All language subtitles for 07. The Blue Carbuncle

Countess of Morcar's,
thanks.

My God,
she's back.

She's getting out
of the carriage.

Come on, Ryder,
get a move on.

...look lively.

All right.

Get moving.

All right.

Her ladyship won't want
workmen under her feet.

All right, I finished,
don't worry,

quick job,
like you said.

Oh, yeah,
yeah, nice, nice.

Countess, eh?

Have to get by
appointment only...

Come on, lad,
out.

All right.

Over there
will do.

Here, for the
three of you.

Thank you,
milady,

and a Merry Christmas,
milady.

Ring for tea,
Cusack.

Yes, milady.

I need something
to sustain me.

I do find preparing for
Christmas quite an ordeal.

Yes, milady.

And then,
a bath, I think.

Milady.

The blue carbuncle,

the blue carbuncle,
it's stolen.

Open them up,
there.

Oh, John, she'll love it,
it is beautiful.

Just like
her mother.

But can we
afford it, though?

I told you, I made a nice
little bob or two lately.

Even if I hadn't,
it's Christmas.

You're a good man,
John Horner.

I'm a
lucky man,

a wife and kids
like I've got,

means as good
as a king.

So, it's the doll
for the girl,

and the boat
for the boy, right?

Right.

Spending the loot already,
are we, Horner?

What do
you mean?

I've done nothing,
what do you mean?

John Frederick
Horner,

I hereby arrest you on
the charge of stealing

the valuable gem known
as the blue carbuncle,

the property of
the Countess of Morcar.

Anything you say...

I didn't do it, I tell you,
I didn't do it.

...the men at
the hotel gave

a very good
description of you.

Constable,

I didn't do it,
I tell you,

let me go, will you,
I didn't do it.

Oh.

Mr. Holmes?

Mr. Holmes?

Mr. Peterson, the
commissionaire from Upasit...

Oh, please,
go away.

...he'd like
a word with you.

Oh.

I'm sorry to disturb you,
Mr. Holmes.

Peterson, put down your goose,
and your, your hat.

It's a fine
purchase,

I myself favor a goose
for Christmas dinner.

Well, that's
part of the problem,

Mr. Holmes, the bird
is not mine.

You might say,
I come by it.

Oh,
"for Mrs. Henry Baker,"

and obviously,
not your hat.

No, sir.

Well, there were
peculiar circumstances,

and I didn't know what
to do for the best.

It hardly seemed a matter
for the police.

So I talked to
the wife about it,

and she suggested
I come and see you.

The wise
Mrs. Peterson.

Sit down,
my dear fellow,

and describe these peculiar
circumstances to me.

Well, sir,
it was like this.

Last night I was on my
way home from a little,

uh, celebration.

Well, at this time
of the year

some of us commissionairs
meet to -

To wish each other
the season's greetings.

Exactly.

The season's
greetings.

Oh, you're a top,
sir.

Your good health,
sir.

Well, as I was saying,
I was on my way home

when I came across what you
would only describe as a frakel.

Oy,
what's happening?

Blimey, it's a
copper,...

get out of here.

get out of here.

I'm trying
to help you, man.

Well, the roughs ran
off in one direction,

and the drunk fellow
ran off in the other.

I tried to stop him,
but he no doubt thought

I was a constable about
to apprehend him

for the breaking
of the window.

And so you left with
the spoils of victory

in the shape
of that battered hat,

and a most unimpeachable
Christmas goose.

Both of which
I would willingly

have returned to their
rightful owners, Mr. Holmes,

but the truth is,
I didn't know how.

My dear Peterson,
I do see your problem.

Anyway,
as I say,

I discussed the matter
with the good lady,

and we decided that
I would bring both

the goose and the hat
to you, Mr. Holmes,

seeing as how even the slightest
of problems is of interest

to you in your particular
line of occupation.

I hope you don't think I'm
wasting your time, Mr. Holmes.

Not in
the least.

Now then,
Commissionaire,

have you purchased
your own bird?

No,
not yet.

