No. 3 The Adventure of the Dancing Men by Arthur Conan Doyle
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4]
the adventure of_the Dancing men

by Arthur Conan Doyle

Holmes had_been seated for some hours in silence with_his long, thin back curved over a chemical vessel in_which he_was brewing a particularly malodorous product . his head was sunk upon his breast, and he looked from my point of view like a strange, lank bird, with dull grey plumage and a black top- knot .

" so, Watson," said he, suddenly, " you_do_not propose to invest in south African securities ? "

I_gave a start of astonishment . accustomed as i_was to Holmes's curious faculties, this sudden intrusion into my most intimate thoughts was utterly inexplicable .

" how on earth do_you_know that ? " I asked .

he wheeled round upon his stool, with asteaming test- tube in_his hand and a gleam of amusement in_his deep- set eyes .

" now, Watson, confess yourself utterly taken aback," said he .

" I_am ."

"I ought to_make you sign a paper to_that effect ."

" why ? "

" because in five minutes you_will say that_it_is all so absurdly simple ."

" I_am_sure that I_shall say nothing of_the kind ."

" you_see, my dear Watson" -- he propped his test- tube in_the rack and began to lecture with_the air of a professor addressing his class -- " it_is_not really difficult to construct a series of inferences, each dependent upon its predecessor and each simple in itself . if, after doing_so, one simply knocks out all the central inferences and presents one's audience with_the starting- point and_the conclusion, one may produce astartling, though possibly a meretricious, effect . now, it_was not really difficult, by an inspection of_the groove between your left forefinger and thumb, to_feel sure that you_did_not propose to invest your small capital in_the goldfields ."

" I_see no connection ."

" very likely not; but I_can quickly show you a close connection . here are the missing links of_the very simple chain:

1 . you had chalk between your left finger and thumb when_you returned from_the club last night .

2 . you put chalk there when_you play billiards to steady the cue .

3 . you never play billiards except with Thurston .

4 . you told me four weeks_ago that Thurston had an option on some south African property which would expire in a month, and which he desired you to share with_him .

5 . your Cheque- book is locked in my drawer, and you_have_not asked for_the key .

6 . you_do_not propose to invest your money in_this manner ."

" how absurdly simple ! " I cried .

" quite so ! " said he, a little nettled ." every problem becomes very childish when once it_is explained to_you . here_is an unexplained one . see what you_can_make of_that, friend Watson ." he tossed a sheet of paper upon_the table and turned once more to_his chemical analysis .

I looked with amazement at_the absurd hieroglyphics upon_the paper .

" why, Holmes, it_is a child's drawing," I cried .

"Oh, that's your idea ! "

" what else should it be ? "

" that_is what Mr Hilton Cubitt, of Riding Thorpe manor, Norfolk, is very anxious to_know . this little conundrum came by_the first post, and he_was to_follow by_the next train . there's a ring at_the bell, Watson .I should_not_be very_much surprised if_this were he ."

a heavy step was heard upon_the stairs, and an instant later there entered a tall, ruddy, clean-shaven gentleman, whose clear eyes and florid cheeks told of a life led far from_the fogs of baker street . he_seemed to bring a whiff of_his strong, fresh, bracing, east- coast air with_him as he entered .Having shaken hands with each of us, he_was about to sit down when his eye rested upon_the paper with_the curious markings, which I had just examined and left upon_the table .

" well, Mr Holmes, what do_you make of_these ? " he cried ." they told me that you were fond of queer mysteries, and I don't think you_can find a queerer one than that . I_sent the paper on ahead so_that you might_have time to study it before I_came ."

" it_is certainly rather a curious production," said Holmes ." at first sight it would appear to_be some childish prank . it consists of a number of absurd little figures dancing across the paper upon_which they_are drawn . why should you attribute any importance to so grotesque an object ? "

"I never should, Mr Holmes . but my wife does . it_is frightening her to death . she says nothing, but I_can_see terror in her eyes . that's why i_want to sift the matter to_the bottom ."

Holmes held up the paper so that_the sunlight shone full upon it . it_was a page torn from a note- book . the markings were done in pencil .

Holmes examined it for some_time, and then, folding it carefully up, he placed it in_his pocket- book .

" this promises to_be a most interesting and unusual case," said he ." you_gave me a few particulars in your letter, Mr Hilton Cubitt, but i_should_be very_much obliged if_you_would kindly go over it all again for_the benefit of_my friend, Dr .Watson ."

"I'm not much of a story- teller," said our visitor, nervously clasping and unclasping his great, strong hands ." you'll just ask me anything that I don't make clear .I'll begin at_the_time of_my marriage last year; but i_want to_say first of all that, though I'm not a rich man, my people have_been at Ridling Thorpe for a matter of five centuries, and there_is no better known family in_the county of Norfolk . last year I_came up_to London for_the jubilee, and I stopped at aboarding- house in Russell square, because Parker, the vicar of_our parish, was staying in_it . there_was an American young lady there -- Patrick was_the name -- Elsie Patrick . in some way we became friends, until before my month was up i_was as_much in love as a man could_be . we were quietly married at a registry office, and we returned to Norfolk a wedded couple . you'll think it very mad, Mr Holmes, that a man of a good old family should marry a wife in_this fashion, knowing nothing of her past or of her people; but if_you saw her and knew her it would help_you to understand .

" she was very straight about_it, was Elsie . I_can't say that she did_not give_me every chance of getting out of it if I wished to_do_so .` I_have_had some very disagreeable associations in my life,' said she; ` i_wish to forget all about_them . i_would rather never allude to_the past, for_it is very painful to_me . if_you take me, Hilton, you_will take a woman who has nothing that she need be personally ashamed of; but you_will_have to_be content with my word for_it, and to allow me to_be silent as_to all that passed up_to_the time when I became yours . if these conditions are too hard, then go back to Norfolk and leave me to_the lonely life in_which_you found me .' it_was only the day before our wedding that she said those very words to_me . i_told her that i_was content to_take her on her own terms, and I_have_been as good as my word .

