"Gentlemen of the jury, have you decided on your verdict?" "We have." "The prisoner will rise." "Do you find the prisoner guilty or not guilty of willful murder?" "According to the evidence, we have no choice but to find the prisoner not guilty." "So do we all find and may god forgive us." "Prisoner, at the bar you have heard the verdict." "Under the law, no other verdict is possible." "Yet, it is undoubtedly a gross miscarriage of justice." "It is deplorable, Professor Moriarty, that a man of your intellectual attainments should be standing in the prisoner's box charged with a crime of murder." "And in setting you free, I cannot in my conscience exonerate you." "Let the prisoner be discharged." "Let me in, let me in." "My Lord." "My lord, I have important new evidence." "You come too late, Mr. Holmes." "The prisoner has been discharged." "But my lord, you can't let Moriarty go free." "He killed Loray." "I can prove it." "I can destroy his alibi." "That alibi has been established by three hundred fellows of the Royal Society." "Your lordship, my client has been acquitted." "He cannot be tried twice for the same charge." "Oh, there you are, Holmes." "I'm afraid you have a bad opinion of me." "On the contrary, I hold you in the highest esteem but only as a maid." "It's gratifying to know that one's talents are appreciated by such a distinguished connoisseur." "May I give you a lift?" "Cabs are scarce in this rain." " Thank you." " 221 Bakers Street." " Very good, sir." " After you, my dear Holmes." " By no means," "I prefer that you precede me at all times." "Such a creature of habit, you are." "You have a magnificent brain, Moriarty." "I admire it." "I admire it so much I'd like to present it... pickled in alcohol to the London Medical Society." "That would make an interesting exhibit." "Holmes, you've only now barely missed sending me to the gallows." "You're the one man in England clever enough to defeat me." "The situation has become impossible." "Have you any suggestions?" "I'm gonna break you, Holmes." "I'm going to bring out right under your nose the most incredible crime of the century and you'll never suspect it until it's too late." "That will be the end of you, Mr. Sherlock Holmes." "And when I've beaten and ruined you then I can retire in peace." "I'd like to retire, crime no longer amuses me." "I'd like to devote my remaining years to abstract science." "Well, here we are at my lodgings." "I'm so sorry I can't ask you in." "Good night, Professor Moriarty." "Good night." "I was just coming in when you rang, sir." " Oh, there you are, Dawes." " Mr. Bassick is here, sir." "I'll see him at once." "Come to me as soon as he's gone, Dawes." "There's something I want to say to you." "Yes, sir." "Well, Bassick." "Don't that bloke never stop." "That music gives me the creeps." "Does it, Bassick?" "I rather like it." "I want you to post that letter at the box at Portland Square just a few minutes before twelve." "Then drive directly to your lodgings by way of Oxford Circus." "Wait there till I send for you." "That's all." "First, I want to know what I'm getting into." "You have your orders." "That's enough." "I have a right to know the layout in case there's trouble." "I'll take care of that." "That's what you promised Higgins in that Hammersmith job." "Oh, poor Higgins." "They found nothing but his boots." "One boot." "You know, Bassick," "Higgins was a valuable man and a clever cracksman." "But he had your unfortunate habit of asking too many questions and now all that's left of him is one boot." "Don't take me wrong, Professor." "I'll do what you tell me right enough." "I'm sure you will, Bassick, and just to prove how I trust you I'm going to tell you my plan." "Although, you haven't the imagination to appreciate its subtlety." "My whole success depends upon a peculiarity of Holmes brain, its perpetual restlessness." "Its constant struggle to escape boredom." "Holmes again?" "Always Holmes until the end." "He's like a spoiled boy who picks watches to pieces but loses interest in one toy as soon as he's given another." "So, I'm presenting the ingenious but fickle Mr. Holmes with two toys, in the order in which I mean him to have them." "The first, that letter." "If I know Mr. Holmes that will interest him very little, after this comes to fascinate and tantalize his imagination." "Blimey, what it mean?" "That is what I'm depending upon to absorb." "Mr. Holmes' interest while I'm engaged elsewhere." "I'll give him a toy to delight his heart so full of bizarre complications that he'll forget all about the first toy, that letter." "What's in the letter, Professor?" "The germ of a crime, Bassick." "A truly great crime." "A crime that will stir the empire, that children will read about in their history books and you're going to be part of it, Bassick." "Off with you now." "You wanted to see me, sir?" "I'm away for a few weeks, Dawes, and I come back to find my emfurium magenta, my incomparable emfurium magenta withered, ruined." "I can't understand it, sir." "I take good care of all the plants." "Did you water them?" " Every day, sir, just as you told me, sir." "Then how did it happen that I find a spider's web spun across the spout of a watering can?" " That can happen overnight, sir." " Overnight, uh." "Then you didn't water them today." "There has been so much to do, sir, preparing for your coming back and all." "Nothing is as important as the care of my flowers." "Through your neglect this flower has died." " You've murdered a flower." " I'm sorry, sir." "And to think that for merely murdering a man" "I was incarcerated for six whole weeks in a filthy prison cell." "A pity, sir." " A travesty on justice." " Quite so, sir." "But for this crime, Dawes, you should be flogged, broken on the wheel, drawn and quartered." " Yes sir, will that be all, sir?" " And boiled in oil." "Thank you, sir." " Go away." " Yes, sir." "Well Billy, when you finish sweeping you can dust." "Yes, ma'am." " Well, good morning, Dr. Watson." " Good morning, Mrs. Hudson." "Is Mr. Holmes in?" " Go right up, doctor." " Ah good." "Is he busy?" "Well you might say he was busy and then again, you