A Study in Scarlet Part 2

The victim and murderer are described in shocking detail.

Included in this episode:

Chapter 3 The Lauriston Gardens Mystery

Chapter 4 What John Rance had to tell

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Contact the pod on: thesolobc@gmail.com 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Solo Book Club. We're currently reading a study in Scarlet by Arthur Kuhn and Doyle, the very first Sherlock Holmes novel. This is part two. Part one, we covered the first couple chapters where Watson meets Holmes, they decide to go in together on a couple rooms at 221 Baker Street, and then Watson has this question. He knows how Holmes spends his time. He's very interested in really weird topics, but he can't figure out what Holmes does for a living. How does he bring the money in? Anyway, he gets to the point where Watson reads an article in the newspaper, unbeknownst to him, Holmes had written it about noticing, deducting, all that good stuff. Watson tries to prove Sherlock wrong and is proven wrong himself. So here we are getting into the first mystery that Sherlock Holmes undertakes. Chapter 3: The Loriston Gardens Mystery. I confess that I was considerably startled by this fresh proof of the practical nature of my companion's theories. My respect for his powers of analysis increased wondrously. There still remains some lurking suspicion in my mind, however, that the whole thing was a pre-arranged episode, intended to dazzle me, though what earthly object he could have in taking me in was past my comprehension. When I looked at him, he had finished reading the note and his eyes had assumed the vacant, lackluster expression that showed mental abstraction. How in the world did you deduce that? I asked. Deduce what? he said petulantly. Why, that he was a retired sergeant of marines. I've no time for trifles, he answered brusquely, then with a smile. Excuse my rudeness. You broke the thread of my thoughts, but perhaps it is as well. So you actually were not able to see that the man was a sergeant of marines? No indeed. It was easier to know it than to explain why I know it. If you were asked to prove that two and two made four, you might find some difficulty, and yet you were quite sure of a fact. Even across the street I could see a blue anchor tattooed on the back of the fellow's hand that smacked of the sea. He had a military carriage, however, and regulation side whiskers. There we have the Marine. He was a man with some amount of self-importance and a certain air of command. Jeez. It's like the pot calling the kettle black. You must have observed the way in which he held his head and swung his cane. A steady, respectable, middle aged man too on the face of him, all facts which led me to believe that he had been a sergeant. Wonderful, I ejaculated. Commonplace, said Holmes, though I thought from his expression that he was pleased at my evident surprise and admiration. I said just now that there were no criminals. It appears that I am wrong. Look at this. He threw me over the note which the commissioner had brought. Why? I cried as I cast my eye over it. This is terrible. It does seem to be a little out of the common, he remarked calmly. Would you mind reading it to me aloud? This is the letter which I read to him. My dear Mr Sherlock Holmes, there has been a bad business during the night at three Loriston Gardens off the Brixton Road. Our man in the beat saw a light there about two in the morning, and as the house was an empty one, suspected that something was amiss. He found the door open and in the front room, which is bare of furniture, discovered the body of a gentleman, well dressed and having cards in his pocket bearing the name Enoch J. Drebber, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. There had been no robbery, nor is there any evidence as to how the man met his death. There are marks of blood in the room, but there is no wound upon his person. We are at a loss as to how he came into the empty house. Indeed, the whole affair is a puzzler. If you can come round to the house any time before twelve, you will find me there. I've left everything in status quo until I hear from you. If you are unable to come, I shall give you fuller details and would esteem it a great kindness if you would favour me with your opinion. Yours faithfully, Tobias Gregson. Ooh intriguing. Gregson is the smartest of the Scotland yarders, my friend remarked. He and Lestrade are the pick of a bad lot. They are both quick and energetic but conventional. Shockingly so. They have their knives into one another too. They are as jealous as a pair of professional beauties. There will be some fun over this case if they are both put upon the scent. I was amazed at the calm way in which he rippled on. Surely there is not a moment to be lost, I cried. Shall I go and order you a cab? I'm not sure about whether I shall go. I am the most incurably lazy