Reading Help The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Ch.V-VIII
affectionate father, and a man who is popular with all who know `
` him. I may add that his whole debts at the present moment, as far `
` as we have been able to ascertain, amount to 88 pounds 10s., while `
` he has 220 pounds standing to his credit in the Capital and `
` Counties Bank. There is no reason, therefore, to think that money `
` troubles have been weighing upon his mind. `
` `
` "Last Monday Mr. Neville St. Clair went into town rather earlier `
` than usual, remarking before he started that he had two important `
` commissions to perform, and that he would bring his little boy `
` home a box of bricks. Now, by the merest chance, his wife `
` received a telegram upon this same Monday, very shortly after his `
` departure, to the effect that a small parcel of considerable `
` value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the `
` offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company. Now, if you are well up `
` in your London, you will know that the office of the company is `
` in Fresno Street, which branches out of Upper Swandam Lane, where `
` you found me to-night. Mrs. St. Clair had her lunch, started for `
` the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, `
` got her packet, and found herself at exactly 4:35 walking through `
` Swandam Lane on her way back to the station. Have you followed me `
` so far?" `
` `
` "It is very clear." `
` `
` "If you remember, Monday was an exceedingly hot day, and Mrs. St. `
` Clair walked slowly, glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab, `
` as she did not like the neighbourhood in which she found herself. `
` While she was walking in this way down Swandam Lane, she suddenly `
` heard an ejaculation or cry, and was struck cold to see her `
` husband looking down at her and, as it seemed to her, beckoning `
` to her from a second-floor window. The window was open, and she `
` distinctly saw his face, which she describes as being terribly `
` agitated. He waved his hands frantically to her, and then `
` vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that `
` he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. `
` One singular point which struck her quick feminine eye was that `
` although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town `
` in, he had on neither collar nor necktie. `
` `
` "Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the `
` steps--for the house was none other than the opium den in which `
` you found me to-night--and running through the front room she `
` attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At `
` the foot of the stairs, however, she met this Lascar scoundrel of `
` whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who `
` acts as assistant there, pushed her out into the street. Filled `
` with the most maddening doubts and fears, she rushed down the `
` lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of `
` constables with an inspector, all on their way to their beat. The `
` inspector and two men accompanied her back, and in spite of the `
` continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to `
` the room in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen. There was no `
` sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was `
` no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, `
` it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly `
` swore that no one else had been in the front room during the `
` afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was `
` staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs. St. Clair had `
` been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box `
` which lay upon the table and tore the lid from it. Out there fell `
` a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had `
` promised to bring home. `
` `
` "This discovery, and the evident confusion which the cripple `
` showed, made the inspector realise that the matter was serious. `
` The rooms were carefully examined, and results all pointed to an `
` abominable crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a `
` sitting-room and led into a small bedroom, which looked out upon `
` the back of one of the wharves. Between the wharf and the bedroom `
` window is a narrow strip, which is dry at low tide but is covered `
` at high tide with at least four and a half feet of water. The `
` bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below. On `
` examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill, `
` and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of `
` the bedroom. Thrust away behind a curtain in the front room were `
` all the clothes of Mr. Neville St. Clair, with the exception of `
` his coat. His boots, his socks, his hat, and his watch--all were `
` there. There were no signs of violence upon any of these `
` garments, and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. `
` Clair. Out of the window he must apparently have gone for no `
` other exit could be discovered, and the ominous bloodstains upon `
` the sill gave little promise that he could save himself by `
` swimming, for the tide was at its very highest at the moment of `
` the tragedy. `
` `
` "And now as to the villains who seemed to be immediately `
` implicated in the matter. The Lascar was known to be a man of the `
` vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was `
` known to have been at the foot of the stair within a very few `
` seconds of her husband's appearance at the window, he could `
` hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime. His defence `
` was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no `
` knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he `
` could not account in any way for the presence of the missing `
` gentleman's clothes. `
` `
` "So much for the Lascar manager. Now for the sinister cripple who `
` lives upon the second floor of the opium den, and who was `
` certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. `
` Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which `
` is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a `
` professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police `
` regulations he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas. Some `
` little distance down Threadneedle Street, upon the left-hand `
` side, there is, as you may have remarked, a small angle in the `
` wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, `
` cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap, and as he `
` is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the `
` greasy leather cap which lies upon the pavement beside him. I `
` have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of `
` making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised `
` at the harvest which he has reaped in a short time. His `
` appearance, you see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him `
` without observing him. A shock of orange hair, a pale face `
` disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has `
` turned up the outer edge of his upper lip, a bulldog chin, and a `
` pair of very penetrating dark eyes, which present a singular `
` contrast to the colour of his hair, all mark him out from amid `
` the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he `
` is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be `
` thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now `
` learn to have been the lodger at the opium den, and to have been `
` the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest." `
` `
` "But a cripple!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed `
` against a man in the prime of life?" `
` `
` "He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp; but in `
