IX.--The Adventure of the Three Students.
IT was in the year '95 that a combination of events, into which I neednot enter, caused Mr. Sherlock Holmes and myself to spend some weeks inone of our great University towns, and it was during this time that thesmall but instructive adventure which I am about to relate befell us. Itwill be obvious that any details which would help the reader to exactlyidentify the college or the criminal would be injudicious and offensive.So painful a scandal may well be allowed to die out. With due discretionthe incident itself may, however, be described, since it serves toillustrate some of those qualities for which my friend was remarkable.I will endeavour in my statement to avoid such terms as would serveto limit the events to any particular place, or give a clue as to thepeople concerned.
We were residing at the time in furnished lodgings close to a librarywhere Sherlock Holmes was pursuing some laborious researches in earlyEnglish charters--researches which led to results so striking that theymay be the subject of one of my future narratives. Here it was that oneevening we received a visit from an acquaintance, Mr. Hilton Soames,tutor and lecturer at the College of St. Luke's. Mr. Soames was a tall,spare man, of a nervous and excitable temperament. I had always knownhim to be restless in his manner, but on this particular occasion he wasin such a state of uncontrollable agitation that it was clear somethingvery unusual had occurred.
"I trust, Mr. Holmes, that you can spare me a few hours of your valuabletime. We have had a very painful incident at St. Luke's, and really, butfor the happy chance of your being in the town, I should have been at aloss what to do."
"I am very busy just now, and I desire no distractions," my friendanswered. "I should much prefer that you called in the aid of thepolice."
"No, no, my dear sir; such a course is utterly impossible. When once thelaw is evoked it cannot be stayed again, and this is just one of thosecases where, for the credit of the college, it is most essential toavoid scandal. Your discretion is as well known as your powers, and youare the one man in the world who can help me. I beg you, Mr. Holmes, todo what you can."
My friend's temper had not improved since he had been deprived of thecongenial surroundings of Baker Street. Without his scrap-books, hischemicals, and his homely untidiness, he was an uncomfortable man. Heshrugged his shoulders in ungracious acquiescence, while our visitorin hurried words and with much excitable gesticulation poured forth hisstory.
"I must explain to you, Mr. Holmes, that to-morrow is the first dayof the examination for the Fortescue Scholarship. I am one of theexaminers. My subject is Greek, and the first of the papers consists ofa large passage of Greek translation which the candidate has not seen.This passage is printed on the examination paper, and it would naturallybe an immense advantage if the candidate could prepare it in advance.For this reason great care is taken to keep the paper secret.
"To-day about three o'clock the proofs of this paper arrived from theprinters. The exercise consists of half a chapter of Thucydides. I hadto read it over carefully, as the text must be absolutely correct. Atfour-thirty my task was not yet completed. I had, however, promised totake tea in a friend's rooms, so I left the proof upon my desk. I wasabsent rather more than an hour.
"You are aware, Mr. Holmes, that our college doors are double--a greenbaize one within and a heavy oak one without. As I approached my outerdoor I was amazed to see a key in it. For an instant I imagined that Ihad left my own there, but on feeling in my pocket I found that it wasall right. The only duplicate which existed, so far as I knew, was thatwhich belonged to my servant, Bannister, a man who has looked after myroom for ten years, and whose honesty is absolutely above suspicion. Ifound that the key was indeed his, that he had entered my room to knowif I wanted tea, and that he had very carelessly left the key in thedoor when he came out. His visit to my room must have been within a veryfew minutes of my leaving it. His forgetfulness about the key wouldhave mattered little upon any other occasion, but on this one day it hasproduced the most deplorable consequences.
"The moment I looked at my table I was aware that someone had rummagedamong my papers. The proof was in three long slips. I had left them alltogether. Now, I found that one of them was lying on the floor, one wason the side table near the window, and the third was where I had leftit."
Holmes stirred for the first time.
"The first page on the floor, the second in the window, the third whereyou left it," said he.
"Exactly, Mr. Holmes. You amaze me. How could you possibly know that?"
"Pray continue your very interesting statement."
"For an instant I imagined that Bannister had taken the unpardonableliberty of examining my papers. He denied it, however, with the utmostearnestness, and I am convinced that he was speaking the truth. Thealternative was that someone passing had observed the key in the door,had known that I was out, and had entered to look at the papers. A largesum of money is at stake, for the scholarship is a very valuable one,and an unscrupulous man might very well run a risk in order to gain anadvantage over his fellows.