Then I suggest that you carry
off this goose so that it

may fulfill its
ultimate destiny,

while I retain the battered
hat of the unknown gentleman

who has lost his
Christmas dinner.

Well, if you think
I should, Mr. Holmes.

I do,
indeed.

For there are signs,
in spite of the frost,

that this bird
should be prepared

without unnecessary
delay.

Well, if that's
all right, Mr. Holmes.

I will of course,

keep you in touch
with the developments.

Very good,
sir.

Oh, uh, may I wish you
the complements of the season.

And to you and your
good wife.

But you still haven't
found the jewel.

Not yet,
no, milady,

but we do have
the man, Horner.

Or have a clue
as to its whereabouts.

And I think we may
assume that

he had one accomplice,
if not more.

Well,
what of that?

Contrary to popular
fiction, milady,

there is very little
honor amongst thieves,

and even less with
the right inducement.

Inducement,
do you mean a reward?

Uh, yes.

Why should I offer
a reward?

In my experience,
and it is considerable,

I have found that
the offer of a reward

would very soon set the greedy
cat amongst the criminal pigeon.

Well?

I should be
very surprised

if I did not gain a result
within 24 hours.

How much?

Holmes?

Oh,
you're up.

The Countess of Morcar
is offering a thousand pounds

for the return
of the blue carbuncle.

Inspector Bradstreet
of B Division

is in charge
of the case,

and has arrested
Mr. John Horner,

a plumber,
age 36,

who protested his innocence
in the strongest terms.

Circumstantial evidence
was so strong that the case

has been referred
to the Assizes.

Horner, who showed signs
of intense emotion

during the proceedings,
faded away at the conclusion

and was carried
from the court.

Oh, excuse me,
you are engaged.

I am interrupting your
study of that hat.

No, no, no, the matter
is a perfectly trivial one.

But there are points
in connection with it

which are not devoid
of interest,

even of instruction.

I suppose that homely
as it looks,

that thing has some deadly
story linked to it that

is the clue which will guide you
in the solution of some mystery

and the punishment
of some crime.

No, no,
no, no,

it is just one of those
whimsical little instance

that will occur when you
have four million people

jostling each other within the
space of a few square miles.

So, what do you gather
from that battered old felt?

You know
my methods.

What do you yourself
gather as to the individuality

of the man who has worn
this particular article?

It was accompanied
by a goose, Watson.

"For Mrs. Henry Baker,"
was printed upon a small card

attached to the bird's
left leg.

Well, apart from
the initials inside,

H.B.,
presumably Henry Baker...

...I can
see nothing.

On the contrary, Watson,
you can see everything,

but you fail to reason
for what you see.

You are too timid in drawing
your inferences.

Then, pray,

tell me what it is that you
can infer from that hat?

That the man
is highly intellectual

is, of course,
obvious.

And also that he was
fairly well-to-do

within the past
three years,

although now he has
fallen upon evil days.

He had foresight,
but less now than formerly,

pointing to a moral
retrogression,

which, when taken with the
decline of his fortunes,

seems to indicate an evil
influence, probably drink.

This may account also
for the fact that his wife

has ceased
to love him.

My dear, Holmes.

He has, however, retained
some degree of self-respect,

and now he leads
a sedentary life,

is out of training
entirely.

He's middle-aged,
has grizzled hair

which he has had cut within
the last few days,

and which he anoints
with lime-cream.

It is also highly improbable
that he has gas

laid on in
his house.

Well, now you are
certainly joking.

Not in
the least.

Well, I have no doubt
that I am very stupid.

For example, how do you deduce
that the man is intellectual?

It is a question
of cubic capacity.

A man with so large a head
must have something in it.

Well, the decline
in his fortunes, then?

These flat brims
with the curled edges

came in three
years ago.

It is a hat of the very
best quality, Watson.

Look at the band of ribbed
silk and the excellent lining.

If this man could afford
so expensive a hat

three years ago,
and has had no hat since,

then he has assuredly
gone down in the world.

What about the foresight
and the moral retrogression?

