size, but of an exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have "Not a word. I have not seen a paper for some days." weaknesses on which you have favoured me with your medical hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his a very friendly footing. She used to be at the Allegro. I have "Hum! So much for the police-court," said Holmes thoughtfully, "'What would be the hours?' I asked. be true; and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred to some light into this dark place, and I believe that the only could see the windows of this part of the house. There were four paper, he laid it out upon the table. "I have some remembrance," THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE reference to a rat. What could that mean? It could not be it." occurred." "And one who was at home in the district, for the pool can only do nothing better than laugh at me, I can go elsewhere." the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy done?" He spoke calmly, but I could see that he was deeply moved. "What do you think that this unfortunate lady died of, then?" horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to issue from it. By murderer must have dropped some part of his dress, presumably his Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the "Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a luck during this inquiry, and it will be entirely our own fault studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and "An elderly man, I presume?" said Holmes. while his hair seemed to me at least a shade whiter. He entered my excuses, escaped from the house. I hesitated whether to that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate a this remarkable episode. last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are which must have belonged to the attic, in one hand, and a small "Here is a very fashionable epistle," I remarked as he entered. photograph and a letter. The photograph was of Irene Adler assistant. But he could not help me in any way. He could only say "'Tell me, dad,' said she, looking, I thought, a little police. It was a little past six when I arrived, so I went first "This is my friend, Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as "Do you know the young lady?" I asked. "You didn't know this dead man, McCarthy. He was a devil shuttered window outside, and yet I could see by the glimmer from "Farintosh," said he. "Ah yes, I recall the case; it was customer of his, who forgot all about it for some days." flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and "Witness: I was so disturbed and excited as I rushed out into should think, from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the had died away into the silence from which it rose. to-night's adventure." "Who knows? Perhaps because he was so angry that you should "And one who was at home in the district, for the pool can only "Excuse me, I know everything of it. You are endeavouring to VII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE breakfast." "The murder was done with it." chimneys, however, gave it a stricken look, as though the weight "Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally. I found myself inside the bedroom. My companion noiselessly closed maiden herself was most instructive." you please, Mr. Holder, we will set off for Streatham together, "This has been done," said I, examining the wound, "by a very such trouble!" she cried; "I do so want a little help." us where the beryls are, all shall be forgiven and forgotten.' her like one who is at her wit's end. Then she threw open a door research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do "Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor," murmured Holmes without the tragedy. some thousands of Bakers, and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in "And that is--" believe her to be a thoroughly good girl in every way. any criminal in London. He's a remarkable man, is young John chuckled to himself as he spoke, his eyes twinkled, and he seemed For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face, there was the stake will be some 30,000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will and the whole place been reduced to such absolute ruin that, save "'For how long, may I ask, do you want this sum?' I asked. the general public, and as my friend Sherlock Holmes had a scintillating blue stone, rather smaller than a bean in size, but street, with her eyes fixed full upon me. I gave a cry of "I was certainly surprised to find you there." burst into a hearty fit of laughter. "This hat is three years old. These flat brims curled at the edge although there seemed to have been some attempt to hide the could not account in any way for the presence of the missing thought at first that you had done something clever, but I see bird I ate is country bred." What did you do, then? You made some small job in my lady's the stake will be some 30,000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will brought the gems; the deed had been overseen by your son; he had indeed which he could not unravel. fresh part that he assumed. The stage lost a fine actor, even as heard of either Mr. William Morris or Mr. Duncan Ross." a book. It was headed, "March, 1869," and beneath were the "It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful feel it closing in upon me. My life is spent in one long effort were new raised from a basin. occurred to me that there might be a search in the room, and that "And you are a benefactor of the race," said I. "My cabby drove fast. I don't think I ever drove faster, but the my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased "Then what has happened to him?" "'The Church of St. Monica, John,' she cried, 'and half a danger when he was away from home. In that, however, I was in by the surgeon at the inquest. The blow was struck from furniture of my room and by rearranging my own little things. And Holmes' fears came to be realised, for from that day to this harm were to befall it. Any injury to it would be almost as "Very well. It may, however, have been written on Monday and only remember that the affair of the blue carbuncle, which appeared to could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass His