WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.480 --> 00:00:04.960 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in 2 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:09.279 the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please 3 00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:15.240 visit LibriVox dot org. Recorded by Laurie Ann Walden. The 4 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:20.679 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Adventure 5 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:26.559 number twelve, The Adventure of the Copper Beaches To the 6 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:30.239 Man who Loves Art for its own sake, remarked Sherlock Holmes, 7 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:34.399 tossing aside the advertisement sheet of the Daily Telegraph. It 8 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:38.240 is frequently in its least important and lowliest manifestations that 9 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:41.960 the keenest pleasure is to be derived. It is pleasant 10 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:44.840 to me to observe Watson, that you have so far 11 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:48.359 grasped this truth, that in these little records of our cases, 12 00:00:48.679 --> 00:00:51.000 which you have been good enough to draw up, and 13 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:54.840 I am bound to say occasionally to embellish, you have 14 00:00:54.920 --> 00:00:58.320 given prominence not so much to the many cause celebres 15 00:00:58.439 --> 00:01:01.439 and sensational trials in which which I have figured, but 16 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:04.840 rather to those incidents which may have been trivial in themselves, 17 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:08.000 but which have given room for those faculties of deduction 18 00:01:08.200 --> 00:01:11.920 and of logical synthesis which I have made my special province. 19 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:17.400 And yet said I, smiling, I cannot quite hold myself 20 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:20.640 absolved from the charge of sensationalism which has been urged 21 00:01:20.680 --> 00:01:25.640 against my records. You have erred, perhaps, he observed, taking 22 00:01:25.719 --> 00:01:28.280 up a glowing cinder with the tongs and lighting with 23 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:31.239 it the long cherrywood pipe, which was wont to replace 24 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:34.200 his clay when he was in a disputatious rather than 25 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:38.319 a meditative mood. You have erred, perhaps in attempting to 26 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:41.480 put color and life into each of your statements, instead 27 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:44.560 of confining yourself to the task of placing upon record 28 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:48.159 that severe reasoning from cause to effect, which is really 29 00:01:48.200 --> 00:01:52.519 the only notable feature about the thing. It seems to 30 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:54.879 me that I have done you full justice in the matter, 31 00:01:55.719 --> 00:01:58.920 I remarked, with some coldness, for I was repelled by 32 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:01.439 the egotism which I I had more than once observed 33 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:05.959 to be a strong factor in my friend's singular character. No, 34 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:10.080 it is not selfishness or conceit, said he answering, as 35 00:02:10.280 --> 00:02:13.680 was his wont my thoughts rather than my words? If 36 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:16.599 I claim full justice for my art, it is because 37 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:20.879 it is an impersonal thing, a thing beyond myself. Crime 38 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:25.800 is common, logic is rare. Therefore, it is upon the logic, 39 00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:29.319 rather than upon the crime, that you should dwell. You 40 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:31.719 have degraded what should have been a course of lectures 41 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:36.199 into a series of tales. It was a cold morning 42 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:39.159 of the early spring, and we sat after breakfast on 43 00:02:39.240 --> 00:02:41.560 either side of a cheery fire in the old room 44 00:02:41.639 --> 00:02:45.400 at Baker Street. A thick fog rolled down between the 45 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:49.319 lines of dun colored houses, and the opposing windows loomed 46 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:53.719 like dark, shapeless blurs through the heavy yellow wreaths. Our 47 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:56.360 gas was lit and shown on the white cloth and 48 00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:59.280 glimmer of china and metal. For the table had not 49 00:02:59.400 --> 00:03:03.800 been cleared yet. Sherlock Holmes had been silent all the morning, 50 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:08.240 dipping continuously into the advertisement columns of a succession of papers, 51 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:12.439 until at last, having apparently given up his search, he 52 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:15.520 had emerged in no very sweet temper to lecture me 53 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:21.000 upon my literary shortcomings. At the same time, he remarked, 54 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:24.000 after a pause during which he had sat puffing at 55 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:27.719 his long pipe and gazing down into the fire, you 56 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:31.319 can hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism, for 57 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:33.800 out of those cases which you have been so kind 58 