Order 539016: Final Paper

THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP

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l~~l~~y, brother or mc latE E!1I3.s Whitney, D.D., Principal of the Theological College of St George's,! was much addicted to opium. The habit grew upon him, as I understand, from some foolish freak when he was at college, for having read De Quincey's description2 of his dreams and sensations, he had drenched his tobacco wi.th lauda­ num in an attempt to produce the same effects. He found, as so many more have done, that the practice is easier to attain than to get rid of, and fbI' many years he continued to be a slave to the clmg, an object of mingled horror and pity to his friends and relatives. I can sec him nuw, with yellow, pasty face, drooping lids and pin-point pupils, aU huddled in a chair, the wreck and ruin of a noble man.

One night - it was inJunc, '8g - there came a ring to my bell, about the hour when a man gives his first yawn, and glances, at the clock. I sat up in my chair, and my wife laid her needlework down in her lap and made a little face of disappointment.

'A patientl' said she. 'You'll have to go out.' I g1'OuDed, for I was newly come back from a weary day. We heard the door open, a few hurried words, and then quick steps

upon the lilloleum. Our own door flew open, and a lady, clad in some dark-coloured stuff with a black veil, entered the room.

'You will excuse my calling so late,' she began, and then, suddenly losing her self-control, she ran forward, threw her arms about my wil(~'s neck, and sobbed upon her shoulder. 'Oil! I'm in such trouble!' she cried; 'J do so want a little help.'

'Why,' said my wife, pulling up her veil, 'it is Kate Whitney. How

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TIm ADVENTURES OF SHERLOt:K IHJLMI':S

you startled me, Kate! I had not an idea who you were when you

came in.' 'I didn't know what to do, so I came straight to you.' That was

always the way. Folk who were ill grief came to my wiIi.: like birds to a lighthouse.

'It was very sweet of you to come, Now, you must have some wine and water, and sit here comfortably and tell us all about it. Or should you rather that I s'~lltJames3 ofT to beeP'

'Oh, no, no. I want the Doctor's advice and help lOo. It's about Isa. He has not been home [or two days. I am so fj'ightened about him!'

It was not the first time that she lmel spoken to us or her husband's trouble, to me as a doctor, to my will: as an old friend and school companion. We soothed and eomfortecl her hy ~uch w()rds ,L~ we could find. Did she know where her husband WRS? WaH it pOHsible that we could bring him back to hel'?

It seemed that it was. She had the surest in[(mnatiol1 that o[ latc he had, when the fit was on him, made use of an opium den in the farthest east of the City. Hitherto his orgicN had always been confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and shattered, in the evening. But now the spell had been upon him eight-anel-forty hout's, and he lay there, doubtless, among the dregs or the docks, breathing in the poison or sleeping off the eflcctH. There he was to be found, she was sure orit, at the Bar of Gold, ill Upper Swandarn Lane:' But what was she to do? How could she, a youug and timid woman, make her way into such a place, and pluck her husband out from among the ruffians who surrounded him?

There was the case, aBel of course thel'e was but one way out of it. Might I not escort her to this place? And then, as a second thought, why should she come at all? I was Isa Whitney's medical adviser, and as such I had influence over him. I CQuid manage it hettcr if I werc alone. I promised her on my word that I would send him home in a cab within two hours if he were indeed at the address which slle had given me. And so in ten minutes I had len my armchair and cheelY sitting-room behind me, and was speeding eastward in a hansom on a strange errand, as it seemed to me at the time, though the future only could show how strange it was to be,

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TIlE MAN WITH Tim TWISTIW LIP

But there was 110 great dilliculty jn the first stage of my adventure, Upper Swanclam Lane jg a vile alley lurking behind the high wharves which line the north side of the river to the cast of London Bric\gc,5 Between a slop-shopl> 'alld a gin-shop, approached by a steep flight of steps leading dowll to a black gap like the mouth of a cavc) I (ound the den ofwlIich I was in search. Ordering my cab to wait, I pressed down the steps, worn hollow ill the centre by the ccasc1<~sg tread of drunkI'll feet, and by the light of a nickering oil lamp above the door I tbUlld the lateh and made my way into a long, low room, thick and heavy with the browll opium smoke, and terraced with wooden berths, like the fOl'Ce<lstlc of all t~mignlllt ship.

Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying in litrange HLIltastic poses, bowed shoulders, bent knees, heads thrown back and chinH pointing upwards, with here and there a dark, lack­ lustre eye turned upon the newcomer, Out of the black shadows thel'{~ glimmered little recl drcles of light, now bright, now faint, as the burning poison waxed or walled in the b()wL~ or the metal pipes, Th(~ most Jay Hilent, hut some muttered to themselves, and others talked together in it strange, low, monotonous voice, their conversation comiug in gushes, ami then suddenly tailing off into silence, each mumbling oul his own thoughtH, and paying little heed to the words or his neighbour. At tlw farther end was a small brazier or burning charcoal, beside which 011 n three-legged wooden stool there ~at a tall, thin old man, with his jaw restillg upon his two fists, and his dbow:; UpOl1 his knees, staring into the lire,

As 1 elltered, 11 sallow Malay attendant had hurried up with a pipe lhr me and a supply or the drug, beckoning me to an empty herth.

'Thank you, I have not ('Ollle to slay,' said 1. 'There is a friend of mim~ here, M.r ha Whitney, und I wish to speak with him.'

Thcn~ was a movement. and un exclamation from my right, and peering through the gloom, I saw Whitney, pale, haggard, and unkcmpt, staring out at me.

'My God! h'g Watson,' said he. He was in a piliable stale of'rcaction, with t:very nerve in a twitter. 'I say, Watson, what o'clock is it?'

'Nearly eleven.' 'Ofwilat day?'

• THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK I-lOLMI,S

'OfFriday,]une 19th.' 'Good heavens! I thought it was Wednesday. It is Wednesday.

What d'you want to frighten a chap for?' He sank his face on to his

arms, and began to sob in a high treble key. 'I tell you that it is Friday, man. Your wife has been waiting this

two days for you. You should be ashamed of yourself!' 'So I am. But you've got mixed, Watson, for I have only been here

a few hours, three pipes, four pipes - I forget how many. But I'll go home with you. I wouldn't frighten Kate - poor little Katc. Give me your hand! Have you a cab?'

'Yes. I have one waiting.' 'Then I shall go in it. But I must owe something. Find what lowe,

Watson. I am all ofI'colour. I can do nothing for myself.' I walked down the narrow passage betlveen the double row of

sleepers, holding my breath to keep out the vile, stupefying fumes of the drug, and looking about for the manager. As I passed the tall man who sat by the brazier I felt a sudden pluck at my skirt, and a low voice whispered, 'Walk past me, and then look back at me.' The words fell quite distinctly upon my ear. I glanced down. They could only have come from the old man at my side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very wrinkled, bent with agc, an opium pipe dangling down from between bis knees, as though it had dropped in sheer lassitude from his fingers. I took t:'\Vo steps forward and looked back. It took all my self-control to prevent me from breaking out into a cry of astonishment. He had turned his baek so that none could see him but I. His form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, tlle dull eyes had regained their fire, and there, sitting by tbe fire, and grinning at my surprise, was none other than Sherlock Holmes. He made a slight motion to me to approach him, and instantly, as he turned his face half round to the company once more, subsided into a doddering, loose-lipped senility.

'Holmes!' I whispered, 'what on earth are you doing in this den?' 'As low as you can,' he answered, 'I have excellent ears. If you

would have the great kindness to get rid of that sottish fHend of yours, I should be exceedingly glad to have a little talk with you.'

'I have a cab outside.'

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u:s THE MAN WITH THE TWIST1W LIP

'Then pray send him home in it. You may safely trust him, for he ~ , ',18 Wedn~ appears to be too limp to into any mischief I should recommend IS face onlo~ you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife to say that you

have thro'wn in your lot with me. If you will wait outside, I shall be :en WaiOng~, wilh you in five minutes.'

It was difficult to refuse any of Sherlock Holmes's requests, for they onlybcenkt were always so exceedingly definite, and put fonvard with such an air my. Butl~~ of mastery. I felt, however, that when Whitney was once confined in Kate.\ai\~1f: the cab, my mission was practically accomplished; and for the rest, I

could not wish anything better than to be associated with my friend in one of those singular adventures which were the normal condition

d , whatl£lll!, ofhis existence. In a few minutes I had written my note, paid Whitney's bill, led him out to the cab, and seen him driven through the darkness.

