No. 12 The Adventures of the Copper Beeches by Arthur Conan Doyle
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4]
they_are_not very exacting, after all . my wife is fond of a particular shade of electric blue and would like you to wear such a dress indoors in_the morning . you_need not, however, go to_the expense of purchasing one, as we_have one belonging to my dear daughter Alice ( now in Philadelphia), which would, i_should think, fit you very_well . then, as_to sitting here or there, or amusing yourself in any manner indicated, that need cause you no inconvenience . as regards your hair, it_is no_doubt a pity, especially as I_could_not help remarking its beauty during our short interview, but I_am afraid that I_must remain firm upon_this point, and I only hope_that the increased salary may recompense you for_the loss . your duties, as far as_the child is concerned, are very light . now do try to_come, and I_shall meet you with_the dog- cart at Winchester . let me know your train .

" yours faithfully, Jephro Rucastle .'

" that_is_the letter which I_have just received, Mr Holmes, and my mind is made up that i_will accept it . i_thought, however, that before taking the final step i_should like to submit the whole matter to your consideration ."

" well, miss hunter, if your mind is made up, that settles the question," said Holmes, smiling .

" but you_would_not advise me to refuse ? "

"I confess that_it_is not the situation which i_should like to_see a sister of_mine apply for ."

" what_is the meaning of it all, Mr Holmes ? "

"Ah, I_have no data . I_cannot tell . perhaps you_have yourself formed some opinion ? "

" well, there seems to_me to_be only_one possible solution .Mr Rucastle seemed to_be a very kind, good-natured man . is_it not possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to_keep the matter quiet for fear she should_be taken to an asylum, and_that he humours her fancies in every way in_order to_prevent an outbreak ? "

" that_is a possible solution-- in_fact, as matters stand, it_is_the most probable one . but in any case it does_not seem_to_be a nice household for a young lady ."

" but the money, Mr Holmes the money ! "

" well, yes, of_course the pay is good-- too good . that_is what makes me uneasy . why should they give_you 120 pounds a year, when_they could_have their pick for 40 pounds ? there_must_be some strong reason behind ."

" i_thought that if i_told you the circumstances you_would understand afterwards if i_wanted your help . i_should feel so_much stronger if I_felt that you were at_the back of me ."

"Oh, you_may carry that feeling away with_you .I assure you that your little problem promises to_be the most interesting which_has come my way for some months . there_is something distinctly novel about some_of_the features . if you_should find yourself in doubt or in danger--"

" danger ! what danger do_you foresee ? "

Holmes shook his head gravely ." it would cease to_be a danger if_we_could define it," said he ." but at any_time, day or night, a telegram would bring me down to your help ."

" that_is enough ." she rose briskly from her chair with_the anxiety all swept from her face ." I_shall go down to Hampshire quite easy in my mind now . I_shall write to Mr Rucastle at once, sacrifice my poor hair to- night, and start for Winchester to- morrow ." with a few grateful words to Holmes she bade us both good- night and bustled off upon her way .

" at_least," said I as_we heard her quick, firm steps descending the stairs, " she seems_to_be a young lady who_is very_well able to_take care of herself ."

" and she_would need to_be," said Holmes gravely ." I_am much mistaken if we_do_not hear from her before_many days are past ."

it_was not very long before my friend's prediction was fulfilled .a fortnight went by, during which I frequently found my thoughts turning in her direction and wondering what strange side- alley of human experience this lonely woman had strayed into . the unusual salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to something abnormal, though whether afad or a plot, or whether the man were a philanthropist or a villain, it_was quite beyond my powers to determine . as_to Holmes, I observed that he sat frequently for half an hour on end, with knitted brows and an abstracted air, but he swept the matter away with a wave of_his hand when I mentioned it ." data ! data ! data ! " he cried impatiently ." I_can't make bricks without clay ." and yet he_would always wind up by muttering that no sister of_his should ever have accepted such a situation .

the telegram which we eventually received came late one night just as i_was thinking of turning in and Holmes was settling down to one of_those all- night chemical researches which he frequently indulged in, when i_would leave him stooping over a retort and a test- tube at night and find him in_the same position when I_came down to breakfast in_the morning . he opened the yellow envelope, and then, glancing at_the message, threw it across to_me .

" just look up the trains in Bradshaw," said he, and turned back to_his chemical studies .

the summons was a brief and urgent one .

" please be at_the black swan hotel at Winchester at midday to- morrow," it said ." do come ! I_am at my wit's end . hunter ."

" will_you come with me ? " asked Holmes, glancing up .

" i_should wish to ."

" just look it up, then ."

" there_is a train at half- past nine," said I, glancing over my Bradshaw ." it_is due at Winchester at 11:30 ."

" that_will do very nicely . then perhaps I had better postpone my analysis of_the acetones, as we_may need to_be at our best in_the morning ."

by eleven o'clock the next_day we were well upon our way to_the old English capital .Holmes had_been buried in_the morning papers all the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire border he threw them down and began to admire the scenery . it_was an ideal spring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy white clouds drifting across from west to east . the sun was shining very brightly, and yet there_was an exhilarating nip in_the air, which set an edge to a man's energy . all over the countryside, away to_the rolling hills around Aldershot, the little red and grey roofs of_the farm-steadings peeped out from amid the light green of_the new foliage .

" are they not fresh and beautiful ? " I cried with all the enthusiasm of a man fresh from_the fogs of baker street .

but Holmes shook his head gravely .

