WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:08.919 The Adventure of the Abbey Grange. It was on a 2 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:12.439 bitterly cold and frosty morning towards the end of the 3 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:15.400 winter of ninety seven that I was awakened by a 4 00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:20.640 tugging at my shoulder. It was Holmes, the candle in 5 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:25.199 his hand, shone upon his eager, stooping face, and told 6 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:29.679 me at a glance that something was amiss. Come, Watson, Come, 7 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:34.320 he cried, The game is afoot. Not a word into 8 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:38.159 your clothes and come. Ten minutes later we were both 9 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:41.399 in a cab and rattling through the silent streets on 10 00:00:41.479 --> 00:00:45.600 our way to Charing Cross station. The first faint winter's 11 00:00:45.640 --> 00:00:48.759 dawn was beginning to appear, and we could dimly see 12 00:00:48.759 --> 00:00:51.679 the occasional figure of an early workman as he passed us, 13 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:57.280 blurred and indistinct in the oppalscent London Reek. Holmes nestled 14 00:00:57.320 --> 00:01:00.359 in silence into his heavy coat, and I was glad 15 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:03.000 to do the same, for the air was most bitter, 16 00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:07.560 and neither of us had broken our fast. It was 17 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:10.280 not until we had consumed some hot tea at the 18 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:13.519 station and taken our places in the Kentish train that 19 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:18.879 we were sufficiently thawed. He to speak and I to listen. 20 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:23.079 Holmes drew a note from his pocket and read aloud 21 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:29.719 Abby Grench, Marsham, Kent, three p thirty a. M My 22 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:32.680 dear mister Holmes, I should be very glad of your 23 00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:36.319 immediate assistance in what promises to be a most remarkable case. 24 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:40.719 It is something quite in your line, except for releasing 25 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:43.400 the lady. I will see that everything is kept exactly 26 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:45.959 as I have found it. But I beg you not 27 00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:48.760 to lose an instant, as it is difficult to leave. 28 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:55.319 Sir Eustace there yours faithfully, Stanley Hopkins. Hopkins has called 29 00:01:55.319 --> 00:01:58.680 me in seven times, and on each occasion his summons 30 00:01:58.760 --> 00:02:02.959 has been entirely justify, said Holmes. I fancy that every 31 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:05.480 one of his cases has found its way into your collection. 32 00:02:05.959 --> 00:02:08.680 And I must admit, Watson, that you have some power 33 00:02:08.680 --> 00:02:12.120 of selection which atones for much which I deplore in 34 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:16.520 your narratives. Your fatal habit of looking at everything from 35 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:19.240 the point of view of a story instead of as 36 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:22.800 a scientific exercise, has ruined what might have been an 37 00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:28.360 instructive and even classical series of demonstrations. You slur overwork 38 00:02:28.439 --> 00:02:31.599 of the utmost finesse and delicacy in order to dwell 39 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:36.599 upon sensational details which may excite but cannot possibly instruct 40 00:02:37.159 --> 00:02:42.319 the reader. Why do you not write them yourself? I said, 41 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:46.080 with some bitterness. I will, my dear Watson, I will. 42 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:50.080 At present. I am, as you know, fairly busy, but 43 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:53.159 I propose to devote my declining years to the composition 44 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:56.439 of a text book which shall focus the whole art 45 00:02:56.479 --> 00:03:01.199 of detection into one volume. Our present research appears to 46 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:04.599 be a case of murder. You think this, Sir Eustace, 47 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:09.879 is dead, then I should say so. Hopkins's writing shows 48 00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:14.960 considerable agitation, and he is not an emotional man. Yes, 49 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:17.479 I gather there has been violence, and that the body 50 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:21.120 is left for our inspection. A mere suicide would not 51 00:03:21.159 --> 00:03:23.639 have caused him to send for me. As to the 52 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:25.680 release of the lady, it would appear that she has 53 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:29.400 been locked in her room during the tragedy. We are 54 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:33.719 moving in high life, Watson crackling paper E B monogram, 55 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:38.400 coat of arms, picturesque address. I think that friend Hopkins 56 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:40.840 will live up to his reputation, and that we shall 57 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:44.639 have an interesting morning. The crime was committed before twelve 58 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:49.039 last night. How can you possibly tell by an inspection 