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SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE ADVENTURE OF THE GOLDEN PINCE…NEZ
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
When I look at the three massive manuscript volumes which contain
our work for the year 1894； I confess that it is very difficult for
me； out of such a wealth of material； to select the cases which are
most interesting in themselves； and at the same time most conducive to
a display of those peculiar powers for which my friend was famous。
As I turn over the pages； I see my notes upon the repulsive story of
the red leech and the terrible death of Crosby； the banker。 Here
also I find an account of the Addleton tragedy； and the singular
contents of the ancient British barrow。 The famous Smith…Mortimer
succession case comes also within this period； and so does the
tracking and arrest of Huret； the Boulevard assassin… an exploit which
won for Holmes an autograph letter of thanks from the French President
and the Order of the Legion of Honour。 Each of these would furnish a
narrative； but on the whole I am of opinion that none of them unites
so many singular points of interest as the episode of Yoxley Old
Place； which includes not only the lamentable death of young
Willoughby Smith； but also those subsequent developments which threw
so curious a light upon the causes of the crime。
It was a wild； tempestuous night； towards the close of November。
Holmes and I sat together in silence all the evening； be engaged
with a powerful lens deciphering the remains of the original
inscription upon a palimpsest； I deep in a recent treatise upon
surgery。 Outside the wind howled down Baker Street； while the rain
beat fiercely against the windows。 It was strange there； in the very
depths of the town； with ten miles of man's handiwork on every side of
us； to feel the iron grip of Nature； and to be conscious that to the
huge elemental forces all London was no more than the molehills that
dot the fields。 I walked to the window； and looked out on the deserted
street。 The occasional lamps gleamed on the expanse of muddy road
and shining pavement。 A single cab was splashing its way from the
Oxford Street end。
〃Well； Watson； it's as well we have not to turn out to…night；〃
said Holmes； laying aside his lens and rolling up the palimpsest。
〃I've done enough for one sitting。 It is trying work for the eyes。
So far as I can make out； it is nothing more exciting than an
Abbey's accounts dating from the second half of the fifteenth century。
Halloa！ halloa！ halloa！ What's this？〃
Amid the droning of the wind there had come the stamping of a
horse's hoofs； and the long grind of a wheel as it rasped against
the curb。 The cab which I had seen had pulled up at our door。
〃What can he want？〃 I ejaculated； as a man stepped out of it。
〃Want？ He wants us。 And we； my poor Watson； want overcoats and
cravats and goloshes； and every aid that man ever invented to fight
the weather。 Wait a bit； though！ There's the cab off again！ There's
hope yet。 He'd have kept it if he had wanted us to come。 Run down；
my dear fellow； and open the door； for all virtuous folk have been
long in bed。〃
When the light of the hall lamp fell upon our midnight visitor； I
had no difficulty in recognizing him。 It was young Stanley Hopkins；
a promising detective； in whose career Holmes had several times
shown a very practical interest。
〃Is he in？〃 he asked； eagerly。
〃Come up； my dear sir；〃 said Holmes's voice from above。 〃I hope
you have no designs upon us such a night as this。〃
The detective mounted the stairs； and our lamp gleamed upon his
shining waterproof。 I helped him out of it； while Holmes knocked a
blaze out of the logs in the grate。
〃Now； my dear Hopkins； draw up and warm your toes；〃 said he。 〃Here's
a cigar； and the doctor has a prescription containing hot water and
a lemon； which is good medicine on a night like this。 It must be
something important which has brought you out in such a gale。〃
〃It is indeed； Mr。 Holmes。 I've had a bustling afternoon； I
promise you。 Did you see anything of the Yoxley case in the latest
editions？〃
〃I've seen nothing later than the fifteenth century to…day。〃
〃Well； it was only a paragraph； and all wrong at that； so you have
not missed anything。 I haven't let the grass grow under my feet。
It's down in Kent； seven miles from Chatham and three from the railway
line。 I was wired for at 3：15； reached Yoxley Old Place at 5；
conducted my investigation； was back at Charing Cross by the last
