WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.600 --> 00:00:09.119 The adventure of the Red Circle. Well, missus Warren, I 2 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:13.400 cannot see that you have any particular cause for uneasiness, 3 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:17.239 nor do I understand why I, whose time is of 4 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:20.960 some value, should interfere in the matter. I really have 5 00:00:21.160 --> 00:00:26.440 other things to engage me, so spoke Sherlock Holmes, and 6 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:28.839 turned back to the great scrap Book, in which he 7 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:33.280 was arranging and indexing some of his recent material. But 8 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:36.479 the landlady had the pertinacity and also the cunning of 9 00:00:36.520 --> 00:00:41.039 her sex. She held her ground firmly. You arranged an 10 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:43.840 affair for a lodger of my last year, she said, 11 00:00:44.119 --> 00:00:48.880 mister Fairdell Hobbs Ah. Yes, a simple matter, but he 12 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:53.000 would never cease talking of it. Your kindness, sir, and 13 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:55.200 the way in which you brought light into the darkness. 14 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:57.520 I remember his words when I was in doubt and 15 00:00:57.640 --> 00:01:01.399 darkness myself. I know you could would if you only would. 16 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:06.799 Holmes was accessible upon the side of flattery, and also 17 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:11.120 to do him justice upon the side of kindliness. The 18 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:14.000 two forces made him lay down his gum brush with 19 00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:18.719 a sigh of resignation and push back his chair. Well, well, 20 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:23.560 missus Warren, let us hear about it. Then you don't 21 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:27.920 object to tobacco. I take it. Thank you, Watson the matches. 22 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:32.719 You are uneasy, as I understand, because your new lodger 23 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:36.959 remains in his room and you cannot see him. Why 24 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:39.560 bless you, missus Warren. If I were your lodger, you 25 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:42.879 often would not see me for weeks on end, no doubt, sir. 26 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:46.239 But this is different. It frightens me, mister Holmes. I 27 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:50.079 can't sleep for fright to hear his quick step moving 28 00:01:50.120 --> 00:01:52.799 here and moving there from early morning to late at night, 29 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:55.359 and yet never to catch so much as a glimpse 30 00:01:55.400 --> 00:01:58.439 of him. It's more than I can stand. My husband 31 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:01.000 is as nervous over it as I am, but he 32 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:03.000 is out at his work all day while I get 33 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:06.319 no rest from it. What is he hiding for? What 34 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:10.159 has he done except for the girl? I'm all alone 35 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:12.560 in the house with him, and it's more than my 36 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:16.759 nerves can stand. Holmes leaned forward and laid his long, 37 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:20.520 thin fingers upon the woman's shoulder. He had an almost 38 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:24.479 hypnotic power of soothing when he wished, The scared look 39 00:02:24.520 --> 00:02:28.520 faded from her eyes, and her agitated features smoothed into 40 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:32.680 their usual commonplace. She sat down in the chair, which 41 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:36.080 he had indicated. If I take it up, I must 42 00:02:36.199 --> 00:02:40.199 understand every detail, said he. Take time to consider. The 43 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:43.360 smallest point may be the most essential. You say that 44 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:45.800 the man came ten days ago and paid you for 45 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:49.400 a fortnight's board and lodging. He asked my term, sir, 46 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:52.319 I said, fifty shillings a week. There is a small 47 00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:55.000 sitting room and bedroom, and all complete at the top 48 00:02:55.039 --> 00:02:59.439 of the house. Well, he said, I'll pay you five 49 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:01.080 pounds a week if I can have it on my 50 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:05.039 own terms. I'm a poor woman, sir, and mister Warren 51 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:08.840 earns little, and the money meant much to me. He 52 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:11.039 took out a ten pound note and he held it 53 00:03:11.080 --> 00:03:13.639 out to me. Then and there. You can have the 54 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:16.319 same every fortnight for a long time to come, if 55 00:03:16.360 --> 00:03:19.719 you keep the terms, he said. If not, I'll have 56 00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:24.039 no more to do with you. What were the terms, well, sir, 57 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:26.719 they were that he was to have a key of 58 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:31.199 the house. That was all right, lodgers often have them. Also, 59 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:33.800 that he was to be left entirely to