No. 9 The Adventure of the Three Students by Arthur Conan Doyle

No. 9 The Adventure of the Three Students by Arthur Conan Doyle
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forced

, I

? "

Holmes drew the curtain i_was aware , from some little rigidity and alertness of_his attitude , that he_was prepared for emergency matter fact the drawn curtain disclosed nothing but three four suits clothes hanging from line pegs Holmes turned away and stooped suddenly to_the floor

"Halloa ! what 's this ? " said

it_was small pyramid black , putty - like stuff , exactly like the one upon_the table of_the study Holmes held out on_his open palm in_the glare of_the electric light

" your visitor seems to_have left traces your bedroom as_well your sitting- room , Mr Soames "

" what could have wanted there ? "

" i_think it_is clear enough you came back unexpected way , and had warning until you were at_the very door what could ? caught everything which would betray him and rushed into your bedroom conceal himself "

" good gracious , Mr Holmes, do_you_mean to_tell that all the time i_was talking Bannister in_this room had the man prisoner if_we had only known ? "

" I_read "

" surely there_is another alternative , Mr Holmes I don't know whether you observed bedroom window ? "

" lattice -paned, lead framework , three separate windows, one swinging hinge and large enough admit man "

" exactly and looks out angle of_the courtyard to_be partly invisible the man might_have effected his entrance there , left traces passed through_the bedroom , and , finally , finding the door open have escaped that way "

Holmes shook his head impatiently

" let_us practical ," said "I understand you to_say that_there_are three students who use this stair and_are in_the habit passing your door ? "

" yes , there_are "

" and_they are all for_this examination ? "

" yes "

" have_you any reason suspect any_one_of_them more than_the others ? "

Soames hesitated

" it_is very delicate question ," said " one hardly likes throw suspicion where there_are proofs "

" let_us hear the suspicions i_will look after_the proofs "

" i_will tell you , then , few words the character of_the three men who inhabit these rooms the lower of_the three Gilchrist, fine scholar and athlete ; plays in_the Rugby team and_the cricket team for_the college , and got his blue for_the hurdles and_the long jump he_is fine , manly fellow his father was_the notorious sir Jabez Gilchrist, who ruined himself on_the turf scholar has_been left very poor , but he_is hard -working and industrious he_will well

" the second floor inhabited Daulat Ras, the Indian he_is quiet , inscrutable fellow , most of_those Indians are he_is well in_his work , though his Greek his weak subject he_is steady and methodical

" the top floor belongs Miles McLaren he_is brilliant fellow when chooses work -- one_of_the brightest intellects of_the university , but he_is wayward , dissipated , and unprincipled he_was nearly expelled over card scandal in_his first year has_been idling all this term , and he_must look forward with dread to_the examination "

" then it_is whom you suspect ? "

"I dare not so_far as_that but of_the three he_is perhaps the least unlikely "

" exactly now , Mr Soames, let_us_have look your servant , Bannister "

he_was little , white - faced , clean -shaven, grizzly -haired fellow fifty he_was still suffering from_this sudden disturbance of_the quiet routine of_his life his plump face was twitching with_his nervousness , and_his fingers could_not keep still

" we_are investigating this unhappy business , Bannister," said his master

" yes , sir "

"I understand ," said Holmes, " that you left your key in_the door ? "

" yes , sir "

" was_it not very extraordinary that you_should do_this on_the very day when there were these papers inside ? "

" it_was most unfortunate , sir but I_have occasionally done the same thing other times "

" when did you enter the room ? "

" it_was about half - past four that_is Mr Soames's tea time "

" how long did you stay ? "

" when I_saw that he_was absent I withdrew once "

" did you look at_these papers on_the table ? "

" , sir ; certainly not "

" how came you leave the key in_the door ? "

"I had the tea - tray hand i_thought i_would come back for_the key then I forgot "

" has_the outer door spring lock ? "

" , sir "

" then it_was open all the time ? "

" yes , sir "

" anyone in_the room could get out ? "

" yes , sir "

" when Mr Soames returned and called for_you , you were very_much disturbed ? "

" yes , sir such thing has never happened during the many years that I_have_been here I nearly fainted , sir "

" I understand where were you when_you began to_feel bad ? "

" where was I, sir ? why , here , near the door "

" that_is singular , because you sat down in_that chair over yonder near the corner why did you pass these other chairs ? "

"I don't know , sir didn't matter to_me where I sat "

"I really don't think he_knew much about_it , Mr Holmes he_was looking very bad -- quite ghastly "

" you stayed here when your master left ? "

" only for minute then I locked the door and went room "

" whom do_you suspect ? "

"Oh, i_would_not venture to_say , sir I don't believe there_is any gentleman in_this university who_is capable profiting such action , sir , I'll not believe "

" thank_you ; that_will ," said Holmes "Oh, one more word you_have_not mentioned any of_the three gentlemen whom you attend that anything amiss ? "

" , sir ; not word "

" you haven 't seen any of_them ? "

" , sir "

" very_good now , Mr Soames, we_will take walk in_the quadrangle , if_you please "

three yellow squares light shone above in_the gathering gloom "

" your three birds are all their nests," said Holmes, looking "Halloa ! what 's that ? one_of_them seems restless enough "

was_the Indian , whose dark silhouette appeared suddenly upon his blind he_was pacing swiftly and down his room

