Chapter 4 of a study in Scarlet by Sir.
Arthur Conan Doyle. This LibriVox recording is in
the public domain. Chapter 4.
What John rants had to tell it was 1:00 when we left number
three. Lauriston Gardens Sherlock,
Holmes. Led me to the nearest Telegraph
office. When's he despatched, a Long
Telegram. He then hailed a cab and ordered
the driver to take us to the address given us by lestrade.
There's nothing like firsthand evidence.
He remarked as a matter of fact, my mind is entirely made of upon
the case, but still we may as well learn.
All that is to be learned you amaze me.
Holmes said, I surely you're not as sure as you pretend to be of
all these particulars which you gave, there's no room for a
mistake. He answered the very first thing
which I observed on arriving. There was that a cab had made to
ruts with its Wheels close to the curb.
Now, up to last night. We have had no rain for a week.
So that those Wheels, which left such a deep impression.
Must have been there during the night.
There were the marks of the horses.
Hooves the outline of one which was far more clearly cut than
that of the other three showing that there was a new shoe since
the cab was there. After the rain began and was not
there at any time during the morning.
I have gregson's word for that. It follows that, it must have
been there during the night and therefore that it brought those
two individuals to the house. That seems simple enough said I,
but how about the other man's height?
Why the height of a man in nine cases out of ten can be told
from the length of his stride? It is a simple, calculation
enough though. There is no use my boring, you
with figures. I had this fellow stride both on
the clay outside and on the dust within.
Then I had a way of checking my calculation when a man writes on
a wall is Instinct leads him to write about the level of his own
eyes. Now that writing was just over 6
feet from Ground, it was Child's Play.
And his age I asked well, if a man can stride four and a half
feet without the smallest effort, he can't be quite in the
sear and yellow. That was the breadth of a puddle
on the Garden Walk which had evidently walked cross patent.
Leather boots had gone round and square toes at hopped over.
There is no mystery about it at all.
I am simply applying to ordinary life, a few of those precepts of
observation, and deduction, which I advocated in that
article. Is there anything else that
puzzles? You the fingernails in the
chicken? Awfully?
I suggested the writing on the wall was done with a man's
forefinger dipped in blood. My glass allowed me to observe
that the plaster was slightly scratched in doing it, which
would not have been the case if the man's nail had been trimmed.
I gathered up some scattered ash from the floor.
It was dark in color and Flaky. Such an ash is only made by a
trick and hopefully I've made a special study of Ashes, in fact,
I've written a monograph upon the subject.
I flatter myself that I can distinguish at a glance, the ash
of any known brand, either of cigar, or of tobacco.
It is just in such details that the skilled detective differs
from the Gregson and lestrade type.
And the florid face, I asked that was a more daring shot
though. I have no doubt that I was
right. You must not ask me that at the
present state of the affair. I passed my hand over my brow.
My head is in a whirl. I remarked the more one thinks
of it, the more mysterious it grows.
How came these two men? If there were two men into an
empty house? What has become of the cabman
who drove them? How could one, man?
Compel another to take poison? Where did the blood come from?
What was the object of the murderer since robbery had no
part in it. How came the woman's ring there
above all? Why should the second man?
Right up? The German word rocker before D
camping? I confess that I cannot see any
possible way of reconciling all these facts.
My companion, smiled approvingly, use some of the
difficulties of the situation succinctly.
And well, he said there is much that is still obscure though.
I have quite made up my mind on the main facts as to paulist
rods Discovery. It was simply a blind intended
to put the police upon a wrong Track by suggesting socialism
and secret societies. It was not done by a German.
The a if you noticed was printed some After the German fashion.
Now, a real German invariably prints in the Latin character,
so that we may safely say that this was not written by one but
by a clumsy imitator, who over did his part, it was simply a
ruse to divert inquiry into a wrong Channel.
I'm not going to tell you much more of the case.
Dr. You know, a kundra gets no credit when one's he is
explained his trick. And if I show you too much of my
method of working, you will Come to the conclusion that I'm a
very ordinary individual after all.
I shall never do that. I answered, you've brought
detection as near an exact science as it ever will be
brought in this world. My companion flushed up with
pleasure at my words and the earnest way in which I uttered
them. I had already observed that he
was as sensitive to flattery on the score of his art as any girl
could be of her beauty. I'll tell you one thing.
He said patent leathers and square toes came in the same cab
and they walk down the pathway together as friendly as possible
arm in arm in all probability. When they got inside, they
walked up and down the room or rather patent.
Leathers Stood. Still while square toes walked
up and down. Read all that in the dust and I
could read that. As he walked.
He grew more and more excited that is shown by The increased
length of his stride, 's, he was talking all the while and
working himself up. No doubt into a fury.
Then the tragedy occurred. I've told you all.
I know myself now for the rest is mere, surmise and conjecture.
We have a good working basis. However, on which to start, we
must hurry up for. I want to go to haleh's concert
to here Norman Naruto. This afternoon.
This conversation, that occurred while our cab had been threading
its way through a long succession of dingy streets and
dreary byways in a dingiest and dreariest of them are driver.
Suddenly came to a stand, that's oddly caught in there.
He said pointing to a narrow slit in the line of dead colored
brick you farm here. When you come back, oddly Court
was not an attractive. Locality the narrow passage led
us into his quadrangle, paved with flags.
Lined by sordid dwellings. We picked our way among groups
of dirty children and through lines of discolored linen.
Until we came to number 46, the door of which was decorated with
a small slip of brass on which the name Rance was engraved on
inquiry, found that the Constable was in bed and we were
shown into a little front parlor to await his coming.
