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'It's　concerning　the　murder　of　the　young　woman；　Eliza　Grimwood；

some　years　ago；　over　in　the　Waterloo　Road。　　She　was　commonly　called

The　Countess；　because　of　her　handsome　appearance　and　her　proud　way

of　carrying　of　herself；　and　when　I　saw　the　poor　Countess　（I　had

known　her　well　to　speak　to）；　lying　dead；　with　her　throat　cut；　on

the　floor　of　her　bedroom；　you'll　believe　me　that　a　variety　of

reflections　calculated　to　make　a　man　rather　low　in　his　spirits；

came　into　my　head。



'That's　neither　here　nor　there。　　I　went　to　the　house　the　morning

after　the　murder；　and　examined　the　body；　and　made　a　general

observation　of　the　bedroom　where　it　was。　　Turning　down　the　pillow

of　the　bed　with　my　hand；　I　found；　underneath　it；　a　pair　of　gloves。

A　pair　of　gentleman's　dress　gloves；　very　dirty；　and　inside　the

lining；　the　letters　TR；　and　a　cross。



'Well；　sir；　I　took　them　gloves　away；　and　I　showed　'em　to　the

magistrate；　over　at　Union　Hall；　before　whom　the　case　was。　　He　says；

〃Wield；〃　he　says；　〃there's　no　doubt　this　is　a　discovery　that　may

lead　to　something　very　important；　and　what　you　have　got　to　do；

Wield；　is；　to　find　out　the　owner　of　these　gloves。〃



'I　was　of　the　same　opinion；　of　course；　and　I　went　at　it

immediately。　　I　looked　at　the　gloves　pretty　narrowly；　and　it　was　my

opinion　that　they　had　been　cleaned。　　There　was　a　smell　of　sulphur

and　rosin　about　'em；　you　know；　which　cleaned　gloves　usually　have；

more　or　less。　　I　took　'em　over　to　a　friend　of　mine　at　Kennington；

who　was　in　that　line；　and　I　put　it　to　him。　　〃What　do　you　say　now？

Have　these　gloves　been　cleaned？〃　　〃These　gloves　have　been　cleaned；〃

says　he。　　〃Have　you　any　idea　who　cleaned　them？〃　says　I。　　〃Not　at

all；〃　says　he；　〃I've　a　very　distinct　idea　who　DIDN'T　clean　'em；　and

that's　myself。　　But　I'll　tell　you　what；　Wield；　there　ain't　above

eight　or　nine　reg'lar　glove…cleaners　in　London；〃　…　there　were　not；

at　that　time；　it　seems　…　〃and　I　think　I　can　give　you　their

addresses；　and　you　may　find　out；　by　that　means；　who　did　clean　'em。〃

Accordingly；　he　gave　me　the　directions；　and　I　went　here；　and　I　went

there；　and　I　looked　up　this　man；　and　I　looked　up　that　man；　but；

though　they　all　agreed　that　the　gloves　had　been　cleaned；　I　couldn't

find　the　man；　woman；　or　child；　that　had　cleaned　that　aforesaid　pair

of　gloves。



'What　with　this　person　not　being　at　home；　and　that　person　being

expected　home　in　the　afternoon；　and　so　forth；　the　inquiry　took　me

three　days。　　On　the　evening　of　the　third　day；　coming　over　Waterloo

Bridge　from　the　Surrey　side　of　the　river；　quite　beat；　and　very　much

vexed　and　disappointed；　I　thought　I'd　have　a　shilling's　worth　of

entertainment　at　the　Lyceum　Theatre　to　freshen　myself　up。　　So　I

went　into　the　Pit；　at　half…price；　and　I　sat　myself　down　next　to　a

very　quiet；　modest　sort　of　young　man。　　Seeing　I　was　a　stranger

