The sitting-room of our client opened by a long, low, latticedwindow on to the ancient lichen-tinted court of the old college. AGothic arched door led to a worn stone staircase. On the groundfloor was the tutor’s room. Above were three students, one oneach story. It was already twilight when we reached the scene ofour problem. Holmes halted and looked earnestly at the window.
Then he approached it, and, standing on tiptoe with his neckcraned, he looked into the room.
“He must have entered through the door. There is no openingexcept the one pane,” said our learned guide.
“Dear me!” said Holmes, and he smiled in a singular way as heglanced at our companion. “Well, if there is nothing to be learnedhere, we had best go inside.”
The lecturer unlocked the outer door and ushered us intohis room. We stood at the entrance while Holmes made anexamination of the carpet.
“I am afraid there are no signs here,” said he. “One could hardlyhope for any upon so dry a day. Your servant seems to have quiterecovered. You left him in a chair, you say. Which chair?”
“By the window there.”
“I see. Near this little table. You can come in now. I have finishedwith the carpet. Let us take the little table first. Of course, whathas happened is very clear. The man entered and took the papers,sheet by sheet, from the central table. He carried them over to thewindow table, because from there he could see if you came acrossthe courtyard, and so could effect an escape.”
“As a matter of fact, he could not,” said Soames, “for I enteredby the side door.”
“Ah, that’s good! Well, anyhow, that was in his mind. Let me seethe three strips. No finger impressions—no! Well, he carried overthis one first, and he copied it. How long would it take him to do1002 The Complete Sherlock Holmes
that, using every possible contraction? A quarter of an hour, notless. Then he tossed it down and seized the next. He was in themidst of that when your return caused him to make a very hurriedretreat—very hurried, since he had not time to replace the paperswhich would tell you that he had been there. You were not awareof any hurrying feet on the stair as you entered the outer door?”
“No, I can’t say I was.”
“Well, he wrote so furiously that he broke his pencil, and had, asyou observe, to sharpen it again. This is of interest, Watson. Thepencil was not an ordinary one. It was above the usual size, withsoft lead, the outer colour was dark blue, the maker’s name wasprinted in silver lettering, and the piece remaining is only about aninch and a half long. Look for such a pencil, Mr. Soames, and youhave got your man. When I add that he possesses a large and veryblunt knife, you have an additional aid.”
Mr. Soames was somewhat overwhelmed by this flood ofinformation. “I can follow the other points,” said he, “but really, inthis matter of the length——”
Holmes held out a small chip with the letters NN and a space ofclear wood after them.
“You see?”
“No, I fear that even now——”
“Watson, I have always done you an injustice. There are others.
What could this NN be? It is at the end of a word. You are awarethat Johann Faber is the most common maker’s name. Is it notclear that there is just as much of the pencil left as usually followsthe Johann?” He held the small table sideways to the electric light.
I was hoping that if the paper on which he wrote was thin, sometrace of it might come through upon this polished surface. No,see nothing. I don’t think there is anything more to be learnedhere. Now for the central table. This small pellet is, I presume,the black, doughy mass you spoke of. Roughly pyramidal in shapeand hollowed out, I perceive. As you say, there appear to be grainsof sawdust in it. Dear me, this is very interesting. And the cut—apositive tear, I see. It began with a thin scratch and ended in ajagged hole. I am much indebted to you for directing my attentionto this case, Mr. Soames. Where does that door lead to?”
“To my bedroom.”
“Have you been in it since your adventure?”
“No, I came straight away for you.”
“I should like to have a glance round. What a charming, oldfashionedroom! Perhaps you will kindly wait a minute, until Ihave examined the floor. No, I see nothing. What about thiscurtain? You hang your clothes behind it. If anyone were forced toThe Return of Sherlock Holmes 1003
conceal himself in this room he must do it there, since the bed istoo low and the wardrobe too shallow. No one there, I suppose?”
As Holmes drew the curtain I was aware, from some littlerigidity and alertness of his attitude, that he was prepared foran emergency. As a matter of fact, the drawn curtain disclosednothing but three or four suits of clothes hanging from a line ofpegs. Holmes turned away, and stooped suddenly to the floor.
“Halloa! What’s this?” said he.
It was a small pyramid of black, putty-like stuff, exactly like theone upon the table of the study. Holmes held it out on his openpalm in the glare of the electric light.
“Your visitor seems to have left traces in your bedroom as wellas in your sitting-room, Mr. Soames.”
“What could he have wanted there?”
“I think it is clear enough. You came back by an unexpected way,and so he had no warning until you were at the very door. Whatcould he do? He caught up everything which would betray him,and he rushed into your bedroom to conceal himself.”
“Good gracious, Mr. Holmes, do you mean to tell me that, allthe time I was talking to Bannister in this room, we had the manprisoner if we had only known it?”
“So I read it.”
“Surely there is another alternative, Mr. Holmes. I don’t knowwhether you observed my bedroom window?”
“Lattice-paned, lead framework, three separate windows, oneswinging on hinge, and large enough to admit a man.”
“Exactly. And it looks out on an angle of the courtyard so asto be partly invisible. The man might have effected his entrancethere, left traces as he passed through the bedroom, and finally,finding the door open, have escaped that way.”
Holmes shook his head impatiently.