And yet your observation was precise. You had seen the lady risefrom beside the child’s cot with the blood upon her lips.”
“I did.”
“Did it not occur to you that a bleeding wound may be suckedfor some other purpose than to draw the blood from it? Was therenot a queen in English history who sucked such a wound to drawpoison from it?”
“Poison!”
“A South American household. My instinct felt the presence ofthose weapons upon the wall before my eyes ever saw them. Itmight have been other poison, but that was what occurred to me.
When I saw that little empty quiver beside the small bird-bow, itwas just what I expected to see. If the child were pricked with oneof those arrows dipped in curare or some other devilish drug, itwould mean death if the venom were not sucked out.
“And the dog! If one were to use such a poison, would one notThe Case Book of Sherlock Holmes 1311
try it first in order to see that it had not lost its power? I did notforesee the dog, but at least I understand him and he fitted intomy reconstruction.
“Now do you understand? Your wife feared such an attack. Shesaw it made and saved the child’s life, and yet she shrank fromtelling you all the truth, for she knew how you loved the boy andfeared lest it break your heart.”
“Jacky!”
“I watched him as you fondled the child just now. His face wasclearly reflected in the glass of the window where the shutterformed a background. I saw such jealousy, such cruel hatred, as Ihave seldom seen in a human face.”
“My Jacky!”
“You have to face it, Mr. Ferguson. It is the more painfulbecause it is a distorted love, a maniacal exaggerated love for you,and possibly for his dead mother, which has prompted his action.
His very soul is consumed with hatred for this splendid child,whose health and beauty are a contrast to his own weakness.”
“Good God! It is incredible!”
“Have I spoken the truth, madame?”
The lady was sobbing, with her face buried in the pillows. Nowshe turned to her husband.
“How could I tell you, Bob? I felt the blow it would be to you. Itwas better that I should wait and that it should come from someother lips than mine. When this gentleman, who seems to havepowers of magic, wrote that he knew all, I was glad.”
“I think a year at sea would be my preion for MasterJacky,” said Holmes, rising from his chair. “Only one thing is stillclouded, madame. We can quite understand your attacks uponMaster Jacky. There is a limit to a mother’s patience. But how didyou dare to leave the child these last two days?”
“I had told Mrs. Mason. She knew.”
“Exactly. So I imagined.”
Ferguson was standing by the bed, choking, his hands outstretchedand quivering.
“This, I fancy, is the time for our exit, Watson,” said Holmes ina whisper. “If you will take one elbow of the too faithful Dolores,I will take the other. There, now,” he added as he closed the doorbehind him, “I think we may leave them to settle the rest amongthemselves.”
I have only one further note of this case. It is the letter whichHolmes wrote in final answer to that with which the narrativebegins. It ran thus:
Referring to your letter of the 19th, I beg to state that I havelooked into the inquiry of your client, Mr. Robert Ferguson, ofFerguson and Muirhead, tea brokers, of Mincing Lane, and that thematter has been brought to a satisfactory conclusion. With thanksfor your recommendation, I am, sir,
Faithfully yours,
SHERLOCK HOLMES.
The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
It may have been a comedy, or it may have been a tragedy. Itcost one man his reason, it cost me a blood-letting, and it cost yetanother man the penalties of the law. Yet there was certainly anelement of comedy. Well, you shall judge for yourselves.
I remember the date very well, for it was in the same monththat Holmes refused a knighthood for services which may perhapssome day be described. I only refer to the matter in passing, for inmy position of partner and confidant I am obliged to be particularlycareful to avoid any indiscretion. I repeat, however, that thisenables me to fix the date, which was the latter end of June, 1902,shortly after the conclusion of the South African War. Holmes hadspent several days in bed, as was his habit from time to time, but heemerged that morning with a long foolscap document in his handand a twinkle of amusement in his austere gray eyes.
“There is a chance for you to make some money, friend Watson,”
said he. “Have you ever heard the name of Garrideb?”
I admitted that I had not.
“Well, if you can lay your hand upon a Garrideb, there’s moneyin it.”
“Why?”
“Ah, that’s a long story—rather a whimsical one, too. I don’tthink in all our explorations of human complexities we haveever come upon anything more singular. The fellow will be herepresently for cross-examination, so I won’t open the matter up tillhe comes. But, meanwhile, that’s the name we want.”
The telephone directory lay on the table beside me, and Iturned over the pages in a rather hopeless quest. But to myamazement there was this strange name in its due place. I gave acry of triumph.
“Here you are, Holmes! Here it is!”
Holmes took the book from my hand.
The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes 1313
“ ‘Garrideb, N.,’ ” he read, “ ‘136 Little Ryder Street, W.’ Sorry todisappoint you, my dear Watson, but this is the man himself. Thatis the address upon his letter. We want another to match him.”
Mrs. Hudson had come in with a card upon a tray. I took it upand glanced at it.
“Why, here it is!” I cried in amazement. “This is a different initial.
John Garrideb, Counsellor at Law, Moorville, Kansas, U. S. A.”
Holmes smiled as he looked at the card. “I am afraid you mustmake yet another effort, Watson,” said he. “This gentleman is alsoin the plot already, though I certainly did not expect to see himthis morning. However, he is in a position to tell us a good dealwhich I want to know.”