SHERLOCK　HOLMES
  THE　ADVENTURE　OF　WISTERIA　LODGE
  by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle
  1。　The　Singular　Experience　of　Mr。　John　Scott　Eccles
  I　find　it　recorded　in　my　notebook　that　it　was　a　bleak　and　windy　day；
  towards　the　end　of　March　in　the　year　1892。　Holmes　had　received　a
  telegram　while　we　sat　at　our　lunch；　and　he　had　scribbled　a　reply。　He
  made　no　remark；　but　the　matter　remained　in　his　thoughts；　for　he
  stood　in　front　of　the　fire　afterwards　with　a　thoughtful　face；
  smoking　his　pipe；　and　casting　an　occasional　glance　at　the　message。
  Suddenly　he　turned　upon　me　with　a　mischievous　twinkle　in　his　eyes。
  〃I　suppose；　Watson；　We　must　look　upon　you　as　a　man　of　letters；〃　said
  he。　〃How　do　you　define　the　word　'grotesque'？〃
  〃Strange…　remarkable；〃　I　suggested。
  He　shook　his　head　at　my　definition。
  〃There　is　surely　something　more　than　that；〃　said　he；　〃some
  underlying　suggestion　of　the　tragic　and　the　terrible。　If　you　cast　your
  mind　back　to　some　of　those　narratives　with　which　you　have　afflicted
  a　long…suffering　public；　you　will　recognize　how　often　the　grotesque
  has　deepened　into　the　criminal。　Think　of　that　little　affair　of　the
  red…headed　men。　That　was　grotesque　enough　in　the　outset　and　yet　it
  ended　in　a　desperate　attempt　at　robbery。　Or；　again；　there　was　that
  most　grotesque　affair　of　the　five　orange　pips；　which　led　straight　to　a
  murderous　conspiracy。　The　word　puts　me　on　the　alert。〃
  〃Have　you　it　there？〃　I　asked。
  He　read　the　telegram　aloud。
  〃Have　just　had　most　incredible　and　grotesque　experience。　May　I
  consult　you？〃
  〃SCOTT　ECCLES；
  〃Post…Office；　Charing　Cross。〃
  〃Man　or　woman？〃　I　asked。
  〃Oh；　man；　of　course。　No　woman　would　ever　send　a　reply…paid　telegram。
  She　would　have　come。〃
  〃Will　you　see　him？〃
  〃My　dear　Watson；　you　know　how　bored　I　have　been　since　we　locked　up
  Colonel　Carruthers。　My　mind　is　like　a　racing　engine；　tearing　itself　to
  pieces　because　it　is　not　connected　up　with　the　work　for　which　it　was
  built。　Life　is　commonplace；　the　papers　are　sterile；　audacity　and
  romance　seem　to　have　passed　forever　from　the　criminal　world。　Can　you
  ask　me；　then；　whether　I　am　ready　to　look　into　any　new　problem；　however
  trivial　it　may　prove？　But　here；　unless　I　am　mistaken；　is　our　client。〃
  A　measured　step　was　heard　upon　the　stairs；　and　a　moment　later　a
  stout；　tall；　gray…whiskered　and　solemnly　respectable　person　was
  ushered　into　the　room。　His　life　history　was　written　in　his　heavy
  features　and　pompous　manner。　From　his　spats　to　his　gold…rimmed
  spectacles　he　was　a　Conservative；　a　churchman；　a　good　citizen；
  orthodox　and　conventional　to　the　last　degree。　But　some　amazing
  experience　had　disturbed　his　native　composure　and　left　its　traces　in
  his　bristling　hair；　his　flushed；　angry　cheeks；　and　his　flurried；
  excited　manner。　He　plunged　instantly　into　his　business。
  〃I　have　had　a　most　singular　and　unpleasant　experience；　Mr。
  Holmes；〃　said　he。　〃Never　in　my　life　have　I　been　placed　in　such　a
  situation。　It　is　most　improper…　most　outrageous。　I　must　insist　upon
