VIII.THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND

OnglancingovermynotesoftheseventyoddcasesinwhichIhaveduringthelasteightyearsstudiedthemethodsofmyfriendSherlockHolmes,Ifindmanytragic,somecomic,alargenumbermerelystrange,butnonecommonplacefor,workingashedidratherfortheloveofhisartthanfortheacquirementofwealth,herefusedtoassociatehimselfwithanyinvestigationwhichdidnottendtowardstheunusual,andeventhefantastic.Ofallthesevariedcases,however,Icannotrecallanywhichpresentedmoresingularfeaturesthanthatwhichwasassociatedwiththewell-knownSurreyfamilyoftheRoylottsofStokeMoran.TheeventsinquestionoccurredintheearlydaysofmyassociationwithHolmes,whenweweresharingroomsasbachelorsinBakerStreet.ItispossiblethatImighthaveplacedthemuponrecordbefore,butapromiseofsecrecywasmadeatthetime,fromwhichIhaveonlybeenfreedduringthelastmonthbytheuntimelydeathoftheladytowhomthepledgewasgiven.Itisperhapsaswellthatthefactsshouldnowcometolight,forIhavereasonstoknowthattherearewidespreadrumoursastothedeathofDr.GrimesbyRoylottwhichtendtomakethematterevenmoreterriblethanthetruth. ItwasearlyinAprilintheyear’83thatIwokeonemorningtofindSherlockHolmesstanding,fullydressed,bythesideofmybed.Hewasalateriser,asarule,andastheclockonthemantelpieceshowedmethatitwasonlyaquarter-pastseven,Iblinkedupathiminsomesurprise,andperhapsjustalittleresentment,forIwasmyselfregularinmyhabits. “Verysorrytoknockyouup,Watson,”saidhe,“butit’sthecommonlotthismorning.Mrs.Hudsonhasbeenknockedup,sheretorteduponme,andIonyou.” “Whatisit,then—afire?” “Noaclient.Itseemsthatayoungladyhasarrivedinaconsiderablestateofexcitement,whoinsistsuponseeingme.Sheiswaitingnowinthesitting-room.Now,whenyoungladieswanderaboutthemetropolisatthishourofthemorning,andknocksleepypeopleupoutoftheirbeds,Ipresumethatitissomethingverypressingwhichtheyhavetocommunicate.Shoulditprovetobeaninterestingcase,youwould,Iamsure,wishtofollowitfromtheoutset.Ithought,atanyrate,thatIshouldcallyouandgiveyouthechance.” “Mydearfellow,Iwouldnotmissitforanything.” IhadnokeenerpleasurethaninfollowingHolmesinhisprofessionalinvestigations,andinadmiringtherapiddeductions,asswiftasintuitions,andyetalwaysfoundedonalogicalbasiswithwhichheunravelledtheproblemswhichweresubmittedtohim.Irapidlythrewonmyclothesandwasreadyinafewminutestoaccompanymyfrienddowntothesitting-room.Aladydressedinblackandheavilyveiled,whohadbeensittinginthewindow,roseasweentered. “Good-morning,madam,”saidHolmescheerily.“MynameisSherlockHolmes.Thisismyintimatefriendandassociate,Dr.Watson,beforewhomyoucanspeakasfreelyasbeforemyself.Ha!IamgladtoseethatMrs.Hudsonhashadthegoodsensetolightthefire.Praydrawuptoit,andIshallorderyouacupofhotcoffee,forIobservethatyouareshivering.” “Itisnotcoldwhichmakesmeshiver,”saidthewomaninalowvoice,changingherseatasrequested. “What,then?” “Itisfear,Mr.Holmes.Itisterror.”Sheraisedherveilasshespoke,andwecouldseethatshewasindeedinapitiablestateofagitation,herfacealldrawnandgrey,withrestlessfrightenedeyes,likethoseofsomehuntedanimal.Herfeaturesandfigurewerethoseofawomanofthirty,butherhairwasshotwithprematuregrey,andherexpressionwaswearyandhaggard.SherlockHolmesranheroverwithoneofhisquick,all-comprehensiveglances. “Youmustnotfear,”saidhesoothingly,bendingforwardandpattingherforearm.“Weshallsoonsetmattersright,Ihavenodoubt.Youhavecomeinbytrainthismorning,Isee.” “Youknowme,then?” “No,butIobservethesecondhalfofareturnticketinthepalmofyourleftglove.Youmusthavestartedearly,andyetyouhadagooddriveinadog-cart,alongheavyroads,beforeyoureachedthestation.” Theladygaveaviolentstartandstaredinbewildermentatmycompanion. “Thereisnomystery,mydearmadam,”saidhe,smiling.“Theleftarmofyourjacketisspatteredwithmudinnolessthansevenplaces.Themarksareperfectlyfresh.Thereisnovehiclesaveadog-cartwhichthrowsupmudinthatway,andthenonlywhenyousitontheleft-handsideofthedriver.” “Whateveryourreasonsmaybe,youareperfectlycorrect,”saidshe.“Istartedfromhomebeforesix,reachedLeatherheadattwentypast,andcameinbythefirsttraintoWaterloo.Sir,IcanstandthisstrainnolongerIshallgomadifitcontinues.Ihavenoonetoturnto—none,saveonlyone,whocaresforme,andhe,poorfellow,canbeoflittleaid.Ihaveheardofyou,Mr.HolmesIhaveheardofyoufromMrs.Farintosh,whomyouhelpedinthehourofhersoreneed.ItwasfromherthatIhadyouraddress.Oh,sir,doyounotthinkthatyoucouldhelpme,too,andatleastthrowalittlelightthroughthedensedarknesswhichsurroundsme?Atpresentitisoutofmypowertorewardyouforyourservices,butinamonthorsixweeksIshallbemarried,withthecontrolofmyownincome,andthenatleastyoushallnotfindmeungrateful.” Holmesturnedtohisdeskand,unlockingit,drewoutasmallcase-book,whichheconsulted. “Farintosh,”saidhe.