<s> ONLY THAT THERE IS AN IMPORTANT WITNESS WHOM YOU HAVE NOT SEEN </s><s> QUOTE CAN YOU PRODUCE HIM QUOTE </s><s> I THINK I CAN </s><s> THEN DO SO </s><s> I WILL DO MY BEST </s><s> HOW MANY CONSTABLES HAVE YOU </s><s> THERE ARE THREE WITHIN CALL </s><s> QUOTE EXCELLENT QUOTE SAID HOLMES </s><s> MAY I ASK IF THEY ARE ALL LARGE ABLE BODIED MEN WITH POWERFUL VOICES </s><s> I HAVE NO DOUBT THEY ARE THOUGH I FAIL TO SEE WHAT THEIR VOICES HAVE TO DO WITH IT </s><s> PERHAPS I CAN HELP YOU TO SEE THAT AND ONE OR TWO OTHER THINGS AS WELL SAID HOLMES </s><s> KINDLY SUMMON YOUR MEN AND I WILL TRY </s><s> FIVE MINUTES LATER THREE POLICEMEN HAD ASSEMBLED IN THE HALL </s><s> IN THE OUTHOUSE YOU WILL FIND A CONSIDERABLE QUANTITY OF STRAW SAID HOLMES </s><s> QUOTE I WILL ASK YOU TO CARRY IN TWO BUNDLES OF IT </s><s> I THINK IT WILL BE OF THE GREATEST ASSISTANCE IN PRODUCING THE WITNESS WHOM I REQUIRE </s><s> THANK YOU VERY MUCH </s><s> I BELIEVE YOU HAVE SOME MATCHES IN YOUR POCKET WATSON </s><s> NOW MR. LESTRADE I WILL ASK YOU ALL TO ACCOMPANY ME TO THE TOP LANDING </s><s> AS I HAVE SAID THERE WAS A BROAD CORRIDOR THERE WHICH RAN OUTSIDE THREE EMPTY BEDROOMS </s><s> AT ONE END OF THE CORRIDOR WE WERE ALL MARSHALLED BY SHERLOCK HOLMES THE CONSTABLES GRINNING AND LESTRADE STARING AT MY FRIEND WITH AMAZEMENT EXPECTATION AND DERISION CHASING EACH OTHER ACROSS HIS FEATURES </s><s> HOLMES STOOD BEFORE US WITH THE AIR OF A CONJURER WHO IS PERFORMING A TRICK </s><s> WOULD YOU KINDLY SEND ONE OF YOUR CONSTABLES FOR TWO BUCKETS OF WATER </s><s> PUT THE STRAW ON THE FLOOR HERE. FREE FROM THE WALL ON EITHER SIDE </s><s> NOW I THINK THAT WE ARE ALL READY </s><s> LESTRADE'S FACE HAD BEGUN TO GROW RED AND ANGRY </s><s> I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE PLAYING A GAME WITH US MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES SAID HE </s><s> IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING YOU CAN SURELY SAY IT WITHOUT ALL THIS TOMFOOLERY </s><s> QUOTE I ASSURE YOU MY GOOD LESTRADE THAT I HAVE AN EXCELLENT REASON FOR EVERYTHING THAT I DO </s><s> YOU MAY POSSIBLY REMEMBER THAT YOU CHAFFED ME A LITTLE SOME HOURS AGO WHEN THE SUN SEEMED ON YOUR SIDE OF THE HEDGE SO YOU MUST NOT GRUDGE ME A LITTLE POMP AND CEREMONY NOW </s><s> MIGHT I ASK YOU WATSON TO OPEN THAT WINDOW AND THEN TO PUT A MATCH TO THE EDGE OF THE STRAW </s><s> I DID SO AND DRIVEN BY THE DRAUGHT A COIL OF GRAY SMOKE SWIRLED DOWN THE CORRIDOR WHILE THE DRY STRAW CRACKLED AND FLAMED </s><s> NOW WE MUST SEE IF WE CAN FIND THIS WITNESS FOR YOU LESTRADE </s><s> MIGHT I ASK YOU ALL TO JOIN IN THE CRY OF FIRE </s><s> NOW THEN ONE TWO THREE </s><s> FIRE WE ALL YELLED </s><s> THANK YOU </s><s> I WILL TROUBLE YOU ONCE AGAIN QUOTE </s><s> FIRE </s><s> JUST ONCE MORE GENTLEMEN AND ALL TOGETHER </s><s> FIRE </s><s> THE SHOUT MUST HAVE RUNG OVER NORWOOD </s><s> IT HAD HARDLY DIED AWAY WHEN AN AMAZING THING HAPPENED </s><s> A DOOR SUDDENLY FLEW OPEN OUT OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE SOLID WALL AT THE END OF THE