<s> I CONFESS MY DEAR WATSON THAT THAT DOES NOT APPEAL TO ME AS A VERY PROBABLE EXPLANATION </s><s> IT STRUCK ME HOWEVER AS BEING THE ONE WHICH WAS MOST LIKELY TO INTEREST THAT EXCEEDINGLY UNPLEASANT OLD PERSON </s><s> IT CERTAINLY DID THAT BUT WHAT ARE YOUR ALTERNATIVES </s><s> I COULD MENTION SEVERAL </s><s> YOU MUST ADMIT THAT IT IS CURIOUS AND SUGGESTIVE THAT THIS INCIDENT SHOULD OCCUR ON THE EVE OF THIS IMPORTANT MATCH AND SHOULD INVOLVE THE ONLY MAN WHOSE PRESENCE SEEMS ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE SIDE </s><s> IT MAY OF COURSE BE A COINCIDENCE BUT IT IS INTERESTING </s><s> AMATEUR SPORT IS FREE FROM BETTING BUT A GOOD DEAL OF OUTSIDE BETTING GOES ON AMONG THE PUBLIC AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IT MIGHT BE WORTH SOMEONE'S WHILE TO GET AT A PLAYER AS THE RUFFIANS OF THE TURF GET AT A RACE HORSE </s><s> THERE IS ONE EXPLANATION </s><s> A SECOND VERY OBVIOUS ONE IS THAT THIS YOUNG MAN REALLY IS THE HEIR OF A GREAT PROPERTY HOWEVER MODEST HIS MEANS MAY AT PRESENT BE AND IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE THAT A PLOT TO HOLD HIM FOR RANSOM MIGHT BE CONCOCTED </s><s> QUOTE THESE THEORIES TAKE NO ACCOUNT OF THE TELEGRAM QUOTE </s><s> QUITE TRUE WATSON </s><s> THE TELEGRAM STILL REMAINS THE ONLY SOLID THING WITH WHICH WE HAVE TO DEAL AND WE MUST NOT PERMIT OUR ATTENTION TO WANDER AWAY FROM IT </s><s> IT IS TO GAIN LIGHT UPON THE PURPOSE OF THIS TELEGRAM THAT WE ARE NOW UPON OUR WAY TO CAMBRIDGE </s><s> THE PATH OF OUR INVESTIGATION IS AT PRESENT OBSCURE BUT I SHALL BE VERY MUCH SURPRISED IF BEFORE EVENING WE HAVE NOT CLEARED IT UP OR MADE A CONSIDERABLE ADVANCE ALONG IT </s><s> IT WAS ALREADY DARK WHEN WE REACHED THE OLD UNIVERSITY CITY </s><s> HOLMES TOOK A CAB AT THE STATION AND ORDERED THE MAN TO DRIVE TO THE HOUSE OF DOCTOR LESLIE ARMSTRONG </s><s> A FEW MINUTES LATER WE HAD STOPPED AT A LARGE MANSION ON THE BUSIEST THOROUGHFARE </s><s> WE WERE SHOWN IN AND AFTER A LONG WAIT WERE AT LAST ADMITTED INTO THE CONSULTING ROOM WHERE WE FOUND THE DOCTOR SEATED BEHIND HIS TABLE </s><s> IT ARGUES THE DEGREE IN WHICH I HAD LOST TOUCH WITH MY PROFESSION THAT THE NAME OF LESLIE ARMSTRONG WAS UNKNOWN TO ME </s><s> NOW I AM AWARE THAT HE IS NOT ONLY ONE OF THE HEADS OF THE MEDICAL SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY BUT A THINKER OF EUROPEAN REPUTATION IN MORE THAN ONE BRANCH OF SCIENCE </s><s> YET EVEN WITHOUT KNOWING HIS BRILLIANT RECORD ONE COULD NOT FAIL TO BE IMPRESSED BY A MERE GLANCE AT THE MAN THE SQUARE MASSIVE FACE THE BROODING EYES UNDER THE THATCHED BROWS AND THE GRANITE MOULDING OF THE INFLEXIBLE JAW </s><s> A MAN OF DEEP CHARACTER A MAN WITH AN ALERT MIND GRIM ASCETIC SELF CONTAINED FORMIDABLE SO I READ DOCTOR LESLIE