No. 12 The Adventure of the Retired Colourman by Arthur Conan Doyle
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the adventure of_the retired Colourman

by Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock Holmes was in a melancholy and philosophic mood that morning . his alert practical nature was subject to such reactions .

" did you_see him ? " he asked .

" you mean the old fellow who has just gone out ? "

" precisely ."

" yes, I met him at_the door ."

" what did you_think of him ? "

"A pathetic, futile, broken creature ."

" exactly, Watson . pathetic and futile . but is_not all life pathetic and futile ? is_not his story a microcosm of_the whole ? we reach . we grasp . and what_is left in_our hands at_the end ? a shadow . or worse than a shadow -- misery ."

" is he one of your clients ? "

" well, I suppose I_may call him so . he has_been sent on by_the yard . just as medical men occasionally send their incurables to a quack . they argue that_they can do nothing more, and_that whatever happens the patient can_be no worse than he_is ."

" what_is the matter ? "

Holmes took a rather soiled card from_the table ."Josiah Amberley . he_says he_was junior partner of Brickfall and Amberley, who_are manufacturers of artistic materials . you_will_see their names upon paint-boxes . he_made his little pile, retired from business at_the age of sixty- one, bought a house at Lewisham . and settled down to rest after a life of ceaseless grind . one would think his future was tolerably assured ."

" yes, indeed ."

Holmes glanced over some notes which he had scribbled upon_the back of an envelope .

" retired in 1896, Watson . early in 1897 he married a woman twenty years younger than himself -- a good- looking woman, too . if_the photograph does_not flatter .a competence, a wife, leisure -- it seemed a straight road which lay before him . and yet within two years he_is, as_you_have seen, as broken and miserable a creature as crawls beneath the sun ."

" but what has happened ? "

" the old story, Watson .a treacherous friend and a fickle wife . it would appear that Amberley has one hobby in life, and it_is chess . not far from_him at Lewisham there lives a young doctor who_is also a chess- player . I_have noted his name as Dr . ray Ernest . Ernest was frequently in_the house, and an intimacy between him and Mrs Amberley was a natural sequence, for you_must admit that_our unfortunate client has few outward graces, whatever his inner virtues may_be . the couple went off together last week -- destination untraced . what_is more, the faithless spouse carried off the old man's deed- box as her personal luggage with a good part of_his life's savings within . can we_find the lady ? can we save the money ? a commonplace problem so_far as it has developed, and yet a vital one for Josiah Amberley ."

" what_will you_do about_it ? "

" well, the immediate question, my dear Watson, happens to_be, what_will you_do ? -- if_you_will_be good enough to understudy me . you_know that I_am preoccupied with this_case of_the two Coptic Patriarchs, which should come to a head to- day .I really have_not time to_go out to Lewisham, and yet evidence taken on_the spot has a special value . the old fellow was quite insistent that i_should go, but I explained my difficulty . he_is prepared to meet a representative ."

" by all means," I answered ."I confess I don't see that I_can_be of much service, but I_am willing to_do my best ." and so it was_that on a summer afternoon I set forth to Lewisham, little dreaming that within a week the affair in_which i_was engaging would_be the eager debate of all England .

it_was late that evening before I returned to baker street and gave an account of_my mission .Holmes lay with_his gaunt figure stretched in_his deep chair, his pipe curling forth slow wreaths of acrid tobacco, while his eyelids drooped over his eyes so lazily that he might almost have_been asleep were it not that at any halt or questionable passage of_my narrative they half lifted, and two gray eyes, as bright and keen as rapiers, transfixed me with their searching glance .

" the haven is_the name of Mr Josiah Amberley's house," I explained ." i_think it would interest you, Holmes . it_is like some penurious patrician who has sunk into_the company of_his inferiors . you_know that particular quarter, the monotonous brick streets, the weary suburban highways . right in_the middle of_them, a little island of ancient culture and comfort, lies this old home, surrounded by a high sun-baked wall mottled with lichens and topped with moss, the sort of wall --"

" cut out the poetry, Watson," said Holmes severely ."I note that_it_was a high brick wall ."

" exactly .I should_not have known which_was the haven had I not asked alounger who was smoking in_the street . I_have a reason for mentioning him . he_was a tall, dark, heavily moustached, rather military- looking man . he nodded in answer to my inquiry and gave_me a curiously questioning glance, which came back to my memory a little later .

"I had hardly entered the gateway before I_saw Mr Amberley coming down the drive .I only had a glimpse of him this_morning, and he certainly gave_me the impression of a strange creature, but when I_saw him in full light his appearance was even more abnormal ."

