the　Italian　Quarter。　Well；　this　dead　man　had　some　Catholic　emblem
  round　his　neck；　and　that；　along　with　his　colour；　made　me　think　he
  was　from　the　South。　Inspector　Hill　knew　him　the　moment　he　caught　sight
  of　him。　His　name　is　Pietro　Venucci；　from　Naples；　and　he　is　one　of
  the　greatest　cut…throats　in　London。　He　is　connected　with　the　Mafia；
  which；　as　you　know；　is　a　secret　political　society；　enforcing　its
  decrees　by　murder。　Now；　you　see　how　the　affair　begins　to　clear　up。　The
  other　fellow　is　probably　an　Italian　also；　and　a　member　of　the　Mafia。
  He　has　broken　the　rules　in　some　fashion。　Pietro　is　set　upon　his　track。
  Probably　the　photograph　we　found　in　his　pocket　is　the　man　himself；
  so　that　he　may　not　knife　the　wrong　person。　He　dogs　the　fellow；　he　sees
  him　enter　a　house；　he　waits　outside　for　him；　and　in　the　scuffle　he
  receives　his　own　death…wound。　How　is　that；　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes？〃
  Holmes　clapped　his　hands　approvingly。
  〃Excellent；　Lestrade；　excellent！〃　he　cried。　〃But　I　didn't　quite
  follow　your　explanation　of　the　destruction　of　the　busts。〃
  〃The　busts！　You　never　can　get　those　busts　out　of　your　head。　After
  all；　that　is　nothing；　petty　larceny；　six　months　at　the　most。　It　is　the
  murder　that　we　are　really　investigating；　and　I　tell　you　that　I　am
  gathering　all　the　threads　into　my　hands。〃
  〃And　the　next　stage？〃
  〃Is　a　very　simple　one。　I　shall　go　down　with　Hill　to　the　Italian
  Quarter；　find　the　man　whose　photograph　we　have　got；　and　arrest　him
  on　the　charge　of　murder。　Will　you　come　with　us？〃
  〃I　think　not。　I　fancy　we　can　attain　our　end　in　a　simpler　way。　I
  can't　say　for　certain；　because　it　all　depends…　well；　it　all　depends
  upon　a　factor　which　is　completely　outside　our　control。　But　I　have
  great　hopes…　in　fact；　the　betting　is　exactly　two　to　one…　that　if　you
  will　come　with　us　to…night　I　shall　be　able　to　help　you　to　lay　him　by
  the　heels。〃
  〃In　the　Italian　Quarter？〃
  〃No；　I　fancy　Chiswick　is　an　address　which　is　more　likely　to　find
  him。　If　you　will　come　with　me　to　Chiswick　to…night；　Lestrade；　I'll
  promise　to　go　to　the　Italian　Quarter　with　you　to…morrow；　and　no　harm
  will　be　done　by　the　delay。　And　now　I　think　that　a　few　hours'　sleep
  would　do　us　all　good；　for　I　do　not　propose　to　leave　before　eleven
  o'clock；　and　it　is　unlikely　that　we　shall　be　back　before　morning。
  You'll　dine　with　us；　Lestrade；　and　then　you　are　welcome　to　the　sofa
  until　it　is　time　for　us　to　start。　In　the　meantime；　Watson；　I　should　be
  glad　if　you　would　ring　for　an　express　messenger；　for　I　have　a　letter
  to　send　and　it　is　important　that　it　should　go　at　once。〃
  Holmes　spent　the　evening　in　rummaging　among　the　files　of　the　old
  daily　papers　with　which　one　of　our　lumber…rooms　was　packed。　When　at
  last　he　descended；　it　was　with　triumph　in　his　eyes；　but　he　said
  nothing　to　either　of　us　as　to　the　result　of　his　researches。　For　my　own
  part；　I　had　followed　step　by　step　the　methods　by　which　he　had　traced
  the　various　windings　of　this　complex　case；　and；　though　I　could　not　yet
  perceive　the　goal　which　we　would　reach；　I　understood　clearly　that