might say he was not busy." " Huh?" "Say he was busy, not say he was busy..." "Well, well, well, well, Billy." "That's a fetchy little froth that you're wearing." "Mrs. Hudson made me put it in, sir." "I was afraid Mr. Holmes or you would see me." "I think it's very becoming." "Come in, Watson." "I trust I don't come inopportunely." "My dear fellow, as if you ever could." "Come on, pull up a chair." "As a matter of fact, you're just in time to help me decide a matter that is certainly delicate" " and possibly of the greatest importance." " Of course, anything I can do." "I received this note last night." ""My dear Mr. Holmes." "I'm taking the liberty of calling on you at eleven o'clock tomorrow morning."" "That's very soon now." ""To ask you what may appear a silly question"" "whether or not I should go to a garden party on Saturday at Lady Conyngham's." "I beg you to see me." "I'm in desperate need of advice." ""Sincerely yours, Ann Brandon."" "What you make of it, Watson?" "Somebody's pulling your leg." "No, no, no." "I checked on the young lady." "She lives in town with her brother." "She's very rich, mining fortune." "Her father died somewhat mysteriously about ten years ago." "As for Miss Brandon's dilemma," "Lady Conyngham is imminently respectable but she gives the kind of parties that one comes away from with a feeling that one hasn't been anywhere." "Oh, how can you trifle with such inconsequentialities when Moriarty's lose on London?" "My dear Watson, you astound me." "It's the very inconsequentialities of Miss Brandon's message that engages my interest." "But Moriarty, what of him?" "I've taken the most efficient steps of keeping in touch with Moriarty." " You're having him followed." " Oh, don't be so crude, Watson." "Well, what are you doing?" "Nothing." "Nothing?" "My dear Watson, you needn't check me back as if I didn't have a voice." "I said "Nothing."" "That's the best thing I can possibly do at the moment." "Moriarty is as curious about my movement as I am about his." "So, I sit here and wait for him to come to me." "And he'll come." "Never doubt it." "Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba." "So, you fiddle while Rome burns." "A daring metaphor, Watson." "And what are you doing with that inferno fiddle, with those flies?" "I was observing the reaction on the common housefly of the chromatic scale." " A brilliant experiment." " Yes, it will be, if I can find a note that annoys the housefly then might need only play that one note and psst all the houseflies disappear." " Amazing." " No, no, no." "Elementary, my dear Watson, purely elementary." "I expect that will be the young lady." "On the contrary, I suggest an elderly gentlemen with perhaps a touch of gout in his right leg." "Sir Ronald, I'm delighted to see you." "How do you do, Holmes?" " Let me take your hat and stick." " Oh, thank you, yes." "I don't think you know Dr. Watson, do you?" "Watson, this is Sir Ronald Ramsgate, Constable of the Tower of London where all he has to do is to keep his eyes on the Crown Jewels." "How do you do, sir?" "Holmes has often spoken of you, Dr. Watson." "You haven't dropped in like this for a long time, Sir Ronald." "Won't you sit down and have a cup of tea?" "Thank you no, no." "I've come to consult you on a rather peculiar matter." "Now just have a look at that." "Doesn't it strike you that the handwriting is..." "Yes, yes." "That's because it's written with the left hand." ""Star of Delhi will never reach the Tower of London."" "Huh." "Curious, and anonymous." "And what is the Star of Delhi?" "Probably the largest emerald in the world, a gift to her majesty from the Maharajah of Rapur." "Oh, I shouldn't worry about this, Sir Ronald." "It's a typical crank letter." "Besides, no professional thief would risk stealing so famous an emerald." "You can't break it up." "He certainly couldn't sell it as it is." "Perhaps not but in my position of trust I can't afford to take any chances." "I wonder whether you could possibly manage to be on hand when the jewel is delivered." " Now when will that be?" " This weekend." "It's coming on the cruiser Invincible." "Oh, Sir Ronald, even though I'm convinced that the threat means nothing and that a routine police guard would be quite adequate, you can depend on me." "Thank you." "Now I feel sure the jewel will be safe." "Little enough to do for you, Sir Ronald." "Excuse me." "I don't know what you must think of me but I'm sure I was followed here." " You are Miss Brandon?" " Yes." " I am Sherlock Holmes." " Yes, I know." "Let me introduce you to my associate, Dr. Watson." " How do you do?" "Sir Ronald Ramsgate." "Mr. Holmes, I..." "I..." "Well, I've got what I wanted, so I think I'll be going along." "Good day, Miss Brandon." " Goodbye, doctor." " Goodbye, sir." " Your hat and stick, Sir Ronald." " Thank you." " I'm depending on you." " I'll not fail you." "I'm sure of it." " Goodbye, sir." " Goodbye." "Yes, Miss Brandon?" "I shouldn't have written you as I did, Mr. Holmes and then burst in, in this melodramatic way but I had to see you." "Oh, that doesn't matter, Miss Brandon." "There's no more resolutely informal household in all of London than mine." " You're very kind." " Not at all." "Only I don't understand why you wish to consult me about a garden party." "You couldn't possibly find a worse guide to social etiquette." "It's because my brother and Gerald Hunter." "He's the family solicitor." "He insist on my going and I don't want to." "I don't want to." "Yes, but how should I know how to advise you, Miss Brandon?" "Perhaps you should do as your brother and family solicitor suggests." "Lady Conyngham is imminently respectable." "Oh, Mr. Holmes, I'm so frightened." "What are you frightened of, Miss Brandon?" "Murder." "Sit down, Miss Brandon." "Now suppose you tell us all about it." "Well, this came for my brother, Lloyd, in the post two days ago." "Hmm." "This seems to be a field day for crank messages." "Look at that, Watson." "Huh?" "Curious." "May the 11th, that's today." "My father received just such a note before he was murdered." "Murdered?" "Murdered." "Ten years ago on May the 11th." "Scotland