" well, we_have_been married now for a year, and very happy we_have_been . but about a month ago, at_the end of June, I_saw for_the first time signs of trouble . one day my wife received a letter from America . I_saw the American stamp . she turned deadly white, read the letter, and threw it into_the fire . she made no allusion to_it afterwards, and I_made none, for a promise is a promise; but she has never known an easy hour from_that moment . there_is always a look of fear upon her face -- a look as_if she were waiting and expecting . she_would do better to trust me . she_would find that i_was her best friend . but until she speaks I_can_say nothing . mind you, she_is a truthful woman, Mr Holmes, and whatever trouble there_may have_been in her past life it_has_been no fault of hers . I_am only a simple Norfolk squire, but there_is not a man in England who ranks his family honour more highly than I_do . she knows it well, and she knew it well before she married me . she_would never bring any stain upon it -- of_that I_am_sure .

" well, now I come to_the queer part of_my story . about a week ago -- it was_the Tuesday of last week -- I_found on one_of_the window-sills a number of absurd little dancing figures, like these upon_the paper . they were scrawled with chalk . i_thought that_it_was the stable- boy who had drawn them, but the lad swore he_knew nothing about_it .Anyhow, they had come there during the night .I had them washed out, and I only mentioned the matter to my wife afterwards . to my surprise she took it very seriously, and begged me if any more came to let her see them . none did come for a week, and then yesterday morning I_found this paper lying on_the sun- dial in_the garden .I showed it to Elsie, and down she dropped in a dead faint . since then she has looked like a woman in a dream, half dazed, and with terror always lurking in her eyes . it_was then that i_wrote and sent the paper to_you, Mr Holmes . it_was not a thing that I_could take to_the police, for they_would_have laughed at me, but you_will tell me what to_do . I_am not a rich man; but if_there_is any danger threatening my little woman i_would spend my last copper to shield her ."

he_was a fine creature, this man of_the old English soil, simple, straight, and gentle, with_his great, earnest blue eyes and broad, comely face . his love for_his wife and_his trust in her shone in_his features .Holmes had listened to_his story with_the utmost attention, and now he sat for some_time in silent thought .

"Don't you_think, Mr Cubitt," said he, at last, " that your best plan would_be to_make a direct appeal to your wife, and to ask her to share her secret with_you ? "

Hilton Cubitt shook his massive head .

"A promise is a promise, Mr Holmes . if Elsie wished to_tell me she_would . if_not, it_is_not for_me to force her confidence . but I_am justified in taking my own line -- and_I_will ."

" then i_will help_you with all my heart . in_the first place, have_you heard of any strangers being seen in your neighbourhood ? "

" no ."

"I presume that_it_is a very quiet place . any fresh face would cause comment ? "

" in_the immediate neighbourhood, yes . but we_have several small watering-places not very far away . and_the farmers take in lodgers ."

" these hieroglyphics have evidently ameaning . if_it_is a purely arbitrary one it may_be impossible for_us to solve it . if, on_the other hand, it_is systematic, I_have no_doubt that we_shall get to_the bottom of it . but this particular sample is so short that I_can do nothing, and_the facts which you_have brought me are so indefinite that we_have no basis for an investigation . i_would suggest_that you return to Norfolk, that you keep a keen look- out, and_that you take an exact copy of any fresh dancing men which_may appear . it_is a thousand pities that we_have_not a reproduction of_those which were done in chalk upon_the window-sill . make a discreet inquiry also as_to any strangers in_the neighbourhood . when_you have collected some fresh evidence come to_me again . that_is_the best advice which I_can give_you, Mr Hilton Cubitt . if_there_are any pressing fresh developments I_shall_be always ready to run down and_see you in your Norfolk home ."

the interview left Sherlock Holmes very thoughtful, and several_times in_the next few_days I_saw him take his slip of paper from_his note- book and look long and earnestly at_the curious figures inscribed upon it . he_made no allusion to_the affair, however, until one afternoon a fortnight or so later . i_was going out when he_called me back .

" you had better stay here, Watson ."

" why ? "

" because I had a wire from Hilton Cubitt this_morning -- you remember Hilton Cubitt, of_the dancing men ? he_was to reach Liverpool street at one-twenty . he_may_be here at any moment .I gather from_his wire that there_have been some new incidents of importance ."

we had_not long to wait, for_our Norfolk squire came straight from_the station as fast as a hansom could bring him . he_was looking worried and depressed, with tired eyes and a lined forehead .

" it's getting on my nerves, this business, Mr Holmes," said he, as he sank, like a wearied man, into an arm- chair ." it's bad enough to_feel that you_are surrounded by unseen, unknown folk, who_have some kind of design upon you; but when, in_addition to_that, you_know that_it_is just killing your wife by inches, then it becomes as_much as flesh and blood can endure . she's wearing away under it -- just wearing away before my eyes ."

" has she said anything yet ? "

" no, Mr Holmes, she has_not . and yet there_have been times when_the poor girl has wanted to_speak, and yet could_not quite bring herself to take_the plunge . I_have_tried to help her; but I dare say I_did it clumsily, and scared her off from_it . she has spoken about_my old family, and_our reputation in_the county, and_our pride in_our unsullied honour, and I always felt it_was leading to_the point; but somehow it turned off before we got there ."

" but you_have found out something for_yourself ? "

"A good_deal, Mr Holmes . I_have

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