The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge* by Arthur Conan Doyle
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glimmer of a feeble light .

" there's a constable in possession," said Baynes ."I'll knock at_the window ." he stepped across the grass plot and tapped with_his hand on_the pane . through_the fogged glass I dimly saw a man spring up from a chair beside the fire, and heard a sharp cry from within_the room . an instant later a white- faced, hard-breathing policeman had opened the door, the candle wavering in_his trembling hand .

" what's the matter, Walters ? " asked Baynes sharply .

the man mopped his forehead with_his handkerchief and gave a long sigh of relief .

" I_am_glad you_have come, sir . it_has_been a long evening, and I don't think my nerve is as good as it_was ."

" your nerve, Walters ? I should_not have thought you had a nerve in your body ."

" well, sir, it's this lonely, silent house and_the queer thing in_the kitchen . then when_you tapped at_the window i_thought it had come again ."

" that what had come again ? "

" the devil, sir, for all I_know . it_was at_the window ."

" what_was at_the window, and when ? "

" it_was just about two hours_ago . the light was just fading . i_was sitting reading in_the chair .I don't know what made me look up, but there_was a face looking in at me through_the lower pane . lord, sir, what a face it_was ! I'll see it in my dreams ."

"Tut, tut, Walters . this_is_not talk for a police- constable ."

" I_know, sir, I_know; but it shook me, sir, and there's no use to deny it . it wasn't black, sir, nor was_it white, nor any colour that I_know, but a kind of queer shade like clay with a splash of milk in_it . then there_was the size of it- it_was twice yours, sir . and_the look of it- the great staring goggle eyes, and_the line of white teeth like a hungry beast .I tell you, sir, I couldn't move a finger, nor get my breath, till it whisked away and was gone . out I ran and through_the shrubbery, but thank god there_was no one there ."

" if I didn't know you were a good man, Walters, i_should put a black mark against you for_this . if_it were the devil himself a constable on duty should never thank god that he_could_not lay his hands upon him .I suppose the whole thing is_not a vision and a touch of nerves ? "

" that, at_least, is very easily settled," said Holmes, lighting his little pocket lantern ." yes," he reported, after a short examination of_the grass bed, "a number twelve shoe, i_should say . if he_was all on_the same scale as his foot he_must certainly have_been a giant ."

" what became of him ? "

" he seems to_have broken through_the shrubbery and made for_the road ."

" well" said the inspector with a grave and thoughtful face, " whoever he_may_have been, and whatever he_may_have wanted, he's gone for_the_present and we_have more immediate things to attend to . now, Mr Holmes, with your permission, i_will show you round the house ."

the various bedrooms and sitting-rooms had yielded nothing to a careful search .Apparently the tenants had brought little or nothing with_them, and all the furniture down to_the smallest detail had_been taken over with_the house .a good_deal of clothing with_the stamp of Marx and Co ., high Holborn, had_been left behind . telegraphic inquiries had_been already made which showed that Marx knew nothing of_his customer save that he_was a good payer .Odds and ends, some pipes, a few novels, two of_them in Spanish, an old- fashioned pinfire revolver, and a guitar were among_the personal property .

" nothing in all this" said Baynes, stalking, candle in hand, from room to room ." but now, Mr Holmes, I invite your attention to_the kitchen ."

it_was agloomy, high-ceilinged room at_the back of_the house, with a straw litter in one corner, which served apparently as a bed for_the cook . the table was piled with half- eaten dishes and dirty plates, the debris of last night's dinner .

" look at_this," said Baynes ." what do_you make of it ? "

he held up his candle before an extraordinary object which stood at_the back of_the dresser . it_was so wrinkled and shrunken and withered that_it_was difficult to_say what it might_have_been . one could but say that_it_was black and leathery and_that it bore some resemblance to a dwarfish, human figure . at first, as I examined it, i_thought that_it_was a mummified Negro baby, and then it seemed a very twisted and ancient monkey . finally i_was left in doubt as_to whether it_was animal or human .a double band of white shells was strung round the centre of it .

