WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:08.240 The blue carbuncle. I had called upon my friend Sherlock 2 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:12.800 Holmes upon the second morning after Christmas, with the intention 3 00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:17.320 of wishing him the compliments of the season. He was 4 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:20.199 lounging upon the sofa in a purple dressing gown, a 5 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:23.000 pipe rack within his reach upon the right, and a 6 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:27.359 pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly studded near at hand. 7 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:31.120 Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and on the 8 00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:34.479 angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable, 9 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:38.479 hard felt hat, much the worse for wear and cracked 10 00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:42.520 in several places. A lens and a forests lying upon 11 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:45.479 the seat of the chair suggested that the hat had 12 00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:48.640 been suspended in this manner for the purpose of examination. 13 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:53.119 You are engaged, said I, perhaps I interrupt you not 14 00:00:53.240 --> 00:00:55.479 at all. I am glad to have a friend with 15 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:58.640 whom I can discuss my results. The matter is a 16 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:02.280 perfectly trivial one. He jerked his thumb in the direction 17 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:05.200 of the old hat. But there are points in connection 18 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:08.359 with it which are not entirely devoid of interest and 19 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:13.120 even of instruction. I seated myself in his arm chair 20 00:01:13.560 --> 00:01:17.159 and warmed my hands before his crackling fire. For a 21 00:01:17.239 --> 00:01:19.680 sharp frost had set in, and the windows were thick 22 00:01:19.719 --> 00:01:24.359 with the ice crystals. I suppose, I remarked that homely 23 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:28.239 as it looks, this thing has some deadly story linked 24 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:31.120 on to it. That it is the clue which will 25 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:34.159 guide you in the solution of some mystery and the 26 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:40.159 punishment of some crime. No, no, no crime, said Sherlock Holmes, laughing, 27 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:44.040 Only one of those whimsical little incidents which will happen 28 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:47.159 when you have four million human beings all jostling each 29 00:01:47.159 --> 00:01:50.400 other within the space of a few square miles. Amid 30 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:53.799 the action and reaction of so dense a swarm of humanity, 31 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:57.519 every possible combination of events may be expected to take place, 32 00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:00.799 and many a little problem will be present, which may 33 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:04.920 be striking and bizarre without being criminal. We have already 34 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:09.199 had experience of such. So much so I remarked that 35 00:02:09.240 --> 00:02:11.639 of the last six cases which I have added to 36 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:15.520 my notes, three have been entirely free of any illegal crime. 37 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:19.840 Precisely you allude to my attempt to recover the Irene 38 00:02:19.879 --> 00:02:23.520 Adler papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland, 39 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:28.120 and to the adventure of the man with the twisted lip. Well, 40 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:30.520 I have no doubt that this small matter will fall 41 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:35.800 into the same innocent category. You know Peterson the Commissionaire. Yes, 42 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:39.680 it is to him that this trophy belongs. It is 43 00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:43.759 his hat. No, no, he found it. Its owner is unknown. 44 00:02:45.159 --> 00:02:47.520 I beg that you will look upon it not as 45 00:02:47.560 --> 00:02:52.639 a battered billycock, but as an intellectual problem. And first, 46 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:57.039 as to how it came here. It arrived upon Christmas 47 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:00.719 morning in company with a good fat goose, which is 48 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:03.879 I have no doubt roasting at this moment in front 49 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:09.400 of Peterson's fire. The facts are these. About four o'clock 50 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:12.000 on Christmas morning, Peterson, who as you know as a 51 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:16.400 very honest fellow, was returning from some jollification, and was 52 00:03:16.439 --> 00:03:20.639 making his way homewards down Tottenham Court Road. In front 53 00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:23.639 of him he saw in the gaslight a tallish man 54 00:03:24.039 --> 00:03:27.879 walking with a slight stagger and carrying a white goose 55 00:03:28.039 --> 00:03:31.759 slung over his shoulder. As he reached the corner of 56 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:35.560 Good Street, a row broke out between this stranger and 57 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:39.719 a little knot of ruffs. One of the latter knocked 58 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:42.719 