CORRIDOR AND A LITTLE WIZENED MAN DARTED OUT OF IT LIKE A RABBIT OUT OF ITS BURROW </s><s> CAPITAL SAID HOLMES CALMLY </s><s> WATSON A BUCKET OF WATER OVER THE STRAW </s><s> THAT WILL DO </s><s> LESTRADE ALLOW ME TO PRESENT YOU WITH YOUR PRINCIPAL MISSING WITNESS MR. JONAS OLDACRE QUOTE </s><s> THE DETECTIVE STARED AT THE NEWCOMER WITH BLANK AMAZEMENT </s><s> THE LATTER WAS BLINKING IN THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF THE CORRIDOR AND PEERING AT US AND AT THE SMOULDERING FIRE </s><s> IT WAS AN ODIOUS FACE CRAFTY VICIOUS MALIGNANT WITH SHIFTY LIGHT GRAY EYES AND WHITE LASHES </s><s> WHAT'S THIS THEN SAID LESTRADE AT LAST </s><s> WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ALL THIS TIME EH </s><s> OLDACRE GAVE AN UNEASY LAUGH SHRINKING BACK FROM THE FURIOUS RED FACE OF THE ANGRY DETECTIVE </s><s> I HAVE DONE NO HARM </s><s> NO HARM </s><s> YOU HAVE DONE YOUR BEST TO GET AN INNOCENT MAN HANGED </s><s> IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS GENTLEMAN HERE I AM NOT SURE THAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE SUCCEEDED </s><s> THE WRETCHED CREATURE BEGAN TO WHIMPER </s><s> QUOTE I AM SURE SIR IT WAS ONLY MY PRACTICAL JOKE QUOTE </s><s> OH A JOKE WAS IT </s><s> YOU WON'T FIND THE LAUGH ON YOUR SIDE I PROMISE YOU </s><s> TAKE HIM DOWN AND KEEP HIM IN THE SITTING ROOM UNTIL I COME </s><s> MR. HOLMES HE CONTINUED WHEN THEY HAD GONE I COULD NOT SPEAK BEFORE THE CONSTABLES BUT I DON'T MIND SAYING IN THE PRESENCE OF DOCTOR WATSON THAT THIS IS THE BRIGHTEST THING THAT YOU HAVE DONE YET THOUGH IT IS A MYSTERY TO ME HOW YOU DID IT </s><s> YOU HAVE SAVED AN INNOCENT MAN'S LIFE AND YOU HAVE PREVENTED A VERY GRAVE SCANDAL WHICH WOULD HAVE RUINED MY REPUTATION IN THE FORCE </s><s> HOLMES SMILED AND CLAPPED LESTRADE UPON THE SHOULDER </s><s> INSTEAD OF BEING RUINED MY GOOD SIR YOU WILL FIND THAT YOUR REPUTATION HAS BEEN ENORMOUSLY ENHANCED </s><s> JUST MAKE A FEW ALTERATIONS IN THAT REPORT WHICH YOU WERE WRITING AND THEY WILL UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS TO THROW DUST IN THE EYES OF INSPECTOR LESTRADE </s><s> QUOTE AND YOU DON'T WANT YOUR NAME TO APPEAR QUOTE </s><s> NOT AT ALL </s><s> THE WORK IS ITS OWN REWARD </s><s> PERHAPS I SHALL GET THE CREDIT ALSO AT SOME DISTANT DAY WHEN I PERMIT MY ZEALOUS HISTORIAN TO LAY OUT HIS FOOLSCAP ONCE MORE EH WATSON </s><s> WELL NOW LET US SEE WHERE THIS RAT HAS BEEN LURKING </s><s> A LATH AND PLASTER PARTITION HAD BEEN RUN ACROSS THE PASSAGE SIX FEET FROM THE END WITH A DOOR CUNNINGLY CONCEALED IN IT </s><s> IT WAS LIT WITHIN BY SLITS UNDER THE EAVES </s><s> A FEW ARTICLES OF FURNITURE AND A SUPPLY OF FOOD AND WATER WERE WITHIN TOGETHER WITH A NUMBER OF BOOKS AND PAPERS </s><s> THERE'S THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING A BUILDER SAID HOLMES AS WE CAME OUT </s><s> HE WAS ABLE TO FIX UP HIS OWN LITTLE HIDING PLACE WITHOUT ANY CONFEDERATE SAVE OF COURSE THAT PRECIOUS HOUSEKEEPER OF HIS WHOM I SHOULD LOSE NO TIME IN ADDING TO YOUR BAG LESTRADE </s><s> I'LL