<s> IN CHOOSING A FEW TYPICAL CASES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THE REMARKABLE MENTAL QUALITIES OF MY FRIEND SHERLOCK HOLMES I HAVE ENDEAVOURED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE TO SELECT THOSE WHICH PRESENTED THE MINIMUM OF SENSATIONALISM WHILE OFFERING A FAIR FIELD FOR HIS TALENTS </s><s> IT IS HOWEVER UNFORTUNATELY IMPOSSIBLE ENTIRELY TO SEPARATE THE SENSATIONAL FROM THE CRIMINAL AND A CHRONICLER IS LEFT IN THE DILEMMA THAT HE MUST EITHER SACRIFICE DETAILS WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO HIS STATEMENT AND SO GIVE A FALSE IMPRESSION OF THE PROBLEM OR HE MUST USE MATTER WHICH CHANCE AND NOT CHOICE HAS PROVIDED HIM WITH </s><s> WITH THIS SHORT PREFACE I SHALL TURN TO MY NOTES OF WHAT PROVED TO BE A STRANGE THOUGH A PECULIARLY TERRIBLE CHAIN OF EVENTS </s><s> IT WAS A BLAZING HOT DAY IN AUGUST </s><s> BAKER STREET WAS LIKE AN OVEN AND THE GLARE OF THE SUNLIGHT UPON THE YELLOW BRICKWORK OF THE HOUSE ACROSS THE ROAD WAS PAINFUL TO THE EYE </s><s> IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THESE WERE THE SAME WALLS WHICH LOOMED SO GLOOMILY THROUGH THE FOGS OF WINTER </s><s> OUR BLINDS WERE HALF DRAWN AND HOLMES LAY CURLED UPON THE SOFA READING AND RE READING A LETTER WHICH HE HAD RECEIVED BY THE MORNING POST </s><s> FOR MYSELF MY TERM OF SERVICE IN INDIA HAD TRAINED ME TO STAND HEAT BETTER THAN COLD AND A THERMOMETER AT NINETY WAS NO HARDSHIP </s><s> BUT THE MORNING PAPER WAS UNINTERESTING </s><s> PARLIAMENT HAD RISEN </s><s> EVERYBODY WAS OUT OF TOWN AND I YEARNED FOR THE GLADES OF THE NEW FOREST OR THE SHINGLE OF SOUTHSEA </s><s> A DEPLETED BANK ACCOUNT HAD CAUSED ME TO POSTPONE MY HOLIDAY AND AS TO MY COMPANION NEITHER THE COUNTRY NOR THE SEA PRESENTED THE SLIGHTEST ATTRACTION TO HIM </s><s> HE LOVED TO LIE IN THE VERY CENTRE OF FIVE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WITH HIS FILAMENTS STRETCHING OUT AND RUNNING THROUGH THEM RESPONSIVE TO EVERY LITTLE RUMOUR OR SUSPICION OF UNSOLVED CRIME </s><s> APPRECIATION OF NATURE FOUND NO PLACE AMONG HIS MANY GIFTS AND HIS ONLY CHANGE WAS WHEN HE TURNED HIS MIND FROM THE EVIL DOER OF THE TOWN TO TRACK DOWN HIS BROTHER OF THE COUNTRY </s><s> FINDING THAT HOLMES WAS TOO ABSORBED FOR CONVERSATION I HAD TOSSED ASIDE THE BARREN PAPER AND LEANING BACK IN MY CHAIR I FELL INTO A BROWN STUDY </s><s> SUDDENLY MY COMPANION'S VOICE BROKE IN UPON MY THOUGHTS </s><s> QUOTE YOU ARE RIGHT WATSON QUOTE SAID HE </s><s> IT DOES SEEM A MOST PREPOSTEROUS WAY OF SETTLING A DISPUTE </s><s> MOST PREPOSTEROUS </s><s> I EXCLAIMED AND THEN SUDDENLY REALIZING HOW HE HAD ECHOED