Adventure three of the return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir, Arthur
Conan Doyle. This LibriVox recording is in
the public domain. Adventure 3, The Adventure of
the dancing men. Homes have been seated for some
hours in Silence with his long. Thin back curved over a chemical
vessel in which he was brewing, a particularly malodorous
product. His head was sunk upon his
breast and he looked from my point of view like a strange
lank bird with dull grey plumage and a black top.
Not so Watson said, he suddenly, you do not propose to invest in
South African Securities. I gave a start of astonishment a
custom. Was two homes is curious
faculties. This sudden intrusion into my
most intimate thoughts was utterly inexplicable.
How on Earth do you know that I asked?
He wheeled round upon his stool with a steaming test tube in his
hand and a gleam of amusement in his deep-set eyes.
Now Watson confess yourself. Utterly taken aback said he I am
I ought to make you sign a paper to that effect.
Why? Because in five minutes, you
will say that. It is also absurdly simple.
I'm sure that I shall say nothing of the kind.
You see my dear Watson. He propped his test tube in the
rack and began to lecture with the air of a professor
addressing his class. It is not really difficult to
construct a series of inferences.
Each dependent upon its predecessor and each simple in
itself, if after doing so one simply knocks out All the
central inferences and presents one's audience with the starting
point. And the conclusion one, may
produce a startling though, possibly a meretricious effect.
Now, it was not really difficult by an inspection of the groove
between your left forefinger and thumb to feel.
Sure that you did not propose to invest your small capital in the
gold fields. I see no connection, very likely
not, but I can quickly show you a close connection.
Here are the missing links of the very simple chain one.
You had chalk between your left finger and thumb when you return
from the club last night, to you put chalk there.
When you play Billiards to steady the Q3 you never play
Billiards except with Thurston for you.
Hold me for weeks ago, that Thurston had an option on some
South African property which will expire in a month and which
he desired you to share with him.
Five. Your checkbook is locked in my
drawer and you have not asked for the key 6.
You do not propose to invest your money in this manner.
How absurdly simple? I cried.
Quite so said, he a little nettled.
Every problem becomes very childish.
When once it is explained to you, here is an unexplained one.
See what you can make of that friend Watson.
He tossed a sheet of paper upon the table and turned once more
to his chemical analysis. I looked with amazement at the
Absurd hieroglyphics upon the paper.
Why Holmes it is a child's drawing.
I cried. Oh, that's your idea.
What else should it be? That is what mr.
Hilton cubitt have riding Thorpe Manor.
Norfolk is very anxious to know this little conundrum came by
the first post and he was to follow by the next train.
There's a ring at the Bell Watson.
I should not be very much surprised if this were he I have
you step Was Heard upon the stairs and an instant later
there, interred at already clean shaven gentleman, whose clear
eyes and floret cheeks told of a life LED far from the fog's of
Baker Street. He seemed to bring a whiff of
his strong fresh, bracing East Coast are with him as he entered
having shaken hands with each of us.
He was about to sit down when his eye rested upon the paper
with the Curious markings, which I had just examined and left
upon the Table. Well, mr.
Holmes. What do you make of these?
He cried? They told me that you are fond
of queer Mysteries and I don't think you would find a queerer
one than that. I sent a paper on her head so
that you might have time to study it before I came.
It is certainly rather a curious production said, Holmes at first
sight. It would appear to be some
Childish prank. It consists of a number of
absurd little figures dancing across the paper upon which they
are drawn. Why should you attribute any
importance to? So grotesque an object?
I never should mr. Holmes, but my wife does it is
frightening her to death. She says nothing, but I can see
Terror in her eyes. That's why I want to sift the
matter to the Some. Holmes held up the paper so that
the sunlight Shone full upon it, it was a page torn from a
notebook. The markings were done in pencil
and ran in a particular way. Holmes, examined it for some
time, and then folded it carefully up.
He placed it in his pocketbook. This promises to be a most
interesting. And unusual case said, he you
gave me a few particulars in your letter.
Mr. Hilton cubitt, but I should be very much obliged.
If you would kindly go over it all again for the benefit of my
dear friend. Dr. Watson.
I'm not much of a Storyteller said, our visitor, nervously
clasping and unclasping, his great strong hands.
You'll just ask me anything that I don't make clear.
I'll begin at the time of my marriage.
Last year, but I want to say first of all that though.
I'm not a rich man. My people have been at riding
salt for a matter of five centuries and there is no better
known family in the county of Norfolk last year.
I came up to London for the Jubilee and I stopped at a
boarding house in Russell Square because Parker the vicar of our
Parish was staying in it. There was an American young lady
there, Patrick was the name Elsie Patrick.
Some way we became friends until before my month was up.
I was as much in love as man, could be.
We were quietly married at a registry office and we returned
to Norfolk a wedded couple. You'll think it very mad.
Mr. Holmes, that a man of good old family.
Should marry a wife in this fashion knowing nothing of her
past or of her people, but if you saw her and knew her it
would help you to understand. She was very straight about it
was Elsie. I can't say that she did not
give me every chance of getting out of it, if I wish to do.
So I've had some very disagreeable associations in my
life said, she, I wish to forget all about them.
I'd rather never allude to the Past for it is very painful to
me. If you take me Hilton, you'll
take a woman who was nothing that she need, be personally
ashamed of, but you'll have to be content with my word for it.