"Bannister was very much upset by the incident. He had nearly faintedwhen we found that the papers had undoubtedly been tampered with. I gavehim a little brandy and left him collapsed in a chair while I made amost careful examination of the room. I soon saw that the intruder hadleft other traces of his presence besides the rumpled papers. On thetable in the window were several shreds from a pencil which had beensharpened. A broken tip of lead was lying there also. Evidently therascal had copied the paper in a great hurry, had broken his pencil, andhad been compelled to put a fresh point to it."
"Excellent!" said Holmes, who was recovering his good-humour as hisattention became more engrossed by the case. "Fortune has been yourfriend."
"This was not all. I have a new writing-table with a fine surface of redleather. I am prepared to swear, and so is Bannister, that it wassmooth and unstained. Now I found a clean cut in it about three incheslong--not a mere scratch, but a positive cut. Not only this, but onthe table I found a small ball of black dough, or clay, with specksof something which looks like sawdust in it. I am convinced thatthese marks were left by the man who rifled the papers. There were nofootmarks and no other evidence as to his identity. I was at my wits'ends, when suddenly the happy thought occurred to me that you were inthe town, and I came straight round to put the matter into your hands.Do help me, Mr. Holmes! You see my dilemma. Either I must find theman or else the examination must be postponed until fresh papers areprepared, and since this cannot be done without explanation therewill ensue a hideous scandal, which will throw a cloud not only on thecollege, but on the University. Above all things I desire to settle thematter quietly and discreetly."
"I shall be happy to look into it and to give you such advice as Ican," said Holmes, rising and putting on his overcoat. "The case is notentirely devoid of interest. Had anyone visited you in your room afterthe papers came to you?"
"Yes; young Daulat Ras, an Indian student who lives on the same stair,came in to ask me some particulars about the examination."
"For which he was entered?"
"Yes."
"And the papers were on your table?"
"To the best of my belief they were rolled up."
"But might be recognised as proofs?"
"Possibly."
"No one else in your room?"
"No."
"Did anyone know that these proofs would be there?"
"No one save the printer."
"Did this man Bannister know?"
"No, certainly not. No one knew."
"Where is Bannister now?"
"He was very ill, poor fellow. I left him collapsed in the chair. I wasin such a hurry to come to you."
"You left your door open?"
"I locked up the papers first."
"Then it amounts to this, Mr. Soames, that unless the Indian studentrecognised the roll as being proofs, the man who tampered with them cameupon them accidentally without knowing that they were there."
Holmes gave an enigmatic smile.
"Well," said he, "let us go round. Not one of your cases,Watson--mental, not physical. All right; come if you want to. Now, Mr.Soames--at your disposal!"
The sitting-room of our client opened by a long, low, latticed window onto the ancient lichen-tinted court of the old college. A Gothic archeddoor led to a worn stone staircase. On the ground floor was the tutor'sroom. Above were three students, one on each story. It was alreadytwilight when we reached the scene of our problem. Holmes halted andlooked earnestly at the window. Then he approached it, and, standing ontiptoe with his neck craned, he looked into the room.
"He must have entered through the door. There is no opening except theone pane," said our learned guide.
"Dear me!" said Holmes, and he smiled in a singular way as he glanced atour companion. "Well, if there is nothing to be learned here we had bestgo inside."
The lecturer unlocked the outer door and ushered us into his room. Westood at the entrance while Holmes made an examination of the carpet.
"I am afraid there are no signs here," said he. "One could hardly hopefor any upon so dry a day. Your servant seems to have quite recovered.You left him in a chair, you say; which chair?"
"By the window there."
"I see. Near this little table. You can come in now. I have finishedwith the carpet. Let us take the little table first. Of course, what hashappened is very clear. The man entered and took the papers, sheet bysheet, from the central table. He carried them over to the window table,because from there he could see if you came across the courtyard, and socould effect an escape."
"As a matter of fact he could not," said Soames, "for I entered by theside door."