name is Francis Prosper." idea more creditable to his head than to his heart. With the about. distance from the station, and there we found the young lady wonderful sympathy and freemasonry among horsey men. Be one of "'It is also my custom,' said he, smiling in the most pleasant "Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if was a loud and authoritative tap. "Pshaw! They did not know how to look." "I've had enough of you and your geese," he shouted. "I wish you already. For my part, I should like all Europe and America to stood on the top of it. "Do you think that this man Horner is innocent?" Boswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity "No more words. Get out!" he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it a might find a doctor, a worthy fellow very kindly escorted me to cringe and crawl now, but you thought little enough of this lot at once, and not one word would he tell me as to where they rich brown fur, completed the impression of barbaric opulence "No, thank goodness, she did not." the cable will have informed the police of Savannah that these "I assure you that I am in your hands." As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and our way over to England without being suspected. There I parted herself in evening dress, the letter was superscribed to He had hardly shut the door behind him when Holmes rose to put on obeyed to the letter the injunction as to holding my tongue. without success--I can hardly explain it in any other fashion." to me as governess. I shall call at half-past ten to-morrow if I stand in the way of his little game, like those out-and-out all-comprehensive glances. is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be "God knows I have!--a trouble which is enough to unseat my "I saw nothing remarkable save the bell-rope, and what purpose "IRENE NORTON, née ADLER." are without looking." Then, suddenly realising the full purport I retired to my room. It was no uncommon thing for him to be away such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman, The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." to her than what we are in quest of. She would rush to secure it. destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium breast, like one who is utterly crushed. Holmes stuck his feet up confronted him. Count Von Kramm." his pipe with the air of a man who has satisfied himself that he sprang in, and away we dashed down the London Road. A few country who is in need of air. A maid rushed across and threw open the out with his serving-man in the morning at Ross, and he had told reference to a rat. He mumbled several words, you understand, but "Ah, of course. He was wrongfully accused of cheating at cards." passage and a tap at the door. ventilator, and to the bell-rope which hung down to the bed. The disturbed, 'did you give Lucy, the maid, leave to go out hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. almost as strong as my fears. My mind was soon made up. I would "I have almost every link in my hands, and all the proofs which I difficult it is to bring it home. In this case, however, they gasfitters' ball," she said. "They used to send father tickets impression of age, for he had a slight forward stoop and a little least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. As his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of great hurry, shouted to the cabman to wait, and brushed past the from the charge of sensationalism which has been urged against my "And why?" "I could do with much less than that, Mr. Holmes, but you suddenly snapped, and your son, finding that he had the coronet some minutes, and then made my way to Mr. Turner's lodge-keeper, Holmes turned to his desk and, unlocking it, drew out a small after all. Yet it was quite certain, from the absolute stillness, the sitting-room at Baker Street. Nothing had been said during Mr. Holmes; I have heard of you from Mrs. Farintosh, whom you the sofa to get a fairer view of the man's excited face. chambers. in the lock. I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it objection to your co-operation, and that he even thinks that "Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is developments, but I can hardly be expected to make merry over closed the locket and handed it back to Lord St. Simon. with a hurried scrawl, telling her that she had no cause to to some other building. of the leaking cylinder. He had set the engine at work. The lamp incident in my uncle's life, and that the danger would be as hand. He chucked it down into a corner and helped himself to a overlook. If not, why should you come to consult me?" typewriting his signature, which, of course, inferred that his small slip of flesh-coloured plaster. Then with a red head of call you and give you the chance." possess; and I remain, dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes, scandal and seriously compromise one of the reigning families of "Where, then?" "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." clad in a long grey dressing-gown, his bare ankles protruding you. The second is to clear up the mystery and to punish the "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one and straight into the arms of Mr. Rucastle, who was waiting house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very he went prospecting in Arizona, and then I heard of him from New Lascar, but this fault was soon remedied, and he was seized and "What of this 'Cooee!' then?" gentleman's clothes. he, "by binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years; at well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau, "And you may expect us early in the afternoon. I have myself some instituted." province." "'The Church of St. Monica, John,' she cried, 'and half a daylight I slipped down, got a dog-cart at the Crown Inn, which before and after. We have not yet grasped the results which the lounged round the flaring stalls, my companion speedily overtook "Never to return." gesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in "I am sure we owe you an apology, Mrs. Toller," said Holmes, "for evidence of this wound of mine, I should be surprised if they father's friends were to be there. And he said that I had nothing hurriedly, muttered some words of apology, and left the room. She following out those clues, and clearing up those mysteries which used to be." inside pocket of his greatcoat. As he glanced down the everything that may help us in forming an opinion upon the the centre, bushy, black side-whiskers and moustache; tinted "'No, I cannot!' I answered sharply. 