train； and straight to you by cab。〃
〃Which means； I suppose； that you are not quite clear about your
case？〃
〃It means that I can make neither head nor tail of it。 So far as I
can see； it is just as tangled a business as ever I handled； and yet
at first it seemed so simple that one couldn't go wrong。 There's no
motive； Mr。 Holmes。 That's what bothers me… I can't put my hand on a
motive。 Here's a man dead… there's no denying that… but； so far as I
can see； no reason on earth why anyone should wish him harm。〃
Holmes lit his cigar and leaned back in his chair。
〃Let us hear about it；〃 said he。
〃I've got my facts pretty clear；〃 said Stanley Hopkins。 〃All I
want now is to know what they all mean。 The story； so far as I can
make it out； is like this。 Some years ago this country house； Yoxley
Old Place； was taken by an elderly man； who gave the name of Professor
Coram。 He was an invalid； keeping his bed half the time； and the other
half hobbling round the house with a stick or being pushed about the
grounds by the gardener in a Bath chair。 He was well liked by the
few neighbours who called upon him； and he has the reputation down
there of being a very learned man。 His household used to consist of an
elderly housekeeper； Mrs。 Marker； and of a maid； Susan Tarlton。
These have both been with him since his arrival； and they seem to be
women of excellent character。 The professor is writing a learned book；
and he found it necessary； about a year ago； to engage a secretary。
The first two that he tried were not successes； but the third； Mr。
Willoughby Smith； a very young man straight from the university； seems
to have been just what his employer wanted。 His work consisted in
writing all the morning to the professor's dictation； and he usually
spent the evening in hunting up references and passages which bore
upon the next day's work。 This Willoughby Smith has nothing against
him； either as a boy at Uppingham or as a young man at Cambridge。 I
have seen his testimonials； and from the first he was a decent； quiet；
hard…worlding fellow； with no weak spot in him at all。 And yet this is
the lad who has met his death this morning in the professor's study
under circumstances which can point only to murder。〃
The wind howled and screamed at the windows。 Holmes and I drew
closer to the fire； while the young inspector slowly and point by
point developed his singular narrative。
〃If you were to search all England；〃 said he； 〃I don't suppose you
could find a household more self…contained or freer from outside
influences。 Whole weeks would pass； and not one of them go past the
garden gate。 The professor was buried in his work and existed for
nothing else。 Young Smith knew nobody in the neighbourhood； and
lived very much as his employer did。 The two women had nothing to take
them from the house。 Mortimer； the gardener； who wheels the Bath
chair； is an army pensioner… an old Crimean man of excellent
character。 He does not live in the house； but in a three…roomed
cottage at the other end of the garden。 Those are the only people that
you would find within the grounds of Yoxley Old Place。 At the same
time； the gate of the garden is a hundred yards from the main London
to Chatham road。 It opens with a latch； and there is nothing to
prevent anyone from walking in。
〃Now I will give you the evidence of Susan Tarlton； who is the
only person who can say anything positive about the matter。 It was
in the forenoon； between eleven and twelve。 She was engaged at the
moment in hanging some curtains in the upstairs front bedroom。
Professor Coram was still in bed； for when the weather is bad he
seldom rises before midday。 The housekeeper was busied with some
work in the back of the house。 Willoughby Smith had been in his
bedroom； which he uses as a sitting…room； but the maid heard him at
that moment pass along the passage and descend to the study
immediately below her。 She did not see him； but she says that she
could not be mistaken in his quick； firm tread。 She did not hear the
study door close； but a minute or so later there was a dreadful cry in
the room below。 It was a wild； hoarse scream； so strange and unnatural
that it might have come either from a man or a woman。 At the same
instant there was a heavy thud； which shook the old house； and then
all was silence。 The maid stood petrified for a moment； and then；
recovering her courage； she ran downstairs。 The study door was shut
and she opened it。 Inside； young Mr。 Willoughby Smith was stretched
upon the floor。 At first