himself, and 60 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:39.159 never upon any excuse to be disturbed. Nothing wonderful in that, 61 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:43.240 surely not in reason, sir. But this is out of 62 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:46.960 all reason. He has been there for ten days, and 63 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:49.639 neither mister Warren, nor I nor the girl has once 64 00:03:49.639 --> 00:03:52.879 set eyes upon him. We can hear that quick step 65 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:55.400 of his pacing up and down, up and down night, 66 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:59.400 morning and noon. But except on that first night, he 67 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:02.599 has never won gone out of the house. Oh he 68 00:04:02.680 --> 00:04:05.599 went out the first night, did he, yes, sir, and 69 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:09.319 return very late after we were all in bed. He 70 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:11.439 told me after he had taken the rooms that he 71 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:14.280 would do so, and asked me not to bar the door. 72 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:17.959 And I heard him come up the stair after midnight. 73 00:04:18.920 --> 00:04:22.639 But his meals. It was his particular direction that we 74 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:25.240 should always when he rang, leave his meal upon a 75 00:04:25.319 --> 00:04:28.800 chair outside his door. Then he rings again when he 76 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:31.959 has finished, and we take it down from the same chair. 77 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:34.839 If he wants anything else, he prints it on a 78 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:38.920 slip of paper and leaves it. Prince it, yes, sir, 79 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:44.079 prince it in pencil, just the word nothing more. Here's 80 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:49.519 one I brought to show you, soap. Here's another match. 81 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:54.480 This is when he left the first morning daily gazette. 82 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:59.040 I leave that paper with his breakfast every morning, dear me, Watson, 83 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:02.680 said Holmes, staring with great curiosity at the slips of 84 00:05:02.759 --> 00:05:06.360 foolscap which the lady had handed to him. This is 85 00:05:06.439 --> 00:05:11.839 certainly a little unusual seclusion I can understand. But why 86 00:05:11.959 --> 00:05:18.319 print printing is a clumsy process? Why not write? What 87 00:05:18.439 --> 00:05:23.639 would it suggest, Watson, that he desired to conceal his handwriting? 88 00:05:23.959 --> 00:05:27.879 But why what can it matter to him that his 89 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:32.279 landlady should have a word of his writing? Still, it 90 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:36.879 may be as you say, then again, why such laconic messages? 91 00:05:37.879 --> 00:05:42.800 I cannot imagine. It opens a pleasing field for intelligent speculation. 92 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:47.279 The words are written with a broad pointed, violet tinted 93 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:51.720 pencil of a not unusual pattern. You will observe that 94 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:54.519 the paper is torn away at the side here after 95 00:05:54.519 --> 00:05:58.560 the printing was done, so that the s of soap 96 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:05.040 is partly gone. Suggestive, Watson, Is it not of caution? Exactly? 97 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:09.079 There was evidently some mark, some thumb print, something which 98 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:13.560 might give a clue to the person's identity. Now, missus Warren, 99 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:17.120 you say that the man was of middle size, dark 100 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:22.720 and bearded. What age would he be? Youngish, sir? Not 101 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:27.920 over thirty? Well? Can you give me no further indications? 102 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:31.199 He spoke good English, sir, And yet I thought he 103 00:06:31.240 --> 00:06:35.480 was a foreigner by his accent, and he was well dressed, 104 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:40.439 very smartly dressed, sir. Quite the gentleman, dark clothes. Nothing 105 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:44.959 you would note. He gave no name, no sir, and 106 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:49.399 has had no letters or callers. None. But surely you 107 00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:52.399 or the girl enter his room of a morning, No, sir, 108 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:57.959 He looks after himself entirely. Dear me, that is certainly remarkable. 109 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:01.879 What about his luggage? He had one big brown bag 110 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:06.079 with him, nothing else. Well, we don't seem to have 111 00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:09.439 much material to help us, do you say? Nothing has 112 00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:14.959 come out of that room? Absolutely nothing. The landlady drew 113 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:18.480 an envelope from her bag. From it, she shook out 114 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:21.519 two burnt matches and a cigarette end upon the table. 