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〃I think now；〃 said Gregson； rising； 〃we had best put this matter into
an official shape。 You will come round with us to the station； Mr。 Scott
Eccles； and let us have your statement in writing。〃
〃Certainly； I will come at once。 But I retain your services； Mr。 Holmes。
I desire you to spare no expense and no pains to get at the truth。〃
My friend turned to the country inspector。
〃I suppose that you have no objection to my collaborating with you；
Mr。 Baynes？〃
〃Highly honoured； sir； I am sure。〃
〃You appear to have been very prompt and businesslike in all that you
have done。 Was there any clue； may I ask； as to the exact hour that the man
met his death？〃
〃He had been there since one o'clock。 There was rain about that time；
and his death had certainly been before the rain。〃
〃But that is perfectly impossible； Mr。 Baynes；〃 cried our client。 〃His
voice is unmistakable。 I could swear to it that it was he who addressed me
in my bedroom at that very hour。〃
〃Remarkable； but by no means impossible；〃 said Holmes； smiling。
〃You have a clue？〃 asked Gregson。
〃On the face of it the case is not a very complex one； though it
certainly presents some novel and interesting features。 A further
knowledge of facts is necessary before I would venture to give a final and
definite opinion。 By the way； Mr。 Baynes； did you find anything
remarkable besides this note in your examination of the house？〃
The detective looked at my friend in a singular way。
〃There were；〃 said he； 〃one or two VERY remarkable things。 Perhaps
when I have finished at the police…station you would care to come out and
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give me your opinion of them。〃
In am entirely at your service；〃 said Sherlock Holmes； ringing the bell。
〃You will show these gentlemen out； Mrs。 Hudson； and kindly send the
boy with this telegram。 He is to pay a five… shilling reply。〃
We sat for some time in silence after our visitors had left。 Holmes
smoked hard； with his browns drawn down over his keen eyes； and his
head thrust forward in the eager way characteristic of the man。
〃Well； Watson；〃 he asked； turning suddenly upon me； 〃what do you
make of it？〃
〃I can make nothing of this mystification of Scott Eccles。〃
〃But the crime？〃
〃Well； taken with the disappearance of the man's companions； I should
say that they were in some way concerned in the murder and had fled from
justice。〃
〃That is certainly a possible point of view。 On the face of it you must
admit； however； that it is very strange that his two servants should have
been in a conspiracy against him and should have attacked him on the one
night when he had a guest。 They had him alone at their mercy every other
night in the week。〃
〃Then why did they fly？〃
〃Quite so。 Why did they fly？ There is a big fact。 Another big fact is the
remarkable experience of our client； Scott Eccles。 Now； my dear Watson；
is it beyond the limits of human ingenuity to furnish an explanation which
would cover both of these big facts？ If it were one which would also admit
of the mysterious note with its very curious phraseology； why； then it
would be worth accepting as a temporary hypothesis。 If the fresh facts
which come to our knowledge all fit themselves into the scheme； then our
hypothesis may gradually become a solution。〃
〃But what is our hypothesis？〃
Holmes leaned back in his chair with half…closed eyes。
〃You must admit； my dear Watson； that the idea of a joke is impossible。
There were grave events afoot； as the sequel showed； and the coaxing of
Scott Eccles to Wisteria Lodge had some connection with them。〃
〃But what possible connection？〃
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〃Let us take it link by link。 There is； on the face of it； something
unnatural about this strange and sudden friendship between the young
Spaniard and Scott Eccles。 It was the former who forced the pace。 He
called upon Eccles at the other end of London on the very day after he first
met him； and he kept in close touch with him until he got him down to
Esher。 Now； what did he want with Eccles？ What could Eccles supply？ I
see no charm in the man。 He is not particulary intelligentnot a man likely
to be congenial to a quick…witted Latin。 Why； then； was he picked out from
all the other people whom Garcia met as particularly suited to his purpose？
Has he any one outstanding quality？ I say that he has。 He is the very type
of conventional British respectability； and the very man as a witness to
impress another Briton。 You saw yourself how neither of the inspectors
dreamed of questioning his statement； extraordinary as it was。〃
〃But what was he to witness？〃
〃Nothing； as things turned out； but everything had they gone another
way。 That is how I read the matter。〃
〃I see； he might have proved an alibi。〃
〃Exactly； my dear Watson； he might have proved an alibi。 We will
suppose； for argument's sake； that the household of Wisteria Lodge are
confederates in some design。 The attempt； whatever it may be； is to come
off； we will say； before one o'clock。 By some juggling of the clocks it is
quite possible that they may have got Scott Eccles to bed earlier than he
thought； but in any case it is likely that when Garcia went out of his way
to tell him that it was one it was really not more than twelve。 If Garcia
could do whatever he had to do and be back by the hour mentioned he had
evidently a powerful reply to any accusation。 Here was this irreproachable
Englishman ready to swear in any court of law that the accused was in the
house all the time。 It was an insurance against the worst。〃
〃Yes； yes； I see that。 But how about the disappearance of the others？〃
〃I have not all my facts yet； but I do not think there are any
insuperable difficulties。 Still； it is an error to argue in front of your data。
You find yourself insensibly twisting them round to fit your theories。〃
〃And the message？〃
〃How did it run？ 'Our own colours； green and white。' Sounds like
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racing。 'Gre