（which　I　thought　it　just　as　well　to　appear　to　be）　he　told　me　the

names　of　the　actors　on　the　stage；　and　we　got　into　conversation。

When　the　play　was　over；　we　came　out　together；　and　I　said；　〃We've

been　very　companionable　and　agreeable；　and　perhaps　you　wouldn't

object　to　a　drain？〃　　〃Well；　you're　very　good；〃　says　he；　〃I

SHOULDN'T　object　to　a　drain。〃　　Accordingly；　we　went　to　a　public…

house；　near　the　Theatre；　sat　ourselves　down　in　a　quiet　room　up…

stairs　on　the　first　floor；　and　called　for　a　pint　of　half…and…half；

apiece；　and　a　pipe。



'Well；　sir；　we　put　our　pipes　aboard；　and　we　drank　our　half…and…

half；　and　sat　a…talking；　very　sociably；　when　the　young　man　says；

〃You　must　excuse　me　stopping　very　long；〃　he　says；　〃because　I'm

forced　to　go　home　in　good　time。　　I　must　be　at　work　all　night。〃　　〃At

work　all　night？〃　says　I。　　〃You　ain't　a　baker？〃　　〃No；〃　he　says；

laughing；　〃I　ain't　a　baker。〃　　〃I　thought　not；〃　says　I；　〃you　haven't

the　looks　of　a　baker。〃　　〃No；〃　says　he；　〃I'm　a　glove…cleaner。〃



'I　never　was　more　astonished　in　my　life；　than　when　I　heard　them

words　come　out　of　his　lips。　　〃You're　a　glove…cleaner；　are　you？〃

says　I。　　〃Yes；〃　he　says；　〃I　am。〃　　〃Then；　perhaps；〃　says　I；　taking

the　gloves　out　of　my　pocket；　〃you　can　tell　me　who　cleaned　this　pair

of　gloves？　　It's　a　rum　story；〃　I　says。　　〃I　was　dining　over　at

Lambeth；　the　other　day；　at　a　free…and…easy　…　quite　promiscuous　…

with　a　public　company　…　when　some　gentleman；　he　left　these　gloves

behind　him！　　Another　gentleman　and　me；　you　see；　we　laid　a　wager　of

a　sovereign；　that　I　wouldn't　find　out　who　they　belonged　to。　　I've

spent　as　much　as　seven　shillings　already；　in　trying　to　discover；

but；　if　you　could　help　me；　I'd　stand　another　seven　and　welcome。

You　see　there's　TR　and　a　cross；　inside。〃　　〃I　see；〃　he　says。　　〃Bless

you；　I　know　these　gloves　very　well！　　I've　seen　dozens　of　pairs

belonging　to　the　same　party。〃　　〃No？〃　says　I。　　〃Yes；〃　says　he。

〃Then　you　know　who　cleaned　'em？〃　says　I。　　〃Rather　so；〃　says　he。

〃My　father　cleaned　'em。〃



'〃Where　does　your　father　live？〃　says　I。　　〃Just　round　the　corner；〃

says　the　young　man；　〃near　Exeter　Street；　here。　　He'll　tell　you　who

they　belong　to；　directly。〃　　〃Would　you　come　round　with　me　now？〃

says　I。　　〃Certainly；〃　says　he；　〃but　you　needn't　tell　my　father　that

you　found　me　at　the　play；　you　know；　because　he　mightn't　like　it。〃

〃All　right！〃　　We　went　round　to　the　place；　and　there　we　found　an　old

man　in　a　white　apron；　with　two　or　three　daughters；　all　rubbing　and

cleaning　away　at　lots　of　gloves；　in　a　front　parlour。　　〃Oh；　Father！〃

says　the　young　man；　〃here's　a　person　been　and　made　a　bet　about　the

ownership　of　a　pair　of　gloves；　and　I've　told　him　you　can　settle

it。〃　　〃Good　evening；　sir；〃　says　I　to　the　old　gentleman。　　〃Here's

the　gloves　your　son　speaks　of。　　Letters　TR；　you　see；　and　a　cross。〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　he　says；　〃I　know　these　gloves　very　well；　I've　cleaned