Ah, here is
the foresight,

these securers are
never sold upon hats.

If this man
ordered one,

it is a sign of a certain
amount of foresight,

since he went
out of his way

to take precaution
against the wind.

But as you see that he
has broken the elastic

and has not troubled
to replace it,

a weakening
nature.

Mmm.

The further points,
that he is middle-aged,

that his hair is grizzled,
that it has been cut recently,

and that he anoints
it with lime-cream,

can all to be gathered
by an inspection

of the lower part
of the lining, Watson.

Witness the moisture,
obviously a free perspirer,

therefore, not
in the best of training.

But his -
his wife,

you said she had
ceased to love him.

This hat has not been
brushed for weeks.

When I see a man

with a week's accumulation
of dust upon his hat,

and his wife has allowed him
to go out in such a state,

I fear that he has been
unfortunate enough

to lose his wife's
affections.

He might be
a bachelor.

Nay, but he brought a goose
as a peace offering to his wife.

Remember the card
attached to the bird's leg.

Yes, well, you have an answer
to everything.

Just a minute,
just a minute,

how do you deduce that there is
no gas laid on in his house?

One tallow
candle stain,

or even two, might
come by chance;

but when I see, Watson,
no less than five,

he never got candle
stains from a gas jet, Watson.

Are you
satisfied?

Well, it's
all very ingenious.

Mr. Holmes, the goose,
the goose, Mr. Holmes.

Well, what of it, man,
has it come back to life

and flapped off through
the kitchen window?

No, no sir, no sir,
but see,

see what the wife
found in its crop.

By Jove, Peterson, this is
a treasure-trove indeed.

You know what
you've got?

A diamond,
a precious stone.

It cuts glass
like it was putty.

It is more than
a precious stone.

It is the
precious stone.

The Hotel
Cosmopolitan robbery,

the blue
carbuncle.

The blue carbuncle,
indeed.

It is absolutely
unique,

its value can only
be conjectured.

And your reward,
Peterson,

of 1000 pounds is not
within a twentieth

of its
market price.

A thousand pounds, oh,
Lord have mercy.

You must admit,
Watson,

that my deductions in
regard to this hat

have suddenly assumed
a more important aspect.

Yes, point taken,
Holmes.

Now, the question for us
now to solve is to trace

the sequence of events from a
rifled jewel case at one end,

to the crop
of a goose at the other.

There is
the stone.

The stone came
from the goose,

the goose came from
Mr. Henry Baker,

the gentleman with
the shabby hat

and all the other
characteristics.

So, now, we must set
ourselves very seriously

to finding this
gentleman,

and to ascertaining what
part he had to play

in this little
mystery.

Found at the corner
of Goodge Street,

a goose and
a black felt hat.

Mr. Henry Baker can have same by
applying at 6:30 this evening

at 221B, Baker Street,
clear and concise.

Yes, very,
but will he see it?

Well, I'm sure he will keep
an eye on the evening papers,

for the poor man,
the loss was a heavy one.

Oh, Peterson, uh, just nip down
to the advertising agency

and have this put in
all the evening papers.

Which, one,
sir?

The Globe, Star, Pall Mall,
St. James's Bissett, Echo,

Evening News,
Standard,

and all the others
that may occur to you.

Right away,
sir.

And
the stone?

I shall keep
the stone.

Thank you,
Peterson.

Yes, sir.

Oh, and Peterson,

uh, would you pick up
a goose on your way back?

Give him the money,
will you, Watson.

We must have something
to give Mr. Henry Baker

to take the place
of the one

which your family will
very soon be devouring.

Oh, thank you,
sir.

A thousand
pounds?

A thousand
pounds.

A thousand pounds,
a thousand pounds.

Um, what, uh, will you
do with the stone?

I shall keep it
in my museum.

Well, Horner,

Her Ladyship is not
at all pleased with me.

You might be under
lock and key,

but she'd rather her
blue carbuncle was.

Never took it
Inspector...

