SHERLOCK　HOLMES
  THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　CARDBOARD　BOX
  by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle
  In　choosing　a　few　typical　cases　which　illustrate　the　remarkable
  mental　qualities　of　my　friend；　Sherlock　Holmes；　I　have　endeavoured；　as
  far　as　possible；　to　select　those　which　presented　the　minimum　of
  sensationalism；　while　offering　a　fair　field　for　his　talents。　It　is；
  however；　unfortunately　impossible　entirely　to　separate　the　sensational
  from　the　criminal；　and　a　chronicler　is　left　in　the　dilemma　that　he
  must　either　sacrifice　details　which　are　essential　to　his　statement　and
  so　give　a　false　impression　of　the　problem；　or　he　must　use　matter　which
  chance；　and　not　choice；　has　provided　him　with。　With　this　short　preface
  I　shall　turn　to　my　notes　of　what　proved　to　be　a　strange；　though　a
  peculiarly　terrible；　chain　of　events。
  It　was　a　blazing　hot　day　in　August。　Baker　Street　was　like　an　oven；
  and　the　glare　of　the　sunlight　upon　the　yellow　brickwork　of　the　house
  across　the　road　was　painful　to　the　eye。　It　was　hard　to　believe　that
  these　were　the　same　walls　which　loomed　so　gloomily　through　the　fogs　of
  winter。　Our　blinds　were　half…drawn；　and　Holmes　lay　curled　upon　the
  sofa；　reading　and　re…reading　a　letter　which　he　had　received　by　the
  morning　post。　For　myself；　my　term　of　service　in　India　had　trained　me
  to　stand　heat　better　than　cold；　and　a　thermometer　at　ninety　was　no
  hardship。　But　the　morning　paper　was　uninteresting。　Parliament　had
  risen。　Everybody　was　out　of　town；　and　I　yearned　for　the　glades　of
  the　New　Forest　or　the　shingle　of　Southsea。　A　depleted　bank　account　had
  caused　me　to　postpone　my　holiday；　and　as　to　my　companion；　neither
  the　country　nor　the　sea　presented　the　slightest　attraction　to　him。
  He　loved　to　lie　in　the　very　centre　of　five　millions　of　people；　with
  his　filaments　stretching　out　and　running　through　them；　responsive　to
  every　little　rumour　or　suspicion　of　unsolved　crime。　Appreciation　of
  nature　found　no　place　among　his　many　gifts；　and　his　only　change　was
  when　he　turned　his　mind　from　the　evil…doer　of　the　town　to　track　down
  his　brother　of　the　country。
  Finding　that　Holmes　was　too　absorbed　for　conversation　I　had　tossed
  aside　the　barren　paper；　and　leaning　back　in　my　chair　I　fell　into　a
  brown　study。　Suddenly　my　companion's　voice　broke　in　upon　my　thoughts：
  〃You　are　right；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃It　does　seem　a　most
  preposterous　way　of　settling　a　dispute。〃
  〃Most　preposterous！〃　I　exclaimed；　and　then　suddenly　realizing　how　he
  had　echoed　the　inmost　thought　of　my　soul；　I　sat　up　in　my　chair　and
  stared　at　him　in　blank　amazement。
  〃What　is　this；　Holmes？〃　I　cried。　〃This　is　beyond　anything　which　I
  could　have　imagined。〃
  He　laughed　heartily　at　my　perplexity。
  〃You　remember；〃　said　he；　〃that　some　little　time　ago　when　I　read
  you　the　passage　in　one　of　Poe's　sketches　in　which　a　close　reasoner
  follows　the　unspoken　thoughts　of　his　companion；　you　were　inclined　to
  treat　the　matter　as　a　mere　tour…de…force　of　the　author。　On　my
  remarking　that　I　was　constantly　in　the　habit　of　doing　the　same　thing
  you　expressed　incredulity。〃
  〃Oh；　no！〃
  〃Perhaps　not　with　your　tongue；　my　dear　Watson；　but　certainly　with
  your　eyebrows。　So　when　I　saw　you　throw　down　your　paper　and　enter
  upon　a　train　of　thought；　I　was　very　happy　to　have　the　opportunity　of
  reading　it　off；　and　eventually　of　breaking　into　it；　as　a　proof　that
  I　had　been　in　rapport　with　you。〃
  But　I　was　still　far　from　satisfied。　〃In　the　example　which　you　read
  to　me；〃　said　I；　〃the　reasoner　drew　his　conclusions　from　the　actions　of
  the　man　whom　he　observed。　If　I　remember　right；　he　stumbled　over　a　heap
  of　stones；　looked　up　at　the　stars；　and　so　on。　But　I　have　been　seated
  quietly　in　my　chair；　and　what　clues　can　I　have　given　you？〃
  〃You　do　yourself　an　injustice。　The　features　are　given　to　man　as
  the　means　by　which　he　shall　express　his　emotions；　and　yours　are
  faithful　servants。〃
  〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　read　my　train　of　thoughts　from　my
  features？〃
  〃Your　features　and　especially　your　eyes。　Perhaps　you　cannot　yourself
  recall　how　your　reverie　commenced？〃
  〃No；　I　cannot。〃
  〃Then　I　will　tell　you。　After　throwing　down　your　paper；　which　was　the
  action　which　drew　my　attention　to　you；　you　sat　for　half　a　minute
  with　a　vacant　expression。　Then　your　eyes　fixed　themselves　upon　your
  newly　framed　picture　of　General　Gordon；　and　I　saw　by　the　alteration　in
  your　face　that　a　train　of　thought　had　been　started。　But　it　did　not
  lead　very　far。　Your　eyes　flashed　across　to　the　unframed　portrait　of
