SHERLOCK HOLMES STORIES (4)

THE CREEPING MAN

Again, the wonderful Sir Conan Doyle please us with this funny story. It took place in September 1903. When, as many times before, Holmes asked Watson to go with him. Obviously, Watson had already realized that Holmes needed him just to discuss his investigations, like a companion. When Watson arrived, Holmes told him that Professor Presbury`s dog had attacked him in the last days. It was a strange behaivor because the dog never had attacked anybody before.

Then, Mr. Trevor Bennett, the Professor Presbury's secretary come to Holmes with an unusual problem. First, professor suddenly had left home without telling anyone where he had gone. It was only through a letter from a friend sent to Mr. Bennett that the family learnt that Professor Presbury had been to Prague. Then, the whole household felt that they were living with another man, not the Professor Presbury that they once knew. There were definite changes in his moods and habits.Mr. Bennett mentioned that the dog attacks had been on July 2, 11, and 20. Holmes realized that these had happened in intervals of nine days each time.

Professor Presbury had been engaged to a young lady, Alice Morphy, although he was already sixty-one years old. The trouble seemed to had begun at about the time of Professor Presbury's and Alice's engagement. One night, Mr. Bennett saw the professor crawling along the hall on his hands and feet! Besides that, Edith Presbury (the doctor`s daugther) saw once her father at her bedroom window at two o'clock in the morning she was sure that she had not imagine that.

Holmes and Watson went to Camford to see the professor the next day. They decided to pretend that they had an appointment, but the professor was quite sure that he had made no appointment, and confirmed this with his secretary. Professor Presbury became furiously angry at the intrusion, and they decided to go out of the house. Before leaving the professor's house, Holmes had a look at Edith's bedroom window, and saw that it was almost impossible for a man to climb up there. Holmes formed a theory that every nine days, Professor Presbury took some kind of drug which caused the odd behaviour and that he had bought it in Prague at first. So Holmes and Watson would be in Camford once again on the next Tuesday. Holmes had noticed the professor's thick and horny knuckles , until that day. He had not made the connection between those, the odd behaviour, the dog's change in attitude towards his master, and the creeper. The professor was behaving like a monkey! That night, the Professor came out of the house, and climbed on the creeper, unfortunately, the dog got loose and attacked the professor. Holmes, Watson and Mr. Bennett's helped to get the dog off the professor, but he had been already hurt. Watson and Bennett treated the professor's injuries.

The case was resolved, Prefessor had been taking a drug recomended by a quack to achieve rejuvenation which he thought would be advisable if he were going to marry a young woman. The drug was obtained from a kind of monkey, and although it has apparently given the professor renewed energy, it has also given him some of the monkey's characteristics.

The creeping man is a romantic and funny story. This was the first time I supposed the end before I read it. Once again, it showed us what people do for love. In this case I understand the Professor`s decision to take drugs just for feeling younger. But I think it`s not important the age, if Alice loved him, he should thought about his own health. I guess if she had realized of that situation, she had never let him do it.

Holmes is an extraordinary character !!! He has always logic and inteligent thougths and even Conan Doyle hate him once. That was what made him kill Holmes and Moriarty in one story. Thanks of God, the pressure`s readers forced him to make a resurrection!!! I don`t remember where but I listened about a comparison between Holmes and Dr. House. The names, drugs, abilities, hobbies, etc. and now I know why I love him too.