` other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. `
` Surely your medical experience would tell you, Watson, that `
` weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional `
` strength in the others." `
` `
` "Pray continue your narrative." `
` `
` "Mrs. St. Clair had fainted at the sight of the blood upon the `
` window, and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her `
` presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. `
` Inspector Barton, who had charge of the case, made a very careful `
` examination of the premises, but without finding anything which `
` threw any light upon the matter. One mistake had been made in not `
` arresting Boone instantly, as he was allowed some few minutes `
` during which he might have communicated with his friend the `
` Lascar, but this fault was soon remedied, and he was seized and `
` searched, without anything being found which could incriminate `
` him. There were, it is true, some blood-stains upon his right `
` shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring-finger, which had been `
` cut near the nail, and explained that the bleeding came from `
` there, adding that he had been to the window not long before, and `
` that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from `
` the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. `
` Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in `
` his room was as much a mystery to him as to the police. As to `
` Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband `
` at the window, he declared that she must have been either mad or `
` dreaming. He was removed, loudly protesting, to the `
` police-station, while the inspector remained upon the premises in `
` the hope that the ebbing tide might afford some fresh clue. `
` `
` "And it did, though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they `
` had feared to find. It was Neville St. Clair's coat, and not `
` Neville St. Clair, which lay uncovered as the tide receded. And `
` what do you think they found in the pockets?" `
` `
` "I cannot imagine." `
` `
` "No, I don't think you would guess. Every pocket stuffed with `
` pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It `
` was no wonder that it had not been swept away by the tide. But a `
` human body is a different matter. There is a fierce eddy between `
` the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough that the `
` weighted coat had remained when the stripped body had been sucked `
` away into the river." `
` `
` "But I understand that all the other clothes were found in the `
` room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?" `
` `
` "No, sir, but the facts might be met speciously enough. Suppose `
` that this man Boone had thrust Neville St. Clair through the `
` window, there is no human eye which could have seen the deed. `
` What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him `
` that he must get rid of the tell-tale garments. He would seize `
` the coat, then, and be in the act of throwing it out, when it `
` would occur to him that it would swim and not sink. He has little `
` time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when the wife tried `
` to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his `
` Lascar confederate that the police are hurrying up the street. `
` There is not an instant to be lost. He rushes to some secret `
` hoard, where he has accumulated the fruits of his beggary, and he `
` stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands into the `
` pockets to make sure of the coat's sinking. He throws it out, and `
` would have done the same with the other garments had not he heard `
` the rush of steps below, and only just had time to close the `
` window when the police appeared." `
` `
` "It certainly sounds feasible." `
` `
` "Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a `
` better. Boone, as I have told you, was arrested and taken to the `
` station, but it could not be shown that there had ever before `
`
` him. I may add that his whole debts at the present moment, as far `
` as we have been able to ascertain, amount to 88 pounds 10s., while `
` he has 220 pounds standing to his credit in the Capital and `
` Counties Bank. There is no reason, therefore, to think that money `
` troubles have been weighing upon his mind. `
` `
` "Last Monday Mr. Neville St. Clair went into town rather earlier `
` than usual, remarking before he started that he had two important `
` commissions to perform, and that he would bring his little boy `
` home a box of bricks. Now, by the merest chance, his wife `
` received a telegram upon this same Monday, very shortly after his `
` departure, to the effect that a small parcel of considerable `
` value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the `
` offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company. Now, if you are well up `
` in your London, you will know that the office of the company is `
` in Fresno Street, which branches out of Upper Swandam Lane, where `
` you found me to-night. Mrs. St. Clair had her lunch, started for `
` the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, `
` got her packet, and found herself at exactly 4:35 walking through `
` Swandam Lane on her way back to the station. Have you followed me `
` so far?" `
` `
` "It is very clear." `
` `
` "If you remember, Monday was an exceedingly hot day, and Mrs. St. `
` Clair walked slowly, glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab, `
` as she did not like the neighbourhood in which she found herself. `
` While she was walking in this way down Swandam Lane, she suddenly `
` heard an ejaculation or cry, and was struck cold to see her `
` husband looking down at her and, as it seemed to her, beckoning `
` to her from a second-floor window. The window was open, and she `
` distinctly saw his face, which she describes as being terribly `
` agitated. He waved his hands frantically to her, and then `
` vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that `
` he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. `
` One singular point which struck her quick feminine eye was that `
` although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town `
` in, he had on neither collar nor necktie. `
` `
` "Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the `
` steps--for the house was none other than the opium den in which `
` you found me to-night--and running through the front room she `
` attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At `
` the foot of the stairs, however, she met this Lascar scoundrel of `
` whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who `
` acts as assistant there, pushed her out into the street. Filled `
` with the most maddening doubts and fears, she rushed down the `
` lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of `
` constables with an inspector, all on their way to their beat. The `
` inspector and two men accompanied her back, and in spite of the `
` continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to `
` the room in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen. There was no `
` sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was `
` no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, `
` it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly `
` swore that no one else had been in the front room during the `
` afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was `
` staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs. St. Clair had `
` been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box `
` which lay upon the table and tore the lid from it. Out there fell `
` a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had `
` promised to bring home. `
` `
` "This discovery, and the evident confusion which the cripple `
` showed, made the inspector realise that the matter was serious. `