And to allow me to be silent as to all that passed up to the
time when I became yours. If these conditions are too
hard, then go back to Norfolk and leave me to the lonely life.
In which you found me. It was only the day before our
wedding that she said those very words to me.
I told her that I was content to take her on her own terms and I
have been as good as my word. Well, we've been married now for
a year and very happy we've been But about a month ago, at the
end of June, I saw for the first time signs of trouble one day,
my wife received a letter from America.
I saw the American stamp. She turned, deadly white.
Read the letter and threw it into the fire.
She made no allusion to it afterwards and I made none for a
promise is a promise, but she has never known an easy.
Our from that moment. There's always a look of fear
upon her face. Look as if she were waiting and
expecting she would do better, to trust me.
She would find that I was her best friend.
But until she speaks I can say nothing mind you.
She is a truthful woman. Mr. Holmes and whatever trouble,
there may have been in her past life.
It has been no fault of hers. I'm only a simple Norfolk
Squire, but there's not a man in England who ranks his family
honor more highly than I do. She knows it.
Well, and she knew it well before she married me.
She would never bring any stain upon it.
That I am. Sure.
Well, now I come to the queer part of my story about a week
ago. It was the Tuesday of last week.
I found on one of the window sills and number of absurd
little dancing figures like these upon the paper.
They were scrawled with chalk. I thought it was a stable boy
who drawn them but the lad swore he knew nothing about It anyhow,
they had come there during the night.
I had them washed out and I only mentioned the matter to my wife
afterwards to my surprise. She took it very seriously and
begged me if any more came to let us see them.
Non did come for a week and then yesterday morning.
I found this paper lying on the sundial in the garden.
I showed it to Elsie and down. She dropped in a dead faint
since then. She'd looked like a woman in a
dream half dazed and with Terror always lurking in her eyes.
It was then that I wrote and sent a paper to you.
Mr. Holmes. He was not a thing that I could
take to the police for. They would have laughed at me.
Would you all tell me what to do?
I'm not a rich man. But if there is any danger,
threatening my little woman, I would spend my last copper to
Shield her. He was a fine creature.
This man of the Old English. Soil, simple straight and gentle
with his great Earnest, blue eyes, and Broad comely face.
His love for his wife and his trust in her.
Shawn in his features Holmes had listened to his story with the
utmost attention and now he sat for some time in silent thought.
Don't you think mr. Cubitt said he at last that's
your best plan would be to make a direct appeal to your wife,
and to ask her to share her secret with you Hilton.
Cubitt. Shook.
His massive head. A promise is a promise.
Mr. Holmes. If L see wish to tell me she
would, if not, it is not for me to force her confidence, but I
am justified in taking my own line and I will Then I'll help
you with all my heart in the first place.
Have you heard of any strangers being seen in your neighborhood?
No, I presume that. It is a very quiet place.
Any fresh face would cause comment in the immediate
neighborhood. Yes, but we have several small
watering places not very far away and the farmers take in
Lodgers these hieroglyphics of evidently a meaning.
Is a purely arbitrary one. It may be impossible for us to
solve it. If, on the other hand, it is
systematic. I have no doubt that we should
get to the bottom of it. This particular sample is so
short that I can do nothing and the facts, which you have
brought me as though indefinite, but we have no basis for an
investigation. I would suggest that you return
to Norfolk that you keep a keen Lookout and that you take an
exact copy of any fresh Dan. Dancing men which may appear.
It is a thousand pities that we have not a reproduction of
those, which were done in chalk up on the windowsill make a
discreet inquiry. Also, as to any strangers in the
neighborhood, when you've collected some fresh evidence,
come to me again. That is the best advice, which I
can give you. Mr. Hilton cubitt.
If there are any pressing fresh developments.
I shall be always ready to run down and see you in your Norfolk
home. The interview left Sherlock,
Holmes, very thoughtful and several times.
In the next few days. I saw him.
Take his slip of paper from his notebook and looked long and
earnestly at the Curious figures inscribed upon it.
He may no allusion to the affair.
However, until one afternoon a fortnight or so later.
I was going out. When he called me back, you had
better, stay here. Watson.
Why? Because I had a wire from
Hilton. It this morning you remember
Hilton cubitt of the dancing men.
He was to reach Liverpool Street at 120.
You may be here at any moment. I gather from his wire that
there have been some new incidents of importance.
We had not long to wait for our Norfolk Squire, came straight
from the station as fast as a handsome could bring him.
He was looking worried and depressed with tired eyes and
aligned forehead. It's getting on my nerves is
business. Mr. Holmes said he as he sank
like a wearied man into an armchair.
It's bad enough to feel that you are surrounded by unseen unknown
folk who have some kind of design upon you.
But when in addition to that, you know that it is just Killing
Your Wife by inches, then it becomes as much as flesh and
blood can endure. She's wearing away under it.
Just wearing away before my eyes.
Has she said anything yet? No, mr.
Holmes. She has not.
And yet there have been times when the poor girl has wanted to
speak and yet could not quite bring herself to take the
plunge. I have tried to help her, but I
dare say, I did it clumsily and scared her from it.
She has spoken about my old family and our reputation in the
county and our pride in our unsullied honor and I always
felt it was leading to the point, but somehow it turned off
before we got there. But you have found out something
for yourself. A good deal.