" very interesting- very interesting, indeed ! " said Holmes, peering at_this sinister relic ." anything more ? "

in silence Baynes led the way to_the sink and held forward his candle . the limbs and body of some large, white bird, torn savagely to pieces with_the feathers still on, were littered all over it .Holmes pointed to_the wattles on_the severed head .

"A white cock," said he ." most interesting ! it_is really a very curious case ."

but Mr Baynes had kept his most sinister exhibit to_the last . from under the sink he drew a zinc pail which contained a quantity of blood . then from_the table he_took a platter heaped with small pieces of charred bone .

" something has_been killed and something has_been burned . we raked all these out_of_the fire . we had a doctor in this_morning . he_says that_they_are not human ."

Holmes smiled and rubbed his hands .

" I_must congratulate you, inspector, on handling so distinctive and instructive a case . your powers, if I_may say so without offence, seem superior to your opportunities ."

inspector Baynes's small eyes twinkled with pleasure .

" you're right, Mr Holmes . we stagnate in_the provinces .a case of_this sort gives a man a chance, and I_hope_that I_shall take it . what do_you make of_these bones ? "

"A lamb, i_should say, or a kid ."

" and_the white cock ? "

" curious, Mr Baynes, very curious . i_should say almost unique ."

" yes, sir, there must_have been some very strange people with some very strange ways in_this house . one_of_them is dead . did his companions follow him and kill him ? if they_did we_should_have them, for every port is watched . but my own views are different . yes, sir, my own views are very different ."

" you_have a theory then ? "

" and I'll work it myself, Mr Holmes . it's only due to my own credit to_do_so . your_name is made, but I_have still to_make mine . i_should_be glad to_be able_to_say afterwards that I had solved it without your help ."

Holmes laughed good-humouredly .

" well, well, inspector," said he ." do_you follow your path and_I_will follow mine . my results are always very_much at your service if_you care to apply to_me for_them . i_think that I_have_seen all that i_wish in_this house, and_that my_time may_be more profitably employed elsewhere .Au revoir and good luck ! "

I_could tell by numerous subtle signs, which might_have_been lost upon anyone but myself, that Holmes was on a hot scent . as impassive as ever to_the casual observer, there were none the less a subdued eagerness and suggestion of tension in_his brightened eyes and brisker manner which assured me that_the game was a foot . after his habit he_said nothing, and after mine I asked no questions . sufficient for_me to share the sport and lend my humble help to_the capture without distracting that intent brain with needless interruption . all would come round to_me in due time .

I waited, therefore- but to my ever-deepening disappointment I waited in vain . day succeeded day, and my friend took no step forward . one morning he spent in town, and I learned from a casual reference that he had visited the British museum . save for_this one excursion, he spent his days in long and often solitary walks, or in chatting with a number of village gossips whose acquaintance he had cultivated .

"I'm sure, Watson, a week in_the country will_be invaluable to_you," he remarked ." it_is very pleasant to_see the first green shoots upon_the hedges and_the catkins on_the hazels once again . with a spud, a tin box, and an elementary book on botany, there_are instructive days to_be spent ." he prowled about with_this equipment himself, but it_was a poor show of plants which he_would bring back of an evening .

occasionally in_our rambles we came across inspector Baynes . his fat, red face wreathed itself in smiles and_his small eyes glittered as he greeted my companion . he_said little about_the case, but from_that little we gathered that he also was not dissatisfied at_the course of events . I_must admit, however, that i_was somewhat surprised when, some five days after_the crime, I opened my morning paper to_find in large letters:

the OXSHOTT mystery

a solution

arrest of supposed assassin

Holmes sprang in_his chair as_if he had_been stung when I_read the headlines .

