 6\n", + "rattle 32\n", + "ravaged 6\n", + "reach 3\n", + "reaching 1\n", + "read 1\n", + "reader 1\n", + "readily 1\n", + "reading 3\n", + "ready 2\n", + "real 3\n", + "realize 1\n", + "really 11\n", + "reappeared 2\n", + "reasonable 1\n", + "reasoning 10\n", + "reasons 1\n", + "recall 9\n", + "receive 6\n", + "received 3\n", + "recent 3\n", + "recently 28\n", + "reckless 2\n", + "recognize 2\n", + "recognized 3\n", + "recommend 2\n", + "recommended 34\n", + "record 1\n", + "records 1\n", + "recourse 1\n", + "recover 3\n", + "recovering 1\n", + "referred 4\n", + "referring 1\n", + "refers 13\n", + "reflected 1\n", + "refuges 1\n", + "refused 10\n", + "regards 1\n", + "register 1\n", + "regular 2\n", + "relating 6\n", + "relation 2\n", + "relations 1\n", + "relatives 1\n", + "relaxed 1\n", + "release 3\n", + "relics 3\n", + "relief 1\n", + "relit 1\n", + "remain 15\n", + "remained 1\n", + "remains 15\n", + "remark 34\n", + "remarked 3\n", + "remarking 1\n", + "remarks 4\n", + "remembering 1\n", + "remonstrate 15\n", + "remove 7\n", + "removed 12\n", + "repeat 2\n", + "replace 59\n", + "replaced 1\n", + "reply 1\n", + "report 2\n", + "reported 1\n", + "represent 2\n", + "reproduced 12\n", + "reputation 9\n", + "request 4\n", + "requires 1\n", + "rescue 5\n", + "research 1\n", + "reserve 9\n", + "reserved 1\n", + "residence 4\n", + "resignation 1\n", + "resistance 1\n", + "respect 14\n", + "respectable 2\n", + "responsibility 3\n", + "restore 4\n", + "restored 127\n", + "result 3\n", + "results 50\n", + "retain 4\n", + "retained 2\n", + "retaining 65\n", + "retired 10\n", + "return 29\n", + "returning 3\n", + "revolver 3\n", + "reward 2\n", + "ribbon 1\n", + "ribston 97\n", + "rica 54\n", + "rice 1\n", + "richer 1\n", + "rid 1\n", + "riding 3\n", + "rifled 2\n", + "rimmed 1\n", + "ring 4\n", + "ringing 2\n", + "rise 1\n", + "risen 3\n", + "rising 3\n", + "river 1\n", + "riveted 3\n", + "road 1\n", + "roamed 4\n", + "roaring 3\n", + "robbery 1\n", + "rolled 1\n", + "rolling 1\n", + "roofed 1\n", + "roomed 2\n", + "root 1\n", + "rope 2\n", + "rose 2\n", + "rough 2\n", + "rounded 1\n", + "rouse 1\n", + "row 1\n", + "rows 3\n", + "rubbed 1\n", + "ruddy 1\n", + "rug 4\n", + "ruin 14\n", + "ruined 2\n", + "rule 44\n", + "rum 1\n", + "rummaged 3\n", + "rumours 10\n", + "running 1\n", + "runs 1\n", + "rush 3\n", + "rushed 2\n", + "rushing 1\n", + "rustle 1\n", + "rusty 1\n", + "saddle 2\n", + "safe 2\n", + "safely 2\n", + "safety 1\n", + "sailed 1\n", + "sailor 7\n", + "sailors 3\n", + "sallow 2\n", + "salt 3\n", + "saluted 2\n", + "san 1\n", + "sanity 1\n", + "sank 1\n", + "satisfaction 1\n", + "satisfy 2\n", + "saunders 6\n", + "savage 1\n", + "saved 1\n", + "saving 1\n", + "saxon 1\n", + "says 4\n", + "scale 9\n", + "scandal 1\n", + "scared 1\n", + "scars 3\n", + "scattered 3\n", + "scene 1\n", + "scent 1\n", + "scheme 1\n", + "scheming 1\n", + "school 1\n", + "science 4\n", + "scientific 1\n", + "scintillating 2\n", + "scissors 3\n", + "score 1\n", + "scotland 1\n", + "scrambled 1\n", + "scrap 1\n", + "scraping 2\n", + "scratches 1\n", + "scrawled 4\n", + "screamed 3\n", + "screams 1\n", + "scribbled 3\n", + "sea 6\n", + "seal 2\n", + "sealer 6\n", + "sealskin 1\n", + "seaman 2\n", + "search 2\n", + "searched 2\n", + "searcher 2\n", + "searching 1\n", + "seas 3\n", + "season 1\n", + "seat 3\n", + "seated 1\n", + "secrecy 1\n", + "secret 2\n", + "sections 1\n", + "secured 1\n", + "securities 4\n", + "sedentary 2\n", + "seedy 1\n", + "seeing 5\n", + "seek 1\n", + "seized 1\n", + "select 1\n", + "self 1\n", + "selfish 2\n", + "sell 5\n", + "seller 2\n", + "semi 4\n", + "sender 8\n", + "sensational 12\n", + "sense 8\n", + "senses 2\n", + "sentiment 1\n", + "separate 1\n", + "separated 1\n", + "sequence 1\n", + "serenely 23\n", + "seriously 6\n", + "servant 1\n", + "servants 1\n", + "serve 1\n", + "served 1\n", + "service 12\n", + "services 1\n", + "servitude 11\n", + "settle 1\n", + "settled 11\n", + "settling 1\n", + "seven 1\n", + "severe 8\n", + "severity 3\n", + "shade 1\n", + "shadow 1\n", + "shadows 1\n", + "shake 2\n", + "shaking 1\n", + "shame 3\n", + "shape 3\n", + "shares 2\n", + "sharply 1\n", + "shaven 1\n", + "sheaf 2\n", + "sheath 8\n", + "shed 1\n", + "sheet 22\n", + "sheets 1\n", + "shelf 1\n", + "shelves 3\n", + "shetland 2\n", + "shield 29\n", + "shifted 3\n", + "shilling 1\n", + "shillings 2\n", + "shingle 10\n", + "shining 1\n", + "ship 1\n", + "shipping 1\n", + "shirt 2\n", + "shivering 11\n", + "shock 10\n", + "shocking 2\n", + "shone 2\n", + "shook 3\n", + "shoot 8\n", + "shop 2\n", + "shortly 3\n", + "shot 2\n", + "shots 3\n", + "shoulders 5\n", + "shout 4\n", + "shouted 1\n", + "showing 1\n", + "shown 1\n", + "shows 1\n", + "shrank 1\n", + "shrug 1\n", + "shuffled 4\n", + "shut 2\n", + "shutters 5\n", + "sideboard 1\n", + "sidelong 216\n", + "sides 9\n", + "sideways 3\n", + "sigh 16\n", + "sight 2\n", + "sighted 1\n", + "sign 4\n", + "significance 21\n", + "signifies 1\n", + "silent 18\n", + "silk 5\n", + "simplest 20\n", + "simply 1\n", + "single 1\n", + "singular 1\n", + "sinister 3\n", + "sister 3\n", + "sit 5\n", + "sitting 2\n", + "situation 1\n", + "sixteen 3\n", + "size 1\n", + "sketches 2\n", + "skill 1\n", + "skin 11\n", + "skipper 13\n", + "skulking 1\n", + "sky 1\n", + "slater 1\n", + "slaughter 4\n", + "sleep 8\n", + "sleeping 1\n", + "sleeve 38\n", + "sleeves 2\n", + "slept 2\n", + "slight 2\n", + "slightest 1\n", + "slinging 1\n", + "slinking 1\n", + "slip 3\n", + "slipped 17\n", + "slope 19\n", + "sloping 3\n", + "slow 4\n", + "slowly 2\n", + "smaller 6\n", + "smallest 1\n", + "smart 2\n", + "smashed 1\n", + "smell 1\n", + "smelt 1\n", + "smile 1\n", + "smiled 3\n", + "smiling 3\n", + "smoke 1\n", + "smoked 1\n", + "smoking 1\n", + "smooth 3\n", + "smoothed 1\n", + "snap 8\n", + "snapped 1\n", + "snatched 1\n", + "sobbing 2\n", + "society 18\n", + "sofa 2\n", + "soft 9\n", + "sold 4\n", + "soldier 2\n", + "solemnly 10\n", + "solid 1\n", + "solve 9\n", + "solved 1\n", + "somewhat 2\n", + "somone 2\n", + "son 4\n", + "soothing 2\n", + "sorrow 1\n", + "sorry 2\n", + "sort 1\n", + "sorts 1\n", + "sought 2\n", + "soul 3\n", + "sound 1\n", + "southerly 2\n", + "sovereign 1\n", + "space 1\n", + "spare 1\n", + "speaking 1\n", + "spear 1\n", + "special 6\n", + "specialist 1\n", + "speech 3\n", + "speechless 2\n", + "speedily 2\n", + "spend 1\n", + "spent 1\n", + "spirit 1\n", + "spirits 1\n", + "spite 6\n", + "spitting 1\n", + "splashing 1\n", + "spoke 2\n", + "spot 1\n", + "spotted 1\n", + "sprang 3\n", + "spy 1\n", + "square 1\n", + "squeeze 2\n", + "ss 1\n", + "st 1\n", + "stabbing 1\n", + "stage 1\n", + "stagger 2\n", + "staggered 3\n", + "stain 1\n", + "stains 1\n", + "stair 1\n", + "stairs 1\n", + "stammer 14\n", + "stamped 5\n", + "stand 5\n", + "standing 1\n", + "stands 2\n", + "stanley 2\n", + "stare 1\n", + "stared 4\n", + "staring 1\n", + "stars 1\n", + "start 1\n", + "started 1\n", + "starting 1\n", + "startled 1\n", + "state 1\n", + "stated 2\n", + "statement 1\n", + "station 3\n", + "stay 2\n", + "steady 1\n", + "steal 4\n", + "stealthy 2\n", + "steam 1\n", + "steamer 1\n", + "steel 2\n", + "stepped 1\n", + "steps 3\n", + "stern 315\n", + "sternly 3\n", + "stick 1\n", + "stillness 1\n", + "stock 37\n", + "stockholders 3\n", + "stole 23\n", + "stone 10\n", + "stonemason 11\n", + "stones 1\n", + "stool 1\n", + "stooped 49\n", + "stooping 22\n", + "stop 2\n", + "stopped 1\n", + "stormy 1\n", + "straggling 2\n", + "straight 30\n", + "straightening 2\n", + "stranded 1\n", + "strange 1\n", + "stranger 2\n", + "strangers 1\n", + "streets 1\n", + "strength 111\n", + "stretched 1\n", + "strict 108\n", + "striding 1\n", + "strike 2\n", + "striking 1\n", + "string 202\n", + "strolled 7\n", + "strongest 4\n", + "strongly 8\n", + "struck 1\n", + "struggle 1\n", + "struggled 2\n", + "stuck 1\n", + "student 1\n", + "students 1\n", + "studied 9\n", + "study 1\n", + "stupid 85\n", + "subject 3\n", + "subsequent 1\n", + "subtle 2\n", + "succeeded 1\n", + "success 4\n", + "successful 1\n", + "succession 2\n", + "sudden 1\n", + "suddenly 2\n", + "suffer 258\n", + "suffered 1\n", + "suffering 1\n", + "sufficiently 10\n", + "suggest 5\n", + "suggested 8\n", + "suggestive 55\n", + "suggests 2\n", + "suicide 1\n", + "suit 2\n", + "summer 10\n", + "summon 2\n", + "summoned 1\n", + "sumner 1\n", + "sun 1\n", + "sunburned 2\n", + "sunk 1\n", + "sunlight 3\n", + "superficial 7\n", + "superintendent 1\n", + "superior 6\n", + "supper 2\n", + "supplied 3\n", + "supply 12\n", + "support 2\n", + "suppose 5\n", + "supposing 5\n", + "supposition 12\n", + "surely 35\n", + "surface 2\n", + "surgeon 3\n", + "surrounded 18\n", + "susan 4\n", + "suspect 2\n", + "suspected 1\n", + "suspicion 1\n", + "suspicions 2\n", + "suspicious 1\n", + "sussex 2\n", + "swarthy 1\n", + "swears 13\n", + "swept 21\n", + "swinging 15\n", + "swollen 31\n", + "swore 1\n", + "swung 3\n", + "sympathies 1\n", + "symptoms 2\n", + "table 1\n", + "taciturn 1\n", + "tail 13\n", + "talents 5\n", + "talk 32\n", + "talking 9\n", + "talks 3\n", + "tall 3\n", + "tampering 1\n", + "tan 1\n", + "tangle 4\n", + "tangled 1\n", + "tantalus 1\n", + "tap 2\n", + "tapestry 14\n", + "tapped 23\n", + "task 2\n", + "taste 1\n", + "tea 19\n", + "teach 2\n", + "teeth 1\n", + "telegram 6\n", + "telegraph 1\n", + "temper 4\n", + "temple 3\n", + "temptation 2\n", + "tempting 9\n", + "tenacious 1\n", + "tenacity 2\n", + "term 2\n", + "terms 6\n", + "terribly 12\n", + "terror 1\n", + "test 3\n", + "thames 33\n", + "thank 1\n", + "thanks 3\n", + "theories 4\n", + "theory 1\n", + "thief 2\n", + "thieves 1\n", + "thigh 8\n", + "thinking 5\n", + "thinks 1\n", + "thirsty 5\n", + "thirty 1\n", + "thong 46\n", + "thoroughly 1\n", + "thoughtful 15\n", + "thoughtfully 1\n", + "thoughts 2\n", + "thousand 3\n", + "threshold 3\n", + "threw 15\n", + "thrill 1\n", + "throat 1\n", + "throats 2\n", + "throw 3\n", + "throwing 2\n", + "thrown 4\n", + "thrust 68\n", + "thumb 8\n", + "thursday 5\n", + "ticked 2\n", + "ticks 1\n", + "tied 11\n", + "ties 1\n", + "tiger 8\n", + "till 5\n", + "times 1\n", + "tin 24\n", + "tinge 1\n", + "tip 3\n", + "tired 3\n", + "tobacco 4\n", + "tomorrow 4\n", + "tongue 3\n", + "tool 1\n", + "tore 19\n", + "torment 14\n", + "torn 1\n", + "tosca 4\n", + "tossed 15\n", + "tossing 10\n", + "tottenham 2\n", + "touch 25\n", + "touched 4\n", + "trace 2\n", + "traced 1\n", + "traces 1\n", + "track 1\n", + "trade 3\n", + "tragedy 1\n", + "train 1\n", + "trained 2\n", + "trainer 2\n", + "training 12\n", + "transfix 1\n", + "transpired 2\n", + "trap 1\n", + "travelled 2\n", + "treasure 1\n", + "treat 3\n", + "treated 8\n", + "tree 2\n", + "trees 1\n", + "trembled 1\n", + "trembling 1\n", + "tremor 15\n", + "trial 3\n", + "trick 2\n", + "tried 2\n", + "tries 1\n", + "trifle 1\n", + "trifling 1\n", + "trim 14\n", + "triumphant 9\n", + "trivial 4\n", + "trophy 2\n", + "tropical 1\n", + "trouble 9\n", + "troubled 11\n", + "trousers 3\n", + "trove 1\n", + "true 1\n", + "trust 44\n", + "trusted 2\n", + "trusting 4\n", + "try 1\n", + "trying 1\n", + "tucked 2\n", + "tuesday 2\n", + "tufted 1\n", + "tugging 2\n", + "tunbridge 2\n", + "turn 3\n", + "turning 19\n", + "turns 8\n", + "tut 2\n", + "tweed 1\n", + "twinkled 1\n", + "twisted 1\n", + "type 1\n", + "ultimate 1\n", + "umbrella 1\n", + "unable 2\n", + "underneath 1\n", + "understands 18\n", + "understood 1\n", + "uneasy 1\n", + "unexpected 2\n", + "unfolded 1\n", + "unfortunate 1\n", + "unfortunately 3\n", + "unguarded 1\n", + "unicorn 30\n", + "uniform 7\n", + "uninteresting 14\n", + "unique 1\n", + "united 1\n", + "unknown 1\n", + "unless 1\n", + "unlike 1\n", + "unlikely 1\n", + "unlocked 3\n", + "unmarried 1\n", + "unnatural 1\n", + "unnecessary 2\n", + "unsightly 1\n", + "unsolved 1\n", + "unsuccessful 1\n", + "unthinkable 1\n", + "unusual 9\n", + "unworldly 3\n", + "upper 1\n", + "upset 1\n", + "upstairs 8\n", + "upward 1\n", + "urge 3\n", + "usage 3\n", + "useful 1\n", + "useless 4\n", + "uses 1\n", + "ushered 4\n", + "using 9\n", + "usual 5\n", + "utmost 1\n", + "uttered 1\n", + "uttering 2\n", + "utterly 20\n", + "vacant 1\n", + "vague 21\n", + "vain 1\n", + "value 2\n", + "vanished 2\n", + "various 1\n", + "vast 1\n", + "ve 1\n", + "veined 1\n", + "venture 1\n", + "verge 1\n", + "vessel 1\n", + "vicar 107\n", + "victim 2\n", + "victims 8\n", + "victory 10\n", + "view 17\n", + "views 1\n", + "vigil 8\n", + "vile 1\n", + "village 1\n", + "villagers 10\n", + "villain 5\n", + "violence 2\n", + "virile 7\n", + "visible 5\n", + "visibly 3\n", + "vision 11\n", + "visiting 1\n", + "visitor 1\n", + "visitors 3\n", + "voices 20\n", + "volume 2\n", + "volunteered 1\n", + "voyage 1\n", + "voyages 1\n", + "wager 20\n", + "wages 9\n", + "waistcoat 3\n", + "wait 2\n", + "waited 1\n", + "waits 1\n", + "wakened 2\n", + "waking 1\n", + "walk 4\n", + "walked 1\n", + "walking 2\n", + "walks 1\n", + "wall 1\n", + "walled 1\n", + "walls 4\n", + "wander 2\n", + "wandering 85\n", + "want 2\n", + "wanted 1\n", + "wanting 1\n", + "wants 2\n", + "war 1\n", + "warm 13\n", + "warmth 46\n", + "warn 3\n", + "warned 1\n", + "warning 4\n", + "warrant 1\n", + "wasn 3\n", + "waste 39\n", + "watch 7\n", + "watched 1\n", + "watching 1\n", + "water 4\n", + "waved 8\n", + "waving 1\n", + "ways 1\n", + "wayside 1\n", + "weak 2\n", + "weald 1\n", + "wealth 1\n", + "wealthy 3\n", + "weapon 8\n", + "wear 1\n", + "wearer 1\n", + "weary 1\n", + "weather 4\n", + "wednesday 1\n", + "weeks 2\n", + "weight 1\n", + "welcome 1\n", + "wells 1\n", + "west 16\n", + "whale 7\n", + "whaler 2\n", + "wheeler 1\n", + "whiff 2\n", + "whimsical 1\n", + "whined 8\n", + "whipped 1\n", + "whiskers 12\n", + "whisky 4\n", + "whisper 4\n", + "whispered 2\n", + "whistle 1\n", + "whitewashed 10\n", + "wide 2\n", + "widespread 1\n", + "widow 1\n", + "wild 1\n", + "willing 1\n", + "wilson 1\n", + "winced 2\n", + "wind 2\n", + "window 8\n", + "windows 12\n", + "winds 9\n", + "winning 2\n", + "winter 5\n", + "wire 1\n", + "wired 1\n", + "wiring 72\n", + "wise 62\n", + "wiser 2\n", + "wished 6\n", + "wishing 1\n", + "wit 20\n", + "witness 1\n", + "wizard 78\n", + "woman 104\n", + "women 1\n", + "won 1\n", + "wonderful 5\n", + "wonderfully 34\n", + "wood 1\n", + "wooden 51\n", + "woodman 24\n", + "woods 17\n", + "woodwork 12\n", + "wore 1\n", + "worked 2\n", + "working 9\n", + "works 59\n", + "world 1\n", + "worlds 1\n", + "worn 26\n", + "worried 14\n", + "worse 42\n", + "worth 1\n", + "wound 11\n", + "wounded 10\n", + "wrapped 16\n", + "wretched 40\n", + "wrists 9\n", + "write 3\n", + "writing 1\n", + "written 6\n", + "wrong 5\n", + "wrote 1\n", + "yacht 4\n", + "yard 3\n", + "yards 10\n", + "yarn 2\n", + "yarned 9\n", + "year 1\n", + "yell 1\n", + "yellow 4\n", + "yesterday 6\n", + "yonder 2\n", + "young 2\n", + "younger 12\n", + "youth 1\n" + ] + } + ], + "execution_count": 257 + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "293e4b38", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "### > Dokumenatation <\n", + "Es werden über alle Dokumente hinweg alle einzigartigen Features, in diesem Fall die unterschiedlichen Wörter gezählt. Dies gibt uns die `bag_of_words`.\n", + "\n", + "Der Aufbau der Matrix ist wie folgt\n", + "```\n", + " -> axis 1\n", + "V - axis 0 - V\n", + "\n", + "| | Wort1 | Wort2 | Wort3 | ... |\n", + "|------|-------|-------|-------|-----|\n", + "| Dok1 | | | | |\n", + "| Dok2 | | | | |\n", + "| ... | | | | |\n", + "```\n", + "\n", + "#### Gesamtzahl der (einzigartigen) Wörter\n", + "Die Anzahl der Spalten gibt uns die Anzahl der Wörter über alle Texte hinweg, da jede Spalte ein Wort darstellt, d.h. ein Wort wird nicht doppelt gelistet werden.\n", + "So erhalten wir eine Anzahl von **8879** Wörtern, die in den Texten vorkommen.\n", + "#### Anzahl der Wörter pro Dokument\n", + "Durch das Aufsummieren der Werte in einer Zeile, ermitelt man die Anzahl aller Wörter in einem Dokument. Die Ausgabe ist nach der Reihenfolge der Dokumentennamen im Array `filenames` sortiert.\n", + "\n", + "| | Anzahl der Wörter |\n", + "|-------------------|-------------------|\n", + "| Sherlock | 107416 |\n", + "| Sherlock_blanched | 7258 |\n", + "| Sherlock_black | 7775 |\n", + "| Sherlock_blue | 7497 |\n", + "| Sherlock_card | 8242 |\n", + "\n", + "#### Vorkommen jedes Wortes\n", + "Durch das Aufsummieren der Werte in einer Spalte, ermitelt man die Häufigkeit eines Wörter in allen Dokumenten. Die Ausgabe ist alphabetisch, da `bag_of_words` beim Erzeugen durch `vercotorizer` alphabetisch sortiert wird.\n", + "Da die Liste sehr lang ist, hier ein Auszug\n", + "\n", + "| Word | count |\n", + "|-----------|-------|\n", + "| all | 462 |\n", + "| allardyce | 2 |\n", + "| alley | 1 |\n", + "| allow | 8 |\n", + "| allowance | 2 |\n", + "| allowed | 10 |\n", + "| allowing | 2 |\n", + "| allows | 2 |\n", + "| allude | 4 |" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "582e1e0d-66c6-4c1c-9788-eee97d7c79f4", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "## 6.2.2 Which word is occuring the most?" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "89936ba9-3403-4973-aa2c-029fcf463084", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "This must be done in three steps. Reason is, that the vectorizer.vocabulary_ is organized as a dictonary with the value indicating the position of the word in the array\n", + "1. Find out the highest count of a word\n", + "2. Find out the position of this count\n", + "3. Find out the word at this position" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "a43e2e80", + "metadata": { + "ExecuteTime": { + "end_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:12.545884766Z", + "start_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:12.517034301Z" + } + }, + "source": [ + "# find the highest count\n", + "count_max = np.max(word_counts)\n", + "\n", + "# find the index of the highest count\n", + "count_max_index = np.argmax(word_counts)\n", + "\n", + "# get the word with the highest count\n", + "feature_names = vectorizer.get_feature_names_out()\n", + "count_max_word = feature_names[count_max_index]\n", + "\n", + "print(f\"Häufigstes Wort: '{count_max_word}'\")\n", + "print(f\"Anzahl: {count_max}\")\n", + "print(f\"Index: {count_max_index}\")\n" + ], + "outputs": [ + { + "name": "stdout", + "output_type": "stream", + "text": [ + "Häufigstes Wort: 'the'\n", + "Anzahl: 7975\n", + "Index: 7921\n" + ] + } + ], + "execution_count": 258 + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "75066e48", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "#### > Dokumentation <\n", + "Das Wort, was am häufigsten vorkommt, ist \"the\" an der Stelle 7921 in der Liste `word_counts` mit einer Häufigkeit von 7975, was nicht verwunderlich ist, da es sich um englische Texte handelt. Alles andere wäre bei der Textgröße ungewöhnlich und würde darauf deuten, dass es sich nicht um einen Text mit der für Englisch typischen Wortverteilung handelt." + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "5f8b5880-4542-47fa-9d16-94b458b967cf", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# 6.3 Improving using stop word, ngrams and tf-idf\n", + "The feature space is vast with nearly 9000 dimensions. Hence we should try to reduce the number of dimensions by:\n", + "\n", + "1. use only words that have a mimimum occurence in all documents (minimal document frequency) min_df\n", + "2. remove stop words (like 'a', 'and', 'the') as they don't give valuable information for classification and/or \n", + "3. remove words that occur in many documents (maximum document frequency) max_df \n", + "\n", + "Experiment with the values of min_df and max_df and see how the size of the vocabulary is changing.\n", + "\n", + "Implement all three options and check for their separate outcome an their combinations" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "b0de993a-7aad-4126-938d-86bc4bd26d8e", + "metadata": { + "ExecuteTime": { + "end_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:14.316038463Z", + "start_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:12.548617005Z" + } + }, + "source": [ + "def improver(_stop_words=None, _min_df=1, _max_df=len(filenames)):\n", + " vectorizer = CountVectorizer(input=\"filename\", stop_words=_stop_words, min_df=_min_df, max_df=_max_df)\n", + " bag_of_words = vectorizer.fit_transform(filenames)\n", + " total_unique_words = len(vectorizer.get_feature_names_out())\n", + " print(f\"unique words: {total_unique_words:<4} min_df: {_min_df}, max_df: {_max_df}, stop_words: {_stop_words}\")\n", + " return bag_of_words, vectorizer\n", + "\n", + "print(\"only max_df\")\n", + "for i in range(1,6):\n", + " improver(_max_df=i)\n", + "\n", + "print(\"\\nonly max_df\")\n", + "for i in range(1,6):\n", + " improver(_min_df=i)\n", + "\n", + "print(\"\\nonly stop_words\")\n", + "improver(_stop_words=[\"the\"])\n", + "improver(_stop_words=[\"and\"])\n", + "improver(_stop_words=[\"a\"])\n", + "improver(_stop_words=[\"I\"])\n", + "improver(_stop_words=[\"i\"])\n", + "improver(_stop_words=[\"the\", \"and\", \"a\"])\n", + "improver(_stop_words=\"english\")\n", + "\n", + "print(\"\\ncombination\")\n", + "bag_of_words, vectorizer_combined = improver(_stop_words=\"english\", _min_df=2, _max_df=4)\n", + "\n", + "\n" + ], + "outputs": [ + { + "name": "stdout", + "output_type": "stream", + "text": [ + "only max_df\n", + "unique words: 5508 min_df: 1, max_df: 1, stop_words: None\n", + "unique words: 7349 min_df: 1, max_df: 2, stop_words: None\n", + "unique words: 8079 min_df: 1, max_df: 3, stop_words: None\n", + "unique words: 8455 min_df: 1, max_df: 4, stop_words: None\n", + "unique words: 8879 min_df: 1, max_df: 5, stop_words: None\n", + "\n", + "only max_df\n", + "unique words: 8879 min_df: 1, max_df: 5, stop_words: None\n", + "unique words: 3371 min_df: 2, max_df: 5, stop_words: None\n", + "unique words: 1530 min_df: 3, max_df: 5, stop_words: None\n", + "unique words: 800 min_df: 4, max_df: 5, stop_words: None\n", + "unique words: 424 min_df: 5, max_df: 5, stop_words: None\n", + "\n", + "only stop_words\n", + "unique words: 8878 min_df: 1, max_df: 5, stop_words: ['the']\n", + "unique words: 8878 min_df: 1, max_df: 5, stop_words: ['and']\n", + "unique words: 8879 min_df: 1, max_df: 5, stop_words: ['a']\n", + "unique words: 8879 min_df: 1, max_df: 5, stop_words: ['I']\n", + "unique words: 8879 min_df: 1, max_df: 5, stop_words: ['i']\n", + "unique words: 8877 min_df: 1, max_df: 5, stop_words: ['the', 'and', 'a']\n", + "unique words: 8601 min_df: 1, max_df: 5, stop_words: english\n", + "\n", + "combination\n", + "unique words: 2856 min_df: 2, max_df: 4, stop_words: english\n" + ] + } + ], + "execution_count": 259 + }, + { + "metadata": {}, + "cell_type": "markdown", + "source": [ + "### > Dokumentation <\n", + "#### min_df und max_df\n", + "Wenn man min_df und max_df isoliert laufen lässt, so erhält man folgenden Werte für Gesamtzahl der Wörter\n", + "| wert | min_df(wert) | max_df(wert) |\n", + "|------|--------------|--------------|\n", + "| 1 | 8879 | 5508 |\n", + "| 2 | 3371 | 7349 |\n", + "| 3 | 1530 | 8079 |\n", + "| 4 | 800 | 8455 |\n", + "| 5 | 424 | 8879 |\n", + "\n", + "\n", + "Man kann klar erkennen, dass\n", + "- min_df schon beim Wert 2 mehr als die Hälfte aller ursprünglichen Wörter entfernt, da es sich dabei um Wörter handelt die nur in einem Dokument vorkommen und somit auch ein einziges Mal über alle Dokumente hinweg vorkommen\n", + "- mit max_df eine merkliche Reduktion erst bei einem Wert von 3 bzw. 2 auftritt. Beim Wert 1 haben wir dann nur noch Wörter die nur noch in einem Dokument vorkommen.\n", + "\n", + "Eine wichtige Beobachtung\n", + "```\n", + "min_df(2) + max_df(1) = 8879\n", + "3371 + 5508 = 8879\n", + "```\n", + "\n", + "Man kann also allgemein sagen, dass gilt\n", + "```\n", + "min_df(n+1) + max_df(n) = initial_total_unique_words\n", + "```\n", + "\n", + "#### stop_words\n", + "Wenn man stop_words isoliert laufen lässt, so erhält man folgenden Werte für Gesamtzahl der Wörter\n", + "\n", + "| wert | stop_words(wert) |\n", + "|-------------|------------------|\n", + "| the | 8878 |\n", + "| and | 8878 |\n", + "| a | 8879 |\n", + "| i | 8879 |\n", + "| I | 8879 |\n", + "| the, and, a | 8877 |\n", + "| english | 8601 |\n", + "\n", + "Man kann erkennen,dass wenn man einzlne Wörter übergibt, auch je ein Wort entfernt wird.\n", + "\n", + "Eine wichtige Beobachtung\n", + "das Wort \"a\" und andere Wörter im Englischen die nur aus einem Buchstaben bestehen, scheinen keine Auswirkungen zuhaben, was mich darauf schließen lässt, dass eine Mindestwortlänge von 2 Buchstaben erforderlich ist\n", + "> aus der Doku der Fkt: If 'english', a built-in stop word list for English is used.\n", + "\n", + "### Kombination\n", + "\n", + "Man entfernt die häufigsten Wörter der englischen Sprache mit `stop_words=\"english\"`, die seltensten Wörter mit `min_df=2` und die häufigsten Wörter mit `max_df=4` ohne dabei zu sehr zu entfernen\n", + "\n", + "unique words: 2856 min_df: 2, max_df: 4, stop_words: english\n" + ], + "id": "bc6ee0265d4f595d", + "attachments": { + "a1c7631f-3a99-4cc5-91da-f93bf0d162ef.png": { + "image/png": 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+ } + } + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "cb3b2e2e-cda0-4abe-894a-ece8a7cf2d7a", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# 6.4 Rescaling the data using term frequency inverse document frequency\n", + "Here, term frequency is the number of occurences of a term (word) $t$ in a document $d$. \n", + "\n", + "$\\operatorname{tf}(t, d) = f_{t, d}$ \n", + "\n", + "Sometimes tf gets normalized to the length of $d$\n", + "The inverse document frequency idf is a measure on the amount of information a term t carries. Rare occurences of t leads to a high amount of information common occurence to a low amount of information. The idf is computed as \n", + "\n", + "$\\text{idf}(t) = \\log{\\frac{1 + n}{1+\\text{df}(t)}} + 1$\n", + "\n", + "where $n$ is the total number of documents and $\\text{df}(t)$ is the number of documents that contain the term $t$. Hence, the tf-idf is the product of the two terms:\n", + "\n", + "$\\text{tf-idf(t,d)}=\\text{tf(t,d)} \\cdot \\text{idf(t)}$\n", + "\n", + "scikit-learn supports this in the `TfidfTransformer`, when using the following parameters: `TfidfTransformer(norm='l2', use_idf=True, smooth_idf=True, sublinear_tf=False)`. Refer to the scikit documentation for the parameter sets and how this changes the formula.\n", + "\n", + "Combining Bag of Words and tf-idf can be done using the `TfidfVectorizer`" + ] + }, + { + "metadata": { + "ExecuteTime": { + "end_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:14.358670866Z", + "start_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:14.331114184Z" + } + }, + "cell_type": "code", + "source": [ + "from sklearn.feature_extraction.text import TfidfTransformer\n", + "\n", + "# initialize Transfoerms with given params\n", + "tfidf_transformer = TfidfTransformer(norm='l2', use_idf=True, smooth_idf=True, sublinear_tf=False)\n", + "\n", + "# 2. Anwenden auf die bestehende Bag-of-Words Matrix aus Aufgabe 6.3\n", + "tfidf_matrix = tfidf_transformer.fit_transform(bag_of_words)\n", + "\n", + "# check results\n", + "print(\"Transformation abgeschlossen.\")\n", + "print(f\"Shape der TF-IDF Matrix: {tfidf_matrix.shape}\")\n", + "print(f\"{tfidf_matrix}\")" + ], + "id": "cff65dbc718a4179", + "outputs": [ + { + "name": "stdout", + "output_type": "stream", + "text": [ + "Transformation abgeschlossen.\n", + "Shape der TF-IDF Matrix: (5, 2856)\n", + "\n", + " Coords\tValues\n", + " (0, 0)\t0.009933797940553895\n", + " (0, 1)\t0.003973519176221558\n", + " (0, 2)\t0.001986759588110779\n", + " (0, 3)\t0.004947569788408338\n", + " (0, 4)\t0.001986759588110779\n", + " (0, 5)\t0.001986759588110779\n", + " (0, 6)\t0.001986759588110779\n", + " (0, 7)\t0.009933797940553895\n", + " (0, 8)\t0.003973519176221558\n", + " (0, 9)\t0.011920557528664675\n", + " (0, 10)\t0.01986759588110779\n", + " (0, 11)\t0.048557269601616326\n", + " (0, 12)\t0.001986759588110779\n", + " (0, 13)\t0.001986759588110779\n", + " (0, 14)\t0.005960278764332337\n", + " (0, 15)\t0.001986759588110779\n", + " (0, 16)\t0.015894076704886233\n", + " (0, 17)\t0.013907317116775453\n", + " (0, 18)\t0.02308865901257225\n", + " (0, 19)\t0.01803555728060035\n", + " (0, 20)\t0.009895139576816677\n", + " (0, 21)\t0.003973519176221558\n", + " (0, 22)\t0.005960278764332337\n", + " (0, 23)\t0.001986759588110779\n", + " (0, 24)\t0.01788083629299701\n", + " :\t:\n", + " (4, 2801)\t0.01587505840558671\n", + " (4, 2802)\t0.013177732529343691\n", + " (4, 2803)\t0.026355465058687383\n", + " (4, 2804)\t0.01587505840558671\n", + " (4, 2807)\t0.011085524037007195\n", + " (4, 2808)\t0.026355465058687383\n", + " (4, 2813)\t0.11085524037007195\n", + " (4, 2814)\t0.013177732529343691\n", + " (4, 2815)\t0.039533197588031074\n", + " (4, 2816)\t0.013177732529343691\n", + " (4, 2817)\t0.03175011681117342\n", + " (4, 2824)\t0.01587505840558671\n", + " (4, 2825)\t0.013177732529343691\n", + " (4, 2827)\t0.02217104807401439\n", + " (4, 2832)\t0.01587505840558671\n", + " (4, 2833)\t0.013177732529343691\n", + " (4, 2835)\t0.01587505840558671\n", + " (4, 2839)\t0.013177732529343691\n", + " (4, 2840)\t0.011085524037007195\n", + " (4, 2844)\t0.026355465058687383\n", + " (4, 2845)\t0.02217104807401439\n", + " (4, 2850)\t0.052710930117374766\n", + " (4, 2851)\t0.039533197588031074\n", + " (4, 2853)\t0.02217104807401439\n", + " (4, 2854)\t0.03175011681117342\n" + ] + } + ], + "execution_count": 260 + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "id": "559eab9f-91c5-4a2c-9106-86126c0b8d78", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# 6.4.1 Find maximum value for each of the features over dataset" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "id": "1cff3622-5a62-49bb-903f-4f98d9b044fb", + "metadata": { + "ExecuteTime": { + "end_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:14.398692305Z", + "start_time": "2025-12-15T01:35:14.360568152Z" + } + }, + "source": [ + "# 1. Das Maximum für jedes Feature über den Datensatz finden\n", + "# axis=0 bedeutet: Wir suchen vertikal über alle Dokumente hinweg\n", + "max_tfidf_values = tfidf_matrix.max(axis=0)\n", + "\n", + "# Da sparse matrizen oft eine Matrix zurückgeben, machen wir es zu einem flachen Array\n", + "# toarray() wandelt sparse in dense um, flatten() macht eine 1D-Liste daraus\n", + "max_val_array = max_tfidf_values.toarray().flatten()\n", + "\n", + "# 2. Verbindung mit den Wörtern herstellen\n", + "feature_names = vectorizer_combined.get_feature_names_out()\n", + "\n", + "# Wir erstellen einen DataFrame für eine schöne Übersicht\n", + "df_tfidf_max = pd.DataFrame({\n", + " 'Word': feature_names,\n", + " 'Max_TFIDF': max_val_array\n", + "})\n", + "\n", + "# 3. Sortieren, um die interessantesten Wörter oben zu haben\n", + "# Absteigend sortieren (höchste Werte zuerst)\n", + "df_sorted = df_tfidf_max.sort_values(by='Max_TFIDF', ascending=False)\n", + "\n", + "# Ausgabe der Top 10 Wörter mit dem höchsten TF-IDF Score überhaupt\n", + "print(\"Wörter mit dem höchsten TF-IDF Score in einem Dokument:\")\n", + "print(df_sorted)" + ], + "outputs": [ + { + "name": "stdout", + "output_type": "stream", + "text": [ + "Wörter mit dem höchsten TF-IDF Score in einem Dokument:\n", + " Word Max_TFIDF\n", + "1076 godfrey 0.533000\n", + "1200 hopkins 0.442111\n", + "260 bird 0.374464\n", + "1449 lestrade 0.365126\n", + "1790 peter 0.358469\n", + "... ... ...\n", + "192 avoided 0.011631\n", + "1275 indication 0.011631\n", + "242 belief 0.011631\n", + "1343 iron 0.011631\n", + "1118 habit 0.011631\n", + "\n", + "[2856 rows x 2 columns]\n" + ] + } + ], + "execution_count": 261 + }, + { + "metadata": {}, + "cell_type": "markdown", + "source": [ + "Die Analyse der maximalen TF-IDF-Werte pro Feature zeigt deutlich\n", + "- Diskriminierende Features: An der Spitze der Liste stehen Begriffe wie \"godfrey\", \"hopkins\" oder \"bird\" mit hohen Scores (ca. 0.37 bis 0.53). Diese Wörter sind stark charakteristisch für einzelne Geschichten (z.B. Godfrey Emsworth in The Blanched Soldier). Sie ermöglichen einem Algorithmus eine eindeutige Zuordnung des Textes.\n", + "- Gemeinsame Features: Am unteren Ende der Liste finden sich Wörter mit sehr niedrigen Scores (ca. 0.01). Diese kommen diffus in fast allen Dokumenten vor und tragen kaum zur Unterscheidung bei." + ], + "id": "6a7eea9735a61e3f" + } + ], + "metadata": { + "kernelspec": { + "display_name": ".env", + "language": "python", + "name": "python3" + }, + "language_info": { + "codemirror_mode": { + "name": "ipython", + "version": 3 + }, + "file_extension": ".py", + "mimetype": "text/x-python", + "name": "python", + "nbconvert_exporter": "python", + "pygments_lexer": "ipython3", + "version": "3.14.2" + } + }, + "nbformat": 4, + "nbformat_minor": 5 +} diff --git a/P2/Sherlock.txt b/P2/Sherlock.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0445cee --- /dev/null +++ b/P2/Sherlock.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13406 @@ + +The Return of Sherlock Holmes, A Collection of Holmes Adventures + +by + +SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE + + + +THE ADVENTURE OF THE EMPTY HOUSE + + +It was in the spring of the year 1894 that all London was interested, +and the fashionable world dismayed, by the murder of the Honourable +Ronald Adair under most unusual and inexplicable circumstances. +The public has already learned those particulars of the crime which +came out in the police investigation, but a good deal was suppressed +upon that occasion, since the case for the prosecution was so overwhelmingly +strong that it was not necessary to bring forward all the facts. Only now, +at the end of nearly ten years, am I allowed to supply those missing +links which make up the whole of that remarkable chain. The crime +was of interest in itself, but that interest was as nothing to me +compared to the inconceivable sequel, which afforded me the +greatest shock and surprise of any event in my adventurous life. +Even now, after this long interval, I find myself thrilling as +I think of it, and feeling once more that sudden flood of joy, +amazement, and incredulity which utterly submerged my mind. +Let me say to that public, which has shown some interest in those +glimpses which I have occasionally given them of the thoughts +and actions of a very remarkable man, that they are not to blame +me if I have not shared my knowledge with them, for I should +have considered it my first duty to do so, had I not been barred +by a positive prohibition from his own lips, which was only +withdrawn upon the third of last month. + +It can be imagined that my close intimacy with Sherlock Holmes +had interested me deeply in crime, and that after his +disappearance I never failed to read with care the various +problems which came before the public. And I even attempted, +more than once, for my own private satisfaction, to employ his +methods in their solution, though with indifferent success. +There was none, however, which appealed to me like this tragedy +of Ronald Adair. As I read the evidence at the inquest, which +led up to a verdict of willful murder against some person or +persons unknown, I realized more clearly than I had ever done +the loss which the community had sustained by the death of +Sherlock Holmes. There were points about this strange business +which would, I was sure, have specially appealed to him, and the +efforts of the police would have been supplemented, or more +probably anticipated, by the trained observation and the alert +mind of the first criminal agent in Europe. All day, as I drove +upon my round, I turned over the case in my mind and found no +explanation which appeared to me to be adequate. At the risk of +telling a twice-told tale, I will recapitulate the facts as they +were known to the public at the conclusion of the inquest. + +The Honourable Ronald Adair was the second son of the Earl of +Maynooth, at that time governor of one of the Australian +colonies. Adair's mother had returned from Australia to undergo +the operation for cataract, and she, her son Ronald, and her +daughter Hilda were living together at 427 Park Lane. The youth +moved in the best society--had, so far as was known, no enemies +and no particular vices. He had been engaged to Miss Edith +Woodley, of Carstairs, but the engagement had been broken off by +mutual consent some months before, and there was no sign that it +had left any very profound feeling behind it. For the rest {sic} +the man's life moved in a narrow and conventional circle, for +his habits were quiet and his nature unemotional. Yet it was +upon this easy-going young aristocrat that death came, in most +strange and unexpected form, between the hours of ten and +eleven-twenty on the night of March 30, 1894. + +Ronald Adair was fond of cards--playing continually, but never +for such stakes as would hurt him. He was a member of the +Baldwin, the Cavendish, and the Bagatelle card clubs. It was +shown that, after dinner on the day of his death, he had played +a rubber of whist at the latter club. He had also played there +in the afternoon. The evidence of those who had played with him-- +Mr. Murray, Sir John Hardy, and Colonel Moran--showed that the +game was whist, and that there was a fairly equal fall of the +cards. Adair might have lost five pounds, but not more. His +fortune was a considerable one, and such a loss could not in any +way affect him. He had played nearly every day at one club or +other, but he was a cautious player, and usually rose a winner. +It came out in evidence that, in partnership with Colonel Moran, +he had actually won as much as four hundred and twenty pounds in +a sitting, some weeks before, from Godfrey Milner and Lord Balmoral. +So much for his recent history as it came out at the inquest. + +On the evening of the crime, he returned from the club exactly +at ten. His mother and sister were out spending the evening with +a relation. The servant deposed that she heard him enter the +front room on the second floor, generally used as his +sitting-room. She had lit a fire there, and as it smoked she had +opened the window. No sound was heard from the room until +eleven-twenty, the hour of the return of Lady Maynooth and her +daughter. Desiring to say good-night, she attempted to enter her +son's room. The door was locked on the inside, and no answer +could be got to their cries and knocking. Help was obtained, and +the door forced. The unfortunate young man was found lying near +the table. His head had been horribly mutilated by an expanding +revolver bullet, but no weapon of any sort was to be found in +the room. On the table lay two banknotes for ten pounds each and +seventeen pounds ten in silver and gold, the money arranged in +little piles of varying amount. There were some figures also +upon a sheet of paper, with the names of some club friends +opposite to them, from which it was conjectured that before his +death he was endeavouring to make out his losses or winnings at cards. + +A minute examination of the circumstances served only to make +the case more complex. In the first place, no reason could be +given why the young man should have fastened the door upon the +inside. There was the possibility that the murderer had done +this, and had afterwards escaped by the window. The drop was at +least twenty feet, however, and a bed of crocuses in full bloom +lay beneath. Neither the flowers nor the earth showed any sign +of having been disturbed, nor were there any marks upon the +narrow strip of grass which separated the house from the road. +Apparently, therefore, it was the young man himself who had +fastened the door. But how did he come by his death? No one +could have climbed up to the window without leaving traces. +Suppose a man had fired through the window, he would indeed be +a remarkable shot who could with a revolver inflict so deadly a +wound. Again, Park Lane is a frequented thoroughfare; there is +a cab stand within a hundred yards of the house. No one had +heard a shot. And yet there was the dead man and there the +revolver bullet, which had mushroomed out, as soft-nosed bullets +will, and so inflicted a wound which must have caused +instantaneous death. Such were the circumstances of the Park +Lane Mystery, which were further complicated by entire absence +of motive, since, as I have said, young Adair was not known to +have any enemy, and no attempt had been made to remove the money +or valuables in the room. + +All day I turned these facts over in my mind, endeavouring to +hit upon some theory which could reconcile them all, and to find +that line of least resistance which my poor friend had declared +to be the starting-point of every investigation. I confess that +I made little progress. In the evening I strolled across the +Park, and found myself about six o'clock at the Oxford Street +end of Park Lane. A group of loafers upon the pavements, all +staring up at a particular window, directed me to the house +which I had come to see. A tall, thin man with coloured glasses, +whom I strongly suspected of being a plain-clothes detective, +was pointing out some theory of his own, while the others +crowded round to listen to what he said. I got as near him as I +could, but his observations seemed to me to be absurd, so I +withdrew again in some disgust. As I did so I struck against an +elderly, deformed man, who had been behind me, and I knocked +down several books which he was carrying. I remember that as I +picked them up, I observed the title of one of them, THE ORIGIN +OF TREE WORSHIP, and it struck me that the fellow must be some +poor bibliophile, who, either as a trade or as a hobby, was a +collector of obscure volumes. I endeavoured to apologize for the +accident, but it was evident that these books which I had so +unfortunately maltreated were very precious objects in the eyes +of their owner. With a snarl of contempt he turned upon his +heel, and I saw his curved back and white side-whiskers +disappear among the throng. + +My observations of No. 427 Park Lane did little to clear up the +problem in which I was interested. The house was separated from +the street by a low wall and railing, the whole not more than +five feet high. It was perfectly easy, therefore, for anyone to +get into the garden, but the window was entirely inaccessible, +since there was no waterpipe or anything which could help the +most active man to climb it. More puzzled than ever, I retraced +my steps to Kensington. I had not been in my study five minutes +when the maid entered to say that a person desired to see me. To +my astonishment it was none other than my strange old book +collector, his sharp, wizened face peering out from a frame of +white hair, and his precious volumes, a dozen of them at least, +wedged under his right arm. + +"You're surprised to see me, sir," said he, in a strange, +croaking voice. + +I acknowledged that I was. + +"Well, I've a conscience, sir, and when I chanced to see you go +into this house, as I came hobbling after you, I thought to +myself, I'll just step in and see that kind gentleman, and tell +him that if I was a bit gruff in my manner there was not any harm +meant, and that I am much obliged to him for picking up my books." + +"You make too much of a trifle," said I. "May I ask how you knew +who I was?" + +"Well, sir, if it isn't too great a liberty, I am a neighbour of +yours, for you'll find my little bookshop at the corner of +Church Street, and very happy to see you, I am sure. Maybe you +collect yourself, sir. Here's BRITISH BIRDS, and CATULLUS, and +THE HOLY WAR--a bargain, every one of them. With five volumes +you could just fill that gap on that second shelf. It looks +untidy, does it not, sir?" + +I moved my head to look at the cabinet behind me. When I turned +again, Sherlock Holmes was standing smiling at me across my +study table. I rose to my feet, stared at him for some seconds +in utter amazement, and then it appears that I must have fainted +for the first and the last time in my life. Certainly a gray +mist swirled before my eyes, and when it cleared I found my +collar-ends undone and the tingling after-taste of brandy upon +my lips. Holmes was bending over my chair, his flask in his hand. + +"My dear Watson," said the well-remembered voice, "I owe you a +thousand apologies. I had no idea that you would be so affected." + +I gripped him by the arms. + +"Holmes!" I cried. "Is it really you? Can it indeed be that you +are alive? Is it possible that you succeeded in climbing out of +that awful abyss?" + +"Wait a moment," said he. "Are you sure that you are really fit +to discuss things? I have given you a serious shock by my +unnecessarily dramatic reappearance." + +"I am all right, but indeed, Holmes, I can hardly believe my +eyes. Good heavens! to think that you--you of all men--should be +standing in my study." Again I gripped him by the sleeve, and +felt the thin, sinewy arm beneath it. "Well, you're not a spirit +anyhow," said I. "My dear chap, I'm overjoyed to see you. Sit +down, and tell me how you came alive out of that dreadful chasm." + +He sat opposite to me, and lit a cigarette in his old, +nonchalant manner. He was dressed in the seedy frockcoat of the +book merchant, but the rest of that individual lay in a pile of +white hair and old books upon the table. Holmes looked even +thinner and keener than of old, but there was a dead-white tinge +in his aquiline face which told me that his life recently had +not been a healthy one. + +"I am glad to stretch myself, Watson," said he. "It is no joke +when a tall man has to take a foot off his stature for several +hours on end. Now, my dear fellow, in the matter of these +explanations, we have, if I may ask for your cooperation, a hard +and dangerous night's work in front of us. Perhaps it would be +better if I gave you an account of the whole situation when that +work is finished." + +"I am full of curiosity. I should much prefer to hear now." + +"You'll come with me to-night?" + +"When you like and where you like." + +"This is, indeed, like the old days. We shall have time for a +mouthful of dinner before we need go. Well, then, about that +chasm. I had no serious difficulty in getting out of it, for the +very simple reason that I never was in it." + +"You never were in it?" + +"No, Watson, I never was in it. My note to you was absolutely +genuine. I had little doubt that I had come to the end of my +career when I perceived the somewhat sinister figure of the late +Professor Moriarty standing upon the narrow pathway which led to +safety. I read an inexorable purpose in his gray eyes. I +exchanged some remarks with him, therefore, and obtained his +courteous permission to write the short note which you +afterwards received. I left it with my cigarette-box and my +stick, and I walked along the pathway, Moriarty still at my +heels. When I reached the end I stood at bay. He drew no weapon, +but he rushed at me and threw his long arms around me. He knew +that his own game was up, and was only anxious to revenge +himself upon me. We tottered together upon the brink of the +fall. I have some knowledge, however, of baritsu, or the +Japanese system of wrestling, which has more than once been very +useful to me. I slipped through his grip, and he with a horrible +scream kicked madly for a few seconds, and clawed the air with +both his hands. But for all his efforts he could not get his +balance, and over he went. With my face over the brink, I saw +him fall for a long way. Then he struck a rock, bounded off, and +splashed into the water." + +I listened with amazement to this explanation, which Holmes +delivered between the puffs of his cigarette. + +"But the tracks!" I cried. "I saw, with my own eyes, that two +went down the path and none returned." + +"It came about in this way. The instant that the Professor had +disappeared, it struck me what a really extraordinarily lucky +chance Fate had placed in my way. I knew that Moriarty was not +the only man who had sworn my death. There were at least three +others whose desire for vengeance upon me would only be +increased by the death of their leader. They were all most +dangerous men. One or other would certainly get me. On the other +hand, if all the world was convinced that I was dead they would +take liberties, these men, they would soon lay themselves open, +and sooner or later I could destroy them. Then it would be time +for me to announce that I was still in the land of the living. +So rapidly does the brain act that I believe I had thought this +all out before Professor Moriarty had reached the bottom of the +Reichenbach Fall. + +"I stood up and examined the rocky wall behind me. In your +picturesque account of the matter, which I read with great +interest some months later, you assert that the wall was sheer. +That was not literally true. A few small footholds presented +themselves, and there was some indication of a ledge. The cliff +is so high that to climb it all was an obvious impossibility, +and it was equally impossible to make my way along the wet path +without leaving some tracks. I might, it is true, have reversed +my boots, as I have done on similar occasions, but the sight of +three sets of tracks in one direction would certainly have +suggested a deception. On the whole, then, it was best that I +should risk the climb. It was not a pleasant business, Watson. +The fall roared beneath me. I am not a fanciful person, but I +give you my word that I seemed to hear Moriarty's voice +screaming at me out of the abyss. A mistake would have been +fatal. More than once, as tufts of grass came out in my hand or +my foot slipped in the wet notches of the rock, I thought that +I was gone. But I struggled upward, and at last I reached a +ledge several feet deep and covered with soft green moss, where +I could lie unseen, in the most perfect comfort. There I was +stretched, when you, my dear Watson, and all your following were +investigating in the most sympathetic and inefficient manner the +circumstances of my death. + +"At last, when you had all formed your inevitable and totally +erroneous conclusions, you departed for the hotel, and I was +left alone. I had imagined that I had reached the end of my +adventures, but a very unexpected occurrence showed me that +there were surprises still in store for me. A huge rock, falling +from above, boomed past me, struck the path, and bounded over +into the chasm. For an instant I thought that it was an +accident, but a moment later, looking up, I saw a man's head +against the darkening sky, and another stone struck the very +ledge upon which I was stretched, within a foot of my head. Of +course, the meaning of this was obvious. Moriarty had not been +alone. A confederate--and even that one glance had told me how +dangerous a man that confederate was--had kept guard while the +Professor had attacked me. From a distance, unseen by me, he had +been a witness of his friend's death and of my escape. He had +waited, and then making his way round to the top of the cliff, +he had endeavoured to succeed where his comrade had failed. + +"I did not take long to think about it, Watson. Again I saw that +grim face look over the cliff, and I knew that it was the +precursor of another stone. I scrambled down on to the path. I +don't think I could have done it in cold blood. It was a hundred +times more difficult than getting up. But I had no time to think +of the danger, for another stone sang past me as I hung by my +hands from the edge of the ledge. Halfway down I slipped, but, +by the blessing of God, I landed, torn and bleeding, upon the +path. I took to my heels, did ten miles over the mountains in +the darkness, and a week later I found myself in Florence, with +the certainty that no one in the world knew what had become of me. + +"I had only one confidant--my brother Mycroft. I owe you many +apologies, my dear Watson, but it was all-important that it +should be thought I was dead, and it is quite certain that you +would not have written so convincing an account of my unhappy +end had you not yourself thought that it was true. Several times +during the last three years I have taken up my pen to write to +you, but always I feared lest your affectionate regard for me +should tempt you to some indiscretion which would betray my +secret. For that reason I turned away from you this evening when +you upset my books, for I was in danger at the time, and any +show of surprise and emotion upon your part might have drawn +attention to my identity and led to the most deplorable and +irreparable results. As to Mycroft, I had to confide in him in +order to obtain the money which I needed. The course of events +in London did not run so well as I had hoped, for the trial of +the Moriarty gang left two of its most dangerous members, my own +most vindictive enemies, at liberty. I travelled for two years +in Tibet, therefore, and amused myself by visiting Lhassa, and +spending some days with the head lama. You may have read of the +remarkable explorations of a Norwegian named Sigerson, but I am +sure that it never occurred to you that you were receiving news +of your friend. I then passed through Persia, looked in at +Mecca, and paid a short but interesting visit to the Khalifa at +Khartoum the results of which I have communicated to the Foreign +Office. Returning to France, I spent some months in a research +into the coal-tar derivatives, which I conducted in a laboratory +at Montpellier, in the south of France. Having concluded this to +my satisfaction and learning that only one of my enemies was now +left in London, I was about to return when my movements were +hastened by the news of this very remarkable Park Lane Mystery, +which not only appealed to me by its own merits, but which +seemed to offer some most peculiar personal opportunities. I +came over at once to London, called in my own person at Baker +Street, threw Mrs. Hudson into violent hysterics, and found that +Mycroft had preserved my rooms and my papers exactly as they had +always been. So it was, my dear Watson, that at two o'clock +to-day I found myself in my old armchair in my own old room, and +only wishing that I could have seen my old friend Watson in the +other chair which he has so often adorned." + +Such was the remarkable narrative to which I listened on that +April evening--a narrative which would have been utterly +incredible to me had it not been confirmed by the actual sight +of the tall, spare figure and the keen, eager face, which I had +never thought to see again. In some manner he had learned of my +own sad bereavement, and his sympathy was shown in his manner +rather than in his words. "Work is the best antidote to sorrow, +my dear Watson," said he; "and I have a piece of work for us +both to-night which, if we can bring it to a successful +conclusion, will in itself justify a man's life on this planet." +In vain I begged him to tell me more. "You will hear and see +enough before morning," he answered. "We have three years of the +past to discuss. Let that suffice until half-past nine, when we +start upon the notable adventure of the empty house." + +It was indeed like old times when, at that hour, I found myself +seated beside him in a hansom, my revolver in my pocket, and the +thrill of adventure in my heart. Holmes was cold and stern and +silent. As the gleam of the street-lamps flashed upon his +austere features, I saw that his brows were drawn down in +thought and his thin lips compressed. I knew not what wild beast +we were about to hunt down in the dark jungle of criminal +London, but I was well assured, from the bearing of this master +huntsman, that the adventure was a most grave one--while the +sardonic smile which occasionally broke through his ascetic +gloom boded little good for the object of our quest. + +I had imagined that we were bound for Baker Street, but Holmes +stopped the cab at the corner of Cavendish Square. I observed +that as he stepped out he gave a most searching glance to right +and left, and at every subsequent street corner he took the +utmost pains to assure that he was not followed. Our route was +certainly a singular one. Holmes's knowledge of the byways of +London was extraordinary, and on this occasion he passed rapidly +and with an assured step through a network of mews and stables, +the very existence of which I had never known. We emerged at +last into a small road, lined with old, gloomy houses, which led +us into Manchester Street, and so to Blandford Street. Here he +turned swiftly down a narrow passage, passed through a wooden +gate into a deserted yard, and then opened with a key the back +door of a house. We entered together, and he closed it behind us. + +The place was pitch dark, but it was evident to me that it was +an empty house. Our feet creaked and crackled over the bare +planking, and my outstretched hand touched a wall from which the +paper was hanging in ribbons. Holmes's cold, thin fingers closed +round my wrist and led me forward down a long hall, until I +dimly saw the murky fanlight over the door. Here Holmes turned +suddenly to the right and we found ourselves in a large, square, +empty room, heavily shadowed in the corners, but faintly lit in +the centre from the lights of the street beyond. There was no +lamp near, and the window was thick with dust, so that we could +only just discern each other's figures within. My companion put +his hand upon my shoulder and his lips close to my ear. + +"Do you know where we are?" he whispered. + +"Surely that is Baker Street" I answered, staring through the +dim window. + +"Exactly. We are in Camden House, which stands opposite to our +own old quarters." + +"But why are we here?" + +"Because it commands so excellent a view of that picturesque +pile. Might I trouble you, my dear Watson, to draw a little +nearer to the window, taking every precaution not to show +yourself, and then to look up at our old rooms--the starting- +point of so many of your little fairy-tales? We will see if my +three years of absence have entirely taken away my power to +surprise you." + +I crept forward and looked across at the familiar window. As my +eyes fell upon it, I gave a gasp and a cry of amazement. The +blind was down, and a strong light was burning in the room. The +shadow of a man who was seated in a chair within was thrown in +hard, black outline upon the luminous screen of the window. +There was no mistaking the poise of the head, the squareness of +the shoulders, the sharpness of the features. The face was +turned half-round, and the effect was that of one of those black +silhouettes which our grandparents loved to frame. It was a +perfect reproduction of Holmes. So amazed was I that I threw out +my hand to make sure that the man himself was standing beside +me. He was quivering with silent laughter. + +"Well?" said he. + +"Good heavens!" I cried. "It is marvellous." + +"I trust that age doth not wither nor custom stale my infinite +variety," said he, and I recognized in his voice the joy and +pride which the artist takes in his own creation. "It really is +rather like me, is it not?" + +"I should be prepared to swear that it was you." + +"The credit of the execution is due to Monsieur Oscar Meunier, +of Grenoble, who spent some days in doing the moulding. It is a +bust in wax. The rest I arranged myself during my visit to Baker +Street this afternoon." + +"But why?" + +"Because, my dear Watson, I had the strongest possible reason +for wishing certain people to think that I was there when I was +really elsewhere." + +"And you thought the rooms were watched?" + +"I KNEW that they were watched." + +"By whom?" + +"By my old enemies, Watson. By the charming society whose leader +lies in the Reichenbach Fall. You must remember that they knew, +and only they knew, that I was still alive. Sooner or later they +believed that I should come back to my rooms. They watched them +continuously, and this morning they saw me arrive." + +"How do you know?" + +"Because I recognized their sentinel when I glanced out of my +window. He is a harmless enough fellow, Parker by name, a +garroter by trade, and a remarkable performer upon the +jew's-harp. I cared nothing for him. But I cared a great deal +for the much more formidable person who was behind him, the +bosom friend of Moriarty, the man who dropped the rocks over the +cliff, the most cunning and dangerous criminal in London. That +is the man who is after me to-night Watson, and that is the man +who is quite unaware that we are after him." + +My friend's plans were gradually revealing themselves. From this +convenient retreat, the watchers were being watched and the +trackers tracked. That angular shadow up yonder was the bait, +and we were the hunters. In silence we stood together in the +darkness and watched the hurrying figures who passed and +repassed in front of us. Holmes was silent and motionless; but +I could tell that he was keenly alert, and that his eyes were +fixed intently upon the stream of passers-by. It was a bleak and +boisterous night and the wind whistled shrilly down the long +street. Many people were moving to and fro, most of them muffled +in their coats and cravats. Once or twice it seemed to me that +I had seen the same figure before, and I especially noticed two +men who appeared to be sheltering themselves from the wind in +the doorway of a house some distance up the street. I tried to +draw my companion's attention to them; but he gave a little +ejaculation of impatience, and continued to stare into the +street. More than once he fidgeted with his feet and tapped +rapidly with his fingers upon the wall. It was evident to me +that he was becoming uneasy, and that his plans were not working +out altogether as he had hoped. At last, as midnight approached +and the street gradually cleared, he paced up and down the room +in uncontrollable agitation. I was about to make some remark to +him, when I raised my eyes to the lighted window, and again +experienced almost as great a surprise as before. I clutched +Holmes's arm, and pointed upward. + +"The shadow has moved!" I cried. + +It was indeed no longer the profile, but the back, which was +turned towards us. + +Three years had certainly not smoothed the asperities of his +temper or his impatience with a less active intelligence than +his own. + +"Of course it has moved," said he. "Am I such a farcical +bungler, Watson, that I should erect an obvious dummy, and +expect that some of the sharpest men in Europe would be deceived +by it? We have been in this room two hours, and Mrs. Hudson has +made some change in that figure eight times, or once in every +quarter of an hour. She works it from the front, so that her +shadow may never be seen. Ah!" He drew in his breath with a +shrill, excited intake. In the dim light I saw his head thrown +forward, his whole attitude rigid with attention. Outside the +street was absolutely deserted. Those two men might still be +crouching in the doorway, but I could no longer see them. All +was still and dark, save only that brilliant yellow screen in +front of us with the black figure outlined upon its centre. +Again in the utter silence I heard that thin, sibilant note +which spoke of intense suppressed excitement. An instant later +he pulled me back into the blackest corner of the room, and I +felt his warning hand upon my lips. The fingers which clutched +me were quivering. Never had I known my friend more moved, and +yet the dark street still stretched lonely and motionless before us. + +But suddenly I was aware of that which his keener senses had +already distinguished. A low, stealthy sound came to my ears, +not from the direction of Baker Street, but from the back of the +very house in which we lay concealed. A door opened and shut. An +instant later steps crept down the passage--steps which were +meant to be silent, but which reverberated harshly through the +empty house. Holmes crouched back against the wall, and I did +the same, my hand closing upon the handle of my revolver. +Peering through the gloom, I saw the vague outline of a man, a +shade blacker than the blackness of the open door. He stood for +an instant, and then he crept forward, crouching, menacing, into +the room. He was within three yards of us, this sinister figure, +and I had braced myself to meet his spring, before I realized +that he had no idea of our presence. He passed close beside us, +stole over to the window, and very softly and noiselessly raised +it for half a foot. As he sank to the level of this opening, the +light of the street, no longer dimmed by the dusty glass, fell +full upon his face. The man seemed to be beside himself with +excitement. His two eyes shone like stars, and his features were +working convulsively. He was an elderly man, with a thin, +projecting nose, a high, bald forehead, and a huge grizzled +moustache. An opera hat was pushed to the back of his head, and +an evening dress shirt-front gleamed out through his open +overcoat. His face was gaunt and swarthy, scored with deep, +savage lines. In his hand he carried what appeared to be a +stick, but as he laid it down upon the floor it gave a metallic +clang. Then from the pocket of his overcoat he drew a bulky +object, and he busied himself in some task which ended with a +loud, sharp click, as if a spring or bolt had fallen into its +place. Still kneeling upon the floor he bent forward and threw +all his weight and strength upon some lever, with the result +that there came a long, whirling, grinding noise, ending once +more in a powerful click. He straightened himself then, and I +saw that what he held in his hand was a sort of gun, with a +curiously misshapen butt. He opened it at the breech, put +something in, and snapped the breech-lock. Then, crouching down, +he rested the end of the barrel upon the ledge of the open +window, and I saw his long moustache droop over the stock and +his eye gleam as it peered along the sights. I heard a little +sigh of satisfaction as he cuddled the butt into his shoulder; +and saw that amazing target, the black man on the yellow ground, +standing clear at the end of his foresight. For an instant he +was rigid and motionless. Then his finger tightened on the +trigger. There was a strange, loud whiz and a long, silvery +tinkle of broken glass. At that instant Holmes sprang like a +tiger on to the marksman's back, and hurled him flat upon his +face. He was up again in a moment, and with convulsive strength +he seized Holmes by the throat, but I struck him on the head +with the butt of my revolver, and he dropped again upon the +floor. I fell upon him, and as I held him my comrade blew a +shrill call upon a whistle. There was the clatter of running +feet upon the pavement, and two policemen in uniform, with one +plain-clothes detective, rushed through the front entrance and +into the room. + +"That you, Lestrade?" said Holmes. + +"Yes, Mr. Holmes. I took the job myself. It's good to see you +back in London, sir." + +"I think you want a little unofficial help. Three undetected +murders in one year won't do, Lestrade. But you handled the +Molesey Mystery with less than your usual--that's to say, you +handled it fairly well." + +We had all risen to our feet, our prisoner breathing hard, with +a stalwart constable on each side of him. Already a few +loiterers had begun to collect in the street. Holmes stepped up +to the window, closed it, and dropped the blinds. Lestrade had +produced two candles, and the policemen had uncovered their +lanterns. I was able at last to have a good look at our prisoner. + +It was a tremendously virile and yet sinister face which was +turned towards us. With the brow of a philosopher above and the +jaw of a sensualist below, the man must have started with great +capacities for good or for evil. But one could not look upon his +cruel blue eyes, with their drooping, cynical lids, or upon the +fierce, aggressive nose and the threatening, deep-lined brow, +without reading Nature's plainest danger-signals. He took no +heed of any of us, but his eyes were fixed upon Holmes's face with +an expression in which hatred and amazement were equally blended. +"You fiend!" he kept on muttering. "You clever, clever fiend!" + +"Ah, Colonel!" said Holmes, arranging his rumpled collar. +"`Journeys end in lovers' meetings,' as the old play says. I +don't think I have had the pleasure of seeing you since you +favoured me with those attentions as I lay on the ledge above +the Reichenbach Fall." + +The colonel still stared at my friend like a man in a trance. +"You cunning, cunning fiend!" was all that he could say. + +"I have not introduced you yet," said Holmes. "This, gentlemen, +is Colonel Sebastian Moran, once of Her Majesty's Indian Army, +and the best heavy-game shot that our Eastern Empire has ever +produced. I believe I am correct Colonel, in saying that your +bag of tigers still remains unrivalled?" + +The fierce old man said nothing, but still glared at my +companion. With his savage eyes and bristling moustache he was +wonderfully like a tiger himself. + +"I wonder that my very simple stratagem could deceive so old a +SHIKARI," said Holmes. "It must be very familiar to you. Have +you not tethered a young kid under a tree, lain above it with +your rifle, and waited for the bait to bring up your tiger? This +empty house is my tree, and you are my tiger. You have possibly +had other guns in reserve in case there should be several +tigers, or in the unlikely supposition of your own aim failing +you. These," he pointed around, "are my other guns. The parallel +is exact." + +Colonel Moran sprang forward with a snarl of rage, but the +constables dragged him back. The fury upon his face was terrible +to look at. + +"I confess that you had one small surprise for me," said Holmes. +"I did not anticipate that you would yourself make use of this +empty house and this convenient front window. I had imagined you +as operating from the street, where my friend, Lestrade and his +merry men were awaiting you. With that exception, all has gone +as I expected." + +Colonel Moran turned to the official detective. + +"You may or may not have just cause for arresting me," said he, +"but at least there can be no reason why I should submit to the +gibes of this person. If I am in the hands of the law, let +things be done in a legal way." + +"Well, that's reasonable enough," said Lestrade. "Nothing +further you have to say, Mr. Holmes, before we go?" + +Holmes had picked up the powerful air-gun from the floor, and +was examining its mechanism. + +"An admirable and unique weapon," said he, "noiseless and of +tremendous power: I knew Von Herder, the blind German mechanic, +who constructed it to the order of the late Professor Moriarty. +For years I have been aware of its existance though I have never +before had the opportunity of handling it. I commend it very +specially to your attention, Lestrade and also the bullets which +fit it." + +"You can trust us to look after that, Mr. Holmes," said +Lestrade, as the whole party moved towards the door. "Anything +further to say?" + +"Only to ask what charge you intend to prefer?" + +"What charge, sir? Why, of course, the attempted murder of Mr. +Sherlock Holmes." + +"Not so, Lestrade. I do not propose to appear in the matter at +all. To you, and to you only, belongs the credit of the +remarkable arrest which you have effected. Yes, Lestrade, I +congratulate you! With your usual happy mixture of cunning and +audacity, you have got him." + +"Got him! Got whom, Mr. Holmes?" + +"The man that the whole force has been seeking in vain--Colonel +Sebastian Moran, who shot the Honourable Ronald Adair with an +expanding bullet from an air-gun through the open window of the +second-floor front of No. 427 Park Lane, upon the thirtieth of +last month. That's the charge, Lestrade. And now, Watson, if you +can endure the draught from a broken window, I think that half +an hour in my study over a cigar may afford you some profitable +amusement." + +Our old chambers had been left unchanged through the supervision +of Mycroft Holmes and the immediate care of Mrs. Hudson. As I +entered I saw, it is true, an unwonted tidiness, but the old +landmarks were all in their place. There were the chemical +corner and the acid-stained, deal-topped table. There upon a +shelf was the row of formidable scrap-books and books of +reference which many of our fellow-citizens would have been so +glad to burn. The diagrams, the violin-case, and the pipe-rack-- +even the Persian slipper which contained the tobacco--all met my +eyes as I glanced round me. There were two occupants of the +room--one, Mrs. Hudson, who beamed upon us both as we entered-- +the other, the strange dummy which had played so important a +part in the evening's adventures. It was a wax-coloured model of +my friend, so admirably done that it was a perfect facsimile. It +stood on a small pedestal table with an old dressing-gown of +Holmes's so draped round it that the illusion from the street +was absolutely perfect. + +"I hope you observed all precautions, Mrs. Hudson?" said Holmes. + +"I went to it on my knees, sir, just as you told me." + +"Excellent. You carried the thing out very well. Did you observe +where the bullet went?" + +"Yes, sir. I'm afraid it has spoilt your beautiful bust, for it +passed right through the head and flattened itself on the wall. +I picked it up from the carpet. Here it is!" + +Holmes held it out to me. "A soft revolver bullet, as you +perceive, Watson. There's genius in that, for who would expect +to find such a thing fired from an airgun? All right, Mrs. +Hudson. I am much obliged for your assistance. And now, Watson, +let me see you in your old seat once more, for there are several +points which I should like to discuss with you." + +He had thrown off the seedy frockcoat, and now he was the Holmes +of old in the mouse-coloured dressing-gown which he took from +his effigy. + +"The old SHIKARI'S nerves have not lost their steadiness, nor +his eyes their keenness," said he, with a laugh, as he inspected +the shattered forehead of his bust. + +"Plumb in the middle of the back of the head and smack through +the brain. He was the best shot in India, and I expect that +there are few better in London. Have you heard the name?" + +"No, I have not." + +"Well, well, such is fame! But, then, if I remember right, you +had not heard the name of Professor James Moriarty, who had one +of the great brains of the century. Just give me down my index +of biographies from the shelf." + +He turned over the pages lazily, leaning back in his chair and +blowing great clouds from his cigar. + +"My collection of M's is a fine one," said he. "Moriarty himself +is enough to make any letter illustrious, and here is Morgan the +poisoner, and Merridew of abominable memory, and Mathews, who +knocked out my left canine in the waiting-room at Charing Cross, +and, finally, here is our friend of to-night." + +He handed over the book, and I read: + +MORAN, SEBASTIAN, COLONEL. Unemployed. Formerly 1st Bangalore +Pioneers. Born London, 1840. Son of Sir Augustus Moran, C. B., +once British Minister to Persia. Educated Eton and Oxford. +Served in Jowaki Campaign, Afghan Campaign, Charasiab +(despatches), Sherpur, and Cabul. Author of HEAVY GAME OF THE +WESTERN HIMALAYAS (1881); THREE MONTHS IN THE JUNGLE (1884). +Address: Conduit Street. Clubs: The Anglo-Indian, the +Tankerville, the Bagatelle Card Club. + + +On the margin was written, in Holmes's precise hand: + + +The second most dangerous man in London. + + +"This is astonishing," said I, as I handed back the volume. +"The man's career is that of an honourable soldier." + +"It is true," Holmes answered. "Up to a certain point he did +well. He was always a man of iron nerve, and the story is still +told in India how he crawled down a drain after a wounded +man-eating tiger. There are some trees, Watson, which grow to a +certain height, and then suddenly develop some unsightly +eccentricity. You will see it often in humans. I have a theory +that the individual represents in his development the whole +procession of his ancestors, and that such a sudden turn to good +or evil stands for some strong influence which came into the +line of his pedigree. The person becomes, as it were, the +epitome of the history of his own family." + +"It is surely rather fanciful." + +"Well, I don't insist upon it. Whatever the cause, Colonel Moran +began hot to hold him. He retired, came to London, and again +acquired an evil name. It was at this time that he was sought +out by Professor Moriarty, to whom for a time he was chief of +the staff. Moriarty supplied him liberally with money, and used +him only in one or two very high-class jobs, which no ordinary +criminal could have undertaken. You may have some recollection +of the death of Mrs. Stewart, of Lauder, in 1887. Not? Well, I +am sure Moran was at the bottom of it, but nothing could be +proved. So cleverly was the colonel concealed that, even when +the Moriarty gang was broken up, we could not incriminate him. +You remember at that date, when I called upon you in your rooms, +how I put up the shutters for fear of air-guns? No doubt you +thought me fanciful. I knew exactly what I was doing, for I knew +of the existence of this remarkable gun, and I knew also that +one of the best shots in the world would be behind it. When we +were in Switzerland he followed us with Moriarty, and it was +undoubtedly he who gave me that evil five minutes on the +Reichenbach ledge. + +"You may think that I read the papers with some attention during +my sojourn in France, on the look-out for any chance of laying +him by the heels. So long as he was free in London, my life +would really not have been worth living. Night and day the +shadow would have been over me, and sooner or later his chance +must have come. What could I do? I could not shoot him at sight, +or I should myself be in the dock. There was no use appealing to +a magistrate. They cannot interfere on the strength of what +would appear to them to be a wild suspicion. So I could do +nothing. But I watched the criminal news, knowing that sooner or +later I should get him. Then came the death of this Ronald +Adair. My chance had come at last. Knowing what I did, was it +not certain that Colonel Moran had done it? He had played cards +with the lad, he had followed him home from the club, he had +shot him through the open window. There was not a doubt of it. +The bullets alone are enough to put his head in a noose. I came +over at once. I was seen by the sentinel, who would, I knew, +direct the colonel's attention to my presence. He could not fail +to connect my sudden return with his crime, and to be terribly +alarmed. I was sure that he would make an attempt to get me out +of the way AT once, and would bring round his murderous weapon +for that purpose. I left him an excellent mark in the window, +and, having warned the police that they might be needed--by the +way, Watson, you spotted their presence in that doorway with +unerring accuracy--I took up what seemed to me to be a judicious +post for observation, never dreaming that he would choose the +same spot for his attack. Now, my dear Watson, does anything +remain for me to explain?" + +"Yes," said I. "You have not made it clear what was Colonel +Moran's motive in murdering the Honourable Ronald Adair?" + +"Ah! my dear Watson, there we come into those realms of +conjecture, where the most logical mind may be at fault. Each +may form his own hypothesis upon the present evidence, and yours +is as likely to be correct as mine." + +"You have formed one, then?" + +"I think that it is not difficult to explain the facts. It came +out in evidence that Colonel Moran and young Adair had, between +them, won a considerable amount of money. Now, undoubtedly +played foul--of that I have long been aware. I believe that on +the day of the murder Adair had discovered that Moran was +cheating. Very likely he had spoken to him privately, and had +threatened to expose him unless he voluntarily resigned his +membership of the club, and promised not to play cards again. It +is unlikely that a youngster like Adair would at once make a +hideous scandal by exposing a well known man so much older than +himself. Probably he acted as I suggest. The exclusion from his +clubs would mean ruin to Moran, who lived by his ill-gotten +card-gains. He therefore murdered Adair, who at the time was +endeavouring to work out how much money he should himself +return, since he could not profit by his partner's foul play. He +locked the door lest the ladies should surprise him and insist +upon knowing what he was doing with these names and coins. Will +it pass?" + +"I have no doubt that you have hit upon the truth." + +"It will be verified or disproved at the trial. Meanwhile, come +what may, Colonel Moran will trouble us no more. The famous +air-gun of Von Herder will embellish the Scotland Yard Museum, +and once again Mr. Sherlock Holmes is free to devote his life to +examining those interesting little problems which the complex +life of London so plentifully presents." + + + +THE ADVENTURE OF THE NORWOOD BUILDER + + +"From the point of view of the criminal expert," said Mr. Sherlock +Holmes, "London has become a singularly uninteresting city since +the death of the late lamented Professor Moriarty." + +"I can hardly think that you would find many decent citizens to +agree with you," I answered. + +"Well, well, I must not be selfish," said he, with a smile, as +be pushed back his chair from the breakfast-table. "The +community is certainly the gainer, and no one the loser, save +the poor out-of-work specialist, whose occupation has gone. With +that man in the field, one's morning paper presented infinite +possibilities. Often it was only the smallest trace, Watson, the +faintest indication, and yet it was enough to tell me that the +great malignant brain was there, as the gentlest tremors of the +edges of the web remind one of the foul spider which lurks in +the centre. Petty thefts, wanton assaults, purposeless outrage-- +to the man who held the clue all could be worked into one +connected whole. To the scientific student of the higher +criminal world, no capital in Europe offered the advantages +which London then possessed. But now----" He shrugged his +shoulders in humorous deprecation of the state of things which +he had himself done so much to produce. + +At the time of which I speak, Holmes had been back for some +months, and I at his request had sold my practice and returned +to share the old quarters in Baker Street. A young doctor, named +Verner, had purchased my small Kensington practice, and given +with astonishingly little demur the highest price that I +ventured to ask--an incident which only explained itself some +years later, when I found that Verner was a distant relation of +Holmes, and that it was my friend who had really found the money. + +Our months of partnership had not been so uneventful as he had +stated, for I find, on looking over my notes, that this period +includes the case of the papers of ex-President Murillo, and +also the shocking affair of the Dutch steamship FRIESLAND, which +so nearly cost us both our lives. His cold and proud nature was +always averse, however, from anything in the shape of public +applause, and he bound me in the most stringent terms to say no +further word of himself, his methods, or his successes--a +prohibition which, as I have explained, has only now been removed. + +Mr. Sherlock Holmes was leaning back in his chair after his +whimsical protest, and was unfolding his morning paper in a +leisurely fashion, when our attention was arrested by a +tremendous ring at the bell, followed immediately by a hollow +drumming sound, as if someone were beating on the outer door +with his fist. As it opened there came a tumultuous rush into +the hall, rapid feet clattered up the stair, and an instant +later a wild-eyed and frantic young man, pale, disheveled, and +palpitating, burst into the room. He looked from one to the +other of us, and under our gaze of inquiry he became conscious +that some apology was needed for this unceremonious entry. + +"I'm sorry, Mr. Holmes," he cried. "You mustn't blame me. I am +nearly mad. Mr. Holmes, I am the unhappy John Hector McFarlane." + +He made the announcement as if the name alone would explain both +his visit and its manner, but I could see, by my companion's +unresponsive face, that it meant no more to him than to me. + +"Have a cigarette, Mr. McFarlane," said he, pushing his case +across. "I am sure that, with your symptoms, my friend Dr. +Watson here would prescribe a sedative. The weather has been so +very warm these last few days. Now, if you feel a little more +composed, I should be glad if you would sit down in that chair, +and tell us very slowly and quietly who you are, and what it is +that you want. You mentioned your name, as if I should recognize +it, but I assure you that, beyond the obvious facts that you are +a bachelor, a solicitor, a Freemason, and an asthmatic, I know +nothing whatever about you." + +Familiar as I was with my friend's methods, it was not difficult +for me to follow his deductions, and to observe the untidiness +of attire, the sheaf of legal papers, the watch-charm, and the +breathing which had prompted them. Our client, however, stared +in amazement. + +"Yes, I am all that, Mr. Holmes; and, in addition, I am the most +unfortunate man at this moment in London. For heaven's sake, +don't abandon me, Mr. Holmes! If they come to arrest me before +I have finished my story, make them give me time, so that I may +tell you the whole truth. I could go to jail happy if I knew +that you were working for me outside." + +"Arrest you!" said Holmes. "This is really most grati--most +interesting. On what charge do you expect to be arrested?" + +"Upon the charge of murdering Mr. Jonas Oldacre, of Lower Norwood." + +My companion's expressive face showed a sympathy which was not, +I am afraid, entirely unmixed with satisfaction. + +"Dear me," said he, "it was only this moment at breakfast that +I was saying to my friend, Dr. Watson, that sensational cases +had disappeared out of our papers." + +Our visitor stretched forward a quivering hand and picked up the +DAILY TELEGRAPH, which still lay upon Holmes's knee. + +"If you had looked at it, sir, you would have seen at a glance +what the errand is on which I have come to you this morning. +I feel as if my name and my misfortune must be in every man's +mouth." He turned it over to expose the central page. "Here it +is, and with your permission I will read it to you. Listen to +this, Mr. Holmes. The headlines are: `Mysterious Affair at Lower +Norwood. Disappearance of a Well Known Builder. Suspicion of +Murder and Arson. A Clue to the Criminal.' That is the clue +which they are already following, Mr. Holmes, and I know that it +leads infallibly to me. I have been followed from London Bridge +Station, and I am sure that they are only waiting for the +warrant to arrest me. It will break my mother's heart--it will +break her heart!" He wrung his hands in an agony of +apprehension, and swayed backward and forward in his chair. + +I looked with interest upon this man, who was accused of being +the perpetrator of a crime of violence. He was flaxen-haired and +handsome, in a washed-out negative fashion, with frightened blue +eyes, and a clean-shaven face, with a weak, sensitive mouth. His +age may have been about twenty-seven, his dress and bearing that +of a gentleman. From the pocket of his light summer overcoat +protruded the bundle of indorsed papers which proclaimed his +profession. + +"We must use what time we have," said Holmes. "Watson, would you have +the kindness to take the paper and to read the paragraph in question?" + +Underneath the vigorous headlines which our client had quoted, +I read the following suggestive narrative: + +"Late last night, or early this morning, an incident occurred at +Lower Norwood which points, it is feared, to a serious crime. +Mr. Jonas Oldacre is a well known resident of that suburb, where +he has carried on his business as a builder for many years. Mr. +Oldacre is a bachelor, fifty-two years of age, and lives in Deep +Dene House, at the Sydenham end of the road of that name. He has +had the reputation of being a man of eccentric habits, secretive +and retiring. For some years he has practically withdrawn from +the business, in which he is said to have massed considerable +wealth. A small timber-yard still exists, however, at the back +of the house, and last night, about twelve o'clock, an alarm was +given that one of the stacks was on fire. The engines were soon +upon the spot, but the dry wood burned with great fury, and it +was impossible to arrest the conflagration until the stack had +been entirely consumed. Up to this point the incident bore the +appearance of an ordinary accident, but fresh indications seem +to point to serious crime. Surprise was expressed at the absence +of the master of the establishment from the scene of the fire, +and an inquiry followed, which showed that he had disappeared +from the house. An examination of his room revealed that the bed +had not been slept in, that a safe which stood in it was open, +that a number of important papers were scattered about the room, +and finally, that there were signs of a murderous struggle, +slight traces of blood being found within the room, and an oaken +walking-stick, which also showed stains of blood upon the +handle. It is known that Mr. Jonas Oldacre had received a late +visitor in his bedroom upon that night, and the stick found has +been identified as the property of this person, who is a young +London solicitor named John Hector McFarlane, junior partner of +Graham and McFarlane, of 426 Gresham Buildings, E. C. The police +believe that they have evidence in their possession which +supplies a very convincing motive for the crime, and altogether +it cannot be doubted that sensational developments will follow. + +"LATER.--It is rumoured as we go to press that Mr. John Hector +McFarlane has actually been arrested on the charge of the murder +of Mr. Jonas Oldacre. It is at least certain that a warrant has +been issued. There have been further and sinister developments +in the investigation at Norwood. Besides the signs of a struggle +in the room of the unfortunate builder it is now known that the +French windows of his bedroom (which is on the ground floor) +were found to be open, that there were marks as if some bulky +object had been dragged across to the wood-pile, and, finally, +it is asserted that charred remains have been found among the +charcoal ashes of the fire. The police theory is that a most +sensational crime has been committed, that the victim was +clubbed to death in his own bedroom, his papers rifled, and his +dead body dragged across to the wood-stack, which was then +ignited so as to hide all traces of the crime. The conduct of +the criminal investigation has been left in the experienced +hands of Inspector Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, who is following +up the clues with his accustomed energy and sagacity." + +Sherlock Holmes listened with closed eyes and fingertips +together to this remarkable account. + +"The case has certainly some points of interest," said he, in +his languid fashion. "May I ask, in the first place, Mr. +McFarlane, how it is that you are still at liberty, since there +appears to be enough evidence to justify your arrest?" + +"I live at Torrington Lodge, Blackheath, with my parents, Mr. +Holmes, but last night, having to do business very late with Mr. +Jonas Oldacre, I stayed at an hotel in Norwood, and came to my +business from there. I knew nothing of this affair until I was +in the train, when I read what you have just heard. I at once +saw the horrible danger of my position, and I hurried to put the +case into your hands. I have no doubt that I should have been +arrested either at my city office or at my home. A man followed +me from London Bridge Station, and I have no doubt--Great +heaven! what is that?" + +It was a clang of the bell, followed instantly by heavy steps +upon the stair. A moment later, our old friend Lestrade appeared +in the doorway. Over his shoulder I caught a glimpse of one or +two uniformed policemen outside. + +"Mr. John Hector McFarlane?" said Lestrade. + +Our unfortunate client rose with a ghastly face. + +"I arrest you for the wilful murder of Mr. Jonas Oldacre, of +Lower Norwood." + +McFarlane turned to us with a gesture of despair, and sank into +his chair once more like one who is crushed. + +"One moment, Lestrade," said Holmes. "Half an hour more or less +can make no difference to you, and the gentleman was about to +give us an account of this very interesting affair, which might +aid us in clearing it up." + +"I think there will be no difficulty in clearing it up," said +Lestrade, grimly. + +"None the less, with your permission, I should be much +interested to hear his account." + +"Well, Mr. Holmes, it is difficult for me to refuse you +anything, for you have been of use to the force once or twice in +the past, and we owe you a good turn at Scotland Yard," said +Lestrade. "At the same time I must remain with my prisoner, and +I am bound to warn him that anything he may say will appear in +evidence against him." + +"I wish nothing better," said our client. "All I ask is that you +should hear and recognize the absolute truth." + +Lestrade looked at his watch. "I'll give you half an hour," said he. + +"I must explain first," said McFarlane, "that I knew nothing of +Mr. Jonas Oldacre. His name was familiar to me, for many years +ago my parents were acquainted with him, but they drifted apart. +I was very much surprised therefore, when yesterday, about three +o'clock in the afternoon, he walked into my office in the city. +But I was still more astonished when he told me the object of +his visit. He had in his hand several sheets of a notebook, +covered with scribbled writing--here they are--and he laid them +on my table. + +"`Here is my will,' said he. `I want you, Mr. McFarlane, to cast +it into proper legal shape. I will sit here while you do so.' + +"I set myself to copy it, and you can imagine my astonishment +when I found that, with some reservations, he had left all his +property to me. He was a strange little ferret-like man, with +white eyelashes, and when I looked up at him I found his keen +gray eyes fixed upon me with an amused expression. I could +hardly believe my own as I read the terms of the will; but he +explained that he was a bachelor with hardly any living +relation, that he had known my parents in his youth, and that he +had always heard of me as a very deserving young man, and was +assured that his money would be in worthy hands. Of course, I +could only stammer out my thanks. The will was duly finished, +signed, and witnessed by my clerk. This is it on the blue paper, +and these slips, as I have explained, are the rough draft. Mr. +Jonas Oldacre then informed me that there were a number of +documents--building leases, title-deeds, mortgages, scrip, and +so forth--which it was necessary that I should see and +understand. He said that his mind would not be easy until the +whole thing was settled, and he begged me to come out to his +house at Norwood that night, bringing the will with me, and to +arrange matters. `Remember, my boy, not one word to your parents +about the affair until everything is settled. We will keep it as +a little surprise for them.' He was very insistent upon this +point, and made me promise it faithfully. + +"You can imagine, Mr. Holmes, that I was not in a humour to +refuse him anything that he might ask. He was my benefactor, and +all my desire was to carry out his wishes in every particular. +I sent a telegram home, therefore, to say that I had important +business on hand, and that it was impossible for me to say how +late I might be. Mr. Oldacre had told me that he would like me +to have supper with him at nine, as he might not be home before +that hour. I had some difficulty in finding his house, however, +and it was nearly half-past before I reached it. I found him----" + +"One moment!" said Holmes. "Who opened the door?" + +"A middle-aged woman, who was, I suppose, his housekeeper." + +"And it was she, I presume, who mentioned your name?" + +"Exactly," said McFarlane. + +"Pray proceed." + +McFarlane wiped his damp brow, and then continued his narrative: + +"I was shown by this woman into a sitting-room, where a frugal +supper was laid out. Afterwards, Mr. Jonas Oldacre led me into +his bedroom, in which there stood a heavy safe. This he opened +and took out a mass of documents, which we went over together. +It was between eleven and twelve when we finished. He remarked +that we must not disturb the housekeeper. He showed me out +through his own French window, which had been open all this time." + +"Was the blind down?" asked Holmes. + +"I will not be sure, but I believe that it was only half down. +Yes, I remember how he pulled it up in order to swing open the +window. I could not find my stick, and he said, `Never mind, my +boy, I shall see a good deal of you now, I hope, and I will keep +your stick until you come back to claim it.' I left him there, +the safe open, and the papers made up in packets upon the table. +It was so late that I could not get back to Blackheath, so I +spent the night at the Anerley Arms, and I knew nothing more +until I read of this horrible affair in the morning." + +"Anything more that you would like to ask, Mr. Holmes?" said +Lestrade, whose eyebrows had gone up once or twice during this +remarkable explanation. + +"Not until I have been to Blackheath." + +"You mean to Norwood," said Lestrade. + +"Oh, yes, no doubt that is what I must have meant," said Holmes, +with his enigmatical smile. Lestrade had learned by more +experiences than he would care to acknowledge that that brain +could cut through that which was impenetrable to him. I saw him +look curiously at my companion. + +"I think I should like to have a word with you presently, Mr. +Sherlock Holmes," said he. "Now, Mr. McFarlane, two of my +constables are at the door, and there is a four-wheeler +waiting." The wretched young man arose, and with a last +beseeching glance at us walked from the room. The officers +conducted him to the cab, but Lestrade remained. + +Holmes had picked up the pages which formed the rough draft of +the will, and was looking at them with the keenest interest upon +his face. + +"There are some points about that document, Lestrade, are there +not?" said he, pushing them over. + +The official looked at them with a puzzled expression. + +"I can read the first few lines and these in the middle of the +second page, and one or two at the end. Those are as clear as +print," said he, "but the writing in between is very bad, and +there are three places where I cannot read it at all." + +"What do you make of that?" said Holmes. + +"Well, what do YOU make of it?" + +"That it was written in a train. The good writing represents +stations, the bad writing movement, and the very bad writing +passing over points. A scientific expert would pronounce at once +that this was drawn up on a suburban line, since nowhere save in +the immediate vicinity of a great city could there be so quick +a succession of points. Granting that his whole journey was +occupied in drawing up the will, then the train was an express, +only stopping once between Norwood and London Bridge." + +Lestrade began to laugh. + +"You are too many for me when you begin to get on your theories, +Mr. Holmes," said he. "How does this bear on the case?" + +"Well, it corroborates the young man's story to the extent that +the will was drawn up by Jonas Oldacre in his journey yesterday. +It is curious--is it not?