devil that ever stood in shoe leather, that is, when the fit is on me, for I can be spry enough at times. Why is it just such a chance as you have been longing for? My dear fellow, what does it matter to me? Supposing I unravel the whole matter, you may be sure that Gregson, Lestrade and Coe will pocket all the credit that comes of being an unofficial personage. But he begs you to help him. Yes, he knows that I am his superior and acknowledges it to me, but he would cut his tongue out before he would own it to any third person. However, we may as well go and have a look. I shall work it out on my own hook. I may have a laugh at them, if I have nothing else. Come on. He hustled on his overcoat and bustled about in a way that showed that an energetic fit had superseded the aposthetic one. Get your hat, he said. You wish me to come? Yes, if you have nothing better to do. A minute later we were both in a hansom, driving furiously for the Brixton Road. It was a foggy, cloudy morning, and a dun coloured veil hung over the housetops, looking like the reflection of the mud-coloured streets beneath. My companion was in the best of spirits and prattled away about Cremona fiddles and the differences between a Stradivarius and an Amati. As for myself, I was silent, for the dull weather and the melancholy business upon which we were engaged depressed my spirits. You don't seem to give much thought to the matter in hand, I said at last, interrupting Holmes's musical disquisition. No data yet, he answered. It is a capital mistake to theorize before you have all the evidence. It biases the judgment. You will have your data soon, I remarked, pointing with my finger. This is Brixton Road, and that is the house if I am not very much mistaken. So it is. Stop, driver, stop. We were still a hundred yards or so from it, but he insisted upon our lighting, and we finished our journey upon foot. Number three, Loriston Gardens, wore an ill-omened and miniature look. It was one of four which stood back some little way from the street, two being occupied and two empty. The latter looked out with three tiers of vacant melancholy windows, which were blank and dreary, save that here and there a tillette card had developed like a cataract upon the blearied panes. A small garden sprinkled over with a scattered eruption of sickly plants separated each of these houses from the street, and was traversed by a narrow pathway, yellowish in colour, and consisting apparently of a mixture of clay and gravel. Ooh, clay and gravel, maybe that's a clue. The whole place was very sloppy from the rain which had fallen through the night.

unknown 7:50

Another glue.

SPEAKER_00 7:52

The garden was bounded by a three-foot brick wall with a fringe of wood rails upon the top, and against this wall was leaning a stallwart police constable, surrounded by a small knot of loafers who craned their necks and strained their eyes in the vain hope of catching some glimpse of the proceedings within. I had imagined that Sherlock Holmes would at once have hurried into the house and plunged into a study of the mystery. Nothing appeared to be further from his intention. With an air of nonchalance which, under the circumstances, seemed to me to border upon affectation, he lounged up and down the pavement and gazed vacantly at the ground, the sky, the opposite houses, and the line of railings. Having finished his scrutiny, he proceeded slowly down the path, or rather down the fringe of grass which flanked the path, keeping his eyes riveted upon the ground. Twice he stopped, and once I saw him smile and heard him utter an exclamation of satisfaction. There were many marks of footsteps upon the wet, clayy soil, but since the police had been coming and going over it, I was unable to see how my companion could hope to learn anything from it. Still, I had had such extraordinary evidence of the quickness of his perceptive faculties that I had no doubt that he could see a great deal which was hidden from me. At the door of the house we were met by a tall, white-faced, flaxen-haired man with a notebook in his hand, who rushed forward and wrung my companion's hand with effusion. It is indeed kind of you to come, he said. I have had everything left untouched, except that, my friend answered, pointing at the pathway. If a herd of buffaloes had passed along, there could not be a greater mess. No doubt, however, you had drawn your own conclusions, Gregson, before you permitted this. I have had so much to do inside the house, the detective said evasively. My colleague, Mr Lestrade, is here. I'd relied upon him to look after this. Holmes glanced at me and raised his eyebrows sardonically. With two such men as yourself and Lestrade upon the ground, there will not be much for a third party to find out, he said. Gregson rubbed his hands in a self satisfied way. I think we have done all that can be done, he answered. It's a queer case, though, and I knew