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it　had　been　a　regular　knock…out　fight；　like　the　contests　in　the

old　days　of　the　ring　when　it　was　in　its　prime；　Goliath　could

have　managed　him　with　one　hand；　but　the　Samson　backers　played

a　sharp　game　on　the　Philistine　by　having　the　most　recently

amended　Queensbury　rules　adopted；　and　Goliath　wasn't　in　it

five　minutes　after　Samson　opened　his　mouth。〃



〃I　don't　think　I　understand；〃　said　I。



〃Plain　enough；〃　explained　Boswell。　〃Goliath　didn't　know　what

the　modern　rules　were；　but　he　thought　a　fight　was　a　fight

under　any　rules；　so；　like　a　decent　chap；　he　agreed；　and　when

he　found　that　it　was　nothing　but　a　talking…match　he'd　got

into　he　fainted。　He　never　was　good　at　expressing　himself

fluently。　Samson　talked　him　down　in　two　rounds；　just　as　he

did　the　other　Philistines　in　the　early　days　on　earth。〃



I　laughed。　〃You're　slightly　off　there；〃　I　said。　〃That　was　a

stand…up…and…be…knocked…down　fight；　wasn't　it？　He　used　the

jawbone　of　an　ass？〃



〃Very　true；〃　observed　Boswell；　〃but　it　is　evident　that　it　is

you　who　are　slightly　off。　You　haven't　kept　up　with　the　higher

criticism。　It　has　been　proven　scientifically　that　not　only

did　the　whale　not　swallow　Jonah；　but　that　Samson's　great　feat

against　the　Philistines　was　comparable　only　to　the　achievements

of　your　modern　senators。　He　talked　them　to　death。〃



〃Then　why　jawbone　of　an　ass？〃　I　cried。



〃Samson　was　an　ass；〃　replied　Boswell。　〃They　prove　that　by　the

temple　episode；　for　you　see　if　he　hadn't　been　one　he'd　have

got　out　of　the　building　before　yanking　the　foundations　from

under　it。　I　tell　you；　old　chap；　this　higher　criticism　is　a

great　thing；　and　as　logical　as　death　itself。〃



And　with　this　Boswell　left　me。



I　sincerely　hope　that　the　result　of　the　fight　will　prove　as

satisfactory　to　my　friend　in　Hawaii　as　it　was　to　me；　for　while

I　have　no　particular　admiration　for　Samson；　I　have　always

rejoiced　to　hear　of　the　discomfitures　of　Goliath；　who；　so　far

as　I　have　been　able　to　ascertain；　was　not　only　not　a　gentleman；

but；　in　addition；　had　no　more　regard　for　the　rights　of　others

than　a　member　of　the　New　York　police　force　or　the　editor　of

a　Sunday　newspaper　with　a　thirst　for　sensation。









IX



SHERLOCK　HOLMES　AGAIN









I　had　intended　asking　Boswell　what　had　become　of　my　copy　of

the　Baedeker's　Hades　when　he　next　returned；　but　the　output　of

the　machine　that　evening　so　interested　me　that　the　hand…book

was　entirely　forgotten。　If　there　ever　was　a　hero　in　this　world

who　could　compare　with　D'Artagnan　in　my　estimation　for　sheer

ability　in　a　given　line　that　hero　was　Sherlock　Holmes。　With

D'Artagnan　and　Holmes　for　my　companions　I　think　I　could　pass　the

balance　of　my　days　in　absolute　contentment；　no　matter　what　woful

things　might　befall　me。　So　it　was　that；　when　I　next　heard　the

tapping　keys　and　dulcet　bell　of　my　Enchanted　Type…writer；　and；

after　listening　intently　for　a　moment；　realized　that　my　friend

Boswell　was　making　a　copy　of　a　Sherlock　Holmes　Memoir　thereon

for　his　next　Sunday's　paper；　all　thought　of　the　interesting

little　red　book　of　the　last　meeting　flew　out　of　my　head。　I

rose　quickly　from　my　couch　at　the　first　sounding　of　the　gong。



〃Got　a　Holmes　story；　eh？〃　I　said；　walking　to　his　side；

and　gazing　eagerly　over　the　spot　where　his　shoulder　should

have　been。