Clublerowli In a very short time a decrepit figure had emerged from the opium ling\fumcsd. den, and I was walking down the street with Sherlock Holmes. For the tall rna two streets he shuffled along with a bent back and an uncertain foot.

t;aada/ow • Then, glancing quickly round, he straightened himself out and burst ) :: . TheWOnll into a hearty fit oflaughter . . couJdonly 'I suppose, Watson,' said he, 'that you imagine that I have added sat pow a\ opium-smoking to cocaine injections and all the other little weaknesses , an opium on which you have favoured me with your medical views.' iddropped '1 was certainly surprised to :find you there.' and looked 'But not more so than 1 to find you.' 19;outinto 'I came to find a friend.' : could see 'And 1 to find an enemy!' ~i tbedull 'An enemy?' i grinning 'Yes, one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural prey. e made a Briefly, Watson, I am in the midst of a very remarkable inquiry, and urnedbis I have hoped to :find a clue in the incoherent ramblings of these sots, Jddenng, as I have done before now. Had I been recognizcd in that den my life

would not have been worth an hour's purchase, for I have used it is den?,' before now for my own purposes, and the rascally Lascar7 who runs l.reyou it has sworn vengeance upon me. There is a trap-door at the back of Jfyodrs, that building, near the corner of Paul's Wharf, which could tell some

strange tales of what has passed through it upon the moonless nights.' 'What! You do not mean bodies?'

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THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

'Aye, bodies, Watson. We should be rich men if we had a thousand pounds for every poor devil who has been done to death in that den. It is the vilest murder-trap on the whole riverside, and I fear Neville St Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our trap should be here!' He put his two forefingers between his teeth and whistled shrilly,

a signal which was answered by a similar whistle from the distance, followed shortly by the rattle of wheels and the dink of horses' hoofs.

'Now, Wat~oll,' said Holmes, as a tall dog-cartS dashed up through

the gloom, throwing out two golden tunnels of yellow light from its side-lanterns, 'you'll come with me, won't you?'

'If! can be of use.' 'Oh, a trusty comrade is always of usc. And a chronicler still more

so. My room at the Cedars is a double-bedded one.' The Cedars?' 'Yes; that is Mr St Clair's hOllse. I am staying there while I conduct

the inquiry.' 'Where is it, then?' 'Near Lee, in Kent.9 \Ve have a seven-mile drive before us.'

'But I am all in the dark.' 'Of course you are. You'll know all about it presently. Jump up

here! All right,John, we shall not need you. Here's half a crown. Look out for me tomorrow about eleven. Give her her head! So long, theil!'

He flicked the horse with his whip, and we dashed away through

the endless succession of sombre and deserted streets, which widened gradually, until we were flying across a broad balustraded bridge, with the murky river fio'wing sluggishly beneath us. Beyond lay another broad wilderness of bricks and mortar, its silence broken only by the heavy, regular footfall of the policeman, or the songs and shouts of some belated party ofrevellers. A dull wrack was drifting slowly across the sky, and a star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of the clouds. Holmes drove in silence, "'ith his head sunk upon his breast, and the air of a man who is lost in thought, whilst I sat beside him curious to learn what this new quest might be which

seemed to tax his powers so sorely, and yet afraid to break in upon the current of his thoughts. We had driven several miles, and were

beginning to get to the fringe of the belt of suburban villas, when he

lIB

~\Ook himself, s ofaman who h

'You have a quite invaluabll

[or me to have over-pleasant. j woman tonight

'You forget 'I shall just 1

to Lee. It seem: to go upon. Th ont in my han Watson, and n

'Proceed, tl 'Some year

agentleman, I of money. He lived generaU neighhourhoc by whom he 1 was interestec the morning, Mr St Clair i habits, a gool popular with present mom £8810S., wh Counties Bru troubles hav!

'Last Mo' than usual, : commission!

aboxofbric upon this sa that a small was waiting

THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP

shook himself, shrugged his shoulders, and lit up his pipe with the air of a man who has satisfied himself that he is acting for the best.

'You have a grand gift of silence, Watson,' said he. 'It makes you quite invaluable as a companion. 'Pon my word, it is a great thing for me to have someone to talk to, for my own thoughts are not over-pleasant. I was wondering what I should say to this dear little woman tonight when she meets me at the door.'

'You forget that I know nothing about it.' 'I shall just have time to tell you the facts of the case before we get

to Lee. It seems absurdly simple, and yet, somehow, I can get nothing to go upon. There's plenty of thread, no doubt, but I can't get the end of it in my hand. Now, I'll state the case clearly and concisely to you, Watson, and maybe you may see a spark where all is dark to me.'

'Proceed, then.' 'Some years ago to be definite, in May, r884 there came to Lee

a gentleman, Neville 8t Clair by name, who appeared to have plenty of money. He took a large villa, laid out the grounds very nicely, and lived generally in good style. By degrees he made friends in the neighbourhood, and in 188, he mauied the daughter ofalocal brewer, by whom he has now had two children. He had no occupation, but was interested in several companies,!O and went into town as a rule in the morning, returning by the 5.14 from Cannon Street!! evelY night. Mr 8t Clair is now thirty-seven years of age, is a man of temperate habits, a good husband, a very affectionate father, and a man who is popular with all who know him. I may add that his whole debts at the present moment, as far as we have been able to ascertain, amount to £88 lOS., while he has £2'20 standing to his credit in tlle Capital and Counties Bank l2 There is no reason, therefore, to think that money troubles been weighing upon his mmd.

'Last Monday Mr Neville St Clair went into town rather earlier than usual, remarking before he started that he had two important commissions to perform, and that he would bring his little boy home a box ofbricks. Now, by the merest chance his wife received a telegram upon this same Monday, very shortly after his departure, to the effect that a small parcel of considerable value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company.

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THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

NO\~, if you are well up in your London, you will know that the office of the company is in Fresno Street, which branches out of Upper SWillldam Lane,l3 where you found me tonight. Mrs St Clair had her lunch, started for the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, got her packet, and found herself exactly at 4.35 walking through Swandam Lane on her way back to the station. Have you lollowed me so far?'

'ft is very dear.' 'If you remember, Monday was an exceedingly hot day, and Mrs

8t Clair walked slowly, glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab, as she did not like the neighbourhood in which she found herself. While she walked in this way down Swandam Lane she suddenly heard an ejaculation or cry, and Was struck cold to see her husband looking down at her, and, as it seemed to her, beekoning to her from a second-floor window. The window was open, and she distinctly saw < his face, which she describes as being terribly agitated. He waved his \ hands frantieally to her, and then vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. One singular point which ~er quickfernjni!l.~i'~_~!ttp.at, although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town in, he had on neither collar nor necktie.

'Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the steps .. for the house was none other than the opium den in which you found me tonight - and, running through the front room, she attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At the foot of the stairs, however, she met this Lascar scoundrel, of whom I have spoken, who thrust her back, and, aided by a Dane, who acts as assistant there, pushed her out into the street. Filled with the most maddening doubt~ and fears, she rushed down the lane, and, by rare good fortune, met, in Fresno Street, a number of constables with an inspector, all on their way to their beat. The inspector and two men accompanied her back, and, in spite of the continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to the room in which Mr St Clair had last been seen. There was no sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was no one to be found, save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, it seems, made his home there. Both

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THE MAN WITH 'nm TWISTED LIP

he and the .Lascar stoutly swore that no one else had been in the front room during that afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs St Clair had been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box which lay upon the table, and tore the lid [rom it. Out there fell a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had promised to bring home.

'This discovclY, and the evident confusion which the e~ipple showed, made the inspector realize that the matter was serious. The rooms were cart~[uny examined, and results all pointed to an abomin­ able crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a sitting-room, and led into a small bedroom, which looked out upon the b~ck of one of the wharves. BeLween the wharf and the bedroom window is a nan-ow strip, which is dry at low tide, but is covered at high tide with at least four and a halr (eet of water. The bedroom window was a broad one, and opened from below. On examination traces of blood were lO be seen upon the window-sill, and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden Hoar of the bedroom. Thrust away behind a curLaiu in the [rant room were all the clothes ofMr Neville 8t Clair, with the exception of his coat. His boots, his socks, his hat, and his walch --" all were there. There were no signs of violence upon any o( th<!se garments, and there were no other traces of Mr Neville St Clair. Out of the window he must apparently have gone, for no other exit could be discovered, <md the ominous bloodstains upon the sill gave little promise that he could save himself by swimming, for the tide was al its VC1Y highest at the moment o[ the tragedy.