--that a man should draw up so +important a document in so haphazard a fashion. It suggests that +he did not think it was going to be of much practical +importance. If a man drew up a will which he did not intend ever +to be effective, he might do it so." + +"Well, he drew up his own death warrant at the same time," said +Lestrade. + +"Oh, you think so?" + +"Don't you?" + +"Well, it is quite possible, but the case is not clear to me yet." + +"Not clear? Well, if that isn't clear, what COULD be clear? Here +is a young man who learns suddenly that, if a certain older man +dies, he will succeed to a fortune. What does he do? He says +nothing to anyone, but he arranges that he shall go out on some +pretext to see his client that night. He waits until the only +other person in the house is in bed, and then in the solitude of +a man's room he murders him, burns his body in the wood-pile, +and departs to a neighbouring hotel. The blood-stains in the +room and also on the stick are very slight. It is probable that +he imagined his crime to be a bloodless one, and hoped that if +the body were consumed it would hide all traces of the method of +his death--traces which, for some reason, must have pointed to +him. Is not all this obvious?" + +"It strikes me, my good Lestrade, as being just a trifle too +obvious," said Holmes. "You do not add imagination to your other +great qualities, but if you could for one moment put yourself in +the place of this young man, would you choose the very night +after the will had been made to commit your crime? Would it not +seem dangerous to you to make so very close a relation between +the two incidents? Again, would you choose an occasion when you +are known to be in the house, when a servant has let you in? +And, finally, would you take the great pains to conceal the +body, and yet leave your own stick as a sign that you were the +criminal? Confess, Lestrade, that all this is very unlikely." + +"As to the stick, Mr. Holmes, you know as well as I do that a +criminal is often flurried, and does such things, which a cool +man would avoid. He was very likely afraid to go back to the +room. Give me another theory that would fit the facts." + +"I could very easily give you half a dozen," said Holmes. "Here +for example, is a very possible and even probable one. I make +you a free present of it. The older man is showing documents +which are of evident value. A passing tramp sees them through +the window, the blind of which is only half down. Exit the +solicitor. Enter the tramp! He seizes a stick, which he observes +there, kills Oldacre, and departs after burning the body." + +"Why should the tramp burn the body?" + +"For the matter of that, why should McFarlane?" + +"To hide some evidence." + +"Possibly the tramp wanted to hide that any murder at all had +been committed." + +"And why did the tramp take nothing?" + +"Because they were papers that he could not negotiate." + +Lestrade shook his head, though it seemed to me that his manner +was less absolutely assured than before. + +"Well, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, you may look for your tramp, and +while you are finding him we will hold on to our man. The future +will show which is right. Just notice this point, Mr. Holmes: +that so far as we know, none of the papers were removed, and +that the prisoner is the one man in the world who had no reason +for removing them, since he was heir-at-law, and would come into +them in any case." + +My friend seemed struck by this remark. + +"I don't mean to deny that the evidence is in some ways very +strongly in favour of your theory," said he. "I only wish to +point out that there are other theories possible. As you say, +the future will decide. Good-morning! I dare say that in the +course of the day I shall drop in at Norwood and see how you are +getting on." + +When the detective departed, my friend rose and made his +preparations for the day's work with the alert air of a man who +has a congenial task before him. + +"My first movement Watson," said he, as he bustled into his +frockcoat, "must, as I said, be in the direction of Blackheath." + +"And why not Norwood?" + +"Because we have in this case one singular incident coming close +to the heels of another singular incident. The police are making +the mistake of concentrating their attention upon the second, +because it happens to be the one which is actually criminal. But +it is evident to me that the logical way to approach the case is +to begin by trying to throw some light upon the first incident-- +the curious will, so suddenly made, and to so unexpected an +heir. It may do something to simplify what followed. No, my dear +fellow, I don't think you can help me. There is no prospect of +danger, or I should not dream of stirring out without you. I +trust that when I see you in the evening, I will be able to +report that I have been able to do something for this +unfortunate youngster, who has thrown himself upon my protection." + +It was late when my friend returned, and I could see, by a +glance at his haggard and anxious face, that the high hopes with +which be had started had not been fulfilled. For an hour he +droned away upon his violin, endeavouring to soothe his own +ruffled spirits. At last he flung down the instrument, and +plunged into a detailed account of his misadventures. + +"It's all going wrong, Watson--all as wrong as it can go. I kept +a bold face before Lestrade, but, upon my soul, I believe that +for once the fellow is on the right track and we are on the +wrong. All my instincts are one way, and all the facts are the +other, and I much fear that British juries have not yet attained +that pitch of intelligence when they will give the preference to +my theories over Lestrade's facts." + +"Did you go to Blackheath?" + +"Yes, Watson, I went there, and I found very quickly that the +late lamented Oldacre was a pretty considerable blackguard. The +father was away in search of his son. The mother was at home--a +little, fluffy, blue-eyed person, in a tremor of fear and +indignation. Of course, she would not admit even the possibility +of his guilt. But she would not express either surprise or +regret over the fate of Oldacre. On the contrary, she spoke of +him with such bitterness that she was unconsciously considerably +strengthening the case of the police for, of course, if her son +had heard her speak of the man in this fashion, it would +predispose him towards hatred and violence. `He was more like a +malignant and cunning ape than a human being,' said she, `and he +always was, ever since he was a young man.' + +"`You knew him at that time?' said I. + +"`Yes, I knew him well, in fact, he was an old suitor of mine. +Thank heaven that I had the sense to turn away from him and to +marry a better, if poorer, man. I was engaged to him, Mr. +Holmes, when I heard a shocking story of how he had turned a cat +loose in an aviary, and I was so horrified at his brutal cruelty +that I would have nothing more to do with him.' She rummaged in +a bureau, and presently she produced a photograph of a woman, +shamefully defaced and mutilated with a knife. `That is my own +photograph,' she said. `He sent it to me in that state, with his +curse, upon my wedding morning.' + +"`Well,' said I, `at least he has forgiven you now, since he has +left all his property to your son.' + +"`Neither my son nor I want anything from Jonas Oldacre, dead or +alive!' she cried, with a proper spirit. `There is a God in +heaven, Mr. Holmes, and that same God who has punished that +wicked man will show, in His own good time, that my son's hands +are guiltless of his blood.' + +"Well, I tried one or two leads, but could get at nothing which +would help our hypothesis, and several points which would make +against it. I gave it up at last and off I went to Norwood. + +"This place, Deep Dene House, is a big modern villa of staring +brick, standing back in its own grounds, with a laurel-clumped +lawn in front of it. To the right and some distance back from +the road was the timber-yard which had been the scene of the +fire. Here's a rough plan on a leaf of my notebook. This window +on the left is the one which opens into Oldacre's room. You can +look into it from the road, you see. That is about the only bit +of consolation I have had to-day. Lestrade was not there, but +his head constable did the honours. They had just found a great +treasure-trove. They had spent the morning raking among the +ashes of the burned wood-pile, and besides the charred organic +remains they had secured several discoloured metal discs. I +examined them with care, and there was no doubt that they were +trouser buttons. I even distinguished that one of them was +marked with the name of `Hyams,' who was Oldacres tailor. I then +worked the lawn very carefully for signs and traces, but this +drought has made everything as hard as iron. Nothing was to be +seen save that some body or bundle had been dragged through a +low privet hedge which is in a line with the wood-pile. All +that, of course, fits in with the official theory. I crawled +about the lawn with an August sun on my back, but I got up at +the end of an hour no wiser than before. + +"Well, after this fiasco I went into the bedroom and examined +that also. The blood-stains were very slight, mere smears and +discolourations, but undoubtedly fresh. The stick had been +removed, but there also the marks were slight. There is no doubt +about the stick belonging to our client. He admits it. Footmarks +of both men could be made out on the carpet, but none of any +third person, which again is a trick for the other side. They +were piling up their score all the time and we were at a +standstill. + +"Only one little gleam of hope did I get--and yet it amounted to +nothing. I examined the contents of the safe, most of which had +been taken out and left on the table. The papers had been made +up into sealed envelopes, one or two of which had been opened by +the police. They were not, so far as I could judge, of any great +value, nor did the bank-book show that Mr. Oldacre was in such +very affluent circumstances. But it seemed to me that all the +papers were not there. There were allusions to some deeds-- +possibly the more valuable--which I could not find. This, of +course, if we could definitely prove it, would turn Lestrade's +argument against himself, for who would steal a thing if he knew +that he would shortly inherit it? + +"Finally, having drawn every other cover and picked up no scent, +I tried my luck with the housekeeper. Mrs. Lexington is her +name--a little, dark, silent person, with suspicious and +sidelong eyes. She could tell us something if she would--I am +convinced of it. But she was as close as wax. Yes, she had let +Mr. McFarlane in at half-past nine. She wished her hand had +withered before she had done so. She had gone to bed at +half-past ten. Her room was at the other end of the house, and +she could hear nothing of what had passed. Mr. McFarlane had +left his hat, and to the best of her had been awakened by the +alarm of fire. Her poor, dear master had certainly been +murdered. Had he any enemies? Well, every man had enemies, but +Mr. Oldacre kept himself very much to himself, and only met +people in the way of business. She had seen the buttons, and was +sure that they belonged to the clothes which he had worn last +night. The wood-pile was very dry, for it had not rained +for a month. It burned like tinder, and by the time she reached +the spot, nothing could be seen but flames. She and all the +firemen smelled the burned flesh from inside it. She knew +nothing of the papers, nor of Mr. Oldacre's private affairs. + +"So, my dear Watson, there's my report of a failure. And yet-- +and yet--" he clenched his thin hands in a paroxysm of +conviction--"I KNOW it's all wrong. I feel it in my bones. There +is something that has not come out, and that housekeeper knows +it. There was a sort of sulky defiance in her eyes, which only +goes with guilty knowledge. However, there's no good talking any +more about it, Watson; but unless some lucky chance comes our +way I fear that the Norwood Disappearance Case will not figure +in that chronicle of our successes which I foresee that a +patient public will sooner or later have to endure." + +"Surely," said I, "the man's appearance would go far with any jury?" + +"That is a dangerous argument my dear Watson. You remember that +terrible murderer, Bert Stevens, who wanted us to get him off in +'87? Was there ever a more mild-mannered, Sunday-school young man?" + +"It is true." + +"Unless we succeed in establishing an alternative theory, this +man is lost. You can hardly find a flaw in the case which can +now be presented against him, and all further investigation has +served to strengthen it. By the way, there is one curious little +point about those papers which may serve us as the +starting-point for an inquiry. On looking over the bank-book I +found that the low state of the balance was principally due to +large checks which have been made out during the last year to +Mr. Cornelius. I confess that I should be interested to know who +this Mr. Cornelius may be with whom a retired builder has such +very large transactions. Is it possible that he has had a +hand in the affair? Cornelius might be a broker, but we have +found no scrip to correspond with these large payments. Failing +any other indication, my researches must now take the direction +of an inquiry at the bank for the gentleman who has cashed these +checks. But I fear, my dear fellow, that our case will end +ingloriously by Lestrade hanging our client, which will +certainly be a triumph for Scotland Yard." + +I do not know how far Sherlock Holmes took any sleep that night, +but when I came down to breakfast I found him pale and harassed, +his bright eyes the brighter for the dark shadows round them. +The carpet round his chair was littered with cigarette-ends and +with the early editions of the morning papers. An open telegram +lay upon the table. + +"What do you think of this, Watson?" he asked, tossing it across. + +It was from Norwood, and ran as follows: + + +Important fresh evidence to hand. McFarlane's guilt definitely +established. Advise you to abandon case. + LESTRADE. + + +"This sounds serious," said I. + +"It is Lestrade's little cock-a-doodle of victory," Holmes +answered, with a bitter smile. "And yet it may be premature to +abandon the case. After all, important fresh evidence is a +two-edged thing, and may possibly cut in a very different +direction to that which Lestrade imagines. Take your breakfast, +Watson, and we will go out together and see what we can do. I +feel as if I shall need your company and your moral support today." + +My friend had no breakfast himself, for it was one of his +peculiarities that in his more intense moments he would permit +himself no food, and I have known him presume upon his iron +strength until he has fainted from pure inanition. "At present +I cannot spare energy and nerve force for digestion," he would +say in answer to my medical remonstrances. I was not surprised, +therefore, when this morning he left his untouched meal behind +him, and started with me for Norwood. A crowd of morbid +sightseers were still gathered round Deep Dene House, which was +just such a suburban villa as I had pictured. Within the gates +Lestrade met us, his face flushed with victory, his manner +grossly triumphant. + +"Well, Mr. Holmes, have you proved us to be wrong yet? Have you +found your tramp?" he cried. + +"I have formed no conclusion whatever," my companion answered. + +"But we formed ours yesterday, and now it proves to be correct, +so you must acknowledge that we have been a little in front of +you this time, Mr. Holmes." + +"You certainly have the air of something unusual having +occurred," said Holmes. + +Lestrade laughed loudly. + +"You don't like being beaten any more than the rest of us do," +said he. "A man can't expect always to have it his own way, can +he, Dr. Watson? Step this way, if you please, gentlemen, and I +think I can convince you once for all that it was John McFarlane +who did this crime." + +He led us through the passage and out into a dark hall beyond. + +"This is where young McFarlane must have come out to get his hat +after the crime was done," said he. "Now look at this." With +dramatic suddenness he struck a match, and by its light exposed +a stain of blood upon the whitewashed wall. As he held the match +nearer, I saw that it was more than a stain. It was the +well-marked print of a thumb. + +"Look at that with your magnifying glass, Mr. Holmes." + +"Yes, I am doing so." + +"You are aware that no two thumb-marks are alike?" + +"I have heard something of the kind." + +"Well, then, will you please compare that print with this wax +impression of young McFarlane's right thumb, taken by my orders +this morning?" + +As he held the waxen print close to the blood-stain, it did not +take a magnifying glass to see that the two were undoubtedly +from the same thumb. It was evident to me that our unfortunate +client was lost. + +"That is final," said Lestrade. + +"Yes, that is final," I involuntarily echoed. + +"It is final," said Holmes. + +Something in his tone caught my ear, and I turned to look at +him. An extraordinary change had come over his face. It was +writhing with inward merriment. His two eyes were shining like +stars. It seemed to me that he was making desperate efforts to +restrain a convulsive attack of laughter. + +"Dear me! Dear me!" he said at last. "Well, now, who would have +thought it? And how deceptive appearances may be, to be sure! +Such a nice young man to look at! It is a lesson to us not to +trust our own judgment, is it not, Lestrade?" + +"Yes, some of us are a little too much inclined to be cock-sure, +Mr. Holmes," said Lestrade. The man's insolence was maddening, +but we could not resent it. + +"What a providential thing that this young man should press his +right thumb against the wall in taking his hat from the peg! +Such a very natural action, too, if you come to think of it." +Holmes was outwardly calm, but his whole body gave a wriggle of +suppressed excitement as he spoke. + +"By the way, Lestrade, who made this remarkable discovery?" + +"It was the housekeeper, Mrs. Lexington, who drew the night +constable's attention to it." + +"Where was the night constable?" + +"He remained on guard in the bedroom where the crime was +committed, so as to see that nothing was touched." + +"But why didn't the police see this mark yesterday?" + +"Well, we had no particular reason to make a careful examination of +the hall. Besides, it's not in a very prominent place, as you see." + +"No, no--of course not. I suppose there is no doubt that the +mark was there yesterday?" + +Lestrade looked at Holmes as if he thought he was going out of +his mind. I confess that I was myself surprised both at his +hilarious manner and at his rather wild observation. + +"I don't know whether you think that McFarlane came out of jail +in the dead of the night in order to strengthen the evidence +against himself," said Lestrade. "I leave it to any expert in +the world whether that is not the mark of his thumb." + +"It is unquestionably the mark of his thumb." + +"There, that's enough," said Lestrade. "I am a practical man, +Mr. Holmes, and when I have got my evidence I come to my +conclusions. If you have anything to say, you will find me +writing my report in the sitting-room." + +Holmes had recovered his equanimity, though I still seemed to +detect gleams of amusement in his expression. + +"Dear me, this is a very sad development, Watson, is it not?" +said he. "And yet there are singular points about it which hold +out some hopes for our client." + +"I am delighted to hear it," said I, heartily. "I was afraid it +was all up with him." + +"I would hardly go so far as to say that, my dear Watson. The +fact is that there is one really serious flaw in this evidence +to which our friend attaches so much importance." + +"Indeed, Holmes! What is it?" + +"Only this: that I KNOW that that mark was not there when I examined +the hall yesterday. And now, Watson, let us have a little stroll +round in the sunshine." + +With a confused brain, but with a heart into which some warmth +of hope was returning, I accompanied my friend in a walk round +the garden. Holmes took each face of the house in turn, and +examined it with great interest. He then led the way inside, and +went over the whole building from basement to attic. Most of the +rooms were unfurnished, but none the less Holmes inspected them +all minutely. Finally, on the top corridor, which ran outside +three untenanted bedrooms, he again was seized with a spasm of +merriment. + +"There are really some very unique features about this case, +Watson," said he. "I think it is time now that we took our +friend Lestrade into our confidence. He has had his little smile +at our expense, and perhaps we may do as much by him, if my +reading of this problem proves to be correct. Yes, yes, I think +I see how we should approach it." + +The Scotland Yard inspector was still writing in the parlour +when Holmes interrupted him. + +"I understood that you were writing a report of this case," said he. + +"So I am." + +"Don't you think it may be a little premature? I can't help +thinking that your evidence is not complete." + +Lestrade knew my friend too well to disregard his words. He laid +down his pen and looked curiously at him. + +"What do you mean, Mr. Holmes?" + +"Only that there is an important witness whom you have not seen." + +"Can you produce him?" + +"I think I can." + +"Then do so." + +"I will do my best. How many constables have you?" + +"There are three within call." + +"Excellent!" said Holmes. "May I ask if they are all large, +able-bodied men with powerful voices?" + +"I have no doubt they are, though I fail to see what their +voices have to do with it." + +"Perhaps I can help you to see that and one or two other things +as well," said Holmes. "Kindly summon your men, and I will try." + +Five minutes later, three policemen had assembled in the hall. + +"In the outhouse you will find a considerable quantity of +straw," said Holmes. "I will ask you to carry in two bundles of +it. I think it will be of the greatest assistance in producing +the witness whom I require. Thank you very much. I believe you +have some matches in your pocket Watson. Now, Mr. Lestrade, I +will ask you all to accompany me to the top landing." + +As I have said, there was a broad corridor there, which ran +outside three empty bedrooms. At one end of the corridor we were +all marshalled by Sherlock Holmes, the constables grinning and +Lestrade staring at my friend with amazement, expectation, and +derision chasing each other across his features. Holmes stood +before us with the air of a conjurer who is performing a trick. + +"Would you kindly send one of your constables for two buckets of +water? Put the straw on the floor here, free from the wall on +either side. Now I think that we are all ready." + +Lestrade's face had begun to grow red and angry. "I don't know +whether you are playing a game with us, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," +said he. "If you know anything, you can surely say it without +all this tomfoolery." + +"I assure you, my good Lestrade, that I have an excellent reason +for everything that I do. You may possibly remember that you +chaffed me a little, some hours ago, when the sun seemed on your +side of the hedge, so you must not grudge me a little pomp and +ceremony now. Might I ask you, Watson, to open that window, and +then to put a match to the edge of the straw?" + +I did so, and driven by the draught a coil of gray smoke swirled +down the corridor, while the dry straw crackled and flamed. + +"Now we must see if we can find this witness for you, Lestrade. +Might I ask you all to join in the cry of `Fire!'? Now then; +one, two, three----" + +"Fire!" we all yelled. + +"Thank you. I will trouble you once again." + +"Fire!" + +"Just once more, gentlemen, and all together." + +"Fire!" The shout must have rung over Norwood. + +It had hardly died away when an amazing thing happened. A door +suddenly flew open out of what appeared to be solid wall at the +end of the corridor, and a little, wizened man darted out of it, +like a rabbit out of its burrow. + +"Capital!" said Holmes, calmly. "Watson, a bucket of water over +the straw. That will do! Lestrade, allow me to present you with +your principal missing witness, Mr. Jonas Oldacre." + +The detective stared at the newcomer with blank amazement. The +latter was blinking in the bright light of the corridor, and +peering at us and at the smouldering fire. It was an odious +face--crafty, vicious, malignant, with shifty, light-gray eyes +and white lashes. + +"What's this, then?" said Lestrade, at last. "What have you been +doing all this time, eh?" + +Oldacre gave an uneasy laugh, shrinking back from the furious +red face of the angry detective. + +"I have done no harm." + +"No harm? You have done your best to get an innocent man hanged. +If it wasn't for this gentleman here, I am not sure that you would +not have succeeded." + +The wretched creature began to whimper. + +"I am sure, sir, it was only my practical joke." + +"Oh! a joke, was it? You won't find the laugh on your side, +I promise you. Take him down, and keep him in the sitting-room +until I come. Mr. Holmes," he continued, when they had gone, +"I could not speak before the constables, but I don't mind saying, +in the presence of Dr. Watson, that this is the brightest thing that +you have done yet, though it is a mystery to me how you did it. +You have saved an innocent man's life, and you have prevented a very +grave scandal, which would have ruined my reputation in the Force." + +Holmes smiled, and clapped Lestrade upon the shoulder. + +"Instead of being ruined, my good sir, you will find that your +reputation has been enormously enhanced. Just make a few +alterations in that report which you were writing, and they will +understand how hard it is to throw dust in the eyes of Inspector +Lestrade." + +"And you don't want your name to appear?" + +"Not at all. The work is its own reward. Perhaps I shall get the +credit also at some distant day, when I permit my zealous +historian to lay out his foolscap once more--eh, Watson? Well, +now, let us see where this rat has been lurking." + +A lath-and-plaster partition had been run across the passage six +feet from the end, with a door cunningly concealed in it. It was +lit within by slits under the eaves. A few articles of furniture +and a supply of food and water were within, together with a +number of books and papers. + +"There's the advantage of being a builder," said Holmes, as we +came out. "He was able to fix up his own little hiding-place +without any confederate--save, of course, that precious +housekeeper of his, whom I should lose no time in adding to your +bag, Lestrade." + +"I'll take your advice. But how did you know of this place, Mr. Holmes?" + +"I made up my mind that the fellow was in hiding in the house. +When I paced one corridor and found it six feet shorter than the +corresponding one below, it was pretty clear where he was. I +thought he had not the nerve to lie quiet before an alarm of +fire. We could, of course, have gone in and taken him, but it +amused me to make him reveal himself. Besides, I owed you a +little mystification, Lestrade, for your chaff in the morning." + +"Well, sir, you certainly got equal with me on that. But how in +the world did you know that he was in the house at all?" + +"The thumb-mark, Lestrade. You said it was final; and so it was, +in a very different sense. I knew it had not been there the day +before. I pay a good deal of attention to matters of detail, as +you may have observed, and I had examined the hall, and was sure +that the wall was clear. Therefore, it had been put on during +the night." + +"But how?" + +"Very simply. When those packets were sealed up, Jonas Oldacre +got McFarlane to secure one of the seals by putting his thumb +upon the soft wax. It would be done so quickly and so naturally, +that I daresay the young man himself has no recollection of it. +Very likely it just so happened, and Oldacre had himself no +notion of the use he would put it to. Brooding over the case in +that den of his, it suddenly struck him what absolutely damning +evidence he could make against McFarlane by using that +thumb-mark. It was the simplest thing in the world for him to +take a wax impression from the seal, to moisten it in as much +blood as he could get from a pin-prick, and to put the mark upon +the wall during the night, either with his own hand or with that +of his housekeeper. If you examine among those documents which +he took with him into his retreat, I will lay you a wager that +you find the seal with the thumb-mark upon it." + +"Wonderful!" said Lestrade. "Wonderful! It's all as clear as +crystal, as you put it. But what is the object of this deep +deception, Mr. Holmes?" + +It was amusing to me to see how the detective's overbearing +manner had changed suddenly to that of a child asking questions +of its teacher. + +"Well, I don't think that is very hard to explain. A very deep, +malicious, vindictive person is the gentleman who is now waiting +us downstairs. You know that he was once refused by McFarlane's +mother? You don't! I told you that you should go to Blackheath +first and Norwood afterwards. Well, this injury, as he would +consider it, has rankled in his wicked, scheming brain, and all +his life he has longed for vengeance, but never seen his chance. +During the last year or two, things have gone against him-- +secret speculation, I think--and he finds himself in a bad way. +He determines to swindle his creditors, and for this purpose he +pays large checks to a certain Mr. Cornelius, who is, I imagine, +himself under another name. I have not traced these checks yet, +but I have no doubt that they were banked under that name at +some provincial town where Oldacre from time to time led a +double existence. He intended to change his name altogether, +draw this money, and vanish, starting life again elsewhere." + +"Well, that's likely enough." + +"It would strike him that in disappearing he might throw all +pursuit off his track, and at the same time have an ample and +crushing revenge upon his old sweetheart, if he could give the +impression that he had been murdered by her only child. It was +a masterpiece of villainy, and he carried it out like a master. +The idea of the will, which would give an obvious motive for the +crime, the secret visit unknown to his own parents, the +retention of the stick, the blood, and the animal remains and +buttons in the wood-pile, all were admirable. It was a net from +which it seemed to me, a few hours ago, that there was no +possible escape. But he had not that supreme gift of the artist, +the knowledge of when to stop. He wished to improve that which +was already perfect--to draw the rope tighter yet round the neck +of his unfortunate victim--and so he ruined all. Let us descend, +Lestrade. There are just one or two questions that I would ask him." + +The malignant creature was seated in his own parlour, with a +policeman upon each side of him. + +"It was a joke, my good sir--a practical joke, nothing more," he +whined incessantly. "I assure you, sir, that I simply concealed +myself in order to see the effect of my disappearance, and I am +sure that you would not be so unjust as to imagine that I would +have allowed any harm to befall poor young Mr. McFarlane." + +"That's for a jury to decide," said Lestrade. "Anyhow, we shall +have you on a charge of conspiracy, if not for attempted murder." + +"And you'll probably find that your creditors will impound the +banking account of Mr. Cornelius," said Holmes. + +The little man started, and turned his malignant eyes upon my friend. + +"I have to thank you for a good deal," said he. "Perhaps I'll +pay my debt some day." + +Holmes smiled indulgently. + +"I fancy that, for some few years, you will find your time very +fully occupied," said he. "By the way, what was it you put into +the wood-pile besides your old trousers? A dead dog, or rabbits, +or what? You won't tell? Dear me, how very unkind of you! Well, +well, I daresay that a couple of rabbits would account both for +the blood and for the charred ashes. If ever you write an +account, Watson, you can make rabbits serve your turn." THE ADVENTURE OF THE DANCING MEN + + + +Holmes had been seated for some hours in silence with his long, +thin back curved over a chemical vessel in which he was brewing +a particularly malodorous product. His head was sunk upon his +breast, and he looked from my point of view like a strange, lank +bird, with dull gray plumage and a black top-knot. + +"So, Watson," said he, suddenly, "you do not propose to invest +in South African securities?" + +I gave a start of astonishment. Accustomed as I was to Holmes's +curious faculties, this sudden intrusion into my most intimate +thoughts was utterly inexplicable. + +"How on earth do you know that?" I asked. + +He wheeled round upon his stool, with a steaming test-tube in +his hand, and a gleam of amusement in his deep-set eyes. + +"Now, Watson, confess yourself utterly taken aback," said he. + +"I am." + +"I ought to make you sign a paper to that effect." + +"Why?" + +"Because in five minutes you will say that it is all so +absurdly simple." + +"I am sure that I shall say nothing of the kind." + +"You see, my dear Watson"--he propped his test-tube in the rack, +and began to lecture with the air of a professor addressing his +class--"it is not really difficult to construct a series of +inferences, each dependent upon its predecessor and each simple +in itself. If, after doing so, one simply knocks out all the +central inferences and presents one's audience with the +starting-point and the conclusion, one may produce a startling, +though possibly a meretricious, effect. Now, it was not really +difficult, by an inspection of the groove between your left +forefinger and thumb, to feel sure that you did NOT propose to +invest your small capital in the gold fields." + +"I see no connection." + +"Very likely not; but I can quickly show you a close connection. +Here are the missing links of the very simple chain: 1. You had +chalk between your left finger and thumb when you returned from +the club last night. 2. You put chalk there when you play +billiards, to steady the cue. 3. You never play billiards except +with Thurston. 4. You told me, four weeks ago, that Thurston had +an option on some South African property which would expire in +a month, and which he desired you to share with him. 5. Your +check book is locked in my drawer, and you have not asked for the +key. 6. You do not propose to invest your money in this manner." + +"How absurdly simple!" I cried. + +"Quite so!" said he, a little nettled. "Every problem becomes +very childish when once it is explained to you. Here is an +unexplained one. See what you can make of that, friend Watson." +He tossed a sheet of paper upon the table, and turned once more +to his chemical analysis. + +I looked with amazement at the absurd hieroglyphics upon the paper. + +"Why, Holmes, it is a child's drawing," I cried. + +"Oh, that's your idea!" + +"What else should it be?" + +"That is what Mr. Hilton Cubitt, of Riding Thorpe Manor, +Norfolk, is very anxious to know. This little conundrum came by +the first post, and he was to follow by the next train. There's +a ring at the bell, Watson. I should not be very much surprised +if this were he." + +A heavy step was heard upon the stairs, and an instant later +there entered a tall, ruddy, clean-shaven gentleman, whose clear +eyes and florid cheeks told of a life led far from the fogs of +Baker Street. He seemed to bring a whiff of his strong, fresh, +bracing, east-coast air with him as he entered. Having shaken +hands with each of us, he was about to sit down, when his eye +rested upon the paper with the curious markings, which I had +just examined and left upon the table. + +"Well, Mr. Holmes, what do you make of these?" he cried. "They +told me that you were fond of queer mysteries, and I don't think +you can find a queerer one than that. I sent the paper on ahead, +so that you might have time to study it before I came." + +"It is certainly rather a curious production," said Holmes. "At +first sight it would appear to be some childish prank. It +consists of a number of absurd little figures dancing across the +paper upon which they are drawn. Why should you attribute any +importance to so grotesque an object?" + +"I never should, Mr. Holmes. But my wife does. It is frightening +her to death. She says nothing, but I can see terror in her +eyes. That's why I want to sift the matter to the bottom." + +Holmes held up the paper so that the sunlight shone full upon +it. It was a page torn from a notebook. The markings were done +in pencil, and ran in this way: + + +GRAPHIC + + +Holmes examined it for some time, and then, folding it carefully +up, he placed it in his pocketbook. + +"This promises to be a most interesting and unusual case," said +he. "You gave me a few particulars in your letter, Mr. Hilton +Cubitt, but I should be very much obliged if you would kindly go +over it all again for the benefit of my friend, Dr. Watson." + +"I'm not much of a story-teller," said our visitor, nervously +clasping and unclasping his great, strong hands. "You'll just +ask me anything that I don't make clear. I'll begin at the time +of my marriage last year, but I want to say first of all that, +though I'm not a rich man, my people have been at Riding Thorpe +for a matter of five centuries, and there is no better known +family in the County of Norfolk. Last year I came up to London +for the Jubilee, and I stopped at a boarding-house in Russell +Square, because Parker, the vicar of our parish, was staying in +it. There was an American young lady there--Patrick was the +name--Elsie Patrick. In some way we became friends, until before +my month was up I was as much in love as man could be. We were +quietly married at a registry office, and we returned to Norfolk +a wedded couple. You'll think it very mad, Mr. Holmes, that a +man of a good old family should marry a wife in this fashion, +knowing nothing of her past or of her people, but if you saw her +and knew her, it would help you to understand. + +"She was very straight about it, was Elsie. I can't say that she +did not give me every chance of getting out of it if I wished to +do so. `I have had some very disagreeable associations in my +life,' said she, `I wish to forget all about them. I would +rather never allude to the past, for it is very painful to me. +If you take me, Hilton, you will take a woman who has nothing +that she need be personally ashamed of, but you will have to be +content with my word for it, and to allow me to be silent as to +all that passed up to the time when I became yours. If these +conditions are too hard, then go back to Norfolk, and leave me +to the lonely life in which you found me.' It was only the day +before our wedding that she said those very words to me. I told +her that I was content to take her on her own terms, and 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. + +"Well, now I come to the queer part of my story. About a week +ago--it was the Tuesday of last week--I found on one of the +window-sills a number of absurd little dancing figures like +these upon the paper. They were scrawled with chalk. I thought +that it was the stable-boy who had drawn them, but the lad swore +he knew nothing about it. Anyhow, they had come there during the +night. I had them washed out, and I only mentioned the matter to +my wife afterwards. To my surprise, she took it very seriously, +and begged me if any more came to let her see them. None did +come for a week, and then yesterday morning I found this paper +lying on the sundial in the garden. I showed it to Elsie, and +down she dropped in a dead faint. Since then she has looked like +a woman in a dream, half dazed, and with terror always lurking +in her eyes. It was then that I wrote and sent the paper to you, +Mr. Holmes. It was not a thing that I could take to the police, +for they would have laughed at me, but you will tell me what to +do. I am not a rich man, but if there is any danger threatening +my little woman, I would spend my last copper to shield her." + +He was a fine creature, this man of the old English soil--simple, +straight, and gentle, with his great, earnest blue eyes and +broad, comely face. His love for his wife and his trust in her +shone in his features. Holmes had listened to his story with the +utmost attention, and now he sat for some time in silent thought. + +"Don't you think, Mr. Cubitt," said he, at last, "that your best +plan would be to make a direct appeal to your wife, and to ask +her to share her secret with you?" + +Hilton Cubitt shook his massive head. + +"A promise is a promise, Mr. Holmes. If Elsie wished to tell me +she would. If not, it is not for me to force her confidence. But +I am justified in taking my own line--and I will." + +"Then I will help you with all my heart. In the first place, +have you heard of any strangers being seen in your neighbourhood?" + +"No." + +"I presume that it is a very quiet place. Any fresh face would +cause comment?" + +"In the immediate neighbourhood, yes. But we have several small +watering-places not very far away. And the farmers take in lodgers." + +"These hieroglyphics have evidently a meaning. If it is a purely +arbitrary one, it may be impossible for us to solve it. If, on +the other hand, it is systematic, I have no doubt that we shall +get to the bottom of it. But this particular sample is so short +that I can do nothing, and the facts which you have brought me +are so indefinite that we have no basis for an investigation. I +would suggest that you return to Norfolk, that you keep a keen +lookout, and that you take an exact copy of any fresh dancing +men which may appear. It is a thousand pities that we have not +a reproduction of those which were done in chalk upon the +window-sill. Make a discreet inquiry also as to any strangers in +the neighbourhood. When you have collected some fresh evidence, +come to me again. That is the best advice which I can give you, +Mr. Hilton Cubitt. If there are any pressing fresh developments, +I shall be always ready to run down and see you in your Norfolk home." + +The interview left Sherlock Holmes very thoughtful, and several +times in the next few days I saw him take his slip of paper from +his notebook and look long and earnestly at the curious figures +inscribed upon it. He made no allusion to the affair, however, +until one afternoon a fortnight or so later. I was going out +when he called me back. + +"You had better stay here, Watson." + +"Why?" + +"Because I had a wire from Hilton Cubitt this morning. You +remember Hilton Cubitt, of the dancing men? He was to reach +Liverpool Street at one-twenty. He may be here at any moment. I +gather from his wire that there have been some new incidents of +importance." + +We had not long to wait, for our Norfolk squire came straight +from the station as fast as a hansom could bring him. He was +looking worried and depressed, with tired eyes and a lined +forehead. + +"It's getting on my nerves, this business, Mr. Holmes," said he, +as he sank, like a wearied man, into an armchair. "It's bad +enough to feel that you are surrounded by unseen, unknown folk, +who have some kind of design upon you, but when, in addition to +that, you know that it is just killing your wife by inches, then +it becomes as much as flesh and blood can endure. She's wearing +away under it--just wearing away before my eyes." + +"Has she said anything yet?" + +"No, Mr. Holmes, she has not. And yet there have been times when +the poor girl has wanted to speak, and yet could not quite bring +herself to take the plunge. I have tried to help her, but I +daresay I did it clumsily, and scared her from it. She has +spoken about my old family, and our reputation in the county, +and our pride in our unsullied honour, and I always felt it was +leading to the point, but somehow it turned off before we got there." + +"But you have found out something for yourself?" + +"A good deal, Mr. Holmes. I have several fresh dancing-men +pictures for you to examine, and, what is more important, I have +seen the fellow." + +"What, the man who draws them?" + +"Yes, I saw him at his work. But I will tell you everything in +order. When I got back after my visit to you, the very first +thing I saw next morning was a fresh crop of dancing men. They +had been drawn in chalk upon the black wooden door of the +tool-house, which stands beside the lawn in full view of the +front windows. I took an exact copy, and here it is." He +unfolded a paper and laid it upon the table. Here is a copy of +the hieroglyphics: + + +GRAPHIC + + +"Excellent!" said Holmes. "Excellent! Pray continue." + +"When I had taken the copy, I rubbed out the marks, but, two +mornings later, a fresh inscription had appeared. I have a copy +of it here": + + +GRAPHIC + + +Holmes rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight. + +"Our material is rapidly accumulating," said he. + +"Three days later a message was left scrawled upon paper, +and placed under a pebble upon the sundial. Here it is. The +characters are, as you see, exactly the same as the last one. +After that I determined to lie in wait, so I got out my revolver +and I sat up in my study, which overlooks the lawn and garden. +About two in the morning I was seated by the window, all being +dark save for the moonlight outside, when I heard steps behind +me, and there was my wife in her dressing-gown. She implored me +to come to bed. I told her frankly that I wished to see who it +was who played such absurd tricks upon us. She answered that it +was some senseless practical joke, and that I should not take +any notice of it. + +"`If it really annoys you, Hilton, we might go and travel, you +and I, and so avoid this nuisance.' + +"`What, be driven out of our own house by a practical joker?' +said I. `Why, we should have the whole county laughing at us.' + +"`Well, come to bed,' said she, `and we can discuss it in the morning.' + +"Suddenly, as she spoke, I saw her white face grow whiter yet in +the moonlight, and her hand tightened upon my shoulder. +Something was moving in the shadow of the tool-house. I saw a +dark, creeping figure which crawled round the corner and +squatted in front of the door. Seizing my pistol, I was rushing +out, when my wife threw her arms round me and held me with +convulsive strength. I tried to throw her off, but she clung to +me most desperately. At last I got clear, but by the time I had +opened the door and reached the house the creature was gone. He +had left a trace of his presence, however, for there on the door +was the very same arrangement of dancing men which had already +twice appeared, and which I have copied on that paper. There was +no other sign of the fellow anywhere, though I ran all over the +grounds. And yet the amazing thing is that he must have been +there all the time, for when I examined the door again in the +morning, he had scrawled some more of his pictures under the +line which I had already seen." + +"Have you that fresh drawing?" + +"Yes, it is very short, but I made a copy of it, and here it is." + +Again he produced a paper. The new dance was in this form: + + +GRAPHIC + + +"Tell me," said Holmes--and I could see by his eyes that he was +much excited--"was this a mere addition to the first or did it +appear to be entirely separate?" + +"It was on a different panel of the door." + +"Excellent! This is far the most important of all for our +purpose. It fills me with hopes. Now, Mr. Hilton Cubitt, please +continue your most interesting statement." + +"I have nothing more to say, Mr. Holmes, except that I was angry +with my wife that night for having held me back when I might +have caught the skulking rascal. She said that she feared that +I might come to harm. For an instant it had crossed my mind that +perhaps what she really feared was that HE might come to harm, +for I could not doubt that she knew who this man was, and what +he meant by these strange signals. But there is a tone in my +wife's voice, Mr. Holmes, and a look in her eyes which forbid +doubt, and I am sure that it was indeed my own safety that was +in her mind. There's the whole case, and now I want your advice +as to what I ought to do. My own inclination is to put half a +dozen of my farm lads in the shrubbery, and when this fellow +comes again to give him such a hiding that he will leave us in +peace for the future." + +"I fear it is too deep a case for such simple remedies," said +Holmes. "How long can you stay in London?" + +"I must go back to-day. I would not leave my wife alone all night +for anything. She is very nervous, and begged me to come back." + +"I daresay you are right. But if you could have stopped, I might +possibly have been able to return with you in a day or two. +Meanwhile you will leave me these papers, and I think that it is +very likely that I shall be able to pay you a visit shortly and +to throw some light upon your case." + +Sherlock Holmes preserved his calm professional manner until our +visitor had left us, although it was easy for me, who knew him +so well, to see that he was profoundly excited. The moment that +Hilton Cubitt's broad back had disappeared through the door my +comrade rushed to the table, laid out all the slips of paper +containing dancing men in front of him, and threw himself into +an intricate and elaborate calculation. For two hours I watched +him as he covered sheet after sheet of paper with figures and +letters, so completely absorbed in his task that he had +evidently forgotten my presence. Sometimes he was making +progress and whistled and sang at his work; sometimes he was +puzzled, and would sit for long spells with a furrowed brow and +a vacant eye. Finally he sprang from his chair with a cry of +satisfaction, and walked up and down the room rubbing his hands +together. Then he wrote a long telegram upon a cable form. "If +my answer to this is as I hope, you will have a very pretty case +to add to your collection, Watson," said he. "I expect that we +shall be able to go down to Norfolk tomorrow, and to take our +friend some very definite news as to the secret of his annoyance." + +I confess that I was filled with curiosity, but I was aware that +Holmes liked to make his disclosures at his own time and in his +own way, so I waited until it should suit him to take me into +his confidence. + +But there was a delay in that answering telegram, and two days +of impatience followed, during which Holmes pricked up his ears +at every ring of the bell. On the evening of the second there came +a letter from Hilton Cubitt. All was quiet with him, save that +a long inscription had appeared that morning upon the pedestal +of the sundial. He inclosed a copy of it, which is here reproduced: + + +GRAPHIC + + +Holmes bent over this grotesque frieze for some minutes, and +then suddenly sprang to his feet with an exclamation of surprise +and dismay. His face was haggard with anxiety. + +"We have let this affair go far enough," said he. "Is there a +train to North Walsham to-night?" + +I turned up the time-table. The last had just gone. + +"Then we shall breakfast early and take the very first in the +morning," said Holmes. "Our presence is most urgently needed. +Ah! here is our expected cablegram. One moment, Mrs. Hudson, +there may be an answer. No, that is quite as I expected. This +message makes it even more essential that we should not lose an +hour in letting Hilton Cubitt know how matters stand, for it is +a singular and a dangerous web in which our simple Norfolk +squire is entangled." + +So, indeed, it proved, and as I come to the dark conclusion of +a story which had seemed to me to be only childish and bizarre, +I experience once again the dismay and horror with which I was +filled. Would that I had some brighter ending to communicate to +my readers, but these are the chronicles of fact, and I must +follow to their dark crisis the strange chain of events which +for some days made Riding Thorpe Manor a household word through +the length and breadth of England. + +We had hardly alighted at North Walsham, and mentioned the name +of our destination, when the station-master hurried towards us. +"I suppose that you are the detectives from London?" said he. + +A look of annoyance passed over Holmes's face. + +"What makes you think such a thing?" + +"Because Inspector Martin from Norwich has just passed through. +But maybe you are the surgeons. She's not dead--or wasn't by +last accounts. You may be in time to save her yet--though it be +for the gallows." + +Holmes's brow was dark with anxiety. + +"We are going to Riding Thorpe Manor," said he, "but we have +heard nothing of what has passed there." + +"It's a terrible business," said the stationmaster. "They are +shot, both Mr. Hilton Cubitt and his wife. She shot him and then +herself--so the servants say. He's dead and her life is +despaired of. Dear, dear, one of the oldest families in the +county of Norfolk, and one of the most honoured." + +Without a word Holmes hurried to a carriage, and during the long +seven miles' drive he never opened his mouth. Seldom have I seen +him so utterly despondent. He had been uneasy during all our +journey from town, and I had observed that he had turned over +the morning papers with anxious attention, but now this sudden +realization of his worst fears left him in a blank melancholy. +He leaned back in his seat, lost in gloomy speculation. Yet +there was much around to interest us, for we were passing +through as singular a countryside as any in England, where a few +scattered cottages represented the population of to-day, while +on every hand enormous square-towered churches bristled up from +the flat green landscape and told of the glory and prosperity of +old East Anglia. At last the violet rim of the German Ocean +appeared over the green edge of the Norfolk coast, and the +driver pointed with his whip to two old brick and timber gables +which projected from a grove of trees. "That's Riding Thorpe +Manor," said he. + +As we drove up to the porticoed front door, I observed in front +of it, beside the tennis lawn, the black tool-house and the +pedestalled sundial with which we had such strange associations. +A dapper little man, with a quick, alert manner and a waxed +moustache, had just descended from a high dog-cart. He +introduced himself as Inspector Martin, of the Norfolk +Constabulary, and he was considerably astonished when he heard +the name of my companion. + +"Why, Mr. Holmes, the crime was only committed at three this +morning. How could you hear of it in London and get to the spot +as soon as I?" + +"I anticipated it. I came in the hope of preventing it." + +"Then you must have important evidence, of which we are +ignorant, for they were said to be a most united couple." + +"I have only the evidence of the dancing men," said Holmes. "I +will explain the matter to you later. Meanwhile, since it is too +late to prevent this tragedy, I am very anxious that I should +use the knowledge which I possess in order to insure that +justice be done. Will you associate me in your investigation, or +will you prefer that I should act independently?" + +"I should be proud to feel that we were acting together, Mr. +Holmes," said the inspector, earnestly. + +"In that case I should be glad to hear the evidence and to +examine the premises without an instant of unnecessary delay." + +Inspector Martin had the good sense to allow my friend to do +things in his own fashion, and contented himself with carefully +noting the results. The local surgeon, an old, white-haired man, +had just come down from Mrs. Hilton Cubitt's room, and he +reported that her injuries were serious, but not necessarily +fatal. The bullet had passed through the front of her brain, and +it would probably be some time before she could regain +consciousness. On the question of whether she had been shot or +had shot herself, he would not venture to express any decided +opinion. Certainly the bullet had been discharged at very close +quarters. There was only the one pistol found in the room, two +barrels of which had been emptied. Mr. Hilton Cubitt had been +shot through the heart. It was equally conceivable that he had +shot her and then himself, or that she had been the criminal, +for the revolver lay upon the floor midway between them. + +"Has he been moved?" asked Holmes. + +"We have moved nothing except the lady. We could not leave her +lying wounded upon the floor." + +"How long have you been here, Doctor?" + +"Since four o'clock." + +"Anyone else?" + +"Yes, the constable here." + +"And you have touched nothing?" + +"Nothing." + +"You have acted with great discretion. Who sent for you?" + +"The housemaid, Saunders." + +"Was it she who gave the alarm?" + +"She and Mrs. King, the cook." + +"Where are they now?" + +"In the kitchen, I believe." + +"Then I think we had better hear their story at once." + +The old hall, oak-panelled and high-windowed, had been turned +into a court of investigation. Holmes sat in a great, +old-fashioned chair, his inexorable eyes gleaming out of his +haggard face. I could read in them a set purpose to devote his +life to this quest until the client whom he had failed to save +should at last be avenged. The trim Inspector Martin, the old, +gray-headed country doctor, myself, and a stolid village +policeman made up the rest of that strange company. + +The two women told their story clearly enough. They had been +aroused from their sleep by the sound of an explosion, which had +been followed a minute later by a second one. They slept in +adjoining rooms, and Mrs. King had rushed in to Saunders. +Together they had descended the stairs. The door of the study +was open, and a candle was burning upon the table. Their master +lay upon his face in the centre of the room. He was quite dead. +Near the window his wife was crouching, her head leaning against +the wall. She was horribly wounded, and the side of her face was +red with blood. She breathed heavily, but was incapable of +saying anything. The passage, as well as the room, was full of +smoke and the smell of powder. The window was certainly shut and +fastened upon the inside. Both women were positive upon the +point. They had at once sent for the doctor and for the +constable. Then, with the aid of the groom and the stable-boy, +they had conveyed their injured mistress to her room. Both she +and her husband had occupied the bed. She was clad in her dress-- +he in his dressing-gown, over his night-clothes. Nothing had +been moved in the study. So far as they knew, there had never +been any quarrel between husband and wife. They had always +looked upon them as a very united couple. + +These were the main points of the servants' evidence. In answer +to Inspector Martin, they were clear that every door was +fastened upon the inside, and that no one could have escaped +from the house. In answer to Holmes, they both remembered that +they were conscious of the smell of powder from the moment that +they ran out of their rooms upon the top floor. "I commend that +fact very carefully to your attention," said Holmes to his +professional colleague. "And now I think that we are in a +position to undertake a thorough examination of the room." + +The study proved to be a small chamber, lined on three sides +with books, and with a writing-table facing an ordinary window, +which looked out upon the garden. Our first attention was given +to the body of the unfortunate squire, whose huge frame lay +stretched across the room. His disordered dress showed that he +had been hastily aroused from sleep. The bullet had been fired +at him from the front, and had remained in his body, after +penetrating the heart. His death had certainly been +instantaneous and painless. There was no powder-marking either +upon his dressing-gown or on his hands. According to the country +surgeon, the lady had stains upon her face, but none upon her hand. + +"The absence of the latter means nothing, though its presence +may mean everything," said Holmes. "Unless the powder from a +badly fitting cartridge happens to spurt backward, one may fire +many shots without leaving a sign. I would suggest that Mr. +Cubitt's body may now be removed. I suppose, Doctor, you have +not recovered the bullet which wounded the lady?" + +"A serious operation will be necessary before that can be done. +But there are still four cartridges in the revolver. Two have +been fired and two wounds inflicted, so that each bullet can be +accounted for." + +"So it would seem," said Holmes. "Perhaps you can account also for +the bullet which has so obviously struck the edge of the window?" + +He had turned suddenly, and his long, thin finger was pointing +to a hole which had been drilled right through the lower +window-sash, about an inch above the bottom. + +"By George!" cried the inspector. "How ever did you see that?" + +"Because I looked for it." + +"Wonderful!" said the country doctor. "You are certainly right, +sir. Then a third shot has been fired, and therefore a third +person must have been present. But who could that have been, and +how could he have got away?" + +"That is the problem which we are now about to solve," said +Sherlock Holmes. "You remember, Inspector Martin, when the +servants said that on leaving their room they were at once +conscious of a smell of powder, I remarked that the point was an +extremely important one?" + +"Yes, sir; but I confess I did not quite follow you." + +"It suggested that at the time of the firing, the window as well +as the door of the room had been open. Otherwise the fumes of +powder could not have been blown so rapidly through the house. +A draught in the room was necessary for that. Both door and +window were only open for a very short time, however." + +"How do you prove that?" + +"Because the candle was not guttered." + +"Capital!" cried the inspector. "Capital! + +"Feeling sure that the window had been open at the time of the +tragedy, I conceived that there might have been a third person +in the affair, who stood outside this opening and fired through +it. Any shot directed at this person might hit the sash. I +looked, and there, sure enough, was the bullet mark!" + +"But how came the window to be shut and fastened?" + +"The woman's first instinct would be to shut and fasten the +window. But, halloa! What is this?" + +It was a lady's hand-bag which stood upon the study table--a +trim little handbag of crocodile-skin and silver. Holmes opened +it and turned the contents out. There were twenty fifty-pound +notes of the Bank of England, held together by an india-rubber +band--nothing else. + +"This must be preserved, for it will figure in the trial" said +Holmes, as he handed the bag with its contents to the inspector. +"It is now necessary that we should try to throw some light upon +this third bullet, which has clearly, from the splintering of +the wood, been fired from inside the room. I should like to see +Mrs. King, the cook, again. You said, Mrs. King, that you were +awakened by a LOUD explosion. When you said that, did you mean +that it seemed to you to be louder than the second one?" + +"Well, sir, it wakened me from my sleep, so it is hard to judge. +But it did seem very loud." + +"You don't think that it might have been two shots fired almost +at the same instant?" + +"I am sure I couldn't say, sir." + +"I believe that it was undoubtedly so. I rather think, Inspector +Martin, that we have now exhausted all that this room can teach +us. If you will kindly step round with me, we shall see what +fresh evidence the garden has to offer." + +A flower-bed extended up to the study window, and we all broke +into an exclamation as we approached it. The flowers were +trampled down, and the soft soil was imprinted all over with +footmarks. Large, masculine feet they were, with peculiarly +long, sharp toes. Holmes hunted about among the grass and leaves +like a retriever after a wounded bird. Then, with a cry of +satisfaction, he bent forward and picked up a little brazen cylinder. + +"I thought so," said he, "the revolver had an ejector, and here +is the third cartridge. I really think, Inspector Martin, that +our case is almost complete." + +The country inspector's face had shown his intense amazement at +the rapid and masterful progress of Holmes's investigation. At +first he had shown some disposition to assert his own position, +but now he was overcome with admiration, and ready to follow +without question wherever Holmes led. + +"Whom do you suspect?" he asked. + +"I'll go into that later. There are several points in this +problem which I have not been able to explain to you yet. Now +that I have got so far, I had best proceed on my own lines, and +then clear the whole matter up once and for all." + +"Just as you wish, Mr. Holmes, so long as we get our man." + +"I have no desire to make mysteries, but it is impossible at the +moment of action to enter into long and complex explanations. I +have the threads of this affair all in my hand. Even if this +lady should never recover consciousness, we can still +reconstruct the events of last night and insure that justice be +done. First of all, I wish to know whether there is any inn in +this neighbourhood known as `Elrige's'?" + +The servants were cross-questioned, but none of them had heard +of such a place. The stable-boy threw a light upon the matter by +remembering that a farmer of that name lived some miles off, in +the direction of East Ruston. + +"Is it a lonely farm?" + +"Very lonely, sir." + +"Perhaps they have not heard yet of all that happened here +during the night?" + +"Maybe not, sir." + +Holmes thought for a little, and then a curious smile played +over his face. + +"Saddle a horse, my lad," said he. "I shall wish you to take a +note to Elrige's Farm." + +He took from his pocket the various slips of the dancing men. +With these in front of him, he worked for some time at the +study-table. Finally he handed a note to the boy, with +directions to put it into the hands of the person to whom it was +addressed, and especially to answer no questions of any sort +which might be put to him. I saw the outside of the note, +addressed in straggling, irregular characters, very unlike +Holmes's usual precise hand. It was consigned to Mr. Abe Slaney, +Elriges Farm, East Ruston, Norfolk. + +"I think, Inspector," Holmes remarked, "that you would do well +to telegraph for an escort, as, if my calculations prove to be +correct, you may have a particularly dangerous prisoner to +convey to the county jail. The boy who takes this note could no +doubt forward your telegram. If there is an afternoon train to +town, Watson, I think we should do well to take it, as I have a +chemical analysis of some interest to finish, and this +investigation draws rapidly to a close." + +When the youth had been dispatched with the note, Sherlock +Holmes gave his instructions to the servants. If any visitor +were to call asking for Mrs. Hilton Cubitt, no information +should be given as to her condition, but he was to be shown at +once into the drawing-room. He impressed these points upon them +with the utmost earnestness. Finally he led the way into the +drawing-room, with the remark that the business was now out of +our hands, and that we must while away the time as best we might +until we could see what was in store for us. The doctor had +departed to his patients, and only the inspector and myself +remained. + +"I think that I can help you to pass an hour in an interesting +and profitable manner," said Holmes, drawing his chair up to the +table, and spreading out in front of him the various papers upon +which were recorded the antics of the dancing men. "As to you, +friend Watson, I owe you every atonement for having allowed your +natural curiosity to remain so long unsatisfied. To you, +Inspector, the whole incident may appeal as a remarkable +professional study. I must tell you, first of all, the +interesting circumstances connected with the previous +consultations which Mr. Hilton Cubitt has had with me in Baker +Street." He then shortly recapitulated the facts which have +already been recorded. "I have here in front of me these +singular productions, at which one might smile, had they not +proved themselves to be the forerunners of so terrible a +tragedy. I am fairly familiar with all forms of secret writings, +and am myself the author of a trifling monograph upon the +subject, in which I analyze one hundred and sixty separate +ciphers, but I confess that this is entirely new to me. The +object of those who invented the system has apparently been to +conceal that these characters convey a message, and to give the +idea that they are the mere random sketches of children. + +"Having once recognized, however, that the symbols stood for +letters, and having applied the rules which guide us in all +forms of secret writings, the solution was easy enough. The +first message submitted to me was so short that it was +impossible for me to do more than to say, with some confidence, +that the symbol XXX stood for E. As you are aware, E is the most +common letter in the English alphabet, and it predominates to so +marked an extent that even in a short sentence one would expect +to find it most often. Out of fifteen symbols in the first message, +four were the same, so it was reasonable to set this down as E. It +is true that in some cases the figure was bearing a flag, and in +some cases not, but it was probable, from the way in which the +flags were distributed, that they were used to break the +sentence up into words. I accepted this as a hypothesis, and +noted that E was represented by XXX. + +"But now came the real difficulty of the inquiry. The order of +the English letters after E is by no means well marked, and any +preponderance which may be shown in an average of a printed +sheet may be reversed in a single short sentence. Speaking +roughly, T, A, O, I, N, S, H, R, D, and L are the numerical +order in which letters occur, but T, A, O, and I are very nearly +abreast of each other, and it would be an endless task to try +each combination until a meaning was arrived at. I therefore +waited for fresh material. In my second interview with Mr. +Hilton Cubitt he was able to give me two other short sentences +and one message, which appeared--since there was no flag--to be +a single word. Here are the symbols. Now, in the single word I +have already got the two E's coming second and fourth in a word +of five letters. It might be `sever,' or `lever,' or `never.' +There can be no question that the latter as a reply to an appeal +is far the most probable, and the circumstances pointed to its +being a reply written by the lady. Accepting it as correct, we +are now able to say that the symbols stand respectively for N, +V, and R. + +"Even now I was in considerable difficulty, but a happy thought +put me in possession of several other letters. It occurred to me +that if these appeals came, as I expected, from someone who had +been intimate with the lady in her early life, a combination +which contained two E's with three letters between might very +well stand for the name `ELSIE.' On examination I found that +such a combination formed the termination of the message which +was three times repeated. It was certainly some appeal to +`Elsie.' In this way I had got my L, S, and I. But what appeal +could it be? There were only four letters in the word which +preceded `Elsie,' and it ended in E. Surely the word must be +`COME.' I tried all other four letters ending in E, but could +find none to fit the case. So now I was in possession of C, O, +and M, and I was in a position to attack the first message once +more, dividing it into words and putting dots for each symbol +which was still unknown. So treated, it worked out in this fashion: + + + .M .ERE ..E SL.NE. + + +"Now the first letter CAN only be A, which is a most useful +discovery, since it occurs no fewer than three times in this +short sentence, and the H is also apparent in the second word. +Now it becomes: + + + AM HERE A.E SLANE. + + +Or, filling in the obvious vacancies in the name: + + + AM HERE ABE SLANEY. + + +I had so many letters now that I could proceed with considerable +confidence to the second message, which worked out in this fashion: + + + A. ELRI. ES. + + +Here I could only make sense by putting T and G for the missing +letters, and supposing that the name was that of some house or +inn at which the writer was staying." + +Inspector Martin and I had listened with the utmost interest to +the full and clear account of how my friend had produced results +which had led to so complete a command over our difficulties. + +"What did you do then, sir?" asked the inspector. + +"I had every reason to suppose that this Abe Slaney was an +American, since Abe is an American contraction, and since a +letter from America had been the starting-point of all the +trouble. I had also every cause to think that there was some +criminal secret in the matter. The lady's allusions to her past, +and her refusal to take her husband into her confidence, both +pointed in that direction. I therefore cabled to my friend, +Wilson Hargreave, of the New York Police Bureau, who has more +than once made use of my knowledge of London crime. I asked him +whether the name of Abe Slaney was known to him. Here is his +reply: `The most dangerous crook in Chicago.' On the very +evening upon which I had his answer, Hilton Cubitt sent me the +last message from Slaney. Working with known letters, it took +this form: + + + ELSIE .RE.ARE TO MEET THY GO. + + +The addition of a P and a D completed a message which showed me +that the rascal was proceeding from persuasion to threats, and my +knowledge of the crooks of Chicago prepared me to find that he +might very rapidly put his words into action. I at once came to +Norfolk with my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson, but, unhappily, +only in time to find that the worst had already occurred." + +"It is a privilege to be associated with you in the handling of +a case," said the inspector, warmly. "You will excuse me, +however, if I speak frankly to you. You are only answerable to +yourself, but I have to answer to my superiors. If this Abe +Slaney, living at Elrige's, is indeed the murderer, and if he +has made his escape while I am seated here, I should certainly +get into serious trouble." + +"You need not be uneasy. He will not try to escape." + +"How do you know?" + +"To fly would be a confession of guilt." + +"Then let us go arrest him." + +"I expect him here every instant." + +"But why should he come." + +"Because I have written and asked him." + +"But this is incredible, Mr. Holmes! Why should he come because +you have asked him? Would not such a request rather rouse his +suspicions and cause him to fly?" + +"I think I have known how to frame the letter," said Sherlock +Holmes. "In fact, if I am not very much mistaken, here is the +gentleman himself coming up the drive." + +A man was striding up the path which led to the door. He was +a tall, handsome, swarthy fellow, clad in a suit of gray flannel, +with a Panama hat, a bristling black beard, and a great, aggressive +hooked nose, and flourishing a cane as he walked. He swaggered +up a path as if as if the place belonged to him, and we heard +his loud, confident peal at the bell. + +"I think, gentlemen," said Holmes, quietly, "that we had best +take up our position behind the door. Every precaution is +necessary when dealing with such a fellow. You will need your +handcuffs, Inspector. You can leave the talking to me." + +We waited in silence for a minute--one of those minutes which +one can never forget. Then the door opened and the man stepped +in. In an instant Holmes clapped a pistol to his head, and +Martin slipped the handcuffs over his wrists. It was all done so +swiftly and deftly that the fellow was helpless before he knew +that he was attacked. He glared from one to the other of us with +a pair of blazing black eyes. Then he burst into a bitter laugh. + +"Well, gentlemen, you have the drop on me this time. I seem to +have knocked up against something hard. But I came here in +answer to a letter from Mrs. Hilton Cubitt. Don't tell me that +she is in this? Don't tell me that she helped to set a trap for me?" + +"Mrs. Hilton Cubitt was seriously injured, and is at death's door." + +The man gave a hoarse cry of grief, which rang through the house. + +"You're crazy!" he cried, fiercely. "It was he that was hurt, +not she. Who would have hurt little Elsie? I may have threatened +her--God forgive me!--but I would not have touched a hair of her +pretty head. Take it back--you! Say that she is not hurt!" + +"She was found badly wounded, by the side of her dead husband." + +He sank with a deep groan on the settee and buried his face in +his manacled hands. For five minutes he was silent. Then he +raised his face once more, and spoke with the cold composure of +despair. + +"I have nothing to hide from you, gentlemen," said he. "If I +shot the man he had his shot at me, and there's no murder in +that. But if you think I could have hurt that woman, then you +don't know either me or her. I tell you, there was never a man +in this world loved a woman more than I loved her. I had a right +to her. She was pledged to me years ago. Who was this Englishman +that he should come between us? I tell you that I had the first +right to her, and that I was only claiming my own. + +"She broke away from your influence when she found the man that +you are," said Holmes, sternly. "She fled from America to avoid +you, and she married an honourable gentleman in England. You +dogged her and followed her and made her life a misery to her, +in order to induce her to abandon the husband whom she loved and +respected in order to fly with you, whom she feared and hated. +You have ended by bringing about the death of a noble man and +driving his wife to suicide. That is your record in this +business, Mr. Abe Slaney, and you will answer for it to the law." + +"If Elsie dies, I care nothing what becomes of me," said the +American. He opened one of his hands, and looked at a note +crumpled up in his palm. "See here, mister! he cried, with a +gleam of suspicion in his eyes, "you're not trying to scare me +over this, are you? If the lady is hurt as bad as you say, who +was it that wrote this note?" He tossed it forward on to the table. + +"I wrote it, to bring you here." + +"You wrote it? There was no one on earth outside the Joint who +knew the secret of the dancing men. How came you to write it?" + +"What one man can invent another can discover," said Holmes. +There is a cab coming to convey you to Norwich, Mr. Slaney. But +meanwhile, you have time to make some small reparation for the +injury you have wrought. Are you aware that Mrs. Hilton Cubitt +has herself lain under grave suspicion of the murder of her +husband, and that it was only my presence here, and the +knowledge which I happened to possess, which has saved her from +the accusation? The least that you owe her is to make it clear +to the whole world that she was in no way, directly or +indirectly, responsible for his tragic end." + +"I ask nothing better," said the American. "I guess the very +best case I can make for myself is the absolute naked truth." + +"It is my duty to warn you that it will be used against you," +cried the inspector, with the magnificent fair play of the +British criminal law. + +Slaney shrugged his shoulders. + +"I'll chance that," said he. "First of all, I want you gentlemen +to understand that I have known this lady since she was a child. +There were seven of us in a gang in Chicago, and Elsie's father +was the boss of the Joint. He was a clever man, was old Patrick. +It was he who invented that writing, which would pass as a +child's scrawl unless you just happened to have the key to it. +Well, Elsie learned some of our ways, but she couldn't stand the +business, and she had a bit of honest money of her own, so she +gave us all the slip and got away to London. She had been +engaged to me, and she would have married me, I believe, if I +had taken over another profession, but she would have nothing to +do with anything on the cross. It was only after her marriage to +this Englishman that I was able to find out where she was. I +wrote to her, but got no answer. After that I came over, and, as +letters were no use, I put my messages where she could read them. + +"Well, I have been here a month now. I lived in that farm, where +I had a room down below, and could get in and out every night, +and no one the wiser. I tried all I could to coax Elsie away. I +knew that she read the messages, for once she wrote an answer +under one of them. Then my temper got the better of me, and I +began to threaten her. She sent me a letter then, imploring me +to go away, and saying that it would break her heart if any +scandal should come upon her husband. She said that she would +come down when her husband was asleep at three in the morning, +and speak with me through the end window, if I would go away +afterwards and leave her in peace. She came down and brought +money with her, trying to bribe me to go. This made me mad, and +I caught her arm and tried to pull her through the window. At +that moment in rushed the husband with his revolver in his hand. +Elsie had sunk down upon the floor, and we were face to face. I +was heeled also, and I held up my gun to scare him off and let +me get away. He fired and missed me. I pulled off almost at the +same instant, and down he dropped. I made away across the +garden, and as I went I heard the window shut behind me. That's +God's truth, gentlemen, every word of it, and I heard no more +about it until that lad came riding up with a note which made me +walk in here, like a jay, and give myself into your hands." + +A cab had driven up whilst the American had been talking. Two +uniformed policemen sat inside. Inspector Martin rose and +touched his prisoner on the shoulder. + +"It is time for us to go." + +"Can I see her first?" + +"No, she is not conscious. Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I only hope that +if ever again I have an important case, I shall have the good +fortune to have you by my side." + +We stood at the window and watched the cab drive away. As I +turned back, my eye caught the pellet of paper which the +prisoner had tossed upon the table. It was the note with which +Holmes had decoyed him. + +"See if you can read it, Watson," said he, with a smile. + +It contained no word, but this little line of dancing men: + + +GRAPHIC + + +"If you use the code which I have explained," said Holmes, "you +will find that it simply means `Come here at once.' I was +convinced that it was an invitation which he would not refuse, +since he could never imagine that it could come from anyone but +the lady. And so, my dear Watson, we have ended by turning the +dancing men to good when they have so often been the agents of +evil, and I think that I have fulfilled my promise of giving you +something unusual for your notebook. Three-forty is our train, +and I fancy we should be back in Baker Street for dinner." + +Only one word of epilogue. The American, Abe Slaney, was +condemned to death at the winter assizes at Norwich, but his +penalty was changed to penal servitude in consideration of +mitigating circumstances, and the certainty that Hilton Cubitt +had fired the first shot. Of Mrs. Hilton Cubitt I only know that +I have heard she recovered entirely, and that she still remains +a widow, devoting her whole life to the care of the poor and to +the administration of her husband's estate. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SOLITARY CYCLIST + + + +From the years 1894 to 1901 inclusive, Mr. Sherlock Holmes was +a very busy man. It is safe to say that there was no public case +of any difficulty in which he was not consulted during those +eight years, and there were hundreds of private cases, some of +them of the most intricate and extraordinary character, in which +he played a prominent part. Many startling successes and a few +unavoidable failures were the outcome of this long period of +continuous work. As I have preserved very full notes of all +these cases, and was myself personally engaged in many of them, +it may be imagined that it is no easy task to know which I +should select to lay before the public. I shall, however, +preserve my former rule, and give the preference to those cases +which derive their interest not so much from the brutality of +the crime as from the ingenuity and dramatic quality of the +solution. For this reason I will now lay before the reader the +facts connected with Miss Violet Smith, the solitary cyclist of +Charlington, and the curious sequel of our investigation, which +culminated in unexpected tragedy. It is true that the +circumstance did not admit of any striking illustration of those +powers for which my friend was famous, but there were some +points about the case which made it stand out in those long +records of crime from which I gather the material for these +little narratives. + +On referring to my notebook for the year 1895, I find that it +was upon Saturday, the 23rd of April, that we first heard of +Miss Violet Smith. Her visit was, I remember, extremely +unwelcome to Holmes, for he was immersed at the moment in a very +abstruse and complicated problem concerning the peculiar +persecution to which John Vincent Harden, the well known tobacco +millionaire, had been subjected. My friend, who loved above all +things precision and concentration of thought, resented anything +which distracted his attention from the matter in hand. And yet, +without a harshness which was foreign to his nature, it was +impossible to refuse to listen to the story of the young and +beautiful woman, tall, graceful, and queenly, who presented +herself at Baker Street late in the evening, and implored his +assistance and advice. It was vain to urge that his time was +already fully occupied, for the young lady had come with the +determination to tell her story, and it was evident that nothing +short of force could get her out of the room until she had done +so. With a resigned air and a somewhat weary smile, Holmes +begged the beautiful intruder to take a seat, and to inform us +what it was that was troubling her. + +"At least it cannot be your health," said he, as his keen eyes +darted over her, "so ardent a bicyclist must be full of energy." + +She glanced down in surprise at her own feet, and I observed the +slight roughening of the side of the sole caused by the friction +of the edge of the pedal. + +"Yes, I bicycle a good deal, Mr. Holmes, and that has something +to do with my visit to you to-day." + +My friend took the lady's ungloved hand, and examined it with as +close an attention and as little sentiment as a scientist would +show to a specimen. + +"You will excuse me, I am sure. It is my business," said he, as +he dropped it. "I nearly fell into the error of supposing that +you were typewriting. Of course, it is obvious that it is music. +You observe the spatulate finger-ends, Watson, which is common +to both professions? There is a spirituality about the face, +however"--she gently turned it towards the light--"which the +typewriter does not generate. This lady is a musician." + +"Yes, Mr. Holmes, I teach music." + +"In the country, I presume, from your complexion." + +"Yes, sir, near Farnham, on the borders of Surrey." + +"A beautiful neighbourhood, and full of the most interesting +associations. You remember, Watson, that it was near there that +we took Archie Stamford, the forger. Now, Miss Violet, what has +happened to you, near Farnham, on the borders of Surrey?" + +The young lady, with great clearness and composure, made the +following curious statement: + +"My father is dead, Mr. Holmes. He was James Smith, who +conducted the orchestra at the old Imperial Theatre. My mother +and I were left without a relation in the world except one +uncle, Ralph Smith, who went to Africa twenty-five years ago, +and we have never had a word from him since. When father died, +we were left very poor, but one day we were told that there was +an advertisement in the TIMES, inquiring for our whereabouts. +You can imagine how excited we were, for we thought that someone +had left us a fortune. We went at once to the lawyer whose name +was given in the paper. There we, met two gentlemen, Mr. +Carruthers and Mr. Woodley, who were home on a visit from South +Africa. They said that my uncle was a friend of theirs, that he +had died some months before in great poverty in Johannesburg, +and that he had asked them with his last breath to hunt up his +relations, and see that they were in no want. It seemed strange +to us that Uncle Ralph, who took no notice of us when he was +alive, should be so careful to look after us when he was dead, +but Mr. Carruthers explained that the reason was that my uncle +had just heard of the death of his brother, and so felt +responsible for our fate." + +"Excuse me," said Holmes. "When was this interview?" + +"Last December--four months ago." + +"Pray proceed." + +"Mr. Woodley seemed to me to be a most odious person. He was for +ever making eyes at me--a coarse, puffy-faced, red-moustached +young man, with his hair plastered down on each side of his +forehead. I thought that he was perfectly hateful--and I was +sure that Cyril would not wish me to know such a person." + +"Oh, Cyril is his name!" said Holmes, smiling. + +The young lady blushed and laughed. + +"Yes, Mr. Holmes, Cyril Morton, an electrical engineer, and we +hope to be married at the end of the summer. Dear me, how DID I +get talking about him? What I wished to say was that Mr. Woodley +was perfectly odious, but that Mr. Carruthers, who was a much +older man, was more agreeable. He was a dark, sallow, +clean-shaven, silent person, but he had polite manners and a +pleasant smile. He inquired how we were left, and on finding +that we were very poor, he suggested that I should come and +teach music to his only daughter, aged ten. I said that I did +not like to leave my mother, on which he suggested that I should +go home to her every week-end, and he offered me a hundred a +year, which was certainly splendid pay. So it ended by my +accepting, and I went down to Chiltern Grange, about six miles +from Farnham. Mr. Carruthers was a widower, but he had engaged +a lady housekeeper, a very respectable, elderly person, called +Mrs. Dixon, to look after his establishment. The child was a +dear, and everything promised well. Mr. Carruthers was very kind +and very musical, and we had most pleasant evenings together. +Every week-end I went home to my mother in town. + +"The first flaw in my happiness was the arrival of the +red-moustached Mr. Woodley. He came for a visit of a week, and +oh! it seemed three months to me. He was a dreadful person--a +bully to everyone else, but to me something infinitely worse. He +made odious love to me, boasted of his wealth, said that if I +married him I could have the finest diamonds in London, and +finally, when I would have nothing to do with him, he seized me +in his arms one day after dinner--he was hideously strong--and +swore that he would not let me go until I had kissed him. Mr. +Carruthers came in and tore him from me, on which he turned upon +his own host, knocking him down and cutting his face open. That +was the end of his visit, as you can imagine. Mr. Carruthers +apologized to me next day, and assured me that I should never be +exposed to such an insult again. I have not seen Mr. Woodley since. + +"And now, Mr. Holmes, I come at last to the special thing which +has caused me to ask your advice to-day. You must know that +every Saturday forenoon I ride on my bicycle to Farnham Station, +in order to get the 12:22 to town. The road from Chiltern Grange +is a lonely one, and at one spot it is particularly so, for it +lies for over a mile between Charlington Heath upon one side and +the woods which lie round Charlington Hall upon the other. You +could not find a more lonely tract of road anywhere, and it is +quite rare to meet so much as a cart, or a peasant, until you +reach the high road near Crooksbury Hill. Two weeks ago I was +passing this place, when I chanced to look back over my +shoulder, and about two hundred yards behind me I saw a man, +also on a bicycle. He seemed to be a middle-aged man, with a +short, dark beard. I looked back before I reached Farnham, but +the man was gone, so I thought no more about it. But you can +imagine how surprised I was, Mr. Holmes, when, on my return on +the Monday, I saw the same man on the same stretch of road. My +astonishment was increased when the incident occurred again, +exactly as before, on the following Saturday and Monday. He +always kept his distance and did not molest me in any way, but +still it certainly was very odd. I mentioned it to Mr. +Carruthers, who seemed interested in what I said, and told me +that he had ordered a horse and trap, so that in future I should +not pass over these lonely roads without some companion. + +"The horse and trap were to have come this week, but for some +reason they were not delivered, and again I had to cycle to the +station. That was this morning. You can think that I looked out +when I came to Charlington Heath, and there, sure enough, was +the man, exactly as he had been the two weeks before. He always +kept so far from me that I could not clearly see his face, but +it was certainly someone whom I did not know. He was dressed in +a dark suit with a cloth cap. The only thing about his face that +I could clearly see was his dark beard. To-day I was not +alarmed, but I was filled with curiosity, and I determined to +find out who he was and what he wanted. I slowed down my +machine, but he slowed down his. Then I stopped altogether, but +he stopped also. Then I laid a trap for him. There is a sharp +turning of the road, and I pedalled very quickly round this, and +then I stopped and waited. I expected him to shoot round and +pass me before he could stop. But he never appeared. Then I went +back and looked round the corner. I could see a mile of road, +but he was not on it. To make it the more extraordinary, there +was no side road at this point down which he could have gone." + +Holmes chuckled and rubbed his hands. "This case certainly +presents some features of its own," said he. "How much time +elapsed between your turning the corner and your discovery that +the road was clear?" + +"Two or three minutes." + +"Then he could not have retreated down the road, and you say +that there are no side roads?" + +"None." + +"Then he certainly took a footpath on one side or the other." + +"It could not have been on the side of the heath, or I should +have seen him." + +"So, by the process of exclusion, we arrive at the fact that he +made his way toward Charlington Hall, which, as I understand, is +situated in its own grounds on one side of the road. Anything else?" + +"Nothing, Mr. Holmes, save that I was so perplexed that I felt +I should not be happy until I had seen you and had your advice." + +Holmes sat in silence for some little time. + +"Where is the gentleman to whom you are engaged?" he asked at last. + +"He is in the Midland Electrical Company, at Coventry." + +"He would not pay you a surprise visit?" + +"Oh, Mr. Holmes! As if I should not know him!" + +"Have you had any other admirers?" + +"Several before I knew Cyril." + +"And since?" + +"There was this dreadful man, Woodley, if you can call him an admirer." + +"No one else?" + +Our fair client seemed a little confused. + +"Who was he?" asked Holmes. + +"Oh, it may be a mere fancy of mine; but it had seemed to me +sometimes that my employer, Mr. Carruthers, takes a great deal +of interest in me. We are thrown rather together. I play his +accompaniments in the evening. He has never said anything. He is +a perfect gentleman. But a girl always knows." + +"Ha!" Holmes looked grave. "What does he do for a living?" + +"He is a rich man." + +"No carriages or horses?" + +"Well, at least he is fairly well-to-do. But he goes into the +city two or three times a week. He is deeply interested in South +African gold shares." + +"You will let me know any fresh development, Miss Smith. I am +very busy just now, but I will find time to make some inquiries +into your case. In the meantime, take no step without letting me +know. Good-bye, and I trust that we shall have nothing but good +news from you." + +"It is part of the settled order of Nature that such a girl +should have followers," said Holmes, he pulled at his meditative +pipe, "but for choice not on bicycles in lonely country roads. +Some secretive lover, beyond all doubt. But there are curious +and suggestive details about the case, Watson." + +"That he should appear only at that point?" + +"Exactly. Our first effort must be to find who are the tenants +of Charlington Hall. Then, again, how about the connection +between Carruthers and Woodley, since they appear to be men of +such a different type? How came they BOTH to be so keen upon +looking up Ralph Smith's relations? One more point. What sort of +a menage is it which pays double the market price for a +governess but does not keep a horse, although six miles from the +station? Odd, Watson--very odd!" + +"You will go down?" + +"No, my dear fellow, YOU will go down. This may be some trifling +intrigue, and I cannot break my other important research for the +sake of it. On Monday you will arrive early at Farnham; you will +conceal yourself near Charlington Heath; you will observe these +facts for yourself, and act as your own judgment advises. Then, +having inquired as to the occupants of the Hall, you will come +back to me and report. And now, Watson, not another word of the +matter until we have a few solid stepping-stones on which we may +hope to get across to our solution." + +We had ascertained from the lady that she went down upon the +Monday by the train which leaves Waterloo at 9:50, so I started +early and caught the 9:13. At Farnham Station I had no +difficulty in being directed to Charlington Heath. It was +impossible to mistake the scene of the young lady's adventure, for +the road runs between the open heath on one side and an old yew +hedge upon the other, surrounding a park which is studded with +magnificent trees. There was a main gateway of lichen-studded +stone, each side pillar surmounted by mouldering heraldic +emblems, but besides this central carriage drive I observed +several points where there were gaps in the hedge and paths +leading through them. The house was invisible from the road, but +the surroundings all spoke of gloom and decay. + +The heath was covered with golden patches of flowering gorse, +gleaming magnificently in the light of the bright spring sunshine. +Behind one of these clumps I took up my position, so as to +command both the gateway of the Hall and a long stretch of the +road upon either side. It had been deserted when I left it, but +now I saw a cyclist riding down it from the opposite direction +to that in which I had come. He was clad in a dark suit, and I +saw that he had a black beard. On reaching the end of the +Charlington grounds, he sprang from his machine and led it +through a gap in the hedge, disappearing from my view. + +A quarter of an hour passed, and then a second cyclist appeared. +This time it was the young lady coming from the station. I saw +her look about her as she came to the Charlington hedge. An +instant later the man emerged from his hiding-place, sprang upon +his cycle, and followed her. In all the broad landscape those +were the only moving figures, the graceful girl sitting very +straight upon her machine, and the man behind her bending low +over his handle-bar with a curiously furtive suggestion in every +movement. She looked back at him and slowed her pace. He slowed +also. She stopped. He at once stopped, too, keeping two hundred +yards behind her. Her next movement was as unexpected as it was +spirited. She suddenly whisked her wheels round and dashed +straight at him. He was as quick as she, however, and darted off +in desperate flight. Presently she came back up the road again, +her head haughtily in the air, not deigning to take any further +notice of her silent attendant. He had turned also, and still +kept his distance until the curve of the road hid them from my sight. + +I remained in my hiding-place, and it was well that I did so, +for presently the man reappeared, cycling slowly back. He turned +in at the Hall gates, and dismounted from his machine. For some +minutes I could see him standing among the trees. His hands were +raised, and he seemed to be settling his necktie. Then he +mounted his cycle, and rode away from me down the drive towards +the Hall. I ran across the heath and peered through the trees. +Far away I could catch glimpses of the old gray building with +its bristling Tudor chimneys, but the drive ran through a dense +shrubbery, and I saw no more of my man. + +However, it seemed to me that I had done a fairly good morning's +work, and I walked back in high spirits to Farnham. The local +house agent could tell me nothing about Charlington Hall, and +referred me to a well known firm in Pall Mall. There I halted on +my way home, and met with courtesy from the representative. No, +I could not have Charlington Hall for the summer. I was just too +late. It had been let about a month ago. Mr. Williamson was the +name of the tenant. He was a respectable, elderly gentleman. The +polite agent was afraid he could say no more, as the affairs of +his clients were not matters which he could discuss. + +Mr. Sherlock Holmes listened with attention to the long report +which I was able to present to him that evening, but it did not +elicit that word of curt praise which I had hoped for and should +have valued. On the contrary, his austere face was even more +severe than usual as he commented upon the things that I had +done and the things that I had not. + +"Your hiding-place, my dear Watson, was very faulty. You should +have been behind the hedge, then you would have had a close view +of this interesting person. As it is, you were some hundreds of +yards away and can tell me even less than Miss Smith. She thinks +she does not know the man; I am convinced she does. Why, +otherwise, should he be so desperately anxious that she should +not get so near him as to see his features? You describe him as +bending over the handle-bar. Concealment again, you see. You +really have done remarkably badly. He returns to the house, and +you want to find out who he is. You come to a London house agent!" + +"What should I have done?" I cried, with some heat. + +"Gone to the nearest public-house. That is the centre of country +gossip. They would have told you every name, from the master to +the scullery-maid. Williamson? It conveys nothing to my mind. If +he is an elderly man he is not this active cyclist who sprints +away from that young lady's athletic pursuit. What have we +gained by your expedition? The knowledge that the girl's story +is true. I never doubted it. That there is a connection between +the cyclist and the Hall. I never doubted that either. That the +Hall is tenanted by Williamson. Who's the better for that? Well, +well, my dear sir, don't look so depressed. We can do little +more until next Saturday, and in the meantime I may make one or +two inquiries myself." + +Next morning, we had a note from Miss Smith, recounting shortly +and accurately the very incidents which I had seen, but the pith +of the letter lay in the postscript: + +I am sure that you will respect my confidence, Mr. Holmes, when +I tell you that my place here has become difficult, owing to the +fact that my employer has proposed marriage to me. I am +convinced that his feelings are most deep and most honourable. +At the same time, my promise is of course given. He took my +refusal very seriously, but also very gently. You can +understand, however, that the situation is a little strained. +"Our young friend seems to be getting into deep waters," said +Holmes, thoughtfully, as he finished the letter. "The case +certainly presents more features of interest and more +possibility of development than I had originally thought. I +should be none the worse for a quiet, peaceful day in the +country, and I am inclined to run down this afternoon and test +one or two theories which I have formed." + +Holmes's quiet day in the country had a singular termination, +for he arrived at Baker Street late in the evening, with a cut +lip and a discoloured lump upon his forehead, besides a general +air of dissipation which would have made his own person the +fitting object of a Scotland Yard investigation. He was +immensely tickled by his own adventures and laughed heartily as +he recounted them. + +"I get so little active exercise that it is always a treat" said +he. "You are aware that I have some proficiency in the good old +British sport of boxing. Occasionally, it is of service, to-day, +for example, I should have come to very ignominious grief +without it." + +I begged him to tell me what had occurred. + +"I found that country pub which I had already recommended to +your notice, and there I made my discreet inquiries. I was in +the bar, and a garrulous landlord was giving me all that I +wanted. Williamson is a white-bearded man, and he lives alone +with a small staff of servants at the Hall. There is some rumor +that he is or has been a clergyman, but one or two incidents of +his short residence at the Hall struck me as peculiarly +unecclesiastical. I have already made some inquiries at a +clerical agency, and they tell me that there WAS a man of that +name in orders, whose career has been a singularly dark one. The +landlord further informed me that there are usually week-end +visitors--`a warm lot, sir'--at the Hall, and especially one +gentleman with a red moustache, Mr. Woodley by name, who was +always there. We had got as far as this, when who should walk in +but the gentleman himself, who had been drinking his beer in the +tap-room and had heard the whole conversation. Who was I? What +did I want? What did I mean by asking questions? He had a fine +flow of language, and his adjectives were very vigorous. He +ended a string of abuse by a vicious backhander, which I failed +to entirely avoid. The next few minutes were delicious. It was +a straight left against a slogging ruffian. I emerged as you see +me. Mr. Woodley went home in a cart. So ended my country trip, +and it must be confessed that, however enjoyable, my day on the +Surrey border has not been much more profitable than your own." + +The Thursday brought us another letter from our client. + +You will not be surprised, Mr. Holmes [said she] to hear