The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes

e ugly rumours which some twenty years ago agitated the university and were echoed in the learned societies of London. There were, however, certain obs

very last cases handled by Holmes before his retirement from practice. Even now a certa

ptember of the year 1903 that I recei

ent — if inconvenient c

ded upon whose nerve he could place some reliance, my role was obvious. But apart from this I had uses. I was a whetstone for his mind. I stimulated him. He liked to think aloud in my presence. His remarks could hardly be said to be made to me — many of them would have been as appropriately addressed to his bedstead — but none the

hat he was in the throes of some vexatious problem. With a wave of his hand he indicated my old armchair, but otherwise for half an hour he gave no sign that he w

to me within the last twenty-four hours, and they in turn have given rise to some speculations of a more general c

s been explored,” said I. “B

may recollect that in the case which you, in your sensational way, coupled with the Copper Beeches, I was able, by w

remember

y dog in a gloomy family, or a sad dog in a happy one? Snarling people have snarling dogs, danger

, Holmes, this is a litt

nd resumed his seat, takin

ting. It is a tangled skein, you understand, and I am looking for a loose end. One possible loos

it for so trivial a question as this that I had been

ace of it strange that a staid, elderly philosopher — you’ve heard of Presbury, of course, the famous Camford physiologist? — that s

dog i

master, save on very special occasions. Curious, Watson — very curious. But young Mr. Bennett is

handsome youth about thirty, well dressed and elegant, but with something in his bearing which suggested the shyness of the stud

tion in which I stand to Professor Presbury both privately and publicly.

l of discretion, and I can assure you that this is a m

ll, I am sure, understand my hav

at scientist, lives under his roof, and is engaged to his only daughter. Certainly we must agree that the professor has every

t is my one object. Does Dr

had time to

ver the ground again before exp

pean reputation. His life has been academic. There has never been a breath of scandal. He is a widower with one daughter, Edith. He is,

was not, as I understand, the reasoned courting of an elderly man but rather the passionate frenzy of youth, for no one could have shown himself a more devoted lover. The lady, Alice Mo

ther excessive,”

The daughter, however, had other views, and there were already several candidates for her hand, who, if they were less eligible from a worldly point

night and returned looking rather travel-worn. He made no allusion to where he had been, although he was usually the frankest of men. It chanced, however, that our client here, Mr. Bennett, received a letter

h had darkened his higher qualities. His intellect was not affected. His lectures were as brilliant as ever. But always there was something new, something sinister and unexpected. His daughter, who was devoted to him, tried again and ag

subdivided his letters. Shortly after his return all this was changed. He told me that certain letters might come to him from London which would be marked by a cross under the stamp. These were to be set aside for his own eyes only. I may say that se

box,” sai

pboard. One day, in looking for a canula, I took up the box. To my surprise he was very angry, and reproved me in words which were quite savage for my curiosity. It was the first time such a thing had happened, and I was deeply hurt. I endeavoured to expla

ess,” said Holmes. “I may need some

have it here that it was on that very day, July 2d, that Roy attacked the professor as he came from his study into the hall. Again, on July 11th, there was a scene of the s

at Holmes was not listening. His face was rigid and his eyes gaze

to me, Mr. Bennett. I think we have now fairly gone over the old

ght before last,” said he. “I was lying awake about two in the morning, when I was aware of a dull muffled sound coming

being?” as

ly annoyed at so irre

was the night before last

odded an

ntinue,”

s coming along the passage, something dark and crouching. Then suddenly it emerged into the light, and I saw that it was he. He was crawling, Mr. Holmes — crawling! He was not quite on his hands and knees. I should rather say on his hands and feet, with his face sunk between his hands. Yet he seemed to move with ease. I was so paralyzed by the sig

” asked Holmes with the air of the pa

tack make a man walk in just such a way, and

n the ground. But we can hardly accept lumbago,

olmes. It is not a case in which we can consult the police, and yet we are utterly at our wit’s end as to what to do, and we feel in so

rious and suggestive case.

