No. 8 The Adventure of the Six Napoleons by Arthur Conan Doyle
Section [1 | 2 | 3]
the adventure of_the Six Napoleons

by Arthur Conan Doyle

it_was no very unusual thing for_Mr Lestrade, of Scotland yard, to look in upon us of an evening, and_his visits were welcome to Sherlock Holmes, for they enabled him to_keep in touch with all that was going on at_the police head-quarters . in return for_the news which Lestrade would bring, Holmes was always ready to listen with attention to_the details of any case upon_which the detective was engaged, and was able occasionally, without any active interference, to_give some hint or suggestion drawn from_his own vast knowledge and experience .

on_this particular evening Lestrade had spoken of_the weather and_the newspapers . then he had fallen silent, puffing thoughtfully at his cigar .Holmes looked keenly at him .

" anything remarkable on hand ? " he asked .

"Oh, no, Mr Holmes, nothing very particular ."

" then tell me about_it ."

Lestrade laughed .

" well, Mr Holmes, there_is no use denying that_there_is something on my mind . and yet it_is such an absurd business that I hesitated to bother you about_it . on_the other hand, although it_is trivial, it_is undoubtedly queer, and I_know that you_have a taste for all that_is out_of_the common . but in my opinion it comes more in Dr .Watson's line than ours ."

" disease ? " said I .

" madness, anyhow . and a queer madness too ! you wouldn't think there_was anyone living at_this_time of day who had such a hatred of napoleon the first that he_would break any image of him that he could_see ."

Holmes sank back in_his chair .

" that's no business of_mine," said he .

" exactly . that's what I_said . but then, when_the man commits burglary in_order to break images which are_not his own, that brings it away from_the doctor and on to_the policeman ."

Holmes sat up again .

"Burglary ! this_is more interesting . let me hear the details ."

Lestrade took out his official note- book and refreshed his memory from its pages .

" the first case reported was four days_ago," said he ." it_was at_the shop of Morse Hudson, who has a place for_the sale of pictures and statues in_the Kennington road . the assistant had left the front shop for an instant when he heard a crash, and hurrying in he_found a plaster bust of napoleon, which stood with several_other works of art upon_the counter, lying shivered into fragments . he rushed out into_the road, but, although several passers- by declared that_they had noticed a man run out_of_the shop, he_could neither see anyone nor could he find any means of identifying the rascal . it seemed to_be one of_those senseless acts of Hooliganism which occur from_time to_time, and it_was reported to_the constable on_the beat as such . the plaster cast was not worth more than a few shillings, and_the whole affair appeared to_be too childish for any particular investigation .

" the second case, however, was more serious and also more singular . it occurred only last night .

" in Kennington road, and within a few hundred yards of Morse Hudson's shop, there lives a well- known medical practitioner, named Dr .Barnicot, who has one_of_the largest practices upon_the south side of_the Thames . his residence and principal consulting- room is at Kennington road, but he has a branch surgery and dispensary at lower Brixton road, two miles away . this Dr .Barnicot is an enthusiastic admirer of napoleon, and_his house is full of books, pictures, and relics of_the French emperor . some little time ago he purchased from Morse Hudson two duplicate plaster casts of_the famous head of napoleon by_the French sculptor, Devine . one_of_these he placed in_his hall in_the house at Kennington road, and_the other on_the mantelpiece of_the surgery at lower Brixton . well, when Dr .Barnicot came down this_morning he_was astonished to_find that his house had_been burgled during the night, but that nothing had_been taken save the plaster head from_the hall . it had_been carried out and had_been dashed savagely against the garden wall, under which its splintered fragments were discovered ."

Holmes rubbed his hands .

" this_is certainly very novel," said he .

" i_thought it would please you . but I_have_not got to_the end yet .Dr .Barnicot was due at his surgery at twelve o'clock, and you_can imagine his amazement when, on arriving there, he_found that_the window had_been opened in_the night, and_that the broken pieces of_his second bust were strewn all over the room . it had_been smashed to atoms where it stood . in neither case were there any signs which could give_us aclue as_to_the criminal or lunatic who had done the mischief . now, Mr Holmes, you_have got the facts ."

" they_are singular, not to_say grotesque," said Holmes ." may I ask whether the two busts smashed in Dr .Barnicot's rooms were the exact duplicates of_the one which_was destroyed in Morse Hudson's shop ? "

" they were taken from_the same mould ."

