Short Stories
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Speckled Band
1
Helen's Story
At the time of this story, I was still living at my friend
Sherlock Holmes's flat in Baker Street in London. Very
early one morning, a young woman, dressed in black,
came to see us. She looked tired and unhappy, and her
face was very white. 'I'm afraid! Afraid of death,
Mr Holmes!' she cried. 'Please help me! I'm not thirty
yet and look at my grey hair! I'm so afraid!'
Sherlock Holmes's flat in Baker Street in London. Very
early one morning, a young woman, dressed in black,
came to see us. She looked tired and unhappy, and her
face was very white. 'I'm afraid! Afraid of death,
Mr Holmes!' she cried. 'Please help me! I'm not thirty
yet and look at my grey hair! I'm so afraid!'
'Just sit down and tell us your story,' said Holmes
kindly.
'My name is Helen Stoner,' she began, 'and I live
with my stepfather, Dr Grimesby Roylott, near a
village in the country. His family was once very rich,
but they had no money when my stepfather was born.
So he studied to be a doctor, and went out to India. He
met and married my mother there, when my sister Julia
and I were very young. Our father was dead, you see.'
'Your mother had some money, perhaps?' asked
Sherlock Holmes.
'Oh yes, mother had a lot of money, so my
stepfather wasn't poor any more.'
'Tell me more about him, Miss Stoner,' said Holmes.
'Well, he's a violent man. In India he once got
angry with his Indian servant and killed him! He had
to go to prison because of that, and then we all came
back to England. Mother died in an accident eight
years ago. So my stepfather got all her money, but if
Julia or I marry, he must pay us £250 every year.'
'And now you live with him in the country,' said
Holmes.
'Yes, but he stays at home and never sees anybody,
Mr Holmes!' answered Helen Stoner. 'He's more and
more violent now, and sometimes has fights with the
people from the village. Everybody's afraid of him
now, and they run away when they see him. And
they're also afraid of his Indian wild animals which
kindly.
'My name is Helen Stoner,' she began, 'and I live
with my stepfather, Dr Grimesby Roylott, near a
village in the country. His family was once very rich,
but they had no money when my stepfather was born.
So he studied to be a doctor, and went out to India. He
met and married my mother there, when my sister Julia
and I were very young. Our father was dead, you see.'
'Your mother had some money, perhaps?' asked
Sherlock Holmes.
'Oh yes, mother had a lot of money, so my
stepfather wasn't poor any more.'
'Tell me more about him, Miss Stoner,' said Holmes.
'Well, he's a violent man. In India he once got
angry with his Indian servant and killed him! He had
to go to prison because of that, and then we all came
back to England. Mother died in an accident eight
years ago. So my stepfather got all her money, but if
Julia or I marry, he must pay us £250 every year.'
'And now you live with him in the country,' said
Holmes.
'Yes, but he stays at home and never sees anybody,
Mr Holmes!' answered Helen Stoner. 'He's more and
more violent now, and sometimes has fights with the
people from the village. Everybody's afraid of him
now, and they run away when they see him. And
they're also afraid of his Indian wild animals which
run freely around the garden. A friend sends them to
him from India. And the animals are not the only wild
things in the garden; there are also gipsies. My
stepfather likes these wild people, and they can come
and go where they like. Poor Julia and I had very
unhappy lives. We had no servants. They always left
because they were afraid of my stepfather, and we had
to do all the work in the house. Julia was only thirty
when she died, and her hair was already grey, like my
hair now.'
'When did she die?' asked Sherlock Holmes.
'She died two years ago, and that's why I'm here. We
never met anybody in the country, but sometimes we
visited some of my family who live near London. There
Julia met a young man who asked to marry her. My
stepfather agreed, but soon after this she died.' Miss
Stoner put her hand over her eyes and cried for a
minute.
Sherlock Holmes was listening with his eyes closed,
but now he opened them and looked at Helen Stoner.
'Tell me everything about her death,' he said.
