The Zoo 3: Sodden/The Zoo 3 - Sodden (Disk 2 of 2).adf/Edited_Articles/HolmesNorwood1.ZOO

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1619Y00F05roman16Y00C1NTHE ADVENTURE OF THE NORWOOD BUILDER
1601N
1218Y00F04ruby12Y00C3NExtracted from the novel:
1201NThe Return of Sherlock Holmes, A Collection of Holmes Adventures
2421Y00F07bookman24Y00C5N
1614Y00F05roman16Nby
2416Y00F07bookman24NSIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
2401N
2401N
2406Y00C3N
1614Y00F05roman16NTHE ADVENTURE OF THE NORWOOD BUILDER
1611Y00C4Y00C5NPart 1
1601N
1606Y00C1N
0814Y00F05pearl08N"From the point of view of the criminal expert," said Mr. Sherlock Holmes,
0801N"London has become a singularly uninteresting city since the death of the
0801Nlate lamented Professor Moriarty."
0801N
0801N"I can hardly think that you would find many decent citizens to agree with
0801Nyou," I answered.
0801N
0801N"Well, well, I must not be selfish," said he, with a smile, as be pushed back
0801Nhis chair from the breakfast-table.  "The community is certainly the gainer,
0801Nand no one the loser, save the poor out-of-work specialist, whose occupation
0801Nhas gone.  With that man in the field, one's morning paper presented
0801Ninfinite possibilities.  Often it was only the smallest trace, Watson, the
0801Nfaintest indication, and yet it was enough to tell me that the great
0801Nmalignant brain was there, as the gentlest tremors of the edges of the web
0801Nremind one of the foul spider which lurks in the centre.  Petty thefts,
0801Nwanton assaults, purposeless outrage-- to the man who held the clue all could
0801Nbe worked into one connected whole.  To the scientific student of the higher
0801Ncriminal world, no capital in Europe offered the advantages which London then
0801Npossessed.  But now----" He shrugged his shoulders in humorous deprecation of
0801Nthe state of things which he had himself done so much to produce.
0801N
0801NAt the time of which I speak, Holmes had been back for some months, and I at
0801Nhis request had sold my practice and returned to share the old quarters in
0801NBaker Street.  A young doctor, named Verner, had purchased my small
0801NKensington practice, and given with astonishingly little demur the highest
0801Nprice that I ventured to ask--an incident which only explained itself some
0801Nyears later, when I found that Verner was a distant relation of Holmes, and
0801Nthat it was my friend who had really found the money.
0801N
0801NOur months of partnership had not been so uneventful as he had stated, for I
0801Nfind, on looking over my notes, that this period includes the case of the
0801Npapers of ex-President Murillo, and also the shocking affair of the Dutch
0801Nsteamship FRIESLAND, which so nearly cost us both our lives.  His cold and
0801Nproud nature was always averse, however, from anything in the shape of public
0801Napplause, and he bound me in the most stringent terms to say no further word
0801Nof himself, his methods, or his successes--a prohibition which, as I have
0801Nexplained, has only now been removed.
0801N
0801NMr. Sherlock Holmes was leaning back in his chair after his whimsical
0801Nprotest, and was unfolding his morning paper in a leisurely fashion, when our
0801Nattention was arrested by a tremendous ring at the bell, followed immediately
0801Nby a hollow drumming sound, as if someone were beating on the outer door with
0801Nhis fist.  As it opened there came a tumultuous rush into the hall, rapid
0801Nfeet clattered up the stair, and an instant later a wild-eyed and frantic
0801Nyoung man, pale, disheveled, and palpitating, burst into the room.  He looked
0801Nfrom one to the other of us, and under our gaze of inquiry he became
0801Nconscious that some apology was needed for this unceremonious entry.
0801N
0801N"I'm sorry, Mr. Holmes," he cried.  "You mustn't blame me.  I am nearly mad.
0801NMr. Holmes, I am the unhappy John Hector McFarlane."
0801N
0801NHe made the announcement as if the name alone would explain both his visit
0801Nand its manner, but I could see, by my companion's unresponsive face, that it
0801Nmeant no more to him than to me.
0801N
0801N"Have a cigarette, Mr. McFarlane," said he, pushing his case across.  "I am
0801Nsure that, with your symptoms, my friend Dr. Watson here would prescribe a
0801Nsedative.  The weather has been so very warm these last few days.  Now, if
0801Nyou feel a little more composed, I should be glad if you would sit down in
0801Nthat chair, and tell us very slowly and quietly who you are, and what it is
0801Nthat you want.  You mentioned your name, as if I should recognize it, but I
0801Nassure you that, beyond the obvious facts that you are a bachelor, a
0801Nsolicitor, a Freemason, and an asthmatic, I know nothing whatever about you."
0801N
0801NFamiliar as I was with my friend's methods, it was not difficult for me to
0801Nfollow his deductions, and to observe the untidiness of attire, the sheaf of
0801Nlegal papers, the watch-charm, and the breathing which had prompted them.
0801NOur client, however, stared in amazement.
0801N
0801N"Yes, I am all that, Mr. Holmes; and, in addition, I am the most unfortunate
0801Nman at this moment in London.  For heaven's sake, don't abandon me, Mr.
0801NHolmes!  If they come to arrest me before I have finished my story, make them
0801Ngive me time, so that I may tell you the whole truth.  I could go to jail
0801Nhappy if I knew that you were working for me outside."
