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Holmes; taking a seat beside her。 〃I think that it is more than

probable…〃 he paused; and I was surprised; on glancing round to see

that he was staring with singular intentness at the lady's profile。

Surprise and satisfaction were both for an instant to be read upon his

eager face; though when she glanced round to find out the cause of his

silence he had become as demure as ever。 I stared hard myself at her

flat; grizzled hair; her trim cap; her little gilt earrings; her

placid features; but I could see nothing which could account for my

companion's evident excitement。

  〃There were one or two questions…〃

  〃Oh; I am weary of questions!〃 cried Miss Cushing impatiently。

  〃You have two sisters; I believe。〃

  〃How could you know that?〃

  〃I observed the very instant that I entered the room that you have a

portrait group of three ladies upon the mantelpiece; one of whom is

undoubtedly yourself; while the others are so exceedingly like you

that there could be no doubt of the relationship。〃

  〃Yes; you are quite right。 Those are my sisters; Sarah and Mary。〃

  〃And here at my elbow is another portrait taken at Liverpool; of

your younger sister; in the company of a man who appears to be a

steward by his uniform。 I observe that she was unmarried at the time。〃

  〃You are very quick at observing。〃

  〃That is my trade。〃

  〃Well; you are quite right。 But she was married to Mr。 Browner a few

days afterwards。 He was on the South American line when that was

taken; but he was so fond of her that he couldn't abide to leave her

for so long; and he got into the Liverpool and London boats。〃

  〃Ah; the Conqueror; perhaps?〃

  〃No; the May Day; when last I heard。 Jim came down here to see me

once。 That was before he broke the pledge; but afterwards he would

always take drink when he was ashore; and a little drink would send

him stark; staring mad。 Ah! it was a bad day that ever he took a glass

in his hand again。 First he dropped me; then he quarrelled with Sarah;

and now that Mary has stopped writing we don't know how things are

going with them。〃

  It was evident that Miss Cushing had come upon a subject on which

she felt very deeply。 Like most people who lead a lonely life; she was

shy at first; but ended by becoming extremely communicative。 She

told us many details about her brother…in…law the steward; and then

wandering off on the subject of her former lodgers; the medical

students; she gave us a long account of their delinquencies; with

their names and those of their hospitals。 Holmes listened

attentively to everything; throwing in a question from time to time。

  〃About your second sister; Sarah;〃 said he。 〃I wonder; since you are

both maiden ladies; that you do not keep house together。〃

  〃Ah! you don't know Sarah's temper or you would wonder no more。 I

tried it when I came to Croydon; and we kept on until about two months

ago; when we had to part。 I don't want to say a word against my own

sister; but she was always meddlesome and hard to please; was Sarah。〃

  〃You say that she quarrelled with your Liverpool relations。〃

  〃Yes; and they were the best of friends at one time。 Why; she went

up there to live in order to be near them。 And now she has no word

hard enough for Jim Browner。 The last six months that she was here she

would speak of nothing but his drinking and his ways。 He had caught

her meddling; I suspect; and given her a bit of his mind; and that was

the start of it。〃

  〃Thank you; Miss Cushing;〃 said Holmes; rising and bowing。 〃Your

sister Sarah lives; I think you said; at New Street; Wallington?

Good…bye; and I am very sorry that you have been troubled over a

case with which; as you say; you have nothing whatever to do。〃

  There was a cab passing as we came out; and Holmes hailed it。

  〃How far to Wallington?〃 he asked。

  〃Only about a mile; sir。〃

  〃Very good。 jump in; Watson。 We must strike while the iron is hot。

Simple as the case is; there have been one or two very instructive

details in connection with it。 Just pull up at a telegraph office as

you pass; cabby。〃

  Holmes sent off a short wire and for the rest of the drive lay

back in the cab; with his hat tilted over his nose to keep the sun

from his face。 Our driver pulled up at a house which was not unlike

the one which we had just quitted。 My companion ordered him to wait;

