The Adventure of the Three Students, Part 2

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[SPEAKER_00]: Now it's time to relax.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let your body fall into a comfortable position in your bed and drift gently into a state of total relaxation with tonight's story.
[SPEAKER_00]: part 2.
[SPEAKER_00]: Holmes made no further illusion to the matter that day, though he sat lost in thought for a long time after our belated dinner.
[SPEAKER_00]: At eight in the morning, he came into my room just as I finished my toilet.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, what's said he.
[SPEAKER_00]: It is time we went down to St. Luke's.
[SPEAKER_00]: Certainly.
[SPEAKER_00]: Somes will be in a dreadful fidget until we are able to tell him something positive.
[SPEAKER_00]: Have you anything positive to tell him?
[SPEAKER_00]: I think so.
[SPEAKER_00]: You have formed a conclusion?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, my dear Watson.
[SPEAKER_00]: I have solved the mystery.
[SPEAKER_00]: But what fresh evidence could you have got?
[SPEAKER_00]: Uh-huh.
[SPEAKER_00]: It is not for nothing that I have turned myself out of bed at the untimely hour of six.
[SPEAKER_00]: I have put in two hours hard work and covered at least five miles with something to show for it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Look at that.
[SPEAKER_00]: He held out his hand.
[SPEAKER_00]: why homes you had only two yesterday.
[SPEAKER_00]: And one more this morning, it is a fair argument that wherever number three came from is also the source of numbers one and two.
[SPEAKER_00]: A Watson will come along and put friends' somes out of his pain.
[SPEAKER_00]: The unfortunate tutor was certainly in a state of pitiful agitation when we found him in his chambers.
[SPEAKER_00]: In a few hours the examination would commence and he was still in the dilemma between making the facts public and allowing the culprit to compete for the valuable scholarship.
[SPEAKER_00]: He could hardly stand still, so great was his mental agitation, and he ran towards homes with two eager hands outstretched.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank Heaven that you have come, I fear that you had given it up in despair.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, let it proceed by all means, but this rascal, he shall not compete.
[SPEAKER_00]: You know him?
[SPEAKER_00]: I think so.
[SPEAKER_00]: If this matter is not to become public, we must give ourselves certain powers and resolve ourselves into a small private court martial.
[SPEAKER_00]: What's a new here?
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll take the armchair in the middle.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that we are now sufficiently imposing to strike terror into a guilty breast, kindly ring the bell.
[SPEAKER_00]: Bannister entered and shrank back in evidence surprise and fear at our judicial appearance.
[SPEAKER_00]: You will kindly close the door, said Holmes.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, Bannister, will you please tell us the truth about yesterday's incident?
[SPEAKER_00]: the man turned white to the roots of his hair.
[SPEAKER_00]: I have told you everything, sir.
[SPEAKER_00]: Nothing to add.
[SPEAKER_00]: Nothing at all, sir.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, then, I must make some suggestions to you.
[SPEAKER_00]: When you sat down on that chair yesterday,
[SPEAKER_00]: Did you do so in order to conceal some object which would have shown who had been in the room?
[SPEAKER_00]: Bannister's face was ghastly.
[SPEAKER_00]: No, sir.
[SPEAKER_00]: Certainly not.
[SPEAKER_00]: It is only a suggestion," said Holmes, swarvely.
[SPEAKER_00]: I frankly admit that I am unable to prove it, but it seems probable enough, since the moment that Mr. Holmes's back was turned, you released the man who was hiding in that bedroom.
[SPEAKER_00]: Bannister licked his dry lips.
[SPEAKER_00]: There was no man, sir.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ah, that's a pity, Bannister.
[SPEAKER_00]: Up to now you may have spoken the truth, but now I know that you have lied.
[SPEAKER_00]: The man's face set in solid defiance.
[SPEAKER_00]: There was no man, sir.
[SPEAKER_00]: Come, Bannister.
[SPEAKER_00]: No, sir, there was no one.
[SPEAKER_00]: In that case, you can give us no further information.
[SPEAKER_00]: Would you please remain in the room?
[SPEAKER_00]: Stand over there near the bedroom door.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, so I'm going to ask you to have the great kindness to go up to the room of young guild Christian to ask him to step down into yours.