00:03:33.879 --> 00:03:36.639 as to interest yourself in a fair proportion, do not 59 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:40.360 treat of crime in its legal sense at all. The 60 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:42.759 small matter in which I endeavored to help the King 61 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:47.319 of Bohemia, the singular experience of Miss Mary Sutherland, the 62 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:50.599 problem connected with the man with the twisted lip, and 63 00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:54.000 the incident of the noble bachelor were all matters which 64 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:57.680 are outside the pale of the law. But in avoiding 65 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:00.520 this sensational I fear that you may have bordered on 66 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:05.560 the trivial. The end may have been so, I answered, 67 00:04:05.960 --> 00:04:08.439 but the methods I hold to have been novel and 68 00:04:08.520 --> 00:04:12.960 of interest. Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, 69 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:16.519 the great unobservant public, who could hardly tell a weaver 70 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:19.680 by his tooth or a compositor by his left thumb, 71 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:25.199 care about the finer shades of analysis and deduction? But indeed, 72 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:28.079 if you are trivial, I cannot blame you, for the 73 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:31.800 days of the great cases are past. Man, or at 74 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:37.079 least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. As 75 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:39.879 to my own little practice, it seems to be degenerating 76 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:43.720 into an agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving 77 00:04:43.759 --> 00:04:47.399 advice to young ladies from boarding schools. I think that 78 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:50.839 I have touched bottom at last, However, this note I 79 00:04:50.879 --> 00:04:54.480 had this morning marks my zero point. I fancy read it. 80 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:58.600 He tossed a crumpled letter across to me. It was 81 00:04:58.680 --> 00:05:02.639 dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening, and ran, thus, 82 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:07.480 dear mister Holmes, I am very anxious to consult you 83 00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:10.120 as to whether I should or should not accept a 84 00:05:10.120 --> 00:05:13.560 situation which has been offered to me as governess. I 85 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:16.399 shall call at half past ten tomorrow if I do not, 86 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:23.000 inconvenience you yours faithfully, Violet Hunter, do you know the 87 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:28.519 young lady, I asked, not I It is half past 88 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:32.120 ten now, yes, and I have no doubt that is 89 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:35.680 her ring. It may turn out to be of more 90 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:38.759 interest than you think. You remember that the affair of 91 00:05:38.759 --> 00:05:41.560 the blue carbuncle, which appeared to be a mere whim 92 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:45.839 at first, developed into a serious investigation. It may be 93 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:50.199 so in this case also. Well, let us hope so. 94 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:53.439 But our doubts will very soon be solved. For here, 95 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:56.720 unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question. 96 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:01.240 As he spoke, the door opened and a young lady 97 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:05.480 entered the room. She was plainly but neatly dressed, with 98 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:09.279 a bright, quick face, freckled like a pluver's egg, and 99 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:11.399 with the brisk manner of a woman who has had 100 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:15.040 her own way to make in the world. You will 101 00:06:15.079 --> 00:06:18.120 excuse my troubling you, I am sure, said she, as 102 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:21.040 my companion rose to greet her. But I have had 103 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:24.160 a very strange experience, and as I have no parents 104 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:27.120 or relations of any sort from whom I could ask advice, 105 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:29.839 I thought that perhaps you would be kind enough to 106 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:33.120 tell me what I should do. Pray, take a seat, 107 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:35.800 miss Hunter. I shall be happy to do anything that 108 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:39.600 I can to serve you. I could see that Holmes 109 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:42.120 was favorably impressed by the manner and speech of his 110 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:45.600 new client. He looked her over in his searching fashion, 111 00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:48.959 and then composed himself with his lids drooping and his 112 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:53.240 finger tips together, to listen to her story. I have 113 00:06:53.319 --> 00:06:56.600 been a governess for five years, said she, in the 114 00:06:56.639 --> 00:07:00.319 family of Colonel Spence Munroe. But two months ago the 115 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:04.000 colonel received an appointment at Halifax in Nova Scotia, and 116 00:07:04.040 --> 00:07:06.519 