Speaker 1: Vy she capital, my dear Watson, let us return to
Speaker 1: our humble a two.
Speaker 2: To one b Baker eight carin.
Speaker 3: From London. We present The Reigate Squires, A day for
Speaker 3: Radio by Michael Hardwick, based on a short story by
Speaker 3: Sir Arthur Kernan Doyle, The Reigate Squires.
Speaker 4: I see from my notes that it was on the
Speaker 4: fourteenth of April eighteen eighty seven that I received a
Speaker 4: telegram from Lyons telling me that Sherlock Holmes was lying
Speaker 4: ill there.
Speaker 1: Within twenty four hours I was in his sickroom. His
Speaker 1: iron constitution had broken down under the strain of a
Speaker 1: two month's investigation.
Speaker 2: And when I got him back to two to one Bee.
Speaker 1: Baker Sweet three days later, it became obvious to me
Speaker 1: that for all his love of London, you will be
Speaker 1: better off for a change in the country.
Speaker 2: Well, how are we.
Speaker 1: Feeling today, eh, I don't mind admitting it's left me
Speaker 1: feeling a bit knocked up.
Speaker 2: A bit knocked up.
Speaker 1: You'll be working on fifteen hours day average through Watson through.
Speaker 2: And now you're paying a penalty.
Speaker 1: Exhausted Still, I speard, all this is some compensation work there,
Speaker 1: all these telegrams. Congratulations still coming in by the bucket
Speaker 1: for those now really homes.
Speaker 2: You succeed where the police of three continents have failed.
Speaker 1: You outl over the most, the country's swindler in Europe
Speaker 1: at every point, and all you can say is oh though,
Speaker 1: let the politicians and the financiers do the rejoicing. The
Speaker 1: Netherlands Sumatra Company and its affairs are things of the
Speaker 1: past for me now. All I want, Watson, is a
Speaker 1: good rest.
Speaker 5: Well, I uh, a matter of homes. That's just what
Speaker 5: I wanted to have a word with you about Colonel
Speaker 5: Hayn old friend Deana mccre in Afghanistan. Well, he's taking
Speaker 5: my house down there, right it. He keeps asking us
Speaker 5: to go down for a bit of a break anytime
Speaker 5: we like. He's just reinge the invitation.
Speaker 2: And I thought a week or self springtime in the
Speaker 2: country might be just the thing on about it. Eh.
Speaker 1: I'm sure your friend means very well, Watson, springtime and
Speaker 1: sorry delightful. But can you see me lounging about on
Speaker 1: sofas being fussed to death by will meaning.
Speaker 2: It's a bachelor establishment home. Well, then hit of the
Speaker 2: final soda in the world.
Speaker 1: Talk whole night if you want to go Oh my,
Speaker 1: but loads when to keep out of the way and
Speaker 1: leave a man in.
Speaker 2: Pieces, that's what he prefers.
Speaker 1: How are you say, homes, you suppose his breakfasts come
Speaker 1: up to my standards? Oh, homes, Well, you'll come with
Speaker 1: Pavier Watson, just as soon as you can arrange to
Speaker 1: transport these weary old burdens of mind between baker streets.
Speaker 2: And ragged ah. What about this Dellinger Watson?
Speaker 1: A beauty here, one with a magnificent thing.
Speaker 2: He isn't it? I don't, I say? Hither you gather
Speaker 2: quite an armory bushel heavy hum. Yes, the most impressive
Speaker 2: collection I think, so, eh, well, never know when it
Speaker 2: might come in handy in these parts. I mean. Well,
Speaker 2: we've been having quite a scare lately.
Speaker 1: Watson, oct, one of our local squires, had his house
Speaker 1: burned into last Monday. No great damage, you know, but
Speaker 1: the fellers are still at.
Speaker 2: Clark, no clues. Colonel her not so.
Speaker 1: Far renton sect his library, turn the whole place upside down.
Speaker 2: Didn't get much of their pains though. What then? Well,
Speaker 2: if I can remember, and it'll.
Speaker 1: Make your love is two? Play did candlesticks and I
Speaker 1: will let her wait? Small operometer.