〃I　have　that；　and　it's　a　winner；〃　he　replied；　enthusiastically。

〃If　you　don't　believe　it；　read　it。　I'll　have　it　copied　in

about　two　minutes。〃



〃I'll　do　both；〃　I　said。　〃I　believe　all　the　Sherlock　Holmes

stories　I　read。　It　is　so　much　pleasanter　to　believe　them　true。

If　they　weren't　true　they　wouldn't　be　so　wonderful。〃



With　this　I　picked　up　the　first　page　of　the　manuscript　and

shortly　after　Boswell　presented　me　with　the　balance；　whereon

I　read　the　following　extraordinary　tale：





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　MYSTERY　SOLVED



　　　　　　　　　　　A　WONDERFUL　ACHIEVEMENT　IN　FERRETING



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　From　Advance　Sheets　of



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MEMOIRS　I　REMEMBER



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BY



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES；　ESQ。



Ferreter　Extraordinary　by　Special　Appointment　to　his　Majesty

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Apollyon



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WHO　THE　LADY　WAS！





It　was　not　many　days　after　my　solution　of　the　Missing　Diamond

of　the　Nizam　of　Jigamaree　Mystery　that　I　was　called　upon　to　take

up　a　case　which　has　baffled　at　least　one　person　for　some　ten　or

eleven　centuries。　The　reader　will　remember　the　mystery　of　the

missing　diamondthe　largest　known　in　all　history；　which　the

Nizam　of　Jigamaree　brought　from　India　to　present　to　the　Queen

of　England；　on　the　occasion　of　her　diamond　jubilee。　I　had　been

dead　three　years　at　the　time；　but；　by　a　special　dispensation　of

his　Imperial　Highness　Apollyon；　was　permitted　to　return　incog

to　London　for　the　jubilee　season；　where　it　so　happened　that　I

put　up　at　the　same　lodging…house　as　that　occupied　by　the　Nizam

and　his　suite。　We　sat　opposite　each　other　at　table　d'hote；　and

for　at　least　three　weeks　previous　to　the　losing　of　his　treasure

the　Indian　prince　was　very　morose；　and　it　was　very　difficult　to

get　him　to　speak。　I　was　not　supposed　to　know；　nor；　indeed；　was

any　one　else；　for　that　matter；　at　the　lodging…house；　that　the

Nizam　was　so　exalted　a　personage。　He　like　myself　was　travelling

incog　and　was　known　to　the　world　as　Mr。　Wilkins；　of　Calcuttaa

very　wise　precaution；　inasmuch　as　he　had　in　his　possession　a

gem　valued　at　a　million　and　a　half　of　dollars。　I　recognized

him　at　once；　however；　by　his　unlikeness　to　a　wood…cut　that

had　been　appearing　in　the　American　Sunday　newspapers；　labelled

with　his　name；　as　well　as　by　the　extraordinary　lantern　which　he

had　on　his　bicycle；　a　lantern　which　to　the　uneducated　eye　was

no　more　than　an　ordinary　lamp；　but　which　to　an　eye　like　mine；

familiar　with　gems；　had　for　its　crystal　lens　nothing　more　nor

less　than　the　famous　stone　which　he　had　brought　for　her　Majesty

the　Queen；　his　imperial　sovereign。　There　are　few　people　who

can　tell　diamonds　from　plate…glass　under　any　circumstances；

and　Mr。　Wilkins；　otherwise　the　Nizam；　realizing　this　fact；　had

taken　this　bold　method　of　secreting　his　treasure。　Of　course；

the　moment　I　perceived　the　quality　of　the　man's　lamp　I　knew

at　once　who　Mr。　Wilkins　was；　and　I　determined　to　have　a　little

innocent　diversion　at　his　expense。



〃It　has　been　a　fine　day；　Mr。　Wilkins；〃　said　I　one　evening　over

the　pate。



〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　wearily。　〃Verybut　somehow　or　other　I'm

