THE ADVENTURE OF THE NORWOOD BUILDER

“Fromthepointofviewofthecriminalexpert,”saidMr.SherlockHolmes,“LondonhasbecomeasingularlyuninterestingcitysincethedeathofthelatelamentedProfessorMoriarty.” “Icanhardlythinkthatyouwouldfindmanydecentcitizenstoagreewithyou,”Ianswered. “Well,well,Imustnotbeselfish,”saidhe,withasmile,ashepushedbackhischairfromthebreakfast-table.“Thecommunityiscertainlythegainer,andnoonetheloser,savethepoorout-of-workspecialist,whoseoccupationhasgone.Withthatmaninthefield,one’smorningpaperpresentedinfinitepossibilities.Oftenitwasonlythesmallesttrace,Watson,thefaintestindication,andyetitwasenoughtotellmethatthegreatmalignantbrainwasthere,asthegentlesttremorsoftheedgesofthewebremindoneofthefoulspiderwhichlurksinthecentre.Pettythefts,wantonassaults,purposelessoutrage—tothemanwhoheldtheclueallcouldbeworkedintooneconnectedwhole.Tothescientificstudentofthehighercriminalworld,nocapitalinEuropeofferedtheadvantageswhichLondonthenpossessed.Butnow——”Heshruggedhisshouldersinhumorousdeprecationofthestateofthingswhichhehadhimselfdonesomuchtoproduce. AtthetimeofwhichIspeak,Holmeshadbeenbackforsomemonths,andIathisrequesthadsoldmypracticeandreturnedtosharetheoldquartersinBakerStreet.Ayoungdoctor,namedVerner,hadpurchasedmysmallKensingtonpractice,andgivenwithastonishinglylittledemurthehighestpricethatIventuredtoask—anincidentwhichonlyexplaineditselfsomeyearslater,whenIfoundthatVernerwasadistantrelationofHolmes,andthatitwasmyfriendwhohadreallyfoundthemoney. Ourmonthsofpartnershiphadnotbeensouneventfulashehadstated,forIfind,onlookingovermynotes,thatthisperiodincludesthecaseofthepapersofex-PresidentMurillo,andalsotheshockingaffairoftheDutchsteamshipFriesland,whichsonearlycostusbothourlives.Hiscoldandproudnaturewasalwaysaverse,however,fromanythingintheshapeofpublicapplause,andheboundmeinthemoststringenttermstosaynofurtherwordofhimself,hismethods,orhissuccesses—aprohibitionwhich,asIhaveexplained,hasonlynowbeenremoved. Mr.SherlockHolmeswasleaningbackinhischairafterhiswhimsicalprotest,andwasunfoldinghismorningpaperinaleisurelyfashion,whenourattentionwasarrestedbyatremendousringatthebell,followedimmediatelybyahollowdrummingsound,asifsomeonewerebeatingontheouterdoorwithhisfist.Asitopenedtherecameatumultuousrushintothehall,rapidfeetclatteredupthestair,andaninstantlaterawild-eyedandfranticyoungman,pale,disheveled,andpalpitating,burstintotheroom.Helookedfromonetotheotherofus,andunderourgazeofinquiryhebecameconsciousthatsomeapologywasneededforthisunceremoniousentry. “I’msorry,Mr.Holmes,”hecried.“Youmustn’tblameme.Iamnearlymad.Mr.Holmes,IamtheunhappyJohnHectorMcFarlane.” Hemadetheannouncementasifthenamealonewouldexplainbothhisvisitanditsmanner,butIcouldsee,bymycompanion’sunresponsiveface,thatitmeantnomoretohimthantome. “Haveacigarette,Mr.McFarlane,”saidhe,pushinghiscaseacross.“Iamsurethat,withyoursymptoms,myfriendDr.Watsonherewouldprescribeasedative.Theweatherhasbeensoverywarmtheselastfewdays.Now,ifyoufeelalittlemorecomposed,Ishouldbegladifyouwouldsitdowninthatchair,andtellusveryslowlyandquietlywhoyouare,andwhatitisthatyouwant.Youmentionedyourname,asifIshouldrecognizeit,butIassureyouthat,beyondtheobviousfactsthatyouareabachelor,asolicitor,aFreemason,andanasthmatic,Iknownothingwhateveraboutyou.” FamiliarasIwaswithmyfriend’smethods,itwasnotdifficultformetofollowhisdeductions,andtoobservetheuntidinessofattire,thesheafoflegalpapers,thewatch-charm,andthebreathingwhichhadpromptedthem.Ourclient,however,staredinamazement. “Yes,Iamallthat,Mr.Holmesand,inaddition,IamthemostunfortunatemanatthismomentinLondon.Forheaven’ssake,don’tabandonme,Mr.Holmes!IftheycometoarrestmebeforeIhavefinishedmystory,makethemgivemetime,sothatImaytellyouthewholetruth.IcouldgotojailhappyifIknewthatyouwereworkingformeoutside.” “Arrestyou!”saidHolmes.“Thisisreallymostgrati—mostinteresting.Onwhatchargedoyouexpecttobearrested?” “UponthechargeofmurderingMr.JonasOldacre,ofLowerNorwood.” Mycompanion’sexpressivefaceshowedasympathywhichwasnot,Iamafraid,entirelyunmixedwithsatisfaction. “Dearme,”saidhe,“itwasonlythismomentatbreakfastthatIwassayingtomyfriend,Dr.Watson,thatsensationalcaseshaddisappearedoutofourpapers.” OurvisitorstretchedforwardaquiveringhandandpickeduptheDailyTelegraph,whichstilllayuponHolmes’sknee. “Ifyouhadlookedatit,sir,youwouldhaveseenataglancewhattheerrandisonwhichIhavecometoyouthismorning.Ifeelasifmynameandmymisfortunemustbeineveryman’smouth.”Heturneditovertoexposethecentralpage.