ARMSTRONG </s><s> HE HELD MY FRIEND'S CARD IN HIS HAND AND HE LOOKED UP WITH NO VERY PLEASED EXPRESSION UPON HIS DOUR FEATURES </s><s> I HAVE HEARD YOUR NAME </s><s> MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES AND I AM AWARE OF YOUR PROFESSION ONE OF WHICH I BY NO MEANS APPROVE </s><s> IN THAT DOCTOR YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN AGREEMENT WITH EVERY CRIMINAL IN THE COUNTRY SAID MY FRIEND QUIETLY </s><s> QUOTE SO FAR AS YOUR EFFORTS ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE SUPPRESSION OF CRIME SIR THEY MUST HAVE THE SUPPORT OF EVERY REASONABLE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THOUGH I CANNOT DOUBT THAT THE OFFICIAL MACHINERY IS AMPLY SUFFICIENT FOR THE PURPOSE </s><s> WHERE YOUR CALLING IS MORE OPEN TO CRITICISM IS WHEN YOU PRY INTO THE SECRETS OF PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS WHEN YOU RAKE UP FAMILY MATTERS WHICH ARE BETTER HIDDEN AND WHEN YOU INCIDENTALLY WASTE THE TIME OF MEN WHO ARE MORE BUSY THAN YOURSELF </s><s> AT THE PRESENT MOMENT FOR EXAMPLE I SHOULD BE WRITING A TREATISE INSTEAD OF CONVERSING WITH YOU </s><s> NO DOUBT DOCTOR AND YET THE CONVERSATION MAY PROVE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE TREATISE </s><s> INCIDENTALLY I MAY TELL YOU THAT WE ARE DOING THE REVERSE OF WHAT YOU VERY JUSTLY BLAME AND THAT WE ARE ENDEAVOURING TO PREVENT ANYTHING LIKE PUBLIC EXPOSURE OF PRIVATE MATTERS WHICH MUST NECESSARILY FOLLOW WHEN ONCE THE CASE IS FAIRLY IN THE HANDS OF THE OFFICIAL POLICE </s><s> YOU MAY LOOK UPON ME SIMPLY AS AN IRREGULAR PIONEER WHO GOES IN FRONT OF THE REGULAR FORCES OF THE COUNTRY </s><s> I HAVE COME TO ASK YOU ABOUT MR. GODFREY STAUNTON </s><s> WHAT ABOUT HIM </s><s> YOU KNOW HIM DO YOU NOT </s><s> QUOTE HE IS AN INTIMATE FRIEND OF MINE QUOTE </s><s> YOU ARE AWARE THAT HE HAS DISAPPEARED </s><s> AH INDEED </s><s> THERE WAS NO CHANGE OF EXPRESSION IN THE RUGGED FEATURES OF THE DOCTOR </s><s> HE LEFT HIS HOTEL LAST NIGHT HE HAS NOT BEEN HEARD OF </s><s> NO DOUBT HE WILL RETURN </s><s> TO MORROW IS THE VARSITY FOOTBALL MATCH </s><s> QUOTE I HAVE NO SYMPATHY WITH THESE CHILDISH GAMES </s><s> THE YOUNG MAN'S FATE INTERESTS ME DEEPLY SINCE I KNOW HIM AND LIKE HIM </s><s> THE FOOTBALL MATCH DOES NOT COME WITHIN MY HORIZON AT ALL </s><s> I CLAIM YOUR SYMPATHY THEN IN MY INVESTIGATION OF MR. STAUNTON'S FATE </s><s> DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS </s><s> CERTAINLY NOT </s><s> YOU HAVE NOT SEEN HIM SINCE YESTERDAY </s><s> QUOTE NO I HAVE NOT QUOTE </s><s> WAS MR. STAUNTON A HEALTHY MAN </s><s> ABSOLUTELY </s><s> DID YOU EVER KNOW HIM ILL </s><s> NEVER </s><s> HOLMES POPPED A SHEET OF PAPER BEFORE THE DOCTOR'S EYES </s><s> THEN PERHAPS YOU WILL EXPLAIN THIS RECEIPTED BILL