Yard couldn't make anything of it." "But I saw him, my father, lying there on the pavement with the back of his head all..." "Now tell me, Miss Brandon, do you associate May the 11th with anything else besides your father's death," "I mean, perhaps with some other incident in your family history?" "No, no nothing." "My family has no history." "My father was a self-made man." "I see." "Oh, Mr. Holmes, you must save my brother." "Don't let them kill him as they did my father." "Jerrold?" "It was very wrong for you to come here, Ann, after I expressly asked you not to." "No more so than for you to follow me." "Where's the paper you took off my desk?" " Here in my hand and I'll keep it until I find out what it means." "I apologize for the intrusion, gentlemen." "My name is Hunter." "I'm a legal representative for Miss Brandon's brother." "That note was placed confidentially in my keeping." "It's of no concern to anybody except Mr. Brandon and myself." "Murder is a concern of every right-minded person, Mr. Hunter." "You make too much of a trifle." "There's is nothing trifling about murder." "Miss Brandon fears this drawing may be a threat." "Oh, she's been reading too many novels." "It's merely some kind of joke or the work of a mental incompetent." "Isn't it true, Mr. Hunter, that Miss Brandon's father received such a drawing before he was killed?" "Since my client attaches no significance to that, Mr. Holmes," "I don't see why you should." "It's pure coincidence." "Yes." "But it would be unfortunate if the coincidence turned into a tragedy, wouldn't it?" "That is our responsibility, Mr. Holmes." "I regret that you've been troubled." "I'll send you a check for your fee." "As of yet there is no fee." "I haven't accepted the case." "You see, Ann, you've only made yourself ridiculous." "Well, if Mr. Holmes won't help me I'll go to Scotland Yard." "Don't you trust me, Ann?" "But Jerrold there's too much at stake." " My brother's life." " Darling, you must trust me." "If you don't what's to happen to us?" "I don't know, Jerrold." "I dare think." "I've decided to accept your case, Miss Brandon." "I shall help you all I can." "Oh, thank you." " We don't want your interference, Mr. Holmes." "I interfere whenever and wherever I like, Mr. Hunter." "I think you better go, Jerrold." " Come with me." " No." "Very well, if that's how you want it." "Good day, gentlemen." "Am I being very foolish, Mr. Holmes?" "I don't think so." " May I keep that note?" " Yes, of course." "It struck me that Mr. Hunter behaved rather curiously." "Yes." "He's my fiancé." "I understand that." "You have no idea what kind of bird this is supposed to be, have you?" "I don't know anything about birds." "I noticed that it isn't just a bird." "It's a definite kind of bird." "I think it belongs to the Procellariiformes family." "We should go to the Kensington Museum and look him up and I'd like you to come with me, Miss Brandon." "Oh yes, yes of course, anything you say." "Come in, Billy." " Yes, Mr. Holmes." " Now Billy, I'd be obliged if you'd take this young lady down to Mrs. Hudson and give her a cup of tea." "Yes, Mr. Holmes." "Then Billy I want you to get me a cab." " I know, sir." "Not the first, not the second cab in the line but the third." "I don't think that precaution would be necessary in this case" " but use your own judgment." " Yes, sir." " And by the way, Billy." " Yes, sir?" "When you found that cab, you might remove the dust that you kicked under the rug on the landing." "Billy's studying to take over my duties when I retire, Miss Brandon." "I'll join you below in just a few minutes." "I don't know how to thank you, Mr. Holmes." "Oh, please don't try." "Holmes, you can't get involved in this case." "Your duty is to guard the Star of Delhi." "Now what?" "Oh, bother the Star of Delhi." " What?" "Here's a case where a man's life may be involved and there's something grotesque about this business." "The young Hunter knows a great deal more than he proposes to tell." "Find out what you can about him, will you, Watson and report to me at the museum." "It's time for lunch." " Lunch?" "One can have lunch anytime." "Oh, go on, Watson." "Please hurry up." "You are certain there was no one unearthed a grievance against your father or your family?" "No, I've told you." "My brother and I live very quietly." "My father, well I admit he was a hard man but men who go out into new worlds have to be but he was honorable and fine." "And Mr. Hunter?" "We've known each other ever since we were children." "My brother and I have always trusted him completely." "Tell me, have you ever through your family or Mr. Hunter heard the name of a man called Moriarty?" "Moriarty?" "No." "You're quite sure?" "Quite." "Why do you ask?" "Somehow, I have the feeling of renewing an old acquaintance." "Here we are." "Procellariiformes, west wing, section 4-A." "I'm sure everything will be taken care of to your satisfaction." "I depend upon you implicitly." "Well, there'll be no difficulties." "Lloyd." "I thought you were asleep." "How can I can sleep with this threat over me?" "We've got to do something about it, Jerrold." "Who's that man here just now?" "A client." "Who was he?" "See here, old man." "You mustn't let yourself go like this." "I know." "I've been so nervous." "I haven't slept a wink since that note came." "You've got to sleep if you're to keep your wits about you." "This is May the 11th, the day on the paper." "He's going to kill me, Jerrold." "Wherever I go, whatever I do, he's going to kill me." "Is there nothing anyone can do about it?" "Why don't you go home and go to bed." "Can't do yourself any good pacing my office." "Now the safest place in London for you just now is your own home." "Perhaps you're right." "Anyhow, I can't go on like this." "I'll go home." "You'll come with me, Jerry?" "I'm afraid I can't, Lloyd." "Probably wouldn't matter." "If anything should happen to me, you'll look after Ann, won't you?" "Don't be absurd." "Nothing's going to happen to you." "But if it should." "You know how I feel about Ann." "Goodbye." "Thanks." "You'll be alright, Lloyd." "I think it's just a bad dream." "I think