No. 7 The Adventure of the Thor Bridge by Arthur Conan Doyle
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the problem of Thor bridge

by Arthur Conan Doyle

somewhere in_the vaults of_the bank of Cox and Co ., at Charing cross, there_is a travel- worn and battered tin dispatchbox with my name, John H .Watson, M .D ., late Indian army, painted upon_the lid . it_is crammed with papers, nearly all of_which are records of cases to illustrate the curious problems which Mr Sherlock Holmes had at various times to examine . some, and not the least interesting, were complete failures, and as such will hardly bear narrating, since no final explanation is forthcoming .a problem without a solution may interest the student, but can hardly fail to annoy the casual reader . among_these unfinished tales is_that of Mr James Phillimore, who, stepping back into his own house to_get his umbrella, was never more seen in_this world . no less remarkable is_that of_the cutter Alicia, which sailed one spring morning into a small patch of mist from where she never again emerged, nor was anything further ever heard of herself and her crew .a third case worthy of note is_that of Isadora Persano, the well- known journalist and duellist, who was found stark staring mad with a match box in front of him which contained a remarkable worm said to_be unknown to science . apart from_these unfathomed cases, there_are some which involve the secrets of private families to an extent which would mean consternation in many exalted quarters if_it were thought possible that they_might find their way into print . I_need not say that such a breach of confidence is unthinkable, and that_these records will_be separated and destroyed now that my friend has time to_turn his energies to_the matter . there remain a considerable residue of cases of greater or less interest which I_might_have edited before had I not feared to_give the public a surfeit which might react upon_the reputation of_the man whom above all others I revere . in some i_was myself concerned and can speak as an eye- witness, while in others i_was either not present or played so small a part that they_could only be told as by a third person . the following narrative is drawn from my own experience .

it_was a wild morning in October, and I observed as i_was dressing how the last remaining leaves were being whirled from_the solitary plane tree which graces the yard behind our house .I descended to breakfast prepared to_find my companion in depressed spirits, for, like all great artists, he_was easily impressed by his surroundings . on_the contrary, I_found that he had nearly finished his meal, and_that his mood was particularly bright and joyous, with_that somewhat sinister cheerfulness which_was characteristic of_his lighter moments .

" you_have a case, Holmes ? " I remarked .

" the faculty of deduction is certainly contagious, Watson," he answered ." it has enabled you to probe my secret . yes, I_have a case . after a month of trivialities and stagnation the wheels move once more ."

" might I share it ? "

" there_is little to share, but we_may discuss it when_you have consumed the two hard- boiled eggs with_which our new cook has favoured us . their condition may not be unconnected with_the copy of_the family herald which I observed yesterday upon_the hall- table . even so trivial a matter as cooking an egg demands an attention which_is conscious of_the passage of_time and incompatible with_the love romance in_that excellent periodical ."

a quarter of an hour later the table had_been cleared and we were face_to_face . he had drawn a letter from_his pocket .

" you_have heard of Neil Gibson, the gold king ? " he_said .

" you mean the American senator ? "

" well, he_was once senator for some western state, but is better known as_the greatest gold-mining magnate in_the_world ."

" yes, I_know of him . he has surely lived in England for some_time . his name is very familiar ."

" yes, he bought a considerable estate in Hampshire some five years_ago . possibly you_have already heard of_the tragic end of_his wife ? "

" of_course .I remember it now . that_is why the name is familiar . but I really know nothing of_the details ."

Holmes waved his hand towards some papers on a chair ."I had no idea that_the case was coming my way or i_should_have had my extracts ready," said he ." the fact is that_the problem, though exceedingly sensational, appeared to_present no difficulty . the interesting personality of_the accused does_not obscure the clearness of_the evidence . that was_the view taken by_the coroner's jury and also in_the police- court proceedings . it_is now referred to_the Assizes at Winchester . I_fear it_is a thankless business . I_can discover facts, Watson, but I_cannot change them . unless some entirely new and unexpected ones come to light I_do_not_see what my client can hope for ."

" your client ? "

"Ah, I forgot I had_not told you . I_am getting into your involved habit, Watson, of telling a story backward . you had best read this first ."

the letter which he handed to_me, written in a bold, masterful hand, ran as follows:

CLARIDGE'S hotel, October 3rd . dear_Mr .SHERLOCK HOLMES: I_can't see the best woman god ever made go to her death without doing all that_is possible to save her . I_can't explain things -- I_can't even try to explain them, but I_know beyond all doubt that miss Dunbar is innocent . you_know the facts -- who doesn't ? it_has_been the gossip of_the country . and never a voice raised for her ! it's the damned injustice of it all that makes me crazy . that woman has a heart that wouldn't let her kill a fly . well, I'll come at eleven to- morrow and_see if you_can_get some ray of light in_the dark . maybe I_have aclue and don't know it .Anyhow, all I_know and all I_have and all I_am are for your use if only you_can save her . if ever in your life you showed your powers, put them now into this_case . yours faithfully, J .NEIL Gibson .

