business。 She had seen the buttons； and was sure that they had
belonged to the clothes which he had worn last night。 The wood…pile
was very dry； for it had not rained for a month。 It burned like
tinder； and by the time she reached the spot； nothing could be seen
but flames。 She and all the firemen smelled the burned flesh from
inside it。 She knew nothing of the papers； nor of Mr。 Oldacre's
private affairs。
〃So； my dear Watson； there's my report of a failure。 And yet… and
yet…〃 he clenched his thin hands in a paroxysm of conviction… 〃I
know it's all wrong。 I feel it in my bones。 There is something that
has not come out； and that housekeeper knows it。 There was a sort of
sulky defiance in her eyes； which only goes with guilty knowledge。
However； there's no good talking any more about it； Watson； but unless
some lucky chance comes our way I fear that the Norwood
Disappearance Case will not figure in that chronicle of our
successes which I foresee that a patient public will sooner or later
have to endure。〃
〃Surely；〃 said I； 〃the man's appearance would go far with any jury？〃
〃That is a dangerous argument my dear Watson。 You remember that
terrible murderer； Bert Stevens； who wanted us to get him off in
'87？ Was there ever a more mild…mannered； Sunday…school young man？〃
〃It is true。〃
〃Unless we succeed in establishing an alternative theory； this man
is lost。 You can hardly find a flaw in the case which can now be
presented against him； and all further investigation has served to
strengthen it。 By the way； there is one curious little point about
those papers which may serve us as the starting…point for an
inquiry。 On looking over the bank…book I found that the low state of
the balance was principally due to large checks which have been made
out during the last year to Mr。 Cornelius。 I confess that I should
be interested to know who this Mr。 Cornelius may be with whom a
retired builder has had such very large transactions。 Is it possible
that he has had a hand in the affair？ Cornelius might be a broker； but
we have found no scrip to correspond with these large payments。
Failing any other indication； my researches must now take the
direction of an inquiry at the bank for the gentleman who has cashed
these checks。 But I fear； my dear fellow； that our case will end
ingloriously by Lestrade hanging our client； which will certainly be a
triumph for Scotland Yard。〃
I do not know how far Sherlock Holmes took any sleep that night； but
when I came down to breakfast I found him pale and harassed； his
bright eyes the brighter for the dark shadows round them。 The carpet
round his chair was littered with cigarette…ends and with the early
editions of the morning papers。 An open telegram lay upon the table。
〃What do you think of this； Watson？〃 he asked； tossing it across。
It was from Norwood； and ran as follows：
Important fresh evidence to hand。 McFarlane's guilt definitely
established。 Advise you to abandon case。
LESTRADE。
〃This sounds serious；〃 said I。
〃It is Lestrade's little cock…a…doodle of victory；〃 Holmes answered；
with a bitter smile。 〃And yet it may be premature to abandon the case。
After all； important fresh evidence is a two…edged thing； and may
possibly cut in a very different direction to that which Lestrade
imagines。 Take your breakfast； Watson； and we will go out together and
see what we can do。 I feel as if I shall need your company and your
moral support today。〃
My friend had no breakfast himself； for it was one of his
peculiarities that in his more intense moments he would permit himself
no food； and I have known him presume upon his iron strength until
he has fainted from pure inanition。 〃At present I cannot spare
energy and nerve force for digestion；〃 he would say in answer to my
medical remonstrances。 I was not surprised； therefore； when this
morning he left his untouched meal behind him； and started with me for
Norwood。 A crowd of morbid sightseers were still gathered round Deep
Dene House； which was just such a suburban villa as I had pictured。
Within the gates Lestrade met us； his face flushed with victory； his
manner grossly triumphant。
〃Well； Mr。 Holmes； have you proved us to be wrong yet？ Have you
found your tramp？〃 he cried。
〃I have formed no conclusion whatever；〃 my companion answered。
〃But we formed ours yesterday； and now it proves to be correct； so
you must acknowledge that we have been a little in front of you this
time； Mr。 Holmes。〃
〃You certainly have the air of something unusual having occurred；〃
said Holmes。
Lestrade laughed loudly。
〃You don't like being beaten any more than the rest of us do；〃
said he。 〃A man can't expect always to have it his own way； can he；
Dr。 Watson？ Step this way； if you please； gentlemen； and I think I can
convince you once for all that it was John McFarlane who did this
crime。〃
He led us through the passage and out into a dark hall beyond。
〃This is where young McFarlane must have come out to get his hat