dozens　of　pairs　of　'em。　　They　belong　to　Mr。　Trinkle；　the　great

upholsterer　in　Cheapside。〃　　〃Did　you　get　'em　from　Mr。　Trinkle；

direct；〃　says　I；　〃if　you'll　excuse　my　asking　the　question？〃　　〃No；〃

says　he；　〃Mr。　Trinkle　always　sends　'em　to　Mr。　Phibbs's；　the

haberdasher's；　opposite　his　shop；　and　the　haberdasher　sends　'em　to

me。〃　　〃Perhaps　YOU　wouldn't　object　to　a　drain？〃　says　I。　　〃Not　in

the　least！〃　says　he。　　So　I　took　the　old　gentleman　out；　and　had　a

little　more　talk　with　him　and　his　son；　over　a　glass；　and　we　parted

excellent　friends。



'This　was　late　on　a　Saturday　night。　　First　thing　on　the　Monday

morning；　I　went　to　the　haberdasher's　shop；　opposite　Mr。　Trinkle's；

the　great　upholsterer's　in　Cheapside。　　〃Mr。　Phibbs　in　the　way？〃

〃My　name　is　Phibbs。〃　　〃Oh！　　I　believe　you　sent　this　pair　of　gloves

to　be　cleaned？〃　　〃Yes；　I　did；　for　young　Mr。　Trinkle　over　the　way。

There　he　is　in　the　shop！〃　　〃Oh！　that's　him　in　the　shop；　is　it？　　Him

in　the　green　coat？〃　　〃The　same　individual。〃　　〃Well；　Mr。　Phibbs；

this　is　an　unpleasant　affair；　but　the　fact　is；　I　am　Inspector　Wield

of　the　Detective　Police；　and　I　found　these　gloves　under　the　pillow

of　the　young　woman　that　was　murdered　the　other　day；　over　in　the

Waterloo　Road！〃　　〃Good　Heaven！〃　says　he。　　〃He's　a　most　respectable

young　man；　and　if　his　father　was　to　hear　of　it；　it　would　be　the

ruin　of　him！〃　　〃I'm　very　sorry　for　it；〃　says　I；　〃but　I　must　take

him　into　custody。〃　　〃Good　Heaven！〃　says　Mr。　Phibbs；　again；　〃can

nothing　be　done？〃　　〃Nothing；〃　says　I。　　〃Will　you　allow　me　to　call

him　over　here；〃　says　he；　〃that　his　father　may　not　see　it　done？〃　　〃I

don't　object　to　that；〃　says　I；　〃but　unfortunately；　Mr。　Phibbs；　I

can't　allow　of　any　communication　between　you。　　If　any　was

attempted；　I　should　have　to　interfere　directly。　　Perhaps　you'll

beckon　him　over　here？'　　Mr。　Phibbs　went　to　the　door　and　beckoned；

and　the　young　fellow　came　across　the　street　directly；　a　smart；

brisk　young　fellow。



'〃Good　morning；　sir；〃　says　I。　　〃Good　morning；　sir；〃　says　he。

〃Would　you　allow　me　to　inquire；　sir；〃　says　I；　〃if　you　ever　had　any

acquaintance　with　a　party　of　the　name　of　Grimwood？〃　　〃Grimwood！

Grimwood！〃　says　he。　　〃No！〃　　〃You　know　the　Waterloo　Road？〃　　〃Oh！　of

course　I　know　the　Waterloo　Road！〃　　〃Happen　to　have　heard　of　a　young

woman　being　murdered　there？〃　　〃Yes；　I　read　it　in　the　paper；　and

very　sorry　I　was　to　read　it。〃　　〃Here's　a　pair　of　gloves　belonging

to　you；　that　I　found　under　her　pillow　the　morning　afterwards！〃



'He　was　in　a　dreadful　state；　sir；　a　dreadful　state　I　〃Mr。　Wield；〃

he　says；　〃upon　my　solemn　oath　I　never　was　there。　　I　never　so　much

as　saw　her；　to　my　knowledge；　in　my　life！〃　　〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　says

I。　　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　don't　think　you　ARE　the　murderer；　but

I　must　take　you　to　Union　Hall　in　a　cab。　　However；　I　think　it's　a

case　of　that　sort；　that；　at　present；　at　all　events；　the　magistrate

will　hear　it　in　private。〃



'A　private　examination　took　place；　and　then　it　came　out　that　this

young　man　was　acquainted　with　a　cousin　of　the　unfortunate　Eliza

Grimwood；　and　that；　calling　to　see　this　cousin　a　day　or　two　before

the　murder；　he　left　these　gloves　upon　the　table。　　Who　should　come

in；　shortly　afterwards；　but　Eliza　Grimwood！　　〃Whose　gloves　are

these？〃　she　says；　taking　'em　up。　　〃Those　are　Mr。　Trinkle's　gloves；〃

says　her　cousin。　　〃Oh！〃　says　she；　〃they　are　very　dirty；　and　of　no

use　to　him；　I　am　sure。　　I　shall　take　'em　away　for　my　girl　to　clean

the　stoves　with。〃　　And　she　put　'em　in　her　pocket。　　The　girl　had

used　'em　to　clean　the　stoves；　and；　I　have　no　doubt；　had　left　'em

lying　on　the　bedroom　mantelpiece；　or　on　the　drawers；　or　somewhere；

and　her　mistress；　looking　round　to　see　that　the　room　was　tidy；　had

caught　'em　up　and　put　'em　under　the　pillow　where　I　found　'em。



That's　the　story；　sir。'





II。　…　THE　ARTFUL　TOUCH





'One　of　the　most　BEAUTIFUL　things　that　ever　was　done；　perhaps；'

said　Inspector　Wield；　emphasising　the　adjective；　as　preparing　us　to

expect　dexterity　or　ingenuity　rather　than　strong　interest；　'was　a

move　of　Sergeant　Witchem's。　　It　was　a　lovely　idea！



'Witchem　and　me　were　down　at　Epsom　one　Derby　Day；　waiting　at　the

station　for　the　Swell　Mob。　　As　I　mentioned；　when　we　were　talking

about　these　t