aps,that.AndyetthisJohnOpenshawseemstometobewalkingamidevengreaterperilsthandidtheSholtos.”
“Buthaveyou,”Iasked,“formedanydefiniteconceptionastowhattheseperilsare?”
“Therecanbenoquestionastotheirnature,”heanswered.
“Thenwhatarethey?WhoisthisK.K.K.,andwhydoeshepursuethisunhappyfamily?”
SherlockHolmesclosedhiseyesandplacedhiselbowsuponthearmsofhischair,withhisfinger-tipstogether.“Theidealreasoner,”heremarked,“would,whenhehadoncebeenshownasinglefactinallitsbearings,deducefromitnotonlyallthechainofeventswhichleduptoitbutalsoalltheresultswhichwouldfollowfromit.AsCuviercouldcorrectlydescribeawholeanimalbythecontemplationofasinglebone,sotheobserverwhohasthoroughlyunderstoodonelinkinaseriesofincidentsshouldbeabletoaccuratelystatealltheotherones,bothbeforeandafter.Wehavenotyetgraspedtheresultswhichthereasonalonecanattainto.Problemsmaybesolvedinthestudywhichhavebaffledallthosewhohavesoughtasolutionbytheaidoftheirsenses.Tocarrytheart,however,toitshighestpitch,itisnecessarythatthereasonershouldbeabletoutiliseallthefactswhichhavecometohisknowledgeandthisinitselfimplies,asyouwillreadilysee,apossessionofallknowledge,which,eveninthesedaysoffreeeducationandencyclop?dias,isasomewhatrareaccomplishment.Itisnotsoimpossible,however,thatamanshouldpossessallknowledgewhichislikelytobeusefultohiminhiswork,andthisIhaveendeavouredinmycasetodo.IfIrememberrightly,youononeoccasion,intheearlydaysofourfriendship,definedmylimitsinaveryprecisefashion.”
“Yes,”Ianswered,laughing.“Itwasasingulardocument.Philosophy,astronomy,andpoliticsweremarkedatzero,Iremember.Botanyvariable,geologyprofoundasregardsthemud-stainsfromanyregionwithinfiftymilesoftown,chemistryeccentric,anatomyunsystematic,sensationalliteratureandcrimerecordsunique,violin-player,boxer,swordsman,lawyer,andself-poisonerbycocaineandtobacco.Those,Ithink,werethemainpointsofmyanalysis.”
Holmesgrinnedatthelastitem.“Well,”hesaid,“Isaynow,asIsaidthen,thatamanshouldkeephislittlebrain-atticstockedwithallthefurniturethatheislikelytouse,andtheresthecanputawayinthelumber-roomofhislibrary,wherehecangetitifhewantsit.Now,forsuchacaseastheonewhichhasbeensubmittedtousto-night,weneedcertainlytomusterallourresources.KindlyhandmedowntheletterKoftheAmericanEncyclop?diawhichstandsupontheshelfbesideyou.Thankyou.Nowletusconsiderthesituationandseewhatmaybededucedfromit.Inthefirstplace,wemaystartwithastrongpresumptionthatColonelOpenshawhadsomeverystrongreasonforleavingAmerica.MenathistimeoflifedonotchangealltheirhabitsandexchangewillinglythecharmingclimateofFloridaforthelonelylifeofanEnglishprovincialtown.HisextremeloveofsolitudeinEnglandsuggeststheideathathewasinfearofsomeoneorsomething,sowemayassumeasaworkinghypothesisthatitwasfearofsomeoneorsomethingwhichdrovehimfromAmerica.Astowhatitwashefeared,wecanonlydeducethatbyconsideringtheformidableletterswhichwerereceivedbyhimselfandhissuccessors.Didyouremarkthepostmarksofthoseletters?”
“ThefirstwasfromPondicherry,thesecondfromDundee,andthethirdfromLondon.”
“FromEastLondon.Whatdoyoudeducefromthat?”
“Theyareallseaports.Thatthewriterwasonboardofaship.”
“Excellent.Wehavealreadyaclue.Therecanbenodoubtthattheprobability—thestrongprobability—isthatthewriterwasonboardofaship.Andnowletusconsideranotherpoint.InthecaseofPondicherry,sevenw