No. 2 The Adventure of the Cardboard Box by Arthur Conan Doyle
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two ears as he spoke, and laying a board across his knee he examined them minutely, while Lestrade and I, bending forward on each side of him, glanced alternately at_these dreadful relics and at_the thoughtful, eager face of_our companion . finally he returned them to_the box once more and sat for a while in deep meditation .

" you_have observed, of_course," said he at last, " that_the ears are_not a pair ."

" yes, I_have noticed that . but if_this were the practical joke of some students from_the dissecting-rooms, it would_be as easy for_them to send two odd ears as a pair ."

" precisely . but this_is_not a practical joke ."

" you_are_sure of it ? "

" the presumption is strongly against it .Bodies in_the dissectingrooms are injected with preservative fluid . these ears bear no signs of_this . they_are fresh, too . they_have been cut off with a blunt instrument, which would hardly happen if a student had done it . again, carbolic or rectified spirits would_be the preservatives which would suggest themselves to_the medical mind, certainly not rough salt .I repeat that_there_is no practical joke here, but that we_are investigating a serious crime ."

a vague thrill ran through me as I listened to my companion's words and saw the stern gravity which had hardened his features . this brutal preliminary seemed to shadow forth some strange and inexplicable horror in_the background .Lestrade, however, shook his head like a man who_is only half convinced .

" there_are objections to_the joke theory, no_doubt," said he, " but there_are much stronger reasons against the other . we_know that_this woman has led a most quiet and respectable life at Penge and here for_the_last twenty years . she has hardly been away from her home for a day during that_time . why on earth, then, should any criminal send her the proofs of_his guilt, especially as, unless she_is a most consummate actress, she understands quite as little of_the matter as we_do ? "

" that_is_the problem which we_have to solve," Holmes answered, " and for_my part I_shall set about_it by presuming that my reasoning is correct, and_that a double murder has_been committed . one_of_these ears is a woman's, small, finely formed, and pierced for an earring . the other is a man's, sun- burned, discoloured, and also pierced for an earring . these two people are presumably dead, or we_should_have heard their story before now . to- day is Friday . the packet was posted on Thursday morning . the tragedy, then, occurred on Wednesday or Tuesday or earlier . if_the two people were murdered, who but their murderer would_have sent this sign of_his work to miss Cushing ? we_may take it that_the sender of_the packet is_the man whom we_want . but he_must_have some strong reason for sending miss Cushing this packet . what reason then ? it must_have been to_tell her that_the deed was_done ! or to pain her, perhaps . but in_that case she knows who it_is .Does she know ? I_doubt it . if she knew, why should she call the police in ? she might_have buried the ears, and no one would_have_been the wiser . that_is what she would_have done if she had wished to shield the criminal . but if she does_not wish to shield him she_would give his name . there_is a tangle here which needs straightening out ." he had_been talking in a high, quick voice, staring blankly up over the garden fence, but now he sprang briskly to_his feet and walked towards the house .

" I_have a few questions to ask miss Cushing," said he .

" in_that case I_may leave you here," said Lestrade, " for I_have another small business on hand . i_think that I_have nothing further to learn from miss Cushing . you_will_find me at_the police- station ."

" we_shall look in on_our way to_the train," answered Holmes .a moment later he and I were back in_the front room, where the impassive lady was still quietly working away at her antimacassar . she put it down on her lap as_we entered and looked at us with her frank, searching blue eyes .

" I_am convinced, sir," she said, " that this_matter is a mistake, and_that the parcel was never meant for_me at all . I_have said this several_times to_the gentleman from Scotland yard, but he simply laughs at me . I_have_not an enemy in_the_world, as far as I_know, so why should anyone play me such a trick ? "

" I_am coming to_be of_the same opinion, miss Cushing," said Holmes, taking a seat beside her ." i_think that_it_is more than probable " he paused, and i_was surprised, on glancing round to_see that he_was staring with singular intentness at_the lady's profile . surprise and satisfaction were both for an instant to_be read upon his eager face, though when she glanced round to_find out the cause of_his silence he had become as demure as ever .I stared hard myself at her flat, grizzled hair, her trim cap, her little gilt earrings, her placid features; but I could_see nothing which could account for_my companion's evident excitement .

" there were one_or_two questions --"

"Oh, I_am weary of questions ! " cried miss Cushing impatiently .

" you_have two sisters, I believe ."

" how could you_know that ? "

"I observed the very instant that I entered the room that you_have a portrait group of three ladies upon_the mantelpiece, one of whom is undoubtedly yourself, while the others are so exceedingly like you that there could_be no_doubt of_the relationship ."

" yes, you_are quite right . those are my sisters, Sarah and Mary ."

" and here at my elbow is another portrait, taken at Liverpool, of your younger sister, in_the company of a man who appears to_be a steward by his uniform .I observe that she was unmarried at_the_time ."

" you_are very quick at observing ."

" that_is my trade ."

" well, you_are quite right . but she was married to Mr browner a few_days afterwards . he_was on_the south American line when_that was taken, but he_was so fond of her that he couldn't abide to leave her for so_long, and he got into_the Liverpool and London boats ."

"Ah, the conqueror, perhaps ? "

" no, the may day, when last I heard .Jim came down here to_see me once . that was before he broke the pledge; but afterwards he_would always take drink when he_was ashore, and a little drink would send_him stark, staring mad .Ah ! it_was a bad day that ever he_took a glass in_his hand again . first he dropped me, then he quarrelled with Sarah, and now that Mary has stopped writing we don't know how things are going with_them ."

it_was evident that miss Cushing had come upon a subject on_which she felt very deeply . like most people who lead a lonely life, she was shy at first, but ended by becoming extremely communicative . she told us many details about her brother-in-law the steward, and then wandering off on_the_subject of her former lodgers, the medical students, she gave_us a long account of_their delinquencies, with their names and those of_their hospitals .Holmes listened attentively to everything, throwing in a question from_time to_time .

