Sherlock Holmes complete collection by sir arthur conan doyle

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes THE ENGINEER'S THUMB

OF ALL the problems which have been submitted to my friend, Mr.Sherlock Holmes, for solution during the years of our intimacy, therewere only two which [274] I was the means of introducing to hisnotice-that of Mr. Hatherley's thumb, and that of Colonel Warburton'smadness. Of these the latter may have afforded a finer field for an acuteand original observer, but the other was so strange in its inception and sodramatic in its details that it may be the more worthy of being placedupon record, even if it gave my friend fewer openings for those deductivemethods of reasoning by which he achieved such remarkable results. Thestory has, I believe, been told more than once in the newspapers, but, likeall such narratives, its effect is much less striking when set forth en blocin a single half-column of print than when the facts slowly evolve beforeyour own eyes, and the mystery clears gradually away as each newdiscovery furnishes a step which leads on to the complete truth. At thetime the circumstances made a deep impression upon me, and the lapse oftwo years has hardly served to weaken the effect.It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the eventsoccurred which I am now about to summarize. I had returned to civilpractice and had finally abandoned Holmes in his Baker Street rooms,although I continually visited him and occasionally even persuaded himto forego his Bohemian habits so far as to come and visit us. My practicehad steadily increased, and as I happened to live at no very great distancefrom Paddington Station, I got a few patients from among the officials.One of these, whom I had cured of a painful and lingering disease, wasnever weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send me onevery sufferer over whom he might have any influence.One morning, at a little before seven o'clock, I was awakened by themaid tapping at the door to announce that two men had come fromPaddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I dressed hurriedly,for I knew by experience that railway cases were seldom trivial, andhastened downstairs. As I descended, my old ally, the guard, came out ofthe room and closed the door tightly behind him."I've got him here," he whispered, jerking his thumb over his shoulder;"he's all right.""What is it, then?" I asked, for his manner suggested that it was somestrange creature which he had caged up in my room."It's a new patient," he whispered. "I thought I'd bring him roundmyself; then he couldn't slip away. There he is, all safe and sound. I mustgo now, Doctor; I have my dooties, just the same as you." And off hewent, this trusty tout, without even giving me time to thank him.I entered my consulting-room and found a gentleman seated by the table. He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed, with a soft clothcap which he had laid down upon my books. Round one of his hands hehad a handkerchief wrapped, which was mottled all over with bloodstains.He was young, not more than five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong,masculine face; but he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impressionof a man who was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took allhis strength of mind to control."I am sorry to knock you up so early, Doctor," said he, "but I have hada very serious accident during the night. I came in by train this morning,and on inquiring at Paddington as to where I might find a doctor, a worthyfellow very kindly escorted me here. I gave the maid a card, but I see thatshe has left it upon the side-table."I took it up and glanced at it. "Mr. Victor Hatherley, hydraulicengineer, 16A, Victoria Street (3d floor)." That was the name, style, andabode of my morning [275] visitor. "I regret that I have kept you waiting,"said I, sitting down in my library-chair. "You are fresh from a nightjourney, I understand, which is in itself a monotonous occupation.""Oh, my night could not be called monotonous," said he, and laughed.He laughed very heartily, with a high, ringing note, leaning back in hischair and shaking his sides. All my medical instincts rose up against thatlaugh."Stop it!" I cried; "pull yourself together!" and I poured out some waterfrom a carafe.It was useless, however. He was off in one of those hysterical outburstswhich come upon a strong nature when some great crisis is over andgone. Presently he came to himself once more, very weary and palelooking."I have been making a fool of myself," he gasped."Not at all. Drink this." I dashed some brandy into the water, and thecolour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks."That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would kindlyattend to my thumb, or rather to the place where my thumb used to be."He unwound the handkerchief and held out his hand. It gave even myhardened nerves a shudder to look at it. There were four protrudingfingers and a horrid red, spongy surface where the thumb should havebeen. It had been hacked or torn right out from the roots."Good heavens!" I cried, "this is a terrible injury. It must have bledconsiderably.""Yes, it did. I fainted when it was done, and I think that I must havebeen senseless for a long time. When I came to I found that it was stillbleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very tightly round thewrist and braced it up with a twig.""Excellent! You should have been a surgeon.""It is a question of hydraulics, you see, and came within my ownprovince.""This has been done," said I, examining the wound, "by a very heavyand sharp instrument.""A thing like a cleaver," said he."An accident, I presume?""By no means.""What! a murderous attack?""Very murderous indeed.""You horrify me."I sponged the wound, cleaned it, dressed it, and finally covered it overwith cotton wadding and carbolized bandages. He lay back withoutwincing, though he bit his lip from time to time."How is that?" I asked when I had finished."Capital! Between your brandy and your bandage, I feel a new man. Iwas very weak, but I have had a good deal to go through.""Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently trying toyour nerves.""Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing evidence of this wound ofmine, I should be surprised if they believed my statement; for it is a veryextraordinary one, and I have not much in the way of proof with which toback it up; and, even if they [276] believe me, the clues which I can givethem are so vague that it is a question whether justice will be done.""Ha!" cried I, "if it is anything in the nature of a problem which youdesire to see solved, I should strongly recommend you to come to myfriend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, before you go to the official police.""Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I shouldbe very glad if he would take the matter up, though of course I must usethe official police as well. Would you give me an introduction to him?""I'll do better. I'll take you round to him myself.""I should be immensely obliged to you.""We'll call a cab and go together. We shall just be in time to have alittle breakfast with him. Do you feel equal to it?""Yes; I shall not feel easy until I have told my story.""Then my servant will call a cab, and I shall be with you in an instant."I rushed upstairs, explained the matter shortly to my wife, and in fiveminutes was inside a hansom, driving with my new acquaintance to BakerStreet.Sherlock Holmes was, as I expected, lounging about his sitting-room inhis dressing-gown, reading the agony column of The Times and smokinghis before-breakfast pipe, which was composed of all the plugs anddottles left from his smokes of the day before, all carefully dried andcollected on the corner of the mantelpiece. He received us in his quietlygenial fashion, ordered fresh rashers and eggs, and joined us in a heartymeal. When it was concluded he settled our new acquaintance upon thesofa, placed a pillow beneath his head, and laid a glass of brandy andwater within his reach."It is easy to see that your experience has been no common one, Mr. Hatherley," said he. "Pray, lie down there and make yourself absolutely athome. Tell us what you can, but stop when you are tired and keep up yourstrength with a little stimulant.""Thank you," said my patient, "but I have felt another man since thedoctor bandaged me, and I think that your breakfast has completed thecure. I shall take up as little of your valuable time as possible, so I shallstart at once upon my peculiar experiences."Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded expressionwhich veiled his keen and eager nature, while I sat opposite to him, andwe listened in silence to the strange story which our visitor detailed to us."You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor,residing alone in lodgings in London. By profession I am a hydraulicengineer, and I have had considerable experience of my work during theseven years that I was apprenticed to Venner & Matheson, the wellknown firm, of Greenwich. Two years ago, having served my time, andhaving also come into a fair sum of money through my poor father'sdeath, I determined to start in business for myself and took professionalchambers in Victoria Street."I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in business adreary experience. To me it has been exceptionally so. During two years Ihave had three consultations and one small job, and that is absolutely allthat my profession has brought me. My gross takings amount to £27 10s.Every day, from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon, I waitedin my little den, until at last my heart began to sink, and I came to believethat I should never have any practice at all.[277] "Yesterday, however, just as I was thinking of leaving the office,my clerk entered to say there was a gentleman waiting who wished to seeme upon business. He brought up a card, too, with the name of 'ColonelLysander Stark' engraved upon it. Close at his heels came the colonelhimself, a man rather over the middle size, but of an exceeding thinness. Ido not think that I have ever seen so thin a man. His whole face sharpenedaway into nose and chin, and the skin of his cheeks was drawn quite tenseover his outstanding bones. Yet this emaciation seemed to be his naturalhabit, and due to no disease, for his eye was bright, his step brisk, and hisbearing assured. He was plainly but neatly dressed, and his age, I shouldjudge, would be nearer forty than thirty." 'Mr. Hatherley?' said he, with something of a German accent. 'Youhave been recommended to me, Mr. Hatherley, as being a man who is notonly proficient in his profession but is also discreet and capable ofpreserving a secret.'"I bowed, feeling as flattered as any young man would at such anaddress. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?'" 'Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just at thismoment. I have it from the same source that you are both an orphan and abachelor and are residing alone in London.'" 'That is quite correct,' I answered; 'but you will excuse me if I saythat I cannot see how all this bears upon my professional qualifications. Iunderstand that it was on a professional matter that you wished to speakto me?'" 'Undoubtedly so. But you will find that all I say is really to the point.I have a professional commission for you, but absolute secrecy is quiteessential-absolute secrecy, you understand, and of course we may expectthat more from a man who is alone than from one who lives in the bosomof his family.'" 'If I promise to keep a secret,' said I, 'you may absolutely dependupon my doing so.'"He looked very hard at me as I spoke, and it seemed to me that I hadnever seen so suspicious and questioning an eye." 'Do you promise, then?' said he at last." 'Yes, I promise.'" 'Absolute and complete silence before, during, and after? Noreference to the matter at all, either in word or writing?'" 'I have already given you my word.'" 'Very good.' He suddenly sprang up, and darting like lightning acrossthe room he flung open the door. The passage outside was empty." 'That's all right,' said he, coming back. 'I know the clerks aresometimes curious as to their master's affairs. Now we can talk in safety.'He drew up his chair very close to mine and began to stare at me againwith the same questioning and thoughtful look."A feeling of repulsion, and of something akin to fear had begun to risewithin me at the strange antics of this fleshless man. Even my dread oflosing a client could not restrain me from showing my impatience." 'I beg that you will state your business, sir,' said I; 'my time is ofvalue.' Heaven forgive me for that last sentence, but the words came tomy lips." 'How would fifty guineas for a night's work suit you?' he asked." 'Most admirably.'" 'I say a night's work, but an hour's would be nearer the mark. Isimply want your opinion about a hydraulic stamping machine which hasgot out of gear. If [278] you show us what is wrong we shall soon set itright ourselves. What do you think of such a commission as that?'" 'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.'" 'Precisely so. We shall want you to come to-night by the last train.'" 'Where to?'" 'To Eyford, in Berkshire. It is a little place near the borders of Oxfordshire, and within seven miles of Reading. There is a train fromPaddington which would bring you there at about 11:15.'" 'Very good.'" 'I shall come down in a carriage to meet you.'" 'There is a drive, then?'" 'Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good sevenmiles from Eyford Station.'" 'Then we can hardly get there before midnight. I suppose there wouldbe no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop the night.'" 'Yes, we could easily give you a shake-down.'" 'That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenienthour?'" 'We have judged it best that you should come late. It is to recompenseyou for any inconvenience that we are paying to you, a young andunknown man, a fee which would buy an opinion from the very heads ofyour profession. Still, of course, if you would like to draw out of thebusiness, there is plenty of time to do so.'"I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they would be tome. 'Not at all,' said I, 'I shall be very happy to accommodate myself toyour wishes. I should like, however, to understand a little more clearlywhat it is that you wish me to do.'" 'Quite so. It is very natural that the pledge of secrecy which we haveexacted from you should have aroused your curiosity. I have no wish tocommit you to anything without your having it all laid before you. Isuppose that we are absolutely safe from eavesdroppers?'" 'Entirely.'" 'Then the matter stands thus. You are probably aware that fuller'searth is a valuable product, and that it is only found in one or two placesin England?'" 'I have heard so.'" 'Some little time ago I bought a small place-a very small place-within ten miles of Reading. I was fortunate enough to discover that therewas a deposit of fuller's-earth in one of my fields. On examining it,however, I found that this deposit was a comparatively small one, and thatit formed a link between two very much larger ones upon the right andleft-both of them, however, in the grounds of my neighbours. These goodpeople were absolutely ignorant that their land contained that which wasquite as valuable as a gold-mine. Naturally, it was to my interest to buytheir land before they discovered its true value, but unfortunately I had nocapital by which I could do this. I took a few of my friends into the secret,however, and they suggested that we should quietly and secretly work ourown little deposit, and that in this way we should earn the money whichwould enable us to buy the neighbouring fields. This we have now beendoing for some time, and in order to help us in our operations we erecteda hydraulic press. This press, as I have already explained, has got out oforder, and we wish your advice upon the subject. We guard our secretvery jealously, however, and if it once became known that we hadhydraulic engineers coming to our little house, [279] it would soon rouseinquiry, and then, if the facts came out, it would be good-bye to any chance of getting these fields and carrying out our plans. That is why Ihave made you promise me that you will not tell a human being that youare going to Eyford to-night. I hope that I make it all plain?'" 