[SPEAKER_00]: An instant later, the tutor returned, bringing with him the student.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was a fine figure of a man, tall, lie, and agile, with a springy step and a pleasant open face.
[SPEAKER_00]: His troubled blue eyes glanced at each of us and finally rested with an expression of blank dismay upon banister in the farther corner.
[SPEAKER_00]: Just close the door, said Holmes, now Mr. Gilchrist, we are all quite alone here, and no one need ever know one word of what passes between us.
[SPEAKER_00]: We can be perfectly frank with each other.
[SPEAKER_00]: We want to know Mr. Gilchrist how you, an honorable man, ever came to commit such an action as that of yesterday.
[SPEAKER_00]: The unfortunate young man staggered back and cast a look full of horror and reproach at Bannister.
[SPEAKER_00]: No no Mr. Gilchrist sir, I never said a word, never one word, cried the servant.
[SPEAKER_00]: No, but you have now," said Holmes.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, sir, you must see that after banisters words your position is hopeless, and that your only chance lies in a frank confession.
[SPEAKER_00]: For a moment Gilchrist, with upraised hand, tried to control his writhing features.
[SPEAKER_00]: The next he had thrown himself on his knees beside the table, and burying his face in
[SPEAKER_00]: come come," said Holmes kindly.
[SPEAKER_00]: It is human to air and at least no one can accuse you of being a callous criminal.
[SPEAKER_00]: Perhaps it would be easier for you if I were to tell Mr. Holmes what occurred, and you can check me where I am wrong.
[SPEAKER_00]: Shall I do so?
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, well, don't trouble to answer, listen, and see that I do you know injustice.
[SPEAKER_00]: From the moment Mr. Somes that you said to me that no one not even banister could have told that the papers were in your room, the case began to take a definite shape in my mind.
[SPEAKER_00]: The printer one could have caused dismiss.
[SPEAKER_00]: He could examine the papers in his own office.
[SPEAKER_00]: The Indian I also thought nothing of.
[SPEAKER_00]: If the proofs were in a role he could not possibly know what they were.
[SPEAKER_00]: On the other hand, it seemed an unthinkable coincidence that a man
[SPEAKER_00]: and that by chance on that very day the papers were on the table.
[SPEAKER_00]: I dismissed that.
[SPEAKER_00]: The man who entered knew that the papers were there.
[SPEAKER_00]: How did he know?
[SPEAKER_00]: When I approached your room, I examined the window.
[SPEAKER_00]: You were musely by supposing that I was contemplating the possibility of someone having in broad daylight under the eyes of all these opposite rooms, forced himself through it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Such an idea was absurd.
[SPEAKER_00]: I was measuring how tall a man would need to be in order to see as he passed what papers were on the central table.
[SPEAKER_00]: I am six feet high, and I could do it with an effort.
[SPEAKER_00]: No one less than that would have a chance.
[SPEAKER_00]: Already you see I had reason to think that if one of your three students was a man of unusual height, he was the most worth watching of the three.
[SPEAKER_00]: I entered and I took you into my confidence as to the suggestions of the side table.
[SPEAKER_00]: Of the centre table I could make nothing, until in your description of Gilkrist, you mentioned that he was a long distance jumper, then the whole thing came to me in an instant and I only needed certain corroborative proofs which I speedily obtained.
[SPEAKER_00]: What happened was this.
[SPEAKER_00]: This young fellow had employed his afternoon at the athletic grounds where he had been practising the jump.
[SPEAKER_00]: He returned carrying his jumping shoes, which are provided as you are aware, with several sharp spikes.
[SPEAKER_00]: As he passed your window, he saw by means of his great height, these proofs upon your table, and conjectured what they were.
[SPEAKER_00]: No harm would have been done had it not been that, as he passed your door.
[SPEAKER_00]: He perceived the key which had been left by the carelessness of your servant.
[SPEAKER_00]: A sudden impulse came over him to enter and see if they were indeed the proofs.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was not a dangerous exploit for he could always pretend that he had simply looked in to ask a question.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well when he saw that they were indeed the proofs it was then that he yielded to temptation.
[SPEAKER_00]: He put his shoes on the table.
[SPEAKER_00]: What was it you put on that chair near the window?