Mr. Holmes. I have several fresh dancing,
men pictures for you to examine. And what is more important?
I have seen the fellow. What the man who draws them.
Yes. I saw him at his work, but I
will tell you everything in order when I got back.
After my first visit to you. The very first thing I saw next
morning was a fresh crop of Dance.
Men, they have been drawn in chalk upon the black wooden door
of the to house which stands beside the lawn.
In full view of the front windows.
I took an exact copy and here it is.
He unfolded a paper and laid it upon the table.
Here is a copy of the hieroglyphics.
Excellent said Holmes. Excellent.
A pray continue. When I taken the copy, my rubbed
out the marks, but two mornings later a fresh inscription had
appeared. I have a copy of it here.
Holmes, rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight.
Our material is rapidly. Accumulating said he three days
later. A message was left, scrawled
upon paper and placed under a pebble on the Sundial.
Here. It is.
The characters are, as you see exactly the same as the, last
one after that. I determined to lie in.
Wait, so I got out My Revolver and I sat up in my study which
overlooks the lawn and garden. About two in the morning.
I was seated by the window all being dark say for the Moonlight
outside. When I heard steps behind me and
there was my wife in her dressing gown.
She implored me to come to bed. I told her frankly that I wish
to see who it was who played such absurd tricks upon us.
She answered that it was some senseless practical joke and
that I should not take any notice of it.
If it really annoys you Hilton, we might go and travel you and I
and so avoid this nuisance. What be driven out of our own
house by a practical joker said? I why we should have the whole
County laughing at us. Well, come to bed said, she and
we can discuss it in the morning.
Suddenly, as she spoke. I saw her white face grow whiter
yet in the Moonlight and her hand tightened upon my shoulder.
Something was moving in the shadow of the tool-house.
I saw a dark creeping figure, which crawled around the corner
and squatted in front of the door seizing my pistol.
I was rushing out when my wife threw her arms around me, and
held me with convulsive strength.
I tried to throw her off, but she clung, to me most,
Desperately At Last. I got clear.
But by the time, I had opened the door and reached the house,
the creature was gone. He had left a trace of his
presence. However for there, on the door
was the very same arrangement of dancing men which had already
twice appeared and which I had copied on that paper.
There was no other sign of the fellow anywhere.
No, I ran all over the grounds and yet the amazing thing is
that he must have been there all the time.
For when I examined the door again in the morning.
He has crawled some more of his pictures under the line, which I
had already seen. Have you that fresh drawing?
Yes, it is very short, but I made a copy of it.
And here it is. Again.
He produced a paper, the new dance was in a different form.
Tell me said Holmes and I could see by his eyes that he was much
excited. Was this a mere addition to the
first? Or did it appear to be entirely
separate? It was on a different panel of
the door. Excellent.
This is far the most important of all for our purpose.
It fills me with hopes. Now, mr.
Hilton cubitt, please continue your most interesting statement.
I have nothing more to say mr. Holmes except that I was angry
with my wife that night for having held me back when I might
have caught the skulking Rascal. She said that, she feared that I
might come to harm for an instant.
It had crossed my mind that perhaps, what she really feared
was that he might come to harm for.
I could not doubt that she knew, who this man was and what he
meant by these strange signals, but there is a tone in my wife's
voice. Mr. Holmes, and the look in her
eyes, which forbid doubt and I am sure that it was indeed my
own safety. That was in her mind.
There's the whole case. And now I want your advice as to
what I ought to do. My own inclination is to put
half a dozen of my farm lands in the Shrubbery.
And when this fellow comes again to give him such a hiding that
he will leave us in peace for the future.
I fear it is too deeper case for such simple remedies said
Holmes. How long can you stay in London?
I must go back today. I would not leave my wife alone
all night for anything. She is very nervous and begged
me to come back. I dare say you are right, but if
you could have stopped I might possibly have been able to
return with you in a day or two. Meanwhile, you will leave me
these papers and I think that it is very likely that I shall be
able to pay you a visit shortly and to throw some light upon
your case. Sherlock Holmes preserved, his
calm, professional manner, until our visitor had left us.
Although it was easy for me who knew him so well to see that.
He was profoundly excited. The moment that Tilton cubits
broad back had disappeared through the door.
My comrade rushed to the table laid out all the slips of paper.
Containing dancing men in front of him and threw himself into an
intricate and elaborate calculation for two hours.
I watched him as he covered sheet after sheet of paper with
figures and letters. So completely absorbed in his
task and he had evidently forgotten my presence.
Sometimes he was making progress and whistled and sang at his
work. Sometimes he was puzzled and
would sit for long spells with a furrowed brow and a vacant.
I finally, he sprang from his chair with a cry of satisfaction
and walked up and down the room. Rubbing his hands together, and
he wrote A Long Telegram upon a cable form.
If my answer to this is as I hope you will have a very pretty
case to add to your collection. Watson said he I expect that we
shall be able to go down to Norfolk tomorrow and to take our
friends some very definite news as to the secret of his
annoyance. I confess that I was filled with
curiosity, but I was aware that homes like to make his
disclosures at his own time and in his own way.
So I waited until it should suit him to take me into his
confidence, but there was a delay in that answering Telegram
and two days of impatience followed during which Holmes
pricked up his ears at every ring of the Bell.
