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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 she would give his name。 There is a tangle here
which needs straightening to。〃 He had been talking in a high； quick
voice； staring blankly up over the garden fence； but now he sprang briskly
to his feet and walked towards the house。
〃I have a few questions to ask Miss Cushing；〃 said he。
〃In that case I may leave you here；〃 said Lestrade； 〃for I have another
small business on hand。 I think that I have nothing further to learn form
Miss Cushing。 You will find me at the police…station。〃
〃We shall look in on our way to the train；〃 answered Holmes。 A
moment later he and I were back in the front room； where the impassive
lady was still quietly working away at her antimacassar。 She put it down
on her lap as we entered and looked at us with her frank； searching blue
eyes。
〃I am convinced； sir；〃 she said； 〃that this matter is a mistake； and that
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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
the parcel was never meant for me at all。 I have said this several times to
the gentlemen from Scotland Yard； but he simply laughs at me。 I have
not an enemy in the world； as far as I know； so why should anyone play
me such a trick？〃
〃I am coming to be of the same opinion； Miss Cushing；〃 said Holmes；
taking a seat beside her。 〃I think that it is more than probable〃 He
paused； and I was surprised； on glancing round to see that he was staring
with singular intentness at the lady's profile。 Surprise and satisfaction
were both for an instant to be read upon his eager face； though when she
glanced round to find out the cause of his silence he had become as
demure as ever。 I stared hard myself at her flat； grizzled hair； her trim
cap； her little gilt earrings； her placid features； but I could see nothing
which could account for my companion's evident excitement。
〃There were one or two questions〃
〃Oh； I am weary of questions！〃 cried Miss Cushing impatiently。
〃You have two sisters； I believe。〃
〃How could you know that？〃
〃I observed the very instant that I entered the room that you have a
portrait group of three ladies upon the mantelpiece； one of whom is
undoubtedly yourself； while the others are so exceedingly like you that
there could be no doubt of the relationship。〃
〃Yes； you are quite right。 Those are my sisters； Sarah and Mary。〃
〃And here at my elbow is another portrait； taken at Liverpool； of your
younger sister； in the company of a man who appears to be a steward by
his uniform。 I observe that she was unmarried at the time。〃
〃You