59 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:52.319 of the trains, and by reckoning the time the local 60 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:55.199 police had to be called in. They had to communicate 61 00:03:55.240 --> 00:03:58.000 with Scotland Yard Hopkins had to go out, and he 62 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:01.240 in turn had to send for me. All that makes 63 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:05.639 a fair night's work. Well, here we are at Chiselhurst's station, 64 00:04:06.199 --> 00:04:10.960 and we shall soon set our doubts at rest. A 65 00:04:11.080 --> 00:04:14.120 drive of a couple of miles through narrow country lanes 66 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:17.279 brought us to a park gate, which was opened for 67 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:20.839 us by an old lodge keeper, whose haggard face bore 68 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:25.480 the reflection of some great disaster. The avenue ran through 69 00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:29.279 a noble park, between lines of ancient elms, and ended 70 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:33.000 in a low, widespread house pillared in front after the 71 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:37.600 fashion of palladio. The central part was evidently of a 72 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:41.680 great age and shrouded in ivy, but the large windows 73 00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:45.240 showed that modern changes had been carried out, and one 74 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:48.879 wing of the house appeared to be entirely new. The 75 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:52.839 youthful figure and alert, eager face of Inspector Stanley Hopkins 76 00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:56.560 confronted us in the open doorway. I am very glad 77 00:04:56.600 --> 00:04:59.040 you have come, mister Holmes, and you too, doctor Watson. 78 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:01.680 But in indeed, if I had my time over again, 79 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:04.639 I should not have troubled you, for since the lady 80 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:07.120 has come to herself, she has given so clear an 81 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:09.560 account of the affair that there is not much left 82 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:13.279 for us to do. You remember that Lewisham gang of burglars. 83 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:17.680 What the three randals exactly, the father and two sons. 84 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:20.800 It's their work, I have not a doubt of it. 85 00:05:21.639 --> 00:05:24.040 They did a job at Sydenham a fortnight ago and 86 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:27.600 were seen and described rather cool to do another so 87 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:30.759 soon and so near. But it is they beyond all doubt. 88 00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:37.240 It's a hanging matter this time. Sir Eustace is dead then, yes, 89 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:40.639 his head was knocked in with his own poker. Sir 90 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:45.600 Eustace Brackenstall, the driver tells me exactly one of the 91 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:50.079 richest men in Kent. Lady Brackenstall is in the morning room. 92 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:53.279 Poor lady, she has had a most dreadful experience. She 93 00:05:53.319 --> 00:05:56.040 seemed half dead when I saw her first. I think 94 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:58.079 you had best see her and hear her account of 95 00:05:58.120 --> 00:06:01.519 the facts. Then we will examine the dining room together. 96 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:07.639 Lady Brackenstall was no ordinary person. Seldom have I seen 97 00:06:07.720 --> 00:06:10.759 so graceful a figure, so womanly a presence, and so 98 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:15.800 beautiful a face. She was a blonde, golden haired, blue eyed, 99 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:19.199 and would no doubt have had the perfect complexion which 100 00:06:19.240 --> 00:06:22.920 goes with such coloring, had not her recent experience left 101 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:27.399 her drawn and haggard. Her sufferings were physical as well 102 00:06:27.399 --> 00:06:31.399 as mental. For over one eye rose a hideous, plum 103 00:06:31.480 --> 00:06:36.000 colored swelling, which her maid, a tall, austere woman, was 104 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:41.079 bathing assiduously with vinegar and water. The lady lay back, 105 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:44.920 exhausted upon a couch, but her quick, observant gaze as 106 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:47.639 we entered the room, and the alert expression of her 107 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:51.160 beautiful features, showed that neither her wits nor her courage 108 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:55.519 had been shaken by her terrible experience. She was enveloped 109 00:06:55.560 --> 00:06:58.720 in a loose dressing gown of blue and silver, but 110 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:01.519 a black sequin coul of a dinner dress lay upon 111 00:07:01.560 --> 00:07:05.800 the couch beside her. I have told you all that happened, 112 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:09.639 mister Hopkins, she said, wearily. Could you not repeat it 113 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:12.680 for me? Well, if you think it is necessary, I 114 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:16.439 will tell these gentlemen what occurred. Have they been in 115 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:19.199 the dining room? Yet? I thought they had better hear 116 00:07:19.240 --> 00:07:22.839 your ladyship's story first. I shall be glad when you 117 00:07:22.839 --> 00:07:25.560 can arrange matters. It is horrible to me to think 118 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:29.519 of him still lying there. She shuddered and buried her 119 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:33.120 face in her hands. As she did so, the loose 120 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:37.399 gown fell back from her forearms. Holmes uttered an exclamation, 121 00:07:38.279 --> 00:07:43.120 you have other injuries, madam? What is this? Two vivid 122 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:46.560 red spots stood out on one of the white round limbs. 