Reading Help The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Ch.V-VIII
"Stoke Moran?" said he. `
` `
` "Yes, sir, that be the house of Dr. Grimesby Roylott," remarked `
` the driver. `
` `
` "There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is `
` where we are going." `
` `
` "There's the village," said the driver, pointing to a cluster of `
` roofs some distance to the left; "but if you want to get to the `
` house, you'll find it shorter to get over this stile, and so by `
` the foot-path over the fields. There it is, where the lady is `
` walking." `
` `
` "And the lady, I fancy, is Miss Stoner," observed Holmes, shading `
` his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest." `
` `
` We got off, paid our fare, and the trap rattled back on its way `
` to Leatherhead. `
` `
` "I thought it as well," said Holmes as we climbed the stile, `
` "that this fellow should think we had come here as architects, or `
` on some definite business. It may stop his gossip. `
` Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good as `
` our word." `
` `
` Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with a `
` face which spoke her joy. "I have been waiting so eagerly for `
` you," she cried, shaking hands with us warmly. "All has turned `
` out splendidly. Dr. Roylott has gone to town, and it is unlikely `
` that he will be back before evening." `
` `
` "We have had the pleasure of making the doctor's acquaintance," `
` said Holmes, and in a few words he sketched out what had `
` occurred. Miss Stoner turned white to the lips as she listened. `
` `
` "Good heavens!" she cried, "he has followed me, then." `
` `
` "So it appears." `
` `
` "He is so cunning that I never know when I am safe from him. What `
` will he say when he returns?" `
` `
` "He must guard himself, for he may find that there is someone `
` more cunning than himself upon his track. You must lock yourself `
` up from him to-night. If he is violent, we shall take you away to `
` your aunt's at Harrow. Now, we must make the best use of our `
` time, so kindly take us at once to the rooms which we are to `
` examine." `
` `
` The building was of grey, lichen-blotched stone, with a high `
` central portion and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, `
` thrown out on each side. In one of these wings the windows were `
` broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly `
` caved in, a picture of ruin. The central portion was in little `
` better repair, but the right-hand block was comparatively modern, `
` and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up `
` from the chimneys, showed that this was where the family resided. `
` Some scaffolding had been erected against the end wall, and the `
` stone-work had been broken into, but there were no signs of any `
` workmen at the moment of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up and `
` down the ill-trimmed lawn and examined with deep attention the `
` outsides of the windows. `
` `
` "This, I take it, belongs to the room in which you used to sleep, `
` the centre one to your sister's, and the one next to the main `
` building to Dr. Roylott's chamber?" `
` `
` "Exactly so. But I am now sleeping in the middle one." `
` `
` "Pending the alterations, as I understand. By the way, there does `
` not seem to be any very pressing need for repairs at that end `
` wall." `
` `
` "There were none. I believe that it was an excuse to move me from `
` my room." `
` `
` "Ah! that is suggestive. Now, on the other side of this narrow `
` wing runs the corridor from which these three rooms open. There `
` are windows in it, of course?" `
` `
` "Yes, but very small ones. Too narrow for anyone to pass `
` through." `
` `
` "As you both locked your doors at night, your rooms were `
` unapproachable from that side. Now, would you have the kindness `
` to go into your room and bar your shutters?" `
` `
` Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination `
` through the open window, endeavoured in every way to force the `
` shutter open, but without success. There was no slit through `
` which a knife could be passed to raise the bar. Then with his `
` lens he tested the hinges, but they were of solid iron, built `
` firmly into the massive masonry. "Hum!" said he, scratching his `
` chin in some perplexity, "my theory certainly presents some `
` difficulties. No one could pass these shutters if they were `
` bolted. Well, we shall see if the inside throws any light upon `
` the matter." `
` `
` A small side door led into the whitewashed corridor from which `
` the three bedrooms opened. Holmes refused to examine the third `
` chamber, so we passed at once to the second, that in which Miss `
` Stoner was now sleeping, and in which her sister had met with her `
` fate. It was a homely little room, with a low ceiling and a `
` gaping fireplace, after the fashion of old country-houses. A `
` brown chest of drawers stood in one corner, a narrow `
` white-counterpaned bed in another, and a dressing-table on the `
` left-hand side of the window. These articles, with two small `
` wicker-work chairs, made up all the furniture in the room save `
` for a square of Wilton carpet in the centre. The boards round and `
` the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old `
` and discoloured that it may have dated from the original building `
` of the house. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat `
` silent, while his eyes travelled round and round and up and down, `
` taking in every detail of the apartment. `
` `
` "Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last `
` pointing to a thick bell-rope which hung down beside the bed, the `
` tassel actually lying upon the pillow. `
` `
` "It goes to the housekeeper's room." `
` `
` "It looks newer than the other things?" `
` `
` "Yes, it was only put there a couple of years ago." `
` `
