Chapter 3. The Problem

Iconfessatthesewordsashudderpassedthroughme.Therewasathrillinthedoctor’svoicewhichshowedthathewashimselfdeeplymovedbythatwhichhetoldus.Holmesleanedforwardinhisexcitementandhiseyeshadthehard,dryglitterwhichshotfromthemwhenhewaskeenlyinterested. “Yousawthis?” “AsclearlyasIseeyou.” “Andyousaidnothing?” “Whatwastheuse?” “Howwasitthatnooneelsesawit?” “Themarksweresometwentyyardsfromthebodyandnoonegavethemathought.Idon’tsupposeIshouldhavedonesohadInotknownthislegend.” “Therearemanysheep-dogsonthemoor?” “Nodoubt,butthiswasnosheep-dog.” “Yousayitwaslarge?” “Enormous.” “Butithadnotapproachedthebody?” “No.” “Whatsortofnightwasit?’ “Dampandraw.” “Butnotactuallyraining?” “No.” “Whatisthealleylike?” “Therearetwolinesofoldyewhedge,twelvefeethighandimpenetrable.Thewalkinthecentreisabouteightfeetacross.” “Isthereanythingbetweenthehedgesandthewalk?” “Yes,thereisastripofgrassaboutsixfeetbroadoneitherside.” “Iunderstandthattheyewhedgeispenetratedatonepointbyagate?” “Yes,thewicket-gatewhichleadsontothemoor.” “Isthereanyotheropening?” “None.” “Sothattoreachtheyewalleyoneeitherhastocomedownitfromthehouseorelsetoenteritbythemoor-gate?” “Thereisanexitthroughasummer-houseatthefarend.” “HadSirCharlesreachedthis?” “Nohelayaboutfiftyyardsfromit.” “Now,tellme,Dr.Mortimer—andthisisimportant—themarkswhichyousawwereonthepathandnotonthegrass?” “Nomarkscouldshowonthegrass.” “Weretheyonthesamesideofthepathasthemoor-gate?” “Yestheywereontheedgeofthepathonthesamesideasthemoor-gate.” “Youinterestmeexceedingly.Anotherpoint.Wasthewicket-gateclosed?” “Closedandpadlocked.” “Howhighwasit?” “Aboutfourfeethigh.” “Thenanyonecouldhavegotoverit?” “Yes.” “Andwhatmarksdidyouseebythewicket-gate?” “Noneinparticular.” “Goodheaven!Didnooneexamine?” “Yes,Iexamined,myself.” “Andfoundnothing?” “Itwasallveryconfused.SirCharleshadevidentlystoodthereforfiveortenminutes.” “Howdoyouknowthat?” “Becausetheashhadtwicedroppedfromhiscigar.” “Excellent!Thisisacolleague,Watson,afterourownheart.Butthemarks?” “Hehadlefthisownmarksalloverthatsmallpatchofgravel.Icoulddiscernnoothers.” SherlockHolmesstruckhishandagainsthiskneewithanimpatientgesture. “IfIhadonlybeenthere!”hecried.“Itisevidentlyacaseofextraordinaryinterest,andonewhichpresentedimmenseopportunitiestothescientificexpert.ThatgravelpageuponwhichImighthavereadsomuchhasbeenlongerethissmudgedbytherainanddefacedbytheclogsofcuriouspeasants.Oh,Dr.Mortimer,Dr.Mortimer,tothinkthatyoushouldnothavecalledmein!Youhaveindeedmuchtoanswerfor.” “Icouldnotcallyouin,Mr.Holmes,withoutdisclosingthesefactstotheworld,a