0801N
0801N"Arrest you!" said Holmes.  "This is really most grati--most interesting.  On
0801Nwhat charge do you expect to be arrested?"
0801N
0801N"Upon the charge of murdering Mr. Jonas Oldacre, of Lower Norwood."
0801N
0801NMy companion's expressive face showed a sympathy which was not, I am afraid,
0801Nentirely unmixed with satisfaction.
0801N
0801N"Dear me," said he, "it was only this moment at breakfast that I was saying
0801Nto my friend, Dr. Watson, that sensational cases had disappeared out of our
0801Npapers."
0801N
0801NOur visitor stretched forward a quivering hand and picked up the DAILY
0801NTELEGRAPH, which still lay upon Holmes's knee.
0801N
0801N"If you had looked at it, sir, you would have seen at a glance what the
0801Nerrand is on which I have come to you this morning.  I feel as if my name and
0801Nmy misfortune must be in every man's mouth."  He turned it over to expose the
0801Ncentral page.  "Here it is, and with your permission I will read it to you.
0801NListen to this, Mr. Holmes.  The headlines are:  `Mysterious Affair at Lower
0801NNorwood.  Disappearance of a Well Known Builder.  Suspicion of Murder and
0801NArson.  A Clue to the Criminal.'  That is the clue which they are already
0801Nfollowing, Mr. Holmes, and I know that it leads infallibly to me.  I have
0801Nbeen followed from London Bridge Station, and I am sure that they are only
0801Nwaiting for the warrant to arrest me.  It will break my mother's heart--it
0801Nwill break her heart!"  He wrung his hands in an agony of apprehension, and
0801Nswayed backward and forward in his chair.
0801N
0801NI looked with interest upon this man, who was accused of being the
0801Nperpetrator of a crime of violence.  He was flaxen-haired and handsome, in a
0801Nwashed-out negative fashion, with frightened blue eyes, and a clean-shaven
0801Nface, with a weak, sensitive mouth.  His age may have been about
0801Ntwenty-seven, his dress and bearing that of a gentleman.  From the pocket of
0801Nhis light summer overcoat protruded the bundle of indorsed papers which
0801Nproclaimed his profession.
0801N
0801N"We must use what time we have," said Holmes.  "Watson, would you have the
0801Nkindness to take the paper and to read the paragraph in question?"
0801N
0801NUnderneath the vigorous headlines which our client had quoted, I read the
0801Nfollowing suggestive narrative:
0801N
0801N"Late last night, or early this morning, an incident occurred at Lower
0801NNorwood which points, it is feared, to a serious crime.  Mr. Jonas Oldacre is
0801Na well known resident of that suburb, where he has carried on his business as
0801Na builder for many years.  Mr. Oldacre is a bachelor, fifty-two years of age,
0801Nand lives in Deep Dene House, at the Sydenham end of the road of that name.
0801NHe has had the reputation of being a man of eccentric habits, secretive and
0801Nretiring.  For some years he has practically withdrawn from the business, in
0801Nwhich he is said to have massed considerable wealth.  A small timber-yard
0801Nstill exists, however, at the back of the house, and last night, about twelve
0801No'clock, an alarm was given that one of the stacks was on fire.  The engines
0801Nwere soon upon the spot, but the dry wood burned with great fury, and it was
0801Nimpossible to arrest the conflagration until the stack had been entirely
0801Nconsumed.  Up to this point the incident bore the appearance of an ordinary
0801Naccident, but fresh indications seem to point to serious crime.  Surprise was
0801Nexpressed at the absence of the master of the establishment from the scene of
0801Nthe fire, and an inquiry followed, which showed that he had disappeared from
0801Nthe house.  An examination of his room revealed that the bed had not been
0801Nslept in, that a safe which stood in it was open, that a number of important
0801Npapers were scattered about the room, and finally, that there were signs of a
0801Nmurderous struggle, slight traces of blood being found within the room, and
0801Nan oaken walking-stick, which also showed stains of blood upon the handle.
0801NIt is known that Mr. Jonas Oldacre had received a late visitor in his bedroom
0801Nupon that night, and the stick found has been identified as the property of
0801Nthis person, who is a young London solicitor named John Hector McFarlane,
0801Njunior partner of Graham and McFarlane, of 426 Gresham Buildings, E. C.  The
0801Npolice believe that they have evidence in their possession which supplies a
0801Nvery convincing motive for the crime, and altogether it cannot be doubted
0801Nthat sensational developments will follow.
0801N
0801N"LATER.--It is rumoured as we go to press that Mr. John Hector McFarlane has
0801Nactually been arrested on the charge of the murder of Mr. Jonas Oldacre.  It
0801Nis at least certain that a warrant has been issued.  There have been further
0801Nand sinister developments in the investigation at Norwood.  Besides the signs
0801Nof a struggle in the room of the unfortunate builder it is now known that the
0801NFrench windows of his bedroom (which is on the ground floor) were found to be
0801Nopen, that there were marks as if some bulky object had been dragged across
0801Nto the wood-pile, and, finally, it is asserted that charred remains have been
0801Nfound among the charcoal ashes of the fire.  The police theory is that a most
0801Nsensational crime has been committed, that the victim was clubbed to death in
0801Nhis own bedroom, his papers rifled, and his dead body dragged across to the
0801Nwood-stack, which was then ignited so as to hide all traces of the crime.
0801NThe conduct of the criminal investigation has been left in the experienced
0801Nhands of Inspector Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, who is following up the clues
0801Nwith his accustomed energy and sagacity."
*!EOF