Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure Of The Blue Carbuncle, 2 Of 2

Relax and enjoy the solving of a puzzling crime by the most famous fictional detective in history! We follow the trail of the Blue Carbuncle to its conclusion. Sherlock Holmes, as well as putting his extraordinary powers of deduction to good use, takes a perhaps rather surprising view on things at the end. It is Christmas, after all!

For more Christmas stories narrated by me, listen to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and O. Henry's story The Gift of the Magi, also on Premium. William's Christmas Eve is available on Free Tracks.

Transcript

Hello there,

Welcome back.

It's Mandy here.

Thanks so much for joining me tonight.

We're going to be listening to part two of The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Doyle was a prolific writer.

In addition to the Holmes stories,

His works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier,

Brigadier Gerrard,

As well as plays,

Romances,

Poetry,

Non-fiction and historical novels.

But his most famous work is undoubtedly his Sherlock Holmes novels and stories.

So before I go ahead,

Please feel free to make yourself really comfortable.

Relax your hands.

Loosen your shoulders and soften your jaw.

So if you're ready,

Then I shall begin.

Part two.

I had been delayed at a case and it was a little after half past six when I found myself in Baker Street once more.

As I approached the house,

I saw a tall man in a scotch bonnet with a coat which was buttoned up to his chin,

Waiting outside in the bright semicircle which was thrown from the fun light.

Just as I arrived,

The door was opened and we were shown up together to Holmes' room.

Mr.

Henry Baker,

I believe,

Said he,

Rising from his armchair and greeting his visitor with the easy air of geniality which he could so readily assume.

Pray take this chair by the fire,

Mr.

Baker.

It is a cold night and I observe that your circulation is more adapted for summer than for winter.

Ah,

Watson,

You have just come at the right time.

Is that your hat,

Mr.

Baker?

Yes,

Sir,

That is undoubtedly my hat.

He was a large man with rounded shoulders,

A massive head and a broad,

Intelligent face,

Sloping down to a pointed beard of grizzled brown.

A touch of red in nose and cheeks with a slight tremor of his extended hand recalled Holmes' surmise as to his habits.

His rusty black frock coat was buttoned right up in front with the collar turned up and his lank wrists protruded from his sleeves without a sign of cuff or shirt.

He spoke in a slow staccato fashion,

Choosing his words with care and gave the impression generally of a man of learning and letters who had had ill usage at the hands of fortune.

We have retained these things for some days,

Said Holmes,

Because we expected to see an advertisement from you giving your address.

I am at a loss to know now why you did not advertise.

Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh.

Shillings have not been so plentiful with me as they once were,

He remarked.

I had no doubt that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried off both my hat and the bird.

I did not care to spend more money in a hopeless attempt at recovering them.

Very naturally.

By the way,

About the bird,

We were compelled to eat it.

To eat it?

Our visitor half rose from his chair in his excitement.

Yes,

It would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so.

But I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard,

Which is about the same weight and perfectly fresh,

Will answer your purpose equally well.

Oh,

Certainly,

Certainly,

Answered Mr Baker with a sigh of relief.

Of course,

We still have the feathers,

Legs,

Crop and so on of your own bird.

So if you wish,

The man burst into a hearty laugh.

They might be useful to me as relics of my adventure,

Said he,

But beyond that I can hardly see what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are going to be to me.

No,

Sir,

I think that,

With your permission,

I will confine my attentions to the excellent bird which I perceive upon the sideboard.

Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

There is your hat,

Then,

And there your bird,

Said he.

By the way,

Would it bore you to tell me where you got the other one from?

I am somewhat of a foul fancier,

And I have seldom seen a better grown goose.

Certainly,

Sir,

Said Baker,

Who had risen and tucked his newly gained property under his arm.

There are a few of us who frequent the Alpha Inn near the museum.

We are to be found in the museum itself during the day,

You understand.

This year,

Our good host,

Windigate by name,

Instituted a goose club,

By which,

On consideration of some few pence every week,

We were each to receive a bird at Christmas.

My pence were duly paid,

And the rest is familiar to you.

I am much indebted to you,

Sir,

For a Scotch bonnet is fitted neither to my years nor my gravity.

With a comical pomposity of manner,

He bowed solemnly to both of us and strode off upon his way.

So much for Mr.

Henry Baker,

Said Holmes,

When he had closed the door behind him.

It is quite certain that he knows nothing whatever about the matter.

