SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE ADVENTURE OF THE SOLITARY CYCLIST
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
From the years 1894 to 1901 inclusive； Mr。 Sherlock Holmes was a
very busy man。 It is safe to say that there was no public case of
any difficulty in which he was not consulted during those eight years；
and there were hundreds of private cases； some of them of the most
intricate and extraordinary character； in which he played a
prominent part。 Many startling successes and a few unavoidable
failures were the outcome of this long period of continuous work。 As I
have preserved very full notes of all these cases； and was myself
personally engaged in many of them； it may be imagined that it is no
easy task to know which I should select to lay before the public。 I
shall； however； preserve my former rule； and give the preference to
those cases which derive their interest not so much from the brutality
of the crime as from the ingenuity and dramatic quality of the
solution。 For this reason I will now lay before the reader the facts
connected with Miss Violet Smith； the solitary cyclist of Charlington；
and the curious sequel of our investigation； which culminated in
unexpected tragedy。 It is true that the circumstance did not admit
of any striking illustration of those powers for which my friend was
famous； but there were some points about the case which made it
stand out in those long records of crime from which I gather the
material for these little narratives。
On referring to my notebook for the year 1895； I find that it was
upon Saturday； the 23rd of April； that we first heard of Miss Violet
Smith。 Her visit was； I remember； extremely unwelcome to Holmes； for
he was immersed at the moment in a very abstruse and complicated
problem concerning the peculiar persecution to which John Vincent
Harden； the well known tobacco millionaire； had been subjected。 My
friend； who loved above all things precision and concentration of
thought； resented anything which distracted his attention from the
matter in hand。 And yet； without a harshness which was foreign to
his nature； it was impossible to refuse to listen to the story of
the young and beautiful woman； tall； graceful； and queenly； who
presented herself at Baker Street late in the evening； and implored
his assistance and advice。 It was vain to urge that his time was
already fully occupied； for the young lady had come with the
determination to tell her story； and it was evident that nothing short
of force could get her out of the room until she had done so。 With a
resigned air and a somewhat weary smile； Holmes begged the beautiful
intruder to take a seat； and to inform us what it was that was
troubling her。
〃At least it cannot be your health；〃 said he； as his keen eyes
darted over her； 〃so ardent a bicyclist must be full of energy。〃
She glanced down in surprise at her own feet； and I observed the
slight roughening of the side of the sole caused by the friction of
the edge of the pedal。
〃Yes； I bicycle a good deal； Mr。 Holmes； and that has something to
do with my visit to you to…day。〃
My friend took the lady's ungloved hand； and examined it with as
close an attention and as little sentiment as a scientist would show
to a specimen。
〃You will excuse me； I am sure。 It is my business；〃 said he； as he
dropped it。 〃I nearly fell into the error of supposing that you were
typewriting。 Of course； it is obvious that it is music。 You observe
the spatulate finger…ends； Watson； which is common to both
professions？ There is a spirituality about the face； however〃… she
gently turned it towards the light… 〃which the typewriter does not
generate。 This lady is a musician。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Holmes； I teach music。〃
〃In the country； I presume； from your complexion。〃
〃Yes； sir； near Farnham； on the borders of Surrey。〃
〃A beautiful neighbourhood； and full of the most interesting
associations。 You remember； Watson； that it was near there that we
took Archie Stamford； the forger。 Now； Miss Violet； what has
happened to you； near Farnham； on the borders of Surrey？〃
The young lady； with great clearness and composure； made the
following curious statement：
〃My father is dead； Mr。 Holmes。 He was James Smith； who conducted
the orchestra at the old Imperial Theatre。 My mother and I were left
without a relation in the world except one uncle； Ralph Smith； who
went to Africa twenty…five years ago； and we have never had a word