that I +am leaving Mr. Carruthers's employment. Even the high pay cannot +reconcile me to the discomforts of my situation. On Saturday I +come up to town, and I do not intend to return. Mr. Carruthers +has got a trap, and so the dangers of the lonely road, if there +ever were any dangers, are now over. + +As to the special cause of my leaving, it is not merely the +strained situation with Mr. Carruthers, but it is the +reappearance of that odious man, Mr. Woodley. He was always +hideous, but he looks more awful than ever now, for he appears +to have had an accident and he is much disfigured. I saw him out +of the window, but I am glad to say I did not meet him. He had +a long talk with Mr. Carruthers, who seemed much excited +afterwards. Woodley must be staying in the neighbourhood, for he +did not sleep here, and yet I caught a glimpse of him again this +morning, slinking about in the shrubbery. I would sooner have a +savage wild animal loose about the place. I loathe and fear him +more than I can say. How CAN Mr. Carruthers endure such a creature +for a moment? However, all my troubles will be over on Saturday. + +"So I trust, Watson, so I trust," said Holmes, gravely. "There is +some deep intrigue going on round that little woman, and it is +our duty to see that no one molests her upon that last journey. +I think, Watson, that we must spare time to run down together on +Saturday morning and make sure that this curious and inclusive +investigation has no untoward ending." + +I confess that I had not up to now taken a very serious view of +the case, which had seemed to me rather grotesque and bizarre +than dangerous. That a man should lie in wait for and follow a +very handsome woman is no unheard-of thing, and if he has so +little audacity that he not only dared not address her, but even +fled from her approach, he was not a very formidable assailant. +The ruffian Woodley was a very different person, but, except on +one occasion, he had not molested our client, and now he visited +the house of Carruthers without intruding upon her presence. The +man on the bicycle was doubtless a member of those week-end +parties at the Hall of which the publican had spoken, but who he +was, or what he wanted, was as obscure as ever. It was the +severity of Holmes's manner and the fact that he slipped a +revolver into his pocket before leaving our rooms which +impressed me with the feeling that tragedy might prove to lurk +behind this curious train of events. + +A rainy night had been followed by a glorious morning, and the +heath-covered countryside, with the glowing clumps of flowering +gorse, seemed all the more beautiful to eyes which were weary of +the duns and drabs and slate grays of London. Holmes and I +walked along the broad, sandy road inhaling the fresh morning +air and rejoicing in the music of the birds and the fresh breath +of the spring. From a rise of the road on the shoulder of +Crooksbury Hill, we could see the grim Hall bristling out from +amidst the ancient oaks, which, old as they were, were still +younger than the building which they surrounded. Holmes pointed +down the long tract of road which wound, a reddish yellow band, +between the brown of the heath and the budding green of the +woods. Far away, a black dot, we could see a vehicle moving in +our direction. Holmes gave an exclamation of impatience. + +"I have given a margin of half an hour," said he. "If that is +her trap, she must be making for the earlier train. I fear, +Watson, that she will be past Charlington before we can possibly +meet her." + +From the instant that we passed the rise, we could no longer see +the vehicle, but we hastened onward at such a pace that my +sedentary life began to tell upon me, and I was compelled to +fall behind. Holmes, however, was always in training, for he had +inexhaustible stores of nervous energy upon which to draw. His +springy step never slowed until suddenly, when he was a hundred +yards in front of me, he halted, and I saw him throw up his hand +with a gesture of grief and despair. At the same instant an +empty dog-cart, the horse cantering, the reins trailing, appeared +round the curve of the road and rattled swiftly towards us. + +"Too late, Watson, too late!" cried Holmes, as I ran panting to +his side. "Fool that I was not to allow for that earlier train! +It's abduction, Watson--abduction! Murder! Heaven knows what! +Block the road! Stop the horse! That's right. Now, jump in, and +let us see if I can repair the consequences of my own blunder." + +We had sprung into the dog-cart, and Holmes, after turning the +horse, gave it a sharp cut with the whip, and we flew back along +the road. As we turned the curve, the whole stretch of road +between the Hall and the heath was opened up. I grasped Holmes's arm. + +"That's the man!" I gasped. A solitary cyclist was coming +towards us. His head was down and his shoulders rounded, as he +put every ounce of energy that he possessed on to the pedals. He +was flying like a racer. Suddenly he raised his bearded face, +saw us close to him, and pulled up, springing from his machine. +That coal-black beard was in singular contrast to eyes were as +bright as if he had a fever. He stared at us and at the +dog-cart. Then a look of amazement came over his face. + +"Halloa! Stop there!" he shouted, holding his bicycle to block +our road. "Where did you get that dog-cart? Pull up, man!" he +yelled, drawing a pistol from his side "Pull up, I say, or, by +George, I'll put a bullet into your horse." + +Holmes threw the reins into my lap and sprang down from the cart. + +"You're the man we want to see. Where is Miss Violet Smith?" he +said, in his quick, clear way. + +"That's what I'm asking you. You're in her dog-cart. You ought +to know where she is." + +"We met the dog-cart on the road. There was no one in it. We +drove back to help the young lady." + +"Good Lord! Good Lord! What shall I do?" cried the stranger, in +an ecstasy of despair. "They've got her, that hell-hound Woodley +and the blackguard parson. Come, man, come, if you really are +her friend. Stand by me and we'll save her, if I have to leave +my carcass in Charlington Wood." + +He ran distractedly, his pistol in his hand, towards a gap in +the hedge. Holmes followed him, and I, leaving the horse grazing +beside the road, followed Holmes. + +"This is where they came through," said he, pointing to the +marks of several feet upon the muddy path. "Halloa! Stop a +minute! Who's this in the bush?" + +It was a young fellow about seventeen, dressed like an ostler, +with leather cords and gaiters. He lay upon his back, his knees +drawn up, a terrible cut upon his head. He was insensible, but +alive. A glance at his wound told me that it had not penetrated +the bone. + +"That's Peter, the groom," cried the stranger. "He drove her. +The beasts have pulled him off and clubbed him. Let him lie; we +can't do him any good, but we may save her from the worst fate +that can befall a woman." + +We ran frantically down the path, which wound among the trees. +We had reached the shrubbery which surrounded the house when +Holmes pulled up. + +"They didn't go to the house. Here are their marks on the left-- +here, beside the laurel bushes. Ah! I said so." + +As he spoke, a woman's shrill scream--a scream which vibrated +with a frenzy of horror--burst from the thick, green clump of +bushes in front of us. It ended suddenly on its highest note +with a choke and a gurgle. + +"This way! This way! They are in the bowling-alley," cried the +stranger, darting through the bushes. "Ah, the cowardly dogs! +Follow me, gentlemen! Too late! too late! by the living Jingo!" + +We had broken suddenly into a lovely glade of greensward +surrounded by ancient trees. On the farther side of it, under +the shadow of a mighty oak, there stood a singular group of three +people. One was a woman, our client, drooping and faint, a +handkerchief round her mouth. Opposite her stood a brutal, +heavy-faced, red-moustached young man, his gaitered legs +parted wide, one arm akimbo, the other waving a riding crop, his +whole attitude suggestive of triumphant bravado. Between them an +elderly, gray-bearded man, wearing a short surplice over a light +tweed suit, had evidently just completed the wedding service, +for he pocketed his prayer-book as we appeared, and slapped the +sinister bridegroom upon the back in jovial congratulation. + +"They're married!" I gasped. + +"Come on!" cried our guide, "come on!" He rushed across the +glade, Holmes and I at his heels. As we approached, the lady +staggered against the trunk of the tree for support. Williamson, +the ex-clergyman, bowed to us with mock politeness, and the +bully, Woodley, advanced with a shout of brutal and exultant +laughter. + +"You can take your beard off, Bob," said he. "I know you, right +enough. Well, you and your pals have just come in time for me to +be able to introduce you to Mrs. Woodley." + +Our guide's answer was a singular one. He snatched off the dark +beard which had disguised him and threw it on the ground, +disclosing a long, sallow, clean-shaven face below it. Then he +raised his revolver and covered the young ruffian, who was +advancing upon him with his dangerous riding-crop swinging in +his hand. + +"Yes," said our ally, "I am Bob Carruthers, and I'll see this +woman righted, if I have to swing for it. I told you what I'd do +if you molested her, and, by the Lord! I'll be as good as my word." + +"You're too late. She's my wife." + +"No, she's your widow." + +His revolver cracked, and I saw the blood spurt from the front +of Woodley's waistcoat. He spun round with a scream and fell +upon his back, his hideous red face turning suddenly to a +dreadful mottled pallor. The old man, still clad in his +surplice, burst into such a string of foul oaths as I have never +heard, and pulled out a revolver of his own, but, before he +could raise it, he was looking down the barrel of Holmes's weapon. + +"Enough of this," said my friend, coldly. "Drop that pistol! +Watson, pick it up! Hold it to his head. Thank you. You, +Carruthers, give me that revolver. We'll have no more violence. +Come, hand it over!" + +"Who are you, then?" + +"My name is Sherlock Holmes." + +"Good Lord!" + +"You have heard of me, I see. I will represent the official +police until their arrival. Here, you!" he shouted to a +frightened groom, who had appeared at the edge of the glade. +"Come here. Take this note as hard as you can ride to Farnham." +He scribbled a few words upon a leaf from his notebook. "Give it +to the superintendent at the police-station. Until he comes, I +must detain you all under my personal custody." + +The strong, masterful personality of Holmes dominated the tragic +scene, and all were equally puppets in his hands. Williamson and +Carruthers found themselves carrying the wounded Woodley into +the house, and I gave my arm to the frightened girl. The injured +man was laid on his bed, and at Holmes's request I examined him. +I carried my report to where he sat in the old tapestry-hung +dining-room with his two prisoners before him. + +"He will live," said I. + +"What!" cried Carruthers, springing out of his chair. "I'll go +upstairs and finish him first. Do you tell me that that angel, +is to be tied to Roaring Jack Woodley for life?" + +"You need not concern yourself about that," said Holmes. "There +are two very good reasons why she should, under no +circumstances, be his wife. In the first place, we are very safe +in questioning Mr. Williamson's right to solemnize a marriage." + +"I have been ordained," cried the old rascal. + +"And also unfrocked." + +"Once a clergyman, always a clergyman." + +"I think not. How about the license?" + +"We had a license for the marriage. I have it here in my pocket." + +"Then you got it by trick. But, in any case a forced marriage is +no marriage, but it is a very serious felony, as you will +discover before you have finished. You'll have time to think the +point out during the next ten years or so, unless I am mistaken. +As to you, Carruthers, you would have done better to keep your +pistol in your pocket." + +"I begin to think so, Mr. Holmes, but when I thought of all the +precaution I had taken to shield this girl--for I loved her, Mr. +Holmes, and it is the only time that ever I knew what love was-- +it fairly drove me mad to think that she was in the power of the +greatest brute and bully in South Africa--a man whose name is a +holy terror from Kimberley to Johannesburg. Why, Mr. Holmes, +you'll hardly believe it, but ever since that girl has been in +my employment I never once let her go past this house, where I +knew the rascals were lurking, without following her on my bicycle, +just to see that she came to no harm. I kept my distance from her, +and I wore a beard, so that she should not recognize me, for she +is a good and high-spirited girl, and she wouldn't have stayed +in my employment long if she had thought that I was following +her about the country roads." + +"Why didn't you tell her of her danger?" + +"Because then, again, she would have left me, and I couldn't +bear to face that. Even if she couldn't love me, it was a great +deal to me just to see her dainty form about the house, and to +hear the sound of her voice." + +"Well," said I, "you call that love, Mr. Carruthers, but I +should call it selfishness." + +"Maybe the two things go together. Anyhow, I couldn't let her +go. Besides, with this crowd about, it was well that she should +have someone near to look after her. Then, when the cable came, +I knew they were bound to make a move." + +"What cable?" + +Carruthers took a telegram from his pocket "That's it," said he. + +It was short and concise: + + The old man is dead. + +"Hum!" said Holmes. "I think I see how things worked, and I can +understand how this message would, as you say, bring them to a +head. But while you wait, you might tell me what you can. + +The old reprobate with the surplice burst into a volley of bad +language. + +"By heaven!" said he, "if you squeal on us, Bob Carruthers, I'll +serve you as you served Jack Woodley. You can bleat about the +girl to your heart's content, for that's your own affair, but if +you round on your pals to this plain-clothes copper, it will be +the worst day's work that ever you did." + +"Your reverence need not be excited," said Holmes, lighting a +cigarette. "The case is clear enough against you, and all I ask +is a few details for my private curiosity. However, if there's +any difficulty in your telling me, I'll do the talking, and then +you will see how far you have a chance of holding back your +secrets. In the first place, three of you came from South Africa +on this game--you Williamson, you Carruthers, and Woodley." + +"Lie number one," said the old man; "I never saw either of them +until two months ago, and I have never been in Africa in my +life, so you can put that in your pipe and smoke it, Mr. +Busybody Holmes!" + +"What he says is true," said Carruthers. + +"Well, well, two of you came over. His reverence is our own +homemade article. You had known Ralph Smith in South Africa. You +had reason to believe he would not live long. You found out that +his niece would inherit his fortune. How's that--eh?" + +Carruthers nodded and Williamson swore. + +"She was next of kin, no doubt, and you were aware that the old +fellow would make no will." + +"Couldn't read or write," said Carruthers. + +"So you came over, the two of you, and hunted up the girl. The +idea was that one of you was to marry her, and the other have a +share of the plunder. For some reason, Woodley was chosen as the +husband. Why was that?" + +"We played cards for her on the voyage. He won." + +"I see. You got the young lady into your service, and there +Woodley was to do the courting. She recognized the drunken brute +that he was, and would have nothing to do with him. Meanwhile, +your arrangement was rather upset by the fact that you had +yourself fallen in love with the lady. You could no longer bear +the idea of this ruffian owning her?" + +"No, by George, I couldn't!" + +"There was a quarrel between you. He left you in a rage, and +began to make his own plans independently of you." + +"It strikes me, Williamson, there isn't very much that we can +tell this gentleman," cried Carruthers, with a bitter laugh. +"Yes, we quarreled, and he knocked me down. I am level with him +on that, anyhow. Then I lost sight of him. That was when he +picked up with this outcast padre here. I found that they had +set up housekeeping together at this place on the line that she +had to pass for the station. I kept my eye on her after that, +for I knew there was some devilry in the wind. I saw them from +time to time, for I was anxious to know what they were after. +Two days ago Woodley came up to my house with this cable, which +showed that Ralph Smith was dead. He asked me if I would stand +by the bargain. I said I would not. He asked me if I would marry +the girl myself and give him a share. I said I would willingly +do so, but that she would not have me. He said, `Let us get her +married first and after a week or two she may see things a bit +different.' I said I would have nothing to do with violence. So +he went off cursing, like the foul-mouthed blackguard that he +was, and swearing that he would have her yet. She was leaving me +this week-end, and I had got a trap to take her to the station, +but I was so uneasy in my mind that I followed her on my +bicycle. She had got a start, however, and before I could catch +her, the mischief was done. The first thing I knew about it was +when I saw you two gentlemen driving back in her dog-cart" + +Holmes rose and tossed the end of his cigarette into the grate. +"I have been very obtuse, Watson," said he. "When in your report +you said that you had seen the cyclist as you thought arrange +his necktie in the shrubbery, that alone should have told me +all. However, we may congratulate ourselves upon a curious and, +in some respects, a unique case. I perceive three of the county +constabulary in the drive, and I am glad to see that the little +ostler is able to keep pace with them, so it is likely that +neither he nor the interesting bridegroom will be permanently +damaged by their morning's adventures. I think, Watson, that in +your medical capacity, you might wait upon Miss Smith and tell +her that if she is sufficiently recovered, we shall be happy to +escort her to her mother's home. If she is not quite +convalescent you will find that a hint that we were about to +telegraph to a young electrician in the Midlands would probably +complete the cure. As to you, Mr. Carruthers, I think that you +have done what you could to make amends for your share in an +evil plot. There is my card, sir, and if my evidence can be of +help in your trial, it shall be at your disposal." + +In the whirl of our incessant activity, it has often been +difficult for me, as the reader has probably observed, to round +off my narratives, and to give those final details which the +curious might expect. Each case has been the prelude to another, +and the crisis once over, the actors have passed for ever out of +our busy lives. I find, however, a short note at the end of my +manuscript dealing with this case, in which I have put it upon +record that Miss Violet Smith did indeed inherit a large +fortune, and that she is now the wife of Cyril Morton, the +senior partner of Morton & Kennedy, the famous Westminster +electricians. Williamson and Woodley were both tried for +abduction and assault, the former getting seven years the latter +ten. Of the fate of Carruthers, I have no record, but I am sure +that his assault was not viewed very gravely by the court, since +Woodley had the reputation of being a most dangerous ruffian, +and I think that a few, months were sufficient to satisfy the +demands of justice. THE ADVENTURE OF THE PRIORY SCHOOL + + +We have had some dramatic entrances and exits upon our small +stage at Baker Street, but I cannot recollect anything more +sudden and startling than the first appearance of Thorneycroft +Huxtable, M.A., Ph.D., etc. His card, which seemed too small to +carry the weight of his academic distinctions, preceded him by +a few seconds, and then he entered himself--so large, so +pompous, and so dignified that he was the very embodiment of +self-possession and solidity. And yet his first action, when the +door had closed behind him, was to stagger against the table, +whence he slipped down upon the floor, and there was that +majestic figure prostrate and insensible upon our bearskin +hearth-rug. + +We had sprung to our feet, and for a few moments we stared in +silent amazement at this ponderous piece of wreckage, which told +of some sudden and fatal storm far out on the ocean of life. +Then Holmes hurried with a cushion for his head, and I with +brandy for his lips. The heavy, white face was seamed with lines +of trouble, the hanging pouches under the closed eyes were +leaden in colour, the loose mouth drooped dolorously at the +corners, the rolling chins were unshaven. Collar and shirt bore +the grime of a long journey, and the hair bristled unkempt from +the well-shaped head. It was a sorely stricken man who lay +before us. + +"What is it, Watson?" asked Holmes. + +"Absolute exhaustion--possibly mere hunger and fatigue," said I, +with my finger on the thready pulse, where the stream of life +trickled thin and small. + +"Return ticket from Mackleton, in the north of England," said +Holmes, drawing it from the watch-pocket. "It is not twelve +o'clock yet. He has certainly been an early starter." + +The puckered eyelids had begun to quiver, and now a pair of +vacant gray eyes looked up at us. An instant later the man had +scrambled on to his feet, his face crimson with shame. + +"Forgive this weakness, Mr. Holmes, I have been a little +overwrought. Thank you, if I might have a glass of milk and a +biscuit, I have no doubt that I should be better. I came +personally, Mr. Holmes, in order to insure that you would return +with me. I feared that no telegram would convince you of the +absolute urgency of the case." + +"When you are quite restored----" + +"I am quite well again. I cannot imagine how I came to be so +weak. I wish you, Mr. Holmes, to come to Mackleton with me by +the next train." + +My friend shook his head. + +"My colleague, Dr. Watson, could tell you that we are very busy +at present. I am retained in this case of the Ferrers Documents, +and the Abergavenny murder is coming up for trial. Only a very +important issue could call me from London at present." + +"Important!" Our visitor threw up his hands. "Have you heard +nothing of the abduction of the only son of the Duke of +Holdernesse?" + +"What! the late Cabinet Minister?" + +"Exactly. We had tried to keep it out of the papers, but there +was some rumor in the GLOBE last night. I thought it might have +reached your ears." + +Holmes shot out his long, thin arm and picked out Volume "H" in +his encyclopaedia of reference. + +"`Holdernesse, 6th Duke, K.G., P.C.'--half the alphabet! `Baron +Beverley, Earl of Carston'--dear me, what a list! `Lord +Lieutenant of Hallamshire since 1900. Married Edith, daughter of +Sir Charles Appledore, 1888. Heir and only child, Lord Saltire. +Owns about two hundred and fifty thousand acres. Minerals in +Lancashire and Wales. Address: Carlton House Terrace; +Holdernesse Hall, Hallamshire; Carston Castle, Bangor, Wales. +Lord of the Admiralty, 1872; Chief Secretary of State for----' +Well, well, this man is certainly one of the greatest subjects +of the Crown!" + +"The greatest and perhaps the wealthiest. I am aware, Mr. +Holmes, that you take a very high line in professional matters, +and that you are prepared to work for the work's sake. I may +tell you, however, that his Grace has already intimated that a +check for five thousand pounds will be handed over to the person +who can tell him where his son is, and another thousand to him +who can name the man or men who have taken him." + +"It is a princely offer," said Holmes. "Watson, I think that we +shall accompany Dr. Huxtable back to the north of England. And +now, Dr. Huxtable, when you have consumed that milk, you will +kindly tell me what has happened, when it happened, how it +happened, and, finally, what Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable, of the +Priory School, near Mackleton, has to do with the matter, and +why he comes three days after an event--the state of your chin +gives the date--to ask for my humble services." + +Our visitor had consumed his milk and biscuits. The light had +come back to his eyes and the colour to his cheeks, as he set +himself with great vigour and lucidity to explain the situation. + +"I must inform you, gentlemen, that the Priory is a preparatory +school, of which I am the founder and principal. HUXTABLE'S +SIDELIGHTS ON HORACE may possibly recall my name to your +memories. The Priory is, without exception, the best and most +select preparatory school in England. Lord Leverstoke, the Earl +of Blackwater, Sir Cathcart Soames--they all have intrusted +their sons to me. But I felt that my school had reached its +zenith when, weeks ago, the Duke of Holdernesse sent Mr. James +Wilder, his secretary, with intimation that young Lord Saltire, +ten years old, his only son and heir, was about to be committed +to my charge. Little did I think that this would be the prelude +to the most crushing misfortune of my life. + +"On May 1st the boy arrived, that being the beginning of the +summer term. He was a charming youth, and he soon fell into our +ways. I may tell you--I trust that I am not indiscreet, but +half-confidences are absurd in such a case--that he was not +entirely happy at home. It is an open secret that the Duke's +married life had not been a peaceful one, and the matter had +ended in a separation by mutual consent, the Duchess taking up +her residence in the south of France. This had occurred very +shortly before, and the boy's sympathies are known to have been +strongly with his mother. He moped after her departure from +Holdernesse Hall, and it was for this reason that the Duke +desired to send him to my establishment. In a fortnight the boy +was quite at home with us and was apparently absolutely happy. + +"He was last seen on the night of May 13th--that is, the night +of last Monday. His room was on the second floor and was +approached through another larger room, in which two boys were +sleeping. These boys saw and heard nothing, so that it is +certain that young Saltire did not pass out that way. His window +was open, and there is a stout ivy plant leading to the ground. +We could trace no footmarks below, but it is sure that this is +the only possible exit. + +"His absence was discovered at seven o'clock on Tuesday morning. +His bed had been slept in. He had dressed himself fully, before +going off, in his usual school suit of black Eton jacket and +dark gray trousers. There were no signs that anyone had entered +the room, and it is quite certain that anything in the nature of +cries or ones struggle would have been heard, since Caunter, the +elder boy in the inner room, is a very light sleeper. + +"When Lord Saltire's disappearance was discovered, I at once +called a roll of the whole establishment--boys, masters, and +servants. It was then that we ascertained that Lord Saltire had +not been alone in his flight. Heidegger, the German master, was +missing. His room was on the second floor, at the farther end of +the building, facing the same way as Lord Saltire's. His bed had +also been slept in, but he had apparently gone away partly +dressed, since his shirt and socks were lying on the floor. He +had undoubtedly let himself down by the ivy, for we could see +the marks of his feet where he had landed on the lawn. His +bicycle was kept in a small shed beside this lawn, and it also +was gone. + +"He had been with me for two years, and came with the best +references, but he was a silent, morose man, not very popular +either with masters or boys. No trace could be found of the +fugitives, and now, on Thursday morning, we are as ignorant as +we were on Tuesday. Inquiry was, of course, made at once at +Holdernesse Hall. It is only a few miles away, and we imagined +that, in some sudden attack of homesickness, he had gone back to +his father, but nothing had been heard of him. The Duke is +greatly agitated, and, as to me, you have seen yourselves the +state of nervous prostration to which the suspense and the +responsibility have reduced me. Mr. Holmes, if ever you put +forward your full powers, I implore you to do so now, for never +in your life could you have a case which is more worthy of them." + +Sherlock Holmes had listened with the utmost intentness to the +statement of the unhappy schoolmaster. His drawn brows and the +deep furrow between them showed that he needed no exhortation to +concentrate all his attention upon a problem which, apart from +the tremendous interests involved must appeal so directly to his +love of the complex and the unusual. He now drew out his +notebook and jotted down one or two memoranda. + +"You have been very remiss in not coming to me sooner," said he, +severely. "You start me on my investigation with a very serious +handicap. It is inconceivable, for example, that this ivy and +this lawn would have yielded nothing to an expert observer." + +"I am not to blame, Mr. Holmes. His Grace was extremely desirous +to avoid all public scandal. He was afraid of his family +unhappiness being dragged before the world. He has a deep horror +of anything of the kind." + +"But there has been some official investigation?" + +"Yes, sir, and it has proved most disappointing. An apparent +clue was at once obtained, since a boy and a young man were +reported to have been seen leaving a neighbouring station by an +early train. Only last night we had news that the couple had +been hunted down in Liverpool, and they prove to have no +connection whatever with the matter in hand. Then it was that in +my despair and disappointment, after a sleepless night, I came +straight to you by the early train." + +"I suppose the local investigation was relaxed while this false +clue was being followed up?" + +"It was entirely dropped." + +"So that three days have been wasted. The affair has been most +deplorably handled." + +"I feel it and admit it." + +"And yet the problem should be capable of ultimate solution. I +shall be very happy to look into it. Have you been able to trace +any connection between the missing boy and this German master?" + +"None at all." + +"Was he in the master's class?" + +"No, he never exchanged a word with him, so far as I know." + +"That is certainly very singular. Had the boy a bicycle?" + +"No." + +"Was any other bicycle missing?" + +"No." + +"Is that certain?" + +"Quite." + +"Well, now, you do not mean to seriously suggest that this +German rode off upon a bicycle in the dead of the night, bearing +the boy in his arms?" + +"Certainly not." + +"Then what is the theory in your mind?" + +"The bicycle may have been a blind. It may have been hidden +somewhere, and the pair gone off on foot." + +"Quite so, but it seems rather an absurd blind, does it not? +Were there other bicycles in this shed?" + +"Several." + +"Would he not have hidden a couple, had he desired to give the +idea that they had gone off upon them?" + +"I suppose he would." + +"Of course he would. The blind theory won't do. But the incident +is an admirable starting-point for an investigation. After all, +a bicycle is not an easy thing to conceal or to destroy. One +other question. Did anyone call to see the boy on the day before +he disappeared?" + +"No." + +"Did he get any letters?" + +"Yes, one letter." + +"From whom?" + +"From his father." + +"Do you open the boys' letters?" + +"No." + +"How do you know it was from the father?" + +"The coat of arms was on the envelope, and it was addressed in +the Duke's peculiar stiff hand. Besides, the Duke remembers +having written." + +"When had he a letter before that?" + +"Not for several days." + +"Had he ever one from France?" + +"No, never. + +"You see the point of my questions, of course. Either the boy +was carried off by force or he went of his own free will. In the +latter case, you would expect that some prompting from outside +would be needed to make so young a lad do such a thing. If he +has had no visitors, that prompting must have come in letters; +hence I try to find out who were his correspondents." + +"I fear I cannot help you much. His only correspondent, so far +as I know, was his own father." + +"Who wrote to him on the very day of his disappearance. Were the +relations between father and son very friendly?" + +"His Grace is never very friendly with anyone. He is completely +immersed in large public questions, and is rather inaccessible +to all ordinary emotions. But he was always kind to the boy in +his own way." + +"But the sympathies of the latter were with the mother?" + +"Yes." + +"Did he say so?" + +"No." + +"The Duke, then?" + +"Good heaven, no!" + +"Then how could you know?" + +"I have had some confidential talks with Mr. James Wilder, his +Graces secretary. It was he who gave me the information about +Lord Saltire's feelings." + +"I see. By the way, that last letter of the Dukes--was it found +in the boy's room after he was gone?" + +"No, he had taken it with him. I think, Mr. Holmes, it is time +that we were leaving for Euston." + +"I will order a four-wheeler. In a quarter of an hour, we shall +be at your service. If you are telegraphing home, Mr. Huxtable, +it would be well to allow the people in your neighbourhood to +imagine that the inquiry is still going on in Liverpool, or +wherever else that red herring led your pack. In the meantime I +will do a little quiet work at your own doors, and perhaps the +scent is not so cold but that two old hounds like Watson and +myself may get a sniff of it." + +That evening found us in the cold, bracing atmosphere of the +Peak country, in which Dr. Huxtable's famous school is situated. +It was already dark when we reached it. A card was lying on the +hall table, and the butler whispered something to his master, +who turned to us with agitation in every heavy feature. + +"The Duke is here," said he. "The Duke and Mr. Wilder are in the +study. Come, gentlemen, and I will introduce you." + +I was, of course, familiar with the pictures of the famous +statesman, but the man himself was very different from his +representation. He was a tall and stately person, scrupulously +dressed, with a drawn, thin face, and a nose which was +grotesquely curved and long. His complexion was of a dead +pallor, which was more startling by contrast with a long, +dwindling beard of vivid red, which flowed down over his white +waistcoat with his watch-chain gleaming through its fringe. Such +was the stately presence who looked stonily at us from the +centre of Dr. Huxtable's hearthrug. Beside him stood a very +young man, whom I understood to be Wilder, the private +secretary. He was small, nervous, alert with intelligent +light-blue eyes and mobile features. It was he who at once, in +an incisive and positive tone, opened the conversation. + +"I called this morning, Dr. Huxtable, too late to prevent you +from starting for London. I learned that your object was to +invite Mr. Sherlock Holmes to undertake the conduct of this +case. His Grace is surprised, Dr. Huxtable, that you should have +taken such a step without consulting him." + +"When I learned that the police had failed----" + +"His Grace is by no means convinced that the police have failed." + +"But surely, Mr. Wilder----" + +"You are well aware, Dr. Huxtable, that his Grace is +particularly anxious to avoid all public scandal. He prefers to +take as few people as possible into his confidence." + +"The matter can be easily remedied," said the brow-beaten doctor; +"Mr. Sherlock Holmes can return to London by the morning train." + +"Hardly that, Doctor, hardly that," said Holmes, in his blandest +voice. "This northern air is invigorating and pleasant, so I +propose to spend a few days upon your moors, and to occupy my +mind as best I may. Whether I have the shelter of your roof or +of the village inn is, of course, for you to decide." + +I could see that the unfortunate doctor was in the last stage of +indecision, from which he was rescued by the deep, sonorous +voice of the red-bearded Duke, which boomed out like a +dinner-gong. + +"I agree with Mr. Wilder, Dr. Huxtable, that you would have done +wisely to consult me. But since Mr. Holmes has already been +taken into your confidence, it would indeed be absurd that we +should not avail ourselves of his services. Far from going to +the inn, Mr. Holmes, I should be pleased if you would come and +stay with me at Holdernesse Hall." + +"I thank your Grace. For the purposes of my investigation, I +think that it would be wiser for me to remain at the scene of +the mystery." + +"Just as you like, Mr. Holmes. Any information which Mr. Wilder +or I can give you is, of course, at your disposal." + +"It will probably be necessary for me to see you at the Hall," +said Holmes. "I would only ask you now, sir, whether you have +formed any explanation in your own mind as to the mysterious +disappearance of your son?" + +"No sir I have not." + +"Excuse me if I allude to that which is painful to you, but I +have no alternative. Do you think that the Duchess had anything +to do with the matter?" + +The great minister showed perceptible hesitation. + +"I do not think so," he said, at last. + +"The other most obvious explanation is that the child has been +kidnapped for the purpose of levying ransom. You have not had +any demand of the sort?" + +"No, sir." + +"One more question, your Grace. I understand that you wrote to +your son upon the day when this incident occurred." + +"No, I wrote upon the day before." + +"Exactly. But he received it on that day?" + +"Yes." + +"Was there anything in your letter which might have unbalanced +him or induced him to take such a step?" + +"No, sir, certainly not." + +"Did you post that letter yourself?" + +The nobleman's reply was interrupted by his secretary, who broke +in with some heat. + +"His Grace is not in the habit of posting letters himself," said +he. "This letter was laid with others upon the study table, and +I myself put them in the post-bag." + +"You are sure this one was among them?" + +"Yes, I observed it." + +"How many letters did your Grace write that day?" + +"Twenty or thirty. I have a large correspondence. But surely +this is somewhat irrelevant?" + +"Not entirely," said Holmes. + +"For my own part," the Duke continued, "I have advised the +police to turn their attention to the south of France. I have +already said that I do not believe that the Duchess would +encourage so monstrous an action, but the lad had the most +wrong-headed opinions, and it is possible that he may have fled +to her, aided and abetted by this German. I think, Dr. Huxtable, +that we will now return to the Hall." + +I could see that there were other questions which Holmes would +have wished to put, but the nobleman's abrupt manner showed that +the interview was at an end. It was evident that to his +intensely aristocratic nature this discussion of his intimate +family affairs with a stranger was most abhorrent, and that he +feared lest every fresh question would throw a fiercer light +into the discreetly shadowed corners of his ducal history. + +When the nobleman and his secretary had left, my friend flung +himself at once with characteristic eagerness into the +investigation. + +The boy's chamber was carefully examined, and yielded nothing +save the absolute conviction that it was only through the window +that he could have escaped. The German master's room and effects +gave no further clue. In his case a trailer of ivy had given way +under his weight, and we saw by the light of a lantern the mark +on the lawn where his heels had come down. That one dint in the +short, green grass was the only material witness left of this +inexplicable nocturnal flight. + +Sherlock Holmes left the house alone, and only returned after +eleven. He had obtained a large ordnance map of the +neighbourhood, and this he brought into my room, where he laid +it out on the bed, and, having balanced the lamp in the middle +of it, he began to smoke over it, and occasionally to point out +objects of interest with the reeking amber of his pipe. + +"This case grows upon me, Watson," said he. "There are decidedly +some points of interest in connection with it. In this early +stage, I want you to realize those geographical features which +may have a good deal to do with our investigation. + +"Look at this map. This dark square is the Priory School. I'll +put a pin in it. Now, this line is the main road. You see that +it runs east and west past the school, and you see also that +there is no side road for a mile either way. If these two folk +passed away by road, it was THIS road." + + +GRAPHIC + + +"Exactly." + +"By a singular and happy chance, we are able to some extent to +check what passed along this road during the night in question. +At this point, where my pipe is now resting, a county constable +was on duty from twelve to six. It is, as you perceive, the +first cross-road on the east side. This man declares that he was +not absent from his post for an instant, and he is positive that +neither boy nor man could have gone that way unseen. I have +spoken with this policeman to-night and he appears to me to be +a perfectly reliable person. That blocks this end. We have now +to deal with the other. There is an inn here, the Red Bull, the +landlady of which was ill. She had sent to Mackleton for a +doctor, but he did not arrive until morning, being absent at +another case. The people at the inn were alert all night, +awaiting his coming, and one or other of them seems to have +continually had an eye upon the road. They declare that no one +passed. If their evidence is good, then we are fortunate enough +to be able to block the west, and also to be able to say that +the fugitives did NOT use the road at all." + +"But the bicycle?" I objected. + +"Quite so. We will come to the bicycle presently. To continue +our reasoning: if these people did not go by the road, they must +have traversed the country to the north of the house or to the +south of the house. That is certain. Let us weigh the one +against the other. On the south of the house is, as you +perceive, a large district of arable land, cut up into small +fields, with stone walls between them. There, I admit that a +bicycle is impossible. We can dismiss the idea. We turn to the +country on the north. Here there lies a grove of trees, marked +as the `Ragged Shaw,' and on the farther side stretches a great +rolling moor, Lower Gill Moor, extending for ten miles and +sloping gradually upward. Here, at one side of this wilderness, +is Holdernesse Hall, ten miles by road, but only six across the +moor. It is a peculiarly desolate plain. A few moor farmers have +small holdings, where they rear sheep and cattle. Except these, +the plover and the curlew are the only inhabitants until you +come to the Chesterfield high road. There is a church there, you +see, a few cottages, and an inn. Beyond that the hills become +precipitous. Surely it is here to the north that our quest must lie." + +"But the bicycle?" I persisted. + +"Well, well!" said Holmes, impatiently. "A good cyclist does not +need a high road. The moor is intersected with paths, and the +moon was at the full. Halloa! what is this?" + +There was an agitated knock at the door, and an instant +afterwards Dr. Huxtable was in the room. In his hand he held a +blue cricket-cap with a white chevron on the peak. + +"At last we have a clue!" he cried. "Thank heaven! at last we +are on the dear boy's track! It is his cap." + +"Where was it found?" + +"In the van of the gipsies who camped on the moor. They left on +Tuesday. To-day the police traced them down and examined their +caravan. This was found." + +"How do they account for it?" + +"They shuffled and lied--said that they found it on the moor on +Tuesday morning. They know where he is, the rascals! Thank +goodness, they are all safe under lock and key. Either the fear +of the law or the Duke's purse will certainly get out of them +all that they know." + +"So far, so good," said Holmes, when the doctor had at last left +the room. "It at least bears out the theory that it is on the +side of the Lower Gill Moor that we must hope for results. The +police have really done nothing locally, save the arrest of +these gipsies. Look here, Watson! There is a watercourse across +the moor. You see it marked here in the map. In some parts it +widens into a morass. This is particularly so in the region +between Holdernesse Hall and the school. It is vain to look +elsewhere for tracks in this dry weather, but at THAT point +there is certainly a chance of some record being left. I will +call you early to-morrow morning, and you and I will try if we +can throw some little light upon the mystery." + +The day was just breaking when I woke to find the long, thin +form of Holmes by my bedside. He was fully dressed, and had +apparently already been out. + +"I have done the lawn and the bicycle shed," said, he. "I have +also had a rumble through the Ragged Shaw. Now, Watson, there is +cocoa ready in the next room. I must beg you to hurry, for we +have a great day before us." + +His eyes shone, and his cheek was flushed with the exhilaration +of the master workman who sees his work lie ready before him. A +very different Holmes, this active, alert man, from the +introspective and pallid dreamer of Baker Street. I felt, as I +looked upon that supple, figure, alive with nervous energy, that +it was indeed a strenuous day that awaited us. + +And yet it opened in the blackest disappointment. With high +hopes we struck across the peaty, russet moor, intersected with +a thousand sheep paths, until we came to the broad, light-green +belt which marked the morass between us and Holdernesse. +Certainly, if the lad had gone homeward, he must have passed +this, and he could not pass it without leaving his traces. But +no sign of him or the German could be seen. With a darkening +face my friend strode along the margin, eagerly observant of +every muddy stain upon the mossy surface. Sheep-marks there were +in profusion, and at one place, some miles down, cows had left +their tracks. Nothing more. + +"Check number one," said Holmes, looking gloomily over the +rolling expanse of the moor. "There is another morass down +yonder, and a narrow neck between. Halloa! halloa! halloa! what +have we here?" + +We had come on a small black ribbon of pathway. In the middle of +it, clearly marked on the sodden soil, was the track of a bicycle. + +"Hurrah!" I cried. "We have it." + +But Holmes was shaking his head, and his face was puzzled and +expectant rather than joyous. + +"A bicycle, certainly, but not THE bicycle," said he. "I am +familiar with forty-two different impressions left by tires. +This, as you perceive, is a Dunlop, with a patch upon the outer +cover. Heidegger's tires were Palmer's, leaving longitudinal +stripes. Aveling, the mathematical master, was sure upon the +point. Therefore, it is not Heidegger's track." + +"The boy's, then?" + +"Possibly, if we could prove a bicycle to have been in his +possession. But this we have utterly failed to do. This track, +as you perceive, was made by a rider who was going from the +direction of the school." + +"Or towards it?" + +"No, no, my dear Watson. The more deeply sunk impression is, +of course, the hind wheel, upon which the weight rests. You +perceive several places where it has passed across and +obliterated the more shallow mark of the front one. It was +undoubtedly heading away from the school. It may or may not be +connected with our inquiry, but we will follow it backwards +before we go any farther." + +We did so, and at the end of a few hundred yards lost the tracks +as we emerged from the boggy portion of the moor. Following the +path backwards, we picked out another spot, where a spring +trickled across it. Here, once again, was the mark of the +bicycle, though nearly obliterated by the hoofs of cows. After +that there was no sign, but the path ran right on into Ragged Shaw, +the wood which backed on to the school. From this wood the +cycle must have emerged. Holmes sat down on a boulder and rested +his chin in his hands. I had smoked two cigarettes before he moved. + +"Well, well," said he, at last. "It is, of course, possible that +a cunning man might change the tires of his bicycle in order to +leave unfamiliar tracks. A criminal who was capable of such a +thought is a man whom I should be proud to do business with. We +will leave this question undecided and hark back to our morass +again, for we have left a good deal unexplored." + +We continued our systematic survey of the edge of the sodden +portion of the moor, and soon our perseverance was gloriously +rewarded. Right across the lower part of the bog lay a miry +path. Holmes gave a cry of delight as he approached it. An +impression like a fine bundle of telegraph wires ran down the +centre of it. It was the Palmer tires. + +"Here is Herr Heidegger, sure enough!" cried Holmes, exultantly. +"My reasoning seems to have been pretty sound, Watson." + +"I congratulate you." + +"But we have a long way still to go. Kindly walk clear of the +path. Now let us follow the trail. I fear that it will not lead +very far." + +We found, however, as we advanced that this portion of the moor +is intersected with soft patches, and, though we frequently lost +sight of the track, we always succeeded in picking it up once more. + +"Do you observe," said Holmes, "that the rider is now +undoubtedly forcing the pace? There can be no doubt of it. Look +at this impression, where you get both tires clear. The one is +as deep as the other. That can only mean that the rider is +throwing his weight on to the handle-bar, as a man does when he +is sprinting. By Jove! he has had a fall." + +There was a broad, irregular smudge covering some yards of the +track. Then there were a few footmarks, and the tire reappeared +once more. + +"A side-slip," I suggested. + +Holmes held up a crumpled branch of flowering gorse. To my +horror I perceived that the yellow blossoms were all dabbled +with crimson. On the path, too, and among the heather were dark +stains of clotted blood. + +"Bad!" said Holmes. "Bad! Stand clear, Watson! Not an +unnecessary footstep! What do I read here? He fell wounded--he +stood up--he remounted--he proceeded. But there is no other +track. Cattle on this side path. He was surely not gored by a +bull? Impossible! But I see no traces of anyone else. We must +push on, Watson. Surely, with stains as well as the track to +guide us, he cannot escape us now." + +Our search was not a very long one. The tracks of the tire began +to curve fantastically upon the wet and shining path. Suddenly, +as I looked ahead, the gleam of metal caught my eye from amid the +thick gorse-bushes. Out of them we dragged a bicycle, +Palmer-tired, one pedal bent, and the whole front of it horribly +smeared and slobbered with blood. On the other side of the +bushes a shoe was projecting. We ran round, and there lay the +unfortunate rider. He was a tall man, full-bearded, with +spectacles, one glass of which had been knocked out. The cause +of his death was a frightful blow upon the head, which had +crushed in part of his skull. That he could have gone on after +receiving such an injury said much for the vitality and courage of +the man. He wore shoes, but no socks, and his open coat disclosed +a nightshirt beneath it. It was undoubtedly the German master. + +Holmes turned the body over reverently, and examined it with +great attention. He then sat in deep thought for a time, and I +could see by his ruffled brow that this grim discovery had not, +in his opinion, advanced us much in our inquiry. + +"It is a little difficult to know what to do, Watson," said he, +at last. "My own inclinations are to push this inquiry on, for +we have already lost so much time that we cannot afford to waste +another hour. On the other hand, we are bound to inform the +police of the discovery, and to see that this poor fellow's body +is looked after." + +"I could take a note back." + +"But I need your company and assistance. Wait a bit! There is a +fellow cutting peat up yonder. Bring him over here, and he will +guide the police." + +I brought the peasant across, and Holmes dispatched the +frightened man with a note to Dr. Huxtable. + +"Now, Watson," said he, "we have picked up two clues this +morning. One is the bicycle with the Palmer tire, and we see +what that has led to. The other is the bicycle with the patched +Dunlop. Before we start to investigate that, let us try to +realize what we do know, so as to make the most of it, and to +separate the essential from the accidental." + +"First of all, I wish to impress upon you that the boy certainly +left of his own free-will. He got down from his window and he +went off, either alone or with someone. That is sure." + +I assented. + +"Well, now, let us turn to this unfortunate German master. The +boy was fully dressed when he fled. Therefore, he foresaw what +he would do. But the German went without his socks. He certainly +acted on very short notice." + +"Undoubtedly." + +"Why did he go? Because, from his bedroom window, he saw the +flight of the boy, because he wished to overtake him and bring +him back. He seized his bicycle, pursued the lad, and in +pursuing him met his death." + +"So it would seem." + +"Now I come to the critical part of my argument. The natural +action of a man in pursuing a little boy would be to run after +him. He would know that he could overtake him. But the German +does not do so. He turns to his bicycle. I am told that he was +an excellent cyclist. He would not do this, if he did not see +that the boy had some swift means of escape." + +"The other bicycle." + +"Let us continue our reconstruction. He meets his death five +miles from the school--not by a bullet, mark you, which even a +lad might conceivably discharge, but by a savage blow dealt by +a vigorous arm. The lad, then, HAD a companion in his flight. +And the flight was a swift one, since it took five miles before +an expert cyclist could overtake them. Yet we survey the ground +round the scene of the tragedy. What do we find? A few +cattle-tracks, nothing more. I took a wide sweep round, and +there is no path within fifty yards. Another cyclist could have +had nothing to do with the actual murder, nor were there any +human foot-marks." + +"Holmes," I cried, "this is impossible." + +"Admirable!" he said. "A most illuminating remark. It IS +impossible as I state it, and therefore I must in some respect +have stated it wrong. Yet you saw for yourself. Can you suggest +any fallacy?" + +"He could not have fractured his skull in a fall?" + +"In a morass, Watson?" + +"I am at my wit's end." + +"Tut, tut, we have solved some worse problems. At least we have +plenty of material, if we can only use it. Come, then, and, +having exhausted the Palmer, let us see what the Dunlop with the +patched cover has to offer us." + +We picked up the track and followed it onward for some distance, +but soon the moor rose into a long, heather-tufted curve, and we +left the watercourse behind us. No further help from tracks +could be hoped for. At the spot where we saw the last of the +Dunlop tire it might equally have led to Holdernesse Hall, the +stately towers of which rose some miles to our left, or to a +low, gray village which lay in front of us and marked the +position of the Chesterfield high road. + +As we approached the forbidding and squalid inn, with the sign +of a game-cock above the door, Holmes gave a sudden groan, and +clutched me by the shoulder to save himself from falling. He had +had one of those violent strains of the ankle which leave a man +helpless. With difficulty he limped up to the door, where a +squat, dark, elderly man was smoking a black clay pipe. + +"How are you, Mr. Reuben Hayes?" said Holmes. + +"Who are you, and how do you get my name so pat?" the countryman +answered, with a suspicious flash of a pair of cunning eyes. + +"Well, it's printed on the board above your head. It's easy to +see a man who is master of his own house. I suppose you haven't +such a thing as a carriage in your stables?" + +"No, I have not." + +"I can hardly put my foot to the ground." + +"Don't put it to the ground." + +"But I can't walk." + +"Well, then hop." + +Mr. Reuben Hayes's manner was far from gracious, but Holmes took +it with admirable good-humour. + +"Look here, my man," said he. "This is really rather an awkward +fix for me. I don't mind how I get on." + +"Neither do I," said the morose landlord. + +"The matter is very important. I would offer you a sovereign for +the use of a bicycle." + +The landlord pricked up his ears. + +"Where do you want to go?" + +"To Holdernesse Hall." + +"Pals of the Dook, I suppose?" said the landlord, surveying our +mud-stained garments with ironical eyes. + +Holmes laughed good-naturedly. + +"He'll be glad to see us, anyhow." + +"Why?" + +"Because we bring him news of his lost son." + +The landlord gave a very visible start. + +"What, you're on his track?" + +"He has been heard of in Liverpool. They expect to get him every hour." + +Again a swift change passed over the heavy, unshaven face. His +manner was suddenly genial. + +"I've less reason to wish the Dook well than most men," said he, +"for I was head coachman once, and cruel bad he treated me. It +was him that sacked me without a character on the word of a +lying corn-chandler. But I'm glad to hear that the young lord +was heard of in Liverpool, and I'll help you to take the news to +the Hall." + +"Thank you," said Holmes. "Well have some food first. Then you +can bring round the bicycle." + +"I haven't got a bicycle." + +Holmes held up a sovereign. + +"I tell you, man, that I haven't got one. I'll let you have two +horses as far as the Hall." + +"Well, well," said Holmes, "well talk about it when we've had +something to eat." + +When we were left alone in the stone-flagged kitchen, it was +astonishing how rapidly that sprained ankle recovered. It was +nearly nightfall, and we had eaten nothing since early morning, +so that we spent some time over our meal. Holmes was lost in +thought, and once or twice he walked over to the window and +stared earnestly out. It opened on to a squalid courtyard. In +the far corner was a smithy, where a grimy lad was at work. On +the other side were the stables. Holmes had sat down again after +one of these excursions, when he suddenly sprang out of his +chair with a loud exclamation. + +"By heaven, Watson, I believe that I've got it!" he cried. "Yes, +yes, it must be so. Watson, do you remember seeing any +cow-tracks to-day?" + +"Yes, several." + +"Were?" + +"Well, everywhere. They were at the morass, and again on the +path, and again near where poor Heidegger met his death." + +"Exactly. Well, now, Watson, how many cows did you see on the moor?" + +"I don't remember seeing any." + +"Strange, Watson, that we should see tracks all along our line, +but never a cow on the whole moor. Very strange, Watson, eh?" + +"Yes, it is strange." + +"Now, Watson, make an effort, throw your mind back. Can you see +those tracks upon the path?" + +"Yes, I can." + +"Can you recall that the tracks were sometimes like that, +Watson"--he arranged a number of bread-crumbs in this fashion-- +: : : : :--"and sometimes like this"--: . : . : . : .--"and +occasionally like this"--. : . : . : . "Can you remember that?" + +"No, I cannot." + +"But I can. I could swear to it. However, we will go back at our +leisure and verify it. What a blind beetle I have been, not to +draw my conclusion." + +"And what is your conclusion?" + +"Only that it is a remarkable cow which walks, canters, and +gallops. By George! Watson, it was no brain of a country +publican that thought out such a blind as that. The coast seems +to be clear, save for that lad in the smithy. Let us slip out +and see what we can see." + +There were two rough-haired, unkempt horses in the tumble-down +stable. Holmes raised the hind leg of one of them and laughed aloud. + +"Old shoes, but newly shod--old shoes, but new nails. This case +deserves to be a classic. Let us go across to the smithy." + +The lad continued his work without regarding us. I saw Holmes's +eye darting to right and left among the litter of iron and wood +which was scattered about the floor. Suddenly, however, we heard +a step behind us, and there was the landlord, his heavy eyebrows +drawn over his savage eyes, his swarthy features convulsed with +passion. He held a short, metal-headed stick in his hand, and he +advanced in so menacing a fashion that I was right glad to feel +the revolver in my pocket. + +"You infernal spies!" the man cried. "What are you doing there?" + +"Why, Mr. Reuben Hayes," said Holmes, coolly, "one might think +that you were afraid of our finding something out." + +The man mastered himself with a violent effort, and his grim +mouth loosened into a false laugh, which was more menacing than +his frown. + +"You're welcome to all you can find out in my smithy," said he. +"But look here, mister, I don't care for folk poking about my +place without my leave, so the sooner you pay your score and get +out of this the better I shall be pleased." + +"All right, Mr. Hayes, no harm meant," said Holmes. "We have +been having a look at your horses, but I think I'll walk, after +all. It's not far, I believe." + +"Not more than two miles to the Hall gates. That's the road to +the left." He watched us with sullen eyes until we had left his +premises. + +We did not go very far along the road, for Holmes stopped the +instant that the curve hid us from the landlord's view. + +"We were warm, as the children say, at that inn," said he. "I +seem to grow colder every step that I take away from it. No, no, +I can't possibly leave it." + +"I am convinced," said I, "that this Reuben Hayes knows all +about it. A more self-evident villain I never saw." + +"Oh! he impressed you in that way, did he? There are the horses, +there is the smithy. Yes, it is an interesting place, this +Fighting Cock. I think we shall have another look at it in an +unobtrusive way." + +A long, sloping hillside, dotted with gray limestone boulders, +stretched behind us. We had turned off the road, and were making +our way up the hill, when, looking in the direction of +Holdernesse Hall, I saw a cyclist coming swiftly along. + +"Get down, Watson!" cried Holmes, with a heavy hand upon my +shoulder. We had hardly sunk from view when the man flew past us +on the road. Amid a rolling cloud of dust, I caught a glimpse of +a pale, agitated face--a face with horror in every lineament, +the mouth open, the eyes staring wildly in front. It was like +some strange caricature of the dapper James Wilder whom we had +seen the night before. + +"The Duke's secretary!" cried Holmes. "Come, Watson, let us see +what he does." + +We scrambled from rock to rock, until in a few moments we had +made our way to a point from which we could see the front door +of the inn. Wilder's bicycle was leaning against the wall beside +it. No one was moving about the house, nor could we catch a +glimpse of any faces at the windows. Slowly the twilight crept +down as the sun sank behind the high towers of Holdernesse Hall. +Then, in the gloom, we saw the two side-lamps of a trap light up +in the stable-yard of the inn, and shortly afterwards heard the +rattle of hoofs, as it wheeled out into the road and tore off at +a furious pace in the direction of Chesterfield. + +"What do you make of that, Watson?" Holmes whispered. + +"It looks like a flight." + +"A single man in a dog-cart, so far as I could see. Well, it +certainly was not Mr. James Wilder, for there he is at the door." + +A red square of light had sprung out of the darkness. In the +middle of it was the black figure of the secretary, his head +advanced, peering out into the night. It was evident that he was +expecting someone. Then at last there were steps in the road, a +second figure was visible for an instant against the light, the +door shut, and all was black once more. Five minutes later a +lamp was lit in a room upon the first floor. + +"It seems to be a curious class of custom that is done by the +Fighting Cock," said Holmes. + +"The bar is on the other side." + +"Quite so. These are what one may call the private guests. Now, +what in the world is Mr. James Wilder doing in that den at this +hour of night, and who is the companion who comes to meet him +there? Come, Watson, we must really take a risk and try to +investigate this a little more closely." + +Together we stole down to the road and crept across to the door +of the inn. The bicycle still leaned against the wall. Holmes +struck a match and held it to the back wheel, and I heard him +chuckle as the light fell upon a patched Dunlop tire. Up above +us was the lighted window. + +"I must have a peep through that, Watson. If you bend your back +and support yourself upon the wall, I think that I can manage." + +An instant later, his feet were on my shoulders, but he was +hardly up before he was down again. + +"Come, my friend," said he, "our day's work has been quite long +enough. I think that we have gathered all that we can. It's a +long walk to the school, and the sooner we get started the better." + +He hardly opened his lips during that weary trudge across the +moor, nor would he enter the school when he reached it, but went +on to Mackleton Station, whence he could send some telegrams. +Late at night I heard him consoling Dr. Huxtable, prostrated by +the tragedy of his master's death, and later still he entered my +room as alert and vigorous as he had been when he started in the +morning. "All goes well, my friend," said he. "I promise that +before to-morrow evening we shall have reached the solution of +the mystery." + +At eleven o'clock next morning my friend and I were walking up +the famous yew avenue of Holdernesse Hall. We were ushered +through the magnificent Elizabethan doorway and into his Grace's +study. There we found Mr. James Wilder, demure and courtly, but +with some trace of that wild terror of the night before still +lurking in his furtive eyes and in his twitching features. + +"You have come to see his Grace? I am sorry, but the fact is +that the Duke is far from well. He has been very much upset by +the tragic news. We received a telegram from Dr. Huxtable +yesterday afternoon, which told us of your discovery." + +"I must see the Duke, Mr. Wilder." + +"But he is in his room." + +"Then I must go to his room." + +"I believe he is in his bed." + +"I will see him there." + +Holmes's cold and inexorable manner showed the secretary that it +was useless to argue with him. + +"Very good, Mr. Holmes, I will tell him that you are here." + +After an hour's delay, the great nobleman appeared. His face was +more cadaverous than ever, his shoulders had rounded, and he +seemed to me to be an altogether older man than he had been the +morning before. He greeted us with a stately courtesy and seated +himself at his desk, his red beard streaming down on the table. + +"Well, Mr. Holmes?" said he. + +But my friend's eyes were fixed upon the secretary, who stood by +his master's chair. + +"I think, your Grace, that I could speak more freely in Mr. +Wilder's absence." + +The man turned a shade paler and cast a malignant glance at Holmes. + +"If your Grace wishes----" + +"Yes, yes, you had better go. Now, Mr. Holmes, what have you to say?" + +My friend waited until the door had closed behind the retreating +secretary. + +"The fact is, your Grace," said he, "that my colleague, Dr. +Watson, and myself had an assurance from Dr. Huxtable that a +reward had been offered in this case. I should like to have this +confirmed from your own lips." + +"Certainly, Mr. Holmes." + +"It amounted, if I am correctly informed, to five thousand +pounds to anyone who will tell you where your son is?" + +"Exactly." + +"And another thousand to the man who will name the person or +persons who keep him in custody?" + +"Exactly." + +"Under the latter heading is included, no doubt, not only those +who may have taken him away, but also those who conspire to keep +him in his present position?" + +"Yes, yes," cried the Duke, impatiently. "If you do your work +well, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, you will have no reason to complain +of niggardly treatment." + +My friend rubbed his thin hands together with an appearance of +avidity which was a surprise to me, who knew his frugal tastes. + +"I fancy that I see your Grace's check-book upon the table," +said he. "I should be glad if you would make me out a check for +six thousand pounds. It would be as well, perhaps, for you to +cross it. The Capital and Counties Bank, Oxford Street branch +are my agents." + +His Grace sat very stern and upright in his chair and looked +stonily at my friend. + +"Is this a joke, Mr. Holmes? It is hardly a subject for pleasantry." + +"Not at all, your Grace. I was never more earnest in my life." + +"What do you mean, then?" + +"I mean that I have earned the reward. I know where your son is, +and I know some, at least, of those who are holding him." + +The Duke's beard had turned more aggressively red than ever +against his ghastly white face. + +"Where is he?" he gasped. + +"He is, or was last night, at the Fighting Cock Inn, about two +miles from your park gate." + +The Duke fell back in his chair. + +"And whom do you accuse?" + +Sherlock Holmes's answer was an astounding one. He stepped +swiftly forward and touched the Duke upon the shoulder. + +"I accuse YOU," said he. "And now, your Grace, I'll trouble you +for that check." + +Never shall I forget the Duke's appearance as he sprang up and +clawed with his hands, like one who is sinking into an abyss. +Then, with an extraordinary effort of aristocratic self-command, +he sat down and sank his face in his hands. It was some minutes +before he spoke. + +"How much do you know?" he asked at last, without raising his head. + +"I saw you together last night." + +"Does anyone else beside your friend know?" + +"I have spoken to no one." + +The Duke took a pen in his quivering fingers and opened his +check-book. + +"I shall be as good as my word, Mr. Holmes. I am about to write +your check, however unwelcome the information which you have +gained may be to me. When the offer was first made, I little +thought the turn which events might take. But you and your +friend are men of discretion, Mr. Holmes?" + +"I hardly understand your Grace." + +"I must put it plainly, Mr. Holmes. If only you two know of this +incident, there is no reason why it should go any farther. I +think twelve thousand pounds is the sum that I owe you, is it not?" + +But Holmes smiled and shook his head. + +"I fear, your Grace, that matters can hardly be arranged so easily. +There is the death of this schoolmaster to be accounted for." + +"But James knew nothing of that. You cannot hold him responsible +for that. It was the work of this brutal ruffian whom he had the +misfortune to employ." + +"I must take the view, your Grace, that when a man embarks upon +a crime, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may +spring from it." + +"Morally, Mr. Holmes. No doubt you are right. But surely not in +the eyes of the law. A man cannot be condemned for a murder at +which he was not present, and which he loathes and abhors as +much as you do. The instant that he heard of it he made a +complete confession to me, so filled was he with horror and +remorse. He lost not an hour in breaking entirely with the +murderer. Oh, Mr. Holmes, you must save him--you must save him! +I tell you that you must save him!" The Duke had dropped the +last attempt at self-command, and was pacing the room with a +convulsed face and with his clenched hands raving in the air. At +last he mastered himself and sat down once more at his desk. "I +appreciate your conduct in coming here before you spoke to +anyone else," said he. "At least, we may take counsel how far we +can minimize this hideous scandal." + +"Exactly," said Holmes. "I think, your Grace, that this can only +be done by absolute frankness between us. I am disposed to help +your Grace to the best of my ability, but, in order to do so, I +must understand to the last detail how the matter stands. I +realize that your words applied to Mr. James Wilder, and that he +is not the murderer." + +"No, the murderer has escaped." + +Sherlock Holmes smiled demurely. + +"Your Grace can hardly have heard of any small reputation which +I possess, or you would not imagine that it is so easy to escape +me. Mr. Reuben Hayes was arrested at Chesterfield, on my +information, at eleven o'clock last night. I had a telegram from +the head of the local police before I left the school this morning." + +The Duke leaned back in his chair and stared with amazement at +my friend. + +"You seem to have powers that are hardly human," said he. "So +Reuben Hayes is taken? I am right glad to hear it, if it will +not react upon the fate of James." + +"Your secretary?" + +"No, sir, my son." + +It was Holmes's turn to look astonished. + +"I confess that this is entirely new to me, your Grace. I must +beg you to be more explicit." + +"I will conceal nothing from you. I agree with you that complete +frankness, however painful it may be to me, is the best policy +in this desperate situation to which James's folly and jealousy +have reduced us. When I was a very young man, Mr. Holmes, I +loved with such a love as comes only once in a lifetime. I +offered the lady marriage, but she refused it on the grounds +that such a match might mar my career. Had she lived, I would +certainly never have married anyone else. She died, and left +this one child, whom for her sake I have cherished and cared +for. I could not acknowledge the paternity to the world, but I +gave him the best of educations, and since he came to manhood I +have kept him near my person. He surprised my secret, and has +presumed ever since upon the claim which he has upon me, and +upon his power of provoking a scandal which would be abhorrent +to me. His presence had something to do with the unhappy issue +of my marriage. Above all, he hated my young legitimate heir +from the first with a persistent hatred. You may well ask me +why, under these circumstances, I still kept James under my +roof. I answer that it was because I could see his mother's face +in his, and that for her dear sake there was no end to my +long-suffering. All her pretty ways too--there was not one of +them which he could not suggest and bring back to my memory. I +COULD not send him away. But I feared so much lest he should do +Arthur--that is, Lord Saltire--a mischief, that I dispatched him +for safety to Dr. Huxtable's school. + +"James came into contact with this fellow Hayes, because the man +was a tenant of mine, and James acted as agent. The fellow was +a rascal from the beginning, but, in some extraordinary way, +James became intimate with him. He had always a taste for low +company. When James determined to kidnap Lord Saltire, it was of +this man's service that he availed himself. You remember that I +wrote to Arthur upon that last day. Well, James opened the +letter and inserted a note asking Arthur to meet him in a little +wood called the Ragged Shaw, which is near to the school. He +used the Duchess's name, and in that way got the boy to come. +That evening James bicycled over--I am telling you what he has +himself confessed to me--and he told Arthur, whom he met in the +wood, that his mother longed to see him, that she was awaiting +him on the moor, and that if he would come back into the wood at +midnight he would find a man with a horse, who would take him to +her. Poor Arthur fell into the trap. He came to the appointment, +and found this fellow Hayes with a led pony. Arthur mounted, and +they set off together. It appears--though this James only heard +yesterday--that they were pursued, that Hayes struck the pursuer +with his stick, and that the man died of his injuries. Hayes +brought Arthur to his public-house, the Fighting Cock, where he +was confined in an upper room, under the care of Mrs. Hayes, who +is a kindly woman, but entirely under the control of her brutal +husband. + +"Well, Mr. Holmes, that was the state of affairs when I first +saw you two days ago. I had no more idea of the truth than you. +You will ask me what was James's motive in doing such a deed. I +answer that there was a great deal which was unreasoning and +fanatical in the hatred which he bore my heir. In his view he +should himself have been heir of all my estates, and he deeply +resented those social laws which made it impossible. At the same +time, he had a definite motive also. He was eager that I should +break the entail, and he was of opinion that it lay in my power +to do so. He intended to make a bargain with me--to restore +Arthur if I would break the entail, and so make it possible for +the estate to be left to him by will. He knew well that I should +never willingly invoke the aid of the police against him. I say +that he would have proposed such a bargain to me, but he did not +actually do so, for events moved too quickly for him, and he +had not time to put his plans into practice. + +"What brought all his wicked scheme to wreck was your discovery +of this man Heidegger's dead body. James was seized with horror +at the news. It came to us yesterday, as we sat together in this +study. Dr. Huxtable had sent a telegram. James was so +overwhelmed with grief and agitation that my suspicions, which +had never been entirely absent, rose instantly to a certainty, +and I taxed him with the deed. He made a complete voluntary +confession. Then he implored me to keep his secret for three +days longer, so as to give his wretched accomplice a chance of +saving his guilty life. I yielded--as I have always yielded--to +his prayers, and instantly James hurried off to the Fighting +Cock to warn Hayes and give him the means of flight. I could not +go there by daylight without provoking comment, but as soon as +night fell I hurried off to see my dear Arthur. I found him safe +and well, but horrified beyond expression by the dreadful deed +he had witnessed. In deference to my promise, and much against +my will, I consented to leave him there for three days, under +the charge of Mrs. Hayes, since it was evident that it was +impossible to inform the police where he was without telling +them also who was the murderer, and I could not see how that +murderer could be punished without ruin to my unfortunate James. +You asked for frankness, Mr. Holmes, and I have taken you at +your word, for I have now told you everything without an attempt +at circumlocution or concealment. Do you in turn be as frank +with me." + +"I will," said Holmes. "In the first place, your Grace, I am +bound to tell you that you have placed yourself in a most +serious position in the eyes of the law. You have condoned a +felony, and you have aided the escape of a murderer, for I +cannot doubt that any money which was taken by James Wilder to +aid his accomplice in his flight came from your Grace's purse." + +The Duke bowed his assent. + +"This is, indeed, a most serious matter. Even more culpable in +my opinion, your Grace, is your attitude towards your younger +son. You leave him in this den for three days." + +"Under solemn promises----" + +"What are promises to such people as these? You have no +guarantee that he will not be spirited away again. To humour +your guilty elder son, you have exposed your innocent younger +son to imminent and unnecessary danger. It was a most +unjustifiable action." + +The proud lord of Holdernesse was not accustomed to be so rated +in his own ducal hall. The blood flushed into his high forehead, +but his conscience held him dumb. + +"I will help you, but on one condition only. It is that you ring +for the footman and let me give such orders as I like." + +Without a word, the Duke pressed the electric bell. A servant entered. + +"You will be glad to hear," said Holmes, "that your young master +is found. It is the Duke's desire that the carriage shall go at +once to the Fighting Cock Inn to bring Lord Saltire home. + +"Now," said Holmes, when the rejoicing lackey had disappeared, +"having secured the future, we can afford to be more lenient +with the past. I am not in an official position, and there is no +reason, so long as the ends of justice are served, why I should +disclose all that I know. As to Hayes, I say nothing. The +gallows awaits him, and I would do nothing to save him from it. +What he will divulge I cannot tell, but I have no doubt that +your Grace could make him understand that it is to his interest +to be silent. From the police point of view he will have +kidnapped the boy for the purpose of ransom. If they do not +themselves find it out, I see no reason why I should prompt them +to take a broader point of view. I would warn your Grace, +however, that the continued presence of Mr. James Wilder in your +household can only lead to misfortune." + +"I understand that, Mr. Holmes, and it is already settled that he +shall leave me forever, and go to seek his fortune in Australia." + +"In that case, your Grace, since you have yourself stated that +any unhappiness in your married life was caused by his presence +I would suggest that you make such amends as you can to the +Duchess, and that you try to resume those relations which have +been so unhappily interrupted." + +"That also I have arranged, Mr. Holmes. I wrote to the Duchess +this morning." + +"In that case," said Holmes, rising, "I think that my friend and +I can congratulate ourselves upon several most happy results +from our little visit to the North. There is one other small +point upon which I desire some light. This fellow Hayes had shod +his horses with shoes which counterfeited the tracks of cows. +Was it from Mr. Wilder that he learned so extraordinary a device?" + +The Duke stood in thought for a moment, with a look of intense +surprise on his face. Then he opened a door and showed us into +a large room furnished as a museum. He led the way to a glass +case in a corner, and pointed to the inscription. + +"These shoes," it ran, "were dug up in the moat of Holdernesse +Hall. They are for the use of horses, but they are shaped below +with a cloven foot of iron, so as to throw pursuers off the +track. They are supposed to have belonged to some of the +marauding Barons of Holdernesse in the Middle Ages." + +Holmes opened the case, and moistening his finger he passed it +along the shoe. A thin film of recent mud was left upon his skin. + +"Thank you," said he, as he replaced the glass. "It is the +second most interesting object that I have seen in the North." + +"And the first?" + +Holmes folded up his check and placed it carefully in his +notebook. "I am a poor man," said he, as he patted it +affectionately, and thrust it into the depths of his inner +pocket. THE ADVENTURE OF BLACK PETER + + +I have never known my friend to be in better form, both mental +and physical, than in the year '95. His increasing fame had +brought with it an immense practice, and I should be guilty of +an indiscretion if I were even to hint at the identity of some +of the illustrious clients who crossed our humble threshold in +Baker Street. Holmes, however, like all great artists, lived for +his art's sake, and, save in the case of the Duke of +Holdernesse, I have seldom known him claim any large reward for +his inestimable services. So unworldly was he--or so capricious-- +that he frequently refused his help to the powerful and wealthy +where the problem made no appeal to his sympathies, while he +would devote weeks of most intense application to the affairs of +some humble client whose case presented those strange and +dramatic qualities which appealed to his imagination and +challenged his ingenuity. + +In this memorable year '95, a curious and incongruous succession +of cases had engaged his attention, ranging from his famous +investigation of the sudden death of Cardinal Tosca--an inquiry +which was carried out by him at the express desire of His +Holiness the Pope--down to his arrest of Wilson, the notorious +canary-trainer, which removed a plague-spot from the East End of +London. Close on the heels of these two famous cases came the +tragedy of Woodman's Lee, and the very obscure circumstances +which surrounded the death of Captain Peter Carey. No record of +the doings of Mr. Sherlock Holmes would be complete which did +not include some account of this very unusual affair. + +During the first week of July, my friend had been absent so +often and so long from our lodgings that I knew he had something +on hand. The fact that several rough-looking men called during +that time and inquired for Captain Basil made me understand that +Holmes was working somewhere under one of the numerous disguises +and names with which he concealed his own formidable identity. +He had at least five small refuges in different parts of London, +in which he was able to change his personality. He said nothing +of his business to me, and it was not my habit to force a +confidence. The first positive sign which he gave me of the +direction which his investigation was taking was an +extraordinary one. He had gone out before breakfast, and I had +sat down to mine when he strode into the room, his hat upon his +head and a huge barbed-headed spear tucked like an umbrella +under his arm. + +"Good gracious, Holmes!" I cried. "You don't mean to say that +you have been walking about London with that thing?" + +"I drove to the butcher's and back." + +"The butcher's?" + +"And I return with an excellent appetite. There can be no +question, my dear Watson, of the value of exercise before +breakfast. But I am prepared to bet that you will not guess the +form that my exercise has taken." + +"I will not attempt it." + +He chuckled as he poured out the coffee. + +"If you could have looked into Allardyce's back shop, you would +have seen a dead pig swung from a hook in the ceiling, and a +gentleman in his shirt sleeves furiously stabbing at it with +this weapon. I was that energetic person, and I have satisfied +myself that by no exertion of my strength can I transfix the pig +with a single blow. Perhaps you would care to try?" + +"Not for worlds. But why were you doing this?" + +"Because it seemed to me to have an indirect bearing upon the +mystery of Woodman's Lee. Ah, Hopkins, I got your wire last +night, and I have been expecting you. Come and join us." + +Our visitor was an exceedingly alert man, thirty years of age, +dressed in a quiet tweed suit, but retaining the erect bearing +of one who was accustomed to official uniform. I recognized him +at once as Stanley Hopkins, a young police inspector, for whose +future Holmes had high hopes, while he in turn professed the +admiration and respect of a pupil for the scientific methods of +the famous amateur. Hopkins's brow was clouded, and he sat down +with an air of deep dejection. + +"No, thank you, sir. I breakfasted before I came round. I spent +the night in town, for I came up yesterday to report." + +"And what had you to report?" + +"Failure, sir, absolute failure." + +"You have made no progress?" + +"None." + +"Dear me! I must have a look at the matter." + +"I wish to heavens that you would, Mr. Holmes. It's my first big +chance, and I am at my wit's end. For goodness' sake, come down +and lend me a hand." + +"Well, well, it just happens that I have already read all the +available evidence, including the report of the inquest, with +some care. By the way, what do you make of that tobacco pouch, +found on the scene of the crime? Is there no clue there?" + +Hopkins looked surprised. + +"It was the man's own pouch, sir. His initials were inside it. +And it was of sealskin,--and he was an old sealer." + +"But he had no pipe." + +"No, sir, we could find no pipe. Indeed, he smoked very little, +and yet he might have kept some tobacco for his friends." + +"No doubt. I only mention it because, if I had been handling the +case, I should have been inclined to make that the +starting-point of my investigation. However, my friend, Dr. +Watson, knows nothing of this matter, and I should be none the +worse for hearing the sequence of events once more. Just give us +some short sketches of the essentials." + +Stanley Hopkins drew a slip of paper from his pocket. + +"I have a few dates here which will give you the career of the +dead man, Captain Peter Carey. He was born in '45--fifty years +of age. He was a most daring and successful seal and whale +fisher. In 1883 he commanded the steam sealer SEA UNICORN, of +Dundee. He had then had several successful voyages in +succession, and in the following year, 1884, he retired. After +that he travelled for some years, and finally he bought a small +place called Woodman's Lee, near Forest Row, in Sussex. There he +has lived for six years, and there he died just a week ago to-day. + +"There were some most singular points about the man. In ordinary +life, he was a strict Puritan--a silent, gloomy fellow. His +household consisted of his wife, his daughter, aged twenty, and +two female servants. These last were continually changing, for +it was never a very cheery situation, and sometimes it became +past all bearing. The man was an intermittent drunkard, and when +he had the fit on him he was a perfect fiend. He has been known +to drive his wife and daughter out of doors in the middle of the +night and flog them through the park until the whole village +outside the gates was aroused by their screams. + +"He was summoned once for a savage assault upon the old vicar, +who had called upon him to remonstrate with him upon his +conduct. In short, Mr. Holmes, you would go far before you found +a more dangerous man than Peter Carey, and I have heard that he +bore the same character when he commanded his ship. He was known +in the trade as Black Peter, and the name was given him, not +only on account of his swarthy features and the colour of his +huge beard, but for the humours which were the terror of all +around him. I need not say that he was loathed and avoided by +every one of his neighbours, and that I have not heard one +single word of sorrow about his terrible end. + +"You must have read in the account of the inquest about the +man's cabin, Mr. Holmes, but perhaps your friend here has not +heard of it. He had built himself a wooden outhouse--he always +called it the `cabin'--a few hundred yards from his house, and +it was here that he slept every night. It was a little, +single-roomed hut, sixteen feet by ten. He kept the key in his +pocket, made his own bed, cleaned it himself, and allowed no +other foot to cross the threshold. There are small windows on +each side, which were covered by curtains and never opened. One +of these windows was turned towards the high road, and when the +light burned in it at night the folk used to point it out to +each other and wonder what Black Peter was doing in there. +That's the window, Mr. Holmes, which gave us one of the few bits +of positive evidence that came out at the inquest. + +"You remember that a stonemason, named Slater, walking from +Forest Row about one o'clock in the morning--two days before the +murder--stopped as he passed the grounds and looked at the +square of light still shining among the trees. He swears that +the shadow of a man's head turned sideways was clearly visible +on the blind, and that this shadow was certainly not that of +Peter Carey, whom he knew well. It was that of a bearded man, +but the beard was short and bristled forward in a way very +different from that of the captain. So he says, but he had been +two hours in the public-house, and it is some distance from the +road to the window. Besides, this refers to the Monday, and the +crime was done upon the Wednesday. + +"On the Tuesday, Peter Carey was in one of his blackest moods, +flushed with drink and as savage as a dangerous wild beast. He +roamed about the house, and the women ran for it when they heard +him coming. Late in the evening, he went down to his own hut. +About two o'clock the following morning, his daughter, who slept +with her window open, heard a most fearful yell from that +direction, but it was no unusual thing for him to bawl and shout +when he was in drink, so no notice was taken. On rising at +seven, one of the maids noticed that the door of the hut was +open, but so great was the terror which the man caused that it +was midday before anyone would venture down to see what had +become of him. Peeping into the open door, they saw a sight +which sent them flying, with white faces, into the village. +Within an hour, I was on the spot and had taken over the case. + +"Well, I have fairly steady nerves, as you know, Mr. Holmes, but +I give you my word, that I got a shake when I put my head into +that little house. It was droning like a harmonium with the +flies and bluebottles, and the floor and walls were like a +slaughter-house. He had called it a cabin, and a cabin it was, +sure enough, for you would have thought that you were in a ship. +There was a bunk at one end, a sea-chest, maps and charts, a +picture of the SEA UNICORN, a line of logbooks on a shelf, all +exactly as one would expect to find it in a captain's room. And +there, in the middle of it, was the man himself--his face +twisted like a lost soul in torment, and his great brindled +beard stuck upward in his agony. Right through his broad breast +a steel harpoon had been driven, and it had sunk deep into the +wood of the wall behind him. He was pinned like a beetle on a +card. Of course, he was quite dead, and had been so from the +instant that he had uttered that last yell of agony. + +"I know your methods, sir, and I applied them. Before I +permitted anything to be moved, I examined most carefully the +ground outside, and also the floor of the room. There were no +footmarks." + +"Meaning that you saw none?" + +"I assure you, sir, that there were none." + +"My good Hopkins, I have investigated many crimes, but I have +never yet seen one which was committed by a flying creature. As +long as the criminal remains upon two legs so long must there be +some indentation, some abrasion, some trifling displacement +which can be detected by the scientific searcher. It is +incredible that this blood-bespattered room contained no trace +which could have aided us. I understand, however, from the +inquest that there were some objects which you failed to overlook?" + +The young inspector winced at my companion's ironical comments. + +"I was a fool not to call you in at the time Mr. Holmes. +However, that's past praying for now. Yes, there were several +objects in the room which called for special attention. One was +the harpoon with which the deed was committed. It had been +snatched down from a rack on the wall. Two others remained +there, and there was a vacant place for the third. On the stock +was engraved `SS. SEA UNICORN, Dundee.' This seemed to establish +that the crime had been done in a moment of fury, and that the +murderer had seized the first weapon which came in his way. The +fact that the crime was committed at two in the morning, and yet +Peter Carey was fully dressed, suggested that he had an +appointment with the murderer, which is borne out by the fact +that a bottle of rum and two dirty glasses stood upon the table." + +"Yes," said Holmes; "I think that both inferences are +permissible. Was there any other spirit but rum in the room?" + +"Yes, there was a tantalus containing brandy and whisky on the +sea-chest. It is of no importance to us, however, since the +decanters were full, and it had therefore not been used." + +"For all that, its presence has some significance," said Holmes. +"However, let us hear some more about the objects which do seem +to you to bear upon the case." + +"There was this tobacco-pouch upon the table." + +"What part of the table?" + +"It lay in the middle. It was of coarse sealskin--the +straight-haired skin, with a leather thong to bind it. Inside +was `P.C.' on the flap. There was half an ounce of strong ship's +tobacco in it." + +"Excellent! What more?" + +Stanley Hopkins drew from his pocket a drab-covered notebook. +The outside was rough and worn, the leaves discoloured. On the +first page were written the initials "J.H.N." and the date +"1883." Holmes laid it on the table and examined it in his +minute way, while Hopkins and I gazed over each shoulder. On the +second page were the printed letters "C.P.R.," and then came +several sheets of numbers. Another heading was "Argentine," +another "Costa Rica," and another "San Paulo," each with pages +of signs and figures after it. + +"What do you make of these?" asked Holmes. + +"They appear to be lists of Stock Exchange securities. I thought +that `J.H.N.' were the initials of a broker, and that `C.P.R.' +may have been his client." + +"Try Canadian Pacific Railway," said Holmes. + +Stanley Hopkins swore between his teeth, and struck his thigh +with his clenched hand. + +"What a fool I have been!" he cried. "Of course, it is as you +say. Then `J.H.N.' are the only initials we have to solve. I +have already examined the old Stock Exchange lists, and I can +find no one in 1883, either in the house or among the outside +brokers, whose initials correspond with these. Yet I feel that +the clue is the most important one that I hold. You will admit, +Mr. Holmes, that there is a possibility that these initials are +those of the second person who was present--in other words, of +the murderer. I would also urge that the introduction into the +case of a document relating to large masses of valuable +securities gives us for the first time some indication of a +motive for the crime." + +Sherlock Holmes's face showed that he was thoroughly taken aback +by this new development. + +"I must admit both your points," said he. "I confess that this +notebook, which did not appear at the inquest, modifies any +views which I may have formed. I had come to a theory of the +crime in which I can find no place for this. Have you +endeavoured to trace any of the securities here mentioned?" + +"Inquiries are now being made at the offices, but I fear that +the complete register of the stockholders of these South +American concerns is in South America, and that some weeks must +elapse before we can trace the shares." + +Holmes had been examining the cover of the notebook with his +magnifying lens. + +"Surely there is some discolouration here," said he. + +"Yes, sir, it is a blood-stain. I told you that I picked the +book off the floor." + +"Was the blood-stain above or below?" + +"On the side next the boards." + +"Which proves, of course, that the book was dropped after the +crime was committed." + +"Exactly, Mr. Holmes. I appreciated that point, and I +conjectured that it was dropped by the murderer in his hurried +flight. It lay near the door." + +"I suppose that none of these securities have been found among +the property of the dead man?" + +"No, sir." + +"Have you any reason to suspect robbery?" + +"No, sir. Nothing seemed to have been touched." + +"Dear me, it is certainly a very interesting case. Then there +was a knife, was there not?" + +"A sheath-knife, still in its sheath. It lay at the feet of the +dead man. Mrs. Carey has identified it as being her husband's +property." + +Holmes was lost in thought for some time. + +"Well," said he, at last, "I suppose I shall have to come out +and have a look at it." + +Stanley Hopkins gave a cry of joy. + +"Thank you, sir. That will, indeed, be a weight off my mind." + +Holmes shook his finger at the inspector. + +"It would have been an easier task a week ago," said he. "But +even now my visit may not be entirely fruitless. Watson, if you +can spare the time, I should be very glad of your company. If +you will call a four-wheeler, Hopkins, we shall be ready to +start for Forest Row in a quarter of an hour." + +Alighting at the small wayside station, we drove for some miles +through the remains of widespread woods, which were once part of +that great forest which for so long held the Saxon invaders at +bay--the impenetrable "weald," for sixty years the bulwark of +Britain. Vast sections of it have been cleared, for this is the +seat of the first iron-works of the country, and the trees have +been felled to smelt the ore. Now the richer fields of the North +have absorbed the trade, and nothing save these ravaged groves +and great scars in the earth show the work of the past. Here, in +a clearing upon the green slope of a hill, stood a long, low, +stone house, approached by a curving drive running through the +fields. Nearer the road, and surrounded on three sides by +bushes, was a small outhouse, one window and the door facing in +our direction. It was the scene of the murder. + +Stanley Hopkins led us first to the house, where he introduced +us to a haggard, gray-haired woman, the widow of the murdered +man, whose gaunt and deep-lined face, with the furtive look of +terror in the depths of her red-rimmed eyes, told of the years +of hardship and ill-usage which she had endured. With her was +her daughter, a pale, fair-haired girl, whose eyes blazed +defiantly at us as she told us that she was glad that her father +was dead, and that she blessed the hand which had struck him +down. It was a terrible household that Black Peter Carey had +made for himself, and it was with a sense of relief that we +found ourselves in the sunlight again and making our way along +a path which had been worn across the fields by the feet of the +dead man. + +The outhouse was the simplest of dwellings, wooden-walled, +shingle-roofed, one window beside the door and one on the +farther side. Stanley Hopkins drew the key from his pocket and +had stooped to the lock, when he paused with a look of attention +and surprise upon his face. + +Somone has been tampering with it," he said. + +There could be no doubt of the fact. The woodwork was cut, and +the scratches showed white through the paint, as if they had +been that instant done. Holmes had been examining the window. + +"Someone has tried to force this also. Whoever it was has failed +to make his way in. He must have been a very poor burglar." + +"This is a most extraordinary thing," said the inspector, "I +could swear that these marks were not here yesterday evening." + +"Some curious person from the village, perhaps," I suggested. + +"Very unlikely. Few of them would dare to set foot in the +grounds, far less try to force their way into the cabin. What do +you think of it, Mr. Holmes?" + +"I think that fortune is very kind to us." + +"You mean that the person will come again?" + +"It is very probable. He came expecting to find the door open. +He tried to get in with the blade of a very small penknife. He +could not manage it. What would he do?" + +"Come again next night with a more useful tool." + +"So I should say. It will be our fault if we are not there to +receive him. Meanwhile, let me see the inside of the cabin." + +The traces of the tragedy had been removed, but the furniture +within the little room still stood as it had been on the night +of the crime. For two hours, with most intense concentration, +Holmes examined every object in turn, but his face showed that +his quest was not a successful one. Once only he paused in his +patient investigation. + +"Have you taken anything off this shelf, Hopkins?" + +"No, I have moved nothing." + +"Something has been taken. There is less dust in this corner of +the shelf than elsewhere. It may have been a book lying on its +side. It may have been a box. Well, well, I can do nothing more. +Let us walk in these beautiful woods, Watson, and give a few +hours to the birds and the flowers. We shall meet you here +later, Hopkins, and see if we can come to closer quarters with +the gentleman who has paid this visit in the night." + +It was past eleven o'clock when we formed our little ambuscade. +Hopkins was for leaving the door of the hut open, but Holmes was +of the opinion that this would rouse the suspicions of the +stranger. The lock was a perfectly simple one, and only a strong +blade was needed to push it back. Holmes also suggested that we +should wait, not inside the hut, but outside it, among the +bushes which grew round the farther window. In this way we +should be able to watch our man if he struck a light, and see +what his object was in this stealthy nocturnal visit. + +It was a long and melancholy vigil, and yet brought with it +something of the thrill which the hunter feels when he lies +beside the water-pool, and waits for the coming of the thirsty +beast of prey. What savage creature was it which might steal +upon us out of the darkness? Was it a fierce tiger of crime, +which could only be taken fighting hard with flashing fang and +claw, or would it prove to be some skulking jackal, dangerous +only to the weak and unguarded? + +In absolute silence we crouched amongst the bushes, waiting for +whatever might come. At first the steps of a few belated +villagers, or the sound of voices from the village, lightened +our vigil, but one by one these interruptions died away, and an +absolute stillness fell upon us, save for the chimes of the +distant church, which told us of the progress of the night, and +for the rustle and whisper of a fine rain falling amid the +foliage which roofed us in. + +Half-past two had chimed, and it was the darkest hour which +precedes the dawn, when we all started as a low but sharp click +came from the direction of the gate. Someone had entered the +drive. Again there was a long silence, and I had begun to fear +that it was a false alarm, when a stealthy step was heard upon +the other side of the hut, and a moment later a metallic +scraping and clinking. The man was trying to force the lock. +This time his skill was greater or his tool was better, for +there was a sudden snap and the creak of the hinges. Then a +match was struck, and next instant the steady light from a +candle filled the interior of the hut. Through the gauze curtain +our eyes were all riveted upon the scene within. + +The nocturnal visitor was a young man, frail and thin, with a +black moustache, which intensified the deadly pallor of his +face. He could not have been much above twenty years of age. I +have never seen any human being who appeared to be in such a +pitiable fright, for his teeth were visibly chattering, and he +was shaking in every limb. He was dressed like a gentleman, in +Norfolk jacket and knickerbockers, with a cloth cap upon his +head. We watched him staring round with frightened eyes. Then he +laid the candle-end upon the table and disappeared from our view +into one of the corners. He returned with a large book, one of +the logbooks which formed a line upon the shelves. Leaning on +the table, he rapidly turned over the leaves of this volume +until he came to the entry which he sought. Then, with an angry +gesture of his clenched hand, he closed the book, replaced it in +the corner, and put out the light. He had hardly turned to leave +the hut when Hopkin's hand was on the fellow's collar, and I heard +his loud gasp of terror as he understood that he was taken. The +candle was relit, and there was our wretched captive, shivering and +cowering in the grasp of the detective. He sank down upon the +sea-chest, and looked helplessly from one of us to the other. + +"Now, my fine fellow," said Stanley Hopkins, "who are you, and +what do you want here?" + +The man pulled himself together, and faced us with an effort at +self-composure. + +"You are detectives, I suppose?" said he. "You imagine I am +connected with the death of Captain Peter Carey. I assure you +that I am innocent." + +"We'll see about that," said Hopkins. "First of all, what is +your name?" + +"It is John Hopley Neligan." + +I saw Holmes and Hopkins exchange a quick glance. + +"What are you doing here?" + +"Can I speak confidentially?" + +"No, certainly not." + +"Why should I tell you?" + +"If you have no answer, it may go badly with you at the trial." + +The young man winced. + +"Well, I will tell you," he said. "Why should I not? And yet I +hate to think of this old scandal gaining a new lease of life. +Did you ever hear of Dawson and Neligan?" + +I could see, from Hopkins's face, that he never had, but Holmes +was keenly interested. + +"You mean the West Country bankers," said he. "They failed for +a million, ruined half the county families of Cornwall, and +Neligan disappeared." + +"Exactly. Neligan was my father." + +At last we were getting something positive, and yet it seemed a +long gap between an absconding banker and Captain Peter Carey +pinned against the wall with one of his own harpoons. We all +listened intently to the young man's words. + +"It was my father who was really concerned. Dawson had retired. +I was only ten years of age at the time, but I was old enough to +feel the shame and horror of it all. It has always been said +that my father stole all the securities and fled. It is not +true. It was his belief that if he were given time in which to +realize them, all would be well and every creditor paid in full. +He started in his little yacht for Norway just before the +warrant was issued for his arrest. I can remember that last +night when he bade farewell to my mother. He left us a list of +the securities he was taking, and he swore that he would come +back with his honour cleared, and that none who had trusted him +would suffer. Well, no word was ever heard from him again. Both +the yacht and he vanished utterly. We believed, my mother and I, +that he and it, with the securities that he had taken with him, +were at the bottom of the sea. We had a faithful friend, +however, who is a business man, and it was he who discovered +some time ago that some of the securities which my father had +with him had reappeared on the London market. You can imagine +our amazement. I spent months in trying to trace them, and at +last, after many doubtings and difficulties, I discovered that +the original seller had been Captain Peter Carey, the owner of +this hut. + +"Naturally, I made some inquiries about the man. I found that he +had been in command of a whaler which was due to return from the +Arctic seas at the very time when my father was crossing to +Norway. The autumn of that year was a stormy one, and there was +a long succession of southerly gales. My father's yacht may well +have been blown to the north, and there met by Captain Peter +Carey's ship. If that were so, what had become of my father? In +any case, if I could prove from Peter Carey's evidence how these +securities came on the market it would be a proof that my father +had not sold them, and that he had no view to personal profit +when he took them. + +"I came down to Sussex with the intention of seeing the captain, +but it was at this moment that his terrible death occurred. I +read at the inquest a description of his cabin, in which it +stated that the old logbooks of his vessel were preserved in it. +It struck me that if I could see what occurred in the month of +August, 1883, on board the SEA UNICORN, I might settle the +mystery of my father's fate. I tried last night to get at these +logbooks, but was unable to open the door. To-night I tried +again and succeeded, but I find that the pages which deal with +that month have been torn from the book. It was at that moment +I found myself a prisoner in your hands." + +"Is that all?" asked Hopkins. + +"Yes, that is all." His eyes shifted as he said it. + +"You have nothing else to tell us?" + +He hesitated. + +"No, there is nothing." + +"You have not been here before last night?" + +"No. + +"Then how do you account for THAT?" cried Hopkins, as he held up +the damning notebook, with the initials of our prisoner on the +first leaf and the blood-stain on the cover. + +The wretched man collapsed. He sank his face in his hands, and +trembled all over. + +"Where did you get it?" he groaned. "I did not know. I thought +I had lost it at the hotel." + +"That is enough," said Hopkins, sternly. "Whatever else you have +to say, you must say in court. You will walk down with me now to +the police-station. Well, Mr. Holmes, I am very much obliged to +you and to your friend for coming down to help me. As it turns +out your presence was unnecessary, and I would have brought the +case to this successful issue without you, but, none the less, +I am grateful. Rooms have been reserved for you at the +Brambletye Hotel, so we can all walk down to the village together." + +"Well, Watson, what do you think of it?" asked Holmes, as we +travelled back next morning. + +"I can see that you are not satisfied." + +"Oh, yes, my dear Watson, I am perfectly satisfied. At the same +time, Stanley Hopkins's methods do not commend themselves to me. +I am disappointed in Stanley Hopkins. I had hoped for better +things from him. One should always look for a possible +alternative, and provide against it. It is the first rule of +criminal investigation." + +"What, then, is the alternative?" + +"The line of investigation which I have myself been pursuing. It +may give us nothing. I cannot tell. But at least I shall follow +it to the end." + +Several letters were waiting for Holmes at Baker Street. He +snatched one of them up, opened it, and burst out into a +triumphant chuckle of laughter. + +"Excellent, Watson! The alternative develops. Have you telegraph +forms? Just write a couple of messages for me: `Sumner, Shipping +Agent, Ratcliff Highway. Send three men on, to arrive ten +to-morrow morning.