On the evening of the second day.
I came a letter from Hilton. Cubitt all was quiet with him,
say that a long inscription had appeared that morning upon the
pedestal of the Sundial. He enclosed a copy of it which
he reproduced homes bent over this grotesque freeze for some
minutes and then suddenly sprang to his feet with an exclamation
of surprise and dismay. His face was Haggard with
anxiety. We have let this affair go far
enough said he is there a train to North Walsham tonight?
I turned up the timetable. The last had just gone.
Then we shall Breakfast early and take the very first in the
morning, said Holmes. Our presence is most urgently
needed. Ah, here is our expected
cablegram. One moment.
Mrs. Hudson. There may be an answer.
No, that is quite as I expected this message, makes it even more
essential that we should not lose an hour in letting Hilton
cubitt know how matters stand for.
It is a singular and a dangerous web in which our simple, Norfolk
Squire is entangled. So, indeed it proved, and as I
come to the dark conclusion of a story, which had seemed to me to
be only childish and bizarre. I experience once again, the
dismay and horror with which I was filled.
Would that I had some bright attending to communicate to my
readers, but these are the chronicles of fact and I must
follow to their dark crisis, the strange chain of events, which
for some days made riding Thorpe Manor, a household word through
the length and breadth of England.
We had hardly alighted at North Walsham and mentioned the name
of our destination when the stationmaster hurried towards us
or suppose that you're the detectives from, Said he I look
of annoyance passed over Holmes's face.
What makes you think such a thing?
Because inspector mine from Norwich has just passed through.
But maybe you're the surgeons. She's not dead or wasn't by last
accounts. He may be in time to save her
yet. No, it be for The Gallows.
Holmes, his brow was dark with anxiety.
We're going to riding Thorpe. Manor said he, but we have heard
nothing of what has passed there.
It's a terrible business. Said the stationmaster, they are
sure both. Mr. Hilton cubitt and his wife.
She shot him and then herself. So, the servants say he's dead
and her life is despaired of dear.
Dear. One of the oldest families in
the county of Norfolk and one of the most honored without a word
homes hurried to a carriage. During the long seven miles
drive. He never opened his mouth
seldom. Have I seen him.
So utterly despondent. He had been uneasy during all
our journey from town and I had observed that he had turned over
the morning papers with anxious attention, but now this sudden
realization of his worst fears left him in a blank Melancholy.
He leaned back in his seat lost in Gloomy speculation.
Yet there was much around to interest us.
For we were passing through as singular a Countryside as any in
England were a few scattered Cottages represented the
population of today, while on every hand enormous sqrt.
Our churches bristled up from the flat Green Landscape and
told of the glory and prosperity of old East Anglia.
At last, the violent rim of the German ocean appeared over the
green edge of the Norfolk coast and the driver pointed with his
whip, 22 Old Brick and Timber Gables which projected from a
Grove of trees that's riding taught Banner.
Said, he as we drove up to the porticoed front door.
I observed in front of it, beside the tennis lawn, the
black tulle house and the pedestal Sundial with which we
had such strange associations. Dapper little man with a quick
alerts Manner and a waxed mustache had just descended from
a high dog cart. He introduced himself as
Inspector, Martin of the Norfolk constabulary and he was
considerably astonished when he heard the name of my companion,
why mr. Holmes, the crime was only
committed at 3:00 this morning. How could you hear of it in
London and get to the spot as soon as I?
I anticipated it. I came in the hope of preventing
it. Then you must have important
evidence of which we are ignorant for.
There were said to be a most United couple.
I have only the evidence of the dancing.
Men said Holmes. I will explain the matter to you
later. Meanwhile, since it is too late
to prevent this tragedy. I am very anxious that I should
use the knowledge which I possess in order to ensure that
Justice be done. You associate me in your
investigation or will you prefer that I should act independently?
I should be proud to feel that we were acting together.
Mr. Holmes said the inspector earnestly in that case.
I should be glad to hear the evidence and to examine the
premises without an instant of unnecessary delay.
Inspector, Martin had the good sense to allow my friend to do
things in his own fashion and contented himself with
carefully. Noting the results, the local
surgeon. An old white-haired man had just
come down from mrs. Hilton cubitt's room and he
reported that. Her injuries were serious, but
not necessarily fatal. The bullet had passed through
the front of her brain, and it would probably be some time
before she could regain Consciousness on the question of
whether she had been shot or had shot herself.
He would not venture to express. Any decided opinion.
Certainly the bullet had been discharged at very close
quarters. There was only the one pistol
found in the room, two, barrels of which had been emptied.
Mr. Hilton cubitt had been shot through the heart.
It was equally conceivable that he had shot her and then himself
or that she had been the criminal for the revolver.
Lay upon the floor midway between them has he been moved?
Asked Holmes. We have moved nothing except the
lady, we could not leave her lying wounded upon the floor.
How long have you been here doctor since 4:00 anyone else?
Yes, the Constable here and you have touched nothing.
Nothing. You have acted with great
discretion who sent you the housemaid Saunders.
Was it? She who gave the alarm?
She and mrs. King the cook.
Where are they now in the kitchen, I believe.
Then I think we'd better hear their story at once.