" such a fact must tell against the theory that_the man who breaks them is influenced by any general hatred of napoleon .Considering how_many hundreds of statues of_the great emperor must exist in London, it_is too_much to suppose such a coincidence as_that a promiscuous iconoclast should chance to_begin upon three specimens of_the same bust ."

" well, i_thought as_you_do," said Lestrade ." on_the other hand, this Morse Hudson is_the purveyor of busts in_that part of London, and these three were the only ones which had_been in_his shop for years . so, although, as_you say, there_are many hundreds of statues in London, it_is very probable that_these three were the only ones in_that district . therefore, a local fanatic would begin with_them . what do_you_think, Dr .Watson ? "

" there_are no limits to_the possibilities of monomania," I answered ." there_is the condition which the modern French psychologists have called the `idee fixe,' which_may_be trifling in character, and accompanied by complete sanity in every_other way .a man who had read deeply about napoleon, or who had possibly received some hereditary family injury through_the great war, might conceivably form such an `idee fixe' and under its influence be capable of any fantastic outrage ."

" that won't do, my dear Watson," said Holmes, shaking his head; " for no amount of `idee fixe' would enable your interesting monomaniac to_find out where these busts were situated ."

" well, how do_you explain it ? "

"I don't attempt to_do_so . i_would only observe that_there_is a certain method in_the gentleman's eccentric proceedings . for example, in Dr .Barnicot's hall, where a sound might arouse the family, the bust was taken outside before being broken, whereas in_the surgery, where there_was less danger of an alarm, it_was smashed where it stood . the affair seems absurdly trifling, and yet I dare call nothing trivial when I reflect that some of_my most classic cases have_had the least promising commencement . you_will remember, Watson, how the dreadful business of_the Abernetty family was first brought to my notice by_the depth which the parsley had sunk into_the butter upon a hot day . I_can't afford, therefore, to smile at your three broken busts, Lestrade, and I_shall_be very_much obliged to_you if_you_will let me hear of any fresh developments of so singular a chain of events ."

the development for_which my friend had asked came in a quicker and an infinitely more tragic form than he could_have imagined . i_was still dressing in my bedroom next morning when there_was a tap at_the door and Holmes entered, a telegram in_his hand . he read it aloud:--

" come instantly, 131, Pitt street, Kensington .-- Lestrade ."

" what_is it, then ? " I asked .

"Don't know -- may_be anything . but I suspect it_is_the sequel of_the story of_the statues . in_that case our friend, the image- breaker, has begun operations in another quarter of London . there's coffee on_the table, Watson, and I_have a cab at_the door ."

in half an hour we had reached Pitt street, a quiet little backwater just beside one_of_the briskest currents of London life . no .131 was one of a row, all flat-chested, respectable, and most unromantic dwellings . as_we drove up we_found the railings in front of_the house lined by a curious crowd .Holmes whistled .

" by George ! it's attempted murder at_the least . nothing less will hold the London message- boy . there's a deed of violence indicated in_that fellow's round shoulders and outstretched neck . what's this, Watson ? the top steps swilled down and_the other ones dry .Footsteps enough, anyhow ! well, well, there's Lestrade at_the front window, and we_shall soon know all about_it ."

the official received us with a very grave face and showed us into asitting- room, where an exceedingly unkempt and agitated elderly man, clad in a flannel dressing- gown, was pacing up and down . he_was introduced to_us as_the owner of_the house -- Mr Horace Harker, of_the central press syndicate .

" it's the napoleon bust business again," said Lestrade ." you seemed interested last night, Mr Holmes, so i_thought perhaps you_would_be_glad to_be present now that_the affair has taken a very_much graver turn ."

" what has it turned to, then ? "

" to murder .Mr Harker, will_you tell these gentlemen exactly what has occurred ? "

the man in_the dressing- gown turned upon us with a most melancholy face .

" it's an extraordinary thing," said he, " that all my life I_have_been collecting other people's news, and now that a real piece of news has_come my own way I_am so confused and bothered that I_can't put two words together . if I had come in here as a journalist i_should_have interviewed myself and had two columns in every evening paper . as_it_is I_am giving away valuable copy by telling my story over and over to a string of different people, and I_can make no use of it myself . however, I've heard your_name, Mr Sherlock Holmes, and if_you'll only explain this queer business I_shall_be paid for_my trouble in telling you the story ."

Holmes sat down and listened .