115 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:24.800 They were on his tray this morning. I brought them 116 00:07:24.839 --> 00:07:27.160 because I had heard that you can read great things 117 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:31.560 out of small ones. Holmes shrugged his shoulders. There is 118 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:35.399 nothing here, said he. The matches have of course been 119 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:38.959 used to light cigarettes. That is obvious from the shortness 120 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:42.000 of the burnt end. Half the match is consumed in 121 00:07:42.199 --> 00:07:45.399 lighting a pipe or a cigar. But dear me, this 122 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:51.199 cigarette stub is certainly remarkable. The gentleman was bearded and mustached. 123 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:56.199 You say yes, sir, I don't understand that I should 124 00:07:56.199 --> 00:08:00.560 say that only a clean shaven man could have smoked this. Why, Watson, 125 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:05.000 even your modest mustache would have been singed a holder, 126 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:09.439 I suggested, No, No, the end is matted. I suppose 127 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:13.079 there could not be two people in your rooms, missus Warren. No, sir, 128 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:15.879 he eats so little that I often wonder it can 129 00:08:15.959 --> 00:08:19.879 keep life in one well. I think we must wait 130 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:23.399 for a little more material. After all, you have nothing 131 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:26.079 to complain of. You have received your rent, and he 132 00:08:26.199 --> 00:08:28.680 is not a troublesome lodger, though he is certainly an 133 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:32.360 unusual one. He pays you well, and if he chooses 134 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.960 to lie concealed, it is no direct business of yours. 135 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:39.360 We have no excuse for an intrusion upon his privacy 136 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:41.799 until we have some reason to think that there is 137 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:45.159 a guilty reason for it. I've taken up the matter, 138 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:48.200 and I won't lose sight of it. Report to me 139 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:52.320 if anything fresh occurs, and rely upon my assistance if 140 00:08:52.360 --> 00:08:55.799 it should be needed. There are certainly some points of 141 00:08:55.879 --> 00:08:59.799 interest in this case, Watson, he remarked, when the landlady 142 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:04.639 had left us. It may of course be trivial individual eccentricity, 143 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:08.039 or it may be very much deeper than appears on 144 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:11.200 the surface. The first thing that strikes one is the 145 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:14.440 obvious possibility that the person now in the rooms may 146 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:18.080 be entirely different from the one who engaged them. Why 147 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:22.360 should you think so? Well, apart from this cigarette end, 148 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:26.840 was it not suggestive that the only time the lodger 149 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:31.399 went out was immediately after taking the rooms? He came back, 150 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:35.440 or someone came back when all witnesses were out of 151 00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:38.440 the way. We have no proof that the person who 152 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:41.240 came back was the person who went out. Then again, 153 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:45.720 the man who took the rooms spoke English. Well. This other, however, 154 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:50.600 prints match when it should have been matches. I can 155 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:53.080 imagine that the word was taken out of a dictionary, 156 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:56.639 which would give the noun but not the plural. The 157 00:09:56.759 --> 00:10:01.799 laconic style may be to conceal the absence of knowledge English. Yes, Watson, 158 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:04.799 there are good reasons to suspect that there has been 159 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:09.720 a substitution of lodgers. But for what possible end Ah, 160 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:13.519 And there lies the problem. There is one rather obvious 161 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:17.440 line of investigation. He took down the Great Book, in 162 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:21.000 which day by day he filed the agony columns of 163 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:25.480 the various London journals. Dear me, said he turning over 164 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:29.440 the pages. What a chorus of groans, cries and bleatings. 165 00:10:30.039 --> 00:10:34.159 What a rag bag of singular happenings. But surely the 166 00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:36.879 most valuable hunting ground that ever was given to a 167 00:10:36.919 --> 00:10:41.879 student of the unusual. This person is alone and cannot 168 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:45.480 be approached by letter without a breach of that absolute 169 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:49.200 secrecy which is desired. How is any news or any 170 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:53.480 message to reach him from without obviously by advertisement through 171 00:10:53.480 --> 00:10:57.200 a newspaper. There seems no other way, and fortunately we 172 00:10:57.320 --> 00:11:01.360 need concern ourselves with one paper only. Here are the 173 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:05.559 Daily Gazette extracts of the last fortnight lady with a 174 00:11:05.559 --> 00:11:10.879 black boa at Prince's Skating Club, that we may pass. 