--Basil.' That's my name in those parts. The +other is: `Inspector Stanley Hopkins, 46 Lord Street, Brixton. +Come breakfast to-morrow at nine-thirty. Important. Wire if +unable to come.--Sherlock Holmes.' There, Watson, this infernal +case has haunted me for ten days. I hereby banish it completely +from my presence. To-morrow, I trust that we shall hear the last +of it forever." + +Sharp at the hour named Inspector Stanley Hopkins appeared, and +we sat down together to the excellent breakfast which Mrs. +Hudson had prepared. The young detective was in high spirits at +his success. + +"You really think that your solution must be correct?" asked Holmes. + +"I could not imagine a more complete case." + +"It did not seem to me conclusive." + +"You astonish me, Mr. Holmes. What more could one ask for?" + +"Does your explanation cover every point?" + +"Undoubtedly. I find that young Neligan arrived at the +Brambletye Hotel on the very day of the crime. He came on the +pretence of playing golf. His room was on the ground-floor, and +he could get out when he liked. That very night he went down to +Woodman's Lee, saw Peter Carey at the hut, quarrelled with him, +and killed him with the harpoon. Then, horrified by what he had +done, he fled out of the hut, dropping the notebook which he had +brought with him in order to question Peter Carey about these +different securities. You may have observed that some of them +were marked with ticks, and the others--the great majority--were +not. Those which are ticked have been traced on the London +market, but the others, presumably, were still in the possession +of Carey, and young Neligan, according to his own account, was +anxious to recover them in order to do the right thing by his +father's creditors. After his flight he did not dare to approach +the hut again for some time, but at last he forced himself to do +so in order to obtain the information which he needed. Surely +that is all simple and obvious?" + +Holmes smiled and shook his head. "It seems to me to have only +one drawback, Hopkins, and that is that it is intrinsically +impossible. Have you tried to drive a harpoon through a body? +No? Tut, tut my dear sir, you must really pay attention to these +details. My friend Watson could tell you that I spent a whole +morning in that exercise. It is no easy matter, and requires a +strong and practised arm. But this blow was delivered with such +violence that the head of the weapon sank deep into the wall. Do +you imagine that this anaemic youth was capable of so frightful +an assault? Is he the man who hobnobbed in rum and water with +Black Peter in the dead of the night? Was it his profile that +was seen on the blind two nights before? No, no, Hopkins, it is +another and more formidable person for whom we must seek." + +The detective's face had grown longer and longer during Holmes's +speech. His hopes and his ambitions were all crumbling about +him. But he would not abandon his position without a struggle. + +"You can't deny that Neligan was present that night, Mr. Holmes. +The book will prove that. I fancy that I have evidence enough to +satisfy a jury, even if you are able to pick a hole in it. +Besides, Mr. Holmes, I have laid my hand upon MY man. As to this +terrible person of yours, where is he?" + +"I rather fancy that he is on the stair," said Holmes, serenely. +"I think, Watson, that you would do well to put that revolver +where you can reach it." He rose and laid a written paper upon +a side-table. "Now we are ready," said he. + +There had been some talking in gruff voices outside, and now +Mrs. Hudson opened the door to say that there were three men +inquiring for Captain Basil. + +"Show them in one by one," said Holmes. + +"The first who entered was a little Ribston pippin of a man, +with ruddy cheeks and fluffy white side-whiskers. Holmes had +drawn a letter from his pocket. + +"What name?" he asked. + +"James Lancaster." + +"I am sorry, Lancaster, but the berth is full. Here is half a +sovereign for your trouble. Just step into this room and wait +there for a few minutes." + +The second man was a long, dried-up creature, with lank hair and +sallow cheeks. His name was Hugh Pattins. He also received his +dismissal, his half-sovereign, and the order to wait. + +The third applicant was a man of remarkable appearance. A fierce +bull-dog face was framed in a tangle of hair and beard, and two +bold, dark eyes gleamed behind the cover of thick, tufted, +overhung eyebrows. He saluted and stood sailor-fashion, turning +his cap round in his hands. + +"Your name?" asked Holmes. + +"Patrick Cairns." + +"Harpooner?" + +"Yes, sir. Twenty-six voyages." + +"Dundee, I suppose?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"And ready to start with an exploring ship?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"What wages?" + +"Eight pounds a month." + +"Could you start at once?" + +"As soon as I get my kit." + +"Have you your papers?" + +"Yes, sir." He took a sheaf of worn and greasy forms from his +pocket. Holmes glanced over them and returned them. + +"You are just the man I want," said he. "Here's the agreement on +the side-table. If you sign it the whole matter will be settled." + +The seaman lurched across the room and took up the pen. + +"Shall I sign here?" he asked, stooping over the table. + +Holmes leaned over his shoulder and passed both hands over his neck. + +"This will do," said he. + +I heard a click of steel and a bellow like an enraged bull. The +next instant Holmes and the seaman were rolling on the ground +together. He was a man of such gigantic strength that, even with +the handcuffs which Holmes had so deftly fastened upon his +wrists, he would have very quickly overpowered my friend had +Hopkins and I not rushed to his rescue. Only when I pressed the +cold muzzle of the revolver to his temple did he at last +understand that resistance was vain. We lashed his ankles with +cord, and rose breathless from the struggle. + +"I must really apologize, Hopkins," said Sherlock Holmes. "I +fear that the scrambled eggs are cold. However, you will enjoy +the rest of your breakfast all the better, will you not, for the +thought that you have brought your case to a triumphant conclusion." + +Stanley Hopkins was speechless with amazement. + +"I don't know what to say, Mr. Holmes," he blurted out at last, +with a very red face. "It seems to me that I have been making a +fool of myself from the beginning. I understand now, what I +should never have forgotten, that I am the pupil and you are the +master. Even now I see what you have done, but I don't know how +you did it or what it signifies." + +"Well, well," said Holmes, good-humouredly. "We all learn by +experience, and your lesson this time is that you should never +lose sight of the alternative. You were so absorbed in young +Neligan that you could not spare a thought to Patrick Cairns, +the true murderer of Peter Carey." + +The hoarse voice of the seaman broke in on our conversation. + +"See here, mister," said he, "I make no complaint of being +man-handled in this fashion, but I would have you call things by +their right names. You say I murdered Peter Carey, I say I +KILLED Peter Carey, and there's all the difference. Maybe you +don't believe what I say. Maybe you think I am just slinging you +a yarn." + +"Not at all," said Holmes. "Let us hear what you have to say." + +"It's soon told, and, by the Lord, every word of it is truth. I +knew Black Peter, and when he pulled out his knife I whipped a +harpoon through him sharp, for I knew that it was him or me. +That's how he died. You can call it murder. Anyhow, I'd as soon +die with a rope round my neck as with Black Peter's knife in my +heart." + +"How came you there?" asked Holmes. + +"I'll tell it you from the beginning. Just sit me up a little, +so as I can speak easy. It was in '83 that it happened--August +of that year. Peter Carey was master of the SEA UNICORN, and I +was spare harpooner. We were coming out of the ice-pack on our +way home, with head winds and a week's southerly gale, when we +picked up a little craft that had been blown north. There was +one man on her--a landsman. The crew had thought she would +founder and had made for the Norwegian coast in the dinghy. I +guess they were all drowned. Well, we took him on board, this +man, and he and the skipper had some long talks in the cabin. +All the baggage we took off with him was one tin box. So far as +I know, the man's name was never mentioned, and on the second +night he disappeared as if he had never been. It was given out +that he had either thrown himself overboard or fallen overboard +in the heavy weather that we were having. Only one man knew what +had happened to him, and that was me, for, with my own eyes, I +saw the skipper tip up his heels and put him over the rail in +the middle watch of a dark night, two days before we sighted the +Shetland Lights. "Well, I kept my knowledge to myself, and +waited to see what would come of it. When we got back to Scotland +it was easily hushed up, and nobody asked any questions. A +stranger died by accident and it was nobody's business to +inquire. Shortly after Peter Carey gave up the sea, and it was +long years before I could find where he was. I guessed that he +had done the deed for the sake of what was in that tin box, and +that he could afford now to pay me well for keeping my mouth +shut. "I found out where he was through a sailor man that had +met him in London, and down I went to squeeze him. The first +night he was reasonable enough, and was ready to give me what +would make me free of the sea for life. We were to fix it all +two nights later. When I came, I found him three parts drunk and +in a vile temper. We sat down and we drank and we yarned about +old times, but the more he drank the less I liked the look on +his face. I spotted that harpoon upon the wall, and I thought I +might need it before I was through. Then at last he broke out at +me, spitting and cursing, with murder in his eyes and a great +clasp-knife in his hand. He had not time to get it from the +sheath before I had the harpoon through him. Heavens! what a +yell he gave! and his face gets between me and my sleep. I stood +there, with his blood splashing round me, and I waited for a +bit, but all was quiet, so I took heart once more. I looked +round, and there was the tin box on the shelf. I had as much +right to it as Peter Carey, anyhow, so I took it with me and +left the hut. Like a fool I left my baccy-pouch upon the table. + +"Now I'll tell you the queerest part of the whole story. I had +hardly got outside the hut when I heard someone coming, and I +hid among the bushes. A man came slinking along, went into the +hut, gave a cry as if he had seen a ghost, and legged it as hard +as he could run until he was out of sight. Who he was or what he +wanted is more than I can tell. For my part I walked ten miles, +got a train at Tunbridge Wells, and so reached London, and no +one the wiser. + +"Well, when I came to examine the box I found there was no money +in it, and nothing but papers that I would not dare to sell. I +had lost my hold on Black Peter and was stranded in London +without a shilling. There was only my trade left. I saw these +advertisements about harpooners, and high wages, so I went to +the shipping agents, and they sent me here. That's all I know, +and I say again that if I killed Black Peter, the law should +give me thanks, for I saved them the rice of a hempen rope." + +"A very clear statement said Holmes, rising and lighting his +pipe. "I think, Hopkins, that you should lose no time in +conveying your prisoner to a place of safety. This room is not +well adapted for a cell, and Mr. Patrick Cairns occupies too +large a proportion of our carpet." + +"Mr. Holmes," said Hopkins, "I do not know how to express my +gratitude. Even now I do not understand how you attained this +result." + +"Simply by having the good fortune to get the right clue from +the beginning. It is very possible if I had known about this +notebook it might have led away my thoughts, as it did yours. +But all I heard pointed in the one direction. The amazing +strength, the skill in the use of the harpoon, the rum and +water, the sealskin tobacco-pouch with the coarse tobacco--all +these pointed to a seaman, and one who had been a whaler. I was +convinced that the initials `P.C.' upon the pouch were a +coincidence, and not those of Peter Carey, since he seldom +smoked, and no pipe was found in his cabin. You remember that I +asked whether whisky and brandy were in the cabin. You said they +were. How many landsmen are there who would drink rum when they +could get these other spirits? Yes, I was certain it was a seaman." + +"And how did you find him?" + +"My dear sir, the problem had become a very simple one. If it +were a seaman, it could only be a seaman who had been with him +on the SEA UNICORN. So far as I could learn he had sailed in no +other ship. I spent three days in wiring to Dundee, and at the +end of that time I had ascertained the names of the crew of the +SEA UNICORN in 1883. When I found Patrick Cairns among the +harpooners, my research was nearing its end. I argued that the +man was probably in London, and that he would desire to leave the +country for a time. I therefore spent some days in the East End, +devised an Arctic expedition, put forth tempting terms for harpooners +who would serve under Captain Basil--and behold the result!" + +"Wonderful!" cried Hopkins. "Wonderful!" + +"You must obtain the release of young Neligan as soon as +possible," said Holmes. "I confess that I think you owe him some +apology. The tin box must be returned to him, but, of course, +the securities which Peter Carey has sold are lost forever. +There's the cab, Hopkins, and you can remove your man. If you +want me for the trial, my address and that of Watson will be +somewhere in Norway--I'll send particulars later." THE ADVENTURE OF CHARLES AUGUSTUS MILVERTON + + + +It is years since the incidents of which I speak took place, and +yet it is with diffidence that I allude to them. For a long +time, even with the utmost discretion and reticence, it would +have been impossible to make the facts public, but now the +principal person concerned is beyond the reach of human law, and +with due suppression the story may be told in such fashion as to +injure no one. It records an absolutely unique experience in the +career both of Mr. Sherlock Holmes and of myself. The reader +will excuse me if I conceal the date or any other fact by which +he might trace the actual occurrence. + +We had been out for one of our evening rambles, Holmes and I, +and had returned about six o'clock on a cold, frosty winter's +evening. As Holmes turned up the lamp the light fell upon a card +on the table. He glanced at it, and then, with an ejaculation of +disgust, threw it on the floor. I picked it up and read: + + CHARLES AUGUSTUS MILVERTON, + Appledore Towers, + Hampstead. + Agent. + +"Who is he?" I asked. + +"The worst man in London," Holmes answered, as he sat down and +stretched his legs before the fire. "Is anything on the back of +the card?" + +I turned it over. + +"Will call at 6:30--C.A.M.," I read. + +"Hum! He's about due. Do you feel a creeping, shrinking +sensation, Watson, when you stand before the serpents in the +Zoo, and see the slithery, gliding, venomous creatures, with +their deadly eyes and wicked, flattened faces? Well, that's how +Milverton impresses me. I've had to do with fifty murderers in +my career, but the worst of them never gave me the repulsion +which I have for this fellow. And yet I can't get out of doing +business with him--indeed, he is here at my invitation." + +"But who is he?" + +"I'll tell you, Watson. He is the king of all the blackmailers. +Heaven help the man, and still more the woman, whose secret and +reputation come into the power of Milverton! With a smiling face +and a heart of marble, he will squeeze and squeeze until he has +drained them dry. The fellow is a genius in his way, and would +have made his mark in some more savoury trade. His method is as +follows: He allows it to be known that he is prepared to pay +very high sums for letters which compromise people of wealth and +position. He receives these wares not only from treacherous +valets or maids, but frequently from genteel ruffians, who have +gained the confidence and affection of trusting women. He deals +with no niggard hand. I happen to know that he paid seven +hundred pounds to a footman for a note two lines in length, and +that the ruin of a noble family was the result. Everything which +is in the market goes to Milverton, and there are hundreds in +this great city who turn white at his name. No one knows where +his grip may fall, for he is far too rich and far too cunning to +work from hand to mouth. He will hold a card back for years in +order to play it at the moment when the stake is best worth +winning. I have said that he is the worst man in London, and I +would ask you how could one compare the ruffian, who in hot +blood bludgeons his mate, with this man, who methodically and +at his leisure tortures the soul and wrings the nerves in order +to add to his already swollen money-bags?" + +I had seldom heard my friend speak with such intensity of feeling. + +"But surely," said I, "the fellow must be within the grasp of +the law?" + +"Technically, no doubt, but practically not. What would it +profit a woman, for example, to get him a few months' +imprisonment if her own ruin must immediately follow? His +victims dare not hit back. If ever he blackmailed an innocent +person, then indeed we should have him, but he is as cunning as +the Evil One. No, no, we must find other ways to fight him." + +"And why is he here?" + +"Because an illustrious client has placed her piteous case in my +hands. It is the Lady Eva Blackwell, the most beautiful +debutante of last season. She is to be married in a fortnight to +the Earl of Dovercourt. This fiend has several imprudent +letters--imprudent, Watson, nothing worse--which were written to +an impecunious young squire in the country. They would suffice +to break off the match. Milverton will send the letters to the +Earl unless a large sum of money is paid him. I have been +commissioned to meet him, and--to make the best terms I can." + +At that instant there was a clatter and a rattle in the street +below. Looking down I saw a stately carriage and pair, the +brilliant lamps gleaming on the glossy haunches of the noble +chestnuts. A footman opened the door, and a small, stout man in +a shaggy astrakhan overcoat descended. A minute later he was in +the room. + +Charles Augustus Milverton was a man of fifty, with a large, +intellectual head, a round, plump, hairless face, a perpetual +frozen smile, and two keen gray eyes, which gleamed brightly +from behind broad, gold-rimmed glasses. There was something of +Mr. Pickwick's benevolence in his appearance, marred only by the +insincerity of the fixed smile and by the hard glitter of those +restless and penetrating eyes. His voice was as smooth and suave +as his countenance, as he advanced with a plump little hand +extended, murmuring his regret for having missed us at his first +visit. Holmes disregarded the outstretched hand and looked at +him with a face of granite. Milverton's smile broadened, he +shrugged his shoulders removed his overcoat, folded it with +great deliberation over the back of a chair, and then took a seat. + +"This gentleman?" said he, with a wave in my direction. "Is it +discreet? Is it right?" + +"Dr. Watson is my friend and partner." + +"Very good, Mr. Holmes. It is only in your client's interests +that I protested. The matter is so very delicate----" + +"Dr. Watson has already heard of it." + +"Then we can proceed to business. You say that you are acting +for Lady Eva. Has she empowered you to accept my terms?" + +"What are your terms?" + +"Seven thousand pounds." + +"And the alternative?" + +"My dear sir, it is painful for me to discuss it, but if the +money is not paid on the 14th, there certainly will be no +marriage on the 18th." His insufferable smile was more +complacent than ever. + +Holmes thought for a little. + +"You appear to me," he said, at last, "to be taking matters too +much for granted. I am, of course, familiar with the contents of +these letters. My client will certainly do what I may advise. I +shall counsel her to tell her future husband the whole story and +to trust to his generosity." + +Milverton chuckled. + +"You evidently do not know the Earl," said he. + +From the baffled look upon Holmes's face, I could see clearly +that he did. + +"What harm is there in the letters?" he asked. + +"They are sprightly--very sprightly," Milverton answered. "The +lady was a charming correspondent. But I can assure you that the +Earl of Dovercourt would fail to appreciate them. However, since +you think otherwise, we will let it rest at that. It is purely +a matter of business. If you think that it is in the best +interests of your client that these letters should be placed in +the hands of the Earl, then you would indeed be foolish to pay +so large a sum of money to regain them." He rose and seized his +astrakhan coat. + +Holmes was gray with anger and mortification. + +"Wait a little," he said. "You go too fast. We should certainly +make every effort to avoid scandal in so delicate a matter." + +Milverton relapsed into his chair. + +"I was sure that you would see it in that light," he purred. + +"At the same time," Holmes continued, "Lady Eva is not a wealthy +woman. I assure you that two thousand pounds would be a drain +upon her resources, and that the sum you name is utterly beyond +her power. I beg, therefore, that you will moderate your +demands, and that you will return the letters at the price I +indicate, which is, I assure you, the highest that you can get." + +Milverton's smile broadened and his eyes twinkled humorously. + +"I am aware that what you say is true about the lady's +resources," said he. "At the same time you must admit that the +occasion of a lady's marriage is a very suitable time for her +friends and relatives to make some little effort upon her +behalf. They may hesitate as to an acceptable wedding present. +Let me assure them that this little bundle of letters would give +more joy than all the candelabra and butter-dishes in London." + +"It is impossible," said Holmes. + +"Dear me, dear me, how unfortunate!" cried Milverton, taking out +a bulky pocketbook. "I cannot help thinking that ladies are +ill-advised in not making an effort. Look at this!" He held up +a little note with a coat-of-arms upon the envelope. "That +belongs to--well, perhaps it is hardly fair to tell the name +until to-morrow morning. But at that time it will be in the +hands of the lady's husband. And all because she will not find +a beggarly sum which she could get by turning her diamonds into +paste. It IS such a pity! Now, you remember the sudden end of +the engagement between the Honourable Miss Miles and Colonel +Dorking? Only two days before the wedding, there was a paragraph +in the MORNING POST to say that it was all off. And why? It is +almost incredible, but the absurd sum of twelve hundred pounds +would have settled the whole question. Is it not pitiful? And +here I find you, a man of sense, boggling about terms, when your +client's future and honour are at stake. You surprise me, Mr. Holmes." + +"What I say is true," Holmes answered. "The money cannot be +found. Surely it is better for you to take the substantial sum +which I offer than to ruin this woman's career, which can profit +you in no way?" + +"There you make a mistake, Mr. Holmes. An exposure would profit +me indirectly to a considerable extent. I have eight or ten +similar cases maturing. If it was circulated among them that I +had made a severe example of the Lady Eva, I should find all of +them much more open to reason. You see my point?" + +Holmes sprang from his chair. + +"Get behind him, Watson! Don't let him out! Now, sir, let us see +the contents of that notebook." + +Milverton had glided as quick as a rat to the side of the room +and stood with his back against the wall. + +"Mr. Holmes, Mr. Holmes," he said, turning the front of his coat +and exhibiting the butt of a large revolver, which projected +from the inside pocket. "I have been expecting you to do +something original. This has been done so often, and what good +has ever come from it? I assure you that I am armed to the +teeth, and I am perfectly prepared to use my weapons, knowing +that the law will support me. Besides, your supposition that I +would bring the letters here in a notebook is entirely mistaken. +I would do nothing so foolish. And now, gentlemen, I have one or +two little interviews this evening, and it is a long drive to +Hampstead." He stepped forward, took up his coat, laid his hand +on his revolver, and turned to the door. I picked up a chair, +but Holmes shook his head, and I laid it down again. With bow, +a smile, and a twinkle, Milverton was out of the room, and a few +moments after we heard the slam of the carriage door and the +rattle of the wheels as he drove away. + +Holmes sat motionless by the fire, his hands buried deep in his +trouser pockets, his chin sunk upon his breast, his eyes fixed +upon the glowing embers. For half an hour he was silent and +still. Then, with the gesture of a man who has taken his +decision, he sprang to his feet and passed into his bedroom. A +little later a rakish young workman, with a goatee beard and a +swagger, lit his clay pipe at the lamp before descending into +the street. "I'll be back some time, Watson," said he, and +vanished into the night. I understood that he had opened his +campaign against Charles Augustus Milverton, but I little dreamed +the strange shape which that campaign was destined to take. + +For some days Holmes came and went at all hours in this attire, +but beyond a remark that his time was spent at Hampstead, and +that it was not wasted, I knew nothing of what he was doing. At +last, however, on a wild, tempestuous evening, when the wind +screamed and rattled against the windows, he returned from his +last expedition, and having removed his disguise he sat before +the fire and laughed heartily in his silent inward fashion. + +"You would not call me a marrying man, Watson?" + +"No, indeed!" + +"You'll be interested to hear that I'm engaged." + +"My dear fellow! I congrat----" + +"To Milverton's housemaid." + +"Good heavens, Holmes!" + +"I wanted information, Watson." + +"Surely you have gone too far?" + +"It was a most necessary step. I am a plumber with a rising +business, Escott, by name. I have walked out with her each +evening, and I have talked with her. Good heavens, those talks! +However, I have got all I wanted. I know Milverton's house as I +know the palm of my hand." + +"But the girl, Holmes?" + +He shrugged his shoulders. + +"You can't help it, my dear Watson. You must play your cards as +best you can when such a stake is on the table. However, I +rejoice to say that I have a hated rival, who will certainly cut +me out the instant that my back is turned. What a splendid night +it is!" + +"You like this weather?" + +"It suits my purpose. Watson, I mean to burgle Milverton's house +to-night." + +I had a catching of the breath, and my skin went cold at the +words, which were slowly uttered in a tone of concentrated +resolution. As a flash of lightning in the night shows up in an +instant every detail of a wild landscape, so at one glance I +seemed to see every possible result of such an action--the +detection, the capture, the honoured career ending in +irreparable failure and disgrace, my friend himself lying +at the mercy of the odious Milverton. + +"For heaven's sake, Holmes, think what you are doing," I cried. + +"My dear fellow, I have given it every consideration. I am never +precipitate in my actions, nor would I adopt so energetic and, +indeed, so dangerous a course, if any other were possible. Let +us look at the matter clearly and fairly. I suppose that you +will admit that the action is morally justifiable, though +technically criminal. To burgle his house is no more than to +forcibly take his pocketbook--an action in which you were +prepared to aid me." + +I turned it over in my mind. + +"Yes," I said, "it is morally justifiable so long as our object +is to take no articles save those which are used for an illegal +purpose." + +Exactly. Since it is morally justifiable, I have only to +consider the question of personal risk. Surely a gentleman +should not lay much stress upon this, when a lady is in most +desperate need of his help?" + +"You will be in such a false position." + +"Well, that is part of the risk. There is no other possible way +of regaining these letters. The unfortunate lady has not the +money, and there are none of her people in whom she could +confide. To-morrow is the last day of grace, and unless we can +get the letters to-night, this villain will be as good as his +word and will bring about her ruin. I must, therefore, abandon +my client to her fate or I must play this last card. Between +ourselves, Watson, it's a sporting duel between this fellow +Milverton and me. He had, as you saw, the best of the first +exchanges, but my self-respect and my reputation are concerned +to fight it to a finish." + +"Well, I don't like it, but I suppose it must be," said I. "When +do we start?" + +"You are not coming." + +"Then you are not going," said I. "I give you my word of honour-- +and I never broke it in my life--that I will take a cab straight +to the police-station and give you away, unless you let me share +this adventure with you." + +"You can't help me." + +"How do you know that? You can't tell what may happen. Anyway, +my resolution is taken. Other people besides you have +self-respect, and even reputations." + +Holmes had looked annoyed, but his brow cleared, and he clapped +me on the shoulder. + +"Well, well, my dear fellow, be it so. We have shared this same +room for some years, and it would be amusing if we ended by +sharing the same cell. You know, Watson, I don't mind confessing +to you that I have always had an idea that I would have made a +highly efficient criminal. This is the chance of my lifetime in +that direction. See here!" He took a neat little leather case +out of a drawer, and opening it he exhibited a number of shining +instruments. "This is a first-class, up-to-date burgling kit, +with nickel-plated jemmy, diamond-tipped glass-cutter, adaptable +keys, and every modern improvement which the march of +civilization demands. Here, too, is my dark lantern. Everything +is in order. Have you a pair of silent shoes?" + +"I have rubber-soled tennis shoes." + +"Excellent! And a mask?" + +"I can make a couple out of black silk." + +"I can see that you have a strong, natural turn for this sort of +thing. Very good, do you make the masks. We shall have some cold +supper before we start. It is now nine-thirty. At eleven we +shall drive as far as Church Row. It is a quarter of an hour's +walk from there to Appledore Towers. We shall be at work before +midnight. Milverton is a heavy sleeper, and retires punctually +at ten-thirty. With any luck we should be back here by two, with +the Lady Eva's letters in my pocket." + +Holmes and I put on our dress-clothes, so that we might appear +to be two theatre-goers homeward bound. In Oxford Street we +picked up a hansom and drove to an address in Hampstead. Here we +paid off our cab, and with our great coats buttoned up, for it +was bitterly cold, and the wind seemed to blow through us, we +walked along the edge of the heath. + +"It's a business that needs delicate treatment," said Holmes. +"These documents are contained in a safe in the fellow's study, +and the study is the ante-room of his bed-chamber. On the other +hand, like all these stout, little men who do themselves well, +he is a plethoric sleeper. Agatha--that's my fiancee--says it is +a joke in the servants' hall that it's impossible to wake the +master. He has a secretary who is devoted to his interests, and +never budges from the study all day. That's why we are going at +night. Then he has a beast of a dog which roams the garden. I +met Agatha late the last two evenings, and she locks the brute +up so as to give me a clear run. This is the house, this big one +in its own grounds. Through the gate--now to the right among the +laurels. We might put on our masks here, I think. You see, there +is not a glimmer of light in any of the windows, and everything +is working splendidly." + +With our black silk face-coverings, which turned us into two of +the most truculent figures in London, we stole up to the silent, +gloomy house. A sort of tiled veranda extended along one side of +it, lined by several windows and two doors. + +"That's his bedroom," Holmes whispered. "This door opens +straight into the study. It would suit us best, but it is bolted +as well as locked, and we should make too much noise getting in. +Come round here. There's a greenhouse which opens into the +drawing-room." + +The place was locked, but Holmes removed a circle of glass and +turned the key from the inside. An instant afterwards he had +closed the door behind us, and we had become felons in the eyes +of the law. The thick, warm air of the conservatory and the +rich, choking fragrance of exotic plants took us by the throat. +He seized my hand in the darkness and led me swiftly past banks +of shrubs which brushed against our faces. Holmes had remarkable +powers, carefully cultivated, of seeing in the dark. Still +holding my hand in one of his, he opened a door, and I was +vaguely conscious that we had entered a large room in which a +cigar had been smoked not long before. He felt his way among the +furniture, opened another door, and closed it behind us. Putting +out my hand I felt several coats hanging from the wall, and I +understood that I was in a passage. We passed along it and +Holmes very gently opened a door upon the right-hand side. +Something rushed out at us and my heart sprang into my mouth, +but I could have laughed when I realized that it was the cat. A +fire was burning in this new room, and again the air was heavy +with tobacco smoke. Holmes entered on tiptoe, waited for me to +follow, and then very gently closed the door. We were in +Milverton's study, and a portiere at the farther side showed the +entrance to his bedroom. + +It was a good fire, and the room was illuminated by it. Near the +door I saw the gleam of an electric switch, but it was +unnecessary, even if it had been safe, to turn it on. At one +side of the fireplace was a heavy curtain which covered the bay +window we had seen from outside. On the other side was the door +which communicated with the veranda. A desk stood in the centre, +with a turning-chair of shining red leather. Opposite was a +large bookcase, with a marble bust of Athene on the top. In the +corner, between the bookcase and the wall, there stood a tall, +green safe, the firelight flashing back from the polished brass +knobs upon its face. Holmes stole across and looked at it. Then +he crept to the door of the bedroom, and stood with slanting +head listening intently. No sound came from within. Meanwhile it +had struck me that it would be wise to secure our retreat +through the outer door, so I examined it. To my amazement, it +was neither locked nor bolted. I touched Holmes on the arm, and +he turned his masked face in that direction. I saw him start, +and he was evidently as surprised as I. + +"I don't like it," he whispered, putting his lips to my very ear. +"I can't quite make it out. Anyhow, we have no time to lose." + +"Can I do anything?" + +"Yes, stand by the door. If you hear anyone come, bolt it on the +inside, and we can get away as we came. If they come the other +way, we can get through the door if our job is done, or hide +behind these window curtains if it is not. Do you understand?" + +I nodded, and stood by the door. My first feeling of fear had +passed away, and I thrilled now with a keener zest than I had +ever enjoyed when we were the defenders of the law instead of +its defiers. The high object of our mission, the consciousness +that it was unselfish and chivalrous, the villainous character +of our opponent, all added to the sporting interest of the +adventure. Far from feeling guilty, I rejoiced and exulted in +our dangers. With a glow of admiration I watched Holmes +unrolling his case of instruments and choosing his tool with the +calm, scientific accuracy of a surgeon who performs a delicate +operation. I knew that the opening of safes was a particular +hobby with him, and I understood the joy which it gave him to be +confronted with this green and gold monster, the dragon which +held in its maw the reputations of many fair ladies. Turning up +the cuffs of his dress-coat--he had placed his overcoat on a +chair--Holmes laid out two drills, a jemmy, and several skeleton +keys. I stood at the centre door with my eyes glancing at each +of the others, ready for any emergency, though, indeed, my plans +were somewhat vague as to what I should do if we were +interrupted. For half an hour, Holmes worked with concentrated +energy, laying down one tool, picking up another, handling each +with the strength and delicacy of the trained mechanic. Finally +I heard a click, the broad green door swung open, and inside I +had a glimpse of a number of paper packets, each tied, sealed, +and inscribed. Holmes picked one out, but it was as hard to read +by the flickering fire, and he drew out his little dark lantern, +for it was too dangerous, with Milverton in the next room, to +switch on the electric light. Suddenly I saw him halt, listen +intently, and then in an instant he had swung the door of the +safe to, picked up his coat, stuffed his tools into the pockets, +and darted behind the window curtain, motioning me to do the same. + +It was only when I had joined him there that I heard what had +alarmed his quicker senses. There was a noise somewhere within +the house. A door slammed in the distance. Then a confused, dull +murmur broke itself into the measured thud of heavy footsteps +rapidly approaching. They were in the passage outside the room. +They paused at the door. The door opened. There was a sharp +snick as the electric light was turned on. The door closed once +more, and the pungent reek of a strong cigar was borne to our +nostrils. Then the footsteps continued backward and forward, +backward and forward, within a few yards of us. Finally there +was a creak from a chair, and the footsteps ceased. Then a key +clicked in a lock, and I heard the rustle of papers. + +So far I had not dared to look out, but now I gently parted the +division of the curtains in front of me and peeped through. From +the pressure of Holmes's shoulder against mine, I knew that he +was sharing my observations. Right in front of us, and almost +within our reach, was the broad, rounded back of Milverton. It +was evident that we had entirely miscalculated his movements, +that he had never been to his bedroom, but that he had been +sitting up in some smoking or billiard room in the farther wing +of the house, the windows of which we had not seen. His broad, +grizzled head, with its shining patch of baldness, was in the +immediate foreground of our vision. He was leaning far back in +the red leather chair, his legs outstretched, a long, black +cigar projecting at an angle from his mouth. He wore a +semi-military smoking jacket, claret-coloured, with a black +velvet collar. In his hand he held a long, legal document which +he was reading in an indolent fashion, blowing rings of tobacco +smoke from his lips as he did so. There was no promise of a +speedy departure in his composed bearing and his comfortable +attitude. + +I felt Holmes's hand steal into mine and give me a reassuring +shake, as if to say that the situation was within his powers, +and that he was easy in his mind. I was not sure whether he had +seen what was only too obvious from my position, that the door +of the safe was imperfectly closed, and that Milverton might at +any moment observe it. In my own mind I had determined that if +I were sure, from the rigidity of his gaze, that it had caught +his eye, I would at once spring out, throw my great coat over +his head, pinion him, and leave the rest to Holmes. But +Milverton never looked up. He was languidly interested by the +papers in his hand, and page after page was turned as he +followed the argument of the lawyer. At least, I thought, when +he has finished the document and the cigar he will go to his +room, but before he had reached the end of either, there came a +remarkable development, which turned our thoughts into quite +another channel. + +Several times I had observed that Milverton looked at his watch, +and once he had risen and sat down again, with a gesture of +impatience. The idea, however, that he might have an appointment +at so strange an hour never occurred to me until a faint sound +reached my ears from the veranda outside. Milverton dropped his +papers and sat rigid in his chair. The sound was repeated, and +then there came a gentle tap at the door. Milverton rose and +opened it. + +"Well," said he, curtly, "you are nearly half an hour late." + +So this was the explanation of the unlocked door and of the +nocturnal vigil of Milverton. There was the gentle rustle of a +woman's dress. I had closed the slit between the curtains as +Milverton's face had turned in our direction, but now I ventured +very carefully to open it once more. He had resumed his seat, +the cigar still projecting at an insolent angle from the corner +of his mouth. In front of him, in the full glare of the electric +light, there stood a tall, slim, dark woman, a veil over her +face, a mantle drawn round her chin. Her breath came quick and +fast, and every inch of the lithe figure was quivering with +strong emotion. + +"Well," said Milverton, "you made me lose a good night's rest, +my dear. I hope you'll prove worth it. You couldn't come any +other time--eh?" + +The woman shook her head. + +"Well, if you couldn't you couldn't. If the Countess is a hard +mistress, you have your chance to get level with her now. Bless +the girl, what are you shivering about? That's right. Pull +yourself together. Now, let us get down to business." He took a +notebook from the drawer of his desk. "You say that you have +five letters which compromise the Countess d'Albert. You want to +sell them. I want to buy them. So far so good. It only remains +to fix a price. I should want to inspect the letters, of course. +If they are really good specimens--Great heavens, is it you?" + +The woman, without a word, had raised her veil and dropped the +mantle from her chin. It was a dark, handsome, clear-cut face +which confronted Milverton--a face with a curved nose, strong, +dark eyebrows shading hard, glittering eyes, and a straight, +thin-lipped mouth set in a dangerous smile. + +"It is I," she said, "the woman whose life you have ruined." + +Milverton laughed, but fear vibrated in his voice. "You were so +very obstinate," said he. "Why did you drive me to such +extremities? I assure you I wouldn't hurt a fly of my own +accord, but every man has his business, and what was I to do? I +put the price well within your means. You would not pay." + +"So you sent the letters to my husband, and he--the noblest +gentleman that ever lived, a man whose boots I was never worthy +to lace--he broke his gallant heart and died. You remember that +last night, when I came through that door, I begged and prayed +you for mercy, and you laughed in my face as you are trying to +laugh now, only your coward heart cannot keep your lips from +twitching. Yes, you never thought to see me here again, but it +was that night which taught me how I could meet you face to +face, and alone. Well, Charles Milverton, what have you to say?" + +"Don't imagine that you can bully me," said he, rising to his +feet. "I have only to raise my voice and I could call my +servants and have you arrested. But I will make allowance for +your natural anger. Leave the room at once as you came, and I +will say no more." + +The woman stood with her hand buried in her bosom, and the same +deadly smile on her thin lips. + +"You will ruin no more lives as you have ruined mine. You will +wring no more hearts as you wrung mine. I will free the world of +a poisonous thing. Take that, you hound--and that!--and that!-- +and that!" + +She had drawn a little gleaming revolver, and emptied barrel +after barrel into Milverton's body, the muzzle within two feet +of his shirt front. He shrank away and then fell forward upon +the table, coughing furiously and clawing among the papers. Then +he staggered to his feet, received another shot, and rolled upon +the floor. "You've done me," he cried, and lay still. The woman +looked at him intently, and ground her heel into his upturned +face. She looked again, but there was no sound or movement. I +heard a sharp rustle, the night air blew into the heated room, +and the avenger was gone. + +No interference upon our part could have saved the man from his +fate, but, as the woman poured bullet after bullet into +Milverton's shrinking body I was about to spring out, when I +felt Holmes's cold, strong grasp upon my wrist. I understood the +whole argument of that firm, restraining grip--that it was no +affair of ours, that justice had overtaken a villain, that we +had our own duties and our own objects, which were not to be +lost sight of. But hardly had the woman rushed from the room +when Holmes, with swift, silent steps, was over at the other +door. He turned the key in the lock. At the same instant we +heard voices in the house and the sound of hurrying feet. The +revolver shots had roused the household. With perfect coolness +Holmes slipped across to the safe, filled his two arms with +bundles of letters, and poured them all into the fire. Again and +again he did it, until the safe was empty. Someone turned the +handle and beat upon the outside of the door. Holmes looked +swiftly round. The letter which had been the messenger of death +for Milverton lay, all mottled with his blood, upon the table. +Holmes tossed it in among the blazing papers. Then he drew the +key from the outer door, passed through after me, and locked it +on the outside. "This way, Watson," said he, "we can scale the +garden wall in this direction." + +I could not have believed that an alarm could have spread so +swiftly. Looking back, the huge house was one blaze of light. +The front door was open, and figures were rushing down the +drive. The whole garden was alive with people, and one fellow +raised a view-halloa as we emerged from the veranda and followed +hard at our heels. Holmes seemed to know the grounds perfectly, +and he threaded his way swiftly among a plantation of small +trees, I close at his heels, and our foremost pursuer panting +behind us. It was a six-foot wall which barred our path, but he +sprang to the top and over. As I did the same I felt the hand of +the man behind me grab at my ankle, but I kicked myself free and +scrambled over a grass-strewn coping. I fell upon my face among +some bushes, but Holmes had me on my feet in an instant, and +together we dashed away across the huge expanse of Hampstead +Heath. We had run two miles, I suppose, before Holmes at last +halted and listened intently. All was absolute silence behind +us. We had shaken off our pursuers and were safe. + +We had breakfasted and were smoking our morning pipe on the day +after the remarkable experience which I have recorded, when Mr. +Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, very solemn and impressive, was +ushered into our modest sitting-room. + +"Good-morning, Mr. Holmes," said he; "good-morning. May I ask if +you are very busy just now?" + +"Not too busy to listen to you." + +"I thought that, perhaps, if you had nothing particular on hand, +you might care to assist us in a most remarkable case, which +occurred only last night at Hampstead." + +"Dear me!" said Holmes. "What was that?" + +"A murder--a most dramatic and remarkable murder. I know how +keen you are upon these things, and I would take it as a great +favour if you would step down to Appledore Towers, and give us +the benefit of your advice. It is no ordinary crime. We have had +our eyes upon this Mr. Milverton for some time, and, between +ourselves, he was a bit of a villain. He is known to have held +papers which he used for blackmailing purposes. These papers +have all been burned by the murderers. No article of value was +taken, as it is probable that the criminals were men of good +position, whose sole object was to prevent social exposure." + +"Criminals?" said Holmes. "Plural?" + +"Yes, there were two of them. They were as nearly as possible +captured red-handed. We have their footmarks, we have their +description, it's ten to one that we trace them. The first +fellow was a bit too active, but the second was caught by the +under-gardener, and only got away after a struggle. He was a +middle-sized, strongly built man--square jaw, thick neck, +moustache, a mask over his eyes." + +"That's rather vague," said Sherlock Holmes. "My, it might be a +description of Watson!" + +"It's true," said the inspector, with amusement. "It might be a +description of Watson." + +"Well, I'm afraid I can't help you, Lestrade," said Holmes. "The +fact is that I knew this fellow Milverton, that I considered him +one of the most dangerous men in London, and that I think there +are certain crimes which the law cannot touch, and which +therefore, to some extent, justify private revenge. No, it's no +use arguing. I have made up my mind. My sympathies are with the +criminals rather than with the victim, and I will not handle +this case." + +Holmes had not said one word to me about the tragedy which we +had witnessed, but I observed all the morning that he was in his +most thoughtful mood, and he gave me the impression, from his +vacant eyes and his abstracted manner, of a man who is striving +to recall something to his memory. We were in the middle of our +lunch, when he suddenly sprang to his feet. "By Jove, Watson, +I've got it!" he cried. "Take your hat! Come with me!" He +hurried at his top speed down Baker Street and along Oxford +Street, until we had almost reached Regent Circus. Here, on the +left hand, there stands a shop window filled with photographs of +the celebrities and beauties of the day. Holmes's eyes fixed +themselves upon one of them, and following his gaze I saw the +picture of a regal and stately lady in Court dress, with a high +diamond tiara upon her noble head. I looked at that delicately +curved nose, at the marked eyebrows, at the straight mouth, and +the strong little chin beneath it. Then I caught my breath as I +read the time-honoured title of the great nobleman and statesman +whose wife she had been. My eyes met those of Holmes, and he put +his finger to his lips as we turned away from the window. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SIX NAPOLEONS + + + +It was no very unusual thing for Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, +to look in upon us of an evening, and his visits were welcome to +Sherlock Holmes, for they enabled him to keep in touch with all +that was going on at the police headquarters. In return for the +news which Lestrade would bring, Holmes was always ready to +listen with attention to the details of any case upon which the +detective was engaged, and was able occasionally, without any +active interference, to give some hint or suggestion drawn from +his own vast knowledge and experience. + +On this particular evening, Lestrade had spoken of the weather +and the newspapers. Then he had fallen silent, puffing +thoughtfully at his cigar. Holmes looked keenly at him. + +"Anything remarkable on hand?" he asked. + +"Oh, no, Mr. Holmes--nothing very particular." + +"Then tell me about it." + +Lestrade laughed. + +"Well, Mr. Holmes, there is no use denying that there IS +something on my mind. And yet it is such an absurd business, +that I hesitated to bother you about it. On the other hand, +although it is trivial, it is undoubtedly queer, and I know that +you have a taste for all that is out of the common. But, in my +opinion, it comes more in Dr. Watson's line than ours." + +"Disease?" said I. + +"Madness, anyhow. And a queer madness, too. You wouldn't think +there was anyone living at this time of day who had such a +hatred of Napoleon the First that he would break any image of +him that he could see." + +Holmes sank back in his chair. + +"That's no business of mine," said he. + +"Exactly. That's what I said. But then, when the man commits +burglary in order to break images which are not his own, that +brings it away from the doctor and on to the policeman." + +Holmes sat up again. + +"Burglary! This is more interesting. Let me hear the details." + +Lestrade took out his official notebook and refreshed his memory +from its pages. + +"The first case reported was four days ago," said he. "It was at +the shop of Morse Hudson, who has a place for the sale of +pictures and statues in the Kennington Road. The assistant had +left the front shop for an instant, when he heard a crash, and +hurrying in he found a plaster bust of Napoleon, which stood +with several other works of art upon the counter, lying shivered +into fragments. He rushed out into the road, but, although +several passers-by declared that they had noticed a man run out +of the shop, he could neither see anyone nor could he find any +means of identifying the rascal. It seemed to be one of those +senseless acts of Hooliganism which occur from time to time, and +it was reported to the constable on the beat as such. The +plaster cast was not worth more than a few shillings, and the +whole affair appeared to be too childish for any particular +investigation. + +"The second case, however, was more serious, and also more +singular. It occurred only last night. + +"In Kennington Road, and within a few hundred yards of Morse +Hudson's shop, there lives a well-known medical practitioner, +named Dr. Barnicot, who has one of the largest practices upon +the south side of the Thames. His residence and principal +consulting-room is at Kennington Road, but he has a branch +surgery and dispensary at Lower Brixton Road, two miles away. +This Dr. Barnicot is an enthusiastic admirer of Napoleon, and +his house is full of books, pictures, and relics of the French +Emperor. Some little time ago he purchased from Morse Hudson two +duplicate plaster casts of the famous head of Napoleon by the +French sculptor, Devine. One of these he placed in his hall in +the house at Kennington Road, and the other on the mantelpiece +of the surgery at Lower Brixton. Well, when Dr. Barnicot came +down this morning he was astonished to find that his house had +been burgled during the night, but that nothing had been taken +save the plaster head from the hall. It had been carried out and +had been dashed savagely against the garden wall, under which +its splintered fragments were discovered." + +Holmes rubbed his hands. + +"This is certainly very novel," said he. + +"I thought it would please you. But I have not got to the end +yet. Dr. Barnicot was due at his surgery at twelve o'clock, and +you can imagine his amazement when, on arriving there, he found +that the window had been opened in the night and that the broken +pieces of his second bust were strewn all over the room. It had +been smashed to atoms where it stood. In neither case were there +any signs which could give us a clue as to the criminal or +lunatic who had done the mischief. Now, Mr. Holmes, you have got +the facts." + +"They are singular, not to say grotesque," said Holmes. "May I +ask whether the two busts smashed in Dr. Barnicot's rooms were +the exact duplicates of the one which was destroyed in Morse +Hudson's shop?" + +"They were taken from the same mould." + +"Such a fact must tell against the theory that the man who +breaks them is influenced by any general hatred of Napoleon. +Considering how many hundreds of statues of the great Emperor +must exist in London, it is too much to suppose such a +coincidence as that a promiscuous iconoclast should chance to +begin upon three specimens of the same bust." + +"Well, I thought as you do," said Lestrade. "On the other hand, +this Morse Hudson is the purveyor of busts in that part of +London, and these three were the only ones which had been in his +shop for years. So, although, as you say, there are many +hundreds of statues in London, it is very probable that these +three were the only ones in that district. Therefore, a local +fanatic would begin with them. What do you think, Dr. Watson?" + +"There are no limits to the possibilities of monomania," I +answered. "There is the condition which the modern French +psychologists have called the `IDEE FIXE,' which may be trifling +in character, and accompanied by complete sanity in every other +way. A man who had read deeply about Napoleon, or who had +possibly received some hereditary family injury through the +great war, might conceivably form such an IDEE FIXE and under +its influence be capable of any fantastic outrage." + +"That won't do, my dear Watson," said Holmes, shaking his head, +"for no amount of IDEE FIXE would enable your interesting +monomaniac to find out where these busts were situated." + +"Well, how do YOU explain it?" + +"I don't attempt to do so. I would only observe that there is a +certain method in the gentleman's eccentric proceedings. For +example, in Dr. Barnicot's hall, where a sound might arouse the +family, the bust was taken outside before being broken, whereas +in the surgery, where there was less danger of an alarm, it was +smashed where it stood. The affair seems absurdly trifling, and +yet I dare call nothing trivial when I reflect that some of my +most classic cases have had the least promising commencement. +You will remember, Watson, how the dreadful business of the +Abernetty family was first brought to my notice by the depth +which the parsley had sunk into the butter upon a hot day. I +can't afford, therefore, to smile at your three broken busts, +Lestrade, and I shall be very much obliged to you if you will +let me hear of any fresh development of so singular a chain of +events." + + +The development for which my friend had asked came in a quicker +and an infinitely more tragic form than he could have imagined. +I was still dressing in my bedroom next morning, when there was +a tap at the door and Holmes entered, a telegram in his hand. He +read it aloud: + + + "Come instantly, 131 Pitt Street, Kensington. + "LESTRADE." + + +"What is it, then?" I asked. + +"Don't know--may be anything. But I suspect it is the sequel of +the story of the statues. In that case our friend the +image-breaker has begun operations in another quarter of London. +There's coffee on the table, Watson, and I have a cab at the door." + +In half an hour we had reached Pitt Street, a quiet little +backwater just beside one of the briskest currents of London +life. No. 131 was one of a row, all flat-chested, respectable, +and most unromantic dwellings. As we drove up, we found the +railings in front of the house lined by a curious crowd. Holmes +whistled. + +"By George! It's attempted murder at the least. Nothing less +will hold the London message-boy. There's a deed of violence +indicated in that fellow's round shoulders and outstretched +neck. What's this, Watson? The top steps swilled down and the +other ones dry. Footsteps enough, anyhow! Well, well, there's +Lestrade at the front window, and we shall soon know all about it." + +The official received us with a very grave face and showed us +into a sitting-room, where an exceedingly unkempt and agitated +elderly man, clad in a flannel dressing-gown, was pacing up and +down. He was introduced to us as the owner of the house--Mr. +Horace Harker, of the Central Press Syndicate. + +"It's the Napoleon bust business again," said Lestrade. "You +seemed interested last night, Mr. Holmes, so I thought perhaps +you would be glad to be present now that the affair has taken a +very much graver turn." + +"What has it turned to, then?" + +"To murder. Mr. Harker, will you tell these gentlemen exactly +what has occurred?" + +The man in the dressing-gown turned upon us with a most +melancholy face. + +"It's an extraordinary thing," said he, "that all my life I have +been collecting other people's news, and now that a real piece +of news has come my own way I am so confused and bothered that +I can't put two words together. If I had come in here as a +journalist, I should have interviewed myself and had two columns +in every evening paper. As it is, I am giving away valuable copy +by telling my story over and over to a string of different +people, and I can make no use of it myself. However, I've heard +your name, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and if you'll only explain this +queer business, I shall be paid for my trouble in telling you +the story." + +Holmes sat down and listened. + +"It all seems to centre round that bust of Napoleon which I +bought for this very room about four months ago. I picked it up +cheap from Harding Brothers, two doors from the High Street +Station. A great deal of my journalistic work is done at night, +and I often write until the early morning. So it was to-day. I +was sitting in my den, which is at the back of the top of the +house, about three o'clock, when I was convinced that I heard +some sounds downstairs. I listened, but they were not repeated, +and I concluded that they came from outside. Then suddenly, +about five minutes later, there came a most horrible yell--the +most dreadful sound, Mr. Holmes, that ever I heard. It will ring +in my ears as long as I live. I sat frozen with horror for a +minute or two. Then I seized the poker and went downstairs. When +I entered this room I found the window wide open, and I at once +observed that the bust was gone from the mantelpiece. Why any +burglar should take such a thing passes my understanding, for it +was only a plaster cast and of no real value whatever. + +"You can see for yourself that anyone going out through that +open window could reach the front doorstep by taking a long +stride. This was clearly what the burglar had done, so I went +round and opened the door. Stepping out into the dark, I nearly +fell over a dead man, who was lying there. I ran back for a +light and there was the poor fellow, a great gash in his throat +and the whole place swimming in blood. He lay on his back, his +knees drawn up, and his mouth horribly open. I shall see him in +my dreams. I had just time to blow on my police-whistle, and +then I must have fainted, for I knew nothing more until I found +the policeman standing over me in the hall." + +"Well, who was the murdered man?" asked Holmes. + +"There's nothing to show who he was," said Lestrade. "You shall +see the body at the mortuary, but we have made nothing of it up +to now. He is a tall man, sunburned, very powerful, not more +than thirty. He is poorly dressed, and yet does not appear to be +a labourer. A horn-handled clasp knife was lying in a pool of +blood beside him. Whether it was the weapon which did the deed, +or whether it belonged to the dead man, I do not know. There was +no name on his clothing, and nothing in his pockets save an +apple, some string, a shilling map of London, and a photograph. +Here it is." + +It was evidently taken by a snapshot from a small camera. It +represented an alert, sharp-featured simian man, with thick +eyebrows and a very peculiar projection of the lower part of the +face, like the muzzle of a baboon. + +"And what became of the bust?" asked Holmes, after a careful +study of this picture. + +"We had news of it just before you came. It has been found in +the front garden of an empty house in Campden House Road. It was +broken into fragments. I am going round now to see it. Will you come?" + +"Certainly. I must just take one look round." He examined the +carpet and the window. "The fellow had either very long legs or +was a most active man," said he. "With an area beneath, it was +no mean feat to reach that window ledge and open that window. +Getting back was comparatively simple. Are you coming with us to +see the remains of your bust, Mr. Harker?" + +The disconsolate journalist had seated himself at a +writing-table. + +"I must try and make something of it," said he, "though I have +no doubt that the first editions of the evening papers are out +already with full details. It's like my luck! You remember when +the stand fell at Doncaster? Well, I was the only journalist in +the stand, and my journal the only one that had no account of +it, for I was too shaken to write it. And now I'll be too late +with a murder done on my own doorstep." + +As we left the room, we heard his pen travelling shrilly over +the foolscap. + +The spat where the fragments of the bust had been found was only +a few hundred yards away. For the first time our eyes rested +upon this presentment of the great emperor, which seemed to +raise such frantic and destructive hatred in the mind of the +unknown. It lay scattered, in splintered shards, upon the grass. +Holmes picked up several of them and examined them carefully. I +was convinced, from his intent face and his purposeful manner, +that at last he was upon a clue. + +"Well?" asked Lestrade. + +Holmes shrugged his shoulders. + +"We have a long way to go yet," said he. "And yet--and yet-- +well, we have some suggestive facts to act upon. The possession +of this trifling bust was worth more, in the eyes of this +strange criminal, than a human life. That is one point. Then +there is the singular fact that he did not break it in the +house, or immediately outside the house, if to break it was his +sole object." + +"He was rattled and bustled by meeting this other fellow. He +hardly knew what he was doing." + +"Well, that's likely enough. But I wish to call your attention +very particularly to the position of this house, in the garden +of which the bust was destroyed." + +Lestrade looked about him. + +"It was an empty house, and so he knew that he would not be +disturbed in the garden." + +"Yes, but there is another empty house farther up the street +which he must have passed before he came to this one. Why did he +not break it there, since it is evident that every yard that he +carried it increased the risk of someone meeting him?" + +"I give it up," said Lestrade. + +Holmes pointed to the street lamp above our heads. + +"He could see what he was doing here, and he could not there. +That was his reason." + +"By Jove! that's true," said the detective. "Now that I come to +think of it, Dr. Barnicot's bust was broken not far from his red +lamp. Well, Mr. Holmes, what are we to do with that fact?" + +"To remember it--to docket it. We may come on something later +which will bear upon it. What steps do you propose to take now, +Lestrade?" + +"The most practical way of getting at it, in my opinion, is to +identify the dead man. There should be no difficulty about that. +When we have found who he is and who his associates are, we +should have a good start in learning what he was doing in Pitt +Street last night, and who it was who met him and killed him on +the doorstep of Mr. Horace Harker. Don't you think so?" + +"No doubt; and yet it is not quite the way in which I should +approach the case." + +"What would you do then?" + +"Oh, you must not let me influence you in any way. I suggest +that you go on your line and I on mine. We can compare notes +afterwards, and each will supplement the other." + +"Very good," said Lestrade. + +"If you are going back to Pitt Street, you might see Mr. Horace +Harker. Tell him for me that I have quite made up my mind, and +that it is certain that a dangerous homicidal lunatic, with +Napoleonic delusions, was in his house last night. It will be +useful for his article." + +Lestrade stared. + +"You don't seriously believe that?" + +Holmes smiled. + +"Don't I? Well, perhaps I don't. But I am sure that it will +interest Mr. Horace Harker and the subscribers of the Central +Press Syndicate. Now, Watson, I think that we shall find that we +have a long and rather complex day's work before us. I should be +glad, Lestrade, if you could make it convenient to meet us at +Baker Street at six o'clock this evening. Until then I should +like to keep this photograph, found in the dead man's pocket. It +is possible that I may have to ask your company and assistance +upon a small expedition which will have be undertaken to-night, +if my chain of reasoning should prove to be correct. Until then +good-bye and good luck!" + +Sherlock Holmes and I walked together to the High Street, where +we stopped at the shop of Harding Brothers, whence the bust had +been purchased. A young assistant informed us that Mr. Harding +would be absent until afternoon, and that he was himself a +newcomer, who could give us no information. Holmes's face showed +his disappointment and annoyance. + +"Well, well, we can't expect to have it all our own way, +Watson," he said, at last. "We must come back in the afternoon, +if Mr. Harding will not be here until then. I am, as you have no +doubt surmised, endeavouring to trace these busts to their +source, in order to find if there is not something peculiar +which may account for their remarkable fate. Let us make for Mr. +Morse Hudson, of the Kennington Road, and see if he can throw +any light upon the problem." + +A drive of an hour brought us to the picture-dealer's +establishment. He was a small, stout man with a red face and a +peppery manner. + +"Yes, sir. On my very counter, sir," said he. "What we pay rates +and taxes for I don't know, when any ruffian can come in and +break one's goods. Yes, sir, it was I who sold Dr. Barnicot his +two statues. Disgraceful, sir! A Nihilist plot--that's what I +make it. No one but an anarchist would go about breaking +statues. Red republicans--that's what I call 'em. Who did I get +the statues from? I don't see what that has to do with it. Well, +if you really want to know, I got them from Gelder & Co., in +Church Street, Stepney. They are a well-known house in the +trade, and have been this twenty years. How many had I? Three-- +two and one are three--two of Dr. Barnicot's, and one smashed in +broad daylight on my own counter. Do I know that photograph? No, +I don't. Yes, I do, though. Why, it's Beppo. He was a kind of +Italian piece-work man, who made himself useful in the shop. He +could carve a bit, and gild and frame, and do odd jobs. The +fellow left me last week, and I've heard nothing of him since. +No, I don't know where he came from nor where he went to. I had +nothing against him while he was here. He was gone two days +before the bust was smashed." + +"Well, that's all we could reasonably expect from Morse Hudson," +said Holmes, as we emerged from the shop. We have this Beppo as +a common factor, both in Kennington and in Kensington, so that +is worth a ten-mile drive. Now, Watson, let us make for Gelder +& Co., of Stepney, the source and origin of the busts. I shall +be surprised if we don't get some help down there." + +In rapid succession we passed through the fringe of fashionable +London, hotel London, theatrical London, literary London, +commercial London, and, finally, maritime London, till we came +to a riverside city of a hundred thousand souls, where the +tenement houses swelter and reek with the outcasts of Europe. +Here, in a broad thoroughfare, once the abode of wealthy City +merchants, we found the sculpture works for which we searched. +Outside was a considerable yard full of monumental masonry. +Inside was a large room in which fifty workers were carving or +moulding. The manager, a big blond German, received us civilly +and gave a clear answer to all Holmes's questions. A reference +to his books showed that hundreds of casts had been taken from +a marble copy of Devine's head of Napoleon, but that the three +which had been sent to Morse Hudson a year or so before had been +half of a batch of six, the other three being sent to Harding +Brothers, of Kensington. There was no reason why those six +should be different from any of the other casts. He could +suggest no possible cause why anyone should wish to destroy +them--in fact, he laughed at the idea. Their wholesale price was +six shillings, but the retailer would get twelve or more. The +cast was taken in two moulds from each side of the face, and +then these two profiles of plaster of Paris were joined together +to make the complete bust. The work was usually done by +Italians, in the room we were in. When finished, the busts were +put on a table in the passage to dry, and afterwards stored. +That was all he could tell us. + +But the production of the photograph had a remarkable effect +upon the manager. His face flushed with anger, and his brows +knotted over his blue Teutonic eyes. + +"Ah, the rascal!" he cried. "Yes, indeed, I know him very well. +This has always been a respectable establishment, and the only +time that we have ever had the police in it was over this very +fellow. It was more than a year ago now. He knifed another +Italian in the street, and then he came to the works with the +police on his heels, and he was taken here. Beppo was his name-- +his second name I never knew. Serve me right for engaging a man +with such a face. But he was a good workman--one of the best." + +"What did he get?" + +"The man lived and he got off with a year. I have no doubt he is +out now, but he has not dared to show his nose here. We have a +cousin of his here, and I daresay he could tell you where he is." + +"No, no," cried Holmes, "not a word to the cousin--not a word, +I beg of you. The matter is very important, and the farther I go +with it, the more important it seems to grow. When you referred +in your ledger to the sale of those casts I observed that the +date was June 3rd of last year. Could you give me the date when +Beppo was arrested?" + +"I could tell you roughly by the pay-list," the manager +answered. "Yes," he continued, after some turning over of pages, +"he was paid last on May 20th." + +"Thank you," said Holmes. "I don't think that I need intrude +upon your time and patience any more." With a last word of +caution that he should say nothing as to our researches, we +turned our faces westward once more. + +The afternoon was far advanced before we were able to snatch a +hasty luncheon at a restaurant. A news-bill at the entrance +announced "Kensington Outrage. Murder by a Madman," and the +contents of the paper showed that Mr. Horace Harker had got his +account into print after all. Two columns were occupied with a +highly sensational and flowery rendering of the whole incident. +Holmes propped it against the cruet-stand and read it while he +ate. Once or twice he chuckled. + +"This is all right, Watson," said he. "Listen to this: + + +"It is satisfactory to know that there can be no difference of +opinion upon this case, since Mr. Lestrade, one of the most +experienced members of the official force, and Mr. Sherlock +Holmes, the well known consulting expert, have each come to the +conclusion that the grotesque series of incidents, which have +ended in so tragic a fashion, arise from lunacy rather than from +deliberate crime. No explanation save mental aberration can +cover the facts. + + +The Press, Watson, is a most valuable institution, if you only +know how to use it. And now, if you have quite finished, we will +hark back to Kensington and see what the manager of Harding +Brothers has to say on the matter." + +The founder of that great emporium proved to be a brisk, crisp +little person, very dapper and quick, with a clear head and a +ready tongue. + +"Yes, sir, I have already read the account in the evening +papers. Mr. Horace Harker is a customer of ours. We supplied him +with the bust some months ago. We ordered three busts of that +sort from Gelder & Co., of Stepney. They are all sold now. To +whom? Oh, I daresay by consulting our sales book we could very +easily tell you. Yes, we have the entries here. One to Mr. +Harker you see, and one to Mr. Josiah Brown, of Laburnum Lodge, +Laburnum Vale, Chiswick, and one to Mr. Sandeford, of Lower Grove +Road, Reading. No, I have never seen this face which you show me +in the photograph. You would hardly forget it, would you, sir, +for I've seldom seen an uglier. Have we any Italians on the +staff? Yes, sir, we have several among our workpeople and +cleaners. I daresay they might get a peep at that sales book if +they wanted to. There is no particular reason for keeping a +watch upon that book. Well, well, it's a very strange business, +and I hope that you will let me know if anything comes of your +inquiries." + +Holmes had taken several notes during Mr. Harding's evidence, +and I could see that he was thoroughly satisfied by the turn +which affairs were taking. He made no remark, however, save +that, unless we hurried, we should be late for our appointment +with Lestrade. Sure enough, when we reached Baker Street the +detective was already there, and we found him pacing up and down +in a fever of impatience. His look of importance showed that his +day's work had not been in vain. + +"Well?" he asked. "What luck, Mr. Holmes?" + +"We have had a very busy day, and not entirely a wasted one," my +friend explained. "We have seen both the retailers and also the +wholesale manufacturers. I can trace each of the busts now from +the beginning." + +"The busts" cried Lestrade. "Well, well, you have your own +methods, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and it is not for me to say a word +against them, but I think I have done a better day's work than +you. I have identified the dead man." + +"You don't say so?" + +"And found a cause for the crime." + +"Splendid!" + +"We have an inspector who makes a specialty of Saffron Hill and +the Italian Quarter. Well, this dead man had some Catholic +emblem round his neck, and that, along with his colour, made me +think he was from the South. Inspector Hill knew him the moment +he caught sight of him. His name is Pietro Venucci, from Naples, +and he is one of the greatest cut-throats in London. He is +connected with the Mafia, which, as you know, is a secret +political society, enforcing its decrees by murder. Now, you see +how the affair begins to clear up. The other fellow is probably +an Italian also, and a member of the Mafia. He has broken the +rules in some fashion. Pietro is set upon his track. Probably +the photograph we found in his pocket is the man himself, so +that he may not knife the wrong person. He dogs the fellow, he +sees him enter a house, he waits outside for him, and in the +scuffle he receives his own death-wound. How is that, Mr. +Sherlock Holmes?" + +Holmes clapped his hands approvingly. + +"Excellent, Lestrade, excellent!" he cried. "But I didn't quite +follow your explanation of the destruction of the busts." + +"The busts! You never can get those busts out of your head. +After all, that is nothing; petty larceny, six months at the +most. It is the murder that we are really investigating, and I +tell you that I am gathering all the threads into my hands." + +"And the next stage?" + +"Is a very simple one. I shall go down with Hill to the Italian +Quarter, find the man whose photograph we have got, and arrest +him on the charge of murder. Will you come with us?" + +"I think not. I fancy we can attain our end in a simpler way. I +can't say for certain, because it all depends--well, it all +depends upon a factor which is completely outside our control. +But I have great hopes--in fact, the betting is exactly two to +one--that if you will come with us to-night I shall be able to +help you to lay him by the heels." + +"In the Italian Quarter?" + +"No, I fancy Chiswick is an address which is more likely to find +him. If you will come with me to Chiswick to-night, Lestrade, +I'll promise to go to the Italian Quarter with you to-morrow, +and no harm will be done by the delay. And now I think that a +few hours' sleep would do us all good, for I do not propose to +leave before eleven o'clock, and it is unlikely that we shall be +back before morning. You'll dine with us, Lestrade, and then you +are welcome to the sofa until it is time for us to start. In the +meantime, Watson, I should be glad if you would ring for an +express messenger, for I have a letter to send and it is +important that it should go at once." + +Holmes spent the evening in rummaging among the files of the old +daily papers with which one of our lumber-rooms was packed. When +at last he descended, it was with triumph in his eyes, but he +said nothing to either of us as to the result of his researches. +For my own part, I had followed step by step the methods by +which he had traced the various windings of this complex case, +and, though I could not yet perceive the goal which we would +reach, I understood clearly that Holmes expected this grotesque +criminal to make an attempt upon the two remaining busts, one of +which, I remembered, was at Chiswick. No doubt the object of our +journey was to catch him in the very act, and I could not but +admire the cunning with which my friend had inserted a wrong +clue in the evening paper, so as to give the fellow the idea +that he could continue his scheme with impunity. I was not +surprised when Holmes suggested that I should take my revolver +with me. He had himself picked up the loaded hunting-crop, which +was his favourite weapon. + +A four-wheeler was at the door at eleven, and in it we drove to +a spot at the other side of Hammersmith Bridge. Here the cabman +was directed to wait. A short walk brought us to a secluded road +fringed with pleasant houses, each standing in its own grounds. +In the light of a street lamp we read "Laburnum Villa" upon the +gate-post of one of them. The occupants had evidently retired to +rest, for all was dark save for a fanlight over the hall door, +which shed a single blurred circle on to the garden path. The +wooden fence which separated the grounds from the road threw a +dense black shadow upon the inner side, and here it was that we +crouched. + +"I fear that you'll have a long wait," Holmes whispered. "We may +thank our stars that it is not raining. I don't think we can +even venture to smoke to pass the time. However, it's a two to +one chance that we get something to pay us for our trouble." + +It proved, however, that our vigil was not to be so long as +Holmes had led us to fear, and it ended in a very sudden and +singular fashion. In an instant, without the least sound to warn +us of his coming, the garden gate swung open, and a lithe, dark +figure, as swift and active as an ape, rushed up the garden +path. We saw it whisk past the light thrown from over the door +and disappear against the black shadow of the house. There was +a long pause, during which we held our breath, and then a very +gentle creaking sound came to our ears. The window was being +opened. The noise ceased, and again there was a long silence. +The fellow was making his way into the house. We saw the sudden +flash of a dark lantern inside the room. What he sought was +evidently not there, for again we saw the flash through another +blind, and then through another. + +"Let us get to the open window. We will nab him as he climbs +out," Lestrade whispered. + +But before we could move, the man had emerged again. As he came +out into the glimmering patch of light, we saw that he carried +something white under his arm. He looked stealthily all round +him. The silence of the deserted street reassured him. Turning +his back upon us he laid down his burden, and the next instant +there was the sound of a sharp tap, followed by a clatter and +rattle. The man was so intent upon what he was doing that he +never heard our steps as we stole across the grass plot. With +the bound of a tiger Holmes was on his back, and an instant +later Lestrade and I had him by either wrist, and the handcuffs +had been fastened. As we turned him over I saw a hideous, sallow +face, with writhing, furious features, glaring up at us, and I +knew that it was indeed the man of the photograph whom we had +secured. + +But it was not our prisoner to whom Holmes was giving his +attention. Squatted on the doorstep, he was engaged in most +carefully examining that which the man had brought from the +house. It was a bust of Napoleon, like the one which we had seen +that morning, and it had been broken into similar fragments. +Carefully Holmes held each separate shard to the light, but in +no way did it differ from any other shattered piece of plaster. +He had just completed his examination when the hall lights flew +up, the door opened, and the owner of the house, a jovial, +rotund figure in shirt and trousers, presented himself. + +"Mr. Josiah Brown, I suppose?" said Holmes. + +"Yes, sir; and you, no doubt, are Mr. Sherlock Holmes? I had the +note which you sent by the express messenger, and I did exactly +what you told me. We locked every door on the inside and awaited +developments. Well, I'm very glad to see that you have got the +rascal. I hope, gentlemen, that you will come in and have some +refreshment." + +However, Lestrade was anxious to get his man into safe quarters, +so within a few minutes our cab had been summoned and we were +all four upon our way to London. Not a word would our captive +say, but he glared at us from the shadow of his matted hair, and +once, when my hand seemed within his reach, he snapped at it +like a hungry wolf. We stayed long enough at the police-station +to learn that a search of his clothing revealed nothing save a +few shillings and a long sheath knife, the handle of which bore +copious traces of recent blood. + +"That's all right," said Lestrade, as we parted. "Hill knows all +these gentry, and he will give a name to him. You'll find that +my theory of the Mafia will work out all right. But I'm sure I +am exceedingly obliged to you, Mr. Holmes, for the workmanlike +way in which you laid hands upon him. I don't quite understand +it all yet." + +"I fear it is rather too late an hour for explanations," said +Holmes. "Besides, there are one or two details which are not +finished off, and it is one of those cases which are worth +working out to the very end. If you will come round once more to +my rooms at six o'clock to-morrow, I think I shall be able to +show you that even now you have not grasped the entire meaning +of this business, which presents some features which make it +absolutely original in the history of crime. If ever I permit +you to chronicle any more of my little problems, Watson, I +foresee that you will enliven your pages by an account of the +singular adventure of the Napoleonic busts." + +When we met again next evening, Lestrade was furnished with much +information concerning our prisoner. His name, it appeared, was +Beppo, second name unknown. He was a well-known ne'er-do-well +among the Italian colony. He had once been a skilful sculptor +and had earned an honest living, but he had taken to evil +courses and had twice already been in jail--once for a petty +theft, and once, as we had already heard, for stabbing a +fellow-countryman. He could talk English perfectly well. His +reasons for destroying the busts were still unknown, and he +refused to answer any questions upon the subject, but the police +had discovered that these same busts might very well have been +made by his own hands, since he was engaged in this class of +work at the establishment of Gelder & Co. To all this +information, much of which we already knew, Holmes listened with +polite attention, but I, who knew him so well, could clearly see +that his thoughts were elsewhere, and I detected a mixture of +mingled uneasiness and expectation beneath that mask which he +was wont to assume. At last he started in his chair, and his +eyes brightened. There had been a ring at the bell. A minute +later we heard steps upon the stairs, and an elderly red-faced +man with grizzled side-whiskers was ushered in. In his right +hand he carried an old-fashioned carpet-bag, which he placed +upon the table. + +"Is Mr. Sherlock Holmes here?" + +My friend bowed and smiled. "Mr. Sandeford, of Reading, I +suppose?" said he. + +"Yes, sir, I fear that I am a little late, but the trains were +awkward. You wrote to me about a bust that is in my possession." + +"Exactly." + +"I have your letter here. You said, `I desire to possess a copy +of Devine's Napoleon, and am prepared to pay you ten pounds for +the one which is in your possession.' Is that right?" + +"Certainly." + +"I was very much surprised at your letter, for I could not +imagine how you knew that I owned such a thing." + +"Of course you must have been surprised, but the explanation is +very simple. Mr. Harding, of Harding Brothers, said that they +had sold you their last copy, and he gave me your address." + +"Oh, that was it, was it? Did he tell you what I paid for it?" + +"No, he did not." + +"Well, I am an honest man, though not a very rich one. I only +gave fifteen shillings for the bust, and I think you ought to +know that before I take ten pounds from you. + +"I am sure the scruple does you honour, Mr. Sandeford. But I +have named that price, so I intend to stick to it." + +"Well, it is very handsome of you, Mr. Holmes. I brought the +bust up with me, as you asked me to do. Here it is!" He opened +his bag, and at last we saw placed upon our table a complete +specimen of that bust which we had already seen more than once +in fragments. + +Holmes took a paper from his pocket and laid a ten-pound note +upon the table. + +"You will kindly sign that paper, Mr. Sandeford, in the presence +of these witnesses. It is simply to say that you transfer every +possible right that you ever had in the bust to me. I am a +methodical man, you see, and you never know what turn events +might take afterwards. Thank you, Mr. Sandeford; here is your +money, and I wish you a very good evening." + +When our visitor had disappeared, Sherlock Holmes's movements +were such as to rivet our attention. He began by taking a clean +white cloth from a drawer and laying it over the table. Then he +placed his newly acquired bust in the centre of the cloth. +Finally, he picked up his hunting-crop and struck Napoleon a +sharp blow on the top of the head. The figure broke into +fragments, and Holmes bent eagerly over the shattered remains. +Next instant, with a loud shout of triumph he held up one +splinter, in which a round, dark object was fixed like a plum in +a pudding. + +"Gentlemen," he cried, "let me introduce you to the famous black +pearl of the Borgias." + +Lestrade and I sat silent for a moment, and then, with a +spontaneous impulse, we both broke at clapping, as at the +well-wrought crisis of a play. A flush of colour sprang to +Holmes's pale cheeks, and he bowed to us like the master +dramatist who receives the homage of his audience. It was +at such moments that for an instant he ceased to be a +reasoning machine, and betrayed his human love for admiration +and applause. The same singularly proud and reserved nature +which turned away with disdain from popular notoriety was +capable of being moved to its depths by spontaneous wonder +and praise from a friend. + +"Yes, gentlemen," said he, "it is the most famous pearl now +existing in the world, and it has been my good fortune, by a +connected chain of inductive reasoning, to trace it from the +Prince of Colonna's bedroom at the Dacre Hotel, where it was +lost, to the interior of this, the last of the six busts of +Napoleon which were manufactured by Gelder & Co., of Stepney. +You will remember, Lestrade, the sensation caused by the +disappearance of this valuable jewel and the vain efforts of the +London police to recover it. I was myself consulted upon the +case, but I was unable to throw any light upon it. Suspicion +fell upon the maid of the Princess, who was an Italian, and it +was proved that she had a brother in London, but we failed to +trace any connection between them. The maid's name was Lucretia +Venucci, and there is no doubt in my mind that this Pietro who +was murdered two nights ago was the brother. I have been looking +up the dates in the old files of the paper, and I find that the +disappearance of the pearl was exactly two days before the arrest +of Beppo, for some crime of violence--an event which took place in +the factory of Gelder & Co., at the very moment when these busts +were being made. Now you clearly see the sequence of events, +though you see them, of course, in the inverse order to the way +in which they presented themselves to me. Beppo had the pearl in +his possession. He may have stolen it from Pietro, he may have +been Pietro's confederate, he may have been the go-between of +Pietro and his sister. It is of no consequence to us which is +the correct solution. + +"The main fact is that he HAD the pearl, and at that moment, +when it was on his person, he was pursued by the police. He made +for the factory in which