ightyawkwardifitcomestoanarrestforconspiracyandmurder.”
“Youthinkitwillcometothat?”
Hewasinhismostcheerfulanddebonairhumour.“MydearWatson,whenIhaveexterminatedthatfourtheggIshallbereadytoputyouintouchwiththewholesituation.Idon'tsaythatwehavefathomedit—farfromit—butwhenwehavetracedthemissingdumb-bell—”
“Thedumb-bell!”
“Dearme,Watson,isitpossiblethatyouhavenotpenetratedthefactthatthecasehangsuponthemissingdumb-bell?Well,well,youneednotbedowncastforbetweenourselvesIdon'tthinkthateitherInspectorMacortheexcellentlocalpractitionerhasgraspedtheoverwhelmingimportanceofthisincident.Onedumb-bell,Watson!Consideranathletewithonedumb-bell!Picturetoyourselftheunilateraldevelopment,theimminentdangerofaspinalcurvature.Shocking,Watson,shocking!”
Hesatwithhismouthfulloftoastandhiseyessparklingwithmischief,watchingmyintellectualentanglement.ThemeresightofhisexcellentappetitewasanassuranceofsuccessforIhadveryclearrecollectionsofdaysandnightswithoutathoughtoffood,whenhisbaffledmindhadchafedbeforesomeproblemwhilehisthin,eagerfeaturesbecamemoreattenuatedwiththeasceticismofcompletementalconcentration.Finallyhelithispipe,andsittingintheinglenookoftheoldvillageinnhetalkedslowlyandatrandomabouthiscase,ratherasonewhothinksaloudthanasonewhomakesaconsideredstatement.
“Alie,Watson—agreat,big,thumping,obtrusive,uncompromisinglie—that'swhatmeetsusonthethreshold!Thereisourstartingpoint.ThewholestorytoldbyBarkerisalie.ButBarker'sstoryiscorroboratedbyMrs.Douglas.Thereforesheislyingalso.Theyarebothlying,andinaconspiracy.Sonowwehavetheclearproblem.Whyaretheylying,andwhatisthetruthwhichtheyaretryingsohardtoconceal?Letustry,Watson,youandI,ifwecangetbehindthelieandreconstructthetruth.
“HowdoIknowthattheyarelying?Becauseitisaclumsyfabricationwhichsimplycouldnotbetrue.Consider!Accordingtothestorygiventous,theassassinhadlessthanaminuteafterthemurderhadbeencommittedtotakethatring,whichwasunderanotherring,fromthedeadman'sfinger,toreplacetheotherring—athingwhichhewouldsurelyneverhavedone—andtoputthatsingularcardbesidehisvictim.Isaythatthiswasobviouslyimpossible.
“Youmayargue—butIhav