123 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:50.399 She hastily covered it. It is nothing. It has no 124 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:54.040 connection with this hideous business to night. If you and 125 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:56.839 your friend will sit down, I will tell you all 126 00:07:56.879 --> 00:07:59.959 I can. I am the wife of Sir you Sa 127 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:04.959 Di Brackenstall. I have been married about a year. I 128 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:07.959 suppose that it is no use my attempting to conceal 129 00:08:08.120 --> 00:08:11.079 that our marriage has not been a happy one. I 130 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:13.920 fear that all our neighbors would tell you that even 131 00:08:13.959 --> 00:08:17.160 if I were to attempt to deny it. Perhaps the 132 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:20.360 fault may be partly mine. I was brought up in 133 00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:24.600 the freer, less conventional atmosphere of South Australia, and this 134 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:27.519 English life, with its proprieties and its primness, is not 135 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:30.920 congenial to me. But the main reason lies in the 136 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:35.159 one fact which is notorious to everyone, and that is 137 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:39.039 that sir Eustace was a confirmed drunkard. To be with 138 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:42.840 such a man for an hour is unpleasant. Can you 139 00:08:42.919 --> 00:08:45.519 imagine what it means for a sensitive and high spirited 140 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:47.879 woman to be tied to him for day and night? 141 00:08:49.000 --> 00:08:52.080 It is sacrilege, a crime, a villainy to hold that 142 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:55.720 such a marriage is binding. I say that these monstrous 143 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:58.080 laws of yours will bring a curse upon the land. 144 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:03.200 God will not let sir, wickedness endure for an instant. 145 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:06.399 She sat up, her cheeks flushed and her eyes blazing 146 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:09.799 from under the terrible mark upon her brow. Then the 147 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:13.320 strong soothing hand of the austere maid drew her head 148 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:16.480 down on to the cushion, and the wild anger died 149 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:22.200 away into passionate sobbing. At last, she continued, I will 150 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:26.000 tell you about last night. You are aware, perhaps, that 151 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:29.279 in this house all the servants sleep in the modern wing. 152 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:33.000 This central block is made up of the dwelling rooms, 153 00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:37.519 with the kitchen behind and our bedroom above. My maid 154 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:41.600 Teresa sleeps above my room. There is no one else, 155 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:45.000 and no sound could alarm those who are in the 156 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:48.879 father wing. This must have been well known to the robbers, 157 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:52.080 or they would not have acted as they did. Sir 158 00:09:52.120 --> 00:09:56.159 Eustace retired about half past ten. The servants had already 159 00:09:56.200 --> 00:09:59.600 gone to their quarters. Only my maid was up, and 160 00:09:59.639 --> 00:10:01.600 she had remained in her room at the top of 161 00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:05.399 the house until I needed her services. I sat until 162 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:09.000 after eleven in this room, absorbed in a book. Then 163 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:11.200 I walked round to see that all was right before 164 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:15.120 I went upstairs. It was my custom to do this myself, for, 165 00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:18.919 as I have explained, Sir Eustace was not always to 166 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:23.320 be trusted. I went into the kitchen, the butler's pantry, 167 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:26.879 the gun room, the billiard room, the drawing room, and 168 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:31.039 finally the dining room. As I approached the window, which 169 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:34.159 is covered with thick curtains, I suddenly felt the wind 170 00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:37.120 blow upon my face and realized that it was open. 171 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:41.440 I flung the curtain aside and found myself face to 172 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:44.759 face with a broad shouldered, elderly man who had just 173 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:48.320 stepped into the room. The window is a long French 174 00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:51.720 one which really forms a door leading to the lawn. 175 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:56.039 I held my bedroom candle lit in my hand, and 176 00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:59.000 by its light behind the first man, I saw two 177 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:03.480 others who were in the act of entering. I stepped back, 178 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:05.639 but the fellow was on me in an instant. He 179 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:08.000 caught me first by the wrist and then by the throat. 