No. 4 The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist by Arthur Conan Doyle
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the adventure of_the solitary Cyclist

by Arthur Conan Doyle

from_the years 1894 to 1901 inclusive Mr Sherlock Holmes was a very busy man . it_is safe to_say that there_was no public case of any difficulty in_which he_was not consulted during those eight years, and there were hundreds of private cases, some_of_them of_the most intricate and extraordinary character, in_which he played a prominent part . many startling successes and a few unavoidable failures were the outcome of_this long period of continuous work . as I_have preserved very full notes of all these cases, and was myself personally engaged in many_of_them, it may_be imagined that_it_is no easy task to_know which i_should select to lay before_the public . I_shall, however, preserve my former rule, and give the preference to_those cases which derive their interest not so_much from_the brutality of_the crime as from_the ingenuity and dramatic quality of_the solution . for_this reason i_will now lay before_the reader the facts connected with miss violet smith, the solitary cyclist of Charlington, and_the curious sequel of_our investigation, which culminated in unexpected tragedy . it_is true that_the circumstances did_not admit of any striking illustration of_those powers for_which my friend was famous, but there were some points about_the case which made it stand out in those long records of crime from_which I gather the material for_these little narratives .

on referring to my note- book for_the year 1895 I_find that_it_was upon Saturday, the 23rd of April, that we first heard of miss violet smith . her visit was, I remember, extremely unwelcome to Holmes, for he_was immersed at_the moment in a very abstruse and complicated problem concerning the peculiar persecution to_which John Vincent harden, the well- known tobacco millionaire, had_been subjected . my friend, who loved above all things precision and concentration of thought, resented anything which distracted his attention from_the matter in hand . and yet without a harshness which_was foreign to_his nature it_was impossible to refuse to listen to_the story of_the young and beautiful woman, tall, graceful, and queenly, who presented herself at baker street late in_the evening and implored his assistance and advice . it_was vain to urge that his time was already fully occupied, for_the young lady had come with_the determination to_tell her story, and it_was evident that nothing short of force could get her out_of_the room until she had done so . with a resigned air and a somewhat weary smile, Holmes begged the beautiful intruder to_take a seat and to inform us what it was_that was troubling her .

" at_least it cannot_be your health," said he, as his keen eyes darted over her; " so ardent abicyclist must_be full of energy ."

she glanced down in surprise at her own feet, and I observed the slight roughening of_the side of_the sole caused by_the friction of_the edge of_the pedal .

" yes, I bicycle a good_deal, Mr Holmes, and_that has something to_do with my visit to_you to- day ."

my friend took the lady's ungloved hand and examined it with as close an attention and as little sentiment as a scientist would show to a specimen .

" you_will excuse me, I_am_sure . it_is my business," said he, as he dropped it ."I nearly fell into_the error of supposing that you were typewriting . of_course, it_is obvious that_it_is music . you observe the spatulate finger- end, Watson, which_is common to both professions ? there_is a spirituality about_the face, however" -- he gently turned it towards the light -- " which the typewriter does_not generate . this lady is a musician ."

" yes, Mr Holmes, I teach music ."

" in_the country, I presume, from your complexion ."

" yes, sir; near Farnham, on_the borders of surrey ."

"A beautiful neighbourhood and full of_the most interesting associations . you remember, Watson, that_it_was near there that we took Archie Stamford, the forger . now, miss violet, what has happened to_you near Farnham, on_the borders of surrey ? "

the young lady, with great clearness and composure, made the following curious statement:--

" my father is dead, Mr Holmes . he_was James smith, who conducted the orchestra at_the old imperial Theatre . my mother and I were left without a relation in_the_world except one uncle, Ralph smith, who went to Africa twenty-five years_ago, and we_have never had a word from_him since . when father died we were left very poor, but one day we were told that there_was an advertisement in_the Times inquiring for_our whereabouts . you_can imagine how excited we were, for we thought that someone had left us a fortune . we went at once to_the lawyer whose name was given in_the paper . there we met two gentlemen, Mr Carruthers and Mr Woodley, who were home on a visit from south Africa . they said that my uncle was a friend of theirs, that he died some months before in great poverty in Johannesburg, and_that he had asked them with_his last breath to hunt up his relations and_see that_they were in no want . it seemed strange to_us that uncle Ralph, who took no notice of us when he_was alive, should_be so careful to look after us when he_was dead; but Mr Carruthers explained that_the reason was_that my uncle had just heard of_the death of_his brother, and so felt responsible for_our fate ."