"Ah, that's good! Well, anyhow, that was in his mind. Let me see thethree strips. No finger impressions--no! Well, he carried over this onefirst and he copied it. How long would it take him to do that, usingevery possible contraction? A quarter of an hour, not less. Then hetossed it down and seized the next. He was in the midst of that whenyour return caused him to make a very hurried retreat--VERY hurried,since he had not time to replace the papers which would tell you that hehad been there. You were not aware of any hurrying feet on the stair asyou entered the outer door?"
"No, I can't say I was."
"Well, he wrote so furiously that he broke his pencil, and had, as youobserve, to sharpen it again. This is of interest, Watson. The pencilwas not an ordinary one. It was above the usual size, with a soft lead;the outer colour was dark blue, the maker's name was printed in silverlettering, and the piece remaining is only about an inch and a halflong. Look for such a pencil, Mr. Soames, and you have got your man.When I add that he possesses a large and very blunt knife, you have anadditional aid."
Mr. Soames was somewhat overwhelmed by this flood of information. "I canfollow the other points," said he, "but really, in this matter of thelength----"
Holmes held out a small chip with the letters NN and a space of clearwood after them.
"You see?"
"No, I fear that even now----"
"Watson, I have always done you an injustice. There are others. Whatcould this NN be? It is at the end of a word. You are aware that JohannFaber is the most common maker's name. Is it not clear that there isjust as much of the pencil left as usually follows the Johann?" He heldthe small table sideways to the electric light. "I was hoping that ifthe paper on which he wrote was thin some trace of it might come throughupon this polished surface. No, I see nothing. I don't think there isanything more to be learned here. Now for the central table. This smallpellet is, I presume, the black, doughy mass you spoke of. Roughlypyramidal in shape and hollowed out, I perceive. As you say, thereappear to be grains of sawdust in it. Dear me, this is very interesting.And the cut--a positive tear, I see. It began with a thin scratch andended in a jagged hole. I am much indebted to you for directing myattention to this case, Mr. Soames. Where does that door lead to?"
"To my bedroom."
"Have you been in it since your adventure?"
"No; I came straight away for you."
"I should like to have a glance round. What a charming, old-fashionedroom! Perhaps you will kindly wait a minute until I have examined thefloor. No, I see nothing. What about this curtain? You hang your clothesbehind it. If anyone were forced to conceal himself in this room he mustdo it there, since the bed is too low and the wardrobe too shallow. Noone there, I suppose?"
As Holmes drew the curtain I was aware, from some little rigidity andalertness of his attitude, that he was prepared for an emergency. Asa matter of fact the drawn curtain disclosed nothing but three or foursuits of clothes hanging from a line of pegs. Holmes turned away andstooped suddenly to the floor.
"Halloa! What's this?" said he.
It was a small pyramid of black, putty-like stuff, exactly like the oneupon the table of the study. Holmes held it out on his open palm in theglare of the electric light.
"Your visitor seems to have left traces in your bedroom as well as inyour sitting-room, Mr. Soames."
"What could he have wanted there?"
"I think it is clear enough. You came back by an unexpected way, and sohe had no warning until you were at the very door. What could he do?He caught up everything which would betray him and he rushed into yourbedroom to conceal himself."
"Good gracious, Mr. Holmes, do you mean to tell me that all the time Iwas talking to Bannister in this room we had the man prisoner if we hadonly known it?"
"So I read it."
"Surely there is another alternative, Mr. Holmes. I don't know whetheryou observed my bedroom window?"
"Lattice-paned, lead framework, three separate windows, one swinging onhinge and large enough to admit a man."
"Exactly. And it looks out on an angle of the courtyard so as to bepartly invisible. The man might have effected his entrance there, lefttraces as he passed through the bedroom, and, finally, finding the dooropen have escaped that way."
Holmes shook his head impatiently.
"Let us be practical," said he. "I understand you to say that there arethree students who use this stair and are in the habit of passing yourdoor?"
"Yes, there are."
"And they are all in for this examination?"
"Yes."
"Have you any reason to suspect any one of them more than the others?"
Soames hesitated.
"It is a very delicate question," said he. "One hardly likes to throwsuspicion where there are no proofs."
"Let us hear the suspicions. I will look after the proofs."
"I will tell you, then, in a few words the character of the three menwho inhabit these rooms. The lower of the three is Gilchrist, a finescholar and athlete; plays in the Rugby team and the cricket team forthe college, and got his Blue for the hurdles and the long jump. He isa fine, manly fellow. His father was the notorious Sir Jabez Gilchrist,who ruined himself on the turf. My scholar has been left very poor, buthe is hard-working and industrious. He will do well.