180 00:11:09.159 --> 00:11:11.519 I opened my mouth to scream, but he struck me 181 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:14.399 a savage blow with his fist over the eye, and 182 00:11:14.519 --> 00:11:18.000 felled me to the ground. I must have been unconscious 183 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:20.639 for a few minutes, for when I came to myself, 184 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:23.279 I found that they had torn down the bell rope 185 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:26.360 and had secured me tightly to the oaken chair which 186 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:29.480 stands at the head of the dining table. I was 187 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:32.080 so firmly bound that I could not move, and a 188 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:35.200 handkerchief round my mouth prevented me from uttering a sound. 189 00:11:36.360 --> 00:11:39.919 It was at this instant that my unfortunate husband entered 190 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:43.919 the room. He had evidently heard some suspicious sounds, and 191 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:46.360 he came prepared for such a scene as he found. 192 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:50.320 He was dressed in night shirt and trousers, with his 193 00:11:50.399 --> 00:11:55.759 favorite blackthorn cudgel in his hand. He rushed at the burglars, 194 00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:00.360 but another it was an elderly man, stooped, picked the 195 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:03.240 poker out of the grate and struck him a horrible blow. 196 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:07.360 As he passed. He fell with a groan and never 197 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:11.919 moved again. I fainted once more, but again it could 198 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:14.159 only have been for a very few minutes, during which 199 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:18.399 I was insensible. When I opened my eyes, I found 200 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:21.440 that they had collected the silver from the sideboard, and 201 00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:23.960 they had drawn a bottle of wine, which stood there. 202 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:28.480 Each of them had a glass in his hand. I 203 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:31.159 have already told you, have I not? That one was 204 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:35.759 elderly with a beard, and the others young hairless lads. 205 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:39.399 They might have been a father with his two sons. 206 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:43.720 They talked together in whispers. Then they came over and 207 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:49.679 made sure I was securely bound. Finally they withdrew, closing 208 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:54.080 the window after them. It was quite a quarter of 209 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:57.200 an hour before I got my mouth free. When I 210 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:00.639 did so, my screams brought the maid to my assistance. 211 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:04.559 The other servants were soon alarmed, and we sent for 212 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:09.799 the local police, who instantly communicated with London. That is 213 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:12.440 really all that I can tell you, gentlemen, and I 214 00:13:12.519 --> 00:13:15.039 trust that it will not be necessary for me to 215 00:13:15.080 --> 00:13:20.039 go over so painful a story again. Any questions, mister 216 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:24.440 Holmes asked Hopkins. I will not impose any further tax 217 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:29.080 upon Lady Brackenstall's patience and time, said Holmes. Before I 218 00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:31.360 go into the dining room, I should like to hear 219 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:36.519 your experience. He looked at the maid. I saw the 220 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:39.440 men before ever they came into the house, said she. 221 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:42.720 As I sat by my bedroom window, I saw three 222 00:13:42.759 --> 00:13:45.720 men in the moonlight down by the lodge gate yonder, 223 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:49.039 but I thought nothing of it at the time. It 224 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:51.320 was more than an hour after that I heard my 225 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:54.679 mistress scream, and down I ran to find her, poor lamb, 226 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:57.519 just as she says, and him on the floor, with 227 00:13:57.639 --> 00:14:01.039 his blood and brains over the room. It was enough 228 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:03.440 to drive a woman out of her wits tired there 229 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:07.279 and her very dress spotted with him. But she never 230 00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:10.960 wanted courage, did Miss Mary Fraser of Adelaide. And Lady 231 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:16.399 Brackenstall of abbe Grange hasn't learnt new ways. You've questioned 232 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:19.120 her long enough, you gentlemen, and now she is coming 233 