<s> PENCILS TOO AND KNIVES ALL WAS SATISFACTORY </s><s> BUT THAT FELLOW DOES PUZZLE ME </s><s> QUOTE WHO QUOTE </s><s> WHY BANNISTER THE SERVANT </s><s> WHAT'S HIS GAME IN THE MATTER </s><s> HE IMPRESSED ME AS BEING A PERFECTLY HONEST MAN </s><s> SO HE DID ME </s><s> THAT'S THE PUZZLING PART </s><s> WHY SHOULD A PERFECTLY HONEST MAN WELL WELL HERE'S A LARGE STATIONER'S </s><s> WE SHALL BEGIN OUR RESEARCHES HERE </s><s> THERE WERE ONLY FOUR STATIONERS OF ANY CONSEQUENCES IN THE TOWN AND AT EACH HOLMES PRODUCED HIS PENCIL CHIPS AND BID HIGH FOR A DUPLICATE </s><s> ALL WERE AGREED THAT ONE COULD BE ORDERED BUT THAT IT WAS NOT A USUAL SIZE OF PENCIL AND THAT IT WAS SELDOM KEPT IN STOCK </s><s> MY FRIEND DID NOT APPEAR TO BE DEPRESSED BY HIS FAILURE BUT SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS IN HALF HUMOROUS RESIGNATION </s><s> QUOTE NO GOOD MY DEAR WATSON </s><s> THIS THE BEST AND ONLY FINAL CLUE HAS RUN TO NOTHING </s><s> BUT INDEED I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT THAT WE CAN BUILD UP A SUFFICIENT CASE WITHOUT IT </s><s> BY JOVE MY DEAR FELLOW IT IS NEARLY NINE AND THE LANDLADY BABBLED OF GREEN PEAS AT SEVEN THIRTY </s><s> WHAT WITH YOUR ETERNAL TOBACCO WATSON AND YOUR IRREGULARITY AT MEALS I EXPECT THAT YOU WILL GET NOTICE TO QUIT AND THAT I SHALL SHARE YOUR DOWNFALL NOT HOWEVER BEFORE WE HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM OF THE NERVOUS TUTOR THE CARELESS SERVANT AND THE THREE ENTERPRISING STUDENTS </s><s> HOLMES MADE NO FURTHER ALLUSION TO THE MATTER THAT DAY THOUGH HE SAT LOST IN THOUGHT FOR A LONG TIME AFTER OUR BELATED DINNER </s><s> AT EIGHT IN THE MORNING HE CAME INTO MY ROOM JUST AS I FINISHED MY TOILET </s><s> WELL WATSON SAID HE IT IS TIME WE WENT DOWN TO SAINT LUKE'S </s><s> CAN YOU DO WITHOUT BREAKFAST </s><s> CERTAINLY </s><s> SOAMES WILL BE IN A DREADFUL FIDGET UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO TELL HIM SOMETHING POSITIVE </s><s> QUOTE HAVE YOU ANYTHING POSITIVE TO TELL HIM QUOTE </s><s> I THINK SO </s><s> YOU HAVE FORMED A CONCLUSION </s><s> YES MY DEAR WATSON I HAVE SOLVED THE MYSTERY </s><s> BUT WHAT FRESH EVIDENCE COULD YOU HAVE GOT </s><s> AHA </s><s> IT IS NOT FOR NOTHING THAT I HAVE TURNED MYSELF OUT OF BED AT THE UNTIMELY HOUR OF SIX </s><s> I HAVE PUT IN TWO HOURS' HARD WORK AND COVERED AT LEAST FIVE MILES WITH SOMETHING TO SHOW FOR IT </s><s> LOOK AT THAT QUOTE </s><s> HE HELD OUT HIS HAND </s><s> ON THE PALM WERE THREE LITTLE PYRAMIDS OF BLACK DOUGHY CLAY </s><s> WHY HOLMES YOU HAD ONLY TWO YESTERDAY </s><s> AND ONE MORE THIS MORNING </s><s> IT IS A FAIR ARGUMENT THAT WHEREVER NUMBER THREE CAME FROM IS ALSO THE SOURCE OF NUMBERS ONE AND TWO </s><s> EH WATSON </s><s> WELL COME ALONG AND PUT FRIEND SOAMES OUT OF HIS PAIN </s><s> THE