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have prevented his telling it） … to begin at the beginning； and relate the
whole thing。 He readily acceded to this request； and began by telling
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them the experiences which I have just narrated。 It was； he said； during
the last act of Sardou's 〃Cleopatra〃 that the idea had suddenly come to him
to change the plan of search from the analytical to the synthetical。
〃You see；〃 he continued； 〃I had from the first been trying to find the
assassin without knowing the exact way in which the crime was
committed。 I now determined to ascertain how； under the same
circumstances； I could commit such a crime； and leave behind no other
evidences of the deed than those which are in our possession。 I began to
read detective stories； with all the avidity of a Western Union Telegraph
messenger； and； of course； read those by Conan Doyle。 The assertion of
'Sherlock Holmes' that there is no novelty in crime； that crimes； like
history； repeat themselves； and that criminals read and copy each other's
methods； deeply impressed me； and I at once said to myself： 'If our
assassin was not original； whom did he copy？'
〃It was while reading 'The Sign of the Four；' which I had procured at
the Public Library； that I made the first discovery。 The crime therein
narrated had been committed in such a singular manner that it at once
attracted my attention。 The victim had apparently been murdered
without anyone having either entered or left the room。 In this respect it
was like the problem we are trying to solve。 Might not this book； I said
to myself； have suggested to your father's assassin the course he pursued。
I concluded to go to the library and ask for a list of the names of persons
who had taken out this book for a few months prior to your father's death。
I was fully aware that the chance of my learning anything in this way was
very slight； In the first place； I reasoned that it was not especially likely
your father's murderer had read 'The Sign of the Four；' and； in the second
place； even if he had； what assurance had I that he had read this particular
copy of it？ Notwithstanding this； however； I felt impelled to give my
synthetical theory a fair experimental trial。 I was informed by the
Library attendants that the book had been much read； and given the list of
some twenty names of persons who had borrowed the book during the
time I had specified。 With these twenty…odd names before me； I sat down
to think what my next step should be。 I went carefully over this chain of
reasoning link by link。 'I wish to find a certain murderer； and have
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adopted this method in the hope that it may help me。 If I derive any
assistance at all from it； it will be because my man has read this particular
copy of this work； therefore； I may as well assume at the start that among
these twenty…odd names is that of the man I want。 Is there any possibility
of this crime having been committed by a woman？' was my next question；
and my answer was； 'Yes； a possibility； but it is so decidedly improbable
that I may count it out for the time being。' Accordingly； I set aside all the
female names； which cut my list down to eighteen。 Several of the
applicants had only signed the initials of their given names； and the
attendant； copying them from the slips； had done likewise； so I was
obliged to go to the registration clerk to determine this question of sex；
and； while there； I also ascertained the age of each applicant … that is； of all
but two。 The registrar could give me no information regarding J。 Z。
Weltz； or B。 W。 Rizzi。 When I told him that one of the clerks had copied
the names for me from application slips； he informed me that if I would go
back to her I would undoubtedly find she had taken the two last…mentioned
names from the green slips used in applying for books for hall use； as
neither J。 Z。 Weltz nor B。 W。 Rizzi was a card…holder。
〃I decided to let these two names rest a while； and to give my attention
to the others。 After careful deliberation I felt reasonably sure your
father's assassin could not fail to be a man of mature judgment and
extraordinary cunning； probably a man past middle life … at all events； I
could safely say he was over twenty…one years of age。 Proceeding upon
this assumption my list was reduced to ten names。 But how should I
further continue this process of exclusion？ This was the question which
now confronted me。 I could think of but one way； apart from personally
making the gentlemen's acquaintance； which I did not then wish to do； and
that was to ascertain what other books they had borrowed immediately
before and after they had read 'The Sign of the Four。' This was the
course I determined to pursue。
〃If you ask me why I so persistently followed an investigation； a
successful outcome of which anyone must recognise would be little short
of miraculous； I can only say that I felt impelled to do so。 Perhaps the
impulse was due to my habit of testing patiently and thoroughly each new
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theory which impresses me as having any degree of probability； and
perhaps it was due to something else … Cleopatra； perhaps； eh； Doctor？ … I
don't know。 I determined； however； to thoroughly satisfy myself
regarding these ten men。 I made a careful list； with the assistance of an
attendant； of ten books taken by each man； five taken just prior to 'The
Sign of the Four；' and the other five just following it。 I made no
deductions until the list was completed； although I began to see certain
things of interest as we work