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Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet - Complete Book One of Two · Chapter by Chapter — The Lost Library

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  Welcome to this episodic audiobook presentation of
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  Sherlock Holmes in this series. Each chapter brings the classic
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  tales to life, unfolding the mystery, atmosphere, and
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  adventure that have captivated readers for generations.
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  Before we begin, a brief note. This presentation of Sherlock
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  Holmes is a modernized retelling of the original Canon.
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  The cases remain faithful to the stories that generations have
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  loved, while the language and structure have been carefully
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  refined to create a smoother, more immersive listening
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  experience for today's audience. What you are about to hear is
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  not a change to the mysteries themselves, but a restoration of
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  their flow, allowing the world of Sherlock Holmes to unfold
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  clearly for the modern ear. And now we open our first case,
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  Book 1, A Study in Scarlet, Chapter 1.
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  Mr. Sherlock Holmes In 1878, I earned my Doctor of Medicine
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  degree from the University of London and proceeded to Netley
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  to complete the required training for Army surgeons.
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  After finishing my studies, I was assigned as Assistant
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  Surgeon to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers.
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  The regiment was stationed in India and before I could join
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  them, the Second Afghan War erupted.
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  Upon arriving in Bombay, I discovered that my unit had
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  already advanced through the passes and was deep in enemy
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  territory. I followed along with many other
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  officers in similar circumstances and eventually
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  reached Kandahar safely, where I joined my regiment and began my.
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  Duties. The campaign brought honours and
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  promotions to many, but for me it was a series of misfortunes
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  and disasters. I was transferred from my
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  brigade to the Berkshires, with whom I served at the ill-fated
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  Battle of my Wand. There, a gazelle bullet struck
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  my shoulder, shattering the bone and grazing the subclavian
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  artery. I would have fallen into the
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  hands of the ruthless Ghazis if not for the bravery and
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  dedication of Murray, my orderly, who managed to hoist me
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  onto a pack horse and bring me safely back to the British
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  lines. Exhausted by pain and weakened
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  by the prolonged hardships I had endured, I was transported,
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  along with a large number of wounded, to the base hospital at
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  Peshawar. I had managed to rally and was
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  well enough to stroll through the wards and even enjoy a bit
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  of sun on the veranda when entering fever struck.
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  A relentless scourge of our Indian territories, for months
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  my survival was in doubt. When I finally regained
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  consciousness and began to recover, I was so frail and
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  wasted that a medical board insisted I'd be sent back to
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  England without delay. Thus I was shipped off on the
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  troop ship Arantes and arrived a month later at Portsmouth Jetty,
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  my health irreparably damaged, but with the.
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  Government's blessing to spend the next nine months trying to
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  restore it. With no family ties in England,
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  I was as unencumbered as the wind.
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  Or at least as unencumbered as one can be on an income of 11
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  shillings and sixpence a day. Naturally, I drifted to London,
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  that vast cesspool where all the Empire's Drifters and idlers
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  inevitably converge. I took up residence for a while
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  in a private hotel on the Strand, living a bleak, aimless
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  life and spending my money far more liberally than was wise.
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  My financial situation soon became so dire that I realized I
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  had to either retreat to the countryside or drastically
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  change my lifestyle. Opting for the latter, I
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  resolved to leave the hotel and find a more modest and
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  affordable place to live. On the very day I reached this
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  decision, I was standing at the Criterion Bar when someone
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  tapped me on the shoulder. Turning around, I recognized
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  young Stamford, who had been a dresser under me at Bart's.
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  In the vast wilderness of London, the sight of a familiar
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  face is indeed a welcome relief for a lonely soul.
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  In the past, Stamford and I had never been particularly close.
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  But now I greeted him with genuine enthusiasm and he seemed
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  equally pleased to see me caught up in the joy of our unexpected
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  reunion. I invited him to lunch at the
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  Holborn and we. Set off together in a handsome
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  cab. What on earth have you been up
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  to, Watson? He asked with open curiosity as
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  we navigated the bustling streets of London.
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  You're as thin as a rail and as tanned as a walnut.
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  I gave him a brief account of my recent adventures, barely
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  finishing by the time we arrived at our destination.
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  Poor fellow, he said sympathetically after hearing
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  about my hardships. What are you doing now?
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  I'm looking for a place to stay, I replied, trying to figure out
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  if it's possible to find comfortable lodgings at a
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  reasonable price. That's interesting, my companion
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  noted. You're the second person today
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  to mention that to me. And who was the?
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  First I inquired a guy working in the chemical lab at the
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  hospital. He replied he was lamenting this
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  morning because he couldn't find someone to split the.
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  Cost of some charming rooms he'd discovered which were beyond his
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  budget. By chove.
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  I exclaimed. If he's truly looking for
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  someone to share the rooms and the expenses, I'm the perfect
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  candidate. I'd much rather have a roommate
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  than live alone young. Stamford gave me a curious look
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  over his wine glass. You haven't met Sherlock Holmes
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  yet, he said. You might not find him to your
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  liking as a constant companion. Why, what's wrong with him?
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  Oh, I didn't mean there's anything wrong with him, he's
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  just a bit peculiar in his ideas, quite passionate about
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  certain scientific fields. From what I know, he's a decent
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  enough chap. A medical student I assume?
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  I inquired. No, I have no clue what he's
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  planning to pursue. I believe he's quite
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  knowledgeable in anatomy, and he's an excellent chemist, but
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  as far as I know he hasn't enrolled in any formal medical
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  courses. His studies are rather erratic
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  and unconventional, yet he's gathered a wealth of obscure
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  knowledge that would surprise his professors.
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  Have you never asked him what he's aiming for?
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  I asked. No, he's not someone you can
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  easily coax into conversation. Though he can be.
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  Quite talkative when the mood strikes him.
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  I'd like to meet him, I said. If I'm going to share a place
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  with someone, I'd prefer a person with quiet, studious
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  habits. I'm not yet strong enough to
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  handle much noise or excitement. I had my fill of both in
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  Afghanistan, enough to last a lifetime.
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  How can I meet this friend of yours?
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  He's bound to be at the laboratory, my companion
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  replied. He either avoids the place for
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  weeks or works there from dawn till dusk.
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  If you'd like, we can drive over together after lunch.
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  Certainly, I agreed, and the conversation shifted to other
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  topics as we headed to the hospital.
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  After leaving Holborn, Stamford shared a few more details about
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  the gentleman I was considering as a roommate.
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  Don't blame me if you don't get along with him, he said.
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  I only know him from occasional encounters in the lab.
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  You suggested this arrangement, so you can't hold me
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  accountable. If we don't get along, it will
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  be easy enough to part ways, I replied.
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  It seems to. Me, Stanford, I added,
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  scrutinizing my companion. That you have a reason for
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  distancing yourself from this matter.
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  Is this guy's temper really that terrifying, or what's the deal?
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  Don't hold back, it's tough to put into words.
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  He replied with a chuckle. Holmes is a bit too scientific
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  for my liking, almost to the point of being unemotional.
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  I can picture him giving a friend a dose of the latest
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  plant based toxin, not out of spite mind you, but purely out
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  of curiosity to understand its effect.
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  To be fair, I think he tried it on himself just as willingly.
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  He seems to have an obsession with precise and exact
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  knowledge. That's commendable, sure, but it
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  can go too far when it involves hitting cadavers with a stick in
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  the dissecting room. It takes on a rather odd form.
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  Hitting cadavers, yes, to see how bruises can form post
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  mortem. I witnessed it myself.
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  And yet you say he's not a medical student.
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  No, Who knows what his studies are really about, but here we
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  are and you'll need to form your own impressions of him.
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  As he spoke, we turned down a narrow lane and slipped through
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  a small side door, entering a wing of the sprawling hospital.
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  The place was familiar to me and I needed no guidance as we
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  climbed the stark stone staircase and walked down the
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  long corridor lined with white wash walls and dull colored
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  doors. Near the far end, a low arched
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  passage branched off, leading us to the chemical laboratory.
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  This was a high ceiling room, cluttered with countless
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  bottles. Broad, low tables were scattered
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  throughout, bristling with retorts.
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  Test tubes and small Bunsen burners with their blue
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  flickering flames. Only one student was present,
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  bent over a distant table, absorbed in his work.
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  At the sound of our footsteps, he looked up and leapt to his
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  feet with a cry of joy. I found it.
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  I found it, he shouted to my companion, rushing toward us
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  with a test tube in hand. I've discovered a reagent that
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  is precipitated by hemoglobin and nothing else.
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  The delight on his face was as if he had unearthed a gold mine.
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  Doctor Watson, meet Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
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  Stamford introduced us. How do you do?
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  Holmes greeted warmly, shaking my hand with a surprising
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  firmness. You've been in Afghanistan, I
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  gather? How could you possibly know
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  that? I asked, taken aback.
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  Never mind, he replied with a self satisfied chuckle.
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  The matter at hand is hemoglobin.
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  Surely you grasp the importance of my discovery.
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  It's intriguing from a chemical standpoint, certainly, I
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  replied. But in practical terms, why?
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  It's the most significant medico legal breakthrough in years.
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  Don't you see? It provides an unfailing test
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  for blood stains. Come, have a look.
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  He eagerly pulled me by the sleeve over to the table where
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  he was working. Let's have some fresh blood, he
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  said, pricking his finger with a long needle and collecting the
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  drop in a pipette. Now I add this tiny amount of
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  blood to a litre of water. You see, the mixture looks just
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  like pure water. The blood concentration is no
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  more than one in a million, yet I'm confident we can still
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  detect the characteristic reaction.
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  As he spoke, he tossed a few white crystals into the vessel.
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  Then added several drops of a clear liquid.
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  Instantly the mixture turned a dull mahogany colour and a
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  brownish sediment settled at the bottom of the glass jar.
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  He exclaimed, clapping his hands with the Glee of a child
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  discovering a new toy. What do you make of that?
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  It seems to be a very refined test, I observed.
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  Exquisite. Exquisite.
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  The old Zircum test was crude and unreliable.
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  The microscopic examination for blood corpuscles is just as
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  flawed. It's useless if the stains are
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  more than a few hours old. But this test seems effective
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  whether the blood is fresh or aged.
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  Had this been invented earlier, countless men walking free today
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  would have long since faced justice.
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  For their crimes, indeed, I murmured.
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  Criminal cases often pivot on that single issue.
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  A man might be suspected of a crime months after it occurred.
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  His clothing is scrutinized and brownish stains are found on
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  them. Are they blood stains?
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  Mud stains? Rust stains.
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  Or perhaps fruit stains? What exactly are they?
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  This question has baffled many experts.
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  And why? Because there was no dependable
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  test. But now we have the Sherlock
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  Holmes test, and such mysteries will no longer pose a problem.
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  His eyes sparkled with excitement as he spoke, placing
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  a hand over his heart and bowing as if acknowledging an imaginary
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  audience's applause. Congratulations are in order, I
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  said, genuinely taken aback by his enthusiasm.
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  Consider the case of von Bischoff in Frankfurt last year.
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  He would have certainly faced execution if this test had been
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  available. Then there was Mason from
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  Bradford, the infamous Muller, the favorite from Montpellier,
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  and Samson from New Orleans. I could list dozens of cases
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  where it would have been definitive.
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  You seem like a living Almanac of crime, Stamford chuckled.
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  You could start a publication along those lines.
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  Call it the Police Chronicles of Yesteryear.
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  It could make for quite fascinating reading, Sherlock
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  Holmes remarked, applying a small piece of plaster over a
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  prick on his finger. I must be cautious, he
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  continued, turning to me with a smile as I often experiment with
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  poisons. He extended his hand as he
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  spoke, and I noticed it was covered with similar plasters
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  and stained with strong acids. We're here on business.
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  Stamford said, settling onto a tall 3 legged stool and nudging
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  another toward me with his foot. My friend here is looking for a
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  place to stay, and since you mentioned you couldn't find
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  anyone to share with, I thought it best to introduce you to
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  Sherlock Holmes. Seemed quite pleased with the
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  prospect of sharing his space with me.
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  I've got my eye on a suite in Baker Street, he said, which
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  would suit us perfectly. You don't mind the smell of
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  strong tobacco, do you? I smoke ships myself, I replied.
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  That's good to hear. I usually have chemicals around
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  and occasionally conduct experiments.
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  Would that bother you? Not at all.
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  Let me think what else might be an issue.
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  I get into moods sometimes and might not speak for days.
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  Don't assume I'm being unfriendly when that happens.
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  Just leave me be. And I'll come around now.
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  What about you? It's best for two people to know
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  each other's quirks before they start living together.
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  I chuckled. At the interrogation, I have a
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  bull pup, I said. And I avoid conflicts because my
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  nerves are frayed. I wake up at all sorts of
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  ungodly hours and frankly, I'm incredibly lazy.
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  When I'm in better health, I have a different set of vices.
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  But those are the main ones for now.
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  Do you count violin playing among the disturbances you
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  dislike? He asked with a hint of concern.
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  It depends on who's playing, I replied.
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  A well played violin is divine. A poorly played one, however.
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  Oh, that's fine. He interrupted with a cheerful
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  laugh. I think we can consider the
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  matter settled, assuming the rooms suit you.
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  When can we see them? Meet me here at noon tomorrow
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  and we'll go together to finalize everything.
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  He said. Agreed.
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  Noon sharp. I replied, shaking his hand.
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  We left him engrossed in his chemical experiments and walked
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  together toward my hotel. By the way?
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  I asked, suddenly, stopping and turning to Stamford.
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  How on earth did he know I came from Afghanistan?
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  My companion gave a mysterious smile.
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  That's just one of his quirks, he said.
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  A lot of people are curious about how he figures things out.
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  Oh, a mystery is it? I exclaimed, rubbing my hands
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  together with anticipation. This is quite intriguing.
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  I must thank you for bringing us together.
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  As they say, the proper study of mankind is man.
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  Then you must study him. Stamford replied as he took his
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  leave. You'll find him a tough puzzle
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  though. I bet he'll learn more about you
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  than you will about him. Goodbye, goodbye.
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  I replied and continued on to my hotel, feeling quite intrigued
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  by my new acquaintance. In the previous chapter, Doctor
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  John Watson recounts the events that brought him back to England
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  after war, injury and illness, alone in London and.
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  Short on means, he begins searching for affordable
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  lodgings. A chance meeting with an old
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  acquaintance introduces him to an unusual figure.
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  Brilliant, eccentric man working in a hospital laboratory.
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  That man is Sherlock Holmes. Their first encounter reveals
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  Holmes's extraordinary powers of observation, his passion for
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  science, and a mind already immersed in the study of crime.
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  Before the day ends, Watson finds himself considering not
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  only a new place to live, but a new companion, one whose habits
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  and intellect promise mystery, curiosity, and.
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  Unforeseen Adventure In this chapter, their strange new
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  association begins to take shape.
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  Book 1A. Study in Scarlet Chapter 2 The
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  Science of Deduction We met the next day as planned and went to
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  see the rooms AT221B Baker Street which he had mentioned
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  during our meeting. The place comprised 2 cozy
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  bedrooms and a large, airy sitting room, cheerfully
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  furnished and lit by two wide windows.
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  The apartments were so appealing in every respect, and the term
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  seemed so reasonable when split between us, that we sealed the
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  deal on the spot and immediately took possession.
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  That very evening I moved my belongings from the hotel and
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  the following morning Sherlock Holmes arrived with several
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  boxes and suitcases. For a day or two we were
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  occupied with unpacking and arranging our things to best
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  suit the space. Once that was done, we gradually
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  began to settle in and adapt to our new environment.
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  Holmes was certainly an easy man to live with.
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  He was quiet in his manner and his routines were consistent.
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  It was uncommon for him to be awake past 10 at night and he
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  always had breakfast and left the house before I even got up
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  in the morning. Some days he would spend his
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  time at the chemical lab, other days in the dissecting rooms,
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  and occasionally he would embark on long walks that seemed to
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  lead him into the most impoverished areas of the city.
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  His energy was unmatched when he was in the throes of work, yet
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  there were times when a lethargy would overcome him, and for days
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  he would lie on the sofa in the sitting room, barely speaking or
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  moving from morning till night. During these periods I noticed
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  such a distant, vacant look in his eyes that I might have
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  suspected him of indulging in narcotics if not for the
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  temperance and cleanliness that characterized his entire
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  lifestyle, which dismissed such a thought as the weeks passed.
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  My interest in him and curiosity about his life's purpose grew
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  steadily. His very presence and appearance
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  were enough to catch the eye of even the most indifferent
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  passerby. He stood a little over 6 feet
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  tall and his extreme leanness made him appear even taller.
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  His eyes were sharp and penetrating, except during those
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  spells of lethargy I mentioned, and his thin hawk like nose lent
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  his expression an air of alertness and decisiveness.
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  His chin was prominent and square, a feature that often
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  signifies determination. His hands were perpetually ink
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  stained and marked with chemicals, yet he possessed an
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  extraordinary delicacy of touch which I frequently observed when
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  he handled. His delicate philosophical
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  instruments. You might think me an
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  incorrigible meddler when I admit how much this man piqued
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  my curiosity and how often I tried to penetrate the veil of
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  silence he maintained about his personal affairs.
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  But before you judge, consider how aimless my life was with so
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  little to capture my interest. My health kept me indoors unless
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  the weather was exceptionally mild, and I had no friends to
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  break the monotony of my daily routine.
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  In such circumstances, I eagerly embraced the small mystery
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  surrounding my companion and devoted much of my time to
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  trying to unravel it. He wasn't studying medicine.
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  He had confirmed Stamford's opinion on that matter when I
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  asked. Nor did he seem to be pursuing
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  any academic path that might lead to a degree in science or
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  any other recognized gateway into the scholarly world.