THE INMOST THOUGHT OF MY SOUL I SAT UP IN MY CHAIR AND STARED AT HIM IN BLANK AMAZEMENT </s><s> WHAT IS THIS HOLMES </s><s> I CRIED </s><s> THIS IS BEYOND ANYTHING WHICH I COULD HAVE IMAGINED </s><s> HE LAUGHED HEARTILY AT MY PERPLEXITY </s><s> YOU REMEMBER SAID HE THAT SOME LITTLE TIME AGO WHEN I READ YOU THE PASSAGE IN ONE OF POE'S SKETCHES IN WHICH A CLOSE REASONER FOLLOWS THE UNSPOKEN THOUGHTS OF HIS COMPANION YOU WERE INCLINED TO TREAT THE MATTER AS A MERE TOUR DE FORCE OF THE AUTHOR </s><s> ON MY REMARKING THAT I WAS CONSTANTLY IN THE HABIT OF DOING THE SAME THING YOU EXPRESSED INCREDULITY QUOTE </s><s> OH NO </s><s> PERHAPS NOT WITH YOUR TONGUE MY DEAR WATSON BUT CERTAINLY WITH YOUR EYEBROWS </s><s> SO WHEN I SAW YOU THROW DOWN YOUR PAPER AND ENTER UPON A TRAIN OF THOUGHT I WAS VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THE OPORTUNITY OF READING IT OFF AND EVENTUALLY OF BREAKING INTO IT AS A PROOF THAT I HAD BEEN IN RAPPORT WITH YOU </s><s> BUT I WAS STILL FAR FROM SATISFIED </s><s> IN THE EXAMPLE WHICH YOU READ TO ME SAID I THE REASONER DREW HIS CONCLUSIONS FROM THE ACTIONS OF THE MAN WHOM HE OBSERVED </s><s> IF I REMEMBER RIGHT HE STUMBLED OVER A HEAP OF STONES LOOKED UP AT THE STARS AND SO ON </s><s> BUT I HAVE BEEN SEATED QUIETLY IN MY CHAIR AND WHAT CLUES CAN I HAVE GIVEN YOU </s><s> QUOTE YOU DO YOURSELF AN INJUSTICE </s><s> THE FEATURES ARE GIVEN TO MAN AS THE MEANS BY WHICH HE SHALL EXPRESS HIS EMOTIONS AND YOURS ARE FAITHFUL SERVANTS </s><s> DO YOU MEAN TO SAY THAT YOU READ MY TRAIN OF THOUGHTS FROM MY FEATURES </s><s> YOUR FEATURES AND ESPECIALLY YOUR EYES </s><s> PERHAPS YOU CANNOT YOURSELF RECALL HOW YOUR REVERIE COMMENCED </s><s> NO I CANNOT </s><s> QUOTE THEN I WILL TELL YOU </s><s> AFTER THROWING DOWN YOUR PAPER WHICH WAS THE ACTION WHICH DREW MY ATTENTION TO YOU YOU SAT FOR HALF A MINUTE WITH A VACANT EXPRESSION </s><s> THEN YOUR EYES FIXED THEMSELVES UPON YOUR NEWLY FRAMED PICTURE OF GENERAL GORDON AND I SAW BY THE ALTERATION IN YOUR FACE THAT A TRAIN OF THOUGHT HAD BEEN STARTED </s><s> BUT IT DID NOT LEAD VERY FAR </s><s> YOUR EYES FLASHED ACROSS TO THE UNFRAMED PORTRAIT OF HENRY WARD BEECHER WHICH STANDS UPON THE TOP OF YOUR BOOKS </s><s> THEN YOU GLANCED UP AT THE WALL AND OF COURSE YOUR MEANING WAS OBVIOUS </s><s> YOU WERE THINKING THAT IF THE PORTRAIT WERE FRAMED IT WOULD JUST COVER THAT BARE SPACE AND CORRESPOND WITH GORDON'S PICTURE OVER THERE </s><s> YOU HAVE FOLLOWED ME WONDERFULLY </s><s> I EXCLAIMED </s><s> SO FAR I COULD HARDLY HAVE GONE ASTRAY </s><s> BUT NOW YOUR THOUGHTS WENT BACK TO BEECHER AND YOU LOOKED HARD ACROSS AS IF YOU WERE