A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18]
odd pounds in_it, but nothing had_been taken . whatever the motives of_these extraordinary crimes, robbery is certainly not one_of_them . there were no papers or memoranda in_the murdered man's pocket, except a single telegram, dated from Cleveland about a month ago, and containing the words, `J .H . is in Europe .' there_was no name appended to_this message ."

" and there_was nothing else ? " Holmes asked .

" nothing of any importance . the man's novel, with_which he had read himself to sleep was lying upon_the bed, and_his pipe was on a chair beside him . there_was a glass of water on_the table, and on_the window-sill a small chip ointment box containing a couple of pills ."

Sherlock Holmes sprang from_his chair with an exclamation of delight .

" the last link," he cried, exultantly ." my case is complete ."

the two detectives stared at him in amazement .

" I_have now in my hands," my companion said, confidently, " all the threads which_have formed such a tangle . there_are, of_course, details to_be filled in, but I_am as certain of all the main facts, from_the time that Drebber parted from Stangerson at_the station, up_to_the discovery of_the body of_the latter, as_if I had seen them with my own eyes . i_will give_you a proof of_my knowledge . could you lay your hand upon those pills ? "

" I_have them," said Lestrade, producing a small white box; " i_took them and_the purse and_the telegram, intending to_have them put in a place of safety at_the police station . it was_the merest chance my taking these pills, for I_am bound to_say that I_do_not attach any importance to_them ."

" give them here," said Holmes ." now, doctor," turning to_me, " are those ordinary pills ? "

they certainly were_not . they were of a pearly grey colour, small, round, and almost transparent against the light ." from their lightness and transparency, i_should imagine that_they_are soluble in water," I remarked .

" precisely so," answered Holmes ." now would you mind going down and fetching that poor little devil of a terrier which_has been bad so_long, and which the landlady wanted you to_put out of_its pain yesterday ."

I went downstairs and carried the dog upstair in my arms . it's laboured breathing and glazing eye showed that_it_was not far from its end . indeed, its snow- white muzzle proclaimed that_it had already exceeded the usual term of canine existence .I placed it upon a cushion on_the rug .

" i_will now cut one_of_these pills in two," said Holmes, and drawing his penknife he suited the action to_the word ." one half we return into_the box for future purposes . the other half i_will place in_this wine glass, in_which is a teaspoonful of water . you perceive that_our friend, the doctor, is right, and_that it readily dissolves ."

" this_may_be very interesting," said Lestrade, in_the injured tone of one who suspects that he_is being laughed at, "I cannot_see, however, what it has_to do with_the death of Mr Joseph Stangerson ."

" patience, my friend, patience ! you_will_find in_time that_it has everything to_do with it . I_shall now add a little milk to make_the mixture palatable, and on presenting it to_the dog we_find that he laps it up readily enough ."

as he spoke he turned the contents of_the wine glass into a saucer and placed it in front of_the terrier, who speedily licked it dry .Sherlock Holmes' earnest demeanour had so_far convinced us that we all sat in silence, watching the animal intently, and expecting some startling effect . none such appeared, however . the dog continued to lie stretched upon tho {16} cushion, breathing in alaboured way, but apparently neither the better nor the worse for its draught .

Holmes had taken out his watch, and as minute followed minute without result, an expression of_the utmost chagrin and disappointment appeared upon his features . he gnawed his lip, drummed his fingers upon_the table, and showed every_other symptom of acute impatience . so great was his emotion, that I_felt sincerely sorry for him, while the two detectives smiled derisively, by no means displeased at_this check which he had met .

" it can't be a coincidence," he cried, at last springing from_his chair and pacing wildly up and down the room; " it_is impossible that_it should_be amere coincidence . the very pills which I suspected in_the case of Drebber are actually found after_the death of Stangerson . and yet they_are inert . what can it mean ? surely my whole chain of reasoning cannot_have been false . it_is impossible ! and yet this wretched dog is none the worse .Ah, I_have it ! I_have it ! " with a perfect shriek of delight he rushed to_the box, cut the other pill in two, dissolved it, added milk, and presented it to_the terrier . the unfortunate creature's tongue seemed hardly to_have_been moistened in_it before it gave a convulsive shiver in every limb, and lay as rigid and lifeless as_if it had_been struck by lightning .