'And now H$ to the villains who seemed to be immediately impli­ cated in the matter. The Lascar was known to be a man of the vilest ant(:eedents, but as by Mrs St Clair's stOlY he was known to have been at the foot of the stair with ill a few seconds ofher husband's appcamnce at the window, he could hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime. His defence was one ofabsolute ignorance, and he protested thal he had no knowledge as to the doings o[ Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that hc could not account in any way [or the presence of the missing gentleman's clothes.

'So much for the Lascar manager. Now for the sinister cripple who

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THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES I lives upon the second fioor of the opium den, and who was certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville 8t Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a professional beggar, though in order to avoid the regulations he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas. 14 Some little distance down Threadneedle Street l5

upon the left-hand side there is, as you may have remarked, a small angle in the wall. IS Here it is that the creature takes his daily seat, cross-legged, with his tiny stock of matches on his lap, and as he is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the greasy leather cap which lies upon the pavement before him. I have watched this fellow more than oncc, before ever I thought of making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised at the harvest which he has reaped in so short a time. His appearance, you see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him without observing him. A shock of orange hair, a pale face disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has turned up the outer edge of his upper lip, a bull-dog chin, and a pair ofvery penetrating dark eyes, which present a singular contrast to the colour of hls hair, all mark him out from amid the common crowd of mendicants, and so, too, does his wit, for he is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now learn to have been the lodger at the opium den, and to have been the last mah to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest,'

'But a cripple!' said L 'What could he have done single-handed against a man in the prime orIife?'

'He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp; but, in other respects, he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. Surely your medical experience would tell you, Watson, that weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional strength in the others.'

'Pray continue your narrative.' 'Mrs St Clair had fainted at the sight ofthe blood upon the window,

and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. Inspector Barton, who had charge of the case, made a very careful examination of the premises, but without finding anything which threw any light upon

11/'1

'rill': MAN W!TIl TIm TWISTED LIP

the malter. One mistake had been made in not arresting Boone lllslanlly, as he waR allowed some few minutc~ during which he might have communicated with his friend the Lascar, but this fault was soon remedied, <wei he was seized and searched, without anything being found which could incriminate him. There were, it is true, some bloodstains upon his right shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring finger, which had been cut ncar the nail, and explained that the bleeding carne Ihml there, adding that he had been to the window not long bdbrc, and that the stains which had been observed there eamt~ doubtless (I'om the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr Neville St Clair, anc! swore that the presence of the clothes in his room was a~ much a mystery to him as to the police. As to Mrs 8t Clair's assertion, that Hhe had actually seen her husband at the window, he declared that she must have been either mad or dreaming. He waR removed, loudly protesting, to the police stillion, while the inspector remained upon the premises in the hope that the ebbing tide might allbrd some lh:sh clue.

'And it did, though they hardly found upon the mudbank what they had {bared to find. It was Neville S.t Clair's coat, and not Neville 8t Clair, which lay uncovered as the tide receded. And what do you think they fblInd in the pockets:)'

'I canllot imagine.' 'No, 1 don't think YOll will guess. Every pocket sturred with pennies

and haifilennies [(JUI' hundred and twenty-one pennies, and two, hundred and seventy halfi>eunies. It was no wonder that it had not been swept away by the tide. But a human body is a dUR!l'cnt matter. There is tl fierce eddy between the wharf anel the house. It seemed likdy enough that the weighted ctJat had remail1(:ci when the stripped body had been Huck(~d away into tht~ river.'

'But I understand that all the other clothes were found in the room. Would the body be dressed ill a Goat alone?'

'No, sir, but the litets might be met speciously enough. Suppose that thL~ man Boone had thrust Neville 8t Clair through the window} then: is no human eye which could have seen the deed. What would Iu: do then? It would ()f eoursc instantly strike him that he must get rid of the tell-tale gaI'mcnts. He would seize the coat then, and be in

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

the act of throwing it out when it would occur to him that it would swim and not sink. He has little time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when the wife tried to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his Lascar confederate tllat tlle police are hurrying up the street. There is not an instant to be lost. He rushes to some secret hoard, where he has accumulated the fruits ofhis beggary, and he stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands into the pockets to make sure ofthe coat's sinking. He throws it out, and would have done the same wiili the oilier garments had not he heard tlle rush of steps below, and only just had time to close ilie window when the police appeared.'

'It certainly sounds feasible.' 'Well, we ,ViJ1 take it as a working hypothesis for want of a better.

Boone, as I have told you, was arrested and taken to tlle station, but it could not be shown that there had ever before been anything against him. He had for years been known as a professional beggar, but his life appeared to have been a very quiet and innocent one. There the matter stands at present, and tIle questions which have to be solved, what Neville St Clair was doing in the opium den, what happened to him when there, where he is now, and what Hugh Boone had to do wiili his disappearance, are all as far from solution as ever. I confess iliat I cannot recall any case witIlin my experience which looked at tIle first glance so simple, and yet which presented such difficulties.'

Whilst Sherlock Holmes had been detailing this singular series of events we had been whirling tIlrough tIle outskirts of the great town until tIle last straggling houses had been left behind, and we rattled along with a country hedge upon either side of us. Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered villages, where a few lights still glimmered in the windows.

'We are on ilie outskirts of Lee,' said my companion. 'We have touched on tIlree English counties in our short drive, starting in Middlesex, passing over an angle of Surrey, and ending in Kent.17 See tIlat light among tIle trees? That is tIle Cedars, and beside that lamp sits a woman whose anxious ears have already, I have litde doubt, caught the clink of our horse's feet.'

'Butwhyare you not conducting the case from Baker Street?' I asked.

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THE MAN WITII THE TWISTED LIP

'Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here. Mrs St Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal, and you may rest assured that she will have nothing but a welcome for my friend and colleague. I hate to meet her, Watson, when I have no news of her husband. Here we are. Whoa, tllere, whoa!'

We had pulled up in front of' a large villa which stood within its own grounds. A stable-boy had run out to the horse's head, and, springing down, I followed Holmes up the small, winding gravel drive which led to the house. As we approached, the door flew open, and a little blonde woman stood in the opening, clad in some sort of light mousseline-de-soie, III with a touch of fluffy pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure outlined against the flood of light, one hand upon the door, one half raised in eagerness, her body slightly bent, her head and face protruded, with eager eyes and parted lips, a standing question.

'Well?' she eried, 'well?' And then, seeing that there were two of us, she gave a ery of hope which sank into a groan as she saw that my compcmion shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

'No good news:" 'None.' 'No bad?' 'No.' 'Thank God for that. But come in. You must be weary, for you

have had a long day.' 'This is my friend, Dr Watson. He has been of most vital use to me

in several of my cases, and a lucky chance has made it possible for me to bring him out and associate him with this investigation.'

'I am delighted to sec you,' said she, pressing my hand warmly. 'You will, I am sure, forgive anything which may be wanting in our arrangements, when you consider the blow which has come so suddenly upon us.'

'My dear madam,' said I, 'I am an old campaigner, and ifI were not, I can very well see that no apology is needed. If I can be of any assistance, either to you or to my friend here, I shall be indeed happy.'

'Now, Ml' Sherlock Holmes,' said the lady as we entered a well-lit

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

dining-room, upon the table ofwhich a cold supper had been laid out, 'I should very much like to ask you one or two plain questions, to which I beg that you will give a plain answer.'

'Certainly, madam.' 'Do not trouble about my feelings. I am not hysterical, nor given

to fainting. 19 1 simply wish to hear your real, real opinion.' 'Upon what point?' 'In your heart of hearts, do you think that Neville is alive?' Sherlock Holmes seemed to be embarrassed by the question.

'Frankly now!' she repeated, standing upon the rug, and looking keenly down at him, as he leaned back in a basket chair.