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  Yet his passion for certain subjects was remarkable and
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  within his peculiar range. His knowledge was so
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  extraordinarily detailed and extensive that his insights
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  often left me astonished. Surely no one would work so
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  diligently or acquire such precise information without a
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  specific goal in mind. Casual readers rarely exhibit
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  such precision in their learning.
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  No one fills their mind with trivial details without a
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  compelling reason. His ignorance was as striking as
• 24:38
  his knowledge. In the realms of modern
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  literature, philosophy, and politics, he seemed to know
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  almost nothing. When I mentioned Thomas Carlyle,
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  he innocently asked who that was and what he'd accomplished.
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  My astonishment peaked when I discovered he was unaware of the
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  Copernican theory and the structure of the solar system.
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  The idea that any educated person in this 19th century
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  could be oblivious to the fact that the Earth orbits the sun
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  was so extraordinary to me that I struggled to comprehend it.
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  You seem surprised, he remarked, smiling at my astonished look.
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  Now that I know it, I'll make an effort to forget it.
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  To forget it? I exclaimed.
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  You see? He explained.
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  I believe a man's brain is like a small empty attic, and you
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  must furnish it with the items you choose.
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  A fool fills it with all sorts of clutter he encounters, so the
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  useful knowledge gets crowded out or at best mixed up with so
• 25:45
  many other things that it's hard to retrieve.
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  The skilled Craftsman, however, is very selective about what he
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  allows into his brain attic. He keeps only the tools that
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  will aid him in his work, but he has a wide variety of those, all
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  in perfect order. It's a mistake to think that
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  little room has elastic walls and can expand indefinitely.
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  Trust me, there comes a point when for every new piece of
• 26:11
  knowledge, you forget something you previously knew.
• 26:15
  It is crucial, then, to ensure that trivial facts don't crowd
• 26:20
  out the essential ones. But what about the solar system?
• 26:24
  I objected. What does it matter to me?
• 26:28
  He cut in, clearly irritated. You say we orbit the sun.
• 26:34
  If we orbited the moon instead, it wouldn't make the slightest
• 26:38
  difference to me or my work. I almost asked him what exactly
• 26:42
  his work entailed, but something in his demeanour warned me that.
• 26:46
  Such a question would not be well received.
• 26:50
  Still, I mulled over our brief exchange, trying to draw
• 26:53
  conclusions from it. He had stated he would only
• 26:57
  learn what was relevant to his purpose, thus all his knowledge
• 27:02
  was tailored to be of use to him.
• 27:05
  I mentally listed the areas where he had demonstrated
• 27:08
  exceptional expertise. I even took a pencil and noted
• 27:12
  them down. I couldn't help but chuckle at
• 27:15
  the list. Once it was finished.
• 27:19
  It read as follows. Sherlock Holmes, His boundaries.
• 27:26
  One knowledge of literature None 2 Philosophy.
• 27:33
  None. 3 Astronomy. None 4.
• 27:39
  Politics weak 5. Botany inconsistent Well versed
• 27:45
  in belladonna, opium, and poisons in general.
• 27:49
  Lacks any skill in practical gardening 6.
• 27:53
  Geology, practical yet limited. Can instantly distinguish
• 27:58
  different soils after walks. He has shown me stains on his
• 28:02
  trousers and identified their origin by colour and texture,
• 28:07
  pinpointing exactly where in London he acquired them.
• 28:10
  Seven Chemistry profound 8. Anatomy precise but disorganized
• 28:21
  9. Sensational literature vast.
• 28:26
  He seems to know every detail of every atrocity committed in the
• 28:30
  century. 10 plays the violin skillfully. 11 is an expert in
• 28:38
  single stick boxing and swordsmanship. 12 has a solid
• 28:45
  practical understanding of British.
• 28:47
  Law. After compiling this list, I
• 28:51
  tossed it into the fire in frustration.
• 28:54
  If I can only figure out what he's aiming for by reconciling
• 28:58
  all these skills and finding a profession that requires them
• 29:02
  all, I thought to myself, I might as well abandoned the
• 29:07
  attempt entirely. I mentioned earlier his skill
• 29:11
  with the violin, which was indeed extraordinary, though as
• 29:14
  unconventional as his other talents.
• 29:17
  I knew he could handle complex pieces, having heard him play
• 29:21
  some of Mendelssohn's Leader and other favorites at my request.
• 29:26
  Yet when left to his own devices, he rarely played
• 29:30
  recognizable tunes. Instead, he would recline in his
• 29:34
  armchair in the evenings, eyes closed, and absent mindedly draw
• 29:39
  the bow across the violin resting on his knee.
• 29:43
  The sounds he produced varied, sometimes deep and mournful,
• 29:49
  other times whimsical and bright.
• 29:52
  These melodies seem to mirror his inner musings, though
• 29:56
  whether the music inspired his thoughts or was merely a product
• 30:00
  of his whims was beyond my understanding.
• 30:03
  I might have found these impromptu performances trying if
• 30:06
  he didn't usually conclude them by playing a rapid succession of
• 30:10
  my favorite tunes as if to make amends for testing my patients.
• 30:15
  In the first week or so we had no visitors and I began to
• 30:20
  suspect that my companion was as solitary as I was.
• 30:25
  However, I soon discovered he had a wide circle of
• 30:28
  acquaintances from various walks of life. 1 frequent visitor was
• 30:33
  a small sallow man with a rat like face and dark eyes
• 30:38
  introduced to me as Mr. Lestrade who appeared 3 or 4 times in a
• 30:42
  single week. One morning a young woman
• 30:46
  arrived, impeccably dressed, and lingered for over half an hour.
• 30:51
  Later that afternoon, an older man with graying hair, looking
• 30:55
  rather shabby and resembling a Jewish peddler visited.
• 31:00
  He seemed quite agitated and was soon followed by an elderly
• 31:04
  woman in disarray. On another occasion an elderly
• 31:08
  gentleman with white hair met with my companion, and at
• 31:12
  another time a railway Porter in his velveteen uniform came by.
• 31:18
  Whenever these peculiar visitors appeared, Sherlock Holmes would
• 31:22
  request the use of the sitting room and I would retreat to my
• 31:26
  bedroom. He always apologized for the
• 31:29
  inconvenience. I need to use this room for
• 31:33
  business, he explained. And these people are my clients.
• 31:39
  Once more I had the chance to ask him directly about his work,
• 31:44
  but my sense of propriety stopped me from pressing him to
• 31:47
  share his confidences. I assumed he had a strong reason
• 31:52
  for his discretion, but he soon dispelled that notion by
• 31:56
  bringing up the topic himself. It was on the 4th of March, a
• 32:00
  date I recall vividly, that I woke earlier than usual and
• 32:04
  found Sherlock Holmes still at breakfast.
• 32:07
  The landlady, accustomed to my late rising, hadn't set my place
• 32:12
  or prepared my coffee with the unreasonable irritation common
• 32:17
  to humanity. I rang the bell and tersely
• 32:20
  indicated I was ready. Then I picked up a magazine from
• 32:24
  the table, trying to pass the time with it while my companion
• 32:28
  quietly crunched on his toast. One of the articles had a pencil
• 32:33
  mark at the top, naturally drawing my attention to it.
• 32:37
  It's rather grandiose title was The Book of Life, and it aimed
• 32:42
  to demonstrate how much an observant person could discern
• 32:46
  through a meticulous. And systematic examination of
• 32:50
  everything encountered. It struck me as a curious blend
• 32:54
  of insight and absurdity. The reasoning was sharp and
• 32:58
  intense, yet the conclusions seemed to me to be overreaching
• 33:03
  and exaggerated. The author claimed that with
• 33:06
  just a fleeting expression. A twitch of a muscle or a glance
• 33:11
  of an eye, one could delve into a person's deepest thoughts.
• 33:16
  According to him, deceit was impossible for someone trained
• 33:20
  in observation and analysis. His conclusions were as certain
• 33:25
  as mathematical proofs. To those unfamiliar with his
• 33:29
  methods, his results would. Seem so astonishing?
• 33:33
  That they might consider him a magician until they understood
• 33:36
  the processes he used to reach them.
• 33:39
  From a single drop of water, the writer asserted, A logician
• 33:44
  could infer the existence of an Atlantic or a Niagara without
• 33:48
  having seen or heard of either. Thus all life is a vast chain.
• 33:54
  The nature of which is revealed whenever we are shown a single
• 33:58
  link. Like all other arts, the science
• 34:02
  of deduction and analysis is one that can only be mastered
• 34:07
  through long and patient study, and life is not long enough for
• 34:11
  anyone to achieve its highest perfection.
• 34:15
  Before tackling the moral and mental aspects which present the
• 34:19
  greatest challenges, let the seeker begin by mastering
• 34:23
  simpler problems. Let him.
• 34:26
  Upon meeting another person, learn at a glance to discern the
• 34:30
  individual's history and the trade or profession to which
• 34:34
  they belong. Though it may seem childish,
• 34:38
  such an exercise hones one's powers of observation, teaching
• 34:43
  where to look and what to seek. A man's profession is clearly
• 34:48
  revealed by his fingernails, his coat sleeve, his boots, the
• 34:53
  knees of his trousers, the calluses on his forefinger and
• 34:56
  thumb, his expression and his shirt cuffs.
• 35:00
  That all these indicators combined could fail to inform a
• 35:04
  skilled observer is almost unimaginable.
• 35:08
  What utter nonsense, I exclaimed, slamming the magazine
• 35:12
  onto the table. I've never read such drivel in
• 35:15
  my life. What is it?
• 35:18
  Sherlock Holmes inquired. This article, I replied.
• 35:23
  Gesturing at it with my egg spoon as I settled down for
• 35:26
  breakfast. I see you've read it.
• 35:29
  Given that you've marked it. I won't deny it's cleverly
• 35:32
  written, but it annoys me. It's clearly the theory of some
• 35:38
  armchair philosopher who concox these tidy little paradoxes in
• 35:43
  the comfort of his study. It's impractical.
• 35:47
  I'd like to see him placed in a third class carriage on the
• 35:50
  underground and asked to deduce the occupations of all his
• 35:54
  fellow passengers. I bet 1000 to one against him.
• 35:59
  You'd be wasting your money, Sherlock Holmes said with a
• 36:02
  serene confidence. As for the article, I penned it
• 36:06
  myself. You.
• 36:08
  Did indeed? I have a knack for both
• 36:11
  observation and deduction. The theories I've laid out there
• 36:16
  which you find so fantastical are actually quite practical.
• 36:20
  So much so that I rely on them for my livelihood.
• 36:25
  And how is that? I asked, unable to hold back my
• 36:28
  curiosity. Well, I have a unique
• 36:32
  profession. I believe I'm the only one of my
• 36:35
  kind. I'm a consulting detective, if
• 36:38
  you can grasp what that means. Here in London we have.
• 36:42
  Plenty of government detectives and private ones.
• 36:46
  When they hit a dead end, they come to me and I usually managed
• 36:52
  to steer them in the right direction.
• 36:55
  They present all the evidence to me and with my extensive
• 36:59
  knowledge of criminal history, I can typically set them straight.
• 37:05
  There's a certain pattern to crimes.
• 37:08
  And if you have the details of 1000 cases at your fingertips,
• 37:12
  it's peculiar if you can't solve the thousand and 1st.
• 37:17
  Lestrade is a well known detective.
• 37:20
  He recently found himself baffled by a forgery case, which
• 37:25
  is what led him to seek my help and the others?
• 37:31
  They're mostly referred by private inquiry agencies.
• 37:35
  They are all people grappling with some issue, seeking a bit
• 37:39
  of clarity. I listen to their stories, offer
• 37:43
  my insights, and then I collect my fee.
• 37:47
  Are you telling me? I asked that you can untangle a
• 37:50
  mystery from your room that others, despite seeing every
• 37:55
  detail first hand, can't solve. Exactly.
• 38:01
  I have a knack for it. Occasionally a case is more
• 38:04
  intricate and I need to get out and see things for myself.
• 38:09
  You see, I possess a wealth of specialized knowledge that I
• 38:13
  bring to bear on the problem, which makes things much easier.
• 38:17
  Those deduction principles outlined in the article you
• 38:20
  mocked are incredibly useful in my work.
• 38:23
  Observation is second nature to me.
• 38:26
  You seem surprised when I told you during our first meeting
• 38:29
  that you. Had come from Afghanistan.
• 38:32
  You must have been informed. Not at all.
• 38:36
  I knew you were from Afghanistan through long practice.
• 38:40
  My thoughts. Move so swiftly that I reach
• 38:43
  conclusions without being aware of the steps in between.
• 38:47
  But those steps are there nonetheless, the chain of logic
• 38:52
  unfolded as follows. Here stands a gentleman with the
• 38:56
  demeanour of a military man, yet clearly of a medical profession,
• 39:01
  an army doctor. Then his complexion is darkened,
• 39:05
  suggesting recent time spent in the tropics.
• 39:09
  Though his natural skin tone is lighter, as evidenced by the
• 39:12
  fair skin on his wrists, his gaunt appearance speaks of
• 39:16
  hardship and illness. His left arm is held stiffly,
• 39:21
  indicating an injury. Where might an English Army
• 39:25
  doctor have faced such adversity and sustained an arm injury in
• 39:30
  the tropics? Afghanistan is the obvious
• 39:33
  answer. This entire thought process took
• 39:37
  less than a second. I then mentioned your return
• 39:41
  from Afghanistan and you were taken aback.
• 39:45
  It's quite straightforward when you lay it out, I replied with a
• 39:49
  smile. You remind me of Edgar Allan
• 39:52
  Poe's Duper. I never imagined such people
• 39:55
  existed outside of fiction. Sherlock Holmes stood and lit
• 40:00
  his pipe. You probably think you're
• 40:04
  flattering me by comparing me to Duper, he remarked.
• 40:08
  In my view, Duper was rather unimpressive.
• 40:13
  His habit of interrupting his friend's thoughts with a timely
• 40:16
  comment after a long silence is flashy but ultimately shallow.
• 40:22
  He. Possessed a certain analytical
• 40:24
  brilliance, undeniably, yet he was far from the prodigy Poe
• 40:29
  seemed to envision. Have you read Gabriel's novels?
• 40:33
  I inquired. Does.
• 40:35
  Lecoq, match your vision of a detective.
• 40:38
  Sherlock Holmes scoffed with a sardonic air.
• 40:42
  Lecoq was a hopeless bungler, he retorted, his voice edged with
• 40:47
  irritation. His only redeeming quality was
• 40:50
  his energy. That book made me physically
• 40:53
  I'll The challenge was to identify an unknown prisoner.
• 40:58
  I could have solved it in 24 hours.
• 41:01
  Lecoq took six months or more. It could serve as a textbook for
• 41:05
  detectives on what to avoid. I felt a surge of indignation at
• 41:11
  seeing 2 characters I admired dismissed so offhandedly.
• 41:16
  I moved to the window, gazing out at the bustling St.
• 41:20
  This man might be exceptionally clever, I thought to myself.
• 41:24
  But he is. Undeniably arrogant.
• 41:28
  There are no crimes and no criminals these days, he
• 41:32
  complained, his tone petulant. What is the point of having
• 41:36
  intellect in our field? I am well aware that I have the
• 41:40
  potential to make my name renowned.
• 41:43
  No one, living or dead, has devoted the same level of study
• 41:49
  and innate talent to crime detection as I have.
• 41:54
  And what's the outcome? There's no real crime to
• 41:58
  uncover, or at best some clumsy misdeed with motives so obvious
• 42:03
  that even a. Scotland Yard officer can figure
• 42:05
  it out. I found his arrogant manner
• 42:08
  irritating and decided it was best to steer the conversation
• 42:12
  elsewhere. What do you suppose that man is
• 42:16
  up to? I asked, gesturing toward a
• 42:19
  sturdy, plainly dressed man who was slowly making his way down
• 42:23
  the opposite side of the street, anxiously checking the building
• 42:27
  numbers he held. A.
• 42:28
  Large blue envelope clearly delivering a message.
• 42:32
  You mean the retired Marine Sergeant?
• 42:35
  Sherlock Holmes replied, full of himself.
• 42:40
  I thought he knows. I can't confirm his guess.
• 42:45
  No sooner had this thought crossed my mind than the man we
• 42:48
  were observing spotted our door number and hurriedly crossed the
• 42:51
  street. We heard a loud knock, a deep
• 42:55
  voice. Below, and the sound of heavy
• 42:58
  footsteps climbing the stairs. For Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
• 43:02
  He announced, entering the room and handing the letter to my
• 43:05
  friend. Here was my chance to deflate
• 43:09
  his ego a bit. He hadn't anticipated this when
• 43:12
  he made that offhand remark. May I inquire, young man?
• 43:18
  I said in the most amiable tone. What line of work you're in?
• 43:24
  Commissioner, Sir, he replied gruffly.
• 43:28
  Uniforms out for repairs. And you were?
• 43:32
  I asked, casting a slightly mischievous glance at my
• 43:35
  companion. A Sergeant, Sir.
• 43:39
  Royal Marine Light Infantry, Sir.
• 43:42
  No response. Very well, Sir.
• 43:45
  He snapped his heels together, raised his hand in a salute, and
• 43:49
  departed. You've been listening to
• 43:53
  Sherlock Holmes? The 221 B Chronicles an episodic
• 43:57
  audio book presentation of Sherlock Holmes.
• 44:01
  Thank you for joining us. We'll be back with the next two
• 44:04
  chapters in our next release. Until then, the case continues.