I'll walk home, get some air." "And why not?" "Nothing can happen to you on a public street." "I hope you're right." "Goodbye, Jerrold." "Goodbye, old man." "See the beak, the nostrils, the whole formation of the body is the same." "In sea lore, the companion of ships and the good old men of honest mariners but an angel of destruction to those who do him ill." "The albatross." "It looks the same." "I wonder what it means." "Are you certain that the albatross doesn't suggest some memories, some association with your family?" "Think." "I am thinking." "No, the only thing it reminds me of is the poem." ""Water, water everywhere"" "and all the boards did shrink." "Water, water everywhere," " "nor any drop to drink."" " You've hit on it!" ""And instead of the cross, the albatross about my neck was hung."" "This is no childish prank, Miss Brandon, but a cryptic warning of avenging death." "We must go to your brother at once." " Holmes, Holmes." " Come on Watson, quick." "But Holmes, this is important." "Well, Watson, you're bursting with news." "What it is man speak up." "We've no secrets from Miss Brandon." " Moriarty." " I knew it." "What have you found out, Watson." "That fellow Hunter is working for Moriarty." "They were together in Hunter's office." " I watched Moriarty leave." " Excellent." "And what did Mr. Hunter do then?" "I don't know." "You don't know?" "No, I came away directly to tell you what I discovered." " Have I done something wrong?" " I hope not." "I particularly wanted Mr. Hunter's movements kept in view today." "Sorry?" " Mr. Holmes?" " Yes, Miss Brandon?" "Regardless of appearances, don't condemn Jerrold too quickly." "I know he's keeping some secret from me but he could never do anything vicious I'm sure." "I trust you're right, Miss Brandon, but we must be on our guard." "And I was gonna say, Holmes..." "Well, what were you about to say, Watson?" "Nothing." "Watson?" "Yes." "I'm afraid you're an incorrigible bungler." "Afraid I am." "Oh, Mr. Holmes, I wish he could go faster." "He's going as fast as he can, my dear." "Will we be in time?" "I'm sure we will, Miss Brandon." "He's dead all right." "Lloyd!" "Lloyd." "Yes?" "Oh, Mr. Holmes." "Can I give you a hand, sir?" "No, thank you, I can manage all right." " Oh, Miss Ann." " She's only fainted." "Take care of her, will you, Watson?" " Get me some smelling salts." " Yes, sir." " Where's Inspector Bristol?" " In there." "I don't think you ought to go in." "He's questioning a witness and you know the inspector." "I'll take responsibility." "Oh, it's you, Mr. Holmes." "How do you come to be here?" "I just happened to be passing." "I know the family." "How are you, Mr. Hunter?" "And you, inspector?" "I don't know how much you know about this business, Mr. Holmes, but this time, I'm a little bit ahead of you." "Excellent, Bristol." "Then you've already solved the crime?" "I found the murderer." "Yes, but that's not quite the same thing you know." "I didn't kill Lloyd Brandon." "Has anyone said you did?" "Oh, it's plain enough what's in the inspector's mind." "And he's wrong." "Well he's wasted time badgering me the murderer's got away." "Well, if you're so anxious to save my time supposing you explain how you came to be found bending over the corpse with this in your hand and him with his head bashed in?" "Well, if you won't talk," "I'm gonna hold you on suspicion of murder." "I didn't kill him, I tell you." "You clubbed him to death with the butt end of this revolver from behind." "I wouldn't go too far along that line, Inspector." "And what would you propose that I should do, Mr. Holmes?" " Find the murderer?" " Find..." "If that man didn't club Lloyd Brandon to death, who did?" "Nobody." " What?" " Brandon was strangled to death." " Strangled?" " Yes." "The wounds to the back of his head were administered post-mortem." " Are you sure of it, Mr. Holmes?" " Absolutely." "Talk to the medical examiner if you have any doubts." "You wait here." "How do you know he was strangled?" "The marks around the neck." "Cigarette, Mr. Hunter?" "No thanks." "So, that blow on the back of the neck becomes an interesting element." "It was unnecessary, therefore vicious." "Intelligent criminals are seldom vicious except on special occasions." "Though the apparent method of the crime was brutal," "I'm convinced that the crime itself was intelligently planned." "And Bristol thinks I did that." "The nose of a police dog, although long and efficient, points in only one direction at a time." " What do you mean?" "Simply that you're the obvious suspect." "It's so ridiculous." "Why should I want to kill him?" "You should know that better than anyone else, Mr. Hunter." "You're his lawyer." "You manage the estate." "You'll have to explain that, Mr. Holmes." "The Brandon estate is quite considerable." "Miss Ann inherits and you're about to marry Miss Ann." "Why you..." " I was merely demonstrating how the police mind works." "Yes, I'm afraid our friend the inspector has quite set his heart on arresting you." "Arresting me?" "You mustn't allow them to do that, Mr. Holmes." "I must be let free to protect Ann." "From what, Jerrold?" "Answer me." "Ann, I'm sorry." "First they murdered my father and now they've murdered Lloyd." "Do they want to kill me too?" "I don't know." "I don't know anything anymore." "I did my best to guard him day and night yet they found him all the same there in an empty street." "Oh, I may have lost him for a moment but I couldn't have been far behind." "Who are they?" "Jerrold you're lying." "You've been lying all the time." "You knew from the first that note was a real threat." "That's why you tried to send me away, why you followed Lloyd." "Oh Jerry, if you know who killed him why won't you tell us?" "Why won't you tell us everything?" "I'll tell you why." "I've been watching you, Mr. Hunter and I found out..." "What have you found out, Dr. Watson?" "Whatever Watson has found out you'll know inevitably." "I have unbounded confidence in his lack of discretion." "Meanwhile, time presses and we've work to do outside before it gets too late." " Mr. Holmes." " Excuse us." "You pushed me out of the room as if