leastof
which
should
have
been
hers
.
And
yet
I
have
made
no
use
of
it
myself
,
so
blind
and
foolish
a
thing
is
avarice
.
The
mere
feeling
of
possession
has
been
so
dear
to
me
that
I
could
not
bear
to
share
it
with
another
.
See
that
chaplet
tipped
with
pearls
beside
the
quinine-bottle
.
Even
that
I
could
not
bear
to
part
with
,
although
I
had
got
it
out
with
the
design
of
sending
it
to
her
.
You
,
my
sons
,
will
give
her
a
fair
share
of
the
Agra
treasure
.
But
send
her
nothing
—
not
even
the
chaplet
—
until
I
am
gone
.
After
all
,
men
have
been
as
bad
as
this
and
have
recovered
.
'
"
I
will
tell
you
how
Morstan
died
,
"
he
continued
.
"
He
had
suffered
for
years
from
a
weak
heart
,
but
he
concealed
it
from
every
one
.
I
alone
knew
it
.
When
in
India
,
he
and
I
,
through
a
remarkable
chain
of
circumstances
,
came
into
possession
of
a
considerable
treasure
.
I
brought
it
over
to
England
,
and
on
the
night
of
Morstan
's
arrival
he
came
straight
over
here
to
claim
his
share
.
He
walked
over
from
the
station
,
and
was
admitted
by
my
faithful
old
Lal
Chowdar
,
who
is
now
dead
.
Morstan
and
I
had
a
difference
of
opinion
as
to
the
division
of
the
treasure
,
and
we
came
to
heated
words
.
Morstan
had
sprung
out
of
his
chair
in
a
paroxysm
of
anger
,
when
he
suddenly
pressed
his
hand
to
his
side
,
his
face
turned
a
dusky
hue
,
and
he
fell
backwards
,
cutting
his
head
against
the
corner
of
the
treasure-chest
.
When
I
stooped
over
him
I
found
,
to
my
horror
,
that
he
was
dead
.
'
"
For
a
long
time
I
sat
half
distracted
,
wondering
what
I
should
do
.
My
first
impulse
was
,
of
course
,
to
call
for
assistance
;
but
I
could
not
but
recognise
that
there
was
every
chance
that
I
would
be
accused
of
his
murder
.
His
death
at
the
moment
of
a
quarrel
,
and
the
gash
in
his
head
,
would
be
black
against
me
.
Again
,
an
official
inquiry
could
not
be
made
without
bringing
out
some
facts
about
the
treasure
,
which
I
was
particularly
anxious
to
keep
secret
.
He
had
told
me
that
no
soul
upon
earth
knew
where
he
had
gone
.
There
seemed
to
be
no
necessity
why
any
soul
ever
should
know
.
'
"
I
was
still
pondering
over
the
matter
,
when
,
looking
up
,
I
saw
my
servant
,
Lal
Chowdar
,
in
the
doorway
.
He
stole
in
and
bolted
the
door
behind
him
.
'
Do
not
fear
,
Sahib
,
'
he
said
;
'
no
one
need
know
that
you
have
killed
him
.
Let
us
hide
him
away
,
and
who
is
the
wiser
?
'
'
I
did
not
kill
him
,
'
said
I
.
Lal
Chowdar
shook
his
head
and
smiled
.
'
I
heard
it
all
,
Sahib
,
'
said
he
;
'
I
heard
you
quarrel
,
and
I
heard
the
blow
.
But
my
lips
are
sealed
.
All
are
asleep
in
the
house
.
Let
us
put
him
away
together
.
'
That
was
enough
to
decide
me
.
If
my
own
servant
could
not
believe
my
innocence
,
how
could
I
hope
to
make
it
good
before
twelve
foolish
tradesmen
in
a
jury-box
?
Lal
Chowdar
and
I
disposed
of
the
body
that
night
,
and
within
a
few
days
the
London
papers
were
full
of
the
mysterious
disappearance
of
Captain
Morstan
.
You
will
see
from
what
I
say
that
I
can
hardly
be
blamed
in
the
matter
.
My
fault
lies
in
the
fact
that
we
concealed
not
only
the
body
,
but
also
the
treasure
,
and
that
I
have
clung
to
Morstan
's
share
as
well
as
to
my
own
.
I
wish
you
,
therefore
,
to
make
restitution
.
Put
your
ears
down
to
my
mouth
.
The
treasure
is
hidden
in
—
"
'
At
this
instant
a
horrible
change
came
over
his
expression
;
his
eyes
stared
wildly
,
his
jaw
dropped
,
and
he
yelled
,
in
a
voice
which
I
can
never
forget
,
"
Keep
him
out
!
For
Christ
's
sake
keep
him
out
!
"
We
both
stared
round
at
the
window
behind
us
upon
which
his
gaze
was
fixed
.
A
face
was
looking
in
at
us
out
of
the
darkness
.
We
could
see
the
whitening
of
the
nose
where
it
was
pressed
against
the
glass
.
It
was
a
bearded
,
hairy
face
,
with
wild
cruel
eyes
and
an
expression
of
concentrated
malevolence
.
My
brother
and
I
rushed
towards
the
window
,
but
the
man
was
gone
.
When
we
returned
to
my
father
his
head
had
dropped
and
his
pulse
had
ceased
to
beat
.
'
We
searched
the
garden
that
night
,
but
found
no
sign
of
the
intruder
,
save
that
just
under
the
window
a
single
footmark
was
visible
in
the
flower-bed
.
But
for
that
one
trace
,
we
might
have
thought
that
our
imaginations
had
conjured
up
that
wild
,
fierce
face
.
We
soon
,
however
,
had
another
and
a
more
striking
proof
that
there
were
secret
agencies
at
work
all
round
us
.
The
window
of
my
father
's
room
was
found
open
in
the
morning
,
his
cupboards
and
boxes
had
been
rifled
,
and
upon
his
chest
was
fixed
a
torn
piece
of
paper
,
with
the
words
"
The
sign
of
the
four
"
scrawled
across
it
.
What
the
phrase
meant
,
or
who
our
secret
visitor
may
have
been
,
we
never
knew
.
As
far
as
we
can
judge
,
none
of
my
father
's
property
had
been
actually
stolen
,
though
everything
had
been
turned
out
.
My
brother
and
I
naturally
associated
this
peculiar
incident
with
the
fear
which
haunted
my
father
during
his
life
;
but
it
is
still
a
complete
mystery
to
us
.
'
The
little
man
stopped
to
relight
his
hookah
and
puffed
thoughtfully
for
a
few
moments
.
We
had
all
sat
absorbed
,
listening
to
his
extraordinary
narrative
.
At
the
short
account
of
her
father
's
death
Miss
Morstan
had
turned
deadly
white
,
and
for
a
moment
I
feared
that
she
was
about
to
faint
.
She
rallied
,
however
,
on
drinking
a
glass
of
water
which
I
quietly
poured
our
for
her
from
a
Venetian
carafe
upon
the
side-table
.
Sherlock
Holmes
leaned
back
in
his
chair
with
an
abstracted
expression
and
the
lids
drawn
low
over
his
glittering
eyes
.
As
I
glanced
at
him
I
could
not
but
think
how
on
that
very
day
he
had
complained
bitterly
of
the
commonplaceness
of
life
.
Here
at
least
was
a
problem
which
would
tax
his
sagacity
to
the
utmost
.
Mr.
Thaddeus
Sholto
looked
from
one
to
the
other
of
us
with
an
obvious
pride
at
the
effect
which
his
story
had
produced
,
and
then
continued
between
the
puffs
of
his
overgrown
pipe
.
'
My
brother
and
I
,
'
said
he
,
'
were
,
as
you
may
imagine
,
much
excited
as
to
the
treasure
which
my
father
had
spoken
of
.