“Ahyes,Irecallthecaseitwasconcernedwithanopaltiara.Ithinkitwasbeforeyourtime,Watson.Icanonlysay,madam,thatIshallbehappytodevotethesamecaretoyourcaseasIdidtothatofyourfriend.Astoreward,myprofessionisitsownrewardbutyouareatlibertytodefraywhateverexpensesImaybeputto,atthetimewhichsuitsyoubest.AndnowIbegthatyouwilllaybeforeuseverythingthatmayhelpusinforminganopinionuponthematter.” “Alas!”repliedourvisitor,“theveryhorrorofmysituationliesinthefactthatmyfearsaresovague,andmysuspicionsdependsoentirelyuponsmallpoints,whichmightseemtrivialtoanother,thatevenhetowhomofallothersIhavearighttolookforhelpandadvicelooksuponallthatItellhimaboutitasthefanciesofanervouswoman.Hedoesnotsayso,butIcanreaditfromhissoothinganswersandavertedeyes.ButIhaveheard,Mr.Holmes,thatyoucanseedeeplyintothemanifoldwickednessofthehumanheart.Youmayadvisemehowtowalkamidthedangerswhichencompassme.” “Iamallattention,madam.” “MynameisHelenStoner,andIamlivingwithmystepfather,whoisthelastsurvivorofoneoftheoldestSaxonfamiliesinEngland,theRoylottsofStokeMoran,onthewesternborderofSurrey.” Holmesnoddedhishead.“Thenameisfamiliartome,”saidhe. “ThefamilywasatonetimeamongtherichestinEngland,andtheestatesextendedoverthebordersintoBerkshireinthenorth,andHampshireinthewest.Inthelastcentury,however,foursuccessiveheirswereofadissoluteandwastefuldisposition,andthefamilyruinwaseventuallycompletedbyagamblerinthedaysoftheRegency.Nothingwasleftsaveafewacresofground,andthetwo-hundred-year-oldhouse,whichisitselfcrushedunderaheavymortgage.Thelastsquiredraggedouthisexistencethere,livingthehorriblelifeofanaristocraticpauperbuthisonlyson,mystepfather,seeingthathemustadapthimselftothenewconditions,obtainedanadvancefromarelative,whichenabledhimtotakeamedicaldegreeandwentouttoCalcutta,where,byhisprofessionalskillandhisforceofcharacter,heestablishedalargepractice.Inafitofanger,however,causedbysomerobberieswhichhadbeenperpetratedinthehouse,hebeathisnativebutlertodeathandnarrowlyescapedacapitalsentence.Asitwas,hesufferedalongtermofimprisonmentandafterwardsreturnedtoEnglandamoroseanddisappointedman. “WhenDr.RoylottwasinIndiahemarriedmymother,Mrs.Stoner,theyoungwidowofMajor-GeneralStoner,oftheBengalArtillery.MysisterJuliaandIweretwins,andwewereonlytwoyearsoldatthetimeofmymother’sre-marriage.Shehadaconsiderablesumofmoney—notlessthan￡1000ayear—andthisshebequeathedtoDr.Roylottentirelywhileweresidedwithhim,withaprovisionthatacertainannualsumshouldbeallowedtoeachofusintheeventofourmarriage.ShortlyafterourreturntoEnglandmymotherdied—shewaskilledeightyearsagoinarailwayaccidentnearCrewe.Dr.RoylottthenabandonedhisattemptstoestablishhimselfinpracticeinLondonandtookustolivewithhimintheoldancestralhouseatStokeMoran.Themoneywhichmymotherhadleftwasenoughforallourwants,andthereseemedtobenoobstacletoourhappiness. “Butaterriblechangecameoverourstepfatheraboutthistime.Insteadofmakingfriendsandexchangingvisitswithourneighbours,whohadatfirstbeenoverjoyedtoseeaRoylottofStokeMoranbackintheoldfamilyseat,heshuthimselfupinhishouseandseldomcameoutsavetoindulgeinferociousquarrelswithwhoevermightcrosshispath.Violenceoftemperapproachingtomaniahasbeenhereditaryinthemenofthefamily,andinmystepfather’scaseithad,Ibelieve,beenintensifiedbyhislongresidenceinthetropics.Aseriesofdisgracefulbrawlstookplace,twoofwhichendedinthepolice-court,untilatlasthebecametheterrorofthevillage,andthefolkswouldflyathisapproach,forheisamanofimmensestrength,andabsolutelyuncontrollableinhisanger. “Lastweekhehurledthelocalblacksmithoveraparapetintoastream,anditwasonlybypayingoverallthemoneywhichIcouldgathertogetherthatIwasabletoavertanotherpublicexposure.Hehadnofriendsatallsavethewanderinggipsies,andhewouldgivethesevagabondsleavetoencampuponthefewacresofbramble-coveredlandwhichrepresentthefamilyestate,andwouldacceptinreturnthehospitalityoftheirtents,wanderingawaywiththemsometimesforweeksonend.HehasapassionalsoforIndiananimals,whicharesentovertohimbyacorrespondent,andhehasatthismomentacheetahandababoon,whichwanderfreelyoverhisgroundsandarefearedbythevillagersalmostasmuchastheirmaster. “YoucanimaginefromwhatIsaythatmypoorsisterJuliaandIhadnogreatpleasureinourlives.Noservantwouldstaywithus,andforalongtimewedidalltheworkofthehouse.