Are you hungry,

Watson?

Not particularly.

Then I suggest we turn our dinner into a supper and follow up this clue while it is still hot.

By all means,

I said.

It was a bitter night,

So we drew on our ulsters and wrapped cravats about our throats.

Outside the stars were shining coldly 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 Doctor's 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?

Who's them?

Well,

I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden.

Indeed?

I know some of them.

Which was it?

Breckenridge 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.

Breckenridge,

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 Breckenridge upon it,

And the proprietor,

A horsey looking man with a sharp face and trimmed 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 500 tomorrow morning.

That's 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.

Ah,

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 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 as 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 there was 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 bread.

Well then,

You've lost your fiver for it's tan bread,

Snapped the salesman.

It's nothing of the kind.

I say it is.

I don't believe it.

Do you think you know more about fowls than I,

Who have handled them ever since I were a nipper?

I'll tell you,

All those birds,

What went to the alpha,

Were tan bread.

You'll never persuade me to believe that.

Will your bet then?

It's merely taking your money,

For I know that I'm right.

But I'll have a sovereign on with you,

Just to teach you not to be so obstinate.

The salesman chuckled grimly.

Bring me the book,

Bill,

Said he.

The small boy brought round a small thin volume and a great greasy backed one,

Laying them out together beneath a hanging lamp.

Now then,

Mr.

Cockshaw,

Said the salesman,

I thought I was out of geese,

But before I finish,

You'll find there is still one left in my shop.

You see this little book?

Well,

Well,

That's the list of the folk from whom I buy.

Do 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.

Oakeshott,

117 Brixton Road,

249 Red Holmes.

Quite so.

Now,

Turn that up in the ledger.

Holmes turned to the page indicated.

Here you are,

Mrs.

Oakeshott,

117 Brixton Road,

Egg and poultry supplier.

Now then,

What's the last entry?

December 22nd,

24 geese at seven shillings and sixpence.

Quite so,

There you are,

And underneath,

Sold to Mr.

Windegate of the Alpha at 12 shillings.

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 lamppost 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 paper protruding out of his pocket,

You can always draw him in by a bet,

Said he.

I dare say that if I had put a hundred 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.

Oakeshott tonight or whether we should reserve it for tomorrow.

It is clear from what the 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 stool which we had just left.

Turning around,

We saw a little rat-faced fellow standing in the centre of the circle of yellow light thrown by the swinging lamp,

While Breckenridge,

The salesman framed in the door of his stool,

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 anymore with your silly talk,

I'll set the dog at you.

You bring Mrs.

Oakeshott 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.

Oakeshott for it.

She told me to ask you.

Well,

You can ask the King of Prussia for all I care.

I've had enough of it.

Get out of it.

He rushed fiercely forward and the enquirer flitted away into the darkness.

Ah,

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 around the flaring stalls,

My companion speedily overtook the little man and touched him upon the shoulder.

He sprang round and I could see in the gaslight that every vestige of colour had been driven from his face.

Who are you then?

What do you want?

He asked in a quavering voice.

You will excuse me,

Said Holmes blandly,

But I could not help overhearing the questions which you put to the salesman just now.

I think I could be of assistance to you.

You?

Who are you?

How could you know anything of the matter?

My name is Sherlock Holmes.

It is my business to know what other people don't know.

But you can know nothing of this.

Excuse me,

I know everything of it.

You are endeavouring to trace some geese which was sold by Mrs Upshot of Brixton Road to a salesman named Breckenridge,

By him in turn to Mr Windigate of the Alpha,

And by him to his club of which Mr Henry Baker is a member.

Oh sir,

You are the very man I have longed to meet,

Cried the little fellow,

With outstretched hands and quivering fingers.

I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter.

Sherlock Holmes hailed a four-wheeler which was passing.

In that case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in this wind-swept marketplace,

Said he.

But pray tell me,

Before we go further,

Who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting.

The man hesitated for an instant.

My name is John Robinson,

He answered with a side-long glance.

No,

No,

The real name,

Said Holmes.

It is always awkward doing business with an alias.

A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger.

Well then,

Said he,

My real name is James Ryder.

Precisely so,

Head attendant at the Hotel Cosmopolitan.

Pray step into the cab and I shall soon be able to tell you everything which you would wish to know.

The little man stood glancing from one to the other of us with half-frightened,

Half-hopeful eyes,

As one who is not sure whether he is on the verge of a windfall or of a catastrophe.