I were a child." "What am I to make of this, Holmes?" "Anything but such a petulant face, old fellow." "Come along." "In another moment I would have made him confess about Moriarty." "That's exactly what I didn't want." "If Moriarty's behind this case, Hunter will lead us to him." "Well, Mr. Holmes, I just coming to find you, sir." "Have you seen the body?" "He was strangled to death, just as you and I thought." "So, now I'm gonna arrest this fellow Hunter, take him down to the yard." "I can really question him there and I thought perhaps you'd like to come along, sir." "No, I think not, inspector." "Dr. Watson and I are going across the way to take a look at the scene of the crime." "You'll be wasting your time, sir." "My men have already covered the ground." "Well, we'll just take a look all the same." "Incidentally, inspector, if I were you I shouldn't arrest Mr. Hunter, in any case not now." "Nor, I shouldn't question him any further." " Why not?" " Well, it won't get us anywhere." "He won't talk until he's ready." "Anyhow you haven't a case against him yet." "Why not leave him at large." "Have him watched and see what happens," " for a day or two at least." " Hmm." "You've always found my advice pretty sound, haven't you, inspector?" "It's got you a lot of attention in the newspapers." "Then you'll work on the case, sir?" "In the usual way?" "In the usual way, inspector." "I'll do as you suggest, sir." "Good." "Come along, Watson." "Come in." "Oh, Mr. Hunter, we shan't be wanting you any longer." "You're free to go whenever you like." "Thank you, inspector." "You see, darling, they don't think anything of the kind." "Ann, you must believe me." "I don't know what to believe anymore that Lloyd's gone." "If I can't believe in you, Jerrold, there's nothing in the whole world I can believe in or count on." "My dearest." "But if you knew Lloyd was in danger why did you try to keep me from seeing Sherlock Holmes?" "Why did you follow Lloyd with a revolver in your pocket?" "Makes me afraid sometimes even of you." "Darling, how can you say such a thing?" "Oh, I don't know what I'm saying." "I'm so tired and confused." "All right, Holmes." "I found it." "Ready when you are." "I say there, has something happened?" "Definitely." "Would you mind moving back a few paces?" " Not at all." " Thank you." "Perhaps I can find a doctor." "I'm a doctor." "What's the matter with you?" "I'm all right." "I was thinking of you." "Why?" "But aren't you ill?" "Certainly not." "I'm dead." "Well, I'm afraid I must be getting on." "Don't let me detain you." "Stupid fellow." "Watson, come here." "Coming, Holmes." "Look at that, Watson." "What have you found, Holmes?" " Footprints?" " Yes." "A club-footed man about five foot eleven I should say from the length of his stride." "Do you observe anything singular about these footprints, Watson?" "I can't say that I do." "Club-footed people invariably bring their full weight down on the toe." "If you look closely you'll observe that the weight of the man who made these footprints is normally balanced from toe to heel." "Well what can you make of that, Holmes?" "Oh, just one more unnatural element to this rather peculiar case." "The clubfoot must have some other compensating deformity" " to explain these footprints." " What?" "You think these are the footprints of a murderer?" "It's possible." "Yes, yes it's quite possible." "What, Holmes?" "Well a man standing just about here would command a view of the path." "He might project some kind of weapon." "Not a weapon's been found except Hunter's revolver." "It could easily have been retrieved in the excitement." "And what kind of weapon thrown from here could both strangle a man and crush his skull in?" "If we knew that, my dear Watson, we'd be a great deal nearer to the solution of the crime." "Look at that." "Yes." "Yes, it was torn from that tree." "Perhaps by something hurdling past." "The sap's not dry yet." "That means it was torn off within the last few hours." "Ah." "What have you found, Holmes?" "It's a watch fob." "Looks like a rabbit's foot." "No, no, no." "It's chinchilla." "Unquestionably chinchilla." "Well, rabbit or chinchilla." "What's it matter?" "What?" "No, no." "Perhaps it doesn't matter at all, Watson." "We'll see." "I've always thought those things were in very poor taste." "Fancy going about with a dead animal's foot dangling from your pocket." "Yes, and then loosing it at the scene of a murder." "Very careless." "She's in here, sir." " Who is it?" " It's Mr. Holmes." "Oh, Mr. Holmes, I'm so glad you're here." "This may sound foolish to you but after Mr. Hunter left" "I went up to be with my brother." "While I was with him I heard..." "Yes?" "The sound of music from the street, strange music." "It didn't begin, and it didn't end." "It just went on and on." "What was it about the music that frightened you?" "I heard it once before, Mr. Holmes, only once when I was a little girl in South America, the night my father was killed." "It's quite possible that under the circumstances this impression was a hallucination." "This was no hallucination, Dr. Watson." "Take my word for it." "Did you see who was playing?" "I went to the window." "There was a street beggar standing in front of the house." "I could just see the outline of his figure and then I became so frightened I screamed and..." "Yes I don't wonder." "Do you think you would remember that melody?" "Remember it," "I should never forget it as long as I live." "Miss Brandon, I wish I could spare you this but time is so important." "I understand." "What do you want me to do?" "It's not going to be easy." "Anything if it will help you clear up my brother's death." "Do you think you could bear to repeat it for me?" "I'll try." "That's definitely every note of it." "Mr. Holmes, would you mind going out, please?" "Yes." "Yes, of course." "You must try to get some sleep." "It's been a terrible day for you." "Thank you, Billy." "What's that, Mr. Holmes?" "Hmm?" "Yeah, that's a chinchilla foot, Billy." " Chinchilla?" " Yes." "You know what a chinchilla is?" "Yes, Mr. Holmes." "It's a little animal that grows in South America and its fur