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〃You say that she quarrelled with your Liverpool relations。〃
〃Yes； and they were the best of friends at one time。 Why； she went
up there to live in order to be near them。 And now she has no word
hard enough for Jim Browner。 The last six months that she was here she
would speak of nothing but his drinking and his ways。 He had caught
her meddling； I suspect； and given her a bit of his mind； and that was
the start of it。〃
〃Thank you； Miss Cushing；〃 said Holmes； rising and bowing。 〃Your
sister Sarah lives； I think you said； at New Street； Wallington？
Good…bye； and I am very sorry that you have been troubled over a
case with which； as you say； you have nothing whatever to do。〃
There was a cab passing as we came out； and Holmes hailed it。
〃How far to Wallington？〃 he asked。
〃Only about a mile； sir。〃
〃Very good。 jump in； Watson。 We must strike while the iron is hot。
Simple as the case is； there have been one or two very instructive
details in connection with it。 Just pull up at a telegraph office as
you pass； cabby。〃
Holmes sent off a short wire and for the rest of the drive lay
back in the cab； with his hat tilted over his nose to keep the sun
from his face。 Our driver pulled up at a house which was not unlike
the one which we had just quitted。 My companion ordered him to wait；
and had his hand upon the knocker； when the door opened and a grave
young gentleman in black； with a very shiny hat； appeared on the step。
〃Is Miss Cushing at home？〃 asked Holmes。
〃Miss Sarah Cushing is extremely ill；〃 said he。 〃She has been
suffering since yesterday from brain symptoms of great severity。 As
her medical adviser； I cannot possibly take the responsibility of
allowing anyone to see her。 I should recommend you to call again in
ten days。〃 He drew on his gloves； closed the door； and marched off
down the street。
〃Well； if we can't we can't；〃 said Holmes； cheerfully。
〃Perhaps she could not or would not have told you much。〃
〃I did not wish her to tell me anything。 I only wanted to look at
her。 However； I think that I have got all that I want。 Drive us to
some decent hotel； cabby； where we may have some lunch； and afterwards
we shall drop down upon friend Lestrade at the police…station。〃
We had a pleasant little meal together； during which Holmes would
talk about nothing but violins； narrating with great exultation how he
had purchased his own Stradivarius； which was worth at least five
hundred guineas； at a Jew broker's in Tottenham Court Road for
fifty…five shillings。 This led him to Paganini； and we sat for an hour
over a bottle of claret while he told me anecdote after anecdote of
that extraordinary man。 The afternoon was far advanced and the hot
glare had softened into a mellow glow before we found ourselves at the
police…station。 Lestrade was waiting for us at the door。
〃A telegram for you； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said he。
〃Ha！ It is the answer！〃 He tore it open； glanced his eyes over it；
and crumpled it into his pocket。 〃That's all right〃 said he。
〃Have you found out anything？〃
〃I have found out everything！〃
〃What！〃 Lestrade stared at him in amazement。 〃You are joking。〃
〃I was never more serious in my life。 A shocking crime has been
committed； and I think I have now laid bare every detail of it。〃
〃And the criminal？〃
Holmes scribbled a few words upon the back of one of his visiting
cards and threw it over to Lestrade。
〃That is the name；〃 he said。 〃You cannot effect an arrest until
to…morrow night at the earliest。 I should prefer that you do not
mention my name at all in connection with the case； as I choose to
be only associated with those crimes which present some difficulty
in their solution。 Come on； Watson。〃 We strode off together to the
station； leaving Lestrade still staring with a delighted face at the
card which Holmes had thrown him。
〃The case；〃 said Sherlock Holmes as we chatted over our cigars
that night in our rooms at Baker Street； 〃is one where； as in the
investigations which you have chronicled under the names of 'A Study
in Scarlet' and of 'The Sign of Four；' we have been compelled to
reason backward from effects to causes。 I have written to Lestrade
asking him to supply us with the details which are now wanting； and
which he will only get after he has secured his man。 That he may be
safely trusted to do； for although he is absolutely devoid of
reason； he is as tenacious as a bulldog when he once understands
what he has to do； and； indeed； it is just this tenacity which has
brought him to the top at Scotland Yard。〃
〃Your case is not complete； then？〃 I asked。
〃It is fairly complete in essentials。 We know who the author of
the revolting business is； although one of the victims still escapes
us。 Of course； you have formed your own conclusions。〃
〃I presume that this Jim Browner； the steward of a Liverpool boat；
is the man whom you suspect？〃
〃Oh！ it is more than a suspicion。〃
〃And yet I cannot see anything save very vague indications。〃
〃On the contrary； to my mind nothing could be more clear。 Let me run
over the principal steps。 We approached the case； you remember； with
an absolutely blank mind； which is always an advantage。 We had
formed no theories。 We were simply there to observe and to draw
inferences from our observations。 What did we see first？ A very placid
and respectable lady； who seemed quite innocent of any secret； and a
portrait which showed me that she had two younger sisters。 It
instantly flashed across my mind that the box might have been meant
for one of these。 I set the idea aside as one which could be disproved
or confirmed at our leisure。 Then we went to the garden； as you
remember； and we saw the very singular contents of the little yellow
box。
〃The string was of the quality which is used by sailmakers aboard
ship； and at once a whiff of the sea was perceptible in our
investigation。 When I observed that the knot was one which is
popular with sailors； that the parcel had been posted at a port； and
that the male ear was pierced for an earring which is so much more
common among sailors than landsmen； I was quite certain that an the
actors in the tragedy were to be found among our seafaring classes。
〃When I came to examine the address of the packet I observed that it
was to Miss S。 Cushing。 Now； the oldest sister would； of course； be
Miss Cushing； and although her initial was 'S' it might belong to
one of the others as well。 In that case we should have to commence our
investigation from a fresh basis altogether。 I therefore went into the
house with the intention of clearing up this point。 I was about to
assure Miss Cushing that I was convinced that a mistake had been
made when you may remember that I came suddenly to a stop。 The fact
was that I had just seen something which filled me with surprise and
at the same time narrowed the field of our inquiry immensely。
〃As a medical man； you are aware； Watson； that there is no part of
the body which varies so much as the human ear。 Each ear is as a
rule quite distinctive and differs from all other on