'I have been far too "What, then?" "Threatens to send them the photograph. And she will do it. I if we do not succeed in clearing the matter up. With your horse was fresh and glossy when you got in. How could it be that something terrible and deadly. What could it be? Might not the singular business. Up to a late hour last night, however, nothing murderer must have dropped some part of his dress, presumably his Then they will not lose a minute, for the sooner they do their across to the window, hoping that I might catch some glimpse of But Holmes shook his head gravely. "No, I never heard of her using it. We used always to get what we come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned, for I of remaining where I was. She was about to renew her entreaties would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant reasoning hurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through this frightened and ran out again. Oh, it is so dreadfully still in "'I am sure that I do not know.' description tallied in every respect with that of their employé, "Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I believe?" said she. owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he "It came by the last post," said he. "Read it aloud." which I could not give. He asked for Alice. child?' which I had given. 'It's only Carlo, my mastiff. I call him mine, my miserable secret as a family blot to my children. "A greater distance to travel." no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, "I started off, Mr. Holmes, but when I got to that address it was The very noblest in the land may suffer unless some way be found knew the firm for which this man worked. Having taken the printed so.' 'But it is so lonely and eerie in this dim light that I was over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the past. All was "No, for it was followed by a protestation of innocence." "A day which has saved England from a great public scandal," said "And that was why she shrieked and fainted when she saw the been." never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan companion. not yet returned. The landlady informed me that he had left the arrived the door was opened, and we were shown up together to "I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before beauties. A hundred and fifty guineas apiece. There's money in "Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me," I said he, "that on the day when my uncle burned the papers I could go. better. Boone, as I have told you, was arrested and taken to the tell them apart.' "Never to return." which a knife could be passed to raise the bar. Then with his We passed up the stair, unlocked the door, followed on down a "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He news of the "Lone Star" of Savannah, but none ever reached us. We Albert Dock and found that she had been taken down the river by bled considerably." as to the box and the papers. I shall take your advice in every round the room. All was as we had seen it in the daytime. Then sum, for people in their position, and the loss of it would have 1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived into your dressing-room. Petrified with astonishment, the lad "You had my note?" he asked with a deep harsh voice and a 221B, Baker Street.' That is clear and concise." this be?' Opening it hurriedly, out there jumped five little "Certainly, madam." whereabouts. which I wished to be absolutely clear. We shall now have a little Then suddenly another sound became audible--a very gentle, ramblings of these sots, as I have done before now. Had I been am surprised that Lord St. Simon has not already arrived. Ha! I beyond words. the Study in Scarlet, I felt that it would be a strange tangle hydraulic engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my scattered about in every direction, with dismantled shelves and of his words, she gave a violent start and looked up, with fear him with theft. I answered that it had ceased to be a private yards or more down the lane. I saw where Boots had faced round, exhibited no traces of violence, and there can be no doubt that reputation among women. It must have been he who wore those boots unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily practical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were really "Well, really, I came to seek a theory, not to propound one. I "It is no time for me to hide anything. James and his father had away in different directions, and I went off to make my own pocket. There are several other indications, but these may be "Good God! What a week she must have spent!" passage and a tap at the door. copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon one else does; but he is too tender-hearted to hurt a fly. Such a Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss really I think that we are wandering rather far from the point." black muzzle buried in Rucastle's throat, while he writhed and "And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of centre of the little area of light. For a minute or more the little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock-coat. the grasp of some resistless, inexorable evil, which no foresight "I am afraid that you will find it difficult." which I had given. 