No. 7 The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle by Arthur Conan Doyle
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by a bet," said he ."I daresay that if I had put lOO pounds down in front of him, that man would_not have given me such complete information as was drawn from_him by_the idea that he_was doing me on a wager . well, Watson, we_are, I fancy, nearing the end of_our quest, and_the only point which remains to_be determined is whether we_should go on to_this Mrs Oakshott to- night, or whether we_should reserve it for to- morrow . it_is clear from what that surly fellow said that_there_are others besides ourselves who_are anxious about_the_matter, and i_should --"

his remarks were suddenly cut short by a loud hubbub which broke out from_the stall which we had just left .Turning round we saw a little rat- faced fellow standing in_the centre of_the circle of yellow light which_was thrown by_the swinging lamp, while Breckinridge, the salesman, framed in_the door of_his stall, was shaking his fists fiercely at_the cringing figure .

"I've had enough of you and your geese," he shouted ." i_wish you were all at_the devil together . if_you come pestering me any more with your silly talk I'll set the dog at you . you bring Mrs Oakshott here and I'll answer her, but what have_you to_do with it ? did I buy the geese off you ? "

" no; but one_of_them was mine all the same," whined the little man .

" well, then, ask Mrs Oakshott for_it ."

" she told me to ask_you ."

" well, you_can ask_the king of Proosia, for all I care .I've had enough of it . get out of_this ! " he rushed fiercely forward, and_the inquirer flitted away into_the darkness .

"Ha ! this_may save us a visit to Brixton road," whispered Holmes ." come with me, and we_will_see what is_to_be made of_this fellow ." Striding through_the scattered knots of people who lounged round the flaring stalls, my companion speedily over- took the little man and touched him upon_the shoulder . he sprang round, and I could_see in_the gas- light that every vestige of colour had_been driven from_his face .

" who_are you, then ? what do_you_want ? " he asked in aquavering voice .

" you_will excuse me," said Holmes blandly, " but I_could_not help overhearing the questions which you put to_the salesman just now . i_think that I_could_be of assistance to_you ."

" you ? who_are you ? how could you_know anything of_the matter ? "

" my name is Sherlock Holmes . it_is my business to_know what other people don't know ."

" but you_can know nothing of_this ? "

" excuse me, I_know everything of it . you_are endeavouring to trace some geese which were sold by Mrs Oakshott, of Brixton road, to a salesman named Breckinridge, by him in turn to Mr Windigate, of_the Alpha, and by him to_his club, of_which Mr Henry baker is a member ."

"Oh, sir, you_are the very man whom I_have longed to meet," cried the little fellow with outstretched hands and quivering fingers ." I_can hardly explain to_you how interested I_am in_this_matter ."

Sherlock Holmes hailed afour-wheeler which_was passing ." in_that case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in_this wind- swept market- place," said he ." but pray tell me, before we go farther, who it is_that I_have the pleasure of assisting ."

the man hesitated for an instant ." my name is John robin- son," he answered with a sidelong glance .

" no, no; the real name," said Holmes sweetly ." it_is always awkward doing business with an alias ."

a flush sprang to_the white cheeks of_the stranger ." well then," said he, " my real name is James Ryder ."

" precisely so . head attendant at_the hotel cosmopolitan . pray step into_the cab, and I_shall soon be_able to_tell you everything which you_would wish to_know ."

the little man stood glancing from one to_the other of us with half- frightened, half- hopeful eyes, as one who_is_not sure whether he_is on_the verge of a windfall or of a catastrophe . then he stepped into_the cab, and in half an hour we were back in_the sitting- room at baker street . nothing had_been said during our drive, but the high, thin breathing of_our new companion, and_the claspings and unclaspings of_his hands, spoke of_the nervous tension within him .

" here we_are ! " said Holmes cheerily as_we filed into_the room ." the fire looks very seasonabe in_this weather . you look cold, Mr Ryder . pray take_the basket- chair . i_will just put on my slippers before we settle this little matter of yours . now, then ! you_want to_know what became of_those geese ? "

" yes, sir ."

" or rather, I fancy, of_that goose . it_was one bird, I imagine in_which_you were interested -- white, with a black bar across the tail ."

Ryder quivered with emotion ."Oh, sir," he cried, " can_you tell me where it went to ? "

" it came here ."

" here ? "

" yes, and a most remarkable bird it proved .I don't wonder that you_should take an interest in_it . it laid an egg after it_was dead -- the bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen . I_have it here in my museum ."

our visitor staggered to_his feet and clutched the mantelpiece with_his right hand .Holmes unlocked his strong- box and held up the blue carbuncle, which shone out like a star, with a cold brilliant, many- pointed radiance .Ryder stood glaring with a drawn face, uncertain whether to claim or to disown it .

" the game's up, Ryder," said Holmes quietly ." hold up, man, or you'll be into_the fire ! give him an arm back into his chair, Watson . he's not got blood enough to_go in for felony with impunity . give him a dash of brandy . so ! now he looks a little more human . what a shrimp it_is, to_be_sure ! "

for a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy brought a tinge of colour into his cheeks, and he sat staring with frightened eyes at his accuser .

" I_have almost every link in my hands, and all the proofs which I_could possibly need, so there_is little which you_need tell me . still, that little may as_well be cleared up_to make_the case complete . you had heard, Ryder, of_this blue stone of_the countess of Morcar's ? "

" it_was Catherine Cusack who told me of it," said he in acrackling voice .