your taste for such things. You did not come here in a cab? asked Sherlock Holmes. No, sir. Nor Lestrade? No, sir. Then let us go and look at the room. With which inconsequent remark he stood on into the house, followed by Gregson, whose features expressed his astonishment. A short passage, bare planked and dusty, led to the kitchen and offices. Two doors opened out of it to the left and to the right. One of these had obviously been closed for many weeks, the other belonged to the dining room, which was the apartment in which the mysterious affair had occurred. Holmes walked in and I followed him with that subdued feeling at my heart which the presence of death inspires. It was a large square room looking all the larger from the absence of all furniture. A vulgar, flaring paper adorned the walls, but it was blotched in places with mildew, and here and there great strips had become detached and hung down, exposing the yellow plus to beneath. Opposite the door was a showy fireplace surmounted by a mantelpiece of imitation white marble. On one corner of this was stuck the stump of a red wax candle. The solitary window was so dirty that the light was hazy and uncertain, giving a dull grey tinge to everything, which was intensified by the thick layer of dust which coated the whole apartment. All these details I observed afterwards. At present my attention was centred upon the single, grim, motionless figure which lay stretched upon the boards, with vacant, sightless eyes staring up at the discoloured ceiling. It was that of a man about 43 or 44 years of age, middle-sized, broad-shouldered, with crisp, curling black hair and a short, stubby beard. He was dressed in a heavy broadcloth frock coat and waistcoat with light-coloured trousers, an immaculate collar and cuffs. A top hat, well brushed and trimmed, was placed upon the floor beside him. His hands were clenched and his arms thrown abroad while his lower limbs were interlocked, as though his death struggle had been a grievous one. On his rigid face there stood an expression of horror and, as it seemed to me, of hatred, such as I have never seen upon human features. This malignant and terrible contortion, combined with the low forehead, blunt nose, and prognathous jaw, gave the dead man a singularly simious and ape-like appearance, which was increased by his writhing, unnatural posture. I have seen death in many forms, but never has it appeared to me in a more fearsome aspect than in that dark, grimy apartment which looked out upon one of the main arteries of suburban London. My God, what a description. And quite creepy as well. Look, this guy has died with a face of terror and horror, and he just looks unnatural. Lestrade, lean and ferret-like as ever, was standing by the doorway and greeted my companion and myself. This case will make a stir, sir, he remarked. It beats anything I have seen, and I'm no chicken. There is no clue, said Gregson. None at all, chimed in Lestrade. Ah, we'll see what Sherlock thinks about that. Sherlock Holmes approached the body and kneeling down examined it intently. You are sure that there is no wound? he asked, pointing to numerous gouts and splashes of blood which lay all round. Positive, cried both detectives. Then of course this blood belongs to a second individual, presumably the murderer, if murder has been committed. It reminds me of the circumstances attendant on the death of Van Jensen in Utrecht, in the year thirty-four. Do you remember the case, Gregson? No, sir. Read it up, you really should. There is nothing new under the sun, it has all been done before. As he spoke, his nimble fingers were flying here and there and everywhere, feeling, pressing, unbuttoning, examining, while his eyes wore the same faraway expression which I have already remarked upon. So swiftly was the examination made that one could hardly have guessed the minuteness with which it was conducted. Finally, he sniffed the dead man's lips, and then glanced at the soles of his patent leather boots. He has not been moved at all, he asked. No more than was necessary for the purposes of our examination. You can take him to the mortuary now, he said. There is nothing more to be learned. Gregson had a stretcher and four men at hand. At his call they entered the room and the stranger was lifted and carried out. As they raised him, a ring tinkled down and rolled across the floor. Lestra grabbed it up and stared at it with mystified eyes. There's been a woman here, he cried. It's a woman's wedding ring. He held it out as he spoke, upon the palm of his hand. We all gathered round and gazed at it. There could be no doubt that that circlet of plain gold had once adorned the finger of a bride. This complicates matters, said Gregson. Heaven knows they were complicated enough before. You sure it doesn't simplify them? observed Holmes. There's nothing to be learned by staring at it. What did you find in his pockets? We have