• 44:30
  Welcome back to another episodic audio book presentation of
• 44:35
  Sherlock Holmes in this series. Each chapter brings the classic
• 44:39
  tales to life, unfolding the mystery atmosphere.
• 44:43
  And adventure that have captivated readers for
• 44:46
  generations. Before we begin, a brief note.
• 44:52
  This presentation of Sherlock Holmes is a modernized retelling
• 44:56
  of the original Canon. The cases remain faithful to the
• 44:59
  stories that generations have loved, while the language and
• 45:03
  structure have been carefully refined to create a smoother,
• 45:06
  more immersive listening experience for today's audience.
• 45:11
  What you are about to hear is not a change to the mysteries
• 45:14
  themselves, but a restoration of their flow, allowing the world
• 45:19
  of Sherlock Holmes to unfold clearly for the modern.
• 45:23
  EAR And now we return to the first case Book 1A Study in
• 45:31
  Scarlet Chapter 3 The Loriston Gardens mystery.
• 45:38
  I must admit I was quite taken aback by this new demonstration
• 45:42
  of my companions practical theories.
• 45:44
  My admiration for his analytical skills grew immensely.
• 45:49
  Yet a lingering doubt persisted in my mind that the entire scene
• 45:54
  might have been staged to impress me, though I couldn't
• 45:57
  fathom why he would bother. As I glanced at him, he had
• 46:01
  finished reading the note and his eyes had taken on a vacant,
• 46:05
  dull look that indicated he was deep in thought.
• 46:10
  How on earth did you figure that out?
• 46:12
  I asked. Figure out what?
• 46:16
  He replied irritably. Why, that he was a retired
• 46:20
  Sergeant of Marines. I have no time for trivial
• 46:24
  matters, he replied curtly, then softened with a smile.
• 46:30
  Forgive my abruptness. You interrupted my train of
• 46:33
  thought, but perhaps that's for the best.
• 46:36
  So you really couldn't tell that man was a Sergeant of Marines?
• 46:41
  No, not at all. It's easier to recognize than to
• 46:44
  articulate. Why.
• 46:46
  If someone asked you to prove that 2 + 2 = 4, you might
• 46:50
  struggle to explain, yet you're certain of it.
• 46:54
  Even from across the street I noticed a large blue anchor
• 46:58
  tattooed on the back of his hand that suggested a nautical
• 47:02
  background, yet he carried himself with a military bearing
• 47:07
  and had the regulation side whiskers.
• 47:10
  There you have the Marine. He exuded a sense of self
• 47:14
  importance and an air of authority.
• 47:17
  Surely you noticed how he held his head and swung his cane.
• 47:21
  A. Steady, respectable middle-aged
• 47:24
  man. All of which led me to conclude
• 47:27
  he was a Sergeant. Amazing, I exclaimed.
• 47:33
  Ordinary, said Holmes, though his expression suggested he was
• 47:37
  pleased by my evident surprise and admiration.
• 47:40
  I mentioned earlier that there were no criminals.
• 47:45
  It seems I might have been. Mistaken.
• 47:47
  Take a look at this. He tossed me the note delivered
• 47:51
  by the commissioner. Good heavens, I exclaimed as I
• 47:55
  scanned it. This is dreadful.
• 47:59
  It does appear somewhat unusual. He replied with composure.
• 48:04
  Would you mind reading it aloud to me?
• 48:07
  Here is the letter I read to him.
• 48:10
  My dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes, An unfortunate incident occurred
• 48:15
  last night at 3:00 Loriston Gardens, just off Brixton Rd.
• 48:21
  Our officer on patrol noticed a light there around 2:00 in the
• 48:24
  morning and since the house is unoccupied, he suspected
• 48:28
  something was wrong. He found the door ajar and in
• 48:32
  the front room, which is devoid of furniture, he discovered the
• 48:37
  body of a well dressed gentleman.
• 48:40
  The cards in his pocket identified him as Enoch J
• 48:43
  Drebber, Cleveland, OH, USA. There was no sign of robbery nor
• 48:49
  any clue as to how the man met his end.
• 48:53
  Blood stains were present in the room, yet there was no wound on
• 48:56
  his body. We are baffled as to how he
• 48:59
  ended up in the vacant house. Indeed, the entire situation is
• 49:03
  perplexing. If you can visit the house
• 49:06
  before noon, you'll find me there.
• 49:10
  I've left everything as it is until I hear from you.
• 49:13
  Should you be unable to come, I will provide more detailed
• 49:17
  information and I would greatly appreciate.
• 49:20
  Your insights on the matter? Yours faithfully.
• 49:23
  Tobias Gregson. Gregson is the sharpest of the
• 49:27
  Scotland Yard detectives, my friend observed.
• 49:31
  He and Lestrade are the best of a mediocre bunch.
• 49:35
  They're both quick and energetic, but terribly
• 49:38
  conventional. They're also quite competitive
• 49:42
  with each other, like rival performers.
• 49:45
  If they both get involved in this case, it should be
• 49:48
  entertaining. I was struck by how casually he
• 49:52
  spoke. Surely we can't waste any time?
• 49:56
  I exclaimed. Should I call a cab for you?
• 50:00
  I'm not sure if I'll go. I'm the laziest person alive
• 50:03
  when the mood strikes, though I can be quite active when I
• 50:06
  choose. But this is exactly the kind of
• 50:10
  opportunity you've been waiting for, my dear friend.
• 50:14
  What difference does it make to me?
• 50:17
  Even if I solve the whole thing, you can bet Gregson, Lestrade
• 50:21
  and their colleagues will take all the credit.
• 50:24
  That's the downside of being an unofficial figure.
• 50:27
  But he's asking for your help. Yes, he knows I'm his superior.
• 50:34
  And admits it to me. Though he'd rather cut out his
• 50:37
  tongue than confess it to anyone else.
• 50:40
  Still, we might as well take a look.
• 50:43
  I'll figure it out on my own terms.
• 50:46
  If nothing else, I might get a laugh out of it.
• 50:49
  Let's go. He shrugged on his overcoat, his
• 50:53
  previous apathy replaced by a burst of energy.
• 50:56
  Grab your hat. He instructed.
• 50:59
  You want me to come along? Yes, Unless you have something
• 51:04
  better to do. Moments later we were both in a
• 51:08
  handsome cab racing down Brixton Rd.
• 51:12
  The morning was foggy and overcast, A dull veil draped
• 51:16
  over the rooftops like a reflection of the muddy streets
• 51:19
  below. My companion was in high spirit,
• 51:22
  chatting away about Cremona violins and the distinctions
• 51:26
  between a Stradivarius and an Amati.
• 51:30
  Meanwhile, I remained silent, the dreary weather and the
• 51:34
  sombre nature of our task weighing on my mood.
• 51:39
  You don't seem very focused on the matter at hand, I finally
• 51:43
  said, cutting into Holmes's musical musings.
• 51:47
  No data yet, He replied. It's a grave mistake to form
• 51:51
  theories before you have all the evidence.
• 51:54
  It skews the judgement. You'll have your information
• 51:58
  soon, I said, gesturing with my hand.
• 52:03
  This is Brixton Road, and that's the house.
• 52:07
  Unless I'm very much mistaken. Indeed it is.
• 52:12
  Stop, driver, stop. Though we were still about 100
• 52:16
  yards away, he insisted we get out and walk the rest of the way
• 52:22
  #3 Loriston Gardens had a foreboding and threatening
• 52:26
  appearance. It was one of four houses set
• 52:29
  slightly back from the street, with two occupied and two
• 52:33
  vacant. The empty ones stared out with
• 52:36
  three rows of desolate windows, blank and cheerless except for
• 52:41
  the occasional to let sign that clung to the grimy glass like a
• 52:47
  cataract. A small garden dotted with a
• 52:50
  sparse array of unhealthy plants separated each house from the
• 52:54
  street. A narrow yellowish path,
• 52:57
  seemingly made of clay and gravel cut through the garden.
• 53:02
  The entire area was soggy from the previous night's rain.
• 53:06
  A three foot brick wall topped with wooden rails boarded the
• 53:09
  garden and leaning against it was a sturdy police constable
• 53:13
  surrounded by a small group of onlookers who crane their necks
• 53:17
  and strain their eyes, hoping in vain to glimpse the activity
• 53:21
  inside. I expected Sherlock Holmes to
• 53:24
  immediately rush into the house and dive into the mystery.
• 53:28
  Yet nothing seemed further from his mind.
• 53:31
  With a nonchalant air that struck me as almost affected
• 53:34
  given the circumstances, he strolled up and down the
• 53:38
  pavement, gazing idly at the ground, the sky, the houses
• 53:44
  across the street, and the line of railings.
• 53:48
  After completing his examination, he moved slowly
• 53:52
  along the path, or rather the strip of grass beside it, his
• 53:57
  gaze fixed intensely on the ground.
• 54:00
  Twice he paused and once I noticed a smile cross his face,
• 54:05
  accompanied by a satisfied exclamation.
• 54:09
  The wet, clay rich soil bore numerous footprints, yet with
• 54:14
  the police traipsing back and forth, I couldn't fathom how he
• 54:18
  expected to glean any useful information.
• 54:21
  Still, given the remarkable demonstrations of his perceptive
• 54:26
  abilities I'd witnessed, I had no doubt he could discern much
• 54:31
  that eluded me. At the entrance of the house, we
• 54:35
  were greeted by a tall, pale man with flaxen hair clutching a
• 54:39
  notebook. He hurried forward and shook my
• 54:42
  companion's hand with enthusiasm.
• 54:45
  It's truly generous of you to come, he said.
• 54:49
  I've ensured everything remains untouched.
• 54:54
  Except that, my friend replied, gesturing toward the path.
• 54:59
  A Stampede of Buffalo couldn't have made a bigger mess.
• 55:03
  I trust, however, that you formed your conclusions,
• 55:07
  Gregson. Before allowing this, I've been
• 55:11
  preoccupied with matters inside the house, the detective
• 55:15
  responded evasively. My colleague Mr. Lestrade is
• 55:20
  here. I had depended on him to handle
• 55:23
  this matter. Holmes glanced at me, raising
• 55:27
  his eyebrows with a sardonic twist.
• 55:31
  With two capable men like you and Lestrade on the scene, there
• 55:35
  won't be much left for anyone else to uncover.
• 55:38
  He remarked. Gregson rubbed his hands
• 55:42
  together with a self satisfied air.
• 55:45
  I believe we've done everything possible.
• 55:48
  He replied. It's an odd case though.
• 55:52
  And I knew it would pique your interest.
• 55:55
  You didn't arrive here by cab, did you?
• 55:58
  Sherlock Holmes inquired. No, Sir.
• 56:03
  Nor did Lestride. No Sir.
• 56:06
  Then let's go examine the room. He said, making this seemingly
• 56:11
  offhand comment as he strode into the house, followed by
• 56:15
  Gregson, whose face showed his surprise.
• 56:19
  A short, bare and dusty hallway led to the kitchen and other
• 56:23
  service areas. 2 doors opened off it, one to the left and one
• 56:29
  to the right. One of these doors had clearly
• 56:32
  been shut for many weeks. The other led to the dining
• 56:36
  room, the very place where the mysterious incident had taken
• 56:40
  place. Homes entered and I followed,
• 56:45
  feeling that subdued heaviness in my heart.
• 56:48
  That the presence of death always brings.
• 56:52
  It was a large square room, appearing even more expansive
• 56:56
  due to the complete lack of furniture.
• 56:58
  The walls were covered in garish wallpaper, though it was marred
• 57:02
  in spots by mildew, and here and there large strips had peeled
• 57:08
  away, revealing the yellow plaster beneath.
• 57:12
  Directly across from the door stood A flashy fireplace topped
• 57:17
  with a mantelpiece made to look like white marble.
• 57:20
  In one corner of it was the stub of a red wax candle.
• 57:25
  The lone window was so filthy that the light filtering through
• 57:28
  was dim and uncertain, casting a dull grey hue over everything,
• 57:34
  further deepened by the thick layer of dust that blanketed the
• 57:38
  entire room. I took in all these details
• 57:42
  later. At that moment, my focus was
• 57:45
  fixed on the single, grim, unmoving figure stretched out on
• 57:50
  the floorboards, it's vacant, lifeless eyes staring up at the
• 57:54
  stained ceiling. It was a man, perhaps 43 or 44
• 58:00
  years old, of average height, broad shouldered, with tightly
• 58:05
  curled black hair and a short, bristly beard.
• 58:09
  He wore a heavy broadcloth, frock coat and waistcoat, light
• 58:13
  colored trousers, and a pristine collar and cuffs.
• 58:19
  A well brushed top hat lay on the floor beside him.
• 58:22
  His hands were clenched, his arms flung wide and his legs
• 58:27
  were entangled as if his final struggle had been a fierce one.
• 58:32
  On his rigid face was an expression of horror and it
• 58:35
  seemed to me of hatred unlike anything I had ever seen on a
• 58:40
  human face. This malignant and terrifying
• 58:45
  grimace combined with his low forehead, blunt nose and jutting
• 58:49
  jaw gave the deceased and oddly simian ape like appearance which
• 58:55
  was heightened by his twisted, unnatural posture.
• 59:00
  I've encountered death in countless guises, yet never has
• 59:03
  it. Struck me with such dread as it
• 59:06
  did in that dim, grimy room overlooking one of the bustling
• 59:10
  veins of suburban London. Lestrade, as wiry and sharp eyed
• 59:16
  as ever, stood by the door, acknowledging my companion and
• 59:20
  me with a nod. This case is going to cause
• 59:24
  quite a stir, Sir, He remarked. It's unlike anything I've ever
• 59:29
  seen, and I've been around the block.
• 59:34
  No leads? Gregson inquired.
• 59:37
  None whatsoever. Lestrade confirmed.
• 59:41
  Sherlock Holmes moved to the body, kneeling to scrutinize it
• 59:45
  closely. You're certain there's no wound?
• 59:49
  He asked, gesturing to the many droplets and splashes of blood
• 59:53
  scattered around. Absolutely.
• 59:57
  Both detectives exclaimed. Then this blood must belong to
• 1:00:01
  another person, likely the perpetrator, assuming a murder
• 1:00:05
  has occurred. It reminds me of the Van Jansen
• 1:00:08
  case in Utrecht back in 30. 4 Do you recall that one, Gregson?
• 1:00:14
  No, Sir, you should look it up, it's worth your attention.
• 1:00:18
  There is nothing new under the sun, everything has been done
• 1:00:22
  before. As he spoke, his agile fingers
• 1:00:26
  darted everywhere, feeling, pressing, unbuttoning,
• 1:00:30
  examining, while his eyes held that distant.
• 1:00:33
  Look, I had already noted, the examination was so swift that
• 1:00:37
  one might not have guessed its thoroughness.
• 1:00:41
  Finally he sniffed the dead man's lips and glanced at the
• 1:00:44
  soles of his patent leather shoes.
• 1:00:47
  He hasn't been moved at all. He asked only as much as was
• 1:00:52
  necessary for our examination. You can take him to the Mortuary
• 1:00:57
  now, he said. There's nothing more to be.
• 1:01:00
  Learned Gregson had a stretcher and four men ready.
• 1:01:05
  At his signal, they entered the room, lifted the stranger and
• 1:01:09
  carried him out. As they raised him, a ring
• 1:01:13
  clattered to the floor and rolled away.
• 1:01:16
  Lestrade snatched it up, staring at it with puzzled eyes.
• 1:01:22
  A woman has been here, He exclaimed.
• 1:01:26
  It's a woman's wedding ring. He held it out on the palm of
• 1:01:30
  his hand as he spoke. We all gathered around him, our
• 1:01:34
  eyes fixed on the object. There was no mistaking it.
• 1:01:39
  A simple gold band that had once graced a bride's finger.
• 1:01:44
  This makes things more complicated, Gregson remarked,
• 1:01:49
  as if they weren't tangled enough already.
• 1:01:53
  Are you certain it doesn't actually simplify them?
• 1:01:56
  Holmes interjected, staring at it.
• 1:02:00
  Won't. Reveal anything new?
• 1:02:02
  What did you find in his pockets?
• 1:02:05
  We've got everything here. Gregson replied, gesturing to a
• 1:02:09
  collection of items scattered on one of the lower steps of the
• 1:02:12
  staircase. A gold watch #97,163 by Baraud
• 1:02:19
  of London. A heavy, solid gold Albert
• 1:02:23
  chain. A gold ring with a Masonic
• 1:02:26
  emblem. A gold pin shaped like a
• 1:02:28
  bulldog's head with Ruby eyes. A Russian leather card case
• 1:02:33
  containing cards for Enoch J Drebber of Cleveland.
• 1:02:37
  Matching the EJD on the linen. No wallet, but loose change
• 1:02:42
  amounting to 7 lbs. Thirteen.
• 1:02:44
  A pocket edition of Boccaccio's Decameron was found, with Joseph
• 1:02:48
  Stangerson's name inscribed on the flyleaf.
• 1:02:52
  There were also 2 letters, one addressed to EJ Drebber and the
• 1:02:56
  other to Joseph Stangerson. What was the address on them?
• 1:03:01
  American Exchange strand to be held until collected.
• 1:03:07
  Both letters are from the Gillon Steamship Company discussing the
• 1:03:11
  departure of their ships from Liverpool.
• 1:03:14
  It seems clear that this unfortunate man was planning to
• 1:03:17
  return to New York. Have you looked into this man,
• 1:03:22
  Stangerson? I acted immediately, Sir,
• 1:03:27
  Gregson replied. Advertisements have been placed
• 1:03:30
  in all the newspapers and one of my men has gone to the American
• 1:03:34
  Exchange. Though he hasn't reported back
• 1:03:37
  yet, have you contacted Cleveland?
