No. 6 The Man with the Twisted Lip by Arthur Conan Doyle
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said he . it makes you quite invaluable as a companion .Pon my word, it_is a great thing for_me to_have someone to_talk to, for_my own thoughts are_not over- pleasant . i_was wondering what i_should say to_this dear little woman to- night when she meets me at_the door .

you forget that I_know nothing about_it .

I_shall just have time to_tell you the facts of_the case before we get to Lee . it seems absurdly simple, and yet, somehow I_can get nothing to_go upon .Theres plenty of thread, no_doubt, but I cant get the end of it into my hand . now, ill state the case clearly and concisely to_you, Watson, and maybe you_can see a spark where all is dark to_me .

proceed, then .

some_years_ago- to_be definite, in may, 1884- there came to Lee a gentleman, Neville St .Clair by name, who appeared to_have plenty of money . he_took a large villa, laid out the grounds very nicely, and lived generally in good style . by degrees he_made friends in_the neighbourhood, and in 1887 he married the daughter of a local brewer, by whom he now has two children . he had no occupation, but was interested in several companies and went into town as a rule in_the morning, returning by_the 5:14 from cannon street every night .Mr St .Clair is now thirty-seven years_of_age, is a man of temperate habits, a good husband, a very affectionate father, and a man who_is popular with all who_know him . I_may add that his whole debts at_the present moment, as far as we_have_been_able to ascertain amount to 88 pounds l0s ., while he has 220 pounds standing to_his credit in_the capital and Counties bank . there_is no reason, therefore, to_think that money troubles have_been weighing upon his mind .

last Monday Mr Neville St .Clair went into town rather earlier than usual, remarking before he started that he had two important commissions to perform, and_that he_would bring his little boy home a box of bricks . now, by_the merest chance, his wife received a telegram upon_this same Monday, very shortly after his departure, to_the effect that a small parcel of considerable value which she had_been expecting was waiting for her at_the offices of_the Aberdeen Shipping company . now, if_you_are well up in your London, you_will know that_the office of_the company is in Fresno street, which branches out of upper Swandam Lane, where you found me to- night .Mrs St .Clair had her lunch, started for_the city, did some shopping, proceeded to_the companys office, got her packet, and found herself at exactly 4:35 walking through Swandam Lane on her way back to_the station . have_you followed me so_far ?

it_is very clear .

if_you remember, Monday was an exceedingly hot day, and Mrs St .Clair walked slowly, glancing about in_the hope of seeing a cab, as she did_not like the neighbourhood in_which she found herself . while she was walking in_this_way down Swandam Lane, she suddenly heard an ejaculation or cry, and was struck cold to_see her husband looking down at her and, as it seemed to her, beckoning to her from a second- floor window . the window was open, and she distinctly saw his face, which she describes as being terribly agitated . he waved his hands frantically to her, and then vanished from_the window so suddenly that_it seemed to her that he had_been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind . one singular point which struck her quick feminine eye was_that although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town in, he had on neither collar nor necktie .

Convinced that something was amiss with_him, she rushed down the steps- for_the house was none other_than the opium den in_which_you found me to- night- and running through_the front room she attempted to ascend the stairs which led to_the first floor . at_the foot of_the stairs, however, she met this lascar scoundrel of whom I_have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by aDane, who acts as assistant there, pushed her out into_the street . filled with_the most maddening doubts and fears, she rushed down the lane and, by rare good- fortune, met in Fresno street a number of constables with an inspector, all on their way to_their beat . the inspector and two men accompanied her back, and in_spite of_the continued resistance of_the proprietor, they made their way to_the room in_which Mr St .Clair had last been seen . there_was no sign of him there . in_fact, in_the whole of_that floor there_was no one to_be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, it seems, made his home there . both he and_the lascar stoutly swore that no one else had_been in_the front room during the afternoon . so determined was their denial that_the inspector was staggered, and had almost come to_believe that Mrs St .Clair had_been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box which lay upon_the table and tore the lid from_it . out there fell a cascade of childrens bricks . it was_the toy which he had promised to bring home .

this discovery, and_the evident confusion which the cripple showed, made the inspector realise that_the matter was serious . the rooms were carefully examined, and results all pointed to an abominable crime . the front room was plainly furnished as asitting- room and led into a small bedroom, which looked out upon_the back of one_of_the wharves . between_the wharf and_the bedroom window is a narrow strip, which_is dry at low tide but is covered at high tide with at_least four and a half feet of water . the bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below . on examination traces of blood were to_be seen upon_the windowsill, and several scattered drops were visible upon_the wooden floor of_the bedroom . thrust away behind a curtain in_the front room were all the clothes of Mr Neville St .Clair, with_the exception of_his coat . his boots, his socks, his hat, and_his watch- all were there . there were no signs of violence upon any of_these garments, and there were no other traces of Mr Neville St .Clair . out_of_the window he_must apparently have_gone for no other exit could_be discovered, and_the ominous bloodstains upon_the sill gave little promise that he_could save himself by swimming, for_the tide was at its very highest at_the moment of_the tragedy .

