No. 10 The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez by Arthur Conan Doyle
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with a curious little mincing accent ." pray take a cigarette . and you, sir ? I_can recommend them, for I_have them especially prepared by Ionides of Alexandria . he sends me a thousand at_a_time, and I grieve to_say that I_have to arrange for a fresh supply every fortnight . bad, sir, very bad, but an old man has few pleasures . tobacco and my work -- that_is all that_is left to_me ."

Holmes had lit a cigarette, and was shooting little darting glances all over the room .

" tobacco and my work, but now only tobacco," the old man exclaimed ." alas ! what a fatal interruption ! who could_have foreseen such a terrible catastrophe ? so estimable a young man ! I assure you that after a few_months' training he_was an admirable assistant . what do_you_think of_the matter, Mr Holmes ? "

" I_have_not_yet made up my mind ."

" I_shall indeed be indebted to_you if_you_can throw a light where all is so dark to_us . to a poor bookworm and invalid like myself such a blow is paralysing .I seem to_have lost the faculty of thought . but you_are a man of action -- you_are a man of affairs . it_is part of_the everyday routine of your life . you_can preserve your balance in every emergency . we_are fortunate indeed in having you at our side ."

Holmes was pacing up and down one side of_the room whilst the old professor was talking .I observed that he_was smoking with extraordinary rapidity . it_was evident that he shared our host's liking for_the fresh Alexandrian cigarettes .

" yes, sir, it_is acrushing blow," said the old man ." that_is my magnum opus -- the pile of papers on_the side table yonder . it_is my analysis of_the documents found in_the Coptic monasteries of Syria and Egypt, a work which will cut deep at_the very foundations of revealed religion . with my enfeebled health I_do_not know whether I_shall ever be_able to complete it now that my assistant has_been taken from me . dear me, Mr Holmes; why, you_are even a quicker smoker than I_am myself ."

Holmes smiled .

" I_am a connoisseur," said he, taking another cigarette from_the box -- his fourth -- and lighting it from_the stub of_that which he had finished ." i_will_not trouble you with any lengthy cross- examination, professor Coram, since I gather that you were in bed at_the_time of_the crime and could know nothing about_it . i_would only ask this . what do_you imagine that_this poor fellow meant by his last words: ` the professor -- it_was she' ? "

the professor shook his head .

" Susan is a country girl," said he, " and you_know the incredible stupidity of_that class .I fancy that_the poor fellow murmured some incoherent delirious words, and_that she twisted them into_this meaningless message ."

" I_see . you_have no explanation yourself of_the tragedy ? "

" possibly an accident; possibly -- I only breathe it among ourselves -- a suicide . young men have their hidden troubles -- some affair of_the heart, perhaps, which we_have never known . it_is a more probable supposition than murder ."

" but the eye-glasses ? "

"Ah ! I_am only a student -- a man of dreams . I_cannot explain the practical things of life . but still, we_are aware, my friend, that love-gages may take strange shapes . by all means take another cigarette . it_is a pleasure to_see anyone appreciate them so .a fan, a glove, glasses -- who knows what article may_be carried as a token or treasured when a man puts an end to_his life ? this gentleman speaks of footsteps in_the grass; but, after all, it_is easy to_be mistaken on_such a point . as_to_the knife, it might well be thrown far from_the unfortunate man as he fell . it_is possible that I speak as a child, but to_me it seems that Willoughby smith has met his fate by his own hand ."

Holmes seemed struck by_the theory thus put forward, and he continued to walk up and down for some_time, lost in thought and consuming cigarette after cigarette .

" tell me, professor Coram," he_said, at last, " what_is in_that cupboard in_the bureau ? "

" nothing that_would help a thief . family papers, letters from my poor wife, diplomas of Universities which_have done me honour . here_is_the key . you_can look for_yourself ."

Holmes picked up the key and looked at it for an instant; then he handed it back .

" no; I hardly think that_it would help me," said he ." i_should prefer to_go quietly down to your garden and turn the whole matter over in my head . there_is something to_be said for_the theory of suicide which you_have put forward . we_must apologise for having intruded upon you, professor Coram, and I promise that we won't disturb you until after lunch . at two o'clock we_will come again and report to_you anything which_may have happened in_the interval ."

Holmes was curiously distrait, and we walked up and down the garden path for some_time in silence .

" have_you aclue ? " I asked, at last .

" it depends upon those cigarettes that I smoked," said he ." it_is possible that I_am utterly mistaken . the cigarettes will show me ."

" my dear Holmes," I exclaimed, " how on earth ----"

" well, well, you_may see for_yourself . if_not, there's no harm done . of_course, we always have the optician clue to_fall back upon, but I take a short cut when I_can get it .Ah, here_is_the good Mrs marker ! let_us enjoy five minutes of instructive conversation with her ."

I_may_have remarked before_that Holmes had, when he liked, a peculiarly ingratiating way with women, and_that he very readily established terms of confidence with_them . in half the time which he had named he had captured the housekeeper's goodwill, and was chatting with her as_if he had known her for years .

" yes, Mr Holmes, it_is as_you say, sir . he_does smoke something terrible . all day and sometimes all night, sir .I've seen that room of a morning -- well, sir, you'd have thought it_was a London fog . poor young Mr smith, he_was a smoker also, but not as bad as_the professor . his health -- well, I don't know that_it's better nor worse for_the smoking ."

"Ah ! " said Holmes, " but it kills the appetite ."

" well, I don't know about_that, sir ."

"I suppose the professor eats hardly anything ? "

" well, he_is variable .I'll say that for him ."

"I'll wager he_took no breakfast this_morning, and won't face his lunch after all the cigarettes I_saw him consume ."