TAKE YOUR ADVICE </s><s> BUT HOW DID YOU KNOW OF THIS PLACE MR. HOLMES QUOTE </s><s> I MADE UP MY MIND THAT THE FELLOW WAS IN HIDING IN THE HOUSE </s><s> WHEN I PACED ONE CORRIDOR AND FOUND IT SIX FEET SHORTER THAN THE CORRESPONDING ONE BELOW IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR WHERE HE WAS </s><s> I THOUGHT HE HAD NOT THE NERVE TO LIE QUIET BEFORE AN ALARM OF FIRE </s><s> WE COULD OF COURSE HAVE GONE IN AND TAKEN HIM BUT IT AMUSED ME TO MAKE HIM REVEAL HIMSELF </s><s> BESIDES I OWED YOU A LITTLE MYSTIFICATION LESTRADE FOR YOUR CHAFF IN THE MORNING </s><s> WELL SIR YOU CERTAINLY GOT EQUAL WITH ME ON THAT </s><s> BUT HOW IN THE WORLD DID YOU KNOW THAT HE WAS IN THE HOUSE AT ALL </s><s> THE THUMB MARK LESTRADE </s><s> YOU SAID IT WAS FINAL AND SO IT WAS IN A VERY DIFFERENT SENSE </s><s> I KNEW IT HAD NOT BEEN THERE THE DAY BEFORE </s><s> I PAY A GOOD DEAL OF ATTENTION TO MATTERS OF DETAIL AS YOU MAY HAVE OBSERVED AND I HAD EXAMINED THE HALL AND WAS SURE THAT THE WALL WAS CLEAR </s><s> THEREFORE IT HAD BEEN PUT ON DURING THE NIGHT QUOTE </s><s> BUT HOW </s><s> VERY SIMPLY </s><s> WHEN THOSE PACKETS WERE SEALED UP JONAS OLDACRE GOT MCFARLANE TO SECURE ONE OF THE SEALS BY PUTTING HIS THUMB UPON THE SOFT WAX </s><s> IT WOULD BE DONE SO QUICKLY AND SO NATURALLY THAT I DARESAY THE YOUNG MAN HIMSELF HAS NO RECOLLECTION OF IT </s><s> VERY LIKELY IT JUST SO HAPPENED AND OLDACRE HAD HIMSELF NO NOTION OF THE USE HE WOULD PUT IT TO </s><s> BROODING OVER THE CASE IN THAT DEN OF HIS IT SUDDENLY STRUCK HIM WHAT ABSOLUTELY DAMNING EVIDENCE HE COULD MAKE AGAINST MCFARLANE BY USING THAT THUMB MARK </s><s> IT WAS THE SIMPLEST THING IN THE WORLD FOR HIM TO TAKE A WAX IMPRESSION FROM THE SEAL TO MOISTEN IT IN AS MUCH BLOOD AS HE COULD GET FROM A PIN PRICK AND TO PUT THE MARK UPON THE WALL DURING THE NIGHT EITHER WITH HIS OWN HAND OR WITH THAT OF HIS HOUSEKEEPER </s><s> IF YOU EXAMINE AMONG THOSE DOCUMENTS WHICH HE TOOK WITH HIM INTO HIS RETREAT I WILL LAY YOU A WAGER THAT YOU FIND THE SEAL WITH THE THUMBMARK UPON IT </s><s> WONDERFUL SAID LESTRADE </s><s> WONDERFUL </s><s> IT'S ALL AS CLEAR AS CRYSTAL AS YOU PUT IT </s><s> BUT WHAT IS THE OBJECT OF THIS DEEP DECEPTION MR. HOLMES QUOTE </s><s> IT WAS AMUSING TO ME TO SEE HOW THE DETECTIVE'S OVERBEARING MANNER HAD CHANGED SUDDENLY TO THAT OF A CHILD ASKING QUESTIONS OF ITS TEACHER </s><s> WELL I DON'T THINK THAT IS VERY HARD TO EXPLAIN </s><s> A VERY DEEP MALICIOUS VINDICTIVE PERSON IS THE GENTLEMAN WHO IS NOW WAITING US DOWNSTAIRS </s><s> YOU KNOW THAT HE WAS ONCE REFUSED BY MCFARLANE'S MOTHER </s><s> YOU DON'T </s><s> I TOLD YOU THAT YOU SHOULD GO TO BLACKHEATH FIRST AND NORWOOD AFTERWARDS </s><s> WELL THIS INJURY AS HE WOULD CONSIDER IT HAS RANKLED IN HIS WICKED SCHEMING BRAIN AND ALL HIS LIFE HE HAS LONGED FOR VENGEANCE BUT NEVER SEEN HIS CHANCE </s><s> DURING THE LAST YEAR OR TWO THINGS HAVE GONE AGAINST HIM SECRET SPECULATION I THINK AND HE FINDS HIMSELF IN A BAD WAY </s><s> HE DETERMINES TO SWINDLE HIS CREDITORS AND FOR THIS PURPOSE