Well -

Tell me what you did
with it, and, uh,

I'll put in a good
word at your trial.

But, if you don't -

I've been on
the straight for years,

ever since
I married Jenny.

If you don't,

and when the judge hears
about your previous conviction,

you might never see your
pretty wife again.

I've got you, Horner,
but I need that jewel.

It's a bonny
thing,

just see how it
glints and sparkles.

Of course, it is a nucleus
and focus of crime,

every good
stone is.

They are the devil's
pet baits.

In the larger
and older jewels

every facet may stand
for a bloody deed.

It was found in the banks of the
Amoy River in southern China,

and is remarkable in having
every characteristic of the carbuncle,

save that it is blue
instead of ruby red.

This stone is not yet
twenty years old.

Mmm.

In spite
of its youth,

it already has
a sinister history.

There have been
two murders,

a vitriol-throwing,
a suicide,

and several robberies
brought about for the sake

of this forty-grain weight
of crystallized charcoal.

Who would think that
so pretty a toy

could be a purveyor
to the gallows and the prison?

Come in.

Mr. Henry Baker,
I believe?

Please,
draw near the fire.

It is a cold night and I observe
that your circulation

is more adapted for
summer than for winter.

Do sit down.

This is my friend and colleague,
Dr. Watson.

How do you do,
sir?

Mr. Baker...

is that your hat?

Oh, yes, oh,
it is undoubtedly my hat.

Thank you,
sir.

I would have advertised
its loss but shillings

have not been so plentiful
with me as they once were.

I had no doubt that
the gang of roughs

who assaulted me had carried
off both my hat and the bird.

I did not care to
spend more money

in a hopeless attempt
at recovering them.

Yes, well, of course,
that is very understandable.

Oh, by the way,
about your bird,

we were compelled
to eat it.

To eat it.

It would have been of little use
to anyone had we not done so.

But we have another goose
upon the sideboard there,

which I presume will answer
your purpose equally well.

It is about
the same weight,

and perfectly fresh,
as you can see.

Oh, yes,
most certainly.

Of course, we have kept
the feathers, legs, crop,

and so on of your own
bird, if you so wish.

It might be useful to me
as relics of my adventure,

but beyond
that I can hardly see

what use the disjectamembra
of my old acquaintance

could possibly
be to me.

Oh, no, sir,
with your permission,

I - I shall confine
my attentions

to the excellent bird which
I perceive upon your sideboard.

I would be
interested to know

where the other
bird came from.

You see, I am somewhat
of a fowl fancier,

and I have seldom seen
a better grown bird.

It would be of great
interest to me to know

precisely how it came
into your possession.

It was the club, sir,
the goose club.

The goose club,
the exact circumstances?

I - I
am not a rich man,

as you may see, sir,
but I make a humble living,

and a respectable one,
if I may say so,

in the British
Museum.

Studying?

Studying,
you might say,

and helping others
with their studies.

I - I have a certain
knowledge of books.

That day, sir, I had
finished work early

and left the museum
in the afternoon.

I had a little
business to attend to

before calling in at
the Alpha Public House.

Several of us who
work in the museum

frequent that
establishment,

and this year
our good host,

Mr. Windigate,
had instigated a goose club,

by which, on consideration of
some few pence each week,

we were to receive a bird
at Christmas.

There we are,
Mr. Baker,

a very fine bird,
as promised.

Magnificent specimen,
indeed, landlord, eh.

Put you back in the wife's
good books, eh?

Well, she is still somewhat
irked with me, I'm afraid.

Things may doubtless
improve when I am

once more in gainful
employment.

Oh, an academic nature,
of course.

I have
expectations.

Well, I owe you one last
payment of eight pennies, eh.

Struck it rich,
have we, Mr. B?

I chanced upon
an acquaintance

of sympathetic disposition,
l, that is to say,

I sold some
of my books.

Oh, not your books,
Mr. Baker.

Needs must,
Mr. Windigate,

and at this season of
the year more than ever,

we must not deprive
those we love,

or even those to whom
we are married.