  some　explanation。〃　He　swelled　and　puffed　in　his　anger。
  〃Pray　sit　down；　Mr。　Scott　Eccles；〃　said　Holmes　in　a　soothing
  voice。　〃May　I　ask；　in　the　first　place；　why　you　came　to　me　at　all？〃
  〃Well；　sir；　it　did　not　appear　to　be　a　matter　which　concerned　the
  police；　and　yet；　when　you　have　heard　the　facts；　you　must　admit　that
  I　could　not　leave　it　where　it　was。　Private　detectives　are　a　class　with
  whom　I　have　absolutely　no　sympathy；　but　none　the　less；　having　heard
  your　name…〃
  〃Quite　so。　But；　in　the　second　place；　why　did　you　not　come　at　once？〃
  〃What　do　you　mean？〃
  Holmes　glanced　at　his　watch。
  〃It　is　a　quarter…past　two；〃　he　said。　〃Your　telegram　was　dispatched
  about　one。　But　no　one　can　glance　at　your　toilet　and　attire　without
  seeing　that　your　disturbance　dates　from　the　moment　of　your　waking。〃
  Our　client　smoothed　down　his　unbrushed　hair　and　felt　his　unshaven
  chin。
  〃You　are　right；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　never　gave　a　thought　to　my　toilet。　I
  was　only　too　glad　to　get　out　of　such　a　house。　But　I　have　been
  running　round　making　inquiries　before　I　came　to　you。　I　went　to　the
  house　agents；　you　know；　and　they　said　that　Mr。　Garcia's　rent　was
  paid　up　all　right　and　that　everything　was　in　order　at　Wisteria　Lodge。〃
  〃Come；　come；　sir；〃　said　Holmes；　laughing。　〃You　are　like　my　friend；
  Dr。　Watson；　who　has　a　bad　habit　of　telling　his　stories　wrong　end
  foremost。　Please　arrange　your　thoughts　and　let　me　know；　in　their　due
  sequence；　exactly　what　those　events　are　which　have　sent　you　out
  unbrushed　and　unkempt；　with　dress　boots　and　waistcoat　buttoned　awry；
  in　search　of　advice　and　assistance。〃
  Our　client　looked　down　with　a　rueful　face　at　his　own
  unconventional　appearance。
  〃I'm　sure　it　must　look　very　bad；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　I　am　not　aware　that
  in　my　whole　life　such　a　thing　has　ever　happened　before。　But　I　will
  tell　you　the　whole　queer　business；　and　when　I　have　done　so　you　will
  admit　I　am　sure；　that　there　has　been　enough　to　excuse　me。〃
  But　his　narrative　was　nipped　in　the　bud。　There　was　a　bustle
  outside；　and　Mrs。　Hudson　opened　the　door　to　usher　in　two　robust　and
  official…looking　individuals；　one　of　whom　was　well　known　to　us　as
  Inspector　Gregson　of　Scotland　Yard；　an　energetic；　gallant　and；
  within　his　limitations；　a　capable　officer。　He　shook　hands　with
  Holmes　and　introduced　his　comrade　as　Inspector　Baynes；　of　the　Surrey
  Constabulary。
  〃We　are　hunting　together；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　our　trail　lay　in　this
  direction。〃　He　turned　his　bulldog　eyes　upon　our　visitor。　〃Are　You
  Mr。　John　Scott　Eccles；　of　Popham　House；　Lee？〃
  〃I　am。〃
  〃We　have　been　following　you　about　all　the　morning。〃
  〃You　traced　him　through　the　telegram；　no　doubt；〃　said　Holmes。
  Exactly；　Mr。　Holmes。　We　picked　up　the　scent　at　Charing　Cross
  Post…Office　and　came　on　here。〃
  〃But　why　do　you　follow　me？　What　do　you　want？〃
  〃We　wish　a　statement；　Mr。　Scott　Eccles；　as　to　the　events　which　led
  up　to　the　death　last　night　of　Mr。　Aloysius　Garcia；　of　Wisteria