` "Your sister asked for it, I suppose?" `
` `
` "No, I never heard of her using it. We used always to get what we `
` wanted for ourselves." `
` `
` "Indeed, it seemed unnecessary to put so nice a bell-pull there. `
` You will excuse me for a few minutes while I satisfy myself as to `
` this floor." He threw himself down upon his face with his lens in `
` his hand and crawled swiftly backward and forward, examining `
` minutely the cracks between the boards. Then he did the same with `
` the wood-work with which the chamber was panelled. Finally he `
` walked over to the bed and spent some time in staring at it and `
` in running his eye up and down the wall. Finally he took the `
` bell-rope in his hand and gave it a brisk tug. `
` `
` "Why, it's a dummy," said he. `
` `
` "Won't it ring?" `
` `
` "No, it is not even attached to a wire. This is very interesting. `
` You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where `
` the little opening for the ventilator is." `
` `
` "How very absurd! I never noticed that before." `
` `
` "Very strange!" muttered Holmes, pulling at the rope. "There are `
` one or two very singular points about this room. For example, `
` what a fool a builder must be to open a ventilator into another `
` room, when, with the same trouble, he might have communicated `
` with the outside air!" `
` `
` "That is also quite modern," said the lady. `
` `
` "Done about the same time as the bell-rope?" remarked Holmes. `
` `
` "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that `
` time." `
` `
` "They seem to have been of a most interesting character--dummy `
` bell-ropes, and ventilators which do not ventilate. With your `
` permission, Miss Stoner, we shall now carry our researches into `
` the inner apartment." `
` `
` Dr. Grimesby Roylott's chamber was larger than that of his `
` step-daughter, but was as plainly furnished. A camp-bed, a small `
` wooden shelf full of books, mostly of a technical character, an `
` armchair beside the bed, a plain wooden chair against the wall, a `
` round table, and a large iron safe were the principal things `
` which met the eye. Holmes walked slowly round and examined each `
` and all of them with the keenest interest. `
` `
` "What's in here?" he asked, tapping the safe. `
` `
` "My stepfather's business papers." `
` `
` "Oh! you have seen inside, then?" `
` `
` "Only once, some years ago. I remember that it was full of `
` papers." `
` `
` "There isn't a cat in it, for example?" `
` `
` "No. What a strange idea!" `
` `
` "Well, look at this!" He took up a small saucer of milk which `
` stood on the top of it. `
` `
` "No; we don't keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon." `
` `
` "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a `
` saucer of milk does not go very far in satisfying its wants, I `
` daresay. There is one point which I should wish to determine." He `
` squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat `
` of it with the greatest attention. `
` `
`
` `
` "Yes, sir, that be the house of Dr. Grimesby Roylott," remarked `
` the driver. `
` `
` "There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is `
` where we are going." `
` `
` "There's the village," said the driver, pointing to a cluster of `
` roofs some distance to the left; "but if you want to get to the `
` house, you'll find it shorter to get over this stile, and so by `
` the foot-path over the fields. There it is, where the lady is `
` walking." `
` `
` "And the lady, I fancy, is Miss Stoner," observed Holmes, shading `
` his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest." `
` `
` We got off, paid our fare, and the trap rattled back on its way `
` to Leatherhead. `
` `
` "I thought it as well," said Holmes as we climbed the stile, `
` "that this fellow should think we had come here as architects, or `
` on some definite business. It may stop his gossip. `
` Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good as `
` our word." `
` `
` Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with a `
` face which spoke her joy. "I have been waiting so eagerly for `
` you," she cried, shaking hands with us warmly. "All has turned `
` out splendidly. Dr. Roylott has gone to town, and it is unlikely `
` that he will be back before evening." `
` `
` "We have had the pleasure of making the doctor's acquaintance," `
` said Holmes, and in a few words he sketched out what had `
` occurred. Miss Stoner turned white to the lips as she listened. `
` `
` "Good heavens!" she cried, "he has followed me, then." `
` `
` "So it appears." `
` `
` "He is so cunning that I never know when I am safe from him. What `
` will he say when he returns?" `
` `
` "He must guard himself, for he may find that there is someone `
` more cunning than himself upon his track. You must lock yourself `
` up from him to-night. If he is violent, we shall take you away to `
` your aunt's at Harrow. Now, we must make the best use of our `
` time, so kindly take us at once to the rooms which we are to `
` examine." `
` `
` The building was of grey, lichen-blotched stone, with a high `
` central portion and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, `
` thrown out on each side. In one of these wings the windows were `
` broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly `
` caved in, a picture of ruin. The central portion was in little `
` better repair, but the right-hand block was comparatively modern, `
` and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up `
` from the chimneys, showed that this was where the family resided. `
` Some scaffolding had been erected against the end wall, and the `
` stone-work had been broken into, but there were no signs of any `
` workmen at the moment of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up and `
` down the ill-trimmed lawn and examined with deep attention the `
` outsides of the windows. `
` `