  Henry　Ward　Beecher　which　stands　upon　the　top　of　your　books。　Then　you
  glanced　up　at　the　wall；　and　of　course　your　meaning　was　obvious。　You
  were　thinking　that　if　the　portrait　were　framed　it　would　just　cover
  that　bare　space　and　correspond　with　Gordon's　picture　over　there。〃
  〃You　have　followed　me　wonderfully！〃　I　exclaimed。
  〃So　far　I　could　hardly　have　gone　astray。　But　now　your　thoughts
  went　back　to　Beecher；　and　you　looked　hard　across　as　if　you　were
  studying　the　character　in　his　features。　Then　your　eyes　ceased　to
  pucker；　but　you　continued　to　look　across；　and　your　face　was
  thoughtful。　You　were　recalling　the　incidents　of　Beecher's　career。　I
  was　well　aware　that　you　could　not　do　this　without　thinking　of　the
  mission　which　he　undertook　on　behalf　of　the　North　at　the　time　of　the
  Civil　War；　for　I　remember　your　expressing　your　passionate
  indignation　at　the　way　in　which　he　was　received　by　the　more
  turbulent　of　our　people。　You　felt　so　strongly　about　it　that　I　knew　you
  could　not　think　of　Beecher　without　thinking　of　that　also。　When　a
  moment　later　I　saw　your　eyes　wander　away　from　the　picture；　I　suspected
  that　your　mind　had　now　turned　to　the　Civil　War；　and　when　I　observed
  that　your　lips　set；　your　eyes　sparkled；　and　your　hands　clenched　I
  was　positive　that　you　were　indeed　thinking　of　the　gallantry　which
  was　shown　by　both　sides　in　that　desperate　struggle。　But　then；　again；
  your　face　grew　sadder；　you　shook　your　head。　You　were　dwelling　upon　the
  sadness　and　horror　and　useless　waste　of　life。　Your　hand　stole
  towards　your　own　old　wound　and　a　smile　quivered　on　your　lips；　which
  showed　me　that　the　ridiculous　side　of　this　method　of　settling
  international　questions　had　forced　itself　upon　your　mind。　At　this
  point　I　agreed　with　you　that　it　was　preposterous　and　was　glad　to
  find　that　all　my　deductions　had　been　correct。〃
  〃Absolutely！〃　said　I。　〃And　now　that　you　have　explained　it；　I　confess
  that　I　am　as　amazed　as　before。〃
  〃It　was　very　superficial；　my　dear　Watson；　I　assure　you。　I　should　not
  have　intruded　it　upon　your　attention　had　you　not　shown　some
  incredulity　the　other　day。　But　I　have　in　my　hands　here　a　little
  problem　which　may　prove　to　be　more　difficult　of　solution　than　my　small
  essay　in　thought　reading。　Have　you　observed　in　the　paper　a　short
  paragraph　referring　to　the　remarkable　contents　of　a　packet　sent
  through　the　post　to　Miss　Cushing；　of　Cross　Street　Croydon？〃
  〃No；　I　saw　nothing。〃
  〃Ah！　then　you　must　have　overlooked　it。　Just　toss　it　over　to　me。　Here
  it　is；　under　the　financial　column。　Perhaps　you　would　be　good　enough　to
  read　it　aloud。〃
  I　picked　up　the　paper　which　he　had　thrown　back　to　me　and　read　the
  paragraph　indicated。　It　was　headed；　〃A　Gruesome　Packet。〃
  〃Miss　Susan　Cushing；　living　at　Cross　Street；　Croydon；　has　been　made
  the　victim　of　what　must　be　regarded　as　a　peculiarly　revolting
  practical　joke　unless　some　more　sinister　meaning　should　prove　to　be
  attached　to　the　incident。　At　two　o'clock　yesterday　afternoon　a　small
  packet；　wrapped　in　brown　paper；　was　handed　in　by　the　postman。　A
  cardboard　box　was　inside；　which　was　filled　with　coarse　salt。　On
  emptying　this；　Miss　Cushing　was　horrified　to　find　two　human　ears；
  apparently　quite　freshly　severed。　The　box　had　been　sent　by　parcel　post
  from　Belfast　upon　the　morning　before。　There　is　no　indication　as　to　the
  sender；　and　the　matter　is　the　more　mysterious　as　Miss　Cushing；　who
  is　a　maiden　lady　of　fifty；　has　led　a　most　retired　life；　and　has　so　few
  acquaintances　or　correspondents　that　it　is　a　rare　event　for　her　to
  receive　anything　through　the　post。　Some　years　ago；　however；　when　she
  resided　at　Penge；　she　let　apartments　in　her　house　to　three　young
  medical　students；　whom　she　was　obliged　to　get　rid　of　on　account　of
  their　noisy　and　irregular　habits。　The　police　are　of　opinion　that
  this　outrage　may　have　been　perpetrated　upon　Miss　Cushing　by　these
  youths；　who　owed　her　a　grudge　and　who　hoped　to　frighten　her　by　sending
  her　these　relics　of　the　dissecting…rooms。　Some　probability　is　lent
  to　the　theory　by　the　fact　that　one　of　these　students　came　from　the
  north　of　Ireland；　and；　to　the　best　of　Miss　Cushing's　belief；　from
  Belfast。　In　the　meantime；　the　matter　is　being　actively　investigated；
  Mr。　Lestrade；　one　of　the　very　smartest　of　our　detective　officers；
  being　in　charge　of　the　case。〃
  〃So　much　for　the　Daily　Chronicle；〃　said　Holmes　as　I　finished
  reading。　〃Now　for　our　friend　Lestrade。　I　had　a　note　from　him　this
  morning；　in　which　he　says：
  〃I　think　that　this　case　is　very　much　in　your　line。　We　have　every
  hope　of　clearin