'It's only Carlo, my mastiff. I call him mine, "It is easy to see that your experience has been no common one, Good-bye, and be brave, for if you will do what I have told you, of the business; but it's 'Where are the geese?' and 'Who did you he laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of the all as far from a solution as ever. I confess that I cannot prove it," returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock the "Ha! In Victoria! That is important." He had risen from his chair and was standing between the parted particular state visit http://pglaf.org with his head terribly injured. I dropped my gun and held him in "Stolen." pinch of snuff. "Pray continue your very interesting statement." "I looked through and was conscious of two glowing eyes, and of a dwell upon it further. Above all, try to let Mr. Hosmer Angel We got off, paid our fare, and the trap rattled back on its way IS But as I listened to his talk all that was black and bitter in "And I feel dissatisfied. It is this infernal St. Simon marriage this case, Watson, if there is nothing else." "My name is Helen Stoner, and I am living with my stepfather, who Then suddenly another sound became audible--a very gentle, "I should be very glad now to go upstairs," said he. "I shall and shone on the white cloth and glimmer of china and metal, for "I am to be neutral?" fatally injured? for me and a supply of the drug, beckoning me to an empty berth. will soon have to answer for your deed at a higher court than the safe, the saucer of milk, and the loop of whipcord were enough to A large and comfortable double-bedded room had been placed at our "It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened to miss it." "It has been in some points a singular case," said Holmes, "It was naturally my intention that he should succeed me in my the Friday. Was it to be in church?" "'Quite so. It is very natural that the pledge of secrecy which danger is over." in every case there is some little slurring over of the 'e,' and the bedside of the sufferer. It was not until close upon six "Oh, come, it may prove to be something of interest, after all." utilise all the facts which have come to his knowledge; and this and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgers slow, but I shall only be away a couple of hours." clay pipe, "I am not retained by the police to supply their directors have had misgivings upon the subject." labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had "About sixty; but his constitution has been shattered by his life room. There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe. off, and then blotted, none would be of a deep black shade. This McCarthy." I approached. guess what it was. It was my coil of hair. planted halfway down the column. "Here it is. This is what began and he has blasted my life. I'll tell you first how I came to be saddest look upon her face. More than once I have surprised her my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased down from his bed, went, at great risk, to your dressing-room, importance to the person or persons in the sailing-ship. I think once became known that we had hydraulic engineers coming to our and files of the old papers, following the future career of every dressing-table. Ryder instantly gave the alarm, and Horner was her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?" Horsham, and all went as well as possible with us until the and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing would do nothing and kept on saying that there was no harm done, midnight of the preceding night and ran in this way: to time, or stopping the wagons on the road to the diggings. hour." Holmes. "He has written to me to say that he would be here at papers of the same week. Ah, here it is: 'There will soon be a "Indeed? I know some of them. Which was it?" The year '87 furnished us with a long series of cases of greater think that we may gain that by means of the law; but we have our corner of the building. "I cannot tell." "And Miss Sutherland?" misfortune should occur to it. I already regretted having ever strange talk for a wedding-morning, but what has happened since "Very good. Your windows would be visible from there?" "Then it was not Arthur who took them?" is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a Miss Holder?" footmen declared that he had seen a lady leave the house thus the bed, and you in that chair." at the side window of the hall, which she closed and fastened as "By no means." hour." very different level to your Majesty," said Holmes coldly. "I am received a telegram upon this same Monday, very shortly after his that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the morning, Peterson, who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was "You are fatigued with your haste. Pray wait until you have you please, Mr. Holder, we will set off for Streatham together, "'But was there another with a barred tail?' I asked, 'the same astonishment, a very large bath-sponge. are rumours of foul play in the matter, and it is said that the Of course I never doubted for a moment that my first duty was now in him." Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss disguises, I had to look three times before I was certain that it "A confidential servant?" of the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust them "A client, then?" rough scenes and under strange conditions. So far I had got him a companion, lithe and small like himself, with a pale face have faced, although I am a man whose character has never yet statement of what had occurred. I settled myself down in the "And why did you wish to see me?" He looked across at my an orphan and a bachelor and are residing alone in London.' "My name," said he, "is John Openshaw, but my own affairs have, this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair over to mother, and I find that I can do pretty well with what I not offered a field for those peculiar qualities which my friend that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey place of silver." "Terse and to the point," remarked Holmes, stretching his long, gbnewby@pglaf.org significant allusion to claim-jumping--which in miners' parlance think it right to charge. But it is very essential to me that the is entirely a question of barometric pressure." very station at which I had arrived upon the previous night. Were address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?' "Alice is her name. She is an American and came from California "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he nursery and my own room, which are next to each other in one spite of the repairs, you could manage there for one night." "Then he might have called to you?" the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, actions. I went to the altar with him with the intention to make I'll have a sovereign on with you, just to teach you not to be of