Speaker 2: A board of twine. Who is a volume of Pope's Homer?
Speaker 1: Well, the county police ought to be able to make
Speaker 1: something of that.
Speaker 2: What surely it's of no, No, you're here for a risk,
Speaker 2: remember dear me, Watson. Well, I suppose I've got to
Speaker 2: do what you tell me for a change. Yes, that's right.
Speaker 2: Holmes had this treatment for.
Speaker 1: Him in the front eary. You know regular Martinez is Watson. Well,
Speaker 1: thanks Bickness. Things were shifted.
Speaker 2: Then I'll see your left in peace. It's going to
Speaker 2: be a lovely yes, Charles, A big parton, sir, I
Speaker 2: was just going to ring for you. Well, what's a
Speaker 2: mether man?
Speaker 1: Have you heard the US at the cunninghams Not another
Speaker 1: burglary murderer?
Speaker 2: Jo? Who the JP is so on? Neither sir? It
Speaker 2: was William the coachman shot through the art. Who shot him? Oh?
Speaker 2: It was a burglars got clean away. It just fought
Speaker 2: the country window, they say, when William disturbed him, shot
Speaker 2: him dead and made of it was his Charles. Well,
Speaker 2: last night, sir, somewhere about twelve.
Speaker 1: Dead business all right, Charles, these things were now I
Speaker 1: ring for you later, very good, sir. Poor Cunningham leading
Speaker 1: squire about here. Decent fellow can be cut up about this.
Speaker 1: You know the men have been in hisself a year
Speaker 1: might be one of the same times that broke into
Speaker 1: the other place.
Speaker 2: Yes, I defended some local chapmans off.
Speaker 1: Ecton's and Cunninghams are just the places he would go
Speaker 1: for largest in these parts, you know.
Speaker 2: And the riches, well they ought to be. They've had
Speaker 2: a lot of the blood suck out of him in
Speaker 2: recent years. Oh, how's that.
Speaker 1: Well, they've had a law suo gragging on for no
Speaker 1: end of time. Old Exton has some claim on half
Speaker 1: of Cunningham's. His take, the lawyers have been heated with
Speaker 1: both heads. Well, if it's a local man, there shouldn't
Speaker 1: be much difficulty in running into her. Inspector follister, Oh,
Speaker 1: come in, inspector the morning knd of hate morning. I
Speaker 1: hope I don't intrude her. But we hear mister Holmes
Speaker 1: of Vegas streets here.
Speaker 2: Yeah, there he is inspector, and this is doctor Watson.
Speaker 2: I know he's the major.
Speaker 1: Gentlemen, we we wondered if we could ask you to
Speaker 1: step across, mister Holmes.
Speaker 2: You've heard the news, I expect. Now look here inspector.
Speaker 2: As a medical man, I must tell you that my
Speaker 2: friend is far from haha.
Speaker 1: The fates are against Gill Watson. We were chatting about
Speaker 1: the matter and you came in, inspector. Perhaps you'd care to
Speaker 1: let us have a huge.
Speaker 2: Detail, ye won't you take a sitar, inspector.
Speaker 1: Oh, thank you sir. Well, mister Holmes, we had no
Speaker 1: clue in the acton affair, but we've plenty to go
Speaker 1: on this time.
Speaker 2: Uh. The man was seen ah.
Speaker 1: When the alarm broke out, mister Cunningham had just got
Speaker 1: into bed, and mister Alick Conningham, that's his son, was smoking.
Speaker 2: A pipe in his dressing room. They both heard.
Speaker 1: William the coachman called to help, and mister Alick ran
Speaker 1: down in.
Speaker 2: His dressing gown.
Speaker 1: The that door was open, and as he got the
Speaker 1: foot of the stairs he saw the two men wrestling
Speaker 1: together outside. One of them private shot, the other dropped
Speaker 1: to the ground, and the murderer was off across the
Speaker 1: garden over the hitch. Mister Cunningham saw him too from
Speaker 1: his bedroom window as he reached the road. Couldn't young
Speaker 1: Erick catch him?