He appeared presently looking a little irritable at being
disturbed in his Slumbers or mode or my report at the office.
He said, Holmes took a half Sovereign from his pocket and
played with it pensively. We thought we were should like
to hear it all from your own lips.
He said or she'll be o most happy to tell you anything.
I can the Constable answered with his eyes upon the little
Golden Disc. Just let us hear it all in your
own way as it occurred Rands, sat down on the horsehair sofa
and knitted his brows as though determined not to admit anything
in his narrative. All telling you from the
beginning. He said, my time is from 10:00
at night to 6:00 in the morning 11.
There was a fight at the White Hart, but bar that all was quiet
enough. On the beat 1:00, it began to
rain and I met a very much. Emu as the Olin Grove beat and
we stood together the corner of Entry at a street, a talkin.
Presently. Maybe about two or little after
I thought we'd take a look around and see that all was
right down the Brixton Road. It was precious dirty and
lonely, not a soldier died. Me all the way down, though.
A cab or two went past me. I was a strolling down thinking
between ourselves our uncommon and ER for of gin hot would be
when suddenly the glint of a light caught my eye in the
window of that same house. Now on you then the two hours is
in lauriston gardens was empty on account of him.
That owns them, who won't have the drain see to do the very
last tenant. What lived in one of them died
of typhoid fever. I was knocked all in a.
Therefore, it seen a light in the window and I suspected as
something was wrong when I got to the door you stopped and then
walked back to the garden-gate. My companion interrupted.
What did you do that for? Ryan's gave a violent jump and
stared at Sherlock Holmes with the utmost amazement upon his
features. Why?
That's true, sir. He said, oh come you to know it
Heaven only knows you see, when I got up to the door.
It was so still. And so lonesome, the I thought
I'd been on the words for someone with me.
I am afeard of anything on this side of the Grave by thought
that maybe it was him that died of the typhoid inspecting the
drains. What killed him assault?
Gave me a kind of turn. I'll walk back to the gate to
see if I could see Merchants Lenten, but I want no sign of
him nor of anyone else. There was no one in the street,
not a living soul, sir, nor as much as a dog, and I pulled
myself together and went back and push the door open.
All was quiet inside. So I went into the room where
the light was a burning. It was a candle flickering in
the mantelpiece, a red wax one. And by its light, I saw yes.
I know all that you saw. You walked around the room
several times and you knelt down by the body and then Walked
through and tried the kitchen door and then John ran sprang to
his feet with a frightened face and suspicion in his eyes.
Will you heed to see all that? He cried.
It seems to me that you know the deal more than you should.
Holmes, laughed and threw his card across the table to the
constable. Don't get arresting me for the
murder. He said, I am one of the hounds
and not the wolf. Mr. Gregson or mr.
Lestrade will answer for that. Go on though.
What did you do? Next Rance?
Resumed his seat without, however, losing his mystified
expression or went back to the gate and sounded more whistle
that brought merch her into more to the spot.
Was the street empty then? Well, it was as far as anybody
that could be of any good goes. What do you mean the constables
features broaden into a grin hot?
I've seen many a drunk chap in my time.
He said, but never anyone. So cry and drunk as that Cove.
He was at the gate. When I came out, I leaning up
against the railings and a singing at the picture is lungs
about Colin Barnes newfangled Banner or some such stuff.
He couldn't stand for Less help. What sort of man was he asked
Sherlock Holmes? John rants appeared to be
somewhat irritated at this digression.
He was an uncommon drunks or a man.
He said he'd have found yourself in the station if we hadn't been
so took up. His face his dress, didn't you
notice them homes broke in impatiently.
I should think I did notice him seeing that I had to prop him
up, me and merch her between us. He was a long chat with a red
face. The lower part muffled, round
that will do cried Holmes, what became of him?
Wait enough to do. Without looking after him.
The policeman said in an aggrieved voice.
I'll wager he found his way. I'm all right.
How was he dressed? Brown Overcoat had he a whip in
his hand? A whip?
No, he must have left it behind, but at my companion, you didn't
happen to see or hear a cab after that know, there's a
half-sovereign for you. My companion said standing up
and taking his hat. I'm afraid runs that you will
never rise in the force that head of yours should be for use
as well as ornament. You might have gained your
sergeant stripes. Last night, the man whom you
held in your hands is the man who holds the clue of this
mystery and whom we are seeking. There is no use of arguing about
it. Now.
I'll tell you that it is so a come along doctor.
We started off for the cab together, leaving our informant
incredulous, but obviously uncomfortable.
The blundering fool home said, bitterly as we drove back to our
lodgings, just to think of his having such an incomparable bit
of good luck and not taking advantage of it.
I'm rather in the dark still, it's true that the description
of this man tallies with your idea of the second party in this
mystery. But why should he come back to
the house after leaving it? That is not the way of criminals
the reading a man, the ring. That was what he came back for.
If we have no other way of catching him.
We can always bait our line with the ring.
I shall have him doctor. I'll lay you two to one that I
have him. I must thank you for it all.
I might not have gone, but for you and so, have missed the
finest study. I have ever come across a study
in Scarlet, a why should we use a little art?
Jargon? There's the Scarlet thread of
murder running through the colorless skein of life.
And our duty is to unravel it and isolated and exposed every
inch of it and now for lunch. And then for Norman Neruda her
attack and her Boeing are Splendid.
What's that? Little thing of Shoppers?
She plays soaked. Efficently the trial.
Ali lean back in the cab. This amateur Bloodhound caroled
away like a lock while. I meditated upon the many
sidedness of the human mind. End of chapter 4.