eslookedthoughtful.“Isee,Watson.Youaresketchingoutatheorybywhicheverythingtheysayfromthebeginningisfalse.Accordingtoyouridea,therewasneveranyhiddenmenace,orsecretsociety,orValleyofFear,orBossMacSomebody,oranythingelse.Well,thatisagoodsweepinggeneralization.Letusseewhatthatbringsusto.Theyinventthistheorytoaccountforthecrime.Theythenplayuptotheideabyleavingthisbicycleintheparkasproofoftheexistenceofsomeoutsider.Thestainonthewindowsillconveysthesameidea.Sodoesthecardonthebody,whichmighthavebeenpreparedinthehouse.Thatallfitsintoyourhypothesis,Watson.Butnowwecomeonthenasty,angular,uncompromisingbitswhichwon'tslipintotheirplaces.Whyacut-offshotgunofallweapons—andanAmericanoneatthat?Howcouldtheybesosurethatthesoundofitwouldnotbringsomeoneontothem?It'samerechanceasitisthatMrs.Allendidnotstartouttoinquirefortheslammingdoor.Whydidyourguiltycoupledoallthis,Watson?”
“IconfessthatIcan'texplainit.”
“Thenagain,ifawomanandherloverconspiretomurderahusband,aretheygoingtoadvertisetheirguiltbyostentatiouslyremovinghisweddingringafterhisdeath?Doesthatstrikeyouasveryprobable,Watson?”
“No,itdoesnot.”
“Andonceagain,ifthethoughtofleavingabicycleconcealedoutsidehadoccurredtoyou,woulditreallyhaveseemedworthdoingwhenthedullestdetectivewouldnaturallysaythisisanobviousblind,asthebicycleisthefirstthingwhichthefugitiveneededinordertomakehisescape.”
“Icanconceiveofnoexplanation.”
“Andyetthereshouldbenocombinationofeventsforwhichthewitofmancannotconceiveanexplanation.Simplyasamentalexercise,withoutanyassertionthatitistrue,letmeindicateapossiblelineofthought.Itis,Iadmit,mereimaginationbuthowoftenisimaginationthemotheroftruth?
“Wewillsupposethattherewasaguiltysecret,areallyshamefulsecretinthelifeofthismanDouglas.Thisleadstohismurderbysomeonewhois,wewillsuppose,anavenger,someonefromoutside.Thisavenger,forsomereasonwhichIconfessIamstillatalosstoexplain,tookthedeadman'sweddingring.Thevendettamightconceivablydatebacktotheman'sfirstmarriage,andtheringbetakenforsomesuchreason.
“Beforethisavengergotaway,Barkerandthewifehadreachedtheroom.Theassassinconvincedthemthatanyattempttoar