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DarqueDante
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test2

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"Oh, certainly, certainly," answered Mr. Baker with a sigh of relief.
"Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of your
own bird, so if you wish--"
The man burst into a hearty laugh. "They might be useful to me as
relics of my adventure," said he, "but beyond that I can hardly see
what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are going to be
to me. No, sir, I think that, with your permission, I will confine my
attentions to the excellent bird which I perceive upon the
sideboard."
Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug of
his shoulders.
"There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the way,
would it bore you to tell me where you got the other one from? I am
somewhat of a fowl fancier, and I have seldom seen a better grown
goose."
"Certainly, sir," said Baker, who had risen and tucked his newly
gained property under his arm. "There are a few of us who frequent
the Alpha Inn, near the Museum--we are to be found in the Museum
itself during the day, you understand. This year our good host,
Windigate by name, instituted a goose club, by which, on
consideration of some few pence every week, we were each to receive a
bird at Christmas. My pence were duly paid, and the rest is familiar
to you. I am much indebted to you, sir, for a Scotch bonnet is fitted
neither to my years nor my gravity." With a comical pomposity of
manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and strode off upon his way.
"So much for Mr. Henry Baker," said Holmes when he had closed the
door behind him. "It is quite certain that he knows nothing whatever
about the matter. Are you hungry, Watson?"
"Not particularly."
"Then I suggest that we turn our dinner into a supper and follow up
this clue while it is still hot."
"By all means."
It was a bitter night, so we drew on our ulsters and wrapped cravats
about our throats. Outside, the stars were shining coldly in a
cloudless sky, and the breath of the passers-by blew out into smoke
like so many pistol shots. Our footfalls rang out crisply and loudly
as we swung through the doctors' quarter, Wimpole Street, Harley
Street, and so through Wigmore Street into Oxford Street. In a
quarter of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at the Alpha Inn, which is a
small public-house at the corner of one of the streets which runs
down into Holborn. Holmes pushed open the door of the private bar and
ordered two glasses of beer from the ruddy-faced, white-aproned
landlord.
"Your beer should be excellent if it is as good as your geese," said
he.
"My geese!" The man seemed surprised.
"Yes. I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker, who
was a member of your goose club."
"Ah! yes, I see. But you see, sir, them's not our geese."
"Indeed! Whose, then?"
"Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden."
"Indeed? I know some of them. Which was it?"
"Breckinridge is his name."
"Ah! I don't know him. Well, here's your good health landlord, and
prosperity to your house. Good-night."
"Now for Mr. Breckinridge," he continued, buttoning up his coat as we
came out into the frosty air. "Remember, Watson that though we have
so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this chain, we have at the
other a man who will certainly get seven years' penal servitude
unless we can establish his innocence. It is possible that our
inquiry may but confirm his guilt; but, in any case, we have a line
of investigation which has been missed by the police, and which a
singular chance has placed in our hands. Let us follow it out to the
bitter end. Faces to the south, then, and quick march!"
We passed across Holborn, down Endell Street, and so through a zigzag
of slums to Covent Garden Market. One of the largest stalls bore the
name of Breckinridge upon it, and the proprietor a horsey-looking
man, with a sharp face and trim side-whiskers was helping a boy to
put up the shutters.
"Good-evening. It's a cold night," said Holmes.
The salesman nodded and shot a questioning glance at my companion.
"Sold out of geese, I see," continued Holmes, pointing at the bare
slabs of marble.
"Let you have five hundred to-morrow morning."