took his children over to America with him. So that 117 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:11.639 I found myself without a situation. I advertised, and I 118 00:07:11.800 --> 00:07:16.560 answered advertisements, but without success. At last, the little money 119 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:18.800 which I had saved began to run short, and I 120 00:07:18.920 --> 00:07:20.920 was at my wits end as to what I should do. 121 00:07:22.040 --> 00:07:24.439 There is a well known agency for governesses in the 122 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:28.000 West End called west Aways, and there I used to 123 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:30.360 call about once a week in order to see whether 124 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:34.199 anything had turned up which might suit me. West Away 125 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:36.680 was the name of the founder of the business, but 126 00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:40.120 it is really managed by Miss Stoper. She sits in 127 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:42.800 her own little office, and the ladies who are seeking 128 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:45.480 employment wait in an ante room and are then shown 129 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:48.279 in one by one when she consults her ledgers and 130 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:52.439 sees whether she has anything which would suit them well. 131 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:54.680 When I called last week, I was shown into the 132 00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:57.879 little office as usual, but I found that Miss Stoper 133 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:02.480 was not alone. Digiously stout man, with a very smiling 134 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:05.319 face and a great heavy chin which rolled down in 135 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:08.759 fold upon fold over his throat, sat at her elbow 136 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:11.800 with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking very 137 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:15.560 earnestly at the ladies who entered. As I came in, 138 00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:18.240 he gave quite a jump in his chair and turned 139 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:23.160 quickly to Miss Stoper. That will do, said he. I 140 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:28.279 could not ask for anything better. Capital capital. He seemed 141 00:08:28.360 --> 00:08:31.600 quite enthusiastic and rubbed his hands together in the most 142 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:35.480 genial fashion. He was such a comfortable looking man that 143 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:39.080 it was quite a pleasure to look at him. You 144 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:43.559 are looking for a situation, miss, he asked, Yes, sir, 145 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:49.519 as governess, Yes, sir, And what salary do you ask? 146 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:53.080 I had four pounds a month in my last place 147 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:58.440 with Colonel Spence Monroe. Oh tut tut, sweating, rank sweating, 148 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:01.519 he cried, throwing his hands out into the air like 149 00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:05.159 a man who is in a boiling passion. How could 150 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:07.759 any one offer so pitiful a sum to a lady 151 00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:13.200 with such attractions and accomplishments. My accomplishments, sir, may be 152 00:09:13.320 --> 00:09:16.960 less than you imagine, said I. A little French, a 153 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:22.120 little German, music and drawing. Tut tut, he cried. This 154 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:25.480 is all quite beside the question. The point is, have 155 00:09:25.639 --> 00:09:28.200 you or have you not the bearing and deportment of 156 00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:31.879 a lady? There it is in a nutshell. If you 157 00:09:31.960 --> 00:09:34.200 have not, you are not fitted for the rearing of 158 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:37.159 a child who may some day play a considerable part 159 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:40.200 in the history of the country. But if you have, 160 00:09:40.679 --> 00:09:43.720 why then how could any gentleman ask you to condescend 161 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:47.360 to accept anything under the three figures? Your salary with 162 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:50.200 me Madam would commence at one hundred pounds a year. 163 00:09:52.039 --> 00:09:55.200 You may imagine, mister Holmes, that to me, destitute as 164 00:09:55.240 --> 00:09:58.159 I was, such an offer seemed almost too good to 165 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:03.320 be true. Theentlemen, however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity 166 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:06.399 upon my face, opened a pocket book and took out 167 00:10:06.440 --> 00:10:11.080 a note. It is also my custom, said he, smiling 168 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:13.840 in the most pleasant fashion, until his eyes were just 169 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:17.039 two little shining slits amid the white creases of his face. 170 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:21.039 To advance to my young ladies half their salary beforehand, 171 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.120 so that they may meet any little expenses of their 172 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:28.039 journey and their wardrobe. It seemed to me that I 173 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:31.039 had never met so fascinating and so thoughtful a man, 174 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:34.440 