Table Of Content

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes Arthur Conan Doyle Thistextisprovidedtoyou“as-is”withoutanywarranty.Nowarrantiesofanykind,expressedorimplied,aremadetoyouastothe textoranymediumitmaybeon,includingbutnotlimitedtowarrantiesofmerchantablityorfitnessforaparticularpurpose. ThistextwasformattedfromvariousfreeASCIIandHTMLvariants.Seehttp://sherlock-holm.esforanelectronicformofthistext andadditionalinformationaboutit. Thistextcomesfromthecollection’sversion3.1. Table of contents Preface............................................................... 1 TheIllustriousClient................................................. 3 TheBlanchedSoldier................................................. 17 TheAdventureOfTheMazarinStone................................ 29 TheAdventureoftheThreeGables................................... 39 TheAdventureoftheSussexVampire................................ 49 TheAdventureoftheThreeGarridebs................................ 59 TheProblemofThorBridge.......................................... 69 TheAdventureoftheCreepingMan.................................. 83 TheAdventureoftheLion’sMane.................................... 95 TheAdventureoftheVeiledLodger.................................. 107 TheAdventureofShoscombeOldPlace.............................. 115 TheAdventureoftheRetiredColourman............................. 125 iii Preface Preface IfearthatMr.SherlockHolmesmaybecomelikeoneofthosepopulartenorswho,having outlived their time, are still tempted to make repeated farewell bows to their indulgent audiences. Thismustceaseandhemustgothewayofallflesh,materialorimaginary. One likestothinkthatthereissomefantasticlimboforthechildrenofimagination,somestrange, impossibleplacewherethebeauxofFieldingmaystillmakelovetothebellesofRichardson, where Scott’s heroes still may strut, Dickens’s delightful Cockneys still raise a laugh, and Thackeray’s worldlings continue to carry on their reprehensible careers. Perhaps in some humblecornerofsuchaValhalla,SherlockandhisWatsonmayforatimefindaplace,while some more astute sleuth with some even less astute comrade may fill the stage which they havevacated. Hiscareerhasbeenalongone—thoughitispossibletoexaggerateit;decrepitgentlemen whoapproachmeanddeclarethathisadventuresformedthereadingoftheirboyhooddo notmeettheresponsefrommewhichtheyseemtoexpect. Oneisnotanxioustohaveone’s personal dates handled so unkindly. As a matter of cold fact, Holmes made his debut in A StudyinScarletandinTheSignofFour,twosmallbookletswhichappearedbetween1887 and 1889. It was in 1891 that “A Scandal in Bohemia,” the first of the long series of short stories,appearedinTheStrandMagazine. Thepublicseemedappreciativeanddesirousof more, so that from that date, thirty-nine years ago, they have been produced in a broken serieswhichnowcontainsnofewerthanfifty-sixstories,republishedinTheAdventures,The Memoirs,TheReturn,andHisLastBow. Andthereremainthesetwelvepublishedduringthe lastfewyearswhicharehereproducedunderthetitleofTheCaseBookofSherlockHolmes. He began his adventures in the very heart of the later Victorian era, carried it through the all-too-short reign of Edward, and has managed to hold his own little niche even in these feverishdays. Thusitwouldbetruetosaythatthosewhofirstreadofhim,asyoungmen, have lived to see their own grown-up children following the same adventures in the same magazine. ItisastrikingexampleofthepatienceandloyaltyoftheBritishpublic. IhadfullydeterminedattheconclusionofTheMemoirstobringHolmestoanend,asI felt that my literary energies should not be directed too much into one channel. That pale, clear-cutfaceandloose-limbedfigureweretakingupanundueshareofmyimagination. I didthedeed,butfortunatelynocoronerhadpronouncedupontheremains,andso,aftera longinterval,itwasnotdifficultformetorespondtotheflatteringdemandandtoexplain myrashactaway. Ihaveneverregrettedit,forIhavenotinactualpracticefoundthatthese lightersketcheshavepreventedmefromexploringandfindingmylimitationsinsuchvaried branches of literature as history, poetry, historical novels, psychic research, and the drama. HadHolmesneverexistedIcouldnothavedonemore,thoughhemayperhapshavestooda littleinthewayoftherecognitionofmymoreseriousliterarywork. Andso,reader,farewelltoSherlockHolmes! Ithankyouforyourpastconstancy,andcan