No. 11 The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place by Arthur Conan Doyle
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entrance to_the vault .I heard his little cry of satisfaction and was aware from_his hurried but purposeful movements that he had reached a goal . with_his lens he_was eagerly examining the edges of_the heavy lid . then he drew from_his pocket a short jemmy, a box- opener, which he thrust into a chink, levering back the whole front, which seemed to_be secured by only a couple of clamps . there_was arending, tearing sound as it gave way, but it had hardly hinged back and partly revealed the contents before we had an unforeseen interruption .

someone was walking in_the chapel above . it was_the firm, rapid step of one who came with a definite purpose and knew well the ground upon_which he walked .a light streamed down the stairs, and an instant later the man who bore it_was framed in_the Gothic archway . he_was a terrible figure, huge in stature and fierce in manner .a large stable- lantern which he held in front of him shone upward upon a strong, heavily moustached face and angry eyes, which glared round him into every recess of_the vault, finally fixing themselves with a deadly stare upon my companion and myself .

" who the devil are_you ? " he thundered ." and what_are you doing upon my property ? " then, as Holmes returned no answer he_took a couple of steps forward and raised a heavy stick which he carried ." do_you hear me ? " he cried ." who_are you ? what_are you doing here ? " his cudgel quivered in_the air .

but instead of shrinking Holmes advanced to meet him .

"I also have a question to ask_you, sir Robert," he_said in_his sternest tone ." who is_this ? and what_is it doing here ? "

he turned and tore open the coffin-lid behind him . in_the glare of_the lantern I_saw a body swathed in a sheet from head to foot with dreadful, witch- like features, all nose and chin, projecting at one end, the dim, glazed eyes staring from adiscoloured and crumbling face .

the baronet had staggered back with a cry and supported himself against a stone sarcophagus .

" how came you to_know of_this ? " he cried . and then, with some return of_his truculent manner: " what business is_it of yours ? "

" my name is Sherlock Holmes," said my companion ." possibly it_is familiar to_you . in any case, my business is_that of every_other good citizen -- to uphold the law . it seems to_me that you_have much to answer for ."

sir Robert glared for a moment, but Holmes's quiet voice and cool, assured manner had their effect .

" 'Fore god, Mr Holmes, it's all right," said he ."Appearances are against me, I'll admit, but I_could act no otherwise ."

" i_should_be happy to_think so, but I_fear your explanations must_be before_the police ."

sir Robert shrugged his broad shoulders .

" well, if_it must_be, it must . come up_to_the house and you_can judge for_yourself how the matter stands ."

a quarter of an hour later we_found ourselves in what I judge, from_the lines of polished barrels behind glass covers, to_be the gun- room of_the old house . it_was comfortably furnished, and here sir Robert left us for a few_moments . when he returned he had two companions with_him; the one, the florid young woman whom we had seen in_the carriage; the other, a small rat- faced man with adisagreeably furtive manner . these two wore an appearance of utter bewilderment, which showed that_the baronet had_not yet had time to explain to_them the turn events had taken .

" there," said sir Robert with a wave of_his hand, " are Mr and Mrs Norlett .Mrs Norlett, under her maiden name of Evans, has for_some_years been my sister's confidential maid . I_have brought them here because I_feel that my best course is to explain the true position to_you, and_they are the two people upon earth who_can substantiate what I_say ."

" is_this necessary, sir Robert ? have_you thought what you_are doing ? " cried the woman .

" as to_me, I entirely disclaim all responsibility," said her husband .

sir Robert gave him a glance of contempt ." i_will take all responsibility," said he ." now, Mr Holmes, listen to a plain statement of_the facts .

" you_have clearly gone pretty deeply into my affairs or I should_not have found you where I_did . therefore, you_know already, in all probability, that I_am running a dark horse for_the derby and_that everything depends upon my success . if I win, all is easy . if I lose -- well, I dare not think of_that ! "

"I understand the position," said Holmes .

" I_am dependent upon my sister, lady Beatrice, for everything . but it_is well known that her interest in_the estate is for her own life only . for_myself, I_am deeply in_the hands of_the Jews . I_have always known that if_my sister were to die my creditors would_be on to my estate like a flock of vultures . everything would_be seized -- my stables, my horses -- everything . well, Mr Holmes, my sister did die just a week ago ."

" and you told no one ! "

" what could I_do ? absolute ruin faced me . if I_could stave things off for three weeks all would_be well . her maid's husband -- this man here -- is an actor . it came into our heads -- it came into my head -- that he_could for_that short period personate my sister . it_was but a case of appearing daily in_the carriage, for no one need enter her room save the maid . it_was not difficult to arrange . my sister died of_the dropsy which had long afflicted her ."

" that_will_be for a coroner to decide ."

" her doctor would certify that for months her symptoms have threatened such an end ."

" well, what did you_do ? "

" the body could_not remain there . on_the first night Norlett and I carried it out to_the old well- house, which_is now never used . we were followed, however, by her pet spaniel, which yapped continually at_the door, so I_felt some safer place was needed .I got rid of_the spaniel, and we carried the body to_the crypt of_the church . there_was no indignity or irreverence, Mr Holmes . I_do_not feel that I_have wronged the dead ."

" your conduct seems to_me inexcusable, sir Robert ."

the baronet shook his head impatiently ." it_is easy to preach," said he ." perhaps you_would_have felt differently if_you had_been in my position . one cannot_see all one's hopes and all one's plans shattered at_the last moment and make no effort to save them . it seemed to_me that_it would_be no unworthy resting- place if_we put her for_the_time in one_of_the coffins of her husband's ancestors lying in what_is still consecrated ground . we opened such a coffin, removed the contents, and placed her as_you_have seen her . as_to_the old relics which we took out, we_could_not leave them on_the floor of_the crypt .Norlett and I removed them, and he descended at night and burned them in_the central furnace . there_is my story, Mr Holmes, though how you forced my hand so_that I_have to_tell it_is more than I_can_say ."

Holmes sat for some_time lost in thought .

" there_is one flaw in your narrative, sir Robert," he_said at last ." your bets on_the race, and therefore your hopes for_the future, would hold good even if your creditors seized your estate ."

" the horse would_be part of_the estate . what do they care for_my bets ? as likely as not they_would not run him at all . my chief creditor is, unhappily, my most bitter enemy -- a rascally fellow, Sam brewer, whom i_was once compelled to horsewhip on Newmarket heath . do_you suppose that he_would try to save me ? "

" well, sir Robert," said Holmes, rising, " this_matter must, of_course, be referred to_the police . it_was my duty to bring the facts to light, and there I_must leave it . as_to_the morality or decency of your conduct, it_is_not for_me to express an opinion . it_is nearly midnight, Watson, and i_think we_may make our way back to our humble abode ."

it_is generally known now that_this singular episode ended upon a happier note than sir Robert's actions deserved .Shoscombe prince did win the derby, the sporting owner did net eighty thousand pounds in bets, and_the creditors did hold their hand until the race was over, when_they were paid in full, and enough was left to reestablish sir Robert in a fair position in life . both police and coroner took a lenient view of_the transaction, and beyond a mild censure for_the delay in registering the lady's decease, the lucky owner got away scatheless from_this strange incident in a career which_has now outlived its shadows and promises to end in an honoured old age .

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