is very expensive." "Ah, you should remember that, Billy." "It'll save you a lot of money when you grow up." "May I look at it, sir?" " Uh, yeah, yes, certainly, Billy." " Thank you." " Well, what do you make of it, Billy?" " Blimey," "I'd like to have one of these." "They must bring you lots of luck." "Well why do you say that?" "Well, I bet in Chile or Bolivia they carry around a chinchilla's foot for good luck the same as we carry a rabbit's foot." " Ha, ha." "You hear that, Watson?" "My hearing is in no way impaired, thank you." "And you think that the man who lost this comes from Chile or Bolivia?" "Yes, sir, cause that's the only places chinchillas grow." "Well, Watson." "What do you say to that for a simple deduction?" "I've listened to seashells that made better sense." "Why do you waste your time like this, Holmes?" "Half the women in the world own chinchilla wraps." " You exaggerate, Watson, and half the women in the world wish you didn't." "No, Dr. Watson." "You see they make the coats out of skins." " Oh, really?" " Yes, sir, and the only place you can get a chinchilla's foot would be where the chinchilla lives." "There Billy, there's sixpence for you." "Blimey me a tenner." "Oh, thank you." "No, thank you, Billy." "Thank you." "I don't know why you let that insufferable little brat come in here." "I was pulling your leg, Watson." "Merely relaying to you through Billy certain observations, which may or may not coincide significantly with what I found." " You found something?" " I think so." "I've identified the death music, Watson, the melody Miss Brandon played for us last night." "It's an ancient Inca funeral dirge still used by the Indians in the remote Chilean Andes as a chant for the dead." "What on earth has that got to do with Professor Moriarty or the Star of Deli?" "I wouldn't know, Watson." "I really wouldn't know." "Would you mind?" "Inca funeral dirge..." " Ah, how do you do, doctor." " How are you, sir?" "Holmes, how lucky to find you at home." "Sir Ronald." "Well, won't you sit down." " Here you are, sir." " Thanks." " Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting you." " Oh, no, no, no." "But I'm very anxious to know have you had any idea, in the connection with that note?" "The note?" "Oh, I'm afraid I haven't had much time to think about it." "After all, the Star of Deli is not the immediate problem." "Oh, but it is." "You will help me as you promised, won't you Holmes?" "Imagine the scandal, if anything should happen to a Crown Jewel." "Yes." " When does it arrive?" " Tomorrow night." "I've had to arrange for delivery at ten o'clock, a most inconvenient hour for everyone of course but I can't leave the jewel out of the vault overnight, you know." "Once it arrives it's technically in my custody." " Yes." "Yes, I understand." "What do you want me to do?" "Could you possibly be at the tower tomorrow night at ten?" " I'll take care of everything." " Good." "You'll have your own men there, of course, and as an added precaution I'll see to it" " that a few policemen are on hand." " Excellent." "I can't tell you, how grateful I am to you, Holmes." "Not at all, Sir Ronald." " Well, goodbye." " Goodbye, sir." "You'll forgive me bothering you like this." "But I'm sure you understand the emergency of the matter." " Certainly, Sir Ronald." " Thank you again." " Goodbye, doctor." " Goodbye, Sir Ronald." " How do you do, Miss Brandon?" " How do you do?" "Will you excuse me, please?" "Port Authority, pier nine." "Giddy up." "Miss Brandon, is anything wrong?" "Two are not enough." "They don't even give me time to bury my dead." "Please, sit down." " No, I don't want to sit down." "Thank you." "This is exactly like the drawing your brother received and it bears another date," "May the 13th." "That's tomorrow." "Was this left at your door?" "Yes, about half an hour ago." "I came here directly." "You didn't happen to notice the messenger who left it?" "No, one of the servants answered the door." "He just took it." "He didn't notice anything." "Mr. Holmes, what shall I do?" "Isn't May the 13th the night you're supposed to go to Lady Conyngham's party?" "Well yes, but..." " I know Lady Conyngham is irreproachable but there's too much emphasis on this date, May the 13th, whether you should go to the party or whether you shouldn't." "You mean Jerrold?" "Miss Brandon, we feel that... forget it." "Mr. Hunter has much to explain, Miss Brandon." "As yet he's not been proved guilty." "But I must know." "You really want to know?" "I must." "I'll do anything rather than bear this uncertainty, the suspense." "Then go to Lady Conyngham's party." "But I can't, not now." " After Lloyd..." " I understand your feelings but you must go to Lady Conyngham's just the same." "She's an older woman." "She's very fond of you." "Now you're alone in a time of trouble." "What more natural than that you should go to her?" "But she's giving a party and my brother's..." "You only have to make an appearance." "Yes, but..." "That's what I want, Miss Brandon." "I want you to make an appearance, perhaps take a walk through the grounds." "I warn you it may involve considerable risk but I think the kind of woman I take you to be would rather risk everything on one venture than live the rest of her life in the shadow of doubt and death." "Am I right?" "You are right, Mr. Holmes." "I'll do as you say." "Thank you and goodbye." "No." "This time we'll say au revoir." " Miss Brandon?" " Yes." "Are you quite sure you're not afraid." "Of course I'm afraid but I'll go through with it." "Good." "May the 13th." "That's tomorrow night." "Well Holmes, you've certainly let yourself in for a busy night tomorrow." "What about the Star of Deli and you promise to Sir Ronald and what about your duty to The Crown?" "All that will be taken care of." "Never fear." "I'm going to delegate the most dependable man I know to guard the Star of Deli in my place while I keep an eye on Miss Brandon." "Oh really, who may that be?" "You, my dear fellow." "What?" "You'd like to let that razor slip, wouldn't you, Dawes?" "No, sir." "By no means, sir." "You're a coward, Dawes." "If you weren't a coward you'd a