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:22.799 to her own room, just with her old Theresa, to 234 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:27.840 get the rest that she badly needs. With a motherly tenderness, 235 00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:30.919 the gaunt woman put her arm round her mistress and 236 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:34.480 led her from the room. She has been with her 237 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:38.039 all her life, said Hopkins. Nursed her as a baby 238 00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:41.440 and came with her to England. When they first left Australia, 239 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:45.799 eighteen months ago. Theresa Wright is her name, and the 240 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:49.039 kind of maid you don't pick up nowadays. This way, 241 00:14:49.080 --> 00:14:53.279 mister Holmes, if you please. The keen interest had passed 242 00:14:53.320 --> 00:14:56.759 out of Holmes's expressive face, and I knew that with 243 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:59.919 the mystery all the charm of the case had departed. 244 00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:04.679 There still remained an arrest to be effected. But what 245 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:08.039 were these commonplace robes that he should soil his hands 246 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:12.600 with them. An abstruse and learned specialist who finds that 247 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:14.720 he has been called in for a case of measles 248 00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:18.120 would experience something of the annoyance which I read in 249 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:21.919 my friend's eyes. Yet the scene in the dining room 250 00:15:21.960 --> 00:15:25.480 of the abbey Grange was sufficiently strange to arrest his 251 00:15:25.559 --> 00:15:31.159 attention and to recall his waning interest. It was a 252 00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:35.960 very large and high chamber, with carved oak ceiling, oaken paneling, 253 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:39.600 and a fine array of deer's heads and ancient weapons 254 00:15:39.639 --> 00:15:43.279 around the walls. At the further end from the door 255 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:45.720 was the high French window of which we had heard. 256 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:49.519 Three smaller windows on the right hand side filled the 257 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:54.360 apartment with cold winter sunshine. On the left was a large, 258 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:59.799 deep fireplace with a massive overhanging oak mantelpiece. Beside the 259 00:15:59.799 --> 00:16:03.120 fire place was a heavy oaken chair with arms and 260 00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:07.080 crossbars at the bottom. In and out through the open 261 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:11.519 woodwork was woven a crimson cord which was secured at 262 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:15.720 each side to the cross piece below. In releasing the lady, 263 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.679 the cord had been slipped off her, but the knots 264 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:23.279 with which it had been secured still remained. These details 265 00:16:23.320 --> 00:16:27.480 only struck our attention afterwards, for our thoughts were entirely 266 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:30.759 absorbed by the terrible object which lay upon the tiger 267 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:34.679 skin hearth rug in front of the fire. It was 268 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:37.759 the body of a tall, well made man about forty 269 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:41.799 years of age. He lay upon his back, his face upturned, 270 00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:45.480 with his white teeth grinning through his short black beard. 271 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:50.080 His two clenched hands were raised above his head, and 272 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:55.519 a heavy blackthorn stick lay across them. His dark, handsome 273 00:16:55.679 --> 00:17:00.399 aquiline features were convulsed into a spasm of vindictive hatred, 274 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:04.680 which had set his dead face in a terribly fiendish expression. 275 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:08.079 He had evidently been in his bed when the alarm 276 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:12.200 had broken out, for he wore a foppish embroidered night shirt, 277 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:17.599 and his bare feet projected from his trousers. His head 278 00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:20.759 was horribly injured, and the whole room bore witness to 279 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:23.799 the savage ferocity of the blow which had struck him down. 280 00:17:24.839 --> 00:17:27.799 Beside him lay the heavy poker, bent into a curve 281 00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:32.599 by the concussion. Holmes examined both it and the indescribable 282 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:36.319 wreck which it had wrought. He must be a powerful man, 283 00:17:36.440 --> 00:17:41.519 this elder Randal, he remarked. Yes, said Hopkins, I have 284 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:44.279 some record of the fellow, and he is a rough customer. 285 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:48.759 You should have no difficulty in getting him, not the slightest. 286 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:51.680 We've been on the lookout for him, and there was 287 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:54.960 some idea that he had got away to America. Now 288 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:57.240 that we know that the ganger here, I don't see 289 00:17:57.240 --> 00:18:01.400 how they can escape. We have the news every seaport already, 290 00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:06.000 and a reward will be offered before evening. What beats 291 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:08.119 me is how they could have done so mad a thing. 