The Seven-Per-Cent Solution Page #5

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How does one do that?

By, using the same method that

your friend uses

when he solves a mystery...

Well!

Jews in Maunberg.

This place has gone downhill

since I was here last.

You haven't been here in quite some

time, sir, that much is evident.

In the last five years,

the Jewish membership of Maunberg

has gone up fifty percent.

This is the same Dr. Freud...

Dr. Freud?

Not the same Dr. Freud

who was asked to leave

the staff of the Algemain Krankenhaus

because of his charming assertion that

young men sleep with their mothers.

By the way, Doctor,

did you sleep with your mother?

Cheers!

If you would step out, mein herr,

my seconds will call upon you

at your convenience.

Your quarrel is with me, sir.

He merely called the challenge.

I've challenged him for myself.

Please, Doctor,

let me fight my own battles.

Well?

As you wish, Herr Doctor.

- Do you know who I am?

- I do not know who you are,

but I know what you are.

And that is quite sufficient.

I am the Baron Von Leinsdorf.

And I am the injured party.

The choice of weapons is mine...

and the time is now.

I feel dreadful for getting you into this.

- Can you beat him?

- I doubt it.

But at least we have avoided dueling.

Men must find less violent methods

of resolving their differences.

- But if you loose...

- My dear fellow, it's only a game.

Would you wager on the outcome

of this match, Herr Doctor?

I prefer not to cloud the issue.

Spin for sides, please, gentlemen.

Rough.

One set to the best of five games.

15-love.

30-love.

Freud gave up point after point.

Though, as the play continued,

his game improved.

Nein!

The Baron leads two games to one.

Lovely.

You did rather better that last game.

I hope to do better still.

Have you seen his backhand?

- It's terrible.

- Yes.

Love-15.

His backhand,

his backhand.

15-15.

30-15.

Very good.

40-15.

In a contest as surprising

as any I had ever witnessed,

intellect prevailed over brute strength.

Game, set and match to Dr. Freud.

Very well done. Congratulations.

Is honor satisfied?

Perhaps you would care

for some dessert, Herr Holmes?

Some strudel?

Oh, thank you, no.

I have something for you,

Herr Holmes.

It's not a Stradivarius.

It belonged to an uncle of mine,

but I thought you might like to use it

while you are here.

Thank you for this.

Eat some strudel, Herr Holmes.

Siggy, a special envoy

from the hospital is here.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

He says it's an emergency.

Holmes, really, you must take

some nourishment.

Attempted suicide.

My coat, please.

I'm all right for the moment.

That remains to be seen.

Your craving could reassert itself

at any moment.

I think you'd rather come with me.

It may prove instructive.

Come on, Holmes.

I'll get your hat and coat.

She's lucky to be alive,

if you want my opinion, Dr. Freud.

She threw herself off

the Olgarten Bridge last night

and into the canal

before anyone could prevent her.

We put her under sedation

when she was brought in.

It should be wearing off now.

There she is.

- But isn't that...

- Precisely.

Lola Deveraux, whose head of red hair

was, till recently,

the toast of four continents.

That lady possessed a remarkable

mezzo soprano,

and displayed a fondness for lilies,

did she not?

A passion.

She was surrounded by them.

So much so that she called herself

the Lady of the Lilies.

She was a patient of mine

some months ago.

Remarkable woman.

But see, Herr Holmes,

where the ravages of cocaine lead.

I thought I had cured her.

You did.

I cured her?

She's had a terrible relapse

and tried to destroy herself.

I think I've never seen anything

so fiendish.

Fiendish? What do you mean?

She has not relapsed voluntarily.

See gentlemen, these bruise marks

on the lady's wrists and ankles,

She's been bound hand and foot,

and force-fed with drugs.

What?

Only her own courage

and determination

enabled her to escape confinement.

Note these grind cuts on her feet.

She used them, without shoes,

to break a window in her prison,

and then used the shards of broken glass

to free herself from her bounds.

Second story window.

How did you deduce that, Holmes?

Look at these.

She destroyed them sliding down

to the ground, probably...

holding onto a drain pipe.

But why should she then suicide,

after struggling to free herself?

Elementary, my dear Freud.

Once free, her addiction began

to reassert itself.

To satisfy it meant returning to captivity.

There was only one other method

of dealing with her dependence

on the drug.

We mustn't take what he says

too seriously.

- After all, he's still going...

- I know what you're thinking, Doctor.

I doubt the evidence would sustain

another interpretation.

He's not that sick.

But if his conclusions are accurate...

It's all right, Freulein Devereux,

you're quite safe now.

Oh, Dr. Freud.

Safe...

Oh, my God.

Freulein Devereux.

Freulein Devereux,

this is Sherlock Holmes.

Ah, yes...

The great English detective.

How do you do?

Freulein Devereux...

can you recall anything

of your abduction?

I was at the station...

On my way to Monte Carlo.

A man arrived with message for me.

A message from whom?

Please feel free to speak,

Miss Deveraux...

being an addict myself, I have

every sympathy for your condition.

From my friend...

the Baron Von Leinsdorf.

He was planning to join me...

in Monte Carlo...

but it wasn't from him.

It was simply a ruse to draw me

out of the station.

Once outside...

I was bundled into a landau with the...

blinds drawn.

I was gagged, tied, blindfolded...

Where I was ta ken, or by whom...

I cannot say.

Or Why?

No idea why.

One last question...

Can you describe your abductor...

the man who approached you

in the station?

It was a little man.

Dark haired...

he wore a bowler.

- It was days ago.

- I know, I know.

But... try.

His skin was very bad...

pockmarked.

And his teeth were bad too.

He walked with little nervous...

- jumps.

- How was he dressed?

Like a tradesman?

I really didn't notice.

I haven't seen him since.

Please...

Gentlemen, would you leave us

alone for a few minutes, please?

Of course.

Madam,

your strength is an example to us all.

Now...

we have to begin all over again,

Doctor?

Ja.

Are you afraid?

Afraid?

A woman as beautiful as I,

has seen everything fearful

by age seventeen.

I'm not afraid, only tired.

Very tired...

Herr Holmes, you will be serving me,

Miss Deveraux,

and yourself if you work along

with me in this matter.

- It's impossible.

- Why?

- Work is the very thing you need.

- Dr. Watson is right.

At this point, work will greatly

facilitate your cure.

That may well be, but

have you considered

the effect my condition might have

on Miss Deveraux's case.

No, gentlemen.

Having owned my addiction,

I must also own the time in need

of constant supervision.

Your hypnotic therapy

may be required at any time, Doctor.

In fact I'm not so sure that...

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