" excuse me," said Holmes; " when was_this interview ? "

" last December -- four months_ago ."

" pray proceed ."

" Mr Woodley seemed to_me to_be a most odious person . he_was for ever making eyes at me -- a coarse, puffy- faced, red-moustached young man, with_his hair plastered down on each side of_his forehead . i_thought that he_was perfectly hateful -- and i_was sure that Cyril would_not wish me to_know such a person ."

"Oh, Cyril is his name ! " said Holmes, smiling .

the young lady blushed and laughed .

" yes, Mr Holmes; Cyril Morton, an electrical engineer, and we_hope to_be married at_the end of_the summer . dear me, how did I get talking about him ? what I wished to_say was_that Mr Woodley was perfectly odious, but that Mr Carruthers, who was a much older man, was more agreeable . he_was a dark, sallow, clean-shaven, silent person; but he had polite manners and a pleasant smile . he inquired how we were left, and on finding that we were very poor he suggested that i_should come and teach music to_his only daughter, aged ten . I_said that I_did_not like to leave my mother, on_which he suggested that i_should go home to her every week- end, and he offered me a hundred a year, which_was certainly splendid pay . so it ended by my accepting, and I went down to Chiltern grange, about six miles from Farnham .Mr Carruthers was a widower, but he had engaged a lady- housekeeper, a very respectable, elderly person, called Mrs Dixon, to look after his establishment . the child was a dear, and everything promised well .Mr Carruthers was very kind and very musical, and we had most pleasant evenings together . every week- end I went home to my mother in town .

" the first flaw in my happiness was_the arrival of_the red-moustached Mr Woodley . he_came for a visit of a week, and oh, it seemed three months to_me ! he_was a dreadful person, a bully to everyone else, but to_me something infinitely worse . he_made odious love to_me, boasted of_his wealth, said that if I married him i_would_have the finest diamonds in London, and finally, when i_would_have nothing to_do with_him, he seized me in_his arms one day after dinner -- he_was hideously strong -- and he swore that he_would_not let me go until I had kissed him .Mr Carruthers came in and tore him off from me, on_which he turned upon his own host, knocking him down and cutting his face open . that was_the end of_his visit, as_you_can imagine .Mr Carruthers apologised to_me next_day, and assured me that i_should never be exposed to such an insult again . I_have_not seen Mr Woodley since .

" and now, Mr Holmes, I come at last to_the special thing which_has caused me to ask your advice to- day . you_must know that every Saturday forenoon I ride on my bicycle to Farnham station in_order to_get the 12 .22 to town . the road from Chiltern grange is a lonely one, and at one spot it_is particularly so, for_it lies for over a mile between Charlington heath upon one side and_the woods which lie round Charlington hall upon_the other . you_could_not find a more lonely tract of road anywhere, and it_is quite rare to meet so_much as a cart, or a peasant, until you reach the high road near Crooksbury hill . two weeks_ago i_was passing this place when I chanced to look back over my shoulder, and about two hundred yards behind me I_saw a man, also on a bicycle . he_seemed to_be a middle- aged man, with a short, dark beard .I looked back before I reached Farnham, but the man was gone, so i_thought no more about_it . but you_can imagine how surprised i_was, Mr Holmes, when on my return on_the Monday I_saw the same man on_the same stretch of road . my astonishment was increased when_the incident occurred again, exactly as before, on_the following Saturday and Monday . he always kept his distance and did_not molest me in any_way, but still it certainly was very odd .I mentioned it to Mr Carruthers, who seemed interested in what I_said, and told me that he had ordered a horse and trap, so_that in future I should_not pass over these lonely roads without some companion .