'I quite follow you,' said I. 'The only point which I could not quiteunderstand was what use you could make of a hydraulic press inexcavating fuller's-earth, which, as I understand, is dug out like gravelfrom a pit.'" 'Ah!' said he carelessly, 'we have our own process. We compress theearth into bricks, so as to remove them without revealing what they are.But that is a mere detail. I have taken you fully into my confidence now,Mr. Hatherley, and I have shown you how I trust you.' He rose as hespoke. 'I shall expect you, then, at Eyford at 11:15.'" 'I shall certainly be there.'" 'And not a word to a soul.' He looked at me with a last, long,questioning gaze, and then, pressing my hand in a cold, dank grasp, hehurried from the room."Well, when I came to think it all over in cool blood I was very muchastonished, as you may both think, at this sudden commission which hadbeen intrusted to me. On the one hand, of course, I was glad, for the feewas at least tenfold what I should have asked had I set a price upon myown services, and it was possible that this order might lead to other ones.On the other hand, the face and manner of my patron had made anunpleasant impression upon me, and I could not think that his explanationof the fuller's-earth was sufficient to explain the necessity for my comingat midnight, and his extreme anxiety lest I should tell anyone of myerrand. However, I threw all fears to the winds, ate a hearty supper, droveto Paddington, and started off, having obeyed to the letter the injunctionas to holding my tongue."At Reading I had to change not only my carriage but my station.However, I was in time for the last train to Eyford, and I reached the littledim-lit station after eleven o'clock. I was the only passenger who got outthere, and there was no one upon the platform save a single sleepy porterwith a lantern. As I passed out through the wicket gate, however, I foundmy acquaintance of the morning waiting in the shadow upon the otherside. Without a word he grasped my arm and hurried me into a carriage,the door of which was standing open. He drew up the windows on eitherside, tapped on the wood-work, and away we went as fast as the horsecould go.""One horse?" interjected Holmes."Yes, only one.""Did you observe the colour?""Yes, I saw it by the side-lights when I was stepping into the carriage.It was a chestnut.""Tired-looking or fresh?""Oh, fresh and glossy.""Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue yourmost interesting statement.""Away we went then, and we drove for at least an hour. ColonelLysander Stark had said that it was only seven miles, but I should think, from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the time that we took, that itmust have been nearer twelve. He sat at my side in silence all the time,and I was aware, more than once when I glanced in his direction, that hewas looking at me with great intensity. [280] The country roads seem to benot very good in that part of the world, for we lurched and jolted terribly.I tried to look out of the windows to see something of where we were, butthey were made of frosted glass, and I could make out nothing save theoccasional bright blur of a passing light. Now and then I hazarded someremark to break the monotony of the journey, but the colonel answeredonly in monosyllables, and the conversation soon flagged. At last,however, the bumping of the road was exchanged for the crispsmoothness of a gravel-drive, and the carriage came to a stand. ColonelLysander Stark sprang out, and, as I followed after him, pulled me swiftlyinto a porch which gaped in front of us. We stepped, as it were, right outof the carriage and into the hall, so that I failed to catch the most fleetingglance of the front of the house. The instant that I had crossed thethreshold the door slammed heavily behind us, and I heard faintly therattle of the wheels as the carriage drove away."It was pitch dark inside the house, and the colonel fumbled aboutlooking for matches and muttering under his breath. Suddenly a dooropened at the other end of the passage, and a long, golden bar of light shotout in our direction. It grew broader, and a woman appeared with a lampin her hand, which she held above her head, pushing her face forward andpeering at us. I could see that she was pretty, and from the gloss withwhich the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a richmaterial. She spoke a few words in a foreign tongue in a tone as thoughasking a question, and when my companion answered in a gruffmonosyllable she gave such a start that the lamp nearly fell from herhand. Colonel Stark went up to her, whispered something in her ear, andthen, pushing her back into the room from whence she had come, hewalked towards me again with the lamp in his hand." 'Perhaps you will have the kindness to wait in this room for a fewminutes,' said he, throwing open another door. It was a quiet, little,plainly furnished room, with a round table in the centre, on which severalGerman books were scattered. Colonel Stark laid down the lamp on thetop of a harmonium beside the door. 