Seated in a
corner like an interested student who observes the demonstration
of his professor, I followed every step of that remarkable research.
The window, the curtains, the carpet, the chair, the rope -- each
in turn was minutely examined and duly pondered. The body of
the unfortunate baronet had been removed, but all else remained
as we had seen it in the morning. Then, to my astonishment,
Holmes climbed up on to the massive mantelpiece. Far above his
head hung the few inches of red cord which were still attached
to the wire. For a long time he gazed upward at it, and then in
an attempt to get nearer to it he rested his knee upon a wooden
bracket on the wall. This brought his hand within a few inches
of the broken end of the rope, but it was not this so much as
the bracket itself which seemed to engage his attention.
Finally he sprang down with an ejaculation of satisfaction.
"It's all right, Watson," said he. "We have got our case --
one of the most remarkable in our collection. But, dear me,
how slow-witted I have been, and how nearly I have committed
the blunder of my lifetime! Now, I think that with a few
missing links my chain is almost complete.
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