• 1:03:41
  We sent a telegram this morning. What did you ask?
• 1:03:45
  We outlined the situation and requested any information that
• 1:03:49
  might assist us. You didn't ask for details on
• 1:03:53
  any particular point that seemed crucial.
• 1:03:56
  I inquired about Stangerson. Nothing else.
• 1:04:01
  Is there no specific detail upon which this entire case seems to
• 1:04:06
  depend? Won't you send another telegram?
• 1:04:10
  I've said everything I need to. Gregson replied, his tone tinged
• 1:04:15
  with irritation. Sherlock Holmes chuckled softly,
• 1:04:20
  seemingly on the verge of a comment when Lestrade, who had
• 1:04:23
  been in the front room while we conversed in the hallway, re
• 1:04:26
  entered with a self satisfied air, rubbing his hands together.
• 1:04:31
  Mr. Gregson. He announced.
• 1:04:34
  I've just uncovered something of utmost importance, something
• 1:04:38
  that would have been missed without my thorough examination
• 1:04:42
  of the walls. His eyes gleamed with
• 1:04:46
  excitement, clearly pleased to have gained an advantage over
• 1:04:50
  his colleague. Come here.
• 1:04:52
  He urged, bustling back into the room, which felt lighter now
• 1:04:56
  that it's grim occupant was gone.
• 1:04:59
  Stand right there. He struck a match against his
• 1:05:03
  boot and held it up to the wall. Look at that, he declared
• 1:05:08
  triumphantly. I had noticed that the wallpaper
• 1:05:12
  had peeled away in places. In this particular corner, a
• 1:05:16
  large section had come off, revealing a yellow patch of
• 1:05:20
  rough plaster. Scrawled across this bare
• 1:05:23
  surface in blood red letters was a single word.
• 1:05:28
  Rach, what do you make of this? The detective exclaimed, his
• 1:05:33
  voice filled with the pride of a showman unveiling a spectacle.
• 1:05:38
  This was missed because it lay in the darkest corner of the
• 1:05:42
  room, a place no one thought to check.
• 1:05:45
  The murderer wrote it in their own blood.
• 1:05:49
  Look at this smear where it dripped down the wall.
• 1:05:52
  That rules out suicide, no doubt about it.
• 1:05:56
  But why choose that corner to write in?
• 1:05:59
  I'll tell you. See that candle on the
• 1:06:02
  mantelpiece? It was lit at the time.
• 1:06:05
  If it was burning, this corner would have been the brightest
• 1:06:09
  spot on the wall, not the darkest.
• 1:06:13
  And now that you've found it, what does it mean?
• 1:06:17
  Gregson asked, his tone dismissive.
• 1:06:21
  Mean it means. The writer intended to spell out
• 1:06:25
  the name Rachel, but was interrupted before finishing.
• 1:06:28
  Mark my words, when this case is solved, you'll find a woman
• 1:06:32
  named Rachel is involved. Laugh all you want, Mr. Sherlock
• 1:06:36
  Holmes. You might be smart and clever,
• 1:06:38
  but when all is said and done, the old hound is still the best.
• 1:06:43
  I sincerely apologize. My companion exclaimed, having
• 1:06:47
  inadvertently irritated the small man by bursting into
• 1:06:51
  laughter. You definitely deserve credit
• 1:06:54
  for being the first among us to discover this, and as you
• 1:06:57
  mentioned, it unmistakably appears to have been penned by
• 1:07:01
  the other party involved in last night's mystery.
• 1:07:05
  I haven't had the chance to examine this room yet, but with
• 1:07:08
  your permission, I'd like to do so now.
• 1:07:12
  As he spoke, he swiftly produced a tape measure in a large round
• 1:07:17
  magnifying glass from his pocket.
• 1:07:20
  Armed with these tools, he moved silently around the room,
• 1:07:24
  occasionally pausing. Sometimes kneeling and at one
• 1:07:28
  point lying flat on his stomach, so absorbed was he in his task
• 1:07:33
  that he seemed to forget we were even there, muttering to himself
• 1:07:37
  the entire time, a continuous stream of exclamations, groans,
• 1:07:43
  whistles and small cries that hinted at encouragement and
• 1:07:48
  hope. Watching him, I couldn't help
• 1:07:51
  but be reminded of a purebred, well trained foxhound, darting
• 1:07:56
  back and forth through the underbrush, whining with
• 1:07:59
  eagerness until it picks up the lost scent.
• 1:08:02
  For over 20 minutes he continued his investigation, meticulously
• 1:08:07
  measuring distances between marks that were completely
• 1:08:10
  invisible to me, occasionally applying his tape to the walls
• 1:08:14
  in a similarly baffling manner. At one spot, he carefully
• 1:08:18
  collected a small pile of grey dust from the floor.
• 1:08:22
  And sealed it in an envelope. Finally, he scrutinized the word
• 1:08:26
  on the wall with his magnifying glass, examining each letter
• 1:08:30
  with the utmost precision. Once finished, he seemed content
• 1:08:35
  returning the tape and. Glass to his pocket.
• 1:08:39
  They say genius is simply the ability to endure endless
• 1:08:44
  effort, he remarked with a smile.
• 1:08:47
  It's not the best definition, but it certainly fits detective
• 1:08:52
  work. Gregson and Lestrade watched
• 1:08:55
  their amateur colleagues manoeuvres with a mix of
• 1:08:58
  curiosity and a hint of disdain. They clearly didn't grasp, as I
• 1:09:02
  had begun to, that every small action of Sherlock Holmes was
• 1:09:06
  aimed at a specific, practical goal.
• 1:09:10
  What do you make of it, Sir? They both inquired.
• 1:09:14
  It would be unfair to take the credit from you by offering my
• 1:09:17
  assistance, my friend replied. You're doing so well on your own
• 1:09:23
  that it would be a shame for anyone to step in.
• 1:09:27
  His voice dripped with sarcasm. However, if you keep me updated
• 1:09:33
  on your progress, he continued. I'd be glad to offer any help I
• 1:09:37
  can. Meanwhile, I'd like to speak
• 1:09:40
  with the constable who discovered the body.
• 1:09:43
  Could you provide his name and? Address Lestrade checked his
• 1:09:47
  notebook. John Rance, he said.
• 1:09:51
  He's off duty now. You'll find him at 46 Audley
• 1:09:57
  Court, Kennington Park Gate. Holmes jotted down the address.
• 1:10:03
  Let's go, doctor, he said, beckoning me to follow.
• 1:10:07
  He turned to the two detectives, offering a crucial insight.
• 1:10:11
  A murder has occurred, and the killer is a man.
• 1:10:15
  He's over 6 feet tall in his prime, with surprisingly small
• 1:10:19
  feet for his height. He wore coarse square toed boots
• 1:10:24
  and smoked a trick anopoly cigar.
• 1:10:27
  He arrived here with the victim in A4 wheeled cab pulled by a
• 1:10:31
  horse with three old shoes and one new one on its front right
• 1:10:35
  leg. The murderer likely has a Ruddy
• 1:10:38
  complexion, and the fingernails on his right hand are unusually
• 1:10:42
  long. These clues might help you.
• 1:10:47
  Lestrade and Gregson exchanged skeptical glances.
• 1:10:52
  If there was a murder, how was it committed?
• 1:10:55
  Lestrade inquired. Poison.
• 1:10:58
  Sherlock Holmes replied tersely, striding away.
• 1:11:02
  One more thing, Lestrade, he added, turning back at the door.
• 1:11:06
  Rach is German for revenge, so don't waste time searching for
• 1:11:11
  Miss Rachel. With that parting shot, he left.
• 1:11:15
  Leaving the two detectives speechless in his wake, in
• 1:11:19
  Chapter 3, Watson witnesses Holmes put his deductive
• 1:11:23
  theories into practical action, astonishing him by casually
• 1:11:28
  revealing intimate details about a stranger's past.
• 1:11:32
  This moment cements Watson's admiration, even as he struggles
• 1:11:37
  to understand how such conclusions are reached so
• 1:11:39
  effortlessly. The chapter takes a darker turn
• 1:11:43
  when a letter arrives from Scotland Yard describing A
• 1:11:47
  baffling death in an empty house on Brixton Road.
• 1:11:50
  Though outwardly indifferent, Holmes is intrigued.
• 1:11:55
  After some characteristic reluctance and dry humour about
• 1:11:58
  official recognition, he agrees to investigate, drawing Watson
• 1:12:03
  with him as they set out toward their first true case together.
• 1:12:07
  Chapter. 4. Marks the beginning of the
• 1:12:10
  investigation itself. Holmes arrives at the grim house
• 1:12:15
  in Loriston Gardens, where a mysterious death has left
• 1:12:18
  seasoned detectives perplexed. As others focus on the obvious,
• 1:12:24
  Holmes quietly studies what they overlook, revealing that the
• 1:12:28
  true story of the crime is written not in spectacle, but in
• 1:12:32
  subtle traces waiting to be read.
• 1:12:36
  Chapter 4. What Jon Rance had to tell It
• 1:12:41
  was 1:00 when we left #3 Lauriston Gardens.
• 1:12:45
  Sherlock Holmes led me to the nearest Telegraph office where
• 1:12:48
  he sent off a lengthy telegram. He then flagged down a cab and
• 1:12:53
  instructs the driver to take us to the address Lestrade had
• 1:12:56
  provided. There's nothing like first hand
• 1:13:00
  evidence, he remarked. To be honest, I've already
• 1:13:04
  made-up my mind about the case. But we might as well gather all
• 1:13:08
  the information we can. You astonish me, Holmes, I said.
• 1:13:15
  Surely you can't be as certain as you claim about all those
• 1:13:18
  details you mentioned? There's no room for error, he
• 1:13:22
  replied. The very first thing I noticed
• 1:13:25
  when we arrived was that a cab had left 2 deep ruts with its
• 1:13:29
  wheels close to the curb. We haven't had rain for a week
• 1:13:33
  until last night, so those wheel marks must have been made during
• 1:13:37
  the night. There were also hoof prints, one
• 1:13:40
  of which was more sharply defined than the others,
• 1:13:43
  indicating a new shoe since the cab was there after the rain
• 1:13:47
  started and wasn't. There at any time in the
• 1:13:50
  morning. Gregson confirmed that it must
• 1:13:53
  have been there during the night, which means it brought
• 1:13:56
  those two people to the house. That seems straightforward
• 1:14:00
  enough, I said. But what about the other man's
• 1:14:04
  height? Well, you can usually determine
• 1:14:07
  a man's height from the length of his stride in nine cases out
• 1:14:11
  of 10. It's a straightforward
• 1:14:14
  calculation, really, though I won't bore you with the numbers.
• 1:14:18
  I measured this man's stride both on the clay outside and the
• 1:14:21
  dust inside. Then I had a way to verify my
• 1:14:25
  findings when a person writes on a.
• 1:14:29
  Wall. They naturally do so at their
• 1:14:32
  eye level. This writing was just over 6
• 1:14:36
  feet from the ground. It was child's play and his age.
• 1:14:43
  I inquired. Well, if someone can stride 4
• 1:14:48
  1/2 feet effortlessly, they're not exactly in their twilight
• 1:14:52
  years. That was the width of a.
• 1:14:54
  Puddle on the garden path. That he clearly walked across
• 1:14:59
  patent leather shoes had gone around it, while square toes had
• 1:15:03
  leftover. There's no mystery here.
• 1:15:07
  I'm merely applying some basic principles of observation and
• 1:15:11
  deduction that I discussed in that article.
• 1:15:15
  Is there anything else that confuses you?
• 1:15:18
  The fingernails and the trichinopoly I suggested.
• 1:15:22
  The writing on the wall was done with a man's forefinger dipped
• 1:15:26
  in blood. My magnifying glass showed me
• 1:15:29
  that the plaster was slightly scratched in the process, which
• 1:15:32
  wouldn't have happened if the man's nails had been trimmed.
• 1:15:36
  I gathered some scattered ash from the floor.
• 1:15:39
  It was dark and flaky, the kind only a trichonopoly cigar leaves
• 1:15:44
  behind. I've made a special study of
• 1:15:47
  cigar ashes. In fact, I've written a
• 1:15:50
  monograph on the subject. I pride myself on being able to
• 1:15:53
  identify the ash of any known brand of cigar or tobacco at a
• 1:15:58
  glance. It's in these details that a
• 1:16:00
  skilled detective stands apart from the likes of Gregson and
• 1:16:04
  Lestrade. And the Florida face?
• 1:16:08
  I inquired. That was a bolder guess, though
• 1:16:14
  I'm confident I was correct. You mustn't press me on that
• 1:16:18
  just yet. Given the current stage of the
• 1:16:21
  investigation, I ran my hand over my forehead.
• 1:16:26
  My mind is spinning, I admitted. The more I ponder it, the more
• 1:16:30
  perplexing it becomes. How did?
• 1:16:33
  These two men, assuming there were two, enter an empty house.
• 1:16:38
  What happened to the cabman who drove them?
• 1:16:41
  How could one man force another to ingest poison?
• 1:16:46
  Where did the blood originate? What was the murderer's motive,
• 1:16:49
  if not robbery? And how did the woman's ring end
• 1:16:53
  up there? Above all, why would the second
• 1:16:58
  man write the German word rage before leaving?
• 1:17:03
  I admit I can't see how all these pieces fit together.
• 1:17:09
  My companion smiled, clearly pleased.
• 1:17:13
  You've captured the complexities of the situation quite well, he
• 1:17:18
  said. There's still much that's
• 1:17:21
  unclear, though. I've settled on the main facts.
• 1:17:25
  As for Lestrade's discovery, it was merely A distraction meant
• 1:17:30
  to mislead the police by hinting at socialism and secret
• 1:17:34
  societies. It wasn't the work of a German,
• 1:17:38
  if you noticed. The A was printed in a style
• 1:17:42
  somewhat resembling the German way.
• 1:17:45
  However, a true German would use the Latin script.
• 1:17:49
  So we can confidently say this wasn't written by one, but by a
• 1:17:54
  clumsy imitator who overdid it. It was a simple ploy to steer
• 1:17:58
  the investigation off course. I won't reveal much more about
• 1:18:03
  the case Doctor. You know a magician loses his
• 1:18:06
  mystique once he explains his trick.
• 1:18:09
  And if I show you too much of my method, you might conclude that
• 1:18:13
  I'm just an ordinary person after all.
• 1:18:17
  I could never think that, I replied.
• 1:18:20
  You've brought the art of detection as.
• 1:18:23
  Close to a science as it will ever get in this world.
• 1:18:28
  My companion blushed with pleasure at my words and the
• 1:18:32
  sincerity with which I spoke them.
• 1:18:35
  I had already noticed that he was as sensitive to praise about
• 1:18:38
  his craft as any young woman might be about her beauty.
• 1:18:43
  I'll tell you something else, he said.
• 1:18:46
  Patent Leathers and square toes arrived in the same cab,
• 1:18:50
  strolling down the path together as if they were the best of
• 1:18:53
  friends. Probably arm in.
• 1:18:55
  Arm. Once inside they paced the room,
• 1:18:59
  or rather patent Leathers stayed put while square toes paced back
• 1:19:04
  and forth. I could see all that in the
• 1:19:06
  dust. And as he walked he got more and
• 1:19:09
  more agitated. You can tell by the longest
• 1:19:13
  strides. He was talking the whole time,
• 1:19:17
  likely working himself into a rage.
• 1:19:21
  Then the tragedy happened. That's all I know for sure.
• 1:19:25
  The rest is just speculation, but we have a solid starting
• 1:19:29
  point. We need to move quickly.
• 1:19:33
  Because I want to catch Halley's concert to hear Norman Neruda
• 1:19:36
  this afternoon. This conversation unfolded as
• 1:19:40
  our cab navigated through a maze of grimy streets and bleak
• 1:19:44
  alleyways. In the most dismal of them, our
• 1:19:48
  driver suddenly stopped. That's Audley Court over there,
• 1:19:54
  he said, pointing to a narrow gap in the line of dull brick.
• 1:19:58
  I'll be waiting here when you return.
• 1:20:01
  Audley Court was far from inviting.
• 1:20:04
  The narrow passage LED us into a courtyard paved with flagstones
• 1:20:09
  surrounded by grimy buildings. We navigated through clusters of
• 1:20:13
  unkempt children and lines of faded laundry until we reached
• 1:20:17
  #46 where a small brass plate bore the name Rance.
• 1:20:24
  Upon inquiry, we learned the constable was asleep and we were
• 1:20:28
  ushered into a modest front parlour.
• 1:20:30
  To wait for him. He soon appeared, looking
• 1:20:34
  somewhat annoyed at being roused from his rest.
• 1:20:37
  I already filed my report at the office, he remarked.
• 1:20:42
  Holmes took a half sovereign from his pocket, turning it
• 1:20:45
  thoughtfully in his fingers. We thought it best to hear the
• 1:20:49
  details. Directly from you, he replied.
• 1:20:53
  I'd be glad to share whatever I can, the constable said, his
• 1:20:59
  gaze fixed on the gleaming coin. Please recount it in your own
• 1:21:04
  words. Just as it happened.
• 1:21:07
  Rant settled onto the horsehair sofa, furrowing his brow as if
• 1:21:12
  to ensure he left nothing out of his account.
• 1:21:15
  I'll start from the beginning. He began.
• 1:21:19
  My shift runs from 10:00 at night to 6:00 in the morning.
• 1:21:23
  There was a scuffle at the White Hart around 11, but aside from
• 1:21:27
  that the night was uneventful. At 1:00 it started raining and I
• 1:21:33
  ran into Harry Mercher. He covers the Holland Grove beat
• 1:21:38
  and we stood chatting at the corner of Henrietta St.