and now as_to_the villains who seemed to_be immediately implicated in_the matter . the lascar was known to_be a man of_the vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs St .Clairs story, he_was known to_have_been at_the foot of_the stair within a very few seconds of her husbands appearance at_the window, he_could hardly have_been more than an accessory to_the crime . his defence was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no knowledge as_to_the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and_that he_could_not account in any_way for_the presence of_the missing gentlemans clothes .

so_much for_the lascar manager . now for_the sinister cripple who lives upon_the second floor of_the opium den, and who was certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St .Clair . his name is Hugh Boone, and_his hideous face is one which_is familiar to every man who goes much to_the city . he_is a professional beggar, though in_order to avoid the police regulations he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas . some little distance down Threadneedle street, upon_the left- hand side, there_is, as_you_may_have remarked, a small angle in_the wall . here it_is that_this creature takes his daily seat, cross-legged with_his tiny stock of matches on_his lap, and as he_is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into_the greasy leather cap which lies upon_the pavement beside him . I_have watched the fellow more than once before ever i_thought of making his professional acquaintance, and I_have_been surprised at_the harvest which he has reaped in a short time . his appearance, you_see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him without observing him .a shock of orange hair, a pale face disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has turned up the outer edge of_his upper lip, abulldog chin, and a pair of very penetrating dark eyes, which present a singular contrast to_the colour of_his hair, all mark him out from amid the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he_is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which_may_be thrown at him by_the passers- by . this_is_the man whom we now learn to_have_been the lodger at_the opium den, and to_have_been the last man to_see the gentleman of whom we_are in quest .

but a cripple ! said I . what could he have_done single- handed against a man in_the prime of life ?

he_is a cripple in_the sense that he walks with a limp; but in other respects he appears to_be a powerful and well- nurtured man . surely your medical experience would tell you, Watson, that weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional strength in_the others .

pray continue your narrative .Josef Friedrich, 1906

Mrs St .Clair had fainted at_the sight of_the blood upon_the window, and she was escorted home in a cab by_the police, as her presence could_be of no help to_them in their investigations . inspector Barton, who had charge of_the case, made a very careful examination of_the premises, but without finding anything which threw any light upon_the matter . one mistake had_been made in not arresting Boone instantly, as he_was allowed some few_minutes during which he_might_have communicated with_his friend the lascar, but this fault was soon remedied, and he_was seized and searched, without anything being found which could incriminate him . there were, it_is true, some blood-stains upon his right shirt- sleeve, but he pointed to_his ring- finger, which had_been cut near the nail, and explained that_the bleeding came from there, adding that he had_been to_the window not long before, and_that the stains which had_been observed there came doubtless from_the same source . he denied strenuously having ever seen Mr Neville St .Clair and swore that_the presence of_the clothes in_his room was as_much a mystery to him as_to_the police . as_to Mrs St .Clairs assertion that she had actually seen her husband at_the window, he declared that she must_have been either mad or dreaming . he_was removed, loudly protesting, to_the police- station, while the inspector remained upon_the premises in_the hope_that the ebbing tide might afford some fresh clew .

and it did, though they hardly found upon_the mud- bank what they had feared to_find . it_was Neville St .Clairs coat, and not Neville St .Clair, which lay uncovered as_the tide receded . and what do_you_think they found in_the pockets ?

I_cannot imagine .

no, I dont think you_would guess . every pocket stuffed with pennies and half-pennies-421 pennies and 270 half-pennies . it_was no wonder that_it had_not_been swept away by_the tide . but a human body is a different matter . there_is a fierce eddy between_the wharf and_the house . it seemed likely enough that_the weighted coat had remained when_the stripped body had_been sucked away into_the river .

but I understand that all the other clothes were found in_the room . would the body be dressed in a coat alone ?

no, sir, but the facts might_be met speciously enough . suppose that_this man Boone had thrust Neville St .Clair through_the window, there_is no human eye which could_have seen the deed . what would he do then ? it would of_course instantly strike him that he_must get rid of_the tell- tale garments . he_would seize the coat, then, and be in_the act of throwing it out, when it would occur to him that_it would swim and not sink . he has little time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when_the wife tried to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from_his lascar confederate that_the police are hurrying up the street . there_is not an instant to_be lost . he rushes to some secret hoard, where he has accumulated the fruits of_his beggary, and he stuffs all the coins upon_which he_can lay his hands into_the pockets to_make sure of_the coats sinking . he throws it out, and would_have done the same with_the other garments had_not he heard the rush of steps below, and only just had time to close the window when_the police appeared .

it certainly sounds feasible .

well, we_will take it as aworking hypothesis for want of a better .Boone, as I_have told you, was arrested and taken to_the station, but it could_not_be shown that there had ever before been anything against him . he had for years been known as a professional beggar, but his life appeared to_have_been a very quiet and innocent one . there the matter stands at present, and_the questions which_have to_be solved- what Neville St .Clair was doing in_the opium den, what happened to him when there, where is he now, and what Hugh Boone had to_do with_his disappearance- are all as far from a solution as ever .I confess that I_cannot recall any case within my experience which looked at_the first glance so simple and yet which presented such difficulties .

while Sherlock Holmes had_been detailing this singular series of events, we had_been whirling through_the outskirts of_the great town until the last straggling houses had_been left behind, and we rattled along with a country hedge upon either side of us . just as he finished,

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