HE PAYS LARGE CHECKS TO A CERTAIN MR. CORNELIUS WHO IS I IMAGINE HIMSELF UNDER ANOTHER NAME </s><s> I HAVE NOT TRACED THESE CHECKS YET BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THEY WERE BANKED UNDER THAT NAME AT SOME PROVINCIAL TOWN WHERE OLDACRE FROM TIME TO TIME LED A DOUBLE EXISTENCE </s><s> HE INTENDED TO CHANGE HIS NAME ALTOGETHER DRAW THIS MONEY AND VANISH STARTING LIFE AGAIN ELSEWHERE </s><s> WELL THAT'S LIKELY ENOUGH </s><s> IT WOULD STRIKE HIM THAT IN DISAPPEARING HE MIGHT THROW ALL PURSUIT OFF HIS TRACK AND AT THE SAME TIME HAVE AN AMPLE AND CRUSHING REVENGE UPON HIS OLD SWEETHEART IF HE COULD GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT HE HAD BEEN MURDERED BY HER ONLY CHILD </s><s> IT WAS A MASTERPIECE OF VILLAINY AND HE CARRIED IT OUT LIKE A MASTER </s><s> THE IDEA OF THE WILL WHICH WOULD GIVE AN OBVIOUS MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME THE SECRET VISIT UNKNOWN TO HIS OWN PARENTS THE RETENTION OF THE STICK THE BLOOD AND THE ANIMAL REMAINS AND BUTTONS IN THE WOOD PILE ALL WERE ADMIRABLE </s><s> IT WAS A NET FROM WHICH IT SEEMED TO ME A FEW HOURS AGO THAT THERE WAS NO POSSIBLE ESCAPE </s><s> BUT HE HAD NOT THAT SUPREME GIFT OF THE ARTIST THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHEN TO STOP </s><s> HE WISHED TO IMPROVE THAT WHICH WAS ALREADY PERFECT TO DRAW THE ROPE TIGHTER YET ROUND THE NECK OF HIS UNFORTUNATE VICTIM AND SO HE RUINED ALL </s><s> LET US DESCEND LESTRADE </s><s> THERE ARE JUST ONE OR TWO QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD ASK HIM </s><s> THE MALIGNANT CREATURE WAS SEATED IN HIS OWN PARLOUR WITH A POLICEMAN UPON EACH SIDE OF HIM </s><s> QUOTE IT WAS A JOKE MY GOOD SIR A PRACTICAL JOKE NOTHING MORE QUOTE HE WHINED INCESSANTLY </s><s> I ASSURE YOU SIR THAT I SIMPLY CONCEALED MYSELF IN ORDER TO SEE THE EFFECT OF MY DISAPPEARANCE AND I AM SURE THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE SO UNJUST AS TO IMAGINE THAT I WOULD HAVE ALLOWED ANY HARM TO BEFALL POOR YOUNG MR. MCFARLANE </s><s> THAT'S FOR A JURY TO DECIDE SAID LESTRADE </s><s> ANYHOW WE SHALL HAVE YOU ON A CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY IF NOT FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER </s><s> AND YOU'LL PROBABLY FIND THAT YOUR CREDITORS WILL IMPOUND THE BANKING ACCOUNT OF MR. CORNELIUS SAID HOLMES </s><s> THE LITTLE MAN STARTED AND TURNED HIS MALIGNANT EYES UPON MY FRIEND </s><s> L. HAVE TO THANK YOU FOR A GOOD DEAL SAID HE </s><s> QUOTE PERHAPS I'LL PAY MY DEBT SOME DAY QUOTE </s><s> HOLMES SMILED INDULGENTLY </s><s> I FANCY THAT FOR SOME FEW YEARS YOU WILL FIND YOUR TIME VERY FULLY OCCUPIED SAID HE </s><s> BY THE WAY WHAT WAS IT YOU PUT INTO THE WOOD PILE BESIDES YOUR OLD TROUSERS </s><s> A DEAD DOG OR RABBITS OR WHAT </s><s> YOU WON'T TELL </s><s> DEAR ME HOW VERY UNKIND OF YOU </s><s> WELL WELL I DARESAY THAT A COUPLE OF RABBITS WOULD ACCOUNT BOTH FOR THE BLOOD AND FOR THE CHARRED ASHES </s><s> IF EVER YOU WRITE AN ACCOUNT WATSON YOU CAN MAKE RABBITS SERVE YOUR TURN </s>