disturbed by the love affair. He made a journey abroad in the hope of breaking himself of the passion. His letters and th

financial bargain. No, no, Watson, there is m

opened and a young lady was shown into the room. As she appeared Mr. Bennett sprang up with

Nothing the ma

, I have been so dreadfully frighte

he young lady I spoke

lmes answered with a smile. “I take it, Miss Presbury, that there is s

conventional English type, smiled back at Ho

bably find him here. Of course, he had told me that he would consul

is still obscure. Perhaps what you have t

hen he has no recollection of what he does. He lives as in a strange dream. Yesterday was such a d

what ha

upon the square of light, listening to the frenzied barkings of the dog, I was amazed to see my father’s face looking in at me. Mr. Holmes, I nearly died of surprise and horror. There it was pressed against the windowpane, and one hand seemed to be raised as if to push up the window. If that window had opened, I think I should have gone mad. It was no delusion, Mr. Holmes. Don’t deceive yourself

hly surprised at Miss

our room is on the second floor. Is

t of it. There is no possible way of rea

th,” said Holmes. “That cer

cond time that you have alluded to the date, Mr. Holmes,” said

ible — and yet I have not m

f the connection between ins

ctly clear. This young lady has informed us — and I have the greatest confidence in her intuition — that her father remembers little or nothing which occurs upon certain dates. We will the

“I warn you, however, that the profes

tt, will certainly see us in Camford. There is, if I remember right, an inn called the Chequers where the port used to be above m

pull up, but one which involved frantic planning and hurrying on my part, as my practice was by this time not inconsiderable.

ofessor just before lunch. He lectures at

excuse have w

nced at hi

as to what he does at such times. If we insist that we are there by appointment I think he

an bu

nd Excelsior. We can but try — the motto of th

uxury. Even as we pulled up, a grizzled head appeared at the front window, and we were aware of a pair of keen eyes from under shaggy brows which surveyed us through large horn glasses. A moment later we were actually in his sanctum, and the mysterious scientist, whose vagaries had brought us from London, was sta

“Pray sit down, gentleme

es smile

which I was about to

me,

through a second person that Professor Pr

cious sparkle in the intense gray eyes. “You heard

er confidential. If I have made a mistake there

tter. It interests me. Have you any scrap of writing,

I hav

not go so far as to ass

answer no questi

h asperity. “ However, that particular one c

the bell. Our London friend M

the impression that they have been summoned. You handle all my corres

nnett answere

anion. “Now, sir” — he leaned forward with his two hands upon the ta

ugged his

am sorry that we have ma

s he spoke, and he shook his two hands at us with furious passion. “You can hardly get out of it so easily as that.” His face was convulsed, and he gri

ider the scandal at the university! Mr. Holmes is a wellknow

r. We were glad to find ourselves outside the house and in the quiet

usion was a little crude, and yet we have gained that personal contact which I desi

y relief, not the formidable professor but his assistant who a

r. Holmes. I wish

eed. It is all in the way o

rows more sinister. You can understand now why his daught

t that his memory is much more reliable than I had thought. By the

ough some shrubs, and we had a

. The second

ou will observe that there is a creeper below a

mb it myself,” s

rtainly be a dangerous ex

ondon to whom the professor writes. He seems to have written this morning, and I got it from

the paper and put

rnoon, Mr. Bennett. I see no good purpose to be served by our remaining. We cannot arrest the professor because he has

on earth ar

uesday may mark a crisis. Certainly we shall be in Camford on that day. Meanwhile, the

is e

r is past. Meanwhile, let him have his way and do not cr

im. He stood leaning forward, his hands swinging straight before him, his head turning from side to side. The secretary with a last wave slipped off amon

lear and logical brain from the little I saw of him. Explosive, no doubt, but then from his point of view he has something to explode about if de

a telegram on our way. The answer reached us

seen Dorak. Suave person, Bohemian,

RC

routine business. It was important to know something of the man with whom our profess

