telegram still remains the
only solid thing with which we have to deal, and we
must not permit our attention to wander away from it.
it is to gain light upon the purpose of this telegram
that we are now upon our way to cambridge. the path
of our investigation is at present obscure, but i
shall be very much surprised if before evening we have
not cleared it up or made a considerable advance along
it."
it was already dark when we reached the old university
city. holmes took a cab at the station, and ordered
the man to drive to the house of dr. leslie armstrong.
a few minutes later we had stopped at a large mansion
in the busiest thoroughfare. we were shown in, and
after a long wait were at last admitted into the
consulting-room, where we found the doctor seated
behind his table.
it argues the degree in which i had lost touch with my
profession that the name of leslie armstrong was
unknown to me. now i am aware that he is not only one
of the heads of the medical school of the university,
but a thinker of european reputation in more than one
branch of science. yet even without knowing his
brilliant record one could not fail to be impressed by
a mere glance at the man, the square, massive face,
the brooding eyes under the thatched brows, and the
granite moulding of the inflexible jaw. a man of deep
character, a man with an alert mind, grim, ascetic,
self-contained, formidable -- so i read dr. leslie
armstrong. he held my friend's card in his hand, and
he looked up with no very pleased expression upon his
dour features.
"i have heard your name, mr. sherlock holmes, and i am
aware of your profession, one of which i by no means
approve."
"in that, doctor, you will find yourself in agreement
with every criminal in the country," said my friend,
quietly.
"so far as your efforts are directed towards the
suppression of crime, sir, they must have the support
of every reasonable member of the community, though i
cannot doubt that the official machinery is amply
sufficient for the purpose. where your calling is
more open to criticism is when you pry into the
secrets of private individuals, when you rake up
family matters which are better hidden, and when you
incidentally waste the time of men who are more busy
than yourself. at the present moment, for example,
i should be writing a treatise instead of conversing
with you."
"no doubt, doctor; and yet the conversation may prove
more important than the treatise. incidentally i may
tell you that we are doing the reverse of what you
very justly blame, and that we are endeavouring to
prevent anything like public exposure of private
matters which must necessarily follow when once the
case is fairly in the hands of the official police.
you may look upon me simply as an irregular pioneer
who goes in front of the regular forces of the
country. i have come to ask you about mr. godfrey
staunton."
"what about him?"
"you know him, do you not?"
"he is an intimate friend of mine."
"you are aware that he has disappeared?"
"ah, indeed!" there was no change of expression in
the rugged features of the doctor.
"he left his hotel last night. he has not been heard
of."
"no doubt he will return."
"to-morrow is the 'varsity football match."
"i have no sympathy with these childish games. the
young man's fate interests me deeply, since i know him
and like him. the football match does not come within
my horizon at all."
"i claim your sympathy, then, in my investigation of
mr. staunton's fate. do you know where he is?"
"certainly not."
"you have not seen him since yesterday?"
"no, i have not."
"was mr. staunton a healthy man?"
"absolutely."
"did you ever know him ill?"
"never."
holmes popped a sheet of paper before the doctor's
eyes. "then perhaps you will explain this receipted
bill for thirteen guineas, paid by mr. godfrey
staunton last month to dr. leslie armstrong of
cambridge. i picked it out from among the papers upon
his desk."
the doctor flushed with anger.
"i do not feel that there is any reason why i should
render an explanation to you, mr. holmes."
holmes replaced the bill in his note-book. "if you
prefer a public explanation it must come sooner or
later," said he. "i have already told you that i can
hush up that which others will be bound to publish,
and you would really be wiser to take me into your
complete confidence."
"i know nothing about it."
"did you hear from mr. staunton in london?"
"certainly not."
"dear me, dear me; the post-office again!" holmes
sighed, wearily. "a most urgent telegram was
dispatched to you from london by godfrey staunton at
six-fifteen yesterday evening -- a telegram which is
undoubtedly associated with his disappearance -- and
yet you have not had it. it is most culpable.
i shall certainly go
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