The old Hall oak-paneled, and high windowed had been turned
into a quarter investigation, Holmes sat in a great
old-fashioned chair, his inexorable eyes gleaming out of
his Haggard face. I could read in them a set
purpose to devote his life to this Quest until the client whom
he had failed to save should at last be Avenged the trim,
inspector Martin the old Re headed Country Doctor myself and
a stolid Village policeman made up the rest of that strange
company. The two women told their story.
Clearly enough. They had been aroused from their
sleep, by the sound of an explosion, which have been
followed a minute later by a second one.
They slept in adjoining rooms and mrs.
King had rushed into Saunders together.
They had descended the stairs. The door of the study was open
and a candle was burning upon the table.
Their Master lay upon his face in the center of the room.
He was quite dead near the window.
His wife was crouching, her head leaning against the wall.
She was horribly wounded. And the side of her face was red
with blood. She breathed heavily but was
incapable of saying anything. The passage as well as the room
was full of smoke and the smell of powder.
The window was certainly shut and fastened upon the inside
both, women were positive upon the point.
They had at once sent for the doctor and for the Constable,
then with the aid of the groom, and the stable boy.
They had conveyed their injured mistress to her room.
Both she and her husband had occupied the bed.
She was clad in her dress. He in his dressing gown over his
nightclothes. Nothing had been moved in the
study so far as they knew there, had never been any quarrel
between husband and wife. They had always looked upon them
as a very United couple. These were the main points of
the servants evidence in answer to inspect Martin.
They were clear that every door was fastened upon the inside and
that no one could have escaped from the house in answer to
homes. They both remembered that they
were conscious of the smell of powder from the moment that they
ran out of their rooms upon the top floor.
I command that fact, very carefully to your attention,
said Holmes to his professional colleague.
And now, I think that we are in a position to undertake a
thorough examination of the room.
The study proved to be a small chamber lined on three sides
with books and with a writing table, facing an ordinary
window, which looked out upon the garden.
Our first attention was given to the body of the unfortunate
Squire, whose huge frame. They stretched across the room,
his disordered dress showed that he had been hastily aroused from
sleep. The bullet had been fired at him
from the front and had remained in his body after penetrating
the heart. His death had certainly been
instantaneous and painless. There was no Powder marking
either upon his dressing gown or on his hands according to the
country surgeon, the lady had stains upon her face, but none
upon her hand. The absence of the latter means
nothing. There its presence.
May mean. Everything said, Holmes, Unless
the powder from a badly fitting, cartridge happens to spurt
backward when they fire many shots without leaving a sign.
I would suggest that mr. Kubitz body may now be removed.
I suppose doctor you have not recovered the bullet, which
wounded the lady, a serious operation will be necessary
before that can be done. But there are still four
cartridges in the revolver to have been fired and two wounds
inflicted, so that each bullet can be accounted for.
So it would seem said Holmes. Perhaps you can account also for
the bullet which is so obviously struck the edge of the window.
He had turned suddenly and his long thin finger was pointing to
a hole which had been drilled right through the lower window
sash about an inch above the Bottom, by George cried.
The inspector. However, did you see that?
Because I looked for it. Wonderful said, the Country
Doctor you are certainly right, sir.
Then a third shot has been fired.
And therefore, a third person must have been present but who
could that have been and how could you've got away?
That is a problem, which we are now about to solve said
Sherlock, Holmes. You remember inspector Martin?
When the servant said that on leaving their room they were at
once conscious of a smell of powder.
I remark about the point was an extremely important one.
Yes, sir. But I confess I did not quite
follow you. It's suggested that at the time
of the firing the window, as well as the door of the room had
been open. Otherwise, the fumes of powder
could not have been blown. So rapidly through the house.
A draft in the room was necessary for that both Door and
Window were only open for a very short time.
However, How could you prove that?
Because the candle was not guttered.
Capital cried, the inspector capital?
Feeling sure that the window had been open at the time of the
tragedy. I can see that there might have
been a third person in the affair who stood outside this
opening and fired through it. Any shot directed at this person
might hit the sash. I looked and there.
Sure enough was the bullet Mark, but how came the window to be
shut and fastened? The woman's first instinct would
be to shut and fastened a window.
But hello. What is this?
It was a lady's handbag, which stood upon the study table, a
trim little handbag of crocodile skin and silver Holmes, opened
it and turned the contents out. There were twenty five pound
notes of the bank of England held together by an india-rubber
bands and nothing else. This must be preserved for it
will figure in the trial, said, Holmes, as he handed the bag
with its contents to the inspector.
It is now necessary that we should try to throw some light
upon this third bullet, which is clearly from the splintering of
the wood been fired from inside the room.
I should like to see mrs. King the cook again.
You said mrs. King that you were awakened by a
loud explosion when you said that.
Did you mean that it seem to you to be louder than the second
one? Well, sir, it waked me from my
sleep. So it is our to judge but it did
seem very loud. You don't think that it might
have been two shots fired almost at the same instant.
I'm sure I couldn't say sir. I believe that it was
undoubtedly. So I rather think inspector
Martin that we have now, exhausted, all that this room
can teach us, if you will kindly step around with me.
We shall see what fresh evidence the garden has to offer.
A flower bed extended up to the study window and we all broke
into an exclamation as we approached it.
The flowers were trampled down and the soft soil was imprinted
all over with footmarks. Large masculine feet.