"The second floor is inhabited by Daulat Ras, the Indian. He is a quiet,inscrutable fellow, as most of those Indians are. He is well up in hiswork, though his Greek is his weak subject. He is steady and methodical.
"The top floor belongs to Miles McLaren. He is a brilliant fellow whenhe chooses to work--one of the brightest intellects of the University,but he is wayward, dissipated, and unprincipled. He was nearly expelledover a card scandal in his first year. He has been idling all this term,and he must look forward with dread to the examination."
"Then it is he whom you suspect?"
"I dare not go so far as that. But of the three he is perhaps the leastunlikely."
"Exactly. Now, Mr. Soames, let us have a look at your servant,Bannister."
He was a little, white-faced, clean-shaven, grizzly-haired fellow offifty. He was still suffering from this sudden disturbance of the quietroutine of his life. His plump face was twitching with his nervousness,and his fingers could not keep still.
"We are investigating this unhappy business, Bannister," said hismaster.
"Yes, sir."
"I understand," said Holmes, "that you left your key in the door?"
"Yes, sir."
"Was it not very extraordinary that you should do this on the very daywhen there were these papers inside?"
"It was most unfortunate, sir. But I have occasionally done the samething at other times."
"When did you enter the room?"
"It was about half-past four. That is Mr. Soames's tea time."
"How long did you stay?"
"When I saw that he was absent I withdrew at once."
"Did you look at these papers on the table?"
"No, sir; certainly not."
"How came you to leave the key in the door?"
"I had the tea-tray in my hand. I thought I would come back for the key.Then I forgot."
"Has the outer door a spring lock?"
"No, sir."
"Then it was open all the time?"
"Yes, sir."
"Anyone in the room could get out?"
"Yes, sir."
"When Mr. Soames returned and called for you, you were very muchdisturbed?"
"Yes, sir. Such a thing has never happened during the many years that Ihave been here. I nearly fainted, sir."
"So I understand. Where were you when you began to feel bad?"
"Where was I, sir? Why, here, near the door."
"That is singular, because you sat down in that chair over yonder nearthe corner. Why did you pass these other chairs?"
"I don't know, sir. It didn't matter to me where I sat."
"I really don't think he knew much about it, Mr. Holmes. He was lookingvery bad--quite ghastly."
"You stayed here when your master left?"
"Only for a minute or so. Then I locked the door and went to my room."
"Whom do you suspect?"
"Oh, I would not venture to say, sir. I don't believe there is anygentleman in this University who is capable of profiting by such anaction. No, sir, I'll not believe it."
"Thank you; that will do," said Holmes. "Oh, one more word. You have notmentioned to any of the three gentlemen whom you attend that anything isamiss?"
"No, sir; not a word."
"You haven't seen any of them?"
"No, sir."
"Very good. Now, Mr. Soames, we will take a walk in the quadrangle, ifyou please."
Three yellow squares of light shone above us in the gathering gloom.
"Your three birds are all in their nests," said Holmes, looking up."Halloa! What's that? One of them seems restless enough."
It was the Indian, whose dark silhouette appeared suddenly upon hisblind. He was pacing swiftly up and down his room.
"I should like to have a peep at each of them," said Holmes. "Is itpossible?"
"No difficulty in the world," Soames answered. "This set of rooms isquite the oldest in the college, and it is not unusual for visitors togo over them. Come along, and I will personally conduct you."
"No names, please!" said Holmes, as we knocked at Gilchrist's door. Atall, flaxen-haired, slim young fellow opened it, and made us welcomewhen he understood our errand. There were some really curious pieces ofmediaeval domestic architecture within. Holmes was so charmed withone of them that he insisted on drawing it on his note-book, broke hispencil, had to borrow one from our host, and finally borrowed a knife tosharpen his own. The same curious accident happened to him in the roomsof the Indian--a silent, little, hook-nosed fellow, who eyed us askanceand was obviously glad when Holmes's architectural studies had come toan end. I could not see that in either case Holmes had come upon theclue for which he was searching. Only at the third did our visit proveabortive. The outer door would not open to our knock, and nothing moresubstantial than a torrent of bad language came from behind it. "Idon't care who you are. You can go to blazes!" roared the angry voice."To-morrow's the exam, and I won't be drawn by anyone."