Sherlock Holmes drew a long breath, and wiped the perspiration from_his forehead ." i_should_have more faith," he_said; "I ought to_know by_this_time that when a fact appears to_be opposed to a long train of deductions, it invariably proves to_be capable of bearing some other interpretation . of_the two pills in_that box one was of_the most deadly poison, and_the other was entirely harmless .I ought_to_have known that before ever I_saw the box at all ."

this last statement appeared to_me to_be so startling, that I_could hardly believe that he_was in_his sober senses . there_was the dead dog, however, to_prove that his conjecture had_been correct . it seemed to_me that_the mists in my own mind were gradually clearing away, and I began to_have a dim, vague perception of_the truth .

" all this seems strange to_you," continued Holmes, " because you failed at_the beginning of_the inquiry to grasp the importance of_the single real clue which_was presented to_you .I had the good fortune to seize upon that, and everything which_has occurred since then has served to confirm my original supposition, and, indeed, was_the logical sequence of it . hence things which_have perplexed you and made the case more obscure, have served to enlighten me and to strengthen my conclusions . it_is a mistake to confound strangeness with mystery . the most commonplace crime is often the most mysterious because it presents no new or special features from_which deductions may_be drawn . this murder would_have_been infinitely more difficult to unravel had the body of_the victim been simply found lying in_the roadway without any of_those outre {17} and sensational accompaniments which_have rendered it remarkable . these strange details, far from making the case more difficult, have really had the effect of making it less so ."

Mr Gregson, who had listened to_this address with considerable impatience, could contain himself no longer ." look here, Mr Sherlock Holmes," he_said, " we_are all ready to acknowledge that you_are a smart man, and_that you_have your own methods of working . we_want something more than mere theory and preaching now, though . it_is a case of taking the man . I_have_made my case out, and it seems i_was wrong . young Charpentier could_not have_been engaged in_this second affair .Lestrade went after his man, Stangerson, and it appears that he_was wrong too . you_have thrown out hints here, and hints there, and seem to_know more than we_do, but the time has_come when we_feel that we_have a right to ask_you straight how_much you_do know of_the business . can_you name the man who did it ? "

" I_cannot help feeling that Gregson is right, sir," remarked Lestrade ." we_have both tried, and we_have both failed . you_have remarked more than once since I_have_been in_the room that you had all the evidence which you require . surely you_will_not withhold it any longer ."

" any delay in arresting the assassin," I observed, " might give him time to perpetrate some fresh atrocity ."

thus pressed by_us all, Holmes showed signs of irresolution . he continued to walk up and down the room with_his head sunk on_his chest and_his brows drawn down, as was his habit when lost in thought .

" there_will_be no more murders," he_said at last, stopping abruptly and facing us ." you_can put that consideration out_of_the_question . you_have asked me if I_know the name of_the assassin . I_do . the mere knowing of_his name is a small thing, however, compared with_the power of laying our hands upon him . this I expect very shortly to_do . I_have good hopes of managing it through my own arrangements; but it_is a thing which needs delicate handling, for we_have a shrewd and desperate man to deal with, who_is supported, as I_have_had occasion to_prove, by another who_is as clever as himself . as long as_this man has no idea that anyone can_have aclue there_is some chance of securing him; but if he had the slightest suspicion, he_would change his name, and vanish in an instant among_the four million inhabitants of_this great city . without meaning to hurt either of your feelings, I_am bound to_say that I consider these men to_be more than a match for_the official force, and_that is why I_have_not asked your assistance . if I fail I_shall, of_course, incur all the blame due to_this omission; but that I_am prepared for . at present I_am ready to promise that_the instant that I_can communicate with_you without endangering my own combinations, I_shall do_so ."