" well, you're out there, sir, as it happens, for he ate a remarkable big breakfast this_morning .I don't know when I've known him make a better one, and he's ordered a good dish of cutlets for_his lunch .I'm surprised myself, for since I_came into that room yesterday and saw young Mr smith lying there on_the floor I couldn't bear to look at food . well, it takes all sorts to_make a world, and_the professor hasn't let it take his appetite away ."

we loitered the morning away in_the garden . Stanley Hopkins had gone down to_the village to look into some rumours of a strange woman who had_been seen by some children on_the Chatham road the previous morning . as_to my friend, all his usual energy seemed to_have deserted him .I had never known him handle a case in_such a half-hearted fashion . even the news brought back by Hopkins that he had found the children and that_they had undoubtedly seen a woman exactly corresponding with Holmes's description, and wearing either spectacles or eye-glasses, failed to rouse any sign of keen interest . he_was more attentive when Susan, who waited upon us at lunch, volunteered the information that she believed Mr smith had_been out for a walk yesterday morning, and_that he had only returned half an hour before_the tragedy occurred . I_could_not myself see the bearing of_this incident, but I clearly perceived that Holmes was weaving it into_the general scheme which he had formed in_his brain . suddenly he sprang from_his chair and glanced at his watch .

" two o'clock, gentlemen," said he ." we_must go up and_have it out with_our friend the professor ."

the old man had just finished his lunch, and certainly his empty dish bore evidence to_the good appetite with_which his housekeeper had credited him . he_was, indeed, a weird figure as he turned his white mane and_his glowing eyes towards us . the eternal cigarette smouldered in_his mouth . he had_been dressed and was seated in an arm- chair by_the fire .

" well, Mr Holmes, have_you solved this mystery yet ? " he shoved the large tin of cigarettes which stood on a table beside him towards my companion .Holmes stretched out his hand at_the same moment, and between_them they tipped the box over the edge . for a minute or two we were all on_our knees retrieving stray cigarettes from impossible places . when we rose again I observed that Holmes's eyes were shining and_his cheeks tinged with colour . only at a crisis have I seen those battle-signals flying .

" yes," said he, " I_have solved it ."

Stanley Hopkins and I stared in amazement . something like a sneer quivered over the gaunt features of_the old professor .

" indeed ! in_the garden ? "

" no, here ."

" here ! when ? "

" this instant ."

" you_are surely joking, Mr Sherlock Holmes . you compel me to_tell you that_this_is too serious a matter to_be treated in_such a fashion ."

" I_have forged and tested every link of_my chain, professor Coram, and I_am_sure that_it_is sound . what your motives are or what exact part you play in_this strange business I_am not yet able_to_say . in_a_few_minutes I_shall probably hear it from your own lips . meanwhile i_will reconstruct what_is past for your benefit, so_that you_may know the information which I still require .

"A lady yesterday entered your study . she came with_the intention of possessing herself of certain documents which were in your bureau . she had a key of her own . I_have_had an opportunity of examining yours, and I_do_not find that slight discoloration which the scratch made upon_the varnish would_have produced . you were_not an accessory, therefore, and she came, so_far as I_can read the evidence, without your knowledge to rob you ."

the professor blew a cloud from_his lips ." this_is most interesting and instructive," said he ." have_you no more to add ? surely, having traced this lady so_far, you_can also say what has become of her ."

" i_will endeavour to_do_so . in_the first place she was seized by your secretary, and stabbed him in_order to escape . this catastrophe I_am inclined to regard as an unhappy accident, for I_am convinced that_the lady had no intention of inflicting so grievous an injury . an assassin does_not come unarmed . horrified by what she had done she rushed wildly away from_the scene of_the tragedy . unfortunately for her she had lost her glasses in_the scuffle, and as she was extremely short- sighted she was really helpless without them . she ran down a corridor, which she imagined to_be that by_which she had come -- both were lined with coconut matting -- and it_was only when it_was too late that she understood that she had taken the wrong passage and_that her retreat was cut off behind her . what_was she to_do ? she_could_not go back . she_could_not remain where she was . she_must go on . she went on . she mounted a stair, pushed open a door, and found herself in your room ."

the old man sat with_his mouth open staring wildly at Holmes . amazement and fear were stamped upon his expressive features . now, with an effort, he shrugged his shoulders and burst into insincere laughter .

" all very fine, Mr Holmes," said he ." but there_is one little flaw in your splendid theory . i_was myself in my room, and I never left it during the day ."

" I_am aware of_that, professor Coram ."

" and you mean to_say that I_could lie upon that bed and not be aware that a woman had entered my room ? "

"I never said so . you were aware of it . you spoke with her . you recognised her . you aided her to escape ."

again the professor burst into high- keyed laughter . he had risen to_his feet and_his eyes glowed like embers .

" you_are mad ! " he cried ." you_are talking insanely .I helped her to escape ? where is she now ? "

" she is_there," said Holmes, and he pointed to a high bookcase in_the corner of_the room .

I_saw the old man throw up his arms, a terrible convulsion passed over his grim face, and he fell back in_his chair . at_the same instant the bookcase at which Holmes pointed swung round upon a hinge, and a woman rushed out into_the room ." you_are right ! " she cried, in a strange foreign voice ." you_are right ! I_am here ."

she was brown with_the dust and draped with_the cobwebs which had come from_the walls of her hiding- place . her face, too, was streaked with grime, and at_the best she_could never have_been handsome, for she had the exact physical characteristics which Holmes had divined, with, in_addition, a long and obstinate chin . what with her natural blindness, and what with_the change from dark to light, she stood as one dazed, blinking about her to_see where and who we were . and yet, in_spite of all these disadvantages, there_was a certain nobility

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