'Frankly, then, madam, I do not.' 'You think that he is dead?' 'I do.' 'Murdered?' 'I don't say that. Perhaps.' 'And on what day did he meet his death?' 'On Monday.' 'Then perhaps, Mr Holmes, you will be good enough to explain

how it is that I have received this letter from him today?' Sherlock Holmes sprang out of his chair as if he had beeri gal­

vanized. 'What!' he roared. 'Yes, today:' She stood smiling, holding up a little slip of paper in

the air. 'May I see it?' 'Certainly.' He snatched it from her in his eagerness, and smoothing it out

upon the table, he drew over the lamp, and examined it intently. I had left my chair, and was gazing at it over his shoulder. The envelope was a very coarse one, and was stamped with the Gravesend post­ mark,20 and with the date of that very day, or rather of the day before, for it was considerably after midnight.

'Coarse writing!' murmured Holmes. 'Surely this is not your hus­ band's writing, madam.'

'No, but the enclosure is.'

TIlE MAN WITII TIm TWIS'I'IW 1.11'

'I perceive also that whoever addressed thc cnvelope had to go and inquire as to the address.'

'How can you tell thatt 'Thcname, you sec, is in perfectly black ink, which has dried itself.

The rest is or the greyish colour which shows that blotting-paper has been used. If it had been wl'itten straight off, and then blotted, none would be of a deep black shade. This man has written the name, and there has then been a pause before he wrote the address, which ean

only mcan that he was not liuniliru' with it. It is, of course, a trille, bUI there is nothing so important a~ trifles. Let us now sec th(~ letter! Ha! there has beell an enclosure herd'

'Yes, there was a ring. His signell·iug.'

'And you arc sure that this is your husband'!; 11<111dP' 'One oC his hands.' 'One?' 'His hand when he wrote hurriedly. It is very unlike his uSllal

writing, and yet I know it well.' '''Deare~t, do not be frightened. All will come well. There is a huge

error which iL muy lake SOllle lillie time to n~cliiY. Wait ill patience. Neville." \'\TriLlen in pcncilupon a flyleaf of a book, oetav(J size, no watermark. PosLed today in Gravesend by R mUll with a dirty lhumb. Ha! And the flap Ims been gummed, ifl am not very much in error, by a persOlI who has beell chewing tolmn:o. And you have 110 douht that it is yom' hushand's hand, madam?'

'NOllf'. Neville wroLe' those words.' 'And Lhey were posLed today at Gravesmd. Well, Mrs Sl Clair, the

douds lightc'n, though I Rhould not venture to say that lhe danger i~ over.'

'BUl\W must be aliw"MI' Holmes.' 'UII](>SS this is a clever lbrgcl'Y to put us Oil the wrong scent. The

ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken [l'om him.' 'N(), no; il i~, it is, il is hi~ very own wriLing!, 'Very well. It may, however, Imvc been written (iU fvlonday, and

ouly posted Loday.' "['hal is possible.' '11' so, much may have happened between.'

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

'Oh, you must not discourage me, Mr Holmes. I know that all is well with him. There is so keen a sympathy between us that I should know if evil came upon him. On the very day that I saw him last he cut himself in the bedroom, and yet I in the dining-room rushed upstairs instantly with the utmost certainty that something had hap­ pened. Do you think that I would respond to such a trifle, and yet be ignorant of his death?'

'lh~~~_~,~:'~.!<??11:l.~~~!!2tt9.!gl~.\\l..~'!~Jhe.1TEEf!:si().n.()fa ,woman may be more valuable than conclusion of an analytic<l:l reasoner. And in this letter you certainly have a very strorigpi;~~~;;fe~dence to corroborate your view. But if your husband is alive and able to write letters, why should he remain away from you?'

'I cannot imagine. It is unthinkable.' 'And on Monday he made no remarks before leaving you?' 'No.' 'And you were surprised to see him in Swan dam Lane?' 'Very much so.' 'Was the window open?' 'Yes.' 'Then he might have called to you?' 'He might: 'He only, as I understand, gave an inarticulate cry?' 'Yes.' 'A call for help, you thought?' 'Yes. He waved his hands.' 'But it might have been a cry of surprise. Astonishment at the

unexpected sight of you might cause him to throw up his hands.' 'It is possible.' 'And you thought he was pulled back?' 'He disappeared so suddenly.' 'He might have leaped back. You did not see anyone else in the

room?'

'No, but this horrible man confessed to having been there, and the Lascar was at the foot of the stairs.'

'Quite so. Your husband, as far as you could see, had his ordinary clothes onr'

1118

'I'IIE MAN WITH TilE TWrS1'!£D LIP

'Bul without his coIlar or lie. I distinctly saw his bare throat.' 'Had hc ever spokcn of Swandam Lane?' 'Never.' 'Had he cVC!' shown any signs of having takcn opium?' 'Never.'

'Thank YOll, Mn; 8t Clair. Those arc the principal points about which T wished to be ab~olutely clear. We shall now have a little supper and thclI retire, /(J1' we may have a very busy day tomorrow.'

A large and c;omfc)J'lablc double-bedded room had bcen placed at Ollr disposal, and I was quickly beLwecn the sheets, for I was weary after my night or adventure. Sherlock Holmes was a man, however, who when he had an unsolved probkm upon his mind would go [OJ' days, and even fbI' It week, without rest, turning it (lver, rearranging his facts, looking at it Ii'om every point of view, until he had either fatho!Ued it, or convinced himscll' that his data wcre insumcient. It was soon evident to me that he was now preparing for an all-night sittillK He took ofrhis coat and waistcoat, put 011 a large blue clressing­ gown, and then wandered about the room collecting pillows ii'om his bed, and cushiolls li'Oln the SOHl and armchairs. With these he cOllstructed a sort or Easlerll divan, upon whkh he perched himself cross-legged, with an ounce of shag tobacco and a box of matches laid out ill {hml of him. In the dim light of the lamp I saw him siuing there, an old brier pipe between his lips, his eyes lixed vacantly upon the comel' or the ceiling, the hlue smoke emling' up Ii'om him, silent, motionless, with the light shilling upon his stl'Ong~set aquiline features. So he Ant as I dmppcd oil' to 1Ileep, and so he sat when a sudden qjacuJatioll caulied Ill{~ to wake up, and I {bund the summer Slln shining into the apartment. The pipe was still between his lips, the smoke still cm:led upwards, and the }'(Jom was rull or a dcns~~ t()bac(~o haze, but nothing remained of' the heap of shag which I had seen upon the previous night.

'Awakc, WatsonT h(~ asked. 'Yes.' 'Game [(lI' a morning dd.v(~:l'

'Certainly. ' 'Then dress. No one is slirringyct, but I know where the stable~boy

129

;

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

sleeps, and we shall soon have the trap out.' He chuckled to himself as he spoke, his eyes twinkled, and he seemed a different man to the sombre thinker of the previous night.

As I dressed I glanced at my watch. It ,vas no wonder that no one was stirring. It was twenty-five minutes past four. I had hardly finished when Holmes returned with the news that the boy was putting in the horse.

'I want to test a little theory of mine,' said he, pulling on his boots. 'I think, Watson, that you are now standing in the presence of one of the most absolute fools in Europe. I deserve to be kicked from here to Charing CroSS. 21 But I think I have the key of the affair now.'

'And where is it?' I asked, smiling. 'In the bathroom,' he answered. 'Oh, yes, I am not joking,' he

continued, seeing my look of incredulity. 'I have just been there, and I have taken it out, and I have got it in this Gladstone bag.22 Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will not fit the lock.'

We made our way downstairs as quietly as possible; and out into the bright morning sunshine. In the road stood our horse and trap, with the half-clad stable-boy waiting at the head. We both sprang in, and away we dashed down the London road. A few country carts were stirring, bearing in vegetables to the metropolis, but the lines ofvillas on either side were as silent and lifeless as some city in a dream.

'It has been in some points a singular case,' said Holmes, flicking the horse on into a gallop. 'I confess that I have been as blind as a mole, but it is better to learn wisdom late, than never to learn it at all.'

In town, the earliest risers were just beginning to look sleepily from their windows as we drove through the streets of the Surrey side. Passing down the Waterloo Bridge Road we crossed over the river, and dashing up Wellington Street23 wheeled sharply to the right, and found ourselves in Bow Street.24 Sherlock Holmes was well known to the force, and the two constables at the door saluted him. One of them held the horse's head while the other led us in.

