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read it aloud。〃
I picked up the paper which he had thrown back to me and read the
paragraph indicated。 It was headed； 〃A Gruesome Packet。〃
〃Miss Susan Cushing； living at Cross Street； Croydon； has been made
the victim of what must be regarded as a peculiarly revolting practical joke
unless some more sinister meaning should prove to be attached to the
incident。 At two o'clock yesterday afternoon a small packet； wrapped in
brown paper； was handed in by the postman。 A cardboard box was inside；
which was filled with coarse salt。 On emptying this； Miss Cushing was
horrified to find two human ears； apparently quite freshly severed。 The
box had been sent by parcel post from Belfast upon the morning before。
There is no indication as to the sender； and the matter is the more
mysterious as Miss Cushing； who is a maiden lady of fifty； has led a most
retired life； and has so few acquaintances or corespondents that it is a rare
event for her to receive anything through the post。 Some years ago；
however； when she resided at Penge； she let apartments in her house to
three young medical students； whom she was obliged to get rid of on
account of their noisy and irregular habits。 The police are of opinion that
this outrage may have been perpetrated upon Miss Cushing by these
youths； who owed her a grudge and who hoped to frighten her by sending
her these relics of the dissecting…rooms。 Some probability is lent to the
theory by the fact that one of these students came from the north of Ireland；
and； to the best of Miss Cushing's belief； from Belfast。 In the meantime；
the matter is being actively investigated； Mr。 Lestrade； one of the very
smartest of our detective officers； being in charge of the case。〃
〃So much for the Daily Chronicle；〃 said Holmes as I finished reading。
〃Now for our friend Lestrade。 I had a note from him this morning； in
which he says：
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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
〃I think that this case is very much in your line。 We have every hope
of clearing the matter up； but we find a little difficulty in getting anything
to work upon。 We have； of course； wired to the Belfast post…office； but a
large number of parcels were handed in upon that day； and they have no
means of identifying this particular one； or of remembering the sender。
The box is a half…pound box of honeydew tobacco and does not help us in
any way。 The medical student theory still appears to me to be the most
feasible； but if you should have a few hours to spare I should be very
happy to see you out here。 I shall be either at the house or in the police…
station all day。
〃What say you； Watson？ Can you rise superior to the heat and run
down to Croydon with me on the off chance of a case for your annals？〃
〃I was longing for something to do。〃
〃You shall have it then。 Ring for our boots and tell them to order a
cab。 I'll be back in a moment when I have changed my dressing…gown
and filled my cigar…case。〃
A shower of rain fell while we were in the train； and the heat was far
less oppressive in Croydon than in town。 Holmes had sent on a wire； so
that Lestrade； as wiry； as dapper； and as ferret… like as ever； was waiting
for us at the station。 A walk of five minutes took us to Cross Street；
where Miss Cushing resided。
It was a very long street of two…story brick houses； neat and prim； with
whitened stone steps and little groups of aproned women gossiping at the
doors。 Halfway down； Lestrade stopped and tapped at a door； which was
opened by a small servant girl。 Miss Cushing was sitting in the front
room； into which we were ushered。 She was a placid…faced woman； with
large； gentle eyes； and grizzled hair curving down over her temples on
each side。 A worked antimacassar lay upon her lap and a basket of
coloured silks stood upon a stool beside her。
〃They are in the outhouse； those dreadful things；〃 said she as Lestrade
entered。 〃I wish that you would take them away altogether。〃
〃So I shall； Miss Cushing。 I only kept them here until my friend； Mr。
Holmes； should have seen them in your presence。〃
〃Why in my presence； sir？〃
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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
〃In case he wished to ask any questions。〃
〃What is the use of asking me questions when I tell you I know
nothing whatever about it？〃
〃Quite so； madam；〃 said Holmes in his soothing way。 〃I have no
doubt that you have been annoyed more than enough already over this
business。〃
〃Indeed I have； sir。 I am a quiet woman and live a retired life。 It is
something new for me to see my name in the papers and to find the police
in my house。 I won't have those things I here； Mr。 Lestrade。 If you
wish to see them you must go to the outhouse。〃
It was a small shed in the narrow garden which ran behind the house。
Lestrade went in and brought out a yellow cardboard box； with a piece of
brown paper and some string。 There was a bench at the end of the path；
and we all sat down while Homes examined one by one； the articles which
Lestrade had handed to him。
〃The string is exceedingly interesting；〃 he remarked； holding it up to
the light and sniffing at it。 〃What do you make of this string； Lestrade？〃
〃It has been tarred。〃
〃Precisely。 It is a piece of tarred twine。 You have also； no doubt；
remarked that Miss Cushing has cut the cord with a scissors； as can be
seen by the double fray on each side。 This is of importance。〃
〃I cannot see the importance；〃 said Lestrade。
〃The importance lies in the fact that the knot is left intact； and that this
knot is of a peculiar character。〃
〃It is very neatly tied。 I had already made a note of that effect；〃 said
Lestrade complacently。
〃So much for the string； then；〃 said Holmes； smiling； 〃now for the box
wrapper。 Brown paper； with a distinct smell of coffee。 What； did you not
observe it？ I think there can be no doubt of it。 Address printed in rather
straggling characters： 'Miss S。 Cushing； Cross Street； Croydon。' Done
with a broad…pointed pen； probably a J； and with very inferior ink。 The
word 'Croydon' has been originally spelled with an 'i'； which has been
changed to 'y'。 The parcel was directed； then； by a manthe printing is
distinctly masculineof limited education and unacquainted with the town
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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
of Croydon。 So far； so good！ The box is a yellow； half…pound
honeydew box； with nothing distinctive save two thumb marks at the left
bottom corner。 It is filled with rough salt of the quality used for
preserving hides and other of the coarser commercial purposes。 And
embedded in it are these very singular enclosures。〃
He took out the two ears as he spoke； and laying a board across his
knee he examined them minutely； while Lestrade and I； bending forward
on each side of him； glanced alternately at these dreadful relics and at the
thoughtful； eager face of our companion。 Finally he returned them to the
box once more and sat for a while in deep meditation。
〃You have observed； of course；〃 said he at last； 〃that the ears are not a
pair。〃
〃Yes； I have noticed that。 But if this were the practical joke of some
students from the dissecting…rooms； it would be as easy for them to send
two odd ears as a pair。〃
〃Precisely。 But this is not a practical joke。〃
〃You are sure of it？〃
〃The presumption is strongly against it。 Bodies in the dissecting…
rooms are injected with preservative fluid。 These ears bear no signs of
this。 They are fresh； too。 They have been cut off with a blunt
instrument；