'I can remember it all very well. It was a terrible
time!' she answered. 'Our three bedrooms are all
downstairs. First there is my stepfather's room. Julia's
room is next to his, and my room is next to Julia's. The
rooms all have windows on the garden side of the
house, and doors which open into the corridor. One
evening our stepfather was smoking his strong Indian
him from India. And the animals are not the only wild
things in the garden; there are also gipsies. My
stepfather likes these wild people, and they can come
and go where they like. Poor Julia and I had very
unhappy lives. We had no servants. They always left
because they were afraid of my stepfather, and we had
to do all the work in the house. Julia was only thirty
when she died, and her hair was already grey, like my
hair now.'
'When did she die?' asked Sherlock Holmes.
'She died two years ago, and that's why I'm here. We
never met anybody in the country, but sometimes we
visited some of my family who live near London. There
Julia met a young man who asked to marry her. My
stepfather agreed, but soon after this she died.' Miss
Stoner put her hand over her eyes and cried for a
minute.
Sherlock Holmes was listening with his eyes closed,
but now he opened them and looked at Helen Stoner.
'Tell me everything about her death,' he said.
'I can remember it all very well. It was a terrible
time!' she answered. 'Our three bedrooms are all
downstairs. First there is my stepfather's room. Julia's
room is next to his, and my room is next to Julia's. The
rooms all have windows on the garden side of the
house, and doors which open into the corridor. One
evening our stepfather was smoking his strong Indian
cigarettes in his room. Julia couldn't sleep because she
could smell them in her room, so she came into my
room to talk to me. Before she went back to bed, she
said to me, "Helen, have you ever heard a whistle in
the middle of the night?"
I was surprised. "No," I said.
"It's strange," she said. "Sometimes I hear a whistle,
but I don't know where it comes from. Why don't you
hear it?"
I laughed and said, "I sleep better than you do." So
Julia went to her room, and locked the door after her.'
'Why did you lock your doors?' asked Sherlock
Holmes.
'We were afraid of the wild animals, and the gipsies,'
she answered.
'Please go on,' said Holmes.
'I couldn't sleep that night. It was a very stormy
night, with a lot of wind and rain. Suddenly I heard a
woman's scream. It was my sister's voice. I ran into the
corridor, and just then I heard a whistle, and a minute
later the sound of falling metal. I didn't know what it
was. I ran to my sister's door. She opened it and fell to
the ground. Her face was white and afraid, and she
was crying, "Help me, help me, Helen, I'm ill, I'm
dying!" I put my arms around her, and she cried out in
a terrible voice: "Helen! Oh my God, Helen! It was the
band! The speckled band!" She wanted to say more,
but she couldn't. I called my stepfather, who tried to
could smell them in her room, so she came into my
room to talk to me. Before she went back to bed, she
said to me, "Helen, have you ever heard a whistle in
the middle of the night?"
I was surprised. "No," I said.
"It's strange," she said. "Sometimes I hear a whistle,
but I don't know where it comes from. Why don't you
hear it?"
I laughed and said, "I sleep better than you do." So
Julia went to her room, and locked the door after her.'
'Why did you lock your doors?' asked Sherlock
Holmes.
'We were afraid of the wild animals, and the gipsies,'
she answered.
'Please go on,' said Holmes.
'I couldn't sleep that night. It was a very stormy
night, with a lot of wind and rain. Suddenly I heard a
woman's scream. It was my sister's voice. I ran into the
corridor, and just then I heard a whistle, and a minute
later the sound of falling metal. I didn't know what it
was. I ran to my sister's door. She opened it and fell to
the ground. Her face was white and afraid, and she
was crying, "Help me, help me, Helen, I'm ill, I'm
dying!" I put my arms around her, and she cried out in
a terrible voice: "Helen! Oh my God, Helen! It was the
band! The speckled band!" She wanted to say more,
but she couldn't. I called my stepfather, who tried to
help her, but we could do nothing. And so my dear,
dear sister died.'
'Are you sure about the whistle and the sound of
falling metal?' asked Holmes.
'I think so,' answered Helen. 'But it was a very wild,
stormy night. Perhaps I made a mistake. The police
couldn't understand why my sister died. Her door was
locked and nobody could get into her room. They
didn't find any poison in her body. And what was "the
speckled band"? Gipsies wear something like that
round their necks. I think she died because she was so
afraid, but I don't know what she was afraid of.