out the man's hat, on which he raised his stick 59 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:46.800 to defend himself, and swinging it over his head, smashed 60 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:50.599 the sharp window behind him. Peterson had rushed forward to 61 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:53.919 protect the stranger from his assailants, but the man, shocked 62 00:03:53.960 --> 00:03:56.560 at having broken the window and seeing an official looking 63 00:03:56.599 --> 00:04:00.240 person in uniform rushing towards him, dropped his goose, took 64 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:03.199 to his heels, and vanished amid the labyrinth of small 65 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:06.120 streets which lie at the back of Tottenham Court Road. 66 00:04:07.560 --> 00:04:10.479 The roughs had also fled at the appearance of Peterson, 67 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:12.800 so that he was left in possession of the field 68 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:16.000 of battle, and also the spoils of victory in the 69 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:20.199 shape of the battered hat and a most unimpeachable Christmas goose, 70 00:04:21.399 --> 00:04:24.800 where surely he restored to their owner, My dear fellow, 71 00:04:24.839 --> 00:04:28.839 there lies the problem. It is true that for missus 72 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:32.040 Henry Baker was printed upon a small card which was 73 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:34.959 tied to the bird's left leg, and it is also 74 00:04:35.079 --> 00:04:38.319 true that the initials HB are legible upon the lining 75 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:41.839 of this hat. But as there are some thousands of 76 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:44.879 Bakers and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in this city 77 00:04:44.920 --> 00:04:48.040 of ours, it is not easy to restore lost property 78 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:51.240 to any one of them. What then did Peterson do? 79 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:54.439 He brought round both hat and goose to me on 80 00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:57.959 Christmas morning, knowing that even the smallest problems are of 81 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:01.839 interest to me. The goose swee retained until this morning, 82 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:05.240 when there were signs that in spite of the slight frost, 83 00:05:05.319 --> 00:05:07.439 it would be well that it should be eaten without 84 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:11.759 unnecessary delay. Its finder has carried it off, therefore to 85 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:15.399 fulfill the ultimate destiny of a goose, while I continue 86 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:18.720 to retain the hat of the unknown gentleman who lost 87 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:23.759 his Christmas dinner? Did he not advertise no? Then? What 88 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:27.240 clue could you have as to his identity? Only as 89 00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:32.079 much as we can deduce from his hat precisely? But 90 00:05:32.199 --> 00:05:35.319 you are joking? What can you gather from this old, 91 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:39.439 battered felt Here is my lens, you know my methods. 92 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:43.199 What can you gather yourself as to the individuality of 93 00:05:43.240 --> 00:05:47.120 the man who has worn this article? I took the 94 00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:50.439 tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather ruefully. 95 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:54.079 It was a very ordinary black hat, of the usual 96 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:58.839 round shape, hard and much the worse for wear. The 97 00:05:58.920 --> 00:06:01.279 lining had been of red silk, but was a good 98 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:05.639 deal discolored. There was no maker's name, but as Holmes 99 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:09.839 had remarked, the initials HB were scrawled upon one side. 100 00:06:10.839 --> 00:06:13.279 It was pierced in the brim for a hat securer, 101 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:17.199 but the elastic was missing. For the rest, it was cracked, 102 00:06:17.319 --> 00:06:22.000 exceedingly dusty, and spotted in several places, although there seemed 103 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:24.639 to have been some attempt to hide thee discolored patches 104 00:06:24.680 --> 00:06:29.319 by smearing them with ink. I can see nothing, said I, 105 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.199 handing it back to my friend. On the contrary, Watson, 106 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:36.839 you can see everything. You fail, however, to reason from 107 00:06:36.839 --> 00:06:41.759 what you see. You are too timid in drawing your inferences. Then, pray, 108 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:44.199 tell me what it is that you can infer from 109 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:47.759 this hat. He picked it up and gazed at it 110 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:52.240 in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him. 111 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:55.480 It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been, 112 00:06:55.800 --> 00:06:59.279 he remarked, And yet there are a few inferences which 113 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:02.240 are very distinct, and a few others which represent at 114 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:06.439 least a strong balance of probability. That the man was 115 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:09.360 highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, 116 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:12.360 and also that he was fairly well to do within 117 