" about_your second sister, Sarah," said he ."I wonder, since you_are both maiden ladies, that you_do_not keep house together ."

"Ah ! you don't know Sarah's temper or you_would wonder no more .I tried it when I_came to Croydon, and we kept on until about two_months_ago, when we had to part .I don't want to_say a word against my own sister, but she was always meddlesome and hard to_please, was Sarah ."

" you say that she quarrelled with your Liverpool relations ."

" yes, and_they were the best of friends at one_time . why, she went up there to live in_order_to_be near them . and now she has no word hard enough for Jim browner . the last six months that she was here she_would speak of nothing but his drinking and_his ways . he had caught her meddling, I suspect, and given her a bit of_his mind, and_that was_the start of it ."

" thank_you, miss Cushing," said Holmes, rising and bowing ." your sister Sarah lives, i_think you said, at new street Wallington ? good-bye, and I_am very sorry that you should_have_been troubled over a case with_which, as_you say, you_have nothing whatever to_do ."

there_was a cab passing as_we came out, and Holmes hailed it .

" how far to Wallington ? " he asked .

" only about a mile, sir ."

" very_good . jump in, Watson . we_must strike while the iron is hot . simple as_the case is, there_have been one_or_two very instructive details in connection with it . just pull up at a telegraph office as_you pass, cabby ."

Holmes sent off a short wire and for_the rest of_the drive lay back in_the cab, with_his hat tilted over his nose to_keep the sun from_his face . our driver pulled up at a house which_was not unlike the one which we had just quitted . my companion ordered him to wait, and had his hand upon_the knocker, when_the door opened and a grave young gentleman in black, with a very shiny hat, appeared on_the step .

" is miss Cushing at home ? " asked Holmes .

" miss Sarah Cushing is extremely ill," said he ." she has_been suffering since yesterday from brain symptoms of great severity . as her medical adviser, I_cannot possibly take_the responsibility of allowing anyone to_see her . i_should recommend you to_call again in ten days ." he drew on_his gloves, closed the door, and marched off down the street .

" well, if_we_can't we_can't," said Holmes, cheerfully .

" perhaps she_could_not or would_not have told you much ."

" I_did_not wish her to_tell me anything .I only wanted to look at her . however, i_think that I_have got all that i_want . drive us to some decent hotel, cabby, where we_may_have some lunch, and afterwards we_shall drop down upon friend Lestrade at_the police- station ."

we had a pleasant little meal together, during which Holmes would talk about nothing but violins, narrating with great exultation how he had purchased his own Stradivarius, which_was worth at_least five hundred guineas, at aJew broker's in Tottenham court road for fifty-five shillings . this led him to Paganini, and we sat for an hour over a bottle of claret while he_told me anecdote after anecdote of_that extraordinary man . the afternoon was far advanced and_the hot glare had softened into a mellow glow before we_found ourselves at_the police- station .Lestrade was waiting for_us at_the door .

"A telegram for_you, Mr Holmes," said he .

"Ha ! it_is_the answer ! " he tore it open, glanced his eyes over it, and crumpled it into his pocket ." that's all right," said he .

" have_you found out anything ? "

" I_have found out everything ! "

" what ! " Lestrade stared at him in amazement ." you_are joking ."

" i_was never more serious in my life .ashocking crime has_been committed, and i_think I_have now laid bare every detail of it ."

" and_the criminal ? "

Holmes scribbled a few words upon_the back of one of_his visiting cards and threw it over to Lestrade .

" that_is_the name," he_said ." you_cannot effect an arrest until to- morrow night at_the earliest . i_should prefer that you_do_not mention my name at all in connection with_the case, as I choose to_be only associated with those crimes which present some difficulty in their solution . come on, Watson ." we strode off together to_the station, leaving Lestrade still staring with a delighted face at_the card which Holmes had thrown him .

" the case," said Sherlock Holmes as_we chatted over our cigars that night in_our rooms at baker street, " is one where, as in_the investigations which you_have chronicled under the names of 'A study in scarlet' and of ' the sign of Four,' we_have_been compelled to reason backward from effects to causes . I_have written to Lestrade asking him to supply us with_the details which are now wanting, and which he_will only get after he has secured his man . that he_may_be safely trusted to_do, for although he_is absolutely devoid of reason, he_is as tenacious as abulldog when he once understands what he has_to do, and, indeed, it_is just this tenacity which_has brought him to_the top at Scotland yard ."

" your case is_not complete, then ? " I asked .

" it_is fairly complete in essentials . we_know who the author of_the revolting business is, although one_of_the victims still escapes us . of_course, you_have formed your own conclusions ."

"I presume that_this Jim browner, the steward of a Liverpool boat, is_the man whom you suspect ? "

"Oh ! it_is more than a suspicion ."

" and yet I cannot_see anything save very vague indications ."

" on_the contrary, to my mind nothing could_be more clear . let me run over the principal steps . we approached the case, you remember, with an absolutely blank mind, which_is always an advantage . we had formed no theories . we were simply there to observe and to draw inferences from_our observations . what did we see first ? a very placid and respectable lady, who seemed quite innocent of any secret, and a portrait which showed me that she had two younger sisters . it instantly flashed across my mind that_the box might_have_been meant for one_of_these .I set the idea aside as one which could_be disproved or confirmed at our leisure . then we went to_the garden, as_you remember, and we saw the very singular contents of_the little yellow box .

" the string was of_the quality which_is used by sailmakers aboard ship, and at once a whiff of_the sea was perceptible in_our investigation . when I observed

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