cidents with no bearing upon each other.“For example, what possible connection can there be between an angry wolfhound and a visit t

the old sitting-room of the ancient hotel, with a bottle of the

hows that there was trouble upon July 2d, and from then onward it seems to have been at nine-day intervals, with, so far as I remember, only one exception. Thu

orced t

ing but highly poisonous effect. His naturally violent nature is intensified by it. He learned to take this drug whil

at the window, the cree

evelopments until next Tuesday. In the meantime we can only keep in to

ofessor had been very rough and rude in his speech, and evidently felt some strong grievance. This morning he was quite himself again, however, and had delivered his usual brilliant lecture to a crowded c

ients to attend to. Let us agree that we meet here at this hour next Tuesday, and I shall be surprised if before we leave you ag

the peace of the professor’s house had been unruffled, and his own conduct perfectly normal. This also was the report which was given us by Mr. Bennett himself when he called upon us that evening at our old quarters

nging matters to a head. In order to do so it is necessary to hold the professor under observation. I would suggest, therefore, that you remain awake and on the lookout. Should you hear h

is watc

At the worst the lock should not be very formidable.

he coachman

does he

the st

ore until we see how things develop, Good-bye — b

arm overcoats. There was a breeze, and clouds were scudding across the sky, obscuring from time to time the half-moon. It would have been a dismal vigil were it not for the expect

ealer in London, who presumably represents someone in Prague, and that he received a packet from him this very day, all point in one direction. What he takes and why he takes it are still beyond our ken, but that it emanates in some

onfess tha

Holmes paused and suddenly clapped his hand to his forehead. “Oh, Watson, Watson, what a fool I have been! It seems incredible, and yet it must be true. All points in one direction. How could I miss seeing the connection of ideas?

gure of Professor Presbury. He was clad in his dressing gown. As he stood outlined in t

ed along upon his hands and feet, skipping every now and then as if he were overflowing with energy and vitality. He moved along

lued against the side of his own house, a great square dark patch upon the moonlit wall. Presently he tired of this amusement, and, dropping from branch to branch, he squatted down into the old attitude and moved towards the stables, creeping along in the same strange way as before. The wolfhound was out now, barking furiously, and more excited than ever when it actually caught sight of its master. It was straining on its chain and quivering with eagerness and rage. The professor squatted down very deliberately just out of reach of the hound and began to provoke it in every possible way. He too

er screaming in a strange shrill falsetto of terror. It was a very narrow thing for the professor’s life. The savage creature had him fairly by the throat, its fangs had bitten deep, and he was senseless before we could reach them and drag the two apart. It might have been a dangerous task for us

The sharp teeth had passed dangerously near the carotid artery, and the haemorrhage was serious. In half an hour the danger was past, I had given the pa

lass surgeon shoul

sehold. It is safe with us. If it gets beyond these walls it will never stop. Consider

its recurrence now that we have a free hand. The key from the watch-chain, Mr. Bennett. Macphail will guard th

disturbed the routine of the secretary, and each was dated from the Commercial Road and signed “A. Dorak.” They were mere invoices to say that a fresh bottle was being sent to Professor Presbury, or receipt to a

COLLEAGUE

cumstances there are some special reasons for the treatment, I would none the less

ined to you, used black-faced langur because a specimen was accessible. Langur is, of

be no premature revelation of the process. I have one o

ports wil

ith hig

OWEN

gue! Lowenstein with the wondrous strength-giving serum, tabooed by the profession because he refused to reveal its source. In a few words I said what I remembered. Bennett had taken a manual of zoology from the shelves. “ ‘Langur.

which he circulates, we will have no more trouble. But it may recur. Others may find a better way. There is danger there — a very real danger to humanity. Consider, Watson, that the material, the sensual, the worldly would all prolong their worthless lives. The spiritual would not avoid the call to something higher. It would be the survival of the least fit. What sort of cesspool may not our poor world become?” Suddenly the dreamer disappeared, and Holmes, the man of action, sprang from his chair. “I think there is nothing more to be said, Mr