"A rude fellow," said our guide, flushing with anger as we withdrewdown the stair. "Of course, he did not realize that it was I who wasknocking, but none the less his conduct was very uncourteous, and,indeed, under the circumstances rather suspicious."
Holmes's response was a curious one.
"Can you tell me his exact height?" he asked.
"Really, Mr. Holmes, I cannot undertake to say. He is taller than theIndian, not so tall as Gilchrist. I suppose five foot six would be aboutit."
"That is very important," said Holmes. "And now, Mr. Soames, I wish yougood-night."
Our guide cried aloud in his astonishment and dismay. "Good gracious,Mr. Holmes, you are surely not going to leave me in this abrupt fashion!You don't seem to realize the position. To-morrow is the examination. Imust take some definite action to-night. I cannot allow the examinationto be held if one of the papers has been tampered with. The situationmust be faced."
"You must leave it as it is. I shall drop round early to-morrow morningand chat the matter over. It is possible that I may be in a positionthen to indicate some course of action. Meanwhile you changenothing--nothing at all."
"Very good, Mr. Holmes."
"You can be perfectly easy in your mind. We shall certainly find someway out of your difficulties. I will take the black clay with me, alsothe pencil cuttings. Good-bye."
When we were out in the darkness of the quadrangle we again looked up atthe windows. The Indian still paced his room. The others were invisible.
"Well, Watson, what do you think of it?" Holmes asked, as we came outinto the main street. "Quite a little parlour game--sort of three-cardtrick, is it not? There are your three men. It must be one of them. Youtake your choice. Which is yours?"
"The foul-mouthed fellow at the top. He is the one with the worstrecord. And yet that Indian was a sly fellow also. Why should he bepacing his room all the time?"
"There is nothing in that. Many men do it when they are trying to learnanything by heart."
"He looked at us in a queer way."
"So would you if a flock of strangers came in on you when you werepreparing for an examination next day, and every moment was ofvalue. No, I see nothing in that. Pencils, too, and knives--all wassatisfactory. But that fellow DOES puzzle me."
"Who?"
"Why, Bannister, the servant. What's his game in the matter?"
"He impressed me as being a perfectly honest man."
"So he did me. That's the puzzling part. Why should a perfectlyhonest man--well, well, here's a large stationer's. We shall begin ourresearches here."
There were only four stationers of any consequence in the town, and ateach Holmes produced his pencil chips and bid high for a duplicate. Allwere agreed that one could be ordered, but that it was not a usual sizeof pencil and that it was seldom kept in stock. My friend did notappear to be depressed by his failure, but shrugged his shoulders inhalf-humorous resignation.
"No good, my dear Watson. This, the best and only final clue, has runto nothing. But, indeed, I have little doubt that we can build up asufficient case without it. By Jove! my dear fellow, it is nearly nine,and the landlady babbled of green peas at seven-thirty. What with youreternal tobacco, Watson, and your irregularity at meals, I expect thatyou will get notice to quit and that I shall share your downfall--not,however, before we have solved the problem of the nervous tutor, thecareless servant, and the three enterprising students."
Holmes made no further allusion to the matter that day, though he satlost in thought for a long time after our belated dinner. At eight inthe morning he came into my room just as I finished my toilet.
"Well, Watson," said he, "it is time we went down to St. Luke's. Can youdo without breakfast?"
"Certainly."
"Soames will be in a dreadful fidget until we are able to tell himsomething positive."
"Have you anything positive to tell him?"
"I think so."
"You have formed a conclusion?"
"Yes, my dear Watson; I have solved t
he mystery."
"But what fresh evidence could you have got?"
"Aha! It is not for nothing that I have turned myself out of bed at theuntimely hour of six. I have put in two hours' hard work and covered atleast five miles, with something to show for it. Look at that!"
He held out his hand. On the palm were three little pyramids of black,doughy clay.
"Why, Holmes, you had only two yesterday!"
"And one more this morning. It is a fair argument that wherever No. 3came from is also the source of Nos. 1 and 2. Eh, Watson? Well, comealong and put friend Soames out of his pain."