Speaker 3: No?
Speaker 2: It stopped to.
Speaker 1: Do what he could for William, so the followed got
Speaker 1: clean away a middle sized man dressed in some dark stuff.
Speaker 1: That's the description we've got. E did William sailing before
Speaker 1: he died?
Speaker 3: No, not a word.
Speaker 1: I suppose he walked up from the lodge to make
Speaker 1: sure everything was all secure.
Speaker 2: Frightful fellow, you know, sir, Yes, yes, this acton business
Speaker 2: certainly had us all.
Speaker 1: On our guard, and he called the chepard handed.
Speaker 2: It seems like it dot there. But one thing we
Speaker 2: did get was this inspector. I see that for these certainly,
Speaker 2: mister Holmes. It seems to be.
Speaker 1: A fragment of paper torn from a larger sheet. It
Speaker 1: was between the dead man's finger and thumb. So either
Speaker 1: the other chef tore the wrist of the paper out
Speaker 1: of William's head, or William tore this bit from a
Speaker 1: sheet he was holding.
Speaker 3: It.
Speaker 1: Can't see what Eiram was doing waving sheets of paper about.
Speaker 2: All right.
Speaker 1: If you look at the words, though, it reads as
Speaker 1: if it's been some sort of appointment. Looks her at
Speaker 1: quarter to twelve. Then down here it says, learn what.
Speaker 2: This writing is of extraordinary interest?
Speaker 1: These are much deeper waters than I've thought. How's that,
Speaker 1: mister Holmes?
Speaker 2: Do you reckon.
Speaker 1: There was some sort of understanding between William and the burglar.
Speaker 1: William was to let him in, but they had a
Speaker 1: quarrel instead. It's not entirely impossible, but this writing, no,
Speaker 1: there's something about it that fascinates me. Hey, colonel, if
Speaker 1: you will permit me, I'll leave Watson and you will
Speaker 1: step dound to the inspector to put one or two
Speaker 1: little senses of mind of the test.
Speaker 2: You'll do nothing of the sort. I shall let you
Speaker 2: never fear Watson.
Speaker 1: Now deliver myself up to you in half an hour precisely,
Speaker 1: not a minute longer.
Speaker 2: Come along, Inspector. Let's be getting along.
Speaker 1: Well. And about time, Inspector half an hour mister Holmes said,
Speaker 1: that was exactly an hour and a half ago.
Speaker 2: Where is it?
Speaker 1: I have a few words to say to him, Well,
Speaker 1: doctor Watson as an actress.
Speaker 2: Fact, he's not come back when you was anything, sir,
Speaker 2: And mister Holmes.
Speaker 1: Sent me back here to ask you gentlemen to join
Speaker 1: him in the field outside. He was walking up and
Speaker 1: down there when I left him. He wants us all
Speaker 1: to go up to mister Cunningham's house together.
Speaker 2: What on earth for?
Speaker 1: Well, I have no idea Colonel between ourselves, Dr Watson,
Speaker 1: I think you're right to be concerned about mister Holmes.
Speaker 2: He seems to be well all excited. I don't like
Speaker 2: him with it all.
Speaker 1: I've seen him behaving some pretty odd ways at times
Speaker 1: when there's generally been some method behind his madness. Come on,
Speaker 1: hayd let's go to you mout this lunatic of ours.
Speaker 1: What my dear, Hello, I've had a charming morning this conflict.
Speaker 1: That idea of yours was a capital suggestion.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you've been up with to see the crime. I understand. Yes.
Speaker 1: Indeed, Colonel the inspector here and I made quite a
Speaker 1: little reconnaissance together as we did any luck way over. Well,
Speaker 1: we saw some very interesting things. I'll tell you what
Speaker 1: we did as we walked.
Speaker 2: Oh, I don't walk too far us.
Speaker 1: First of all, we saw the body of the unfortunate William.
Speaker 1: There's no doubt that he died from a revolver. I
Speaker 1: didn't know there was any question about that.
Speaker 2: Oh, it's as well sub test everything, Colonel.
