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in a cloudless sky； and the breath of the passers…by blew out into
smoke like so many pistol shots。 Our footfalls rang out crisply
and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter； Wimpole
Street； Harley Street； and so through Wigmore Street into Oxford
Street。 In a quarter of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at the
Alpha Inn； which is a small public…house at the corner of one of
the streets which runs down into Holborn。 Holmes pushed open the
door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from the
ruddy…faced； white…aproned landlord。
〃Your beer should be excellent if it is as good as your
geese；〃 said he。
〃My geese！〃 The man seemed surprised。
〃Yes。 I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr。 Henry
Baker； who was a member of your goose club。〃
〃Ah！ yes； I see。 But you see； sir； them's not our geese。〃
〃Indeed！ Whose； then？〃
〃Well； I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden。〃
〃Indeed？ I know some of them。 Which was it？〃
〃Breckinridge is his name。〃
〃Ah！ I don't know him。 Well； here's your good health；
landlord； and prosperity to your house。 Good…night。〃
〃Now for Mr。 Breckinridge；〃 he continued； buttoning up his
coat as we came out into the frosty air。 〃Remember； Watson； that
though we have so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this
chain； we have at the other a man who will certainly get seven
years' penal servitude unless we can establish his innocence。 It
is possible that our inquiry may but confirm his guilt； but； in
any case； we have a line of investigation which has been missed by
the police； and which a singular chance has placed in our hands。
Let us follow it out to the bitter end。 Faces to the south； then；
and quick march！〃
We passed across Holborn； down Endell Street； and so through a
zigzag of slums to Covent Garden Market。 One of the largest
stalls bore the name of Breckinridge upon it； and the proprietor；
a horsy…looking man； with a sharp face and trim side…whiskers； was
helping a boy to put up the shutters。
〃Good…evening。 It's a cold night〃' said Holmes。
The salesman nodded and shot a questioning glance at my
companion。
〃Sold out of geese； I see；〃 continued Holmes； pointing at the
bare slabs of marble。
〃Let you have five hundred to…morrow morning。〃
〃Thats no good。〃
〃Well； there are some on the stall with the gas…flare。〃
〃Ah； but I was recommended to you。〃
〃Who by？〃
〃The landlord of the Alpha。〃
〃Oh； yes； I sent him a couple of dozen。〃
〃Fine birds they were； too。 Now where did you get them from？〃
To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the
salesman。
〃Now； then； mister；〃 said he； with his head cocked and his
arms akimbo； 〃what are you driving at？ Let's have it straight；
now。〃
〃It is straight enough。 I should like to know who sold you
the geese which you supplied to the Alpha。〃
〃Well； then； I shan't tell you。 So now！〃
〃Oh； it is a matter of no importance； but I don't know why you
should be so warm over such a trifle。〃
〃Warm！ You'd be as warm； maybe； if you were as pestered as I
am。 When I pay good money for a good article there should be an
end of the business； but it's ‘Where are the geese？' and ‘Who did
you sell the geese to？' and ‘What will you take for the geese？'
One would think they were the only geese in the world； to hear the
fuss that is made over them。〃
〃Well； I have no connection with any other people who have
been making inquiries；〃 said Holmes carelessly。 〃If you won't
tell us the bet is off； that is all。 But I'm always ready to back
my opinion on a matter of fowls； and I have a fiver on it that the
bird I ate is country bred。〃
〃Well； then； you've lost your fiver； for it's town bred；〃
snapped the salesman。
〃It's nothing of the kind。〃
〃I say it is。〃
〃I don't believe it。〃
〃D'you think you know more about fowls than I； who have
handled them ever since I was a nipper？ I tell you； all those
birds that went to the Alpha were town bred。〃
〃You'll never persuade me to believe that。〃
〃Will you bet； then？〃
〃It's merely taking your money； for I know that I am right。
But I'll have a sovereign on with you； just to teach you not to be
obstinate。〃
The salesman chuckled grimly。 〃Bring me the books； Bill；〃
said he。
The small boy brought round a small thin volume and a great
greasy…backed one； laying them out together beneath the hanging
lamp。
〃Now then； Mr。 Cocksure；〃 said the salesman； 〃I thought that I
was out of geese； but before I finish you'll find that there is
still one left in my shop。 You see this little book？〃
〃Well？〃
〃That's the list of the folk from whom I buy。 D'you see？
Well； then； here on this page are the country folk； and the
numbers after their names are where their accounts are in the big
ledger。 Now； then！ You see this other page in red ink？ Well；
that is a list of my town suppliers。 Now； look at that third
name。 Just read it out to me。〃
〃Mrs。 Oakshott； 117； Brixton Road249；〃 read Holmes。
〃Quite so。 Now turn that up in the ledger。〃
Holmes turned to the page indicated。 〃Here you are； ‘Mrs。
Oakshott； 117； Brixton Road； egg and poultry supplier。'〃
〃Now； then； what's the last entry？〃
〃‘December 22d。 Twenty…four geese at 7s。 6d。'〃
〃Quite so。 There you are。 And underneath？〃
〃‘Sold to Mr。 Windigate of the Alpha； at 12s。'〃
〃What have you to say now？〃
Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined。 He drew a sovereign
from his pocket and threw it down upon the slab； turning away with
the air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words。 A few yards
off he stopped under a lamp…post and laughed in the hearty；
noiseless fashion which was peculiar to him。
〃When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the ‘Pink
'un' protruding out of his pocket； you can always draw him by a
bet；〃 said he。 〃I daresay that if I had put 100 pounds down in front of
him； that man would not have given me such complete information as
was drawn from him by the idea that he was doing me on a wager。
Well； Watson； we are； I fancy； nearing the end of our quest； and
the only point which remains to be determined is whether we should
go on to this Mrs。 Oakshott to…night； or whether we should
reserve it for to…morrow。 It is clear from what that surly fellow
said that there are others besides ourselves who are anxious about
the matter； and I should〃
His remarks were suddenly cut short by a loud hubbub which
broke out from the stall which we had just left。 Turning round we
saw a little rat…faced fellow standing in the centre of the circle
of yellow light which was thrown by the swinging lamp； while
Breckinridge； the salesman； framed in the door of his stall； was
shaking his fists fiercely at the cringing figure。
〃I've had enough of you and your geese；〃 he shouted。 〃I wish
you were all at the devil together。 If you come pestering me any
more with your silly talk I'll set the dog at you。 You bring Mrs。
Oakshott here and I'll answer her； but what have you to do with
it？ Did I buy the geese off you？〃
〃No； but one of them was mine all the same；〃 whined the little
man。
〃Well； then； ask Mrs。 Oakshott for it。〃
〃She told me to ask you。〃
〃Well； you can ask the King of Proosia； for all I care。 I've
had enough of it。 Get out of this！〃 He rushed fiercely forward；
and the inquirer flitted away into the darkness。
〃Ha！ this may save us a visit to Brixton Road；〃 whispered
Holmes。 〃Come with me； and we will see what is to be made of this
fellow。〃 Striding through the scattered knots of people who
lounged round the flaring stalls； my companion speedily overtook
the little man and touched him upon the shoulder。 He sprang
round； and I