They were with peculiarly long. Sharp toes.
Homes hunted about among the grass and leaves like a
retriever after a wounded bird. Then with a cry of satisfaction.
He bent forward and picked up a little Brazen cylinder.
I thought so said he the revolver had an ejector and here
is the third cartridge. I really think inspector Martin
that our case is almost complete.
The country inspectors face had shown his intense amazement at
the rapid and masterful progress of homes is investigation at
first. He had shown some disposition to
assert his own position, but now he was overcome with admiration
and ready to follow. without question, wherever homes LED
Whom do you suspect? He asked, I'll go into that
later. There are several points in this
problem, which I have not been able to explain to you yet.
Now that I have got so far. I had a best proceed on my own
lines and then clear the whole matter up once and for all just
as you wish. Mr. Holmes.
So long, as we get our man. I have no desire to make
Mysteries, but it is impossible at the moment of action to enter
into long and complex. Means I have the threads of this
affair. All in my hand, even if this
lady should never recover Consciousness, we can still
reconstruct the events of last night and ensure that Justice be
done. First of all, I wish to know
whether there is any in in this neighborhood known as El ridges.
The servants were cross-questioned, but none of
them had heard of such a place. The stable boy, threw a light
upon the matter, by remembering that a farmer of that name.
Lived some miles off in the direction of East Ruston.
Is it a lonely Farm, very lonely sir, perhaps they have not heard
yet of all that happened here during the night.
Maybe not sir Holmes thought for a little and then a curious
smile played over his face. Saddle horse.
My lad said he, I shall wish you to take a note to elrige's farm.
He took from his pocket, the various slips of the dancing men
with these in front of him. He worked for some time at the
study table. Finally.
He handed a note to the boy with directions to put it into the
hands of the person to whom it was addressed, and especially to
answer, no questions of any sort, which might be put to him.
I saw the outside of the note addressed in straggling
irregular characters, very, unlike homes, as usual, precise
hand, it was consigned. Mr. Abe slaney elrige's, Farm
East Ruston Norfolk. I think inspector Holmes
remarked that you would do well to Telegraph for an escort.
As if my calculations proved to be correct.
You may have a particularly dangerous prisoner to convey to
the county jail. The boy, who takes this note,
could no doubt forward your telegram.
If there is an afternoon train to town Watson.
I think we should do well to take it as I have a chemical
analysis of some interest to finish.
And this investigation draws rapidly to a close.
When the use of been dispatched with the note, Sherlock Holmes
gave his instructions to the servants.
If any visitor were to call asking for mrs.
Hilton cubitt. No information should be given
as to her condition, but he was to be shown at once into the
drawing room. He impressed these points upon
them with the utmost earnestness.
Finally. He led the way into the drawing
room with a remarks at the business was now out of her
hands and that we must while away the time as best we Until
we could see what was in store for us.
The doctor had departed to his patients, and only the inspector
and myself remained. I think that I can help you to
pass an hour in an interesting and profitable manner.
Said, Holmes, drawing his chair up to the table and spreading
out in front of him, the various papers upon which were recorded
the antics of the dancing. Men, as to you friend, Watson.
I owe you every atonement for having allowed your Natural
Curiosity to remain so long unsatisfied.
Do you inspector the whole incident May appeal as a
remarkable professional study? I must tell you.
First of all, the interesting circumstances connected with the
previous consultations, which mr.
Hilton cubitt had with me in Baker Street.
He then shortly recapitulated, the facts, which have already
been recorded. I have here in front of me,
these singular Productions at, which one might smile had.
They not proved themselves to be the forerunners of.
So, Terrible, a tragedy. I'm fairly familiar with all
forms of secret writings and a myself.
The author of a trifling monograph upon the subject in
which I analyzed 160 separate ciphers, but I confess that this
is entirely new to me the object of those who invented.
The system has apparently been to conceal that these characters
convey a message and to give the idea that they are the mere
random sketches of children having once recognized her.
A that the symbols stood for letters and having applied the
rules, which guide us in all forms of secret writings.
The solution was easy enough. The first message submitted to
me was so short that it was impossible for me to do more
than to say with some confidence that the symbol x x x stood for
e. As you are, aware me is the most
common letter in the English alphabet and it predominates to.
So marked an extent. That even in a short sentence
one would expect to find it most often out of 15 symbols in the
first message for with the same. So it was reasonable to set this
down as e.t. It is true that in some cases
the figure was bearing a flag and in some cases not but it was
probable from the way in which the flags were distributed that
they were used to break the sentence up into words.
I accepted this as a hypothesis. I noted that he was represented
by x x x but now came the real difficulty of the inquiry.
The order of the English letters.
After e is by, no means, well marked and any preponderance
which may be shown in an average of a printed sheet, may be
reversed in a single short sentence.
Speaking roughly ta 0, ins hrd and L are the numerical order in
which letters occur. But t a 0 and I are very nearly
a breast of each other and it would be an endless task to try
each combination until a meaning was arrived.
At I therefore waited for fresh material in my second interview
with mr. Hilton cubitt.
He was able to give me two other short sentences and one message
which appeared since there was no flag to be a single word.
Here are the symbols now in the single word.