" it all seems to centre round that bust of napoleon which I bought for_this very room about four months_ago .I picked it up cheap from Harding Brothers, two doors from_the high street station .a great deal of_my journalistic work is done at night, and I often write until the early morning . so it_was to- day . i_was sitting in my den, which_is at_the back of_the top of_the house, about three o'clock, when i_was convinced that I heard some sounds downstairs .I listened, but they were_not repeated, and I concluded that_they came from outside . then suddenly, about five minutes later, there came a most horrible yell -- the most dreadful sound, Mr Holmes, that ever I heard . it_will ring in my ears as long as I live .I sat frozen with horror for a minute or two . then I seized the poker and went downstairs . when I entered this room I_found the window wide open, and I at once observed that_the bust was gone from_the mantelpiece . why any burglar should take such a thing passes my understanding, for it_was only a plaster cast and of no real value whatever .

" you_can see for_yourself that anyone going out through_that open window could reach the front doorstep by taking a long stride . this_was clearly what the burglar had done, so I went round and opened the door .Stepping out into_the dark I nearly fell over a dead man who was lying there .I ran back for a light, and there_was the poor fellow, a great gash in_his throat and_the whole place swimming in blood . he lay on_his back, his knees drawn up, and_his mouth horribly open . I_shall see him in my dreams .I had just time to blow on my police- whistle, and then I_must_have fainted, for I_knew nothing more until I_found the policeman standing over me in_the hall ."

" well, who was_the murdered man ? " asked Holmes .

" there's nothing to show who he_was," said Lestrade ." you shall see the body at_the mortuary, but we_have_made nothing of it up_to now . he_is a tall man, sunburned, very powerful, not more than thirty . he_is poorly dressed, and yet does_not appear to_be alabourer .a horn- handled clasp knife was lying in a pool of blood beside him . whether it was_the weapon which did the deed, or whether it belonged to_the dead man, I_do_not know . there_was no name on_his clothing, and nothing in_his pockets save an apple, some string, ashilling map of London, and a photograph . here it_is ."

it_was evidently taken by a snap- shot from a small camera . it represented an alert, sharp- featured simian man with thick eyebrows, and a very peculiar projection of_the lower part of_the face like the muzzle of a baboon .

" and what became of_the bust ? " asked Holmes, after a careful study of_this picture .

" we had news of it just before_you came . it_has_been found in_the front garden of an empty house in Campden house road . it_was broken into fragments . I_am going round now to_see it . will_you come ? "

" certainly . I_must just take one look round ." he examined the carpet and_the window ." the fellow had either very long legs or was a most active man," said he ." with an area beneath, it_was no mean feat to reach that window- ledge and open that window .Getting back was comparatively simple . are_you coming with_us to_see the remains of your bust, Mr Harker ? "

the disconsolate journalist had seated himself at awriting- table .

" I_must try and make something of it," said he, " though I_have no_doubt that_the first editions of_the evening papers are out already with full details . it's like my luck ! you remember when_the stand fell at Doncaster ? well, I was_the only journalist in_the stand, and my journal the only_one that had no account of it, for i_was too shaken to write it . and now I'll be too late with a murder done on my own doorstep ."

as_we left the room we heard his pen travelling shrilly over the foolscap .

the spot where the fragments of_the bust had_been found was only a few hundred yards away . for_the first time our eyes rested upon_this presentment of_the great emperor, which seemed to raise such frantic and destructive hatred in_the mind of_the unknown . it lay scattered in splintered shards upon_the grass .Holmes picked up several of_them and examined them carefully . i_was convinced from_his intent face and_his purposeful manner that at last he_was upon aclue .

" well ? " asked Lestrade .

Holmes shrugged his shoulders .

" we_have a long way to_go yet," said he ." and yet -- and yet -- well, we_have some suggestive facts to act upon . the possession of_this trifling bust was worth more in_the eyes of_this strange criminal than a human life . that_is one point . then there_is the singular fact that he_did_not break it in_the house, or immediately outside the house, if to break it_was his sole object ."

" he_was rattled and bustled by meeting this other fellow . he hardly knew what he_was doing ."

" well, that's likely enough . but i_wish to_call your attention very particularly to_the position of_this house in_the garden of_which the bust was destroyed ."

Lestrade looked about him .

" it_was an empty house, and so he_knew that he_would_not_be disturbed in_the garden ."

" yes, but there_is another empty house farther up the street which he_must_have passed before he_came to this_one . why did he not break it there, since it_is evident that every yard that he carried it increased the risk of someone meeting him ? "

" I_give it up,"

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