he worked, and he knew that he had only a +few minutes in which to conceal this enormously valuable prize, +which would otherwise be found on him when he was searched. Six +plaster casts of Napoleon were drying in the passage. One of +them was still soft. In an instant Beppo, a skilful workman, +made a small hole in the wet plaster, dropped in the pearl, and +with a few touches covered over the aperture once more. It was +an admirable hiding-place. No one could possibly find it. But +Beppo was condemned to a year's imprisonment, and in the +meanwhile his six busts were scattered over London. He could not +tell which contained his treasure. Only by breaking them could +he see. Even shaking would tell him nothing, for as the plaster +was wet it was probable that the pearl would adhere to it--as, in +fact, it has done. Beppo did not despair, and he conducted his +search with considerable ingenuity and perseverance. Through a +cousin who works with Gelder, he found out the retail firms who +had bought the busts. He managed to find employment with Morse +Hudson, and in that way tracked down three of them. The pearl +was not there. Then, with the help of some Italian employe, he +succeeded in finding out where the other three busts had gone. +The first was at Harker's. There he was dogged by his +confederate, who held Beppo responsible for the loss of the +pearl, and he stabbed him in the scuffle which followed." + +"If he was his confederate, why should he carry his photograph?" +I asked. + +"As a means of tracing him, if he wished to inquire about him +from any third person. That was the obvious reason. Well, after +the murder I calculated that Beppo would probably hurry rather +than delay his movements. He would fear that the police would +read his secret, and so he hastened on before they should get +ahead of him. Of course, I could not say that he had not found +the pearl in Harker's bust. I had not even concluded for certain +that it was the pearl, but it was evident to me that he was +looking for something, since he carried the bust past the other +houses in order to break it in the garden which had a lamp +overlooking it. Since Harker's bust was one in three, the +chances were exactly as I told you--two to one against the pearl +being inside it. There remained two busts, and it was obvious +that he would go for the London one first. I warned the inmates +of the house, so as to avoid a second tragedy, and we went down, +with the happiest results. By that time, of course, I knew for +certain that it was the Borgia pearl that we were after. The +name of the murdered man linked the one event with the other. +There only remained a single bust--the Reading one--and the +pearl must be there. I bought it in your presence from the +owner--and there it lies." + +We sat in silence for a moment. + +"Well," said Lestrade, "I've seen you handle a good many cases, +Mr. Holmes, but I don't know that I ever knew a more workmanlike +one than that. We're not jealous of you at Scotland Yard. No, +sir, we are very proud of you, and if you come down to-morrow, +there's not a man, from the oldest inspector to the youngest +constable, who wouldn't be glad to shake you by the hand." + +"Thank you!" said Holmes. "Thank you!" and as he turned away, it +seemed to me that he was more nearly moved by the softer human +emotions than I had ever seen him. A moment later he was the +cold and practical thinker once more. "Put the pearl in the +safe, Watson," said he, "and get out the papers of the +Conk-Singleton forgery case. Good-bye, Lestrade. If any little +problem comes your way, I shall be happy, if I can, to give you +a hint or two as to its solution." THE ADVENTURE OF THE THREE STUDENTS + + +It was in the year '95 that a combination of events, into which +I need not enter, caused Mr. Sherlock Holmes and myself to spend +some weeks in one of our great university towns, and it was +during this time that the small but instructive adventure which +I am about to relate befell us. It will be obvious that any +details which would help the reader exactly to identify the +college or the criminal would be injudicious and offensive. So +painful a scandal may well be allowed to die out. With due +discretion the incident itself may, however, be described, since +it serves to illustrate some of those qualities for which my +friend was remarkable. I will endeavour, in my statement, to +avoid such terms as would serve to limit the events to any +particular place, or give a clue as to the people concerned. + +We were residing at the time in furnished lodgings close to a +library where Sherlock Holmes was pursuing some laborious +researches in early English charters--researches which led to +results so striking that they may be the subject of one of my +future narratives. Here it was that one evening we received a +visit from an acquaintance, Mr. Hilton Soames, tutor and +lecturer at the College of St. Luke's. Mr. Soames was a tall, +spare man, of a nervous and excitable temperament. I had always +known him to be restless in his manner, but on this particular +occasion he was in such a state of uncontrollable agitation that +it was clear something very unusual had occurred. + +"I trust, Mr. Holmes, that you can spare me a few hours of your +valuable time. We have had a very painful incident at St. +Luke's, and really, but for the happy chance of your being in +town, I should have been at a loss what to do." + +"I am very busy just now, and I desire no distractions," my +friend answered. "I should much prefer that you called in the +aid of the police." + +"No, no, my dear sir; such a course is utterly impossible. When +once the law is evoked it cannot be stayed again, and this is +just one of those cases where, for the credit of the college, it +is most essential to avoid scandal. Your discretion is as well +known as your powers, and you are the one man in the world who +can help me. I beg you, Mr. Holmes, to do what you can." + +My friend's temper had not improved since he had been deprived +of the congenial surroundings of Baker Street. Without his +scrapbooks, his chemicals, and his homely untidiness, he was an +uncomfortable man. He shrugged his shoulders in ungracious +acquiescence, while our visitor in hurried words and with much +excitable gesticulation poured forth his story. + +"I must explain to you, Mr. Holmes, that to-morrow is the first +day of the examination for the Fortescue Scholarship. I am one +of the examiners. My subject is Greek, and the first of the +papers consists of a large passage of Greek translation which +the candidate has not seen. This passage is printed on the +examination paper, and it would naturally be an immense +advantage if the candidate could prepare it in advance. For this +reason, great care is taken to keep the paper secret. + +"To-day, about three o'clock, the proofs of this paper arrived +from the printers. The exercise consists of half a chapter of +Thucydides. I had to read it over carefully, as the text must be +absolutely correct. At four-thirty my task was not yet +completed. I had, however, promised to take tea in a friend's +rooms, so I left the proof upon my desk. I was absent rather +more than an hour. + +"You are aware, Mr. Holmes, that our college doors are double--a +green baize one within and a heavy oak one without. As I +approached my outer door, I was amazed to see a key in it. For +an instant I imagined that I had left my own there, but on +feeling in my pocket I found that it was all right. The only +duplicate which existed, so far as I knew, was that which +belonged to my servant, Bannister--a man who has looked after my +room for ten years, and whose honesty is absolutely above +suspicion. I found that the key was indeed his, that he had +entered my room to know if I wanted tea, and that he had very +carelessly left the key in the door when he came out. His visit +to my room must have been within a very few minutes of my +leaving it. His forgetfulness about the key would have mattered +little upon any other occasion, but on this one day it has +produced the most deplorable consequences. + +"The moment I looked at my table, I was aware that someone had +rummaged among my papers. The proof was in three long slips. I +had left them all together. Now, I found that one of them was +lying on the floor, one was on the side table near the window, +and the third was where I had left it." + +Holmes stirred for the first time. + +"The first page on the floor, the second in the window, the +third where you left it," said he. + +"Exactly, Mr. Holmes. You amaze me. How could you possibly know that?" + +"Pray continue your very interesting statement." + +"For an instant I imagined that Bannister had taken the +unpardonable liberty of examining my papers. He denied it, +however, with the utmost earnestness, and I am convinced that he +was speaking the truth. The alternative was that someone passing +had observed the key in the door, had known that I was out, and +had entered to look at the papers. A large sum of money is at +stake, for the scholarship is a very valuable one, and an +unscrupulous man might very well run a risk in order to gain an +advantage over his fellows. + +"Bannister was very much upset by the incident. He had nearly +fainted when we found that the papers had undoubtedly been +tampered with. I gave him a little brandy and left him collapsed +in a chair, while I made a most careful examination of the room. +I soon saw that the intruder had left other traces of his +presence besides the rumpled papers. On the table in the window +were several shreds from a pencil which had been sharpened. A +broken tip of lead was lying there also. Evidently the rascal +had copied the paper in a great hurry, had broken his pencil, +and had been compelled to put a fresh point to it." + +"Excellent!" said Holmes, who was recovering his good-humour as +his attention became more engrossed by the case. "Fortune has +been your friend." + +"This was not all. I have a new writing-table with a fine +surface of red leather. I am prepared to swear, and so is +Bannister, that it was smooth and unstained. Now I found a clean +cut in it about three inches long--not a mere scratch, but a +positive cut. Not only this, but on the table I found a small +ball of black dough or clay, with specks of something which +looks like sawdust in it. I am convinced that these marks were +left by the man who rifled the papers. There were no footmarks +and no other evidence as to his identity. I was at my wit's end, +when suddenly the happy thought occurred to me that you were in +the town, and I came straight round to put the matter into your +hands. Do help me, Mr. Holmes. You see my dilemma. Either I must +find the man or else the examination must be postponed until +fresh papers are prepared, and since this cannot be done without +explanation, there will ensue a hideous scandal, which will +throw a cloud not only on the college, but on the university. +Above all things, I desire to settle the matter quietly and +discreetly." + +"I shall be happy to look into it and to give you such advice as +I can," said Holmes, rising and putting on his overcoat. "The +case is not entirely devoid of interest. Had anyone visited you +in your room after the papers came to you?" + +"Yes, young Daulat Ras, an Indian student, who lives on the same +stair, came in to ask me some particulars about the examination." + +"For which he was entered?" + +"Yes." + +"And the papers were on your table?" + +"To the best of my belief, they were rolled up." + +"But might be recognized as proofs?" + +"Possibly." + +"No one else in your room?" + +"No." + +"Did anyone know that these proofs would be there?" + +"No one save the printer." + +"Did this man Bannister know?" + +"No, certainly not. No one knew." + +"Where is Bannister now?" + +"He was very ill, poor fellow. I left him collapsed in the +chair. I was in such a hurry to come to you." + +"You left your door open?" + +"I locked up the papers first." + +"Then it amounts to this, Mr. Soames: that, unless the Indian +student recognized the roll as being proofs, the man who +tampered with them came upon them accidentally without knowing +that they were there." + +"So it seems to me." + +Holmes gave an enigmatic smile. + +"Well," said he, "let us go round. Not one of your cases, +Watson--mental, not physical. All right; come if you want to. +Now, Mr. Soames--at your disposal!" + +The sitting-room of our client opened by a long, low, latticed +window on to the ancient lichen-tinted court of the old college. +A Gothic arched door led to a worn stone staircase. On the +ground floor was the tutor's room. Above were three students, +one on each story. It was already twilight when we reached the +scene of our problem. Holmes halted and looked earnestly at the +window. Then he approached it, and, standing on tiptoe with his +neck craned, he looked into the room. + +"He must have entered through the door. There is no opening +except the one pane," said our learned guide. + +"Dear me!" said Holmes, and he smiled in a singular way as he +glanced at our companion. "Well, if there is nothing to be +learned here, we had best go inside." + +The lecturer unlocked the outer door and ushered us into his +room. We stood at the entrance while Holmes made an examination +of the carpet. + +"I am afraid there are no signs here," said he. "One could +hardly hope for any upon so dry a day. Your servant seems to +have quite recovered. You left him in a chair, you say. Which +chair?" + +"By the window there." + +"I see. Near this little table. You can come in now. I have +finished with the carpet. Let us take the little table first. Of +course, what has happened is very clear. The man entered and +took the papers, sheet by sheet, from the central table. He +carried them over to the window table, because from there he +could see if you came across the courtyard, and so could effect +an escape." + +"As a matter of fact, he could not," said Soames, "for I entered +by the side door." + +"Ah, that's good! Well, anyhow, that was in his mind. Let me see +the three strips. No finger impressions--no! Well, he carried +over this one first, and he copied it. How long would it take +him to do that, using every possible contraction? A quarter of +an hour, not less. Then he tossed it down and seized the next. +He was in the midst of that when your return caused him to make +a very hurried retreat--VERY hurried, since he had not time to +replace the papers which would tell you that he had been there. +You were not aware of any hurrying feet on the stair as you +entered the outer door?" + +"No, I can't say I was." + +"Well, he wrote so furiously that he broke his pencil, and had, +as you observe, to sharpen it again. This is of interest, +Watson. The pencil was not an ordinary one. It was above the +usual size, with a soft lead, the outer colour was dark blue, +the maker's name was printed in silver lettering, and the piece +remaining is only about an inch and a half long. Look for such +a pencil, Mr. Soames, and you have got your man. When I add that +he possesses a large and very blunt knife, you have an +additional aid." + +Mr. Soames was somewhat overwhelmed by this flood of +information. "I can follow the other points," said he, "but +really, in this matter of the length----" + +Holmes held out a small chip with the letters NN and a space of +clear wood after them. + +"You see?" + +"No, I fear that even now----" + +"Watson, I have always done you an injustice. There are others. +What could this NN be? It is at the end of a word. You are aware +that Johann Faber is the most common maker's name. Is it not +clear that there is just as much of the pencil left as usually +follows the Johann?" He held the small table sideways to the +electric light. "I was hoping that if the paper on which he +wrote was thin, some trace of it might come through upon this +polished surface. No, I see nothing. I don't think there is +anything more to be learned here. Now for the central table. +This small pellet is, I presume, the black, doughy mass you +spoke of. Roughly pyramidal in shape and hollowed out, I +perceive. As you say, there appear to be grains of sawdust in +it. Dear me, this is very interesting. And the cut--a positive +tear, I see. It began with a thin scratch and ended in a jagged +hole. I am much indebted to you for directing my attention to +this case, Mr. Soames. Where does that door lead to?" + +"To my bedroom." + +"Have you been in it since your adventure?" + +"No, I came straight away for you." + +"I should like to have a glance round. What a charming, +old-fashioned room! Perhaps you will kindly wait a minute, until +I have examined the floor. No, I see nothing. What about this +curtain? You hang your clothes behind it. If anyone were forced +to conceal himself in this room he must do it there, since the +bed is too low and the wardrobe too shallow. No one there, I +suppose?" + +As Holmes drew the curtain I was aware, from some little +rigidity and alertness of his attitude, that he was prepared for +an emergency. As a matter of fact, the drawn curtain disclosed +nothing but three or four suits of clothes hanging from a line +of pegs. Holmes turned away, and stooped suddenly to the floor. + +"Halloa! What's this?" said he. + +It was a small pyramid of black, putty-like stuff, exactly like +the one upon the table of the study. Holmes held it out on his +open palm in the glare of the electric light. + +"Your visitor seems to have left traces in your bedroom as well +as in your sitting-room, Mr. Soames." + +"What could he have wanted there?" + +"I think it is clear enough. You came back by an unexpected way, +and so he had no warning until you were at the very door. What +could he do? He caught up everything which would betray him, and +he rushed into your bedroom to conceal himself" + +"Good gracious, Mr. Holmes, do you mean to tell me that, all the +time I was talking to Bannister in this room, we had the man +prisoner if we had only known it?" + +"So I read it." + +"Surely there is another alternative, Mr. Holmes. I don't know +whether you observed my bedroom window?" + +"Lattice-paned, lead framework, three separate windows, one +swinging on hinge, and large enough to admit a man." + +"Exactly. And it looks out on an angle of the courtyard so as to +be partly invisible. The man might have effected his entrance +there, left traces as he passed through the bedroom, and +finally, finding the door open, have escaped that way." + +Holmes shook his head impatiently. + +"Let us be practical," said he. "I understand you to say that +there are three students who use this stair, and are in the +habit of passing your door?" + +"Yes, there are." + +"And they are all in for this examination?" + +"Yes." + +"Have you any reason to suspect any one of them more than the others?" + +Soames hesitated. + +"It is a very delicate question," said he. "One hardly likes to +throw suspicion where there are no proofs." + +"Let us hear the suspicions. I will look after the proofs." + +"I will tell you, then, in a few words the character of the +three men who inhabit these rooms. The lower of the three is +Gilchrist, a fine scholar and athlete, plays in the Rugby team +and the cricket team for the college, and got his Blue for the +hurdles and the long jump. He is a fine, manly fellow. His +father was the notorious Sir Jabez Gilchrist, who ruined himself +on the turf. My scholar has been left very poor, but he is +hard-working and industrious. He will do well. + +"The second floor is inhabited by Daulat Ras, the Indian. He is +a quiet, inscrutable fellow; as most of those Indians are. He is +well up in his work, though his Greek is his weak subject. He is +steady and methodical. + +"The top floor belongs to Miles McLaren. He is a brilliant +fellow when he chooses to work--one of the brightest intellects +of the university; but he is wayward, dissipated, and +unprincipled. He was nearly expelled over a card scandal in his +first year. He has been idling all this term, and he must look +forward with dread to the examination." + +"Then it is he whom you suspect?" + +"I dare not go so far as that. But, of the three, he is perhaps +the least unlikely." + +"Exactly. Now, Mr. Soames, let us have a look at your servant, +Bannister." + +He was a little, white-faced, clean-shaven, grizzly-haired +fellow of fifty. He was still suffering from this sudden +disturbance of the quiet routine of his life. His plump face was +twitching with his nervousness, and his fingers could not keep still. + +"We are investigating this unhappy business, Bannister," said +his master. + +"Yes, sir." + +"I understand," said Holmes, "that you left your key in the door?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Was it not very extraordinary that you should do this on the +very day when there were these papers inside?" + +"It was most unfortunate, sir. But I have occasionally done the +same thing at other times." + +"When did you enter the room?" + +"It was about half-past four. That is Mr. Soames' tea time." + +"How long did you stay?" + +"When I saw that he was absent, I withdrew at once." + +"Did you look at these papers on the table?" + +"No, sir--certainly not." + +"How came you to leave the key in the door?" + +"I had the tea-tray in my hand. I thought I would come back for +the key. Then I forgot." + +"Has the outer door a spring lock?" + +"No, sir." + +"Then it was open all the time?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Anyone in the room could get out?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"When Mr. Soames returned and called for you, you were very much +disturbed?" + +"Yes, sir. Such a thing has never happened during the many years +that I have been here. I nearly fainted, sir." + +"So I understand. Where were you when you began to feel bad?" + +"Where was I, sir? Why, here, near the door." + +"That is singular, because you sat down in that chair over +yonder near the corner. Why did you pass these other chairs?" + +"I don't know, sir, it didn't matter to me where I sat." + +"I really don't think he knew much about it, Mr. Holmes. He was +looking very bad--quite ghastly." + +"You stayed here when your master left?" + +"Only for a minute or so. Then I locked the door and went to my room." + +"Whom do you suspect?" + +"Oh, I would not venture to say, sir. I don't believe there is +any gentleman in this university who is capable of profiting by +such an action. No, sir, I'll not believe it." + +"Thank you, that will do," said Holmes. "Oh, one more word. You +have not mentioned to any of the three gentlemen whom you attend +that anything is amiss?" + +"No, sir--not a word." + +"You haven't seen any of them?" + +"No, sir." + +"Very good. Now, Mr. Soames, we will take a walk in the +quadrangle, if you please." + +Three yellow squares of light shone above us in the gathering gloom. + +"Your three birds are all in their nests," said Holmes, looking +up. "Halloa! What's that? One of them seems restless enough." + +It was the Indian, whose dark silhouette appeared suddenly upon +his blind. He was pacing swiftly up and down his room. + +"I should like to have a peep at each of them," said Holmes. "Is +it possible?" + +"No difficulty in the world," Soames answered. "This set of +rooms is quite the oldest in the college, and it is not unusual +for visitors to go over them. Come along, and I will personally +conduct you." + +"No names, please!" said Holmes, as we knocked at Gilchrist's +door. A tall, flaxen-haired, slim young fellow opened it, and +made us welcome when he understood our errand. There were some +really curious pieces of mediaeval domestic architecture within. +Holmes was so charmed with one of them that he insisted on +drawing it in his notebook, broke his pencil, had to borrow one +from our host and finally borrowed a knife to sharpen his own. +The same curious accident happened to him in the rooms of the +Indian--a silent, little, hook-nosed fellow, who eyed us +askance, and was obviously glad when Holmes's architectural +studies had come to an end. I could not see that in either case +Holmes had come upon the clue for which he was searching. Only +at the third did our visit prove abortive. The outer door would +not open to our knock, and nothing more substantial than a +torrent of bad language came from behind it. "I don't care who +you are. You can go to blazes!" roared the angry voice. +"Tomorrow's the exam, and I won't be drawn by anyone." + +"A rude fellow," said our guide, flushing with anger as we +withdrew down the stair. "Of course, he did not realize that it +was I who was knocking, but none the less his conduct was very +uncourteous, and, indeed, under the circumstances rather suspicious." + +Holmes's response was a curious one. + +"Can you tell me his exact height?" he asked. + +"Really, Mr. Holmes, I cannot undertake to say. He is taller +than the Indian, not so tall as Gilchrist. I suppose five foot +six would be about it." + +"That is very important," said Holmes. "And now, Mr. Soames, I +wish you good-night." + +Our guide cried aloud in his astonishment and dismay. "Good +gracious, Mr. Holmes, you are surely not going to leave me in +this abrupt fashion! You don't seem to realize the position. +To-morrow is the examination. I must take some definite action +to-night. I cannot allow the examination to be held if one of +the papers has been tampered with. The situation must be faced." + +"You must leave it as it is. I shall drop round early to-morrow +morning and chat the matter over. It is possible that I may be +in a position then to indicate some course of action. Meanwhile, +you change nothing--nothing at all." + +"Very good, Mr. Holmes." + +"You can be perfectly easy in your mind. We shall certainly find +some way out of your difficulties. I will take the black clay +with me, also the pencil cuttings. Good-bye." + +When we were out in the darkness of the quadrangle, we again +looked up at the windows. The Indian still paced his room. The +others were invisible. + +"Well, Watson, what do you think of it?" Holmes asked, as we +came out into the main street. "Quite a little parlour game-- +sort of three-card trick, is it not? There are your three men. +It must be one of them. You take your choice. Which is yours?" + +"The foul-mouthed fellow at the top. He is the one with the +worst record. And yet that Indian was a sly fellow also. Why +should he be pacing his room all the time?" + +"There is nothing in that. Many men do it when they are trying +to learn anything by heart." + +"He looked at us in a queer way." + +"So would you, if a flock of strangers came in on you when you +were preparing for an examination next day, and every moment was +of value. No, I see nothing in that. Pencils, too, and knives-- +all was satisfactory. But that fellow DOES puzzle me." + +"Who?" + +"Why, Bannister, the servant. What's his game in the matter?" + +"He impressed me as being a perfectly honest man." + +"So he did me. That's the puzzling part. Why should a perfectly +honest man--Well, well, here's a large stationer's. We shall +begin our researches here." + +There were only four stationers of any consequences in the town, +and at each Holmes produced his pencil chips, and bid high for +a duplicate. All were agreed that one could be ordered, but that +it was not a usual size of pencil and that it was seldom kept in +stock. My friend did not appear to be depressed by his failure, +but shrugged his shoulders in half-humorous resignation. + +"No good, my dear Watson. This, the best and only final clue, +has run to nothing. But, indeed, I have little doubt that we can +build up a sufficient case without it. By Jove! my dear fellow, +it is nearly nine, and the landlady babbled of green peas at +seven-thirty. What with your eternal tobacco, Watson, and your +irregularity at meals, I expect that you will get notice to +quit, and that I shall share your downfall--not, however, before +we have solved the problem of the nervous tutor, the careless +servant, and the three enterprising students." + +Holmes made no further allusion to the matter that day, though +he sat lost in thought for a long time after our belated dinner. +At eight in the morning, he came into my room just as I finished +my toilet. + +"Well, Watson," said he, "it is time we went down to St. Luke's. +Can you do without breakfast?" + +"Certainly." + +"Soames will be in a dreadful fidget until we are able to tell +him something positive." + +"Have you anything positive to tell him?" + +"I think so." + +"You have formed a conclusion?" + +"Yes, my dear Watson, I have solved the mystery." + +"But what fresh evidence could you have got?" + +"Aha! It is not for nothing that I have turned myself out of bed +at the untimely hour of six. I have put in two hours' hard work +and covered at least five miles, with something to show for it. +Look at that!" + +He held out his hand. On the palm were three little pyramids of +black, doughy clay. + +"Why, Holmes, you had only two yesterday." + +"And one more this morning. It is a fair argument that wherever +No. 3 came from is also the source of Nos. 1 and 2. Eh, Watson? +Well, come along and put friend Soames out of his pain." + +The unfortunate tutor was certainly in a state of pitiable +agitation when we found him in his chambers. In a few hours +the examination would commence, and he was still in the dilemma +between making the facts public and allowing the culprit to +compete for the valuable scholarship. He could hardly stand +still so great was his mental agitation, and he ran towards +Holmes with two eager hands outstretched. + +"Thank heaven that you have come! I feared that you had given it +up in despair. What am I to do? Shall the examination proceed?" + +"Yes, let it proceed, by all means." + +"But this rascal?" + +"He shall not compete." + +"You know him?" + +"I think so. If this matter is not to become public, we must +give ourselves certain powers and resolve ourselves into a small +private court-martial. You there, if you please, Soames! Watson +you here! I'll take the armchair in the middle. I think that we +are now sufficiently imposing to strike terror into a guilty +breast. Kindly ring the bell!" + +Bannister entered, and shrank back in evident surprise and fear +at our judicial appearance. + +"You will kindly close the door," said Holmes. "Now, Bannister, +will you please tell us the truth about yesterday's incident?" + +The man turned white to the roots of his hair. + +"I have told you everything, sir." + +"Nothing to add?" + +"Nothing at all, sir." + +"Well, then, I must make some suggestions to you. When you sat +down on that chair yesterday, did you do so in order to conceal +some object which would have shown who had been in the room?" + +Bannister's face was ghastly. + +"No, sir, certainly not." + +"It is only a suggestion," said Holmes, suavely. "I frankly +admit that I am unable to prove it. But it seems probable +enough, since the moment that Mr. Soames's back was turned, you +released the man who was hiding in that bedroom." + +Bannister licked his dry lips. + +"There was no man, sir." + +"Ah, that's a pity, Bannister. Up to now you may have spoken the +truth, but now I know that you have lied." + +The man's face set in sullen defiance. + +"There was no man, sir." + +"Come, come, Bannister!" + +"No, sir, there was no one." + +"In that case, you can give us no further information. Would you +please remain in the room? Stand over there near the bedroom +door. Now, Soames, I am going to ask you to have the great +kindness to go up to the room of young Gilchrist, and to ask him +to step down into yours." + +An instant later the tutor returned, bringing with him the +student. He was a fine figure of a man, tall, lithe, and agile, +with a springy step and a pleasant, open face. His troubled blue +eyes glanced at each of us, and finally rested with an +expression of blank dismay upon Bannister in the farther corner. + +"Just close the door," said Holmes. "Now, Mr. Gilchrist, we are +all quite alone here, and no one need ever know one word of what +passes between us. We can be perfectly frank with each other. We +want to know, Mr. Gilchrist, how you, an honourable man, ever +came to commit such an action as that of yesterday?" + +The unfortunate young man staggered back, and cast a look full +of horror and reproach at Bannister. + +"No, no, Mr. Gilchrist, sir, I never said a word--never one +word!" cried the servant. + +"No, but you have now," said Holmes. "Now, sir, you must see +that after Bannister's words your position is hopeless, and that +your only chance lies in a frank confession." + +For a moment Gilchrist, with upraised hand, tried to control his +writhing features. The next he had thrown himself on his knees +beside the table, and burying his face in his hands, he had +burst into a storm of passionate sobbing. + +"Come, come," said Holmes, kindly, "it is human to err, and at +least no one can accuse you of being a callous criminal. Perhaps +it would be easier for you if I were to tell Mr. Soames what +occurred, and you can check me where I am wrong. Shall I do so? +Well, well, don't trouble to answer. Listen, and see that I do +you no injustice. + +"From the moment, Mr. Soames, that you said to me that no one, +not even Bannister, could have told that the papers were in your +room, the case began to take a definite shape in my mind. The +printer one could, of course, dismiss. He could examine the +papers in his own office. The Indian I also thought nothing of. +If the proofs were in a roll, he could not possibly know what +they were. On the other hand, it seemed an unthinkable +coincidence that a man should dare to enter the room, and that +by chance on that very day the papers were on the table. I +dismissed that. The man who entered knew that the papers were +there. How did he know? + +"When I approached your room, I examined the window. You amused +me by supposing that I was contemplating the possibility of +someone having in broad daylight, under the eyes of all these +opposite rooms, forced himself through it. Such an idea was +absurd. I was measuring how tall a man would need to be in order +to see, as he passed, what papers were on the central table. I +am six feet high, and I could do it with an effort. No one less +than that would have a chance. Already you see I had reason to +think that, if one of your three students was a man of unusual +height, he was the most worth watching of the three. + +"I entered, and I took you into my confidence as to the +suggestions of the side table. Of the centre table I could make +nothing, until in your description of Gilchrist you mentioned +that he was a long-distance jumper. Then the whole thing came to +me in an instant, and I only needed certain corroborative +proofs, which I speedily obtained. + +"What happened with{sic} this: This young fellow had employed his +afternoon at the athletic grounds, where he had been practising +the jump. He returned carrying his jumping-shoes, which are +provided, as you are aware, with several sharp spikes. As he +passed your window he saw, by means of his great height, these +proofs upon your table, and conjectured what they were. No +harm would have been done had it not been that, as he passed +your door, he perceived the key which had been left by the +carelessness of your servant. A sudden impulse came over him to +enter, and see if they were indeed the proofs. It was not a +dangerous exploit for he could always pretend that he had simply +looked in to ask a question. + +"Well, when he saw that they were indeed the proofs, it was then +that he yielded to temptation. He put his shoes on the table. +What was it you put on that chair near the window?" + +"Gloves," said the young man. + +Holmes looked triumphantly at Bannister. "He put his gloves on +the chair, and he took the proofs, sheet by sheet, to copy them. +He thought the tutor must return by the main gate and that he +would see him. As we know, he came back by the side gate. +Suddenly he heard him at the very door. There was no possible +escape. He forgot his gloves but he caught up his shoes and +darted into the bedroom. You observe that the scratch on that +table is slight at one side, but deepens in the direction of the +bedroom door. That in itself is enough to show us that the shoe +had been drawn in that direction, and that the culprit had taken +refuge there. The earth round the spike had been left on the +table, and a second sample was loosened and fell in the bedroom. +I may add that I walked out to the athletic grounds this +morning, saw that tenacious black clay is used in the +jumping-pit and carried away a specimen of it, together with +some of the fine tan or sawdust which is strewn over it to +prevent the athlete from slipping. Have I told the truth, Mr. +Gilchrist?" + +The student had drawn himself erect. + +"Yes, sir, it is true," said he. + +"Good heavens! have you nothing to add?" cried Soames. + +"Yes, sir, I have, but the shock of this disgraceful exposure +has bewildered me. I have a letter here, Mr. Soames, which I +wrote to you early this morning in the middle of a restless +night. It was before I knew that my sin had found me out. Here +it is, sir. You will see that I have said, `I have determined +not to go in for the examination. I have been offered a +commission in the Rhodesian Police, and I am going out to South +Africa at once.'" + +"I am indeed pleased to hear that you did not intend to profit +by your unfair advantage," said Soames. "But why did you change +your purpose?" + +Gilchrist pointed to Bannister. + +"There is the man who set me in the right path," said he. + +"Come now, Bannister," said Holmes. "It will be clear to you, +from what I have said, that only you could have let this young +man out, since you were left in the room, and must have locked +the door when you went out. As to his escaping by that window, +it was incredible. Can you not clear up the last point in this +mystery, and tell us the reasons for your action?" + +"It was simple enough, sir, if you only had known, but, with all +your cleverness, it was impossible that you could know. Time +was, sir, when I was butler to old Sir Jabez Gilchrist, this +young gentleman's father. When he was ruined I came to the +college as servant, but I never forgot my old employer because +he was down in the world. I watched his son all I could for the +sake of the old days. Well, sir, when I came into this room +yesterday, when the alarm was given, the very first thing I saw +was Mr. Gilchrist's tan gloves a-lying in that chair. I knew those +gloves well, and I understood their message. If Mr. Soames saw +them, the game was up. I flopped down into that chair, and +nothing would budge me until Mr. Soames he went for you. Then out +came my poor young master, whom I had dandled on my knee, and +confessed it all to me. Wasn't it natural, sir, that I should +save him, and wasn't it natural also that I should try to speak +to him as his dead father would have done, and make him +understand that he could not profit by such a deed? Could you +blame me, sir?" + +"No, indeed," said Holmes, heartily, springing to his feet. +"Well, Soames, I think we have cleared your little problem up, +and our breakfast awaits us at home. Come, Watson! As to you, +sir, I trust that a bright future awaits you in Rhodesia. For +once you have fallen low. Let us see, in the future, how high +you can rise." THE ADVENTURE OF THE GOLDEN PINCE-NEZ + + +When I look at the three massive manuscript volumes which +contain our work for the year 1894, I confess that it is very +difficult for me, out of such a wealth of material, to select +the cases which are most interesting in themselves, and at the +same time most conducive to a display of those peculiar powers +for which my friend was famous. As I turn over the pages, I see +my notes upon the repulsive story of the red leech and the +terrible death of Crosby, the banker. Here also I find an +account of the Addleton tragedy, and the singular contents of +the ancient British barrow. The famous Smith-Mortimer succession +case comes also within this period, and so does the tracking and +arrest of Huret, the Boulevard assassin--an exploit which won +for Holmes an autograph letter of thanks from the French +President and the Order of the Legion of Honour. Each of these +would furnish a narrative, but on the whole I am of opinion that +none of them unites so many singular points of interest as the +episode of Yoxley Old Place, which includes not only the +lamentable death of young Willoughby Smith, but also those +subsequent developments which threw so curious a light upon the +causes of the crime. + +It was a wild, tempestuous night, towards the close of November. +Holmes and I sat together in silence all the evening, he engaged +with a powerful lens deciphering the remains of the original +inscription upon a palimpsest, I deep in a recent treatise upon +surgery. Outside the wind howled down Baker Street, while the +rain beat fiercely against the windows. It was strange there, in +the very depths of the town, with ten miles of man's handiwork +on every side of us, to feel the iron grip of Nature, and to be +conscious that to the huge elemental forces all London was no +more than the molehills that dot the fields. I walked to the +window, and looked out on the deserted street. The occasional +lamps gleamed on the expanse of muddy road and shining pavement. +A single cab was splashing its way from the Oxford Street end. + +"Well, Watson, it's as well we have not to turn out to-night," +said Holmes, laying aside his lens and rolling up the +palimpsest. "I've done enough for one sitting. It is trying work +for the eyes. So far as I can make out, it is nothing more +exciting than an Abbey's accounts dating from the second half of +the fifteenth century. Halloa! halloa! halloa! What's this?" + +Amid the droning of the wind there had come the stamping of a +horse's hoofs, and the long grind of a wheel as it rasped against +the curb. The cab which I had seen had pulled up at our door. + +"What can he want?" I ejaculated, as a man stepped out of it. + +"Want? He wants us. And we, my poor Watson, want overcoats and +cravats and goloshes, and every aid that man ever invented to +fight the weather. Wait a bit, though! There's the cab off +again! There's hope yet. He'd have kept it if he had wanted us +to come. Run down, my dear fellow, and open the door, for all +virtuous folk have been long in bed." + +When the light of the hall lamp fell upon our midnight visitor, +I had no difficulty in recognizing him. It was young Stanley +Hopkins, a promising detective, in whose career Holmes had +several times shown a very practical interest. + +"Is he in?" he asked, eagerly. + +"Come up, my dear sir," said Holmes's voice from above. "I hope +you have no designs upon us such a night as this." + +The detective mounted the stairs, and our lamp gleamed upon his +shining waterproof. I helped him out of it, while Holmes knocked +a blaze out of the logs in the grate. + +"Now, my dear Hopkins, draw up and warm your toes," said he. +"Here's a cigar, and the doctor has a prescription containing +hot water and a lemon, which is good medicine on a night like +this. It must be something important which has brought you out +in such a gale." + +"It is indeed, Mr. Holmes. I've had a bustling afternoon, I +promise you. Did you see anything of the Yoxley case in the +latest editions?" + +"I've seen nothing later than the fifteenth century to-day." + +"Well, it was only a paragraph, and all wrong at that, so you +have not missed anything. I haven't let the grass grow under my +feet. It's down in Kent, seven miles from Chatham and three from +the railway line. I was wired for at 3:15, reached Yoxley Old +Place at 5, conducted my investigation, was back at Charing +Cross by the last train, and straight to you by cab." + +"Which means, I suppose, that you are not quite clear about your case?" + +"It means that I can make neither head nor tail of it. So far as +I can see, it is just as tangled a business as ever I handled, +and yet at first it seemed so simple that one couldn't go wrong. +There's no motive, Mr. Holmes. That's what bothers me--I can't +put my hand on a motive. Here's a man dead--there's no denying +that--but, so far as I can see, no reason on earth why anyone +should wish him harm." + +Holmes lit his cigar and leaned back in his chair. + +"Let us hear about it," said he. + +"I've got my facts pretty clear," said Stanley Hopkins. "All I +want now is to know what they all mean. The story, so far as I +can make it out, is like this. Some years ago this country +house, Yoxley Old Place, was taken by an elderly man, who gave +the name of Professor Coram. He was an invalid, keeping his bed +half the time, and the other half hobbling round the house with +a stick or being pushed about the grounds by the gardener in a +Bath chair. He was well liked by the few neighbours who called +upon him, and he has the reputation down there of being a very +learned man. His household used to consist of an elderly +housekeeper, Mrs. Marker, and of a maid, Susan Tarlton. These +have both been with him since his arrival, and they seem to be +women of excellent character. The professor is writing a learned +book, and he found it necessary, about a year ago, to engage a +secretary. The first two that he tried were not successes, but +the third, Mr. Willoughby Smith, a very young man straight from +the university, seems to have been just what his employer +wanted. His work consisted in writing all the morning to the +professor's dictation, and he usually spent the evening in +hunting up references and passages which bore upon the next +day's work. This Willoughby Smith has nothing against him, +either as a boy at Uppingham or as a young man at Cambridge. I +have seen his testimonials, and from the first he was a decent, +quiet, hard-working fellow, with no weak spot in him at all. +And yet this is the lad who has met his death this morning in +the professor's study under circumstances which can point only +to murder." + +The wind howled and screamed at the windows. Holmes and I drew +closer to the fire, while the young inspector slowly and point +by point developed his singular narrative. + +"If you were to search all England," said he, "I don't suppose +you could find a household more self-contained or freer from +outside influences. Whole weeks would pass, and not one of them +go past the garden gate. The professor was buried in his work +and existed for nothing else. Young Smith knew nobody in the +neighbourhood, and lived very much as his employer did. The two +women had nothing to take them from the house. Mortimer, the +gardener, who wheels the Bath chair, is an army pensioner--an +old Crimean man of excellent character. He does not live in the +house, but in a three-roomed cottage at the other end of the +garden. Those are the only people that you would find within the +grounds of Yoxley Old Place. At the same time, the gate of the +garden is a hundred yards from the main London to Chatham road. +It opens with a latch, and there is nothing to prevent anyone +from walking in. + +"Now I will give you the evidence of Susan Tarlton, who is the +only person who can say anything positive about the matter. It +was in the forenoon, between eleven and twelve. She was engaged +at the moment in hanging some curtains in the upstairs front +bedroom. Professor Coram was still in bed, for when the weather +is bad he seldom rises before midday. The housekeeper was busied +with some work in the back of the house. Willoughby Smith had +been in his bedroom, which he uses as a sitting-room, but the +maid heard him at that moment pass along the passage and descend +to the study immediately below her. She did not see him, but she +says that she could not be mistaken in his quick, firm tread. +She did not hear the study door close, but a minute or so later +there was a dreadful cry in the room below. It was a wild, +hoarse scream, so strange and unnatural that it might have come +either from a man or a woman. At the same instant there was a +heavy thud, which shook the old house, and then all was silence. +The maid stood petrified for a moment, and then, recovering her +courage, she ran downstairs. The study door was shut and she +opened it. Inside, young Mr. Willoughby Smith was stretched upon +the floor. At first she could see no injury, but as she tried to +raise him she saw that blood was pouring from the underside of +his neck. It was pierced by a very small but very deep wound, +which had divided the carotid artery. The instrument with which +the injury had been inflicted lay upon the carpet beside him. It +was one of those small sealing-wax knives to be found on +old-fashioned writing-tables, with an ivory handle and a stiff +blade. It was part of the fittings of the professor's own desk. + +"At first the maid thought that young Smith was already dead, +but on pouring some water from the carafe over his forehead he +opened his eyes for an instant. `The professor,' he +murmured--`it was she.' The maid is prepared to swear that those +were the exact words. He tried desperately to say something +else, and he held his right hand up in the air. Then he fell +back dead. + +"In the meantime the housekeeper had also arrived upon the +scene, but she was just too late to catch the young man's dying +words. Leaving Susan with the body, she hurried to the +professors room. He was sitting up in bed, horribly agitated, +for he had heard enough to convince him that something terrible +had occurred. Mrs. Marker is prepared to swear that the +professor was still in his night-clothes, and indeed it was +impossible for him to dress without the help of Mortimer, whose +orders were to come at twelve o'clock. The professor declares +that he heard the distant cry, but that he knows nothing more. +He can give no explanation of the young man's last words, `The +professor--it was she,' but imagines that they were the outcome +of delirium. He believes that Willoughby Smith had not an enemy +in the world, and can give no reason for the crime. His first +action was to send Mortimer, the gardener, for the local police. +A little later the chief constable sent for me. Nothing was +moved before I got there, and strict orders were given that no +one should walk upon the paths leading to the house. It was a +splendid chance of putting your theories into practice, Mr. +Sherlock Holmes. There was really nothing wanting." + +"Except Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said my companion, with a somewhat +bitter smile. "Well, let us hear about it. What sort of a job +did you make of it?" + +"I must ask you first, Mr. Holmes, to glance at this rough plan, +which will give you a general idea of the position of the +professor's study and the various points of the case. It will +help you in following my investigation." + +He unfolded the rough chart, which I here reproduce, + + +GRAPHIC + + +and he laid it across Holmes's knee. I rose and, standing +behind Holmes, studied it over his shoulder. + +"It is very rough, of course, and it only deals with the points +which seem to me to be essential. All the rest you will see +later for yourself. Now, first of all, presuming that the +assassin entered the house, how did he or she come in? +Undoubtedly by the garden path and the back door, from which +there is direct access to the study. Any other way would have +been exceedingly complicated. The escape must have also been +made along that line, for of the two other exits from the room +one was blocked by Susan as she ran downstairs and the other +leads straight to the professor's bedroom. I therefore directed +my attention at once to the garden path, which was saturated +with recent rain, and would certainly show any footmarks. + +"My examination showed me that I was dealing with a cautious and +expert criminal. No footmarks were to be found on the path. +There could be no question, however, that someone had passed +along the grass border which lines the path, and that he had +done so in order to avoid leaving a track. I could not find +anything in the nature of a distinct impression, but the grass +was trodden down, and someone had undoubtedly passed. It could +only have been the murderer, since neither the gardener nor +anyone else had been there that morning, and the rain had only +begun during the night." + +"One moment," said Holmes. "Where does this path lead to?" + +"To the road." + +"How long is it?" + +"A hundred yards or so." + +"At the point where the path passes through the gate, you could +surely pick up the tracks?" + +"Unfortunately, the path was tiled at that point." + +"Well, on the road itself?" + +"No, it was all trodden into mire." + +"Tut-tut! Well, then, these tracks upon the grass, were they +coming or going?" + +"It was impossible to say. There was never any outline." + +"A large foot or a small?" + +"You could not distinguish." + +Holmes gave an ejaculation of impatience. + +"It has been pouring rain and blowing a hurricane ever since," +said he. "It will be harder to read now than that palimpsest. +Well, well, it can't be helped. What did you do, Hopkins, after +you had made certain that you had made certain of nothing?" + +"I think I made certain of a good deal, Mr. Holmes. I knew that +someone had entered the house cautiously from without. I next +examined the corridor. It is lined with cocoanut matting and had +taken no impression of any kind. This brought me into the study +itself. It is a scantily furnished room. The main article is a +large writing-table with a fixed bureau. This bureau consists of +a double column of drawers, with a central small cupboard +between them. The drawers were open, the cupboard locked. The +drawers, it seems, were always open, and nothing of value was +kept in them. There were some papers of importance in the +cupboard, but there were no signs that this had been tampered +with, and the professor assures me that nothing was missing. It +is certain that no robbery has been committed. + +"I come now to the body of the young man. It was found near the +bureau, and just to the left of it, as marked upon that chart. +The stab was on the right side of the neck and from behind +forward, so that it is almost impossible that it could have been +self-inflicted." + +"Unless he fell upon the knife," said Holmes. + +"Exactly. The idea crossed my mind. But we found the knife some +feet away from the body, so that seems impossible. Then, of +course, there are the man's own dying words. And, finally, there +was this very important piece of evidence which was found +clasped in the dead man's right hand." + +From his pocket Stanley Hopkins drew a small paper packet. He +unfolded it and disclosed a golden pince-nez, with two broken +ends of black silk cord dangling from the end of it. "Willoughby +Smith had excellent sight," he added. "There can be no question +that this was snatched from the face or the person of the assassin." + +Sherlock Holmes took the glasses into his hand, and examined +them with the utmost attention and interest. He held them on his +nose, endeavoured to read through them, went to the window and +stared up the street with them, looked at them most minutely in +the full light of the lamp, and finally, with a chuckle, seated +himself at the table and wrote a few lines upon a sheet of +paper, which he tossed across to Stanley Hopkins. + +"That's the best I can do for you," said he. "It may prove to be +of some use." + +The astonished detective read the note aloud. It ran as follows: + + +"Wanted, a woman of good address, attired like a lady. She has +a remarkably thick nose, with eyes which are set close upon +either side of it. She has a puckered forehead, a peering +expression, and probably rounded shoulders. There are +indications that she has had recourse to an optician at least +twice during the last few months. As her glasses are of +remarkable strength, and as opticians are not very numerous, +there should be no difficulty in tracing her." + + +Holmes smiled at the astonishment of Hopkins, which must have +been reflected upon my features. "Surely my deductions are +simplicity itself," said he. "It would be difficult to name any +articles which afford a finer field for inference than a pair of +glasses, especially so remarkable a pair as these. That they +belong to a woman I infer from their delicacy, and also, of +course, from the last words of the dying man. As to her being a +person of refinement and well dressed, they are, as you +perceive, handsomely mounted in solid gold, and it is +inconceivable that anyone who wore such glasses could be +slatternly in other respects. You will find that the clips are +too wide for your nose, showing that the lady's nose was very +broad at the base. This sort of nose is usually a short and +coarse one, but there is a sufficient number of exceptions to +prevent me from being dogmatic or from insisting upon this point +in my description. My own face is a narrow one, and yet I find +that I cannot get my eyes into the centre, nor near the centre, +of these glasses. Therefore, the lady's eyes are set very near +to the sides of the nose. You will perceive, Watson, that the +glasses are concave and of unusual strength. A lady whose vision +has been so extremely contracted all her life is sure to have +the physical characteristics of such vision, which are seen in +the forehead, the eyelids, and the shoulders." + +"Yes," I said, "I can follow each of your arguments. I confess, +however, that I am unable to understand how you arrive at the +double visit to the optician." + +Holmes took the glasses in his hand. + +"You will perceive," he said, "that the clips are lined with +tiny bands of cork to soften the pressure upon the nose. One of +these is discoloured and worn to some slight extent, but the +other is new. Evidently one has fallen off and been replaced. I +should judge that the older of them has not been there more than +a few months. They exactly correspond, so I gather that the lady +went back to the same establishment for the second." + +"By George, it's marvellous!" cried Hopkins, in an ecstasy of +admiration. "To think that I had all that evidence in my hand +and never knew it! I had intended, however, to go the round of +the London opticians." + +"Of course you would. Meanwhile, have you anything more to tell +us about the case?" + +"Nothing, Mr. Holmes. I think that you know as much as I do +now--probably more. We have had inquiries made as to any +stranger seen on the country roads or at the railway station. We +have heard of none. What beats me is the utter want of all +object in the crime. Not a ghost of a motive can anyone suggest." + +"Ah! there I am not in a position to help you. But I suppose you +want us to come out to-morrow?" + +"If it is not asking too much, Mr. Holmes. There's a train from +Charing Cross to Chatham at six in the morning, and we should be +at Yoxley Old Place between eight and nine." + +"Then we shall take it. Your case has certainly some features of +great interest, and I shall be delighted to look into it. Well, +it's nearly one, and we had best get a few hours' sleep. I +daresay you can manage all right on the sofa in front of the +fire. I'll light my spirit lamp, and give you a cup of coffee +before we start." + +The gale had blown itself out next day, but it was a bitter +morning when we started upon our journey. We saw the cold winter +sun rise over the dreary marshes of the Thames and the long, +sullen reaches of the river, which I shall ever associate with +our pursuit of the Andaman Islander in the earlier days of our +career. After a long and weary journey, we alighted at a small +station some miles from Chatham. While a horse was being put +into a trap at the local inn, we snatched a hurried breakfast, +and so we were all ready for business when we at last arrived at +Yoxley Old Place. A constable met us at the garden gate. + +"Well, Wilson, any news?" + +"No, sir--nothing." + +"No reports of any stranger seen?" + +"No, sir. Down at the station they are certain that no stranger +either came or went yesterday." + +"Have you had inquiries made at inns and lodgings?" + +"Yes, sir: there is no one that we cannot account for." + +"Well, it's only a reasonable walk to Chatham. Anyone might stay +there or take a train without being observed. This is the garden +path of which I spoke, Mr. Holmes. I'll pledge my word there was +no mark on it yesterday." + +"On which side were the marks on the grass?" + +"This side, sir. This narrow margin of grass between the path +and the flower-bed. I can't see the traces now, but they were +clear to me then." + +"Yes, yes: someone has passed along," said Holmes, stooping over +the grass border. "Our lady must have picked her steps +carefully, must she not, since on the one side she would leave +a track on the path, and on the other an even clearer one on the +soft bed?" + +"Yes, sir, she must have been a cool hand." + +I saw an intent look pass over Holmes's face. + +"You say that she must have come back this way?" + +"Yes, sir, there is no other." + +"On this strip of grass?" + +"Certainly, Mr. Holmes." + +"Hum! It was a very remarkable performance--very remarkable. +Well, I think we have exhausted the path. Let us go farther. +This garden door is usually kept open, I suppose? Then this +visitor had nothing to do but to walk in. The idea of murder was +not in her mind, or she would have provided herself with some +sort of weapon, instead of having to pick this knife off the +writing-table. She advanced along this corridor, leaving no +traces upon the cocoanut matting. Then she found herself in this +study. How long was she there? We have no means of judging." + +"Not more than a few minutes, sir. I forgot to tell you that +Mrs. Marker, the housekeeper, had been in there tidying not +very long before--about a quarter of an hour, she says." + +"Well, that gives us a limit. Our lady enters this room, and +what does she do? She goes over to the writing-table. What for? +Not for anything in the drawers. If there had been anything +worth her taking, it would surely have been locked up. No, it +was for something in that wooden bureau. Halloa! what is that +scratch upon the face of it? Just hold a match, Watson. Why did +you not tell me of this, Hopkins?" + +The mark which he was examining began upon the brass-work on the +right-hand side of the keyhole, and extended for about four +inches, where it had scratched the varnish from the surface. + +"I noticed it, Mr. Holmes, but you'll always find scratches +round a keyhole." + +"This is recent, quite recent. See how the brass shines where it +is cut. An old scratch would be the same colour as the surface. +Look at it through my lens. There's the varnish, too, like earth +on each side of a furrow. Is Mrs. Marker there?" + +A sad-faced, elderly woman came into the room. + +"Did you dust this bureau yesterday morning?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Did you notice this scratch?" + +"No, sir, I did not." + +"I am sure you did not, for a duster would have swept away these +shreds of varnish. Who has the key of this bureau?" + +"The Professor keeps it on his watch-chain." + +"Is it a simple key?" + +"No, sir, it is a Chubb's key." + +"Very good. Mrs. Marker, you can go. Now we are making a little +progress. Our lady enters the room, advances to the bureau, and +either opens it or tries to do so. While she is thus engaged, +young Willoughby Smith enters the room. In her hurry to withdraw +the key, she makes this scratch upon the door. He seizes her, +and she, snatching up the nearest object, which happens to be +this knife, strikes at him in order to make him let go his hold. +The blow is a fatal one. He falls and she escapes, either with +or without the object for which she has come. Is Susan, the +maid, there? Could anyone have got away through that door after +the time that you heard the cry, Susan?" + +"No sir, it is impossible. Before I got down the stair, I'd have +seen anyone in the passage. Besides, the door never opened, or +I would have heard it." + +"That settles this exit. Then no doubt the lady went out the way +she came. I understand that this other passage leads only to the +professor's room. There is no exit that way?" + +"No, sir." + +"We shall go down it and make the acquaintance of the professor. +Halloa, Hopkins! this is very important, very important indeed. +The professor's corridor is also lined with cocoanut matting." + +"Well, sir, what of that?" + +"Don't you see any bearing upon the case? Well, well. I don't +insist upon it. No doubt I am wrong. And yet it seems to me to +be suggestive. Come with me and introduce me." + +We passed down the passage, which was of the same length as that +which led to the garden. At the end was a short flight of steps +ending in a door. Our guide knocked, and then ushered us into +the professor's bedroom. + +It was a very large chamber, lined with innumerable volumes, +which had overflowed from the shelves and lay in piles in the +corners, or were stacked all round at the base of the cases. The +bed was in the centre of the room, and in it, propped up with +pillows, was the owner of the house. I have seldom seen a more +remarkable-looking person. It was a gaunt, aquiline face which +was turned towards us, with piercing dark eyes, which lurked in +deep hollows under overhung and tufted brows. His hair and beard +were white, save that the latter was curiously stained with +yellow around his mouth. A cigarette glowed amid the tangle of +white hair, and the air of the room was fetid with stale tobacco +smoke. As he held out his hand to Holmes, I perceived that it +was also stained with yellow nicotine. + +"A smoker, Mr. Holmes?" said he, speaking in well-chosen +English, with a curious little mincing accent. "Pray take a +cigarette. And you, sir? I can recommend them, for I have them +especially prepared by Ionides, of Alexandria. He sends me a +thousand at a time, and I grieve to say that I have to arrange +for a fresh supply every fortnight. Bad, sir, very bad, but an +old man has few pleasures. Tobacco and my work--that is all that +is left to me." + +Holmes had lit a cigarette and was shooting little darting +glances all over the room. + +"Tobacco and my work, but now only tobacco," the old man +exclaimed. "Alas! what a fatal interruption! Who could have +foreseen such a terrible catastrophe? So estimable a young man! +I assure you that, after a few months' training, he was an +admirable assistant. What do you think of the matter, Mr. Holmes?" + +"I have not yet made up my mind." + +"I shall indeed be indebted to you if you can throw a light +where all is so dark to us. To a poor bookworm and invalid like +myself such a blow is paralyzing. I seem to have lost the +faculty of thought. But you are a man of action--you are a man +of affairs. It is part of the everyday routine of your life. You +can preserve your balance in every emergency. We are fortunate, +indeed, in having you at our side." + +Holmes was pacing up and down one side of the room whilst the +old professor was talking. I observed that he was smoking with +extraordinary rapidity. It was evident that he shared our host's +liking for the fresh Alexandrian cigarettes. + +"Yes, sir, it is a crushing blow," said the old man. "That is my +MAGNUM OPUS--the pile of papers on the side table yonder. It is +my analysis of the documents found in the Coptic monasteries of +Syria and Egypt, a work which will cut deep at the very +foundation of revealed religion. With my enfeebled health I do +not know whether I shall ever be able to complete it, now that +my assistant has been taken from me. Dear me! Mr. Holmes, why, +you are even a quicker smoker than I am myself." + +Holmes smiled. + +"I am a connoisseur," said he, taking another cigarette from the +box--his fourth--and lighting it from the stub of that which he +had finished. "I will not trouble you with any lengthy +cross-examination, Professor Coram, since I gather that you were +in bed at the time of the crime, and could know nothing about +it. I would only ask this: What do you imagine that this poor +fellow meant by his last words: `The professor--it was she'?" + +The professor shook his head. + +"Susan is a country girl," said he, "and you know the incredible +stupidity of that class. I fancy that the poor fellow murmured +some incoherent delirious words, and that she twisted them into +this meaningless message." + +"I see. You have no explanation yourself of the tragedy?" + +"Possibly an accident, possibly--I only breathe it among +ourselves--a suicide. Young men have their hidden troubles--some +affair of the heart, perhaps, which we have never known. It is +a more probable supposition than murder." + +"But the eyeglasses?" + +"Ah! I am only a student--a man of dreams. I cannot explain the +practical things of life. But still, we are aware, my friend, +that love-gages may take strange shapes. By all means take +another cigarette. It is a pleasure to see anyone appreciate +them so. A fan, a glove, glasses--who knows what article may be +carried as a token or treasured when a man puts an end to his +life? This gentleman speaks of footsteps in the grass, but, +after all, it is easy to be mistaken on such a point. As to the +knife, it might well be thrown far from the unfortunate man as +he fell. It is possible that I speak as a child, but to me it +seems that Willoughby Smith has met his fate by his own hand." + +Holmes seemed struck by the theory thus put forward, and he +continued to walk up and down for some time, lost in thought and +consuming cigarette after cigarette. + +"Tell me, Professor Coram," he said, at last, "what is in that +cupboard in the bureau?" + +"Nothing that would help a thief. Family papers, letters from my +poor wife, diplomas of universities which have done me honour. +Here is the key. You can look for yourself." + +Holmes picked up the key, and looked at it for an instant, then +he handed it back. + +"No, I hardly think that it would help me," said he. "I should +prefer to go quietly down to your garden, and turn the whole +matter over in my head. There is something to be said for the +theory of suicide which you have put forward. We must apologize +for having intruded upon you, Professor Coram, and I promise +that we won't disturb you until after lunch. At two o'clock we +will come again, and report to you anything which may have +happened in the interval." + +Holmes was curiously distrait, and we walked up and down the +garden path for some time in silence. + +"Have you a clue?" I asked, at last. + +"It depends upon those cigarettes that I smoked," said he. "It is +possible that I am utterly mistaken. The cigarettes will show me." + +"My dear Holmes," I exclaimed, "how on earth----" + +"Well, well, you may see for yourself. If not, there's no harm +done. Of course, we always have the optician clue to fall back +upon, but I take a short cut when I can get it. Ah, here is the +good Mrs. Marker! Let us enjoy five minutes of instructive +conversation with her." + +I may have remarked before that Holmes had, when he liked, a +peculiarly ingratiating way with women, and that he very readily +established terms of confidence with them. In half the time +which he had named, he had captured the housekeeper's goodwill +and was chatting with her as if he had known her for years. + +"Yes, Mr. Holmes, it is as you say, sir. He does smoke something +terrible. All day and sometimes all night, sir. I've seen that +room of a morning--well, sir, you'd have thought it was a London +fog. Poor young Mr. Smith, he was a smoker also, but not as bad +as the professor. His health--well, I don't know that it's +better nor worse for the smoking." + +"Ah!" said Holmes, "but it kills the appetite." + +"Well, I don't know about that, sir." + +"I suppose the professor eats hardly anything?" + +"Well, he is variable. I'll say that for him." + +"I'll wager he took no breakfast this morning, and won't face +his lunch after all the cigarettes I saw him consume." + +"Well, you're out there, sir, as it happens, for he ate a +remarkable big breakfast this morning. I don't know when I've +known him make a better one, and he's ordered a good dish of +cutlets for his lunch. I'm surprised myself, for since I came +into that room yesterday and saw young Mr. Smith lying there on +the floor, I couldn't bear to look at food. Well, it takes all +sorts to make a world, and the professor hasn't let it take his +appetite away." + +We loitered the morning away in the garden. Stanley Hopkins had +gone down to the village to look into some rumours of a strange +woman who had been seen by some children on the Chatham Road the +previous morning. As to my friend, all his usual energy seemed +to have deserted him. I had never known him handle a case in +such a half-hearted fashion. Even the news brought back by +Hopkins that he had found the children, and that they had +undoubtedly seen a woman exactly corresponding with Holmes's +description, and wearing either spectacles or eyeglasses, failed +to rouse any sign of keen interest. He was more attentive when +Susan, who waited upon us at lunch, volunteered the information +that she believed Mr. Smith had been out for a walk yesterday +morning, and that he had only returned half an hour before the +tragedy occurred. I could not myself see the bearing of this +incident, but I clearly perceived that Holmes was weaving it +into the general scheme which he had formed in his brain. +Suddenly he sprang from his chair and glanced at his watch. "Two +o'clock, gentlemen," said he. "We must go up and have it out +with our friend, the professor." + +The old man had just finished his lunch, and certainly his empty +dish bore evidence to the good appetite with which his +housekeeper had credited him. He was, indeed, a weird figure as +he turned his white mane and his glowing eyes towards us. The +eternal cigarette smouldered in his mouth. He had been dressed +and was seated in an armchair by the fire. + +"Well, Mr. Holmes, have you solved this mystery yet?" He shoved +the large tin of cigarettes which stood on a table beside him +towards my companion. Holmes stretched out his hand at the same +moment, and between them they tipped the box over the edge. For +a minute or two we were all on our knees retrieving stray +cigarettes from impossible places. When we rose again, I +observed Holmes's eyes were shining and his cheeks tinged with +colour. Only at a crisis have I seen those battle-signals flying. + +"Yes," said he, "I have solved it." + +Stanley Hopkins and I stared in amazement. Something like a +sneer quivered over the gaunt features of the old professor. + +"Indeed! In the garden?" + +"No, here." + +"Here! When?" + +"This instant." + +"You are surely joking, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. You compel me to +tell you that this is too serious a matter to be treated in such +a fashion." + +"I have forged and tested every link of my chain, Professor +Coram, and I am sure that it is sound. What your motives are, or +what exact part you play in this strange business, I am not yet +able to say. In a few minutes I shall probably hear it from your +own lips. Meanwhile I will reconstruct what is past for your +benefit, so that you may know the information which I still require. + +"A lady yesterday entered your study. She came with the +intention of possessing herself of certain documents which were +in your bureau. She had a key of her own. I have had an +opportunity of examining yours, and I do not find that slight +discolouration which the scratch made upon the varnish would +have produced. You were not an accessory, therefore, and she +came, so far as I can read the evidence, without your knowledge +to rob you." + +The professor blew a cloud from his lips. "This is most +interesting and instructive," said he. "Have you no more to add? +Surely, having traced this lady so far, you can also say what +has become of her." + +"I will endeavour to do so. In the first place she was seized by +your secretary, and stabbed him in order to escape. This +catastrophe I am inclined to regard as an unhappy accident, for +I am convinced that the lady had no intention of inflicting so +grievous an injury. An assassin does not come unarmed. Horrified +by what she had done, she rushed wildly away from the scene of +the tragedy. Unfortunately for her, she had lost her glasses in +the scuffle, and as she was extremely short-sighted she was +really helpless without them. She ran down a corridor, which she +imagined to be that by which she had come--both were lined with +cocoanut matting--and it was only when it was too late that she +understood that she had taken the wrong passage, and that her +retreat was cut off behind her. What was she to do? She could +not go back. She could not remain where she was. She must go on. +She went on. She mounted a stair, pushed open a door, and found +herself in your room." + +The old man sat with his mouth open, staring wildly at Holmes. +Amazement and fear were stamped upon his expressive features. +Now, with an effort, he shrugged his shoulders and burst into +insincere laughter. + +"All very fine, Mr. Holmes," said he. "But there is one little +flaw in your splendid theory. I was myself in my room, and I +never left it during the day." + +"I am aware of that, Professor Coram." + +"And you mean to say that I could lie upon that bed and not be +aware that a woman had entered my room?" + +"I never said so. You WERE aware of it. You spoke with her. You +recognized her. You aided her to escape." + +Again the professor burst into high-keyed laughter. He had risen +to his feet, and his eyes glowed like embers. + +"You are mad!" he cried. "You are talking insanely. I helped her +to escape? Where is she now?" + +"She is there," said Holmes, and he pointed to a high bookcase +in the corner of the room. + +I saw the old man throw up his arms, a terrible convulsion +passed over his grim face, and he fell back in his chair. At the +same instant the bookcase at which Holmes pointed swung round +upon a hinge, and a woman rushed out into the room. "You are +right!" she cried, in a strange foreign voice. "You are right! +I am here." + +She was brown with the dust and draped with the cobwebs which +had come from the walls of her hiding-place. Her face, too, was +streaked with grime, and at the best she could never have been +handsome, for she had the exact physical characteristics which +Holmes had divined, with, in addition, a long and obstinate +chin. What with her natural blindness, and what with the change +from dark to light, she stood as one dazed, blinking about her +to see where and who we were. And yet, in spite of all these +disadvantages, there was a certain nobility in the woman's +bearing--a gallantry in the defiant chin and in the upraised +head, which compelled something of respect and admiration. + +Stanley Hopkins had laid his hand upon her arm and claimed her +as his prisoner, but she waved him aside gently, and yet with an +over-mastering dignity which compelled obedience. The old man +lay back in his chair with a twitching face, and stared at her +with brooding eyes. + +"Yes, sir, I am your prisoner," she said. "From where I stood I +could hear everything, and I know that you have learned the +truth. I confess it all. It was I who killed the young man. But +you are right--you who say it was an accident. I did not even +know that it was a knife which I held in my hand, for in my +despair I snatched anything from the table and struck at him to +make him let me go. It is the truth that I tell." + +"Madam," said Holmes, "I am sure that it is the truth. I fear +that you are far from well." + +She had turned a dreadful colour, the more ghastly under the +dark dust-streaks upon her face. She seated herself on the side +of the bed; then she resumed. + +"I have only a little time here," she said, "but I would have +you to know the whole truth. I am this man's wife. He is not an +Englishman. He is a Russian. His name I will not tell." + +For the first time the old man stirred. "God bless you, Anna!" +he cried. "God bless you!" + +She cast a look of the deepest disdain in his direction. "Why +should you cling so hard to that wretched life of yours, +Sergius?" said she. "It has done harm to many and good to +none--not even to yourself. However, it is not for me to cause +the frail thread to be snapped before God's time. I have enough +already upon my soul since I crossed the threshold of this +cursed house. But I must speak or I shall be too late. + +"I have said, gentlemen, that I am this man's wife. He was fifty +and I a foolish girl of twenty when we married. It was in a city +of Russia, a university--I will not name the place." + +"God bless you, Anna!" murmured the old man again. + +"We were reformers--revolutionists--Nihilists, you understand. +He and I and many more. Then there came a time of trouble, a +police officer was killed, many were arrested, evidence was +wanted, and in order to save his own life and to earn a great +reward, my husband betrayed his own wife and his companions. +Yes, we were all arrested upon his confession. Some of us found +our way to the gallows, and some to Siberia. I was among these +last, but my term was not for life. My husband came to England +with his ill-gotten gains and has lived in quiet ever since, +knowing well that if the Brotherhood knew where he was not a +week would pass before justice would be done." + +The old man reached out a trembling hand and helped himself to +a cigarette. "I am in your hands, Anna," said he. "You were +always good to me." + +"I have not yet told you the height of his villainy," said she. +"Among our comrades of the Order, there was one who was the +friend of my heart. He was noble, unselfish, loving--all that my +husband was not. He hated violence. We were all guilty--if that +is guilt--but he was not. He wrote forever dissuading us from +such a course. These letters would have saved him. So would my +diary, in which, from day to day, I had entered both my feelings +towards him and the view which each of us had taken. My husband +found and kept both diary and letters. He hid them, and he tried +hard to swear away the young man's life. In this he failed, but +Alexis was sent a convict to Siberia, where now, at this moment, +he works in a salt mine. Think of that, you villain, you +villain!--now, now, at this very moment, Alexis, a man whose +name you are not worthy to speak, works and lives like a slave, +and yet I have your life in my hands, and I let you go." + +"You were always a noble woman, Anna," said the old man, puffing +at his cigarette. + +She had risen, but she fell back again with a little cry of pain. + +"I must finish," she said. "When my term was over I set myself +to get the diary and letters which, if sent to the Russian +government, would procure my friend's release. I knew that my +husband had come to England. After months of searching I +discovered where he was. I knew that he still had the diary, for +when I was in Siberia I had a letter from him once, reproaching +me and quoting some passages from its pages. Yet I was sure +that, with his revengeful nature, he would never give it to me +of his own free-will. I must get it for myself. With this object +I engaged an agent from a private detective firm, who entered my +husband's house as a secretary--it was your second secretary, +Sergius, the one who left you so hurriedly. He found that papers +were kept in the cupboard, and he got an impression of the key. +He would not go farther. He furnished me with a plan of the +house, and he told me that in the forenoon the study was always +empty, as the secretary was employed up here. So at last I took +my courage in both hands, and I came down to get the papers for +myself. I succeeded; but at what a cost! + +"I had just taken the paper; and was locking the cupboard, when +the young man seized me. I had seen him already that morning. He +had met me on the road, and I had asked him to tell me where +Professor Coram lived, not knowing that he was in his employ." + +"Exactly! Exactly!" said Holmes. "The secretary came back, and +told his employer of the woman he had met. Then, in his last +breath, he tried to send a message that it was she--the she whom +he had just discussed with him." + +"You must let me speak," said the woman, in an imperative voice, +and her face contracted as if in pain. "When he had fallen I +rushed from the room, chose the wrong door, and found myself in +my husband's room. He spoke of giving me up. I showed him that +if he did so, his life was in my hands. If he gave me to the +law, I could give him to the Brotherhood. It was not that I +wished to live for my own sake, but it was that I desired to +accomplish my purpose. He knew that I would do what I said--that +his own fate was involved in mine. For that reason, and for no +other, he shielded me. He thrust me into that dark +hiding-place--a relic of old days, known only to himself. He +took his meals in his own room, and so was able to give me part +of his food. It was agreed that when the police left the house +I should slip away by night and come back no more. But in some +way you have read our plans." She tore from the bosom of her +dress a small packet. "These are my last words," said she; "here +is the packet which will save Alexis. I confide it to your +honour and to your love of justice. Take it! You will deliver it +at the Russian Embassy. Now, I have done my duty, and----" + +"Stop her!" cried Holmes. He had bounded across the room and had +wrenched a small phial from her hand. + +"Too late!" she said, sinking back on the bed. "Too late! I took +the poison before I left my hiding-place. My head swims! I am +going! I charge you, sir, to remember the packet." + +"A simple case, and yet, in some ways, an instructive one," +Holmes remarked, as we travelled back to town. "It hinged from +the outset upon the pince-nez. But for the fortunate chance of +the dying man having seized these, I am not sure that we could +ever have reached our solution. It was clear to me, from the +strength of the glasses, that the wearer must have been very +blind and helpless when deprived of them. When you asked me to +believe that she walked along a narrow strip of grass without +once making a false step, I remarked, as you may remember, that +it was a noteworthy performance. In my mind I set it down as an +impossible performance, save in the unlikely case that she had +a second pair of glasses. I was forced, therefore, to consider +seriously the hypothesis that she had remained within the house. +On perceiving the similarity of the two corridors, it became +clear that she might very easily have made such a mistake, and, +in that case, it was evident that she must have entered the +professor's room. I was keenly on the alert, therefore, for +whatever would bear out this supposition, and I examined the +room narrowly for anything in the shape of a hiding-place. The +carpet seemed continuous and firmly nailed, so I dismissed the +idea of a trap-door. There might well be a recess behind the +books. As you are aware, such devices are common in old +libraries. I observed that books were piled on the floor at all +other points, but that one bookcase was left clear. This, then, +might be the door. I could see no marks to guide me, but the +carpet was of a dun colour, which lends itself very well to +examination. I therefore smoked a great number of those +excellent cigarettes, and I dropped the ash all over the space +in front of the suspected bookcase. It was a simple trick, but +exceedingly effective. I then went downstairs, and I +ascertained, in your presence, Watson, without your perceiving +the drift of my remarks, that Professor Coram's consumption of +food had increased--as one would expect when he is supplying a +second person. We then ascended to the room again, when, by +upsetting the cigarette-box, I obtained a very excellent view of +the floor, and was able to see quite clearly, from the traces +upon the cigarette ash, that the prisoner had in our absence +come out from her retreat. Well, Hopkins, here we are at Charing +Cross, and I congratulate you on having brought your case to a +successful conclusion. You are going to headquarters, no doubt. +I think, Watson, you and I will drive together to the Russian Embassy." THE ADVENTURE OF THE MISSING THREE-QUARTER + + +We were fairly accustomed to receive weird telegrams at Baker +Street, but I have a particular recollection of one which +reached us on a gloomy February morning, some seven or eight +years ago, and gave Mr. Sherlock Holmes a puzzled quarter of an +hour. It was addressed to him, and ran thus: + + + +Please await me. Terrible misfortune. Right wing three-quarter +missing, indispensable to-morrow. + OVERTON. + + +"Strand postmark, and dispatched ten thirty-six," said Holmes, +reading it over and over. "Mr. Overton was evidently +considerably excited when he sent it, and somewhat incoherent in +consequence. Well, well, he will be here, I daresay, by the time +I have looked through the TIMES, and then we shall know all +about it. Even the most insignificant problem would be welcome +in these stagnant days." + +Things had indeed been very slow with us, and I had learned to +dread such periods of inaction, for I knew by experience that my +companion's brain was so abnormally active that it was dangerous +to leave it without material upon which to work. For years I had +gradually weaned him from that drug mania which had threatened +once to check his remarkable career. Now I knew that under +ordinary conditions he no longer craved for this artificial +stimulus, but I was well aware that the fiend was not dead but +sleeping, and I have known that the sleep was a light one and +the waking near when in periods of idleness I have seen the +drawn look upon Holmes's ascetic face, and the brooding of his +deep-set and inscrutable eyes. Therefore I blessed this Mr. +Overton whoever he might be, since he had come with his enigmatic +message to break that dangerous calm which brought more peril +to my friend than all the storms of his tempestuous life. + +As we had expected, the telegram was soon followed by its +sender, and the card of Mr. Cyril Overton, Trinity College, +Cambridge, announced the arrival of an enormous young man, +sixteen stone of solid bone and muscle, who spanned the doorway +with his broad shoulders, and looked from one of us to the other +with a comely face which was haggard with anxiety. + +"Mr. Sherlock Holmes?" + +My companion bowed. + +"I've been down to Scotland Yard, Mr. Holmes. I saw Inspector +Stanley Hopkins. He advised me to come to you. He said the case, +so far as he could see, was more in your line than in that of +the regular police." + +"Pray sit down and tell me what is the matter." + +"It's awful, Mr. Holmes--simply awfull I wonder my hair isn't +gray. Godfrey Staunton--you've heard of him, of course? He's +simply the hinge that the whole team turns on. I'd rather spare +two from the pack, and have Godfrey for my three-quarter line. +Whether it's passing, or tackling, or dribbling, there's no one +to touch him, and then, he's got the head, and can hold us all +together. What am I to do? That's what I ask you, Mr. Holmes. +There's Moorhouse, first reserve, but he is trained as a half, +and he always edges right in on to the scrum instead of keeping +out on the touchline. He's a fine place-kick, it's true, but +then he has no judgment, and he can't sprint for nuts. Why, +Morton or Johnson, the Oxford fliers, could romp round him. +Stevenson is fast enough, but he couldn't drop from the +twenty-five line, and a three-quarter who can't either punt or +drop isn't worth a place for pace alone. No, Mr. Holmes, we are +done unless you can help me to find Godfrey Staunton." + +My friend had listened with amused surprise to this long speech, +which was poured forth with extraordinary vigour and +earnestness, every point being driven home by the slapping of a +brawny hand upon the speaker's knee. When our visitor was silent +Holmes stretched out his hand and took down letter "S" of his +commonplace book. For once he dug in vain into that mine of +varied information. + +"There is Arthur H. Staunton, the rising young forger," said he, +"and there was Henry Staunton, whom I helped to hang, but +Godfrey Staunton is a new name to me." + +It was our visitor's turn to look surprised. + +"Why, Mr. Holmes, I thought you knew things," said he. "I +suppose, then, if you have never heard of Godfrey Staunton, you +don't know Cyril Overton either?" + +Holmes shook his head good humouredly. + +"Great Scott!" cried the athlete. "Why, I was first reserve for +England against Wales, and I've skippered the 'Varsity all this +year. But that's nothing! I didn't think there was a soul in +England who didn't know Godfrey Staunton, the crack +three-quarter, Cambridge, Blackheath, and five Internationals. +Good Lord! Mr. Holmes, where HAVE you lived?" + +Holmes laughed at the young giant's naive astonishment. + +"You live in a different world to me, Mr. Overton--a sweeter and +healthier one. My ramifications stretch out into many sections +of society, but never, I am happy to say, into amateur sport, +which is the best and soundest thing in England. However, your +unexpected visit this morning shows me that even in that world +of fresh air and fair play, there may be work for me to do. So +now, my good sir, I beg you to sit down and to tell me, slowly +and quietly, exactly what it is that has occurred, and how you +desire that I should help you." + +Young Overton's face assumed the bothered look of the man who is +more accustomed to using his muscles than his wits, but by +degrees, with many repetitions and obscurities which I may omit +from his narrative, he laid his strange story before us. + +"It's this way, Mr. Holmes. As I have said, I am the skipper of +the Rugger team of Cambridge 'Varsity, and Godfrey Staunton is +my best man. To-morrow we play Oxford. Yesterday we all came up, +and we settled at Bentley's private hotel. At ten o'clock I went +round and saw that all the fellows had gone to roost, for I +believe in strict training and plenty of sleep to keep a team +fit. I had a word or two with Godfrey before he turned in. He +seemed to me to be pale and bothered. I asked him what was the +matter. He said he was all right--just a touch of headache. I +bade him good-night and left him. Half an hour later, the porter +tells me that a rough-looking man with a beard called with a +note for Godfrey. He had not gone to bed, and the note was taken +to his room. Godfrey read it, and fell back in a chair as if he +had been pole-axed. The porter was so scared that he was going +to fetch me, but Godfrey stopped him, had a drink of water, and +pulled himself together. Then he went downstairs, said a few +words to the man who was waiting in the hall, and the two of +them went off together. The last that the porter saw of them, +they were almost running down the street in the direction of the +Strand. This morning Godfrey's room was empty, his bed had never +been slept in, and his things were all just as I had seen them +the night before. He had gone off at a moment's notice with this +stranger, and no word has come from him since. I don't believe +he will ever come back. He was a sportsman, was Godfrey, down to +his marrow, and he wouldn't have stopped his training and let in +his skipper if it were not for some cause that was too strong +for him. No: I feel as if he were gone for good, and we should +never see him again." + +Sherlock Holmes listened with the deepest attention to this +singular narrative. + +"What did you do?" he asked. + +"I wired to Cambridge to learn if anything had been heard of him +there. I have had an answer. No one has seen him." + +"Could he have got back to Cambridge?" + +"Yes, there is a late train--quarter-past eleven." + +"But, so far as you can ascertain, he did not take it?" + +"No, he has not been seen." + +"What did you do next?" + +"I wired to Lord Mount-James." + +"Why to Lord Mount-James?" + +"Godfrey is an orphan, and Lord Mount-James is his nearest +relative--his uncle, I believe." + +"Indeed. This throws new light upon the matter. Lord Mount-James +is one of the richest men in England." + +"So I've heard Godfrey say." + +"And your friend was closely related?" + +"Yes, he was his heir, and the old boy is nearly eighty--cram +full of gout, too. They say he could chalk his billiard-cue with +his knuckles. He never allowed Godfrey a shilling in his life, for +he is an absolute miser, but it will all come to him right enough." + +"Have you heard from Lord Mount-James?" + +"No." + +"What motive could your friend have in going to Lord +Mount-James?" + +"Well, something was worrying him the night before, and if it +was to do with money it is possible that he would make for his +nearest relative, who had so much of it, though from all I have +heard he would not have much chance of getting it. Godfrey was +not fond of the old man. He would not go if he could help it." + +"Well, we can soon determine that. If your friend was going to +his relative, Lord Mount-James, you have then to explain the +visit of this rough-looking fellow at so late an hour, and the +agitation that was caused by his coming." + +Cyril Overton pressed his hands to his head. "I can make nothing +of it," said he. + +"Well, well, I have a clear day, and I shall be happy to look +into the matter," said Holmes. "I should strongly recommend you +to make your preparations for your match without reference to +this young gentleman. It must, as you say, have been an +overpowering necessity which tore him away in such a fashion, +and the same necessity is likely to hold him away. Let us step +round together to the hotel, and see if the porter can throw any +fresh light upon the matter." + +Sherlock Holmes was a past-master in the art of putting a humble +witness at his ease, and very soon, in the privacy of Godfrey +Staunton's abandoned room, he had extracted all that the porter +had to tell. The visitor of the night before was not a +gentleman, neither was he a workingman. He was simply what the +porter described as a "medium-looking chap," a man of fifty, +beard grizzled, pale face, quietly dressed. He seemed himself to +be agitated. The porter had observed his hand trembling when he +had held out the note. Godfrey Staunton had crammed the note +into his pocket. Staunton had not shaken hands with the man in +the hall. They had exchanged a few sentences, of which the +porter had only distinguished the one word "time." Then they had +hurried off in the manner described. It was just half-past ten +by the hall clock. + +"Let me see," said Holmes, seating himself on Staunton's bed. +"You are the day porter, are you not?" + +"Yes, sir, I go off duty at eleven." + +"The night porter saw nothing, I suppose?" + +"No, sir, one theatre party came in late. No one else." + +"Were you on duty all day yesterday?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Did you take any messages to Mr. Staunton?" + +"Yes, sir, one telegram." + +"Ah! that's interesting. What o'clock was this?" + +"About six." + +"Where was Mr. Staunton when he received it?" + +"Here in his room." + +"Were you present when he opened it?" + +"Yes, sir, I waited to see if there was an answer." + +"Well, was there?" + +"Yes, sir, he wrote an answer." + +"Did you take it?" + +"No, he took it himself." + +"But he wrote it in your presence." + +"Yes, sir. I was standing by the door, and he with his back +turned at that table. When he had written it, he said: `All +right, porter, I will take this myself.'" + +"What did he write it with?" + +"A pen, sir." + +"Was the telegraphic form one of these on the table?" + +"Yes, sir, it was the top one." + +Holmes rose. Taking the forms, he carried them over to the +window and carefully examined that which was uppermost. + +"It is a pity he did not write in pencil," said he, throwing +them down again with a shrug of disappointment. "As you have no +doubt frequently observed, Watson, the impression usually goes +through--a fact which has dissolved many a happy marriage. +However, I can find no trace here. I rejoice, however, to +perceive that he wrote with a broad-pointed quill pen, and I can +hardly doubt that we will find some impression upon this +blotting-pad. Ah, yes, surely this is the very thing!" + +He tore off a strip of the blotting-paper and turned towards us +the following hieroglyphic: + + +GRAPHIC + + +Cyril Overton was much excited. "Hold it to the glass!" he cried. + +"That is unnecessary," said Holmes. "The paper is thin, and the +reverse will give the message. Here it is." He turned it over, +and we read: + + +GRAPHIC [Stand by us for Gods sake] + + +"So that is the tail end of the telegram which Godfrey Staunton +dispatched within a few hours of his disappearance. There are at +least six words of the message which have escaped us; but what +remains--`Stand by us for God's sake!'--proves that this young +man saw a formidable danger which approached him, and from which +someone else could protect him. `US,' mark you! Another person +was involved. Who should it be but the pale-faced, bearded man, +who seemed himself in so nervous a state? What, then, is the +connection between Godfrey Staunton and the bearded man? And +what is the third source from which each of them sought for help +against pressing danger? Our inquiry has already narrowed down +to that." + +"We have only to find to whom that telegram is addressed," I +suggested. + +"Exactly, my dear Watson. Your reflection, though profound, had +already crossed my mind. But I daresay it may have come to your +notice that, counterfoil of another man's message, there may be +some disinclination on the part of the officials to oblige you. +There is so much red tape in these matters. However, I have no +doubt that with a little delicacy and finesse the end may be +attained. Meanwhile, I should like in your presence, Mr. +Overton, to go through these papers which have been left upon +the table." + +There were a number of letters, bills, and notebooks, which +Holmes turned over and examined with quick, nervous fingers and +darting, penetrating eyes. "Nothing here," he said, at last. "By +the way, I suppose your friend was a healthy young +fellow--nothing amiss with him?" + +"Sound as a bell." + +"Have you ever known him ill?" + +"Not a day. He has been laid up with a hack, and once he slipped +his knee-cap, but that was nothing." + +"Perhaps he was not so strong as you suppose. I should think he +may have had some secret trouble. With your assent, I will put +one or two of these papers in my pocket, in case they should +bear upon our future inquiry." + +"One moment--one moment!" cried a querulous voice, and we looked +up to find a queer little old man, jerking and twitching in the +doorway. He was dressed in rusty black, with a very +broad-brimmed top-hat and a loose white necktie--the whole +effect being that of a very rustic parson or of an undertaker's +mute. Yet, in spite of his shabby and even absurd appearance, +his voice had a sharp crackle, and his manner a quick intensity +which commanded attention. + +"Who are you, sir, and by what right do you touch this +gentleman's papers?" he asked. + +"I am a private detective, and I am endeavouring to explain his +disappearance." + +"Oh, you are, are you? And who instructed you, eh?" + +"This gentleman, Mr. Staunton's friend, was referred to me by +Scotland Yard." + +"Who are you, sir?" + +"I am Cyril Overton." + +"Then it is you who sent me a telegram. My name is Lord +Mount-James. I came round as quickly as the Bayswater bus would +bring me. So you have instructed a detective?