I've already got the two, he's coming second and fourth in a
word of five letters. It might be sever or lever, or
never. There can be no question that
the latter as a reply to an appeal is far the most probable
and the circumstances pointed to its being a reply written by the
lady accepting it as correct. We are now able to say that the
symbol stand respectively for n v and are even now.
I was in considerable difficulty but a happy thought put me in
possession of several other letters.
It occurred to me that if these appeals came, as I expected from
someone who had been intimate with the lady in her early life.
A combination, which contained to he's with three letters
between might very well. Stand for the named Elsie on
examination. I found that such a combination
formed. The termination of the message,
which was three times repeated. It was certainly some appeal to
Elsie in this way. I had got my LS and I, but what
appeal could it be? There were only four letters in
the word which preceded, Elsie and it ended in the E.
Surely the word must become. I tried all other four letters
ending Annie, but could find none to fit the case.
So now I was in possession of CE o and m, and I was in a position
to attack the first message. Once more dividing it into words
and putting dots for each symbol, which was still unknown.
So treated it worked out in this.
Fashion m, space dot e, re space.
Dot dot e. Space s l.n e. .
Now the first letter can only be a, which is a most useful
Discovery since it occurs. No, fewer than three times in
this short sentence and the H is also apparent in the second
word. Now, it becomes am here, A.E,
slain. Or filling in the obvious.
Vacancies, in the name am here. Abe slaney.
I had so many letters. Now that I could proceed with
considerable confidence to the second message, which worked out
in this fashion. A DOT space ELR.
I dot space es here. I could only make sense by
putting T and G for the missing letters and supposing that the
name was that of some House or in which the writer was staying
inspector Martin. And I had listened with the
utmost interest to the full and clear account of how, my friend
had produced results, which had led to.
So complete a command over our difficulties.
What did you do? Then sir asked the inspector.
I had every reason to suppose that this Abe slaney was an
American since Abe is an American contraction and since
the letter from America had been the starting point of all the
trouble. I had also every cause to think
that there was some criminal secret in the matter.
The lady's allusions to her past and her refusal, to take her
husband into her confidence, both pointed in that direction.
I therefore cable to my friend Wilson.
The New York police Bureau who has more than once made as use
of my knowledge of London crime. I asked him, whether the name of
Abe, slaney was known to him. Here is his reply.
The most dangerous Crook in Chicago.
On the very evening upon which I had his answer.
Hilton cubitt sent me the last message from slaney working with
known letters. It took this form else E.R.
E.A. Re space to meet thy go.
The addition of a p and a d completed a message, which
showed me that the Rascal was proceeding from persuasion to
threats and my knowledge of the crooks of Prepared me to find
that he might very rapidly, put his words into action.
I at, once came to Norfolk with my friend and colleague.
Dr. Watson, but unhappily, only in time to find that the worst
had already occurred. It is a privilege to be
associated with you in a handling of a case said, the
inspector warmly, you will excuse me.
However, if I speak, frankly to you, you are only answerable to
yourself, but I have to answer to my superiors.
If this Abe, slaney living at elrige's is indeed the murderer.
And if he has made his Escape while I'm seated here.
I should certainly get into serious trouble.
You need not be uneasy. He will not try to escape.
How do you know to fly? Would be a confession of guilt
then. Let us go arrest him.
I expect him here every instant, but why should he come?
Because I have written and asked him, but this is incredible.
Mr. Holmes. Why should he come?
Because you have asked him would not such a request, rather
arouse his suspicions and caused him to fly.
I think I've known how to frame the letter said Sherlock Holmes.
In fact, if I'm not very much mistaken, here is a gentleman
himself, coming up the drive. A man was striding up the past,
which led to the door. He was a tall handsome swarthy
fellow clad in a suit of gray flannel with a Panama Hat, a
bristling black beard, and a great aggressive hooked, nose
and flourishing a cane as he walked.
He swaggered up a path as if the place belonged to him and we
heard his loud confident peel at the Bell.
I think gentleman said Holmes quietly that we had best take up
our position behind the door. Every precaution is necessary.
When dealing with such a fellow you will need your handcuffs
inspector. You can leave the talking to me.
We waited in silence for a minute.
One of those minutes which one can never forget, then the door
opened, and the man stepped, in, in an instant Holmes, clapped a
pistol to his head and Martin slipped the handcuffs over his
wrists. It was all done.
So, swiftly and deftly that the fellow was helpless.
Before he knew that he was attacked.
He glared from one to the other of us with a pair of Blazing
black eyes, and he burst into a bitter laugh.
Well gentlemen, you have the drop on me.
This time. I seem to have knocked up
against something hard, but I came here in answer to a letter
from mrs. Hilton cubitt.
Don't tell me that she is in. This don't tell me that she
helped to set a trap for me. Mrs. Hilton cubitt was seriously
injured and is at death's door. The man gave a hoarse Cry of
grief, which rang through the house.
You're crazy. He cried fiercely.
It was he that was hurt not. She who would have hurt little
Elsie. I may have threatened her.
God forgive me without not have touched her hair of her hair.
Pretty head. Take it back.
You say that. She's not hurt.
She was found badly wounded by the side of her dead husband.
He sank with a deep groan on the city and buried his face in his
manacled hands. For five minutes, he was silent.
Then he raised his face once more and spoke with a cold
composure of despair. I have nothing to hide from you.
Gentleman said he, he fast shot the man.