175 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:14.919 Surely Jimmy will not break his mother's heart. That appears 176 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:17.919 to be irrelevant. If the lady who fainted in the 177 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:22.440 Brixton bus, she does not interest me. Every day my 178 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:28.240 heart longs bleat Watson, unmitigated bleat Ah. This is a 179 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:33.000 little more possible. Listen to this, be patient, will find 180 00:11:33.080 --> 00:11:39.600 some sure means of communication. Meanwhile, this column gee, that 181 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:43.799 is two days after missus Warren's lodger arrived. It sounds plausible, 182 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:48.799 does it not. The mysterious one could understand English even 183 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:51.600 if he could not print it. Let us see if 184 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:55.039 we can pick up the trace again. Yes, here we 185 00:11:55.080 --> 00:12:01.399 are three days later, making successful arrangements and prudence. The 186 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:05.759 clouds will pass. G nothing for a week after that. 187 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:10.279 Then comes something much more definite. The path is clearing. 188 00:12:10.679 --> 00:12:15.720 If I find chance signal message remember code agreed one, A, 189 00:12:16.039 --> 00:12:19.279 two B and so on. You will hear soon. G. 190 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:23.120 That was in yesterday's paper, and there is nothing in 191 00:12:23.159 --> 00:12:26.960 to day's. It's all very appropriate to missus Warren's lodger. 192 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:30.799 If we wait a little, Watson, I don't doubt that 193 00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:35.840 the affair will grow more intelligible. So it proved for 194 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:38.200 in the morning I found my friend standing on the 195 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:40.960 hearth rug, with his back to the fire and a 196 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:45.279 smile of complete satisfaction upon his face. How's this, Watson, 197 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:48.879 he cried, picking up the paper from the table. High 198 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:52.840 red house with white stone facings, third floor, second window 199 00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:58.759 left after dusk. G. That is definite enough. I think 200 00:12:58.840 --> 00:13:02.000 after breakfast we must make a little reconnaissance of missus 201 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:06.240 Warren's neighborhood. Aha, Missus Warren, what news do you bring 202 00:13:06.279 --> 00:13:10.159 us This morning, our client had suddenly burst into the 203 00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:13.759 room with an explosive energy which told of some new 204 00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:18.360 and momentous development. It's a police matter, mister Holmes, she cried. 205 00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:20.840 I'll have no more of it. He shall pack out 206 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:24.000 of that with his baggage. I would have gone straight 207 00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:26.279 up and told him so, only I thought it was 208 00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:29.320 but fair to you to take your opinion first, that 209 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:31.480 I'm at the end of my patients. And when it 210 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:34.840 comes to knocking my old man, about knocking mister Warren 211 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:39.639 about using him roughly anyway? But who used him roughly? Ah, 212 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:42.600 that's what I want to know. It was this morning, sir. 213 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:46.159 Mister Warren is a timekeeper at Morton and Way Light's 214 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:48.919 in Tottenham Court Road. He has to be out of 215 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:52.240 the house before seven. Well, this morning he had not 216 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:54.600 gone ten paces down the road when two men came 217 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:57.440 up behind him, threw a coat over his head, and 218 00:13:57.559 --> 00:13:59.919 bundled him into a cab that was beside the curb. 219 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:03.320 They drove him an hour and then opened the door 220 00:14:03.320 --> 00:14:06.279 and shot him out. He lay in the roadway so 221 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:09.120 shaken in his wits that he never saw what became 222 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:11.919 of the cab. When he picked himself up. He found 223 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:15.000 he was on Hampstead Heath. So he took a bus home, 224 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:18.799 and there relies now on the sofa, while I came 225 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:21.840 straight round to tell you what had happened. Most interesting, 226 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:25.679 said Holmes. Did he observe the appearance of these men? 227 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:30.639 Did he hear them talk? No? He is clean, dazed. 