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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
〃In case he wished to ask any questions。〃
〃What is the use of asking me questions when I tell you I know
nothing whatever about it？〃
〃Quite so； madam；〃 said Holmes in his soothing way。 〃I have no
doubt that you have been annoyed more than enough already over this
business。〃
〃Indeed I have； sir。 I am a quiet woman and live a retired life。 It is
something new for me to see my name in the papers and to find the police
in my house。 I won't have those things I here； Mr。 Lestrade。 If you
wish to see them you must go to the outhouse。〃
It was a small shed in the narrow garden which ran behind the house。
Lestrade went in and brought out a yellow cardboard box； with a piece of
brown paper and some string。 There was a bench at the end of the path；
and we all sat down while Homes examined one by one； the articles which
Lestrade had handed to him。
〃The string is exceedingly interesting；〃 he remarked； holding it up to
the light and sniffing at it。 〃What do you make of this string； Lestrade？〃
〃It has been tarred。〃
〃Precisely。 It is a piece of tarred twine。 You have also； no doubt；
remarked that Miss Cushing has cut the cord with a scissors； as can be
seen by the double fray on each side。 This is of importance。〃
〃I cannot see the importance；〃 said Lestrade。
〃The importance lies in the fact that the knot is left intact； and that this
knot is of a peculiar character。〃
〃It is very neatly tied。 I had already made a note of that effect；〃 said
Lestrade complacently。
〃So much for the string； then；〃 said Holmes； smiling； 〃now for the box
wrapper。 Brown paper； with a distinct smell of coffee。 What； did you not
observe it？ I think there can be no doubt of it。 Address printed in rather
straggling characters： 'Miss S。 Cushing； Cross Street； Croydon。' Done
with a broad…pointed pen； probably a J； and with very inferior ink。 The
word 'Croydon' has been originally spelled with an 'i'； which has been
changed to 'y'。 The parcel was directed； then； by a manthe printing is
distinctly masculineof limited education and unacquainted with the town
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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
of Croydon。 So far； so good！ The box is a yellow； half…pound
honeydew box； with nothing distinctive save two thumb marks at the left
bottom corner。 It is filled with rough salt of the quality used for
preserving hides and other of the coarser commercial purposes。 And
embedded in it are these very singular enclosures。〃
He took out the two ears as he spoke； and laying a board across his
knee he examined them minutely； while Lestrade and I； bending forward
on each side of him； glanced alternately at these dreadful relics and at the
thoughtful； eager face of our companion。 Finally he returned them to the
box once more and sat for a while in deep meditation。
〃You have observed； of course；〃 said he at last； 〃that the ears are not a
pair。〃
〃Yes； I have noticed that。 But if this were the practical joke of some
students from the dissecting…rooms； it would be as easy for them to send
two odd ears as a pair。〃
〃Precisely。 But this is not a practical joke。〃
〃You are sure of it？〃
〃The presumption is strongly against it。 Bodies in the dissecting…
rooms are injected with preservative fluid。 These ears bear no signs of
this。 They are fresh； too。 They have been cut off with a blunt
instrument； which would hardly happen if a student had done it。 Again；
carbolic or rectified spirits would be the preservatives which would
suggest themselves to the medical mind； certainly not rough salt。 I repeat
that there is no practical joke here； but that we are investigating a serious
crime。〃
A vague thrill ran through me as I listened to my companion's words
and saw the stern gravity which had hardened his features。 This brutal
preliminary seemed to shadow forth some strange and inexplicable horror
in the background。 Lestrade； however； shook his head like a man who is
only half convinced。
〃There are objections to the joke theory； no doubt；〃 said he； 〃but there
are much stronger reasons against the other。 We know that this woman
has led a most quiet and respectable life at Penge and here for the last
twenty years。 She has hardly been away from her home for a day during
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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
that time。 Why on earth； then； should any criminal send her the proofs of
his guilt； especially as； unless she is a most consummate actress； she
understands quite as little of the matter as we do？〃
〃That is the problem which we have to solve；〃 Holmes answered； 〃and
for my part I shall set about it by presuming that my reasoning is correct；
and that a double murder has been committed。 One of these ears is a
woman's； small； finely formed； and pierced for an earring。 The other is a
man's； sun…burned； discoloured； and also pierced for an earring。 These
two people are presumably dead； or we should have heard their story
before now。 To…day is Friday。 The packet was posted on Thursday
morning。 The tragedy； then； occurred on Wednesday or Tuesday； or
earlier。 If the two people were murdered； who but their murderer would
have sent this sign of his work to Miss Cushing？ We may take it that the
sender of the packet is the man whom we want。 But he must have some
strong reason for sending Miss Cushing this packet。 What reason then？
It must have been to tell her that the deed was done！ or to pain her；
perhaps。 But in that case she knows who it is。 Does she know？ I
doubt it。 If she knew； why should she cal the police in？ She might have
buried the ears； and no one would have been the wiser。 That is what she
would have done if she had wished to shield the criminal。 But if she does
not wish to shield him s