as I was already in debt to my tradesman. The 175 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:37.759 advance was a great convenience, and yet there was something 176 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:40.799 unnatural about the whole transaction, which made me wish to 177 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:45.519 know a little more before I quite committed myself. May 178 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:50.240 I ask where you live, sir, said I. Hampshire, charming 179 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:54.159 rural place the Copper Beaches, five miles on the far 180 00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:57.679 side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my 181 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:03.120 dear young lady, and the dearest old country, and my duties, sir, 182 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:05.240 I should be glad to know what they would be. 183 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:11.559 One child, one dear little romper, just six years old. Oh, 184 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:15.240 if you could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper smack, smack, smack. 185 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:18.600 Three gone before you could wink. He leaned back in 186 00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:21.320 his chair and laughed, his eyes into his head again. 187 00:11:23.080 --> 00:11:24.919 I was a little startled at the nature of the 188 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:28.120 child's amusement, but the father's laughter made me think that 189 00:11:28.200 --> 00:11:32.960 perhaps he was joking My soul duties. Then, I asked, 190 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:36.919 are to take charge of a single child? No, no, 191 00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:39.799 not the soul, not the soul, My dear young lady, 192 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:43.399 he cried, Your duty would be as I am sure 193 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:46.720 your good sense would suggest to obey any little commands 194 00:11:46.759 --> 00:11:49.840 my wife might give, provided always that they were such 195 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:53.639 commands as a lady might with propriety obey. You see 196 00:11:53.639 --> 00:11:58.519 no difficulty, eh, I should be happy to make myself useful, 197 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:04.879 quite so, and dressed now for example, we are fatty people, 198 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:09.039 you know, fatty but kind hearted. If you were asked 199 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:11.000 to wear any dress which we might give you, you 200 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:15.600 would not object to our little whim, eh No, said I, 201 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:20.519 considerably astonished at his words, or to sit here or 202 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:24.919 sit there that would not be offensive to you. Oh no, 203 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:29.320 or to cut your hair quite short before you come 204 00:12:29.320 --> 00:12:34.200 to us. I could hardly believe my ears. As you 205 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:37.720 may observe, mister Holmes, my hair is somewhat luxuriant, of 206 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:42.080 a rather peculiar tint of chestnut. It has been considered artistic. 207 00:12:42.679 --> 00:12:45.840 I could not dream of sacrificing it in this offhand fashion. 208 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:50.360 I am afraid that that is quite impossible, said I. 209 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:54.320 He had been watching me eagerly out of his small eyes, 210 00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:56.879 and I could see a shadow pass over his face 211 00:12:56.919 --> 00:13:00.840 as I spoke. I am afraid that it is quite essential, 212 00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:04.360 said he. It is a little fancy of my wife's 213 00:13:04.840 --> 00:13:08.879 and lady's fancies. You know, madam, ladies fancies must be consulted, 214 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:13.240 And so you won't cut your hair, No, sir, I 215 00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:18.639 really could not, I answered firmly. Ah, very well. Then 216 00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:22.120 that quite settles the matter. It is a pity, because 217 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:24.840 in other respects you would really have done very nicely. 218 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:28.600 In that case, Miss Stoper, I had best inspect a 219 00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:33.320 few more of your young ladies. The manageress had sat 220 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:36.120 all this while busy with her papers, without a word 221 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:39.000 to either of us. But she glanced at me now 222 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:41.519 with so much annoyance upon her face that I could 223 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:44.399 not help suspecting that she had lost a handsome commission 224 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:48.440 through my refusal. Do you desire your name to be 225 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:54.639 kept upon the books, she asked, if you please, Miss Stoper. Well, 226 00:13:54.679 --> 00:13:57.720 really it seems rather useless, since you refuse the most 227 00:13:57.759 --> 00:14:01.759 excellent offers in this fashion, said she sharply, you can 228 00:14:01.799 --> 00:14:04.879 hardly expect us to exert ourselves to find another such 229 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:08.960 opening for you. Good day to you, miss Hunter. She 230 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:11.399 struck a gong upon the table, and I was shown 231 00:14:11.399 --> 00:14:15.559 out by the page. Well, mister Holmes. When I got 232 