'I shall not keep you waiting aninstant,' said he, and vanished into the darkness."I glanced at the books upon the table, and in spite of my ignorance ofGerman I could see that two of them were treatises on science, the othersbeing volumes of poetry. Then I walked across to the window, hopingthat I might catch some glimpse of the country-side, but an oak shutter,heavily barred, was folded across it. It was a wonderfully silent house.There was an old clock ticking loudly somewhere in the passage, butotherwise everything was deadly still. A vague feeling of uneasinessbegan to steal over me. Who were these German people, and what werethey doing living in this strange, out-of-the-way place? And where wasthe place? I was ten miles or so from Eyford, that was all I knew, butwhether north, south, east, or west I had no idea. For that matter, Reading,and possibly other large towns, were within that radius, so the place might not be so secluded, after all. Yet it was quite certain, from the absolutestillness, that we were in the country. I paced up and down the room,humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling that Iwas thoroughly earning my fifty-guinea fee."Suddenly, without any preliminary sound in the midst of the utterstillness, the door of my room swung slowly open. The woman wasstanding in the aperture, the darkness of the hall behind her, the yellowlight from my lamp beating upon her eager and beautiful face. I could seeat a glance that she was sick with fear, and the sight sent a chill to myown heart. She held up one shaking finger to warn [281] me to be silent,and she shot a few whispered words of broken English at me, her eyesglancing back, like those of a frightened horse, into the gloom behind her." 'I would go,' said she, trying hard, as it seemed to me, to speakcalmly; 'I would go. I should not stay here. There is no good for you todo.'" 'But, madam,' said I, 'I have not yet done what I came for. I cannotpossibly leave until I have seen the machine.'" 'It is not worth your while to wait,' she went on. 'You can passthrough the door; no one hinders.' And then, seeing that I smiled andshook my head, she suddenly threw aside her constraint and made a stepforward, with her hands wrung together. 'For the love of Heaven!' shewhispered, 'get away from here before it is too late!'"But I am somewhat headstrong by nature, and the more ready toengage in an affair when there is some obstacle in the way. I thought ofmy fifty-guinea fee, of my wearisome journey, and of the unpleasant night which seemed to be before me. Was it all to go for nothing? Whyshould I slink away without having carried out my commission, andwithout the payment which was my due? This woman might, for all Iknew, be a monomaniac. With a stout bearing, therefore, though hermanner had shaken me more than I cared to confess, I still shook my headand declared my intention of remaining where I was. She was about torenew her entreaties when a door slammed overhead, and the sound ofseveral footsteps was heard upon the stairs. She listened for an instant,threw up her hands with a despairing gesture, and vanished as suddenlyand as noiselessly as she had come."The newcomers were Colonel Lysander Stark and a short thick manwith a chinchilla beard growing out of the creases of his double chin, whowas introduced to me as Mr. Ferguson." 'This is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel. 'By the way, Iwas under the impression that I left this door shut just now. I fear that youhave felt the draught.'" 'On the contrary,' said I, 'I opened the door myself because I felt theroom to be a little close.'"He shot one of his suspicious looks at me. 'Perhaps we had betterproceed to business, then,' said he. 'Mr. Ferguson and I will take you upto see the machine.'" 'I had better put my hat on, I suppose.'" 'Oh, no, it is in the house.'" 'What, you dig fuller's-earth in the house?'" 'No, no. This is only where we compress it. But never mind that. Allwe wish you to do is to examine the machine and to let us know what iswrong with it.'"We went upstairs together, the colonel first with the lamp, the fatmanager and I behind him. It was a labyrinth of an old house, withcorridors, passages, narrow winding staircases, and little low doors, thethresholds of which were hollowed out by the generations who hadcrossed them. There were no carpets and no signs of any furniture abovethe ground floor, while the plaster was peeling off the walls, and the dampwas breaking through in green, unhealthy blotches. I tried to put on asunconcerned an air as possible, but I had not forgotten the warnings of thelady, even though I disregarded them, and I kept a keen eye upon my twocompanions. Ferguson appeared to be a morose and silent man, but Icould see from the little that he said that he was at least a fellowcountryman."Colonel Lysander Stark stopped at last before a low door, which heunlocked. [282] Within was a small, square room, in which the three of uscould hardly get at one time. Ferguson remained outside, and the colonelushered me in." 