For
weeks
and
for
months
we
dug
and
delved
in
every
part
of
the
garden
without
discovering
its
whereabouts
.
It
was
maddening
to
think
that
the
hiding-place
was
on
his
very
lips
at
the
moment
that
he
died
.
We
could
judge
the
splendour
of
the
missing
riches
by
the
chaplet
which
he
had
taken
out
.
Over
this
chaplet
my
brother
Bartholomew
and
I
had
some
little
discussion
.
The
pearls
were
evidently
of
great
value
,
and
he
was
averse
to
part
with
them
,
for
,
between
friends
,
my
brother
was
himself
a
little
inclined
to
my
father
's
fault
.
He
thought
,
too
,
that
if
we
parted
with
the
chaplet
it
might
give
rise
to
gossip
,
and
finally
bring
us
into
trouble
.
It
was
all
that
I
could
do
to
persuade
him
to
let
me
find
out
Miss
Morstan
's
address
and
send
her
a
detached
pearl
at
fixed
intervals
,
so
that
at
least
she
might
never
feel
destitute
.
'
'
It
was
a
kindly
thought
,
'
said
our
companion
earnestly
;
'
it
was
extremely
good
of
you
.
'
The
little
man
waved
his
hand
deprecatingly
.
'
We
were
your
trustees
,
'
he
said
;
'
that
was
the
view
which
I
took
of
it
,
though
brother
Bartholomew
could
not
altogether
see
it
in
that
light
.
We
had
plenty
of
money
ourselves
.
I
desired
no
more
.
Besides
,
it
would
have
been
such
bad
taste
to
have
treated
a
young
lady
in
so
scurvy
a
fashion
.
"
Le
mauvais
goût
mène
au
crime
.
"
The
French
have
a
very
neat
way
of
putting
these
things
.
Our
difference
of
opinion
on
this
subject
went
so
far
that
I
thought
it
best
to
set
up
rooms
for
myself
;
so
I
left
Pondicherry
Lodge
,
taking
the
old
khitmutgar
and
Williams
with
me
.
Yesterday
,
however
,
I
learn
that
an
event
of
extreme
importance
has
occurred
.
The
treasure
has
been
discovered
.
I
instantly
communicated
with
Miss
Morstan
,
and
it
only
remains
for
us
to
drive
out
to
Norwood
and
demand
our
share
.
I
explained
my
views
last
night
to
brother
Bartholomew
,
so
we
shall
be
expected
,
if
not
welcome
,
visitors
.
'
Mr.
Thaddeus
Sholto
ceased
,
and
sat
twitching
on
his
luxurious
settee
.
We
all
remained
silent
,
with
our
thoughts
upon
the
new
development
which
the
mysterious
business
had
taken
.
Holmes
was
the
first
to
spring
to
his
feet
.
'
You
have
done
well
,
sir
,
from
first
to
last
,
'
said
he
.
'
It
is
possible
that
we
may
be
able
to
make
you
some
small
return
by
throwing
some
light
upon
that
which
is
still
dark
to
you
.
But
,
as
Miss
Morstan
remarked
just
now
,
it
is
late
,
and
we
had
best
put
the
matter
through
without
delay
.
'
Our
new
acquaintance
very
deliberately
coiled
up
the
tube
of
his
hookah
,
and
produced
from
behind
a
curtain
a
very
long
befrogged
topcoat
with
Astrakhan
collar
and
cuffs
.
This
he
buttoned
tightly
up
,
in
spite
of
the
extreme
closeness
of
the
night
,
and
finished
his
attire
by
putting
on
a
rabbitskin
cap
with
hanging
lappets
which
covered
the
ears
,
so
that
no
part
of
him
was
visible
save
his
mobile
and
peaky
face
.
'
My
health
is
somewhat
fragile
,
'
he
remarked
,
as
he
led
the
way
down
the
passage
.
'
I
am
compelled
to
be
a
valetudinarian
.
'
Our
cab
was
awaiting
us
outside
,
and
our
programme
was
evidently
prearranged
,
for
the
driver
started
off
at
once
at
a
rapid
pace
.
Thaddeus
Sholto
talked
incessantly
,
in
a
voice
which
rose
high
above
the
rattle
of
the
wheels
.
'
Bartholomew
is
a
clever
fellow
,
'
said
he
.
'
How
do
you
think
he
found
out
where
the
treasure
was
?
He
had
come
to
the
conclusion
that
it
was
somewhere
indoors
:
so
he
worked
out
all
the
cubic
space
of
the
house
,
and
made
measurements
everywhere
,
so
that
not
one
inch
should
be
unaccounted
for
.
Among
other
things
,
he
found
that
the
height
of
the
building
was
seventy-four
feet
,
but
on
adding
together
the
heights
of
all
the
separate
rooms
,
and
making
every
allowance
for
the
space
between
,
which
he
ascertained
by
borings
,
he
could
not
bring
the
total
to
more
than
seventy
feet
.
There
were
four
feet
unaccounted
for
.
These
could
only
be
at
the
top
of
the
building
.
He
knocked
a
hole
,
therefore
,
in
the
lath
and
plaster
ceiling
of
the
highest
room
,
and
there
,
sure
enough
,
he
came
upon
another
little
garret
above
it
,
which
had
been
sealed
up
and
was
known
to
no
one
.
In
the
centre
stood
the
treasure-chest
,
resting
upon
two
rafters
.
He
lowered
it
through
the
hole
,
and
there
it
lies
.
He
computes
the
value
of
the
jewels
at
not
less
than
half
a
million
sterling
.
'
At
the
mention
of
this
gigantic
sum
we
all
stared
at
one
another
open-eyed
.
Miss
Morstan
,
could
we
secure
her
rights
,
would
change
from
a
needy
governess
to
the
richest
heiress
in
England
.
Surely
it
was
the
place
of
a
loyal
friend
to
rejoice
at
such
news
;
yet
I
am
ashamed
to
say
that
selfishness
took
me
by
the
soul
,
and
that
my
heart
turned
as
heavy
as
lead
within
me
.
I
stammered
out
some
few
halting
words
of
congratulation
,
and
then
sat
downcast
,
with
my
head
drooped
,
deaf
to
the
babble
of
our
new
acquaintance
.
He
was
clearly
a
confirmed
hypochondriac
,
and
I
was
dreamily
conscious
that
he
was
pouring
forth
interminable
trains
of
symptoms
,
and
imploring
information
as
to
the
composition
and
action
of
innumerable
quack
nostrums
,
some
of
which
he
bore
about
in
a
leather
case
in
his
pocket
.
I
trust
that
he
may
not
remember
any
of
the
answers
which
I
gave
him
that
night
.
Holmes
declares
that
he
overheard
me
caution
him
against
the
great
danger
of
taking
more
than
two
drops
of
castor-oil
,
while
I
recommended
strychnine
in
large
doses
as
a
sedative
.
However
that
may
be
,
I
was
certainly
relieved
when
our
cab
pulled
up
with
a
jerk
and
the
coachman
sprang
down
to
open
the
door
.
'
This
,
Miss
Morstan
,
is
Pondicherry
Lodge
,
'
said
Mr.
Thaddeus
Sholto
,
as
he
handed
her
out
.
CHAPTER
V.
THE
TRAGEDY
OF
PONDICHERRY
LODGE
.
It
was
nearly
eleven
o'clock
when
we
reached
this
final
stage
of
our
night
's
adventures
.
We
had
left
the
damp
fog
of
the
great
city
behind
us
,
and
the
night
was
fairly
fine
.
A
warm
wind
blew
from
the
westward
,
and
heavy
clouds
moved
slowly
across
the
sky
,
with
half
a
moon
peeping
occasionally
through
the
rifts
.