STUDYING THE CHARACTER IN HIS FEATURES </s><s> THEN YOUR EYES CEASED TO PUCKER BUT YOU CONTINUED TO LOOK ACROSS AND YOUR FACE WAS THOUGHTFUL </s><s> YOU WERE RECALLING THE INCIDENTS OF BEECHER'S CAREER </s><s> I WAS WELL AWARE THAT YOU COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT THINKING OF THE MISSION WHICH HE UNDERTOOK ON BEHALF OF THE NORTH AT THE TIME OF THE CIVIL WAR FOR I REMEMBER YOUR EXPRESSING YOUR PASSIONATE INDIGNATION AT THE WAY IN WHICH HE WAS RECEIVED BY THE MORE TURBULENT OF OUR PEOPLE </s><s> YOU FELT SO STRONGLY ABOUT IT THAT I KNEW YOU COULD NOT THINK OF BEECHER WITHOUT THINKING OF THAT ALSO </s><s> WHEN A MOMENT LATER I SAW YOUR EYES WANDER AWAY FROM THE PICTURE I SUSPECTED THAT YOUR MIND HAD NOW TURNED TO THE CIVIL WAR AND WHEN I OBSERVED THAT YOUR LIPS SET YOUR EYES SPARKLED AND YOUR HANDS CLENCHED I WAS POSITIVE THAT YOU WERE INDEED THINKING OF THE GALLANTRY WHICH WAS SHOWN BY BOTH SIDES IN THAT DESPERATE STRUGGLE </s><s> BUT THEN AGAIN YOUR FACE GREW SADDER YOU SHOOK YOUR HEAD </s><s> YOU WERE DWELLING UPON THE SADNESS AND HORROR AND USELESS WASTE OF LIFE </s><s> YOUR HAND STOLE TOWARDS YOUR OWN OLD WOUND AND A SMILE QUIVERED ON YOUR LIPS WHICH SHOWED ME THAT THE RIDICULOUS SIDE OF THIS METHOD OF SETTLING INTERNATIONAL QUESTIONS HAD FORCED ITSELF UPON YOUR MIND </s><s> AT THIS POINT ONE AGREED WITH YOU THAT IT WAS PREPOSTEROUS AND WAS GLAD TO FIND THAT ALL MY DEDUCTIONS HAD BEEN CORRECT </s><s> ABSOLUTELY SAID I. AND NOW THAT YOU HAVE EXPLAINED IT I CONFESS THAT I AM AS AMAZED AS BEFORE </s><s> QUOTE IT WAS VERY SUPERFICIAL MY DEAR WATSON I ASSURE YOU </s><s> I SHOULD NOT HAVE INTRUDED IT UPON YOUR ATTENTION HAD YOU NOT SHOWN SOME INCREDULITY THE OTHER DAY </s><s> BUT I HAVE IN MY HANDS HERE A LITTLE PROBLEM WHICH MAY PROVE TO BE MORE DIFFICULT OF SOLUTION THAN MY SMALL ESSAY IN THOUGHT READING </s><s> HAVE YOU OBSERVED IN THE PAPER A SHORT PARAGRAPH REFERRING TO THE REMARKABLE CONTENTS OF A PACKET SENT THROUGH THE POST TO MISS CUSHING OF CROSS STREET CROYDON </s><s> NO I SAW NOTHING </s><s> AH THEN YOU MUST HAVE OVERLOOKED IT </s><s> JUST TOSS IT OVER TO ME </s><s> HERE IT IS UNDER THE FINANCIAL COLUMN </s><s> PERHAPS YOU WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH TO READ IT ALOUD </s><s> I PICKED UP THE PAPER WHICH HE HAD THROWN BACK TO ME AND READ THE PARAGRAPH INDICATED </s><s> IT WAS HEADED A GRUESOME PACKET </s><s> QUOTE MISS SUSAN CUSHING LIVING AT CROSS STREET CROYDON HAS BEEN MADE THE VICTIM OF WHAT MUST BE REGARDED AS A PECULIARLY REVOLTING PRACTICAL JOKE UNLESS SOME MORE SINISTER MEANING SHOULD PROVE TO BE ATTACHED TO THE