  Holmes　expected　this　grotesque　criminal　to　make　an　attempt　upon　the
  two　remaining　busts；　one　of　which；　I　remembered；　was　at　Chiswick。　No
  doubt　the　object　of　our　journey　was　to　catch　him　in　the　very　act；
  and　I　could　not　but　admire　the　cunning　with　which　my　friend　had
  inserted　a　wrong　clue　in　the　evening　paper；　so　as　to　give　the　fellow
  the　idea　that　he　could　continue　his　scheme　with　impunity。　I　was　not
  surprised　when　Holmes　suggested　that　I　should　take　my　revolver　with
  me。　He　had　himself　picked　up　the　loaded　hunting…crop；　which　was　his
  favourite　weapon。
  A　four…wheeler　was　at　the　door　at　eleven；　and　in　it　we　drove　to　a
  spot　at　the　other　side　of　Hammersmith　Bridge。　Here　the　cabman　was
  directed　to　wait。　A　short　walk　brought　us　to　a　secluded　road　fringed
  with　pleasant　houses；　each　standing　in　its　own　grounds。　In　the　light
  of　a　street　lamp　we　read　〃Laburnum　Villa〃　upon　the　gate…post　of　one　of
  them。　The　occupants　had　evidently　retired　to　rest；　for　all　was　dark
  save　for　a　fanlight　over　the　hall　door；　which　shed　a　single　blurred
  circle　on　to　the　garden　path。　The　wooden　fence　which　separated　the
  grounds　from　the　road　threw　a　dense　black　shadow　upon　the　inner
  side；　and　here　it　was　that　we　crouched。
  〃I　fear　that　you'll　have　a　long　wait；〃　Holmes　whispered。　〃We　may
  thank　our　stars　that　it　is　not　raining。　I　don't　think　we　can　even
  venture　to　smoke　to　pass　the　time。　However；　it's　a　two　to　one　chance
  that　we　get　something　to　pay　us　for　our　trouble。〃
  It　proved；　however；　that　our　vigil　was　not　to　be　so　long　as　Holmes
  had　led　us　to　fear；　and　it　ended　in　a　very　sudden　and　singular
  fashion。　In　an　instant；　without　the　least　sound　to　warn　us　of　his
  coming；　the　garden　gate　swung　open；　and　a　lithe；　dark　figure；　as　swift
  and　active　as　an　ape；　rushed　up　the　garden　path。　We　saw　it　whisk
  past　the　light　thrown　from　over　the　door　and　disappear　against　the
  black　shadow　of　the　house。　There　was　a　long　pause；　during　which　we
  held　our　breath；　and　then　a　very　gentle　creaking　sound　came　to　our
  ears。　The　window　was　being　opened。　The　noise　ceased；　and　again　there
  was　a　long　silence。　The　fellow　was　making　his　way　into　the　house。　We
  saw　the　sudden　flash　of　a　dark　lantern　inside　the　room。　What　he　sought
  was　evidently　not　there；　for　again　we　saw　the　flash　through　another
  blind；　and　then　through　another。
  〃Let　us　get　to　the　open　window。　We　will　nab　him　as　he　climbs　out；〃
  Lestrade　whispered。
  But　before　we　could　move；　the　man　had　emerged　again。　As　he　came
  out　into　the　glimmering　patch　of　light；　we　saw　that　he　carried
  something　white　under　his　arm。　He　looked　stealthily　all　round　him。　The
  silence　of　the　deserted　street　reassured　him。　Turning　his　back　upon　us
  he　laid　down　his　burden；　and　the　next　instant　there　was　the　sound　of　a
  sharp　tap；　followed　by　a　clatter　and　rattle。　The　man　was　so　intent
  upon　what　he　was　doing　that　he　never　heard　our　steps　as　we　stole
  across　the　grass　plot。　With　the　bound　of　a　tiger　Holmes　was　on　his
  back；　and　an　instant　later　Lestrade　and　I　had　him　by　either　wrist；　and