It
was
clearenough
to
see
for
some
distance
,
but
Thaddeus
Sholto
took
down
one
of
the
sidelamps
from
the
carriage
to
give
us
a
better
light
upon
our
way
.
Pondicherry
Lodge
stood
in
its
own
grounds
,
and
was
girt
round
with
a
very
high
stone
wall
topped
with
broken
glass
.
A
single
narrow
iron-clamped
door
formed
the
only
means
of
entrance
.
On
this
our
guide
knocked
with
a
peculiar
postman-like
rat-tat
.
'
Who
is
there
?
'
cried
a
gruff
voice
from
within
.
'
It
is
I
,
McMurdo
.
You
surely
know
my
knock
by
this
time
.
'
There
was
a
grumbling
sound
and
a
clanking
and
jarring
of
keys
.
The
door
swung
heavily
back
,
and
a
short
,
deepchested
man
stood
in
the
opening
,
with
the
yellow
light
of
the
lantern
shining
upon
his
protruded
face
and
twinkling
,
distrustful
eyes
.
'
That
you
,
Mr.
Thaddeus
?
But
who
are
the
others
?
I
had
no
orders
about
them
from
the
master
.
'
'
No
,
McMurdo
?
You
surprise
me
!
I
told
my
brother
last
night
that
I
should
bring
some
friends
.
'
'
He
hai
n't
been
out
o
'
his
room
to-day
,
Mr.
Thaddeus
,
and
I
have
no
orders
.
You
know
very
well
that
I
must
stick
to
regulations
.
I
can
let
you
in
,
but
your
friends
they
must
just
stop
where
they
are
.
'
This
was
an
unexpected
obstacle
.
Thaddeus
Sholto
looked
about
him
in
a
perplexed
and
helpless
manner
.
'
This
is
too
bad
of
you
,
McMurdo
!
'
he
said
.
'
If
I
guarantee
them
,
that
is
enough
for
you
.
There
is
the
young
lady
,
too
.
She
cannot
wait
on
the
public
road
at
this
hour
.
'
'
Very
sorry
,
Mr.
Thaddeus
,
'
said
the
porter
inexorably
.
'
Folk
may
be
friends
o
'
yours
,
and
yet
no
friends
o
'
the
master
's
.
He
pays
me
well
to
do
my
duty
,
and
my
duty
I
'll
do
.
I
do
n't
know
none
o
'
your
friends
.
'
'
Oh
yes
,
you
do
,
McMurdo
,
'
cried
Sherlock
Holmes
genially
.
'
I
do
n't
think
you
can
have
forgotten
me
.
Do
n't
you
remember
the
amateur
who
fought
three
rounds
with
you
at
Alison
's
rooms
on
the
night
of
your
benefit
four
years
back
?
'
'
Not
Mr.
Sherlock
Holmes
!
'
roared
the
prize-fighter
.
'
God
's
truth
!
how
could
I
have
mistook
you
?
If
instead
o
'
standin
'
there
so
quiet
you
had
just
stepped
up
and
given
me
that
cross-hit
of
yours
under
the
jaw
,
I
'd
ha
'
known
you
without
a
question
.
Ah
,
you
're
one
that
has
wasted
your
gifts
,
you
have
!
You
might
have
aimed
high
,
if
you
had
joined
the
fancy
.
'
'
You
see
,
Watson
,
if
all
else
fails
me
,
I
have
still
one
of
the
scientific
professions
open
to
me
,
'
said
Holmes
,
laughing
.
'
Our
friend
wo
n't
keep
us
out
in
the
cold
now
,
I
am
sure
.
'
'
In
you
come
,
sir
,
in
you
come
—
you
and
your
friends
,
'
he
answered
.
'
Very
sorry
,
Mr.
Thaddeus
,
but
orders
are
very
strict
.
Had
to
be
certain
of
your
friends
before
I
let
them
in
.
'
Inside
,
a
gravel
path
wound
through
desolate
grounds
to
a
huge
clump
of
a
house
,
square
and
prosaic
,
all
plunged
in
shadow
save
where
a
moonbeam
struck
one
corner
and
glimmered
in
a
garret
window
.
The
vast
size
of
the
building
,
with
its
gloom
and
its
deathly
silence
,
struck
a
chill
to
the
heart
.
Even
Thaddeus
Sholto
seemed
ill
at
ease
,
and
the
lantern
quivered
and
rattled
in
his
hand
.
'
I
cannot
understand
it
,
'
he
said
.
'
There
must
be
some
mistake
.
I
distinctly
told
Bartholomew
that
we
should
be
here
,
and
yet
there
is
no
light
in
his
window
.
I
do
not
know
what
to
make
of
it
.
'
'
Does
he
always
guard
the
premises
in
this
way
?
'
asked
Holmes
.
'
Yes
;
he
has
followed
my
father
's
custom
.
He
was
the
favourite
son
,
you
know
,
and
I
sometimes
think
that
my
father
may
have
told
him
more
than
he
ever
told
me
.
That
is
Bartholomew
's
window
up
there
where
the
moonshine
strikes
.
It
is
quite
bright
,
but
there
is
no
light
from
within
,
I
think
.
'
'
None
,
'
said
Holmes
.
'
But
I
see
the
glint
of
a
light
in
that
little
window
beside
the
door
.
'
'
Ah
,
that
is
the
housekeeper
's
room
.
That
is
where
old
Mrs.
Bernstone
sits
.
She
can
tell
us
all
about
it
.
But
perhaps
you
would
not
mind
waiting
here
for
a
minute
or
two
,
for
if
we
all
go
in
together
,
and
she
has
had
no
word
of
our
coming
,
she
may
be
alarmed
.
But
,
hush
!
what
is
that
?
'
He
held
up
the
lantern
,
and
his
hand
shook
until
the
circles
of
light
flickered
and
wavered
all
round
us
.
Miss
Morstan
seized
my
wrist
,
and
we
all
stood
,
with
thumping
hearts
,
straining
our
ears
.
From
the
great
black
house
there
sounded
through
the
silent
night
the
saddest
and
most
pitiful
of
sounds
—
the
shrill
,
broken
whimpering
of
a
frightened
woman
.
'
It
is
Mrs.
Bernstone
,
'
said
Sholto
.
'
She
is
the
only
woman
in
the
house
.
Wait
here
.
I
shall
be
back
in
a
moment
.
'
He
hurried
for
the
door
,
and
knocked
in
his
peculiar
way
.
We
could
see
a
tall
old
woman
admit
him
,
and
sway
with
pleasure
at
the
very
sight
of
him
.
'
Oh
,
Mr.
Thaddeus
,
sir
,
I
am
so
glad
you
have
come
!
I
am
so
glad
you
have
come
,
Mr.
Thaddeus
,
sir
!
'
We
heard
her
reiterated
rejoicings
until
the
door
was
closed
and
her
voice
died
away
into
a
muffled
monotone
.
Our
guide
had
left
us
the
lantern
.
Holmes
swung
it
slowly
round
,
and
peered
keenly
at
the
house
,
and
at
the
great
rubbish-heaps
which
cumbered
the
grounds
.
Miss
Morstan
and
I
stood
together
,
and
her
hand
was
in
mine
.
A
wondrous
subtle
thing
is
love
,
for
here
were
we
two
,
who
had
never
seen
each
other
before
that
day
,
between
whom
no
word
or
even
look
of
affection
had
ever
passed
,
and
yet
now
in
an
hour
of
trouble
our
hands
instinctively
sought
for
each
other
.
I
have
marvelled
at
it
since
,
but
at
the
time
it
seemed
the
most
natural
thing
that
I
should
go
out
to
her
so
,
and
,
as
she
has
often
told
me
,
there
was
in
her
also
the
instinct
to
turn
to
me
for
comfort
and
protection
.