but hope that some return has been made in the shape of that distraction from the worries oflifeandstimulatingchangeofthoughtwhichcanonlybefoundinthefairykingdomof romance. ArthurConanDoyle 1 The Illustrious Client TheIllustriousClient t can’t hurt now,” was Mr. Sherlock “Ishallbehonoured.” Holmes’s comment when, for the tenth “Thenyouhavethehour—4.30. Untilthenwe timeinasmanyyears,Iaskedhisleaveto canputthematteroutofourheads.” I revealthefollowingnarrative. Soitwas IwaslivinginmyownroomsinQueenAnne thatatlastIobtainedpermissiontoputonrecord Streetatthetime,butIwasroundatBakerStreet whatwas,insomeways,thesuprememomentof before the time named. Sharp to the half-hour, myfriend’scareer. Colonel Sir James Damery was announced. It is BothHolmesandIhadaweaknessfortheTurk- hardly necessary to describe him, for many will ish bath. It was over a smoke in the pleasant las- rememberthatlarge,bluff,honestpersonality,that situde of the drying-room that I have found him broad,clean-shavenface,and,aboveall,thatpleas- lessreticentandmorehumanthananywhereelse. ant,mellowvoice. Franknessshonefromhisgray OntheupperflooroftheNorthumberlandAvenue Irisheyes,andgoodhumourplayedroundhismo- establishmentthereisanisolatedcornerwheretwo bile,smilinglips. Hislucenttop-hat,hisdarkfrock- couches lie side by side, and it was on these that coat,indeed,everydetail,fromthepearlpininthe welayuponSeptember3,1902,thedaywhenmy black satin cravat to the lavender spats over the narrative begins. I had asked him whether any- varnished shoes, spoke of the meticulous care in thingwasstirring,andforanswerhehadshothis dressforwhichhewasfamous. Thebig,masterful long, thin, nervous arm out of the sheets which aristocratdominatedthelittleroom. enveloped him and had drawn an envelope from “Ofcourse,IwaspreparedtofindDr.Watson,” the inside pocket of the coat which hung beside he remarked with a courteous bow. “His collabo- him. ration may be very necessary, for we are dealing “It may be some fussy, self-important fool; it onthisoccasion,Mr.Holmes,withamantowhom may be a matter of life or death,” said he as he violenceisfamiliarandwhowill,literally,stickat handed me the note. “I know no more than this nothing. Ishouldsaythatthereisnomoredanger- messagetellsme.” ousmaninEurope.” It was from the Carlton Club and dated the “Ihavehadseveralopponentstowhomthatflat- eveningbefore. ThisiswhatIread: teringtermhasbeenapplied,”saidHolmeswitha smile. “Don’tyousmoke? Thenyouwillexcuseme SirJamesDamerypresentshiscompli- ifIlightmypipe. Ifyourmanismoredangerous mentstoMr.SherlockHolmesandwill thanthelateProfessorMoriarty,orthantheliving call upon him at 4.30 to-morrow. Sir ColonelSebastianMoran,thenheisindeedworth Jamesbegstosaythatthematterupon meeting. MayIaskhisname?” whichhedesirestoconsultMr.Holmes “HaveyoueverheardofBaronGruner?” isverydelicateandalsoveryimportant. “YoumeantheAustrianmurderer?” He trusts, therefore, that Mr. Holmes ColonelDamerythrewuphiskid-glovedhands will make every effort to grant this in- with a laugh. “There is no getting past you, Mr. terview,andthathewillconfirmitover Holmes! Wonderful! So you have already sized thetelephonetotheCarltonClub. himupasamurderer?” “I need not say that I have confirmed it, Wat- “ItismybusinesstofollowthedetailsofConti- son,”saidHolmesasIreturnedthepaper. “Doyou nentalcrime. Whocouldpossiblyhavereadwhat knowanythingofthismanDamery?” happenedatPragueandhaveanydoubtsastothe man’s guilt! It was a purely technical legal point “Only that this name is a household word in and the suspicious death of a witness that saved society.” him! Iamassurethathekilledhiswifewhenthe “Well,Icantellyoualittlemorethanthat. He so-called‘accident’happenedintheSplugenPass hasratherareputationforarrangingdelicatemat- as if I had seen him do it. I knew, also, that he terswhicharetobekeptoutofthepapers. Youmay hadcometoEnglandandhadapresentimentthat rememberhisnegotiationswithSirGeorgeLewis sooner or later he would find me some work to over the Hammerford Will case. He is a man of do. Well, what has Baron Gruner been up to? I theworldwithanaturalturnfordiplomacy. Iam presumeitisnotthisoldtragedywhichhascome bound,therefore,tohopethatitisnotafalsescent upagain?” andthathehassomerealneedforourassistance.” “No, it is more serious