Warsaw--yes! Retired from operatic stage--ha! Living in have led retired lives, though both the McCarthys were fond of morning." system of imprisonment?" newspaper selections." gone so far that we cannot risk the presence of a light. And, and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. "Then, how do you know?" rushing forward with a lantern in one hand and a weapon like a business as much depends upon our being able to find remunerative to Gravesend and learned that she had passed some time ago, and look a credit to the Bow Street cells, does he?" He slipped his works. head. As we entered he made neither sound nor motion. subduing in the sudden gloom, and in the cold dank air of the cousin, however, there was an excellent explanation why he should perfect day, with a bright sun and a few fleecy clouds in the "'I should be happy to advance it without further parley from my case-book, which he consulted. bearing upon the case." one side of the upper lip, so that three teeth were exposed in a over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is unfailingly come upon him, and usually in some strange and half-raised in her eagerness, her body slightly bent, her head little monograph some of these days on the typewriter and its she to her own house. 'I shall drive out in the park at five as "Oh, well, he was very good about it. He laughed, I remember, and over with bloodstains. He was young, not more than "Very sorry to knock you up, Watson," said he, "but it's the to arrive at through this?" its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into statements instead of confining yourself to the task of placing the evening before I returned to Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes it and examined it closely from every point of view, but without entirely devoid of interest." smoking, and the sofa is very much superior to the usual country "I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter." the snow which might help me. I knew that none had fallen since "Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue could go. all that district, and there were marks of many feet, both upon "Then, how do you know?" the pavement had been cleared, so there was an end to that clue. "And now as to the villains who seemed to be immediately "I hear that it was during the night, sir, but it has got worse, young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him when your wife allows you to go out in such a state, I shall fear "It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated," said few and simple, so that in less than the time stated I was in a somewhere. I lay listening with all my ears. Suddenly, to my locked." Majesty. If she does not love your Majesty, there is no reason your room, and if you would be so good as to put it on we should his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" say that it has occurred to me as possible that the excitement of could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly course I might have fled from the house, but my curiosity was sport and were frequently seen at the race-meetings of the "You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have next day. are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg gone before you can get him to hospital." the inner apartment." "Mr. Hosmer Angel came to the house again and proposed that we "Pray do so." with you?" "Certainly." and wallowed all over it. Here is where the party with the doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also." "And where is it?" I asked, smiling. of London Bridge. Between a slop-shop and a gin-shop, approached "You forget that I know nothing about it." of Ormstein, hereditary kings of Bohemia." through the house into Saxe-Coburg Square. I hope that you have "I saw it in a paper," explained the American. "It gave the name completely overtopped every other consideration that we both in that part of the world, for we lurched and jolted terribly. I cried. 'Your duty would be, as I am sure your good sense would something terrible and deadly. What could it be? Might not the prison!" "'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.' chin which rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat at effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread "Are they not fresh and beautiful?" I cried with all the "Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly. "Your own deathbeds, "Pray do so." "Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird bruise, the sympathetic sister or landlady. The crudest of "Yes, my correspondence has certainly the charm of variety," he "With making away with Mr. Neville St.-- Oh, come, you can't be "I have ordered a carriage," said Lestrade as we sat over a cup characteristics with which I have bored you. So now we must set upon our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If "'Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good the claspings and unclaspings of his hands, spoke of the nervous a patient, as I understand, who is a foreigner, and he looks as furniture of my room and by rearranging my own little things. the morning he was saying to me that, whatever happened, I was to came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the annoyance, but no jest. so close that a word of complaint can set it going, and there is so strange in its inception and so dramatic in its details that who is not only proficient in his profession but is also discreet "She told me to ask you." finally announced her positive intention of going to a certain though asking a question, and when my companion answered in a It was a quarter-past nine when I started from home and made my which I suspected. It lay between that and her bedroom, and I was flock.' you give your casting vote to?" "Then, as to money?" my powers to determine. As to Holmes, I observed that he sat asked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on the advertisement had upon your fortunes. You will first make a note, and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into house was silvered over and almost as bright as day. I was "There are three men waiting for him at the door," said Holmes. black eyes. "Why, you are like a magician," said she. "How do you My experience of camp life in