" there you_have it," said Sherlock Holmes, knocking out the ashes of_his after- breakfast pipe and slowly refilling it ." that_is_the gentleman I await . as_to_the story, you_have hardly time to master all these papers, so I_must give it to_you in a nutshell if_you_are to_take an intelligent interest in_the proceedings . this man is_the greatest financial power in_the_world, and a man, as I understand, of most violent and formidable character . he married a wife, the victim of_this tragedy, of whom I_know nothing save that she was past her prime, which_was the more unfortunate as a very attractive governess superintended the education of two young children . these are the three people concerned, and_the scene is a grand old manor house, the centre of a historical English state . then as_to_the tragedy . the wife was found in_the grounds nearly half a mile from_the house, late at night, clad in her dinner dress, with a shawl over her shoulders and a revolver bullet through her brain . no weapon was found near her and there_was no local clue as_to_the murder . no weapon near her, Watson -- mark that ! the crime seems to_have_been committed late in_the evening, and_the body was found by agamekeeper about eleven o'clock, when it_was examined by_the police and by a doctor before being carried up_to_the house . is_this too condensed, or can_you follow it clearly ? "

" it_is all very clear . but why suspect the governess ? "

" well, in_the first place there_is some very direct evidence .a revolver with one discharged chamber and acalibre which corresponded with_the bullet was found on_the floor of her wardrobe ." his eyes fixed and he repeated in broken words, " on -- the -- floor -- of -- her -- wardrobe ." then he sank into silence, and I_saw that some train of thought had_been set moving which i_should_be foolish to interrupt . suddenly with a start he emerged into brisk life once more ." yes, Watson, it_was found . pretty damning, eh ? so the two juries thought . then the dead woman had a note upon her making an appointment at_that very place and signed by_the governess . how's that ? finally there_is the motive . senator Gibson is an attractive person . if his wife dies, who more likely to succeed her than_the young lady who had already by all accounts received pressing attentions from her employer ? love, fortune, power, all depending upon one middleaged life . ugly, Watson -- very ugly ! "

" yes, indeed, Holmes ."

" nor could she prove an alibi . on_the contrary, she had to admit that she was down near Thor bridge -- that was_the scene of_the tragedy -- about_that hour . she couldn't deny it, for some passing villager had seen her there ."

" that really seems final ."

" and yet, Watson -- and yet ! this bridge -- a single broad span of stone with balustraded sides -- carries the drive over the narrowest part of a long, deep, reed- girt sheet of water . Thor Mere it_is called . in_the mouth of_the bridge lay the dead woman . such are the main facts . but here, if I mistake not, is our client, considerably before his time ."

Billy had opened the door, but the name which he announced was an unexpected one .Mr Marlow Bates was a stranger to both of us . he_was a thin, nervous wisp of a man with frightened eyes and atwitching, hesitating manner -- a man whom my own professional eye would judge to_be on_the brink of an absolute nervous breakdown .

" you seem agitated, Mr Bates," said Holmes ." pray sit down . I_fear I_can only give_you a short time, for I_have an appointment at eleven ."

" I_know you_have," our visitor gasped, shooting out short sentences like a man who_is out of breath ." Mr Gibson is coming .Mr Gibson is my employer . I_am manager of_his estate .Mr Holmes, he_is a villain -- an infernal villain ."

" strong language, Mr Bates ."

" I_have to_be emphatic, Mr Holmes, for_the_time is so limited . i_would_not have him find me here for_the world . he_is almost due now . but i_was so situated that I_could_not come earlier . his secretary, Mr Ferguson, only told me this_morning of_his appointment with_you ."

" and you_are his manager ? "

" I_have_given him notice . in a couple of weeks I_shall_have shaken off his accursed slavery .a hard man, Mr Holmes, hard to all about him . those public charities are a screen to_cover his private iniquities . but his wife was his chief victim . he_was brutal to her -- yes, sir, brutal ! how she came by her death I_do_not know, but I_am_sure that he had made her life a misery to her . she was a creature of_the tropics, aBrazilian by birth, as no_doubt you_know ."

" no, it had escaped me ."

" tropical by birth and tropical by nature .a child of_the sun and of passion . she had loved him as such women can love, but when her own physical charms had faded -- I_am told that_they once were great -- there_was nothing to hold him . we all liked her and felt for her and hated him for_the way that he treated her . but he_is plausible and cunning . that_is all I_have to_say to_you .Don't take him at his face value . there_is more behind . now I'll go . no, no, don't detain me ! he_is almost due ."

with a frightened look at_the clock our strange visitor literally ran to_the door and disappeared .

" well ! well ! " said Holmes after an interval of silence ." Mr Gibson seems to_have a nice loyal household . but the warning is a useful one, and now we_can only wait till the man himself appears ."

sharp at_the hour we heard a heavy step upon_the stairs, and_the famous millionaire was shown into_the room . as I looked upon him I understood not_only the fears and dislike of_his manager but also the execrations which so_many business rivals have heaped upon his head . if I were a sculptor and desired to idealize the successful man of affairs, iron of nerve and leathery of conscience, i_should choose Mr Neil Gibson as my model . his tall, gaunt, craggy figure had a suggestion of hunger and rapacity . an Abraham Lincoln keyed to base uses instead of high ones would give some idea of_the man . his face might_have_been chiselled in granite, hard- set, craggy, remorseless, with deep lines upon it, the scars of many a crisis . cold gray eyes, looking shrewdly out from under bristling brows, surveyed us each in turn . he bowed in perfunctory fashion as Holmes mentioned my name, and then with a masterful air of possession he drew a chair up_to my companion and seated himself with_his bony knees almost touching him .

" let me say right here, Mr Holmes," he began, " that money is nothing to_me in this_case . you_can burn it if_it's any use in lighting you to_the truth . this woman is innocent and this woman has_to be cleared, and it's up to_you to_do_it . name your figure ! "

" my professional charges are upon a fixed scale," said Holmes coldly ." I_do_not vary them, save when I remit them altogether ."

" well, if dollars make no difference to_you, think of_the reputation . if_you pull this off every paper in England and America will_be booming you . you'll be the talk of two continents ."

" thank_you, Mr Gibson, I_do_not_think that I_am in need of booming . it may surprise you to_know that I prefer to work anonymously, and that_it_is the problem itself which attracts me . but we_are wasting time . let_us get down to_the facts ."

" i_think that you_will_find all the main ones in_the press reports .I don't know that I_can add anything which will help_you . but if_there_is anything you_would wish more light upon -

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