Perhaps it was the gipsies. What do you think,
Mr Holmes?'
dear sister died.'
'Are you sure about the whistle and the sound of
falling metal?' asked Holmes.
'I think so,' answered Helen. 'But it was a very wild,
stormy night. Perhaps I made a mistake. The police
couldn't understand why my sister died. Her door was
locked and nobody could get into her room. They
didn't find any poison in her body. And what was "the
speckled band"? Gipsies wear something like that
round their necks. I think she died because she was so
afraid, but I don't know what she was afraid of.
Perhaps it was the gipsies. What do you think,
Mr Holmes?'
Holmes thought for a minute. 'Hmm,' he said.
'That is a difficult question. But please go on.'
'That was two years ago,' Helen Stoner said. 'I have
been very lonely without my sister, but a month ago a
dear friend asked me to marry him. My stepfather has
agreed, and so we're going to marry soon. But two
days ago I had to move to my sister's old bedroom,
because some men are mending my bedroom wall, and
last night I heard that whistle again! I ran out of the
house immediately and came to London to ask for
your help. Please help me, Mr Holmes! I don't want to
die like Julia!'
'We must move fast,' said Holmes. 'If we go to your
house today, can we look at these rooms? But your
stepfather must not know.'
'He's in London today, so he won't see you. Oh
thank you, Mr Holmes, I feel better already.'
'That is a difficult question. But please go on.'
'That was two years ago,' Helen Stoner said. 'I have
been very lonely without my sister, but a month ago a
dear friend asked me to marry him. My stepfather has
agreed, and so we're going to marry soon. But two
days ago I had to move to my sister's old bedroom,
because some men are mending my bedroom wall, and
last night I heard that whistle again! I ran out of the
house immediately and came to London to ask for
your help. Please help me, Mr Holmes! I don't want to
die like Julia!'
'We must move fast,' said Holmes. 'If we go to your
house today, can we look at these rooms? But your
stepfather must not know.'
'He's in London today, so he won't see you. Oh
thank you, Mr Holmes, I feel better already.'
2
Holmes and Watson Visit the House
Holmes went out for the morning, but he came back at
lunch-time. We then went by train into the country,
and took a taxi to Dr Roylott's house. 'You see,' said
Holmes to me, 'our dangerous friend Roylott needs the
girls' money, because he only has £750 a year from his
dead wife. I found that out this morning. But the
lunch-time. We then went by train into the country,
and took a taxi to Dr Roylott's house. 'You see,' said
Holmes to me, 'our dangerous friend Roylott needs the
girls' money, because he only has £750 a year from his
dead wife. I found that out this morning. But the
gipsies, the whistle, the band - they are more difficult
to understand, but I think I have an answer.'
When we arrived, Helen Stoner showed us the three
bedrooms. We saw her room first.
'Why are they mending your bedroom wall?' asked
Holmes. 'There's nothing wrong with it.'
'You're right,' she said. 'I think it was a plan to
move me into my sister's room.'
'Yes,' said Holmes. We went into Julia's room, and
Holmes looked at the windows carefully.
'Nobody could come in from outside,' he said. Then
he looked round the room. 'Why is that bell-rope
there, just over the bed?'
'My stepfather put it there two years ago. It's for
calling a servant, but Julia and I never used it because
to understand, but I think I have an answer.'
When we arrived, Helen Stoner showed us the three
bedrooms. We saw her room first.
'Why are they mending your bedroom wall?' asked
Holmes. 'There's nothing wrong with it.'
'You're right,' she said. 'I think it was a plan to
move me into my sister's room.'
'Yes,' said Holmes. We went into Julia's room, and
Holmes looked at the windows carefully.
'Nobody could come in from outside,' he said. Then
he looked round the room. 'Why is that bell-rope
there, just over the bed?'
'My stepfather put it there two years ago. It's for
calling a servant, but Julia and I never used it because
we didn't have any servants. He also put in that airvent
on the wall between his room and this one.'
Holmes pulled the rope. 'But it doesn't work,' he
said. 'How strange! And it's just over the air-vent.
