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SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
We were seated at breakfast one morning； my wife and I； when the
maid brought in a telegram。 It was from Sherlock Holmes and ran in
this way：
Have you a couple of days to spare？ Have just been wired for from
the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy。
Shall be glad if you will come with me。 Air and scenery perfect。 Leave
Paddington by the 11：15。
〃What do you say； dear？〃 said my wife； looking across at me。 〃Will
you go？〃
〃I really don't know what to say。 I have a fairly long list at
present。〃
〃Oh； Anstruther would do your work for you。 You have been looking
a little pale lately。 I think that the change would do you good； and
you are always so interested in Mr。 Sherlock Holmes's cases。〃
〃I should be ungrateful if I were not； seeing what I gained
through one of them；〃 I answered。 〃But if I am to go； I must pack at
once； for I have only half an hour。〃
My experience of camp life in Afghanistan had at least had the
effect of making me a prompt and ready traveller。 My wants were few
and simple； so that in less than the time stated I was in a cab with
my valise； rattling away to Paddington Station。 Sherlock Holmes was
pacing up and down the platform； his tall； gaunt figure made even
gaunter and taller by his long gray travelling…cloak and close fitting
cloth cap。
〃It is really very good of you to come； Watson；〃 said he。 〃It
makes a considerable difference to me； having someone with me on
whom I can thoroughly rely。 Local aid is always either worthless or
else biassed。 If you will keep the two corner seats I shall get the
tickets。〃
We had the carriage to ourselves save for an immense litter of
papers which Holmes had brought with him。 Among these he rummaged
and read； with intervals of note…taking and of meditation； until we
were past Reading。 Then he suddenly rolled them all into a gigantic
ball and tossed them up onto the rack。
〃Have you heard anything of the case？〃 he asked。
〃Not a word。 I have not seen a paper for some days。〃
〃The London press has not had very full accounts。 I have just been
looking through all the recent papers in order to master the
particulars。 It seems； from what I gather； to be one of those simple
cases which are so extremely difficult。〃
〃That sounds a little paradoxical。〃
〃But it is profoundly true。 Singularity is almost invariably a clue。
The more featureless and commonplace a crime is； the more difficult it
is to bring it home。 In this case； however； they have established a
very serious case against the son of the murdered man。〃
〃It is a murder； then？〃
〃Well； it is conjectured to be so。 I shall take nothing for
granted until I have the opportunity of looking personally into it。
I will explain the state of things to you； as far as I have been
able to understand it； in a very few words。
〃Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross； in
Herefordshire。 The largest landed proprietor in that part is a Mr。
John Turner； who made his money in Australia and returned some years
ago to the old country。 One of the farms which he held； that of
Hatherley； was let to Mr。 Charles McCarthy； who was also an
ex…Australian。 The men had known each other in the colonies； so that
it was not unnatural that when they came to settle down they should do
so as near each other as possible。 Turner was apparently the richer
man； so McCarthy became his tenant but still remained； it seems；
upon terms of perfect equality； as they were frequently together。
McCarthy had one son； a lad of eighteen； and Turner had an only
daughter of the same age； but neither of them had wives living。 They
appear to have avoided the society of the neighbouring English
families and to have led retired lives； though both the McCarthys were
fond of sport and were frequently seen at the race…meetings of the
neighbourhood。 McCarthy kept two servants…a man and a girl。 Turner had
a considerable household； some half…dozen at the least。 That is as
much as I have been able to gather about the families。 Now for the
facts。
〃On June 3rd； that is； on Monday last McCarthy left his house at
Hatherley about three in the afternoon and walked down to the Boscombe
Pool； which is a small lake formed by the spreading out of the
stream which runs down the Boscombe Valley。 He had been out with his
serving…man in the morning at Ross； and he had told the man that he
must hurry； as he had an appointment of importance to keep at three。
From that appointment he never came back alive。
〃From Hatherley Farmhouse to the Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a
mile； and two people saw him as he passed over this ground。 One was an
old woman； whose name is not mentioned； and the other was William
Crowder； a game…keeper in the employ of Mr。 Turner。 Both these
witnesses depose that Mr。 McCarthy was walking alone。 The
game…keeper adds that within a few minutes of his seeing Mr。
McCarthy pass he had seen his son； Mr。 James McCarthy； going the
same way with a gun under his arm。 To the best of his belief； the
father was actually in sight at the time； and the son was following
him。 He thought no more of the matter until he heard in the evening of
the tragedy that had occurred。
〃The two McCarthys were seen after the time when William Crowder；
the game…keeper； lost sight of them。 The Boscombe Pool is thickly
wooded round； with just a fringe of grass and of reeds round the edge。
A girl of fourteen； Patience Moran； who is the daughter of the
lodge…keeper of the Boscombe Valley estate； was in one of the woods
picking flowers。 She states that while she was there she saw； at the
border of the wood and close by the lake； Mr。 McCarthy and his son；
and that they appeared to be having a violent quarrel。 She heard Mr。
McCarthy the elder using very strong language to his son； and she
saw the latter raise up his hand as if to strike his father。 She was
so frightened by their violence that she ran away and told her
mother when she reached home that she had left the two McCarthys
quarrelling near Boscombe Pool； and that she was afraid that they were
going to fight。 She had hardly said the words when young Mr。
McCarthy came running up to the lodge to say that he had found his
father dead in the wood； and to ask for the help of the
lodge…keeper。 He was much excited； without either his gun or his
hat； and his right hand and sleeve were observed to be stained with
fresh blood。 On following him they found the dead body stretched out
upon the grass beside the pool。 The head had been beaten in by
repeated blows of some heavy and blunt weapon。 The injuries were
such as might very well have been inflicted by the butt…end of his
son's gun； which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of
the body。 Under these circumstances the young man was instantly
arrested； and a verdict of 'wilful murder' having been returned at the
inquest on Tuesday； he was on Wednesday brought before the magistrates
at Ross； who have referred the case to the next Assizes。 Those are the
main facts of the case as they came out before the coroner and the
police…court。〃
〃I could hardly imagine a more damning case；〃 I remarked。 〃If ever
circumstantial evidence pointed to a criminal it does so here。〃
〃Circumstantial evidence is a very tricky thing；〃 answered Holmes
thoughtfully。 〃It may seem to point very straight to one thing； but if
you shift your own point of view a little； you may find it pointing in
an equally uncompromising manner to something entirely different。 It
must be confessed； however； that the case looks exceedingly grave
against the young man； and it is very possible that he is indeed the
culprit。 There are several people in the neighbourhood； however； and
among them Miss Turner； the daughter of the neighbouring land…owner；
who believe in his innocence； and who have retained Lestrade； whom you
may recollect in connection with 'A Study in Scarlet'； to work out the
case in his interest。 Lestrade； being rather puzzled； has referred the
case to me； and hence it is that two middleaged gentlemen are flying
westward at fifty miles an hour instead of quietly digesting their
breakfasts at home。〃
〃I am afraid；〃 said I； 〃that the facts are so obvious that you
will find little credit to be gained out of this case。〃
〃There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact；〃 he answered；
laughing。 〃Besides； we may chance to hit upon some other obvious facts
which may have been by no means obvious to Mr。 Lestrade。 You know me
too well to think that I am boasting when I say that I shall either
confirm or destroy his theory by means which he is quite incapable
of employing； or even of understanding。 To take the first example to
hand； I very clearly perceive that in your bedroom the window is
upon the right…hand side； and yet I question whether Mr。 Lestrade
would have noted even so self…evident a thing as that。〃
〃How on earth…〃
〃My dear fellow