'Who is on duty?' asked Holmes. 'Inspector Bradstreet, sir.' 'Ab, Bradstreet, how are you?' A tall, stout official had come down

:dton~ t man totht

that no Oil! 'dly finished ItOngin the

11 hisboOil. :e ofoned om here [I) w.'

o/cing,' he :here,and

r· 22 Come'

lout into md trap, h sprang country but the

dtyina

flicking nd as a t atal]..' lyfrom :y side. :. river, It,and lwnto

fthem

down

THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP

the stone-flagged passage, in a peaked cap and froggedjacket. 'I wish to have a word 'with you, Bradstreet.'

'Certainly, Mr Holmes. Step into my room here.' It was a small office-like room, with a huge ledger upon the table,

and a telephone projecting from the wall. The inspector sat down at his desk.

'What can I do for you, Mr Holmes?' 'I called about that beggar-man, Boone - the one who was charged

with being concerned in the disappearance ofMr Neville St Clair, of Lee.'

'Yes. He was brought up and remanded for further inquiries.' 'So I heard. You have him here?' 'In the cells.' 'Is he quiet?' 'Oh, he gives no trouble. But he is a dirty scoundrel.' 'Dirty?' 'Yes, it is all we can do to make him wash his hands, and his face

is as black as a tinker's. Well, when once his case has been settled he will have a regular prison bath; and 1 think, if you saw him you would agree with me that he needed it.'

'1 should like to see him very much.' 'Would you? That is easily done. Come this way. You can leave

your bag.' 'No, I think I'll take it.' 'Very good. Come this way, if you please.' He led us down a

passage, opened a barred door, passed down a winding stair, and brought us to a whitewashed corridor with a line of doors on each side.

'The third on the right is his,' said the inspector. 'Here it is!' He quietly shot back a panel in the upper part of the door, and glanced through.

'He is asleep,' said he. 'You can see him very well.' We both put our eyes to the grating. The prisoner lay with his face

towards us, in a very deep sleep, breathing slowly and heavily. He was a middle-sized man, coarsely clad as became his calling, with a coloured shirt protruding through the rent in his tattered coat. He

TilE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

was, as the inspector had said, extremely dirty, but the grime which covered his face could not conceal its repulsive ugliness. A broad weal from an old scar ran across it from eye to chin, and by its contraction had turned up one side of the upper lip, so that three teeth were exposed in a perpetual snarl. A shock of very bright red hair grew low over his eyes and forehead.

'He's a beauty, isn't he?' said the inspector. 'He certainly needs a wash,' remarked Holmes. 'I had an idea that

he might, and I took the liberty of bringing the tools with me.' He opened his Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to myastonish­ ment, a very large bath sponge.

'He! he! You are a funny one,' chuckled the inspector. 'Now, if you will havc the great goodness to open that door very

quietly, we will soon make him cut a much more respectable figure.' 'Well, I don't know why not,' said the inspector. 'He doesn't look

a credit to the Bow Street celis, does hc?' He slipped his key into the lock, and we all very quietly entered the cell. The sleeper half turned, and then settled down once more into a deep slumber. Holmes stooped to the water jug, moistened his sponge, and then rubbed it twice vigorously across and down the prisoner's face.

'Let me introduce you,' he shouted, 'to Mr Neville St Clair, of Lee, in the county or Kent.'

Never in my lifc have I seen such a sight. The man's face peeled off under the sponge 25 like the bark from a tree. Gone was the coarse brown tint! Gone, too, the horrid scar which had seamed it across, and the twisted lip which had given the repulsive sneer to the face! A t",.itch brought away the tangled red hair, and there, sitting up in his bed, was a pale, sad-faced, refined-looking man, black-haired and smooth-skinned, rubbing his eyes, and staring about him with sleepy bewilderment. Then suddenly realizing the exposure, he broke into a scream, and threw himself down with his face to the pillow.

'Great heaven!' cried the inspector, 'it is, indeed, the missing man. I know him from the photograph.' .

The prisoner turned with the reckless air ora man who abandons himself to his destiny. 'Be it so,' said he. 'And pray what am I charged with?'

TIn: MAN WITII 'I'[m TW[STlm LIP

'With making away with Ml' Neville St Oh, come, yon can't be charged with that, unless they make a case of attempted suicide of it,' said the inspector, with a grin. 'Well, I have been twenty-scvell years in the Force, but this really takes the cake:

'If! am Mr Neville St Clair, then it is obvious that no crime has been cOI1nnilted, and lbat, there/ln'e, I am illegally detaincd.'2G

'No crime, but a very great. error has been committed,' said Hohnes. 'You would have done belter to have trusted your wife.'

'IL was not the wil{~, it was the children,' groaned the prifiOlwr. 'God help me, I would not have them ashamed of their lhthcr. My God! What an exposul'l'! What ean I doi)'

Sh(~r1o('k Holmes sat down beside him 011 the couch, and patted him kindly 011 the shol\lcb',

'rfyuuieuve it to a court oflaw to dear tlte matter up,' said he, 'or C()ur~e you can hardly avoid publicity, On the other hand, if you cOllvin('(' tlw polict: authorities that there is no pO:{flible (~a~c ~lgHillst you, rdo lint know tllnt there is any reaSClll that the details lihuulc1 find their way iIlto the pnp(~rs. Impector BradRlreet would, I am ~Ul'e, make notes UpOll anything which YOll might tell liS, and submit it to the propel' allthorili(~ll. Tlw case would then il(:v(:r go into court at all.'

'God hkss you!' cri(!d the prisoner pallsjonatcly, 'I would have endured imprisOIIIlH.:llt, aye, even execlltion, ratlwr than haw len my miserablt: S(:(Tet as a HUllily blot to my children.

'YOl! are tll(' firllt who have (~vel' heard my story. !vIy father wa.~ a schoolmaster in Glwstedield, when: I recdved all excellellt education. I travelled ill my youth, look to the stage, and finally became a rtlporter OIl an CVl'llillg paper in Loudon, One day my editor wished to have n Ncries or al'tideli upon bem~ing in the metropoliN, and I volunteered to supply tlwm. There was the p()int thHll which all my advt~ntl1res starh:d. It was only by trying b(~gging as an amateur that I could get the IlKts upon which to b<lSt~ my articles. When ml actor I had, or COUl'se, learned all the secrets oj'making up, and had been [hmou.~ ill the gre(~Il'l'O()m27 Ii)r my skill, I took advantage now ofmy attainments. I ]lain ted my {hee, and to make mys(~lr as pitiable as possible I made a good seal' and fhwd mw side 0 rmy Jip20 in a [wist by the aid of a small slip of flesh-coloured plaster. Then with a red head of hair, and all

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

appropriate dress, I took my station in the busiest part ofthe City, osten­ siblyas a match-seller, but really as a beggar. For seven hours I plied my trade, and when I returned home in the evening I found, to my surprise, that I had received no less than tI'lenty-six shillings and fourpence.

'I ,\/Tote my articles, and thought little more of the matter until, some time later, 1 backed a bill for a friend, and had a writ served upon me for £'J.5' I was at my wits' end where to get the money, but a sudden idea came to IT!e. I begged a fortnight's grace from the creditor, asked for a holiday from my employers, and spent the time in begging in the City under my disguise. In ten days I had the money, and had paid the debt.

'Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous work at two pounds a week, when I knew that I could earn as much in a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on the ground, and sitting still. It was a long fight between my pride and the money, but the dollars29 won at last, and I threw up reporting, and sat day after day in the corner which I had chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets with coppers. Only one man knew my secret. He was the keeper of a low den in which I used to lodge in Swandam Lane, where I could every morning emerge as a squalid beggarlO and in the evening transform myself into a well-dressed man about town. This fellow, a Lascar, was well paid by me for his rooms, so that I knew that my secret was safe in his possession.

'Well, very soon I found that I was saving considerable sums of money. I do not mean that any beggar in the streets of London could eam seven hundred pounds a year - which is less than my average takings - but I had exceptional advantages in my power of making up, and also in a facility in repartee, which improved by practice, and made me quite a recognized character in the City. All day a stream of pennies, varied by silver,'sl poured in upon me, and it was a very bad day upon which I failed to take two pounds.