INCIDENT </s><s> AT TWO O'CLOCK YESTERDAY AFTERNOON A SMALL PACKET WRAPPED IN BROWN PAPER WAS HANDED IN BY THE POSTMAN </s><s> A CARDBOARD BOX WAS INSIDE WHICH WAS FILLED WITH COARSE SALT </s><s> ON EMPTYING THIS MISS CUSHING WAS HORRIFIED TO FIND TWO HUMAN EARS APPARENTLY QUITE FRESHLY SEVERED </s><s> THE BOX HAD BEEN SENT BY PARCEL POST FROM BELFAST UPON THE MORNING BEFORE </s><s> THERE IS NO INDICATION AS TO THE SENDER AND THE MATTER IS THE MORE MYSTERIOUS AS MISS CUSHING WHO IS A MAIDEN LADY OF FIFTY HAS LED A MOST RETIRED LIFE AND HAS SO FEW ACQUAINTANCES OR CORRESPONDENTS THAT IT IS A RARE EVENT FOR HER TO RECEIVE ANYTHING THROUGH THE POST </s><s> SOME YEARS AGO HOWEVER WHEN SHE RESIDED AT PENGE SHE LET APART MENTS IN HER HOUSE TO THREE YOUNG MEDICAL STUDENTS WHOM SHE WAS OBLIGED TO GET RID OF ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR NOISY AND IRREGULAR HABITS </s><s> THE POLICE ARE OF OPINION THAT THIS OUTRAGE MAY HAVE BEEN PERPETRATED UPON MISS CUSH ING BY THESE YOUTHS WHO OWED HER A GRUDGE AND WHO HOPED TO FRIGHTEN HER BY SENDING HER THESE RELICS OF THE DISSECTING ROOMS </s><s> SOME PROBABILITY IS LENT TO THE THEORY BY THE FACT THAT ONE OF THESE STUDENTS CAME FROM THE NORTH OF IRELAND AND TO THE BEST OF MISS CUSHING'S BELIEF FROM BELFAST </s><s> IN THE MEANTIME THE MATTER IS BEING ACTIVELY INVESTIGATED MR. LESTRADE ONE OF THE VERY SMART EST OF OUR DETECTIVE OFFICERS BEING IN CHARGE OF THE CASE </s><s> SO MUCH FOR THE DAILY CHRONICLE SAID HOLMES AS I FINISHED READING </s><s> NOW FOR OUR FRIEND LESTRADE </s><s> I HAD A NOTE FROM HIM THIS MORNING IN WHICH HE SAYS I THINK THAT THIS CASE IS VERY MUCH IN YOUR LINE </s><s> WE HAVE EVERY HOPE OF CLEARING THE MATTER UP BUT WE FIND A LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN GETTING ANYTHING TO WORK UPON </s><s> WE HAVE OF COURSE WIRED TO THE BELFAST POST OFFICE BUT A LARGE NUMBER OF PARCELS WERE HANDED IN UPON THAT DAY AND THEY HAVE NO MEANS OF IDENTIFYING THIS PARTICULAR ONE OR OF REMEMBERING THE SENDER </s><s> THE BOX IS A HALF POUND BOX OF HONEYDEW TOBACCO AND DOES NOT HELP US IN ANY WAY </s><s> THE MEDICAL STUDENT THEORY STILL APPEARS TO ME TO BE THE MOST FEASIBLE BUT IF YOU SHOULD HAVE A FEW HOURS TO SPARE I SHOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU OUT HERE </s><s> I SHALL BE EITHER AT THE HOUSE OR IN THE POLICE STATION ALL DAY </s><s> WHAT SAY YOU WATSON </s><s> CAN YOU RISE SUPERIOR TO THE HEAT AND RUN DOWN TO CROYDON WITH ME ON THE OFF CHANCE OF A CASE FOR YOUR ANNALS </s><s> QUOTE I WAS LONGING FOR SOMETHING TO DO QUOTE </s><s> YOU SHALL HAVE IT THEN </s><s> RING FOR OUR BOOTS AND