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habits are irregular； he frequents public houses； and seems to be
familiarly acquainted with a great many dissolute characters； he
is in debt to most of the tradespeople whom he employs； he has
not paid his rent to Mr。 Yatman for the last month； yesterday
evening he came home excited by liquor； and last week he was seen
talking to a prize…fighter； in short； though Mr。 Jay does call
himself a journalist； in virtue of his penny…a…line contributions
to the newspapers； he is a young man of low tastes； vulgar
manners； and bad habits。 Nothing has yet been discovered in
relation to him which redounds to his credit in the smallest
degree。
I have now reported； down to the very last details； all the
particulars communicated to me by Sergeant Bulmer。 I believe you
will not find an omission anywhere； and I think you will admit；
though you are prejudiced against me； that a clearer statement of
facts was never laid before you than the statement I have now
made。 My next duty is to tell you what I propose to do now that
the case is confided to my hands。
In the first place； it is clearly my business to take up the case
at the point where Sergeant Bulmer has left it。 On his authority；
I am justified in assuming that I have no need to trouble myself
about the maid…of…all…work and the shopman。 Their characters are
now to be considered as cleared up。 What remains to be privately
investigated is the question of the guilt or innocence of Mr。
Jay。 Before we give up the notes for lost； we must make sure； if
we can； that he knows nothing about them。
This is the plan that I have adopted； with the full approval of
Mr。 and Mrs。 Yatman； for discovering whether Mr。 Jay is or is not
the person who has stolen the cash…box：
I propose to…day to present myself at the house in the character
of a young man who is looking for lodgings。 The back room on the
second floor will be shown to me as the room to let； and I shall
establish myself there to…night as a person from the country who
has come to London to look for a situation in a respectable shop
or office。
By this means I shall be living next to the room occupied by Mr。
Jay。 The partition between us is mere lath and plaster。 I shall
make a small hole in it； near the cornice； through which I can
see what Mr。 Jay does in his room； and hear every word that is
said when any friend happens to call on him。 Whenever he is at
home； I shall be at my post of observation； whenever he goes out；
I shall be after him。 By employing these means of watching him； I
believe I may look forward to the discovery of his secretif he
knows anything about the lost bank…notesas to a dead certainty。
What you may think of my plan of observation I cannot undertake
to say。 It appears to me to unite the invaluable merits of
boldness and simplicity。 Fortified by this conviction； I close
the present communication with feelings of the most sanguine
description in regard to the future； and remain your obedient
servant；
MATTHEW SHARPIN。
FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME。
7th July。
SIRAs you have not honored me with any answer to my last
communication； I assume that； in spite of your prejudices against
me； it has produced the favorable impression on your mind which I
ventured to anticipate。 Gratified and encouraged beyond measure
by the token of approval which your eloquent silence conveys to
me； I proceed to report the progress that has been made in the
course of the last twenty…four hours。
I am now comfortably established next door to Mr。 Jay； and I am
delighted to say that I have two holes in the partition instead
of one。 My natural sense of humor has led me into the pardonable
extravagance of giving them both appropriate names。 One I call my
peep…hole； and the other my pipe…hole。 The name of the first
explains itself； the name of the second refers to a small tin
pipe or tube inserted in the hole； and twisted so that the mouth
of it comes close to my ear while I am standing at my post of
observation。 Thus； while I am looking at Mr。 Jay through my
peep…hole； I can hear every word that may be spoken in his room
through my pipe…hole。
Perfect candora virtue which I have possessed from my
childhoodcompels me to acknowledge； before I go any further；
that the ingenious notion of adding a pipe…hole to my proposed
peep…hole originated with Mrs。 Yatman。 This ladya most
intelligent and accomplished person； simple； and yet
distinguished in her manners； has entered into all my little
plans with an enthusiasm and intelligence which I cannot too
highly praise。 Mr。 Yatman is so cast down by his loss that he is
quite incapable of affording me any assistance。 Mrs。 Yatman； who
is evidently most tenderly attached to him； feels her husband's
sad condition of mind even more acutely than she feels the loss
of the money； and is mainly stimulated to exertion by her desire
to assist in raising him from the miserable state of prostration
into which he has now fallen。
〃The money； Mr。 Sharpin；〃 she said to me yesterday evening； with
tears in her eyes； 〃the money may be regained by rigid economy
and strict attention to business。 It is my husband's wretched
state of mind that makes me so anxious for the discovery of the
thief。 I may be wrong； but I felt hopeful of success as soon as
you entered the house； and I believe that； if the wretch who
robbed us is to be found； you are the man to discover him。〃 I
accepted this gratifying compliment in the spirit in which it was
offered； firmly believing that I shall be found； sooner or later；
to have thoroughly deserved it。
Let me now return to businessthat is to say； to my peep…hole
and my pipe…hole。
I have enjoyed some hours of calm observation of Mr。 Jay。 Though
rarely at home； as I understand from Mrs。 Yatman； on ordinary
occasions； he has been indoors the whole of this day。 That is
suspicious； to begin with。 I have to report； further； that he
rose at a late hour this morning （always a bad sign in a young
man）； and that he lost a great deal of time； after he was up； in
yawning and complaining to himself of headache。 Like other
debauched characters； he ate little or nothing for breakfast。 His
next proceeding was to smoke a pipea dirty clay pipe； which a
gentleman would have been ashamed to put between his lips。 When
he had done smoking he took out pen； ink and paper； and sat down
to write with a groanwhether of remorse for having taken the
bank…notes； or of disgust at the task before him； I am unable to
say。 After writing a few lines （too far away from my peep…hole to
give me a chance of reading over his shoulder）； he leaned back in
his chair； and amused himself by humming the tunes of popular
songs。 I recognized 〃My Mary Anne；〃 〃Bobbin' Around；〃 and 〃Old
Dog Tray；〃 among other melodies。 Whether these do or do not
represent secret signals by which he communicates
with his accomplices remains to be seen。 After he had amused
himself for some time by humming； he got up and began to walk
about the room； occasionally stopping to add a sentence to the
paper on his desk。 Before long he went to a locked cupboard and
opened it。 I strained my eyes eagerly； in expectation of making a
discovery。 I saw him t