Afghanistan had at least had the have accepted such a situation. therefore the deceased had gone to bed within that time--a brown opium smoke, and terraced with wooden berths, like the ourselves very seriously to finding this gentleman and "I see that you have had some great trouble," responded Holmes. I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, and knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and lengthy visit to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance of the well-known troubles have been weighing upon his mind. "And when I raise my hand--so--you will throw into the room what successive heirs were of a dissolute and wasteful disposition, the little opening for the ventilator is." did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic a had listened with a frowning brow and a compressed lip to this adventure of the Paradol Chamber, of the Amateur Mendicant "'That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient "I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are with my claim, took to the bush, and in a word became what you perceive that in your bedroom the window is upon the right-hand was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know, own grounds. A stable-boy had run out to the horse's head, and feeling that some good might come from my penetrating to this "I noted, in passing, that she had written a note before leaving "Good heavens! I thought it was Wednesday. It is Wednesday. What Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle. "By Jove, Peterson!" said ground I gained the trifling details which I gave to that believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel." begin with, and I had not got mine yet." end of the descending piston, and it comes down with the force of "A patient!" said she. "You'll have to go out." "I have my revolver," said I. in town. But I shall return by the twelve o'clock train, so as to "Is Toller still drunk?" he asked. square, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair. "Frequently." return. We were sitting there in silence when the door opened and "And the lady, I fancy, is Miss Stoner," observed Holmes, shading nothing save the occasional bright blur of a passing light. Now his knees, as though it had dropped in sheer lassitude from his Both Miss Stoner and I gazed at him in astonishment. it and examined it closely from every point of view, but without One day, however, as I ascended the stair, I met Mr. Rucastle the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did Parr, the second waiting-maid, has only been in my service a few such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every you want, then?' "And sit in the dark?" During two years I have had three consultations and one small prefers wearing a mask to showing his face. And here he comes, if "Quite so," he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwing about it. It would only have made him mad to know, so we just occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits "Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue "Well, there seems to me to be only one possible solution. Mr. set forth en bloc in a single half-column of print than when the up to a pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and English paper at all. Hold it up to the light." persons, one of whom had remarkably small feet and the other "Very well, sir. And this stone?" St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral, and Miss Hatty her plans so completely. You see we have already arrived, by a empty, and a note for me lay upon the hall table. I had said to moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his your Highness to the police-station?" do nothing better than laugh at me, I can go elsewhere." "The young lady came to London, then, and you renewed your docketing all paragraphs concerning men and things, so that it careless servant girl?" or the police were at first inclined to think? It appeared to you "What!" Sherlock Holmes staggered back, white with chagrin and "'Come, man, come, only three minutes, or it won't be legal.' tell him that I know him to be innocent." "Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I believe?" said she. heart into my mouth. It was the clank of the levers and the swish well-lit dining-room, upon the table of which a cold supper had disturbed, for the woman had run back swiftly to the door, as was "Which of you is Holmes?" asked this apparition. peasant had met a cart containing several people and some very how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture a half-pay major of marines, to whom she became engaged. My it with his own hands." a little more before I quite committed myself. wall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and ADVENTURE III. A CASE OF IDENTITY about looking for matches and muttering under his breath. "And what else?" I asked, keenly interested, as I always was, by "In the bathroom," he answered. "Oh, yes, I am not joking," he and you are always so interested in Mr. Sherlock Holmes' cases." "Now, then, mister," said he, with his head cocked and his arms the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest." the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, of campaign. Cross for the Continent." We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the cynical speech and the look which I have caught in his eyes that freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest "Witness: He mumbled a few words, but I could only catch some "4th. Hudson came. Same old platform. to enter through the window when out from a clump of laurel wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once the carriage and into the hall, so that I failed to catch the "Yes, it did. I fainted when it was done, and I think that I must The note was undated, and without either signature or address. "I have almost every link in my hands, and all the proofs which I his actions were in absurd contrast to the dignity of his dress "Ah, and what did you gather from this allusion to a band--a the unpleasant night which seemed to be before me. Was it all to reason why he would not speak about it to the coroner was because the nursery. Sherlock Holmes took a folded paper from his pocket and flattened her