it all here, said Gregson, pointing to a litter of objects upon one of the bottom steps of the stairs. A gold watch, number nine seven one sixty three by Barred of London, gold Albert chain, very heavy and solid, gold ring with masonic device, gold pin, bulldog's head with rubies as eyes, Russian leather card case with cards of Enoch J. Drebba of Cleveland, corresponding with the EJD upon the linen, no purse but loose money to the extent of £7.13, pocket edition of Boccaccio's Decameron, with name of Joseph Stangerson upon the fly leaf. Two letters, one addressed to E. J. Drebba, and one to Joseph Stangerson. At what address? American Exchange, Strand, to be left till called for. They are both from the Guon Steamship Company and refer to the sailing of their boats from Liverpool. It is clear that this unfortunate man was about to return to New York. Have you made any inquiries as to this man, Stangerson? I did it at once, sir, said Gregson. I have had advertisements sent to all the newspapers, and one of my men has gone to the American Exchange, but he has not returned yet. Have you sent to Cleveland? We telegraphed this morning. How did you word your inquiries? We simply detailed the circumstances and said that we should be glad of any information which could help us. You did not ask for particulars on any point which appeared to you to be crucial? I asked about Stangerson. Nothing else? Is there no circumstance on which this whole case appears to hinge? Will you not telegraph again? I have said all I have to say, said Gregson, in an offended voice. Sherlock Holmes chuckled to himself and appeared to be about to make some remark when Lestrade, who had been in the front room while we were holding this conversation in the hall, reappeared upon the scene, rubbing his hands in a pompous and self-satisfied manner. Mr Gregson, he said, I have just made a discovery of the highest importance, and one which would have been overlooked had I not made a careful examination of the walls. The little man's eyes sparkled as he spoke. He was evidently in a state of suppressed exultation at having scored a point against his colleague. Come here, he said, bustling back into the room, the atmosphere of which felt clearer since the removal of its ghastly inmate. Now stand there. He struck a match on his boot and held it up against the wall. Look at that, he said triumphantly. I've remarked that the paper had fallen away in parts. In this particular corner of the room a large piece had peeled off, leaving a yellow square of coarse plastering. Across this bare space there was scrawled in blood red letters a single word. Rach. What do you think of that? cried the detective, with the air of a showman exhibiting his show. This was overlooked because it was in the darkest corner of the room, and no one thought of looking there. The murderer has written it with his or her own blood. See this smear where it has trickled down the wall? That disposes the idea of suicide anyhow. Why was this corner chosen to write it on? I will tell you. See that candle on the mantelpiece? It was lit at the time, and if it was lit, this corner would be the brightest instead of the darkest portion of the wall. And what does it mean now that you have found it? asked Gregson in a deprecatory voice. Mean? Why, it means that the writer was going to put the female name Rachel, but was disturbed before he or she had time to finish. You mark my words, when this case comes to be cleared up, you will find that a woman named Rachel has something to do with it. It's all very well for you to laugh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. You may be very smart and clever, but the old hound is the best when all is said and done. I really beg your pardon, said my companion, who had ruffled the little man's temper by bursting into an explosion of laughter. You certainly have the credit of being the first of us to find this out, and, as you say, it bears every mark of having been written by the other participant in last night's mystery. I have not had time to examine this room yet, but with your permission I shall do so now. As he spoke, he whipped a tape measure and a large round magnifying glass from his pocket. With these two implements, he trotted noiselessly about the room, sometimes stopping, occasionally kneeling, and once lying flat upon his face. So engrossed was he with his occupation that he appeared to have forgotten our presence, for he chattered away to himself under his breath the whole time, keeping up a running five exclamations, groans, whistles, and little cries suggestive of encouragement and of hope. As I watched him, I was irresistibly reminded of a pure-blooded, well-trained foxhound as it dashes backwards and forwards through the covet, whining in its eagerness until it comes across the lost scent. For twenty minutes or more he continued his researches, measuring with the most exact care the