So
we
stood
hand-in-hand
,
like
two
children
,
and
there
was
peace
in
our
hearts
for
all
the
dark
things
that
surrounded
us
.
'
What
a
strange
place
!
'
she
said
,
looking
round
.
'
It
looks
as
though
all
the
moles
in
England
had
been
let
loose
in
it
.
I
have
seen
something
of
the
sort
on
the
side
of
a
hill
near
Ballarat
,
where
the
prospectors
had
been
at
work
.
'
'
And
from
the
same
cause
,
'
said
Holmes
.
'
These
are
the
traces
of
the
treasure-seekers
.
You
must
remember
that
they
were
six
years
looking
for
it
.
No
wonder
that
the
grounds
look
like
a
gravel-pit
.
'
At
that
moment
the
door
of
the
house
burst
open
,
and
Thaddeus
Sholto
came
running
out
,
with
his
hands
thrown
forward
and
terror
in
his
eyes
.
'
There
is
something
amiss
with
Bartholomew
!
'
he
cried
.
'
I
am
frightened
!
My
nerves
cannot
stand
it
.
'
He
was
,
indeed
,
half
blubbering
with
fear
,
and
his
twitching
,
feeble
face
peeping
out
from
the
great
Astrakhan
collar
had
the
helpless
,
appealing
expression
of
a
terrified
child
.
'
Come
into
the
house
,
'
said
Holmes
,
in
his
crisp
,
firm
way
.
'
Yes
,
do
!
'
pleaded
Thaddeus
Sholto
.
'
I
really
do
not
feel
equal
to
giving
directions
.
'
We
all
followed
him
into
the
housekeeper
's
room
,
which
stood
upon
the
left-hand
side
of
the
passage
.
The
old
woman
was
pacing
up
and
down
with
a
scared
look
and
restless
,
picking
fingers
,
but
the
sight
of
Miss
Morstan
appeared
to
have
a
soothing
effect
upon
her
.
'
God
bless
your
sweet
,
calm
face
!
'
she
cried
,
with
an
hysterical
sob
.
'
It
does
me
good
to
see
you
.
Oh
,
but
I
have
been
sorely
tried
this
day
!
'
Our
companion
patted
her
thin
,
work-worn
hand
,
and
murmured
some
few
words
of
kindly
,
womanly
comfort
which
brought
the
colour
back
into
the
other
's
bloodless
cheeks
.
'
Master
has
locked
himself
in
,
and
will
not
answer
me
,
'
she
explained
.
'
All
day
I
have
waited
to
hear
from
him
,
for
he
often
likes
to
be
alone
;
but
an
hour
ago
I
feared
that
something
was
amiss
,
so
I
went
up
and
peeped
through
the
keyhole
.
You
must
go
up
,
Mr.
Thaddeus
—
you
must
go
up
and
look
for
yourself
.
I
have
seen
Mr.
Bartholomew
Sholto
in
joy
and
in
sorrow
for
ten
long
years
,
but
I
never
saw
him
with
such
a
face
on
him
as
that
.
'
Sherlock
Holmes
took
the
lamp
and
led
the
way
,
for
Thaddeus
Sholto
's
teeth
were
chattering
in
his
head
.
So
shaken
was
he
that
I
had
to
pass
my
hand
under
his
arm
as
we
went
up
the
stairs
,
for
his
knees
were
trembling
under
him
.
Twice
as
we
ascended
Holmes
whipped
his
lens
out
of
his
pocket
and
carefully
examined
marks
which
appeared
to
me
to
be
mere
shapeless
smudges
of
dust
upon
the
cocoanut-matting
which
served
as
a
stair-carpet
.
He
walked
slowly
from
step
to
step
,
holding
the
lamp
low
,
and
shooting
keen
glances
to
right
and
left
.
Miss
Morstan
had
remained
behind
with
the
frightened
housekeeper
.
The
third
flight
of
stairs
ended
in
a
straight
passage
of
some
length
,
with
a
great
picture
in
Indian
tapestry
upon
the
right
of
it
and
three
doors
upon
the
left
.
Holmes
advanced
along
it
in
the
same
slow
and
methodical
way
,
while
we
kept
close
at
his
heels
,
with
our
long
black
shadows
streaming
backwards
down
the
corridor
.
The
third
door
was
that
which
we
were
seeking
.
Holmes
knocked
without
receiving
any
answer
,
and
then
tried
to
turn
the
handle
and
force
it
open
.
It
was
locked
on
the
inside
,
however
,
and
by
a
broad
and
powerful
bolt
,
as
we
could
see
when
we
set
our
lamp
up
against
it
.
The
key
being
turned
,
however
,
the
hole
was
not
entirely
closed
.
Sherlock
Holmes
bent
down
to
it
,
and
instantly
rose
again
with
a
sharp
intaking
of
the
breath
.
'
There
is
something
devilish
in
this
,
Watson
,
'
said
he
,
more
moved
than
I
had
ever
before
seen
him
.
'
What
do
you
make
of
it
?
'
I
stooped
to
the
hole
,
and
recoiled
in
horror
.
Moonlight
was
streaming
into
the
room
,
and
it
was
bright
with
a
vague
and
shifty
radiance
.
Looking
straight
at
me
,
and
suspended
,
as
it
were
,
in
the
air
,
for
all
beneath
was
in
shadow
,
there
hung
a
face
—
the
very
face
of
our
companion
Thaddeus
.
There
was
the
same
high
,
shining
head
,
the
same
circular
bristle
of
red
hair
,
the
same
bloodless
countenance
.
The
features
were
set
,
however
,
in
a
horrible
smile
,
a
fixed
and
unnatural
grin
,
which
in
that
still
and
moonlit
room
was
more
jarring
to
the
nerves
than
any
scowl
or
contortion
.
So
like
was
the
face
to
that
of
our
little
friend
that
I
looked
round
at
him
to
make
sure
that
he
was
indeed
with
us
.
Then
I
recalled
to
mind
that
he
had
mentioned
to
us
that
his
brother
and
he
were
twins
.
'
This
is
terrible
!
'
I
said
to
Holmes
.
'
What
is
to
be
done
?
'
'
The
door
must
come
down
,
'
he
answered
,
and
,
springing
against
it
,
he
put
all
his
weight
upon
the
lock
.
It
creaked
and
groaned
,
but
did
not
yield
.
Together
we
flung
ourselves
upon
it
once
more
,
and
this
time
it
gave
way
with
a
sudden
snap
,
and
we
found
ourselves
within
Bartholomew
Sholto
's
chamber
.
It
appeared
to
have
been
fitted
up
as
a
chemical
laboratory
.
A
double
line
of
glass-stoppered
bottles
was
drawn
up
upon
the
wall
opposite
the
door
,
and
the
table
was
littered
over
with
Bunsen
burners
,
test-tubes
,
and
retorts
.
In
the
corners
stood
carboys
of
acid
in
wicker
baskets
.
One
of
these
appeared
to
leak
or
to
have
been
broken
,
for
a
stream
of
dark-coloured
liquid
had
trickled
out
from
it
,
and
the
air
was
heavy
with
a
peculiarly
pungent
,
tar-like
odour
.
A
set
of
steps
stood
at
one
side
of
the
room
,
in
the
midst
of
a
litter
of
lath
and
plaster
,
and
above
them
there
was
an
opening
in
the
ceiling
large
enough
for
a
man
to
pass
through
.
At
the
foot
of
the
steps
a
long
coil
of
rope
was
thrown
carelessly
together
.
By
the
table
,
in
a
wooden
arm-chair
,
the
master
of
the
house
was
seated
all
in
a
heap
,
with
his
head
sunk
upon
his
left
shoulder
,
and
that
ghastly
,
inscrutable
smile
upon
his
face
.
