Reading Help The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Ch.V-VIII
`
` VII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE `
` `
` I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second `
` morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the `
` compliments of the season. He was lounging upon the sofa in a `
` purple dressing-gown, a pipe-rack within his reach upon the `
` right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly `
` studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and `
` on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable `
` hard-felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several `
` places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair `
` suggested that the hat had been suspended in this manner for the `
` purpose of examination. `
` `
` "You are engaged," said I; "perhaps I interrupt you." `
` `
` "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss `
` my results. The matter is a perfectly trivial one"--he jerked his `
` thumb in the direction of the old hat--"but there are points in `
` connection with it which are not entirely devoid of interest and `
` even of instruction." `
` `
` I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his `
` crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows `
` were thick with the ice crystals. "I suppose," I remarked, "that, `
` homely as it looks, this thing has some deadly story linked on to `
` it--that it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of `
` some mystery and the punishment of some crime." `
` `
` "No, no. No crime," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "Only one of `
` those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you have `
` four million human beings all jostling each other within the `
` space of a few square miles. Amid the action and reaction of so `
` dense a swarm of humanity, every possible combination of events `
` may be expected to take place, and many a little problem will be `
` presented which may be striking and bizarre without being `
` criminal. We have already had experience of such." `
` `
` "So much so," I remarked, "that of the last six cases which I `
` have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any `
` legal crime." `
` `
` "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler `
` papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland, and to the `
` adventure of the man with the twisted lip. Well, I have no doubt `
` that this small matter will fall into the same innocent category. `
` You know Peterson, the commissionaire?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "It is to him that this trophy belongs." `
` `
` "It is his hat." `
` `
` "No, no, he found it. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will `
` look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual `
` problem. And, first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon `
` Christmas morning, in company with a good fat goose, which is, I `
` have no doubt, roasting at this moment in front of Peterson's `
` fire. The facts are these: about four o'clock on Christmas `
` morning, Peterson, who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was `
` returning from some small jollification and was making his way `
` homeward down Tottenham Court Road. In front of him he saw, in `
` the gaslight, a tallish man, walking with a slight stagger, and `
` carrying a white goose slung over his shoulder. As he reached the `
` corner of Goodge Street, a row broke out between this stranger `
` and a little knot of roughs. One of the latter knocked off the `
` man's hat, on which he raised his stick to defend himself and, `
` swinging it over his head, smashed the shop window behind him. `
` Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger from his `
` assailants; but the man, shocked at having broken the window, and `
` seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards him, `
` dropped his goose, took to his heels, and vanished amid the `
` labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham `
` Court Road. The roughs had also fled at the appearance of `
` Peterson, so that he was left in possession of the field of `
` battle, and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this `
` battered hat and a most unimpeachable Christmas goose." `
` `
` "Which surely he restored to their owner?" `
` `
` "My dear fellow, there lies the problem. It is true that 'For `
` Mrs. Henry Baker' was printed upon a small card which was tied to `
` the bird's left leg, and it is also true that the initials 'H. `
` B.' are legible upon the lining of this hat, but as there are `
` some thousands of Bakers, and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in `
` this city of ours, it is not easy to restore lost property to any `
` one of them." `
` `
` "What, then, did Peterson do?" `
` `
` "He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas morning, `
` knowing that even the smallest problems are of interest to me. `
` The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs `
` that, in spite of the slight frost, it would be well that it `
` should be eaten without unnecessary delay. Its finder has carried `
` it off, therefore, to fulfil the ultimate destiny of a goose, `
` while I continue to retain the hat of the unknown gentleman who `
` lost his Christmas dinner." `
` `
` "Did he not advertise?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Then, what clue could you have as to his identity?" `
` `
` "Only as much as we can deduce." `
` `
` "From his hat?" `
` `
` "Precisely." `
` `
` "But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered `
` felt?" `
` `
` "Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather `
` yourself as to the individuality of the man who has worn this `
` article?" `
` `
` I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather `
` ruefully. It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round `
` shape, hard and much the worse for wear. The lining had been of `
` red silk, but was a good deal discoloured. There was no maker's `
` name; but, as Holmes had remarked, the initials "H. B." were `
` scrawled upon one side. It was pierced in the brim for a `
` hat-securer, but the elastic was missing. For the rest, it was `
` cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted in several places, `
` although there seemed to have been some attempt to hide the `
` discoloured patches by smearing them with ink. `
` `
` "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. `
` `