distance between marks which were entirely invisible to me, and occasionally applying his tape to the walls in an equally incomprehensible manner. In one place he gathered up very carefully a little pile of grey dust from the floor and packed it away in an envelope. Finally, he examined with his glass the word upon the wall, going over every letter of it with the most minute exactness. This was done, he appeared to be satisfied, for he replaced his tape and his glass in his pocket. They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains, he remarked with a smile. It's a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work. Gregson and Lestrade had watched the manoeuvres of their amateur companion with considerable curiosity and some contempt. They evidently failed to appreciate the fact, which I had begun to realise, that Sherlock Holmes's smallest actions were all directed towards some definite and practical end. What do you think of it, sir? They both asked. It would be robbing you of the credit of the case if I was to presume to help you, remarked my friend. You are doing so well now that it would be a pity for anyone to interfere. There was a world of sarcasm in his voice as he spoke. If you will let me know how your investigations go, he continued, I shall be happy to give you any help I can. In the meantime, I should like to speak to the constable who found the body. Can you give me his name and address? Lestrade glanced at his notebook. John Rance, he said, he is off duty now. You will find him at forty six Audley Court, Kennington Park Gate. Holmes took note of the address. Come along, doctor, he said, we shall go and look him up. I'll tell you one thing which may help you in the case, he continued, turning to the two detectives. There has been murder done, and the murderer was a man. He was more than six feet high, was in the prime of life, had small feet for his height, wore coarse square toed boots, and smoked a trichinopoly cigar. What on earth is a trichinopoly cigar? Let's look it up. Okay, a trichinopoly cigar, it's a type of cigar out of India. Now I don't know about you, but I know nothing about cigars. This one apparently is open at both ends. I don't know what that means, but if you're into cigars, that's what the guy who murdered our victim was smoking. He came here with his victim in a four-wheeled cab, which was drawn by a horse with three old shoes and one new one on his off foreleg. In all probability the murderer had a florid face and the fingernails of his right hand were remarkably long. Now how on earth does he know that? These are only a few indications, but they may assist you. Lestrade and Gregson glanced at each other with an incredulous smile. If this man was murdered, how was it done? asked the former. Poison, said Sherlock Holmes curtly, and strode off. One other thing, Lestrade, he added, turning round to the door. Rach is the German for revenge, so don't lose your time by looking for Miss Rachel. With which Parthian shot he walked away, leaving the two rivals open mouthed behind him. Ah, Holmes likes to do that a fair bit. He likes to just kind of drop a deduction bomb. Alright, so that was chapter three, in which we have our murder victim, and Sherlock Holmes has given a pretty distinctive description of our murderer. Let's see what the constable has to say. Chapter 4. What John Ranch Had to Tell It was one o'clock when we left number three Loriston Gardens. Sherlock Holmes led me to the nearest telegraph office, whence he dispatched a long telegram. He then hailed a cab and ordered the driver to take us to the address given us by Lestrade. There is nothing like first hand evidence, he remarked. As a matter of fact, my mind is entirely made up about the case. But still we may as well learn all that is to be learned. You amaze me, Holmes, said I. Surely you are not as sure as you pretend to be of all those particulars which you gave. There is no room for mistake, he answered. The very first thing which I observed on arriving there was that a cab had made two ruts with its wheels close to the curb. Ah, Holmes did ask if either of the detectives had arrived in a cab and they'd both said no. Now, up to last night we have had no rain for a week, so that those wheels which left such a deep impression must have been there during the night. There were the marks of the horses' hoofs too, the outline of one which was far more clearly cut than that of the other three, showing that there was a new shoe. Since the cab was there after the rain began was not there at any time during the morning, I have Gregson's word for that. It follows that it must have been there during the night, and therefore that it brought those two individuals to the house. That seems simple enough, said I. But how about the other man's height? Why, the height of a man, in nine cases out of ten, can be told from the length of his stride. It is a simple calculation