  Lodge；　near　Esher。〃
  Our　client　had　sat　up　with　staring　eyes　and　every　tinge　of　colour
  struck　from　his　astonished　face。
  〃Dead？　Did　you　say　he　was　dead？〃
  〃Yes；　sir；　he　is　dead。〃
  〃But　how？　An　accident？〃
  〃Murder；　if　ever　there　was　one　upon　earth。〃
  〃Good　God！　This　is　awful！　You　don't　mean…　you　don't　mean　that　I　am
  suspected？〃
  〃A　letter　of　yours　was　found　in　the　dead　man's　pocket；　and　we　know
  by　it　that　you　had　planned　to　pass　last　night　at　his　house。〃
  〃So　I　did。〃
  〃Oh；　you　did；　did　you？〃
  Out　came　the　official　notebook。
  〃Wait　a　bit　Gregson；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。　〃All　you　desire　is　a
  plain　statement　is　it　not？〃
  〃And　it　is　my　duty　to　warn　Mr。　Scott　Eccles　that　it　may　be　used
  against　him。〃
  〃Mr。　Eccles　was　going　to　tell　us　about　it　when　you　entered　the　room。
  I　think；　Watson；　a　brandy　and　soda　would　do　him　no　harm。　Now；　sir；　I
  suggest　that　you　take　no　notice　of　this　addition　to　your　audience；　and
  that　you　proceed　with　your　narrative　exactly　as　you　would　have　done
  had　you　never　been　interrupted。〃
  Our　visitor　had　gulped　off　the　brandy　and　the　colour　had　returned　to
  his　face。　With　a　dubious　glance　at　the　inspector's　notebook；　he
  plunged　at　once　into　his　extraordinary　statement。
  〃I　am　a　bachelor；〃　said　he；　〃and　being　of　a　sociable　turn　I
  cultivate　a　large　number　of　friends。　Among　these　are　the　family　of　a
  retired　brewer　called　Melville；　living　at　Albemarle　Mansion；
  Kensington。　It　was　at　his　table　that　I　met　some　weeks　ago　a　young
  fellow　named　Garcia。　He　was；　I　understood；　of　Spanish　descent　and
  connected　in　some　way　with　the　embassy。　He　spoke　perfect　English；
  was　pleasing　in　his　manners；　and　as　good…looking　a　man　as　ever　I　saw
  in　my　life。
  〃In　some　way　we　struck　up　quite　a　friendship；　this　young　fellow
  and　I。　He　seemed　to　take　a　fancy　to　me　from　the　first；　and　within
  two　days　of　our　meeting　he　came　to　see　me　at　Lee。　One　thing　led　to
  another；　and　it　ended　in　his　inviting　me　out　to　spend　a　few　days　at
  his　house；　Wisteria　Lodge；　between　Esher　and　Oxshott。　Yesterday
  evening　I　went　to　Esher　to　fulfil　this　engagement。
  〃He　had　described　his　household　to　me　before　I　went　there。　He
  lived　with　a　faithful　servant；　a　countryman　of　his　own；　who　looked
  after　all　his　needs。　This　fellow　could　speak　English　and　did　his
  housekeeping　for　him。　Then　there　was　a　wonderful　cook；　he　said；　a
  half…breed　whom　he　had　picked　up　in　his　travels；　who　could　serve　an
  excellent　dinner。　I　remember　that　he　remarked　what　a　queer　household
  it　was　to　find　in　the　heart　of　Surrey；　and　that　I　agreed　with　him；
  though　it　has　proved　a　good　deal　queerer　than　I　thought。
  〃I　drove　to　the　place…　about　two　miles　on　the　south　side　of　Esher。
  The　house　was　a　fair…sized　one；　standing　back　from　the　road；　with　a
  curving　drive　which　was　banked　with　high　evergreen　shrubs。　It　was　an
  old；　tumble…down　building　in　a　crazy　state　of　disrepair。　When　the　trap
  pulled　up　on　the　grass…grown　drive　in　front　of　the　blotched　and
  weather…stained　door；　I　had