He
was
stiff
and
cold
,
and
had
clearly
been
dead
many
hours
.
It
seemed
to
me
that
not
only
his
features
,
but
all
his
limbs
,
were
twisted
and
turned
in
the
most
fantastic
fashion
.
By
his
hand
upon
the
table
there
lay
a
peculiar
instrument
—
a
brown
,
closegrained
stick
,
with
a
stone
head
like
a
hammer
,
rudely
lashed
on
with
coarse
twine
.
Beside
it
was
a
torn
sheet
of
note-paper
with
some
words
scrawled
upon
it
.
Holmes
glanced
at
it
,
and
then
handed
it
to
me
.
'
You
see
,
'
he
said
,
with
a
significant
raising
of
the
eyebrows
.
In
the
light
of
the
lantern
I
read
,
with
a
thrill
of
horror
,
'
The
sign
of
the
four
.
'
'
In
God
's
name
,
what
does
it
all
mean
?
'
I
asked
.
'
It
means
murder
,
'
said
he
,
stooping
over
the
dead
man
.
'
Ah
!
I
expected
it
.
Look
here
!
'
He
pointed
to
what
looked
like
a
long
dark
thorn
stuck
in
the
skin
just
above
the
ear
.
'
It
looks
like
a
thorn
,
'
said
I
.
'
It
is
a
thorn
.
You
may
pick
it
out
.
But
be
careful
,
for
it
is
poisoned
.
'
I
took
it
up
between
my
finger
and
thumb
.
It
came
away
from
the
skin
so
readily
that
hardly
any
mark
was
left
behind
.
One
tiny
speck
of
blood
showed
where
the
puncture
had
been
.
'
This
is
all
an
insoluble
mystery
to
me
,
'
said
I
.
'
It
grows
darker
instead
of
clearer
.
'
'
On
the
contrary
,
'
he
answered
,
'
it
clears
every
instant
.
I
only
require
a
few
missing
links
to
have
an
entirely
connected
case
.
'
We
had
almost
forgotten
our
companion
's
presence
since
we
entered
the
chamber
.
He
was
still
standing
in
the
doorway
,
the
very
picture
of
terror
,
wringing
his
hands
and
moaning
to
himself
.
Suddenly
,
however
,
he
broke
out
into
a
sharp
,
querulous
cry
.
'
The
treasure
is
gone
!
'
he
said
.
'
They
have
robbed
him
of
the
treasure
!
There
is
the
hole
through
which
we
lowered
it
.
I
helped
him
to
do
it
!
I
was
the
last
person
who
saw
him
!
I
left
him
here
last
night
,
and
I
heard
him
lock
the
door
as
I
came
down-stairs
.
'
'
What
time
was
that
?
'
'
It
was
ten
o'clock
.
And
now
he
is
dead
,
and
the
police
will
be
called
in
,
and
I
shall
be
suspected
of
having
had
a
hand
in
it
.
Oh
yes
,
I
am
sure
I
shall
.
But
you
do
n't
think
so
,
gentlemen
?
Surely
you
do
n't
think
that
it
was
I
?
Is
it
likely
that
I
would
have
brought
you
here
if
it
were
I
?
Oh
dear
!
oh
dear
!
I
know
that
I
shall
go
mad
!
'
He
jerked
his
arms
and
stamped
his
feet
in
a
kind
of
convulsive
frenzy
.
'
You
have
no
reason
for
fear
,
Mr.
Sholto
,
'
said
Holmes
kindly
,
putting
his
hand
upon
his
shoulder
;
'
take
my
advice
,
and
drive
down
to
the
station
to
report
the
matter
to
the
police
.
Offer
to
assist
them
in
every
way
.
We
shall
wait
here
until
your
return
.
'
The
little
man
obeyed
in
a
half-stupefied
fashion
,
and
we
heard
him
stumbling
down
the
stairs
in
the
dark
.
CHAPTER
VI
.
SHERLOCK
HOLMES
GIVES
A
DEMONSTRATION
.
'
Now
,
Watson
,
'
said
Holmes
,
rubbing
his
hands
,
'
we
have
half
an
hour
to
ourselves
.
Let
us
make
good
use
of
it
.
My
case
is
,
as
I
have
told
you
,
almost
complete
;
but
we
must
not
err
on
the
side
of
over-confidence
.
Simple
as
the
case
seems
now
,
there
may
be
something
deeper
underlying
it
.
'
'
Simple
!
'
I
ejaculated
.
'
Surely
,
'
said
he
,
with
something
of
the
air
of
a
clinical
professor
expounding
to
his
class
.
'
Just
sit
in
the
corner
there
,
that
your
footprints
may
not
complicate
matters
.
Now
to
work
!
In
the
first
place
,
how
did
these
folk
come
,
and
how
did
they
go
?
The
door
has
not
been
opened
since
last
night
.
How
of
the
window
?
'
He
carried
the
lamp
across
to
it
,
muttering
his
observations
aloud
the
while
,
but
addressing
them
to
himself
rather
than
to
me
.
Window
is
snibbed
on
the
inner
side
.
Framework
is
solid
.
No
hinges
at
the
side
.
Let
us
open
it
.
No
water-pipe
near
.
Roof
quite
out
of
reach
.
Yet
a
man
has
mounted
by
the
window
.
It
rained
a
little
last
night
.
Here
is
the
print
of
a
foot
in
mould
upon
the
sill
.
And
here
is
a
circular
muddy
mark
,
and
here
again
upon
the
floor
,
and
here
again
by
the
table
.
See
here
,
Watson
!
This
is
really
a
very
pretty
demonstration
.
'
I
looked
at
the
round
,
well-defined
muddy
discs
.
'
That
is
not
a
footmark
,
'
said
I
.
'
It
is
something
much
more
valuable
to
us
.
It
is
the
impression
of
a
wooden
stump
.
You
see
here
on
the
sill
is
the
boot-mark
,
a
heavy
boot
with
a
broad
metal
heel
,
and
beside
it
is
the
mark
of
the
timber-toe
.
'
'
It
is
the
wooden-legged
man
.
'
'
Quite
so
.
But
there
has
been
someone
else
—
a
very
able
and
efficient
ally
.
Could
you
scale
that
wall
,
doctor
?
'
I
looked
out
of
the
open
window
.
The
moon
still
shone
brightly
on
that
angle
of
the
house
.
We
were
a
good
sixty
feet
from
the
ground
,
and
,
look
where
I
would
,
I
could
see
no
foothold
,
nor
as
much
as
a
crevice
in
the
brickwork
.
'
It
is
absolutely
impossible
,
'
I
answered
.
'
Without
aid
it
is
so
.
But
suppose
you
had
a
friend
up
here
who
lowered
you
this
good
stout
rope
which
I
see
in
the
corner
,
securing
one
end
of
it
to
this
great
hook
in
the
wall
.
Then
,
I
think
,
if
you
were
an
active
man
,
you
might
swarm
up
,
wooden
leg
and
all
.
You
would
depart
,
of
course
,
in
the
same
fashion
,
and
your
ally
would
draw
up
the
rope
,
untie
it
from
the
hook
,
shut
the
window
,
snib
it
on
the
inside
,
and
get
away
in
the
way
that
he
originally
came
.
As
a
minor
point
,
it
may
be
noted
,
'
he
continued
,
fingering
the
rope
,
'
that
our
wooden-legged
friend
,
though
a
fair
climber
,
was
not
a
professional
sailor
.
His
hands
were
far
from
horny
.
My
lens
discloses
more
than
one
blood-mark
,
especially
towards
the
end
of
the
rope
,
from
which
I
gather
that
he
slipped
down
with
such
velocity
that
he
took
the
skin
off
his
hand
.