enough, though there is no use my boring you with the figures. I had this fellow stride both on the clay outside and on the dust within. Then I had a way of checking my calculation. When a man writes on a wall, his instinct leads him to write about the level of his own eyes. Now that writing was just over six feet from the ground. It was child's play. Now I do have to say that this being able to tell someone's height from the length of their strike is an actual forensic technique that is used in actual forensics to solve murders today. And I imagine it was used back at Conan Doyle's time, but isn't that crazy that this actual proven Fresni technique is in Sherlock Holmes? I mean he's not just making it up. And his age? I asked. Well, if a man can stride four and a half feet without the smallest effort, he can't be quite in the sear in yellow. That was the breadth of a puddle on the garden walk which he had evidently walked across. Patent leather boots had gone round and square toes had hopped over. He's already given them nicknames. There is no mystery about it at all. I am simply applying to ordinary life a few of those precepts of observation and deduction which I advocated in that article. Is there anything else that puzzles you? The fingernails and the trichinopoly, I suggested. The writing on the wall was done with a man's forefinger dipped in blood. My glass allowed me to observe that the plaster was slightly scratched in doing it, which would not have been the case if the man's nail had been trimmed. Now that is being observant. I gathered up some scattered ash from the floor. It was dark in colour and flaky. Such an ash is only made by trichinopoly. I have made now I do have to just note I have no clue if I'm pronouncing that correctly, but anyway. If you wish to Google it, it spells the way that I am making it sound. If that's Hellford or I have made a special study of cigar ashes. In fact, I've written a monograph upon the subject. Now, a monograph, which Holmes loves to write, they are basically long form scholarly texts that are on a very single focused, specialized subject, such as that of cigarette ash. And differentiating it from like a general science article that you might see in like a science journal, those are generally written by multiple authors, whereas a monograph is generally written on by one author who has extensive research in that very tiny specialized area. Something to which we know Sherlock Holmes has many. I flatter myself that I can distinguish at a glance the ash of any known brand, either of cigar or of tobacco. It is just in such details that the skilled detective differs from the Gregson and Lestrade type. And the florid face, I asked. Ah, that was more of a daring shot, though I have no doubt that I was right. You must not ask me that at the present state of the affair. I pass my hand over my brow. My head is in a whirl, I remarked. The more one thinks of it, the more mysterious it grows. How came these two men, if there were two men, into an empty house? What has become of the cabman who drove them? How could one man compel another to take poison? Where did the blood come from? What was the object of the murderer, since robbery had no part in it? How came the woman's ring there? Above all, why should the second man write up the German word Rach upon the decamping? I confess that I cannot see any possible way of reconciling all these facts. Okay, um obviously Rach is not how you pronounce that in German, except that I can't actually pronounce that word in German, so I'm just going to keep pronouncing it Rach so that we all know what the word is. My companion smiled approvingly. You sum up the difficulties of the situation succinctly and well, he said. There is much that is still obscure, though I have quite made up my mind on the main facts. As to Paul Lestrade's discovery, it was simply a blind intended to put the police upon a wrong tract by suggesting socialism and secret societies. Ooh. It was not done by a German. The A, if you notice, was printed somewhat after the German fashion. Now, a real German invariably prints in the Latin character, so that we may safely say that this was not written by one, but by a clumsy imitator who overdid his part. It was simply a ruse to divert inquiry into a wrong channel. I'm not going to tell you much more of a case, Doctor. You know a conjurer gets no credit once he has explained his trick, and if I show you too much of my method of working, you will come to the conclusion that I am a very ordinary individual after all. I shall never do that, I answered. You have brought detection as near an exact science as it ever will be brought in this world. My companion flushed with pleasure at my words and the earnest way in which I uttered them. I had already observed that he was as sensitive to fluttery and the score of his art as any girl could be of her beauty. I'll tell you one other thing, he