" I_have, of_course, studied it, and yet i_should_be interested to_have your impression," said Holmes .

" he_seemed to_me like a man who was literally bowed down by care . his back was curved as_though he carried a heavy burden . yet he_was not the weakling that I had at first imagined, for_his shoulders and chest have the framework of a giant, though his figure tapers away into a pair of spindled legs ."

" left shoe wrinkled, right one smooth ."

" I_did_not observe that ."

" no, you wouldn't .I spotted his artificial limb . but proceed ."

" i_was struck by_the snaky locks of grizzled hair which curled from under his old straw hat, and_his face with its fierce, eager expression and_the deeply lined features ."

" very_good, Watson . what did he say ? "

" he began pouring out the story of_his grievances . we walked down the drive together, and of_course i_took a good look round . I_have never seen a worse- kept place . the garden was all running to seed, giving me an impression of wild neglect in_which_the plants had_been allowed to_find the way of nature rather than of art . how any decent woman could_have tolerated such a state of things, I don't know . the house, too, was slatternly to_the last degree, but the poor man seemed himself to_be aware of it and to_be trying to remedy it, for a great pot of green paint stood in_the centre of_the hall, and he_was carrying a thick brush in_his left_hand . he had_been working on_the woodwork .

" he_took me into his dingy sanctum, and we had a long chat . of_course, he_was disappointed that you had_not come yourself .'I hardly expected,' he_said, ' that so humble an individual as myself, especially after my heavy financial loss, could obtain the complete attention of so famous a man as Mr Sherlock Holmes .'

"I assured him that_the financial question did_not arise .' no of_course, it_is art for art's sake with_him,' said he, ' but even on_the artistic side of crime he_might_have found something here to study . and human nature, Dr .Watson -- the black ingratitude of it all ! when did I ever refuse one of her requests ? was ever a woman so pampered ? and_that young man -- he_might_have_been my own son . he had the run of_my house . and yet see how they_have treated me ! Oh, Dr .Watson, it_is a dreadful, dreadful world ! '

" that was_the burden of_his song for an hour or more . he had, it seems, no suspicion of an intrigue . they lived alone save for a woman who comes in by_the day and leaves every evening at six . on_that particular evening old Amberley, wishing to_give his wife a treat, had taken two upper circle seats at_the Haymarket Theatre . at_the last moment she had complained of a headache and had refused to_go . he had gone alone . there seemed to_be no_doubt about_the fact, for he produced the unused ticket which he had taken for_his wife ."

" that_is remarkable -- most remarkable," said Holmes, whose interest in_the case seemed to_be rising ." pray continue, Watson . I_find your narrative most arresting . did you personally examine this ticket ? you_did_not, perchance, take_the number ? "

" it so happens that I_did," I answered with some pride ." it chanced to_be my old school number, thirty- one, and so is stuck in my head ."

" excellent, Watson ! his seat, then, was either thirty or thirty- two ."

" quite so," I answered with some mystification ." and on B row ."

" that_is most satisfactory . what else did he tell you ? "

" he showed me his strong- room, as he_called it . it really is a strong- room -- like a bank -- with iron door and shutter -- burglarproof, as he claimed . however, the woman seems to have_had a duplicate key, and between_them they had carried off some seven thousand pounds' worth of cash and securities ."

"Securities ! how could they dispose of_those ? "

" he_said that he had given the police a list and_that he hoped they_would_be unsaleable . he had got back from_the theatre about midnight and found the place plundered, the door and window open, and_the fugitives gone . there_was no letter or message, nor has he heard a word since . he at once gave the alarm to_the police ."

Holmes brooded for some minutes .

" you say he_was painting . what_was he painting ? "

" well, he_was painting the passage . but he had already painted the door and woodwork of_this room I spoke of ."

"Does it not strike you as a strange occupation in_the circumstances ? "

" ' one must do something to ease an aching heart .' that was his own explanation . it_was eccentric, no_doubt, but he_is clearly an eccentric man . he tore up one of_his wife's photographs in my presence -- tore it up furiously in a tempest of passion .'I never wish to_see her damned face again,' he shrieked ."

" anything more, Watson ? "

" yes, one_thing which struck me more than anything else .I had driven to_the Blackheath station and had caught my train there when, just as it_was starting, I_saw a man dart into_the carriage next to my own . you_know that I_have a quick eye for faces, Holmes . it_was undoubtedly the tall, dark man whom I had addressed in_the street . I_saw him once more at London bridge, and then I lost him in_the crowd . but I_am convinced that he_was following me ."