" i_should like to_have peep each of_them ," said Holmes " is_it possible ? "

" difficulty in_the_world ," Soames answered " this set rooms quite the oldest in_the college , and it_is_not unusual for visitors to_go over them come along , and_I_will personally conduct you "

" names, please ! " said Holmes, as_we knocked Gilchrist's door tall , flaxen -haired, slim young fellow opened , and made welcome when understood our errand there were some really curious pieces mediaeval domestic architecture within Holmes was charmed with one_of_them that insisted drawing on_his note - book , broke his pencil , had borrow one from_our host , and finally borrowed knife sharpen his own the same curious accident happened him in_the rooms of_the Indian -- silent , little , hook -nosed fellow , who eyed askance and was obviously glad when Holmes's architectural studies had come end I could_not_see that either case Holmes had come upon_the clue for_which he_was searching only at_the third did our visit prove abortive the outer door would_not open our knock , and nothing more substantial than torrent bad language came from behind "I don't care who you_are you_can blazes ! " roared the angry voice " - morrow 's the exam, and I won 't drawn anyone "

"A rude fellow ," said our guide , flushing with anger as_we withdrew down the stair " of_course , he_did_not realise that_it_was I who was knocking, but none the less his conduct was very uncourteous, and , indeed , under the circumstances rather suspicious "

Holmes's response was curious one

" can_you tell his exact height ? " asked

" really , Mr Holmes, I_cannot undertake to_say he_is taller than_the Indian , not tall Gilchrist I suppose five foot six would_be about_it "

" that_is very_important ," said Holmes " and now , Mr Soames, i_wish you good - night "

our guide cried aloud in_his astonishment and dismay " good gracious , Mr Holmes, you_are surely not going leave in_this abrupt fashion ! you don't seem realise the position - morrow is_the examination I_must take some definite action - night I_cannot allow the to_be held one_of_the papers has_been tampered with the situation must_be faced "

" you_must leave as_it_is I_shall drop round early - morrow morning and chat the matter over it_is possible that I_may_be in_a_position then indicate some course action meanwhile you change nothing -- nothing all "

" very_good , Mr Holmes "

" you_can_be perfectly easy your mind we_shall certainly find some way out your difficulties i_will take_the black clay with , also the pencil cuttings good -bye "

when were out in_the darkness of_the quadrangle again looked at_the windows the Indian still paced his room the others were invisible

" well , Watson, what do_you_think ? " Holmes asked , as_we came out into_the main street " quite little parlour game -- sort three - card trick , is_it not ? there_are your three men must_be one_of_them you take your choice which_is yours ? "

" the foul - mouthed fellow at_the top is_the one with_the worst record and yet that Indian was sly fellow also why should pacing his room all the time ? "

" there_is nothing in_that many men do_it when_they are trying learn anything heart "

" looked queer way "

" would you flock strangers came you when_you were preparing for examination next_day , and every moment was value , I_see nothing in_that Pencils, too , and knives -- all was satisfactory but that fellow DOES puzzle "

" who ? "

" why , Bannister, the servant what 's his game in_the matter ? "

" impressed being perfectly honest man "

" he_did that 's the puzzling part why should perfectly honest man -- well , well , here 's large stationer 's we_shall begin our researches here "

there were only four stationers any consequence in_the town , and each Holmes produced his pencil chips and bid high for duplicate all were agreed that one could_be ordered , but that_it_was not usual size pencil and seldom kept stock friend did_not appear to_be depressed his failure , but shrugged his shoulders half - humorous resignation

" good , dear Watson this , the best and only final clue, has run nothing but , indeed , I_have little doubt that we_can build sufficient case without Jove ! dear fellow , it_is nearly nine, and_the landlady babbled green peas seven-thirty what with your eternal tobacco , Watson, and your irregularity meals, I expect that you_will get notice quit and_that I_shall your downfall -- not , however , before we_have solved the problem of_the nervous tutor , the careless servant , and_the three enterprising students "

Holmes made further allusion to_the matter that day , though sat lost thought for_a_long_time after our belated dinner eight in_the morning he_came into room just I finished toilet

" well , Watson," said , " it_is time went down St Luke's can_you without breakfast ? "

" certainly "

"Soames will_be dreadful fidget until we_are able to_tell him something positive "

" have_you anything positive to_tell him ? "

" i_think "

" you_have formed conclusion ? "

" yes , dear Watson; I_have solved the mystery "

" but what fresh evidence could you_have got ? "

"Aha ! it_is_not for nothing that I_have turned myself out bed at_the untimely hour six I_have put two hours' hard work and covered at_least five miles, with something show for_it look at_that ! "

held out his hand on_the palm were three little pyramids black , doughy clay

" why , Holmes, you had only two yesterday ! "

" and one more this_morning it_is fair argument that wherever 3 came from also the source Nos 1 and 2 Eh, Watson ? well , come along and put friend Soames out of_his pain "

the unfortunate tutor was certainly state pitiable agitation when we_found him in_his chambers few hours the examination would commence , and he_was still in_the dilemma between making the facts public and allowing the culprit compete for_the valuable scholarship he_could hardly stand still , great was his mental agitation , and ran towards Holmes with two eager hands outstretched