[SPEAKER_00]: Gloves said the young man.
[SPEAKER_00]: Holmes looked triumphantly at Bannister.
[SPEAKER_00]: He put his gloves on the chair and he took the proofs, sheet by Sheet to copy them.
[SPEAKER_00]: He thought the tutor must return by the main gate and that he would see him.
[SPEAKER_00]: As we know he came back by the side gate, suddenly he heard him at the very door.
[SPEAKER_00]: There was no possible escape.
[SPEAKER_00]: He forgot his gloves, but he caught up his shoes and darted into the bedroom.
[SPEAKER_00]: You observe that the scratch on that table is slight at one side, but deepens in the direction of the bedroom door.
[SPEAKER_00]: That in itself is enough to show us that the shoe had been drawn in that direction,
[SPEAKER_00]: the earth around the spike had been left on the table, and a second sample was loosened and fell in the bedroom.
[SPEAKER_00]: I may add that I walked out to the athletic grounds this morning, saw that tenacious black clay is used in the jumping pit and carried away a specimen of it, together with some of the fine tan or sawdust which is strewn over it to prevent the athlete from slipping.
[SPEAKER_00]: Have I told the truth, Mr. Gilkrist,
[SPEAKER_00]: the student had drawn himself erect.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, sir, it is true.
[SPEAKER_00]: Said he.
[SPEAKER_00]: Good heavens, have you nothing to add?
[SPEAKER_00]: Crite soms?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, sir, I have, but the shock of this disgraceful exposure has bewildered me.
[SPEAKER_00]: I have a letter here, Mr. Soms, which I wrote to you early this morning in the middle of a restless night.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was before I knew that my sin had found me out.
[SPEAKER_00]: Here it is, sir.
[SPEAKER_00]: You will see that I have said, I have determined not to go in for the examination.
[SPEAKER_00]: I have been offered a commission in the Rhodesian police and I am going out to South Africa at once.
[SPEAKER_00]: I am indeed pleased to hear that you did not intend to profit by your unfair advantage, said soms.
[SPEAKER_00]: But why did you change your purpose?
[SPEAKER_00]: Gilchrist pointed to Bannister.
[SPEAKER_00]: There is the man who set me in the right path, said he.
[SPEAKER_00]: Come now, Bannister, said Holmes.
[SPEAKER_00]: It will be clear to you from what I have said that only you could have let this young man out since you were left in the room and must have locked the door when you went out.
[SPEAKER_00]: As to his escaping by that window it was incredible.
[SPEAKER_00]: Can you not clear up the last point in this mystery and tell us the reasons for your action?
[SPEAKER_00]: It was simple enough sir if you only had known but with all your cleverness it was impossible
[SPEAKER_00]: The time was sir when I was Butler to Old Sir J.B. as Gilchrist, this young gentleman's father.
[SPEAKER_00]: When he was ruined I came to the college as servant but I never forgot my old employer because he was down in the world.
[SPEAKER_00]: I watched his son all I could for the sake of the old days.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well sir, when I came into this room yesterday, when the alarm was given, the very first thing I saw was Mr. Gilchrist's tan gloves are lying in that chair.
[SPEAKER_00]: I knew those gloves well and I understood their message.
[SPEAKER_00]: If Mr. Somesaw them, the game was up.
[SPEAKER_00]: I flopped down into that chair and nothing would budge me until Mr. Somes he went for you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Then out came my poor young master, whom I had dandled on my knee and confessed it all to me.
[SPEAKER_00]: Wasn't it natural sir that I should save him?
[SPEAKER_00]: And wasn't it natural also that I should try to speak to him as his dead father would have done, and make him understand that he could not profit by such a deed.
[SPEAKER_00]: Could you blame me, sir?
[SPEAKER_00]: No, indeed, said Holmes, heartily springing to his feet.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, Holmes, I think we have cleared your little problem up, and our breakfast awaits us at home.
[SPEAKER_00]: Come Watson?
[SPEAKER_00]: As to you, sir, I'd trust that a bright future awaits you in Rhodesia.
[SPEAKER_00]: For once you have fallen low, let us see in the future how high you can rise.
[UNKNOWN]: you
[UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
[UNKNOWN]: Thank you very much.
[UNKNOWN]: Thank you.