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The Adventure of the Red Circle
The Adventure of the Red
Circle
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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The Adventure of the Red Circle
One
〃Well； Mrs。 Warren； I cannot see that you have any particular cause for
uneasiness； nor do I understand why I； whose time is of some value；
should interfere in the matter。 I really have other things to engage me。〃
So spoke Sherlock Holmes and turned back to the great scrapbook in
which he was arranging and indexing some of his recent material。
But the landlady had the pertinacity and also the cunning of her sex。
She held her ground firmly。
〃You arranged an affair for a lodger of mine last year；〃 she said〃Mr。
Fairdale Hobbs。〃
〃Ah； yesa simple matter。〃
〃But he would never cease talking of ityour kindness； sir； and the
way in which you brought light into the darkness。 I remembered his
words when I was in doubt and darkness myself。 I know you could if
you only would。〃
Holmes was accessible upon the side of flattery； and also； to do him
justice； upon the side of kindliness。 The two forces made him lay down
his gum…brush with a sigh of resignation and push back his chair。
〃Well； well； Mrs。 Warren； let us hear about it； then。 You don't object
to tobacco； I take it？ Thank you； Watsonthe matches！ You are uneasy；
as I understand； because your new lodger remains in his rooms and you
cannot see him。 Why； bless you； Mrs。 Warren； if I were your lodger you
often would not see me for weeks on end。〃
〃No doubt； sir； but this is different。 It frightens me； Mr。 Holmes。 I
can't sleep for fright。 To hear his quick step moving here and moving
there from early morning to late at night； and yet never to catch so much
as a glimpse of himit's more than I can stand。 My husband is as
nervous over it as I am； but he is out at his work all day； while I get no rest
from it。 What is he hiding for？ What has he done？ Except for the girl；
I am all alone in the house with him； and it's more than my nerves can
stand。〃
Holmes leaned forward and laid his long； thin fingers upon the
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The Adventure of the Red Circle
woman's shoulder。 He had an almost hypnotic power of soothing when
he wished。 The scared look faded from her eyes； and her agitated
features smoothed into their usual commonplace。 She sat down in the
chair which he had indicated。
〃If I take it up I must understand every detail；〃 said he。 〃Take time to
consider。 The smallest point may be the most essential。 You say that the
man came ten days ago and paid you for a fortnight's board and lodging？〃
〃He asked my terms； sir。 I said fifty shillings a week。 There is a
small sitting…room and bedroom； and all complete； at the top of the house。〃
〃Well？〃
〃He said； 'I'll pay you five pounds a week if I can have it on my own
terms。' I'm a poor woman； sir； and Mr。 Warren earns little； and the money
meant much to me。 He took out a ten…pound note； and he held it out to
me then and there。 'You can have the same every fortnight for a long
time to come if you keep the terms；' he said。 'If not； I'll have no more to
do with you。'
〃What were the terms？〃
〃Well； sir； they were that he was to have a key of the house。 That was
all right。 Lodgers often have them。 Also； that he was to be left entirely
to himself and never； upon any excuse； to be disturbed。〃
〃Nothing wonderful in that； surely？〃
〃Not in reason； sir。 But this is out of all reason。 He has been there
for ten days； and neither Mr。 Warren； nor I； nor the girl has once set eyes
upon him。 We can hear that quick step of his pacing up and down； up
and down； night； morning； and noon； but except on that first night he had
never once gone out of the house。〃
〃Oh； he went out the first night； did he？〃
〃Yes； sir； and returned very lateafter we were all in bed。 He told me
after he had taken the rooms that he would do so and asked me not to bar
the door。 I heard him come up the stair after midnight。〃
〃But his meals？〃
〃It was his particular direction that we should always； when he rang；
leave his meal upon a chair； outside his door。 Then he rings again when
he has finished； and we take it down from the same chair。 If he wants
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The Adventure of the Red Circle
anything else he prints it on a slip of paper and leaves it。〃
〃Prints it？〃
〃Yes； sir； prints it in pencil。 Just the word； nothing more。 Here's the
one I brought to show yousoap。 Here's another match。 This is one
he left the first morningdaily gazette。 I leave that paper with his
breakfast every morning。〃
〃Dear me； Watson；〃 said Homes； staring with great curiosity at the
slips of foolscap which the landlady had handed to him； 〃this is certainly a
little unusual。 Seclusion I can understand； but why print？ Printing is a
clumsy process。 Why not write？ What would it suggest； Watson？〃
〃That he desired to conceal his handwriting。〃
〃But why？ What can it matter to him that his landlady should have a
word of his writing？ Still； it may be as you say。 Then； again； why such
laconic messages？〃
〃I cannot imagine。〃
It opens a pleasing field for intelligent speculation。 The words are
written with a broad…pointed； violet…tinted pencil of a not unusual pattern。
You will observe that the paper is torn away at the side here after the
printing was done； so that the 's' of 'soap' is partly gone。 Suggestive；
Watson； is it not？〃
〃Of caution？〃
〃Exactly。 There was evidently some mark； some thumbprint；
something which might give a clue to the person's identity。 Now。 Mrs。
Warren； you say that the man was of middle size； dark； and bearded。
What age would he be？〃
〃Youngish； sirnot over thirty。〃
〃Well； can you give me no further indications？〃
〃He spoke good English； sir； and yet I thought he was a foreigner by
his accent。〃
〃And he was well dressed？〃
〃Very smartly dressed； sirquite the gentleman。 Dark clothes
nothing you would note。〃
〃He gave no name？〃
No； sir。〃
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〃And has had no letters or callers？〃
〃None。〃
〃But surely you or the girl enter his room of a morning？〃
〃No； sir； he looks after himself entirely。〃
〃Dear me！ that is certainly remarkable。 What about his luggage？〃
〃He had one big brown bag with himnothing else。〃
〃Well； we don't seem to have much material to help us。 Do you say
nothing has come out of that roomabsolutely nothing？〃
The landlady drew an envelope from her bag； from it she shook out
two burnt matches and a cigarette…end upon the table。
〃They were on his tray this morning。 I brought them because I had
heard that you can read great things out of small ones。〃
Holmes shrugged his shoulders。
〃There is nothing here；〃 said he。 〃The matches have； of course； been
used to light cigarettes。 That is obvious from the shortness of the burnt
end。 Half the match is consumed in lighting a pipe or cigar。 But； dear
me！ this cigarette stub is certainly remarkable。 The gentleman was
bearded and moustached； you say？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃I don't understand that。 I should say that only a clean…shaven man
could have smoked this。 Why； Watson； even your modest moustache
would have been singed。〃
〃A holder？〃 I suggested。
〃No； no； the end is matted。 I suppose there could not be two people
in your rooms；