Then he stepped into the cab and in half an hour we were back in the sitting room at Baker Street.

Nothing had been said during our drive but the high thin breathing of our new companion and the claspings and unclaspings of his hands spoke of the nervous tension within him.

Here we are,

Said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room.

The fire looks very seasonable in this weather.

You look cold,

Mr Ryder.

Pray take the basket chair.

I will just put on my slippers before we settle this little matter of yours.

Now then,

You want to know what became of those geese,

Or rather I fancy of that goose.

It was one bird I imagine in which you were interested,

White with a black bar across the tail.

Ryder quivered with emotion.

Oh sir,

He cried,

Can you tell me where it went to?

It came here.

Here?

Yes,

And a most remarkable bird it proved.

I don't wonder that you should take an interest in it.

It laid an egg after it was dead,

The bonniest,

Brightest little blue egg that ever was seen.

I have it here in my museum.

Our visitor staggered to his feet and clutched the mantelpiece with his right hand.

Holmes unlocked his strong box and held up the blue carbuncle,

Which shone out like a star with a cold,

Brilliant,

Many-pointed radiance.

Ryder stood glaring with a drawn face,

Uncertain whether to claim it or disown it.

The game's up,

Ryder,

Said Holmes quietly.

Hold up,

Man,

Or you'll be into the fire.

Give him an arm back into his chair,

Watson.

He's not got blood enough to go in for felony with impunity.

Give him a dash of brandy.

So,

Now he looks a little more human.

What a shrimp it is,

To be sure.

For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen,

But the brandy brought a tinge of colour into his cheeks and he sat staring with frightened eyes at his accuser.

I have almost every link in my hands and all the proofs which I could possibly need,

So there is little you need tell me.

Still,

That little may as well be cleared up to make the complete.

You had heard,

Ryder,

Of this blue stone of the Countess of Moorclough?

It was Catherine Cusack who told me of it,

Said he in a crackling voice.

I see her ladyship's waiting made.

Well,

The temptation of sudden wealth so easily acquired was too much for you,

As it has been for better men before you,

But you were not very scrupulous in the means you used.

It seems to me,

Ryder,

That there is the making of a very pretty villain in you.

You knew that this man Horner,

The plumber,

Had been concerned in some such matter before and that suspicion would rest the more readily upon him.

What did you do then?

You made some small job in my lady's room,

You and your confederate,

Cusack,

And you managed that he should be the man sent for.

Then,

When he had left,

You rifled the jewel case,

Raised the alarm,

And had this unfortunate man arrested.

You then?

Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my companion's knees.

For God's sake,

Have mercy,

He shrieked.

Think of my father,

Of my mother.

It would break their hearts.

I never went wrong before.

I never will again,

I swear it.

I'll swear it on the Bible.

Oh,

Don't bring it into court.

For God's sake,

Don't.

Get back into your chair,

Said Holmes sternly.

It is all very well to cringe and crawl now,

But you thought little enough of this poor Horner in the dock,

For a crime of which he knew nothing.

I will fly,

Mr Holmes.

I will leave the country,

Sir.

Then the charge against him will break down.

Hmm,

We will talk about that.

And now,

Let us hear a true account of the next act.

How came the stone into the goose,

And how came the goose into the open market?

Tell us the truth now,

For there lies your only hope of safety.

Ryder passed his tongue over his parched lips.

I will tell you it just as it happened,

Sir,

Said he.

When Horner had been arrested,

It seemed to me that it would be best for me to get away with the stone at once,

For I did not know at what moment the police might not take it into their heads to search me and my room.

There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe.

I went out as if on some commission,

And I made for my sister's house.

She had married a man named Oakshot,

And lived in Brixton Road,

Where she fattened fowls for the market.

All the way there,

Every man I met seemed to me to be a policeman or a detective,

And for all that it was a cold night,

The sweat was pouring down my face before I came to the Brixton Road.

My sister asked me what was the matter,

And why was I so pale,

But I told her I'd been upset by the jewel robbery at the hotel.

Then I went into the backyard and smoked a pipe and wondered what it would be best to do.

I had a friend once called Maudsley who went to the bad and had been just serving his time in Pentonville.

One day he had met me and fell in to talk about the ways of thieves and how they could get rid of what they stole.

I knew he would be true to me,

For I knew one or two things about him,

So I made up my mind to go right on to Kilburn,

Where he lived,

And take him into my confidence.