` "On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, `
` however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in `
` drawing your inferences." `
` `
` "Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?" `
` `
` He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective `
` fashion which was characteristic of him. "It is perhaps less `
` suggestive than it might have been," he remarked, "and yet there `
` are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others `
` which represent at least a strong balance of probability. That `
` the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the `
` face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the `
` last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He `
` had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a `
` moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his `
` fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, `
` at work upon him. This may account also for the obvious fact that `
` his wife has ceased to love him." `
` `
` "My dear Holmes!" `
` `
` "He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect," he `
` continued, disregarding my remonstrance. "He is a man who leads a `
` sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is `
` middle-aged, has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the `
` last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are `
` the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. Also, `
` by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid `
` on in his house." `
` `
` "You are certainly joking, Holmes." `
` `
` "Not in the least. Is it possible that even now, when I give you `
` these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?" `
` `
` "I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I `
` am unable to follow you. For example, how did you deduce that `
` this man was intellectual?" `
` `
` For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head. It came right `
` over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is `
` a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a `
` brain must have something in it." `
` `
` "The decline of his fortunes, then?" `
` `
` "This hat is three years old. These flat brims curled at the edge `
` came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the `
` band of ribbed silk and the excellent lining. If this man could `
` afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has had no `
` hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." `
` `
` "Well, that is clear enough, certainly. But how about the `
` foresight and the moral retrogression?" `
` `
` Sherlock Holmes laughed. "Here is the foresight," said he putting `
` his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. `
` "They are never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, it is a `
` sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his `
` way to take this precaution against the wind. But since we see `
` that he has broken the elastic and has not troubled to replace `
` it, it is obvious that he has less foresight now than formerly, `
` which is a distinct proof of a weakening nature. On the other `
` hand, he has endeavoured to conceal some of these stains upon the `
` felt by daubing them with ink, which is a sign that he has not `
` entirely lost his self-respect." `
` `
`
` VII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE `
` `
` I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second `
` morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the `
` compliments of the season. He was lounging upon the sofa in a `
` purple dressing-gown, a pipe-rack within his reach upon the `
` right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly `
` studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and `
` on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable `
` hard-felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several `
` places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair `
` suggested that the hat had been suspended in this manner for the `
` purpose of examination. `
` `
` "You are engaged," said I; "perhaps I interrupt you." `
` `
` "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss `
` my results. The matter is a perfectly trivial one"--he jerked his `
` thumb in the direction of the old hat--"but there are points in `
` connection with it which are not entirely devoid of interest and `
` even of instruction." `
` `
` I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his `
` crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows `
` were thick with the ice crystals. "I suppose," I remarked, "that, `
` homely as it looks, this thing has some deadly story linked on to `
` it--that it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of `
` some mystery and the punishment of some crime." `
` `
` "No, no. No crime," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "Only one of `
` those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you have `
` four million human beings all jostling each other within the `
` space of a few square miles. Amid the action and reaction of so `
` dense a swarm of humanity, every possible combination of events `
` may be expected to take place, and many a little problem will be `
` presented which may be striking and bizarre without being `
` criminal. We have already had experience of such." `
` `
` "So much so," I remarked, "that of the last six cases which I `
` have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any `
` legal crime." `
` `
` "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler `
` papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland, and to the `
` adventure of the man with the twisted lip. Well, I have no doubt `
` that this small matter will fall into the same innocent category. `
` You know Peterson, the commissionaire?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "It is to him that this trophy belongs." `
` `
` "It is his hat." `
` `
` "No, no, he found it. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will `
` look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual `
` problem. And, first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon `
` Christmas morning, in company with a good fat goose, which is, I `
` have no doubt, roasting at this moment in front of Peterson's `
` fire. The facts are these: about four o'clock on Christmas `
` morning, Peterson, who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was `
` returning from some small jollification and was making his way `
` homeward down Tottenham Court Road. In front of him he saw, in `
