“Now,Watson,”saidHolmes,rubbinghishands,“wehavehalfanhourtoourselves.Letusmakegooduseofit.Mycaseis,asIhavetoldyou,almostcompletebutwemustnoterronthesideofover-confidence.Simpleasthecaseseemsnow,theremaybesomethingdeeperunderlyingit.”
“Simple!”Iejaculated.
“Surely,”saidhe,withsomethingoftheairofaclinicalprofessorexpoundingtohisclass.“Justsitinthecornerthere,thatyourfootprintsmaynotcomplicatematters.Nowtowork!Inthefirstplace,howdidthesefolkcome,andhowdidtheygo?Thedoorhasnotbeenopenedsincelastnight.Howofthewindow?”Hecarriedthelampacrosstoit,mutteringhisobservationsaloudthewhile,butaddressingthemtohimselfratherthantome.“Windowissnibbedontheinnerside.Frameworkissolid.Nohingesattheside.Letusopenit.Nowater-pipenear.Roofquiteoutofreach.Yetamanhasmountedbythewindow.Itrainedalittlelastnight.Hereistheprintofafootinmoulduponthesill.Andhereisacircularmuddymark,andhereagainuponthefloor,andhereagainbythetable.Seehere,Watson!Thisisreallyaveryprettydemonstration.”
Ilookedattheround,well-definedmuddydiscs.“Thisisnotafootmark,”saidI.
“Itissomethingmuchmorevaluabletous.Itistheimpressionofawoodenstump.Youseehereonthesillistheboot-mark,aheavybootwiththebroadmetalheel,andbesideitisthemarkofthetimber-toe.”
“Itisthewooden-leggedman.”
“Quiteso.Buttherehasbeensomeoneelse,—averyableandefficientally.Couldyouscalethatwall,doctor?”
Ilookedoutoftheopenwindow.Themoonstillshonebrightlyonthatangleofthehouse.Wewereagoodsixtyfeetfromtheground,and,lookwhereIwould,Icouldseenofoothold,norasmuchasacreviceinthebrick-work.
“Itisabsolutelyimpossible,”Ianswered.
“Withoutaiditisso.ButsupposeyouhadafriendupherewholoweredyouthisgoodstoutropewhichIseeinthecorner,securingoneendofittothisgreathookinthewall.Then,Ithink,ifyouwereanactiveman,Youmightswarm