Speaker 1: Our inspection wasn't wasted. Well, then we had an interview
Speaker 1: with this Cunningham and his son. They were able to
Speaker 1: point out the exact spot that the murderer broke through
Speaker 1: the garden here.
Speaker 2: In his flight. That was of great interest. So what
Speaker 2: your investigation dared up to them?
Speaker 1: The conviction of the crime is a very peculiar one.
Speaker 1: Perhaps our visit now may do something to make it
Speaker 1: less obscure. Well, let's hope so inspect that. I think
Speaker 1: they both agreed that the fragment of paper in the
Speaker 1: dead man's hand is of extreme importance. Well, mister Holmes,
Speaker 1: it has got the very hour of death written.
Speaker 2: On it precisely? Whoever wrote that note of the man
Speaker 2: who brought William out of his bed at dead Are?
Speaker 2: But where's the rest of that sheet of paper? I
Speaker 2: examine every ench of the ground nearby for it. It
Speaker 2: was pawn out of the dead man's hands. Why was
Speaker 2: someone so anxious to get possession of it? Because it
Speaker 2: incriminated him just so? And what would he do with it?
Speaker 1: Thrust it into his pocket, most likely never noticing that
Speaker 1: the corner had been left in the rip.
Speaker 2: Of the corpse. Then again, the man who wrote it
Speaker 2: wouldn't have written it if he could have delivered the
Speaker 2: message by word of mouth. So who brought it or
Speaker 2: did it come through the post?
Speaker 1: Now that I can tell you, sir, we found out
Speaker 1: that William did get a letter by the afternoon post.
Speaker 1: It seems to have thrown the envelope away, though, Capital
Speaker 1: inspect that it's a pleasure to work with you.
Speaker 2: Well, thank you, mister Holmes.
Speaker 1: Ah and here's the house here a Cunningham and other
Speaker 1: Cunningham nasty business, nasty.
Speaker 2: Business, good day hate ah Dr? What's my presumer? This
Speaker 2: is my son Eric? How do you do sir? How
Speaker 2: do you know they're still? Edit?
Speaker 1: Mister Holmes, it's me for you London as I could
Speaker 1: have a player. Oh, you must give us a little.
Speaker 2: Time, you know. Well, mister Cunningham, we have found one
Speaker 2: thing there was he think it right away? You feeling
Speaker 2: all right now? Jack? I can't apologize enough mister Cunningham.
Speaker 2: I'm afraid it's another of these confounded nervous attacks. Yes, Dr,
Speaker 2: what has been telling us? How ill you'll be? Wanted
Speaker 2: to call my tat for you? Well, perhaps in a
Speaker 2: little while you'd better be getting back homes. Since I
Speaker 2: am here, there's one little point i'd like to be
Speaker 2: sure about. We can easily verify. Oh very well, I.
Speaker 1: Should like to ask mister Ellick Cullingham where he was
Speaker 1: sitting when he heard William.
Speaker 2: Call for help. I was smoking in my disting room.
Speaker 1: The lamps were lit, the yes, And doesn't it strike
Speaker 1: you as extraordin that the burglar should break into a
Speaker 1: house at a time and he could see from the
Speaker 1: lights that the family was still at foot. A bit
Speaker 1: of a cool customer, perhaps, possibly, Well, we'll leave their
Speaker 1: speculation for the moment.
Speaker 2: There's something I'd like you to do, mister Cunningham, anything
Speaker 2: at all. Mister Holmes, I should like you to offer
Speaker 2: a reward.
Speaker 1: I've jutted down the bording here if you wouldn't mind
Speaker 1: reading it and sinning, fifty pounds would be quite enough.
Speaker 2: I think, certainly. I'll let me see it.
Speaker 1: Yes, thank you, I tell you, mister Holmes, I'd willingly
Speaker 1: make it five hundred for that bumpinesss No, this is fine.
Speaker 2: But there's one little mistake.
Speaker 1: Oh, I scribbled into the hurry you begin, whereas at
Speaker 1: about quarter to one on Tuesday morning, and a tempt
Speaker 1: was made, et cetera, et cetera.