228 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:33.200 He just knows that he was lifted up as if 229 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:37.159 by magic and dropped as if by magic. Two at 230 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:40.440 least were in it, and maybe three. And you'll connect 231 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:44.240 this attack with your lodger. Well, we've lived there fifteen years, 232 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:47.360 and no such happenings ever came before. I've had enough 233 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:50.559 of him. Money's not everything. I'll have him out of 234 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.159 my house before the day is done. Wait a bit, 235 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:57.799 missus Warren, do nothing, rash. I begin to think that 236 00:14:57.879 --> 00:15:00.759 this affair may be very much more important than appeared 237 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:04.600 at first sight. It is clear now that some danger 238 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:08.759 is threatening your lodger. It is equally clear that his enemies, 239 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:11.679 lying in wait for him near your door, mistook your 240 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:15.919 husband for him. In the foggy morning light. On discovering 241 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:19.039 their mistake, they released him. What they would have done 242 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:23.200 had it not been a mistake, we can only conjecture, Well, 243 00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:25.840 what am I to do, mister Holmes. I have a 244 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:29.120 great fancy to see this lodger of yours, Missus Warren. 245 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:32.440 I don't see how that is to be managed unless 246 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:35.279 you break in the door. I always hear him unlock 247 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.440 it as I go down the stair after I leave 248 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:41.440 the tray. He has to take the tray in. Surely 249 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:45.240 we could conceal ourselves and see him do it. The 250 00:15:45.320 --> 00:15:48.039 landlady thought for a moment, Well, sir, there's the box 251 00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:52.399 room opposite. I could arrange a looking glass maybe, and 252 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:55.879 if you were behind the door, excellent, said Holmes. When 253 00:15:55.879 --> 00:16:00.240 does he lunch about one? Sir? Then Doctor Watson and 254 00:16:00.279 --> 00:16:05.600 I will come round in time for the present, Missus Warren, goodbye. 255 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:08.960 At half past twelve we found ourselves upon the steps 256 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:12.960 of Missus Warren's house, a high, thin yellow brick edifice 257 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:16.600 in Great Orm Street, a narrow thoroughfare at the northeast 258 00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:20.519 side of the British Museum. Standing as it does near 259 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:23.440 the corner of the street, it commands a view down 260 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:27.919 House Street with its more pretentious houses homes pointed with 261 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:31.360 a chuckle to one of these, a row of residential 262 00:16:31.440 --> 00:16:34.879 flats which projected so that they could not fail to 263 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:39.000 catch the eye. See, Watson said, he high red house 264 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:42.759 with stone facings. There is the signal station. All right. 265 00:16:43.320 --> 00:16:45.679 We know the place and we know the code, so 266 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:50.000 surely our tasks should be simple. There's a tulette card 267 00:16:50.039 --> 00:16:53.519 in that window. It is evidently an empty flat to 268 00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:58.639 which the Confederate has access. Well, Missus Warren, what now, 269 00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:01.600 I have it already for you. If you were both, 270 00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:03.879 come up and leave your boots below on the landing, 271 00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:08.039 I'll put you there now. It was an excellent hiding 272 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:12.119 place which she had arranged. The mirror was so placed that, 273 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:15.119 seated in the dark, we could very plainly see the 274 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:19.119 door opposite. We had hardly settled down in it, and 275 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:23.279 Missus Warren left us when a distant tinkle announced that 276 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:28.240 our mysterious neighbor had rung. Presently, the landlady appeared with 277 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:31.319 the tray, laid it down upon a chair beside the 278 00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:37.160 closed door, and then, treading heavily departed. Crouching together in 279 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:40.559 the angle of the door, we kept our eyes fixed 280 00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:45.000 upon the mirror. Suddenly, as the landlady's footsteps died away, 281 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:49.160 there was the creak of a turning key. The handle revolved, 282 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:52.960 and two thin hands darted out and lifted the tray 283 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:56.920 from the chair. An instant later it was hurriedly replaced, 284 00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:01.039 and I caught a glimpse of a dark, beautiful, horrified 285 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:04.960 face glaring at the narrow opening of the box room. 286 00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:08.559 Then the door crashed to the key turned once more, 287 00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:14.359 and all was silence. Holmes twitched my sleeve, and together 288 00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:17.599 we stole down the stair. I will call again in 289 00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:22.160 the evening, said he to the expectant landlady. I think Watson, 290 00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:25.519 we can discuss this business better in our own quarters. 