And so, if you will set aside
this impressive peace offering,

I shall fortify myself
for the fray

with a large
glass of whiskey,

and a pint of your
most excellent beer.

Merry Christmas
to you.

Same to you,
Mr. Baker.

Well, sir,
on my way home

I was attacked by
the gang of roughs,

who I believed had
stolen the goose.

My hat came off
in the scuffle.

I - I remember
little of it,

save that a uniformed officer
appeared on the scene

and we all
made off.

Yes, of course,
we quite understand.

In the
circumstances.

Well, all is well
that ends well.

I am most indebted to you,
sir, for your trouble.

A scottish bonnet,
I fear,

is fitted neither to my
years nor to my dignity.

My complements of the
season to you, sir.

And to you,
too, sir.

Oh, thank you,
sir.

Oh, uh,
by the way,

do you have gas laid
on in your house?

Gas, alas, no.

Jolly good.

Merry Christmas.

And to you both,
gentlemen.

Well then, so much
for Mr. Henry Baker.

He obviously knows
nothing of the matter.

Ah,
Mrs. Hudson.

Watson, do you
need nourishment?

Not particularly.

Splendid.

Mrs. Hudson, we shall
turn dinner into supper,

and we will follow up
this clue while it is still hot.

Which is more than
the supper will be.

Good evening, gentlemen,
and a very cold one.

It is, indeed, landlord,
it is indeed.

And what shall be
your pleasure?

Beer, Watson?

What? Oh, yes,
splendid.

Two of your very best
glasses of beer.

Right away,
sir.

Your beer should
be excellent

if it is as good
as your geese.

What geese?

Yes. We were talking,
um, half an hour ago

to a Mr. Henry Baker, a member
of your goose club.

Yes, but you see,
them's not our geese.

Whose, then?

Well, I got the whole
two dozen

from a salesman
in Covent Garden.

Who might
that be?

Name of
Breckinridge,

a purveyor
of the finest quality.

Mind you, if it's
a bird you're after,

I'd get to him
as soon as poss.

Oh, it's a very
busy time of year,

as you'll
appreciate.

Well, thank you so much
for your advice.

Will you have a glass
of beer with us, landlord?

Well, God bless you
for a gentleman.

Now, for
Mr. Breckinridge.

Can't it wait?

Watson, we have been given
a line of investigation

which has been missed
by the police,

and which a singular chance
has placed in our hands.

Now, let us follow it
out to the bitter end.

Extremely bitter.

Faces to the south, then,
and quick, march.

Please.

I want to believe you,
John, I do, really,

but I can't argue
with what the police is saying.

But they're only saying that
cause I was there on the day.

It was an
odd job.

Is that really
the truth?

I promised
when I married you,

I'd never tell you
a lie.

I kept my promise,
always will.

I want to
believe you.

Uh,
good evening.

Good evening.

Sold out of geese,
I see.

Yeah, I'll have five hundred
in the morning.

Too late,
I think.

See the stall over there
with the gas fire, try him.

Yes, but I was
recommended to you.

Oh, who by?

The landlord of
the Alpha Public House.

Oh, yeah,
he had a couple of dozen off me.

Very good geese, too.

Where, may I ask,
did you get them?

Here then, mister,

what exactly are you
driving at?

Come on, let's have
it straight, now.

It's straight enough.

I simply want to know
who sold you the geese

that you supplied
to the Alpha.

Well then, I'm not gonna
tell you, so now.

It really is of no matter,
but I fail to see

why you should get so warm
over a trifle.

Warm, you'd be as warm if you
were as pestered as I am.

When I pay good money
for a good article

that should be
an end of it;

but it's where
are the geese,

who have
you sold them to,

how much will you
take for them?

You would think those were
the only geese in the world,

the amount of fuss
that's made over them.

Well, I can assure you
that I have no connection

with anybody else
who's made inquiries.

Inquiries, it's more
like the inquisition.

I'm not
telling you.

Ah, well then,
the bet is off.

What bet?

What bet?