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"And are you prepared to meet the cost?" + +"I have no doubt, sir, that my friend Godfrey, when we find him, +will be prepared to do that." + +"But if he is never found, eh? Answer me that!" + +"In that case, no doubt his family----" + +"Nothing of the sort, sir!" screamed the little man. "Don't look +to me for a penny--not a penny! You understand that, Mr. +Detective! I am all the family that this young man has got, and +I tell you that I am not responsible. If he has any expectations +it is due to the fact that I have never wasted money, and I do +not propose to begin to do so now. As to those papers with which +you are making so free, I may tell you that in case there should +be anything of any value among them, you will be held strictly +to account for what you do with them." + +"Very good, sir," said Sherlock Holmes. "May I ask, in the +meanwhile, whether you have yourself any theory to account for +this young man's disappearance?" + +"No, sir, I have not. He is big enough and old enough to look +after himself, and if he is so foolish as to lose himself, I +entirely refuse to accept the responsibility of hunting for him." + +"I quite understand your position," said Holmes, with a +mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Perhaps you don't quite +understand mine. Godfrey Staunton appears to have been a poor +man. If he has been kidnapped, it could not have been for +anything which he himself possesses. The fame of your wealth has +gone abroad, Lord Mount-James, and it is entirely possible that +a gang of thieves have secured your nephew in order to gain from +him some information as to your house, your habits, and your treasure." + +The face of our unpleasant little visitor turned as white as his +neckcloth. + +"Heavens, sir, what an idea! I never thought of such villainy! +What inhuman rogues there are in the world! But Godfrey is a +fine lad--a staunch lad. Nothing would induce him to give his +old uncle away. I'll have the plate moved over to the bank this +evening. In the meantime spare no pains, Mr. Detective! I beg +you to leave no stone unturned to bring him safely back. As to +money, well, so far as a fiver or even a tenner goes you can +always look to me." + +Even in his chastened frame of mind, the noble miser could give +us no information which could help us, for he knew little of the +private life of his nephew. Our only clue lay in the truncated +telegram, and with a copy of this in his hand Holmes set forth +to find a second link for his chain. We had shaken off Lord +Mount-James, and Overton had gone to consult with the other +members of his team over the misfortune which had befallen them. + +There was a telegraph-office at a short distance from the hotel. +We halted outside it. + +"It's worth trying, Watson," said Holmes. "Of course, with a +warrant we could demand to see the counterfoils, but we have not +reached that stage yet. I don't suppose they remember faces in +so busy a place. Let us venture it." + +"I am sorry to trouble you," said he, in his blandest manner, to +the young woman behind the grating; "there is some small mistake +about a telegram I sent yesterday. I have had no answer, and I +very much fear that I must have omitted to put my name at the +end. Could you tell me if this was so?" + +The young woman turned over a sheaf of counterfoils. + +"What o'clock was it?" she asked. + +"A little after six." + +"Whom was it to?" + +Holmes put his finger to his lips and glanced at me. "The last +words in it were `For God's sake,'" he whispered, +confidentially; "I am very anxious at getting no answer." + +The young woman separated one of the forms. + +"This is it. There is no name," said she, smoothing it out upon +the counter. + +"Then that, of course, accounts for my getting no answer," said +Holmes. "Dear me, how very stupid of me, to be sure! +Good-morning, miss, and many thanks for having relieved my +mind." He chuckled and rubbed his hands when we found ourselves +in the street once more. + +"Well?" I asked. + +"We progress, my dear Watson, we progress. I had seven different +schemes for getting a glimpse of that telegram, but I could +hardly hope to succeed the very first time." + +"And what have you gained?" + +"A starting-point for our investigation." He hailed a cab. +"King's Cross Station," said he. + +"We have a journey, then?" + +"Yes, I think we must run down to Cambridge together. All the +indications seem to me to point in that direction." + +"Tell me," I asked, as we rattled up Gray's Inn Road, "have you +any suspicion yet as to the cause of the disappearance? I don't +think that among all our cases I have known one where the +motives are more obscure. Surely you don't really imagine that +he may be kidnapped in order to give information against his +wealthy uncle?" + +"I confess, my dear Watson, that that does not appeal to me as +a very probable explanation. It struck me, however, as being the +one which was most likely to interest that exceedingly +unpleasant old person." + +"It certainly did that; but what are your alternatives?" + +"I could mention several. You must admit that it is curious and +suggestive that this incident should occur on the eve of this +important match, and should involve the only man whose presence +seems essential to the success of the side. It may, of course, +be a coincidence, but it is interesting. Amateur sport is free +from betting, but a good deal of outside betting goes on among +the public, and it is possible that it might be worth someone's +while to get at a player as the ruffians of the turf get at a +race-horse. There is one explanation. A second very obvious one +is that this young man really is the heir of a great property, +however modest his means may at present be, and it is not +impossible that a plot to hold him for ransom might be concocted." + +"These theories take no account of the telegram." + +"Quite true, Watson. The telegram still remains the only solid +thing with which we have to deal, and we must not permit our +attention to wander away from it. It is to gain light upon the +purpose of this telegram that we are now upon our way to +Cambridge. The path of our investigation is at present obscure, +but I shall be very much surprised if before evening we have not +cleared it up, or made a considerable advance along it." + +It was already dark when we reached the old university city. +Holmes took a cab at the station and ordered the man to drive to +the house of Dr. Leslie Armstrong. A few minutes later, we had +stopped at a large mansion in the busiest thoroughfare. We were +shown in, and after a long wait were at last admitted into the +consulting-room, where we found the doctor seated behind his table. + +It argues the degree in which I had lost touch with my +profession that the name of Leslie Armstrong was unknown to me. +Now I am aware that he is not only one of the heads of the +medical school of the university, but a thinker of European +reputation in more than one branch of science. Yet even without +knowing his brilliant record one could not fail to be impressed +by a mere glance at the man, the square, massive face, the +brooding eyes under the thatched brows, and the granite moulding +of the inflexible jaw. A man of deep character, a man with an +alert mind, grim, ascetic, self-contained, formidable--so I read +Dr. Leslie Armstrong. He held my friend's card in his hand, and +he looked up with no very pleased expression upon his dour features. + +"I have heard your name, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and I am aware of +your profession--one of which I by no means approve." + +"In that, Doctor, you will find yourself in agreement with every +criminal in the country," said my friend, quietly. + +"So far as your efforts are directed towards the suppression of +crime, sir, they must have the support of every reasonable +member of the community, though I cannot doubt that the official +machinery is amply sufficient for the purpose. Where your +calling is more open to criticism is when you pry into the +secrets of private individuals, when you rake up family matters +which are better hidden, and when you incidentally waste the +time of men who are more busy than yourself. At the present +moment, for example, I should be writing a treatise instead of +conversing with you." + +"No doubt, Doctor; and yet the conversation may prove more +important than the treatise. Incidentally, I may tell you that +we are doing the reverse of what you very justly blame, and that +we are endeavouring to prevent anything like public exposure of +private matters which must necessarily follow when once the case +is fairly in the hands of the official police. You may look upon +me simply as an irregular pioneer, who goes in front of the +regular forces of the country. I have come to ask you about Mr. +Godfrey Staunton." + +"What about him?" + +"You know him, do you not?" + +"He is an intimate friend of mine." + +"You are aware that he has disappeared?" + +"Ah, indeed!" There was no change of expression in the rugged +features of the doctor. + +"He left his hotel last night--he has not been heard of." + +"No doubt he will return." + +"To-morrow is the 'Varsity football match." + +"I have no sympathy with these childish games. The young man's +fate interests me deeply, since I know him and like him. The +football match does not come within my horizon at all." + +"I claim your sympathy, then, in my investigation of Mr. +Staunton's fate. Do you know where he is?" + +"Certainly not." + +"You have not seen him since yesterday?" + +"No, I have not." + +"Was Mr. Staunton a healthy man?" + +"Absolutely." + +"Did you ever know him ill?" + +"Never." + +Holmes popped a sheet of paper before the doctor's eyes. "Then +perhaps you will explain this receipted bill for thirteen +guineas, paid by Mr. Godfrey Staunton last month to Dr. Leslie +Armstrong, of Cambridge. I picked it out from among the papers +upon his desk." + +The doctor flushed with anger. + +"I do not feel that there is any reason why I should render an +explanation to you, Mr. Holmes." + +Holmes replaced the bill in his notebook. "If you prefer a +public explanation, it must come sooner or later," said he. "I +have already told you that I can hush up that which others will +be bound to publish, and you would really be wiser to take me +into your complete confidence." + +"I know nothing about it." + +"Did you hear from Mr. Staunton in London?" + +"Certainly not." + +"Dear me, dear me--the postoffice again!" Holmes sighed, +wearily. "A most urgent telegram was dispatched to you from +London by Godfrey Staunton at six-fifteen yesterday evening--a +telegram which is undoubtedly associated with his disappearance-- +and yet you have not had it. It is most culpable. I shall +certainly go down to the office here and register a complaint." + +Dr. Leslie Armstrong sprang up from behind his desk, and his +dark face was crimson with fury. + +"I'll trouble you to walk out of my house, sir," said he. "You +can tell your employer, Lord Mount-James, that I do not wish to +have anything to do either with him or with his agents. No, +sir--not another word!" He rang the bell furiously. "John, show +these gentlemen out!" A pompous butler ushered us severely to +the door, and we found ourselves in the street. Holmes burst out +laughing. + +"Dr. Leslie Armstrong is certainly a man of energy and +character," said he. "I have not seen a man who, if he turns his +talents that way, was more calculated to fill the gap left by +the illustrious Moriarty. And now, my poor Watson, here we are, +stranded and friendless in this inhospitable town, which we +cannot leave without abandoning our case. This little inn just +opposite Armstrong's house is singularly adapted to our needs. +If you would engage a front room and purchase the necessaries +for the night, I may have time to make a few inquiries." + +These few inquiries proved, however, to be a more lengthy +proceeding than Holmes had imagined, for he did not return to +the inn until nearly nine o'clock. He was pale and dejected, +stained with dust, and exhausted with hunger and fatigue. A cold +supper was ready upon the table, and when his needs were +satisfied and his pipe alight he was ready to take that half +comic and wholly philosophic view which was natural to him when +his affairs were going awry. The sound of carriage wheels caused +him to rise and glance out of the window. A brougham and pair of +grays, under the glare of a gas-lamp, stood before the doctor's door. + +"It's been out three hours," said Holmes; "started at half-past +six, and here it is back again. That gives a radius of ten or +twelve miles, and he does it once, or sometimes twice, a day." + +"No unusual thing for a doctor in practice." + +"But Armstrong is not really a doctor in practice. He is a +lecturer and a consultant, but he does not care for general +practice, which distracts him from his literary work. Why, then, +does he make these long journeys, which must be exceedingly +irksome to him, and who is it that he visits?" + +"His coachman----" + +"My dear Watson, can you doubt that it was to him that I first +applied? I do not know whether it came from his own innate +depravity or from the promptings of his master, but he was rude +enough to set a dog at me. Neither dog nor man liked the look of +my stick, however, and the matter fell through. Relations were +strained after that, and further inquiries out of the question. +All that I have learned I got from a friendly native in the yard +of our own inn. It was he who told me of the doctor's habits and +of his daily journey. At that instant, to give point to his +words, the carriage came round to the door." + +"Could you not follow it?" + +"Excellent, Watson! You are scintillating this evening. The idea +did cross my mind. There is, as you may have observed, a bicycle +shop next to our inn. Into this I rushed, engaged a bicycle, and +was able to get started before the carriage was quite out of +sight. I rapidly overtook it, and then, keeping at a discreet +distance of a hundred yards or so, I followed its lights until +we were clear of the town. We had got well out on the country +road, when a somewhat mortifying incident occurred. The carriage +stopped, the doctor alighted, walked swiftly back to where I had +also halted, and told me in an excellent sardonic fashion that +he feared the road was narrow, and that he hoped his carriage +did not impede the passage of my bicycle. Nothing could have +been more admirable than his way of putting it. I at once rode +past the carriage, and, keeping to the main road, I went on for +a few miles, and then halted in a convenient place to see if the +carriage passed. There was no sign of it, however, and so it +became evident that it had turned down one of several side roads +which I had observed. I rode back, but again saw nothing of the +carriage, and now, as you perceive, it has returned after me. Of +course, I had at the outset no particular reason to connect +these journeys with the disappearance of Godfrey Staunton, and +was only inclined to investigate them on the general grounds +that everything which concerns Dr. Armstrong is at present of +interest to us, but, now that I find he keeps so keen a look-out +upon anyone who may follow him on these excursions, the affair +appears more important, and I shall not be satisfied until I +have made the matter clear." + +"We can follow him to-morrow." + +"Can we? It is not so easy as you seem to think. You are not +familiar with Cambridgeshire scenery, are you? It does not lend +itself to concealment. All this country that I passed over +to-night is as flat and clean as the palm of your hand, and the +man we are following is no fool, as he very clearly showed +to-night. I have wired to Overton to let us know any fresh +London developments at this address, and in the meantime we can +only concentrate our attention upon Dr. Armstrong, whose name +the obliging young lady at the office allowed me to read upon +the counterfoil of Staunton's urgent message. He knows where the +young man is--to that I'll swear, and if he knows, then it must +be our own fault if we cannot manage to know also. At present it +must be admitted that the odd trick is in his possession, and, +as you are aware, Watson, it is not my habit to leave the game +in that condition." + +And yet the next day brought us no nearer to the solution of the +mystery. A note was handed in after breakfast, which Holmes +passed across to me with a smile. + + +SIR [it ran]: + +I can assure you that you are wasting your time in dogging my +movements. I have, as you discovered last night, a window at the +back of my brougham, and if you desire a twenty-mile ride which +will lead you to the spot from which you started, you have only +to follow me. Meanwhile, I can inform you that no spying upon me +can in any way help Mr. Godfrey Staunton, and I am convinced +that the best service you can do to that gentleman is to return +at once to London and to report to your employer that you are +unable to trace him. Your time in Cambridge will certainly be +wasted. + Yours faithfully, + LESLIE ARMSTRONG. + + +"An outspoken, honest antagonist is the doctor," said Holmes. +"Well, well, he excites my curiosity, and I must really know +before I leave him." + +"His carriage is at his door now," said I. "There he is stepping +into it. I saw him glance up at our window as he did so. Suppose +I try my luck upon the bicycle?" + +"No, no, my dear Watson! With all respect for your natural +acumen, I do not think that you are quite a match for the worthy +doctor. I think that possibly I can attain our end by some +independent explorations of my own. I am afraid that I must +leave you to your own devices, as the appearance of TWO +inquiring strangers upon a sleepy countryside might excite more +gossip than I care for. No doubt you will find some sights to +amuse you in this venerable city, and I hope to bring back a +more favourable report to you before evening." + +Once more, however, my friend was destined to be disappointed. +He came back at night weary and unsuccessful. + +"I have had a blank day, Watson. Having got the doctor's general +direction, I spent the day in visiting all the villages upon +that side of Cambridge, and comparing notes with publicans and +other local news agencies. I have covered some ground. +Chesterton, Histon, Waterbeach, and Oakington have each been +explored, and have each proved disappointing. The daily +appearance of a brougham and pair could hardly have been +overlooked in such Sleepy Hollows. The doctor has scored once +more. Is there a telegram for me?" + +"Yes, I opened it. Here it is: + + +"Ask for Pompey from Jeremy Dixon, Trinity College. + + +I don't understand it." + +"Oh, it is clear enough. It is from our friend Overton, and is +in answer to a question from me. I'll just send round a note to +Mr. Jeremy Dixon, and then I have no doubt that our luck will +turn. By the way, is there any news of the match?" + +"Yes, the local evening paper has an excellent account in its +last edition. Oxford won by a goal and two tries. The last +sentences of the description say: + + +"The defeat of the Light Blues may be entirely attributed to the +unfortunate absence of the crack International, Godfrey +Staunton, whose want was felt at every instant of the game. The +lack of combination in the three-quarter line and their weakness +both in attack and defence more than neutralized the efforts of +a heavy and hard-working pack." + + +"Then our friend Overton's forebodings have been justified," +said Holmes. "Personally I am in agreement with Dr. Armstrong, +and football does not come within my horizon. Early to bed +to-night, Watson, for I foresee that to-morrow may be an +eventful day." + +I was horrified by my first glimpse of Holmes next morning, for +he sat by the fire holding his tiny hypodermic syringe. I +associated that instrument with the single weakness of his nature, +and I feared the worst when I saw it glittering in his hand. He +laughed at my expression of dismay and laid it upon the table. + +"No, no, my dear fellow, there is no cause for alarm. It is not +upon this occasion the instrument of evil, but it will rather +prove to be the key which will unlock our mystery. On this +syringe I base all my hopes. I have just returned from a small +scouting expedition, and everything is favourable. Eat a good +breakfast, Watson, for I propose to get upon Dr. Armstrong's +trail to-day, and once on it I will not stop for rest or food +until I run him to his burrow." + +"In that case," said I, "we had best carry our breakfast with +us, for he is making an early start. His carriage is at the door." + +"Never mind. Let him go. He will be clever if he can drive where +I cannot follow him. When you have finished, come downstairs +with me, and I will introduce you to a detective who is a very +eminent specialist in the work that lies before us." + +When we descended I followed Holmes into the stable yard, where +he opened the door of a loose-box and led out a squat, lop-eared, +white-and-tan dog, something between a beagle and a foxhound. + +"Let me introduce you to Pompey," said he. "Pompey is the pride +of the local draghounds--no very great flier, as his build will +show, but a staunch hound on a scent. Well, Pompey, you may not +be fast, but I expect you will be too fast for a couple of +middle-aged London gentlemen, so I will take the liberty of +fastening this leather leash to your collar. Now, boy, come +along, and show what you can do." He led him across to the +doctor's door. The dog sniffed round for an instant, and then +with a shrill whine of excitement started off down the street, +tugging at his leash in his efforts to go faster. In half an +hour, we were clear of the town and hastening down a country road. + +"What have you done, Holmes?" I asked. + +"A threadbare and venerable device, but useful upon occasion. I +walked into the doctor's yard this morning, and shot my syringe +full of aniseed over the hind wheel. A draghound will follow +aniseed from here to John o'Groat's, and our friend, Armstrong, +would have to drive through the Cam before he would shake Pompey +off his trail. Oh, the cunning rascal! This is how he gave me +the slip the other night." + +The dog had suddenly turned out of the main road into a +grass-grown lane. Half a mile farther this opened into another +broad road, and the trail turned hard to the right in the +direction of the town, which we had just quitted. The road took +a sweep to the south of the town, and continued in the opposite +direction to that in which we started. + +"This DETOUR has been entirely for our benefit, then?" said +Holmes. "No wonder that my inquiries among those villagers led +to nothing. The doctor has certainly played the game for all it +is worth, and one would like to know the reason for such +elaborate deception. This should be the village of Trumpington +to the right of us. And, by Jove! here is the brougham coming +round the corner. Quick, Watson--quick, or we are done!" + +He sprang through a gate into a field, dragging the reluctant +Pompey after him. We had hardly got under the shelter of the +hedge when the carriage rattled past. I caught a glimpse of Dr. +Armstrong within, his shoulders bowed, his head sunk on his +hands, the very image of distress. I could tell by my +companion's graver face that he also had seen. + +"I fear there is some dark ending to our quest," said he. "It +cannot be long before we know it. Come, Pompey! Ah, it is the +cottage in the field!" + +There could be no doubt that we had reached the end of our +journey. Pompey ran about and whined eagerly outside the gate, +where the marks of the brougham's wheels were still to be seen. +A footpath led across to the lonely cottage. Holmes tied the dog +to the hedge, and we hastened onward. My friend knocked at the +little rustic door, and knocked again without response. And yet +the cottage was not deserted, for a low sound came to our +ears--a kind of drone of misery and despair which was +indescribably melancholy. Holmes paused irresolute, and then he +glanced back at the road which he had just traversed. A brougham +was coming down it, and there could be no mistaking those gray horses. + +"By Jove, the doctor is coming back!" cried Holmes. "That +settles it. We are bound to see what it means before he comes." + +He opened the door, and we stepped into the hall. The droning +sound swelled louder upon our ears until it became one long, +deep wail of distress. It came from upstairs. Holmes darted up, +and I followed him. He pushed open a half-closed door, and we +both stood appalled at the sight before us. + +A woman, young and beautiful, was lying dead upon the bed. Her +calm pale face, with dim, wide-opened blue eyes, looked upward +from amid a great tangle of golden hair. At the foot of the bed, +half sitting, half kneeling, his face buried in the clothes, was +a young man, whose frame was racked by his sobs. So absorbed was +he by his bitter grief, that he never looked up until Holmes's +hand was on his shoulder. + +"Are you Mr. Godfrey Staunton?" + +"Yes, yes, I am--but you are too late. She is dead." + +The man was so dazed that he could not be made to understand +that we were anything but doctors who had been sent to his +assistance. Holmes was endeavouring to utter a few words of +consolation and to explain the alarm which had been caused to +his friends by his sudden disappearance when there was a step +upon the stairs, and there was the heavy, stern, questioning +face of Dr. Armstrong at the door. + +"So, gentlemen," said he, "you have attained your end and have +certainly chosen a particularly delicate moment for your +intrusion. I would not brawl in the presence of death, but I can +assure you that if I were a younger man your monstrous conduct +would not pass with impunity." + +"Excuse me, Dr. Armstrong, I think we are a little at +cross-purposes," said my friend, with dignity. "If you could +step downstairs with us, we may each be able to give some light +to the other upon this miserable affair." + +A minute later, the grim doctor and ourselves were in the +sitting-room below. + +"Well, sir?" said he. + +"I wish you to understand, in the first place, that I am not +employed by Lord Mount-James, and that my sympathies in this +matter are entirely against that nobleman. When a man is lost it +is my duty to ascertain his fate, but having done so the matter +ends so far as I am concerned, and so long as there is nothing +criminal I am much more anxious to hush up private scandals than to +give them publicity. If, as I imagine, there is no breach of the +law in this matter, you can absolutely depend upon my discretion +and my cooperation in keeping the facts out of the papers." + +Dr. Armstrong took a quick step forward and wrung Holmes by the hand. + +"You are a good fellow," said he. "I had misjudged you. I thank +heaven that my compunction at leaving poor Staunton all alone in +this plight caused me to turn my carriage back and so to make +your acquaintance. Knowing as much as you do, the situation is +very easily explained. A year ago Godfrey Staunton lodged in +London for a time and became passionately attached to his +landlady's daughter, whom he married. She was as good as she was +beautiful and as intelligent as she was good. No man need be +ashamed of such a wife. But Godfrey was the heir to this crabbed +old nobleman, and it was quite certain that the news of his +marriage would have been the end of his inheritance. I knew the +lad well, and I loved him for his many excellent qualities. I +did all I could to help him to keep things straight. We did our +very best to keep the thing from everyone, for, when once such +a whisper gets about, it is not long before everyone has heard +it. Thanks to this lonely cottage and his own discretion, +Godfrey has up to now succeeded. Their secret was known to no +one save to me and to one excellent servant, who has at present +gone for assistance to Trumpington. But at last there came a +terrible blow in the shape of dangerous illness to his wife. It +was consumption of the most virulent kind. The poor boy was half +crazed with grief, and yet he had to go to London to play this +match, for he could not get out of it without explanations which +would expose his secret. I tried to cheer him up by wire, and he +sent me one in reply, imploring me to do all I could. This was +the telegram which you appear in some inexplicable way to have +seen. I did not tell him how urgent the danger was, for I knew +that he could do no good here, but I sent the truth to the +girl's father, and he very injudiciously communicated it to +Godfrey. The result was that he came straight away in a state +bordering on frenzy, and has remained in the same state, +kneeling at the end of her bed, until this morning death put an +end to her sufferings. That is all, Mr. Holmes, and I am sure +that I can rely upon your discretion and that of your friend." + +Holmes grasped the doctor's hand. + +"Come, Watson," said he, and we passed from that house of grief +into the pale sunlight of the winter day. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ABBEY GRANGE + + +It was on a bitterly cold and frosty morning, towards the end of +the winter of '97, that I was awakened by a tugging at my shoulder. +It was Holmes. The candle in his hand shone upon his eager, +stooping face, and told me at a glance that something was amiss. + +"Come, Watson, come!" he cried. "The game is afoot. Not a word! +Into your clothes and come!" + +Ten minutes later we were both in a cab, and rattling through +the silent streets on our way to Charing Cross Station. The +first faint winter's dawn was beginning to appear, and we could +dimly see the occasional figure of an early workman as he passed +us, blurred and indistinct in the opalescent London reek. Holmes +nestled in silence into his heavy coat, and I was glad to do the +same, for the air was most bitter, and neither of us had broken +our fast. + +It was not until we had consumed some hot tea at the station and +taken our places in the Kentish train that we were sufficiently +thawed, he to speak and I to listen. Holmes drew a note from his +pocket, and read aloud: + + Abbey Grange, Marsham, Kent, + 3:30 A.M. +MY DEAR MR. HOLMES: + +I should be very glad of your immediate assistance in what +promises to be a most remarkable case. It is something quite in +your line. Except for releasing the lady I will see that +everything is kept exactly as I have found it, but I beg you not +to lose an instant, as it is difficult to leave Sir Eustace there. + Yours faithfully, + STANLEY HOPKINS. + + +"Hopkins has called me in seven times, and on each occasion his +summons has been entirely justified," said Holmes. "I fancy that +every one of his cases has found its way into your collection, +and I must admit, Watson, that you have some power of selection, +which atones for much which I deplore in your narratives. Your +fatal habit of looking at everything from the point of view of +a story instead of as a scientific exercise has ruined what +might have been an instructive and even classical series of +demonstrations. You slur over work of the utmost finesse and +delicacy, in order to dwell upon sensational details which may +excite, but cannot possibly instruct, the reader." + +"Why do you not write them yourself?" I said, with some bitterness. + +"I will, my dear Watson, I will. At present I am, as you know, +fairly busy, but I propose to devote my declining years to the +composition of a textbook, which shall focus the whole art of +detection into one volume. Our present research appears to be a +case of murder." + +"You think this Sir Eustace is dead, then?" + +"I should say so. Hopkins's writing shows considerable +agitation, and he is not an emotional man. Yes, I gather there +has been violence, and that the body is left for our inspection. +A mere suicide would not have caused him to send for me. As to +the release of the lady, it would appear that she has been +locked in her room during the tragedy. We are moving in high +life, Watson, crackling paper, `E.B.' monogram, coat-of-arms, +picturesque address. I think that friend Hopkins will live up to +his reputation, and that we shall have an interesting morning. +The crime was committed before twelve last night." + +"How can you possibly tell?" + +"By an inspection of the trains, and by reckoning the time. The +local police had to be called in, they had to communicate with +Scotland Yard, Hopkins had to go out, and he in turn had to send +for me. All that makes a fair night's work. Well, here we are at +Chiselhurst Station, and we shall soon set our doubts at rest." + +A drive of a couple of miles through narrow country lanes +brought us to a park gate, which was opened for us by an old +lodge-keeper, whose haggard face bore the reflection of some +great disaster. The avenue ran through a noble park, between +lines of ancient elms, and ended in a low, widespread house, +pillared in front after the fashion of Palladio. The central +part was evidently of a great age and shrouded in ivy, but the +large windows showed that modern changes had been carried out, +and one wing of the house appeared to be entirely new. The +youthful figure and alert, eager face of Inspector Stanley +Hopkins confronted us in the open doorway. + +"I'm very glad you have come, Mr. Holmes. And you, too, Dr. +Watson. But, indeed, if I had my time over again, I should not +have troubled you, for since the lady has come to herself, she +has given so clear an account of the affair that there is not much +left for us to do. You remember that Lewisham gang of burglars?" + +"What, the three Randalls?" + +"Exactly; the father and two sons. It's their work. I have not +a doubt of it. They did a job at Sydenham a fortnight ago and +were seen and described. Rather cool to do another so soon and +so near, but it is they, beyond all doubt. It's a hanging matter +this time." + +"Sir Eustace is dead, then?" + +"Yes, his head was knocked in with his own poker." + +"Sir Eustace Brackenstall, the driver tells me." + +"Exactly--one of the richest men in Kent--Lady Brackenstall is +in the morning-room. Poor lady, she has had a most dreadful +experience. She seemed half dead when I saw her first. I think +you had best see her and hear her account of the facts. Then we +will examine the dining-room together." + +Lady Brackenstall was no ordinary person. Seldom have I seen so +graceful a figure, so womanly a presence, and so beautiful a +face. She was a blonde, golden-haired, blue-eyed, and would no +doubt have had the perfect complexion which goes with such +colouring, had not her recent experience left her drawn and +haggard. Her sufferings were physical as well as mental, for +over one eye rose a hideous, plum-coloured swelling, which her +maid, a tall, austere woman, was bathing assiduously with +vinegar and water. The lady lay back exhausted upon a couch, but +her quick, observant gaze, as we entered the room, and the alert +expression of her beautiful features, showed that neither her +wits nor her courage had been shaken by her terrible experience. +She was enveloped in a loose dressing-gown of blue and silver, +but a black sequin-covered dinner-dress lay upon the couch +beside her. + +"I have told you all that happened, Mr. Hopkins," she said, +wearily. "Could you not repeat it for me? Well, if you think it +necessary, I will tell these gentlemen what occurred. Have they +been in the dining-room yet?" + +"I thought they had better hear your ladyship's story first." + +"I shall be glad when you can arrange matters. It is horrible to +me to think of him still lying there." She shuddered and buried +her face in her hands. As she did so, the loose gown fell back +from her forearms. Holmes uttered an exclamation. + +"You have other injuries, madam! What is this?" Two vivid red +spots stood out on one of the white, round limbs. She hastily +covered it. + +"It is nothing. It has no connection with this hideous business +to-night. If you and your friend will sit down, I will tell you +all I can. + +"I am the wife of Sir Eustace Brackenstall. I have been married +about a year. I suppose that it is no use my attempting to +conceal that our marriage has not been a happy one. I fear that +all our neighbours would tell you that, even if I were to +attempt to deny it. Perhaps the fault may be partly mine. I was +brought up in the freer, less conventional atmosphere of South +Australia, and this English life, with its proprieties and its +primness, is not congenial to me. But the main reason lies in +the one fact, which is notorious to everyone, and that is that +Sir Eustace was a confirmed drunkard. To be with such a man for +an hour is unpleasant. Can you imagine what it means for a +sensitive and high-spirited woman to be tied to him for day and +night? It is a sacrilege, a crime, a villainy to hold that such +a marriage is binding. I say that these monstrous laws of yours +will bring a curse upon the land--God will not let such +wickedness endure." For an instant she sat up, her cheeks +flushed, and her eyes blazing from under the terrible mark upon +her brow. Then the strong, soothing hand of the austere maid +drew her head down on to the cushion, and the wild anger died +away into passionate sobbing. At last she continued: + +"I will tell you about last night. You are aware, perhaps, that +in this house all the servants sleep in the modern wing. This +central block is made up of the dwelling-rooms, with the kitchen +behind and our bedroom above. My maid, Theresa, sleeps above my +room. There is no one else, and no sound could alarm those who +are in the farther wing. This must have been well known to the +robbers, or they would not have acted as they did. + +"Sir Eustace retired about half-past ten. The servants had +already gone to their quarters. Only my maid was up, and she had +remained in her room at the top of the house until I needed her +services. I sat until after eleven in this room, absorbed in a +book. Then I walked round to see that all was right before I +went upstairs. It was my custom to do this myself, for, as I +have explained, Sir Eustace was not always to be trusted. I went +into the kitchen, the butler's pantry, the gun-room, the +billiard-room, the drawing-room, and finally the dining-room. As +I approached the window, which is covered with thick curtains, +I suddenly felt the wind blow upon my face and realized that it +was open. I flung the curtain aside and found myself face to +face with a broad-shouldered elderly man, who had just stepped +into the room. The window is a long French one, which really +forms a door leading to the lawn. I held my bedroom candle lit +in my hand, and, by its light, behind the first man I saw two +others, who were in the act of entering. I stepped back, but the +fellow was on me in an instant. He caught me first by the wrist +and then by the throat. I opened my mouth to scream, but he +struck me a savage blow with his fist over the eye, and felled +me to the ground. I must have been unconscious for a few +minutes, for when I came to myself, I found that they had torn +down the bell-rope, and had secured me tightly to the oaken +chair which stands at the head of the dining-table. I was so +firmly bound that I could not move, and a handkerchief round my +mouth prevented me from uttering a sound. It was at this instant +that my unfortunate husband entered the room. He had evidently +heard some suspicious sounds, and he came prepared for such a +scene as he found. He was dressed in nightshirt and trousers, +with his favourite blackthorn cudgel in his hand. He rushed at +the burglars, but another--it was an elderly man--stooped, +picked the poker out of the grate and struck him a horrible blow +as he passed. He fell with a groan and never moved again. I +fainted once more, but again it could only have been for a very +few minutes during which I was insensible. When I opened my eyes +I found that they had collected the silver from the sideboard, +and they had drawn a bottle of wine which stood there. Each of +them had a glass in his hand. I have already told you, have I +not, that one was elderly, with a beard, and the others young, +hairless lads. They might have been a father with his two sons. +They talked together in whispers. Then they came over and made +sure that I was securely bound. Finally they withdrew, closing +the window after them. It was quite a quarter of an hour before +I got my mouth free. When I did so, my screams brought the maid +to my assistance. The other servants were soon alarmed, and we +sent for the local police, who instantly communicated with +London. That is really all that I can tell you, gentlemen, and +I trust that it will not be necessary for me to go over so +painful a story again." + +"Any questions, Mr. Holmes?" asked Hopkins. + +"I will not impose any further tax upon Lady Brackenstall's +patience and time," said Holmes. "Before I go into the +dining-room, I should like to hear your experience." He looked +at the maid. + +"I saw the men before ever they came into the house," said she. +"As I sat by my bedroom window I saw three men in the moonlight +down by the lodge gate yonder, but I thought nothing of it at +the time. It was more than an hour after that I heard my +mistress scream, and down I ran, to find her, poor lamb, just as +she says, and him on the floor, with his blood and brains over +the room. It was enough to drive a woman out of her wits, tied +there, and her very dress spotted with him, but she never wanted +courage, did Miss Mary Fraser of Adelaide and Lady Brackenstall +of Abbey Grange hasn't learned new ways. You've questioned her +long enough, you gentlemen, and now she is coming to her own room, +just with her old Theresa, to get the rest that she badly needs." + +With a motherly tenderness the gaunt woman put her arm round her +mistress and led her from the room. + +"She has been with her all her life," said Hopkins. "Nursed her +as a baby, and came with her to England when they first left +Australia, eighteen months ago. Theresa Wright is her name, and +the kind of maid you don't pick up nowadays. This way, Mr. +Holmes, if you please!" + +The keen interest had passed out of Holmes's expressive face, +and I knew that with the mystery all the charm of the case had +departed. There still remained an arrest to be effected, but +what were these commonplace rogues that he should soil his hands +with them? An abstruse and learned specialist who finds that he +has been called in for a case of measles would experience +something of the annoyance which I read in my friend's eyes. Yet +the scene in the dining-room of the Abbey Grange was +sufficiently strange to arrest his attention and to recall his +waning interest. + +It was a very large and high chamber, with carved oak ceiling, +oaken panelling, and a fine array of deer's heads and ancient +weapons around the walls. At the further end from the door was +the high French window of which we had heard. Three smaller +windows on the right-hand side filled the apartment with cold +winter sunshine. On the left was a large, deep fireplace, with +a massive, overhanging oak mantelpiece. Beside the fireplace was +a heavy oaken chair with arms and cross-bars at the bottom. In +and out through the open woodwork was woven a crimson cord, +which was secured at each side to the crosspiece below. In +releasing the lady, the cord had been slipped off her, but the +knots with which it had been secured still remained. These +details only struck our attention afterwards, for our thoughts +were entirely absorbed by the terrible object which lay upon the +tigerskin hearthrug in front of the fire. + +It was the body of a tall, well-made man, about forty years of +age. He lay upon his back, his face upturned, with his white +teeth grinning through his short, black beard. His two clenched +hands were raised above his head, and a heavy, blackthorn stick +lay across them. His dark, handsome, aquiline features were +convulsed into a spasm of vindictive hatred, which had set his +dead face in a terribly fiendish expression. He had evidently +been in his bed when the alarm had broken out, for he wore a +foppish, embroidered nightshirt, and his bare feet projected +from his trousers. His head was horribly injured, and the whole +room bore witness to the savage ferocity of the blow which had +struck him down. Beside him lay the heavy poker, bent into a +curve by the concussion. Holmes examined both it and the +indescribable wreck which it had wrought. + +"He must be a powerful man, this elder Randall," he remarked. + +"Yes," said Hopkins. "I have some record of the fellow, and he +is a rough customer." + +"You should have no difficulty in getting him." + +"Not the slightest. We have been on the look-out for him, and +there was some idea that he had got away to America. Now that we +know that the gang are here, I don't see how they can escape. We +have the news at every seaport already, and a reward will be +offered before evening. What beats me is how they could have +done so mad a thing, knowing that the lady could describe them +and that we could not fail to recognize the description." + +"Exactly. One would have expected that they would silence Lady +Brackenstall as well." + +"They may not have realized," I suggested, "that she had +recovered from her faint." + +"That is likely enough. If she seemed to be senseless, they +would not take her life. What about this poor fellow, Hopkins? +I seem to have heard some queer stories about him." + +"He was a good-hearted man when he was sober, but a perfect +fiend when he was drunk, or rather when he was half drunk, for +he seldom really went the whole way. The devil seemed to be in +him at such times, and he was capable of anything. From what I +hear, in spite of all his wealth and his title, he very nearly +came our way once or twice. There was a scandal about his +drenching a dog with petroleum and setting it on fire--her +ladyship's dog, to make the matter worse--and that was only +hushed up with difficulty. Then he threw a decanter at that +maid, Theresa Wright--there was trouble about that. On the +whole, and between ourselves, it will be a brighter house +without him. What are you looking at now?" + +Holmes was down on his knees, examining with great attention the +knots upon the red cord with which the lady had been secured. +Then he carefully scrutinized the broken and frayed end where it +had snapped off when the burglar had dragged it down. + +"When this was pulled down, the bell in the kitchen must have +rung loudly," he remarked. + +"No one could hear it. The kitchen stands right at the back of +the house." + +"How did the burglar know no one would hear it? How dared he +pull at a bell-rope in that reckless fashion?" + +"Exactly, Mr. Holmes, exactly. You put the very question which +I have asked myself again and again. There can be no doubt that +this fellow must have known the house and its habits. He must +have perfectly understood that the servants would all be in bed +at that comparatively early hour, and that no one could possibly +hear a bell ring in the kitchen. Therefore, he must have been in +close league with one of the servants. Surely that is evident. +But there are eight servants, and all of good character." + +"Other things being equal," said Holmes, "one would suspect the +one at whose head the master threw a decanter. And yet that +would involve treachery towards the mistress to whom this woman +seems devoted. Well, well, the point is a minor one, and when +you have Randall you will probably find no difficulty in +securing his accomplice. The lady's story certainly seems to be +corroborated, if it needed corroboration, by every detail which +we see before us." He walked to the French window and threw it +open. "There are no signs here, but the ground is iron hard, +and one would not expect them. I see that these candles in the +mantelpiece have been lighted." + +"Yes, it was by their light and that of the lady's bedroom +candle, that the burglars saw their way about." + +"And what did they take?" + +"Well, they did not take much--only half a dozen articles of +plate off the sideboard. Lady Brackenstall thinks that they were +themselves so disturbed by the death of Sir Eustace that they +did not ransack the house, as they would otherwise have done." + +"No doubt that is true, and yet they drank some wine, I understand." + +"To steady their nerves." + +"Exactly. These three glasses upon the sideboard have been +untouched, I suppose?" + +"Yes, and the bottle stands as they left it." + +"Let us look at it. Halloa, halloa! What is this?" + +The three glasses were grouped together, all of them tinged with +wine, and one of them containing some dregs of beeswing. The +bottle stood near them, two-thirds full, and beside it lay a +long, deeply stained cork. Its appearance and the dust upon the +bottle showed that it was no common vintage which the murderers +had enjoyed. + +A change had come over Holmes's manner. He had lost his listless +expression, and again I saw an alert light of interest in his +keen, deep-set eyes. He raised the cork and examined it minutely. + +"How did they draw it?" he asked. + +Hopkins pointed to a half-opened drawer. In it lay some table +linen and a large corkscrew. + +"Did Lady Brackenstall say that screw was used?" + +"No, you remember that she was senseless at the moment when the +bottle was opened." + +"Quite so. As a matter of fact, that screw was not used. This +bottle was opened by a pocket screw, probably contained in a +knife, and not more than an inch and a half long. If you will +examine the top of the cork, you will observe that the screw was +driven in three times before the cork was extracted. It has +never been transfixed. This long screw would have transfixed it +and drawn it up with a single pull. When you catch this fellow, +you will find that he has one of these multiplex knives in his +possession." + +"Excellent!" said Hopkins. + +"But these glasses do puzzle me, I confess. Lady Brackenstall +actually SAW the three men drinking, did she not?" + +"Yes; she was clear about that." + +"Then there is an end of it. What more is to be said? And yet, +you must admit, that the three glasses are very remarkable, +Hopkins. What? You see nothing remarkable? Well, well, let it +pass. Perhaps, when a man has special knowledge and special +powers like my own, it rather encourages him to seek a complex +explanation when a simpler one is at hand. Of course, it must be +a mere chance about the glasses. Well, good-morning, Hopkins. I +don't see that I can be of any use to you, and you appear to +have your case very clear. You will let me know when Randall is +arrested, and any further developments which may occur. I trust +that I shall soon have to congratulate you upon a successful +conclusion. Come, Watson, I fancy that we may employ ourselves +more profitably at home." + +During our return journey, I could see by Holmes's face that he +was much puzzled by something which he had observed. Every now +and then, by an effort, he would throw off the impression, and +talk as if the matter were clear, but then his doubts would +settle down upon him again, and his knitted brows and abstracted +eyes would show that his thoughts had gone back once more to the +great dining-room of the Abbey Grange, in which this midnight +tragedy had been enacted. At last, by a sudden impulse, just as +our train was crawling out of a suburban station, he sprang on +to the platform and pulled me out after him. + +"Excuse me, my dear fellow," said he, as we watched the rear +carriages of our train disappearing round a curve, "I am sorry +to make you the victim of what may seem a mere whim, but on my +life, Watson, I simply CAN'T leave that case in this condition. +Every instinct that I possess cries out against it. It's wrong-- +it's all wrong--I'll swear that it's wrong. And yet the lady's +story was complete, the maid's corroboration was sufficient, the +detail was fairly exact. What have I to put up against that? +Three wine-glasses, that is all. But if I had not taken things +for granted, if I had examined everything with care which I +should have shown had we approached the case DE NOVO and had no +cut-and-dried story to warp my mind, should I not then have +found something more definite to go upon? Of course I should. +Sit down on this bench, Watson, until a train for Chiselhurst +arrives, and allow me to lay the evidence before you, imploring +you in the first instance to dismiss from your mind the idea +that anything which the maid or her mistress may have said must +necessarily be true. The lady's charming personality must not be +permitted to warp our judgment. + +"Surely there are details in her story which, if we looked at in +cold blood, would excite our suspicion. These burglars made a +considerable haul at Sydenham a fortnight ago. Some account of +them and of their appearance was in the papers, and would +naturally occur to anyone who wished to invent a story in which +imaginary robbers should play a part. As a matter of fact, +burglars who have done a good stroke of business are, as a rule, +only too glad to enjoy the proceeds in peace and quiet without +embarking on another perilous undertaking. Again, it is unusual +for burglars to operate at so early an hour, it is unusual for +burglars to strike a lady to prevent her screaming, since one +would imagine that was the sure way to make her scream, it is +unusual for them to commit murder when their numbers are +sufficient to overpower one man, it is unusual for them to be +content with a limited plunder when there was much more within +their reach, and finally, I should say, that it was very unusual +for such men to leave a bottle half empty. How do all these +unusuals strike you, Watson?" + +"Their cumulative effect is certainly considerable, and yet each +of them is quite possible in itself. The most unusual thing of all, +as it seems to me, is that the lady should be tied to the chair." + +"Well, I am not so clear about that, Watson, for it is evident +that they must either kill her or else secure her in such a way +that she could not give immediate notice of their escape. But at +any rate I have shown, have I not, that there is a certain +element of improbability about the lady's story? And now, on the +top of this, comes the incident of the wineglasses." + +"What about the wineglasses?" + +"Can you see them in your mind's eye?" + +"I see them clearly." + +"We are told that three men drank from them. Does that strike +you as likely?" + +"Why not? There was wine in each glass." + +"Exactly, but there was beeswing only in one glass. You must +have noticed that fact. What does that suggest to your mind?" + +"The last glass filled would be most likely to contain beeswing." + +"Not at all. The bottle was full of it, and it is inconceivable +that the first two glasses were clear and the third heavily +charged with it. There are two possible explanations, and only +two. One is that after the second glass was filled the bottle +was violently agitated, and so the third glass received the +beeswing. That does not appear probable. No, no, I am sure that +I am right." + +"What, then, do you suppose?" + +"That only two glasses were used, and that the dregs of both +were poured into a third glass, so as to give the false +impression that three people had been here. In that way all the +beeswing would be in the last glass, would it not? Yes, I am +convinced that this is so. But if I have hit upon the true +explanation of this one small phenomenon, then in an instant the +case rises from the commonplace to the exceedingly remarkable, +for it can only mean that Lady Brackenstall and her maid have +deliberately lied to us, that not one word of their story is to +be believed, that they have some very strong reason for covering +the real criminal, and that we must construct our case for +ourselves without any help from them. That is the mission which +now lies before us, and here, Watson, is the Sydenham train." + +The household at the Abbey Grange were much surprised at our +return, but Sherlock Holmes, finding that Stanley Hopkins had +gone off to report to headquarters, took possession of the +dining-room, locked the door upon the inside, and devoted +himself for two hours to one of those minute and laborious +investigations which form the solid basis on which his brilliant +edifices of deduction were reared. Seated in a corner like an +interested student who observes the demonstration of his +professor, I followed every step of that remarkable research. +The window, the curtains, the carpet, the chair, the rope--each +in turn was minutely examined and duly pondered. The body of the +unfortunate baronet had been removed, and all else remained as +we had seen it in the morning. Finally, to my astonishment, +Holmes climbed up on to the massive mantelpiece. Far above his +head hung the few inches of red cord which were still attached +to the wire. For a long time he gazed upward at it, and then in +an attempt to get nearer to it he rested his knee upon a wooden +bracket on the wall. This brought his hand within a few inches +of the broken end of the rope, but it was not this so much as +the bracket itself which seemed to engage his attention. +Finally, he sprang down with an ejaculation of satisfaction. + +"It's all right, Watson," said he. "We have got our case--one of +the most remarkable in our collection. But, dear me, how +slow-witted I have been, and how nearly I have committed the +blunder of my lifetime! Now, I think that, with a few missing +links, my chain is almost complete." + +"You have got your men?" + +"Man, Watson, man. Only one, but a very formidable person. +Strong as a lion--witness the blow that bent that poker! Six +foot three in height, active as a squirrel, dexterous with his +fingers, finally, remarkably quick-witted, for this whole +ingenious story is of his concoction. Yes, Watson, we have come +upon the handiwork of a very remarkable individual. And yet, in +that bell-rope, he has given us a clue which should not have +left us a doubt." + +"Where was the clue?" + +"Well, if you were to pull down a bell-rope, Watson, where would +you expect it to break? Surely at the spot where it is attached +to the wire. Why should it break three inches from the top, as +this one has done?" + +"Because it is frayed there?" + +"Exactly. This end, which we can examine, is frayed. He was +cunning enough to do that with his knife. But the other end is +not frayed. You could not observe that from here, but if you +were on the mantelpiece you would see that it is cut clean off +without any mark of fraying whatever. You can reconstruct what +occurred. The man needed the rope. He would not tear it down for +fear of giving the alarm by ringing the bell. What did he do? He +sprang up on the mantelpiece, could not quite reach it, put his +knee on the bracket--you will see the impression in the dust-- +and so got his knife to bear upon the cord. I could not reach +the place by at least three inches--from which I infer that he +is at least three inches a bigger man than I. Look at that mark +upon the seat of the oaken chair! What is it?" + +"Blood." + +"Undoubtedly it is blood. This alone puts the lady's story out +of court. If she were seated on the chair when the crime was +done, how comes that mark? No, no, she was placed in the chair +AFTER the death of her husband. I'll wager that the black dress +shows a corresponding mark to this. We have not yet met our +Waterloo, Watson, but this is our Marengo, for it begins in +defeat and ends in victory. I should like now to have a few +words with the nurse, Theresa. We must be wary for a while, if +we are to get the information which we want." + +She was an interesting person, this stern Australian nurse-- +taciturn, suspicious, ungracious, it took some time before +Holmes's pleasant manner and frank acceptance of all that she +said thawed her into a corresponding amiability. She did not +attempt to conceal her hatred for her late employer. + +"Yes, sir, it is true that he threw the decanter at me. I heard +him call my mistress a name, and I told him that he would not +dare to speak so if her brother had been there. Then it was that +he threw it at me. He might have thrown a dozen if he had but +left my bonny bird alone. He was forever ill-treating her, and +she too proud to complain. She will not even tell me all that he +has done to her. She never told me of those marks on her arm +that you saw this morning, but I know very well that they come +from a stab with a hatpin. The sly devil--God forgive me that I +should speak of him so, now that he is dead! But a devil he was, +if ever one walked the earth. He was all honey when first we met +him--only eighteen months ago, and we both feel as if it were +eighteen years. She had only just arrived in London. Yes, it was +her first voyage--she had never been from home before. He won +her with his title and his money and his false London ways. If +she made a mistake she has paid for it, if ever a woman did. +What month did we meet him? Well, I tell you it was just after +we arrived. We arrived in June, and it was July. They were +married in January of last year. Yes, she is down in the +morning-room again, and I have no doubt she will see you, but +you must not ask too much of her, for she has gone through all +that flesh and blood will stand." + +Lady Brackenstall was reclining on the same couch, but looked +brighter than before. The maid had entered with us, and began +once more to foment the bruise upon her mistress's brow. + +"I hope," said the lady, "that you have not come to +cross-examine me again?" + +"No," Holmes answered, in his gentlest voice, "I will not cause +you any unnecessary trouble, Lady Brackenstall, and my whole +desire is to make things easy for you, for I am convinced that +you are a much-tried woman. If you will treat me as a friend and +trust me, you may find that I will justify your trust." + +"What do you want me to do?" + +"To tell me the truth." + +"Mr. Holmes!" + +"No, no, Lady Brackenstall--it is no use. You may have heard of +any little reputation which I possess. I will stake it all on +the fact that your story is an absolute fabrication." + +Mistress and maid were both staring at Holmes with pale faces +and frightened eyes. + +"You are an impudent fellow!" cried Theresa. "Do you mean to say +that my mistress has told a lie?" + +Holmes rose from his chair. + +"Have you nothing to tell me?" + +"I have told you everything." + +"Think once more, Lady Brackenstall. Would it not be better to +be frank?" + +For an instant there was hesitation in her beautiful face. Then +some new strong thought caused it to set like a mask. + +"I have told you all I know." + +Holmes took his hat and shrugged his shoulders. "I am sorry," he +said, and without another word we left the room and the house. +There was a pond in the park, and to this my friend led the way. +It was frozen over, but a single hole was left for the +convenience of a solitary swan. Holmes gazed at it, and then +passed on to the lodge gate. There he scribbled a short note for +Stanley Hopkins, and left it with the lodge-keeper. + +"It may be a hit, or it may be a miss, but we are bound to do +something for friend Hopkins, just to justify this second +visit," said he. "I will not quite take him into my confidence +yet. I think our next scene of operations must be the shipping +office of the Adelaide-Southampton line, which stands at the end +of Pall Mall, if I remember right. There is a second line of +steamers which connect South Australia with England, but we will +draw the larger cover first." + +Holmes's card sent in to the manager ensured instant attention, +and he was not long in acquiring all the information he needed. +In June of '95, only one of their line had reached a home port. +It was the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR, their largest and best boat. A +reference to the passenger list showed that Miss Fraser, of +Adelaide, with her maid had made the voyage in her. The boat was +now somewhere south of the Suez Canal on her way to Australia. +Her officers were the same as in '95, with one exception. The +first officer, Mr. Jack Crocker, had been made a captain and was +to take charge of their new ship, the BASS ROCK, sailing in two +days' time from Southampton. He lived at Sydenham, but he was +likely to be in that morning for instructions, if we cared to +wait for him. + +No, Mr. Holmes had no desire to see him, but would be glad to +know more about his record and character. + +His record was magnificent. There was not an officer in the +fleet to touch him. As to his character, he was reliable on +duty, but a wild, desperate fellow off the deck of his ship-- +hot-headed, excitable, but loyal, honest, and kind-hearted. That +was the pith of the information with which Holmes left the +office of the Adelaide-Southampton company. Thence he drove to +Scotland Yard, but, instead of entering, he sat in his cab with +his brows drawn down, lost in profound thought. Finally he drove +round to the Charing Cross telegraph office, sent off a message, +and then, at last, we made for Baker Street once more. + +"No, I couldn't do it, Watson," said he, as we reentered our +room. "Once that warrant was made out, nothing on earth would +save him. Once or twice in my career I feel that I have done +more real harm by my discovery of the criminal than ever he had +done by his crime. I have learned caution now, and I had rather +play tricks with the law of England than with my own conscience. +Let us know a little more before we act." + +Before evening, we had a visit from Inspector Stanley Hopkins. +Things were not going very well with him. + +"I believe that you are a wizard, Mr. Holmes. I really do +sometimes think that you have powers that are not human. Now, +how on earth could you know that the stolen silver was at the +bottom of that pond?" + +"I didn't know it." + +"But you told me to examine it." + +"You got it, then?" + +"Yes, I got it." + +"I am very glad if I have helped you." + +"But you haven't helped me. You have made the affair far more +difficult. What sort of burglars are they who steal silver and +then throw it into the nearest pond?" + +"It was certainly rather eccentric behaviour. I was merely going +on the idea that if the silver had been taken by persons who did +not want it--who merely took it for a blind, as it were--then +they would naturally be anxious to get rid of it." + +"But why should such an idea cross your mind?" + +"Well, I thought it was possible. When they came out through the +French window, there was the pond with one tempting little hole +in the ice, right in front of their noses. Could there be a +better hiding-place?" + +"Ah, a hiding-place--that is better!" cried Stanley Hopkins. +"Yes, yes, I see it all now! It was early, there were folk upon +the roads, they were afraid of being seen with the silver, so +they sank it in the pond, intending to return for it when the +coast was clear. Excellent, Mr. Holmes--that is better than your +idea of a blind." + +"Quite so, you have got an admirable theory. I have no doubt +that my own ideas were quite wild, but you must admit that they +have ended in discovering the silver." + +"Yes, sir--yes. It was all your doing. But I have had a bad setback." + +"A setback?" + +"Yes, Mr. Holmes. The Randall gang were arrested in New York +this morning." + +"Dear me, Hopkins! That is certainly rather against your theory +that they committed a murder in Kent last night." + +"It is fatal, Mr. Holmes--absolutely fatal. Still, there are +other gangs of three besides the Randalls, or it may be some new +gang of which the police have never heard." + +"Quite so, it is perfectly possible. What, are you off?" + +Yes, Mr. Holmes, there is no rest for me until I have got to the +bottom of the business. I suppose you have no hint to give me?" + +"I have given you one." + +"Which?" + +"Well, I suggested a blind." + +"But why, Mr. Holmes, why?" + +"Ah, that's the question, of course. But I commend the idea to +your mind. You might possibly find that there was something in +it. You won't stop for dinner? Well, good-bye, and let us know +how you get on." + +Dinner was over, and the table cleared before Holmes alluded to +the matter again. He had lit his pipe and held his slippered +feet to the cheerful blaze of the fire. Suddenly he looked at +his watch. + +"I expect developments, Watson." + +"When?" + +"Now--within a few minutes. I dare say you thought I acted +rather badly to Stanley Hopkins just now?" + +"I trust your judgment." + +"A very sensible reply, Watson. You must look at it this way: +what I know is unofficial, what he knows is official. I have the +right to private judgment, but he has none. He must disclose +all, or he is a traitor to his service. In a doubtful case I +would not put him in so painful a position, and so I reserve my +information until my own mind is clear upon the matter." + +"But when will that be?" + +"The time has come. You will now be present at the last scene of +a remarkable little drama." + +There was a sound upon the stairs, and our door was opened to +admit as fine a specimen of manhood as ever passed through it. +He was a very tall young man, golden-moustached, blue-eyed, with +a skin which had been burned by tropical suns, and a springy +step, which showed that the huge frame was as active as it was +strong. He closed the door behind him, and then he stood with +clenched hands and heaving breast, choking down some +overmastering emotion. + +"Sit down, Captain Crocker. You got my telegram?" + +Our visitor sank into an armchair and looked from one to the +other of us with questioning eyes. + +"I got your telegram, and I came at the hour you said. I heard +that you had been down to the office. There was no getting away +from you. Let's hear the worst. What are you going to do with +me? Arrest me? Speak out, man! You can't sit there and play with +me like a cat with a mouse." + +"Give him a cigar," said Holmes. "Bite on that, Captain Crocker, +and don't let your nerves run away with you. I should not sit +here smoking with you if I thought that you were a common +criminal, you may be sure of that. Be frank with me and we may +do some good. Play tricks with me, and I'll crush you." + +"What do you wish me to do?" + +"To give me a true account of all that happened at the Abbey +Grange last night--a TRUE account, mind you, with nothing added +and nothing taken off. I know so much already that if you go one +inch off the straight, I'll blow this police whistle from my +window and the affair goes out of my hands forever." + +The sailor thought for a little. Then he struck his leg with his +great sunburned hand. + +"I'll chance it," he cried. "I believe you are a man of your +word, and a white man, and I'll tell you the whole story. But +one thing I will say first. So far as I am concerned, I regret +nothing and I fear nothing, and I would do it all again and be +proud of the job. Damn the beast, if he had as many lives as a +cat, he would owe them all to me! But it's the lady, Mary--Mary +Fraser--for never will I call her by that accursed name. When I +think of getting her into trouble, I who would give my life just +to bring one smile to her dear face, it's that that turns my +soul into water. And yet--and yet--what less could I do? I'll +tell you my story, gentlemen, and then I'll ask you, as man to +man, what less could I do? + +"I must go back a bit. You seem to know everything, so I expect +that you know that I met her when she was a passenger and I was +first officer of the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR. From the first day I met +her, she was the only woman to me. Every day of that voyage I +loved her more, and many a time since have I kneeled down in the +darkness of the night watch and kissed the deck of that ship +because I knew her dear feet had trod it. She was never engaged +to me. She treated me as fairly as ever a woman treated a man. +I have no complaint to make. It was all love on my side, and all +good comradeship and friendship on hers. When we parted she was +a free woman, but I could never again be a free man. + +"Next time I came back from sea, I heard of her marriage. Well, +why shouldn't she marry whom she liked? Title and money--who +could carry them better than she? She was born for all that is +beautiful and dainty. I didn't grieve over her marriage. I was +not such a selfish hound as that. I just rejoiced that good luck +had come her way, and that she had not thrown herself away on a +penniless sailor. That's how I loved Mary Fraser. + +"Well, I never thought to see her again, but last voyage I was +promoted, and the new boat was not yet launched, so I had to +wait for a couple of months with my people at Sydenham. One day +out in a country lane I met Theresa Wright, her old maid. She +told me all about her, about him, about everything. I tell you, +gentlemen, it nearly drove me mad. This drunken hound, that he +should dare to raise his hand to her, whose boots he was not +worthy to lick! I met Theresa again. Then I met Mary herself-- +and met her again. Then she would meet me no more. But the other +day I had a notice that I was to start on my voyage within a +week, and I determined that I would see her once before I left. +Theresa was always my friend, for she loved Mary and hated this +villain almost as much as I did. From her I learned the ways of +the house. Mary used to sit up reading in her own little room +downstairs. I crept round there last night and scratched at the +window. At first she would not open to me, but in her heart I +know that now she loves me, and she could not leave me in the +frosty night. She whispered to me to come round to the big front +window, and I found it open before me, so as to let me into the +dining-room. Again I heard from her own lips things that made my +blood boil, and again I cursed this brute who mishandled the +woman I loved. Well, gentlemen, I was standing with her just +inside the window, in all innocence, as God is my judge, when he +rushed like a madman into the room, called her the vilest name +that a man could use to a woman, and welted her across the face +with the stick he had in his hand. I had sprung for the poker, +and it was a fair fight between us. See here, on my arm, where +his first blow fell. Then it was my turn, and I went through him +as if he had been a rotten pumpkin. Do you think I was sorry? +Not I! It was his life or mine, but far more than that, it was +his life or hers, for how could I leave her in the power of this +madman? That was how I killed him. Was I wrong? Well, then, what +would either of you gentlemen have done, if you had been in my position?" + +"She had screamed when he struck her, and that brought old +Theresa down from the room above. There was a bottle of wine on +the sideboard, and I opened it and poured a little between +Mary's lips, for she was half dead with shock. Then I took a +drop myself. Theresa was as cool as ice, and it was her plot as +much as mine. We must make it appear that burglars had done the +thing. Theresa kept on repeating our story to her mistress, +while I swarmed up and cut the rope of the bell. Then I lashed +her in her chair, and frayed out the end of the rope to make it +look natural, else they would wonder how in the world a burglar +could have got up there to cut it. Then I gathered up a few +plates and pots of silver, to carry out the idea of the robbery, +and there I left them, with orders to give the alarm when I had +a quarter of an hour's start. I dropped the silver into the +pond, and made off for Sydenham, feeling that for once in my +life I had done a real good night's work. And that's the truth +and the whole truth, Mr. Holmes, if it costs me my neck." + +Holmes smoked for some time in silence. Then he crossed the +room, and shook our visitor by the hand. + +"That's what I think," said he. "I know that every word is true, +for you have hardly said a word which I did not know. No one but +an acrobat or a sailor could have got up to that bell-rope from +the bracket, and no one but a sailor could have made the knots +with which the cord was fastened to the chair. Only once had +this lady been brought into contact with sailors, and that was +on her voyage, and it was someone of her own class of life, +since she was trying hard to shield him, and so showing that she +loved him. You see how easy it was for me to lay my hands upon +you when once I had started upon the right trail." + +"I thought the police never could have seen through our dodge." + +"And the police haven't, nor will they, to the best of my +belief. Now, look here, Captain Crocker, this is a very serious +matter, though I am willing to admit that you acted under the +most extreme provocation to which any man could be subjected. I +am not sure that in defence of your own life your action will +not be pronounced legitimate. However, that is for a British +jury to decide. Meanwhile I have so much sympathy for you that, +if you choose to disappear in the next twenty-four hours, I will +promise you that no one will hinder you." + +"And then it will all come out?" + +"Certainly it will come out." + +The sailor flushed with anger. + +"What sort of proposal is that to make a man? I know enough of +law to understand that Mary would be held as accomplice. Do you +think I would leave her alone to face the music while I slunk +away? No, sir, let them do their worst upon me, but for heaven's +sake, Mr. Holmes, find some way of keeping my poor Mary out of +the courts." + +Holmes for a second time held out his hand to the sailor. + +"I was only testing you, and you ring true every time. Well, it +is a great responsibility that I take upon myself, but I have +given Hopkins an excellent hint and if he can't avail himself of +it I can do no more. See here, Captain Crocker, we'll do this in +due form of law. You are the prisoner. Watson, you are a British +jury, and I never met a man who was more eminently fitted to +represent one. I am the judge. Now, gentleman of the jury, you +have heard the evidence. Do you find the prisoner guilty or not guilty?" + +"Not guilty, my lord," said I. + +"VOX POPULI, VOX DEI. You are acquitted, Captain Crocker. So +long as the law does not find some other victim you are safe +from me. Come back to this lady in a year, and may her future +and yours justify us in the judgment which we have pronounced +this night!" THE ADVENTURE OF THE SECOND STAIN + + +I had intended "The Adventure of the Abbey Grange" to be the +last of those exploits of my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, which +I should ever communicate to the public. This resolution of mine +was not due to any lack of material, since I have notes of many +hundreds of cases to which I have never alluded, nor was it +caused by any waning interest on the part of my readers in the +singular personality and unique methods of this remarkable man. +The real reason lay in the reluctance which Mr. Holmes has shown +to the continued publication of his experiences. So long as he +was in actual professional practice the records of his successes +were of some practical value to him, but since he has definitely +retired from London and betaken himself to study and bee-farming +on the Sussex Downs, notoriety has become hateful to him, and he +has peremptorily requested that his wishes in this matter should +be strictly observed. It was only upon my representing to him +that I had given a promise that "The Adventure of the Second +Stain" should be published when the times were ripe, and +pointing out to him that it is only appropriate that this long +series of episodes should culminate in the most important +international case which he has ever been called upon to handle, +that I at last succeeded in obtaining his consent that a +carefully guarded account of the incident should at last be laid +before the public. If in telling the story I seem to be somewhat +vague in certain details, the public will readily understand +that there is an excellent reason for my reticence. + +It was, then, in a year, and even in a decade, that shall be +nameless, that upon one Tuesday morning in autumn we found two +visitors of European fame within the walls of our humble room in +Baker Street. The one, austere, high-nosed, eagle-eyed, and +dominant, was none other than the illustrious Lord Bellinger, +twice Premier of Britain. The other, dark, clear-cut, and +elegant, hardly yet of middle age, and endowed with every beauty +of body and of mind, was the Right Honourable Trelawney Hope, +Secretary for European Affairs, and the most rising statesman in +the country. They sat side by side upon our paper-littered +settee, and it was easy to see from their worn and anxious faces +that it was business of the most pressing importance which had +brought them. The Premier's thin, blue-veined hands were clasped +tightly over the ivory head of his umbrella, and his gaunt, +ascetic face looked gloomily from Holmes to me. The European +Secretary pulled nervously at his moustache and fidgeted with +the seals of his watch-chain. + +"When I discovered my loss, Mr. Holmes, which was at eight +o'clock this morning, I at once informed the Prime Minister. +It was at his suggestion that we have both come to you." + +"Have you informed the police?" + +"No, sir," said the Prime Minister, with the quick, decisive +manner for which he was famous. "We have not done so, nor is it +possible that we should do so. To inform the police must, in the +long run, mean to inform the public. This is what we +particularly desire to avoid." + +"And why, sir?" + +"Because the document in question is of such immense importance +that its publication might very easily--I might almost say +probably--lead to European complications of the utmost moment. +It is not too much to say that peace or war may hang upon the +issue. Unless its recovery can be attended with the utmost +secrecy, then it may as well not be recovered at all, for all +that is aimed at by those who have taken it is that its contents +should be generally known." + +"I understand. Now, Mr. Trelawney Hope, I should be much obliged +if you would tell me exactly the circumstances under which this +document disappeared." + +"That can be done in a very few words, Mr. Holmes. The letter--for +it was a letter from a foreign potentate--was received six days +ago. It was of such importance that I have never left it in my +safe, but have taken it across each evening to my house in Whitehall +Terrace, and kept it in my bedroom in a locked despatch-box. It was +there last night. Of that I am certain. I actually opened the box +while I was dressing for dinner and saw the document inside. This +morning it was gone. The despatch-box had stood beside the glass +upon my dressing-table all night. I am a light sleeper, and so is +my wife. We are both prepared to swear that no one could have +entered the room during the night. And yet I repeat that the +paper is gone." + +"What time did you dine?" + +"Half-past seven." + +"How long was it before you went to bed?" + +"My wife had gone to the theatre. I waited up for her. It was +half-past eleven before we went to our room." + +"Then for four hours the despatch-box had lain unguarded?" + +"No one is ever permitted to enter that room save the house-maid +in the morning, and my valet, or my wife's maid, during the rest +of the day. They are both trusty servants who have been with us +for some time. Besides, neither of them could possibly have +known that there was anything more valuable than the ordinary +departmental papers in my despatch-box." + +"Who did know of the existence of that letter?" + +"No one in the house." + +"Surely your wife knew?" + +"No, sir. I had said nothing to my wife until I missed the paper +this morning." + +The Premier nodded approvingly. + +"I have long known, sir, how high is your sense of public duty," +said he. "I am convinced that in the case of a secret of this +importance it would rise superior to the most intimate domestic ties. + +The European Secretary bowed. + +"You do me no more than justice, sir. Until this morning I have +never breathed one word to my wife upon this matter." + +"Could she have guessed?" + +"No, Mr. Holmes, she could not have guessed--nor could anyone +have guessed." + +"Have you lost any documents before?" + +"No, sir." + +"Who is there in England who did know of the existence of +this letter?" + +"Each member of the Cabinet was informed of it yesterday, but +the pledge of secrecy which attends every Cabinet meeting was +increased by the solemn warning which was given by the Prime +Minister. Good heavens, to think that within a few hours I +should myself have lost it!" His handsome face was distorted +with a spasm of despair, and his hands tore at his hair. For a +moment we caught a glimpse of the natural man, impulsive, +ardent, keenly sensitive. The next the aristocratic mask was +replaced, and the gentle voice had returned. "Besides the +members of the Cabinet there are two, or possibly three, +departmental officials who know of the letter. No one else in +England, Mr. Holmes, I assure you." + +"But abroad?" + +"I believe that no one abroad has seen it save the man who wrote +it. I am well convinced that his Ministers--that the usual +official channels have not been employed." + +Holmes considered for some little time. + +"Now, sir, I must ask you more particularly what this document +is, and why its disappearance should have such momentous +consequences?" + +The two statesmen exchanged a quick glance and the Premier's +shaggy eyebrows gathered in a frown. + +"Mr. Holmes, the envelope is a long, thin one of pale blue +colour. There is a seal of red wax stamped with a crouching +lion. It is addressed in large, bold handwriting to----" + +"I fear, sir," said Holmes, "that, interesting and indeed +essential as these details are, my inquiries must go more to the +root of things. What WAS the letter?" + +"That is a State secret of the utmost importance, and I fear +that I cannot tell you, nor do I see that it is necessary. If by +the aid of the powers which you are said to possess you can find +such an envelope as I describe with its enclosure, you will have +deserved well of your country, and earned any reward which it +lies in our power to bestow." + +Sherlock Holmes rose with a smile. + +"You are two of the most busy men in the country," said he, "and +in my own small way I have also a good many calls upon me. I +regret exceedingly that I cannot help you in this matter, and +any continuation of this interview would be a waste of time." + +The Premier sprang to his feet with that quick, fierce gleam of +his deep-set eyes before which a Cabinet has cowered. "I am not +accustomed, sir," he began, but mastered his anger and resumed +his seat. For a minute or more we all sat in silence. Then the +old statesman shrugged his shoulders. + +"We must accept your terms, Mr. Holmes. No doubt you are right, +and it is unreasonable for us to expect you to act unless we +give you our entire confidence." + +"I agree with you," said the younger statesman. + +"Then I will tell you, relying entirely upon your honour and +that of your colleague, Dr. Watson. I may appeal to your +patriotism also, for I could not imagine a greater misfortune +for the country than that this affair should come out." + +"You may safely trust us." + +"The letter, then, is from a certain foreign potentate who has +been ruffled by some recent Colonial developments of this +country. It has been written hurriedly and upon his own +responsibility entirely. Inquiries have shown that his Ministers +know nothing of the matter. At the same time it is couched in so +unfortunate a manner, and certain phrases in it are of so +provocative a character, that its publication would undoubtedly +lead to a most dangerous state of feeling in this country. There +would be such a ferment, sir, that I do not hesitate to say that +within a week of the publication of that letter this country +would be involved in a great war." + +Holmes wrote a name upon a slip of paper and handed it to the Premier. + +"Exactly. It was he. And it is this letter--this letter which +may well mean the expenditure of a thousand millions and the +lives of a hundred thousand men--which has become lost in this +unaccountable fashion." + +"Have you informed the sender?" + +"Yes, sir, a cipher telegram has been despatched." + +"Perhaps he desires the publication of the letter." + +"No, sir, we have strong reason to believe that he already +understands that he has acted in an indiscreet and hot-headed +manner. It would be a greater blow to him and to his country +than to us if this letter were to come out." + +"If this is so, whose interest is it that, the letter should +come out? Why should anyone desire to steal it or to publish it?" + +"There, Mr. Holmes, you take me into regions of high +international politics. But if you consider the European +situation you will have no difficulty in perceiving the motive. +The whole of Europe is an armed camp. There is a double league +which makes a fair balance of military power. Great Britain +holds the scales. If Britain were driven into war with one +confederacy, it would assure the supremacy of the other +confederacy, whether they joined in the war or not. +Do you follow?" + +"Very clearly. It is then the interest of the enemies of this +potentate to secure and publish this letter, so as to make a +breach between his country and ours?