" by Jove ! " he cried ." you don't mean that Baynes has got him ? "

"Apparently," said I as I_read the following report:

" great excitement was caused in Esher and_the neighbouring district when it_was learned late last night that an arrest had_been effected in connection with_the Oxshott murder . it_will_be remembered that Mr Garcia, of wisteria lodge, was found dead on Oxshott common, his body showing signs of extreme violence, and_that on_the same night his servant and_his cook fled, which appeared to show participation in_the crime . it_was suggested, but never proved, that_the gentleman may_have had valuables in_the house, and_that their abstraction was_the motive of_the crime . every effort was_made by inspector Baynes, who has_the case in hand, to ascertain the hiding place of_the fugatives, and he had good reason to_believe that_they had_not gone far but were lurking in some retreat which had_been already prepared . it_was certain from_the first, however, that they_would eventually be detected, as_the cook, from_the evidence of one_or_two trades- people who_have caught a glimpse of him through_the window, was a man of most remarkable appearance- being a huge and hideous mulatto, with yellowish features of a pronounced negroid type . this man has_been seen since_the crime, for he_was detected and pursued by constable Walters on_the same evening, when he had the audacity to revisit wisteria lodge . inspector Baynes, considering that such a visit must_have some purpose in view and was likely, therefore, to_be repeated, abandoned the house but left an ambuscade in_the shrubbery . the man walk into_the trap and was captured last night after a struggle in_which constable Downing was badly bitten by_the savage . we understand that when_the prisoner is brought before_the magistrates a remand will_be applied for by_the police, and_that great developments are hoped from_his capture ."

" really we_must see Baynes at once," cried Holmes, picking up his hat ." we_will just catch him before he starts ." we hurried down the village street and found, as_we had expected, that_the inspector was just leaving his lodgings .

" you've seen the paper, Mr Holmes ? " he asked, holding one out to_us .

" yes, Baynes, I've seen it . pray don't think it a liberty if I give_you a word of friendly warning .

" of warning .Mr Holmes ? "

" I_have looked into this_case with some care, and I_am not convinced that you_are on_the right lines .I don't want you to commit yourself too far unless you_are_sure ."

" you're very kind, Mr Holmes ."

"I assure you I speak for your good ."

it seemed to_me that something like a wink quivered for an instant over one of Mr Baynes's tiny eyes .

" we agreed to work on_our own lines, Mr Holmes . that's what I_am doing ."

"Oh, very_good," said Holmes ."Don't blame me ."

" no, sir; I believe you mean well by me . but we all have our own systems, Mr Holmes . you_have yours, and maybe I_have mine ."

" let_us_say no more about_it ."

" you're welcome always to my news . this fellow is a perfect savage, as strong as a cart- horse and as fierce as_the devil . he chewed Downing's thumb nearly off before_they could master him . he hardly speaks a word of English, and we_can get nothing out of him but grunts ."

" and you_think you_have evidence that he murdered his late master ? "

"I didn't say so, Mr Holmes; I didn't say so . we all have our little ways . you try yours and_I_will try mine . that's the agreement ."

Holmes shrugged his shoulders as_we walked away together ." I_can't make_the man out . he seems_to_be riding for a fall . well, as he_says, we_must each try our own way and_see what comes of it . but there's something in inspector Baynes which I_can't quite understand ."

" just sit down in_that chair, Watson," said Sherlock Holmes when we had returned to our apartment at_the bull ." i_want to_put you in touch with_the situation, as I_may need your help to- night . let me show you the evolution of this_case so_far as I_have_been_able to_follow it . simple as_it_has_been in its leading features, it has none the less presented surprising difficulties in_the way of an arrest . there_are gaps in_that direction which we_have still to_fill .

" we_will go back to_the note which_was handed in to Garcia upon_the evening of_his death . we_may put aside this idea of Baynes's that Garcia's servants were concerned in_the matter . the proof of_this lies in_the fact that_it_was he who had arranged for_the presence of Scott Eccles, which could only have_been done for_the_purpose of an alibi

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5]