" the horse and trap were to_have come this week, but for some reason they were_not delivered, and again I had to cycle to_the station . that was this_morning . you_can think that I looked out when I_came to Charlington heath, and there, sure enough, was_the man, exactly as he had_been the two weeks before . he always kept so_far from me that I_could_not clearly see his face, but it_was certainly someone whom I_did_not know . he_was dressed in a dark suit with a cloth cap . the_only_thing about his face that I_could clearly see was his dark beard . to- day i_was not alarmed, but i_was filled with curiosity, and I determined to_find out who he_was and what he_wanted .I slowed down my machine, but he slowed down his . then I stopped altogether, but he stopped also . then I laid a trap for him . there_is a sharp turning of_the road, and I pedalled very quickly round this, and then I stopped and waited .I expected him to shoot round and pass me before he_could stop . but he never appeared . then I went back and looked round the corner .I could_see a mile of road, but he_was not on_it . to_make it the more extraordinary, there_was no side road at_this point down which he could_have gone ."

Holmes chuckled and rubbed his hands ." this_case certainly presents some features of_its own," said he ." how_much time elapsed between your turning the corner and your discovery that_the road was clear ? "

" two_or_three minutes ."

" then he_could_not have retreated down the road, and you say that_there_are no side roads ? "

" none ."

" then he certainly took a footpath on one side or the other ."

" it could_not have_been on_the side of_the heath or i_should_have seen him ."

" so by_the process of exclusion we arrive at_the fact that he_made his way towards Charlington hall, which, as I understand, is situated in its own grounds on one side of_the road . anything else ? "

" nothing, Mr Holmes, save that i_was so perplexed that I_felt I should_not_be happy until I had seen you and had your advice ."

Holmes sat in silence for some little time .

" where is_the gentleman to_whom you_are engaged ? " he asked, at last .

" he_is in_the midland electrical company, at Coventry ."

" he_would_not pay you a surprise visit ? "

"Oh, Mr Holmes ! as_if I should_not know him ! "

" have_you had any_other admirers ? "

" several before I_knew Cyril ."

" and since ? "

" there_was this dreadful man, Woodley, if_you_can call him an admirer ."

" no one else ? "

our fair client seemed a little confused .

" who was he ? " asked Holmes .

"Oh, it may_be amere fancy of_mine; but it has seemed to_me sometimes that my employer, Mr Carruthers, takes a great deal of interest in me . we_are thrown rather together .I play his accompaniments in_the evening . he has never said anything . he_is a perfect gentleman . but a girl always knows ."

"Ha ! " Holmes looked grave ." what does he do for aliving ? "

" he_is a rich man ."

" no carriages or horses ? "

" well, at_least he_is fairly well- to- do . but he goes into_the city two_or_three times a week . he_is deeply interested in south African gold shares ."

" you_will let me know any fresh development, miss smith . I_am very busy just now, but I will_find time to_make some inquiries into your case . in_the meantime take no step without letting me know . good-bye, and I trust that we_shall_have nothing but good news from_you ."

" it_is part of_the settled order of nature that such a girl should_have followers," said Holmes, as he pulled at his meditative pipe, " but for choice not on bicycles in lonely country roads . some secretive lover, beyond all doubt . but there_are curious and suggestive details about_the case, Watson ."

" that he_should appear only at_that point ? "

" exactly . our first effort must_be to_find who_are the tenants of Charlington hall . then, again, how about_the connection between Carruthers and Woodley, since they appear to_be men of_such a different type ? how came they both to_be so keen upon looking up Ralph smith's relations ? one more point . what sort of a menage is_it which pays double the market price for a governess, but does_not keep a horse although six miles from_the station ? odd, Watson -- very odd ! "

" you_will go down ? "

" no, my dear fellow, you_will go down . this_may_be some trifling intrigue, and I_cannot break my other important research for_the sake of it . on Monday you_will arrive early at Farnham; you_will conceal yourself near Charlington heath; you_will observe these facts for_yourself, and act as_your own judgement advises . then, having inquired as_to_the occupants of_the hall, you_will come back to_me and report . and now, Watson, not another word of_the matter until we_have a few solid stepping-stones on_which we_may hope to_get across to our solution ."

we had ascertained from_the lady that she went down upon_the Monday by_the train which leaves Waterloo at 9 .50, so I started early and caught the 9 .13 . at Farnham station I had no difficulty in being directed to Charlington heath . it_was impossible to mistake the scene of_the young lady's adventure, for_the road runs between_the open heath on one side and an old yew hedge upon_the other, surrounding a park

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