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.080 back to my lodgings and found little enough in the 233 00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:20.960 cupboard and two or three bills upon the table, I 234 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:23.399 began to ask myself whether I had not done a 235 00:14:23.559 --> 00:14:27.519 very foolish thing. After all, if these people had strange 236 00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:31.639 fads and expected obedience on the most extraordinary matters, they 237 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:35.639 were at least ready to pay for their eccentricity. Very 238 00:14:35.639 --> 00:14:40.440 few governesses in England are getting one hundred pounds a year. Besides, 239 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:43.759 what use was my hair to me? Many people are 240 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:46.840 improved by wearing it short, And perhaps I should be 241 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:50.720 among the number. Next day I was inclined to think 242 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:53.240 that I had made a mistake, and by the day 243 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:56.919 after I was sure of it. I had almost overcome 244 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:58.879 my pride so far as to go back to the 245 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:02.240 agency and inquire whether the place was still open. When 246 00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:05.960 I received this letter from the gentleman himself. I have 247 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:09.480 it here and I will read it to you the 248 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:15.559 Copper Beaches near Winchester. Dear miss Hunter. Miss Stoper has 249 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:18.720 very kindly given me your address, and I write from 250 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:21.679 here to ask you whether you have reconsidered your decision. 251 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:25.639 My wife is very anxious that you should come, for 252 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:28.399 she has been much attracted by my description of you. 253 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:32.399 We are willing to give thirty pounds a quarter or 254 00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:35.159 a hundred and twenty pounds a year, so as to 255 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:38.480 recompense you for any little inconvenience which our fads may 256 00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:42.960 cause you. They are not very exacting. After all. My 257 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:46.039 wife is fond of a particular shade of electric blue, 258 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:48.840 and would like you to wear such a dress indoors 259 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:52.120 in the morning. You need not, however, go to the 260 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:55.519 expense of purchasing one, as we have one belonging to 261 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:59.919 my dear daughter Alice, now in Philadelphia, which would I 262 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:04.240 should think fit you very well. Then, as to sitting 263 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:08.159 here or there, or amusing yourself in any manner, indicated 264 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:12.919 that need cause you no inconvenience. As regards your hair, 265 00:16:13.480 --> 00:16:16.200 it is no doubt a pity, especially as I could 266 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:20.120 not help remarking its beauty during our short interview. But 267 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:23.000 I am afraid that I must remain firm upon this point, 268 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:26.559 and I only hope that the increased salary may recompense 269 00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:30.159 you for the loss. Your duties, as far as the 270 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:33.879 child is concerned, are very light. Now do try to 271 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:36.480 come and I shall meet you with a dogcart at Winchester. 272 00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:43.919 Let me know your train yours faithfully, geoffro Rowcastle. That 273 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:46.399 is the letter which I have just received, mister Holmes, 274 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:49.039 and my mind is made up that I will accept it. 275 00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:53.000 I thought, however, that before taking the final step, I 276 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:57.960 should like to submit the whole matter to your consideration. Well, 277 00:16:58.039 --> 00:17:00.600 miss Hunter, if your mind is made up, that settles 278 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:05.319 the question, said Holmes, smiling. But you would not advise 279 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:09.200 me to refuse. I confess that it is not the 280 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:11.519 situation which I should like to see a sister of 281 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:15.200 mine apply. For what is the meaning of it? All, 282 00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:19.799 mister Holmes, Ah, I have no data. I cannot tell. 283 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:25.279 Perhaps you have yourself formed some opinion. Well, there seems 284 00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:29.240 to me to be only one possible solution. Mister Rucastle 285 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:32.640 seemed to be a very kind, good natured man. Is 286 00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:35.599 it not possible that his wife is a lunatic and 287 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:38.079 that he desires to keep the matter quiet for fear 288 