That also is interesting. Why have an air-vent on an
inside wall? Air-vents are usually on outside walls.'
Then we went into Dr Roylott's room. Holmes saw
a large metal box near the wall.
'My stepfather keeps business papers in there,' said
Helen.
'Does he keep a cat in there too?' asked Holmes.
'Look!' There was some milk on a plate on top of the
on the wall between his room and this one.'
Holmes pulled the rope. 'But it doesn't work,' he
said. 'How strange! And it's just over the air-vent.
That also is interesting. Why have an air-vent on an
inside wall? Air-vents are usually on outside walls.'
Then we went into Dr Roylott's room. Holmes saw
a large metal box near the wall.
'My stepfather keeps business papers in there,' said
Helen.
'Does he keep a cat in there too?' asked Holmes.
'Look!' There was some milk on a plate on top of the
box. 'Now, Miss Stoner,' he said, 'I think your life is in
danger. Tonight my friend Watson and I must spend
the night in your sister's room, where you are sleeping
at the moment.'
Helen Stoner and I looked at him in surprise.
'Yes, we must,' he went on. 'We'll take a room in a
hotel in the village. When your stepfather goes to bed,
put a light in your sister's bedroom window and leave
it open. Then go into your old room and we'll get into
your sister's room through the window. We'll wait for
the sound of the whistle and the falling metal.'
'How did my sister die, Mr Holmes? Do you know?
danger. Tonight my friend Watson and I must spend
the night in your sister's room, where you are sleeping
at the moment.'
Helen Stoner and I looked at him in surprise.
'Yes, we must,' he went on. 'We'll take a room in a
hotel in the village. When your stepfather goes to bed,
put a light in your sister's bedroom window and leave
it open. Then go into your old room and we'll get into
your sister's room through the window. We'll wait for
the sound of the whistle and the falling metal.'
'How did my sister die, Mr Holmes? Do you know?
Please tell me!' said Helen. She put her hand on
Sherlock Holmes's arm.
'I must find out more before I tell you, Miss Stoner.
Now goodbye, and don't be afraid,' replied Sherlock
Holmes.
We walked to the village, and Holmes said to me,
Tonight will be dangerous, Watson. Roylott is a very
violent man.'
'But if I can help, Holmes, I shall come with you,' I
said.
'Thank you, Watson. I'll need your help. Did you see
the bell-rope, and the air-vent? I knew about the airvent
before we came. Of course there is a hole between
the two rooms. That explains why Helen's sister could
smell Dr Roylott's cigarette.'
'My dear Holmes! How clever of you!' I cried.
'And did you see the bed? It's fixed to the floor. She
can't move it. It must stay under the rope, which is
near the air-vent.'
'Holmes!' I cried. 'I begin to understand! What a
terrible crime!'
'Yes, this doctor is a very clever man. But we can
stop him, I think, Watson.'
Sherlock Holmes's arm.
'I must find out more before I tell you, Miss Stoner.
Now goodbye, and don't be afraid,' replied Sherlock
Holmes.
We walked to the village, and Holmes said to me,
Tonight will be dangerous, Watson. Roylott is a very
violent man.'
'But if I can help, Holmes, I shall come with you,' I
said.
'Thank you, Watson. I'll need your help. Did you see
the bell-rope, and the air-vent? I knew about the airvent
before we came. Of course there is a hole between
the two rooms. That explains why Helen's sister could
smell Dr Roylott's cigarette.'
'My dear Holmes! How clever of you!' I cried.
'And did you see the bed? It's fixed to the floor. She
can't move it. It must stay under the rope, which is
near the air-vent.'
'Holmes!' I cried. 'I begin to understand! What a
terrible crime!'
'Yes, this doctor is a very clever man. But we can
stop him, I think, Watson.'
3
Death in the Night
That night we went back to the house. When we saw
Helen Stoner's light, Holmes and I got in quietly
through the window. Then we waited silently in the
middle bedroom in the dark. We waited for three
hours and did not move. Suddenly we saw a light and
heard a sound from Dr Roylott's room. But nothing
happened, and again we waited in the dark. Then there
was another sound, a very quiet sound . . . Immediately
Holmes jumped up and hit the bell-rope hard.