` the gaslight, a tallish man, walking with a slight stagger, and `
` carrying a white goose slung over his shoulder. As he reached the `
` corner of Goodge Street, a row broke out between this stranger `
` and a little knot of roughs. One of the latter knocked off the `
` man's hat, on which he raised his stick to defend himself and, `
` swinging it over his head, smashed the shop window behind him. `
` Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger from his `
` assailants; but the man, shocked at having broken the window, and `
` seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards him, `
` dropped his goose, took to his heels, and vanished amid the `
` labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham `
` Court Road. The roughs had also fled at the appearance of `
` Peterson, so that he was left in possession of the field of `
` battle, and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this `
` battered hat and a most unimpeachable Christmas goose." `
` `
` "Which surely he restored to their owner?" `
` `
` "My dear fellow, there lies the problem. It is true that 'For `
` Mrs. Henry Baker' was printed upon a small card which was tied to `
` the bird's left leg, and it is also true that the initials 'H. `
` B.' are legible upon the lining of this hat, but as there are `
` some thousands of Bakers, and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in `
` this city of ours, it is not easy to restore lost property to any `
` one of them." `
` `
` "What, then, did Peterson do?" `
` `
` "He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas morning, `
` knowing that even the smallest problems are of interest to me. `
` The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs `
` that, in spite of the slight frost, it would be well that it `
` should be eaten without unnecessary delay. Its finder has carried `
` it off, therefore, to fulfil the ultimate destiny of a goose, `
` while I continue to retain the hat of the unknown gentleman who `
` lost his Christmas dinner." `
` `
` "Did he not advertise?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Then, what clue could you have as to his identity?" `
` `
` "Only as much as we can deduce." `
` `
` "From his hat?" `
` `
` "Precisely." `
` `
` "But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered `
` felt?" `
` `
` "Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather `
` yourself as to the individuality of the man who has worn this `
` article?" `
` `
` I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather `
` ruefully. It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round `
` shape, hard and much the worse for wear. The lining had been of `
` red silk, but was a good deal discoloured. There was no maker's `
` name; but, as Holmes had remarked, the initials "H. B." were `
` scrawled upon one side. It was pierced in the brim for a `
` hat-securer, but the elastic was missing. For the rest, it was `
` cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted in several places, `
` although there seemed to have been some attempt to hide the `
` discoloured patches by smearing them with ink. `
` `
` "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. `
` `
` "On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, `
` however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in `
` drawing your inferences." `
` `
` "Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?" `
` `
` He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective `
` fashion which was characteristic of him. "It is perhaps less `
` suggestive than it might have been," he remarked, "and yet there `
` are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others `
` which represent at least a strong balance of probability. That `
` the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the `
` face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the `
` last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He `
` had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a `
` moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his `
` fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, `
` at work upon him. This may account also for the obvious fact that `
` his wife has ceased to love him." `
` `
` "My dear Holmes!" `
` `
` "He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect," he `
` continued, disregarding my remonstrance. "He is a man who leads a `
` sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is `
` middle-aged, has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the `
` last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are `
` the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. Also, `
` by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid `
` on in his house." `
` `
` "You are certainly joking, Holmes." `
` `
` "Not in the least. Is it possible that even now, when I give you `
` these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?" `
` `
` "I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I `
` am unable to follow you. For example, how did you deduce that `
` this man was intellectual?" `
` `
` For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head. It came right `
` over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is `
` a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a `
` brain must have something in it." `
` `
` "The decline of his fortunes, then?" `
` `
` "This hat is three years old. These flat brims curled at the edge `
` came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the `
` band of ribbed silk and the excellent lining. If this man could `
` afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has had no `
` hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." `
` `
` "Well, that is clear enough, certainly. But how about the `
` foresight and the moral retrogression?" `
` `
` Sherlock Holmes laughed. "Here is the foresight," said he putting `
` his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. `
` "They are never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, it is a `
` sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his `
` way to take this precaution against the wind. But since we see `
` that he has broken the elastic and has not troubled to replace `
` it, it is obvious that he has less foresight now than formerly, `
` which is a distinct proof of a weakening nature. On the other `
` hand, he has endeavoured to conceal some of these stains upon the `
` felt by daubing them with ink, which is a sign that he has not `
` entirely lost his self-respect." `
` `
`