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:15.959 the last three years, although he has now fallen upon 118 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:21.319 evil days. He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, 119 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:25.040 pointing to a moral retrogression which when taken with the 120 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:28.920 decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, 121 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:33.360 probably drink, at work upon him. This may account also 122 00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:36.199 for the obvious fact that his wife has ceased to 123 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:40.560 love him, My dear Holmes, He has, however, retained some 124 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:45.600 degree of self respect, he continued, disregarding my remonstrance. He 125 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:48.839 is a man who leads a sedentary life, goes out little, 126 00:07:49.319 --> 00:07:53.360 is out of training, entirely, is middle aged, has grizzled hair, 127 00:07:53.480 --> 00:07:55.759 which he has had cut within the last few days, 128 00:07:56.160 --> 00:08:00.240 and which he anoints with lime cream. These are the 129 00:08:00.279 --> 00:08:03.319 more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. 130 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:07.600 Also by the way that it is extremely improbable that 131 00:08:07.720 --> 00:08:11.000 he has gas laid on in his house. You are 132 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:14.800 certainly joking, Holmes, not in the least. It is possible 133 00:08:14.839 --> 00:08:17.480 that even now, when I give you these results, you 134 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:20.680 are unable to see how they are attained. I have 135 00:08:20.759 --> 00:08:23.839 no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must 136 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:27.439 confess that I am unable to follow you. For example, 137 00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:32.080 how did you deduce that this man was intellectual? For answer, 138 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:35.600 Holmes clapped the hat upon his head. It came right 139 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:38.480 over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. 140 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:44.399 It's a question of cubic capacity, said he. A man 141 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:47.639 with so large a brain must have something in it 142 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:52.519 the decline of his fortunes. Then this hat is three 143 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:56.120 years old. These flat brims, curled in at the edge 144 00:08:56.159 --> 00:08:58.559 came in. Then it is a hat of the very 145 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:01.759 best quality. Look at the band of ribbed silk and 146 00:09:01.879 --> 00:09:05.360 the excellent lining. If this man could afford to buy 147 00:09:05.399 --> 00:09:08.600 so expensive a hat three years ago and has had 148 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:12.440 no hat since then, he has assuredly gone down in 149 00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:16.440 the world. Well, that is clear enough, certainly, But how 150 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:21.639 about the foresight and the moral retrogression? Sherlock Holmes laughed. 151 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:25.559 Here is the foresight, said he, putting his finger upon 152 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:29.480 the little disc and loop of the hat. Securer, they 153 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:33.120 are never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, 154 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:35.559 it is a sign of a certain amount of foresight, 155 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:37.879 since he went out of his way to take this 156 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:41.519 precaution against the wind. But since we see that he 157 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:45.200 has broken the elastic and has not trouble to replace it, 158 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:48.320 it is obvious that he has less foresight now than formerly, 159 00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:52.559 which is a distinct proof of a weakening nature. On 160 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:55.159 the other hand, he has endeavored to conceal some of 161 00:09:55.200 --> 00:09:58.120 these stains upon the felt by daubing them with ink, 162 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:01.759 which is a sign that he has not entirely lasted 163 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:06.879 self respect. Your reasoning is certainly plausible. The further points 164 00:10:06.919 --> 00:10:09.519 that he is middle aged, that his hair is grizzled, 165 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:13.080 that it has been recently cut, and that he uses 166 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:16.279 lime cream are all to be gathered from a close 167 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:20.360 examination of the lower part of the lining. The lens 168 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:23.360 discloses a large number of hair ends, clean cut by 169 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:26.679 the scissors of the barber. They all appear to be adhesive, 170 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:30.080 and there is a distinct odor of lime cream. This 171 00:10:30.279 --> 00:10:32.840 dust you will observe is not the gritty gray dust 172 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:36.960 of the street, but the fluffy brown dust of the house, 173 00:10:37.799 --> 00:10:40.559 showing that it has been hung up indoors most of 174 00:10:40.600 --> 00:10:44.159 the time, while the marks of moisture upon the inside 175 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:47.879 are proof