Gregson and Lestrade seemed to_be far from satisfied by_this assurance, or by_the depreciating allusion to_the detective police . the former had flushed up_to_the roots of_his flaxen hair, while the other's beady eyes glistened with curiosity and resentment . neither of_them had time to_speak, however, before there_was a tap at_the door, and_the spokesman of_the street Arabs, young Wiggins, introduced his insignificant and unsavoury person .

" please, sir," he_said, touching his forelock, " I_have the cab downstairs ."

" good boy," said Holmes, blandly ." why don't you introduce this pattern at Scotland yard ? " he continued, taking a pair of steel handcuffs from a drawer ." see how beautifully the spring works . they fasten in an instant ."

" the old pattern is good enough," remarked Lestrade, " if_we_can only find the man to_put them on ."

" very_good, very_good," said Holmes, smiling ." the cabman may as_well help me with my boxes . just ask him to step up, Wiggins ."

i_was surprised to_find my companion speaking as_though he were about to set out on a journey, since he had_not said anything to_me about_it . there_was a small portmanteau in_the room, and this he pulled out and began to strap . he_was busily engaged at it when_the cabman entered the room .

" just give_me a help with_this buckle, cabman," he_said, kneeling over his task, and never turning his head .

the fellow came forward with a somewhat sullen, defiant air, and put down his hands to assist . at_that instant there_was a sharp click, the jangling of metal, and Sherlock Holmes sprang to_his feet again .

" gentlemen," he cried, with flashing eyes, " let me introduce you to Mr Jefferson hope, the murderer of Enoch Drebber and of Joseph Stangerson ."

the whole thing occurred in a moment -- so quickly that I had no time to realize it . I_have a vivid recollection of_that instant, of Holmes' triumphant expression and_the ring of_his voice, of_the cabman's dazed, savage face, as he glared at_the glittering handcuffs, which had appeared as_if by magic upon his wrists . for a second or two we might_have_been a group of statues . then, with an inarticulate roar of fury, the prisoner wrenched himself free from Holmes's grasp, and hurled himself through_the window . woodwork and glass gave way before him; but before he got quite through, Gregson, Lestrade, and Holmes sprang upon him like so_many staghounds . he_was dragged back into_the room, and then commenced a terrific conflict . so powerful and so fierce was he, that_the four of us were shaken off again and again . he appeared to_have the convulsive strength of a man in an epileptic fit . his face and hands were terribly mangled by his passage through_the glass, but loss of blood had no effect in diminishing his resistance . it_was not until Lestrade succeeded in getting his hand inside his neckcloth and half-strangling him that we_made him realize_that his struggles were of no avail; and even then we_felt no security until we had pinioned his feet as_well as his hands . that done, we rose to our feet breathless and panting .

" we_have his cab," said Sherlock Holmes ." it_will serve to_take him to Scotland yard . and now, gentlemen," he continued, with a pleasant smile, " we_have reached the end of_our little mystery . you_are very welcome to_put any questions that you like to_me now, and there_is no danger that i_will refuse to answer them ."

part II .

_The country of_the Saints .

chapter I .

on_the great alkali plain .

in_the central portion of_the great north American continent there lies an arid and repulsive desert, which for many a long year served as a barrier against the advance of civilisation . from_the sierra Nevada to Nebraska, and from_the Yellowstone river in_the north to_the Colorado upon_the south, is a region of desolation and silence . nor is nature always in one mood throughout_this grim district . it comprises snow- capped and lofty mountains, and dark and gloomy valleys . there_are swift-flowing rivers which dash through jagged canons; {18} and there_are enormous plains, which in winter are white with snow, and in summer are grey with_the saline alkali dust . they all preserve, however, the common characteristics of barrenness, inhospitality, and misery .

there_are no inhabitants of_this land of despair .a band of Pawnees or of Blackfeet may occasionally traverse it in_order to reach other hunting-grounds, but the hardiest of_the braves are glad to lose sight of_those awesome plains, and to_find

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18]