a detailed account of his misadventures.

"It's all going wrong, Watson -- all as wrong as it can go.

I kept a bold face before Lestrade, but, upon my soul, I believe

that for once the fellow is on the right track and we are on the

wrong. All my instincts are one way and all the facts are the

other, and I much fear that British juries have not yet attained

that pitch of intelligence when they will give the preference to

my theories over Lestrade's facts."

"Did you go to Blackheath?"

"Yes, Watson, I went there, and I found very quickly that the

late lamented Oldacre was a pretty considerable black-guard.

The father was away in search of his son. The mother was at

home -- a little, fluffy, blue-eyed person, in a tremor of fear

and indignation. Of course, she would not admit even the

possibility of his guilt. But she would not express either

surprise or regret over the fate of Oldacre. On the contrary,

she spoke of him with such bitterness that she was unconsciously

28.06.2007