'
'
This
is
all
very
well
,
'
said
I
;
'
but
the
thing
becomes
more
unintelligible
than
ever
.
How
about
this
mysterious
ally
?
How
came
he
into
the
room
?
'
'
Yes
,
the
ally
!
'
repeated
Holmes
pensively
.
'
There
are
features
of
interest
about
this
ally
.
He
lifts
the
case
from
the
regions
of
the
commonplace
.
I
fancy
that
this
ally
breaks
fresh
ground
in
the
annals
of
crime
in
this
country
—
though
parallel
cases
suggest
themselves
from
India
,
and
,
if
my
memory
serves
me
,
from
Senegambia
.
'
'
How
came
he
,
then
?
'
I
reiterated
.
'
The
door
is
locked
;
the
window
is
inaccessible
.
Was
it
through
the
chimney
?
'
'
The
grate
is
much
too
small
,
'
he
answered
.
'
I
had
already
considered
that
possibility
.
'
'
How
,
then
?
'
I
persisted
.
'
You
will
not
apply
my
precept
,
'
he
said
,
shaking
his
head
.
'
How
often
have
I
said
to
you
that
when
you
have
eliminated
the
impossible
,
whatever
remains
,
however
improbable
,
must
be
the
truth
?
We
know
that
he
did
not
come
through
the
door
,
the
window
,
or
the
chimney
.
We
also
know
that
he
could
not
have
been
concealed
in
the
room
,
as
there
is
no
concealment
possible
.
Whence
,
then
,
did
he
come
?
'
'
He
came
through
the
hole
in
the
roof
!
'
I
cried
.
'
Of
course
he
did
.
He
must
have
done
so
.
If
you
will
have
the
kindness
to
hold
the
lamp
for
me
,
we
shall
now
extend
our
researches
to
the
room
above
—
the
secret
room
in
which
the
treasure
was
found
.
'
He
mounted
the
steps
,
and
,
seizing
a
rafter
with
either
hand
,
he
swung
himself
up
into
the
garret
.
Then
,
lying
on
his
face
,
he
reached
down
for
the
lamp
,
and
held
it
while
I
followed
him
.
The
chamber
in
which
we
found
ourselves
was
about
ten
feet
one
way
and
six
the
other
.
The
floor
was
formed
by
the
rafters
,
with
thin
lath-and-plaster
between
,
so
that
in
walking
one
had
to
step
from
beam
to
beam
.
The
roof
ran
up
to
an
apex
,
and
was
evidently
the
inner
shell
of
the
true
roof
of
the
house
.
There
was
no
furniture
of
any
sort
,
and
the
accumulated
dust
of
years
lay
thick
upon
the
floor
.
'
Here
you
are
,
you
see
,
'
said
Sherlock
Holmes
,
putting
his
hand
against
the
sloping
wall
.
'
This
is
a
trapdoor
which
leads
out
on
to
the
roof
.
I
can
press
it
back
,
and
here
is
the
roof
itself
,
sloping
at
a
gentle
angle
.
This
,
then
,
is
the
way
by
which
Number
One
entered
.
Let
us
see
if
we
can
find
some
other
traces
of
his
individuality
?
'
He
held
down
the
lamp
to
the
floor
,
and
as
he
did
so
I
saw
for
the
second
time
that
night
a
startled
,
surprised
look
come
over
his
face
.
For
myself
,
as
I
followed
his
gaze
,
my
skin
was
cold
under
my
clothes
.
The
floor
was
covered
thickly
with
the
prints
of
a
naked
foot
—
clear
,
well-defined
,
perfectly
formed
,
but
scarce
half
the
size
of
those
of
an
ordinary
man
.
'
'
Holmes
,
'
I
said
,
in
a
whisper
,
'
a
child
has
done
this
horrid
thing
.
'
He
had
recovered
his
self-possession
in
an
instant
.
'
I
was
staggered
for
the
moment
,
'
he
said
,
'
but
the
thing
is
quite
natural
.
My
memory
failed
me
,
or
I
should
have
been
able
to
foretell
it
.
There
is
nothing
more
to
be
learned
here
.
Let
us
go
down
.
'
'
What
is
your
theory
,
then
,
as
to
those
footmarks
?
'
I
asked
eagerly
,
when
we
had
regained
the
lower
room
once
more
.
'
My
dear
Watson
,
try
a
little
analysis
yourself
,
'
said
he
,
with
a
touch
of
impatience
.
'
You
know
my
methods
.
Apply
them
,
and
it
will
be
instructive
to
compare
results
.
'
'
I
cannot
conceive
anything
which
will
cover
the
facts
,
'
I
answered
.
'
It
will
be
clear
enough
to
you
soon
,
'
he
said
,
in
an
off-hand
way
.
'
I
think
that
there
is
nothing
else
of
importance
here
,
but
I
will
look
.
'
He
whipped
out
his
lens
and
a
tape
measure
,
and
hurried
about
the
room
on
his
knees
,
measuring
,
comparing
,
examining
,
with
his
long
thin
nose
only
a
few
inches
from
the
planks
,
and
his
beady
eyes
gleaming
and
deep-set
like
those
of
a
bird
.
So
swift
,
silent
,
and
furtive
were
his
movements
,
like
those
of
a
trained
bloodhound
picking
out
a
scent
,
that
I
could
not
but
think
what
a
terrible
criminal
he
would
have
made
had
he
turned
his
energy
and
sagacity
against
the
law
,
instead
of
exerting
them
in
its
defence
.
As
he
hunted
about
,
he
kept
muttering
to
himself
,
and
finally
he
broke
out
into
a
loud
crow
of
delight
.
'
We
are
certainly
in
luck
,
'
said
he
.
'
We
ought
to
have
very
little
trouble
now
.
Number
One
has
had
the
misfortune
to
tread
in
the
creosote
.
You
can
see
the
outline
of
the
edge
of
his
small
foot
here
at
the
side
of
this
evil-smelling
mess
.
The
carboy
has
been
cracked
,
you
see
,
and
the
stuff
has
leaked
out
.
'
'
What
then
?
'
I
asked
.
'
Why
,
we
have
got
him
,
that
's
all
,
'
said
he
.
'
I
know
a
dog
that
would
follow
that
scent
to
the
world
's
end
.
If
a
pack
can
track
a
trailed
herring
across
a
shire
,
how
far
can
a
specially-trained
hound
follow
so
pungent
a
smell
as
this
?
It
sounds
like
a
sum
in
the
rule
of
three
.
The
answer
should
give
us
the
—
But
hallo
!
here
are
the
accredited
representatives
of
the
law
.
'
Heavy
steps
and
the
clamour
of
loud
voices
were
audible
from
below
,
and
the
hall
door
shut
with
a
loud
crash
.
'
Before
they
come
,
'
said
Holmes
,
'
just
put
your
hand
here
on
this
poor
fellow
's
arm
,
and
here
on
his
leg
.
What
do
you
feel
?
'
'
The
muscles
are
as
hard
as
a
board
,
'
I
answered
.
'
Quite
so
.
They
are
in
a
state
of
extreme
contraction
,
far
exceeding
the
usual
rigor
mortis
.
Coupled
with
this
distortion
of
the
face
,
this
Hippocratic
smile
,
or
"
risus
sardonicus
,
"
as
the
old
writers
called
it
,
what
conclusion
would
it
suggest
to
your
mind
?
'
'
Death
from
some
powerful
vegetable
alkaloid
,
'
I
answered
,
'
some
strychnine-like
substance
which
would
produce
tetanus
.
'
'
That
was
the
idea
which
occurred
to
me
the
instant
I
saw
the
drawn
muscles
of
the
face
.