• 1:21:42
  Around 2:00, maybe a bit later, I decided to take a walk down
• 1:21:47
  Brixton Road to make sure everything was in order.
• 1:21:50
  The place was filthy and deserted.
• 1:21:54
  I didn't encounter a single person, though a couple of cabs
• 1:21:58
  did pass by. As I strolled along privately
• 1:22:02
  contemplating how nice a hot gin would be, a sudden flicker of
• 1:22:06
  light in the window of a familiar house caught my
• 1:22:10
  attention. I knew those two houses on
• 1:22:13
  Lauriston Gardens were vacant because the owner refused to fix
• 1:22:16
  the drains and the last tenant had died of typhoid fever.
• 1:22:21
  So seeing a light there was startling and I suspected
• 1:22:26
  something was a miss. When I reached the door, you
• 1:22:32
  paused and then walked back to the garden gate.
• 1:22:36
  My companion interjected. Why did you do that?
• 1:22:41
  Rance jumped, astonished, and stared at Sherlock Holmes with
• 1:22:46
  utter disbelief. Well, that's true, Sir, he
• 1:22:52
  replied. Though how you figured that out
• 1:22:56
  is beyond me. You see, when I got to the door,
• 1:23:00
  it was so quiet and eerie that I thought having someone with me
• 1:23:04
  wouldn't hurt. I'm not afraid of anything in
• 1:23:07
  this world. But I wondered if it was the
• 1:23:10
  ghost of the man who died of typhoid checking the drains that
• 1:23:14
  killed him. That thought gave me a shiver,
• 1:23:19
  so I walked back to the gate to see if I could spot Mercher's
• 1:23:22
  Lantern. But there was no sign of him or
• 1:23:25
  anyone else was there, No one on the street.
• 1:23:29
  Not a soul, Sir, not even a stray dog.
• 1:23:33
  I gathered my wits and went back, pushing the door open.
• 1:23:37
  Everything was silent inside, so I entered the room where the
• 1:23:41
  light was still burning. A candle flickered on the
• 1:23:45
  mantelpiece, a red wax one, and by its glow I saw.
• 1:23:51
  Yes, I'm aware of what you saw. You circled the room a few
• 1:23:57
  times, knelt by the body, then moved on to check the kitchen
• 1:24:01
  door. And then John Rance leapt to his
• 1:24:05
  feet, his face a mask of fear and suspicion.
• 1:24:09
  Where were you hiding to see all that?
• 1:24:12
  He demanded. It seems you know far more than
• 1:24:16
  you. Should.
• 1:24:18
  Holmes chuckled, tossing his card across the table to the
• 1:24:21
  constable. Don't go arresting me for the
• 1:24:24
  murder. He said.
• 1:24:26
  I'm one of the hounds, not the wolf.
• 1:24:29
  Mr. Gregson or Mr. Lestrade can vouch for that.
• 1:24:32
  But continue, please. What did you do next?
• 1:24:38
  Ron sat back down, though his expression remained perplexed.
• 1:24:43
  I returned to the gate and blew my whistle.
• 1:24:46
  That brought Mercher and Two. Others to the scene.
• 1:24:50
  Was the street empty by then? Well, as far as anyone useful
• 1:24:56
  goes, it was. What do you mean?
• 1:25:00
  The constable's face broke into a grin.
• 1:25:03
  I've encountered many a drunk in my time, he said, but never
• 1:25:08
  anyone as outrageously drunk as that fellow.
• 1:25:12
  He was at the gate when I came out, leaning against the
• 1:25:15
  railings and singing at the top of his lungs about Columbine's
• 1:25:19
  Newfangled Banner or some nonsense like that.
• 1:25:24
  He couldn't stand, let alone be of any help.
• 1:25:28
  What kind of man was he? Sherlock Holmes inquired.
• 1:25:32
  John Rance seemed a bit annoyed by this tangent.
• 1:25:36
  He was an exceptionally drunk sort of man.
• 1:25:39
  He said he would have found himself in the station if we
• 1:25:43
  hadn't been so preoccupied. His face, his clothes.
• 1:25:50
  Didn't you notice them? Holmes interjected impatiently.
• 1:25:55
  Of course I noticed them, considering I had to prop him
• 1:25:59
  up, Mercer and I between ours. He was a tall fellow with a red
• 1:26:05
  face, the lower part wrapped up. That's enough.
• 1:26:10
  Holmes interrupted. What happened to him?
• 1:26:15
  We had enough on our plate without worrying about him.
• 1:26:18
  The policeman grumbled, sounding put out.
• 1:26:22
  I'm sure he found his way home just fine.
• 1:26:26
  What was he wearing? A brown overcoat.
• 1:26:30
  Did he have a whip? With him a whip?
• 1:26:33
  No, he must have left it behind, my companion murmured.
• 1:26:40
  Did you see or hear a cab after that?
• 1:26:44
  No. Here's half a sovereign for you,
• 1:26:49
  my companion said, rising and putting on his hat.
• 1:26:53
  I'm afraid, Rance, you'll never advance in the force.
• 1:26:57
  That head of yours should be used for more than just
• 1:27:00
  decoration. You could have earned your
• 1:27:02
  Sergeant stripes last night. The man you had in your grasp is
• 1:27:06
  the key to this mystery, the one we're after.
• 1:27:11
  There's no point in arguing now. I'm telling you it's true.
• 1:27:16
  Come on, Doctor. We headed to the cab together,
• 1:27:20
  leaving our informants sceptical but visibly uneasy.
• 1:27:25
  The bumbling idiot, Holmes said bitterly as we drove back to our
• 1:27:30
  lodgings. To think he had such an
• 1:27:33
  incredible stroke of luck and squandered it, I'm still rather
• 1:27:39
  in the dark. Indeed, the description of this
• 1:27:43
  man aligns perfectly with your notion of the second figure in
• 1:27:47
  this mystery. But why would he return to the
• 1:27:50
  scene after leaving? That's not typical criminal
• 1:27:54
  behaviour. The ring, my friend, the ring.
• 1:27:58
  That's what drew him back. If we can't catch him any other
• 1:28:02
  way, we can always use the ring as bait.
• 1:28:06
  I'll wager 2 to one that I'll catch him.
• 1:28:09
  I owe it all to you. Without your involvement, I
• 1:28:13
  might have missed the most fascinating case I've ever
• 1:28:16
  encountered. A study in scarlet, if you will.
• 1:28:20
  Why not indulge in a bit of artistic language?
• 1:28:24
  There's a scarlet thread of murder weaving through the
• 1:28:26
  otherwise colorless fabric of life, and it's our job to
• 1:28:30
  unravel it, isolate it, and reveal every inch.
• 1:28:34
  Now let's have lunch and then off to see Norman Neruda.
• 1:28:39
  Her technique and bowing are remarkable.
• 1:28:42
  What's that, little Chopin? Piece she plays so brilliantly,
• 1:28:46
  Trella. La Lira Lira lay reclining in
• 1:28:51
  the cab. This amateur sleuth sang like a
• 1:28:54
  lark while I pondered the complexity of the human mind.
• 1:28:58
  You've been listening to Sherlock Holmes, the 221 B
• 1:29:03
  Chronicles, an episodic audio book presentation of Sherlock
• 1:29:07
  Holmes. Thank you for joining us.
• 1:29:09
  We'll be back with the next two chapters in our next release.
• 1:29:13
  Until then. The case continues.
• 1:29:35
  Welcome back to another episodic audiobook presentation of
• 1:29:39
  Sherlock Holmes. In this series, each chapter
• 1:29:43
  brings the classic tales to life, unfolding the mystery,
• 1:29:47
  atmosphere, and adventure that have captivated readers for
• 1:29:51
  generations. Today's episode includes 3
• 1:29:54
  chapters. If you're enjoying the journey,
• 1:29:57
  be sure to like, follow, or subscribe to stay updated with
• 1:30:02
  each new release. Before we begin, a brief note.
• 1:30:07
  This presentation of Sherlock Holmes is a modernized retelling
• 1:30:11
  of the original Canon. The cases remain faithful to the
• 1:30:15
  stories that generations have loved, while the language and
• 1:30:19
  structure have been carefully refined to create a smoother,
• 1:30:23
  more immersive listening experience for today's audience.
• 1:30:29
  What you are about to hear is not a change to the mysteries
• 1:30:32
  themselves, but a restoration of their flow, allowing the world
• 1:30:37
  of Sherlock Holmes to unfold clearly for the modern ear.
• 1:30:42
  And now we return to the first case.
• 1:30:48
  Book 1A study in Scarlet chapter 5 our advertisement brings a
• 1:30:55
  visitor. The morning's activities had
• 1:30:58
  taken a toll on my fragile health, leaving me exhausted by
• 1:31:02
  afternoon. After Holmes left for the
• 1:31:05
  concert, I stretched out on the sofa, hoping for a couple of
• 1:31:08
  hours of sleep. But sleep eluded me.
• 1:31:13
  My mind was too stirred by the day's events, and it teemed with
• 1:31:17
  strange thoughts and speculations each time I close
• 1:31:21
  my eyes. The grotesque baboon like face
• 1:31:25
  of the murdered man loomed before me.
• 1:31:28
  The sinister impression it left was so strong that I felt a
• 1:31:32
  reluctant gratitude towards whoever had removed him from
• 1:31:35
  this world. If ever a face reflected the
• 1:31:38
  deepest vice, it was surely that of Enoch J Drebber from
• 1:31:43
  Cleveland. Yet I understood that justice
• 1:31:46
  must prevail, and the victim's depravity did not excuse his
• 1:31:51
  murder in the eyes of the law. The more I pondered, the more
• 1:31:56
  remarkable Holmes's theory of poisoning seemed.
• 1:32:01
  I recalled how he had sniffed the man's lips, undoubtedly
• 1:32:05
  detecting something that sparked his suspicion.
• 1:32:09
  But if not poison, then what had caused the man's death, given
• 1:32:14
  there were no wounds or signs of strangulation?
• 1:32:18
  And whose blood was it that pooled so thickly on the floor?
• 1:32:23
  There were no indications of a struggle, nor did the victim
• 1:32:27
  possess any weapon with which he could have injured an attacker.
• 1:32:31
  As long as these questions remained unanswered, I knew
• 1:32:34
  sleep would be elusive for both homes and me.
• 1:32:38
  His calm, assured demeanour suggested he had already devised
• 1:32:42
  a theory that accounted for all the facts, though I couldn't
• 1:32:45
  begin to guess what it might be. He.
• 1:32:48
  Returned very late, so late that I realized the concert couldn't
• 1:32:54
  have occupied all his time. Dinner was already on the table
• 1:32:58
  when he finally arrived. It was magnificent, he said,
• 1:33:02
  taking his seat. Do you recall what Darwin says
• 1:33:06
  about music? He argues that the ability to
• 1:33:10
  create and appreciate music existed in humanity long before
• 1:33:15
  the development of speech. Perhaps that's why it influences
• 1:33:20
  us so profoundly. There are faint echoes in our
• 1:33:25
  souls from those ancient times when the world was young.
• 1:33:30
  That's quite a sweeping notion, I commented.
• 1:33:34
  One's ideas must be as expansive as nature if they are to
• 1:33:38
  interpret it, he replied. What's wrong?
• 1:33:41
  You don't seem quite yourself. This Brixton Rd. case has shaken
• 1:33:46
  you. To be honest, it has.
• 1:33:49
  I admitted I should be more resilient after my experiences
• 1:33:54
  in Afghanistan. I witnessed my fellow soldiers
• 1:33:58
  being brutally killed at my wand, yet I kept my composure.
• 1:34:04
  I understand there's something about this mystery.
• 1:34:08
  That captures the imagination. Without imagination there is No
• 1:34:13
  Fear. Have you seen the evening paper?
• 1:34:17
  No, I haven't. It provides a decent account of
• 1:34:20
  the incident. However, it omits the detail
• 1:34:24
  that when the man was lifted, a woman's wedding ring fell to the
• 1:34:28
  floor. It's probably for the best that
• 1:34:31
  it doesn't mention it. Why is that?
• 1:34:35
  Take a look at this advertisement, he replied.
• 1:34:39
  I had it placed in every paper this morning right after the
• 1:34:43
  incident. He tossed the paper to me and I
• 1:34:46
  looked at the spot he indicated. It was the first listing in the
• 1:34:50
  found section on Brixton Road this morning, it read.
• 1:34:55
  A plain gold wedding ring was found on the road between the
• 1:34:59
  White Hart Tavern and Holland Grove.
• 1:35:02
  Inquire with Doctor Watson, 221B Baker Street, between 8:00 and
• 1:35:08
  9:00 this evening. Forgive me for using your name,
• 1:35:13
  he said. If I used my own, some of these
• 1:35:17
  fools would recognize it and try to interfere with the matter.
• 1:35:23
  That's fine, I replied. But if someone does respond, I
• 1:35:29
  don't have a ring. Oh, but you do, He said, handing
• 1:35:34
  me one. This will work perfectly.
• 1:35:38
  It's almost an exact match. And who do you think will
• 1:35:42
  respond to this ad? The man in the brown coat?
• 1:35:47
  Our rosy cheeked friend with the square toed shoes.
• 1:35:50
  If he doesn't come himself, he'll send someone in his place.
• 1:35:55
  Wouldn't he find it too risky? Not at all.
• 1:35:59
  If my theory is correct, and I have every reason to believe it
• 1:36:03
  is, this man would rather take any risk than lose the ring.
• 1:36:08
  I suspect he dropped it while bending over Drebber's body and
• 1:36:12
  didn't notice at the time. After leaving, he realized it
• 1:36:17
  was missing and rushed back only to find the police already
• 1:36:22
  there. Thanks to his own mistake of
• 1:36:24
  leaving the candle burning. He had to act drunk to avoid
• 1:36:29
  suspicion when he showed up at the gate.
• 1:36:32
  Now put yourself in his shoes. As he thought it over, he must
• 1:36:38
  have considered that he might have lost the ring on the road
• 1:36:41
  after leaving the house. What would he do then?
• 1:36:45
  He'd eagerly scan the evening papers, hoping to see it listed
• 1:36:49
  among the found items. Naturally, his attention would
• 1:36:53
  be drawn to this. He'd be thrilled.
• 1:36:57
  Why would he suspect a trap? In his mind, there'd be no link
• 1:37:01
  between finding the ring and the murder.
• 1:37:04
  He would come. He will come.
• 1:37:07
  You'll see him within the hour. And then I inquired.
• 1:37:13
  Oh, leave that to me. Do you have any weapons?
• 1:37:18
  I have my old service revolver and a few cartridges.
• 1:37:21
  You should clean it and load it. He'll be a desperate man, and
• 1:37:26
  even though I'll catch him off guard, it's best to be prepared
• 1:37:30
  for anything. I went to my room and did as he
• 1:37:34
  suggested. When I returned with the pistol,
• 1:37:38
  the table was cleared and Holmes was absorbed in his favorite
• 1:37:42
  pastime, playing his violin. The plot thickens, he said as I
• 1:37:48
  entered. I've just received a reply to my
• 1:37:52
  telegram to America. My theory about the case is
• 1:37:56
  correct. And what is that?
• 1:37:59
  I asked eagerly. My violin could use new strings,
• 1:38:05
  he commented. Put your pistol in your pocket.
• 1:38:09
  When the man arrives, just talk to him normally.
• 1:38:13
  Leave the rest to me. Don't scare him by staring too
• 1:38:17
  intensely. It's 8:00 now.
• 1:38:21
  I noted, checking my watch. Yes, he should be here shortly.
• 1:38:26
  Open the door a bit. That's enough.
• 1:38:28
  Now place the key inside. Thank you.
• 1:38:32
  I found this peculiar old book at a stall yesterday.
• 1:38:35
  De jure intergentes. Published in Latin in Liege in
• 1:38:39
  the Lowlands back in 1642. Charles still had his head
• 1:38:45
  firmly attached when this little brown backed volume was printed.
• 1:38:50
  Who printed it? Philippe de Croix, whoever he
• 1:38:54
  was on the flyleaf, in very faded ink it says Ex Libris
• 1:39:00
  Guliolmi White. I wonder who William White was.
• 1:39:04
  Probably some pedantic 17th century lawyer.
• 1:39:07
  His handwriting has a legal flair.
• 1:39:11
  Here comes our man, I think. As he spoke, the doorbell rang
• 1:39:17
  sharply. Sherlock Holmes rose quietly and
• 1:39:21
  adjusted his chair toward the door.
• 1:39:25
  We heard the servant move down the hallway, followed by the
• 1:39:29
  sharp click of the latch as she opened the door.
• 1:39:33
  Does Doctor Watson live here? Asked a voice that was clear but
• 1:39:38
  somewhat grating. We couldn't catch the servant's
• 1:39:42
  response, but the door closed and someone began to climb the
• 1:39:47
  stairs. The footsteps were uncertain and
• 1:39:50
  shuffled. My companion's face registered
• 1:39:54
  surprise as he listened. The steps approached slowly down
• 1:39:58
  the passage and there was a weak knock at the door.
• 1:40:03
  Come in, I called out at Mom invitation.
• 1:40:08
  Instead of the expected man of violence, a very old and
• 1:40:12
  wrinkled woman hobbled into the room.
• 1:40:15
  She seemed momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness of the
• 1:40:19
  light, and after dropping a curtsy, she stood blinking at.