positive that the wearer perspired very freely and 176 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:51.679 could therefore hardly be in the best of training. But 177 00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:54.799 his wife, you said that she had ceased to love him. 178 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:59.000 This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I 179 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:01.519 see you, my dear, what with a weak's accumulation of 180 00:11:01.639 --> 00:11:04.240 dust upon your hat, And when your wife allows you 181 00:11:04.279 --> 00:11:07.039 to go out in such a state, I shall fear 182 00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:10.399 that you also have been unfortunate enough to lose your 183 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:15.039 wife's affection. But he might be a bachelor. Nay, he 184 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:17.600 was bringing home the goose as a piece offering to 185 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:21.759 his wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg. You 186 00:11:21.879 --> 00:11:25.559 have an answer to everything. But how on earth do 187 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:28.200 you deduce that the gas is not laid on in 188 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:32.120 the house. One tallow stain or even two might come 189 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:35.480 by chance, But when I see no less than five, 190 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:38.480 I think that there can be little doubt that the 191 00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:42.399 individual must be brought into frequent contact with burning tallow 192 00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:46.200 walks upstairs at night, probably with his hat in one 193 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:50.840 hand and a guttering candle in the other. Anyhow, he 194 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:55.879 never got tallow stains from a gas jet. Are you satisfied? Well, 195 00:11:56.120 --> 00:11:59.720 it is very ingenious, said I, laughing. But since, as 196 00:11:59.720 --> 00:12:02.320 you sayed just now, there has been no crime committed 197 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:05.039 and no harm done, save the loss of a goose, 198 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:08.240 all this seems to be rather a waste of energy. 199 00:12:09.639 --> 00:12:12.399 Sherlock Holmes had opened his mouth to reply when the 200 00:12:12.440 --> 00:12:15.720 door flew open, and Peterson, the Commissionaire, rushed into the 201 00:12:15.720 --> 00:12:18.679 compartment with flushed cheeks and the face of a man 202 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:23.039 who is dazed with astonishment. The ghosts mister Holmes, the gost, sir, 203 00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:27.200 He gasped, Eh, what of it? Then? Has it returned 204 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:30.480 to life? And flapped off through the kitchen window. Holmes 205 00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:33.200 twisted himself round upon the sofa to get a fairer 206 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:36.919 view of the man's excited face. See here, sir, see 207 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:40.240 what my wife found in its crop. He held out 208 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:42.679 his hand and displayed upon the center of the palm 209 00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:47.960 a brilliantly scintillating blue stone, rather smaller than a bean 210 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:51.679 in size, but of such purity and radiance that it 211 00:12:51.799 --> 00:12:54.840 twinkled like an electric point in the dark hollow of 212 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:59.679 his hand. Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle by jove, 213 00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:03.840 Peter said he this is treasure trove. Indeed, I suppose 214 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:07.279 you know what you have got? A diamond, sir, A 215 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:11.039 precious stone. It cuts into glass as though it were putty. 216 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:16.919 It's more than a precious stone. It's the precious stone, 217 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:22.639 not the Countess of Morcar's blue carbuncle. I ejaculated precisely, 218 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:26.559 so I ought to know its size and shape, seeing 219 00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:28.559 that I have read the advertisement about it in the 220 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:33.399 Times every day lately. It is absolutely unique, and its 221 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:37.000 value can only be conjectured. But the reward offered of 222 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:40.360 a thousand pounds is certainly not within a twentieth part 223 00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:45.039 of the market price. A thousand pounds, Great Lord of Mercy, 224 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:49.879 the Commissioner plumped down into a chair and stared from 225 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:53.000 one to the other of us. That is the reward, 226 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:56.840 And I have reason to know that there are sentimental 227 00:13:56.879 --> 00:14:00.240 considerations in the background which would induce the counter to 228 00:14:00.279 --> 00:14:02.639 part with half of her fortune if she could but 229 00:14:02.840 --> 00:14:06.639 recover the gem. It was last if I remember arte 230 00:14:06.679 --> 00:14:11.559 at the Hotel Cosmopolitan, I remarked precisely so. On the 231 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:16.279 twenty second of December, just five days ago, John Horner, 232 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:19.759 a plumber, was accused of having abstracted it from the 233 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:23.759 lady's jewel case. The evidence against him was so strong 234 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:27.399 that the case has been referred to the assized. I 235 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:30.559 have some account of the matter here. I believe he 236 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:34.720 rummaged amid his newspapers, glancing over the dates, until at 237 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:37.799 last he smoothed one out, doubled it over, and read 238 00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:44.039 the following paragraph. Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel robbery. John Horner, twenty 239 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:47.000 six plumber was brought up upon the charge of having 240 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:50.360 upon the twenty second instant abstracted from the jewel case 241 00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:53.399 of the Countess of Morca, the valuable gem known as 242 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:58.159 the blue Carbuncle. James Ryder, upper attendant at the hotel, 243 00:14:58.200 --> 00:15:00.679 gave his evidence to the effect that he had shown 244 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:02.799 Horner up to the dressing room of the Countess of 245 00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:05.879 Morca upon the day of the robbery, in order that 246 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:08.440 he might solder the second bar of the grate, which 247 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:12.480 was loose. He had remained with Horner some little time, 248 00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:16.759 but had finally been called away. On returning, he found 249 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:20.360 that Horner had disappeared, that the bureau had been forced open, 250 00:15:20.679 --> 00:15:23.720 and that the small Morocco casket, in which, as it 251 00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:27.039 afterwards transpired, the Countess was accustomed to keep her jewel, 252 00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:31.360 was lying empty upon the dressing table. Ryder instantly gave 253 00:15:31.399 --> 00:15:35.279 the alarm, and Horner was arrested the same evening, but 254 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:38.600 the stone could not be found either upon his person 255 00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:43.120 or in his rooms. Catherine Cousack made to the Countess 256 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:46.440 deposed to having heard Rider's cry of dismay on discovering 257 00:15:46.440 --> 00:15:49.759 the robbery, and to having rushed into the room where 258 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:54.080 she found matters as described by the last witness, Inspector 259 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:58.759 Bradstreet b Division gave evidence as to the arrest of Horner, 260 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:03.799 who struggled frantically and protested his innocence in the strongest terms. 261 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:07.919 Evidence of a previous conviction for robbery having been given 262 00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:11.840 against the prisoner. The magistrate refused to deal summarily with 263 00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:16.559 the offense, but referred it to the assizes. Horner, who 264 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:20.120 had shown signs of intense emotion during the proceedings, fainted 265 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:23.320 away at the conclusion and was carried out of court. 266 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:28.639 Hum So much for the police court, said Holmes, thoughtfully, 267 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:32.399 tossing aside his paper. The question for us now to 268 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:36.480 solve is the sequence of events leading from a rifled 269 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:40.000 jewel case at one end to the crop of a 270 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:44.799 goose in Tottenham Court Road at the other. You see, Watson, 271 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:48.759 our little deductions have suddenly assumed a much more important 272 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:53.879 and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone. The stone 273 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:56.840 came from the goose, and the goose came from mister 274 00:16:56.919 --> 00:17:00.759 Henry Baker, the gentleman with the bad hat and all 275 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:05.000 the other characteristics with which I have bored you. So 276 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:08.039 now we must set ourselves very seriously to finding this 277 00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:11.400 gentleman and ascertaining what part he has played in this 278 00:17:11.480 --> 00:17:15.200 little mystery. To do this, we must try the simplest 279 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:19.799 means first, and these lie undoubtedly in an advertisement in 280 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:23.319 all the evening papers. If this fail, I shall have 281 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:27.119 recourse to other methods. What will you say, give me 282 00:17:27.160 --> 00:17:30.440 a pencil and that slip of paper now then found 283 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:33.039 at the corner of Googe Street, a goose and a 284 00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:36.680 black felt hat. Mister Henry Baker can have the same 285 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:40.079 by applying at six thirty this evening at two hundred 286 00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:46.359 and twenty one B Baker Street. That is clear and concise. Very, 287 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:49.559 but