UNFORTUNATE TUTOR WAS CERTAINLY IN A STATE OF PITIABLE AGITATION WHEN WE FOUND HIM IN HIS CHAMBERS </s><s> IN A FEW HOURS THE EXAMINATION WOULD COMMENCE AND HE WAS STILL IN THE DILEMMA BETWEEN MAKING THE FACTS PUBLIC AND ALLOWING THE CULPRIT TO COMPETE FOR THE VALUABLE SCHOLARSHIP </s><s> HE COULD HARDLY STAND STILL SO GREAT WAS HIS MENTAL AGITATION AND HE RAN TOWARDS HOLMES WITH TWO EAGER HANDS OUTSTRETCHED </s><s> THANK HEAVEN THAT YOU HAVE COME </s><s> I FEARED THAT YOU HAD GIVEN IT UP IN DESPAIR </s><s> WHAT AM I TO DO </s><s> SHALL THE EXAMINATION PROCEED </s><s> QUOTE YES LET IT PROCEED BY ALL MEANS QUOTE </s><s> BUT THIS RASCAL </s><s> HE SHALL NOT COMPETE </s><s> YOU KNOW HIM </s><s> I THINK SO </s><s> IF THIS MATTER IS NOT TO BECOME PUBLIC WE MUST GIVE OURSELVES CERTAIN POWERS AND RESOLVE OURSELVES INTO A SMALL PRIVATE COURT MARTIAL </s><s> YOU THERE IF YOU PLEASE SOAMES </s><s> WATSON YOU HERE </s><s> I'LL TAKE THE ARMCHAIR IN THE MIDDLE </s><s> I THINK THAT WE ARE NOW SUFFICIENTLY IMPOSING TO STRIKE TERROR INTO A GUILTY BREAST </s><s> KINDLY RING THE BELL </s><s> BANNISTER ENTERED AND SHRANK BACK IN EVIDENT SURPRISE AND FEAR AT OUR JUDICIAL APPEARANCE </s><s> QUOTE YOU WILL KINDLY CLOSE THE DOOR QUOTE SAID HOLMES </s><s> NOW BANNISTER WILL YOU PLEASE TELL US THE TRUTH ABOUT YESTERDAY'S INCIDENT </s><s> THE MAN TURNED WHITE TO THE ROOTS OF HIS HAIR </s><s> I HAVE TOLD YOU EVERYTHING SIR </s><s> NOTHING TO ADD </s><s> NOTHING AT ALL SIR </s><s> WELL THEN I MUST MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO YOU </s><s> WHEN YOU SAT DOWN ON THAT CHAIR YESTERDAY DID YOU DO SO IN ORDER TO CONCEAL SOME OBJECT WHICH WOULD HAVE SHOWN WHO HAD BEEN IN THE ROOM QUOTE </s><s> BANNISTER'S FACE WAS GHASTLY </s><s> NO SIR CERTAINLY NOT </s><s> IT IS ONLY A SUGGESTION SAID HOLMES SUAVELY </s><s> I FRANKLY ADMIT THAT I AM UNABLE TO PROVE IT </s><s> BUT IT SEEMS PROBABLE ENOUGH SINCE THE MOMENT THAT MR. SOAMES'S BACK WAS TURNED YOU RELEASED THE MAN WHO WAS HIDING IN THAT BEDROOM </s><s> BANNISTER LICKED HIS DRY LIPS </s><s> THERE WAS NO MAN SIR </s><s> QUOTE AH THAT'S A PITY BANNISTER </s><s> UP TO NOW YOU MAY HAVE SPOKEN THE TRUTH BUT NOW I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE LIED </s><s> THE MAN'S FACE SET IN SULLEN DEFIANCE </s><s> THERE WAS NO MAN SIR </s><s> COME COME BANNISTER </s><s> NO SIR THERE WAS NO ONE </s><s> IN THAT CASE YOU CAN GIVE US NO FURTHER INFORMATION </s><s> WOULD YOU PLEASE REMAIN IN THE ROOM </s><s> STAND OVER THERE NEAR THE BEDROOM DOOR </s><s> NOW SOAMES I AM GOING TO ASK YOU TO HAVE THE GREAT KINDNESS TO GO UP TO THE ROOM OF YOUNG GILCHRIST AND TO ASK HIM TO STEP DOWN INTO YOURS QUOTE </s><s> AN INSTANT LATER THE TUTOR RETURNED BRINGING WITH HIM THE STUDENT </s><s> HE WAS A FINE FIGURE