• 1:40:24
  Us, with her bleary eyes nervously fumbling in her
• 1:40:27
  pocket. With shaky fingers I glanced at
• 1:40:31
  my companion, whose face had taken on such a forlorn
• 1:40:35
  expression that it was all I could do to maintain my
• 1:40:38
  composure. The old woman pulled out an
• 1:40:42
  evening paper and pointed to our advertisement.
• 1:40:46
  It's this that brought me good gentleman, she said, dropping
• 1:40:50
  another curtsy. A gold wedding ring on Brixton
• 1:40:53
  Road. It belongs to my girl Sally, who
• 1:40:57
  was married. Just a year ago.
• 1:40:59
  Her husband is a steward on a union boat and what he'd say if
• 1:41:04
  he came home to find her without her ring is beyond me.
• 1:41:08
  Him being short tempered at the best of times especially.
• 1:41:12
  When he's been drinking, if you please.
• 1:41:15
  She went to the circus last night with.
• 1:41:19
  Is that her ring? I asked.
• 1:41:23
  Thank the Lord, Exclaimed the old woman.
• 1:41:27
  Sally will be overjoyed tonight. That's the ring.
• 1:41:31
  And what is your address? I inquired, picking up a pencil.
• 1:41:37
  13 Duncan St. Houndsditch, quite a distance
• 1:41:40
  from here. The Brixton Rd. doesn't run
• 1:41:43
  between any circus and Houndsditch.
• 1:41:46
  Sherlock Holmes interjected sharply.
• 1:41:49
  The old woman turned to him, her small red rimmed eyes
• 1:41:52
  scrutinizing. The gentleman.
• 1:41:54
  Asked for my address. She replied.
• 1:41:57
  Sally stays in lodgings at 3 Mayfield Place, Peckham, and
• 1:42:02
  your name is? My name is Sawyer.
• 1:42:06
  Hers is Dennis, as she married Tom Dennis, a smart tidy lad he
• 1:42:12
  is too, while at sea, and no steward in the company is more
• 1:42:16
  esteemed, but on shore with women and liquor shops.
• 1:42:20
  Here is your ring, Missus Sawyer, I interrupted, following
• 1:42:26
  a discreet signal from Holmes. It clearly belongs to your
• 1:42:30
  daughter, and I'm pleased to return it to its rightful owner
• 1:42:35
  with many murmured blessings and expressions of gratitude.
• 1:42:39
  The old woman tucked it away in her pocket and shuffled down the
• 1:42:42
  stairs. As soon as she was gone,
• 1:42:45
  Sherlock Holmes leapt to his feet and dashed into his room.
• 1:42:50
  He returned moments later, wrapped in an Ulster and a
• 1:42:53
  cravat. I'll follow her, he said
• 1:42:57
  urgently. She must be an accomplice and
• 1:43:00
  will lead me to him. Wait up for me.
• 1:43:05
  The hall door had barely slammed shut behind our visitor before
• 1:43:09
  Holmes was already descending the stairs.
• 1:43:12
  Peering through the window, I watched her walk unsteadily
• 1:43:16
  along the opposite side, her pursuer trailing a short
• 1:43:20
  distance behind either. His entire theory is flawed, I
• 1:43:26
  mused, or he's about to be LED straight to the core of the
• 1:43:30
  mystery. There was no need for him to ask
• 1:43:33
  me to stay awake. I knew I wouldn't be able to
• 1:43:36
  sleep until I learned the outcome of his venture.
• 1:43:40
  It was nearly 9 when he set out. I had no sense of how long he
• 1:43:45
  might be gone, but I sat resolutely, puffing on my pipe
• 1:43:50
  and leafing through Henri Murges V de Boem. 10:00 came and went,
• 1:43:57
  and I heard the maid's footsteps as she headed to bed. 11 struck,
• 1:44:03
  and the more deliberate steps of the landlady passed my door
• 1:44:07
  bound for the same destination. It was almost midnight when I
• 1:44:12
  finally heard the sharp click of his key in the lock.
• 1:44:16
  The moment he entered, his expression told me he hadn't
• 1:44:19
  succeeded. Amusement and frustration seemed
• 1:44:23
  to vie for dominance until amusement won out and he broke
• 1:44:27
  into a hearty laugh. I wouldn't want the Scotland
• 1:44:31
  Yard fellows to know about this for anything.
• 1:44:34
  He exclaimed, dropping into his chair.
• 1:44:37
  I've teased them so much that they'd never let me live it
• 1:44:40
  down. But I can laugh because I know
• 1:44:44
  I'll get the better of them eventually.
• 1:44:47
  What happened next? I asked.
• 1:44:51
  Well, I don't mind sharing a story at my own expense.
• 1:44:55
  That woman had barely walked a short distance before she
• 1:44:58
  started limping, clearly struggling with sore feet.
• 1:45:02
  Soon enough, she stopped and flagged down a passing 4
• 1:45:06
  Wheeler. I stayed close to catch the
• 1:45:08
  address, though I needn't have worried.
• 1:45:11
  She shouted it loud enough for anyone across the street to
• 1:45:14
  hear. Take me to 13 Duncan St., Hounds
• 1:45:18
  Ditch, she called out. This seemed promising, I
• 1:45:22
  thought, and after she settled inside, I discreetly hitched a
• 1:45:25
  ride on the back. That's a skill every detective
• 1:45:29
  should master. Off we went, rattling along
• 1:45:32
  until we reached the specified street.
• 1:45:35
  I jumped off before we arrived at the door and casually
• 1:45:39
  strolled down the street. I watched as the cab stopped.
• 1:45:43
  The driver got down and opened the door, waiting expectantly,
• 1:45:49
  but nothing happened. By the time I reached him, he
• 1:45:53
  was rummaging frantically through the empty cab, cursing
• 1:45:57
  with a colorful array of oaths. That was quite something to
• 1:46:01
  hear. There was no sign of the
• 1:46:03
  passenger, and I suspect it'll be a while before he sees his
• 1:46:07
  fare. When we inquired at #13, we
• 1:46:12
  discovered the house belonged to a respectable paper hanger named
• 1:46:17
  Kezik. And no one by the name of Sawyer
• 1:46:21
  or Dennis had ever been heard of there.
• 1:46:25
  You can't possibly mean. I exclaimed in disbelief that
• 1:46:28
  the frail, shaky old woman managed to leap from the cab
• 1:46:32
  while it was moving without either you or the driver
• 1:46:35
  noticing. Old woman, my foot, Sherlock
• 1:46:40
  Holmes retorted sharply. We were the fools to be so
• 1:46:44
  easily deceived. It had to be a young man, agile
• 1:46:48
  and a masterful actor at that. The disguise was flawless.
• 1:46:53
  He must have realized he was being tailed and used this trick
• 1:46:56
  to escape. This proves the man we're
• 1:46:59
  pursuing isn't as isolated as I thought.
• 1:47:02
  He has allies willing to take risks for him.
• 1:47:06
  Now. Doctor, you look exhausted.
• 1:47:09
  Take my advice and get some rest.
• 1:47:13
  I was indeed feeling quite drained.
• 1:47:16
  So I followed his suggestion. I left home, sitting by the
• 1:47:20
  dying fire, and deep into the night I could hear the haunting,
• 1:47:25
  mournful strains of his violin, knowing he was still deep in
• 1:47:30
  thought. Unraveling the peculiar mystery
• 1:47:33
  he had taken on. In Chapter 5, Holmes set a
• 1:47:37
  clever trap, placing a fake advertisement about the missing
• 1:47:41
  wedding ring to draw out the man he suspects was at the crime
• 1:47:45
  scene. But instead of the suspect, A
• 1:47:48
  timid old woman arrived, only to vanish into the night after
• 1:47:52
  claiming the ring. Holmes, realizing too late that
• 1:47:57
  she was a disguised accomplice, gives chase but is outwitted.
• 1:48:02
  Though the ruse failed, it confirms his theory that
• 1:48:06
  adversary is not only dangerous, but has allies and a cunning
• 1:48:11
  mind of his own. The next chapter, Inspector
• 1:48:15
  Gregson steps into the spotlight, eager to prove his
• 1:48:19
  worth. He delivers a confident theory
• 1:48:22
  and makes an arrest. But Holmes isn't so easily
• 1:48:25
  convinced. As rival detectives race for
• 1:48:29
  answers, the case begins to twist in unexpected directions.
• 1:48:34
  Chapter 6. Tobias Gregson shows what he can
• 1:48:38
  do. The newspapers the following day
• 1:48:41
  were abuzz with what they called the Brixton Mystery.
• 1:48:44
  Each carried an extensive report on the incident, with some even
• 1:48:49
  featuring editorials about it. I came across some details that
• 1:48:53
  were new to me in my scrapbook. I still keep numerous clippings
• 1:48:58
  and extracts related to the case.
• 1:49:01
  Here's a distilled version of a few of them.
• 1:49:05
  The Daily Telegraph noted that in the annals of crime, few
• 1:49:09
  tragedies have displayed such peculiar characteristics.
• 1:49:14
  The victim's German name, the lack of any other apparent
• 1:49:18
  motive, and the ominous message scrawled on the wall all
• 1:49:21
  suggested the involvement of political refugees and
• 1:49:25
  revolutionaries. Socialists had many factions in
• 1:49:29
  America and it seemed the deceased had violated their
• 1:49:32
  unwritten rules and was haunted down by them.
• 1:49:36
  The article, with a touch of levity, referenced the
• 1:49:39
  Vengaricht Aqua Tofana, the Carbonari, the Martianess de
• 1:49:44
  Brinvillier, the Darwinian theory, the principles of
• 1:49:47
  Malthus, and the Ratcliffe Hwy. murders, before concluding with
• 1:49:52
  a warning to the government and a call for stricter surveillance
• 1:49:56
  of foreigners in England. The Standard observed that such
• 1:50:00
  lawless acts typically occurred under a liberal administration.
• 1:50:04
  They were attributed to the disturbance of the public's
• 1:50:07
  mindset and the resulting erosion of authority.
• 1:50:11
  The deceased was an American gentleman who had been living in
• 1:50:15
  the city for several weeks. He'd been staying at Madame
• 1:50:19
  Charpentier's boarding house on Torquay Terrace, Camberwell, and
• 1:50:23
  was travelling with his private secretary, Mr. Joseph
• 1:50:26
  Stangerson. On Tuesday the 4th, the two men
• 1:50:30
  bid farewell to their landlady and set off for Houston Station,
• 1:50:34
  claiming they intended to catch the express train to Liverpool.
• 1:50:38
  They were last seen together on the platform.
• 1:50:41
  After that, nothing more was known until Mr. Drebber's body
• 1:50:45
  was found in an empty house on Brixton Road, far from Houston.
• 1:50:50
  How he ended up there and the circumstances of his death
• 1:50:54
  remain shrouded in mystery. Stangerson's whereabouts are
• 1:50:58
  still unknown. We are pleased to report that
• 1:51:02
  Mister Lestrade and Mr. Gregson from Scotland Yard are on the
• 1:51:06
  case and there is strong confidence that these esteemed
• 1:51:10
  detectives will soon shed light on the situation.
• 1:51:15
  The Daily News noted that the crime was undoubtedly political.
• 1:51:20
  The oppressive regimes and their disdain for liberalism on the
• 1:51:24
  continent. Had driven many individuals to
• 1:51:27
  our shores, people who might have been exemplary citizens if
• 1:51:31
  not embittered by their past experiences.
• 1:51:34
  Among these exiles there existed A strict code of honor,
• 1:51:39
  violations of which were punishable by death.
• 1:51:42
  It is crucial to locate the Secretary Stangerson and gather
• 1:51:47
  details about the deceased's lifestyle.
• 1:51:50
  A significant breakthrough was achieved with the discovery of
• 1:51:53
  the address where he had been staying, a result entirely
• 1:51:57
  credited to the sharpness and diligence of Mr. Gregson from
• 1:52:01
  Scotland Yard. Sherlock Holmes and I perused
• 1:52:04
  the morning. Notices together over breakfast
• 1:52:07
  and they seemed to provide him with a good deal of amusement.
• 1:52:11
  I told you, no matter the outcome, Lestrade and Gregson
• 1:52:14
  would claim success. That depends on the result.
• 1:52:20
  Oh, it hardly matters. If the culprit is apprehended,
• 1:52:25
  it will be due to their efforts. If he escapes, it will be
• 1:52:29
  despite them. It's a win, win.
• 1:52:31
  For them, whatever happens, they'll have their admirers.
• 1:52:36
  A fool always finds a greater fool to admire him.
• 1:52:40
  What on earth is happening? I exclaimed as the sound.
• 1:52:44
  Of many footsteps echoed in the hall and on the stairs,
• 1:52:47
  accompanied by our landlady's audible expressions of
• 1:52:50
  disapproval. It's the Baker Street division
• 1:52:54
  of the Detective police force, my companion said gravely.
• 1:53:00
  As he spoke, half a dozen of the dirtiest and most ragged St.
• 1:53:04
  Urchins I'd ever seen burst into the room.
• 1:53:08
  Attention. Holmes barked sharply, and the
• 1:53:12
  six grimy little rascals lined up like a row of disreputable
• 1:53:16
  statuettes. From now on, Wiggins will report
• 1:53:20
  alone, and the rest of you must wait outside.
• 1:53:24
  Have you found it, Wiggins? No Sir, we haven't, one of the
• 1:53:28
  young lads replied. I didn't really think you would
• 1:53:32
  keep at it until you do. Here are your wages.
• 1:53:36
  He handed each of them a shilling.
• 1:53:38
  Now off you go and bring back a better report next time.
• 1:53:43
  He waved them off and they dashed downstairs like a pack of
• 1:53:47
  rats. They're high pitched voices
• 1:53:49
  echoing in the street moments later.
• 1:53:52
  You can get more work out of one of those little rascals than
• 1:53:56
  from a dozen officers. Holmes observed.
• 1:53:59
  The mere presence of someone official looking makes people
• 1:54:02
  clam up. These kids though, they go
• 1:54:05
  everywhere and hear everything. They're sharp as needles.
• 1:54:09
  All they need is a bit of organization.
• 1:54:13
  Are you using them for this Brixton case?
• 1:54:15
  I inquired. Yes, there's something I need to
• 1:54:19
  find out. It's just a matter of time.
• 1:54:22
  We're about to get some news now, and in a big way.
• 1:54:26
  Here comes Gregson down the road, looking positively
• 1:54:29
  radiant. He's headed our way, I'm sure.
• 1:54:33
  Yes, he's stopping. There he is.
• 1:54:37
  A sharp ring echoed through the house and moments later the fair
• 1:54:42
  haired detective bounded up the stairs, taking them three at a
• 1:54:45
  time, and burst into our sitting room.
• 1:54:49
  My dear fellow. He exclaimed, shaking Holmes's
• 1:54:53
  unresponsive hand with enthusiasm.
• 1:54:56
  Congratulate me, I've made everything as clear as day.
• 1:55:02
  I noticed a flicker of concern Passover my companion's
• 1:55:05
  expressive face. Do you mean you're on the right
• 1:55:09
  track? He inquired.
• 1:55:12
  The right track? Why?
• 1:55:15
  We've got the man locked up. Gregson declared with pomp,
• 1:55:19
  rubbing his hands together and puffing out his chest.
• 1:55:23
  What's his name? Holmes asked.
• 1:55:26
  Arthur Charpentier, sub Lieutenant in Her Majesty's
• 1:55:30
  Navy. Gregson announced, his voice
• 1:55:33
  swelling with pride. Sherlock Holmes sighed with
• 1:55:37
  relief and allowed a smile to form.
• 1:55:40
  Take a seat and try one of these cigars.
• 1:55:44
  He offered. We're eager to hear how you
• 1:55:46
  accomplished it. Would you like some whiskey and
• 1:55:49
  water? I wouldn't mind.
• 1:55:53
  The detective replied. The intense effort of the past
• 1:55:56
  couple of days has worn me out. Not so much physically, you
• 1:56:01
  understand, but the mental strain has been considerable.
• 1:56:06
  You'll understand, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, since we're both engaged
• 1:56:10
  in cerebral pursuits. You flatter me, Holmes replied
• 1:56:15
  with a serious nod. Please share how you reach this
• 1:56:20
  most satisfying conclusion. The detective settled into the
• 1:56:25
  armchair, exhaling contentedly on his cigar.
• 1:56:30
  Suddenly, he slapped his thigh, overcome with amusement.
• 1:56:35
  The best part? He exclaimed, is that fool
• 1:56:38
  Lestrade, who fancies himself so clever, is chasing the wrong
• 1:56:42
  lead entirely. He's after the secretary
• 1:56:46
  Stangerson, who is as innocent as a newborn.
• 1:56:50
  I'm sure he's already apprehended him by now.
• 1:56:54
  The thought amused Gregson so much that he laughed until he
• 1:56:58
  nearly choked. And how did you uncover your
• 1:57:01
  clue? I'll explain everything.
• 1:57:06
  Of course, Doctor Watson, this is strictly confidential.
• 1:57:10
  Our initial challenge was tracing this Americans
• 1:57:13
  background. Some might have waited for
• 1:57:16
  responses to their ads. Or for people to come forward
• 1:57:19
  with information. That's not how Tobias Gregson
• 1:57:23
  operates. Do you recall the hat found
• 1:57:25
  beside the deceased? Yes, Holmes affirmed.
• 1:57:29
  From John Underwood and Sons, 129 Camberwell Road.
• 1:57:35
  Gregson appeared deflated. I didn't realize you caught
• 1:57:40
  that, he admitted. Have you visited them?
• 1:57:44
  No. Ah, Gregson exclaimed, visibly
• 1:57:49
  relieved. You should never overlook any
• 1:57:52
  opportunity, no matter how insignificant it seems to a
• 1:57:56
  great mind. Nothing is insignificant, Holmes
• 1:58:00
  replied with a touch of gravitas.
