“No, sir.”
“Then, whoever was burning bones, it was not he.”
“That’s true, sir.”
“What is the name of that inn you spoke of?”
“The Green Dragon.”
“Is there good fishing in that part of Berkshire?” The honesttrainer showed very clearly upon his face that he was convincedthat yet another lunatic had come into his harassed life.
“Well, sir, I’ve heard there are trout in the mill-stream and pikein the Hall lake.”
“That’s good enough. Watson and I are famous fishermen—arewe not, Watson? You may address us in future at the GreenDragon. We should reach it to-night. I need not say that we don’twant to see you, Mr. Mason, but a note will reach us, and no doubtcould find you if I want you. When we have gone a little fartherinto the matter I will let you have a considered opinion.”
The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes 1393
Thus it was that on a bright May evening Holmes and I foundourselves alone in a first-class carriage and bound for the little“halt-on-demand” station of Shoscombe. The rack above us wascovered with a formidable litter of rods, reels, and baskets. Onreaching our destination a short drive took us to an old-fashionedtavern, where a sporting host, Josiah Barnes, entered eagerly intoour plans for the extirpation of the fish of the neighbourhood.
“What about the Hall lake and the chance of a pike?” saidHolmes.
The face of the innkeeper clouded.
“That wouldn’t do, sir. You might chance to find yourself in thelake before you were through.”
“How’s that, then?”
“It’s Sir Robert, sir. He’s terrible jealous of touts. If you twostrangers were as near his training quarters as that he’d be afteryou as sure as fate. He ain’t taking no chances, Sir Robert ain’t.”
“I’ve heard he has a horse entered for the Derby.”
“Yes, and a good colt, too. He carries all our money for the race,and all Sir Robert’s into the bargain. By the way” —he looked at uswith thoughtful eyes— “I suppose you ain’t on the turf yourselves?”
“No, indeed. Just two weary Londoners who badly need somegood Berkshire air.”
“Well, you are in the right place for that. There is a deal of itlying about. But mind what I have told you about Sir Robert. He’sthe sort that strikes first and speaks afterwards. Keep clear of thepark.”
“Surely, Mr. Barnes! We certainly shall. By the way, that was amost beautiful spaniel that was whining in the hall.”
“I should say it was. That was the real Shoscombe breed. Thereain’t a better in England.”
“I am a dog-fancier myself,” said Holmes. “Now, if it is a fairquestion, what would a prize dog like that cost?”
“More than I could pay, sir. It was Sir Robert himself who gaveme this one. That’s why I have to keep it on a lead. It would be offto the Hall in a jiffy if I gave it its head.”
“We are getting some cards in our hand, Watson,” said Holmeswhen the landlord had left us. “It’s not an easy one to play, but wemay see our way in a day or two. By the way, Sir Robert is still inLondon, I hear. We might, perhaps, enter the sacred domain tonightwithout fear of bodily assault. There are one or two pointson which I should like reassurance.”
“Have you any theory, Holmes?”
“Only this, Watson, that something happened a week or so agowhich has cut deep into the life of the Shoscombe household.
What is that something? We can only guess at it from its effects.
The Complete Sherlock Holmes
They seem to be of a curiously mixed character. But that shouldsurely help us. It is only the colourless, uneventful case which ishopeless.
“Let us consider our data. The brother no longer visits thebeloved invalid sister. He gives away her favourite dog. Her dog,Watson! Does that suggest nothing to you?”
“Nothing but the brother’s spite.”
“Well, it might be so. Or—well, there is an alternative. Nowto continue our review of the situation from the time that thequarrel, if there is a quarrel, began. The lady keeps her room, altersher habits, is not seen save when she drives out with her maid,refuses to stop at the stables to greet her favourite horse andapparently takes to drink. That covers the case, does it not?”
“Save for the business in the crypt.”
“That is another line of thought. There are two, and I beg youwill not tangle them. Line A, which concerns Lady Beatrice, has avaguely sinister flavour, has it not?”
“I can make nothing of it.”
“Well, now, let us take up line B, which concerns Sir Robert. Hemad keen upon winning the Derby. He is in the hands of theJews, and may at any moment be sold up and his racing stablesseized by his creditors. He is a daring and desperate man. Hederives his income from his sister. His sister’s maid is his willingtool. So far we seem to be on fairly safe ground, do we not?”
“But the crypt?”
“Ah, yes, the crypt! Let us suppose, Watson—it is merely ascandalous supposition, a hypothesis put forward for argument’ssake—that Sir Robert has done away with his sister.”
“My dear Holmes, it is out of the question.”
“Very possibly, Watson. Sir Robert is a man of an honourablestock. But you do occasionally find a carrion crow among theeagles. Let us for a moment argue upon this supposition. Hecould not fly the country until he had realized his fortune, andthat fortune could only be realized by bringing off this coup withShoscombe Prince. Therefore, he has still to stand his ground. Todo this he would have to dispose of the body of his victim, and hewould also have to find a substitute who would impersonate her.
With the maid as his confidante that would not be impossible.
The woman’s body might be conveyed to the crypt, which is aplace so seldom visited, and it might be secretly destroyed at nightin the furnace, leaving behind it such evidence as we have alreadyseen. What say you to that, Watson?”
“Well, it is all possible if you grant the original monstroussupposition.”
“I think that there is a small experiment which we may try to-The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes 1395 morrow, Watson, in order to throw some light on the matter.