291 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:31.440 My surmise, as you saw, proved to be correct, said he, 292 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:35.920 speaking from the depths of his easy chair. There has 293 00:18:35.960 --> 00:18:40.400 been a substitution of lodgers. What I did not foresee 294 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:45.200 is that we should find a woman, and no ordinary woman. Watson, 295 00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:49.480 she saw us well, she saw something to alarm her. 296 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:53.759 That is certain. The general sequence of events is pretty clear, 297 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:57.319 is it not. A couple seek refuge in London from 298 00:18:57.319 --> 00:19:00.559 a very terrible and instant danger. The measure of that 299 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:04.799 danger is the rigor of their precautions. The man, who 300 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:08.279 has some work which he must do, desires to leave 301 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:11.920 the woman in absolute safety. While he does it. It 302 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:14.880 is not an easy problem, but he solved it in 303 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:18.400 an original fashion and so effectively that her presence was 304 00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:21.240 not even known to the landlady, who supplies her with food. 305 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:25.119 The printed messages, as is now evident, were to prevent 306 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:29.559 her sex being discovered by her writing. The man cannot 307 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:32.359 come near the woman, or he will guide their enemies 308 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:36.039 to her. Since he cannot communicate with her direct, he 309 00:19:36.119 --> 00:19:39.160 has recourse to the agony column of a paper. So 310 00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:42.119 far all is clear. But what is at the root 311 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:47.079 of it? Ah? Yes, Watson, severely practical as usual? What 312 00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:50.960 is at the root of it all? Missus Warren's whimsical 313 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:54.960 problem enlarges somewhat and assumes a more sinister aspect. As 314 00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:58.599 we proceed this much, we can say that it is 315 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:02.519 no ordinary love escapade. You saw the woman's face at 316 00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:05.680 the sign of danger. We have heard too of the 317 00:20:05.880 --> 00:20:10.000 attack upon the landlord, which was undoubtedly meant for the lodger. 318 00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:14.720 These alarms and the desperate need for secrecy argued that 319 00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:17.640 the matter is one of life or death. The attack 320 00:20:17.720 --> 00:20:21.079 upon mister Warren further shows that the enemy, whoever they are, 321 00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:24.920 are themselves not aware of the substitution of the female 322 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:29.119 lodger for the male. It is very curious and complex, Watson. 323 00:20:30.039 --> 00:20:32.799 Why should you go further in it? What have you 324 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:37.720 to gain from it? What? Indeed? It is art for 325 00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:42.039 art's sake, Watson. I suppose when you doctored, you found 326 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:45.880 yourself studying cases without thought of a fee for my 327 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:51.640 education homes. Education never ends, Watson. It is a series 328 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:55.559 of lessons, with the greatest for the last. This is 329 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:59.759 an instructive case. There is neither money nor credit in it, 330 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:04.279 and yet one would wish to tidy it up. When 331 00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:07.519 dusk comes, we should find ourselves one stage advanced in 332 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:12.680 our investigation. When we returned to missus Warren's rooms, the 333 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:15.640 gloom of a London winter evening had thickened into one 334 00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:19.799 gray curtain, a dead monotone of color, broken only by 335 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:22.839 the sharp yellow squares of the windows and the blurred 336 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:26.839 halos of the gas lamps. As we peered from the 337 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:30.559 darkened sitting room of the lodging house, one more dim 338 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:34.960 light glimmered high up through the obscurity. Some one is 339 00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:39.119 moving in that room, said Holmes in a whisper, his 340 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:43.799 gaunt and eager face thrust forward to the window pane. Yes, 341 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:48.039 I can see his shadow. There he is again. He 342 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:52.759 has a candle in his hand. Now he is peering across. 