" no_doubt ! no_doubt ! " said Holmes ."A tall, dark, heavily moustached man, you say, with gray- tinted sun-glasses ? "

"Holmes, you_are a wizard . I_did_not_say so, but he had gray- tinted sun-glasses ."

" and a masonic tie- pin ? "

"Holmes ! "

" quite simple, my dear Watson . but let_us get down to what_is practical . I_must admit to_you that_the case, which seemed to_me to_be so absurdly simple as to_be hardly worth my notice, is rapidly assuming a very different aspect . it_is true that though in your mission you_have missed everything of importance, yet even those things which_have obtruded themselves upon your notice give rise to serious thought ."

" what have I missed ? "

"Don't be hurt, my dear fellow . you_know that I_am quite impersonal . no one else would_have done better . some possibly not so_well . but clearly you_have missed some vital points . what_is the opinion of_the neighbours about_this man Amberley and_his wife ? that surely is of importance . what of Dr . Ernest ? was he the gay Lothario one would expect ? with your natural advantages, Watson, every lady is your helper and accomplice . what about_the girl at_the post- office, or the wife of_the greengrocer ? I_can picture you whispering soft nothings with_the young lady at_the blue anchor, and receiving hard somethings in exchange . all this you_have left undone ."

" it can still be_done ."

" it has_been_done . thanks to_the telephone and_the help of_the yard, I_can usually get my essentials without leaving this room . as a matter of fact, my information confirms the man's story . he has_the local repute of being a miser as_well as a harsh and exacting husband . that he had a large sum of money in_that strong- room of_his is certain . so also is_it that young Dr . Ernest, an unmarried man, played chess with Amberley, and probably played the fool with_his wife . all this seems plain sailing, and one would think that there_was no more to_be said -- and yet ! - and yet ! "

" where lies the difficulty ? "

" in my imagination, perhaps . well, leave it there, Watson . let_us escape from_this weary workaday world by_the side door of music .Carina sings to- night at_the Albert hall, and we still have time to dress, dine, and enjoy ."

in_the morning i_was up betimes, but some toast crumbs and two empty eggshells told me that my companion was earlier still . I_found a scribbled note upon_the table .

dear WATSON: there_are one_or_two points of contact which i_should wish to establish with Mr Josiah Amberley . when I_have_done so we_can dismiss the case -- or not . i_would only ask_you to_be on hand about three o'clock, as I conceive it possible that I_may want you .S .H .

I_saw nothing of Holmes all day, but at_the hour named he returned, grave, preoccupied, and aloof . at such times it_was wiser to leave him to himself .

" has Amberley been here yet ? "

" no ."

"Ah ! I_am expecting him ."

he_was not disappointed, for presently the old fellow arrived with a very worried and puzzled expression upon his austere face .

"I've had a telegram, Mr Holmes . I_can make nothing of it ." he handed it over, and Holmes read it aloud .

" come at once without fail . can give_you information as_to your recent loss ."ELMAN ." the vicarage .

" dispatched at 2:10 from little Purlington," said Holmes ." little Purlington is in Essex, I believe, not far from Frinton . well, of_course you_will start at once . this_is evidently from a responsible person, the vicar of_the place . where is my Crockford ? yes, here we_have him: 'J .C .Elman, M .a. , Living of Moosmoor cum little Purlington .' look up the trains, Watson ."

" there_is one at 5:20 from Liverpool street ."

" excellent . you had best go with_him, Watson . he_may need help or advice . clearly we_have come to a crisis in_this affair ."

but our client seemed by no means eager to start .

" it's perfectly absurd, Mr Holmes," he_said ." what can this man possibly know of what has occurred ? it_is waste of_time and money ."

" he_would_not have telegraphed to_you if he_did_not know something . wire at once that you_are coming ."

"I don't think I_shall go ."

Holmes assumed his sternest aspect .

" it would make_the worst possible impression both on_the police and upon myself, Mr Amberley, if when so obvious aclue arose you_should refuse to_follow it up . we_should feel that you were_not really in earnest in_this investigation ."

our client seemed horrified at_the suggestion .

" why, of_course I_shall go if_you look at it in_that way," said he ." on_the face of it, it seems absurd to suppose that_this parson knows anything, but if_you_think --"

" I_do think," said Holmes with emphasis, and so we were launched upon our journey .Holmes took me aside before we left the room and gave_me one word of counsel, which showed that he considered the matter to_be of

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