00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:40.720 she should be taken to an asylum, and that he 289 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:43.480 humors her fancies in every way in order to prevent 290 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:48.480 an outbreak. That is a possible solution. In fact, as 291 00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:51.720 matters stand, it is the most probable one. But in 292 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:53.839 any case, it does not seem to be a nice 293 00:17:53.880 --> 00:17:58.119 household for a young lady. But the money, mister Holmes, 294 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:01.839 the money, well, yes, of course the pay is good, 295 00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:06.160 too good. That is what makes me uneasy. Why should 296 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:08.319 they give you one hundred and twenty pounds a year 297 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:11.359 when they could have their pick for forty pounds. There 298 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:15.839 must be some strong reason behind. I thought that if 299 00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:18.799 I told you the circumstances, you would understand afterwards if 300 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:21.720 I wanted your help, I should feel so much stronger 301 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:25.359 if I felt that you were at the back of me. Oh, 302 00:18:25.400 --> 00:18:28.480 you may carry that feeling away with you. I assure 303 00:18:28.519 --> 00:18:30.839 you that your little problem promises to be the most 304 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:34.200 interesting which has come my way for some months. There 305 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:37.920 is something distinctly novel about some of the features. If 306 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:41.839 you should find yourself in doubt or in danger, danger, 307 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:46.599 what danger do you foresee? Holmes shook his head gravely. 308 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:49.400 It would cease to be a danger if we could 309 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:53.319 define it, said he. But at any time, day or night, 310 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:57.200 a telegram would bring me down to your help. That 311 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:00.640 is enough. She rose briskly from her chair, with the 312 00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:04.519 anxiety all swept from her face. I shall go down 313 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:07.720 to Hampshire quite easy in my mind. Now I shall 314 00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:10.839 write to mister Rucastle at once, sacrifice my poor hair 315 00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:15.400 to night, and start for Winchester tomorrow. With a few 316 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:18.079 grateful words to Holmes. She bade us both good night, 317 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:23.119 and bustled off upon her way. At least, said I, 318 00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:26.079 as we heard her quick firm steps descending the stairs. 319 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:29.200 She seems to be a young lady who is very well, 320 00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:33.000 able to take care of herself, and she would need 321 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:36.880 to be said Holmes gravely. I am much mistaken if 322 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.680 we do not hear from her before many days are past. 323 00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:44.559 It was not very long before my friend's prediction was fulfilled. 324 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:48.359 A fortnight went by, during which I frequently found my 325 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:52.039 thoughts turning in her direction and wondering what strange side 326 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:55.240 alley of human experience this lonely woman had strayed into. 327 00:19:56.279 --> 00:20:01.359 The unusual salary, The curious conditions, the lif duties all 328 00:20:01.400 --> 00:20:04.759 pointed to something abnormal, though whether a fad or a plot, 329 00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:07.839 or whether the man were a philanthropist or a villain, 330 00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:12.359 it was quite beyond my powers to determine. As to Holmes, 331 00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:15.359 I observed that he sat frequently for half an hour 332 00:20:15.400 --> 00:20:19.279 on end, with knitted brows and an abstracted air, but 333 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:21.559 he swept the matter away with a wave of his hand. 334 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:26.240 When I mentioned it, data, data, data, he cried impatiently, 335 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:30.519 I can't make bricks without clay. And yet he would 336 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:32.880 always wind up by muttering that no sister of his 337 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:38.039 should ever have accepted such a situation. The telegram, which 338 00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:41.000 we eventually received, came late one night, just as I 339 00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:43.920 was thinking of turning in and Holmes was settling down 340 00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:46.680 to one of those all night chemical researches which he 341 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:50.039 frequently indulged in. When I would leave him stooping over 342 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:52.799 a retort and a test tube at night and find 343 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:54.880 him in the same position when I came down to 344 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:59.119 