FOR THIRTEEN GUINEAS PAID BY MR. GODFREY STAUNTON LAST MONTH TO DOCTOR LESLIE ARMSTRONG OF CAMBRIDGE </s><s> I PICKED IT OUT FROM AMONG THE PAPERS UPON HLS DESK QUOTE </s><s> THE DOCTOR FLUSHED WITH ANGER </s><s> I DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE IS ANY REASON WHY I SHOULD RENDER AN EXPLANATION TO YOU MR. HOLMES </s><s> HOLMES REPLACED THE BILL IN HIS NOTEBOOK </s><s> IF YOU PREFER A PUBLIC EXPLANATION IT MUST COME SOONER OR LATER SAID HE </s><s> I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT I CAN HUSH UP THAT WHICH OTHERS WILL BE BOUND TO PUBLISH AND YOU WOULD REALLY BE WISER TO TAKE ME INTO YOUR COMPLETE CONFIDENCE </s><s> I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT </s><s> DID YOU HEAR FROM MR. STAUNTON IN LONDON </s><s> QUOTE CERTAINLY NOT QUOTE </s><s> DEAR ME DEAR ME THE POSTOFFICE AGAIN </s><s> HOLMES SIGHED WEARILY </s><s> A MOST URGENT TELEGRAM WAS DISPATCHED TO YOU FROM LONDON BY GODFREY STAUNTON AT SIX FIFTEEN YESTERDAY EVENING A TELEGRAM WHICH IS UNDOUBTEDLY ASSOCIATED WITH HIS DISAPPEARANCE AND YET YOU HAVE NOT HAD IT </s><s> IT IS MOST CULPABLE </s><s> I SHALL CERTAINLY GO DOWN TO THE OFFICE HERE AND REGISTER A COMPLAINT </s><s> DOCTOR LESLIE ARMSTRONG SPRANG UP FROM BEHIND HIS DESK AND HIS DARK FACE WAS CRIMSON WITH FURY </s><s> I'LL TROUBLE YOU TO WALK OUT OF MY HOUSE SIR SAID HE </s><s> YOU CAN TELL YOUR EMPLOYER LORD MOUNT JAMES THAT I DO NOT WISH TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO EITHER WITH HIM OR WITH HIS AGENTS </s><s> NO SIR NOT ANOTHER WORD QUOTE </s><s> HE RANG THE BELL FURIOUSLY </s><s> JOHN SHOW THESE GENTLEMEN OUT </s><s> A POMPOUS BUTLER USHERED US SEVERELY TO THE DOOR AND WE FOUND OURSELVES IN THE STREET </s><s> HOLMES BURST OUT LAUGHING </s><s> DOCTOR LESLIE ARMSTRONG IS CERTAINLY A MAN OF ENERGY AND CHARACTER SAID HE </s><s> I HAVE NOT SEEN A MAN WHO IF HE TURNS HIS TALENTS THAT WAY WAS MORE CALCULATED TO FILL THE GAP LEFT BY THE ILLUSTRIOUS MORIARTY </s><s> AND NOW MY POOR WATSON HERE WE ARE STRANDED AND FRIENDLESS IN THIS INHOSPITABLE TOWN WHICH WE CANNOT LEAVE WITHOUT ABANDONING OUR CASE </s><s> THIS LITTLE INN JUST OPPOSITE ARMSTRONG'S HOUSE IS SINGULARLY ADAPTED TO OUR NEEDS </s><s> IF YOU WOULD ENGAGE A FRONT ROOM AND PURCHASE THE NECESSARIES FOR THE NIGHT I MAY HAVE TIME TO MAKE A FEW INQUIRIES </s><s> THESE FEW INQUIRIES PROVED HOWEVER TO BE A MORE LENGTHY PROCEEDING THAN HOLMES HAD IMAGINED FOR HE DID NOT RETURN TO THE INN UNTIL NEARLY NINE O'CLOCK </s><s> HE WAS PALE AND DEJECTED STAINED WITH DUST AND EXHAUSTED WITH HUNGER AND FATIGUE </s><s> A COLD SUPPER WAS READY UPON THE TABLE AND WHEN HIS NEEDS WERE SATISFIED AND HIS PIPE ALIGHT HE WAS READY TO TAKE THAT HALF COMIC AND WHOLLY PHILOSOPHIC VIEW WHICH