292 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:12.200 Knowing that the lady could describe them, and that we 293 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:17.400 could not fail to recognize the description exactly, one would 294 00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:20.799 have expected that they would silence Lady Brackenstall as well. 295 00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:25.519 They may not have realized I suggested that she had 296 00:18:25.559 --> 00:18:30.160 recovered from her faint. That is likely enough, if she 297 00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:33.599 seemed to be senseless, they would not take her life. 298 00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:37.160 What about this poor fellow Hopkins. I seem to have 299 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:40.359 heard some queer stories about him. He was a good 300 00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:43.240 hearted man when he was sober, but a perfect fiend 301 00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:46.319 when he was drunk, or rather when he was half drunk, 302 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:50.839 for he seldom really went the whole way. The devil 303 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:53.039 seemed to be in him at such times, and he 304 00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:56.640 was capable of anything, from what I hear. In spite 305 00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:59.599 of all his wealth and his title, he very nearly 306 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:03.720 came up. Once or twice. There was a scandal about 307 00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:07.240 his drenching a dog with petroleum and setting it on fire, 308 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:11.240 her Ladyship's dog, to make the matter worse, and that 309 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:15.200 was only hushed up with difficulty. Then he threw a 310 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:18.880 decanter at that maid, Theresa right, there was trouble about 311 00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:23.680 that on the whole, and between ourselves. It will be 312 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:27.640 a brighter house without him. What are you looking at now? 313 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:33.000 Holmes was down on his knees, examining with great attention 314 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:36.119 the knots upon the red cord with which the lady 315 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:40.640 had been secured. Then he carefully scrutinized the broken and 316 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:44.119 frayed end where it had snapped off when the burglar 317 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:48.519 had dragged it down. When this was pulled down, the 318 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:51.480 bell in the kitchen must have rung loudly, he remarked. 319 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:55.200 No one could hear it. The kitchen stands right at 320 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:58.440 the back of the house. How did the burglar know 321 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:01.920 no one could hear it? How dared he pull at 322 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:05.799 a bell rope in that reckless fashion? Exactly, mister Holmes, 323 00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:08.960 Exactly you put the very question which I have asked 324 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:12.319 myself again and again. There can be no doubt that 325 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:14.960 this fellow must have known the house and its habits. 326 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:18.359 He must have perfectly understood that the servants would all 327 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:22.039 be in bed at that comparatively early hour, and that 328 00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:26.400 no one could possibly hear a bell ring in the kitchen. Therefore, 329 00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:28.359 he must have been in close league with one of 330 00:20:28.359 --> 00:20:33.039 the servants. Surely that is evident. But there are eight servants, 331 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:37.960 and all of good character, other things being equal, said Holmes, 332 00:20:38.680 --> 00:20:41.519 one would suspect the one at whose head the master 333 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:45.400 through a decanter, And yet that would involve treachery towards 334 00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:49.200 the mistress, to whom this woman seems devoted. Well, Well, 335 00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:52.079 the point is a minor one, and when you have Randall, 336 00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:55.839 you will probably find no difficulty in securing his accomplice. 