He would show me how to turn the stone into money,

But how to get to him safely.

I thought of the agonies I'd gone through in coming from the hotel.

I might at any moment be seized and searched,

And there would be the stone in my waistcoat pocket.

I was leaning against the wall at the time and looking at the geese waddling about my feet,

And suddenly an idea came into my head which showed me how I could beat the best detective that ever lived.

My sister had told me some weeks before that I might have the pick of her geese for a Christmas present,

And I knew she was always as good as her word.

I would take my goose now,

And in it I would carry my stone to Kilburn.

There was a little shed in the yard,

And behind this I drove one of the birds,

A fine big one,

White,

With a barred tail.

I caught it,

And prying its bill open,

I thrust the stone down its throat as far as my finger could reach.

The bird gave a gulp,

And I felt the stone pass along its gullet and down into its crop.

But the creature flapped and struggled,

And out came my sister to know what was the matter.

As I turned to speak to her,

The brute broke loose and fluttered off among the others.

Whatever were you doing with that bird,

Jem,

Says she.

Well,

Said I,

You said you'd give me one for Christmas,

And I was feeling which was the fattest.

Oh,

Says she,

We've set yours aside for you.

Jem's bird,

We call it,

Is the big white one over yonder.

There's 26 of them,

Which makes one for you,

And one for us,

And two dozen for the market.

Thank you,

Maggie,

Says I,

But if it's all the same to you,

I'd rather have that one I was handling just now.

The other is a good three pound heavier,

Said she,

And we fattened it expressly for you.

Never mind,

I'll have the other,

And I'll take it now,

Said I.

Oh,

Just as you like,

Said she,

A little huffed.

Which is it you want then?

That white one with the barred tail,

Right in the middle of the flock.

Ah,

Very well,

Kill it and take it with you.

Well,

I did what she said,

Mr Holmes,

And I carried the bird all the way to Kilburn.

I told my pal what I'd done,

For he was a man,

That it was easy to tell a thing like that to.

He laughed until he choked,

And we got a knife and opened the goose.

My heart turned to water,

But there was no sign of the stone,

And I knew that some terrible mistake had occurred.

I left the bird,

Rushed back to my sister's,

And hurried into the backyard.

There was not a bird to be seen there.

Where are they all,

Maggie?

I cried.

Gone to the dealers,

Jem.

Which dealers?

Breckenridge of Covent Garden.

But was there another with a barred tail?

I asked,

The same as the one I chose.

Yes,

Jem,

There were two barred tailed ones,

And I never could tell them apart.

Well then,

Of course,

I saw it all,

And I ran off as hard as my feet would carry me to this man Breckenridge,

But he'd sold the lot at once,

And not one word would he tell me as to where they had gone.

You heard him yourselves tonight.

Well,

He has always answered me like that.

My sister thinks I'm going mad.

Sometimes I think that I am myself,

And now I am myself a branded thief,

Without ever having touched the wealth for which I sold my character.

God help me.

He burst into convulsive sobbing,

With his face buried in his hands.

There was a long silence,

Broken only by his heavy breathing,

And by the measured tapping of Sherlock Holmes' fingertips upon the edge of the table.

Then my friend rose and threw open the door.

Get out,

Said he.

What,

Sir?

Oh,

Heaven bless you.

No more words.

Get out.

And no more words were needed.

There was a rush,

A clatter upon the stairs,

The bang of a door,

And the crisp rattle of running footfalls from the street.

After all,

Watson,

Said Holmes,

Reaching up his hand for his clay pipe,

I am not retained by the police to supply their deficiencies.

If Horner were in danger,

It would be another thing,

But this fellow will not appear against him,

And the case must collapse.

I suppose that I'm commuting a felony,

But it is just possible,

Too,

That I am saving a soul.

This fellow will not go wrong again.

He is too terribly frightened.

Send him to jail now,

And you make him a jailbird for life.

Besides,

It is the season of forgiveness.

Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem,

And its solution is its own reward.

If you will have the goodness to touch the bell,

Doctor,

We will begin another investigation,

In which also a bird will be the chief feature.

Reviews

As usual, I’ll have to give it another listen to get the full story. I do remember seeing a version of this story on television long ago. But I’m not remembering how it all works out. Thank you Mandy for another great story!!!

Amazing— I do love a good non-gory Holmes tale ! Thank you, dear Mandy! ✨🙏🏼✨