Speaker 2: Will as a matter of fact, it was a quarter
Speaker 2: of the twill. Yeah me, of course, you're right.
Speaker 1: I don't allow myself to make elementary mistakes like that,
Speaker 1: mister Cunningham, do forgive me.
Speaker 2: Oh, quite all right, I'll correct it. No, no, no, no,
Speaker 2: I have a pencil here, Thank you Holmes. I must
Speaker 2: instid know, my dear Watson, I still have a few reserves. Letter.
Speaker 2: Now I suggest we all go over the house together. No,
Speaker 2: I feel much better, oh, mister Cunningham. I'll just have that.
Speaker 1: Note from my pocket book. This is, of course, of course,
Speaker 1: thank you. And now let us take a good look
Speaker 1: right well now, mister Holmes, this is my big here.
Speaker 1: I see my son the next all with the dressing
Speaker 1: room in between. Ah, yes, I should like to glance
Speaker 1: into the dressing room if you please. Of course, if
Speaker 1: you like, I should just like to see where the
Speaker 1: windows fast. Now with your permission, very well, m yes,
Speaker 1: I see, thank you.
Speaker 2: Now I think that is all. Yes, we can go
Speaker 2: down up. Oh, no, after you, my dear sir, thank you, Oh,
Speaker 2: my Colmes, it thank here.
Speaker 1: I'm afraid but you must have swept that the can't
Speaker 1: hold for the quick man before the carpet.
Speaker 2: Stay here, I use my hand, No no, no, I
Speaker 2: use mine. I can't think how it happened. I'll help
Speaker 2: you never mind, never mind, I'll ring for one of
Speaker 2: the servants to mop it up. What up? I think?
Speaker 2: Went home to the pair room? What's going down? The
Speaker 2: General's gentlemen.
Speaker 1: Restrect hollow murder of that coachman, I say, home, don't
Speaker 1: you get too far? No, colonel, Hater, if they who've
Speaker 1: gone to par this piece of paper will assure you
Speaker 1: that it's.
Speaker 2: A missing piece where you find it? It was where
Speaker 2: I was certain it must be. Look how he's gonna do?
Speaker 2: Drop that ad better? Ho, Miss Holmes says that something
Speaker 2: in what you say. I'll be able to make the
Speaker 2: home appelear you in a little while. Colonel, I suggest
Speaker 2: you and Watson go home now.
Speaker 1: Suddenly inspect them and I need a few words with
Speaker 1: our prisoners, and then i'll rejoin you.
Speaker 2: If it's quite convenient. You may expect me that for luncheon.
Speaker 2: There's glass a shady waiting boy. Oh stay too right anyway?
Speaker 2: Can I knows you? Good day, Hater? I hope you
Speaker 2: don't mind. Holmes asked me to come.
Speaker 1: I wanted mister Ax and a bit present while I
Speaker 1: demonstrated this small method to you.
Speaker 2: He has some call to be interested in the detail.
Speaker 1: I must say with all eager for this demonstration, homes Watson,
Speaker 1: and I was just agreeing with Haven't some destin different
Speaker 1: clue between us?
Speaker 2: To begin with?
Speaker 1: I must remind you that it is the highest importance
Speaker 1: in the arts of detection to be able to recognize
Speaker 1: which facts are incidental and which I'll vite quite close.
Speaker 1: Now I haven't the slightest dust, but the key of
Speaker 1: this whole mathe must be looked for in that scrap
Speaker 1: of paper from the dead man's hands.
Speaker 2: I have it here. Now I have another look at it, gentlemen,
Speaker 2: don't you observe something very were dealing about it?
Speaker 1: I can't say that I can. It's a pretty regular
Speaker 1: sort of hand exactly. Of course he's better at in
Speaker 1: my method.
Speaker 2: No, No, there cannot be the.
Speaker 1: Least start in the world that the note was written
Speaker 1: by two persons doing alternate words.
Speaker 2: Eh.
Speaker 1: Now, look at the torn portion of the note bearing
Speaker 1: the words at quarter of the twelve. Observe the strong
Speaker 1: teas of act and two. Compare them with those in
Speaker 1: quarter and twelve.