" I_see -- her ladyship's waiting- maid . well, the temptation of sudden wealth so easily acquired was too_much for_you, as_it_has_been for better men before_you; but you were_not very scrupu- lous in_the means you used . it seems to_me, Ryder, that_there_is the making of a very pretty villain in you . you_knew that_this man Horner, the plumber, had_been concerned in some such matter before, and_that suspicion would rest the more readily upon him . what did you_do, then ? you_made some small job in my lady's room -- you and your confederate Cusack -- and you managed that he_should_be the man sent for . then, when he had left, you rifled the jewel- case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man arrested . you then --"

Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon_the rug and clutched at my companion's knees ." for god's sake, have mercy ! " he shrieked ." think of_my father ! of_my mother ! it would break their hearts .I never went wrong before ! I never will again .I swear it .I'll swear it on a Bible .Oh, don't bring it into court ! for Christ's sake, don't ! "

" get back into your chair ! " said Holmes sternly ." it_is very_well to cringe and crawl now, but you thought little enough of_this poor 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 was pouring down my face before I_came to_the Brixton road . my sister asked me what_was the matter, and why i_was so pale; but i_told her that I had_been upset by_the jewel robbery at_the hotel . then I went into_the back yard and smoked a pipe and wondered what it would_be best to_do .

"I had a friend once called Maudsley, who went to_the bad, and has just been serving his time in Pentonville . one day he had met me, and fell into talk about_the ways of thieves, and how they_could get rid of what they stole . I_knew that he_would_be true to_me, for I_knew one_or_two things about him; so I_made up my mind to_go right on to Kilburn, where he lived, and take him into my confidence . he_would show me how to_turn the stone into money . but how to_get to him in safety ? i_thought of_the agonies I had gone through in coming from_the hotel . I_might at any moment be seized and searched, and there would_be the stone in my waistcoat pocket . i_was leaning against the wall at_the_time and looking at_the geese which were waddling about round my feet, and suddenly an idea came into my head which showed me how I_could beat the best detective that ever lived .

" my sister had told me some weeks before_that I_might_have the pick of her geese for a Christmas present, and I_knew that she was always as good as her word . i_would take my goose now, and in_it i_would carry my stone to Kilburn . there_was a little shed in_the yard, and behind this I drove one_of_the birds -- a fine big one, white, with abarred tail .I caught it, and prying its bill open, I thrust the stone down its throat as far as my finger could reach . the bird gave a gulp, and I_felt the stone pass along its gullet and down into its crop . but the creature flapped and struggled, and out came my sister to_know what_was the matter . as I turned to_speak to her the brute broke loose and fluttered off among_the others .

" ' whatever were you doing with_that bird, Jem ? ' says she .

" ' well,' said I, ' you said you'd give_me one for Christmas, and i_was feeling which_was the fattest .'

" 'Oh,' says she, ' we've set yours aside for_you -- Jem's bird, we call it . it's the big white one over yonder . there's twenty-six of_them, which makes one for_you, and one for_us, and two dozen for_the market .'

" ' thank_you, Maggie,' says l; ' but if_it_is all the same to_you, I'd rather have that one i_was handling just now .'

" ' the other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, ' and we fattened it expressly for_you .'

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

" 'Oh, just as_you like,' said she, a little huffed .' which_is it you_want, then ? '

" ' that white one with_the barred tail, right in_the middle of_the flock .'

" 'Oh, very_well . kill it and take it with_you .'

" well, I_did what she said, Mr Holmes, and I carried the bird all the way to Kilburn . i_told my PAL what I had done, for he_was a man that_it_was easy to_tell a thing like that to . he laughed until he choked, and we got a knife and opened the goose . my heart turned to water, for there_was no sign of_the stone, and I_knew that some terrible mistake had occurred .I left the bird rushed back to my sister's, and hurried into_the back yard . there_was not a bird to_be seen there .

" ' where are they all, Maggie ? ' I cried .

" ' gone to_the dealer's, Jem .'

" ' which dealer's ? '

" 'Breckinridge, of Covent garden .'

" ' but was there another with abarred tail ? ' I asked, ' the same as_the one I chose ? '

" ' yes, Jem; there were two barred- tailed ones, and I_could never tell them apart .'

" well, then, of_course I_saw it all, and I ran off as hard as my feet would carry me to_this man Breckinridge; but he had sold the lot at once, and not one word would he tell me as_to where they had gone . you heard him yourselves to- night . well, he has always answered me like that . my sister thinks that I_am going mad .Sometimes i_think that I_am myself . and now -- and now I_am myself a branded thief, without ever having touched the wealth for_which I sold my character . god help me ! god help me ! " he burst into convulsive sobbing, with_his face buried in_his hands .

there_was a long silence, broken only by his heavy breathing and by_the measured tapping of Sherlock Holmes's finger-tips upon_the edge of_the table . then my friend rose and threw open the door .

" get out ! " said he .

" what, sir ! Oh, heaven bless you ! "

" no more words . get out ! "

and no more words were needed . there_was a rush, a clatter upon_the stairs, the bang of a door, and_the crisp rattle of running footfalls from_the street .

" after all, Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for_his clay pipe, " I_am not retained by_the police to supply their deficiencies . if Horner were in danger it would_be another thing; but this fellow will not appear against him, and_the case must collapse .I suppose that I_am commuting a felony . but it_is just possible that I_am saving a soul . this fellow will not go wrong again; he_is too terribly frightened . send_him to jail now, and you make him a jail- bird for life . besides, it_is_the season of forgiveness . chance has put in_our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and its solution is its own reward . if you_will_have the goodness to touch the bell, doctor, we_will begin another investigation, in_which, also a bird will_be the chief feature ."

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