than that. To revenge “Our?” crimeisimportant,buttopreventitismoreso. Itis “Well,ifyouwillbesogood,Watson.” aterriblething,Mr.Holmes,toseeadreadfulevent, 5 TheIllustriousClient anatrocioussituation,preparingitselfbeforeyour “But how came such a man to meet a lady of eyes,toclearlyunderstandwhitheritwillleadand thestandingofMissVioletdeMerville?” yet to be utterly unable to avert it. Can a human “It was on a Mediterranean yachting voyage. beingbeplacedinamoretryingposition?” The company, though select, paid their own pas- “Perhapsnot.” sages. Nodoubtthepromotershardlyrealizedthe Baron’s true character until it was too late. The “Then you will sympathize with the client in villainattachedhimselftothelady,andwithsuch whoseinterestsIamacting.” effect that he has completely and absolutely won “Ididnotunderstandthatyouweremerelyan her heart. To say that she loves him hardly ex- intermediary. Whoistheprincipal?” pressesit. Shedotesuponhim;sheisobsessedby “Mr.Holmes,Imustbegyounottopressthat him. Outsideofhimthereisnothingonearth. She question. It is important that I should be able to willnothearonewordagainsthim. Everythinghas assurehimthathishonourednamehasbeeninno beendonetocureherofhermadness,butinvain. way dragged into the matter. His motives are, to Tosumup,sheproposestomarryhimnextmonth. thelastdegree,honourableandchivalrous,buthe Assheisofageandhasawillofiron,itishardto prefers to remain unknown. I need not say that knowhowtopreventher.” yourfeeswillbeassuredandthatyouwillbegiven “DoessheknowabouttheAustrianepisode?” a perfectly free hand. Surely the actual name of yourclientisimmaterial?” “The cunning devil has told her every un- savourypublicscandalofhispastlife,butalways “Iamsorry,”saidHolmes. “Iamaccustomedto insuchawayastomakehimselfouttobeaninno- havemysteryatoneendofmycases,buttohaveit centmartyr. Sheabsolutelyacceptshisversionand atbothendsistooconfusing. Ifear,SirJames,that willlistentonoother.” Imustdeclinetoact.” “Dearme! Butsurelyyouhaveinadvertentlylet Our visitor was greatly disturbed. His large, outthenameofyourclient? ItisnodoubtGeneral sensitivefacewasdarkenedwithemotionanddis- deMerville.” appointment. “You hardly realize the effect of your own ac- Ourvisitorfidgetedinhischair. tion, Mr. Holmes,” said he. “You place me in a “Icoulddeceiveyoubysayingso,Mr.Holmes, most serious dilemma, for I am perfectly certain but it would not be true. De Merville is a broken thatyouwouldbeproudtotakeoverthecaseifI man. Thestrongsoldierhasbeenutterlydemoral- couldgiveyouthefacts,andyetapromiseforbids izedbythisincident. Hehaslostthenervewhich mefromrevealingthemall. MayI,atleast,layall neverfailedhimonthebattlefieldandhasbecome thatIcanbeforeyou?” a weak, doddering old man, utterly incapable of “Byallmeans,solongasitisunderstoodthatI contendingwithabrilliant,forcefulrascallikethis commitmyselftonothing.” Austrian. Myclient,however,isanoldfriend,one who has known the General intimately for many “Thatisunderstood. Inthefirstplace,youhave years and taken a paternal interest in this young nodoubtheardofGeneraldeMerville?” girl since she wore short frocks. He cannot see “DeMervilleofKhyberfame? Yes,Ihaveheard thistragedyconsummatedwithoutsomeattempt ofhim.” tostopit. ThereisnothinginwhichScotlandYard “Hehasadaughter,VioletdeMerville,young, canact. Itwashisownsuggestionthatyoushould rich,beautiful,accomplished,awonder-womanin be called in, but it was, as I have said, on the ex- everyway. Itisthisdaughter,thislovely,innocent pressstipulationthatheshouldnotbepersonally girl,whomweareendeavouringtosavefromthe involvedinthematter. Ihavenodoubt,Mr.Holmes, clutchesofafiend.” withyourgreatpowersyoucouldeasilytracemy client back through me, but I must ask you, as a “BaronGrunerhassomeholdoverher,then?” pointofhonour,torefrainfromdoingso,andnot “The strongest of all holds where a woman is tobreakinuponhisincognito.” concerned—theholdoflove. Thefellowis,asyou Holmesgaveawhimsicalsmile. mayhaveheard,extraordinarilyhandsome,witha most fascinating manner, a gentle voice, and that “IthinkImaysafelypromisethat,”saidhe. “I airofromanceandmysterywhichmeanssomuch mayaddthatyourprobleminterestsme,andthatI toawoman. Heissaidtohavethewholesexathis shallbepreparedtolookintoit. HowshallIkeep mercyandtohavemadeampleuseofthefact.” intouchwithyou?” 6