Well, I'm always ready
to back my opinion

on the matter
of fowls,

and I have a fiver
with my friend here

that the bird that I chose
is country bred, right, Watson?

What? Oh, oh, oh,
yes, yes, absolutely.

Ah, you've lost your money
then, cause it's town bred.

It is nothing
of the kind.

I say it is.

I don't
believe you.

Come on, pay up,
Holmes.

What, do you think
I wouldn't know,

me, who's been handling fowl
since I was a nipper?

I'll tell you,

all the birds that went
to the Alpha were town bred.

You'll never make me
believe that.

Come on, come on,
do the decent, Holmes.

Will you have a bet,
then?

I'll be just taking
your money,

but I'll have a sovereign
with you,

just to teach you
not to be obstinate.

Done.

Right.

Now then,
Mr. Cocksure,

you see these here
books here, well,

this is a list of all
the folk what I buy off.

Now, on this page is
all me country folk,

and these on this side in red
ink are all me town suppliers.

Now you read out that
third name down to me.

Mrs. Oakshott,
117 Brixton Road.

Yeah, account
number 249.

Go on, then, turn
it up in the ledger.

Mrs. Oakshott,
egg and poultry supplier?

Now, what's
the last entry?

Twenty-four geese
at seven and six pence,

sold to Mr. Windigate
of the Alpha Public House.

So, what are you
gonna say now?

What about this
gentleman's fiver?

Well done,
Holmes.

Shall we see this
Mrs. Oakshott tonight?

Oh, no, not you again,
I've had enough of you.

Listen, I've told you
before, clear off.

But the thing is, there
were two gray-headed geese.

Now, listen, I've had enough
of you and those geese.

I wish you was all
at the devil together.

If you come pestering me
any more with your silly talk

I'll set
the dog on you.

Now, look here,
Mrs. Oakshott told me -

You bring Mrs. Oakshott here,
and I'll answer her,

but what have you got
to do with it, eh?

Did I buy the geese
off you?

No; but one of them
was mine all the same.

Well, you go and ask
Mrs. Oakshott for it.

She told me
to ask you.

You can ask the King of Prusia,
for all I care.

I've had enough
of this.

Go on,
get out of it.

This may save us
a trip to Brixton.

Excuse me, but I could
not help overhearing

the conversation you had just
now with that salesman.

I think I can be of assistance
to you in this matter.

Yea,
who are you?

My name
is Sherlock Holmes.

It is my business to know
what other people don't know.

But you could know
nothing of this.

On the contrary,
I know everything of it.

I know that you are
trying to find out

the whereabouts of some geese
sold by Mrs. Oakshott,

of Brixton Road, to our friend,
Mr. Breckinridge, over there.

Who in turn, sold
them to Mr. Windigate,

of the Alpha Public House.

Sir, you're the very man
I have longed to meet.

I can hardly explain to you
my interest in the matter.

Then I suggest that we
carry on this conversation

in rather
more comfort.

Cab.

Come in,
take my chair.

I will just put
on my slippers.

Ah.

I think we should know
the name of the gentleman

whom we have the pleasure
of assisting, don't you, Watson?

John Robinson.

Oh, no, no,
no, no;

your real name.

It is so awkward doing
business with an alias.

Well then, uh,

my real name is
Ryder, James Ryder.

Yes, Mr. Ryder,

upper attendant at
the Hotel Cosmopolitan.

Yes.

And I suppose you would
like to know what happened

to these geese, or, rather,
one goose, in particular,

white, with a gray head?

Oh, sir, can you tell me
where it went to?

It came here.

Here?

Sadly, it is
no longer here.

But it laid an egg after
it was dead -

the bonniest, brightest little
blue egg you have ever seen.

Come, come,
I have it.

The game is up,
Ryder.

Bear up, man, you'll
be in the fire.

And what a wretched little
shrimp it is, to be sure,

there's enough blood
in him for felony.

I have almost every link
in the chain, Ryder,

you need tell
me very little.

Catherine Cusack
put me up to it.

Her Ladyship's maid.

Exactly.