` The rooms were carefully examined, and results all pointed to an `
` abominable crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a `
` sitting-room and led into a small bedroom, which looked out upon `
` the back of one of the wharves. Between the wharf and the bedroom `
` window is a narrow strip, which is dry at low tide but is covered `
` at high tide with at least four and a half feet of water. The `
` bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below. On `
` examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill, `
` and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of `
` the bedroom. Thrust away behind a curtain in the front room were `
` all the clothes of Mr. Neville St. Clair, with the exception of `
` his coat. His boots, his socks, his hat, and his watch--all were `
` there. There were no signs of violence upon any of these `
` garments, and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. `
` Clair. Out of the window he must apparently have gone for no `
` other exit could be discovered, and the ominous bloodstains upon `
` the sill gave little promise that he could save himself by `
` swimming, for the tide was at its very highest at the moment of `
` the tragedy. `
` `
` "And now as to the villains who seemed to be immediately `
` implicated in the matter. The Lascar was known to be a man of the `
` vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was `
` known to have been at the foot of the stair within a very few `
` seconds of her husband's appearance at the window, he could `
` hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime. His defence `
` was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no `
` knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he `
` could not account in any way for the presence of the missing `
` gentleman's clothes. `
` `
` "So much for the Lascar manager. Now for the sinister cripple who `
` lives upon the second floor of the opium den, and who was `
` certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. `
` Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which `
` is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a `
` professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police `
` regulations he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas. Some `
` little distance down Threadneedle Street, upon the left-hand `
` side, there is, as you may have remarked, a small angle in the `
` wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, `
` cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap, and as he `
` is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the `
` greasy leather cap which lies upon the pavement beside him. I `
` have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of `
` making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised `
` at the harvest which he has reaped in a short time. His `
` appearance, you see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him `
` without observing him. A shock of orange hair, a pale face `
` disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has `
` turned up the outer edge of his upper lip, a bulldog chin, and a `
` pair of very penetrating dark eyes, which present a singular `
` contrast to the colour of his hair, all mark him out from amid `
` the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he `
` is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be `
` thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now `
` learn to have been the lodger at the opium den, and to have been `
` the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest." `
` `
` "But a cripple!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed `
` against a man in the prime of life?" `
` `
` "He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp; but in `
` other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. `
` Surely your medical experience would tell you, Watson, that `
` weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional `
` strength in the others." `
` `
` "Pray continue your narrative." `
` `
` "Mrs. St. Clair had fainted at the sight of the blood upon the `
` window, and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her `
` presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. `
` Inspector Barton, who had charge of the case, made a very careful `
` examination of the premises, but without finding anything which `
` threw any light upon the matter. One mistake had been made in not `
` arresting Boone instantly, as he was allowed some few minutes `
` during which he might have communicated with his friend the `
` Lascar, but this fault was soon remedied, and he was seized and `
` searched, without anything being found which could incriminate `
` him. There were, it is true, some blood-stains upon his right `
` shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring-finger, which had been `
` cut near the nail, and explained that the bleeding came from `
` there, adding that he had been to the window not long before, and `
` that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from `
` the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. `
` Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in `
` his room was as much a mystery to him as to the police. As to `
` Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband `
` at the window, he declared that she must have been either mad or `
` dreaming. He was removed, loudly protesting, to the `
` police-station, while the inspector remained upon the premises in `
` the hope that the ebbing tide might afford some fresh clue. `
` `
` "And it did, though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they `
` had feared to find. It was Neville St. Clair's coat, and not `
` Neville St. Clair, which lay uncovered as the tide receded. And `
` what do you think they found in the pockets?" `
` `
` "I cannot imagine." `
` `
` "No, I don't think you would guess. Every pocket stuffed with `
` pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It `
` was no wonder that it had not been swept away by the tide. But a `
` human body is a different matter. There is a fierce eddy between `
` the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough that the `
` weighted coat had remained when the stripped body had been sucked `
` away into the river." `
` `
` "But I understand that all the other clothes were found in the `
` room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?" `
` `
` "No, sir, but the facts might be met speciously enough. Suppose `
` that this man Boone had thrust Neville St. Clair through the `
` window, there is no human eye which could have seen the deed. `
` What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him `
` that he must get rid of the tell-tale garments. He would seize `
` the coat, then, and be in the act of throwing it out, when it `
` would occur to him that it would swim and not sink. He has little `
` time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when the wife tried `
` to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his `
` Lascar confederate that the police are hurrying up the street. `
` There is not an instant to be lost. He rushes to some secret `
` hoard, where he has accumulated the fruits of his beggary, and he `
` stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands into the `
` pockets to make sure of the coat's sinking. He throws it out, and `
` would have done the same with the other garments had not he heard `
` the rush of steps below, and only just had time to close the `
` window when the police appeared." `
` `
` "It certainly sounds feasible." `
` `
` "Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a `
` better. Boone, as I have told you, was arrested and taken to the `
` station, but it could not be shown that there had ever before `
`