" do_you_know, Watson," said he, " that_it_is one_of_the curses of a mind with a turn like mine that I_must look at everything with reference to my own special subject . you look at_these scattered houses, and you_are impressed by their beauty .I look at them, and_the only thought which comes to_me is afeeling of_their isolation and of_the impunity with_which crime may_be committed there ."

" good heavens ! " I cried ." who_would associate crime with_these dear old homesteads ? " Josef Friedrich, 1906

" they always fill me with a certain horror . it_is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that_the lowest and vilest alleys in London do_not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside ."

" you horrify me ! "

" but the reason is very obvious . the pressure of public opinion can do in_the town what the law cannot accomplish . there_is no lane so vile that_the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of a drunkard's blow, does_not beget sympathy and indignation among_the neighbours, and then the whole machinery of justice is ever so close that a word of complaint can set it going, and there_is but a step between_the crime and_the dock . but look at_these lonely houses, each in its own fields, filled for_the most part with poor ignorant folk who_know little of_the law . think of_the deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which_may go on, year in, year out, in_such places, and none the wiser . had this lady who appeals to_us for help gone to live in Winchester, i_should never have_had a fear for her . it_is_the five miles of country which makes the danger . still, it_is clear that she_is_not personally threatened ."

" no . if she_can come to Winchester to meet us she_can get away ."

" quite so . she has her freedom ."

" what can_be the matter, then ? can_you suggest no explanation ? "

" I_have devised seven separate explanations, each of_which would cover the facts as far as we_know them . but which of_these is correct can only be determined by_the fresh information which we_shall no_doubt find waiting for_us . well, there_is the tower of_the cathedral, and we_shall soon learn all that miss hunter has to_tell ."

the black swan is an inn of repute in_the high street, at no distance from_the station, and there we_found the young lady waiting for_us . she had engaged asitting- room, and_our lunch awaited us upon_the table .

" I_am so delighted that you_have come," she said earnestly ." it_is so very kind of you both; but indeed I_do_not know what i_should do . your advice will_be altogether invaluable to_me ."

" pray tell us what has happened to_you ."

" i_will do_so, and I_must_be quick, for I_have promised Mr Rucastle to_be back before three .I got his leave to_come into town this_morning, though he little knew for what purpose ."

" let_us_have everything in its due order ." Holmes thrust his long thin legs out towards the fire and composed himself to listen .

" in_the first place, I_may say that I_have met, on_the whole, with no actual ill- treatment from Mr and Mrs Rucastle . it_is only fair to_them to_say that . but I_cannot understand them, and I_am not easy in my mind about_them ."

" what can_you not understand ? "

" their reasons for their conduct . but you_shall_have it all just as it occurred . when I_came down, Mr Rucastle met me here and drove me in_his dog- cart to_the copper Beeches . it_is, as he_said, beautifully situated, but it_is_not beautiful in itself, for_it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but all stained and streaked with damp and bad weather . there_are grounds round it, woods on three sides, and on_the fourth a field which slopes down to_the Southampton highroad, which curves past about a hundred yards from_the front door . this ground in front belongs to_the house, but the woods all round are part of lord Southerton's preserves .a clump of copper beeches immediately in front of_the hall door has_given its name to_the place .

" i_was driven over by my employer, who was as amiable as ever, and was introduced by him that evening to_his wife and_the child . there_was no truth, Mr Holmes, in_the conjecture which seemed to_us to_be probable in your rooms at baker street .Mrs Rucastle is_not mad . I_found her to_be a silent, pale- faced woman, much younger than her husband, not more than thirty, i_should think, while he_can hardly be less_than forty-five . from their conversation I_have gathered that they_have been married about seven years, that he_was a widower, and_that his only child by_the first wife was_the daughter who has gone to Philadelphia .Mr Rucastle told me in private that_the reason why she had left them was_that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother . as_the daughter could_not have_been less_than twenty, I_can quite imagine that her position must_have been uncomfortable with her father's young wife .

" Mrs Rucastle seemed to_me to_be colourless in mind as_well as in feature . she impressed me neither favourably nor the reverse . she was a nonentity . it_was easy to_see that she was passionately devoted both to her husband and to her little son . her light grey eyes wandered continually from one to_the other, noting every little want and forestalling it if possible . he_was kind to her also in_his bluff, boisterous fashion, and on_the whole they seemed to_be a happy couple . and yet she had some secret sorrow, this woman . she_would often be lost in deep thought, with_the saddest look upon her face . more than once I_have surprised her in tears . I_have thought sometimes that_it_was the disposition of her child which weighed upon her mind, for I_have never met so utterly spoiled and so ill-natured a little creature . he_is small for_his age, with a head which_is quite disproportionately large . his whole life appears to_be spent in an alternation between savage fits of passion and gloomy intervals of sulking .Giving pain to any creature weaker than himself seems_to_be his one idea of amusement, and he shows quite remarkable talent in planning the capture of mice, little birds, and insects . but i_would rather not talk about_the creature, Mr Holmes, and, indeed, he has little to_do with my story ."

" I_am_glad of all details," remarked my friend, " whether they seem to_you to_be relevant or not ."

" I_shall try not to miss anything of importance . the one unpleasant thing about_the house, which struck me at once, was_the appearance and conduct of_the servants . there_are only two, a man and_his wife .Toller, for_that is his name, is a rough, uncouth man, with grizzled hair and whiskers, and a perpetual smell of drink . twice since I_have_been with_them he has_been quite drunk, and yet Mr Rucastle seemed to_take no notice of it . his wife is a very tall and strong woman with a sour face, as silent as Mrs Rucastle and much less amiable . they_are a most unpleasant couple, but fortunately I spend most of my_time in_the nursery and my own room, which are

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4]