Speaker 2: By jove, I see what you mean.
Speaker 1: But why should two men write a letter like this?
Speaker 1: Obviously one of them distrusted the other. The idea was
Speaker 1: that each of them should have an equal hand in
Speaker 1: the business.
Speaker 2: Ah.
Speaker 1: Of the two, i'd say the one who wrote Act
Speaker 1: and two with the ringleader. However, can you say that
Speaker 1: we might did you.
Speaker 2: Sit familiar character the one hand as compared to the other,
Speaker 2: if we had more assured reasons than that.
Speaker 1: Now, if you examine the scrap with attention, he will
Speaker 1: come to the conclusion that the man.
Speaker 2: With a stronger hand wrote all his word first and
Speaker 2: left blanks for the other. That they're love. I see
Speaker 2: the blank spent always big enough. No, look here, the second.
Speaker 1: Man had squeezed, you see, to get the word quarter
Speaker 1: in between the act and the two. So we conclude
Speaker 1: that the man who wrote his words first planned the
Speaker 1: whole affair.
Speaker 2: Ahvo home. Magnificent bit of deduction, but very superficial. We
Speaker 2: come down to a point which is of real importance.
Speaker 2: You may be aware that the deduction.
Speaker 1: Of a man's age from his writing is one which
Speaker 1: has been brought to considerable accuracy by expert No indeed,
Speaker 1: oh yes, mister Acton. In normal cases one can place
Speaker 1: a man in his true decade with tolerable confidence. Remarkable,
Speaker 1: I say normal cases because ill health and physical weakness
Speaker 1: reproduced the signs.
Speaker 2: Of old age, even when the invalid is young.
Speaker 1: In this case, looking at the bold, strong hand of
Speaker 1: the one and the rather broken backs appearance of.
Speaker 2: The other, we can say that the one was a
Speaker 2: young man and the other was advanced in years without
Speaker 2: being positively decretic. Well, I never heard anything to touch this.
Speaker 2: Did you read anything else in the hand writing? Oh?
Speaker 1: Yes, we were at least twenty three other dedas, but
Speaker 1: they'd be a voyant as to experts from the you colonels,
Speaker 1: except perhaps that some of them revealed quite clearly that
Speaker 1: the two writers were blood relative early. Oh, I've no
Speaker 1: doubt at all that the family mannerism can be traced
Speaker 1: in these two specimens of writing.
Speaker 2: It may be obvious to you in the Greek ease,
Speaker 2: but to me there are many small points which indicate
Speaker 2: the same thing.
Speaker 1: Did you connected with the cunninghams inn? They naturally came
Speaker 1: pretty quickly too my mind, Watson. Well, then I went
Speaker 1: up to the house for the inspector and saw all
Speaker 1: that was to be seen.
Speaker 2: The start brill, there was.
Speaker 1: The bullet wound, and the dead man. What about that
Speaker 1: it had been caused by a shot from at least
Speaker 1: four yards away. There was no powder blackening on the clothes.
Speaker 1: Alec Cunningham had lied when he said the two men
Speaker 1: had been.
Speaker 2: Struggling when the shots was side. Ah.
Speaker 1: Then both father and some agreed about the place where
Speaker 1: the man had escaped into the road. There's a broadish
Speaker 1: ditch at that point, moist at the bottom, but there
Speaker 1: were no signs of marks anywhere. I was not na
Speaker 1: sure that both the cummingoms had lied, but there'd be
Speaker 1: no unknown man on the scene at door.
Speaker 2: Did you mean to say that one of these shot
Speaker 2: Williams find Hymn's name what they want to do there?
Speaker 2: That was what I asked myself.
Speaker 1: I began to think about the original burglary at your house,
Speaker 1: mister egg, and I.
Speaker 2: Remembered the colonel here telling us about a long standing
Speaker 2: lawsuit between you and the Cunninghams. Yeah, yeah, that's right enough.
Speaker 2: I have the clearest possible claim upon half their present
Speaker 2: a sixth and by breaking into your library