'We are now,' said he, 'actually within the hydraulic press, and itwould be a particularly unpleasant thing for us if anyone were to turn iton. The ceiling of this small chamber is really the end of the descendingpiston, and it comes down with the force of many tons upon this metalfloor. There are small lateral columns of water outside which receive theforce, and which transmit and multiply it in the manner which is familiar to you. The machine goes readily enough, but there is some stiffness inthe working of it, and it has lost a little of its force. Perhaps you will havethe goodness to look it over and to show us how we can set it right.'"I took the lamp from him, and I examined the machine verythoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of exercisingenormous pressure. When I passed outside, however, and pressed downthe levers which controlled it, I knew at once by the whishing sound thatthere was a slight leakage, which allowed a regurgitation of water throughone of the side cylinders. An examination showed that one of the indiarubber bands which was round the head of a driving-rod had shrunk so asnot quite to fill the socket along which it worked. This was clearly thecause of the loss of power, and I pointed it out to my companions, whofollowed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical questionsas to how they should proceed to set it right. When I had made it clear tothem, I returned to the main chamber of the machine and took a good lookat it to satisfy my own curiosity. It was obvious at a glance that the storyof the fuller's-earth was the merest fabrication, for it would be absurd tosuppose that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate apurpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a large irontrough, and when I came to examine it I could see a crust of metallicdeposit all over it. I had stooped and was scraping at this to see exactlywhat it was when I heard a muttered exclamation in German and saw thecadaverous face of the colonel looking down at me." 'What are you doing there?' he asked."I felt angry at having been tricked by so elaborate a story as that whichhe had told me. 'I was admiring your fuller's-earth,' said I; 'I think that Ishould be better able to advise you as to your machine if I knew what theexact purpose was for which it was used.'"The instant that I uttered the words I regretted the rashness of myspeech. His face set hard, and a baleful light sprang up in his gray eyes." 'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He tooka step backward, slammed the little door, and turned the key in the lock. Irushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it was quite secure, and didnot give in the least to my kicks and shoves. 'Hello!' I yelled. 'Hello!Colonel! Let me out!'"And then suddenly in the silence I heard a sound which sent my heartinto my mouth. It was the clank of the levers and the swish of the leakingcylinder. He had set the engine at work. The lamp still stood upon thefloor where I had placed it when examining the trough. By its light I sawthat the black ceiling was coming down upon me, slowly, jerkily, but, asnone knew better than myself, with a force which must within a minutegrind me to a shapeless pulp. I threw myself, screaming, against the door,and dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the colonel to let meout, but the remorseless clanking of the levers drowned my cries. Theceiling was only a foot or two above my head, and with my hand upraisedI could feel its hard, rough surface. Then it flashed through my mind that[283] the pain of my death would depend very much upon the position inwhich I met it. If I lay on my face the weight would come upon my spine,and I shuddered to think of that dreadful snap. Easier the other way,perhaps; and yet, had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly blackshadow wavering down upon me? Already I was unable to stand erect,when my eye caught something which brought a gush of hope back to myheart."I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron, the wallswere of wood. As I gave a last hurried glance around, I saw a thin line ofyellow light between two of the boards, which broadened and broadenedas a small panel was pushed backward. For an instant I could hardlybelieve that here was indeed a door which led away from death. The nextinstant I threw myself through, and lay half-fainting upon the other side.The panel had closed again behind me, but the crash of the lamp, and a few moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me hownarrow had been my escape."I was recalled to myself by a frantic plucking at my wrist, and I foundmyself lying upon the stone floor of a narrow corridor, while a womanbent over me and tugged at me with her left hand, while she held a candlein her right. It was the same good friend whose warning I had so foolishlyrejected." 'Come! come!' she cried breathlessly. 'They will be here in amoment. They will see that you are not there. Oh, do not waste the soprecious time, but come!'"This time, at least, I did not scorn her advice. I staggered to my feetand ran with her along the corridor and down a winding stair. The latterled to another broad passage, and just as we reached it we heard the soundof running feet and the shouting of two voices, one answering the otherfrom the floor on which we were and from the one beneath. My guidestopped and looked about her like one who is at her wit's end. Then shethrew open a door which led into a bedroom, through the window ofwhich the moon was shining brightly." 'It is your only chance,' said she. 'It is high, but it may be that youcan jump it.'"As she spoke a light sprang into view at the further end of the passage,and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark rushing forward witha lantern in one hand and a weapon like a butcher's cleaver in the other. Irushed across the bedroom, flung open the window, and looked out. Howquiet and sweet and wholesome the garden looked in the moonlight, and itcould not be more than thirty feet down. I clambered out upon the sill, butI hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between mysaviour and the ruffian who pursued me. If she were ill-used, then at anyrisks I was determined to go back to her assistance. The thought hadhardly flashed through my mind before he was at the door, pushing hisway past her; but she threw her arms round him and tried to hold himback." 