• 1:58:03
  Well, I went to Underwood and inquired if they had sold a hat
• 1:58:08
  matching that size and description.
• 1:58:11
  He checked his records and found it immediately.
• 1:58:14
  The hat had been sent to a Mr. Drebber who was staying at
• 1:58:18
  Charpentier's boarding establishment on Torquay
• 1:58:21
  Terrace. That's how I got his address.
• 1:58:24
  Smart, very smart, Sherlock Holmes murmured.
• 1:58:29
  I then visited Madame Charpentier, the detective
• 1:58:32
  continued. She seemed very pale and
• 1:58:36
  troubled. Her daughter was there as well,
• 1:58:39
  a remarkably striking young woman.
• 1:58:42
  Her eyes were red and her lips quivered.
• 1:58:44
  As I spoke to her, I didn't miss that I began to suspect
• 1:58:50
  something was amiss. You know the sensation, Mr.
• 1:58:54
  Sherlock Holmes, when you catch the right trail, a kind of
• 1:58:58
  electric thrill running through your nerves.
• 1:59:02
  Have you heard about the mysterious death of your former
• 1:59:06
  tenant, Mr. Enoch J Drebber from Cleveland?
• 1:59:10
  I inquired. The mother nodded, seemingly
• 1:59:14
  unable. To speak.
• 1:59:16
  The daughter broke into tears. It became increasingly clear to
• 1:59:21
  me that these people were hiding something about the incident.
• 1:59:26
  What time did Mr. Drebber leave your house to catch the train?
• 1:59:29
  I asked. At 8:00, she replied, swallowing
• 1:59:34
  hard to suppress her distress. His secretary, Mr. Stangerson,
• 1:59:40
  mentioned there were two trains, one at 9:15 and another at 11.
• 1:59:46
  He was supposed to take the 1st. And was that the last time you
• 1:59:52
  saw him? And as I posed the question, a
• 1:59:55
  dreadful transformation swept over the woman's face.
• 1:59:59
  Her features turned ashen. It took several seconds before
• 2:00:03
  she could utter the single word Yes.
• 2:00:06
  And when she did, it was in a hoarse, unnatural voice.
• 2:00:11
  There was a brief silence, then the daughter spoke in a calm,
• 2:00:15
  clear voice. No good can ever come from
• 2:00:19
  deceit, Mother, she said. We should be honest with this
• 2:00:23
  gentleman. We did see Mr. Drebber again.
• 2:00:28
  God forgive you, cried Madame Charpentier, throwing her hands
• 2:00:33
  up and collapsing into her chair.
• 2:00:35
  You've doomed your brother. Arthur would prefer we tell the
• 2:00:39
  truth, the girl replied with determination.
• 2:00:44
  You'd better tell me everything now, I said.
• 2:00:47
  Half truths are worse than none besides.
• 2:00:51
  You don't know how much we already know on your head, be it
• 2:00:56
  Alice, Her mother exclaimed, then turned to me.
• 2:01:01
  I will tell you everything, Sir. Don't think my distress for my
• 2:01:06
  son stems from any fear that he was involved in this dreadful
• 2:01:10
  affair. He is completely innocent.
• 2:01:13
  My fear is that in your eyes and others, he might seem
• 2:01:17
  implicated, but that must be impossible.
• 2:01:21
  His good character, his profession, his history would
• 2:01:26
  all prevent it. The best course is to be
• 2:01:29
  completely honest, I replied. Trust me, if your son is
• 2:01:35
  innocent, he will not suffer for it.
• 2:01:40
  Perhaps, Alice, it would be best if you left us alone, she said,
• 2:01:45
  and her daughter quietly exited the room.
• 2:01:48
  Now, Sir, she continued. I hadn't planned on revealing
• 2:01:52
  all this to you, but since my poor daughter has let it slip, I
• 2:01:57
  have no choice. Having decided to speak, I will
• 2:02:02
  tell you everything without leaving out any details.
• 2:02:06
  That is the wisest decision, I replied.
• 2:02:11
  Mr. Drebber has been staying with us for nearly three weeks.
• 2:02:15
  He and his secretary, Mr. Stangerson, had been travelling
• 2:02:19
  across Europe. I noticed a Copenhagen label on
• 2:02:23
  each of their suitcases indicating that was their last
• 2:02:27
  stop. Stannison was a quiet, reserved
• 2:02:30
  man, but his employer, I regret to say, was quite the opposite.
• 2:02:35
  He was coarse and brutish in his behaviour on the very night he
• 2:02:39
  arrived. He drank excessively an
• 2:02:42
  afternoon each day. He was rarely sober.
• 2:02:46
  His behaviour towards the maidservants was disgustingly
• 2:02:50
  familiar and inappropriate. Worst of all, he soon adopted
• 2:02:55
  the same demeanour towards my daughter Alice, speaking to her
• 2:02:59
  in ways that thankfully, she was too innocent to comprehend.
• 2:03:04
  On one occasion, he even grabbed her and embraced her, an outrage
• 2:03:09
  that prompted his own secretary to reprimand him for his
• 2:03:12
  disgraceful conduct. But why did you tolerate all
• 2:03:16
  this? I asked.
• 2:03:18
  I assume you can dismiss your tenants whenever you choose.
• 2:03:23
  Missus Charpentier flushed at my direct question.
• 2:03:27
  I wish I. Had told him to leave the very
• 2:03:29
  day he arrived, she confessed, but it was a difficult
• 2:03:33
  temptation. They were paying a pound a day
• 2:03:36
  each, £14.00 a week, and this is the slow season.
• 2:03:43
  I'm a widow and my son in the Navy has been expensive.
• 2:03:48
  I hated to lose the income. I thought I was doing the right
• 2:03:51
  thing. But the last incident was too
• 2:03:54
  much and I finally gave him notice to leave because of it.
• 2:03:59
  That's why he left. And then my heart felt lighter
• 2:04:05
  when I saw him drive away. My son is home on leave right
• 2:04:09
  now, but I didn't tell him any of this as he has a fierce
• 2:04:13
  temper and is very protective of his sister.
• 2:04:17
  When I closed the door behind them, it felt like a weight had
• 2:04:21
  been lifted from my mind. Unfortunately, less than an hour
• 2:04:26
  later, the doorbell rang and I discovered Mr. Drebber had
• 2:04:30
  returned. He was visibly agitated and
• 2:04:34
  clearly intoxicated. He barged into the room where I
• 2:04:38
  was sitting with my daughter. And mumbled something incoherent
• 2:04:42
  about missing his train. He then turned to Alice and
• 2:04:48
  right in front of me asked her to run away with him.
• 2:04:52
  You're of age, he said. And nothing can legally stop
• 2:04:56
  you. I've got more than enough money.
• 2:04:59
  Forget about the old woman here. Just come with me right now.
• 2:05:04
  You'll. Live like royalty.
• 2:05:07
  Poor Alice was so scared, she recoiled from him, but he
• 2:05:10
  grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her towards the door.
• 2:05:14
  I screamed and at that moment my son Arthur entered the room.
• 2:05:20
  What happened next I can't say. I heard curses and the chaotic
• 2:05:26
  sounds of a struggle. I was too terrified to lift my
• 2:05:29
  head. When I finally looked up, I saw
• 2:05:33
  Arthur standing in the doorway laughing with a stick in his
• 2:05:37
  hand. I don't think that scoundrel
• 2:05:40
  will bother us again, he said. I'll just follow him and see
• 2:05:44
  what he gets up to. With that, he grabbed his hat
• 2:05:49
  and headed down the street the next morning.
• 2:05:52
  We heard about Mr. Drebber's mysterious death.
• 2:05:56
  Missus Charpentier spoke with many interruptions, her voice
• 2:06:00
  often so faint that I struggled to catch her words.
• 2:06:05
  Nevertheless, I took shorthand notes to ensure there would be
• 2:06:09
  no room for error. Quite thrilling, Sherlock Holmes
• 2:06:14
  remarked with a yawn. What followed when?
• 2:06:19
  Missus Charpentier paused. The detective continued.
• 2:06:23
  I realized the entire case hinged on a single detail.
• 2:06:29
  Locking eyes with her. A technique I found particularly
• 2:06:32
  effective with women. I asked her what time her son
• 2:06:36
  returned home. I don't know, she replied.
• 2:06:41
  You don't know. No, he has a latch key and let
• 2:06:44
  himself in after. You went to bed?
• 2:06:48
  Yes. When did you retire for the
• 2:06:52
  night? Around 11.
• 2:06:56
  So your son was out for at least two hours, yes.
• 2:07:00
  Possibly four or five, yes. What was he doing during that
• 2:07:05
  time? I don't know, she replied, her
• 2:07:10
  face turning pale as her lips. After that, there was nothing
• 2:07:15
  more to be done. I located Lieutenant
• 2:07:19
  Charpentier, took two officers with me, and arrested him.
• 2:07:24
  When I placed a hand on his shoulder and told him to come
• 2:07:27
  quietly, he responded with surprising boldness.
• 2:07:31
  I suppose you're arresting me for being involved in that
• 2:07:34
  scoundrel Drebber's death? He said.
• 2:07:38
  We hadn't mentioned anything about it to him, so his
• 2:07:41
  reference to it seemed highly suspicious.
• 2:07:44
  Very, Holmes remarked. He still carried the heavy stick
• 2:07:48
  his mother had described, the one he had with him when he
• 2:07:51
  followed Drebber. It was a sturdy oak cudgel.
• 2:07:55
  So what's your? Theory.
• 2:08:00
  My theory is that he followed Drebber to Brixton Rd.
• 2:08:03
  There another argument broke out between them, during which
• 2:08:07
  Drebber received a blow from the stick, perhaps in the stomach,
• 2:08:11
  that killed him without leaving a mark.
• 2:08:14
  The night was so rainy that no one was around so.
• 2:08:19
  Charpentier dragged the body into the empty house.
• 2:08:22
  As for the candle, the blood, the writing on the wall and the
• 2:08:27
  ring, they could all be tricks. To mislead the police.
• 2:08:32
  Well done, Holmes said, his voice warm with encouragement.
• 2:08:36
  Truly, Gregson, you're making progress.
• 2:08:40
  Will turn you into something remarkable, yet I must say I've
• 2:08:45
  handled it quite deftly, the detective replied with pride.
• 2:08:49
  The young man offered a statement claiming that after
• 2:08:52
  trailing Drebber for a while, Drebber noticed him and took a
• 2:08:55
  cab to escape. On his way home, he ran into an
• 2:08:59
  old shipmate and went for a long walk with him.
• 2:09:02
  When asked where this shipmate lived, he couldn't provide a
• 2:09:06
  satisfactory answer. I believe the pieces of the case
• 2:09:10
  fit together remarkably well. What tickles me is imagining
• 2:09:17
  Lestrade, who set off on the wrong track.
• 2:09:21
  I'm afraid he won't get far with it.
• 2:09:25
  Why, by Jove, here he is now. Indeed, it was Lestrade who had
• 2:09:31
  climbed the stairs during our conversation and now entered the
• 2:09:34
  room. The usual confidence and flair
• 2:09:37
  in his demeanour and attire were conspicuously absent.
• 2:09:41
  His face was troubled, his clothes dishevelled.
• 2:09:46
  Clearly he intended to consult Sherlock Holmes, for upon seeing
• 2:09:50
  his colleague, he seemed embarrassed and uneasy.
• 2:09:55
  He stood in the middle of the room, nervously fiddling with
• 2:09:59
  his hat, unsure of his next move.
• 2:10:03
  This is an utterly extraordinary case, he finally said.
• 2:10:08
  A truly baffling affair. Ah, you see it that way too, Mr.
• 2:10:14
  Lestrade. Gregson exclaimed with a note of
• 2:10:16
  triumph. I suspected you'd reach that
• 2:10:19
  conclusion. Have you located the secretary,
• 2:10:22
  Mr. Joseph Stangerson? The secretary, Mr. Joseph
• 2:10:27
  Stangerson Lestrade replied with Gravity was murdered at
• 2:10:32
  Halliday's private hotel around 6:00 this morning.
• 2:10:37
  In Chapter 6, Inspector Gregson bursts in with pride, claiming
• 2:10:42
  to have solved the Brixton Rd. mystery through diligent
• 2:10:46
  legwork, he tracks the victim, Enoch drebber, to a London
• 2:10:50
  boarding house where tensions had flared between drebber and
• 2:10:54
  the landlady's daughter. Her brother, Arthur Charpentier,
• 2:10:58
  is arrested after Gregson pieces together a plausible motive and
• 2:11:03
  timeline, one that. Seems to fit the facts.
• 2:11:07
  But while Gregson basks in his moment, Holmes remains quietly
• 2:11:12
  unconvinced. Something doesn't add up.
• 2:11:16
  And just as Gregson declares victory, Inspector Lestrade
• 2:11:19
  arrives pale, dishevelled and with a stunning.
• 2:11:23
  Revelation that shatters Gregson's theory entirely.
• 2:11:27
  Chapter 7 Light in the Darkness The news Lestrade delivered was
• 2:11:32
  so significant. And unexpected that it left all
• 2:11:35
  three of us stunned, Gregson leapt from his chair, spilling
• 2:11:40
  what remained of his whiskey and water.
• 2:11:43
  I stared silently at Sherlock Holmes, whose lips were tightly
• 2:11:47
  pressed and brows furrowed in concentration.
• 2:11:51
  It's dangerous. And too, he murmured, The plot
• 2:11:56
  thickens. It was already dense enough.
• 2:11:59
  Lestrade grumbled, settling into a chair.
• 2:12:03
  I feel like I've stumbled into some kind of war council.
• 2:12:08
  Are you? Are you certain about this
• 2:12:11
  information? Gregson stammered.
• 2:12:16
  I've just come from his room. Lestrade replied.
• 2:12:20
  I was the first to discover what happened.
• 2:12:25
  We've been hearing Gregson's perspective on the matter,
• 2:12:29
  Holmes noted. Would you mind sharing what
• 2:12:32
  you've seen and done? I have no objection, Lestrade
• 2:12:37
  said, taking a seat. I must admit.
• 2:12:41
  I initially believed Stangerson was involved in Drebber's death.
• 2:12:46
  This new development has shown me I was completely wrong.
• 2:12:50
  Focused on that idea, I set out to find what happened to the
• 2:12:54
  secretary. They were last seen together at
• 2:12:57
  Houston Station around 8:30 on the evening of the Third.
• 2:13:02
  By two in the morning, Drebber was found on Brixton Road.
• 2:13:07
  The challenge was to determine how Stangerson spent his time
• 2:13:11
  between 8:30 and the crime and what became of him afterward.
• 2:13:16
  I sent a telegram to Liverpool with his description, advising
• 2:13:20
  them to monitor the American ships.
• 2:13:23
  Then I began visiting all the hotels and lodging houses near
• 2:13:28
  Houston. My reasoning was that if Drebber
• 2:13:32
  and his companion had parted ways, the latter would likely
• 2:13:36
  find a place to stay nearby for the night and return to the
• 2:13:40
  station the next morning. They would probably agree on a
• 2:13:45
  meeting place beforehand, Holmes remarked.
• 2:13:49
  Indeed, that's how it unfolded. I spent all of last evening
• 2:13:53
  making inquiries, but they led nowhere.
• 2:13:56
  This morning I started early and by 8:00 I arrived at Halliday's
• 2:14:01
  Private Hotel on Little George St.
• 2:14:05
  When I asked if a Mr. Stangerson was staying there, they
• 2:14:08
  immediately confirmed it. You must be the gentleman he's
• 2:14:12
  been expecting, they said. He's been waiting for someone
• 2:14:16
  for two days. Where is he now?
• 2:14:20
  I inquired. He's upstairs in bed.
• 2:14:24
  He asked to be woken at 9:00. I'll go up and see him right
• 2:14:28
  away, I replied. I thought my unexpected arrival
• 2:14:33
  might unsettle him and cause him to say something.
• 2:14:36
  Without thinking, the hotel Porter offered to show me to the
• 2:14:39
  room. It was on the 2nd floor with a
• 2:14:41
  narrow corridor leading to it. The Porter pointed out the door
• 2:14:46
  and was about to head back downstairs when I noticed
• 2:14:49
  something that turned my stomach despite my 2 decades of
• 2:14:53
  experience. A thin red ribbon of blood was
• 2:14:56
  seeping from under the door, winding across the passage and
• 2:15:00
  pooling along the baseboard on the opposite side.
• 2:15:03
  I cried out, which brought the Porter.
• 2:15:06
  Back, he nearly fainted at the sight.
• 2:15:10
  The door was locked from the inside, but we forced it open
• 2:15:14
  with our shoulders. The window in the room stood
• 2:15:18
  ajar, and beside it, crumpled on the floor, lay the body of a man
• 2:15:24
  in his nightclothes. He was unmistakably dead, and
• 2:15:28
  had been for some time. His limbs were stiff and cold.
• 2:15:34
  When we turned him over, the boots immediately recognized him
• 2:15:38
  as the gentleman who had rented the room under the name Joseph
• 2:15:42
  Stangerson. The cause of death was a deep
• 2:15:46
  stab wound on the left side, likely piercing the heart.
• 2:15:51
  And now we come to the most peculiar aspect of the case.
• 2:15:56
  What do you think was above the murdered man?
• 2:16:00
  Even before Sherlock Holmes replied, I felt a chill run
• 2:16:04
  through me, a foreboding of the horror to come.
• 2:16:09
  The word rage written in letters of blood, he said.
• 2:16:16
  That's right. Lestrade confirmed, his voice
• 2:16:20
  filled with awe, and we all fell silent for a moment.
