same time. Jealousy, of course, at once suggests itself as the motivefor the crime. And why should these proofs of the deed be sentto Miss Sarah Cushing? Probably because during her residence inLiverpool she had some hand in bringing about the events whichled to the tragedy. You will observe that this line of boats calls atBelfast, Dublin, and Waterford; so that, presuming that Brownerhad committed the deed and had embarked at once upon hissteamer, the May Day, Belfast would be the first place at which hecould post his terrible packet.
“A second solution was at this stage obviously possible, andalthough I thought it exceedingly unlikely, I was determined toelucidate it before going further. An unsuccessful lover mighthave killed Mr. and Mrs. Browner, and the male ear might havebelonged to the husband. There were many grave objections tothis theory, but it was conceivable. I therefore sent off a telegramto my friend Algar, of the Liverpool force, and asked him to findout if Mrs. Browner were at home, and if Browner had departed inthe May Day. Then we went on to Wallington to visit Miss Sarah.
“I was curious, in the first place, to see how far the family earhad been reproduced in her. Then, of course, she might give usvery important information, but I was not sanguine that shewould. She must have heard of the business the day before,since all Croydon was ringing with it, and she alone could haveunderstood for whom the packet was meant. If she had beenwilling to help justice she would probably have communicatedwith the police already. However, it was clearly our duty to see her,so we went. We found that the news of the arrival of the packet—for her illness dated from that time—had such an effect uponher as to bring on brain fever. It was clearer than ever that sheunderstood its full significance, but equally clear that we shouldhave to wait some time for any assistance from her.
“However, we were really independent of her help. Our answerswere waiting for us at the police-station, where I had directedAlgar to send them. Nothing could be more conclusive. Mrs.
Browner’s house had been closed for more than three days, andthe neighbours were of opinion that she had gone south to seeher relatives. It had been ascertained at the shipping offices thatBrowner had left aboard of the May Day, and I calculate that shedue in the Thames to-morrow night. When he arrives he will bemet by the obtuse but resolute Lestrade, and I have no doubt thatwe shall have all our details filled in.”
Sherlock Holmes was not disappointed in his expectations.
Two days later he received a bulky envelope, which contained ashort note from the detective, and a typewritten document, whichcovered several pages of foolscap.
The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge 1125
“Lestrade has got him all right,” said Holmes, glancing up at me.
“Perhaps it would interest you to hear what he says.
“My dear Mr. Holmes:
“In accordance with the scheme which we had formed in orderto test our theories” [“the ‘we’ is rather fine, Watson, is it not?”] “Iwent down to the Albert Dock yesterday at 6 p.m., and boardedthe S.S. May Day, belonging to the Liverpool, Dublin, and LondonSteam Packet Company. On inquiry, I found that there was asteward on board of the name of James Browner and that he hadacted during the voyage in such an extraordinary manner thatthe captain had been compelled to relieve him of his duties. Ondescending to his berth, I found him seated upon a chest with hishead sunk upon his hands, rocking himself to and fro. He is a big,powerful chap, clean-shaven, and very swarthy—something likeAldrige, who helped us in the bogus laundry affair. He jumped upwhen he heard my business, and I had my whistle to my lips to call acouple of river police, who were round the corner, but he seemed tohave no heart in him, and he held out his hands quietly enough forthe darbies. We brought him along to the cells, and his box as well,for we thought there might be something incriminating; but, bara big sharp knife such as most sailors have, we got nothing for ourtrouble. However, we find that we shall want no more evidence, foron being brought before the inspector at the station he asked leaveto make a statement, which was, of course, taken down, just as hemade it, by our shorthand man. We had three copies typewritten,one of which I enclose. The affair proves, as I always thought itwould, to be an extremely simple one, but I am obliged to you forassisting me in my investigation. With kind regards,“Yours very truly,
“G. Lestrade.
“Hum! The investigation really was a very simple one,” remarkedHolmes, “but I don’t think it struck him in that light when hefirst called us in. However, let us see what Jim Browner has tosay for himself. This is his statement as made before InspectorMontgomery at the Shadwell Police Station, and it has theadvantage of being verbatim.”
“ ‘Have I anything to say? Yes, I have a deal to say. I have tomake a clean breast of it all. You can hang me, or you can leave mealone. I don’t care a plug which you do. I tell you I’ve not shut aneye in sleep since I did it, and I don’t believe I ever will again untilI get past all waking. Sometimes it’s his face, but most generallyit’s hers. I’m never without one or the other before me. He looksfrowning and black-like, but she has a kind o’ surprise upon herface. Ay, the white lamb, she might well be surprised when she1126 The Complete Sherlock Holmes read death on a face that had seldom looked anything but loveupon her before.