He had his shut up, me and there's no murder in that, but
if you think I could have heard that woman and you don't know
either me or her. I tell you.
There was never a man in this world loved a woman more than I
loved her. I had a right to her.
She was pledged to me years ago. Who was this Englishman?
That he should come between us? I tell you that I had the first
rat turd. And that I was only claiming my
own. She broke away from your
influence when she found. The man that you are said,
Holmes sternly she fled from America to avoid you and she
married an honorable gentlemen. In England, you dogged her and
followed her and made her life a misery to her in order to induce
her to abandon the husband who she loved and respected in order
to fly with you whom she feared and hated.
You have ended by bringing about the death of a nobleman and
driving his wife, too. Aside, that is your record in
this business. Mr. Abe slaney, and you will
answer for it to the law. If L see dies, I care.
Nothing, What Becomes of me said, the American he opened one
of his hands and looked at a note crumpled up in his palm see
here. Mr. He cried with a gleam of
Suspicion in his eyes. You're not trying to scare me
over this. Are you?
If the lady is heard as bad as you say, who was it?
That wrote this note. He tossed.
It Forward onto the table. I wrote it to bring you here.
You wrote it. There was no one on earth.
Outside, The Joint who knew the secret of the dancing men.
How came he derided? What one man, can invent another
can discover said, Holmes? There is a cab coming to convey
you to Norwich. Mr. Slaney, but meanwhile, you
have time to make some small reparation for the injury.
You have wrought. Are you aware that mrs.
Hilton cubitt has herself Lane under grave suspicion of the
murder of her husband and that it was only my presence here and
the knowledge, which I happen to possess, which has saved her
from the accusation. The least that you owe her is to
make it clear to the whole world that she was in no way directly
or indirectly responsible for his tragic end.
I ask nothing better said the American I guess.
Very best case I can make for myself.
Is the absolute naked truth. It is my duty to warn you that
it will be used against you cried, the inspector with the
Magnificent, Fairplay of the British criminal law.
Slaney Shrugged, his shoulders. Now, chance, that said he, first
of all, I want you gentlemen to understand that I've known this
lady since she was a child. There were seven of us in a gang
in Chicago and else's. Father was the boss of the
joint. He was a clever man, was all
Patrick who was he had invented that riding?
Which would pass as a child scroll and she just happened to
have the key to it. Well else.
He learned some of our ways. But she couldn't stand the
business and she had a bit of honest money of her own.
So she gave us all the slip got away to London.
She been engaged to me and she would have married me.
I believe if I had taken over another profession, but she
would have nothing to do with anything on the cross was only
after a marriage to this. Englishmen that I was able to
find out where she was. I wrote her, but got no answer
after that. I came over and as letters were
no use. I put my ages where she could
read them. Well, I've been here a month.
Now. I lived in that farm where I had
a room down below to get in and out every night and no one the
wiser. I tried all.
I could to coax Elsie away. I knew that she read the
messages for one. She wrote an answer under one of
them in my temper. Got the better of me and I began
to threaten her. She sent me a letter then
imploring me to go away and saying that it could break her
heart. If any Scandal should come upon
her husband. She said that she would come
down when her husband was asleep at three in the morning and
speak with me through the end window.
If I would go away afterwards and leave her in peace.
She came down and brought money with her trying to bribe me to
go. This made me mad, and I caught
her arm and try to pull her through the window at that
moment. In rush to her husband, with his
revolver in his hand. Elsie had sunk down upon the
floor and we were face-to-face. I was healed also.
And I held up my gun to scare them off.
And let me get away. He fired and miss me pulled off
almost at the same, instant and Downey dropped.
I made a way across the garden and Hazard when I heard the
window shut behind me. That's God's truth gentlemen,
every word of it. And I heard no more about it.
Until that lad came riding up with a note which made me walk
in here like a j and give myself into your hands.
A cab a drawn up whilst the American have been talking to
Uniformed policemen sat inside. Inspector, Martin Rose and
touched his prisoner on the shoulder.
It's time for us to go. Can I see her first?
No, she is not conscious. Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
I only hope that if ever again, I have an important case, I
shall have the Good Fortune to have you by my side.
We stood at the window and watched the cab driver way.
As I turned back my eye caught the pellet of paper, which The
Prisoner had tossed upon the table.
It was the note with which Holmes had decoy him.
See if you can read it, Watson said he with a smile, it
contained no word but a little line of dancing men.
If you use the code, which I have explained said, Holmes, you
will find that. It simply means come here at
once. I was convinced that it was an
invitation, which he would not refuse since he could never
imagine that it could come from anyone but the lady And so my
dear Watson, we have ended by turning the dancing men too.
Good when they have. So often been the Agents of evil
and I think that I've fulfilled my promise of giving you
something unusual for your notebook, 340 is our train and I
fancy we should be back in Baker Street for dinner.
Only one word of epilogue the American Abe.
Slaney was condemned to death at the winter.
Assizes at Norwich, but his penalty was changed to penal
servitude in consideration of mitigating circumstances.
And the certainty that Hilton cubitt had fired.
The first shot of mrs. Hilton, cubitt.
I only know that I have heard she recovered entirely and that
she still remains a widow, devoting her whole life to the
care of the poor, and to the administration.
Of her, husband's estate. End of the adventure of the
dancing men. End of the adventure of the
dancing men.