Iamafraid,Watson,thatIshallhavetogo,”saidHolmes,aswesatdowntogethertoourbreakfastonemorning.
“Go!Whereto?”
“ToDartmoortoKing’sPyland.”
Iwasnotsurprised.Indeed,myonlywonderwasthathehadnotalreadybeenmixedupinthisextraordinarycase,whichwastheonetopicofconversationthroughthelengthandbreadthofEngland.Forawholedaymycompanionhadrambledabouttheroomwithhischinuponhischestandhisbrowsknitted,chargingandrecharginghispipewiththestrongestblacktobacco,andabsolutelydeaftoanyofmyquestionsorremarks.Fresheditionsofeverypaperhadbeensentupbyournewsagent,onlytobeglancedoverandtosseddownintoacorner.Yet,silentashewas,Iknewperfectlywellwhatitwasoverwhichhewasbrooding.Therewasbutoneproblembeforethepublicwhichcouldchallengehispowersofanalysis,andthatwasthesingulardisappearanceofthefavouritefortheWessexCup,andthetragicmurderofitstrainer.When,therefore,hesuddenlyannouncedhisintentionofsettingoutforthesceneofthedramaitwasonlywhatIhadbothexpectedandhopedfor.
“IshouldbemosthappytogodownwithyouifIshouldnotbeintheway,”saidI.
“MydearWatson,youwouldconferagreatfavouruponmebycoming.AndIthinkthatyourtimewillnotbemisspent,fortherearepointsaboutthecasewhichpromisetomakeitanabsolutelyuniqueone.Wehave,Ithink,justtimetocatchourtrainatPaddington,andIwillgofurtherintothematteruponourjourney.Youwouldobligemebybringingwithyouyourveryexcellentfield-glass.”
AndsoithappenedthatanhourorsolaterIfoundmyselfinthecornerofafirst-classcarriageflyingalongenrouteforExeter,whileSherlockHolmes,withhissharp,eagerfaceframedinhisear-flappedtravelling-cap,dippedrapidlyintothebundleoffreshpaperswhichhehadprocuredatPaddington.WehadleftReadingfarbehindusbeforehethrustthelastoneofthemundertheseat,andofferedmehiscigar-case.
“Wearegoingwell,”saidhe,lookingoutthewindowandglancingathiswatch.“Ourrateatpresentisfifty-threeandahalfmilesanhour.”
“Ihavenotobservedthequarter-mileposts,”saidI.
“NorhaveI.Butthetelegraphpostsuponthislinearesixtyyardsapart,andthecalculationisasimpleone.IpresumethatyouhavelookedintothismatterofthemurderofJohnStrakerandthedisappearanceofSilverBlaze?”
“IhaveseenwhattheTelegraphandtheChroniclehavetosay.”
“Itisoneofthosecaseswheretheartofthereasonershouldbeusedratherforthesiftingofdetailsthanfortheacquiringoffreshevidence.Thetragedyhasbeensouncommon,socompleteandofsuchpersonalimportancetosomanypeople,thatwearesufferingfromaplethoraofsurmise,conjecture,andhypothesis.Thedifficultyistodetachtheframeworkoffact—ofabsoluteundeniablefact—fromtheembellishmentsoftheoristsandreporters.Then,havingestablishedourselvesuponthissoundbasis,itisourdutytoseewhatinferencesmaybedrawnandwhatarethespecialpointsuponwhichthewholemysteryturns.OnTuesdayeveningIreceivedtelegramsfrombothColonelRoss,theownerofthehorse,andfromInspectorGregory,whoislookingafterthecase,invitingmyco-operation.”
“Tuesdayevening!”Iexclaimed.“AndthisisThursdaymorning.Whydidn’tyougodownyesterday?”
“BecauseImadeablunder,mydearWatson—whichis,Iamafraid,amorecommonoccurrencethananyonewouldthinkwhoonlyknewmethroughyourmemoirs.ThefactisthatIcouldnotbelieveitpossiblethatthemostremarkablehorseinEnglandcouldlongremainconcealed,especiallyinsosparselyinhabitedaplaceasthenorthofDartmoor.FromhourtohouryesterdayIexpectedtohearthathehadbeenfound,andthathisabductorwasthemurdererofJohnStraker.When,however,anothermorninghadcome,andIfoundthatbeyondthearrestofyoungFitzroySimpsonnothinghadbeendone,Ifeltthatitwastimeformetotakeaction.YetinsomewaysIfeelthatyesterdayhasnotbeenwasted.”
“Youhaveformedatheory,then?”
“AtleastIhavegotagripoftheessentialfactsofthecase.Ishallenumeratethemtoyou,fornothingclearsupacasesomuchasstatingittoanotherperson,andIcanhardlyexpectyourco-operationifIdonotshowyouthepositionfromwhichwestart.”
Ilaybackagainstthecushions,puffingatmycigar,whileHolmes,leaningforward,withhislong,thinforefingercheckingoffthepointsuponthepalmofhislefthand,gavemeasketchoftheeventswhichhadledtoourjourney.
“SilverBlaze,”saidhe,“isfromtheIsonomystock,andholdsasbrilliantarecordashisfamousancestor.Heisnowinhisfifthyear,andhasbroughtinturneachoftheprizesoftheturftoColonelRoss,hisfortunateowner.UptothetimeofthecatastrophehewasthefirstfavouritefortheWessexCup,thebettingbeingthreetooneonhim.Hehasalways,however,beenaprimefavouritewiththeracingpublic,andhasneveryetdisappointedthem,sothatevenatthoseoddsenormoussumsofmoneyhavebeenlaiduponhim.Itisobvious,therefore,