OF A MAN TALL LITHE AND AGILE WITH A SPRINGY STEP AND A PLEASANT OPEN FACE </s><s> HIS TROUBLED BLUE EYES GLANCED AT EACH OF US AND FINALLY RESTED WITH AN EXPRESSION OF BLANK DISMAY UPON BANNISTER IN THE FARTHER CORNER </s><s> JUST CLOSE THE DOOR SAID HOLMES </s><s> NOW MR. GILCHRIST WE ARE ALL QUITE ALONE HERE AND NO ONE NEED EVER KNOW ONE WORD OF WHAT PASSES BETWEEN US </s><s> WE CAN BE PERFECTLY FRANK WITH EACH OTHER </s><s> WE WANT TO KNOW MR. GILCHRIST HOW YOU AN HONOURABLE MAN EVER CAME TO COMMIT SUCH AN ACTION AS THAT OF YESTERDAY </s><s> THE UNFORTUNATE YOUNG MAN STAGGERED BACK AND CAST A LOOK FULL OF HORROR AND REPROACH AT BANNISTER </s><s> NO NO MR. GILCHRIST SIR I NEVER SAID A WORD NEVER ONE WORD CRIED THE SERVANT </s><s> NO BUT YOU HAVE NOW SAID HOLMES </s><s> QUOTE NOW SIR YOU MUST SEE THAT AFTER BANNISTER'S WORDS YOUR POSITION IS HOPELESS AND THAT YOUR ONLY CHANCE LIES IN A FRANK CONFESSION QUOTE </s><s> FOR A MOMENT GILCHRIST WITH UPRAISED HAND TRIED TO CONTROL HIS WRITHING FEATURES </s><s> THE NEXT HE HAD THROWN HIMSELF ON HIS KNEES BESIDE THE TABLE AND BURYING HIS FACE IN HIS HANDS HE HAD BURST INTO A STORM OF PASSIONATE SOBBING </s><s> COME COME SAID HOLMES KINDLY IT IS HUMAN TO ERR AND AT LEAST NO ONE CAN ACCUSE YOU OF BEING A CALLOUS CRIMINAL </s><s> PERHAPS IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR YOU IF I WERE TO TELL MR. SOAMES WHAT OCCURRED AND YOU CAN CHECK ME WHERE I AM WRONG </s><s> SHALL I DO SO </s><s> WELL WELL DON'T TROUBLE TO ANSWER </s><s> LISTEN AND SEE THAT I DO YOU NO INJUSTICE </s><s> FROM THE MOMENT MR. SOAMES THAT YOU SAID TO ME THAT NO ONE NOT EVEN BANNISTER COULD HAVE TOLD THAT THE PAPERS WERE IN YOUR ROOM THE CASE BEGAN TO TAKE A DEFINITE SHAPE IN MY MIND </s><s> THE PRINTER ONE COULD OF COURSE DISMISS </s><s> HE COULD EXAMINE THE PAPERS IN HIS OWN OFFICE </s><s> THE INDIAN I ALSO THOUGHT NOTHING OF </s><s> IF THE PROOFS WERE IN A ROLL HE COULD NOT POSSIBLY KNOW WHAT THEY WERE </s><s> ON THE OTHER HAND IT SEEMED AN UNTHINKABLE COINCIDENCE THAT A MAN SHOULD DARE TO ENTER THE ROOM AND THAT BY CHANCE ON THAT VERY DAY THE PAPERS WERE ON THE TABLE </s><s> I DISMISSED THAT </s><s> THE MAN WHO ENTERED KNEW THAT THE PAPERS WERE THERE </s><s> HOW DID HE KNOW </s><s> WHEN I APPROACHED YOUR ROOM I EXAMINED THE WINDOW </s><s> YOU AMUSED ME BY SUPPOSING THAT I WAS CONTEMPLATING THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMEONE HAVING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT UNDER THE EYES OF ALL THESE OPPOSITE ROOMS FORCED HIMSELF THROUGH IT </s><s> SUCH AN IDEA WAS ABSURD </s><s> I WAS MEASURING HOW TALL A MAN WOULD NEED TO BE IN ORDER TO SEE AS HE PASSED WHAT PAPERS WERE ON THE CENTRAL TABLE </s><s> I AM SIX FEET HIGH AND I COULD DO IT WITH AN EFFORT </s><s> NO