You knew from local
gossip that Horner

had been concerned in some
such matter before.

So what did you do,

you made some small job
in milady's room,

you and your
confederate Cusack.

You then managed that
Horner should be sent for.

But you, you stole the jewel,
then you raised the alarm

and had this
unfortunate man arrested.

For God's sake,
Mr. Holmes, have mercy.

Think of my father,
think of my mother,

it would break
their hearts.

I mean, I never
went wrong before,

I never will again.
I swear it on a Bible.

Oh, don't - don't bring
me to court, Mr. Holmes.

For God's sake,
don't do that to me.

Get back into
your chair.

It is very well
to cringe and crawl now,

but you thought little
of the man that you sent

to the dock for a crime
of which he knew nothing.

I'll fly,
Mr.Holmes.

I'll leave
the country.

Then the charge against him
will break down.

We'll talk
about that later.

Now tell me, how came
the stone into the goose,

and how came the goose
into the open market?

Tell me the truth, now,

for that is your
only hope of safety.

I'll tell it to you
just as it happened.

I thought it was best
to get away with the stone

as quick as I could,

for I didn't know at what moment
the police might not take it

into their heads
to search me and my room.

There was nowhere in the hotel
where it would be safe.

So, I went out,
as if on some commission,

and made for my sister's
house to think things over.

Why, Jim, whatever is it,
you look terrible.

I had a bit of a turn,
Maggie.

There's been a robbery
at the hotel.

You'd better
come in.

I went into the back yard
where she kept the geese,

smoked a pipe, and wondered
what it would be best to do.

I remember that my stomach
wasn't gonna stop

feeling like
a bag of ferrets

till I found somewhere
to hide the stone for a while,

when suddenly,
I looked at the geese,

which was hissing and huddling
in the corner of the yard.

My sister had told me
that I might have the pick

of her geese for
a Christmas present.

I picked out one
of the birds,

a fine thick one
with a gray head.

I pushed the stone
down its throat

as far as my finger
could reach.

Then I thought all my
troubles was over, when...

Whatever are you doing
with that bird, Jim?

Uh, you said I could have
one for Christmas,

so I was just feeling
which is the fattest.

We already set
yours aside -

Jim's bird,
we call it.

Uh, if it's
all the same to you, Maggie,

I'd rather have that
one I was handling just now.

Well, that one is a good
three pounds heavier,

we fattened it up
expressly.

Never mind.

I'll take the other,
and I'll take it now.

Just as
you like.

Which one
is it?

It's that gray-headed one
in the middle.

Oh,
very well.

Kill it and take
it with you.

I did what she said,
Mr. Holmes,

and I carried the bird to
my pal, we got a knife,

and we opened it up,
my heart turned to water,

there was no sign
of the stone,

and I knew some terrible
mistake must have occurred.

Where have they
all gone?

To the dealer's.

Which dealer's?

Breckinridge,
of Covent Garden.

Tell me,
just tell me,

was there another one
which had a gray head?

That's right, two,

I could never tell them apart,
I couldn't.

Well, what's the matter,
what's all the hurry?

I ran as hard
as my feet would carry me

to this man
Breckinridge;

but he had sold the lot,
and not one word

would he tell me
as to where they had gone.

I've gone mad.

And now I'm
a branded thief,

without ever having
touched the wealth

for which I've sold
my character.

God help me.
God help me.

Get out.

What?

Heavens,
bless you, sir.

No more words.

Get out.

I must confess,
Holmes,

to being a little
surprised.

I am not retained by the police
to supply their deficiencies.

Maybe I am committing a felony,
but I may be saving a soul.

Send him to jail now, you
make him a jailbird for life.

Listen, after all, it is the
season for forgiveness, come.

Midnight.

Merry Christmas,
Holmes.

And to you,
my dear friend.

Just a minute.

Holmes, I cannot
contemplate eating

while John Horner
is still on remand.

Do you suppose that Bradstreet
or one of his colleagues

might still
be at their desks?

You're quite right, Watson,
come, let's go.