'As I grew richer I grew more ambitious, took a house in the country, and eventually married, without anyone having a suspicion as to my real occupation. My dear wife knew that I had business in the City. She little knew what.

'Last Monday I had finished for the day, and was dressing in my

THE MAN WITH THE TW1STE.D UP

City,Osten. room above the opium den, when I looked out of the window, and SIpliedlll · saw, to my horror and astonishment, that my wife was standing in the r ly surpr!st, street, with her eyes fixed full upon me, I gave a cry of surprise, threw Jence, up my arms to cover my face, and rushing to my confidant, the Lascar, ~tter llII~ entreated him to prevent anyone from coming up to me. I heard her mt served voice downstairs, but I knew that she could not ascend. Swiftly I threw IOney,bllt . off my clothes, pulled on those of a beggar, and put on my pigments from the and wig. Even a wife's eyes could not pierce so complete a disguise. t the time But then it occurred to me that there might be a search in the room 1Cmoney, .. and that the clothes might betray me. I threw open the window,

reopening by my violence a small cut which I had inflicted upon I ardUOI!! myself in the bedroom that morning. Then I seized my coat, which asmueh was weighted by the coppers which I had just transferred to it from ip on the the leather bag in which I carried my takings. I hurled it out of the :and the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes would ,andsat ; have followed, but at that moment there was a rush of constables up ybymy mknew lodge in squalid edman

rooms,

urns of I could vcrage laking e,and !ream

I. very

o the ,icion lSSin

1 my

the stairs, and a few minutes after I found, rather, I confess, to my relief, that instead of being identified as Mr Neville St Clair, I was

! arrested as his murderer. . 'I do not know that there is anything else for me to explain. I was \ determined to preserve my disguise as long as possible, and hence my

preference for a dirty face. Knowing that my wife would be terribly anxious, I slipped off my ring, and confided it to the Lascar at a moment when no constable was watching me, together with a hurried scrawl, telling her that she had no cause to fear.'

'That note32 only reached her yesterday,' said Holmes. 'Good God! What a week she must have spent.' 'The police have watched this Lascar,' said Inspector Bradstreet,

'and I can quite understand that he might find it difficult to post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor customer of his, who forgot all about it for some days.'

'That was it,' said Holmes, nodding approvingly, 'I have no doubt of it. But have you never been prosecuted for begging?'

'Many times; but what was a fine to me?' 'It must stop here, however,' said Bradstreet 'If the police are to

hush this thing up, there must be no more of Hugh Boone.'

135

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

'I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take.' 'In that case I think that it is probable that no further steps may be

taken. But uyou are found again, then all must come out. I am sure, Mr Holmes, that we are velY much indebted to you for having cleared the matter up. I wish I knew how you reach your results.'

'1 reached this one,' said my friend, 'by sitting upon five pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that uwe drive to Baker Street we shall just be in time for breakfast.'

I36

THE BLUE CARBUNCLE

I had called upon my rriend Sherlock HohllcS upon the second morning aftcr Christmas, with the intention oCwishing him the compli­ ments of the season. He was lounging upon the solh in a PUll)lc dressing-gown, H pipe-rack within his reach upon the right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly studied, ncar at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and on the angle or the baek hung a very seedy and clisreputable hard JHt hat, much the worse [or wear, and cracked in several plRccs. A lens and a Ihreeps lying upon the scat of the chair suggested lhallhe hat had beell suspended in this manner H.)!' the PUl'Pose or exmllination.

'You are engaged,' said I; 'perhaps I intmTupt YOll.' 'Not at all. I am glad Lo have a friend with whom I can discuss my

results. The maHer is a perfectly trivial 01H~' (he jerked his thumh in the direclion of'tht old hat), 'but there are points ill connection with it which are not enlirely devoid (If interest, and (~Vell or imtructioll.'

I sealed myself in his armchair, and w[\l'mecl my hands bdhrc his crackling lin~, lor a lillarp li'osl had ~Pl in, and Lht~ windows were thick with tht~ ice cl'YstaIR. 'I suppose,' I remarked, 'that, homely as it looks, this thing has some deadly SlOl'Y linked on to it lhat it is the clue which will guide you iu the solution or stltm~ myste1'Y, and the punishment of some crime.'

'No, no. No crime,' said Sherlock Holmes, laughing, 'Only one or th()s(~ whimslcalliult: incid(~nls which will happen when you have Ihur million human beings all jostling each other within t.he space of a few sqnare milts. Amid the acdoll and reactioll or so dense a swarm of humanity, eV()ry possible combination of events may be expected to

137

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

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 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?'1

'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,2 but as an intellectual problem. And, first as to how it came herc.It arrived upon Christmas morning, in company with a good fat goosc, 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 homewards 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 over his shoulder. As he reached the corner of Goodge StreetS 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 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.'

TIlE BLUE flAIUl{INOI.g

:h surdy he restored to their owner?' :lear fdlow, there lies the problem, It is true that "For Mrs ~aker" wa~ printed upon a small card which was tied to the fl leg, and it is also true that the initials "I-LB." arc legible ! liuing of this hat; but, as there are some thousands of Bakers, .c hundreds of Henry Bakers" ill this city of ours, it is not easy c lost properly to anyone of them.' .t, then, did Peterson dOll' Irought round both hat and goose to mc 011 Christmas morn­ wing that evell tile smallest problems arc of interest to me. Re we retained until this morning, when there were signs that, oi' the slight Li'ost, it would be well that it should be eaten umlecessary delay, Its finder has carried it off therefore to ultimate destiny ora goose, while I continue to retain the hat lknown gentleman who lost his Christmas dinner.' H~ Hot advel,tiscP'

1, what due could you have as to his idl~ntity?' , as much as we can deduce,' 1 hill hatT lidy.' roll Rre joking', What can you gather irom this old battered

is my lens. You know my methods, What can you gather as to the individuality of th(\ man who has worn this article?' : the tattered o4i(~cl in my hands, and turned it over rather It: was a very ordinary black hat of tiw usual round shape, I much the worse li)r W(!aI', The lining had been of red silk, 1 good deal (lis(:o\ounxl. Thcl'(~ was no mak(~r's name; but, as had remarked, the initials 'I-LB.' w(!!'e scrawled upon one ras pil~rced in the brim Ihr a hat-securer, but the elastic was For the rest, it waH crackt!Cl, exceedingly dusty, and spotted .I places, although tlwl'c se(~mecl to have been some attempt .1e di!lcoloured patches by smearing them with ink. see nothing,' said I, handing it back to my friend,

:Ilc contrary, Watson, yO~1 can see everything, You fail,

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

however, to reason fi:om 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 he 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 fonnedy, 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 con­

tinued, 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

liS THE BLUE CARBUNCLE

imid ribbed silk, and the excellent lining. If this man could afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has had no hat since, then he has

m thishatr' assuredly gone down in the world.' ipectivefas~ 'Well, that is clear enough, certainly. But how about the foresight, sgesti\le than i and the moral retrogression?' few inf~ Sherlock Holmes laughed. 'Here is the foresight,' said he, putting ~sent atieas(. his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. 'They are r intelJectu~i never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, it. is a sign of a he wasfal!. certain amount of foresight, 6 since he went out of his way to take this )WfaIJenu~ precaution against the wind. But since we see that he has broken the erly, poinrilf; elastic, and has not troubled to replace it, it is obvious that he has less deeline of hi; foresight now than formerly, which is a distinct proof of a weakening lbly drink, a nature. On the other hand, he has endeavoured to conceal some of : faetthat ij these st.1.ins 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.'

~ct,' he>eoo. 'The further points, that he is middle-aged, that his hair is grizzled, Nho leads a that it has been recently cut, and that he uses lime-cream, are all to :llddle'age~ be gathered from a close examination of the lower part of the lining. wdaya,iand The lens discloses a large number ofhair-ends, clean cut by the scissors patentfac~ of the barber. They all appear to be adhesive, and there is a distinct y, thatitiJ odour oflime-cream. This dust, you will observe, is not the gritty, grey

dust of the street, but the fluffY brown dust of the house, showing that it has been hung up indoors mGst of the time; while the marks of

~ you. these . moisture upon the inside are proof positive that the wearer perspired very freely, and could, therefore, hardly be in the best oftraining.'7

'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 carel 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 the house?'