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"And to whom would this document be sent if it fell into the +hands of an enemy?" + +"To any of the great Chancelleries of Europe. It is probably +speeding on its way thither at the present instant as fast as +steam can take it." + +Mr. Trelawney Hope dropped his head on his chest and groaned +aloud. The Premier placed his hand kindly upon his shoulder. + +"It is your misfortune, my dear fellow. No one can blame you. +There is no precaution which you have neglected. Now, Mr. +Holmes, you are in full possession of the facts. What course do +you recommend?" + +Holmes shook his head mournfully. + +"You think, sir, that unless this document is recovered there +will be war?" + +"I think it is very probable." + +"Then, sir, prepare for war." + +"That is a hard saying, Mr. Holmes." + +"Consider the facts, sir. It is inconceivable that it was taken +after eleven-thirty at night, since I understand that Mr. Hope +and his wife were both in the room from that hour until the loss +was found out. It was taken, then, yesterday evening between +seven-thirty and eleven-thirty, probably near the earlier hour, +since whoever took it evidently knew that it was there and would +naturally secure it as early as possible. Now, sir, if a +document of this importance were taken at that hour, where can +it be now? No one has any reason to retain it. It has been +passed rapidly on to those who need it. What chance have we now +to overtake or even to trace it? It is beyond our reach." + +The Prime Minister rose from the settee. + +"What you say is perfectly logical, Mr. Holmes. I feel that the +matter is indeed out of our hands." + +"Let us presume, for argument's sake, that the document was +taken by the maid or by the valet----" + +"They are both old and tried servants." + +"I understand you to say that your room is on the second floor, +that there is no entrance from without, and that from within no +one could go up unobserved. It must, then, be somebody in the +house who has taken it. To whom would the thief take it? To one +of several international spies and secret agents, whose names +are tolerably familiar to me. There are three who may be said to +be the heads of their profession. I will begin my research by +going round and finding if each of them is at his post. If one +is missing--especially if he has disappeared since last night-- +we will have some indication as to where the document has gone." + +"Why should he be missing?" asked the European Secretary. "He +would take the letter to an Embassy in London, as likely as not." + +"I fancy not. These agents work independently, and their +relations with the Embassies are often strained." + +The Prime Minister nodded his acquiescence. + +"I believe you are right, Mr. Holmes. He would take so valuable +a prize to headquarters with his own hands. I think that your +course of action is an excellent one. Meanwhile, Hope, we cannot +neglect all our other duties on account of this one misfortune. +Should there be any fresh developments during the day we shall +communicate with you, and you will no doubt let us know the +results of your own inquiries." + +The two statesmen bowed and walked gravely from the room. + +When our illustrious visitors had departed Holmes lit his pipe +in silence and sat for some time lost in the deepest thought. I +had opened the morning paper and was immersed in a sensational +crime which had occurred in London the night before, when my +friend gave an exclamation, sprang to his feet, and laid his +pipe down upon the mantelpiece. + +"Yes," said he, "there is no better way of approaching it. The +situation is desperate, but not hopeless. Even now, if we could +be sure which of them has taken it, it is just possible that it +has not yet passed out of his hands. After all, it is a question +of money with these fellows, and I have the British treasury +behind me. If it's on the market I'll buy it--if it means +another penny on the income-tax. It is conceivable that the +fellow might hold it back to see what bids come from this side +before he tries his luck on the other. There are only those +three capable of playing so bold a game--there are Oberstein, La +Rothiere, and Eduardo Lucas. I will see each of them." + +I glanced at my morning paper. + +"Is that Eduardo Lucas of Godolphin Street?" + +"Yes." + +"You will not see him." + +"Why not?" + +"He was murdered in his house last night." + +My friend has so often astonished me in the course of our +adventures that it was with a sense of exultation that I +realized how completely I had astonished him. He stared in +amazement, and then snatched the paper from my hands. This was +the paragraph which I had been engaged in reading when he rose +from his chair. + + + MURDER IN WESTMINSTER + + +A crime of mysterious character was committed last night at 16 +Godolphin Street, one of the old-fashioned and secluded rows of +eighteenth century houses which lie between the river and the +Abbey, almost in the shadow of the great Tower of the Houses of +Parliament. This small but select mansion has been inhabited for +some years by Mr. Eduardo Lucas, well known in society circles +both on account of his charming personality and because he has +the well-deserved reputation of being one of the best amateur +tenors in the country. Mr. Lucas is an unmarried man, +thirty-four years of age, and his establishment consists of Mrs. +Pringle, an elderly housekeeper, and of Mitton, his valet. The +former retires early and sleeps at the top of the house. The +valet was out for the evening, visiting a friend at Hammersmith. +From ten o'clock onward Mr. Lucas had the house to himself. What +occurred during that time has not yet transpired, but at a +quarter to twelve Police-constable Barrett, passing along +Godolphin Street observed that the door of No. 16 was ajar. He +knocked, but received no answer. Perceiving a light in the front +room, he advanced into the passage and again knocked, but +without reply. He then pushed open the door and entered. The +room was in a state of wild disorder, the furniture being all +swept to one side, and one chair lying on its back in the +centre. Beside this chair, and still grasping one of its legs, +lay the unfortunate tenant of the house. He had been stabbed to +the heart and must have died instantly. The knife with which the +crime had been committed was a curved Indian dagger, plucked +down from a trophy of Oriental arms which adorned one of the +walls. Robbery does not appear to have been the motive of the +crime, for there had been no attempt to remove the valuable +contents of the room. Mr. Eduardo Lucas was so well known and +popular that his violent and mysterious fate will arouse painful +interest and intense sympathy in a widespread circle of friends. + +"Well, Watson, what do you make of this?" asked Holmes, after a +long pause. + +"It is an amazing coincidence." + +"A coincidence! Here is one of the three men whom we had named +as possible actors in this drama, and he meets a violent death +during the very hours when we know that that drama was being +enacted. The odds are enormous against its being coincidence. No +figures could express them. No, my dear Watson, the two events +are connected--MUST be connected. It is for us to find the +connection." + +"But now the official police must know all." + +"Not at all. They know all they see at Godolphin Street. They +know--and shall know--nothing of Whitehall Terrace. Only WE know +of both events, and can trace the relation between them. There +is one obvious point which would, in any case, have turned my +suspicions against Lucas. Godolphin Street, Westminster, is only +a few minutes' walk from Whitehall Terrace. The other secret +agents whom I have named live in the extreme West End. It was +easier, therefore, for Lucas than for the others to establish a +connection or receive a message from the European Secretary's +household--a small thing, and yet where events are compressed +into a few hours it may prove essential. Halloa! what have we here?" + +Mrs. Hudson had appeared with a lady's card upon her salver. +Holmes glanced at it, raised his eyebrows, and handed it +over to me. + +"Ask Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope if she will be kind enough to +step up," said he. + +A moment later our modest apartment, already so distinguished +that morning, was further honoured by the entrance of the most +lovely woman in London. I had often heard of the beauty of the +youngest daughter of the Duke of Belminster, but no description +of it, and no contemplation of colourless photographs, had +prepared me for the subtle, delicate charm and the beautiful +colouring of that exquisite head. And yet as we saw it that +autumn morning, it was not its beauty which would be the first +thing to impress the observer. The cheek was lovely but it was +paled with emotion, the eyes were bright but it was the +brightness of fever, the sensitive mouth was tight and drawn in +an effort after self-command. Terror--not beauty--was what +sprang first to the eye as our fair visitor stood framed for an +instant in the open door. + +"Has my husband been here, Mr. Holmes?" + +"Yes, madam, he has been here." + +"Mr. Holmes. I implore you not to tell him that I came here." +Holmes bowed coldly, and motioned the lady to a chair. + +"Your ladyship places me in a very delicate position. I beg that +you will sit down and tell me what you desire, but I fear that +I cannot make any unconditional promise." + +She swept across the room and seated herself with her back to +the window. It was a queenly presence--tall, graceful, and +intensely womanly. "Mr. Holmes," she said--and her white-gloved +hands clasped and unclasped as she spoke--"I will speak frankly +to you in the hopes that it may induce you to speak frankly in +return. There is complete confidence between my husband and me +on all matters save one. That one is politics. On this his lips +are sealed. He tells me nothing. Now, I am aware that there was +a most deplorable occurrence in our house last night. I know +that a paper has disappeared. But because the matter is +political my husband refuses to take me into his complete +confidence. Now it is essential--essential, I say--that I should +thoroughly understand it. You are the only other person, save +only these politicians, who knows the true facts. I beg you +then, Mr. Holmes, to tell me exactly what has happened and what +it will lead to. Tell me all, Mr. Holmes. Let no regard for your +client's interests keep you silent, for I assure you that his +interests, if he would only see it, would be best served by +taking me into his complete confidence. What was this paper +which was stolen?" + +"Madam, what you ask me is really impossible." + +She groaned and sank her face in her hands. + +"You must see that this is so, madam. If your husband thinks fit +to keep you in the dark over this matter, is it for me, who has +only learned the true facts under the pledge of professional +secrecy, to tell what he has withheld? It is not fair to ask it. +It is him whom you must ask." + +"I have asked him. I come to you as a last resource. But without +your telling me anything definite, Mr. Holmes, you may do a +great service if you would enlighten me on one point." + +"What is it, madam?" + +"Is my husband's political career likely to suffer through this +incident?" + +"Well, madam, unless it is set right it may certainly have a +very unfortunate effect." + +"Ah!" She drew in her breath sharply as one whose doubts are resolved. + +"One more question, Mr. Holmes. From an expression which my +husband dropped in the first shock of this disaster I understood +that terrible public consequences might arise from the loss of +this document." + +"If he said so, I certainly cannot deny it." + +"Of what nature are they?" + +"Nay, madam, there again you ask me more than I can possibly answer." + +"Then I will take up no more of your time. I cannot blame you, +Mr. Holmes, for having refused to speak more freely, and you on +your side will not, I am sure, think the worse of me because I +desire, even against his will, to share my husband's anxieties. +Once more I beg that you will say nothing of my visit." + +She looked back at us from the door, and I had a last impression +of that beautiful haunted face, the startled eyes, and the drawn +mouth. Then she was gone. + +"Now, Watson, the fair sex is your department," said Holmes, +with a smile, when the dwindling frou-frou of skirts had ended +in the slam of the front door. "What was the fair lady's game? +What did she really want?" + +"Surely her own statement is clear and her anxiety very natural." + +"Hum! Think of her appearance, Watson--her manner, her +suppressed excitement, her restlessness, her tenacity in asking +questions. Remember that she comes of a caste who do not lightly +show emotion." + +"She was certainly much moved." + +"Remember also the curious earnestness with which she assured us +that it was best for her husband that she should know all. What +did she mean by that? And you must have observed, Watson, how +she manoeuvred to have the light at her back. She did not wish +us to read her expression." + +"Yes, she chose the one chair in the room." + +"And yet the motives of women are so inscrutable. You remember +the woman at Margate whom I suspected for the same reason. No +powder on her nose--that proved to be the correct solution. How +can you build on such a quicksand? Their most trivial action may +mean volumes, or their most extraordinary conduct may depend +upon a hairpin or a curling tongs. Good-morning, Watson." + +"You are off?" + +"Yes, I will while away the morning at Godolphin Street with our +friends of the regular establishment. With Eduardo Lucas lies +the solution of our problem, though I must admit that I have not +an inkling as to what form it may take. It is a capital mistake +to theorize in advance of the facts. Do you stay on guard, my +good Watson, and receive any fresh visitors. I'll join you at +lunch if I am able." + +All that day and the next and the next Holmes was in a mood +which his friends would call taciturn, and others morose. He ran +out and ran in, smoked incessantly, played snatches on his +violin, sank into reveries, devoured sandwiches at irregular +hours, and hardly answered the casual questions which I put to +him. It was evident to me that things were not going well with +him or his quest. He would say nothing of the case, and it was +from the papers that I learned the particulars of the inquest, +and the arrest with the subsequent release of John Mitton, the +valet of the deceased. The coroner's jury brought in the obvious +Wilful Murder, but the parties remained as unknown as ever. No +motive was suggested. The room was full of articles of value, +but none had been taken. The dead man's papers had not been +tampered with. They were carefully examined, and showed that he +was a keen student of international politics, an indefatigable +gossip, a remarkable linguist, and an untiring letter writer. He +had been on intimate terms with the leading politicians of +several countries. But nothing sensational was discovered among +the documents which filled his drawers. As to his relations with +women, they appeared to have been promiscuous but superficial. +He had many acquaintances among them, but few friends, and no +one whom he loved. His habits were regular, his conduct +inoffensive. His death was an absolute mystery and likely to +remain so. + +As to the arrest of John Mitton, the valet, it was a council of +despair as an alternative to absolute inaction. But no case +could be sustained against him. He had visited friends in +Hammersmith that night. The ALIBI was complete. It is true that +he started home at an hour which should have brought him to +Westminster before the time when the crime was discovered, but +his own explanation that he had walked part of the way seemed +probable enough in view of the fineness of the night. He had +actually arrived at twelve o'clock, and appeared to be +overwhelmed by the unexpected tragedy. He had always been on +good terms with his master. Several of the dead man's +possessions--notably a small case of razors--had been found in +the valet's boxes, but he explained that they had been presents +from the deceased, and the housekeeper was able to corroborate +the story. Mitton had been in Lucas's employment for three +years. It was noticeable that Lucas did not take Mitton on the +Continent with him. Sometimes he visited Paris for three months +on end, but Mitton was left in charge of the Godolphin Street +house. As to the housekeeper, she had heard nothing on the night +of the crime. If her master had a visitor he had himself +admitted him. + +So for three mornings the mystery remained, so far as I could +follow it in the papers. If Holmes knew more, he kept his own +counsel, but, as he told me that Inspector Lestrade had taken +him into him into his confidence in the case, I knew that he was +in close touch with every development. Upon the fourth day there +appeared a long telegram from Paris which seemed to solve the +whole question. + +A discovery has just been made by the Parisian police [said the +DAILY TELEGRAPH] which raises the veil which hung round the +tragic fate of Mr. Eduardo Lucas, who met his death by violence +last Monday night at Godolphin Street, Westminster. Our readers +will remember that the deceased gentleman was found stabbed in +his room, and that some suspicion attached to his valet, but +that the case broke down on an ALIBI. Yesterday a lady, who has +been known as Mme. Henri Fournaye, occupying a small villa in +the Rue Austerlitz, was reported to the authorities by her +servants as being insane. An examination showed she had indeed +developed mania of a dangerous and permanent form. On inquiry, +the police have discovered that Mme. Henri Fournaye only +returned from a journey to London on Tuesday last, and there is +evidence to connect her with the crime at Westminster. A +comparison of photographs has proved conclusively that M. Henri +Fournaye and Eduardo Lucas were really one and the same person, +and that the deceased had for some reason lived a double life in +London and Paris. Mme. Fournaye, who is of Creole origin, is of +an extremely excitable nature, and has suffered in the past from +attacks of jealousy which have amounted to frenzy. It is +conjectured that it was in one of these that she committed the +terrible crime which has caused such a sensation in London. Her +movements upon the Monday night have not yet been traced, but it +is undoubted that a woman answering to her description attracted +much attention at Charing Cross Station on Tuesday morning by +the wildness of her appearance and the violence of her gestures. +It is probable, therefore, that the crime was either committed +when insane, or that its immediate effect was to drive the +unhappy woman out of her mind. At present she is unable to give +any coherent account of the past, and the doctors hold out no +hopes of the reestablishment of her reason. There is evidence +that a woman, who might have been Mme. Fournaye, was seen for +some hours upon Monday night watching the house in Godolphin Street. + +"What do you think of that, Holmes?" I had read the account +aloud to him, while he finished his breakfast. + +"My dear Watson," said he, as he rose from the table and paced +up and down the room, "You are most long-suffering, but if I +have told you nothing in the last three days, it is because +there is nothing to tell. Even now this report from Paris does +not help us much." + +"Surely it is final as regards the man's death." + +"The man's death is a mere incident--a trivial episode--in +comparison with our real task, which is to trace this document +and save a European catastrophe. Only one important thing has +happened in the last three days, and that is that nothing has +happened. I get reports almost hourly from the government, and +it is certain that nowhere in Europe is there any sign of +trouble. Now, if this letter were loose--no, it CAN'T be +loose--but if it isn't loose, where can it be? Who has it? Why +is it held back? That's the question that beats in my brain like +a hammer. Was it, indeed, a coincidence that Lucas should meet +his death on the night when the letter disappeared? Did the +letter ever reach him? If so, why is it not among his papers? +Did this mad wife of his carry it off with her? If so, is it in +her house in Paris? How could I search for it without the French +police having their suspicions aroused? It is a case, my dear +Watson, where the law is as dangerous to us as the criminals +are. Every man's hand is against us, and yet the interests at +stake are colossal. Should I bring it to a successful +conclusion, it will certainly represent the crowning glory of my +career. Ah, here is my latest from the front!" He glanced +hurriedly at the note which had been handed in. "Halloa! +Lestrade seems to have observed something of interest. Put on +your hat, Watson, and we will stroll down together to Westminster." + +It was my first visit to the scene of the crime--a high, dingy, +narrow-chested house, prim, formal, and solid, like the century +which gave it birth. Lestrade's bulldog features gazed out at us +from the front window, and he greeted us warmly when a big +constable had opened the door and let us in. The room into which +we were shown was that in which the crime had been committed, +but no trace of it now remained save an ugly, irregular stain +upon the carpet. This carpet was a small square drugget in the +centre of the room, surrounded by a broad expanse of beautiful, +old-fashioned wood-flooring in square blocks, highly polished. +Over the fireplace was a magnificent trophy of weapons, one of +which had been used on that tragic night. In the window was a +sumptuous writing-desk, and every detail of the apartment, the +pictures, the rugs, and the hangings, all pointed to a taste +which was luxurious to the verge of effeminacy. + +"Seen the Paris news?" asked Lestrade. + +Holmes nodded. + +"Our French friends seem to have touched the spot this time. No +doubt it's just as they say. She knocked at the door--surprise +visit, I guess, for he kept his life in water-tight +compartments--he let her in, couldn't keep her in the street. +She told him how she had traced him, reproached him. One thing +led to another, and then with that dagger so handy the end soon +came. It wasn't all done in an instant, though, for these chairs +were all swept over yonder, and he had one in his hand as if he +had tried to hold her off with it. We've got it all clear as if +we had seen it." + +Holmes raised his eyebrows. + +"And yet you have sent for me?" + +"Ah, yes, that's another matter--a mere trifle, but the sort of +thing you take an interest in--queer, you know, and what you +might call freakish. It has nothing to do with the main +fact--can't have, on the face of it." + +"What is it, then?" + +"Well, you know, after a crime of this sort we are very careful +to keep things in their position. Nothing has been moved. +Officer in charge here day and night. This morning, as the man +was buried and the investigation over--so far as this room is +concerned--we thought we could tidy up a bit. This carpet. You +see, it is not fastened down, only just laid there. We had +occasion to raise it. We found----" + +"Yes? You found----" + +Holmes's face grew tense with anxiety. + +"Well, I'm sure you would never guess in a hundred years what we +did find. You see that stain on the carpet? Well, a great deal +must have soaked through, must it not?" + +"Undoubtedly it must." + +"Well, you will be surprised to hear that there is no stain on +the white woodwork to correspond." + +"No stain! But there must----" + +"Yes, so you would say. But the fact remains that there isn't." + +He took the corner of the carpet in his hand and, turning it +over, he showed that it was indeed as he said. + +"But the under side is as stained as the upper. It must have +left a mark." + +Lestrade chuckled with delight at having puzzled the famous expert. + +"Now, I'll show you the explanation. There IS a second stain, +but it does not correspond with the other. See for yourself." As +he spoke he turned over another portion of the carpet, and +there, sure enough, was a great crimson spill upon the square +white facing of the old-fashioned floor. "What do you make of +that, Mr. Holmes?" + +"Why, it is simple enough. The two stains did correspond, but +the carpet has been turned round. As it was square and +unfastened it was easily done." + +The official police don't need you, Mr. Holmes, to tell them +that the carpet must have been turned round. That's clear +enough, for the stains lie above each other--if you lay it over +this way. But what I want to know is, who shifted the carpet, +and why?" + +I could see from Holmes's rigid face that he was vibrating with +inward excitement. + +"Look here, Lestrade," said he, "has that constable in the +passage been in charge of the place all the time?" + +"Yes, he has." + +"Well, take my advice. Examine him carefully. Don't do it before +us. Well wait here. You take him into the back room. You'll be +more likely to get a confession out of him alone. Ask him how he +dared to admit people and leave them alone in this room. Don't +ask him if he has done it. Take it for granted. Tell him you +KNOW someone has been here. Press him. Tell him that a full +confession is his only chance of forgiveness. Do exactly what I +tell you!" + +"By George, if he knows I'll have it out of him!" cried +Lestrade. He darted into the hall, and a few moments later his +bullying voice sounded from the back room. + +"Now, Watson, now!" cried Holmes with frenzied eagerness. All +the demoniacal force of the man masked behind that listless +manner burst out in a paroxysm of energy. He tore the drugget +from the floor, and in an instant was down on his hands and +knees clawing at each of the squares of wood beneath it. One +turned sideways as he dug his nails into the edge of it. It +hinged back like the lid of a box. A small black cavity opened +beneath it. Holmes plunged his eager hand into it and drew it +out with a bitter snarl of anger and disappointment. It was empty. + +"Quick, Watson, quick! Get it back again!" The wooden lid was +replaced, and the drugget had only just been drawn straight when +Lestrade's voice was heard in the passage. He found Holmes +leaning languidly against the mantelpiece, resigned and patient, +endeavouring to conceal his irrepressible yawns. + +"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Holmes . I can see that you are +bored to death with the whole affair. Well, he has confessed, +all right. Come in here, MacPherson. Let these gentlemen hear of +your most inexcusable conduct." + +The big constable, very hot and penitent, sidled into the room. + +"I meant no harm, sir, I'm sure. The young woman came to the +door last evening--mistook the house, she did. And then we got +talking. It's lonesome, when you're on duty here all day." + +"Well, what happened then?" + +"She wanted to see where the crime was done--had read about it +in the papers, she said. She was a very respectable, well-spoken +young woman, sir, and I saw no harm in letting her have a peep. +When she saw that mark on the carpet, down she dropped on the +floor, and lay as if she were dead. I ran to the back and got +some water, but I could not bring her to. Then I went round the +corner to the Ivy Plant for some brandy, and by the time I had +brought it back the young woman had recovered and was +off--ashamed of herself, I daresay, and dared not face me." + +"How about moving that drugget?" + +"Well, sir, it was a bit rumpled, certainly, when I came back. +You see, she fell on it and it lies on a polished floor with +nothing to keep it in place. I straightened it out afterwards." + +"It's a lesson to you that you can't deceive me, Constable +MacPherson," said Lestrade, with dignity. "No doubt you thought +that your breach of duty could never be discovered, and yet a +mere glance at that drugget was enough to convince me that +someone had been admitted to the room. It's lucky for you, my +man, that nothing is missing, or you would find yourself in +Queer Street. I'm sorry to have called you down over such a +petty business, Mr. Holmes, but I thought the point of the +second stain not corresponding with the first would interest you." + +"Certainly, it was most interesting. Has this woman only been +here once, constable?" + +"Yes, sir, only once." + +"Who was she?" + +"Don't know the name, sir. Was answering an advertisement about +typewriting and came to the wrong number--very pleasant, genteel +young woman, sir." + +"Tall? Handsome?" + +"Yes, sir, she was a well-grown young woman. I suppose you might +say she was handsome. Perhaps some would say she was very +handsome. `Oh, officer, do let me have a peep!' says she. She +had pretty, coaxing ways, as you might say, and I thought there +was no harm in letting her just put her head through the door." + +"How was she dressed?" + +"Quiet, sir--a long mantle down to her feet." + +"What time was it?" + +"It was just growing dusk at the time. They were lighting the +lamps as I came back with the brandy." + +"Very good," said Holmes. "Come, Watson, I think that we have +more important work elsewhere." + +As we left the house Lestrade remained in the front room, while +the repentant constable opened the door to let us out. Holmes +turned on the step and held up something in his hand. The +constable stared intently. + +"Good Lord, sir!" he cried, with amazement on his face. Holmes +put his finger on his lips, replaced his hand in his breast +pocket, and burst out laughing as we turned down the street. +"Excellent!" said he. "Come, friend Watson, the curtain rings up +for the last act. You will be relieved to hear that there will +be no war, that the Right Honourable Trelawney Hope will suffer +no setback in his brilliant career, that the indiscreet +Sovereign will receive no punishment for his indiscretion, that +the Prime Minister will have no Europe an complication to deal +with, and that with a little tact and management upon our part +nobody will be a penny the worse for what might have been a very +ugly incident." + +My mind filled with admiration for this extraordinary man. + +"You have solved it!" I cried. + +"Hardly that, Watson. There are some points which are as dark as +ever. But we have so much that it will be our own fault if we +cannot get the rest. We will go straight to Whitehall Terrace +and bring the matter to a head." + +When we arrived at the residence of the European Secretary it +was for Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope that Sherlock Holmes inquired. +We were shown into the morning-room. + +"Mr. Holmes!" said the lady, and her face was pink with her +indignation. "This is surely most unfair and ungenerous upon +your part. I desired, as I have explained, to keep my visit to +you a secret, lest my husband should think that I was intruding +into his affairs. And yet you compromise me by coming here and +so showing that there are business relations between us." + +"Unfortunately, madam, I had no possible alternative. I have +been commissioned to recover this immensely important paper. I +must therefore ask you, madam, to be kind enough to place it in +my hands." + +The lady sprang to her feet, with the colour all dashed in an +instant from her beautiful face. Her eyes glazed--she +tottered--I thought that she would faint. Then with a grand +effort she rallied from the shock, and a supreme astonishment +and indignation chased every other expression from her features. + +"You--you insult me, Mr. Holmes." + +"Come, come, madam, it is useless. Give up the letter." + +She darted to the bell. + +"The butler shall show you out." + +"Do not ring, Lady Hilda. If you do, then all my earnest efforts +to avoid a scandal will be frustrated. Give up the letter and +all will be set right. If you will work with me I can arrange +everything. If you work against me I must expose you." + +She stood grandly defiant, a queenly figure, her eyes fixed upon +his as if she would read his very soul. Her hand was on the +bell, but she had forborne to ring it. + +"You are trying to frighten me. It is not a very manly thing, +Mr. Holmes, to come here and browbeat a woman. You say that you +know something. What is it that you know?" + +"Pray sit down, madam. You will hurt yourself there if you fall. +I will not speak until you sit down. Thank you." + +"I give you five minutes, Mr. Holmes." + +"One is enough, Lady Hilda. I know of your visit to Eduardo +Lucas, of your giving him this document, of your ingenious +return to the room last night, and of the manner in which you +took the letter from the hiding-place under the carpet." + +She stared at him with an ashen face and gulped twice before she +could speak. + +"You are mad, Mr. Holmes--you are mad!" she cried, at last. + +He drew a small piece of cardboard from his pocket. It was the +face of a woman cut out of a portrait. + +"I have carried this because I thought it might be useful," said +he. "The policeman has recognized it." + +She gave a gasp, and her head dropped back in the chair. + +"Come, Lady Hilda. You have the letter. The matter may still be +adjusted. I have no desire to bring trouble to you. My duty ends +when I have returned the lost letter to your husband. Take my +advice and be frank with me. It is your only chance." + +Her courage was admirable. Even now she would not own defeat. + +"I tell you again, Mr. Holmes, that you are under some absurd illusion." + +Holmes rose from his chair. + +"I am sorry for you, Lady Hilda. I have done my best for you. I +can see that it is all in vain." + +He rang the bell. The butler entered. + +"Is Mr. Trelawney Hope at home?" + +"He will be home, sir, at a quarter to one." + +Holmes glanced at his watch. + +"Still a quarter of an hour," said he. "Very good, I shall wait." + +The butler had hardly closed the door behind him when Lady Hilda +was down on her knees at Holmes's feet, her hands outstretched, +her beautiful face upturned and wet with her tears. + +"Oh, spare me, Mr. Holmes! Spare me!" she pleaded, in a frenzy +of supplication. "For heaven's sake, don't tell him! I love him +so! I would not bring one shadow on his life, and this I know +would break his noble heart." + +Holmes raised the lady. "I am thankful, madam, that you have +come to your senses even at this last moment! There is not an +instant to lose. Where is the letter?" + +She darted across to a writing-desk, unlocked it, and drew out +a long blue envelope. + +"Here it is, Mr. Holmes. Would to heaven I had never seen it!" + +"How can we return it?" Holmes muttered. "Quick, quick, we must +think of some way! Where is the despatch-box?" + +"Still in his bedroom." + +"What a stroke of luck! Quick, madam, bring it here!" A moment +later she had appeared with a red flat box in her hand. + +"How did you open it before? You have a duplicate key? Yes, of +course you have. Open it!" + +From out of her bosom Lady Hilda had drawn a small key. The box +flew open. It was stuffed with papers. Holmes thrust the blue +envelope deep down into the heart of them, between the leaves of +some other document. The box was shut, locked, and returned to +the bedroom. + +"Now we are ready for him," said Holmes. "We have still ten +minutes. I am going far to screen you, Lady Hilda. In return you +will spend the time in telling me frankly the real meaning of +this extraordinary affair." + +"Mr. Holmes, I will tell you everything," cried the lady. "Oh, +Mr. Holmes, I would cut off my right hand before I gave him a +moment of sorrow! There is no woman in all London who loves her +husband as I do, and yet if he knew how I have acted--how I have +been compelled to act--he would never forgive me. For his own +honour stands so high that he could not forget or pardon a lapse +in another. Help me, Mr. Holmes! My happiness, his happiness, +our very lives are at stake!" + +"Quick, madam, the time grows short!" + +"It was a letter of mine, Mr. Holmes, an indiscreet letter +written before my marriage--a foolish letter, a letter of an +impulsive, loving girl. I meant no harm, and yet he would have +thought it criminal. Had he read that letter his confidence +would have been forever destroyed. It is years since I wrote it. +I had thought that the whole matter was forgotten. Then at last +I heard from this man, Lucas, that it had passed into his hands, +and that he would lay it before my husband. I implored his +mercy. He said that he would return my letter if I would bring +him a certain document which he described in my husband's +despatch-box. He had some spy in the office who had told him of +its existence. He assured me that no harm could come to my +husband. Put yourself in my position, Mr. Holmes! What was I to do?" + +"Take your husband into your confidence." + +"I could not, Mr. Holmes, I could not! On the one side seemed +certain ruin, on the other, terrible as it seemed to take my +husband's paper, still in a matter of politics I could not +understand the consequences, while in a matter of love and trust +they were only too clear to me. I did it, Mr. Holmes! I took an +impression of his key. This man, Lucas, furnished a duplicate. +I opened his despatch-box, took the paper, and conveyed it to +Godolphin Street." + +"What happened there, madam?" + +"I tapped at the door as agreed. Lucas opened it. I followed him +into his room, leaving the hall door ajar behind me, for I +feared to be alone with the man. I remember that there was a +woman outside as I entered. Our business was soon done. He had +my letter on his desk, I handed him the document. He gave me the +letter. At this instant there was a sound at the door. There +were steps in the passage. Lucas quickly turned back the +drugget, thrust the document into some hiding-place there, and +covered it over. + +"What happened after that is like some fearful dream. I have a +vision of a dark, frantic face, of a woman's voice, which +screamed in French, `My waiting is not in vain. At last, at last +I have found you with her!' There was a savage struggle. I saw +him with a chair in his hand, a knife gleamed in hers. I rushed +from the horrible scene, ran from the house, and only next +morning in the paper did I learn the dreadful result. That night +I was happy, for I had my letter, and I had not seen yet what +the future would bring. + +"It was the next morning that I realized that I had only +exchanged one trouble for another. My husband's anguish at the +loss of his paper went to my heart. I could hardly prevent +myself from there and then kneeling down at his feet and telling +him what I had done. But that again would mean a confession of +the past. I came to you that morning in order to understand the +full enormity of my offence. From the instant that I grasped it +my whole mind was turned to the one thought of getting back my +husband's paper. It must still be where Lucas had placed it, for +it was concealed before this dreadful woman entered the room. If +it had not been for her coming, I should not have known where +his hiding-place was. How was I to get into the room? For two +days I watched the place, but the door was never left open. Last +night I made a last attempt. What I did and how I succeeded, you +have already learned. I brought the paper back with me, and +thought of destroying it, since I could see no way of returning +it without confessing my guilt to my husband. Heavens, I hear +his step upon the stair!" + +The European Secretary burst excitedly into the room. "Any +news, Mr. Holmes, any news?" he cried. + +"I have some hopes." + +"Ah, thank heaven!" His face became radiant. "The Prime Minister +is lunching with me. May he share your hopes? He has nerves of +steel, and yet I know that he has hardly slept since this +terrible event. Jacobs, will you ask the Prime Minister to come +up? As to you, dear, I fear that this is a matter of politics. +We will join you in a few minutes in the dining-room." + +The Prime Minister's manner was subdued, but I could see by the +gleam of his eyes and the twitchings of his bony hands that he +shared the excitement of his young colleague. + +"I understand that you have something to report, Mr. Holmes?" + +"Purely negative as yet," my friend answered. "I have inquired +at every point where it might be, and I am sure that there is no +danger to be apprehended." + +"But that is not enough, Mr. Holmes. We cannot live forever on +such a volcano. We must have something definite." + +"I am in hopes of getting it. That is why I am here. The more I +think of the matter the more convinced I am that the letter has +never left this house." + +"Mr. Holmes!" + +"If it had it would certainly have been public by now." + +"But why should anyone take it in order to keep it in his house?" + +"I am not convinced that anyone did take it." + +"Then how could it leave the despatch-box?" + +"I am not convinced that it ever did leave the despatch-box." + +"Mr. Holmes, this joking is very ill-timed. You have my +assurance that it left the box." + +"Have you examined the box since Tuesday morning?" + +"No. It was not necessary." + +"You may conceivably have overlooked it." + +"Impossible, I say." + +"But I am not convinced of it. I have known such things to +happen. I presume there are other papers there. Well, it may +have got mixed with them." + +"It was on the top." + +"Someone may have shaken the box and displaced it." + +"No, no, I had everything out." + +"Surely it is easily, decided, Hope," said the Premier. "Let us +have the despatch-box brought in." + +The Secretary rang the bell. + +"Jacobs, bring down my despatch-box. This is a farcical waste of +time, but still, if nothing else will satisfy you, it shall be +done. Thank you, Jacobs, put it here. I have always had the key +on my watch-chain. Here are the papers, you see. Letter from +Lord Merrow, report from Sir Charles Hardy, memorandum from +Belgrade, note on the Russo-German grain taxes, letter from +Madrid, note from Lord Flowers----Good heavens! what is this? +Lord Bellinger! Lord Bellinger!" + +The Premier snatched the blue envelope from his hand. + +"Yes, it is it--and the letter is intact. Hope, I congratulate you." + +"Thank you! Thank you! What a weight from my heart. But this is +inconceivable--impossible. Mr. Holmes, you are a wizard, a +sorcerer! How did you know it was there?" + +"Because I knew it was nowhere else." + +"I cannot believe my eyes!" He ran wildly to the door. "Where is +my wife? I must tell her that all is well. Hilda! Hilda!" we +heard his voice on the stairs. + +The Premier looked at Holmes with twinkling eyes. + +"Come, sir," said he. "There is more in this than meets the eye. +How came the letter back in the box?" + +Holmes turned away smiling from the keen scrutiny of those +wonderful eyes. + +"We also have our diplomatic secrets," said he and, picking up +his hat, he turned to the door. + + + + diff --git a/P2/Sherlock_black.txt b/P2/Sherlock_black.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cd864b7 --- /dev/null +++ b/P2/Sherlock_black.txt @@ -0,0 +1,757 @@ + + 1904 + + SHERLOCK HOLMES + + THE ADVENTURE OF BLACK PETER + + by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle + + + + I have never known my friend to be in better form, both mental and +physical, than in the year '95. His increasing fame had brought with +it an immense practice, and I should be guilty of an indiscretion if I +were even to hint at the identity of some of the illustrious clients +who crossed our humble threshold in Baker Street. Holmes, however, +like all great artists, lived for his art's sake, and, save in the +case of the Duke of Holdernesse, I have seldom known him claim any +large reward for his inestimable services. So unworldly was he- or +so capricious- that he frequently refused his help to the powerful and +wealthy where the problem made no appeal to his sympathies, while he +would devote weeks of most intense application to the affairs of +some humble client whose case presented those strange and dramatic +qualities which appealed to his imagination and challenged his +ingenuity. + In this memorable year '95, a curious and incongruous succession +of cases had engaged his attention, ranging from his famous +investigation of the sudden death of Cardinal Tosca- an inquiry +which was carried out by him at the express desire of His Holiness the +Pope- down to his arrest of Wilson, the notorious canary-trainer, +which removed a plague-spot from the East End of London. Close on +the heels of these two famous cases came the tragedy of Woodman's Lee, +and the very obscure circumstances which surrounded the death of +Captain Peter Carey. No record of the doings of Mr. Sherlock Holmes +would be complete which did not include some account of this very +unusual affair. + During the first week of July, my friend had been absent so often +and so long from our lodgings that I knew he had something on hand. +The fact that several rough-looking men called during that time and +inquired for Captain Basil made me understand that Holmes was +working somewhere under one of the numerous disguises and names with +which he concealed his own formidable identity. He had at least five +small refuges in different parts of London, in which he was able to +change his personality. He said nothing of his business to me, and +it was not my habit to force a confidence. The first positive sign +which he gave me of the direction which his investigation was taking +was an extraordinary one. He had gone out before breakfast, and I +had sat down to mine when he strode into the room, his hat upon his +head and a huge barbed-headed spear tucked like an umbrella under +his arm. + "Good gracious, Holmes!" I cried. "You don't mean to say that you +have been walking about London with that thing?" + "I drove to the butcher's and back." + "The butcher's?" + "And I return with an excellent appetite. There can be no +question, my dear Watson, of the value of exercise before breakfast. +But I am prepared to bet that you will not guess the form that my +exercise has taken." + "I will not attempt it." + He chuckled as he poured out the coffee. + "If you could have looked into Allardyce's back shop, you would have +seen a dead pig swung from a hook in the ceiling, and a gentleman in +his shirt sleeves furiously stabbing at it with this weapon. I was +that energetic person, and I have satisfied myself that by no exertion +of my strength can I transfix the pig with a single blow. Perhaps +you would care to try?" + "Not for worlds. But why were you doing this?" + "Because it seemed to me to have an indirect bearing upon the +mystery of Woodman's Lee. Ah, Hopkins, I got your wire last night, and +I have been expecting you. Come and join us." + Our visitor was an exceedingly alert man, thirty years of age, +dressed in a quiet tweed suit, but retaining the erect bearing of +one who was accustomed to official uniform. I recognized him at once +as Stanley Hopkins, a young police inspector, for whose future +Holmes had high hopes, while he in turn professed the admiration and +respect of a pupil for the scientific methods of the famous amateur. +Hopkins's brow was clouded, and he sat down with an air of deep +dejection. + "No, thank you, sir. I breakfasted before I came round. I spent +the night in town, for I came up yesterday to report." + "And what had you to report?" + "Failure, sir, absolute failure." + "You have made no progress?" + "None." + "Dear me! I must have a look at the matter." + "I wish to heavens that you would, Mr. Holmes. It's my first big +chance, and I am at my wit's end. For goodness' sake, come down and +lend me a hand." + "Well, well, it just happens that I have already read all the +available evidence, including the report of the inquest, with some +care. By the way, what do you make of that tobacco pouch, found on the +scene of the crime? Is there no clue there?" + Hopkins looked surprised. + "It was the man's own pouch, sir. His initials were inside it. And +it was of sealskin,- and he was an old sealer." + "But he had no pipe." + "No, sir, we could find no pipe. Indeed, he smoked very little, +and yet he might have kept some tobacco for his friends." + "No doubt. I only mention it because, if I had been handling the +case, I should have been inclined to make that the starting-point of +my investigation. However, my friend, Dr. Watson, knows nothing of +this matter, and I should be none the worse for hearing the sequence +of events once more. Just give us some short sketches of the +essentials." + Stanley Hopkins drew a slip of paper from his pocket. + "I have a few dates here which will give you the career of the +dead man, Captain Peter Carey. He was born in '45- fifty years of age. +He was a most daring and successful seal and whale fisher. In 1883 +he commanded the steam sealer Sea Unicorn, of Dundee. He had then +had several successful voyages in succession, and in the following +year, 1884, he retired. After that he travelled for some years, and +finally he bought a small place called Woodman's Lee, near Forest Row, +in Sussex. There he has lived for six years, and there he died just +a week ago to-day. + "There were some most singular points about the man. In ordinary +life, he was a strict Puritan- a silent, gloomy fellow. His +household consisted of his wife, his daughter, aged twenty, and two +female servants. These last were continually changing, for it was +never a very cheery situation, and sometimes it became past all +bearing. The man was an intermittent drunkard, and when he had the fit +on him he was a perfect fiend. He has been known to drive his wife and +daughter out of doors in the middle of the night and flog them through +the park until the whole village outside the gates was aroused by +their screams. + "He was summoned once for a savage assault upon the old vicar, who +had called upon him to remonstrate with him upon his conduct. In +short, Mr. Holmes, you would go far before you found a more +dangerous man than Peter Carey, and I have heard that he bore the same +character when he commanded his ship. He was known in the trade as +Black Peter, and the name was given him, not only on account of his +swarthy features and the colour of his huge beard, but for the humours +which were the terror of all around him. I need not say that he was +loathed and avoided by every one of his neighbours, and that I have +not heard one single word of sorrow about his terrible end. + "You must have read in the account of the inquest about the man's +cabin, Mr. Holmes, but perhaps your friend here has not heard of it. +He had built himself a wooden outhouse- he always called it the +'cabin'- a few hundred yards from his house, and it was here that he +slept every night. It was a little, single-roomed hut, sixteen feet by +ten. He kept the key in his pocket, made his own bed, cleaned it +himself, and allowed no other foot to cross the threshold. There are +small windows on each side, which were covered by curtains and never +opened. One of these windows was turned towards the high road, and +when the light burned in it at night the folk used to point it out +to each other and wonder what Black Peter was doing in there. That's +the window, Mr. Holmes, which gave us one of the few bits of +positive evidence that came out at the inquest. + "You remember that a stonemason, named Slater, walking from Forest +Row about one o'clock in the morning- two days before the murder- +stopped as he passed the grounds and looked at the square of light +still shining among the trees. He swears that the shadow of a man's +head turned sideways was clearly visible on the blind, and that this +shadow was certainly not that of Peter Carey, whom he knew well. It +was that of a bearded man, but the beard was short and bristled +forward in a way very different from that of the captain. So he +says, but he had been two hours in the public-house, and it is some +distance from the road to the window. Besides, this refers to the +Monday, and the crime was done upon the Wednesday. + "On the Tuesday, Peter Carey was in one of his blackest moods, +flushed with drink and as savage as a dangerous wild beast. He +roamed about the house, and the women ran for it when they heard him +coming. Late in the evening, he went down to his own hut. About two +o'clock the following morning, his daughter, who slept with her window +open, heard a most fearful yell from that direction, but it was no +unusual thing for him to bawl and shout when he was in drink, so no +notice was taken. On rising at seven, one of the maids noticed that +the door of the hut was open, but so great was the terror which the +man caused that it was midday before anyone would venture down to +see what had become of him. Peeping into the open door, they saw a +sight which sent them flying, with white faces, into the village. +Within an hour, I was on the spot and had taken over the case. + "Well, I have fairly steady nerves, as you know, Mr. Holmes, but I +give you my word, that I got a shake when I put my head into that +little house. It was droning like a harmonium with the flies and +bluebottles, and the floor and walls were like a slaughter-house. He +had called it a cabin, and a cabin it was, sure enough, for you +would have thought that you were in a ship. There was a bunk at one +end, a sea-chest, maps and charts, a picture of the Sea Unicorn, a +line of logbooks on a shelf, all exactly as one would expect to find +it in a captain's room. And there, in the middle of it, was the man +himself- his face twisted like a lost soul in torment, and his great +brindled beard stuck upward in his agony. Right through his broad +breast a steel harpoon had been driven, and it had sunk deep into +the wood of the wall behind him. He was pinned like a beetle on a +card. Of course, he was quite dead, and had been so from the instant +that he had uttered that last yell of agony. + "I know your methods, sir, and I applied them. Before I permitted +anything to be moved, I examined most carefully the ground outside, +and also the floor of the room. There were no footmarks." + "Meaning that you saw none?" + "I assure you, sir, that there were none." + "My good Hopkins, I have investigated many crimes, but I have +never yet seen one which was committed by a flying creature. As long +as the criminal remains upon two legs so long must there be some +indentation, some abrasion, some trifling displacement which can be +detected by the scientific searcher. It is incredible that this +blood-bespattered room contained no trace which could have aided us. I +understand, however, from the inquest that there were some objects +which you failed to overlook?" + The young inspector winced at my companion's ironical comments. + "I was a fool not to call you in at the time Mr. Holmes. However, +that's past praying for now. Yes, there were several objects in the +room which called for special attention. One was the harpoon with +which the deed was committed. It had been snatched down from a rack on +the wall. Two others remained there, and there was a vacant place +for the third. On the stock was engraved 'SS. Sea Unicorn, Dundee.' +This seemed to establish that the crime had been done in a moment of +fury, and that the murderer had seized the first weapon which came +in his way. The fact that the crime was committed at two in the +morning, and yet Peter Carey was fully dressed, suggested that he +had an appointment with the murderer, which is home out by the fact +that a bottle of rum and two dirty glasses stood upon the table." + "Yes," said Holmes; "I think that both inferences are permissible. +Was there any other spirit but rum in the room?" + "Yes, there was a tantalus containing brandy and whisky on the +sea-chest. It is of no importance to us, however, since the +decanters were full, and it had therefore not been used." + "For all that, its presence has some significance," said Holmes. +"However, let us hear some more about the objects which do seem to you +to bear upon the case." + "There was this tobacco-pouch upon the table." + "What part of the table?" + "It lay in the middle. It was of coarse sealskin- the +straight-haired skin, with a leather thong to bind it. Inside was +'P.C.' on the flap. There was half an ounce of strong ship's tobacco +in it." + "Excellent! What more?" + Stanley Hopkins drew from his pocket a drab-covered notebook. The +outside was rough and worn, the leaves discoloured. On the first +page were written the initials "J.H.N." and the date "1883." Holmes +laid it on the table and examined it in his minute way, while +Hopkins and I gazed over each shoulder. On the second page were the +printed letters "C.P.R.," and then came several sheets of numbers. +Another heading was "Argentine," another "Costa Rica," and another +"San Paulo," each with pages of signs and figures after it. + "What do you make of these?" asked Holmes. + "They appear to be lists of Stock Exchange securities. I thought +that 'J.H.N.' were the initials of a broker, and that 'C.P.R.' may +have been his client." + "Try Canadian Pacific Railway," said Holmes. + Stanley Hopkins swore between his teeth, and struck his thigh with +his clenched hand. + "What a fool I have been!" he cried. "Of course, it is as you say. +Then 'J.H.N.' are the only initials we have to solve. I have already +examined the old Stock Exchange lists, and I can find no one in +1883, either in the house or among the outside brokers, whose initials +correspond with these. Yet I feel that the clue is the most +important one that I hold. You will admit, Mr. Holmes, that there is a +possibility that these initials are those of the second person who was +present- in other words, of the murderer. I would also urge that the +introduction into the case of a document relating to large masses of +valuable securities gives us for the first time some indication of a +motive for the crime." + Sherlock Holmes's face showed that he was thoroughly taken aback +by this new development. + "I must admit both your points," said he. "I confess that this +notebook, which did not appear at the inquest, modifies any views +which I may have formed. I had come to a theory of the crime in +which I can find no place for this. Have you endeavoured to trace +any of the securities here mentioned?" + "Inquiries are now being made at the offices, but I fear that the +complete register of the stockholders of these South American concerns +is in South America, and that some weeks must elapse before we can +trace the shares." + Holmes had been examining the cover of the notebook with his +magnifying lens. + "Surely there is some discolouration here," said he. + "Yes, sir, it is a blood-stain. I told you that I picked the book +off the floor." + "Was the blood-stain above or below?" + "On the side next the boards." + "Which proves, of course, that the book was dropped after the +crime was committed." + "Exactly, Mr. Holmes. I appreciated that point, and I conjectured +that it was dropped by the murderer in his hurried flight. It lay near +the door." + "I suppose that none of these securities have been found among the +property of the dead man?" + "No, sir." + "Have you any reason to suspect robbery?" + "No, sir. Nothing seemed to have been touched." + "Dear me, it is certainly a very interesting case. Then there was +a knife, was there not?" + "A sheath-knife, still in its sheath. It lay at the feet of the dead +man. Mrs. Carey has identified it as being her husband's property." + Holmes was lost in thought for some time. + "Well," said he, at last, "I suppose I shall have to come out and +have a look at it." + Stanley Hopkins gave a cry of joy. + "Thank you, sir. That will, indeed, be a weight off my mind." + Holmes shook his finger at the inspector. + "It would have been an easier task a week ago," said he. "But even +now my visit may not be entirely fruitless. Watson, if you can spare +the time, I should be very glad of your company. If you will call a +four-wheeler, Hopkins, we shall be ready to start for Forest Row in +a quarter of an hour." +- + Alighting at the small wayside station, we drove for some miles +through the remains of widespread woods, which were once part of +that great forest which for so long held the Saxon invaders at bay- +the impenetrable "weald," for sixty years the bulwark of Britain. Vast +sections of it have been cleared, for this is the seat of the first +iron-works of the country, and the trees have been felled to smelt the +ore. Now the richer fields of the North have absorbed the trade, and +nothing save these ravaged groves and great scars in the earth show +the work of the past. Here, in a clearing upon the green slope of a +hill, stood a long, low, stone house, approached by a curving drive +running through the fields. Nearer the road, and surrounded on three +sides by bushes, was a small outhouse, one window and the door +facing in our direction. It was the scene of the murder. + Stanley Hopkins led us first to the house, where he introduced us to +a haggard, gray-haired woman, the widow of the murdered man, whose +gaunt and deep-lined face, with the furtive look of terror in the +depths of her red-rimmed eyes, told of the years of hardship and +ill-usage which she had endured. With her was her daughter, a pale, +fair-haired girl, whose eyes blazed defiantly at us as she told us +that she was glad that her father was dead, and that she blessed the +hand which had struck him down. It was a terrible household that Black +Peter Carey had made for himself, and it was with a sense of relief +that we found ourselves in the sunlight again and making our way along +a path which had been worn across the fields by the feet of the dead +man. + The outhouse was the simplest of dwellings, wooden-walled, +shingle-roofed, one window beside the door and one on the farther +side. Stanley Hopkins drew the key from his pocket and had stooped +to the lock, when he paused with a look of attention and surprise upon +his face. + Somone has been tampering with it," he said. + There could be no doubt of the fact. The woodwork was cut, and the +scratches showed white through the paint, as if they had been that +instant done. Holmes had been examining the window. + "Someone has tried to force this also. Whoever it was has failed +to make his way in. He must have been a very poor burglar." + "This is a most extraordinary thing," said the inspector, "I could +swear that these marks were not here yesterday evening." + "Some curious person from the village, perhaps," I suggested. + "Very unlikely. Few of them would dare to set foot in the grounds, +far less try to force their way into the cabin. What do you think of +it, Mr. Holmes?" + "I think that fortune is very kind to us." + "You mean that the person will come again?" + "It is very probable. He came expecting to find the door open. He +tried to get in with the blade of a very small penknife. He could +not manage it. What would he do?" + "Come again next night with a more useful tool." + "So I should say. It will be our fault if we are not there to +receive him. Meanwhile, let me see the inside of the cabin." + The traces of the tragedy had been removed, but the furniture within +the little room still stood as it had been on the night of the +crime. For two hours, with most intense concentration, Holmes examined +every object in turn, but his face showed that his quest was not a +successful one. Once only he paused in his patient investigation. + "Have you taken anything off this shelf, Hopkins?" + "No, I have moved nothing." + "Something has been taken. There is less dust in this corner of +the shelf than elsewhere. It may have been a book lying on its side. +It may have been a box. Well, well, I can do nothing more. Let us walk +in these beautiful woods, Watson, and give a few hours to the birds +and the flowers. We shall meet you here later, Hopkins, and see if +we can come to closer quarters with the gentleman who has paid this +visit in the night." + It was past eleven o'clock when we formed our little ambuscade. +Hopkins was for leaving the door of the hut open, but Holmes was of +the opinion that this would rouse the suspicions of the stranger. +The lock was a perfectly simple one, and only a strong blade was +needed to push it back. Holmes also suggested that we should wait, not +inside the hut, but outside it, among the bushes which grew round +the farther window. In this way we should be able to watch our man +if he struck a light, and see what his object was in this stealthy +nocturnal visit. + It was a long and melancholy vigil, and yet brought with it +something of the thrill which the bunter feels when he lies beside the +water-pool, and waits for the coming of the thirsty beast of prey. +What savage creature was it which might steal upon us out of the +darkness? Was it a fierce tiger of crime, which could only be taken +fighting hard with flashing fang and claw, or would it prove to be +some skulking jackal, dangerous only to the weak and unguarded? + In absolute silence we crouched amongst the bushes, waiting for +whatever might come. At first the steps of a few belated villagers, or +the sound of voices from the village, lightened our vigil, but one +by one these interruptions died away, and an absolute stillness fell +upon us, save for the chimes of the distant church, which told us of +the progress of the night, and for the rustle and whisper of a fine +rain falling amid the foliage which roofed us in. + Half-past two had chimed, and it was the darkest hour which precedes +the dawn, when we all started as a low but sharp click came from the +direction of the gate. Someone had entered the drive. Again there +was a long silence, and I had begun to fear that it was a false alarm, +when a stealthy step was heard upon the other side of the hut, and a +moment later a metallic scraping and clinking. The man was trying to +force the lock. This time his skill was greater or his tool was +better, for there was a sudden snap and the creak of the hinges. +Then a match was struck, and next instant the steady light from a +candle filled the interior of the hut. Through the gauze curtain our +eyes were all riveted upon the scene within. + The nocturnal visitor was a young man, frail and thin, with a +black moustache, which intensified the deadly pallor of his face. He +could not have been much above twenty years of age. I have never +seen any human being who appeared to be in such a pitiable fright, for +his teeth were visibly chattering, and he was shaking in every limb. +He was dressed like a gentleman, in Norfolk jacket and knickerbockers, +with a cloth cap upon his head. We watched him staring round with +frightened eyes. Then he laid the candle-end upon the table and +disappeared from our view into one of the corners. He returned with +a large book, one of the logbooks which formed a line upon the +shelves. Leaning on the table, he rapidly turned over the leaves of +this volume until he came to the entry which he sought. Then, with +an angry gesture of his clenched hand, he closed the book, replaced it +in the corner, and put out the light. He had hardly turned to leave +the hut when Hopkins's hand was on the fellow's collar, and I heard +his loud gasp of terror as he understood that he was taken. The candle +was relit, and there was our wretched captive, shivering and +cowering in the grasp of the detective. He sank down upon the +sea-chest, and looked helplessly from one of us to the other. + "Now, my fine fellow," said Stanley Hopkins, "who are you, and +what do you want here?" + The man pulled himself together, and faced us with an effort at +self-composure. + "You are detectives, I suppose?" said he. "You imagine I am +connected with the death of Captain Peter Carey. I assure you that I +am innocent." + "We'll see about that," said Hopkins. "First of all, what is your +name?" + "It is John Hopley Neligan." + I saw Holmes and Hopkins exchange a quick glance. + "What are you doing here?" + "Can I speak confidentially?" + "No, certainly not." + "Why should I tell you?" + "If you have no answer, it may go badly with you at the trial." + The young man winced. + "Well, I will tell you," he said. "Why should I not? And yet I +hate to think of this old scandal gaining a new lease of life. Did you +ever hear of Dawson and Neligan?" + I could see, from Hopkins's face, that he never had, but Holmes +was keenly interested. + "You mean the West Country bankers," said he. "They failed for a +million, ruined half the county families of Cornwall, and Neligan +disappeared." + "Exactly. Neligan was my father." + At last we were getting something positive, and yet it seemed a long +gap between an absconding banker and Captain Peter Carey pinned +against the wall with one of his own harpoons. We all listened +intently to the young man's words. + "It was my father who was really concerned. Dawson had retired. I +was only ten years of age at the time, but I was old enough to feel +the shame and horror of it all. It has always been said that my father +stole all the securities and fled. It is not true. It was his belief +that if he were given time in which to realize them, all would be well +and every creditor paid in full. He started in his little yacht for +Norway just before the warrant was issued for his arrest. I can +remember that last night when he bade farewell to my mother. He left +us a list of the securities he was taking, and he swore that he +would come back with his honour cleared, and that none who had trusted +him would suffer. Well, no word was ever heard from him again. Both +the yacht and he vanished utterly. We believed, my mother and I, +that he and it, with the securities that he had taken with him, were +at the bottom of the sea. We had a faithful friend, however, who is +a business man, and it was he who discovered some time ago that some +of the securities which my father had with him had reappeared on the +London market. You can imagine our amazement. I spent months in trying +to trace them, and at last, after many doubtings and difficulties, I +discovered that the original seller had been Captain Peter Carey, +the owner of this hut. + "Naturally, I made some inquiries about the man. I found that he had +been in command of a whaler which was due to return from the Arctic +seas at the very time when my father was crossing to Norway. The +autumn of that year was a stormy one, and there was a long +succession of southerly gales. My father's yacht may well have been +blown to the north, and there met by Captain Peter Carey's ship. If +that were so, what had become of my father? In any case, if I could +prove from Peter Carey's evidence how these securities came on the +market it would be a proof that my father had not sold them, and +that he had no view to personal profit when he took them. + "I came down to Sussex with the intention of seeing the captain, but +it was at this moment that his terrible death occurred. I read at +the inquest a description of his cabin, in which it stated that the +old logbooks of his vessel were preserved in it. It struck me that +if I could see what occurred in the month of August, 1883, on board +the Sea Unicorn, I might settle the mystery of my father's fate. I +tried last night to get at these logbooks, but was unable to open +the door. To-night I tried again and succeeded, but I find that the +pages which deal with that month have been torn from the book. It was +at that moment I found myself a prisoner in your hands." + "Is that all?" asked Hopkins. + "Yes, that is all." His eyes shifted as he said it. + "You have nothing else to tell us?" + He hesitated. + "No, there is nothing." + "You have not been here before last night?" + "No. + "Then how do you account for that?" cried Hopkins, as he held up the +damning notebook, with the initials of our prisoner on the first +leaf and the blood-stain on the cover. + The wretched man collapsed. He sank his face in his hands, and +trembled all over. + "Where did you get it?" he groaned. "I did not know. I thought I had +lost it at the hotel." + "That is enough," said Hopkins, sternly. "Whatever else you have +to say, you must say in court. You will walk down with me now to the +police-station. Well, Mr. Holmes, I am very much obliged to you and to +your friend for coming down to help me. As it turns out your +presence was unnecessary, and I would have brought the case to this +successful issue without you, but, none the less, I am grateful. Rooms +have been reserved for you at the Brambletye Hotel, so we can all walk +down to the village together." + "Well, Watson, what do you think of it?" asked Holmes, as we +travelled back next morning. + "I can see that you are not satisfied." + "Oh, yes, my dear Watson, I am perfectly satisfied. At the same +time, Stanley Hopkins's methods do not commend themselves to me. I +am disappointed in Stanley Hopkins. I had hoped for better things from +him. One should always look for a possible alternative, and provide +against it. It is the first rule of criminal investigation." + "What, then, is the alternative?" + "The line of investigation which I have myself been pursuing. It may +give us nothing. I cannot tell. But at least I shall follow it to +the end." + Several letters were waiting for Holmes at Baker Street. He snatched +one of them up, opened it, and burst out into a triumphant chuckle +of laughter. + "Excellent, Watson! The alternative develops. Have you telegraph +forms? Just write a couple of messages for me: 'Sumner, Shipping +Agent, Ratcliff Highway. Send three men on, to arrive ten to-morrow +morning.- Basil.' That's my name in those parts. The other is: +'Inspector Stanley Hopkins, 46 Lord Street, Brixton. Come breakfast +to-morrow at nine-thirty. Important. Wire if unable to come.- Sherlock +Holmes.' There, Watson, this infernal case has haunted me for ten +days. I hereby banish it completely from my presence. To-morrow, I +trust that we shall hear the last of it forever." + Sharp at the hour named Inspector Stanley Hopkins appeared, and we +sat down together to the excellent breakfast which Mrs. Hudson had +prepared. The young detective was in high spirits at his success. + "You really think that your solution must be correct?" asked Holmes. + "I could not imagine a more complete case." + "It did not seem to me conclusive." + "You astonish me, Mr. Holmes. What more could one ask for?" + "Does your explanation cover every point?" + "Undoubtedly. I find that young Neligan arrived at the Brambletye +Hotel on the very day of the crime. He came on the pretence of playing +golf. His room was on the ground-floor, and he could get out when he +liked. That very night he went down to Woodman's Lee, saw Peter +Carey at the hut, quarrelled with him, and killed him with the +harpoon. Then, horrified by what he had done, he fled out of the +hut, dropping the notebook which he had brought with him in order to +question Peter Carey about these different securities. You may have +observed that some of them were marked with ticks, and the others- the +great majority- were not. Those which are ticked have been traced on +the London market, but the others, presumably, were still in the +possession of Carey, and young Neligan, according to his own +account, was anxious to recover them in order to do the right thing by +his father's creditors. After his flight he did not dare to approach +the hut again for some time, but at last he forced himself to do so in +order to obtain the information which he needed. Surely that is all +simple and obvious?" + Holmes smiled and shook his head. + "It seems to me to have only one drawback, Hopkins, and that is +that it is intrinsically impossible. Have you tried to drive a harpoon +through a body? No? Tut, tut my dear sir, you must really pay +attention to these details. My friend Watson could tell you that I +spent a whole morning in that exercise. It is no easy matter, and +requires a strong and practised arm. But this blow was delivered +with such violence that the head of the weapon sank deep into the +wall. Do you imagine that this anaemic youth was capable of so +frightful an assault? Is he the man who hobnobbed in rum and water +with Black Peter in the dead of the night? Was it his profile that was +seen on the blind two nights before? No, no, Hopkins, it is another +and more formidable person for whom we must seek." + The detective's face had grown longer and longer during Holmes's +speech. His hopes and his ambitions were all crumbling about him. +But he would not abandon his position without a struggle. + "You can't deny that Neligan was present that night, Mr. Holmes. The +book will prove that. I fancy that I have evidence enough to satisfy a +jury, even if you are able to pick a hole in it. Besides, Mr. +Holmes, I have laid my hand upon my man. As to this terrible person of +yours, where is he?" + "I rather fancy that he is on the stair," said Holmes, serenely. +"I think, Watson, that you would do well to put that revolver where +you can reach it." He rose and laid a written paper upon a side-table. +"Now we are ready," said he. + There had been some talking in gruff voices outside, and now Mrs. +Hudson opened the door to say that there were three men inquiring +for Captain Basil. + "Show them in one by one," said Holmes. + "The first who entered was a little Ribston pippin of a man, with +ruddy cheeks and fluffy white side-whiskers. Holmes had drawn a letter +from his pocket. + "What name?" he asked. + "James Lancaster." + "I am sorry, Lancaster, but the berth is full. Here is half a +sovereign for your trouble. Just step into this room and wait there +for a few minutes." + The second man was a long, dried-up creature, with lank hair and +sallow cheeks. His name was Hugh Pattins. He also received his +dismissal, his half-sovereign, and the order to wait. + The third applicant was a man of remarkable appearance. A fierce +bull-dog face was framed in a tangle of hair and beard, and two +bold, dark eyes gleamed behind the cover of thick, tufted, overhung +eyebrows. He saluted and stood sailor-fashion, turning his cap round +in his hands. + "Your name?" asked Holmes. + "Patrick Cairns." + "Harpooner?" + "Yes, sir. Twenty-six voyages." + "Dundee, I suppose?" + "Yes, sir." + "And ready to start with an exploring ship?" + "Yes, sir." + "What wages?" + "Eight pounds a month." + "Could you start at once?" + "As soon as I get my kit." + "Have you your papers?" + "Yes, sir." He took a sheaf of worn and greasy forms from his +pocket. Holmes glanced over them and returned them. + "You are just the man I want," said he. "Here's the agreement on the +sidetable. If you sign it the whole matter will be settled." + The seaman lurched across the room and took up the pen. + "Shall I sign here?" he asked, stooping over the table. + Holmes leaned over his shoulder and passed both hands over his neck. + "This will do," said he. + I heard a click of steel and a bellow like an enraged bull. The next +instant Holmes and the seaman were rolling on the ground together. +He was a man of such gigantic strength that, even with the handcuffs +which Holmes had so deftly fastened upon his wrists, he would have +very quickly overpowered my friend had Hopkins and I not rushed to his +rescue. Only when I pressed the cold muzzle of the revolver to his +temple did he at last understand that resistance was vain. We lashed +his ankles with cord, and rose breathless from the struggle. + "I must really apologize, Hopkins," said Sherlock Holmes. "I fear +that the scrambled eggs are cold. However, you will enjoy the rest +of your breakfast all the better, will you not, for the thought that +you have brought your case to a triumphant conclusion." + Stanley Hopkins was speechless with amazement. + "I don't know what to say, Mr. Holmes," he blurted out at last, with +a very red face. "It seems to me that I have been making a fool of +myself from the beginning. I understand now, what I should never +have forgotten, that I am the pupil and you are the master. Even now I +see what you have done, but I don't know how you did it or what it +signifies." + "Well, well," said Holmes, good-humouredly. "We all learn by +experience, and your lesson this time is that you should never lose +sight of the alternative. You were so absorbed in young Neligan that +you could not spare a thought to Patrick Cairns, the true murderer +of Peter Carey." + The hoarse voice of the seaman broke in on our conversation. + "See here, mister," said he, "I make no complaint of being +man-handled in this fashion, but I would have you call things by their +right names. You say I murdered Peter Carey, I say I killed Peter +Carey, and there's all the difference. Maybe you don't believe what +I say. Maybe you think I am just slinging you a yarn." + "Not at all," said Holmes. "Let us hear what you have to say." + "It's soon told, and, by the Lord, every word of it is truth. I knew +Black Peter, and when he pulled out his knife I whipped a harpoon +through him sharp, for I knew that it was him or me. That's how he +died. You can call it murder. Anyhow, I'd as soon die with a rope +round my neck as with Black Peter's knife in my heart." + "How came you there?" asked Holmes. + "I'll tell it you from the beginning. just sit me up a little, so as +I can speak easy. It was in '83 that it happened- August of that year. +Peter Carey was master of the Sea Unicorn, and I was spare +harpooner. We were coming out of the ice-pack on our way home, with +head winds and a week's southerly gale, when we picked up a little +craft that had been blown north. There was one man on her- a landsman. +The crew had thought she would founder and had made for the +Norwegian coast in the dinghy. I guess they were all drowned. Well, we +took him on board, this man, and he and the skipper had some long +talks in the cabin. All the baggage we took off with him was one tin +box. So far as I know, the man's name was never mentioned, and on +the second night he disappeared as if he had never been. It was +given out that he had either thrown himself overboard or fallen +overboard in the heavy weather that we were having. Only one man +knew what had happened to him, and that was me, for, with my own eyes, +I saw the skipper tip up his heels and put him over the rail in the +middle watch of a dark night, two days before we sighted the +Shetland Lights. + "Well, I kept my knowledge to myself, and waited to see what would +come of it When we got back to Scotland it was easily hushed up, and +nobody asked any questions. A stranger died by accident and it was +nobody's business to inquire. Shortly after Peter Carey gave up the +sea, and it was long years before I could find where he was. I guessed +that he had done the deed for the sake of what was in that tin box, +and that he could afford now to pay me well for keeping my mouth shut. + "I found out where he was through a sailor man that had met him in +London, and down I went to squeeze him. The first night he was +reasonable enough, and was ready to give me what would make me free of +the sea for life. We were to fix it all two nights later. When I came, +I found him three parts drunk and in a vile temper. We sat down and we +drank and we yarned about old times, but the more he drank the less +I liked the look on his face. I spotted that harpoon upon the wall, +and I thought I might need it before I was through. Then at last he +broke out at me, spitting and cursing, with murder in his eyes and a +great clasp-knife in his hand. He had not time to get it from the +sheath before I had the harpoon through him. Heavens! what a yell he +gave! and his face gets between me and my sleep. I stood there, with +his blood splashing round me, and I waited for a bit, but all was +quiet, so I took heart once more. I looked round, and there was the +tin box on the shelf. I had as much right to it as Peter Carey, +anyhow, so I took it with me and left the hut. Like a fool I left my +baccy-pouch upon the table. + "Now I'll tell you the queerest part of the whole story. I had +hardly got outside the hut when I heard someone coming, and I hid +among the bushes. A man came slinking along, went into the hut, gave a +cry as if he had seen a ghost, and legged it as hard as he could run +until he was out of sight. Who he was or what he wanted is more than I +can tell. For my part I walked ten miles, got a train at Tunbridge +Wells, and so reached London, and no one the wiser. + "Well, when I came to examine the box I found there was no money +in it, and nothing but papers that I would not dare to sell. I had +lost my hold on Black Peter and was stranded in London without a +shilling. There was only my trade left. I saw these advertisements +about harpooners, and high wages, so I went to the shipping agents, +and they sent me here. That's all I know, and I say again that if I +killed Black Peter, the law should give me thanks, for I saved them +the rice of a hempen rope." + "A very clear statement said Holmes, rising and lighting his pipe. +"I think, Hopkins, that you should lose no time in conveying your +prisoner to a place of safety. This room is not well adapted for a +cell, and Mr. Patrick Cairns occupies too large a proportion of our +carpet." + "Mr. Holmes," said Hopkins, "I do not know how to express my +gratitude. Even now I do not understand how you attained this result." + "Simply by having the good fortune to get the right clue from the +beginning. It is very possible if I had known about this notebook it +might have led away my thoughts, as it did yours. But all I heard +pointed in the one direction. The amazing strength, the skill in the +use of the harpoon, the rum and water, the sealskin tobacco-pouch with +the coarse tobacco-all these pointed to a seaman, and one who had been +a whaler. I was convinced that the initials 'P.C.' upon the pouch were +a coincidence, and not those of Peter Carey, since he seldom smoked, +and no pipe was found in his cabin. You remember that I asked +whether whisky and brandy were in the cabin. You said they were. How +many landsmen are there who would drink rum when they could get +these other spirits? Yes, I was certain it was a seaman." + "And how did you find him?" + "My dear sir, the problem had become a very simple one. If it were a +seaman, it could only be a seaman who had been with him on the Sea +Unicorn. So far as I could learn he had sailed in no other ship. I +spent three days in wiring to Dundee, and at the end of that time I +had ascertained the names of the crew of the Sea Unicorn in 1883. When +I found Patrick Cairns among the harpooners, my research was nearing +its end. I argued that the man was probably in London, and that he +would desire to leave the country for a time. I therefore spent some +days in the East End, devised an Arctic expedition, put forth tempting +terms for harpooners who would serve under Captain Basil- and behold +the result!" + "Wonderful!" cried Hopkins. "Wonderful!" + "You must obtain the release of young Neligan as soon as +possible," said Holmes. "I confess that I think you owe him some +apology. The tin box must be returned to him, but, of course, the +securities which Peter Carey has sold are lost forever. There's the +cab, Hopkins, and you can remove your man. If you want me for the +trial, my address and that of Watson will be somewhere in Norway- I'll +send particulars later." +- +- + -THE END- \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/P2/Sherlock_blanched.txt b/P2/Sherlock_blanched.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e4530da --- /dev/null +++ b/P2/Sherlock_blanched.txt @@ -0,0 +1,710 @@ + + 1926 + + SHERLOCK HOLMES + + THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLANCHED SOLDIER + + by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle + + + + + + + + + The ideas of my friend Watson, though limited, are exceedingly +pertinacious. For a long time he has worried me to write an experience +of my own. Perhaps I have rather invited this persecution, since I +have often had occasion to point out to him how superficial are his +own accounts and to accuse him of pandering to popular taste instead +of confining himself rigidly to facts and figures. "Try it yourself, +Holmes!" he has retorted, and I am compelled to admit that, having +taken my pen in my hand, I do begin to realize that the matter must be +presented in such a way as may interest the reader. The following case +can hardly fail to do so, as it is among the strangest happenings in +my collection, though it chanced that Watson had no note of it in +his collection. Speaking of my old friend and biographer, I would take +this opportunity to remark that if I burden myself with a companion in +my various little inquiries it is not done out of sentiment or +caprice, but it is that Watson has some remarkable characteristics +of his own to which in his modesty he has given small attention amid +his exaggerated estimates of my own performances. A confederate who +foresees your conclusions and course of action is always dangerous, +but one to whom each development comes as a perpetual surprise, and to +whom the future is always a closed book, is indeed an ideal helpmate. + I find from my notebook that it was in January, 1903, just after the +conclusion of the Boer War, that I had my visit from Mr. James M. +Dodd, a big, fresh, sunburned, upstanding Briton. The good Watson +had at that time deserted me for a wife, the only selfish action which +I can recall in our association. I was alone. + It is my habit to sit with my back to the window and to place my +visitors in the opposite chair, where the light falls full upon +them. Mr. James M. Dodd seemed somewhat at a loss how to begin the +interview. I did not attempt to help him, for his silence gave me more +time for observation. I have found it wise to impress clients with a +sense of power, and so I gave him some of my conclusions. + "From South Africa, sir, I perceive." + "Yes, sir," he answered, with some surprise. + "Imperial Yeomanry, I fancy." + "Exactly." + "Middlesex Corps, no doubt." + "That is so. Mr. Holmes, you are a wizard." + I smiled at his bewildered expression. + "When a gentleman of virile appearance enters my room with such +tan upon his face as an English sun could never give, and with his +handkerchief in his sleeve instead of in his pocket, it is not +difficult to place him. You wear a short beard, which shows that you +were not a regular. You have the cut of a riding-man. As to Middlesex, +your card has already shown me that you are a stockbroker from +Throgmorton Street. What other regiment would you join?" + "You see everything." + "I see no more than you, but I have trained myself to notice what +I see. However, Mr. Dodd, it was not to discuss the science of +observation that you called upon me this morning. What has been +happening at Tuxbury Old Park?" + "Mr. Holmes-!" + "My dear sir, there is no mystery. Your letter came with that +heading, and as you fixed this appointment in very pressing terms it +was clear that something sudden and important had occurred." + "Yes, indeed. But the letter was written in the afternoon, and a +good deal has happened since, then. If Colonel Emsworth had not kicked +me out-" + "Kicked you out!" + "Well that was what it amounted to. He is a hard nail, is Colonel +Emsworth. The greatest martinet in the Army in his day, and it was a +day of rough language, too. I couldn't have stuck the colonel if it +had not been for Godfrey's sake." + I lit my pipe and leaned back in my chair. + "Perhaps you will explain what you are talking about." + My client grinned mischievously. + "I had got into the way of supposing that you knew everything +without being told," said he. "But I will give you the facts, and I +hope to God that you will be able to tell me what they mean. I've been +awake all night puzzling my brain, and the more I think the more +incredible does it become. + "When I joined up in January, 1901- just two years ago- young +Godfrey Emsworth had joined the same squadron. He was Colonel +Emsworth's only son- Emsworth, the Crimean V.C.- and he had the +fighting blood in him, so it is no wonder he volunteered. There was +not a finer lad in the regiment. We formed a friendship- the sort of +friendship which can only be made when one lives the same life and +shares the same joys and sorrows. He was my mate- and that means a +good deal in the Army. We took the rough and the smooth together for a +year of hard fighting. Then he was hit with a bullet from an +elephant gun in the action near Diamond Hill outside Pretoria. I got +one letter from the hospital at Cape Town and one from South +Hampton. Since then not a word- not one word, Mr. Holmes, for six +months and more, and he my closest pal. + "Well, when the war was over, and we all got back, I wrote to his +father and asked where Godfrey was. No answer. I waited a bit and then +I wrote again. This time I had a reply, short and gruff. Godfrey had +gone on a voyage round the world, and it was not likely that he +would be back for a year. That was all. + "I wasn't satisfied, Mr. Holmes. The whole thing seemed to me so +damned unnatural. He was a good lad, and he would not drop a pal +like that. It was not like him. Then, again, I happened to know that +he was heir to a lot of money, and also that his father and he did not +always hit it off too well. The old man was sometimes a bully, and +young Godfrey had too much spirit to stand it. No, I wasn't satisfied, +and I determined that I would get to the root of the matter. It +happened, however, that my own affairs needed a lot of straightening +out, after two years' absence, and so it is only this week that I have +been able to take up Godfrey's case again. But since I have taken it +up I mean to drop everything in order to see it through." + Mr. James M. Dodd appeared to be the sort of person whom it would be +better to have as a friend than as an enemy. His blue eyes were +stern and his square jaw had set hard as he spoke. + "Well, what have you done?" I asked. + "My first move was to get down to his home, Tuxbury Old Park, near +Bedford, and to see for myself how the ground lay. I wrote to the +mother, therefore- I had had quite enough of the curmudgeon of a +father- and I made a clean frontal attack: Godfrey was my chum, I +had a great deal of interest which I might tell her of our common +experiences, I should be in the neighbourhood, would there be any +objection, et cetera? In reply I had quite an amiable answer from +her and an offer to put me up for the night. That was what took me +down on Monday. + "Tuxbury Old Hall is inaccessible- five miles from anywhere. There +was no trap at the station, so I had to walk, carrying my suitcase, +and it was nearly dark before I arrived. It is a great wandering +house, standing in a considerable park. I should judge it was of all +sorts of ages and styles, starting on a half-timbered Elizabethan +foundation and ending in a Victorian portico. Inside it was all +panelling and tapestry and half-effaced old pictures, a house of +shadows and mystery. There was a butler, old Ralph, who seemed about +the same age as the house, and there was his wife, who might have been +older. She had been Godfrey's nurse, and I had heard him speak of +her as second only to his mother in his affections, so I was drawn +to her in spite of her queer appearance. The mother I liked also- a +gentle little white mouse of a woman. It was only the colonel +himself whom I barred. + "We had a bit of barney right away, and I should have walked back to +the station if I had not felt that it might be playing his game for me +to do so. I was shown straight into his study, and there I found +him, a huge, bow-backed man with a smoky skin and a straggling gray +beard, seated behind his littered desk. A red-veined nose jutted out +like a vulture's beak, and two fierce gray eyes glared at me from +under tufted brows. I could understand now why Godfrey seldom spoke of +his father. + "'Well, sir,' said he in a rasping voice, 'I should be interested to +know the real reasons for this visit.' + "I answered that I had explained them in my letter to his wife. + "'Yes, yes, you said that you had known Godfrey in Africa. We +have, of course, only your word for that.' + "'I have his letters to me in my pocket.' + "'Kindly let me see them.' + "He glanced at the two which I handed him, and then he tossed them +back. + "'Well, what then?' he asked. + "'I was fond of your son Godfrey, sir. Many ties and memories united +us. Is it not natural that I should wonder at his sudden silence and +should wish to know what has become of him?' + "'I have some recollections, sir, that I had already corresponded +with you and had told you what had become of him. He has gone upon a +voyage round the world. His health was in a poor way after his African +experiences, and both his mother and I were of opinion that complete +rest and change were needed. Kindly pass that explanation on to any +other friends who may be interested in the matter.' + "'Certainly,' I answered. 'But perhaps you would have the goodness +to let me have the name of the steamer and of the line by which he +sailed, together with the date. I have no doubt that I should be +able to get a letter through to him.' + "My request seemed both to puzzle and to irritate my host. His great +eyebrows came down over his eyes, and he tapped his fingers +impatiently on the table. He looked up at last with the expression +of one who has seen his adversary make a dangerous move at chess, +and has decided how to meet it. + "'Many people, Mr. Dodd,' said he, 'would take offence at your +infernal pertinacity and would think that this insistence had +reached the point of damned impertinence.' + "'You must put it down, sir, to my real love for your son.' + "'Exactly. I have already made every allowance upon that score. I +must ask you, however, to drop these inquiries. Every family has its +own inner knowledge and its own motives, which cannot always be made +clear to outsiders, however well-intentioned. My wife is anxious to +hear something of Godfrey's past which you are in a position to tell +her, but I would ask you to let the present and the future alone, Such +inquiries serve no useful purpose, sir, and place us in a delicate and +difficult position.' + "So I came to a dead end, Mr. Holmes. There was no getting past +it. I could only pretend to accept the situation and register a vow +inwardly that I would never rest until my friend's fate had been +cleared up. It was a dull evening. We dined quietly, the three of +us, in a gloomy faded old room. The lady questioned me eagerly about +her son, but the old man seemed morose and depressed. I was so bored +by the whole proceeding that I made an excuse as soon as I decently +could and retired to my bedroom. It was a large, bare room on the +ground floor, as gloomy as the rest of the house, but after a year +of sleeping upon the veldt, Mr. Holmes, one is not too particular +about one's quarters. I opened the curtains and looked out into the +garden, remarking that it was a fine night with a bright half-moon. +Then I sat down by the roaring fire with the lamp on a table beside +me, and endeavoured to distract my mind with a novel. I was +interrupted, however, by Ralph, the old butler, who came in with a +fresh supply of coals. + "'I thought you might run short in the night-time, sir. It is bitter +weather and these rooms are cold.' + "He hesitated before leaving the room, and when I looked round he +was standing facing me with a wistful look upon his wrinkled face. + "'Beg your pardon, sir, but I could not help hearing what you said +of young Master Godfrey at dinner. You know, sir, that my wife +nursed him, and so I may say I am his foster-father. It's natural we +should take an interest. And you say he carried himself well, sir?' + "'There was never a braver man in the regiment. He pulled me out +once from under the rifles of the Boers, or maybe I should not be +here.' + "The old butler rubbed his skinny hands. + "'Yes, sir, yes, that is Master Godfrey all over. He was always +courageous. There's not a tree in the park, sir, that he has not +climbed. Nothing would stop him. He was a fine boy- and oh, sir, he +was a fine man.' + "I sprang to my feet. + "'Look here!' I cried. 'You say he was. You speak as if he were +dead. What is all this mystery? What has become of Godfrey Emsworth?' + "I gripped the old man by the shoulder, but he shrank away. + "'I don't know what you mean, sir. Ask the master about Master +Godfrey. He knows. It is not for me to interfere.' + "He was leaving the room, but I held his arm. + "'Listen,' I said. 'You are going to answer one question before +you leave if I have to hold you all night. Is Godfrey dead?' + "He could not face my eyes. He was like a man hypnotized. The answer +was dragged from his lips. It was a terrible and unexpected one. + "'I wish to God he was!' he cried, and, tearing himself free, he +dashed from the room. + "You will think, Mr. Holmes, that I returned to my chair in no +very happy state of mind. The old man's words seemed to me to bear +only one interpretation. Clearly my poor friend had become involved in +some criminal or, at the least, disreputable transaction which touched +the family honour. That stern old man had sent his son away and hidden +him from the world lest some scandal should come to light. Godfrey was +a reckless fellow. He was easily influenced by those around him. No +doubt he had fallen into bad hands and been misled to his ruin. It was +a piteous business, if it was indeed so, but even now it was my duty +to hunt him out and see if I could aid him. I was anxiously +pondering the matter when I looked up, and there was Godfrey +Emsworth standing before me." + My client had paused as one in deep emotion. + "Pray continue," I said. "Your problem presents some very unusual +features." + "He was outside the window, Mr. Holmes, with his face pressed +against the glass. I have told you that I looked out at the night. +When I did so I left the curtains partly open. His figure was framed +in this gap. The window came down to the ground and I could see the +whole length of it, but it was his face which held my gaze. He was +deadly pale- never have I seen a man so white. I reckon ghosts may +look like that; but his eyes met mine, and they were the eyes of a +living man. He sprang back when he saw that I was looking at him, +and he vanished into the darkness. + "There was something shocking about the man, Mr. Holmes. It wasn't +merely that ghastly face glimmering as white as cheese in the +darkness. It was more subtle than that- something slinking, +something furtive, something guilty- something very unlike the +frank, manly lad that I had known. It left a feeling of horror in my +mind. + "But when a man has been soldiering for a year or two with brother +Boer as a playmate, he keeps his nerve and acts quickly. Godfrey had +hardly vanished before I was at the window. There was an awkward +catch, and I was some little time before I could throw it up. Then I +nipped through and ran down the garden path in the direction that I +thought he might have taken. + "It was a long path and the light was not very good, but it seemed +to me something was moving ahead of me. I ran on and called his +name, but it was no use. When I got to the end of the path there +were several others branching in different directions to various +outhouses. I stood hesitating, and as I did so I heard distinctly +the sound of a closing door. It was not behind me in the house, but +ahead of me, somewhere in the darkness. That was enough, Mr. Holmes, +to assure me that what I had seen was not a vision. Godfrey had run +away from me, and he had shut a door behind him. Of that I was +certain. + "There was nothing more I could do, and I spent an uneasy night +turning the matter over in my mind and trying to find some theory +which would cover the facts. Next day I found the colonel rather +more conciliatory, and as his wife remarked that there were some +places of interest in the neighbourhood, it gave me an opening to +ask whether my presence for one more night would incommode them. A +somewhat grudging acquiescence from the old man gave me a clear day in +which to make my observations. I was already perfectly convinced +that Godfrey was in hiding somewhere near, but where and why +remained to be solved. + "The house was so large and so rambling that a regiment might be hid +away in it and no one the wiser. If the secret lay there it was +difficult for me to penetrate it. But the door which I had heard close +was certainly not in the house. I must explore the garden and see what +I could find. There was no difficulty in the way, for the old people +were busy in their own fashion and left me to my own devices. + "There were several small outhouses, but at the end of the garden +there was a detached building of some size- large enough for a +gardener's or a gamekeeper's residence. Could this be the place whence +the sound of that shutting door had come? I approached it in a +careless fashion as though I were strolling aimlessly round the +grounds. As I did so, a small, brisk, bearded man in a black coat +and bowler hat- not at all the gardener type- came out of the door. To +my surprise, he locked it after him and put the key in his pocket. +Then he looked at me with some surprise on his face. + "'Are you a visitor here?' he asked. + "I explained that I was and that I was a friend of Godfrey's. + "'What a pity that he should be away on his travels, for he would +have so liked to see me,' I continued. + "'Quite so. Exactly,' said he with a rather guilty air. 'No doubt +you will renew your visit at some more propitious time.' He passed on, +but when I turned I observed that he was standing watching me, +half-concealed by the laurels at the far end of the garden. + "I had a good look at that little house as I passed it, but the +windows were heavily curtained, and, so far as one could see, it was +empty. I might spoil my own game and even be ordered off the +premises if I were too audacious, for I was still conscious that I was +being watched. Therefore, I strolled back to the house and waited +for night before I went on with my inquiry. When all was dark and +quiet I slipped out of my window and made my way as silently as +possible to the mysterious lodge. + "I have said that it was heavily curtained, but now I found that the +windows were shuttered as well. Some light, however, was breaking +through one of them, so I concentrated my attention upon this. I was +in luck, for the curtain had not been quite closed, and there was a +crack in the shutter, so that I could see the inside of the room. It +was a cheery place enough, a bright lamp and a blazing fire. +Opposite to me was seated the little man whom I had seen in the +morning. He was smoking a pipe and reading a paper." + "What paper?" I asked. + My client seemed annoyed at the interruption of his narrative. + "Can it matter?" he asked. + "It is most essential" + "I really took no notice." + "Possibly you observed whether it was a broad-leafed paper or of +that smaller type which one associates with weeklies." + "Now that you mention it, it was not large. It might have been the +Spectator. However, I had little thought to spare upon such details, +for a second man was seated with his back to the window, and I could +swear that this second man was Godfrey. I could not see his face, +but I knew the familiar slope of his shoulders. He was leaning upon +his elbow in an attitude of great melancholy, his body turned +towards the fire. I was hesitating as to what I should do when there +was a sharp tap on my shoulder, and there was Colonel Emsworth +beside me. + "'This way, sir!' said he in a low voice. He walked in silence to +the house, and I followed him into my own bedroom. He had picked up +a time-table in the hall. + "'There is a train to London at 8:30,' said he. 'The trap will be at +the door at eight.' + "He was white with rage, and, indeed, I felt myself in so +difficult a position that I could only stammer out a few incoherent +apologies in which I tried to excuse myself by urging my anxiety for +my friend. + "'The matter will not bear discussion,' said he abruptly. 'You +have made a most damnable intrusion into the privacy of our family. +You were here as a guest and you have become a spy. I have nothing +more to say, sir, save that I have no wish ever to see you again.' + "At this I lost my temper, Mr. Holmes, and I spoke with some warmth. + "'I have seen your son, and I am convinced that for some reason of +your own you are concealing him from the world. I have no idea what +your motives are in cutting him off in this fashion, but I am sure +that he is no longer a free agent. I warn you, Colonel Emsworth, +that until I am assured as to the safety and well-being of my friend I +shall never desist in my efforts to get to the bottom of the +mystery, and I shall certainly not allow myself to be intimidated by +anything which you may say or do.' + "The old fellow looked diabolical, and I really thought he was about +to attack me. I have said that he was a gaunt, fierce old giant, and +though I am no weakling I might have been hard put to it to hold my +own against him. However, after a long glare of rage he turned upon +his heel and walked out of the room. For my part, I took the appointed +train in the morning, with the full intention of coming straight to +you and asking for your advice and assistance at the appointment for +which I had already written." + Such was the problem which my visitor laid before me. It +presented, as the astute reader will have already perceived, few +difficulties in its solution, for a very limited choice of +alternatives must get to the root of the matter. Still, elementary +as it was, there were points of interest and novelty about it which +may excuse my placing it upon record. I now proceeded, using my +familiar method of logical analysis, to narrow down the possible +solutions. + "The servants," I asked; "how many were in the house?" + "To the best of my belief there were only the old butler and his +wife. They seemed to live in the simplest fashion." + "There was no servant, then, in the detached house?" + "None, unless the little man with the beard acted as such. He +seemed, however, to be quite a superior person." + "That seems very suggestive. Had you any indication that food was +conveyed from the one house to the other?" + "Now that you mention it, I did see old Ralph carrying a basket down +the garden walk and going in the direction of this house. The idea +of food did not occur to me at the moment." + "Did you make any local inquiries?" + "Yes, I did. I spoke to the station-master and also to the innkeeper +in the village. I simply asked if they knew anything of my old +comrade, Godfrey Emsworth. Both of them assured me that he had gone +for a voyage round the world. He had come home and then had almost +at once started off again. The story was evidently universally +accepted." + "You said nothing of your suspicions?" + "Nothing." + "That was very wise. The matter should certainly be inquired into. I +will go back with you to Tuxbury Old Park." + "To-day?" + It happened that at the moment I was clearing up the case which my +friend Watson has described as that of the Abbey School, in which +the Duke of Greyminster was so deeply involved. I had also a +commission from the Sultan of Turkey which called for immediate +action, as political consequences of the gravest kind might arise from +its neglect. Therefore it was not until the beginning of the next +week, as my diary records, that I was able to start forth on my +mission to Bedfordshire in company with Mr. James M. Dodd. As we drove +to Euston we picked up a grave and taciturn gentleman of iron-gray +aspect, with whom I had made the necessary arrangements. + "This is an old friend," said I to Dodd. "It is possible that his +presence may be entirely unnecessary, and, on the other hand, it may +be essential. It is not necessary at the present stage to go further +into the matter." + The narratives of Watson, have accustomed the reader, no doubt, to +the fact that I do not waste words or disclose my thoughts while a +case is actually under consideration. Dodd seemed surprised, but +nothing more was said, and the three of us continued our journey +together. in the train I asked Dodd one more question which I wished +our companion to hear. + "You say that you saw your friend's face quite clearly at the +window, so clearly that you are sure of his identity?" + "I have no doubt about it whatever. His nose was pressed against the +glass. The lamplight shone full upon him." + "It could not have been someone resembling him?" + "No, no, it was he." + "But you say he was changed?" + "Only in colour. His face was- how shall I describe it?