` "This, I take it, belongs to the room in which you used to sleep, `
` the centre one to your sister's, and the one next to the main `
` building to Dr. Roylott's chamber?" `
` `
` "Exactly so. But I am now sleeping in the middle one." `
` `
` "Pending the alterations, as I understand. By the way, there does `
` not seem to be any very pressing need for repairs at that end `
` wall." `
` `
` "There were none. I believe that it was an excuse to move me from `
` my room." `
` `
` "Ah! that is suggestive. Now, on the other side of this narrow `
` wing runs the corridor from which these three rooms open. There `
` are windows in it, of course?" `
` `
` "Yes, but very small ones. Too narrow for anyone to pass `
` through." `
` `
` "As you both locked your doors at night, your rooms were `
` unapproachable from that side. Now, would you have the kindness `
` to go into your room and bar your shutters?" `
` `
` Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination `
` through the open window, endeavoured in every way to force the `
` shutter open, but without success. There was no slit through `
` which a knife could be passed to raise the bar. Then with his `
` lens he tested the hinges, but they were of solid iron, built `
` firmly into the massive masonry. "Hum!" said he, scratching his `
` chin in some perplexity, "my theory certainly presents some `
` difficulties. No one could pass these shutters if they were `
` bolted. Well, we shall see if the inside throws any light upon `
` the matter." `
` `
` A small side door led into the whitewashed corridor from which `
` the three bedrooms opened. Holmes refused to examine the third `
` chamber, so we passed at once to the second, that in which Miss `
` Stoner was now sleeping, and in which her sister had met with her `
` fate. It was a homely little room, with a low ceiling and a `
` gaping fireplace, after the fashion of old country-houses. A `
` brown chest of drawers stood in one corner, a narrow `
` white-counterpaned bed in another, and a dressing-table on the `
` left-hand side of the window. These articles, with two small `
` wicker-work chairs, made up all the furniture in the room save `
` for a square of Wilton carpet in the centre. The boards round and `
` the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old `
` and discoloured that it may have dated from the original building `
` of the house. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat `
` silent, while his eyes travelled round and round and up and down, `
` taking in every detail of the apartment. `
` `
` "Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last `
` pointing to a thick bell-rope which hung down beside the bed, the `
` tassel actually lying upon the pillow. `
` `
` "It goes to the housekeeper's room." `
` `
` "It looks newer than the other things?" `
` `
` "Yes, it was only put there a couple of years ago." `
` `
` "Your sister asked for it, I suppose?" `
` `
` "No, I never heard of her using it. We used always to get what we `
` wanted for ourselves." `
` `
` "Indeed, it seemed unnecessary to put so nice a bell-pull there. `
` You will excuse me for a few minutes while I satisfy myself as to `
` this floor." He threw himself down upon his face with his lens in `
` his hand and crawled swiftly backward and forward, examining `
` minutely the cracks between the boards. Then he did the same with `
` the wood-work with which the chamber was panelled. Finally he `
` walked over to the bed and spent some time in staring at it and `
` in running his eye up and down the wall. Finally he took the `
` bell-rope in his hand and gave it a brisk tug. `
` `
` "Why, it's a dummy," said he. `
` `
` "Won't it ring?" `
` `
` "No, it is not even attached to a wire. This is very interesting. `
` You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where `
` the little opening for the ventilator is." `
` `
` "How very absurd! I never noticed that before." `
` `
` "Very strange!" muttered Holmes, pulling at the rope. "There are `
` one or two very singular points about this room. For example, `
` what a fool a builder must be to open a ventilator into another `
` room, when, with the same trouble, he might have communicated `
` with the outside air!" `
` `
` "That is also quite modern," said the lady. `
` `
` "Done about the same time as the bell-rope?" remarked Holmes. `
` `
` "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that `
` time." `
` `
` "They seem to have been of a most interesting character--dummy `
` bell-ropes, and ventilators which do not ventilate. With your `
` permission, Miss Stoner, we shall now carry our researches into `
` the inner apartment." `
` `
` Dr. Grimesby Roylott's chamber was larger than that of his `
` step-daughter, but was as plainly furnished. A camp-bed, a small `
` wooden shelf full of books, mostly of a technical character, an `
` armchair beside the bed, a plain wooden chair against the wall, a `
` round table, and a large iron safe were the principal things `
` which met the eye. Holmes walked slowly round and examined each `
` and all of them with the keenest interest. `
` `
` "What's in here?" he asked, tapping the safe. `
` `
` "My stepfather's business papers." `
` `
` "Oh! you have seen inside, then?" `
` `
` "Only once, some years ago. I remember that it was full of `
` papers." `
` `
` "There isn't a cat in it, for example?" `
` `
` "No. What a strange idea!" `
` `
` "Well, look at this!" He took up a small saucer of milk which `
` stood on the top of it. `
` `
` "No; we don't keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon." `
` `
` "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a `
` saucer of milk does not go very far in satisfying its wants, I `
` daresay. There is one point which I should wish to determine." He `
` squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat `
` of it with the greatest attention. `
` `
`