breakfast in the morning. He opened the yellow envelope and 345 00:20:59.240 --> 00:21:02.000 then glanced at the message, threw it across to me. 346 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:07.240 Just look up the trains in Bradshaw, said he, and 347 00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:11.759 turned back to his chemical studies. The summons was a 348 00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:15.960 brief and urgent one. Please be at the black Swan 349 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:20.440 Hotel at Winchester at midday tomorrow, it said, do come. 350 00:21:20.839 --> 00:21:25.640 I am at my wits end hunter. Will you come 351 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:30.880 with me? Asked Holmes, glancing up. I should wish to 352 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:35.119 just look it up. Then there is a train at 353 00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:39.200 half past nine, said I, glancing over my Bradshaw. It 354 00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:43.160 is due at Winchester at eleven thirty. That will do 355 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:47.000 very nicely. Then perhaps I had better postpone my analysis 356 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:49.119 of the acetones, as we may need to be at 357 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:53.519 our best in the morning. By eleven o'clock the next 358 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:55.640 day we were well upon our way to the old 359 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:59.400 English capital. Holmes had been buried in the morning papers 360 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:02.119 all the way down, but after we had passed the 361 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:05.160 Hampshire border, he threw them down and began to admire 362 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:09.200 the scenery. It was an ideal spring day a light 363 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:13.079 blue sky flecked with little fleecy white clouds drifting across 364 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:17.000 from west to east. The sun was shining very brightly, 365 00:22:17.559 --> 00:22:19.880 and yet there was an exhilarating nip in the air, 366 00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:23.559 which set an edge to a man's energy. All over 367 00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:27.720 the countryside, away to the rolling hills around Aldershot, the 368 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:30.640 little red and gray roofs of the farmsteadings peeped out 369 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:34.400 from amid the light green of the new foliage. Are 370 00:22:34.440 --> 00:22:37.319 they not fresh and beautiful? I cried, with all the 371 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:40.640 enthusiasm of a man fresh from the fogs of Baker Street. 372 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:46.480 But Holmes shook his head gravely. Do you know, Watson? 373 00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:49.160 Said he that it is one of the curses of 374 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:51.519 a mind with a turn like mine, that I must 375 00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:54.440 look at everything with reference to my own special subject. 376 00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:57.920 You look at these scattered houses, and you are impressed 377 00:22:57.920 --> 00:23:00.880 by their beauty. I look at them, and the only 378 00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:03.039 thought which comes to me is a feeling of their 379 00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:06.279 isolation and of the impunity with which crime may be 380 00:23:06.359 --> 00:23:11.880 committed there, Good Heavens, I cried, who would associate crime 381 00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:16.480 with these dear old homesteads. They always fill me with 382 00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:20.240 a certain horror. It is my belief Watson founded upon 383 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:24.200 my experience that the lowest and vilest alleys in London 384 00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:27.039 do not present a more dreadful record of sin than 385 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:33.599 does the smiling and beautiful countryside. You horrify me, but 386 00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:37.359 the reason is very obvious. The pressure of public opinion 387 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:40.319 can do in the town what the law cannot accomplish. 388 00:23:40.839 --> 00:23:43.400 There is no lane so vile that the scream of 389 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:46.200 a tortured child, or the thud of a drunkard's blow 390 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:50.559 does not beget sympathy and indignation among the neighbors. And 391 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:53.440 then the whole machinery of justice is ever so close 392 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:56.079 that a word of complaint can set it going, And 393 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:58.839 there is but a step between the crime and the dock. 394 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:03.440 But look at these lonely houses, each in its own fields, 395 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:06.680 filled for the most part with poor, ignorant folk who 396 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:09.559 know little of the law. Think of the deeds of 397 00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:13.359 hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on year 398 00:24:13.400 --> 00:24:16.960 in year out in such places, And none the wiser. 399 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:20.359 Had this lady, who appeals to us for help gone 400 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:23.000 to live in Winchester, I should never have had a 401 00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:26.079