343 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:56.119 He wants to be sure that she is on the lookout. 344 00:21:57.039 --> 00:22:00.799 Now he begins to flash. Take the message also, Watson, 345 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:04.559 that we may check each other a single flash. That 346 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:09.200 is A surely? Now then how many did you make it? Twenty? 347 00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:14.759 So did I? That should mean T A T that's 348 00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:20.359 intelligible enough. Another T. Surely this is the beginning of 349 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:29.960 a second word. Now then T E n T A 350 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:37.279 dead stop. That can't be all Watson. A T T 351 00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:43.319 E N T A gives no sense, nor is it 352 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:51.440 any better as three words at ten ta, unless T 353 00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:56.359 A are a person's initials. There he goes again, what's 354 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:03.079 that A T T E? Why it is the same 355 00:23:03.160 --> 00:23:08.240 message over again? Curious Watson, very curious. Now he is 356 00:23:08.279 --> 00:23:12.759 off once more, A T. Why he is repeating it 357 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:17.640 for the third time? A T T E N T 358 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:23.759 A three times? How often will he repeat it? No, 359 00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:27.880 that seems to be the finish he has withdrawn from 360 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:32.799 the window. What do you make of it, Watson? A 361 00:23:32.920 --> 00:23:38.240 cipher message, Holmes, my companion gave a sudden chuckle of comprehension, 362 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:43.519 and not a very obscure cipher. Watson said, he, why, 363 00:23:43.880 --> 00:23:48.839 of course it is Italian. The A means that it 364 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:56.119 is addressed to a woman. Beware, beware, beware. How's that? Watson? 365 00:23:57.000 --> 00:24:00.480 I believe you have hit it, not a doubt of it. 366 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:03.240 It is a very urgent message, thrice repeated to make 367 00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:07.240 it more so. But beware of what Wait a bit 368 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:11.160 he is coming to the window once more. Again we 369 00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:13.640 saw the dim silhouette of a crouching man and the 370 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:16.319 whisk of the small flame across the window. As the 371 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:21.160 signals were renewed, they came more rapidly than before, so 372 00:24:21.400 --> 00:24:25.039 rapid though it was hard to follow them. P E 373 00:24:25.480 --> 00:24:34.799 r I c O l O perricolo. Eh, what's there, Watson? Danger, 374 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:38.839 isn't it? Yes? By jove, it's a danger signal. There 375 00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:44.200 he goes again, p E r I. Hello, What on earth? 376 00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:49.559 The light had suddenly gone out, The glimmering square of 377 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:53.880 window had disappeared, and the third floor formed a dark 378 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:59.240 band round the lofty building with its tears of shining casements. 379 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:04.039 That last warning cry had been suddenly cut short. How 380 00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:08.079 and by whom? The same thought occurred on the instant 381 00:25:08.119 --> 00:25:11.519 to us. Both Holmes sprang up from where he crouched 382 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:15.640 by the window. This is serious, Watson, he cried, There 383 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:19.279 is some devilry going forward. Why should such a message 384 00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:22.559 stop in such a way. I should put Scotland Yard 385 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:25.319 in touch with this business. And yet it is too 386 00:25:25.400 --> 00:25:28.720 pressing for us to leave. Shall I go for the police? 387 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:32.440 We must define the situation a little more clearly. It 388 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:36.720 may bear some more innocent interpretation. Come, Watson, let us 389 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:39.160 go across ourselves and see what we can make of it. 390 00:25:40.279 --> 00:25:43.359 As we walked rapidly down House Street, I glanced back 391 00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:47.119 at the building which we had left. There, dimly outlined 392 00:25:47.160 --> 00:25:49.880 at the top window, I could see the shadow of 393 00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:54.519 a head, a woman's head, gazing tensely, rigidly out into 394 00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:59.200 the night, waiting with breathless suspense for the renewal of 395 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:04.240 that interrupt me. At the doorway of the House Street flats, 396 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:08.079 a man, muffled in a cravat and greatcoat, was leaning 397 00:26:08.119 --> 00:26:11.960 against the railing. He started as the hall light fell 398 00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:17.319 upon our faces. Holmes, he cried, why, Gregson, said, my companion, 399 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:21.440 As he shook hands with the Scotland Yard detective. Journey's 400 00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:25.880 end with lovers meetings. What brings you here? The same 401 00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:29.839