'Can you see it, Watson?' he shouted. But I saw
nothing. There was a quiet whistle. We both looked up
at the air-vent, and suddenly we heard a terrible cry in
the next room. Then the house was silent again.
Helen Stoner's light, Holmes and I got in quietly
through the window. Then we waited silently in the
middle bedroom in the dark. We waited for three
hours and did not move. Suddenly we saw a light and
heard a sound from Dr Roylott's room. But nothing
happened, and again we waited in the dark. Then there
was another sound, a very quiet sound . . . Immediately
Holmes jumped up and hit the bell-rope hard.
'Can you see it, Watson?' he shouted. But I saw
nothing. There was a quiet whistle. We both looked up
at the air-vent, and suddenly we heard a terrible cry in
the next room. Then the house was silent again.
'What does it mean?' I asked. My voice was shaking.
'It's finished,' answered Holmes. 'Let's go and see.'
We went into Dr Roylott's room. The metal box was
open. Roylott was sitting on a chair, and his eyes were
fixed on the air-vent. Round his head was a strange,
yellow speckled band. He was dead.
'The band! The speckled band!' said Holmes very
quietly. The band moved and began to turn its head.
'Be careful, Watson! It's a snake, an Indian snake -
and its poison can kill very quickly,' Holmes cried.
'Roylott died immediately. We must put the snake
back in its box.' Very, very carefully, Holmes took the
snake and threw it into the metal box.
'It's finished,' answered Holmes. 'Let's go and see.'
We went into Dr Roylott's room. The metal box was
open. Roylott was sitting on a chair, and his eyes were
fixed on the air-vent. Round his head was a strange,
yellow speckled band. He was dead.
'The band! The speckled band!' said Holmes very
quietly. The band moved and began to turn its head.
'Be careful, Watson! It's a snake, an Indian snake -
and its poison can kill very quickly,' Holmes cried.
'Roylott died immediately. We must put the snake
back in its box.' Very, very carefully, Holmes took the
snake and threw it into the metal box.
'But how did you know about the snake, Holmes?' I
asked.
'At first, Watson, I thought that it was the gipsies.
But then I understood. I thought that perhaps something
came through the air-vent, down the bell-rope
and on to the bed. Then there was the milk - and of
course, snakes drink milk. It was easy for the Doctor to
get Indian animals. And because he was a doctor, he
knew that this snake's poison is difficult to find in a
dead body. So every night he put the snake through the
air-vent, and it went down the bell-rope on to the bed.
Of course, nobody must see the snake, so every night
he whistled to call it back. The sound of metal falling
was the door of the metal box, which was the snake's
home. Perhaps the snake came through the air-vent
many times before it killed Julia. But in the end it killed
her. And Helen, too, nearly died because of this snake.
'But tonight, when I hit the snake on the rope, it was
angry and went back through the air-vent. And so it
killed the Doctor. I'm not sorry about that.'
Soon after this Helen Stoner married her young man
and tried to forget the terrible deaths of her sister and
stepfather. But she never really forgot the speckled
band.
asked.
'At first, Watson, I thought that it was the gipsies.
But then I understood. I thought that perhaps something
came through the air-vent, down the bell-rope
and on to the bed. Then there was the milk - and of
course, snakes drink milk. It was easy for the Doctor to
get Indian animals. And because he was a doctor, he
knew that this snake's poison is difficult to find in a
dead body. So every night he put the snake through the
air-vent, and it went down the bell-rope on to the bed.
Of course, nobody must see the snake, so every night
he whistled to call it back. The sound of metal falling
was the door of the metal box, which was the snake's
home. Perhaps the snake came through the air-vent
many times before it killed Julia. But in the end it killed
her. And Helen, too, nearly died because of this snake.
'But tonight, when I hit the snake on the rope, it was
angry and went back through the air-vent. And so it
killed the Doctor. I'm not sorry about that.'
Soon after this Helen Stoner married her young man
and tried to forget the terrible deaths of her sister and
stepfather. But she never really forgot the speckled
band.
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