and had his hand upon the knocker; when the door opened and a grave

young gentleman in black; with a very shiny hat; appeared on the step。

  〃Is Miss Cushing at home?〃 asked Holmes。

  〃Miss Sarah Cushing is extremely ill;〃 said he。 〃She has been

suffering since yesterday from brain symptoms of great severity。 As

her medical adviser; I cannot possibly take the responsibility of

allowing anyone to see her。 I should recommend you to call again in

ten days。〃 He drew on his gloves; closed the door; and marched off

down the street。

  〃Well; if we can't we can't;〃 said Holmes; cheerfully。

  〃Perhaps she could not or would not have told you much。〃

  〃I did not wish her to tell me anything。 I only wanted to look at

her。 However; I think that I have got all that I want。 Drive us to

some decent hotel; cabby; where we may have some lunch; and afterwards

we shall drop down upon friend Lestrade at the police…station。〃

  We had a pleasant little meal together; during which Holmes would

talk about nothing but violins; narrating with great exultation how he

had purchased his own Stradivarius; which was worth at least five

hundred guineas; at a Jew broker's in Tottenham Court Road for

fifty…five shillings。 This led him to Paganini; and we sat for an hour

over a bottle of claret while he told me anecdote after anecdote of

that extraordinary man。 The afternoon was far advanced and the hot

glare had softened into a mellow glow before we found ourselves at the

police…station。 Lestrade was waiting for us at the door。

  〃A telegram for you; Mr。 Holmes;〃 said he。

  〃Ha! It is the answer!〃 He tore it open; glanced his eyes over it;

and crumpled it into his pocket。 〃That's all right〃 said he。

  〃Have you found out anything?〃

  〃I have found out everything!〃

  〃What!〃 Lestrade stared at him in amazement。 〃You are joking。〃

  〃I was never more serious in my life。 A shocking crime has been

committed; and I think I have now laid bare every detail of it。〃

  〃And the criminal?〃

  Holmes scribbled a few words upon the back of one of his visiting

cards and threw it over to Lestrade。

  〃That is the name;〃 he said。 〃You cannot effect an arrest until

to…morrow night at the earliest。 I should prefer that you do not

mention my name at all in connection with the case; as I choose to

be only associated with those crimes which present some difficulty

in their solution。 Come on; Watson。〃 We strode off together to the

station; leaving Lestrade still staring with a delighted face at the

card which Holmes had thrown him。



  〃The case;〃 said Sherlock Holmes as we chatted over our cigars

that night in our rooms at Baker Street; 〃is one where; as in the

investigations which you have chronicled under the names of 'A Study

in Scarlet' and of 'The Sign of Four;' we have been compelled to

reason backward from effects to causes。 I have written to Lestrade

asking him to supply us with the details which are now wanting; and

which he will only get after he has secured his man。 That he may be

safely trusted to do; for although he is absolutely devoid of

reason; he is as tenacious as a bulldog when he once understands

what he has to do; and; indeed; it is just this tenacity which has

brought him to the top at Scotland Yard。〃

  〃Your case is not complete; then?〃 I asked。

  〃It is fairly complete in essentials。 We know who the author of

the revolting business is; although one of the victims still escapes

us。 Of course; you have formed your own conclusions。〃

  〃I presume that this Jim Browner; the steward of a Liverpool boat;

is the man whom you suspect?〃

  〃Oh! it is more than a suspicion。〃

  〃And yet I cannot see anything save very vague indications。〃

  〃On the contrary; to my mind nothing could be more clear。 Let me run

over the principal steps。 We approached the case; you remember; with

an absolutely blank mind; which is always an advantage。 We had

formed no theories。 We were simply there to observe and to draw

inferences from our observations。 What did we see first? A very placid

and respectable lady; who seemed quite innocent of any secret; and a

portrait which showed me that she had two younger sisters。 It

instantly flashed across my mind that the box might have been meant

for one of these。 I set the idea aside as one which could be disproved

or confirmed at our leisure。 Then we went to the garden; as you

remember; and we saw the very singular contents of the little yellow

box。

  〃The string was of the quality which is used by sailmakers aboard

ship; and at once a whiff of the sea was perceptible in our

investigation。 When I observed that the knot was one which is

popular with sailors; that the parcel had been posted at a port; and

that the male ear was pierced for an earring which i

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