from him since。 When father died； we were left very poor； but one
day we were told that there was an advertisement in the Times；
inquiring for our whereabouts。 You can imagine how excited we were；
for we thought that someone had left us a fortune。 We went at once
to the lawyer whose name was given in the paper。 There we； met two
gentlemen； Mr。 Carruthers and Mr。 Woodley； who were home on a visit
from South Africa。 They said that my uncle was a friend of theirs；
that he had died some months before in great poverty in
Johannesburg； and that he had asked them with his last breath to
hunt up his relations； and see that they were in no want。 It seemed
strange to us that Uncle Ralph； who took no notice of us when he was
alive； should be so careful to look after us when he was dead； but Mr。
Carruthers explained that the reason was that my uncle had just
heard of the death of his brother； and so felt responsible for our
fate。〃
〃Excuse me；〃 said Holmes。 〃When was this interview？〃
〃Last December… four months ago。〃
〃Pray proceed。〃
〃Mr。 Woodley seemed to me to be a most odious person。 He was for
ever making eyes at me… a coarse； puffy…faced； red…moustached young
man； with his hair plastered down on each side of his forehead。 I
thought that he was perfectly hateful… and I was sure that Cyril would
not wish me to know such a person。〃
〃Oh； Cyril is his name！〃 said Holmes； smiling。
The young lady blushed and laughed。
〃Yes； Mr。 Holmes； Cyril Morton； an electrical engineer； and we
hope to be married at the end of the summer。 Dear me； how did I get
talking about him？ What I wished to say was that Mr。 Woodley was
perfectly odious； but that Mr。 Carruthers； who was a much older man；
was more agreeable。 He was a dark； sallow； clean…shaven； silent
person； but he had polite manners and a pleasant smile。 He inquired
how we were left； and on finding that we were very poor； he
suggested that I should come and teach music to his only daughter；
aged ten。 I said that I did not like to leave my mother； on which he
suggested that I should go home to her every week…end； and he
offered me a hundred a year； which was certainly splendid pay。 So it
ended by my accepting； and I went down to Chiltern Grange； about six
miles from Farnham。 Mr。 Carruthers was a widower； but he had engaged a
lady housekeeper； a very respectable； elderly person； called Mrs。
Dixon； to look after his establishment。 The child was a dear； and
everything promised well。 Mr。 Carruthers was very kind and very
musical； and we had most pleasant evenings together。 Every week…end
I went home to my mother in town。
〃The first flaw in my happiness was the arrival of the
red…moustached Mr。 Woodley。 He came for a visit of a week； and oh！
it seemed three months to me。 He was a dreadful person… a bully to
everyone else； but to me something infinitely worse。 He made odious
love to me； boasted of his wealth； said that if I married him I
could have the finest diamonds in London； and finally； when I would
have nothing to do with him； he seized me in his arms one day after
dinner… he was hideously strong… and swore that he would not let me go
until I had kissed him。 Mr。 Carruthers came in and tore him from me；
on which he turned upon his own host； knocking him down and cutting
his face open。 That was the end of his visit； as you can imagine。
Mr。 Carruthers apologized to me next day； and assured me that I should
never be exposed to such an insult again。 I have not seen Mr。
Woodley since。
〃And now； Mr。 Holmes； I come at last to the special thing which
has caused me to ask your advice to…day。 You must know that every
Saturday forenoon I ride on my bicycle to Farnham Station； in order to
get the 12：22 to town。 The road from Chiltern Grange is a lonely
one； and at one spot it is particularly so； for it lies for over a
mile between Charlington Heath upon one side and the woods which lie
round Charlington Hall upon the other。 You could not find a more
lonely tract of road anywhere； and it is quite rare to meet so much as
a cart； or a peasant； until you reach the high road near Crooksbury
Hill。 Two weeks ago I was passing this place； when I chanced to look
back over my shoulder； and about two hundred yards behind me I saw a
man； also on a bicycle。 He seemed to be a middle…aged man； with a
short； dark beard。 I looked back before I reached Farnham； but the man
was gone； so I thought no more about it。 But you can imagine how
surprised I was； Mr。 Holmes； when； on my return on the Monday； I saw
the same man on the same stretch of road。