cut my throat long ago." "Why I give you my word, sir." "That thought never entered my mind, sir." "Then you're worse than a coward." "You're a fool." "You have as much hatred for me as I have contempt for you." "Excellent." "Without your beard, sir, you look like your own son." "It's unlikely that I shall be back tonight, Dawes." "You may as well take the evening off." " Thank you, sir." " Thank you, Dawes." "I'm engaged." "Of course you are, Bassick." "Why do you think I'm paying you?" "I never would have recognized you, professor." "Yes, sir?" "What'd you find out, Bassick?" "Just like you said." "They're taking the goods off the boat tonight." "The men is waiting." "Excellent." "Now let's hurry." "Yes, sir." "Excuse me." "Hello, darling." "Are you feeling all right, my child." "Yes, I think so." "And has that young son of mine been behaving himself?" "He's been awfully kind." "I'm afraid I'm very tiresome this evening." "Nonsense." "No man on the bright side of senility could possibly call you tiresome." "Ann, you're glad you came, aren't you?" " Very glad." " Good." "You see, I was right." "It was quite the best thing for you to do to come down here." "You shouldn't have thought of staying alone in that house, so soon after." "Perhaps you're right." "You're going to stay on here over the weekend." "If you want me." " As long as you like, my dear." " Thank you." "Has anyone asked for me tonight?" "Why no?" "Are you expecting someone?" "I'm not sure." "Well, it doesn't matter." "Oh, mother." "May I take Ann away?" "I want her to see some of this entertainment." "Of course, dear." "I hope it will be good." "Sit here, Ann." "I want you to see this musical chap." "He may be amusing." "Everyone delights to spend their summer holidays." "Down beside the side of the silvery sea" "I'm no exception to the rule in fact if I had my way" "I'd be down beside the side of the silvery sea." "But when your just a commoner a Smith or Jones or Brown." "A business up in town You've got to settle down." "You save up all the money you can till summer comes around." "Then away you go to a spot you know." "Where the cockle shells are found Oh I..." "Do like to be beside the sea side" "I do like to be besides the sea" "I do like to stroll along the drom, drom, drom." "Where the drum and bass, tickely um, bum, bum." "So just let me be beside the sea side" "I'll be beside myself with glee for there are lots of girls beside I should like to be besides." "Beside the sea side." "Besides the sea." "Funny fellow, isn't he?" "Yes." "Ann, I wish there was something I could do." "Could I get you an ice?" "You're very kind, Tony." "I'd like that." "All right." "You stay here." "I'll see what I can pillage, be straight back." " Thank you." "Good evening, Miss Brandon." "Everything all right?" "What do you want?" "We did have an appointment, you know." " Mr. Holmes, I..." " Shh, shh..." "We mustn't be seen together." "Has anything happened?" "Have you seen anything unusual?" "No nothing yet." "Mr. Holmes, do you think I could possibly be in danger here?" "There's no doubt of it but don't worry." "I'll be watching." " I'll be glad when it's over." " Yes, I know." "Don't take any unnecessary risks." "Don't talk to strange people and above all don't wander far from the lights and the crowd." "You must go back." "Good luck." "Here we are, Ann." "Thank you." "Tony, that's a South American gaucho orchestra, isn't it?" "Yes." "Rather good aren't they?" "Yes." "Shall we go in." "It's rather chilly out here." "Just as you like, Ann." "You're being too hard on Holmes, Sir Ronald." "He gave me his word he'd be here, sir." "He sent me in his place." "You?" "Well, sir, I've been with Holmes on a good many cases and I can assure you, you might have done considerably worse." "I dare say you might help." "Where at least are the policemen he promised to send me?" "They'll be here directly." "A sergeant and two policemen, picked men, sir." "What is it, sergeant?" "Police officers to see Dr. Watson, sir." "Bring 'em in." "It's about time." " Is Dr. Watson here?" " Yes, I am Dr. Watson." "Sergeant Bullfinch at your service, sir." " Good evening, Sergeant." " My I see your identification, sir?" "I told you I am Dr. Watson." "I don't doubt that, sir, but the inspector said" "I was to be particular about identification, sir." "Well, you seem to be a law-abiding citizen." "I suppose you'll be wanting to see mine?" " Yes, please." "Everything seems in order, Sir Ronald." "Prepare to halt." "Company halt." "Captain Mannery, Royal Navy, with escort reporting to Sir Ronald Ramsey." "Just a moment, sir." " Is that you, Sir Ronald?" " Yes." "Captain Mannery?" "Yes, sir." "Raise the port trellis." "Well, here it is, Sir Ronald." "Ah." "The Star of Deli." "This has been a great anxiety to me, Captain Mannery." "I can't tell you how relieved I shall be when I have this jewel safely locked up in the tower." "Would you like us to go with you, sir?" "No, there's no occasion." "I have ample protection." "Then I bid you goodbye, Sir Ronald." "Goodbye, Captain Mannery." "I am most grateful to you." " Thank you, sir." " Gentlemen." "All right, Gentlemen." "Guard, about face." "Forward march." "Halt." "Ah." "It's the longest short walk I ever had." "Hold that for a moment, will you?" "The Crown Jewels, gentlemen, the accumulated wealth of ten centuries of English kings, a grave responsibility." "It's not often this door is unlocked and this is the key to all this treasure." "Now!" " The emerald!" " Where is it?" " Somebody snatched it." " The policemen, where are they?" "They're not policemen at all." "After them." "Guards, the stairs." "Sir Ronald, look." "The Star of Deli." "They've dropped it." "You see, Sir Ronald." "Every thing's turned out all right after all." "And all thanks to your brilliant friend, Sherlock Holmes." "So my fears were ridiculous and that note was merely the work of a crank." "Nobody would steal the Star of Deli." " No one there, Sir Ronald." " Never mind, Sergeant." "I have the jewel." "I have a good mind to give this story to the press." "It will put Holmes in his place." "Oh, I wouldn't do that, Sir Ronald." " You