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

'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 c~mmitted, 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 compart­ ment with Hushed 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!'6 He held out his hand, and displayed upon the centre of the palm a brilliantly scintil­ lating blue stone, rather smaller than a bean in size, but ofsuch 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.'9

'It's more than a precious stone. It's the precious stone.' 'Not the Countess ofMorcar's blue carbuncle?'l0 I ejaculated. 'Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, seeing that I have

read the advertisement about it in 'flze Times every day lately. It is absolutely unique, and its value can only be conjectured, but the reward offered ofa thousand pounds is certainly not within a twentieth part of the market price.'

'A thousand pounds! Great Lord of mercy!' The commissionaire

6

THE BLUE eARllUNCLg

~ plumped down into a chair, and stared from one to thc other of us. 'That is thc reward, and I havc reason to know that there are

\lc sentimental considerations in the background which would induce the Countess to part with hall' of her fortune if she could but recover the gem.'

'It was lost, ifll'cmembcr aright, at the Hotel Cosmopolitan,'11 I remarked.

'Preciscly so, on the 22nd of December, just five days ago. John Horner, a plumber, was acculled of having abstracted it {i'om the lady's jewel-case. The evidence against him was flO strong that the case has been referred to the Assizes. 12 I bave some account of the matter here, I believe'. He rummaged amid his newspapers, glancing over the dates, until at last he smoothcd one out, doubled it over, and read the rollowing paragmph:

•"Hotel CosmopolitanJewel Robbel'y.Jolm Horner, 26, plumber, was brought up upon the chmW: of having upon the 22ml mst., abstracted [rom the jewel-case or the Countess of Morcar the valuable gem known as the blue carbuncle. James Ryder, upper-attendant at the hotel, gave his evidence to the eUbet that he had shown Horner up to the dl'essing-room of the Countess or Morear upon the day of the robbery, in order that he might solder the second bar orthe grate, which was IOORC. He had remained with Horner some little time hut had finally been called aw,ty. On returning he lhund that Horner had disappeared, that the bureau hud been forced open, and that the small morocco casket in which, as it afterwards transpired, the Countess was accusloJ11(~cl to keep hcrj ewel, was lying ernp t y upo n the dressing-table. Ryder instantly gave the a\:;lrm, and Horner was arrested the same evening; but tb(~ stone could not be found dthel' upon his person or ill his rooms. Calherim~ Gu~ack, maid to the Countess, deposed to having heard Ryder's elY of dismay 011 discovering lhe rnbbcl1', and to having rushed into the mom, wlH~re she fhund matters were as described by the la~;t witness. Inspector Bmcistrcct, B Division, gave (~v.idenee as to lhe alTt!st 0[' Homer, wbo struggled rrantically, and protested hill inl1ocene(~ in the HtJ'tlllgest terms. Evidence of a previous conviction for robb{~ry having been given against the prisoner, the magistrate refused to deal summarily with the offi:nee, but referred it

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

to the Assizes. Horner, who had shown signs ofintense 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 his paper. 'The question for us now to solve is the sequence of events 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 fails, 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 22IB Baker Street." That is clear and concise.'

'Very. But will hc 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 ofhis 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,13 and have this put in the evening papers.'

'In which, sir?'

'Oh, in the Globe, Star, Pall Mall, St James's Gazette, .i!,vening News, Standard, Echo, and any others that occur to yoU.'14

'Very well sir, and this stone?'

'Ah, yes. I shall keep the stone. Thank you. And, I say, Peterson,

TIn; BI.UB ClARBUNCLI>

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 sec how it glints and sparkles. or course it is a nucleus and focus of crime. Every good stone is. They arc the devil's pet baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand lor a bloody deed. This stone is not yet twenLy years old. It was found ill the banks of the Amoy River in SOllthcm China;5 and is remarkable in having everycharactcristic of the carbuncle, save that it is blue in shade, instead ofruby 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 aboutIhl' the ~ake ol'thb forty-grain weight Ui of crystallized charcoal. 11 Who would think that so pl'(~lty a toy would be a purveyor to the gallows and the prison:l I'll lock it up in my strong-box now, and drop a linc to the COllntess to say that we have it.'

'Do you think this man Horner is innocent?' 'I cannot tell.' 'Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had

anything to do with lhe rnatter?' 'It is, I think, much morc likely that HC11lY Baker is an absolutely

i11l1()c(~nt man, who had no idea that the bird which he was carrying was of considerably more value than if it were made of solid g()ld. That, however, r shall cletcrnline by a vety simple test, if we have an answer to our advertisell1ctlt.'

'And you can do llClthilll!; until then?' 'Nothing.' 'In thaI calle r shall continue my prol(~ssiollal round. But I shall

come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned, f()f I should Iik{~ to :lee the solutioll of so tangled a business.'

'VC1Y glad to see you. 1 dine at seven. There is 11 woodcock, I believe. By the way, in view of recent occurrences, perhaps 1 ought to ask Mrs Hudson to examine its erop.'

I had been delayed at a case, and it was a little aller haH:'past six when I fbund myself in Baker Strcct once morc. As I approached the

THE A!)VEN1'URES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

house I saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet, IS with a coat which was buttoned up to his chin, waiting outside in the bright semicircle which was throv,rn 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 hi, 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 low staccato fashion, choosing his words with care, and gave the impression generally of a man oflearning and letters who had had ill-usage 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 offboth 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 no use to anyone had we not done so. But

I presume tbat 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, ,vith a sigh of relief.

'Of course, W awn bird, ifyou

Tbe ma!1 bur lies of my ad1

re d' ihat usc the ~

II •

to me. No, sIT, . to thtattenuons

Sherlock He ofbis shoulder,

'There is YO' would it bore) somewhat of a

goose.' 'Certainly,

gained proper me Alpha Inn itselfduring tl gate by name some few per MypenceWf

fidebted to ) nor my gra\ solemnly to 1

'So much

the door bl whatever ab

'NotpaI1 'Then 1:

up this clue 'Byall n It was a

about our 1 sky,andth pistol shot through tl through V

Tim DLlm OARBUNOI.E

'O!' course, we still have the leathers, legs, crop, and so on of your own bird, if you so 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 usc the dirjecla membra 10 army late acquaintance arc going to be to me. No, sir, I think that, with your permission, I will confine my attentions to the excelleut bird which I perceive upon the sideboard.'

Sherlock Holmes glanc(~d sharply across at me with a slight shrug ol'his shoulders.

'There is yoUi' 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 fc)wl Hmcier, and I have seldom seen a betler-6'Town goose.'

'Certainly, air,' 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 ncar the Ivlmeum21l we an! to be [bund in the Museum itself during the clay, YOll understand. This year our good host, Wincli­ gate by name, instituted a goose-dub, by which, on consideration oj' some Ibw pence every week, we w(:re to receive a bird at Christmas. My pence were duly paid, and the rest is Huni1iar to you. I am much indebted to YOll, sir, fiJ!' a Scotch bonnet is fitted neither to my years nor my gravity.' With a comical pomposity of manner lte bow<!d solemnly to both ol'us, and strode offupcm his way.

'So much Iill' Mr Henry Baker,' said Holmes, when he had closed the door behind him. 'It is quite certain that he knows nothing whatever about the malter. An~ you hungry, Watson?'

'Not particularly.' 'Theil 1 ~ugg'($t that we tum our dinner into it SUppCI', and follow

up this due while it is still hot.' 'By all means.' It was 11 hitter night, so we (h'ew on our ulsteI'S and wrapped cravats

abouL OUl' throats. Outside, the stars were shining coldly in a cloudless sky, (mel the breath of the passers~by blew out into smoke like so many pistol shots. Our fbotfalls rang out crisply and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter,21 Wimpole Street, Harley Street, and so through Wigmore Street into Oxford Street. In a quarter ofan hour we

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOOK HOLMES

were in Bloomsbury22 at the Alpha Inn, which is a small public-house at the corner of one ofthe streets which run down into Holborn. Holmes pushed open the door of the private bar, and ordered two glasses of beer from the ruddy-faced, white-aproned landlord.

'Your beer should be excellent if it is as good as your geese,' he said.

'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, 1 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 investi· gation 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,23 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 com­

panion.

'Sold out of geese, I see,' continued Holmes, pointing at the bare slabs of marble.