ONE LESS THAN THAT WOULD HAVE A CHANCE </s><s> ALREADY YOU SEE I HAD REASON TO THINK THAT IF ONE OF YOUR THREE STUDENTS WAS A MAN OF UNUSUAL HEIGHT HE WAS THE MOST WORTH WATCHING OF THE THREE </s><s> I ENTERED AND I TOOK YOU INTO MY CONFIDENCC AS TO THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE SIDE TABLE </s><s> OF THE CENTRE TABLE I COULD MAKE NOTHING UNTIL IN YOUR DESCRIPTION OF GILCHRIST YOU MENTIONED THAT HE WAS A LONG DISTANCE JUMPER </s><s> THEN THE WHOLE THING CAME TO ME IN AN INSTANT AND I ONLY NEEDED CERTAIN CORROBORATIVE PROOFS WHICH I SPEEDILY OBTAINED </s><s> WHAT HAPPENED WAS THIS THIS YOUNG FELLOW HAD EMPLOYED HIS AFTERNOON AT THE ATHLETIC GROUNDS WHERE HE HAD BEEN PRACTISING THE JUMP </s><s> HE RETURNED CARRYING HIS JUMPING SHOES WHICH ARE PROVIDED AS YOU ARE AWARE WITH SEVERAL SHARP SPIKES </s><s> AS HE PASSED YOUR WINDOW HE SAW BY MEANS OF HIS GREAT HEIGHT THESE PROOFS UPON YOUR TABLE AND CONJECTURED WHAT THEY WERE </s><s> NO HARM WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE HAD IT NOT BEEN THAT AS HE PASSED YOUR DOOR HE PERCEIVED THE KEY WHICH HAD BEEN LEFT BY THE CARELESSNESS OF YOUR SERVANT </s><s> A SUDDEN IMPULSE CAME OVER HIM TO ENTER AND SEE IF THEY WERE INDEED THE PROOFS </s><s> IT WAS NOT A DANGEROUS EXPLOIT FOR HE COULD ALWAYS PRETEND THAT HE HAD SIMPLY LOOKED IN TO ASK A QUESTION </s><s> QUOTE WELL WHEN HE SAW THAT THEY WERE INDEED THE PROOFS IT WAS THEN THAT HE YIELDED TO TEMPTATION </s><s> HE PUT HIS SHOES ON THE TABLE </s><s> WHAT WAS IT YOU PUT ON THAT CHAIR NEAR THE WINDOW </s><s> GLOVES SAID THE YOUNG MAN </s><s> HOLMES LOOKED TRIUMPHANTLY AT BANNISTER </s><s> HE PUT HIS GLOVES ON THE CHAIR AND HE TOOK THE PROOFS SHEET BY SHEET TO COPY THEM </s><s> HE THOUGHT THE TUTOR MUST RETURN BY THE MAIN GATE AND THAT HE WOULD SEE HIM </s><s> AS WE KNOW HE CAME BACK BY THE SIDE GATE </s><s> SUDDENLY HE HEARD HIM AT THE VERY DOOR </s><s> THERE WAS NO POSSIBLE ESCAPE </s><s> HE FORGOT HIS GLOVES BUT HE CAUGHT UP HIS SHOES AND DARTED INTO THE BEDROOM </s><s> YOU OBSERVE THAT THE SCRATCH ON THAT TABLE IS SLIGHT AT ONE SIDE BUT DEEPENS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE BEDROOM DOOR </s><s> THAT IN ITSELF IS ENOUGH TO SHOW US THAT THE SHOE HAD BEEN DRAWN IN THAT DIRECTION AND THAT THE CULPRIT HAD TAKEN REFUGE THERE </s><s> THE EARTH ROUND THE SPIKE HAD BEEN LEFT ON THE TABLE AND A SECOND SAMPLE WAS LOOSENED AND FELL IN THE BEDROOM </s><s> I MAY ADD THAT I WALKED OUT TO THE ATHLETIC GROUNDS THIS MORNING SAW THAT TENACIOUS BLACK CLAY IS USED IN THE JUMPINGPIT AND CARRIED AWAY A SPECIMEN OF IT TOGETHER WITH SOME OF THE FINE TAN OR SAWDUST WHICH IS STREWN OVER IT TO PREVENT THE ATHLETE FROM SLIPPING </s><s> HAVE I TOLD THE TRUTH MR. GILCHRIST </s><s> THE STUDENT HAD DRAWN HIMSELF