Sherlock Holmes and the Chinese Junk Affair and Other Stories Read Online Free PDF Page A

indestructible except in the worst typhoon.
    ‘Now, we are told that Rodger Hardy is now visiting America and that he has put Halam Hall up for sale. So, Watson, let us go property hunting.’
    I looked up the trains in our Bradshaw and saw we would be better catching the early morning workman’s train next day, than setting off now and, on arriving, spend most of our time perhaps searching for overnight accommodation.
    Holmes agreed and continued to expound his thoughts to me. ‘You see, Watson, we must not lose sight of our brief which is of course to investigate and prove or disprove the genuineness of this electrical transposing device.
    ‘It does no good and serves no useful purpose by thinking it is just not possible. Who would have thought it possible in the heyday of coach travel, that passengers would rush along in armchair comfort at speeds in excess of eighty miles an hour on the railways. Or that London Bridge could be lit at the touch of a switch, on and off, on and off.’
    Holmes reeled off facts as though lecturing a body of students.
    ‘Electric lights were installed and illuminated London Bridge in 1881. Edison invented the electric light in 1879. So we see solid coal was converted to electricity to produce light.
    ‘Way back in 1831 Michael Faraday, an Englishman, and Joseph Henry, an American, discovered independently how to produce electricity,’ Holmes continued his lecture from his great fund of knowledge stored in that noble cranium.
    ‘Before all this, Benjamin Franklin originated the idea of electricity. He flew kites in thunderstorms to capture the electricity from the skies. Later, he stated, electricity flowed from positive to negative, but he was wrong in this, because later other scientists proved that electricity flows in the opposite direction from negative to positive. We know that electric fields exist in the space around a charged body. An electric force acts on the charged bodies that enter the field. Particles with unlike charges attract one another, and those with like charges repel.’
    He paused and looked at the ceiling and after a few moments continued.
    ‘This is ordinary knowledge, but reflect upon the amount of progress three dedicated scientists, building upon what is already known, might achieve. It is no use saying, “Yes, but this is beyond belief, to actually transform solid matter into a form whereby it moves from one place to another, and re-forms itself, that is too absurd.” But is it?
    ‘Would not many of those learned men of a hundred years ago have thought the same about the electric car which first appeared, as you are aware, on the streets of Europe in 1880? A horseless carriage indeed.’
    Holmes placed his fingertips together; it was one of his favourite mannerisms when contemplating matters. He looked at me with a serious face.
    ‘Proving the “Transposer” is a confidence trick may prove very difficult, Watson, but proving it is authentic...’ He shook his head slowly from side to side... ‘Well-nigh impossible.’
    He rose from his chair to open the door for Mrs Hudson, bringing in our evening meal.
    ‘Let us enjoy our meal together, for who knows what tomorrow may bring. We must live in hopes that the gods are kind to us. What say you, Mrs Hudson?’
    ‘I don’t know what it is you’re referring to, Mr Holmes, but I agree that I hope the gods are kind to us all, tomorrow, and a while after that I hope.’
    ‘Well spoken, Mrs Hudson, and I am sure we shall enjoy our meal, it smells of ambrosia. I see too, you have chilled one of the wines Sir Beconfield gave us last month.’
    After the meal and before we settled down for the evening we packed our small cases so as to be ready in the morning to dash out and catch the returning workman’s special that would have disgorged its teeming masses on London.
    We retired early to bed so as to be fresh and ready for an early start.
    ‘Early to bed, early to rise... sleep well, Watson.’ Holmes