  the　handcuffs　had　been　fastened。　As　we　turned　him　over　I　saw　a
  hideous；　sallow　face；　with　writhing；　furious　features；　glaring　up　at
  us；　and　I　knew　that　it　was　indeed　the　man　of　the　photograph　whom　we
  had　secured。
  But　it　was　not　our　prisoner　to　whom　Holmes　was　giving　his　attention。
  Squatted　on　the　doorstep；　he　was　engaged　in　most　carefully　examining
  that　which　the　man　had　brought　from　the　house。　It　was　a　bust　of
  Napoleon；　like　the　one　which　we　had　seen　that　morning；　and　it　had　been
  broken　into　similar　fragments。　Carefully　Holmes　held　each　separate
  shard　to　the　light；　but　in　no　way　did　it　differ　from　any　other
  shattered　piece　of　plaster。　He　had　just　completed　his　examination　when
  the　hall　lights　flew　up；　the　door　opened；　and　the　owner　of　the
  house；　a　jovial；　rotund　figure　in　shirt　and　trousers；　presented
  himself。
  〃Mr。　Josiah　Brown；　I　suppose？〃　said　Holmes。
  〃Yes；　sir；　and　you；　no　doubt；　are　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes？　I　had　the
  note　which　you　sent　by　the　express　messenger；　and　I　did　exactly　what
  you　told　me。　We　locked　every　door　on　the　inside　and　awaited
  developments。　Well；　I'm　very　glad　to　see　that　you　have　got　the　rascal。
  I　hope；　gentlemen；　that　you　will　come　in　and　have　some　refreshment。〃
  However；　Lestrade　was　anxious　to　get　his　man　into　safe　quarters；
  so　within　a　few　minutes　our　cab　had　been　summoned　and　we　were　all　four
  upon　our　way　to　London。　Not　a　word　would　our　captive　say；　but　he
  glared　at　us　from　the　shadow　of　his　matted　hair；　and　once；　when　my
  hand　seemed　within　his　reach；　he　snapped　at　it　like　a　hungry　wolf。
  We　stayed　long　enough　at　the　police…station　to　learn　that　a　search
  of　his　clothing　revealed　nothing　save　a　few　shillings　and　a　long
  sheath　knife；　the　handle　of　which　bore　copious　traces　of　recent　blood。
  〃That's　all　right；〃　said　Lestrade；　as　we　parted。　〃Hill　knows　all
  these　gentry；　and　he　will　give　a　name　to　him。　You'll　find　that　my
  theory　of　the　Mafia　will　work　out　all　right。　But　I'm　sure　I　am
  exceedingly　obliged　to　you；　Mr。　Holmes；　for　the　workmanlike　way　in
  which　you　laid　hands　upon　him。　I　don't　quite　understand　it　all　yet。〃
  〃I　fear　it　is　rather　too　late　an　hour　for　explanations；〃　said
  Holmes。　〃Besides；　there　are　one　or　two　details　which　are　not
  finished　off；　and　it　is　one　of　those　cases　which　are　worth　working　out
  to　the　very　end。　If　you　will　come　round　once　more　to　my　rooms　at　six
  o'clock　to…morrow；　I　think　I　shall　be　able　to　show　you　that　even　now
  you　have　not　grasped　the　entire　meaning　of　this　business；　which
  presents　some　features　which　make　it　absolutely　original　in　the
  history　of　crime。　If　ever　I　permit　you　to　chronicle　any　more　of　my
  little　problems；　Watson；　I　foresee　that　you　will　enliven　your　pages　by
  an　account　of　the　singular　adventure　of　the　Napoleonic　busts。〃
  When　we　met　again　next　evening；　Lestrade　was　furnished　with　much
  information　concerning　our　prisoner。　His　name；　it　appeared；　was　Beppo；
  second　name　unknown。　He　was　a　well…known　ne'er…do…well　among　the
  Italian　colony。　He　had　once　been　a　skilful　sculptor　and　had　ear