337 00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:00.480 The lady's story certainly seems to be corroborated, if it 338 00:21:00.599 --> 00:21:04.880 needed corroboration, by every detail which we see before us. 339 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:08.519 He walked to the French window and threw it open. 340 00:21:09.880 --> 00:21:13.039 There are no signs here, but the ground is iron hard, 341 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:16.599 and one would not expect them. I see that these 342 00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:20.640 candles in the mantelpiece have been lighted. Yes, it was 343 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:23.480 by their light and that of the lady's bedroom candle, 344 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:27.279 that the burglars saw their way out. And what did 345 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:31.599 they take? Well, they did not take much, only half 346 00:21:31.640 --> 00:21:35.880 a dozen articles of plate off the sideboard. Lady Brackenstall 347 00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:38.880 thinks that they were themselves so disturbed by the death 348 00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:42.279 of Sir Eustace that they did not ransack the house 349 00:21:42.839 --> 00:21:46.720 as they would otherwise have done. No doubt that is true. 350 00:21:46.839 --> 00:21:51.160 And yet they drank some wine, I understand, to steady 351 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:56.160 their nerves. Exactly these three glasses upon the sideboard have 352 00:21:56.279 --> 00:22:00.480 been untouched, I suppose, yes, and the bottles stands as 353 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:03.480 they left it. Let us look at it, hello, what 354 00:22:03.640 --> 00:22:08.279 is this? The three glasses were grouped together, all of 355 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:12.240 them tinged with wine, and one of them containing some 356 00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:17.519 dregs of beeswing. The bottle stood near them, two thirds full, 357 00:22:18.400 --> 00:22:22.599 and beside it lay a long, deeply stained cork. Its 358 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:25.839 appearance and the dust upon the bottle showed that it 359 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:30.279 was no common vintage which the murderers had enjoyed. A 360 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:33.640 chain should come over Holmes's manner. He had lost his 361 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:37.640 listless expression, and again I saw an alert light of 362 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:41.720 interest in his keen, deep set eyes. He raised the 363 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:45.720 cork and examined it minutely. How did they draw it? 364 00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:50.759 He asked. Hopkins pointed to a half open drawer. In 365 00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:55.119 it lay some table linen and a large corkscrew. Did 366 00:22:55.200 --> 00:23:00.480 Lady Brackenstall say that screw was used? No, Remember that 367 00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:03.119 she was senseless at the moment when the bottle was opened. 368 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:06.880 Quite so, as a matter of fact, that screw was 369 00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:10.319 not used. This bottle was opened by a pocket screw, 370 00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:14.200 probably contained in a knife, and not much more than 371 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:17.400 an inch and a half long. If you will examine 372 00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:20.079 the top of the cork, you will observe that the 373 00:23:20.119 --> 00:23:23.680 screw was driven in three times before the cork was extracted. 374 00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:28.200 It has never been transfixed. This long screw would have 375 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:31.160 transfixed it and drawn it up with a single pull. 376 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:34.640 When you catch this fellow, you will find that he 377 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:39.519 has one of these multiplex knives in his possession. Excellent, 378 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:44.319 said Hopkins. But these glasses do puzzle me. I confess 379 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:50.400 Lady Brackenstall actually saw the three men drinking, did she not? Yes, 380 00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:54.440 she was clear about that. Then there is an end 381 00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:58.680 of it. What more is to be said? And yet 382 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:02.400 you must admit that the three glasses are very remarkable, Hopkins. 383 00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:07.960 But you see nothing remarkable? Well, well, let it pass. 384 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:12.039 Perhaps when a man has special knowledge and special powers 385 00:24:12.119 --> 00:24:15.240 like my own, it rather encourages him to seek a 386 00:24:15.319 --> 00:24:21.480 complex explanation when a simple one is at hand. Of course, 387 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:25.119 it must be a mere chance about the glasses. Well, 388 00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:27.279 good morning, Hopkins. I don't see that I can be 389 00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:29.599 of any use to you, and you appear to have 390 00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:33.400 your case very clear. You will let me know when 391 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:37.400 Randal is arrested, and any further developments which may occur. 392 00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:40.720 I trust that I shall soon have to congratulate you 393 00:24:40.839 --> 00:24:45.559 upon a successful conclusion. Come Watson, I fancy that we 394 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:51.400 may employ ourselves more profitably at home during our return journey. 395 00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:54.240 I could see by Holmes's face that he was much 396 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:58.759 puzzled by something which he had observed. Every now and then, 397 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:02.599 by an effort, he would throw off the impression and 398 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:06.119 talk as if the matter were clear. But then his 399 00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:09.920 doubts would settle down upon him again, and his knitted 400 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:14.039 brows and abstracted eyes would show that his thoughts had 401 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:16.720