- it was of a +fish-belly whiteness. It was bleached." + "Was it equally pale all over?" + "I think not. It was his brow which I saw so clearly as it was +pressed against the window." + "Did you call to him?" + "I was too startled and horrified for the moment. Then I pursued +him, as I have told you, but without result." + My case was practically complete, and there was only one small +incident needed to round it off. When, after considerable drive, we +arrived at the strange old rambling house which my client had +described, it was Ralph, the elderly butler, who opened the door. I +had requisitioned the carriage for the day and had asked my elderly +friend to remain within it unless we should summon him. Ralph, a +little wrinkled old fellow, was in the conventional costume of black +coat and pepper-and-salt trousers, with only one curious variant. He +wore brown leather gloves, which at sight of us he instantly +shuffled off, laying them down on the hall-table as we passed in. I +have, as my friend Watson may have remarked, an abnormally acute set +of senses, and a faint but incisive scent was apparent. It seemed to +centre on the hall-table. I turned, placed my hat there, knocked it +off, stooped to pick it up, and contrived to bring my nose within a +foot of the gloves. Yes, it was undoubtedly from them that the curious +tarry odour was oozing. I passed on into the study with my case +complete. Alas, that I should have to show my hand so when I tell my +own story! It was by concealing such links in the chain that Watson +was enabled to produce his meretricious finales. + Colonel Emsworth was not in his room, but he came quickly enough +on receipt of Ralph's message. We heard his quick, heavy step in the +passage. The door was flung open and he rushed in with bristling beard +and twisted features, as terrible an old man as ever I have seen. He +held our cards in his hand, and he tore them up and stamped on the +fragments. + "Have I not told you, you infernal busybody, that you are warned off +the premises? Never dare to show your damned face here again. If you +enter again without my leave I shall be within my rights if I use +violence. I'll shoot you, sir! By God, I will! As to you, sir," +turning upon me, "I extend the same warning to you. I am familiar with +your ignoble profession, but you must take your reputed talents to +some other field. There is no opening for them here." + "I cannot leave here," said my client firmly, "until I hear from +Godfrey's own lips that he is under no restraint." + Our involuntary host rang the bell. + "Ralph," he said, "telephone down to the county police and ask the +inspector to send up two constables. Tell him there are burglars in +the house." + "One moment," said I. "You must be aware, Mr. Dodd, that Colonel +Emsworth is within his rights and that we have no legal status +within his house. On the other hand, he should recognize that your +action is prompted entirely by solicitude for his son. I venture to +hope that if I were allowed to have five minutes' conversation with +Colonel Emsworth I could certainly alter his view of the matter." + "I am not so easily altered," said the old soldier. "Ralph, do +what I have told you. What the devil are you waiting for? Ring up +the police!" + "Nothing of the sort," I said, putting my back to the door. "Any +police interference would bring about the very catastrophe which you +dread." I took out my notebook and scribbled one word upon a loose +sheet. "That," said I as I handed it to Colonel Emsworth, "is what has +brought us here." + He stared at the writing with a face from which every expression +save amazement had vanished. + "How do you know?" he gasped, sitting down heavily in his chair. + "It is my business to know things. That is my trade." + He sat in deep thought, his gaunt hand tugging at his straggling +beard. Then he made a gesture of resignation. + "Well, if you wish to see Godfrey, you shall. It is no doing of +mine, but you have forced my hand. Ralph, tell Mr. Godfrey and Mr. +Kent that in five minutes we shall be with them." + At the end of that time we passed down the garden path and found +ourselves in front of the mystery house at the end. A small bearded +man stood at the door with a look of considerable astonishment upon +his face. + "This is very sudden, Colonel Emsworth," said he. "This will +disarrange all our plans." + "I can't help it, Mr. Kent. Our hands have been forced. Can Mr. +Godfrey see us?" + "Yes, he is waiting inside." He turned and led us into a large, +plainly furnished front room. A man was standing with his back to +the fire, and at the sight of him my client sprang forward with +outstretched hand. + "Why, Godfrey, old man, this is fine!" + But the other waved him back. + "Don't touch me, Jimmie. Keep your distance. Yes, you may well +stare! I don't quite look the smart Lance-Corporal Emsworth, of B +Squadron, do I?" + His appearance was certainly extraordinary. One could see that he +had indeed been a handsome man with clear-cut features sunburned by an +African sun, but mottled in patches over this darker surface were +curious whitish patches which had bleached his skin. + "That's why I don't court visitors," said he. "I don't mind you, +Jimmie, but I could have done without your friend. I suppose there +is some good reason for it, but you have me at a disadvantage." + "I wanted to be sure that all was well with you, Godfrey. I saw +you that night when you looked into my window, and I could not let the +matter rest till I had cleared things up." + "Old Ralph told me you were there, and I couldn't help taking a peep +at you. I hoped you would not have seen me, and I had to run to my +burrow when I heard the window go up." + "But what in heaven's name is the matter?" + "Well, it's not a long story to tell," said he, lighting a +cigarette. "You remember that morning fight at Buffelsspruit, +outside Pretoria, on the Eastern railway line? You heard I was hit?" + "Yes, I heard that, but I never got particulars." + "Three of us got separated from the others. It was very broken +country, you may remember. There was Simpson- the fellow we called +Baldy Simpson- and Anderson, and I. We were clearing brother Boer, but +he lay low and got the three of us. The other two were killed. I got +an elephant bullet through my shoulder. I stuck on to my horse, +however, and he galloped several miles before I fainted and rolled off +the saddle. + "When I came to myself it was nightfall, and I raised myself up, +feeling very weak and ill. To my surprise there was a house close +beside me, a fairly large house with a broad stoop and many windows. +It was deadly cold. You remember the kind of numb cold which used to +come at evening, a deadly, sickening sort of cold, very different from +a crisp healthy frost. Well I was chilled to the bone, and my only +hope seemed to lie in reaching that house. I staggered to my feet +and dragged myself along, hardly conscious of what I did. I have a dim +memory of slowly ascending the steps, entering a wide-opened door, +passing into a large room which contained several beds, and throwing +myself down with a gasp of satisfaction upon one of them. It was +unmade, but that troubled me not at all. I drew the clothes over my +shivering body and in a moment I was in a deep sleep. + "It was morning when I wakened, and it seemed to me that instead +of coming out into a world of sanity I had emerged into some +extraordinary nightmare. The out African sun flooded through the +big, curtainless windows, and every detail of the great, bare, +whitewashed dormitory stood out hard and clear. In front of me was +standing a small, dwarf-like man with a huge, bulbous head, who was +jabbering excitedly in Dutch, waving two horrible hands which looked +to me like brown sponges. Behind him stood a group of people who +seemed to be intensely amused by the situation, but a chill came +over me as I looked at them. Not one of them was a normal human being. +Every one was twisted or swollen or disfigured in some strange way. +The laughter of these strange monstrosities was a dreadful thing to +hear. + "It seemed that none of them could speak English, but the +situation wanted clearing up, for the creature with the big head was +growing furiously angry, and, uttering wild-beast cries, he had laid +his deformed hands upon me and was dragging me out of bed, +regardless of the fresh flow of blood from my wound. The little +monster was as strong as a bull, and I don't know what he might have +done to me had not an elderly man who was clearly in authority been +attracted to the room by the hubbub. He said a few stern words in +Dutch, and my persecutor shrank away. Then he turned upon me, gazing +at me in the utmost amazement. + "'How in the world did you come here?' he asked in amazement. +'Wait a bit! I see that you are tired out and that wounded shoulder of +yours wants looking after. I am a doctor, and I'll soon have you +tied up. But, man alive! you are in far greater danger here than +ever you were on the battlefield. You are in the Leper Hospital, and +you have slept in a leper's bed.' + "Need I tell you more, Jimmie? It seems that in view of the +approaching battle all these poor creatures had been evacuated the day +before. Then, as the British advanced, they had been brought back by +this, their medical superintendent, who assured me that, though he +believed he was immune to the disease, he would none the less never +have dared to do what I had done. He put me in a private room, treated +me kindly, and within a week or so I was removed to the general +hospital at Pretoria. + "So there you have my tragedy. I hoped against hope, but it was +not until I had reached home that the terrible signs which you see +upon my face told me that I had not escaped. What was I to do? I was +in this lonely house. We had two servants whom we could utterly trust. +There was a house where I could live. Under pledge of secrecy, Mr. +Kent, who is a surgeon, was prepared to stay with me. It seemed simple +enough on those lines. The alternative was a dreadful one- segregation +for life among strangers with never a hope of release. But absolute +secrecy was necessary, or even in this quiet countryside there would +have been an outcry, and I should have been dragged to my horrible +doom. Even you, Jimmie- even you had to be kept in the dark. Why my +father has relented I cannot imagine." + Colonel Emsworth pointed to me. + "This is the gentleman who forced my hand." He unfolded the scrap of +paper on which I had written the word "Leprosy." "It seemed to me that +if he knew so much as that it was safer that he should know all." + "And so it was," said I. "Who knows but good may come of it? I +understand that only Mr. Kent has seen the patient. May I ask, sir, if +you are an authority on such complaints, which are, I understand, +tropical or semi-tropical in their nature?" + "I have the ordinary knowledge of the educated medical man," he +observed with some stiffness. + "I have no doubt, sir, that you are fully competent, but I am sure +that you will agree that in such a case a second opinion is +valuable. You have avoided this, I understand, for fear that +pressure should be put upon you to segregate the patient." + "That is so," said Colonel Emsworth. + "I foresaw this situation," I explained, "and I have brought with me +a friend whose discretion may absolutely be trusted. I was able once +to do him a professional service, and he is ready to advise as a +friend rather than as a specialist. His name is Sir James Saunders." + The prospect of an interview with Lord Roberts would not have +excited greater wonder and pleasure in a raw subaltern than was now +reflected upon the face of Mr. Kent. + "I shall indeed be proud," he murmured. + "Then I will ask Sir James to step this way. He is at present in the +carriage outside the door. Meanwhile, Colonel Emsworth, we may perhaps +assemble in your study, where I could give the necessary +explanations." + And here it is that I miss my Watson. By cunning questions and +ejaculations of wonder he could elevate my simple art, which is but +systematized common sense, into a prodigy. When I tell my own story +I have no such aid. And yet I will give my process of thought even +as I gave it to my small audience, which included Godfrey's mother +in the study of Colonel Emsworth. + "That process," said I, "starts upon the supposition that when you +have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, +however improbable, must be the truth. It may well be that several +explanations remain, in which case one tries test after test until one +or other of them has a convincing amount of support. We will now apply +this principle to the case in point. As it was first presented to +me, there were three possible explanations of the seclusion or +incarceration of this gentleman in an outhouse of his father's +mansion. There was the explanation, that he was in hiding for a crime, +or that he was mad and that they wished to avoid an asylum, or that he +had some disease which caused his segregation. I could think of no +other adequate solutions. These, then, had to be sifted and balanced +against each other. + "The criminal solution would not bear inspection. No unsolved +crime had been reported from that district. I was sure of that. If +it were some crime not yet discovered, then clearly it would be to the +interest of the family to get rid of the delinquent and send him +abroad rather than keep him concealed at home. I could see no +explanation for such a line of conduct. + "Insanity was more plausible. The presence of the second person in +the outhouse suggested a keeper. The fact that he locked the door when +he came out strengthened the supposition and gave the idea of +constraint. On the other hand, this constraint could not be severe +or the young man could not have got loose and come down to have a look +at his friend. You, will remember, Mr. Dodd, that I felt round for +points, asking you, for example, about the paper which Mr. Kent was +reading. Had it been the Lancet or the British Medical Journal it +would have helped me. It is not illegal, however, to keep a lunatic +upon private premises so long as there is a qualified person in +attendance and that the authorities have been duly notified. Why, +then, all this desperate desire for secrecy? Once again I could not +get the theory to fit the facts. + "There remained the third possibility, into which, rare and unlikely +as it was, everything seemed to fit. Leprosy is not uncommon in +South Africa. By some extraordinary chance this youth might have +contracted it. His people would be placed in a very dreadful position, +since they would desire to save him from segregation. Great secrecy +would be needed to prevent rumours from getting about and subsequent +interference by the authorities. A devoted medical man, if +sufficiently paid, would easily be found to take chance of the +sufferer. There would be no reason why the latter should not he +allowed freedom after dark. Bleaching of the skin is a common result +of the disease. The case was a strong one- so strong that I determined +to act as if it were actually proved. When on arriving here I +noticed that Ralph, who carries out the meals, had gloves which are +impregnated with disinfectants, my last doubts were removed. A +single word showed you, sir, that your secret was discovered, and if I +wrote rather than said it, it was to prove to you that my discretion +was to be trusted." + I was finishing this little analysis of the case when the door was +opened and the austere figure of the great dermatologist was ushered +in. But for once his sphinx-like features had relaxed and there was +a warm humanity in his eyes. He strode up to Colonel Emsworth and +shook him by the hand. + "It is often my lot to bring ill-tidings and seldom good," said +he. "This occasion is the more welcome. It is not leprosy." + "A well-marked case of pseudo-leprosy or ichthyosis, a scale-like +affection of the skin, unsightly, obstinate, but possibly curable, and +certainly noninfective. Yes, Mr. Holmes, the coincidence is a +remarkable one. But is it coincidence? Are there not subtle forces +at work of which we know little? Are we assured that the +apprehension from which this young man has no doubt suffered +terribly since his exposure to its contagion may not produce a +physical effect which simulates that which it fears? At any rate, I +pledge my professional reputation- But the lady has fainted! I think +that Mr. Kent had better be with her until she recovers from this +joyous shock." +- +- + -THE END- \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/P2/Sherlock_blue.txt b/P2/Sherlock_blue.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..42dfda0 --- /dev/null +++ b/P2/Sherlock_blue.txt @@ -0,0 +1,741 @@ + + 1892 + + SHERLOCK HOLMES + + THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE + + by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle +- + I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second +morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the +compliments of the season. He was lounging upon the sofa in a purple +dressing-gown, a pipe-rack within his reach upon the right, and a pile +of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly studied, near at hand. +Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and on the angle of the back hung +a very seedy and disreputable hard-felt bat, much the worse for wear +and cracked in several places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the +seat of the chair suggested that the hat had been suspended in this +manner for the purpose of examination. + "You are engaged," said I; "perhaps I interrupt you." + "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss my +results. The matter is a perfectly trivial one"- he jerked his thumb +in the direction of the old hat- "but there are points in connection +with it which are not entirely devoid of interest and even of +instruction." + I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his +crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows were +thick with the ice crystals. "I suppose," I remarked, "that, homely as +it looks, this thing has some deadly story linked on to it-that it +is the clue which will guide you in the solution of some mystery and +the punishment of some crime." + "No, no. No crime," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "Only one of +those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you have +four million human beings all jostling each other within the space +of a few square miles. Amid the action and reaction of so dense a +swarm of humanity, every possible combination of events may be +expected to take place, and many a little problem will be presented +which may be striking and bizarre without being criminal. We have +already had experience of such." + "So much so," I remarked, "that of the last six cases which I have +added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any legal crime." + "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler +papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland, and to the +adventure of the man with the twisted lip. Well, I have no doubt +that this small matter will fall into the same innocent category. +You know Peterson, the commissionaire?" + "Yes." + "It is to him that this trophy belongs." + "It is his hat." + "No, no; he found it. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will look +upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual problem. +And first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon Christmas +morning, in company with a good fat goose, which is, I have no +doubt, roasting at this moment in front of Peterson's fire. The +facts are these: about four o'clock on Christmas morning, Peterson, +who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was returning from some +small jollification and was making his way homeward down Tottenham +Court Road. In front of him he saw, in the gaslight, a tallish man, +walking with a slight stagger, and carrying a white goose slung over +his shoulder. As he reached the corner of Goodge Street, a row broke +out between this stranger and a little knot of roughs. One of the +latter knocked off the man's hat, on which he raised his stick to +defend himself and, swinging it over his head, smashed the shop window +behind him. Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger from +his assailants; but the man, shocked at having broken the window, +and seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards +him, dropped his goose, took to his heels, and vanished amid the +labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham Court +Road. The roughs had also fled at the appearance of Peterson, so +that he was left in possession of the field of battle, and also of the +spoils of victory in the shape of this battered hat and a most +unimpeachable Christmas goose." + "Which surely he restored to their owner?" + "My dear fellow, there lies the problem. It is true that 'For Mrs. +Henry Baker was printed upon a small card which was tied to the bird's +left leg, and it is also true that the initials 'H. B.' are legible +upon the lining of this hat, but as there are some thousands of +Bakers, and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in this city of ours, it +is not easy to restore lost property to any one of them." + "What, then, did Peterson do?" + "He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas morning, +knowing that even the smallest problems are of interest to me. The +goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs that, in +spite of the slight frost, it would be well that it should be eaten +without unnecessary delay. Its finder has carried it off, therefore, +to fulfil the ultimate destiny of a goose, while I continue to +retain the hat of the unknown gentleman who lost his Christmas +dinner." + "Did he not advertise?" + "No." + "Then, what clue could you have as to his identity?" + "Only as much as we can deduce." + "From his hat?" + "Precisely." + "But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered +felt?" + "Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather +yourself as to the individuality of the man who has worn this +article?" + I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather +ruefully. It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round shape, +hard and much the worse for wear. The lining had been of red silk, but +was a good deal discoloured. There was no maker's name; but, as Holmes +had remarked, the initials "H. B." were scrawled upon one side. It was +pierced in the brim for a hat-securer, but the elastic was missing. +For the rest, it was cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted in +several places, although there seemed to have been some attempt to +hide the discoloured patches by smearing them with ink. + "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. + "On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, however, +to reason from what you see. You are too timid in drawing your +inferences." + "Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?" + He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective +fashion which was characteristic of him. "It is perhaps less +suggestive than it might have been," he remarked, "and yet there are a +few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which +represent at least a strong balance of probability. That the man was +highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also +that be was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he +has now fallen upon evil days. He had foresight, but has less now than +formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with +the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, +probably drink, at work upon him. This may account also for the +obvious fact that his wife has ceased to love him." + "My dear Holmes!" + "He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect," he +continued, disregarding my remonstrance. "He is a man who leads a +sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is +middle-aged, has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the last +few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are the more +patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. Also, by the way, +that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid on in his house." + "You are certainly joking, Holmes." + "Not in the least. Is it possible that even now, when I give you +these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?" + "I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I am +unable to follow you. For example, how did you deduce that this man +was intellectual?" + For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head. It came right +over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is a +question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a brain +must have something in it." + "The decline of his fortunes, then?" + "This hat is three years old. These flat brims curled at the edge +came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the band +of ribbed silk and the excellent lining. If this man could afford to +buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has no hat since, then +he has assuredly gone down in the world." + "Well, that is clear enough, certainly. But how about the +foresight and the moral retrogression?" + Sherlock Holmes laughed. "Here is the foresight," said he, putting +his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. "They are +never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, it is a sign of a +certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his way to take this +precaution against the wind. But since we see that he has broken the +elastic and has not troubled to replace it, it is obvious that he +has less foresight now than formerly, which is a distinct proof of a +weakening nature. On the other hand, he has endeavoured to conceal +some of these stains upon the felt by daubing them with ink, which +is a sign that he has not entirely lost his self-respect." + "Your reasoning is certainly plausible." + "The further points, that he is middle-aged, that his hair is +grizzled, that it has been recently cut, and that he uses +lime-cream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the +lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of +hair-ends, clean cut by the scissors of the barber. They all appear to +be adhesive, and there is a distinct odour of lime-cream. This dust, +you will observe, is not the gritty, gray dust of the street but the +fluffy brown dust of the house, showing that it has been hung up +indoors most of the time; while the marks of moisture upon the +inside are proof positive that the wearer perspired very freely, and +could therefore, hardly be in the best of training." + "But his wife-you said that she had ceased to love him." + "This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I see you, my dear +Watson, with a week's accumulation of dust upon your hat, and when +your wife allows you to go out in such a state, I shall fear that +you also have been unfortunate enough to lose your wife's affection." + "But he might be a bachelor." + "Nay, he was bringing home the goose as a peace-offering to his +wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg." + "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce +that the gas is not laid on in his house?" + "One tallow stain, or even two, might come by chance; but when I see +no less than five, I think that there can be little doubt that the +individual must be brought into frequent contact with burning +tallow-walks upstairs at night probably with his hat in one hand and a +guttering candle in the other. Anyhow, he never got tallow-stains from +a gas-jet. Are you satisfied?" + "Well, it is very ingenious," said I, laughing; "but since, as you +said just now, there has been no crime committed, and no harm done +save the loss of a goose, all this seems to be rather a waste of +energy." + Sherlock Holmes had opened his mouth to reply, when the door flew +open, and Peterson, the commissionaire, rushed into the apartment with +flushed cheeks and the face of a man who is dazed with astonishment. + "The goose, Mr. Holmes! The goose, sir!" he gasped. + "Eh? What of it, then? Has it returned to life and flapped off +through the kitchen window?" Holmes twisted himself round upon the +sofa to get a fairer view of the man's excited face. + "See here, sir! See what my wife found in its crop!" He held out his +hand and displayed upon the centre of the palm a brilliantly +scintillating blue stone, rather smaller than a bean in size, but of +such purity and radiance that it twinkled like an electric point in +the dark hollow of his hand. + Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle. "By Jove, Peterson!" said he, +"this is treasure trove indeed. I suppose you know what you have got?" + "A diamond, sir? A precious stone. It cuts into glass as though it +were putty." + "It's more than a precious stone. It is the precious stone." + "Not the Countess of Morcar's blue carbuncle!" I ejaculated. + "Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, seeing that I +have read the advertisement about it in The Times every day lately. It +is absolutely unique, and its value can only be conjectured, but the +reward offered of L1000 is certainly not within a twentieth part of +the market price." + "A thousand pounds! Great Lord of mercy!" The commissionaire plumped +down into a chair and stared from one to the other of us. + "That is the reward, and I have reason to know that there are +sentimental considerations in the background which would induce the +Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but recover the +gem." + "It was lost, if I remember aright, at the Hotel Cosmopolitan," I +remarked. + "Precisely so, on December 22nd, just five days ago. John Homer, a +plumber, was accused of having abstracted it from the lady's +jewel-case. The evidence against him was so strong that the case has +been referred to the Assizes. I have some account of the matter +here, I believe." He rummaged amid his newspapers, glancing over the +dates, until at last he smoothed one out, doubled it over, and read +the following paragraph: +- + "Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel Robbery. John Homer, 26, plumber, was +brought up upon the charge of having upon the 22d inst., abstracted +from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the valuable gem known +as the blue carbuncle. James Ryder, upper-attendant at the hotel, gave +his evidence to the effect that he had shown Hornerup to the +dressing-room of the Countess of Morcar upon the day of the robbery in +order that he might solder the second bar of the grate, which was +loose. He had remained with Hornersome little time, but had finally +been called away. On returning, he found that Hornerhad disappeared, +that the bureau had been forced open, and that the small morocco +casket in which, as it afterwards transpired, the Countess was +accustomed to keep her jewel, was lying empty upon the dressing-table. +Ryder instantly gave the alarm, and Hornerwas arrested the same +evening; but the stone could not be found either upon his person or in +his rooms. Catherine Cusack, maid to the Countess, deposed to having +heard Ryder's cry of dismay on discovering the robbery, and to +having rushed into the room, where she found matters as described by +the last witness. Inspector Bradstreet, B division, gave evidence as +to the arrest of Homer, who struggled frantically, and protested his +innocence in the strongest terms. Evidence of a previous conviction +for robbery having been given against the prisoner, the magistrate +refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to the +Assizes. Homer, who had shown signs of intense emotion during the +proceedings, fainted away at the conclusion and was carried out of +court. +- + "Hum!" So much for the police-court," said Holmes thoughtfully, +tossing aside the paper. "The question for us now to solve is the +sequence of events leading from a rifled jewel-case at one end to +the crop of a goose in Tottenham Court Road at the other. You see, +Watson, our little deductions have suddenly assumed a much more +important and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone; the stone +came from the goose, and the goose came from Mr. Henry Baker, the +gentleman with the bad hat and all the other characteristics with +which I have bored you. So now we must set ourselves very seriously to +finding this gentleman and ascertaining what part he has played in +this little mystery. To do this, we must try the simplest means first, +and these lie undoubtedly in an advertisement in all the evening +papers. If this fail I shall have recourse to other methods." + "What will you say?" + "Give me a pencil and that slip of paper. Now, then: +- + "Found at the corner of Goodge Street a goose and a black felt +hat. Mr. Henry Baker can have the same by applying at 6:30 this +evening at 221B, Baker Street." +- + "That is clear and concise." + "Very. But will he see it?" + "Well, he is sure to keep an eye on the papers, since, to a poor +man, the loss was a heavy one. He was clearly so scared by his +mischance in breaking the window and by the approach of Peterson +that he thought of nothing but flight, but since then he must have +bitterly regretted the impulse which caused him to drop his bird. +Then, again, the introduction of his name will cause him to see it, +for everyone who knows him will direct his attention to it. Here you +are, Peterson, run down to the advertising agency and have this put in +the evening papers." + "In which, sir?" + "Oh, in the Globe, Star, Pall Mall, St. James's, Evening News +Standard, Echo, and any others that occur to you." + "Very well, sir. And this stone?" + "Ah, yes, I shall keep the stone. Thank you. And, I say, Peterson, +just buy a goose on your way back and leave it here with me, for we +must have one to give to this gentleman in place of the one which your +family is now devouring." + When the commissionaire had gone, Holmes took up the stone and +held it against the light. "It's a bonny thing," said he. "Just see +how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and focus of +crime. Every good stone is. They are the devil's pet baits. In the +larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a bloody deed. +This stone is not yet twenty years old. It was found in the banks of +the Amoy River in southern China and is remarkable in having every +characteristic of the carbuncle, save that it is blue in shade instead +of ruby red. In spite of its youth, it has already a sinister history. +There have been two murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and +several robberies brought about for the sake of this forty grain +weight of crystallized charcoal. Who would think that so pretty a +toy would be a purveyor to the gallows and the prison? I'll lock it up +in my strong box now and drop a line to the Countess to say that we +have it." + "Do you think that this man Horneris innocent?" + "I cannot tell." + "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had +anything to do with the matter?" + "It is, I think, much more likely that Henry Baker is an +absolutely innocent man, who had no idea that the bird which he was +carrying was of considerably more value than if it were made of +solid gold. That, however, I shall determine by a very simple test +if we have an answer to our advertisement." + "And you can do nothing until then?" + "Nothing." + "In that case I shall continue my professional round. But I shall +come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned, for I +should like to see the solution of so tangled a business." + "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I +believe. By the way, in view of recent occurrences, perhaps I ought to +ask Mrs. Hudson to examine its crop." + I had been delayed at a case, and it was a little after half-past +six when I found myself in Baker Street once more. As I approached the +house I saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet with a coat which was +buttoned up to his chin waiting outside in the bright semicircle which +was thrown from the fanlight. just as I arrived the door was opened, +and we were shown up together to Holmes's room. + "Mr. Henry Baker, I believe," said he, rising from his armchair +and greeting his visitor with the easy air of geniality which he could +so readily assume. "Pray take this chair by the fire, Mr. Baker. It is +a cold night, and I observe that your circulation is more adapted +for summer than for winter. Ah, Watson, you have just come at the +right time. Is that your hat, Mr. Baker?" + "Yes, sir, that is undoubtedly my hat." + He was a large man with rounded shoulders, a massive head, and a +broad, intelligent face, sloping down to a pointed beard of grizzled +brown. A touch of red in nose and cheeks, with a slight tremor of +his extended hand, recalled Holmes's surmise as to his habits. His +rusty black frock-coat was buttoned right up in front, with the collar +turned up, and his lank wrists protruded from his sleeves without a +sign of cuff or shirt. He spoke in a slow staccato fashion, choosing +his words with care, and gave the impression generally of a man of +learning and letters who had at the hands of fortune. + "We have retained these things for some days," said Holmes, "because +we expected to see an advertisement from you giving your address. I am +at a loss to know now why you did not advertise." + Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh. "Shillings have not been +so plentiful with me as they once were," he remarked. "I had no +doubt that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried off both my +hat and the bird. I did not care to spend more money in a hopeless +attempt at recovering them." + "Very naturally. By the way, about the bird, we were compelled to +eat it." + "To eat it!" Our visitor half rose from his chair in his excitement. + "Yes, it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so. But +I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard, which is about the +same weight and perfectly fresh, will answer your purpose equally +well?" + "Oh, certainly, certainly," answered Mr. Baker with a sigh of +relief. + "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of +your own bird, so if you wish-" + The man burst into a hearty laugh. "They might be useful to me as +relics of my adventure," said he, "but beyond that I can hardly see +what use the disjecta menbra of my late acquaintance are going to be +to me. No, sir, I think that, with your permission, I will confine +my attentions to the excellent bird which I perceive upon the +sideboard." + Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug +of his shoulders. + "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the +way, would it bore you to tell me where you got the other one from? +I am somewhat of a fowl fancier, and I have seldom seen a better grown +goose." + "Certainly, sir," said Baker, who had risen and tucked his newly +gained property under his arm. "There are a few of us who frequent the +Alpha Inn, near the Museum-we are to be found in the Museum itself +during the day, you understand. This year our good host, Windigate +by name, instituted a goose club, by which, on consideration of some +few pence every week, we were each to receive a bird at Christmas. +My pence were duly paid, and the rest is familiar to you. I am much +indebted to you, sir, for a Scotch bonnet is fitted neither to my +years nor my gravity." With a comical pomposity of manner he bowed +solemnly to both of us and strode off upon his way. + "So much for Mr. Henry Baker," said Holmes when he had closed the +door behind him. "It is quite certain that he knows nothing whatever +about the matter. Are you hungry, Watson?" + "Not particularly." + "Then I suggest that we turn our dinner into a supper and follow +up this clue while it is still hot." + "By all means." + It was a bitter night, so we drew on our ulsters and wrapped cravats +about our throats. Outside, the stars were shining coldly in a +cloudless sky, and the breath of the passers-by blew out into smoke +like so many pistol shots. Our footfalls rang out crisply and loudly +as we swung through the doctors' quarter, Wimpole Street, Harley +Street, and so through Wigmore Street into Oxford Street. In a quarter +of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at the Alpha Inn, which is a small +public-house at the corner of one of the streets which runs down into +Holborn. Holmes pushed open the door of the private bar and ordered +two glasses of beer from the ruddyfaced, white-aproned landlord. + "Your beer should be excellent if it is as good as your geese," said +he. + "My geese!" The man seemed surprised. + "Yes. I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker, who +was a member of your goose club." + "Ah! yes, I see. But you see, sir, them's not our geese." + "Indeed! Whose, then?" + "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." + "Indeed? I know some of them. Which was it?" + "Breckinridge is his name." + "Ah! I don't know him. Well, here's your good health, landlord, +and prosperity to your house. Good-night." + "Now for Mr. Breckinridge," he continued, buttoning up his coat as +we came out into the frosty air. "Remember, Watson, that though we +have so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this chain, we have at +the other a man who will certainly get seven years' penal servitude +unless we can establish his innocence. It is possible that our inquiry +may but confirm his guilt; but, in any case, we have a line of +investigation which has been missed by the police, and which a +singular chance has placed in our hands. Let us follow it out to the +bitter end. Faces to the south, then, and quick march!" + We passed across Holborn, down Endell Street, and so through a +zigzag of slums to Covent Garden Market. One of the largest stalls +bore the name of Breckinridge upon it, and the proprietor, a +horsy-looking man, with a sharp face and trim side whiskers, was +helping a boy to put up the shutters. + "Good-evening. It's a cold night," said Holmes. + The salesman nodded and shot a questioning glance at my companion. + "Sold out of geese, I see," continued Holmes, pointing at the bare +slabs of marble. + "Let you have five hundred to-morrow morning." + "That's no good." + "Well, there are some on the stall with the gas-flare." + "Ah, but I was recommended to you." + "Who by?" + "The landlord of the Alpha." + "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." + "Fine birds they were, too. Now where did you get them from?" + To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the +salesman. + "Now, then, mister," said he, with his bead cocked and his arms +akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now." + "It is straight enough. I should like to know who sold you the geese +which you supplied to the Alpha." + "Well, then, I shan't tell you. So now!" + "Oh, it is a matter of no importance; but I don't know why you +should be so warm over such a trifle." + "Warm! You'd be as warm, maybe, if you were as pestered as I am. +When I pay good money for a good article there should be an end of the +business; but it's 'Where are the geese?' and 'Who did you sell the +geese to?' and 'What will you take for the geese?' One would think +they were the only geese in the world, to hear the fuss that is made +over them." + "Well, I have no connection with any other people who have been +making inquiries," said Holmes carelessly. "If you won't tell us the +bet is off, that is all. But I'm always ready to back my opinion on +a matter of fowls, and I have a fiver on it that the bird I ate is +country bred." + "Well, then, you've lost your fiver, for it's town bred," snapped +the salesman. + "It's nothing of the kind." + "I say it is." + "I don't believe it." + "D'you think you know more about, fowls than I, who have handled +them ever since I was a nipper? I tell you, all those birds that +went to the Alpha were town bred." + "You'll never persuade me to believe that." + "Will you bet, then?" + "It's merely taking your money, for I know that I am right. But I'll +have a sovereign on with you, just to teach you not to be obstinate." + The salesman chuckled grimly. "Bring me the books, Bill," said he. + The small boy brought round a small thin volume and a great +greasy-backed one, laying them out together beneath the hanging lamp. + "Now then, Mr. Cocksure," said the salesman, "I thought that I was +out of geese, but before I finish you'll find that there is still +one left in my shop. You see this little book?" + "Well?" + "That's the list of the folk from whom I buy. D'you see? Well, then, +here on this page are the country folk, and the numbers after their +names are where their accounts are in the big ledger. Now, then! You +see this other page in red ink? Well, that is a list of my town +suppliers. Now, look at that third name. Just read it out to me." + "Mrs. Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road-249," read Holmes. + "Quite so. Now turn that up in the ledger." + Holmes turned to the page indicated. "Here you are, 'Mrs. +Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road, egg and poultry supplier.'" + "Now, then, what's the last entry?" + "'December 22nd. Twenty-four geese at 7s. 6d.'" + "Quite so. There you are. And underneath?" + "'Sold to Mr. Windigate of the Alpha, at 12S.'" + "What have you to say now?" + Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined. He drew a sovereign from +his pocket and threw it down upon the slab, turning away with the +air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words. A few yards off he +stopped under a lamp-post and laughed in the hearty, noiseless fashion +which was peculiar to him. + "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'Pink 'un' +protruding out of his pocket, you can always draw him by a bet," +said he. "I daresay that if I had put L100 down in front of him, +that man would not have given me such complete information as was +drawn from him by the idea that he was doing me on a wager. Well, +Watson, we are, I fancy, nearing the end of our quest, and the only +point which remains to be determined is whether we should go on to +this Mrs. Oakshott to-night, or whether we should reserve it for +to-morrow. It is clear from what that surly fellow said that there are +others besides ourselves who are anxious about the matter, and I +should-" + His remarks were suddenly cut short by a loud hubbub which broke out +from the stall which we had just left. Turning round we saw a little +rat-faced fellow standing in the centre of the circle of yellow +light which was thrown by the swinging lamp, while Breckinridge, the +salesman, framed in the door of his stall, was shaking his fists +fiercely at the cringing figure. + "I've had enough of you and your geese," he shouted. "I wish you +were all at the devil together. If you come pestering me any more with +your silly talk I'll set the dog at you. You bring Mrs. Oakshott +here and I'll answer her, but what have you to do with it? Did I buy +the geese off you?" + "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little man. + "Well, then, ask Mrs. Oakshott for it." + "She told me to ask you." + "Well, you can ask the King of Proosia, for all I care. I've had +enough of it. Get out of this!" He rushed fiercely forward, and the +inquirer flitted away into the darkness. + "Ha! this may save us a visit to Brixton Road," whispered Holmes. +"Come with me, and we will see what is to be made of this fellow." +Striding through the scattered knots of people who lounged round the +flaring stalls, my companion speedily overtook the little man and +touched him upon the shoulder. He sprang round, and I could see in the +gas-light that every vestige of colour had been driven from his face. + "Who are you, then? What do you want?" he asked in a quavering +voice. + "You will excuse me," said Holmes blandly, "but I could not help +overhearing the questions which you put to the salesman just now. I +think that I could be of assistance to you." + "You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?" + "My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other +people don't know." + "But you can know nothing of this?" + "Excuse me, I know everything of it. You are endeavouring to trace +some geese which were sold by Mrs. Oakshott, of Brixton Road, to a +salesman named Breckinridge, by him in turn to Mr. Windigate, of the +Alpha, and by him to his club, of which Mr. Henry Baker is a member." + "Oh, sir, you are the very man whom I have longed to meet," cried +the little fellow with outstretched hands and quivering fingers. "I +can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter." + Sherlock Holmes hailed a four-wheeler which was passing. "In that +case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in this +wind-swept market-place," said he. "But pray tell me, before we go +farther, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting." + The man hesitated for an instant. "My name is John Robinson," he +answered with a sidelong glance. + "No, no; the real name," said Holmes sweetly. "It is always +awkward doing business with an alias." + A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger. "Well, then," +said he, "my real name is James Ryder.' + "Precisely so. Head attendant at the Hotel Cosmopolitan. Pray step +into the cab, and I shall soon be able to tell you everything which +you would wish to know." + The little man stood glancing from one to the other of us with +half-frightened, half-hopeful eyes, as one who is not sure whether +he is on the verge of a windfall or of a catastrophe. Then he +stepped into the cab, and in half an hour we were back in the +sitting-room at Baker Street. Nothing had been said during our +drive, but the high, thin breathing of our new companion, and the +claspings and unclaspings of his hands, spoke of the nervous tension +within him. + "Here we are!" said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room. +"The fire looks very seasonable in this weather. You look cold, Mr. +Ryder. Pray take the basketchair. I will just put on my slippers +before we settle this little matter of yours. Now, then! You want to +know what became of those geese?" + "Yes, sir." + "Or rather, I fancy, of that goose. It was one bird, I imagine, in +which you were interested-white, with a black bar across the tail." + Ryder quivered with emotion. "Oh, sir," he cried, "can you tell me +where it went to?" + "It came here." + "Here?" + "Yes and a most remarkable bird it proved. I don't wonder that you +should take an interest in it. It laid an egg after it was dead-the +bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen. I have it here +in my museum." + Our visitor staggered to his feet and clutched the mantelpiece +with his right hand. Holmes unlocked his strong-box and held up the +blue carbuncle, which shone out like a star, with a cold, brilliant, +many-pointed radiance. Ryder stood glaring with a drawn face, +uncertain whether to claim or to disown it. + "The game's up, Ryder," said Holmes quietly. "Hold up, man, or +you'll be into the fire! Give him an arm back into his chair, +Watson. He's not got blood enough to go in for felony with impunity. +Give him a dash of brandy. So! Now he looks a little more human. +What a shrimp it is, to be sure!" + For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy +brought a tinge of colour into his cheeks, and he sat staring with +frightened eyes at his accuser. + "I have almost every link in my hands, and all the proofs which I +could possibly need, so there is little which you need tell me. Still, +that little may as well be cleared up to make the case complete. You +had heard, Ryder, of this blue stone of the Countess of Morcar's?" + "It was Catherine Cusack who told me of it" said he in a crackling +voice. + "I see-her ladyship's waiting-maid. Well, the temptation of sudden +wealth so easily acquired was too much for you, as it has been for +better men before you; but you were not very scrupulous in the means +you used. It seems to me, Ryder, that there is the making of a very +pretty villain in you. You knew that this man Homer, the plumber, +had been concerned in some such matter before, and that suspicion +would rest the more readily upon him. What did you do, then? You +made some small job in my lady's room-you and your confederate +Cusack-and you managed that he should be the man sent for. Then. +when he had left, you rifled the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had +this unfortunate man arrested. You then-" + Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my +companion's knees. "For God's sake, have mercy!" he shrieked. "Think +of my father! of my mother! It would break their hearts. I never +went wrong before! I never will again. I swear it. I'll swear it on +a Bible. Oh, don't bring it into court! For Christ's sake, don't!" + "Get back into your chair!" said Holmes sternly. "It is very well to +cringe and crawl now, but you thought little enough of this poor +Hornerin the dock for a crime of which he knew nothing." + "I will fly, Mr. Holmes. I will leave the country, sir. Then the +charge against him will break down." + "Hum! We will talk about that. And now let us hear a true account of +the next act. How came the stone into the goose, and how came the +goose into the open market? Tell us the truth, for there lies your +only hope of safety." + Ryder passed his tongue over his parched lips. "I will tell you it +just as it happened, sir," said he. "When Hornerhad been arrested, +it seemed to me that it would be best for me to get away with the +stone at once, for I did not know at what moment the police might +not take it into their heads to search me and my room. There was no +place about the hotel where it would be safe. I went out, as if on +some commission, and I made for my sister's house. She had married a +man named Oakshott, and lived in Brixton Road, where she fattened +fowls for the market. All the way there every man I met seemed to me +to be a policeman or a detective; and, for all that it was a cold +night, the sweat was pouring down my face before I came to the Brixton +Road. My sister asked me what was the matter, and why I was so pale; +but I told her that I had been upset by the jewel robbery at the +hotel. Then I went into the back yard and smoked a pipe, and +wondered what it would be best to do. + "I had a friend once called Maudsley, who went to the bad, and has +just been serving his time in Pentonville. One day he had met me, +and fell into talk about the ways of thieves, and how they could get +rid of what they stole. I knew that he would be true to me, for I knew +one or two things about him; so I made up my mind to go right on to +Kilburn, where he lived, and take him into my confidence. He would +show me how to turn the stone into money. But how to get to him in +safety? I thought of the agonies I had gone through in coming from the +hotel. I might at any moment be seized and searched, and there would +be the stone in my waistcoat pocket. I was leaning against the wall at +the time and looking at the geese which were waddling about round my +feet, and suddenly an idea came into my head which showed me how I +could beat the best detective that ever lived. + "My sister had told me some weeks before that I might have the +pick of her geese for a Christmas present and I knew that she was +always as good as her word. I would take my goose now, and in it I +would carry my stone to Kilburn. There was a little shed in the +yard, and behind this I drove one of the birds-a fine big one, +white, with a barred tail. I caught it, and, prying its bill open, I +thrust the stone down its throat as far as my finger could reach. +The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass along its gullet and +down into its crop. But the creature flapped and struggled, and out +came my sister to know what was the matter. As I turned to speak to +her the brute broke loose and fluttered off among the others. + "'Whatever were you doing with that bird, Jem?' says she. + "'Well,' said I, 'you said you'd give me one for Christmas, and I +was feeling which was the fattest.' + "'Oh,' says she, 'we've set yours aside for you- Jem's bird, we +call it. It's the big white one over yonder. There's twenty-six of +them, which makes one for you, and one for us, and two dozen for the +market.' + "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, I'd +rather have that one I was handling just now.' + "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we +fattened it expressly for you.' + "'Never mind. Ill have the other, and I'll take it now,' said I. + "'Oh, just as you like,' said she, a little huffed. 'Which is it you +want, then?' + "'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the +flock.' + "'Oh, very well. Kill it and take it with you.' + "Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird all +the way to Kilburn. I told my pal what I had done, for he was a man +that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed until he +choked, and we got a knife and opened the goose. My heart turned to +water, for there was no sign of the stone, and I knew that some +terrible mistake had occurred. I left the bird, rushed back to my +sister's, and hurried into the back yard. There was not a bird to be +seen there. + "'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried. + "'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.' + "'Which dealer's?' + "'Breckinridge, of Covent Garden.' + "'But was there another with a barred tail?' I asked, 'the same as +the one I chose?' + "'Yes, Jem; there were two barred-tailed ones, and I could never +tell them apart.' + "Well, then, of course I saw it all, and I ran off as hard as my +feet would carry me to this man Breckinridge; but he had sold the +lot at once, and not one word would he tell me as to where they had +gone. You heard him yourselves to-night. Well, he has always +answered me like that. My sister thinks that I am going mad. Sometimes +I think that I am myself. And now-and now I am myself a branded thief, +without ever having touched the wealth for which I sold my +character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into convulsive +sobbing, with his face buried in his hands. + There was a long silence, broken only by his heavy breathing, and by +the measured tapping of Sherlock Holmes's finger-tips upon the edge of +the table. Then my friend rose and threw open the door. + "Get out!" said he. + "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" + "No more words. Get out!" + And no more words were needed. There was a rush, a clatter upon +the stairs, the bang of a door, and the crisp rattle of running +footfalls from the street. + "After all, Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his +clay pipe, "I am not retained by the police to supply their +deficiencies. If Hornerwere in danger it would be another thing, but +this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must collapse. I +suppose that I am commuting a felony, but it is just possible that I +am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong again; he is too +terribly frightened. Send him to jail now, and you make him a +jail-bird for life. Besides, it is the season of forgiveness. Chance +has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and its +solution is its own reward. If you will have the goodness to touch the +bell, Doctor, we will begin another investigation, in which, also a +bird will be the chief feature." +- +- + -THE END- \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/P2/Sherlock_card.txt b/P2/Sherlock_card.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..535c0c8 --- /dev/null +++ b/P2/Sherlock_card.txt @@ -0,0 +1,764 @@ + + 1893 + + SHERLOCK HOLMES + + THE ADVENTURE OF THE CARDBOARD BOX + + by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle + + In choosing a few typical cases which illustrate the remarkable +mental qualities of my friend, Sherlock Holmes, I have endeavoured, as +far as possible, to select those which presented the minimum of +sensationalism, while offering a fair field for his talents. It is, +however, unfortunately impossible entirely to separate the sensational +from the criminal, and a chronicler is left in the dilemma that he +must either sacrifice details which are essential to his statement and +so give a false impression of the problem, or he must use matter which +chance, and not choice, has provided him with. With this short preface +I shall turn to my notes of what proved to be a strange, though a +peculiarly terrible, chain of events. + It was a blazing hot day in August. Baker Street was like an oven, +and the glare of the sunlight upon the yellow brickwork of the house +across the road was painful to the eye. It was hard to believe that +these were the same walls which loomed so gloomily through the fogs of +winter. Our blinds were half-drawn, and Holmes lay curled upon the +sofa, reading and re-reading a letter which he had received by the +morning post. For myself, my term of service in India had trained me +to stand heat better than cold, and a thermometer at ninety was no +hardship. But the morning paper was uninteresting. Parliament had +risen. Everybody was out of town, and I yearned for the glades of +the New Forest or the shingle of Southsea. A depleted bank account had +caused me to postpone my holiday, and as to my companion, neither +the country nor the sea presented the slightest attraction to him. +He loved to lie in the very centre of five millions of people, with +his filaments stretching out and running through them, responsive to +every little rumour or suspicion of unsolved crime. Appreciation of +nature found no place among his many gifts, and his only change was +when he turned his mind from the evil-doer of the town to track down +his brother of the country. + Finding that Holmes was too absorbed for conversation I had tossed +aside the barren paper, and leaning back in my chair I fell into a +brown study. Suddenly my companion's voice broke in upon my thoughts: + "You are right, Watson," said he. "It does seem a most +preposterous way of settling a dispute." + "Most preposterous!" I exclaimed, and then suddenly realizing how he +had echoed the inmost thought of my soul, I sat up in my chair and +stared at him in blank amazement. + "What is this, Holmes?" I cried. "This is beyond anything which I +could have imagined." + He laughed heartily at my perplexity. + "You remember," said he, "that some little time ago when I read +you the passage in one of Poe's sketches in which a close reasoner +follows the unspoken thoughts of his companion, you were inclined to +treat the matter as a mere tour-de-force of the author. On my +remarking that I was constantly in the habit of doing the same thing +you expressed incredulity." + "Oh, no!" + "Perhaps not with your tongue, my dear Watson, but certainly with +your eyebrows. So when I saw you throw down your paper and enter +upon a train of thought, I was very happy to have the opportunity of +reading it off, and eventually of breaking into it, as a proof that +I had been in rapport with you." + But I was still far from satisfied. "In the example which you read +to me," said I, "the reasoner drew his conclusions from the actions of +the man whom he observed. If I remember right, he stumbled over a heap +of stones, looked up at the stars, and so on. But I have been seated +quietly in my chair, and what clues can I have given you?" + "You do yourself an injustice. The features are given to man as +the means by which he shall express his emotions, and yours are +faithful servants." + "Do you mean to say that you read my train of thoughts from my +features?" + "Your features and especially your eyes. Perhaps you cannot yourself +recall how your reverie commenced?" + "No, I cannot." + "Then I will tell you. After throwing down your paper, which was the +action which drew my attention to you, you sat for half a minute +with a vacant expression. Then your eyes fixed themselves upon your +newly framed picture of General Gordon, and I saw by the alteration in +your face that a train of thought had been started. But it did not +lead very far. Your eyes flashed across to the unframed portrait of +Henry Ward Beecher which stands upon the top of your books. Then you +glanced up at the wall, and of course your meaning was obvious. You +were thinking that if the portrait were framed it would just cover +that bare space and correspond with Gordon's picture over there." + "You have followed me wonderfully!" I exclaimed. + "So far I could hardly have gone astray. But now your thoughts +went back to Beecher, and you looked hard across as if you were +studying the character in his features. Then your eyes ceased to +pucker, but you continued to look across, and your face was +thoughtful. You were recalling the incidents of Beecher's career. I +was well aware that you could not do this without thinking of the +mission which he undertook on behalf of the North at the time of the +Civil War, for I remember your expressing your passionate +indignation at the way in which he was received by the more +turbulent of our people. You felt so strongly about it that I knew you +could not think of Beecher without thinking of that also. When a +moment later I saw your eyes wander away from the picture, I suspected +that your mind had now turned to the Civil War, and when I observed +that your lips set, your eyes sparkled, and your hands clenched I +was positive that you were indeed thinking of the gallantry which +was shown by both sides in that desperate struggle. But then, again, +your face grew sadder; you shook your head. You were dwelling upon the +sadness and horror and useless waste of life. Your hand stole +towards your own old wound and a smile quivered on your lips, which +showed me that the ridiculous side of this method of settling +international questions had forced itself upon your mind. At this +point I agreed with you that it was preposterous and was glad to +find that all my deductions had been correct." + "Absolutely!" said I. "And now that you have explained it, I confess +that I am as amazed as before." + "It was very superficial, my dear Watson, I assure you. I should not +have intruded it upon your attention had you not shown some +incredulity the other day. But I have in my hands here a little +problem which may prove to be more difficult of solution than my small +essay in thought reading. Have you observed in the paper a short +paragraph referring to the remarkable contents of a packet sent +through the post to Miss Cushing, of Cross Street Croydon?" + "No, I saw nothing." + "Ah! then you must have overlooked it. Just toss it over to me. Here +it is, under the financial column. Perhaps you would be good enough to +read it aloud." + I picked up the paper which he had thrown back to me and read the +paragraph indicated. It was headed, "A Gruesome Packet." +- + "Miss Susan Cushing, living at Cross Street, Croydon, has been made +the victim of what must be regarded as a peculiarly revolting +practical joke unless some more sinister meaning should prove to be +attached to the incident. At two o'clock yesterday afternoon a small +packet, wrapped in brown paper, was handed in by the postman. A +cardboard box was inside, which was filled with coarse salt. On +emptying this, Miss Cushing was horrified to find two human ears, +apparently quite freshly severed. The box had been sent by parcel post +from Belfast upon the morning before. There is no indication as to the +sender, and the matter is the more mysterious as Miss Cushing, who +is a maiden lady of fifty, has led a most retired life, and has so few +acquaintances or correspondents that it is a rare event for her to +receive anything through the post. Some years ago, however, when she +resided at Penge, she let apartments in her house to three young +medical students, whom she was obliged to get rid of on account of +their noisy and irregular habits. The police are of opinion that +this outrage may have been perpetrated upon Miss Cushing by these +youths, who owed her a grudge and who hoped to frighten her by sending +her these relics of the dissecting-rooms. Some probability is lent +to the theory by the fact that one of these students came from the +north of Ireland, and, to the best of Miss Cushing's belief, from +Belfast. In the meantime, the matter is being actively investigated, +Mr. Lestrade, one of the very smartest of our detective officers, +being in charge of the case." +- + "So much for the Daily Chronicle," said Holmes as I finished +reading. "Now for our friend Lestrade. I had a note from him this +morning, in which he says: +- + "I think that this case is very much in your line. We have every +hope of clearing the matter up, but we find a little difficulty in +getting anything to work upon. We have, of course, wired to the +Belfast post-office, but a large number of parcels were handed in upon +that day, and they have no means of identifying this particular one, +or of remembering the sender. The box is a half-pound box of +honeydew tobacco and does not help us in any way. The medical +student theory still appears to me to be the most feasible, but if you +should have a few hours to spare I should be very happy to see you out +here. I shall be either at the house or in the police-station all day. +- +What say you, Watson? Can you rise superior to the heat and run down +to Croydon with me on the off chance of a case for your annals?" + "I was longing for something to do." + "You shall have it then. Ring for our boots and tell them to order a +cab. I'll be back in a moment when I have changed my dressing-gown and +filled my cigar-case." + A shower of rain fell while we were in the train, and the heat was +far less oppressive in Croydon than in town. Holmes had sent on a +wire, so that Lestrade, as wiry, as dapper, and as ferret-like as +ever, was waiting for us at the station. A walk of five minutes took +us to Cross Street, where Miss Cushing resided. + It was a very long street of two-story brick houses, neat and +prim, with whitened stone steps, and little groups of aproned women +gossiping at the doors. Halfway down, Lestrade stopped and tapped at a +door, which was opened by a small servant girl. Miss Cushing was +sitting in the front room, into which we were ushered. She was a +placid-faced woman, with large, gentle eyes, and grizzled hair curving +down over her temples on each side. A worked antimacassar lay upon her +lap and a basket of coloured silks stood upon a stool beside her. + "They are in the outhouse, those dreadful things," said she as +Lestrade entered. I wish that you would take them away altogether." + "So I shall, Miss Cushing. I only kept them here until my friend, +Mr. Holmes, should have seen them in your presence." + "Why in my presence, sir?" + "In case he wished to ask any questions." + "What is the use of asking me questions when I tell you I know +nothing whatever about it?" + "Quite so, madam," said Holmes in his soothing way. "I have no doubt +that you have been annoyed more than enough already over this +business." + "Indeed, I have, sir. I am a quiet woman and live a retired life. It +is something new for me to see my name in the papers and to find the +police in my house. I won't have those things in here, Mr. Lestrade. +If you wish to see them you must go to the outhouse." + It was a small shed in the narrow garden which ran behind the house. +Lestrade went in and brought out a yellow cardboard box, with a +piece of brown paper and some string. There was a bench at the end +of the path, and we all sat down while Holmes examined, one by one, +the articles which Lestrade had handed to him. + "The string is exceedingly interesting," he remarked, holding it +up to the light and sniffing at it. "What do you make of this +string, Lestrade?" + "It has been tarred." + "Precisely. It is a piece of tarred twine. You have also, no +doubt, remarked that Miss Cushing has cut the cord with a scissors, as +can be seen by the double fray on each side. This is of importance." + "I cannot see the importance," said Lestrade. + "The importance lies in the fact that the knot is left intact, and +that this knot is of a peculiar character." + "It is very neatly tied. I had already made a note to that effect" +said Lestrade complacently. + "So much for the string, then," said Holmes, smiling, "now for the +box wrapper. Brown paper, with a distinct smell of coffee. What did +you not observe it? I think there can be no doubt of it. Address +printed in rather straggling characters: 'Miss S. Cushing, Cross +Street, Croydon.' Done with a broad-pointed pen, probably a J and with +very inferior ink. The word 'Croydon' has been originally spelled with +an 'i,' which has been changed to 'y.' The parcel was directed, +then, by a man- the printing is distinctly masculine- of limited +education and unacquainted with the town of Croydon. So far, so +good! The box is a yellow, half-pound honeydew box, with nothing +distinctive save two thumb marks at the left bottom corner. It is +filled with rough salt of the quality used for preserving hides and +other of the coarser commercial purposes. And embedded in it are these +very singular enclosures." + He took out the two ears as he spoke, and laying a board across +his knee he examined them minutely, while Lestrade and I, bending +forward on each side of him, glanced alternately at these dreadful +relics and at the thoughtful, eager face of our companion. Finally +he returned them to the box once more and sat for a while in deep +meditation. + "You have observed, of course," said he at last, "that the ears +are not a pair." + "Yes, I have noticed that. But if this were the practical joke of +some students from the dissecting-rooms, it would be as easy for +them to send two odd ears as a pair. + "Precisely. But this is not a practical joke." + "You are sure of it?" + "The presumption is strongly against it. Bodies in the +dissecting-rooms are injected with preservative fluid. These ears bear +no signs of this. They are fresh, too. They have been cut off with a +blunt instrument, which would hardly happen if a student had done +it. Again, carbolic or rectified spirits would be the preservatives +which would suggest themselves to the medical mind, certainly not +rough salt. I repeat that there is no practical joke here, but that we +are investigating a serious crime." + A vague thrill ran through me as I listened to my companion's +words and saw the stern gravity which had hardened his features. +This brutal preliminary seemed to shadow forth some strange and +inexplicable horror in the background. Lestrade, however, shook his +head like a man who is only half convinced. + "There are objections to the joke theory, no doubt" said he, "but +there are much stronger reasons against the other. We know that this +woman has led a most quiet and respectable life at Penge and here +for the last twenty years. She has hardly been away from her home +for a day during that time. Why on earth, then, should any criminal +send her the proofs of his guilt, especially as, unless she is a +most consummate actress, she understands quite as little of the matter +as we do?" + "That is the problem which we have to solve," Holmes answered, +"and for my part I shall set about it by presuming that my reasoning +is correct and that a double murder has been committed. One of these +ears is a woman's, small, finely formed, and pierced for an earring. +The other is a man's, sun-burned, discoloured, and also pierced for an +earring. These two people are presumably dead, or we should have heard +their story before now. To-day is Friday. The packet was posted on +Thursday morning. The tragedy, then, occurred on Wednesday or Tuesday, +or earlier. If the two people were murdered, who but their murderer +would have sent this sign of his work to Miss Cushing? We may take +it that the sender of the packet is the man whom we want. But he +must have some strong reason for sending Miss Cushing this packet. +What reason then? It must have been to tell her that the deed was +done! or to pain her, perhaps. But in that case she knows who it is. +Does she know? I doubt it. If she knew, why should she call the police +in? She might have buried the ears, and no one would have been the +wiser. That is what she would have done if she had wished to shield +the criminal. But if she does not wish to shield him she would give +his name. There is a tangle here which needs straightening out." He +had been talking in a high, quick voice, staring blankly up over the +garden fence, but now he sprang briskly to his feet and walked towards +the house. + "I have a few questions to ask Miss Cushing," said he. + "In that case I may leave you here" said Lestrade, "for I have +another small business on hand. I think that I have nothing further to +learn from Miss Cushing. You will find me at the police-station." + "We shall look in on our way to the train," answered Holmes. A +moment later he and I were back in the front room, where the impassive +lady was still quietly working away at her antimacassar. She put it +down on her lap as we entered and looked at us with her frank, +searching blue eyes. + "I am convinced, sir," she said, "that this matter is a mistake, and +that the parcel was never meant for me at all. I have said this +several times to the gentleman from Scotland Yard, but he simply +laughs at me. I have not an enemy in the world, as far as I know, so +why should anyone play me such a trick?" + "I am coming to be of the same opinion, Miss Cushing," said +Holmes, taking a seat beside her. "I think that it is more than +probable-" he paused, and I was surprised, on glancing round to see +that he was staring with singular intentness at the lady's profile. +Surprise and satisfaction were both for an instant to be read upon his +eager face, though when she glanced round to find out the cause of his +silence he had become as demure as ever. I stared hard myself at her +flat, grizzled hair, her trim cap, her little gilt earrings, her +placid features; but I could see nothing which could account for my +companion's evident excitement. + "There were one or two questions-" + "Oh, I am weary of questions!" cried Miss Cushing impatiently. + "You have two sisters, I believe." + "How could you know that?" + "I observed the very instant that I entered the room that you have a +portrait group of three ladies upon the mantelpiece, one of whom is +undoubtedly yourself, while the others are so exceedingly like you +that there could be no doubt of the relationship." + "Yes, you are quite right. Those are my sisters, Sarah and Mary." + "And here at my elbow is another portrait taken at Liverpool, of +your younger sister, in the company of a man who appears to be a +steward by his uniform. I observe that she was unmarried at the time." + "You are very quick at observing." + "That is my trade." + "Well, you are quite right. But she was married to Mr. Browner a few +days afterwards. He was on the South American line when that was +taken, but he was so fond of her that he couldn't abide to leave her +for so long, and he got into the Liverpool and London boats." + "Ah, the Conqueror, perhaps?" + "No, the May Day, when last I heard. Jim came down here to see me +once. That was before he broke the pledge, but afterwards he would +always take drink when he was ashore, and a little drink would send +him stark, staring mad. Ah! it was a bad day that ever he took a glass +in his hand again. First he dropped me, then he quarrelled with Sarah, +and now that Mary has stopped writing we don't know how things are +going with them." + It was evident that Miss Cushing had come upon a subject on which +she felt very deeply. Like most people who lead a lonely life, she was +shy at first, but ended by becoming extremely communicative. She +told us many details about her brother-in-law the steward, and then +wandering off on the subject of her former lodgers, the medical +students, she gave us a long account of their delinquencies, with +their names and those of their hospitals. Holmes listened +attentively to everything, throwing in a question from time to time. + "About your second sister, Sarah," said he. "I wonder, since you are +both maiden ladies, that you do not keep house together." + "Ah! you don't know Sarah's temper or you would wonder no more. I +tried it when I came to Croydon, and we kept on until about two months +ago, when we had to part. I don't want to say a word against my own +sister, but she was always meddlesome and hard to please, was Sarah." + "You say that she quarrelled with your Liverpool relations." + "Yes, and they were the best of friends at one time. Why, she went +up there to live in order to be near them. And now she has no word +hard enough for Jim Browner. The last six months that she was here she +would speak of nothing but his drinking and his ways. He had caught +her meddling, I suspect, and given her a bit of his mind, and that was +the start of it." + "Thank you, Miss Cushing," said Holmes, rising and bowing. "Your +sister Sarah lives, I think you said, at New Street, Wallington? +Good-bye, and I am very sorry that you have been troubled over a +case with which, as you say, you have nothing whatever to do." + There was a cab passing as we came out, and Holmes hailed it. + "How far to Wallington?" he asked. + "Only about a mile, sir." + "Very good. jump in, Watson. We must strike while the iron is hot. +Simple as the case is, there have been one or two very instructive +details in connection with it. Just pull up at a telegraph office as +you pass, cabby." + Holmes sent off a short wire and for the rest of the drive lay +back in the cab, with his hat tilted over his nose to keep the sun +from his face. Our driver pulled up at a house which was not unlike +the one which we had just quitted. My companion ordered him to wait, +and had his hand upon the knocker, when the door opened and a grave +young gentleman in black, with a very shiny hat, appeared on the step. + "Is Miss Cushing at home?" asked Holmes. + "Miss Sarah Cushing is extremely ill," said he. "She has been +suffering since yesterday from brain symptoms of great severity. As +her medical adviser, I cannot possibly take the responsibility of +allowing anyone to see her. I should recommend you to call again in +ten days." He drew on his gloves, closed the door, and marched off +down the street. + "Well, if we can't we can't," said Holmes, cheerfully. + "Perhaps she could not or would not have told you much." + "I did not wish her to tell me anything. I only wanted to look at +her. However, I think that I have got all that I want. Drive us to +some decent hotel, cabby, where we may have some lunch, and afterwards +we shall drop down upon friend Lestrade at the police-station." + We had a pleasant little meal together, during which Holmes would +talk about nothing but violins, narrating with great exultation how he +had purchased his own Stradivarius, which was worth at least five +hundred guineas, at a Jew broker's in Tottenham Court Road for +fifty-five shillings. This led him to Paganini, and we sat for an hour +over a bottle of claret while he told me anecdote after anecdote of +that extraordinary man. The afternoon was far advanced and the hot +glare had softened into a mellow glow before we found ourselves at the +police-station. Lestrade was waiting for us at the door. + "A telegram for you, Mr. Holmes," said he. + "Ha! It is the answer!" He tore it open, glanced his eyes over it, +and crumpled it into his pocket. "That's all right" said he. + "Have you found out anything?" + "I have found out everything!" + "What!" Lestrade stared at him in amazement. "You are joking." + "I was never more serious in my life. A shocking crime has been +committed, and I think I have now laid bare every detail of it." + "And the criminal?" + Holmes scribbled a few words upon the back of one of his visiting +cards and threw it over to Lestrade. + "That is the name," he said. "You cannot effect an arrest until +to-morrow night at the earliest. I should prefer that you do not +mention my name at all in connection with the case, as I choose to +be only associated with those crimes which present some difficulty +in their solution. Come on, Watson." We strode off together to the +station, leaving Lestrade still staring with a delighted face at the +card which Holmes had thrown him. +- + "The case," said Sherlock Holmes as we chatted over our cigars +that night in our rooms at Baker Street, "is one where, as in the +investigations which you have chronicled under the names of 'A Study +in Scarlet' and of 'The Sign of Four,' we have been compelled to +reason backward from effects to causes. I have written to Lestrade +asking him to supply us with the details which are now wanting, and +which he will only get after he has secured his man. That he may be +safely trusted to do, for although he is absolutely devoid of +reason, he is as tenacious as a bulldog when he once understands +what he has to do, and, indeed, it is just this tenacity which has +brought him to the top at Scotland Yard." + "Your case is not complete, then?" I asked. + "It is fairly complete in essentials. We know who the author of +the revolting business is, although one of the victims still escapes +us. Of course, you have formed your own conclusions." + "I presume that this Jim Browner, the steward of a Liverpool boat, +is the man whom you suspect?" + "Oh! it is more than a suspicion." + "And yet I cannot see anything save very vague indications." + "On the contrary, to my mind nothing could be more clear. Let me run +over the principal steps. We approached the case, you remember, with +an absolutely blank mind, which is always an advantage. We had +formed no theories. We were simply there to observe and to draw +inferences from our observations. What did we see first? A very placid +and respectable lady, who seemed quite innocent of any secret, and a +portrait which showed me that she had two younger sisters. It +instantly flashed across my mind that the box might have been meant +for one of these. I set the idea aside as one which could be disproved +or confirmed at our leisure. Then we went to the garden, as you +remember, and we saw the very singular contents of the little yellow +box. + "The string was of the quality which is used by sailmakers aboard +ship, and at once a whiff of the sea was perceptible in our +investigation. When I observed that the knot was one which is +popular with sailors, that the parcel had been posted at a port, and +that the male ear was pierced for an earring which is so much more +common among sailors than landsmen, I was quite certain that an the +actors in the tragedy were to be found among our seafaring classes. + "When I came to examine the address of the packet I observed that it +was to Miss S. Cushing. Now, the oldest sister would, of course, be +Miss Cushing, and although her initial was 'S' it might belong to +one of the others as well. In that case we should have to commence our +investigation from a fresh basis altogether. I therefore went into the +house with the intention of clearing up this point. I was about to +assure Miss Cushing that I was convinced that a mistake had been +made when you may remember that I came suddenly to a stop. The fact +was that I had just seen something which filled me with surprise and +at the same time narrowed the field of our inquiry immensely. + "As a medical man, you are aware, Watson, that there is no part of +the body which varies so much as the human ear. Each ear is as a +rule quite distinctive and differs from all other ones. In last +years Anthropological Journal you will find two short monographs +from my pen upon the subject. I had, therefore, examined the ears in +the box with the eyes of an expert and had carefully noted their +anatomical peculiarities. Imagine my surprise, then, when on looking +at Miss Cushing I perceived that her ear corresponded exactly with the +female ear which I had just inspected. The matter was entirely +beyond coincidence. There was the same shortening of the pinna, the +same broad curve of the upper lobe, the same convolution of the +inner cartilage. In all essentials it was the same ear. + "Of course I at once saw the enormous importance of the observation. +It was evident that the victim was a blood relation, and probably a +very close one. I began to talk to her about her family, and you +remember that she at once gave us some exceedingly valuable details. + "In the first place, her sisters name was Sarah, and her address had +until recently been the same, so that it was quite obvious how the +mistake had occurred and for whom the packet was meant. Then we +heard of this steward, married to the third sister, and learned that +he had at one time been so intimate with Miss Sarah that she had +actually gone up to Liverpool to be near the Browners, but a quarrel +had afterwards divided them. This quarrel had put a stop to all +communications for some months, so that if Browner had occasion to +address a packet to Miss Sarah, he would undoubtedly have done so to +her old address. + "And now the matter had begun to straighten itself out +wonderfully. We had learned of the existence of this steward, an +impulsive man, of strong passions- you remember that he threw up +what must have been a very superior berth in order to be nearer to his +wife- subject, too, to occasional fits of hard drinking. We had reason +to believe that his wife had been murdered, and that a man- presumably +a seafaring man- had been murdered at the same time. Jealousy, of +course, at once suggests itself as the motive for the crime. And why +should these proofs of the deed be sent to Miss Sarah Cushing? +Probably because during her residence in Liverpool she had some hand +in bringing about the events which led to the tragedy. You will +observe that this line of boats calls at Belfast Dublin, and +Waterford; so that, presuming that Browner had committed the deed +and had embarked at once upon his steamer, the May Day, Belfast +would be the first place at which he could post his terrible packet. + "A second solution was at this stage obviously possible, and +although I thought it exceedingly unlikely, I was determined to +elucidate it before going further. An unsuccessful lover might have +killed Mr. and Mrs. Browner, and the male ear might have belonged to +the husband. There were many grave objections to this theory, but it +was conceivable. I therefore sent off a telegram to my friend Algar, +of the Liverpool force, and asked him to find out if Mrs. Browner were +at home, and if Browner had departed in the May Day. Then we went on +to Wallington to visit Miss Sarah. + "I was curious, in the first place, to see how far the family ear +had been reproduced in her. Then, of course, she might give us very +important information, but I was not sanguine that she would. She must +have heard of the business the day before, since all Croydon was +ringing with it, and she alone could have understood for whom the +packet was meant. If she had been willing to help justice she would +probably have communicated with the police already. However, it was +clearly our duty to see her, so we went. We found that the news of the +arrival of the packet- for her illness dated from that time- had +such an effect upon her as to bring on brain fever. It was clearer +than ever that she understood its full significance, but equally clear +that we should have to wait some time for any assistance from her. + "However, we were really independent of her help. Our answers were +waiting for us at the police-station, where I had directed Algar to +send them. Nothing could be more conclusive. Mrs. Browner's house +had been closed for more than three days, and the neighbours were of +opinion that she had gone south to see her relatives. It had been +ascertained at the shipping offices that Browner had left aboard of +the May Day, and I calculate that she is due in the Thames tomorrow +night. When he arrives he will be met by the obtuse but resolute +Lestrade, and I have no doubt that we shall have all our details +filled in." + Sherlock Holmes was not disappointed in his expectations. Two days +later he received a bulky envelope, which contained a short note +from the detective, and a typewritten document which covered several +pages of foolscap. + "Lestrade has got him all right," said Holmes, glancing up at me. +"Perhaps it would interest you to hear what he says. +- +My Dear Holmes: + "In accordance with the scheme which we had formed in order to +test our theories" ["the 'we' is rather fine, Watson, is it not?"] +"I went down to the Albert Dock yesterday at 6 P.M., and boarded the +S.S. May Day, belonging to the Liverpool, Dublin, and London Steam +Packet Company. On inquiry, I found that there was a steward on +board of the name of James Browner and that he had acted during the +voyage in such an extraordinary manner that the captain had been +compelled to relieve him of his duties. On descending to his berth, +I found him seated upon a chest with his head sunk upon his hands, +rocking himself to and fro. He is a big, powerful chap, +clean-shaven, and very swarthy- something like Aldridge, who helped us +in the bogus laundry affair. He jumped up when he heard my business, +and I had my whistle to my lips to call a couple of river police, +who were round the corner, but he seemed to have no heart in him, +and he held out his hands quietly enough for the darbies. We brought +him along to the cells, and his box as well for we thought there might +be something incriminating; but, bar a big sharp knife such as most +sailors have, we got nothing for our trouble. However, we find that we +shall want no more evidence, for on being brought before the inspector +at the station he asked leave to make a statement which was, of +course, taken down, just as he made it, by our shorthand man. We had +three copies typewritten, one of which I enclose. The affair proves, +as I always thought it would, to be an extremely simple one, but I +am obliged to you for assisting me in my investigation. With kind +regards, + "Yours very truly, + "G. LESTRADE. +- + "Hum! The investigation really was a very simple one," remarked +Holmes, "but I don't think it struck him in that light when he first +called us in. However, let us see what Jim Browner has to say for +himself. This is his statement as made before Inspector Montgomery +at the Shadwell Police Station, and it has the advantage of being +verbatim." +- + "'Have I anything to say? Yes, I have a deal to say. I have to +make a clean breast of it all. You can hang me, or you can leave me +alone. I don't care a plug which you do. I tell you I've not shut an +eye in sleep since I did it, and I don't believe I ever will again +until I get past all waking. Sometimes it's his face, but most +generally it's hers. I'm never without one or the other before me. +He looks frowning and black-like, but she has a kind o' surprise +upon her face. Ay, the white lamb, she might well be surprised when +she read death on a face that had seldom looked anything but love upon +her before. + "'But it was Sarah's fault and may the curse of a broken man put a +blight on her and set the blood rotting in her veins! It's not that +I want to clear myself. I know that I went back to drink, like the +beast that I was. But she would have forgiven me; she would have stuck +as close to me as a rope to a block if that woman had never darkened +our door. For Sarah Cushing loved me- that's the root of the business- +she loved me until all her love turned to poisonous hate when she knew +that I thought more of my wife's footmark in the mud than I did of her +whole body and soul. + "'There were three sisters altogether. The old one was just a good +woman, the second was a devil, and the third was an angel. Sarah was +thirty-three, and Mary was twenty-nine when I married. We were just as +happy as the day was long when we set up house together, and in all +Liverpool there was no better woman than my Mary. And then we asked +Sarah up for a week, and the week grew into a month, and one thing led +to another, until she was just one of ourselves. + "'I was blue ribbon at that time, and we were putting a little money +by, and all was as bright as a new dollar. My God, whoever would +have thought that it could have come to this? Whoever would have +dreamed it? + "'I used to be home for the week-ends very often, and sometimes if +the ship were held back for cargo I would have a whole week at a time, +and in this way I saw a deal of my sister-in-law, Sarah. She was a +fine tall woman, black and quick and fierce, with a proud way of +carrying her head, and a glint from her eye like a spark from a flint. +But when little Mary was there I had never a thought of her, and +that I swear as I hope for God's mercy. + "'It had seemed to me sometimes that she liked to be alone with +me, or to coax me out for a walk with her, but I had never thought +anything of that. But one evening my eyes were opened. I had come up +from the ship and found my wife out, but Sarah at home. "Where's +Mary?" I asked. "Oh, she has gone to pay some accounts." I was +impatient and paced up and down the room. "Can't you be happy for five +minutes without Mary, Jim?" says she. "It's a bad compliment to me +that you can't be contented with my society for so short a time." +"That's all right, my lass," said I, putting out my hand towards her +in a kindly way, but she had it in both hers in an instant, and they +burned as if they were in a fever. I looked into her eyes and I read +it all there. There was no need for her to speak, nor for me either. I +frowned and drew my hand away. Then she stood by my side in silence +for a bit, and then put up her hand and patted me on the shoulder. +"Steady old Jim!" said she, and with a kind o' mocking laugh, she +run out of the room. + "Well, from that time Sarah hated me with her whole heart and +soul, and she is a woman who can hate, too. I was a fool to let her go +on biding with us- a besotted fool- but I never said a word to Mary, +for I knew it would grieve her. Things went on much as before, but +after a time I began to find that there was a bit of a change in +Mary herself. She had always been so trusting and so innocent, but now +she became queer and suspicious, wanting to know where I had been +and what I had been doing, and whom my letters were from, and what I +had in my pockets, and a thousand such follies. Day by day she grew +queerer and more irritable, and we had ceaseless rows about nothing. I +was fairly puzzled by it all. Sarah avoided me now, but she and Mary +were just inseparable. I can see now how she was plotting and scheming +and poisoning my wife's mind against me, but I was such a blind beetle +that I could not understand it at the time. Then I broke my blue +ribbon and began to drink again, but I think I should not have done it +if Mary had been the same as ever. She had some reason to be disgusted +with me now, and the gap between us began to be wider and wider. And +then this Alec Fairbairn chipped in, and things became a thousand +times blacker. + "'It was to see Sarah that he came to my house first, but soon it +was to see us, for he was a man with winning ways, and he made friends +wherever he went. He was a dashing, swaggering chap, smart and curled, +who had seen half the world and could talk of what he had seen. He was +good company, I won't deny it, and he had wonderful polite ways with +him for a sailor man, so that I think there must have been a time when +he knew more of the poop than the forecastle. For a month he was in +and out of my house, and never once did it cross my mind that harm +might come of his soft tricky ways. And then at last something made me +suspect and from that day my peace was gone forever. + "'It was only a little thing, too. I had come into the parlour +unexpected, and as I walked in at the door I saw a light of welcome on +my wife's face. But as she saw who it was it faded again, and she +turned away with a look of disappointment. That was enough for me. +There was no one but Alec Fairbairn whose step she could have mistaken +for mine. If I could have seen him then I should have killed him, +for I have always been like a madman when my temper gets loose. Mary +saw the devil's light in my eyes, and she ran forward with her hands +on my sleeve. "Don't Jim, don't!" says she. "Where's Sarah?" I +asked. "In the kitchen," says she. "Sarah," says I as I went in, "this +man Fairbairn is never to darken my door again." "Why not?" says +she. "Because I order it." "Oh!" says she, "if my friends are not good +enough for this house, then I am not good enough for it either." +"You can do what you like," says I, "but if Fairbairn shows his face +here again I'll send you one of his ears for a keepsake." She was +frightened by my face, I think, for she never answered a word, and the +same evening she left my house. + "'Well, I don't know now whether it was pure devilry on the part +of this woman, or whether she thought that she could turn me against +my wife by encouraging her to misbehave. Anyway, she took a house just +two streets off and let lodgings to sailors. Fairbairn used to stay +there, and Mary would go round to have tea with her sister and him. +How often she went I don't know, but I followed her one day, and as +I broke in at the door Fairbairn got away over the back garden wall, +like the cowardly skunk that he was. I swore to my wife that I would +kill her if I found her in his company again, and I led her back +with me, sobbing and trembling, and as white as a piece of paper. +There was no trace of love between us any longer. I could see that she +hated me and feared me, and when the thought of it drove me to +drink, then she despised me as well. + "'Well, Sarah found that she could not make a living in Liverpool, +so she went back, as I understand, to live with her sister in Croydon, +and things jogged on much the same as ever at home. And then came this +last week and all the misery and ruin. + "'It was in this way. We had gone on the May Day for a round +voyage of seven days, but a hogshead got loose and started one of +our plates, so that we had to put back into port for twelve hours. I +left the ship and came home, thinking what a surprise it would be +for my wife, and hoping that maybe she would be glad to see me so +soon. The thought was in my head as I turned into my own street and at +that moment a cab passed me, and there she was, sitting by the side of +Fairbairn, the two chatting and laughing, with never a thought for +me as I stood watching them from the footpath. + "'I tell you, and I give you my word for it, that from that moment I +was not my own master, and it is all like a dim dream when I look back +on it. I had been drinking hard of late, and the two things together +fairly turned my brain. There's something throbbing in my head now, +like a docker's hammer, but that morning I seemed to have all +Niagara whizzing and buzzing in my ears. + "'Well, I took to my heels, and I ran after the cab. I had a heavy +oak stick in my hand, and I tell you I saw red from the first, but +as I ran I got cunning, too, and hung back a little to see them +without being seen. They pulled up soon at the railway station. +There was a good crowd round the booking-office, so I got quite +close to them without being seen. They took tickets for New +Brighton. So did I, but I got in three carriages behind them. When +we reached it they walked along the Parade, and I was never more +than a hundred yards from them. At last I saw them hire a boat and +start for a row, for it was a very hot day, and they thought, no +doubt, that it would be cooler on the water. + "It was just as if they had been given into my hands. There was a +bit of a haze, and you could not see more than a few hundred yards. +I hired a boat for myself, and I pulled after them. I could see the +blur of their craft, but they were going nearly as fast as I, and they +must have been a long mile from the shore before I caught them up. The +haze was like a curtain all round us, and there were we three in the +middle of it. My God, shall I ever forget their faces when they saw +who was in the boat that was closing in upon them? She screamed out. +He swore like a madman and jabbed at me with an oar, for he must +have seen death in my eyes. I got past it and got one in with my stick +that crushed his head like an egg. I would have spared her, perhaps, +for all my madness, but she threw her arms round him, crying out to +him, and calling him "Alec." I struck again, and she lay stretched +beside him. I was like a wild beast then that had tasted blood. If +Sarah had been there, by the Lord, she should have joined them. I +pulled out my knife, and- well, there! I've said enough. It gave me +a kind of savage joy when I thought how Sarah would feel when she +had such sign of what her meddling had brought about. Then I tied +the bodies into the boat, stove a plank, and stood by until they had +sunk. I knew very well that the owner would think that they had lost +their bearings and had drifted off out to sea. I cleaned myself up, +got back to land, and joined my ship without a soul having a suspicion +of what had passed. That night I made up the packet for Sarah Cushing, +and next day I sent it from Belfast. + "'There you have the whole truth of it. You can hang me, or do +what you like with me, but you cannot punish me as I have been +punished already. I cannot shut my eyes but I see those two faces +staring at me- staring at me as they stared when my boat broke through +the haze. I killed them quick, but they are killing me slow; and if +I have another night of it I shall be either, mad or dead before +morning. You won't put me alone into a cell, sir? For pity's sake +don't, and may you be treated in your day of agony as you treat me +now." + "What is the meaning of it Watson?, said Holmes solemnly as he +laid down the paper. "What object is served by this circle of misery +and violence and fear? It must tend to some end, or else our +universe is ruled by chance, which is unthinkable. But what end? There +is the great standing perennial problem to which human reason is as +far from an answer as ever." +- +- + -THE END- + + \ No newline at end of file