On
getting
into
the
room
I
at
once
looked
for
the
means
by
which
the
poison
had
entered
the
system
.
As
you
saw
,
I
discovered
a
thorn
which
had
been
driven
or
shot
with
no
great
force
into
the
scalp
.
You
observe
that
the
part
struck
was
that
which
would
be
turned
towards
the
hole
in
the
ceiling
if
the
man
were
erect
in
his
chair
.
Now
examine
this
thorn
.
'
I
took
it
up
gingerly
and
held
it
in
the
light
of
the
lantern
.
It
was
long
,
sharp
,
and
black
,
with
a
glazed
look
near
the
point
as
though
some
gummy
substance
had
dried
upon
it
.
The
blunt
end
had
been
trimmed
and
rounded
off
with
a
knife
.
'
Is
that
an
English
thorn
?
'
he
asked
.
'
No
,
it
certainly
is
not
.
'
'
With
all
these
data
you
should
be
able
to
draw
some
just
inference
.
But
here
are
the
regulars
:
so
the
auxiliary
forces
may
beat
a
retreat
.
'
As
he
spoke
,
the
steps
which
had
been
coming
nearer
sounded
loudly
on
the
passage
,
and
a
very
stout
,
portly
man
in
a
gray
suit
strode
heavily
into
the
room
.
He
was
red-faced
,
burly
,
and
plethoric
,
with
a
pair
of
very
small
twinkling
eyes
which
looked
keenly
out
from
between
swollen
and
puffy
pouches
.
He
was
closely
followed
by
an
inspector
in
uniform
,
and
by
the
still
palpitating
Thaddeus
Sholto
.
'
Here
's
a
business
!
'
he
cried
,
in
a
muffled
,
husky
voice
.
'
Here
's
a
pretty
business
!
But
who
are
all
these
?
Why
,
the
house
seems
to
be
as
full
as
a
rabbit-warren
!
'
'
I
think
you
must
recollect
me
,
Mr.
Athelney
Jones
,
'
said
Holmes
quietly
.
'
Why
,
of
course
I
do
!
'
he
wheezed
.
'
It
's
Mr.
Sherlock
Holmes
,
the
theorist
.
Remember
you
!
I
'll
never
forget
how
you
lectured
us
all
on
causes
and
inferences
and
effects
in
the
Bishopgate
jewel
case
.
It
's
true
you
set
us
on
the
right
track
;
but
you
'll
own
now
that
it
was
more
by
good
luck
than
good
guidance
.
'
'
It
was
a
piece
of
very
simple
reasoning
.
'
'
Oh
,
come
,
now
,
come
!
Never
be
ashamed
to
own
up
.
But
what
is
all
this
?
Bad
business
!
Bad
business
!
Stern
facts
here
—
no
room
for
theories
.
How
lucky
that
I
happened
to
be
out
at
Norwood
over
another
case
!
I
was
at
the
station
when
the
message
arrived
.
What
d'you
think
the
man
died
of
?
'
'
Oh
,
this
is
hardly
a
case
for
me
to
theorize
over
,
'
said
Holmes
dryly
.
'
No
,
no.
Still
,
we
ca
n't
deny
that
you
hit
the
nail
on
the
head
sometimes
.
Dear
me
!
Door
locked
,
I
understand
.
Jewels
worth
half
a
million
missing
.
How
was
the
window
?
'
'
Fastened
;
but
there
are
steps
on
the
sill
.
'
'
Well
,
well
,
if
it
was
fastened
the
steps
could
have
nothing
to
do
with
the
matter
.
That
's
common-sense
.
Man
might
have
died
in
a
fit
;
but
then
the
jewels
are
missing
.
Ha
!
I
have
a
theory
.
These
flashes
come
upon
me
at
times
.
—
Just
step
outside
,
sergeant
,
and
you
,
Mr.
Sholto
.
Your
friend
can
remain
.
—
What
do
you
think
of
this
,
Holmes
?
Sholto
was
,
on
his
own
confession
,
with
his
brother
last
night
.
The
brother
died
in
a
fit
,
on
which
Sholto
walked
off
with
the
treasure
?
How
's
that
?
'
'
On
which
the
dead
man
very
considerately
got
up
and
locked
the
door
on
the
inside
.
'
'
Hum
!
There
's
a
flaw
there
.
Let
us
apply
commonsense
to
the
matter
.
This
Thaddeus
Sholto
was
with
his
brother
;
there
was
a
quarrel
:
so
much
we
know
.
The
brother
is
dead
and
the
jewels
are
gone
.
So
much
also
we
know
.
No
one
saw
the
brother
from
the
time
Thaddeus
left
him
.
His
bed
had
not
been
slept
in
.
Thaddeus
is
evidently
in
a
most
disturbed
state
of
mind
.
His
appearance
is
—
well
,
not
attractive
.
You
see
that
I
am
weaving
my
web
round
Thaddeus
.
The
net
begins
to
close
upon
him
.
'
'
You
are
not
quite
in
possession
of
the
facts
yet
,
'
said
Holmes
.
'
This
splinter
of
wood
,
which
I
have
every
reason
to
believe
to
be
poisoned
,
was
in
the
man
's
scalp
where
you
still
see
the
mark
;
this
card
,
inscribed
as
you
see
it
,
was
on
the
table
,
and
beside
it
lay
this
rather
curious
stone-headed
instrument
.
How
does
all
that
fit
into
your
theory
?
'
'
Confirms
it
in
every
respect
,
'
said
the
fat
detective
,
pompously
.
'
House
is
full
of
Indian
curiosities
.
Thaddeus
brought
this
up
,
and
if
this
splinter
be
poisonous
,
Thaddeus
may
as
well
have
made
murderous
use
of
it
as
any
other
man
.
The
card
is
some
hocuspocus
—
a
blind
,
as
like
as
not
.
The
only
question
is
,
how
did
he
depart
?
Ah
,
of
course
,
here
is
a
hole
in
the
roof
.
'
With
great
activity
,
considering
his
bulk
,
he
sprang
up
the
steps
and
squeezed
through
into
the
garret
,
and
immediately
afterwards
we
heard
his
exulting
voice
proclaiming
that
he
had
found
the
trap-door
.
'
'
He
can
find
something
,
'
remarked
Holmes
,
shrugging
his
shoulders
;
'
he
has
occasional
glimmerings
of
reason
.
Il
n'y
a
pas
des
sots
si
incommodes
que
ceux
qui
ont
de
l'esprit
!
'
'
You
see
!
'
said
Athelney
Jones
,
reappearing
down
the
steps
again
;
'
facts
are
better
than
theories
,
after
all
.
My
view
of
the
case
is
confirmed
.
There
is
a
trap-door
communicating
with
the
roof
,
and
it
is
partly
open
.
'
'
It
was
I
who
opened
it
.
'
'
Oh
,
indeed
!
You
did
notice
it
,
then
?
'
He
seemed
a
little
crestfallen
at
the
discovery
.
'
Well
,
whoever
noticed
it
,
it
shows
how
our
gentleman
got
away
.
Inspector
!
'
'
Yes
,
sir
,
'
from
the
passage
.
'
Ask
Mr.
Sholto
to
step
this
way
.
—
Mr.
Sholto
,
it
is
my
duty
to
inform
you
that
anything
which
you
may
say
will
be
used
against
you
.
I
arrest
you
in
the
Queen
's
name
as
being
concerned
in
the
death
of
your
brother
.
'
'
There
,
now
!
Did
n't
I
tell
you
!
'
cried
the
poor
little
man
,
throwing
out
his
hands
,
and
looking
from
one
to
the
other
of
us
.
'
Do
n't
trouble
yourself
about
it
,
Mr.