“Hereitis,andwithyourpermissionIwillreadittoyou.Listentothis,Mr.Holmes.Theheadlinesare:‘MysteriousAffairatLowerNorwood.DisappearanceofaWell-knownBuilder.SuspicionofMurderandArson.ACluetotheCriminal.’Thatisthecluewhichtheyarealreadyfollowing,Mr.Holmes,andIknowthatitleadsinfalliblytome.IhavebeenfollowedfromLondonBridgeStation,andIamsurethattheyareonlywaitingforthewarranttoarrestme.Itwillbreakmymother’sheart—itwillbreakherheart!”Hewrunghishandsinanagonyofapprehension,andswayedbackwardandforwardinhischair. Ilookedwithinterestuponthisman,whowasaccusedofbeingtheperpetratorofacrimeofviolence.Hewasflaxen-hairedandhandsome,inawashed-outnegativefashion,withfrightenedblueeyes,andaclean-shavenface,withaweak,sensitivemouth.Hisagemayhavebeenabouttwenty-seven,hisdressandbearingthatofagentleman.Fromthepocketofhislightsummerovercoatprotrudedthebundleofindorsedpaperswhichproclaimedhisprofession. “Wemustusewhattimewehave,”saidHolmes.“Watson,wouldyouhavethekindnesstotakethepaperandtoreadtheparagraphinquestion?” Underneaththevigorousheadlineswhichourclienthadquoted,Ireadthefollowingsuggestivenarrative: “Latelastnight,orearlythismorning,anincidentoccurredatLowerNorwoodwhichpoints,itisfeared,toaseriouscrime.Mr.JonasOldacreisawell-knownresidentofthatsuburb,wherehehascarriedonhisbusinessasabuilderformanyyears.Mr.Oldacreisabachelor,fifty-twoyearsofage,andlivesinDeepDeneHouse,attheSydenhamendoftheroadofthatname.Hehashadthereputationofbeingamanofeccentrichabits,secretiveandretiring.Forsomeyearshehaspracticallywithdrawnfromthebusiness,inwhichheissaidtohavemassedconsiderablewealth.Asmalltimber-yardstillexists,however,atthebackofthehouse,andlastnight,abouttwelveo’clock,analarmwasgiventhatoneofthestackswasonfire.Theenginesweresoonuponthespot,butthedrywoodburnedwithgreatfury,anditwasimpossibletoarresttheconflagrationuntilthestackhadbeenentirelyconsumed.Uptothispointtheincidentboretheappearanceofanordinaryaccident,butfreshindicationsseemtopointtoseriouscrime.Surprisewasexpressedattheabsenceofthemasteroftheestablishmentfromthesceneofthefire,andaninquiryfollowed,whichshowedthathehaddisappearedfromthehouse.Anexaminationofhisroomrevealedthatthebedhadnotbeensleptin,thatasafewhichstoodinitwasopen,thatanumberofimportantpaperswerescatteredabouttheroom,andfinally,thatthereweresignsofamurderousstruggle,slighttracesofbloodbeingfoundwithintheroom,andanoakenwalking-stick,whichalsoshowedstainsofblooduponthehandle.ItisknownthatMr.JonasOldacrehadreceivedalatevisitorinhisbedroomuponthatnight,andthestickfoundhasbeenidentifiedasthepropertyofthisperson,whoisayoungLondonsolicitornamedJohnHectorMcFarlane,juniorpartnerofGrahamandMcFarlane,of426,GreshamBuildings,E.C.Thepolicebelievethattheyhaveevidenceintheirpossessionwhichsuppliesaveryconvincingmotiveforthecrime,andaltogetheritcannotbedoubtedthatsensationaldevelopmentswillfollow. “LATER.—ItisrumouredaswegotopressthatMr.JohnHectorMcFarlanehasactuallybeenarrestedonthechargeofthemurderofMr.JonasOldacre.Itisatleastcertainthatawarranthasbeenissued.TherehavebeenfurtherandsinisterdevelopmentsintheinvestigationatNorwood.BesidesthesignsofastruggleintheroomoftheunfortunatebuilderitisnowknownthattheFrenchwindowsofhisbedroom(whichisonthegroundfloor)werefoundtobeopen,thatthereweremarksasifsomebulkyobjecthadbeendraggedacrosstothewood-pile,and,finally,itisassertedthatcharredremainshavebeenfoundamongthecharcoalashesofthefire.Thepolicetheoryisthatamostsensationalcrimehasbeencommitted,thatthevictimwasclubbedtodeathinhisownbedroom,hispapersrifled,andhisdeadbodydraggedacrosstothewood-stack,whichwasthenignitedsoastohidealltracesofthecrime.TheconductofthecriminalinvestigationhasbeenleftintheexperiencedhandsofInspectorLestrade,ofScotlandYard,whoisfollowinguptheclueswithhisaccustomedenergyandsagacity.” SherlockHolmeslistenedwithclosedeyesandfingertipstogethertothisremarkableaccount. “Thecasehascertainlysomepointsofinterest,”saidhe,inhislanguidfashion.“May