• 2:16:25
  There was something so calculated and yet so baffling
• 2:16:29
  about the actions of this unknown killer that it added a
• 2:16:32
  new layer of dread to his crimes.
• 2:16:35
  My nerves, which had held steady even in battle, tingled at the
• 2:16:39
  thought. The man was seen.
• 2:16:43
  Lestrade continued. A milk boy on his way to the
• 2:16:47
  dairy, he happened to walk down the lane that runs from the Muse
• 2:16:52
  behind the hotel. He noticed a ladder, typically
• 2:16:56
  resting on the ground, now propped against a second floor
• 2:17:00
  window, which stood wide open. As he walked past, he glanced
• 2:17:05
  back and observed a man descending the ladder.
• 2:17:09
  The man moved so quietly and openly that the boy assumed he
• 2:17:13
  was a Carpenter or joiner working at the hotel.
• 2:17:17
  He didn't pay much attention, merely thinking it was an early
• 2:17:21
  hour for such work. He recalls the man being tall,
• 2:17:25
  with a reddish face and wearing a long brownish coat.
• 2:17:30
  The man must have lingered in the room for a while.
• 2:17:33
  After the murder, as they found blood stained water in the basin
• 2:17:38
  where he had washed his hands and marks on the sheets where he
• 2:17:41
  had wiped his knife deliberately, I looked at Holmes
• 2:17:46
  as I heard the description of the murderer which matched his
• 2:17:49
  own so precisely. Yet there was no sign of triumph
• 2:17:54
  or. Satisfaction on his face.
• 2:17:58
  Did you find anything in the room that could lead us to the
• 2:18:01
  murderer? He inquired.
• 2:18:04
  Nothing. Stangerson had Drebber's purse
• 2:18:07
  in his pocket, but that seemed normal since he handled all the
• 2:18:11
  payments. There were over £80 in it.
• 2:18:14
  But nothing was missing. Whatever the motives behind
• 2:18:18
  these extraordinary crimes, robbery is certainly not one of
• 2:18:21
  them. There were no papers or notes in
• 2:18:25
  the murdered man's pocket, save for a lone telegram dated from
• 2:18:29
  Cleveland about a month prior, which simply read JH is in
• 2:18:34
  Europe. The message bore no signature
• 2:18:38
  and nothing else. Holmes inquired.
• 2:18:41
  Nothing of significance. The man had a novel which he had
• 2:18:45
  evidently been reading before falling asleep.
• 2:18:48
  Lying on the bed. His pipe rested on a chair
• 2:18:52
  beside him. A glass of water was on the
• 2:18:55
  table, and on the window sill sat a small ointment box
• 2:18:59
  containing a couple of. Pills Sherlock Holmes leapt from
• 2:19:03
  his chair with a cry of triumph. The.
• 2:19:06
  Final piece, He exclaimed, jubilant.
• 2:19:10
  My case is complete. The two detectives looked at him
• 2:19:15
  astonished. I now hold, my companion
• 2:19:19
  declared with assurance, all the threads that have been so
• 2:19:23
  entangled. There are naturally details to
• 2:19:26
  be filled in, but I am as certain of the main events, from
• 2:19:31
  when Drebber parted ways with Stangerson at the station, to
• 2:19:34
  the discovery of Stangerson's body, as if I had witnessed them
• 2:19:38
  myself. I will demonstrate my
• 2:19:41
  understanding. Could you produce?
• 2:19:44
  Those pills, I have them, Lestrade replied, pulling out a
• 2:19:50
  small white box. I took them along with the purse
• 2:19:54
  and the telegram, intending to secure.
• 2:19:57
  Them at the police station. It was sheer coincidence that I
• 2:20:02
  ended up with these pills, as I must admit I don't really think
• 2:20:05
  much of them. Let me see them, said Holmes.
• 2:20:10
  Now, Doctor. He turned to me.
• 2:20:14
  Are these ordinary pills? They were anything but ordinary.
• 2:20:20
  They were a pearly grey, small, round and nearly see through
• 2:20:25
  when held up to the light. Given their lightness and
• 2:20:29
  transparency, I guess they're water soluble, I observed.
• 2:20:35
  Exactly, Holmes replied now. Could you go and bring up that
• 2:20:40
  poor little terrier that's been suffering for so long, The one
• 2:20:44
  the landlady asked you to put out of its misery yesterday I
• 2:20:49
  went downstairs and gently carried the dog back up.
• 2:20:52
  Its laboured breathing and glazed eyes made it clear it was
• 2:20:56
  near the end. It's Snow White muzzle showed
• 2:20:59
  it. It already outlived the typical
• 2:21:01
  lifespan for a dog. I set it down on a cushion by
• 2:21:05
  the rug. I'll cut one of these pills in
• 2:21:08
  half now, said Holmes, pulling out his pen knife and doing just
• 2:21:12
  that. 1/2 goes back in the box for later.
• 2:21:17
  The other half I'll place in this wine glass with a teaspoon
• 2:21:21
  of water. You see, our friend the doctor
• 2:21:24
  was right. It dissolves easily.
• 2:21:27
  This might be quite intriguing. Lestrade remarked, his voice
• 2:21:32
  tinged with the irritation of someone who feels mocked.
• 2:21:35
  Yet I fail to see how it relates to Mr. Joseph Stangerson's
• 2:21:40
  death. Patience, my dear friend,
• 2:21:44
  patience. In due time, you'll realize it
• 2:21:47
  has everything to do with it. Now I'll add a bit of milk to
• 2:21:52
  make the concoction more appealing, and when we offer it
• 2:21:56
  to the dog, you'll see he drinks it eagerly.
• 2:22:00
  As he spoke, Holmes poured the contents of the wine glass into
• 2:22:04
  a saucer and set it before the terrier, who promptly licked it
• 2:22:08
  clean. Holmes's serious demeanour had
• 2:22:11
  convinced us to sit silently watching the animal closely,
• 2:22:16
  anticipating some dramatic reaction.
• 2:22:20
  Yet nothing happened. The dog remained sprawled on the
• 2:22:24
  cushion, breathing heavily but seemingly unaffected by the
• 2:22:29
  drink. Holmes checked his watch and as
• 2:22:33
  the minutes ticked by without any change, his face showed deep
• 2:22:37
  frustration and disappointment. He bit his lip.
• 2:22:42
  Tapped his fingers on the table and exhibited every sign of
• 2:22:46
  intense impatience. His agitation was so palpable
• 2:22:51
  that I genuinely felt sorry for him, while the two detectives
• 2:22:55
  smirked, clearly enjoying his set back.
• 2:22:59
  It can't be mere coincidence, he exclaimed, finally leaping from
• 2:23:03
  his chair and pacing the room in agitation.
• 2:23:07
  It's impossible that this is just a coincidence.
• 2:23:10
  The very pills I suspected in Drebber's case are indeed found
• 2:23:15
  after Stangerson's death, and yet they remain inert.
• 2:23:19
  What could this possibly mean? Surely my entire line of
• 2:23:23
  reasoning can't be flawed. It's unthinkable, and yet this
• 2:23:28
  poor dog shows no I'll effects. I've got it, I've got it.
• 2:23:34
  With a triumphant cry he dashed to the box, split the other pill
• 2:23:38
  in two, dissolved it, mixed it with milk, and offered it to the
• 2:23:42
  terrier. The unfortunate animal barely
• 2:23:45
  touched it with its tongue before it convulsed violently,
• 2:23:48
  every limb shuddering, and then lay still and lifeless, as if
• 2:23:53
  struck by lightning. Sherlock Holmes exhaled deeply,
• 2:23:57
  wiping sweat from his brow. I should have more faith, he
• 2:24:03
  remarked. By now I ought to realize that
• 2:24:06
  when a fact seems to contradict a long chain of deductions, it
• 2:24:10
  invariably can be interpreted another way.
• 2:24:15
  Of the two pills in that box, 1 was lethally poisonous, while
• 2:24:20
  the other was completely harmless.
• 2:24:23
  I should have known that before I even laid eyes on the box.
• 2:24:29
  This revelation was so astonishing to me that I could
• 2:24:32
  scarcely believe he was in his right mind.
• 2:24:36
  Yet the dead dog was undeniable proof that his hypothesis was
• 2:24:41
  correct, it felt. As though the fog in my own mind
• 2:24:45
  was slowly lifting and I began to perceive the truth, albeit
• 2:24:50
  dimly and vaguely. All this seems strange to you,
• 2:24:56
  Holmes continued. Because at the outset of the
• 2:24:59
  investigation, you failed to grasp the significance of the
• 2:25:03
  single real clue that was right in front of you.
• 2:25:07
  I was fortunate to latch onto that insight, and everything
• 2:25:11
  since has only reinforced my initial theory, following
• 2:25:15
  logically from it. What has puzzled you and clouded
• 2:25:19
  the case has actually clarified things for me and solidified my
• 2:25:24
  conclusions. It's a mistake to confuse the
• 2:25:27
  unusual with the mysterious. Often the most ordinary crime is
• 2:25:32
  the most enigmatic because it lacks distinctive features from
• 2:25:36
  which to draw conclusions. This murder would have been far
• 2:25:40
  harder to solve if the victim's body had simply been found lying
• 2:25:44
  in the street, devoid of those bizarre and sensational elements
• 2:25:49
  that made it stand out. These peculiar details, rather
• 2:25:53
  than complicating the case, have actually simplified it.
• 2:25:58
  Mr. Gregson, who had been listening with growing
• 2:26:00
  impatience. Could hold back no longer.
• 2:26:03
  Listen, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, he said.
• 2:26:07
  We all recognize that you're a clever man with your own way of
• 2:26:11
  doing things. But we need more than just
• 2:26:13
  theories and lectures now. It's time to catch the culprit.
• 2:26:19
  I thought I had my case wrapped up, but it turns out I was
• 2:26:23
  mistaken. Young Charpentier couldn't have
• 2:26:27
  been involved in this second incident.
• 2:26:29
  Lestrade pursued Stangerson, but it seems he was mistaken as
• 2:26:34
  well. You've been dropping hints here
• 2:26:37
  and there suggesting you know more.
• 2:26:39
  Than we do. The time has come for us to ask
• 2:26:43
  directly. How much do you really know
• 2:26:47
  about this case? Can you identify the culprit?
• 2:26:52
  I can't shake the feeling that Gregson is correct, Sir.
• 2:26:56
  Lestrade interjected. We've both made attempts and
• 2:27:00
  come up short. You've mentioned more than once
• 2:27:03
  since I've been here that you possess all the evidence you
• 2:27:06
  need. Surely you won't keep it from us
• 2:27:09
  any longer. Any delay in apprehending the
• 2:27:13
  murderer? I pointed out.
• 2:27:15
  Might allow him the opportunity to commit another heinous act.
• 2:27:19
  Pressed by all of us. Holmes showed signs of
• 2:27:22
  hesitation. He continued pacing the room,
• 2:27:25
  head bowed and brows furrowed as he often did when deep in
• 2:27:29
  thought. There will be no further
• 2:27:33
  murders. He finally declared, stopping
• 2:27:36
  abruptly and facing us. You can dismiss that concern.
• 2:27:41
  You've asked if I know the Assassin's name.
• 2:27:45
  I do. Knowing his name is a minor
• 2:27:48
  victory compared to actually getting our hands on him.
• 2:27:52
  I expect to accomplish this soon.
• 2:27:55
  I have a plan in place, but it requires A delicate touch.
• 2:28:00
  We're dealing with a sharp and dangerous man backed by someone
• 2:28:04
  equally cunning. As long as he remains unaware
• 2:28:08
  that anyone is on to him, we have a chance to catch him.
• 2:28:13
  But if he even suspects, he'll change his identity and
• 2:28:17
  disappear into the city's 4 million souls.
• 2:28:20
  I mean no offense, but I believe these men outmatched the
• 2:28:24
  official force, which is why I haven't sought your help.
• 2:28:29
  If I fail, I'll. Accept the blame for that
• 2:28:31
  decision, but I'm prepared for it.
• 2:28:35
  I promise to contact you the moment I can do so without
• 2:28:38
  jeopardizing my strategy. Gregson and Lestrade were
• 2:28:42
  clearly not pleased with this explanation or the slight
• 2:28:44
  against the detective police. Gregson flushed to the roots of
• 2:28:48
  his blonde hair, while Lestrade's eyes shone with a mix
• 2:28:52
  of curiosity and irritation. Before either could respond,
• 2:28:56
  there was a knock at the door and young Wiggins, the leader of
• 2:29:00
  the street urchins, made his unremarkable and somewhat grimy
• 2:29:04
  entrance. Please, Sir, he said.
• 2:29:09
  Touching his forelock. I've got the cab downstairs.
• 2:29:15
  Good boy, Holmes said with a calm demeanour.
• 2:29:19
  Why not introduce this design at Scotland Yard?
• 2:29:22
  He continued, retrieving a pair of steel handcuffs from a
• 2:29:26
  drawer. Observe how smoothly the spring
• 2:29:29
  operates. They lock instantly.
• 2:29:33
  The old design works well enough, Lystrad replied.
• 2:29:37
  If only we can find the right man to put them on.
• 2:29:42
  Very good, very good. Holmes said with a smile.
• 2:29:47
  The cab man might as well help me with my luggage.
• 2:29:50
  Wiggins, please ask him to come up.
• 2:29:54
  I was taken aback to hear my companion speaking as if he were
• 2:29:58
  preparing for a trip, as he hadn't mentioned anything to me
• 2:30:01
  about it. A small suitcase was in the
• 2:30:04
  room, which he pulled out and began to fasten.
• 2:30:07
  He was engrossed in this task when the cab man entered.
• 2:30:11
  Could you help me with this buckle cab man?
• 2:30:15
  Holmes asked, focused on his work and not turning his head.
• 2:30:21
  The man approached with a somewhat sullen, defiant
• 2:30:24
  expression, reaching out to assist.
• 2:30:27
  In that instant, there was a sharp click, the clatter of
• 2:30:31
  metal, and Sherlock Holmes leapt to his feet.
• 2:30:36
  Gentlemen. He announced.
• 2:30:38
  His eyes are light. Allow me to introduce Mr.
• 2:30:42
  Jefferson Hope, the murderer of Enoch Drebber and Joseph
• 2:30:46
  Stangerson. The entire scene unfolded in a
• 2:30:49
  flash, so swiftly that I had no time to comprehend it.
• 2:30:55
  I vividly remember that moment, Holmes's triumphant look, the
• 2:31:00
  commanding tone of his voice. And the cab man's bewildered,
• 2:31:04
  furious expression as he stared at the handcuffs that it
• 2:31:08
  seemingly materialized on his wrists.
• 2:31:12
  For a brief moment, we were like statues, frozen in time.
• 2:31:17
  Then, with a guttural roar of rage, the prisoner tore himself
• 2:31:21
  from Holmes's grip and launched himself through the window.
• 2:31:26
  The wood and glass shattered around him, but before he could
• 2:31:30
  escape, Gregson, Lestrade and Holmes pounced on him like a
• 2:31:35
  pack of hounds. They dragged him back into the
• 2:31:38
  room, igniting A fierce struggle.
• 2:31:42
  His strength was astonishing, almost convulsive, as if he were
• 2:31:47
  in the throes of an epileptic fit.
• 2:31:50
  Despite his face and hands being badly cut from the glass, the
• 2:31:54
  blood loss did nothing to weaken his resistance.
• 2:31:58
  It wasn't until Lestrade. Managed to get a hand inside his
• 2:32:01
  neckcloth and half strangle him that he realized his efforts
• 2:32:04
  were futile. Even then, we felt no relief
• 2:32:09
  until we had bound his feet as securely as his hands.
• 2:32:14
  Exhausted and gasping for breath, we finally stood up.
• 2:32:19
  We have his cab, Sherlock Holmes said it will do to take him to
• 2:32:25
  Scotland Yard. And now, gentlemen, he said with
• 2:32:30
  a warm smile. We've come to the conclusion of
• 2:32:33
  our little mystery. Feel free to ask me anything
• 2:32:36
  you'd like. I'm more than willing to provide
• 2:32:39
  answers. With the second murder revealed,
• 2:32:43
  Holmes wastes no time. As Lestrade and Gregson scramble
• 2:32:48
  to adjust their theories, Holmes quietly traces the final
• 2:32:51
  threads. Then, in a moment of calm
• 2:32:55
  precision, springs his trap. The man behind both killings is
• 2:33:00
  caught. Not through luck.
• 2:33:03
  But through luck, logic, not through force, but by following
• 2:33:08
  the smallest details no one else could see in just a few steps,
• 2:33:14
  Holmes does what the official detectives could not.
• 2:33:17
  He solves the case. But even with the killer in
• 2:33:20
  custody, one question remains. Why?
• 2:33:25
  What drove a man across continents, through years of
• 2:33:29
  silence, to murder not once, but twice?
• 2:33:34
  Part 2 The story rewinds. We leave the fog of London
• 2:33:39
  behind and travel across the Atlantic to the deserts of the
• 2:33:42
  American West. There, in a land of faith,
• 2:33:46
  isolation, and vengeance, we uncover the hidden past that
• 2:33:51
  gave birth to the mystery of Lauriston Gardens.
• 2:33:55
  The answers lie not in the streets of London, but in the
• 2:33:59
  shadows of Utah. You've been listening to
• 2:34:03
  Sherlock Holmes, the 221 B Chronicles, an episodic
• 2:34:08
  audiobook presentation of Sherlock Holmes.
• 2:34:11
  Thank you for joining us. We'll be back with the next two
• 2:34:14
  chapters in our next release. Until then, the case continues.