eatpainstoconcealthebody,andyetleaveyourownstickasasignthatyouwerethecriminal?Confess,Lestrade,thatallthisisveryunlikely.”
“Astothestick,Mr.Holmes,youknowaswellasIdothatacriminalisoftenflurried,anddoessuchthings,whichacoolmanwouldavoid.Hewasverylikelyafraidtogobacktotheroom.Givemeanothertheorythatwouldfitthefacts.”
“Icouldveryeasilygiveyouhalfadozen,”saidHolmes.“Hereforexample,isaverypossibleandevenprobableone.Imakeyouafreepresentofit.Theoldermanisshowingdocumentswhichareofevidentvalue.Apassingtrampseesthemthroughthewindow,theblindofwhichisonlyhalfdown.Exitthesolicitor.Enterthetramp!Heseizesastick,whichheobservesthere,killsOldacre,anddepartsafterburningthebody.”
“Whyshouldthetrampburnthebody?”
“Forthematterofthat,whyshouldMcFarlane?”
“Tohidesomeevidence.”
“Possiblythetrampwantedtohidethatanymurderatallhadbeencommitted.”
“Andwhydidthetramptakenothing?”
“Becausetheywerepapersthathecouldnotnegotiate.”
Lestradeshookhishead,thoughitseemedtomethathismannerwaslessabsolutelyassuredthanbefore.
“Well,Mr.SherlockHolmes,youmaylookforyourtramp,andwhileyouarefindinghimwewillholdontoourman.Thefuturewillshowwhichisright.Justnoticethispoint,Mr.Holmes:thatsofarasweknow,noneofthepaperswereremoved,andthattheprisoneristheonemanintheworldwhohadnoreasonforremovingthem,sincehewasheir-at-law,andwouldcomeintotheminanycase.”
Myfriendseemedstruckbythisremark.
“Idon’tmeantodenythattheevidenceisinsomewaysverystronglyinfavourofyourtheory,”saidhe.“Ionlywishtopointoutthatthereareothertheoriespossible.Asyousay,thefuturewilldecide.Good-morning!IdaresaythatinthecourseofthedayIshalldropinatNorwoodandseehowyouaregettingon.”
Whenthedetectivedeparted,myfriendroseandmadehispreparationsfortheday’sworkwiththealertairofamanwhohasacongenialtaskbeforehim.
“MyfirstmovementWatson,”saidhe,ashebustledintohisfrockcoat,“must,asIsaid,beinthedirectionofBlackheath.”
“AndwhynotNorwood?”
“Becausewehaveinthiscaseonesingularincidentcomingclosetotheheelsofanothersingularincident.Thepolicearemakingthemistakeofconcentratingtheirattentionuponthesecond,becauseithappenstobetheonewhichisactuallycriminal.Butitisevidenttomethatthelogicalwaytoapproachthecaseistobeginbytryingtothrowsomelightuponthefirstincident—thecuriouswill,sosuddenlymade,andtosounexpectedanheir.Itmaydosomethingtosimplifywhatfollowed.No,mydearfellow,Idon’tthinkyoucanhelpme.Thereisnoprospectofdanger,orIshouldnotdreamofstirringoutwithoutyou.ItrustthatwhenIseeyouintheevening,IwillbeabletoreportthatIhavebeenabletodosomethingforthisunfortunateyoungster,whohasthrownhimselfuponmyprotection.”
Itwaslatewhenmyfriendreturned,andIcouldsee,byaglanceathishaggardandanxiousface,thatthehighhopeswithwhichhehadstartedhadnotbeenfulfilled.Foranhourhedronedawayuponhisviolin,endeavouringtosoothehisownruffledspirits.Atlastheflungdowntheinstrument,andplungedintoadetailedaccountofhismisadventures.
“It’sallgoingwrong,Watson—allaswrongasitcango.IkeptaboldfacebeforeLestrade,but,uponmysoul,Ibelievethatforoncethefellowisontherighttrackandweareonthewrong.Allmyinstinctsareoneway,andallthefactsaretheother,andImuchfearthatBritishjurieshavenotyetattainedthatpitchofintelligencewhentheywillgivethepreferencetomytheoriesoverLestrade’sfacts.”
“DidyougotoBlackheath?”
“Yes,Watson,Iwentthere,andIfoundveryquicklythatthelatelamentedOldacrewasaprettyconsiderableblackguard.Thefatherwasawayinsearchofhisson.Themotherwasathome—alittle,fluffy,blue-eyedperson,inatremoroffearandindignation.Ofcourse,shewouldnotadmiteventhepossibilityofhisguilt.ButshewouldnotexpresseithersurpriseorregretoverthefateofOldacre.Onthecontrary,shespokeofhimwithsuchbitternessthatshewasunconsciouslyconsiderablystrengtheningthecaseofthepolicefor,ofcourse,ifhersonhadheardherspeakofthemaninthisfashion,itwouldpredisposehimtowardshatredandviolence.‘Hewasmorelikeamalignantandcunningapethanahumanbeing,’saidshe,‘andhealwayswas,eversincehewasayoungman.’
“‘Youknewhimatthattime?’saidI.
“‘Yes,Iknewhimwell,infact,hewasanoldsuitorofmine.ThankheaventhatIhadthesensetoturnawayfromhimandtomarryabetter,ifpoorer,man.Iwasengagedtohim,Mr.Holmes,whenIheardashockingstoryofhowhehadturnedacatlooseinanaviary,andIwassohorrifiedathisbrutalcrueltyt