'Let you have five hundred tomorrow morning.'

Tl:ll!; BLUE ClARBUNCLE

'That's no good.' 'Well, there arc some on the stall with the gas flare.' 'Ah, but I was recommended to you.' 'Who by?' 'The landlord of the Alpha.' 'Ah, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen.' 'Fiue birds they were, too. Now where did you get them from?' To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger rrom the:

salesman. 'Now then, mL~ter,' said he, with his head cocked and his arms

akimbo, 'what arc 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 tt) the Alpha.' 'Well, theil, I shan't tell you. So now!' 'Oh, it is a matter or no importance; but I don't know why you

should be so warm over such a triHe.' 'Warml You'd b(~ as warm, maybe, iryou were pestered as I am.

When I pay gOtJd money ror a good article there should be an end of the business; but it's "Where arc the geese?" and "Who did you sell the geese to?" and "What will you take ror the geese?" One would think they were the only geese in the world, to hear the fuss that is made aVe!' them.'

'Well, I have 110 connection with any other people who have been making inquil'ies,' said Holmes carelessly. 'If you won't tell us the bet is on; that is all. But I'm always ready to back my opinion on a matter or rowls, 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 Ilothing of the kinel.' 'I say it is.' 'I don't believe you.' 'D'you think you know more about rowls than I, who have handled

them ever since I was a nipper? I leli you, all those birds that went to the Alpha were town bred.'

'You'll never persuade me to believe that.' 'Will you bet, therl?'

149

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

'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,'24 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. 25 Just read it out to me.'

'rvtrs Oakshott, 117 Bri.x:ton Road 249,' read Holmes. 'Quite so. Now turn that up in tlle ledger.' Holmes turned to the page indicated. 'Here you are, "Mrs Oak­

shott, II7 Brixton Road, egg and poultry supplier.'" 'Now, then, what's the last entry?' , "Dece~ber 22. Twenty-four geese at 7s. 6d." '26 'Quite so. There you are. And underneath?' '''Sold to Mr Windigate of the Alpha at I25." '27 'What have you to say now?' Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined. He drew a sovereign

from his pocket and threw it down upon tl1e 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"2Q protruding out of his pocket, you can always draw him by a bet,' said he. 'I dare say that if I had put a hundred pounds down in front of him tl1at man would not have given me such complete information as was drawn from him by the idea that he was doing me on a ""ager. Well, Watson, we are, I fancy, nearing the end of our quest, and the only point which remains to be determined is whether

THE BLUE CARBUNCLE

1 rightBut~ we should go on to this Mrs Oakshott tonight, or whether we should le obstlnalt,' reserve it for tomorrow. It is clear from what that surly fellow said that , Bill,'saidk there are others besides ourselves who are anxious about the matter, ~ and agrQ-.• and I should-' the hangn, 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 lought th.1tr rat-faced fellow, standing in the centre of the circle of yellow light re is still o~ 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.

rWen,tiJen,. 'I've had enough of you and your geese,' he shouted. 'I wish you ·s after the~ ( were all at the devil together. Ifyou come pestering me any more with f, then/YOil your silly talk I'll set the dog at you. You bring Mrs Oakshott here n supplier!. 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.'

'Mrs Oak. 'She told me to ask you.' 'Well, you can ask the King of Proosia/9 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 sec what is to be made of this fellow.' Striding through the scattered knots ofpeople who lounged round the

iovereign flaring stalls, my companion speedily overtook the little man and waywitIJ touched him upon the shoulder. He sprang round, and I could see in yards:olf the gaslight that evelY vestige of colour had been driven from his face. noiseless 'Who are you, then? What do you want?' he asked in a quavering

voice. e "Pink 'You will excuse me,' said Holmes blandly, 'but I could not help In bya overhearing the questions which you put to the salesman just now. I lownin think that I could be of assistance to you.' mplete 'You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?' ingme 'My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what of our other people don't know.' itether 'But you can .know nothing of this?'

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

'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 further, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting:

The man hesitated for an instant. 'My name isJohn 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 ofthe stranger. 'Well, then,' said he, 'my real name isJames 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 basket chair. I willjust put on my slippers before we settle this little matter ofyours. 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, witll a black bar across the tail.'

TilE ULUE (:ARlll1Nm.E

Ryder quivered with (:motion. '011, Hir,' he cried, 'can you tell me where it weill to?'

'Il came here.' 'Here?' 'Yes, UIle! it most l'etllal'kable bird it proved. I don't wonder that

yotllibould lake HII inlel'est in it. It IHid an egg ailcl' it was dead the bOllniest, brightest liule blue egg that was ever seen. I have it here in my l1lUSf'lITll.'

Our visitor staggered to his reet, and dutchcd the mantelpiece with his right hand. H()lnw~ unlm:ked hili strong-box, and held up the blue carbuucle, which sholl(, out like a stUI', with a cold, brilliant, many-poilll{:d nuJiam:(: . Ryder stood glaring with a drawn face, uncer­ taill wh(,ther to daim 01' to disown it.

'The ganw's lip, Ryder,' said Holmes quietly, 'Hold up, man, or you'll hI: intD the lil·(·. Give him all arm back into his chair, Watson, He's not got blood (~ll()ugh [0 go ill {(n' felony with impunity. Give him a dash ol'bl'HlHly, 1-;01 Now he looks a little morc human. What a shrimp it is, to he sme!'

For 11 IrtfltlwtH lw had Htaggc'l'cd and nearly lhllen, but the brandy brought a tinge or ('olmu' into his d](.:cks, anel he sat slaring with ll'ighwned eyes at hili IWCltS{'I'.

'I haw ahnuS( ewl'y link ill Illy hands, and all the proo[~ which I could possibly 1H~('d, so Ihere is little wltkh you need tdlme. StilI, that lillie may as W(·1\ l)(~ d(~Hred up to 11111~ke the case complete. You had heard, Ryckl" or this blue stone of tIl(! Countess ofMorcar's?'

'It was Catlwrilw Cusack who told me ofit,' ~aid he, in a crackling voke.

'I see. I'J(~r ladyship's waiLing-mnid. Well the temptation orsuddcn wealth so ea~ily acquired was too much [or you, as it has been for bNtel' Illtm bdl)f(~ you; but you W(~re not very scrupulous ill the means YOll UH(~d. It Rel~mH lo me, Ryd(~r, that there is the making of a very pretty villain in you. You knew that this mml Horner, the plumber, had been cOIlt:erned ill S()ln(~ such matLer before, and that suspicion would rest the more n~adily UPOIl him. What did you do, then? You mack some small job ill my lady's room ., you and your confederate Cusark ancl you managed tlmt he should be the man sent for. Then,

1,')3

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

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 Horner in 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 Horner had 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 wa~ 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 backyard, 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.30 One day he had met mc, and fell into talk about the ways of thieves and how they could

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

154

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THE BLUE CARBUNCLE

on to Kilburn,a' 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 stone32 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, prising 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 dmvn 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 nuttered 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," she said, "and we fattened it expressly for you."

, "Never mind. I'll have the other, and I'll take it now," said L '''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."

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

'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 casy 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 backyard. There was not a bird to be seen there.

"'Where are they all, Maggie?" I cried. '''Gone to the dealer's." ''''\Vhieh 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 tonight. Well, he has always allS\.yered me like that. My sister thinks that I am going mad. Sometimes I think that I am myself: And now - now I am myself a branded thief, without ever having touched the wealth33 for which I sold my character. God help me! God help mel' 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 fingertips upon the edge of the table. Then my friend rose, and threw open the door.

'Get oud' 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 day pipe, '1 am not retained by the police to supply their deficiencies. If Horner were in danger it would be another thing, but this fellow will

'I'lll·; nLUE CARIllINOLI(

not appear aAainsl him, and the case must collapse. I suppose that I am committing a li.:lony, hut it is just possible that I am saving a soul. This t(~lIow will not go wrong again. H(~ is too terribly frightened. Send him to gaollloW, and YOll make him a gaol-bird [or life. Besides, it is the season o(,liwgivcncss. Chance has put in our way a most singular ancl whimsical prohlem, and its solution is its own reward. a .. If you will have the gOOc\lH~SS to touch the bell, Doctor, we will begin another investigation, in which also a bird will be the ehier feature.'

157