have got the jewel back." " I have indeed, as safe as the Crown Jewels of England, but no thanks to Holmes." "Well, he did send me in his place." "Yes, and it's a capital thing he did." "You're a splendid fellow, Watson." "You've done me a great service tonight." "I shall see to it that your courage is reported" " in due course to the proper authorities." " Thank you." "Come along, Sergeant." " Turn out the lights." " Yes, sir." "They got away, sir, in the direction of Tower Hill." "But they left what they came for." " The emerald is safe." " Oh good, sir." "All right, Sergeant." "Goodbye, my dear." "I'll drive over and see you tomorrow." "You're terribly tired, my child, aren't you?" " Yes, I am." "You better go to bed." "I'm going to look in on you later and if you're not asleep," " I shall be very severe." " Uh-uh." "Whatever is the matter with you, my dear?" "I just noticed the time." "That clock on the landing." "It's seven minutes to twelve." "In another eight minutes it won't be May the 13th anymore." "You must go to bed at once, You really must." " I'll go with you." " I'd like you to." "Only I shouldn't take you away." "Nonsense." "They've all gone." "Besides no one misses a middle-aged hostess." "Have a good rest, my dear, and be sure to sleep late." "It's an invariable custom of the house." "I'll try." " Good night." " Good night, my dear." "I was just coming to find you, Miss Brandon." "There's a gentleman on the terrace asking to see you and he says it's most important." "Mr. Holmes, thank you." "Ann, my dear." "What are you doing here?" "Am I so unwelcome then?" "Why did you come?" "I've been terribly worried about you, darling." "I wanted to be sure you were safe." "Why did you think I might not be safe?" "Ann, whatever has come over you?" "Don't touch me." "Don't touch me." "Surely you're not afraid of me?" "You are afraid." "That's how much all the years have counted." "You think I want to hurt you." "I don't know why I don't." "Ann!" "Wait!" "Come here, Ann!" "Come along this way." "Quick." "Ahh!" " Holmes, you all right?" " Never better, Watson." "And Miss Brandon?" "She'll be all right, the poor child she's fainted." "Look after her will you, Andrews, and take her back to the house." "Very good, Mr. Holmes?" "What on earth is this, Holmes?" "This, Watson, is a South American bolas, the instrument that killed Lloyd Brandon." " What?" "Yes." "Come and take a look at his murderer." "He's badly hurt." "Can he be moved, doctor?" " Yes." " Then I'll take him to The Yard." "Yes, it's just as I suspected." "This club footed shoe was a very clever device but not quite clever enough, my friend." "I'll wager you didn't think of it yourself." "Who put you up to it?" "The professor." "He's said he'd fix it so I don't get caught." "Professor Moriarty." "Si, Moriarty." "I'll kill him." "I scarcely think you'll have the chance now." "So that clears up our case." "Clears it up?" "We've only just begun." "Come along, Watson." "Quick!" "Shh." "Don't move." "Stay where you are and keep your eyes open." "All right, come on, Watson." "There's nobody here." "Well, why didn't you say so before?" "Oh, lilly pond." " Damp." " Damp, I'm wet through." "He's been shaving." "Moriarty's worn that beard for years." "Why would he shave it off?" " To disguise himself, of course." " Obviously, Watson." "But why tonight especially for what purpose?" "Huh?" "A Baedeker." "What would Moriarty be doing with a guidebook?" "He knows London like a cab driver." "Look, Watson, look." "The Tower of London." "Sergeant Bullfinch." "Moriarty without his beard." "Then he stole the emerald!" " I wonder what exactly he did do, or rather is doing." "What do you mean, Holmes?" "Don't you see, my dear Watson." "Moriarty concocted that Brandon case with all its fantastic convolutions expressly to divert my attention till the time the Star of Deli was delivered." "So that he could steal the emerald but he didn't get it." "We fooled him." "That's exactly the point, Watson." "He didn't want the Star of Deli." " What?" " No." "The real crime has not yet come to light." "He caused a man to be murdered solely in order to distract me." "He staged that fiasco at the Tower of London." "Why I don't know but one thing I'm certain." "It was all done with a purpose." "Somewhere in London at this very moment something tremendous is happening." "He said he was going to do it and he's doing it now, the most stupendous, the most incredible crime of the century, the crowning act of his career..." "The crowning act." "Crowning?" ""St. Edward's crown."" "This was the crown stolen from the Tower of London in 1671 by Colonel Blood and his accomplices," ""the total value of the regalia is estimated at three million pounds."" "Watson, the Crown Jewels!" "We're wasting time." "Ay, cabby." "Never mind, get in, Watson." "I say, steady." "Drive a little careful, old boy." "Serg, Sergeant!" " What is it, McKenzie?" " An accident, Sergeant." "Give me your hand." "Get this man out of here." "Well, what were you trying to do, batter your way right into the Tower of London?" "Of course not, course not, preposterous." "Well, what were you doing?" " Well I..." " Where is your cabby?" "Cabby?" "Oh, yes, yes, cabby." "Well, where is he?" "I don't know, I haven' the faintest idea." "Bring him along to the posting room." " Where?" "Did you hear a shot?" "I did, sir, I thought it came from the tower." "Follow me on the double." "Well, "Ann Brandon 21, and Jerrold Hunter 29", were married this morning at the Castone Hall Register Office."" "Well, that takes care of that but I still don't understand how young Hunter became involved in the mystery." "Alfred?" " May I borrow your violin?" " Certainly, governor." "I said, I still don't understand how young Hunter became involved." "Perfectly simple." "Whatever Gerald Hunter did was done to protect Miss Brandon." "But I saw it myself posited with Moriarty." "My dear Watson, I expected even you to see through that trick." "Moriarty went to him with a trumped up lawsuit to put us off the track." "Those flies again." "Very effective, my dear Watson." "Elementary, my dear Holmes, elementary."