'Fritz! Fritz!' she cried in English, 'remember your promise after thelast time. You said it should not be again. He will be silent! Oh, he will besilent!'" 'You are mad, Elise!' he shouted, struggling to break away from her.'You will be the ruin of us. He has seen too much. Let me pass, I say!' Hedashed her to one side, and, rushing to the window, cut at me with hisheavy weapon. I had let myself go, and was hanging by the hands to thesill, when his blow fell. I was conscious of a dull pain, my grip loosened,and I fell into the garden below."I was shaken but not hurt by the fall; so I picked myself up and rushedoff among the bushes as hard as I could run, for I understood that I wasfar from being out of danger yet. Suddenly, however, as I ran, a deadlydizziness and sickness came [284] over me. I glanced down at my hand,which was throbbing painfully, and then, for the first time, saw that mythumb had been cut off and that the blood was pouring from my wound. Iendeavoured to tie my handkerchief round it, but there came a suddenbuzzing in my ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the rosebushes."How long I remained unconscious I cannot tell. It must have been avery long time, for the moon had sunk, and a bright morning wasbreaking when I came to myself. My clothes were all sodden with dew,and my coat-sleeve was drenched with blood from my wounded thumb.The smarting of it recalled in an instant all the particulars of my night'sadventure, and I sprang to my feet with the feeling that I might hardly yetbe safe from my pursuers. But to my astonishment, when I came to lookround me, neither house nor garden were to be seen. I had been lying inan angle of the hedge close by the highroad, and just a little lower downwas a long building, which proved, upon my approaching it, to be thevery station at which I had arrived upon the previous night. Were it notfor the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed during thosedreadful hours might have been an evil dream."Half dazed, I went into the station and asked about the morning train.There would be one to Reading in less than an hour. The same porter was on duty, I found, as had been there when I arrived. I inquired of himwhether he had ever heard of Colonel Lysander Stark. The name wasstrange to him. Had he observed a carriage the night before waiting forme? No, he had not. Was there a police-station anywhere near? There wasone about three miles off."It was too far for me to go, weak and ill as I was. I determined to waituntil I got back to town before telling my story to the police. It was a littlepast six when I arrived, so I went first to have my wound dressed, andthen the doctor was kind enough to bring me along here. I put the caseinto your hands and shall do exactly what you advise."We both sat in silence for some little time after listening to thisextraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock Holmes pulled down from theshelf one of the ponderous commonplace books in which he placed hiscuttings."Here is an advertisement which will interest you," said he. "Itappeared in all the papers about a year ago. Listen to this:"Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged twenty-six, ahydraulic engineer. Left his lodgings at ten o'clock at night, andhas not been heard of since. Was dressed in-etc., etc. Ha! That represents the last time that the colonel needed to havehis machine overhauled, I fancy.""Good heavens!" cried my patient. "Then that explains what the girlsaid.""Undoubtedly. It is quite clear that the colonel was a cool and desperateman, who was absolutely determined that nothing should stand in the wayof his little game, like those out-and-out pirates who will leave nosurvivor from a captured ship. Well, every moment now is precious, so ifyou feel equal to it we shall go down to Scotland Yard at once as apreliminary to starting for Eyford."Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train together,bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. There were SherlockHolmes, the hydraulic engineer, Inspector Bradstreet, of Scotland Yard, aplain-clothes man, and myself. [285] Bradstreet had spread an ordnancemap of the county out upon the seat and was busy with his compassesdrawing a circle with Eyford for its centre."There you are," said he. "That circle is drawn at a radius of ten milesfrom the village. The place we want must be somewhere near that line.You said ten miles, I think, sir.""It was an hour's good drive.""And you think that they brought you back all that way when you wereunconscious?""They must have done so. I have a confused memory, too, of havingbeen lifted and conveyed somewhere.""What I cannot understand," said I, "is why they should have sparedyou when they found you lying fainting in the garden. Perhaps the villainwas softened by the woman's entreaties.""I hardly think that likely. I never saw a more inexorable face in my life.""Oh, we shall soon clear up all that," said Bradstreet. "Well, I havedrawn my circle, and I only wish I knew at what point upon it the folkthat we are in search of are to be found.""I think I could lay my finger on it," said Holmes quietly."Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your opinion!Come, now, we shall see who agrees with you. I say it is south, for thecountry is more deserted there.""And I say east," said my patient."I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are severalquiet little villages up there.""And I am for north," said I, "because there are no hills there, and ourfriend says that he did not notice the carriage go up any.""Come," cried the inspector, laughing; "it's a very pretty diversity ofopinion. We have boxed the compass among us. Who do you give yourcasting vote to?""You are all wrong.""But we can't all be.""Oh, yes, you can. This is my point." He placed his finger in the centreof the circle. "This is where we shall find them.""But the twelve-mile drive?" gasped Hatherley."Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the horsewas fresh and glossy when you got in. How could it be that if it had gonetwelve miles over heavy roads?""Indeed, it is a likely ruse enough," observed Bradstreet thoughtfully."Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature of this gang.""None at all," said Holmes. "They are coiners on a large scale, andhave used the machine to form the amalgam which has taken the place ofsilver.""We have known for some time that a clever gang was at work," saidthe inspector. "They have been turning out half-crowns by the thousand.We even traced them as far as Reading, but could get no farther, for theyhad covered their traces in a way that showed that they were very oldhands. But now, thanks to this lucky chance, I think that we have gotthem right enough."But the inspector was mistaken, for those criminals were not destinedto fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into Eyford Station we saw agigantic column of smoke which streamed up from behind a small clumpof trees in the neighbourhood and hung like an immense ostrich featherover the landscape.[286] "A house on fire?" asked Bradstreet as the train steamed off againon its way."Yes, sir!" said the station-master."When did it break out?""I hear that it was during the night, sir, but it has got worse, and thewhole place is in a blaze.""Whose house is it?""Dr. Becher's.""Tell me," broke in the engineer, "is Dr. Becher a German, very thin,with a long, sharp nose?"The station-master laughed heartily. "No, sir, Dr. Becher is anEnglishman, and there isn't a man in the parish who has a better-linedwaistcoat. But he has a gentleman staying with him, a patient, as Iunderstand, who is a foreigner, and he looks as if a little good Berkshirebeef would do him no harm."The station-master had not finished his speech before we were allhastening in the direction of the fire. The road topped a low hill, and therewas a great widespread whitewashed building in front of us, spouting fireat every chink and window, while in the garden in front three fire-engineswere vainly striving to keep the flames under."That's it!" cried Hatherley, in intense excitement. "There is the graveldrive, and there are the rose-bushes where I lay. That second window isthe one that I jumped from.""Well, at least," said Holmes, "you have had your revenge upon them.There can be no question that it was your oil-lamp which, when it wascrushed in the press, set fire to the wooden walls, though no doubt they were too excited in the chase after you to observe it at the time. Now keepyour eyes open in this crowd for your friends of last night, though I verymuch fear that they are a good hundred miles off by now."And Holmes's fears came to be realized, for from that day to this noword has ever been heard either of the beautiful woman, the sinisterGerman, or the morose Englishman. Early that morning a peasant had meta cart containing several people and some very bulky boxes drivingrapidly in the direction of Reading, but there all traces of the fugitivesdisappeared, and even Holmes's ingenuity failed ever to discover the leastclue as to their whereabouts.The firemen had been much perturbed at the strange arrangementswhich they had found within, and still more so by discovering a newlysevered human thumb upon a window-sill of the second floor. Aboutsunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and they subduedthe flames, but not before the roof had fallen in, and the whole place beenreduced to such absolute ruin that, save some twisted cylinders and ironpiping, not a trace remained of the machinery which had cost ourunfortunate acquaintance so dearly. Large masses of nickel and of tinwere discovered stored in an out-house, but no coins were to be found,which may have explained the presence of those bulky boxes which havebeen already referred to.How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to thespot where he recovered his senses might have remained forever amystery were it not for the soft mould, which told us a very plain tale. Hehad evidently been carried down by two persons, one of whom hadremarkably small feet and the other unusually large ones. On the whole, itwas most probable that the silent Englishman, being less bold or lessmurderous than his companion, had assisted the woman to bear theunconscious man out of the way of danger.[287] "Well," said our engineer ruefully as we took our seats to returnonce more to London, "it has been a pretty business for me! I have lostmy thumb and I have lost a fifty-guinea fee, and what have I gained?""Experience," said Holmes, laughing. "Indirectly it may be of value,you know; you have only to put it into words to gain the reputation ofbeing excellent company for the remainder of your existence."David Soucek, 1998 Th