depressed　to…night。〃



〃Too　bad；〃　I　said；　lightly；　〃but　there　are　others。　There's

that　poor　Nizam　of　Jigamaree；　for　instancepoor　devil；　he

must　be　the　bluest　brown　man　that　ever　lived。〃



Wilkins　started　nervously　as　I　mentioned　the　prince　by　name。



〃Wh…why　do　you　think　that？〃　he　asked；　nervously　fingering

his　butter…knife。



〃It's　tough　luck　to　have　to　give　away　a　diamond　that's　worth

three　or　four　times　as　much　as　the　Koh…i…noor；〃　I　said。　〃Suppose

you　owned　a　stone　like　that。　Would　you　care　to　give　it　away？〃



〃Not　by　a　damn　sight！〃　cried　Wilkins；　forcibly；　and　I　noticed

great　tears　gathering　in　his　eyes。



〃Still；　he　can't　help　himself；　I　suppose；〃　I　said；　gazing

abruptly　at　his　scarf…pin。　〃That　is；　he　doesn't　KNOW　that　he

can。　The　Queen　expects　it。　It's　been　announced；　and　now　the

poor　devil　can't　get　out　of　itthough　I'll　tell　you；　Mr。

Wilkins；　if　I　were　the　Nizam　of　Jigamaree；　I'd　get　out　of　it

in　ten　seconds。〃



I　winked　at　him　significantly。　He　looked　at　me　blankly。



〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　added；　merely　to　arouse　him；　〃in　just　ten

seconds！　Ten　short；　beautiful　seconds。〃



〃Mr。　Postlethwaite；〃　said　the　NizamPostlethwaite　was　the

name　I　was　travelling　under〃Mr。　Postlethwaite；〃　said　the

Nizamotherwise　Wilkins〃your　remarks　interest　me　greatly。〃

His　face　wreathed　with　a　smile　that　I　had　never　before　seen

there。　〃I　have　thought　as　you　do　in　regard　to　this　poor　Indian

prince；　but　I　must　confess　I　don't　see　how　he　can　get　out　of

giving　the　Queen　that　diamond。　Have　a　cigar；　Mr。　　Postlethwaite；

and；　waiter；　bring　us　a　triple　magnum　of　champagne。　Do　you

really　think；　Mr。　Postlethwaite；　that　there　is　a　way　out　of

it？　If　you　would　like　a　ticket　to　Westminster　for　the　ceremony；

there　are　a　half…dozen。〃



He　tossed　six　tickets　for　seats　among　the　crowned　heads

across　the　table　to　me。　His　eagerness　was　almost　too　painful

to　witness。



〃Thank　you；〃　said　I；　calmly　pocketing　the　tickets；　for　they　were

of　rare　value　at　that　time。　〃The　way　out　of　it　is　very　simple。〃



〃Indeed；　Mr。　Postlethwaite；〃　said　he；　trying　to　keep　cool。

〃Ahare　you　interested　in　rubies；　sir？　There　are　a　few　which

I　should　be　pleased　to　have　you　accept〃and　with　that　over

came　a　handful　of　precious　stones　each　worth　a　fortune。　These

also　I　pocketed　as　I　replied：



〃Why；　certainly；　if　I　were　the　Nizam；〃　said　I；　〃I'd　lose

that　diamond。〃



A　shade　of　disappointment　came　over　Mr。　Wilkins's　face。



〃Lose　it？　How？　Where？〃　he　asked；　with　a　frown。



〃Yes。　Lose　it。　Any　way　I　could。　As　for　the　place　where　it

should　be　lost；　any　old　place　will　do　as　long　as　it　is　where

he　can　find　it　again　when　he　gets　back　home。　He　might　leave

it　in　his　other　clothes；　or〃



〃Make　that　two　triple　magnums；　waiter；〃　cried　Mr。　Wilkins；

excitedly；　interrupting　me。　〃Postlethwaite；　you're　a　genius；

and　if　you　ever　want　a　house　and　lot　in　Calcutta；　just　let　me

know　and　they're　yours。〃



You　never　saw　such　a　change　come　over　a　man　in　all　your　life。

Where　he　had　been　all　gloom　before；　he　was　now　all　smiles

and　jollity；　and　from　that　time　on　to　his　return　to　India

Mr。　Wilkins　was　as　happy　as　a　school…boy　at　the　beginning　of

vacation。　The　next　day　the　diamond　was　lost；　and　whoever　may

have　it　at　this　moment；　the　British　Crown　is　not　in　possession

of　the　Jigamaree　gem。



But；　as　my　friend　Terence　Mulvaney　says；　that　is　another

story。　It　is　of　the　mystery　imm