Sholto
,
'
said
Holmes
;
'
I
think
that
I
can
engage
to
clear
you
of
the
charge
.
'
'
Do
n't
promise
too
much
,
Mr.
Theorist
,
do
n't
promise
too
much
!
'
snapped
the
detective
.
'
You
may
find
it
a
harder
matter
than
you
think
.
'
'
Not
only
will
I
clear
him
,
Mr.
Jones
,
but
I
will
make
you
a
free
present
of
the
name
and
description
of
one
of
the
two
people
who
were
in
this
room
last
night
.
His
name
,
I
have
every
reason
to
believe
,
is
Jonathan
Small
.
He
is
a
poorly-educated
man
,
small
,
active
,
with
his
right
leg
off
,
and
wearing
a
wooden
stump
which
is
worn
away
upon
the
inner
side
.
His
left
boot
has
a
coarse
,
square-toed
sole
,
with
an
iron
band
round
the
heel
.
He
is
a
middle-aged
man
,
much
sunburned
,
and
has
been
a
convict
.
These
few
indications
may
be
of
some
assistance
to
you
,
coupled
with
the
fact
that
there
is
a
good
deal
of
skin
missing
from
the
palm
of
his
hand
.
The
other
man
—
'
'
Ah
!
the
other
man
?
'
asked
Athelney
Jones
in
a
sneering
voice
,
but
impressed
none
the
less
,
as
I
could
easily
see
,
by
the
precision
of
the
other
's
manner
.
'
Is
a
rather
curious
person
,
'
said
Sherlock
Holmes
,
turning
upon
his
heel
.
'
I
hope
before
very
long
to
be
able
to
introduce
you
to
the
pair
of
them
.
A
word
with
you
,
Watson
.
'
He
led
me
out
to
the
head
of
the
stair
.
'
This
unexpected
occurrence
,
'
he
said
,
'
has
caused
us
rather
to
lose
sight
of
the
original
purpose
of
our
journey
.
'
'
I
have
just
been
thinking
so
,
'
I
answered
;
'
it
is
not
right
that
Miss
Morstan
should
remain
in
this
stricken
house
.
'
'
No
.
You
must
escort
her
home
.
She
lives
with
Mrs.
Cecil
Forrester
,
in
Lower
Camberwell
,
so
it
is
not
very
far
.
I
will
wait
for
you
here
if
you
will
drive
out
again
.
Or
perhaps
you
are
too
tired
?
'
'
By
no
means
.
I
do
n't
think
I
could
rest
until
I
know
more
of
this
fantastic
business
.
I
have
seen
something
of
the
rough
side
of
life
,
but
I
give
you
my
word
that
this
quick
succession
of
strange
surprises
to-night
has
shaken
my
nerve
completely
.
I
should
like
,
however
,
to
see
the
matter
through
with
you
,
now
that
I
have
got
so
far
.
'
'
Your
presence
will
be
of
great
service
to
me
,
'
he
answered
.
'
We
shall
work
the
case
out
independently
,
and
leave
this
fellow
Jones
to
exult
over
any
mare's-nest
which
he
may
choose
to
construct
.
When
you
have
dropped
Miss
Morstan
,
I
wish
you
to
go
on
to
No.
3
,
Pinchin
Lane
,
down
near
the
water
's
edge
at
Lambeth
.
The
third
house
on
the
right
hand
side
is
a
bird-stuffer
's
;
Sherman
is
the
name
.
You
will
see
a
weasel
holding
a
young
rabbit
in
the
window
.
Knock
old
Sherman
up
,
and
tell
him
,
with
my
compliments
,
that
I
want
Toby
at
once
.
You
will
bring
Toby
back
in
the
cab
with
you
.
'
'
A
dog
,
I
suppose
.
'
'
Yes
,
a
queer
mongrel
,
with
a
most
amazing
power
of
scent
.
I
would
rather
have
Toby
's
help
than
that
of
the
whole
detective
force
of
London
.
'
'
I
shall
bring
him
then
,
'
said
I
.
'
It
is
one
now
.
I
ought
to
be
back
before
three
,
if
I
can
get
a
fresh
horse
.
'
'
And
I
,
'
said
Holmes
,
'
shall
see
what
I
can
learn
from
Mrs.
Bernstone
,
and
from
the
Indian
servant
,
who
,
Mr.
Thaddeus
tells
me
,
sleeps
in
the
next
garret
.
Then
I
shall
study
the
great
Jones
's
methods
and
listen
to
his
not
too
delicate
sarcasms
.
"
Wir
sind
gewohnt
dass
die
Menschen
verhöhnen
was
sie
nicht
verstehen
.
"
Goethe
is
always
pithy
.
'
CHAPTER
VII
.
THE
EPISODE
OF
THE
BARREL
.
The
police
had
brought
a
cab
with
them
,
and
in
this
I
escorted
Miss
Morstan
back
to
her
home
.
After
the
angelic
fashion
of
women
,
she
had
borne
trouble
with
a
calm
face
as
long
as
there
was
someone
weaker
than
herself
to
support
,
and
I
had
found
her
bright
and
placid
by
the
side
of
the
frightened
housekeeper
.
In
the
cab
,
however
,
she
first
turned
faint
,
and
then
burst
into
a
passion
of
weeping
—
so
sorely
had
she
been
tried
by
the
adventures
of
the
night
.
She
has
told
me
since
that
she
thought
me
cold
and
distant
upon
that
journey
.
She
little
guessed
the
struggle
within
my
breast
,
or
the
effort
of
self-restraint
which
held
me
back
.
My
sympathies
and
my
love
went
out
to
her
,
even
as
my
hand
had
in
the
garden
.
I
felt
that
years
of
the
conventionalities
of
life
could
not
teach
me
to
know
her
sweet
,
brave
nature
as
had
this
one
day
of
strange
experiences
.
Yet
there
were
two
thoughts
which
sealed
the
words
of
affection
upon
my
lips
.
She
was
weak
and
helpless
,
shaken
in
mind
and
nerve
.
It
was
to
take
her
at
a
disadvantage
to
obtrude
love
upon
her
at
such
a
time
.
Worse
still
,
she
was
rich
.
If
Holmes
's
researches
were
successful
,
she
would
be
an
heiress
.
Was
it
fair
,
was
it
honourable
,
that
a
half-pay
surgeon
should
take
such
advantage
of
an
intimacy
which
chance
had
brought
about
?
Might
she
not
look
upon
me
as
a
mere
vulgar
fortune-seeker
?
I
could
not
bear
to
risk
that
such
a
thought
should
cross
her
mind
.
This
Agra
treasure
intervened
like
an
impassable
barrier
between
us
.
It
was
nearly
two
o'clock
when
we
reached
Mrs.
Cecil
Forester
's
.
The
servants
had
retired
hours
ago
,
but
Mrs.
Forrester
had
been
so
interested
by
the
strange
message
which
Miss
Morstan
had
received
that
she
had
sat
up
in
the
hope
of
her
return
.
She
opened
the
door
herself
,
a
middle-aged
,
graceful
woman
,
and
it
gave
me
joy
to
see
how
tenderly
her
arm
stole
round
the
other
's
waist
,
and
how
motherly
was
the
voice
in
which
she
greeted
her
.
She
was
clearly
no
mere
paid
dependant
,
but
an
honoured
friend
.
I
was
introduced
,
and
Mrs.
Forrester
earnestly
begged
me
to
step
in
and
to
tell
her
our
adventures
.
I
explained
,
however
,
the
importance
of
my
errand
,
and
promised
faithfully
to
call
and
report
any
progress
which
we
might
make
with
the
case
.
As
we
drove
away
I
stole
a
glance
back
,
and
I
still
seem
to
see
that
little
group
on
the
step
—
the
two
graceful
