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THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES
The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second
morning after Christmas； with the intention of wishing him the
compliments of the season。 He was lounging upon the sofa in a
purple dressing…gown； a pipe…rack within his reach upon the right；
and a pile of crumpled morning papers； evidently newly studied；
near at hand。 Beside the couch was a wooden chair； and on the
angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable hard…felt
hat； much the worse for wear； and cracked in several places。 A
lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair suggested that
the hat had been suspended in this manner for the purpose of
examination。
〃You are engaged；〃 said I； 〃perhaps I interrupt you。〃
〃Not at all。 I am glad to have a friend with whom I can
discuss my results。 The matter is a perfectly trivial one〃he
jerked his thumb in the direction of the old hat〃but there are
points in connection with it which are not entirely devoid of
interest and even of instruction。〃
I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his
crackling fire； for a sharp frost had set in； and the windows were
thick with the ice crystals。 〃I suppose；〃 I remarked； 〃that；
homely as it looks； this thing has some deadly story linked on to
itthat it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of
some mystery and the punishment of some crime。〃
〃No； no。 No crime；〃 said Sherlock Holmes； laughing。 〃Only
one of those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you
have four million human beings all jostling each other within the
space of a few square miles。 Amid the action and reaction of so
dense a swarm of humanity； every possible combination of events
may be expected to take place； and many a little problem will be
presented which may be striking and bizarre without being
criminal。 We have already had experience of such。〃
〃So much so；〃 I remarked； 〃that of the last six cases which I
have added to my notes； three have been entirely free of any legal
crime。〃
〃Precisely。 You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene
Adler papers； to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland； and to
the adventure of the man with the twisted lip。 Well； I have no
doubt that this small matter will fall into the same innocent
category。 You know Peterson； the commissionaire？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃It is to him that this trophy belongs。〃
〃It is his hat。〃
〃No； no； he found it。 Its owner is unknown。 I beg that you
will look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an
intellectual problem。 And； first； as to how it came here。 It
arrived upon Christmas morning； in company with a good fat goose；
which is； I have no doubt； roasting at this moment in front of
Peterson's fire。 The facts are these： about four o'clock on
Christmas morning； Peterson； who； as you know； is a very honest
fellow； was returning from some small jollification and was making
his way homeward down Tottenham Court Road。 In front of him he
saw； in the gaslight； a tallish man； walking with a slight
stagger； and carrying a white goose slung over his shoulder。 As
he reached the corner of Goodge Street； a row broke out between
this stranger and a little knot of roughs。 One of the latter
knocked off the man's hat； on which he raised his stick to defend
himself and； swinging it over his head； smashed the shop window
behind him。 Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger
from his assailants； but the man； shocked at having broken the
window； and seeing an official…looking person in uniform rushing
towards him； dropped his goose； took to his heels； and vanished
amid the labyrinth of small sheets which lie at the back of
Tottenham Court Road。 The roughs had also fled at the appearance
of Peterson； so that he was left in possession of the field of
battle； and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this
battered hat and a most unimpeachable Christmas goose。〃
〃Which surely he restored to their owner？〃
〃My dear fellow； there lies the problem。 It is true that ‘For
Mrs。 Henry Baker' was printed upon a small card which was tied to
the bird's left leg； and it is also true that the initials ‘H。 B。'
are legible upon the lining of this hat； but as there are some
thousands of Bakers； and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in this
city of ours； it is not easy to restore lost property to any one
of them。〃
〃What； then； did Peterson do？〃
〃He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas
morning； knowing that even the smallest problems are of interest
to me。 The goose we retained until this morning； when there were
signs that； in spite of the slight frost； it would be well that it
should be eaten without unnecessary delay。 Its finder has carried
it off； therefore； to fulfil the ultimate destiny of a goose；
while I continue to retain the hat of the unknown gentleman who
lost his Christmas dinner。〃
〃Did he not advertise？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then； what clue could you have as to his identity？〃
〃Only as much as we can deduce。〃
〃From his hat？〃
〃Precisely。〃
〃But you are joking。 What can you gather from this old
battered felt？〃
〃Here is my lens。 You know my methods。 What can you gather
yourself as to the individuality of the man who has worn this
article？〃
I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over
rather ruefully。 It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual
round shape； hard and much the worse for wear。 The lining had
been of red silk； but was a good deal discoloured。 There was no
maker's name； but； as Holmes had remarkcd； the initials 〃H。 B。〃
were scrawled upon one side。 It was pierced in the brim for a
hat…securer； but the elastic was missing。 For the rest； it was
cracked； exceedingly dusty； and spotted in several places；
although there seemed to have been some attempt to hide the
discoloured patches by smearing them with ink。
〃I can see nothing；〃 said I； handing it back to my friend。
〃On the contrary； Watson； you can see everything。 You fail；
however； to reason from what you see。 You are too timid in
drawing your inferences。〃
〃Then； pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this
hat？〃
He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective
fashion which was characteristic of him。 〃It is perhaps less
suggestive than it might have been；〃 he remarked； 〃and yet there
are a few inferences which are very distinct； and a few others
which represent at least a strong balance of probability。 That
the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face
of it； and also that he was fairly well…to…do within the last
three years； although he has now fallen upon evil days。 He had
foresight； but has less now than formerly； pointing to a moral
retrogression； which； when taken with the decline of his fortunes；
seems to indicate some evil influence； probably drink； at work
upon him。 This may account also for the obvious fact that his
wife has ceased to love him。〃
〃