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SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLANCHED SOLDIER
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The ideas of my friend Watson； though limited； are exceedingly
pertinacious。 For a long time he has worried me to write an experience
of my own。 Perhaps I have rather invited this persecution； since I
have often had occasion to point out to him how superficial are his
own accounts and to accuse him of pandering to popular taste instead
of confining himself rigidly to facts and figures。 〃Try it yourself；
Holmes！〃 he has retorted； and I am compelled to admit that； having
taken my pen in my hand； I do begin to realize that the matter must be
presented in such a way as may interest the reader。 The following case
can hardly fail to do so； as it is among the strangest happenings in
my collection； though it chanced that Watson had no note of it in
his collection。 Speaking of my old friend and biographer； I would take
this opportunity to remark that if I burden myself with a companion in
my various little inquiries it is not done out of sentiment or
caprice； but it is that Watson has some remarkable characteristics
of his own to which in his modesty he has given small attention amid
his exaggerated estimates of my own performances。 A confederate who
foresees your conclusions and course of action is always dangerous；
but one to whom each development comes as a perpetual surprise； and to
whom the future is always a closed book； is indeed an ideal helpmate。
I find from my notebook that it was in January； 1903； just after the
conclusion of the Boer War； that I had my visit from Mr。 James M。
Dodd； a big； fresh； sunburned； upstanding Briton。 The good Watson
had at that time deserted me for a wife； the only selfish action which
I can recall in our association。 I was alone。
It is my habit to sit with my back to the window and to place my
visitors in the opposite chair； where the light falls full upon
them。 Mr。 James M。 Dodd seemed somewhat at a loss how to begin the
interview。 I did not attempt to help him； for his silence gave me more
time for observation。 I have found it wise to impress clients with a
sense of power； and so I gave him some of my conclusions。
〃From South Africa； sir； I perceive。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 he answered； with some surprise。
〃Imperial Yeomanry； I fancy。〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃Middlesex Corps； no doubt。〃
〃That is so。 Mr。 Holmes； you are a wizard。〃
I smiled at his bewildered expression。
〃When a gentleman of virile appearance enters my room with such
tan upon his face as an English sun could never give； and with his
handkerchief in his sleeve instead of in his pocket； it is not
difficult to place him。 You wear a short beard； which shows that you
were not a regular。 You have the cut of a riding…man。 As to Middlesex；
your card has already shown me that you are a stockbroker from
Throgmorton Street。 What other regiment would you join？〃
〃You see everything。〃
〃I see no more than you； but I have trained myself to notice what
I see。 However； Mr。 Dodd； it was not to discuss the science of
observation that you called upon me this morning。 What has been
happening at Tuxbury Old Park？〃
〃Mr。 Holmes…！〃
〃My dear sir； there is no mystery。 Your letter came with that
heading； and as you fixed this appointment in very pressing terms it
was clear that something sudden and important had occurred。〃
〃Yes； indeed。 But the letter was written in the afternoon； and a
good deal has happened since； then。 If Colonel Emsworth had not kicked
me out…〃
〃Kicked you out！〃
〃Well that was what it amounted to。 He is a hard nail； is Colonel
Emsworth。 The greatest martinet in the Army in his day； and it was a
day of rough language； too。 I couldn't have stuck the colonel if it
had not been for Godfrey's sake。〃
I lit my pipe and leaned back in my chair。
〃Perhaps you will explain what you are talking about。〃
My client grinned mischievously。
〃I had got into the way of supposing that you knew everything
without being told；〃 said he。 〃But I will give you the facts； and I
hope to God that you will be able to tell me what they mean。 I've been
awake all night puzzling my brain； and the more I think the more
incredible does it become。
〃When I joined up in January； 1901… just two years ago… young
Godfrey Emsworth had joined the same squadron。 He was Colonel
Emsworth's only son… Emsworth； the Crimean V。C。… and he had the
fighting blood in him； so it is no wonder he volunteered。 There was
not a finer lad in the regiment。 We formed a friendship… the sort of
friendship which can only be made when one lives the same life and
shares the same joys and sorrows。 He was my mate… and that means a
good deal in the Army。 We took the rough and the smooth together for a
year of hard fighting。 Then he was hit with a bullet from an
elephant gun in the action near Diamond Hill outside Pretoria。 I got
one letter from the hospital at Cape Town and one from South
Hampton。 Since then not a word… not one word； Mr。 Holmes； for six
months and more； and he my closest pal。
〃Well； when the war was over； and we all got back； I wrote to his
father and asked where Godfrey was。 No answer。 I waited a bit and then
I wrote again。 This time I had a reply； short and gruff。 Godfrey had
gone on a voyage round the world； and it was not likely that he
would be back for a year。 That was all。
〃I wasn't satisfied； Mr。 Holmes。 The whole thing seemed to me so
damned unnatural。 He was a good lad； and he would not drop a pal
like that。 It was not like him。 Then； again； I happened to know that
he was heir to a lot of money； and also that his father and he did not
always hit it off too well。 The old man was sometimes a bully； and
young Godfrey had too much spirit to stand it。 No； I wasn't satisfied；
and I determined that I would get to the root of the matter。 It
happened； however； that my own affairs needed a lot of straightening
out； after two years' absence； and so it is only this week that I have
been able to take up Godfrey's case again。 But since I have taken it
up I mean to drop everything in order to see it through。〃
Mr。 James M。 Dodd appeared to be the sort of person whom it would be
better to have as a friend than as an enemy。 His blue eyes were
stern and his square jaw had set hard as he spoke。
〃Well； what have you done？〃 I asked。
〃My first move was to get down to his home； Tuxbury Old Park； near
Bedford； and to see for myself how the ground lay。 I wrote to the
mother； therefore… I had had quite enough of the curmudgeon of a
father… and I made a clean frontal attack： Godfrey was my chum； I
had a great deal of interest which I might tell her of our common
experiences； I should be in the neighbourhood； would there be any
objection； et cetera？ In reply I had quite an amiable answer from
her and an offer to put me up for the night。 That was what took me
down on Monday。
〃Tuxbury Old Hall is inaccessible… five miles from anywhere。 There
was no trap at the station； so I had to walk； carrying my