up,woodenlegandall.Youwoulddepart,ofcourse,inthesamefashion,andyourallywoulddrawuptherope,untieitfromthehook,shutthewindow,snibitontheinside,andgetawayinthewaythatheoriginallycame.Asaminorpointitmaybenoted,”hecontinued,fingeringtherope,“thatourwooden-leggedfriend,thoughafairclimber,wasnotaprofessionalsailor.Hishandswerefarfromhorny.Mylensdisclosesmorethanoneblood-mark,especiallytowardstheendoftherope,fromwhichIgatherthatheslippeddownwithsuchvelocitythathetooktheskinoffhishand.”
“Thisisallverywell,”saidI,“butthethingbecomesmoreunintelligiblethanever.Howaboutthismysteriousally?Howcameheintotheroom?”
“Yes,theally!”repeatedHolmes,pensively.“Therearefeaturesofinterestaboutthisally.Heliftsthecasefromtheregionsofthecommonplace.Ifancythatthisallybreaksfreshgroundintheannalsofcrimeinthiscountry,—thoughparallelcasessuggestthemselvesfromIndia,and,ifmymemoryservesme,fromSenegambia.”
“Howcamehe,then?”Ireiterated.“Thedoorislocked,thewindowisinaccessible.Wasitthroughthechimney?”
“Thegrateismuchtoosmall,”heanswered.“Ihadalreadyconsideredthatpossibility.”
“Howthen?”Ipersisted.
“Youwillnotapplymyprecept,”hesaid,shakinghishead.“HowoftenhaveIsaidtoyouthatwhenyouhaveeliminatedtheimpossiblewhateverremains,howeverimprobable,mustbethetruth?Weknowthathedidnotcomethroughthedoor,thewindow,orthechimney.Wealsoknowthathecouldnothavebeenconcealedintheroom,asthereisnoconcealmentpossible.Whence,then,didhecome?”
“Hecamethroughtheholeintheroof,”Icried.
“Ofcoursehedid.Hemusthavedoneso.Ifyouwillhavethekindnesstoholdthelampforme,weshallnowextendourresearchestotheroomabove,—thesecretroominwhichthetreasurewasfound.”
Hemountedthesteps,and,seizingarafterwitheitherhand,heswunghimselfupintothegarret.Then,lyingonhisface,hereacheddownforthe