will he see it well? He is sure to 288 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:51.680 keep an eye on the papers, since to a poor 289 00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:54.559 man the loss was a heavy one. He was clearly 290 00:17:54.599 --> 00:17:57.640 so scared by his mischance in breaking the window and 291 00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:00.599 by the approach of Peterson, that is thought of nothing 292 00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:04.519 but flight. But since then he must have bitterly regretted 293 00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:08.440 the impulse which caused him to drop his bird. Then again, 294 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:11.079 the introduction of his name will cause him to see it, 295 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:14.119 for every one who knows him will direct his attention 296 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:17.319 to it. Here you are, Peterson, run down to the 297 00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:20.480 advertising agency and have this put in the evening papers, 298 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:24.720 in which sir Oh in the Globe, Star, Pall MoU, 299 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:28.839 Saint James's Gazette, Evening News, Standard Echo, and any others 300 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:33.880 that occur to you very well. So and this stone. Ah, yes, 301 00:18:34.119 --> 00:18:38.240 I shall keep the stone, thank you. And I say Peterson, 302 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:40.160 just buy a goose on your way back and leave 303 00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:42.759 it here with me, for we must have one to 304 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:45.279 give to this gentleman in place of the one which 305 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:50.519 your family is now devouring. When the Commissionaire had gone, 306 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:53.680 Holmes took up the stone and held it against the light. 307 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:58.319 It's a bonny thing, said he. Just see how it 308 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:03.160 glints and sparkles. Of course, it is a nuclear sound 309 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:07.720 focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the 310 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:12.440 devil's pet baits. In the larger and older jewels, every 311 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:16.799 facet may stand for a bloody deed. This stone is 312 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:20.119 not yet twenty years old. It was found in the 313 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:23.799 banks of the Amoy River in southern China, and is 314 00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:28.000 remarkable in having every characteristic of the carbuncle, save that 315 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:32.160 it is blue in shade instead of ruby red. In 316 00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:35.039 spite of its youth, it has already a sinister history. 317 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:39.559 There have been two murders, a vitriol throwing, a suicide, 318 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:42.079 and several robberies brought about for the sake of this 319 00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:46.839 forty grain weight of crystallized charcoal. Who would think that 320 00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:49.160 so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the 321 00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:52.880 gallows and the prison. I'll lock it up in my 322 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:55.880 strong box now and drop a line to the contess 323 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:58.319 to say that we have it. Do you think that 324 00:19:58.359 --> 00:20:02.920 this man Horner is innocent? I cannot tell. Well, then 325 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:06.400 do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had 326 00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:09.279 anything to do with the matter. It is I think 327 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:12.759 much more likely that Henry Baker is an absolutely innocent 328 00:20:12.839 --> 00:20:15.640 man who had no idea that the bird which he 329 00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:18.880 was carrying was of considerably more value than if it 330 00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:23.200 were made of solid gold. That, however, I shall determine 331 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:26.720 by a very simple test, if we have an answer 332 00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:31.000 to our advertisement, and you can do nothing until then nothing. 333 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:35.119 In that case, I shall continue my professional round. But 334 00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:37.079 I shall come back in the evening at the hour 335 00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:39.519 you have mentioned, for I should like to see the 336 00:20:39.559 --> 00:20:43.519 solution of so tangled a business. Very glad to see you, 337 00:20:43.720 --> 00:20:46.920 I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I believe, 338 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:51.880 by the way, in view of recent occurrencies, perhaps I 339 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:57.319 ought to ask missus Hudson to examine its crop. I 340 00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:00.279 had been delayed at a case, and it was a 341 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:03.079 little after half past six when I found myself in 342 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:07.200 Baker Street once more. As I approached the house, I 343 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:10.319 saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet with a 344 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:13.960 coat which was buttoned up to his chin, waiting outside 345 00:21:14.039 --> 00:21:17.279 in the bright semicircle which was thrown from the fan light. 