shownbythiswomanintoasitting-room,whereafrugalsupperwaslaidout.Afterwards,Mr.JonasOldacreledmeintohisbedroom,inwhichtherestoodaheavysafe.Thisheopenedandtookoutamassofdocuments,whichwewentovertogether.Itwasbetweenelevenandtwelvewhenwefinished.Heremarkedthatwemustnotdisturbthehousekeeper.HeshowedmeoutthroughhisownFrenchwindow,whichhadbeenopenallthistime.”
“Wastheblinddown?”askedHolmes.
“Iwillnotbesure,butIbelievethatitwasonlyhalfdown.Yes,Irememberhowhepulleditupinordertoswingopenthewindow.Icouldnotfindmystick,andhesaid,‘Nevermind,myboy,Ishallseeagooddealofyounow,Ihope,andIwillkeepyourstickuntilyoucomebacktoclaimit.’Ilefthimthere,thesafeopen,andthepapersmadeupinpacketsuponthetable.ItwassolatethatIcouldnotgetbacktoBlackheath,soIspentthenightattheAnerleyArms,andIknewnothingmoreuntilIreadofthishorribleaffairinthemorning.”
“Anythingmorethatyouwouldliketoask,Mr.Holmes?”saidLestrade,whoseeyebrowshadgoneuponceortwiceduringthisremarkableexplanation.
“NotuntilIhavebeentoBlackheath.”
“YoumeantoNorwood,”saidLestrade.
“Oh,yes,nodoubtthatiswhatImusthavemeant,”saidHolmes,withhisenigmaticalsmile.Lestradehadlearnedbymoreexperiencesthanhewouldcaretoacknowledgethatthatbraincouldcutthroughthatwhichwasimpenetrabletohim.Isawhimlookcuriouslyatmycompanion.
“IthinkIshouldliketohaveawordwithyoupresently,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidhe.“Now,Mr.McFarlane,twoofmyconstablesareatthedoor,andthereisafour-wheelerwaiting.”Thewretchedyoungmanarose,andwithalastbeseechingglanceatuswalkedfromtheroom.Theofficersconductedhimtothecab,butLestraderemained.
Holmeshadpickedupthepageswhichformedtheroughdraftofthewill,andwaslookingatthemwiththekeenestinterestuponhisface.
“Therearesomepointsaboutthatdocument,Lestrade,aretherenot?”saidhe,pushingthemover.
Theofficiallookedatthemwithapuzzledexpression.
“Icanreadthefirstfewlinesandtheseinthemiddleofthesecondpage,andoneortwoattheend.Thoseareasclearasprint,”saidhe,“butthewritinginbetweenisverybad,andtherearethreeplaceswhereIcannotreaditatall.”
“Whatdoyoumakeofthat?”saidHolmes.
“Well,whatdoyoumakeofit?”
“Thatitwaswritteninatrain.Thegoodwritingrepresentsstations,thebadwritingmovement,andtheverybadwritingpassingoverpoints.Ascientificexpertwouldpronounceatoncethatthiswasdrawnuponasuburbanline,sincenowheresaveintheimmediatevicinityofagreatcitycouldtherebesoquickasuccessionofpoints.Grantingthathiswholejourneywasoccupiedindrawingupthewill,thenthetrainwasanexpress,onlystoppingoncebetweenNorwoodandLondonBridge.”
Lestradebegantolaugh.
“Youaretoomanyformewhenyoubegintogetonyourtheories,Mr.Holmes,”saidhe.“Howdoesthisbearonthecase?”
“Well,itcorroboratestheyoungman’sstorytotheextentthatthewillwasdrawnupbyJonasOldacreinhisjourneyyesterday.Itiscurious—isitnot?—thatamanshoulddrawupsoimportantadocumentinsohaphazardafashion.Itsuggeststhathedidnotthinkitwasgoingtobeofmuchpracticalimportance.Ifamandrewupawillwhichhedidnotintendevertobeeffective,hemightdoitso.”
“Well,hedrewuphisowndeathwarrantatthesametime,”saidLestrade.
“Oh,youthinkso?”
“Don’tyou?”
“Well,itisquitepossible,butthecaseisnotcleartomeyet.”
“Notclear?Well,ifthatisn’tclear,whatcouldbeclearer?Hereisayoungmanwholearnssuddenlythat,ifacertainoldermandies,hewillsucceedtoafortune.Whatdoeshedo?Hesaysnothingtoanyone,buthearrangesthatheshallgooutonsomepretexttoseehisclientthatnight.Hewaitsuntiltheonlyotherpersoninthehouseisinbed,andtheninthesolitudeofaman’sroomhemurdershim,burnshisbodyinthewood-pile,anddepartstoaneighbouringhotel.Theblood-stainsintheroomandalsoonthestickareveryslight.Itisprobablethatheimaginedhiscrimetobeabloodlessone,andhopedthatifthebodywereconsumeditwouldhidealltracesofthemethodofhisdeath—traceswhich,forsomereason,musthavepointedtohim.Isnotallthisobvious?”
“Itstrikesme,mygoodLestrade,asbeingjustatrifletooobvious,”saidHolmes.“Youdonotaddimaginationtoyourothergreatqualities,butifyoucouldforonemomentputyourselfintheplaceofthisyoungman,wouldyouchoosetheverynightafterthewillhadbeenmadetocommityourcrime?Woulditnotseemdangeroustoyoutomakesoveryclosearelationbetweenthetwoincidents?Again,wouldyouchooseanoccasionwhenyouareknowntobeinthehouse,whenaservanthasletyouin?And,finally,wouldyoutakethegr