The unfortunate tutor was certainly in a state of pitiable agitationwhen we found him in his chambers. In a few hours the examination wouldcommence, and he was still in the dilemma between making the factspublic and allowing the culprit to compete for the valuable scholarship.He could hardly stand still, so great was his mental agitation, and heran towards Holmes with two eager hands outstretched.
"Thank Heaven that you have come! I feared that you had given it up indespair. What am I to do? Shall the examination proceed?"
"Yes; let it proceed by all means."
"But this rascal----?"
"He shall not compete."
"You know him?"
"I think so. If this matter is not to become public we must giveourselves certain powers, and resolve ourselves into a small privatecourt-martial. You there, if you please, Soames! Watson, you here! I'lltake the arm-chair in the middle. I think that we are now sufficientlyimposing to strike terror into a guilty breast. Kindly ring the bell!"
Bannister entered, and shrunk back in evident surprise and fear at ourjudicial appearance.
"You will kindly close the door," said Holmes. "Now, Bannister, will youplease tell us the truth about yesterday's incident?"
The man turned white to the roots of his hair.
"I have told you everything, sir."
"Nothing to add?"
"Nothing at all, sir."
"Well, then, I must make some suggestions to you. When you sat downon that chair yesterday, did you do so in order to conceal some objectwhich would have shown who had been in the room?"
Bannister's face was ghastly.
"No, sir; certainly not."
"It is only a suggestion," said Holmes, suavely. "I frankly admit thatI am unable to prove it. But it seems probable enough, since the momentthat Mr. Soames's back was turned you released the man who was hiding inthat bedroom."
Bannister licked his dry lips.
"There was no man, sir."
"Ah, that's a pity, Bannister. Up to now you may have spoken the truth,but now I know that you have lied."
The man's face set in sullen defiance.
"There was no man, sir."
"Come, come, Bannister!"
"No, sir; there was no one."
"In that case you can give us no further information. Would you pleaseremain in the room? Stand over there near the bedroom door. Now, Soames,I am going to ask you to have the great kindness to go up to the room ofyoung Gilchrist, and to ask him to step down into yours."
An instant later the tutor returned, bringing with him the student. Hewas a fine figure of a man, tall, lithe, and agile, with a springy stepand a pleasant, open face. His troubled blue eyes glanced at each of us,and finally rested with an expression of blank dismay upon Bannister inthe farther corner.
"Just close the door," said Holmes. "Now, Mr. Gilchrist, we are allquite alone here, and no one need ever know one word of what passesbetween us. We can be perfectly frank with each other. We want to know,Mr. Gilchrist, how you, an honourable man, ever came to commit such anaction as that of yesterday?"
The unfortunate young man staggered back and cast a look full of horrorand reproach at Bannister.
"No, no, Mr. Gilchrist, sir; I never said a word--never one word!" criedthe servant.
"No, but you have now," said Holmes. "Now, sir, you must see that afterBannister's words your position is hopeless, and that your only chancelies in a frank confession."
For a moment Gilchrist, with upraised hand, tried to control hiswrithing features. The next he had thrown himself on his knees besidethe table and, burying his face in his hands, he had burst into a stormof passionate sobbing.
"Come, come," said Holmes, kindly; "it is human to err, and at leastno one can accuse you of being a callous criminal. Perhaps it would beeasier for you if I were to tell Mr. Soames what occurred, and you cancheck me where I am wrong. Shall I do so? Well, well, don't trouble toanswer. Listen, and see that I do you no injustice.
"From the moment, Mr. Soames, that you said to me that no one, not evenBannister, could have told that the papers were in your room, the casebegan to take a definite shape in my mind. The printer one could, ofcourse, dismiss. He could examine the papers in his own office. TheIndian I also thought nothing of. If the proofs were in a roll hecould not possibly know what they were. On the other hand, it seemed anunthinkable coincidence that a man should dare to enter the room,and that by chance on that very day the papers were on the table. Idismissed that. The man who entered knew that the papers were there. Howdid he know?
"When I approached your room I examined the window. You amused me bysupposing that I was contemplating the possibility of someone havingin broad daylight, under the eyes of all these opposite rooms, forcedhimself through it. Such an idea was absurd. I was measuring how talla man would need to be in order to see as he passed what papers were onthe central table. I am six feet high, and I could do it with an effort.No one less than that would have a chance. Already you see I had reasonto think that if one of your three students was a man of unusual heighthe was the most worth watching of the three.