ERECT </s><s> YES SIR IT IS TRUE SAID HE </s><s> QUOTE GOOD HEAVENS HAVE YOU NOTHING TO ADD QUOTE CRIED SOAMES </s><s> YES SIR I HAVE BUT THE SHOCK OF THIS DISGRACEFUL EXPOSURE HAS BEWILDERED ME </s><s> I HAVE A LETTER HERE MR. SOAMES WHICH I WROTE TO YOU EARLY THIS MORNING IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESTLESS NIGHT </s><s> IT WAS BEFORE I KNEW THAT MY SIN HAD FOUND ME OUT </s><s> HERE IT IS SIR </s><s> YOU WILL SEE THAT I HAVE SAID I HAVE DETERMINED NOT TO GO IN FOR THE EXAMINATION </s><s> I HAVE BEEN OFFERED A COMMISSION IN THE RHODESIAN POLICE AND I AM GOING OUT TO SOUTH AFRICA AT ONCE </s><s> I AM INDEED PLEASED TO HEAR THAT YOU DID NOT INTEND TO PROFIT BY YOUR UNFAIR ADVANTAGE SAID SOAMES </s><s> BUT WHY DID YOU CHANGE YOUR PURPOSE </s><s> GILCHRIST POINTED TO BANNISTER </s><s> THERE IS THE MAN WHO SET ME IN THE RIGHT PATH SAID HE </s><s> QUOTE COME NOW BANNISTER QUOTE SAID HOLMES </s><s> IT WILL BE CLEAR TO YOU FROM WHAT I HAVE SAID THAT ONLY YOU COULD HAVE LET THIS YOUNG MAN OUT SINCE YOU WERE LEFT IN THE ROOM AND MUST HAVE LOCKED THE DOOR WHEN YOU WENT OUT </s><s> AS TO HIS ESCAPING BY THAT WINDOW IT WAS INCREDIBLE </s><s> CAN YOU NOT CLEAR UP THE LAST POINT IN THIS MYSTERY AND TELL US THE REASONS FOR YOUR ACTION </s><s> IT WAS SIMPLE ENOUGH SIR IF YOU ONLY HAD KNOWN BUT WITH ALL YOUR CLEVERNESS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE THAT YOU COULD KNOW </s><s> TIME WAS SIR WHEN I WAS BUTLER TO OLD SIR JABEZ GILCHRIST THIS YOUNG GENTLEMAN'S FATHER </s><s> WHEN HE WAS RUINED I CAME TO THE COLLEGE AS SERVANT BUT I NEVER FORGOT MY OLD EMPLOYER BECAUSE HE WAS DOWN IN THE WORLD </s><s> I WATCHED HIS SON ALL I COULD FOR THE SAKE OF THE OLD DAYS </s><s> WELL SIR WHEN I CAME INTO THIS ROOM YESTERDAY WHEN THE ALARM WAS GIVEN THE VERY FIRST THING I SAW WAS MR. GILCHRIST'S TAN GLOVES A LYING IN THAT CHAIR </s><s> I KNEW THOSE GLOVES WELL AND I UNDERSTOOD THEIR MESSAGE </s><s> IF MR. SOAMES SAW THEM THE GAME WAS UP </s><s> I FLOPPED DOWN INTO THAT CHAIR AND NOTHING WOULD BUDGE ME UNTIL MR. SOAMES WENT FOR YOU </s><s> THEN OUT CAME MY POOR YOUNG MASTER WHOM I HAD DANDLED ON MY KNEE AND CONFESSED IT ALL TO ME </s><s> WASN'T IT NATURAL SIR THAT I SHOULD SAVE HIM AND WASN'T IT NATURAL ALSO THAT I SHOULD TRY TO SPEAK TO HIM AS HIS DEAD FATHER WOULD HAVE DONE AND MAKE HIM UNDERSTAND THAT HE COULD NOT PROFIT BY SUCH A DEED </s><s> COULD YOU BLAME ME SIR </s><s> NO INDEED SAID HOLMES HEARTILY SPRINGING TO HIS FEET </s><s> QUOTE WELL SOAMES I THINK WE HAVE CLEARED YOUR LITTLE PROBLEM UP AND OUR BREAKFAST AWAITS US AT HOME </s><s> COME WATSON </s><s> AS TO YOU SIR I TRUST THAT A BRIGHT FUTURE AWAITS YOU IN RHODESIA </s><s> FOR ONCE YOU HAVE FALLEN LOW </s><s> LET US SEE IN THE FUTURE HOW HIGH YOU CAN RISE </s>