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that this man was intellectual？〃
For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head。 It came
right over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose。
〃It is a question of cubic capacity；〃 said he； 〃a man with so
large a brain must have something in it。〃
〃The decline of his fortunes； then？〃
〃This hat is three years old。 These flat brims curled at the
edge came in then。 It is a hat of the very best quality。 Look at
the band of ribbed silk and the excellent lining。 If this man
could afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago； and has
had no hat since； then he has assuredly gone down in the world。〃
〃Well； that is clear enough； certainly。 But how about the
foresight and the moral retrogression？〃
Sherlock Holmes laughed。 〃Here is the foresight；〃 said he；
putting his finger upon the little disc and loop of the
hat…securer。 〃They are never sold upon hats。 If this man ordered
one； it is a sign of a certain amount of foresight； since he went
out of his way to take this precaution against the wind。 But
since we see that he has broken the elastic and has not troubled
to replace it； it is obvious that he has less foresight now than
formerly； which is a distinct proof of a weakening nature。 On the
other hand； he has endeavoured to conceal some of these stains
upon the felt by daubing them with ink； which is a sign that he
has not entirely lost his self…respect。〃
〃Your reasoning is certainly plausible。〃
〃The further points； that he is middle…aged； that his hair is
grizzled； that it has been recently cut； and that he uses
lime…cream； are all to be gathered from a close examination of the
lower part of the lining。 The lens discloses a large number of
hair…ends； clean cut by the scissors of the barber。 They all
appear to be adhesive； and there is a distinct odour of
lime…cream。 This dust； you will observe； is not the gritty； gray
dust of the street but the fluffy brown dust of the house； showing
that it has been hung up indoors most of the time； while the marks
of moisture upon the inside are proof positive that the wearer
perspired very freely； and could therefore； hardly be in the best
of training。〃
〃But his wifeyou said that she had ceased to love him。〃
〃This hat has not been brushed for weeks。 When I see you； my
dear Watson； with a week's accumulation of dust upon your hat； and
when your wife allows you to go out in such a state； I shall fear
that you also have been unfortunate enough to lose your wife's
affection。〃
〃But he might be a bachelor。〃
〃Nay； he was bringing home the goose as a peace…offering to
his wife。 Remember the card upon the bird's leg。〃
〃You have an answer to everything。 But how on earth do you
deduce that the gas is not laid on in his house？〃
〃One tallow stain； or even two； might come by chance； but when
I see no less than five； I think that there can be little doubt
that the individual must be brought into frequent contact with
burning tallowwalks upstairs at night probably with his hat in
one hand and a guttering candle in the other。 Anyhow； he never
got tallow…stains from a gas…jet。 Are you satisfied？〃
〃Well； it is very ingenious；〃 said I； laughing； 〃but since； as
you said just now； there has been no crime committed； and no harm
done save the loss of a goose； all this seems to be rather a waste
of energy。〃
Sherlock Holmes had opened his mouth to reply； when the door
flew open； and Peterson； the commissionaire； rushed into the
apartment with flushed cheeks and the face of a man who is dazed
with astonishment。
〃The goose； Mr。 Holmes！ The goose； sir！〃 he gasped。
〃Eh？ What of it； then？ Has it returned to life and flapped
off through the kitchen window？〃 Holmes twisted himself round
upon the sofa to get a fairer view of the man's excited face。
〃See here； sir！ See what my wife found in its crop！〃 He held
out his hand and displayed upon the centre of the palm a
brilliantly scintillating blue stone； rather smaller than a bean
in size； but of such purity and radiance that it twinkled like an
electric point in the dark hollow of his hand。
Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle。 〃By Jove； Peterson！〃
said he； 〃this is treasure trove indeed。 I suppose you know what
you have got？〃
〃A diamond； sir？ A precious stone。 It cuts into glass as
though it were putty。〃
〃It's more than a precious stone。 It is the precious stone。〃
〃Not the Countess of Morcar's blue carbuncle！〃 I ejaculated。
〃Precisely so。 I ought to know its size and shape； seeing
that I have read the advertisement about it in The Times every day
lately。 It is absolutely unique； and its value can only be
conjectured； but the reward offered of 1000 pounds is certainly not
within a twentieth part of the market price。〃
〃A thousand pounds！ Great Lord of mercy！〃 The commissionaire
plumped down into a chair and stared from one to the other of us。
〃That is the reward； and I have reason to know that there are
sentimental considerations in the background which would induce
the Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but
recover the gem。〃
〃It was lost； if I remember aright； at the Hotel
Cosmopolitan；〃 I remarked。
〃Precisely so； on December 22d； just five days ago。 John
Horner； a plumber； was accused of having abstracted it from the
lady's jewel…case。 The evidence against him was so strong that
the case has been referred to the Assizes。 I have some account of
the matter here； I believe。〃 He rummaged amid his newspapers；
glancing over the dates； until at last he smoothed one out；
doubled it over； and read the following paragraph：
〃Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel Robbery。 John Horner； 26；
plumber； was brought up upon the charge of having upon the 22d
inst。； abstracted from the jewel…case of the Countess of
Morcar the valuable gem known as the blue carbuncle。 James
Ryder； upper…attendant at the hotel； gave his evidence to the
effect that he had shown Homer up to the dressing…room of the
Countess of Morcar upon the day of the robbery in order that
he might solder the second bar of the grate； which was loose。
He had remained with Horner some little time； but had finally
been called away。 On returning； he found that Horner had
disappeared； that the bureau had been forced open； and that
the small morocco casket in which； as it afterwards
transpired； the Countess was accustomed to keep her jewel； was
lying empty upon the dressing…table。 Ryder instantly gave the
alarm； and Homer was arrested the same evening； but the stone
could not be found either upon his person or in his rooms。
Catherine Cusack； maid to the Countess； deposed to having
heard Ryder's cry of dismay on discovering the robbery； and to
having rushed into the room； where she found matters as
described by the last witness。 Inspector Bradstreet； B
division； gave evidence as to the arrest of Homer； who
struggled frantically； and protested his innocence in the
strongest terms。 Evidence of a previous conviction for
robbery having been given against the prisoner； the magistrate
refused to deal summarily with the offence； but referred it to
the Assizes。 Homer； who had shown signs of intense emotion
during the proceedings； fainted away at the conclusion and was
carried out of court。
〃Hum！ So much for the police…court；〃 said Holmes
thoughtfully； tossing aside the paper。 〃The question for us now
to solve is the sequence of events leading from a rifled
jewel…case at one end to the crop of a goose in Tottenham Court
Road at the other。 You see； Watson； our little deductions have
suddenly assumed a much more important and less innocent aspect。
Here is the stone； the stone came from the goose； and the goose
came from Mr。 Henry Baker； the gentleman with the bad hat and all
the other characteristics with which I have bored you。 So now we
must set ourselves very ser