said. Patent leathers and square toes came in the same cab, and they walked down the pathway together as friendly as possible, arm in arm in all probability. When they got inside, they walked up and down the room, or rather, patent leathers stood while square toes walked up and down. I could read all that in the dust, and I could read that as I walked he grew more and more excited. That is shown by the increased length of his strides. He was talking all the while and working himself up, no doubt, into a fury. Then the tragedy occurred. I've told you all I know myself now, for the rest is mere surmise and conjecture. We have a good working basis, however, on which to start. We must hurry up, for I want to go to Haley's concert to hear Norman Naruda this afternoon. I'm assuming they are musicians. This conversation had occurred while our cab had been threading its way through a long succession of dingy streets and dreary byways. In the dingiest and dreariest of them, our driver suddenly came to a stand. That's Audley Court in there, he said, pointing to a narrow slit in the line of dead coloured brick. You'll find me here when you come back. Audley Court was not an attractive locality. The narrow passage led us into a quadrangle paved with flags and lined by sordid dwellings. We picked our way among groups of dirty children and through lines of discoloured linen until we came to number 46, the door of which was decorated with a small slip of brass on which the name Rance was engraved. On inquiry we found that the constable was in bed, and we were shown into a little front parlour to await his coming. He appeared presently, looking a little irritable at being disturbed in his slumbers. I made my report at the office, he said. Holmes took a half sovereign from his pocket, played with it pensively. We thought that we should like to hear it from your own lips, he said. I shall be most happy to tell you anything I can, the constable answered, with his eyes upon the little golden disc. Just let us hear it all in your own way as it occurred. Rant sat down in the horsehair sofa and knitted his brows, as though determined not to omit anything in his narrative. I'll tell it ye from the beginning, he said. My time is from ten at night to six in the morning. At eleven there was a fight at the White Heart, but bar that all was quiet enough on the beat. One o'clock it began to rain, and I met Harry Murcher, him who has the Holland Grove beat, and we stood together at the corner of Henrietta Street a talkin'. Presently, maybe about two or a little after, I thought I would take a look round and see that all was right down the Brixton Road. It was precious dirty and lonely. Not a soul did I meet all the way down, though a cab or two went past me. I was a strollin down, thinking between ourselves how uncommon handy a four of gin hot would be, when suddenly the glint of light caught my eye in the window of that same house. Now, I knew that them two houses in Loriston Gardens was empty on account of him that owns them who won't have the drain seed to, though the very last tenant who lived in one of them died of typhoid fever. I was knocked all in a heap, therefore at seeing a light in the window, and I suspected as something was wrong. When I got to the door, you stopped and then walked back to the garden gate, my companion interrupted. What did you do that for? Rance gave a violent jump and stared at Sherlock Holmes with the utmost amazement upon his features. Why, that's true, sir, he said, though how you come to know it, heaven only knows. Ye see, when I got up to the door it was so still and lonesome that I thought I'd be none the worse for someone with me. I interfered of anything on this side of the grave, but I thought that maybe it was him that died or the typhoid inspecting the drains what killed him. The thought gave me a kind of turn, and I walked back to the gate to see if I could see Murch's lantern, but there wasn't no sign of him nor of anyone else. There was no one in the street. Not a living soul, sir, nor as much as a dog. Then I pulled myself together and went back and pushed the open door. All was quiet inside, so I went into the room where the light was a burning. There was a candle flickering on the mantelpiece, a red wax one, and by its light I saw Yes, I know all that you saw. You walked round the room several times and you knelt down by the body, and then you walked through and tried the kitchen door. And then John Rant sprang to his feet with a frightened face and suspicion in his eyes. Where was you hid to see all that? he cried. Seems to me that you knows a deal more than you should. Holmes laughed and threw his card across the table to the constable. Don't get arresting me for murder, he said. I am one of the hounds and not the wolf. Mr Gregson and Mr Lestrade will answer for that. Go on though, what did you do next? Rance resumed his seat without, however, losing