WAS NATURAL TO HIM WHEN HIS AFFAIRS WERE GOING AWRY </s><s> THE SOUND OF CARRIAGE WHEELS CAUSED HIM TO RISE AND GLANCE OUT OF THE WINDOW </s><s> A BROUGHAM AND PAIR OF GRAYS UNDER THE GLARE OF A GAS LAMP STOOD BEFORE THE DOCTOR'S DOOR </s><s> IT'S BEEN OUT THREE HOURS SAID HOLMES STARTED AT HALF PAST SIX AND HERE IT IS BACK AGAIN </s><s> THAT GIVES A RADIUS OF TEN OR TWELVE MILES AND HE DOES IT ONCE OR SOMETIMES TWICE A DAY QUOTE </s><s> NO UNUSUAL THING FOR A DOCTOR IN PRACTICE </s><s> BUT ARMSTRONG IS NOT REALLY A DOCTOR IN PRACTICE </s><s> HE IS A LECTURER AND A CONSULTANT BUT HE DOES NOT CARE FOR GENERAL PRACTICE WHICH DISTRACTS HIM FROM HIS LITERARY WORK </s><s> WHY THEN DOES HE MAKE THESE LONG JOURNEYS WHICH MUST BE EXCEEDINGLY IRKSOME TO HIM AND WHO IS IT THAT HE VISITS </s><s> MY DEAR WATSON CAN YOU DOUBT THAT IT WAS TO HIM THAT I FIRST APPLIED </s><s> I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IT CAME FROM HIS OWN INNATE DEPRAVITY OR FROM THE PROMPTINGS OF HIS MASTER BUT HE WAS RUDE ENOUGH TO SET A DOG AT ME </s><s> NEITHER DOG NOR MAN LIKED THE LOOK OF MY STICK HOWEVER AND THE MATTER FELL THROUGH </s><s> RELATIONS WERE STRAINED AFTER THAT AND FURTHER INQUIRIES OUT OF THE QUESTION </s><s> ALL THAT I HAVE LEARNED I GOT FROM A FRIENDLY NATIVE IN THE YARD OF OUR OWN INN </s><s> IT WAS HE WHO TOLD ME OF THE DOCTOR'S HABITS AND OF HIS DAILY JOURNEY </s><s> AT THAT INSTANT TO GIVE POINT TO HIS WORDS THE CARRIAGE CAME ROUND TO THE DOOR </s><s> QUOTE COULD YOU NOT FOLLOW IT QUOTE </s><s> EXCELLENT WATSON </s><s> YOU ARE SCINTILLATING THIS EVENING </s><s> THE IDEA DID CROSS MY MIND </s><s> THERE IS AS YOU MAY HAVE OBSERVED A BICYCLE SHOP NEXT TO OUR INN </s><s> INTO THIS I RUSHED ENGAGED A BICYCLE AND WAS ABLE TO GET STARTED BEFORE THE CARRIAGE WAS QUITE OUT OF SIGHT </s><s> I RAPIDLY OVERTOOK IT AND THEN KEEPING AT A DISCREET DISTANCE OF A HUNDRED YARDS OR SO L. FOLLOWED ITS LIGHTS UNTIL WE WERE CLEAR OF THE TOWN </s><s> WE HAD GOT WELL OUT ON THE COUNTRY ROAD WHEN A SOMEWHAT MORTIFYING INCIDENT OCCURRED </s><s> THE CARRIAGE STOPPED THE DOCTOR ALIGHTED WALKED SWIFTLY BACK TO WHERE I HAD ALSO HALTED AND TOLD ME IN AN EXCELLENT SARDONIC FASHION THAT HE FEARED THE ROAD WAS NARROW AND THAT HE HOPED HIS CARRIAGE DID NOT IMPEDE THE PASSAGE OF MY BICYCLE </s><s> NOTHING COULD HAVE BEEN MORE ADMIRABLE THAN HIS WAY OF PUTTING IT </s><s> I AT ONCE RODE PAST THE CARRIAGE AND KEEPING TO THE MAIN ROAD I WENT ON FOR A FEW MILES AND THEN HALTED IN A CONVENIENT PLACE TO SEE IF THE CARRIAGE PASSED </s><s> THERE WAS NO SIGN OF IT HOWEVER AND SO IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT IT HAD TURNED DOWN ONE OF SEVERAL SIDE ROADS WHICH I HAD OBSERVED </s><s> I RODE BACK BUT AGAIN SAW NOTHING OF THE CARRIAGE