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SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE ADVENTURE OF THE CARDBOARD BOX
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
In choosing a few typical cases which illustrate the remarkable
mental qualities of my friend； Sherlock Holmes； I have endeavoured； as
far as possible； to select those which presented the minimum of
sensationalism； while offering a fair field for his talents。 It is；
however； unfortunately impossible entirely to separate the sensational
from the criminal； and a chronicler is left in the dilemma that he
must either sacrifice details which are essential to his statement and
so give a false impression of the problem； or he must use matter which
chance； and not choice； has provided him with。 With this short preface
I shall turn to my notes of what proved to be a strange； though a
peculiarly terrible； chain of events。
It was a blazing hot day in August。 Baker Street was like an oven；
and the glare of the sunlight upon the yellow brickwork of the house
across the road was painful to the eye。 It was hard to believe that
these were the same walls which loomed so gloomily through the fogs of
winter。 Our blinds were half…drawn； and Holmes lay curled upon the
sofa； reading and re…reading a letter which he had received by the
morning post。 For myself； my term of service in India had trained me
to stand heat better than cold； and a thermometer at ninety was no
hardship。 But the morning paper was uninteresting。 Parliament had
risen。 Everybody was out of town； and I yearned for the glades of
the New Forest or the shingle of Southsea。 A depleted bank account had
caused me to postpone my holiday； and as to my companion； neither
the country nor the sea presented the slightest attraction to him。
He loved to lie in the very centre of five millions of people； with
his filaments stretching out and running through them； responsive to
every little rumour or suspicion of unsolved crime。 Appreciation of
nature found no place among his many gifts； and his only change was
when he turned his mind from the evil…doer of the town to track down
his brother of the country。
Finding that Holmes was too absorbed for conversation I had tossed
aside the barren paper； and leaning back in my chair I fell into a
brown study。 Suddenly my companion's voice broke in upon my thoughts：
〃You are right； Watson；〃 said he。 〃It does seem a most
preposterous way of settling a dispute。〃
〃Most preposterous！〃 I exclaimed； and then suddenly realizing how he
had echoed the inmost thought of my soul； I sat up in my chair and
stared at him in blank amazement。
〃What is this； Holmes？〃 I cried。 〃This is beyond anything which I
could have imagined。〃
He laughed heartily at my perplexity。
〃You remember；〃 said he； 〃that some little time ago when I read
you the passage in one of Poe's sketches in which a close reasoner
follows the unspoken thoughts of his companion； you were inclined to
treat the matter as a mere tour…de…force of the author。 On my
remarking that I was constantly in the habit of doing the same thing
you expressed incredulity。〃
〃Oh； no！〃
〃Perhaps not with your tongue； my dear Watson； but certainly with
your eyebrows。 So when I saw you throw down your paper and enter
upon a train of thought； I was very happy to have the opportunity of
reading it off； and eventually of breaking into it； as a proof that
I had been in rapport with you。〃
But I was still far from satisfied。 〃In the example which you read
to me；〃 said I； 〃the reasoner drew his conclusions from the actions of
the man whom he observed。 If I remember right； he stumbled over a heap
of stones； looked up at the stars； and so on。 But I have been seated
quietly in my chair； and what clues can I have given you？〃
〃You do yourself an injustice。 The features are given to man as
the means by which he shall express his emotions； and yours are
faithful servants。〃
〃Do you mean to say that you read my train of thoughts from my
features？〃
〃Your features and especially your eyes。 Perhaps you cannot yourself
recall how your reverie commenced？〃
〃No； I cannot。〃
〃Then I will tell you。 After throwing down your paper； which was the
action which drew my attention to you； you sat for half a minute
with a vacant expression。 Then your eyes fixed themselves upon your
newly framed picture of General Gordon； and I saw by the alteration in
your face that a train of thought had been started。 But it did not
lead very far。 Your eyes flashed across to the unframed portrait of
Henry Ward Beecher which stands upon the top of your books。 Then you
glanced up at the wall； and of course your meaning was obvious。 You
were thinking that if the portrait were framed it would just cover
that bare space and correspond with Gordon's picture over there。〃
〃You have followed me wonderfully！〃 I exclaimed。
〃So far I could hardly have gone astray。 But now your thoughts
went back to Beecher； and you looked hard across as if you were
studying the character in his features。 Then your eyes ceased to
pucker； but you continued to look across； and your face was
thoughtful。 You were recalling the incidents of Beecher's career。 I
was well aware that you could not do this without thinking of the
mission which he undertook on behalf of the North at the time of the
Civil War； for I remember your expressing your passionate
indignation at the way in which he was received by the more
turbulent of our people。 You felt so strongly about it that I knew you
could not think of Beecher without thinking of that also。 When a
moment later I saw your eyes wander away from the picture； I suspected
that your mind had now turned to the Civil War； and when I observed
that your lips set； your eyes sparkled； and your hands clenched I
was positive that you were indeed thinking of the gallantry which
was shown by both sides in that desperate struggle。 But then； again；
your face grew sadder； you shook your head。 You were dwelling upon the
sadness and horror and useless waste of life。 Your hand stole
towards your own old wound and a smile quivered on your lips； which
showed me that the ridiculous side of this method of settling
international questions had forced itself upon your mind。 At this
point I agreed with you that it was preposterous and was glad to
find that all my deductions had been correct。〃
〃Absolutely！〃 said I。 〃And now that you have explained it； I confess
that I am as amazed as before。〃
〃It was very superficial； my dear Watson； I assure you。 I should not
have intruded it upon your attention had you not shown some
incredulity the other day。 But I have in my hands here a little
problem which may prove to be more difficult of solution than my small
essay in thought reading。 Have you observed in the paper a short
paragraph referring to the remarkable contents of a packet sent
through the post to Miss Cushing； of Cross Street Croydon？〃
〃No； I saw nothing。〃
〃Ah！ then you must have overlooked it。 Just toss it over to me。 Here
it is； under the financial column。 Perhaps you would b