after the crime was done；〃 said he。 〃Now look at this。〃 With
dramatic suddenness he struck a match； and by its light exposed a
stain of blood upon the whitewashed wall。 As he held the match nearer；
I saw that it was more than a stain。 It was the well…marked print of a
thumb。
〃Look at that with your magnifying glass； Mr。 Holmes。〃
〃Yes； I am doing so。〃
〃You are aware that no two thumb…marks are alike？〃
〃I have heard something of the kind。〃
〃Well； then； will you please compare that print with this wax
impression of young McFarlane's right thumb； taken by my orders this
morning？〃
As he held the waxen print close to the blood…stain； it did not take
a magnifying glass to see that the two were undoubtedly from the
same thumb。 It was evident to me that our unfortunate client was lost。
〃That is final；〃 said Lestrade。
〃Yes； that is final；〃 I involuntarily echoed。
〃It is final；〃 said Holmes。
Something in his tone caught my ear； and I turned to look at him。 An
extraordinary change had come over his face。 It was writhing with
inward merriment。 His two eyes were shining like stars。 It seemed to
me that he was making desperate efforts to restrain a convulsive
attack of laughter。
〃Dear me！ Dear me！〃 he said at last。 〃Well； now； who would have
thought it？ And how deceptive appearances may be； to be sure！ Such a
nice young man to look at！ It is a lesson to us not to trust our own
judgment； is it not； Lestrade？〃
〃Yes； some of us are a little too much inclined to be cock…sure； Mr。
Holmes；〃 said Lestrade。 The man's insolence was maddening； but we
could not resent it。
〃What a providential thing that this young man should press his
right thumb against the wall in taking his hat from the peg！ Such a
very natural action； too； if you come to think if it。〃 Holmes was
outwardly calm； but his whole body gave a wriggle of suppressed
excitement as he spoke。
〃By the way； Lestrade； who made this remarkable discovery？〃
〃It was the housekeeper； Mrs。 Lexington； who drew the night
constable's attention to it。〃
〃Where was the night constable？〃
〃He remained on guard in the bedroom where the crime was
committed； so as to see that nothing was touched。〃
〃But why didn't the police see this mark yesterday？〃
〃Well； we had no particular reason to make a careful examination
of the hall。 Besides； it's not in a very prominent place； as you see。〃
〃No； no… of course not。 I suppose there is no doubt that the mark
was there yesterday？〃
Lestrade looked at Holmes as if he thought he was going out of his
mind。 I confess that I was myself surprised both at his hilarious
manner and at his rather wild observation。
〃I don't know whether you think that McFarlane came out of jail in
the dead of the night in order to strengthen the evidence against
himself；〃 said Lestrade。 〃I leave it to any expert in the world
whether that is not the mark of his thumb。〃
〃It is unquestionably the mark of his thumb。〃
〃There； that's enough；〃 said Lestrade。 〃I am a practical man； Mr。
Holmes； and when I have got my evidence I come to my conclusions。 If
you have anything to say； you will find me writing my report in the
sitting…room。〃
Holmes had recovered his equanimity； though I still seemed to detect
gleams of amusement in his expression。
〃Dear me； this is a very sad development； Watson； is it not？〃 said
he。 〃And yet there are singular points about it which hold out some
hopes for our client。〃
〃I am delighted to hear it；〃 said I； heartily。 〃I was afraid it
was all up with him。〃
〃I would hardly go so far as to say that； my dear Watson。 The fact
is that there is one really serious flaw in this evidence to which our
friend attaches so much importance。〃
〃Indeed； Holmes！ What is it？〃
〃Only this： that I know that that was not there when I examined
the hall yesterday。 And now； Watson； let us have a little stroll round
in the sunshine。〃
With a confused brain； but with a heart into which some warmth of
hope was returning； I accompanied my friend in a walk round the
garden。 Holmes took each face of the house in turn； and examined it
with great interest。 He then led the way inside； and went over the
whole building from basement to attic。 Most of the rooms were
unfurnished； but none the less Holmes inspected them all minutely。
Finally； on the top corridor； which ran outside three untenanted
bedrooms； he again was seized with a spasm of merriment。
〃There are really some very unique features about this case；
Watson；〃 said he。 〃I think it is time now that we took our friend
Lestrade into our confidence。 He has had his little smile at our
expense； and perhaps we may do as much by him； if my reading of this
problem proves to be correct。 Yes； yes； I think I see how we should
approach it。〃
The Scotland Yard inspector was still writing in the parlour when
Holmes interrupted him。
〃I understood that you were writing a report of this case；〃 said he。
〃So I am。〃
〃Don't you think it may be a little premature？ I