AND NOW AS YOU PERCEIVE IT HAS RETURNED AFTER ME </s><s> OF COURSE I HAD AT THE OUTSET NO PARTICULAR REASON TO CONNECT THESE JOURNEYS WITH THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GODFREY STAUNTON AND WAS ONLY INCLINED TO INVESTIGATE THEM ON THE GENERAL GROUNDS THAT EVERYTHING WHICH CONCERNS DOCTOR ARMSTRONG IS AT PRESENT OF INTEREST TO US BUT NOW THAT I FIND HE KEEPS SO KEEN A LOOK OUT UPON ANYONE WHO MAY FOLLOW HIM ON THESE EXCURSIONS THE AFFAIR APPEARS MORE IMPORTANT AND I SHALL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL I HAVE MADE THE MATTER CLEAR </s><s> WE CAN FOLLOW HIM TOMORROW </s><s> CAN WE </s><s> IT IS NOT SO EASY AS YOU SEEM TO THINK </s><s> YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH CAMBRIDGESHIRE SCENERY ARE YOU </s><s> IT DOES NOT LEND ITSELF TO CONCEALMENT </s><s> ALL THIS COUNTRY THAT I PASSED OVER TO NIGHT IS AS FLAT AND CLEAN AS THE PALM OF YOUR HAND AND THE MAN WE ARE FOLLOWING IS NO FOOL AS HE VERY CLEARLY SHOWED TO NIGHT </s><s> I HAVE WIRED TO OVERTON TO LET US KNOW ANY FRESH LONDON DEVELOPMENTS AT THIS ADDRESS AND IN THE MEANTIME WE CAN ONLY CONCENTRATE OUR ATTENTION UPON DOCTOR ARMSTRONG WHOSE NAME THE OBLIGING YOUNG LADY AT THE OFFICE ALLOWED ME TO READ UPON THE COUNTERFOIL OF STAUNTON'S URGENT MESSAGE </s><s> HE KNOWS WHERE THE YOUNG MAN IS TO THAT I'LL SWEAR AND IF HE KNOWS THEN IT MUST BE OUR OWN FAULT IF WE CANNOT MANAGE TO KNOW ALSO </s><s> AT PRESENT IT MUST BE ADMITTED THAT THE ODD TRICK IS IN HIS POSSESSION AND AS YOU ARE AWARE WATSON IT IS NOT MY HABIT TO LEAVE THE GAME IN THAT CONDITION </s><s> AND YET THE NEXT DAY BROUGHT US NO NEARER TO THE SOLUTION OF THE MYSTERY </s><s> A NOTE WAS HANDED IN AFTER BREAKFAST WHICH HOLMES PASSED ACROSS TO ME WITH A SMILE </s><s> SIR IT RAN I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME IN DOGGING MY MOVEMENTS </s><s> I HAVE AS YOU DISCOVERED LAST NIGHT A WINDOW AT THE BACK OF MY BROUGHAM AND IF YOU DESIRE A TWENTY MILE RIDE WHICH WILL LEAD YOU TO THE SPOT FROM WHICH YOU STARTED YOU HAVE ONLY TO FOLLOW ME </s><s> MEANWHILE I CAN INFORM YOU THAT NO SPYING UPON ME CAN IN ANY WAY HELP MR. GODFREY STAUNTON AND I AM CONVINCED THAT THE BEST SERVICE YOU CAN DO TO THAT GENTLEMAN IS TO RETURN AT ONCE TO LONDON AND TO REPORT TO YOUR EMPLOYER THAT YOU ARE UNABLE TO TRACE HIM </s><s> YOUR TIME IN CAMBRIDGE WILL CERTAINLY BE WASTED </s><s> YOURS FAITHFULLY LESLIE ARMSTRONG </s><s> QUOTE AN OUTSPOKEN HONEST ANTAGONIST IS THE DOCTOR QUOTE SAID HOLMES </s><s> WELL WELL HE EXCITES MY CURIOSITY AND I MUST REALLY KNOW BEFORE I LEAVE HIM </s><s> HIS CARRIAGE IS AT HIS DOOR NOW SAID I. THERE HE IS STEPPING INTO IT </s><s> I SAW HIM GLANCE UP AT OUR WINDOW AS HE DID SO </s><s> SUPPOSE I TRY MY LUCK UPON THE BICYCLE </s>