his mystified expression. I went back to the gate and sounded my whistle. That brought Mercher and two more to the spot. Was the street empty then? Well it was, as far as anybody that could be of any good goes. What do you mean? The constable's features broadened into a grin. I've seen many a drunk chap in my time, he said, but never anyone so crying drunk as that cove. He was at the gate when I came out, a leanin' up again the railings, and a singin' to the pitch of his lungs about Columbine's new fangled banner or some such stuff. He couldn't stand far less help. What sort of a man was he? asked Sherlock Holmes. John Rance appeared to be somewhat irritated at this digression. He was an uncommon drunk sort of man, he said. He'd had found hisself in the station if we hadn't been so took up. His face, his dress, did you notice them? Holmes broke in impatiently. I should think I did notice them, seeing that I had to prop him up, me mercher between us. He was a long chap, with a red face, the lower part muffled round. That would do, cried Holmes. What became of him? We'd enough to do without looking after him, the policeman said in an aggrieved voice. A wager he found his way home, all right. How was he dressed? A brown overcoat? Had he a whip in his hand? A whip? No. He must have left it behind, murmured my companion. You didn't happen to see or hear a cab after that. No. There's a half sovereign for you, my companion said, standing up and taking his hat. I'm afraid, Rance, that you will never rise in the force. The head of yours should be for use as well as ornament. You might have gained your sergeant's stripes last night. The man whom you held in your hands is the man who holds the clue of this mystery, whom we are seeking. There is no use of arguing about it now. I tell you that it is so. Come along, doctor. We started off for the cab together, leaving our informant incredulous, but obviously uncomfortable. The blundering fool, Holmes said bitterly as we drove back to our lodgings. Just to think of his having such an incomparable bit of luck not taking advantage of it. I am rather in the dark still. It is true that the description of this man tallies with your idea of the second party in this mystery, but why should he come back to the house after leaving it? That is not the way of criminals. The ring, man, the ring! That was what he came back for. If we have no other way of catching him, we can always bait our line with the ring. I shall have him, doctor. I'll lay you two to one that I have him. I must thank you for it all. I might not have gone but for you, and so have missed the finest study I ever came across. A study in Scarlet, eh? Why shouldn't we use a little art jargon? There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless scheme of life, and our duty is to unravel it and isolate it, and expose every inch of it. And now for lunch, and then for Norman Naruda. Her attack and her Boeing are splendid. What's that little thing of choppins she plays so magnificently? Tra la la lira lira lay. Leaning back in the cab, this amateur bloodhound caroled away like a lark while I meditated upon the many-sidedness of the human mind. Whoa. Okay, let's leave it there for today, but a very interesting couple of chapters. We have seen our murder victim. Sherlock Holmes has declared that it is thus a murder. We've had a couple of red herrings already. And we know our murderer. And the constable who found the body has already been in contact with the murderer without even knowing about it. The fool. I will say, this is, I mean, I don't know about you guys, but I am getting sucked into this story. It is really, really interesting. And there is one thing I have to say. As much as Sherlock Holmes is saying to Dr. Watson, I'm not going to tell you all of my secrets, because like a magician, I want you to be amazed at the end. But Holmes, to his credit, does not gatekeep his knowledge, his deductive powers, his observations, or even his knowledge on, say, like the cigar ash. He writes monographs, he puts it out into the world. He's like, people learn from what I have studied and apply it yourselves to catch all the murderers. And I really like that. How he's really public and upfront and freely giving of what he knows in order to help people who may want to be helped. But I do like how he plays with Lestrade and Gregson. He's just like, you know what? I've mmm you guys are going pretty well. And um, you let me know what happens, and then I might be able to help you. I'm not gonna give you anything for free. Like you've gotta work for it. And he kind of does that with Watson as well, but not to the same extent. I think because Watson isn't he's not a detective, that's not what he's meant to be doing. But I do love how Watson is so open and intrigued and willing to learn. So I guess we'll find out what happens in next week's episode of A Study in Scarlet. Until then.