346 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:21.839 Just as I arrived, the door was opened and we 347 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:26.000 were shown up together to Holmes's room. Mister Henry Baker, 348 00:21:26.039 --> 00:21:29.559 I believe, said he rising from his arm chair and 349 00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:32.880 greeting his visitor with the easy air of geniality which 350 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:36.559 he could so readily assume. Pray, take this chair by 351 00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:39.519 the fire, mister Baker. It is a cold night, and 352 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:42.880 I observed that your circulation is more adapted for summer 353 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:46.480 than for winter. Ah Watson, you have just come at 354 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:51.279 the right time. Is that your hat, mister Baker, Yes, sir, 355 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:55.400 that is undoubtedly my hat. He was a large man 356 00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:58.960 with rounded shoulders, a massive head, and a broad, intelligent 357 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:02.440 face slope down to a pointed beard of grizzled brown, 358 00:22:03.400 --> 00:22:05.480 a touch of red in nose and cheeks, with a 359 00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:10.079 slight tremor of his extended hand recalled Holmes's surmise as 360 00:22:10.119 --> 00:22:13.880 to his habits. His rusty black frock coat was buttoned 361 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:16.960 right up in front, with the collar turned up, and 362 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:20.680 his lank wrists protruded from his sleeves without a sign 363 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:25.279 of cuff or shirt. He spoke in a low, staccato fashion, 364 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:29.319 choosing his words with care, and gave the impression generally 365 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:31.880 of a man of learning and letters who had had 366 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:36.240 ill usage at the hands of fortune. We have retained 367 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:39.880 these things for some days, said Holmes, because we expected 368 00:22:39.880 --> 00:22:43.359 to see an advertisement from you giving your address. I 369 00:22:43.400 --> 00:22:46.079 am at a loss to know why you did not advertise. 370 00:22:47.160 --> 00:22:51.240 Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh. Shillings have not 371 00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:54.599 been so plentiful with me as they once were, he remarked. 372 00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:57.359 I had no doubt that the gang of ruffs who 373 00:22:57.359 --> 00:23:00.200 assaulted me had carried off both my hat and the bird. 374 00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:03.200 I did not care to spend more money in a 375 00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:07.720 hopeless attempt at recovering them. Very naturally, by the way, 376 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:11.319 about the bird, we were compelled to eat it. To 377 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:14.960 eat it, our visitor half rose from his chair in 378 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:18.799 his excitement. Yes, it would have been no use to 379 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:21.799 any one had we not done so. But I presume 380 00:23:21.880 --> 00:23:24.839 that this other goose upon the sideboard, which is about 381 00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:30.000 the same weight and perfectly fresh, will answer your purpose equally. Well. Oh, 382 00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:34.240 certainly certainly, answered mister Baker, with a sigh of relief. 383 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:37.319 Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop and 384 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:40.839 so on of your own bird. If you so wish. 385 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:44.119 The man burst into a hearty laugh, they might be 386 00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:47.119 useful to me as relics of my adventure, said he. 387 00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:49.960 But beyond that, I can hardly see what use the 388 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:53.240 disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are going to be 389 00:23:53.319 --> 00:23:55.720 to me. No, sir, I think that, with your permission, 390 00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:59.160 I will confine my attentions to the excellent bird which 391 00:23:59.160 --> 00:24:04.039 I perceive upon the sideboard. Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across 392 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:07.880 at me with a slight shrug of his shoulders. There 393 00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:10.759 is your hat, then, and they're your bird, said he. 394 00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:13.720 By the way, would it bore you to tell me 395 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:17.079 where you got the other one from? I am somewhat 396 00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:19.880 of a foul fancier, and I have seldom seen a 397 00:24:19.880 --> 00:24:24.839 better grown goose. Suddenly, sir, said Baker, who had risen 398 00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:28.640 and tucked his newly gained property under his arm. There 399 00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:31.720 are a few of us who frequent the Alpha Inn 400 00:24:31.880 --> 00:24:34.319 near the museum. We are to be found in the 401 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:38.279