"I entered and I took you into my confidence as to the suggestions ofthe side table. Of the centre table I could make nothing, until inyour description of Gilchrist you mentioned that he was a long-distancejumper. Then the whole thing came to me in an instant, and I only neededcertain corroborative proofs, which I speedily obtained.
"What happened was this. This young fellow had employed his afternoon atthe athletic grounds, where he had been practising the jump. He returnedcarrying his jumping shoes, which are provided, as you are aware, withseveral sharp spikes. As he passed your window he saw, by means of hisgreat height, these proofs upon your table, and conjectured what theywere. No harm would have been done had it not been that as he passedyour door he perceived the key which had been left by the carelessnessof your servant. A sudden impulse came over him to enter and see if theywere indeed the proofs. It was not a dangerous exploit, for he couldalways pretend that he had simply looked in to ask a question.
"Well, when he saw that they were indeed the proofs, it was then thathe yielded to temptation. He put his shoes on the table. What was it youput on that chair near the window?"
"Gloves," said the young man.
Holmes looked triumphantly at Bannister. "He put his gloves on thechair, and he took the proofs, sheet by sheet, to copy them. He thoughtthe tutor must return by the main gate, and that he would see him. As weknow, he came back by the side gate. Suddenly he heard him at the verydoor. There was no possible escape. He forgot his gloves, but he caughtup his shoes and darted into the bedroom. You observe that the scratchon that table is slight at one side, but deepens in the direction of thebedroom door. That in itself is enough to show us that the shoe had beendrawn in that direction and that the culprit had taken refuge there. Theearth round the spike had been left on the table, and a second samplewas loosened and fell in the bedroom. I may add that I walked out to theathletic grounds this morning, saw that tenacious black clay is used inthe jumping-pit, and carried away a specimen of it, together withsome of the fine tan or sawdust which is strewn over it to prevent theathlete from slipping. Have I told the truth, Mr. Gilchrist?"
The student had drawn himself erect.
"Yes, sir, it is true," said he.
"Good heavens, have you nothing to add?" cried Soames.
"Yes, sir, I have, b
ut the shock of this disgraceful exposure hasbewildered me. I have a letter here, Mr. Soames, which I wrote to youearly this morning in the middle of a restless night. It was before Iknew that my sin had found me out. Here it is, sir. You will see that Ihave said, 'I have determined not to go in for the examination. I havebeen offered a commission in the Rhodesian Police, and I am going out toSouth Africa at once."'
"I am indeed pleased to hear that you did not intend to profit by yourunfair advantage," said Soames. "But why did you change your purpose?"
Gilchrist pointed to Bannister.
"There is the man who set me in the right path," said he.
"Come now, Bannister," said Holmes. "It will be clear to you from whatI have said that only you could have let this young man out, since youwere left in the room, and must have locked the door when you went out.As to his escaping by that window, it was incredible. Can you not clearup the last point in this mystery, and tell us the reasons for youraction?"
"It was simple enough, sir, if you only had known; but with all yourcleverness it was impossible that you could know. Time was, sir, whenI was butler to old Sir Jabez Gilchrist, this young gentleman's father.When he was ruined I came to the college as servant, but I never forgotmy old employer because he was down in the world. I watched his son allI could for the sake of the old days. Well, sir, when I came into thisroom yesterday when the alarm was given, the very first thing I saw wasMr. Gilchrist's tan gloves a-lying in that chair. I knew those gloveswell, and I understood their message. If Mr. Soames saw them the gamewas up. I flopped down into that chair, and nothing would budge me untilMr. Soames he went for you. Then out came my poor young master, whom Ihad dandled on my knee, and confessed it all to me. Wasn't it natural,sir, that I should save him, and wasn't it natural also that I shouldtry to speak to him as his dead father would have done, and make himunderstand that he could not profit by such a deed? Could you blame me,sir?"
"No, indeed," said Holmes, heartily, springing to his feet. "Well,Soames, I think we have cleared your little problem up, and ourbreakfast awaits us at home. Come, Watson! As to you, sir, I trust thata bright future awaits you in Rhodesia. For once you have fallen low.Let us see in the future how high you can rise."
*****
THE STRAND MAGAZINE Vol. 28 JULY, 1904 THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES By ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
The Return of Sherlock Holmes Page 9