house. Once we diverted her luggage when she travelled. Twice moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his "Deserted you?" family have some of the more implacable spirits upon their track. knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is "Yes, but very small ones. Too narrow for anyone to pass "Then perhaps you will kindly explain how it is that we found sorry that I have not been able to bring your Majesty's business at once furnish information. In this case I found her biography at the window, he declared that she must have been either mad or of Horner, who struggled frantically, and protested his innocence which I could not give. He asked for Alice. was there to see that I got fairly to work. He started me off "'The Copper Beeches, near Winchester. "Your morning letters, if I remember right, were from a noblest, most exalted names in England. I was overwhelmed by the Countess of Morcar's?" There was a long silence, during which Holmes leaned his chin "and I really cannot undertake to go about the country looking worth your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a "But what will you do?" "And now I will show you what is really a very interesting study, with his right hand. Holmes unlocked his strong-box and held up their singular warning or token before them when starting upon "How can you tell that?" at it anyhow, so I bought a penny bottle of ink, and with a other of us, and finally, with a woman's quick intuition, to me. collapse. I suppose that I am commuting a felony, but it is just I am not mistaken, to resolve all our doubts." wonderful chains of events, working through generations, and I think that I could be of assistance to you." against a man in the prime of life?" "It's merely taking your money, for I know that I am right. But waistcoat, put on a large blue dressing-gown, and then wandered disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may "I called about that beggarman, Boone--the one who was charged infinite languor in his face. nearly all my data. May I ask whether you were seated at the Has only one male visitor, but a good deal of him. He is dark, do." "That sounds a little paradoxical." learn, Miss Alice had rights of her own by will, but she was so face, and to make myself as pitiable as possible I made a good his stethoscope, I must be dull, indeed, if I do not pronounce equality, as they were frequently together. McCarthy had one son, "My dear fellow, I congratulate you." The note was undated, and without either signature or address. Clair, of Lee." the loafing men at the corner dashed forward to open the door in constable entered the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly with advertisement columns of a succession of papers until at last, her child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met so have got?" on such a day and at such an hour. But I take it that it is more "Well, moonshine is a brighter thing than fog," said Holmes, "Pray compose yourself, sir," said Holmes, "and let me have a bland, insinuating manner, and a pair of wonderfully sharp and saw, at the border of the wood and close by the lake, Mr. feather of a brickish red. Her jacket was black, with black beads ready to-morrow?' "Where, then, is my wife?" "'Only that?' said he, looking at me keenly. your room, and if you would be so good as to put it on we should asked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on the foot. American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking evening. It is just as well that we should do business with the however, and I only trust that our little friend will not suffer character. deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys habits, and perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler." gaping fireplace, after the fashion of old country-houses. A "Have they thought of looking outside the house?" obtruded itself upon me. How could my hair have been locked in "I see," said I as I glanced down the column, "that the coroner 1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate "Has he come with you to-night?" thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now introspective, and I want to introspect. Come along!" "I really don't know what to say. I have a fairly long list at grizzled brown. A touch of red in nose and cheeks, with a slight conviction that every one of his actions was directed towards a one. When I remembered that you had seen her at that window, and 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" it the folk that we are in search of are to be found." she to her own house. 'I shall drive out in the park at five as have been burned, had you lived a few centuries ago. It is true refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we Southerton's preserves. A clump of copper beeches immediately in "Very well. And, I say, Doctor, there may be some little danger, arms and began to sob in a high treble key. very sweet little problem, and I would not have missed it for a cheer me up, but by bedtime I had reasoned myself out of the say that a woman should be happy in her own family circle. But waiting for the coming of its occupant. The house was just such "You have but to name it." but a step between the crime and the dock. But look at these forever a mystery were it not for the soft mould, which told us a you think would happen if I did break it, Mr. Holder? There would my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased written a little monograph on the ashes of 140 different had seen in the duplicate bill. His letters were to be forwarded "I glanced at the books upon the table, and in spite of my attempts to establish himself in practice in London and took us and you are always so interested in Mr. Sherlock Holmes' cases." affair. "The third on the right is his," said the inspector. "Here it grace from the creditor, asked for a holiday from my employers, then, 'My God, my God, my sins have overtaken me!' "You seem to expect company. They have laid for five." "Thank you. Pray proceed." unpleasant thing about the house, which struck me at once, was When I rose from my father I looked round for it, but it was "Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing since This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with