TELL THEM TO ORDER A CAB </s><s> I'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT WHEN I HAVE CHANGED MY DRESSING GOWN AND FILLED MY CIGAR CASE </s><s> A SHOWER OF RAIN FELL WHILE WE WERE IN THE TRAIN AND THE HEAT WAS FAR LESS OPPRESSIVE IN CROYDON THAN IN TOWN </s><s> HOLMES HAD SENT ON A WIRE SO THAT LESTRADE AS WIRY AS DAPPER AND AS FERRET LIKE AS EVER WAS WAITING FOR US AT THE STATION </s><s> A WALK OF FIVE MINUTES TOOK US TO CROSS STREET WHERE MISS CUSHING RESIDED </s><s> IT WAS A VERY LONG STREET OF TWO STORY BRICK HOUSES NEAT AND PRIM WITH WHITENED STONE STEPS AND LITTLE GROUPS OF APRONED WOMEN GOSSIPING AT THE DOORS </s><s> HALFWAY DOWN LESTRADE STOPPED AND TAPPED AT A DOOR WHICH WAS OPENED BY A SMALL SERVANT GIRL </s><s> MISS CUSHING WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT ROOM INTO WHICH WE WERE USHERED </s><s> SHE WAS A PLACID FACED WOMAN WITH LARGE GENTLE EYES AND GRIZZLED HAIR CURVING DOWN OVER HER TEMPLES ON EACH SIDE </s><s> A WORKED ANTIMACASSAR LAY UPON HER LAP AND A BASKET OF COLOURED SILKS STOOD UPON A STOOL BESIDE HER </s><s> THEY ARE IN THE OUTHOUSE THOSE DREADFUL THINGS SAID SHE AS LESTRADE ENTERED </s><s> I WISH THAT YOU WOULD TAKE THEM AWAY ALTOGETHER </s><s> SO I SHALL MISS CUSHING </s><s> I ONLY KEPT THEM HERE UNTIL MY FRIEND MR. HOLMES SHOULD HAVE SEEN THEM IN YOUR PRESENCE QUOTE </s><s> WHY IN MY PRESENCE SIR </s><s> IN CASE HE WISHED TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS </s><s> WHAT IS THE USE OF ASKING ME QUESTIONS WHEN I TELL YOU I KNOW NOTHING WHATEVER ABOUT IT </s><s> QUITE SO MADAM SAID HOLMES IN HIS SOOTHING WAY </s><s> I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ANNOYED MORE THAN ENOUGH ALREADY OVER THIS BUSINESS </s><s> QUOTE INDEED I HAVE SIR </s><s> I AM A QUIET WOMAN AND LIVE A RETIRED LIFE </s><s> IT IS SOMETHING NEW FOR ME TO SEE MY NAME IN THE PAPERS AND TO FIND THE POLICE IN MY HOUSE </s><s> I WON'T HAVE THOSE THINGS IN HERE MR. LESTRADE </s><s> IF YOU WISH TO SEE THEM YOU MUST GO TO THE OUTHOUSE </s><s> IT WAS A SMALL SHED IN THE NARROW GARDEN WHICH RAN BEHIND THE HOUSE </s><s> LESTRADE WENT IN AND BROUGHT OUT A YELLOW CARDBOARD BOX WITH A PIECE OF BROWN PAPER AND SOME STRING </s><s> THERE WAS A BENCH AT THE END OF THE PATH AND WE ALL SAT DOWN WHILE HOLMES EXAMINED ONE BY ONE THE ARTICLES WHICH LESTRADE HAD HANDED TO HIM </s><s> THE STRING IS EXCEEDINGLY INTERESTING HE REMARKED HOLDING IT UP TO THE LIGHT AND SNIFFING AT IT </s><s> WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS STRING LESTRADE </s><s> IT HAS BEEN TARRED </s><s> PRECISELY </s><s> IT IS A PIECE OF TARRED TWINE </s>