Sherlock Holmes - Retired Colourman

Sherlock Holmes Short Stories

This episode presents a classic adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's 'The Adventure of the Retired Colorman,' featuring Basil Rathbone as Sherlo

Key takeaways

• Holmes quickly suspects client Josiah P. Ambley due to inconsistencies in his story and the routine nature of the case handed off by Inspector Lestrade.
• Dr. Watson investigates Ambley's Lewisham residence, noting a neglected garden, fresh paint smell, and an unused theater ticket with seat number 31.

Main topics

• Sherlock Holmes detective fiction
• Victorian-era murder investigation

Notable quotes

"I'm a broken man. He's robbed me, the swine. He took everything I had in the world."

Conclusion

Listeners gain a gripping, atmospheric mystery that highlights Holmes'

Transcript preview

Speaker 3 (0:00) Oh Speaker 1 (0:10) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Speaker 3 (0:20) The Speaker 1 (0:21) makers of Bromo quinine cold tablets bring you another adventure of Sherlock Holmes with Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. Watch out for colds, ladies and gentlemen. They're very prevalent now, and a little cold may be the start of a serious illness. What you want to do with the first sign of a cold is take famous bromoquinine tablets. Bromoquinine tablets are made for one purpose and one purpose only, and that is the relief of colds. They act fast, give you speedy results, and that's what you want when you have a cold. Bromoquinine tablets are known the world over for their efficacy. Trust your reputation when buying a medicine. Do this when you feel a cold coming on, and you'll ask for Bromo Quinine Cold Tablets. And now, as we make our way through the night to Dr. Watson's hospitable door, we notice a feeling of spring in the air. The buds are swollen on the trees, still black and dripping from the rain. There's a smell of warm, damp earth. Speaker 3 (1:22) Delicious. Hey, Mr. Manning. Speaker 1 (1:24) Well, hello, Dr. Watson. I didn't see you in the dark. Yes, Speaker 3 (1:27) I've been out checking up to see if my magnolias survived the winter. Any casualties? No, they all seem to be fairly bursting with buds. There's nothing as delicious as that first faint whiff of spring. Speaker 3 (1:42) Or stretchers. Come along to the house before we both catch our death of cold. Speaker 4 (1:47) After you, sir. Not at all, my boy. None of that age Speaker 3 (1:50) before beauty nonsense. I'm not as decrepit as all have been. Speaker 1 (1:55) Oh, what's this? The front hall littered with trunks and suitcases? Oh, yes. Speaker 3 (1:59) I'm afraid my annual wanderlust has broken out rather early this spring. I'm off on a little jaunt first thing tomorrow morning, but come along into the study. Speaker 1 (2:07) Does that mean that this is the last of our storytelling evening? Speaker 3 (2:10) For this winter, yes, I'm afraid it does. Well, I trust I'm not too forward if I hope to be invited back in the fall. Speaker 1 (2:18) Oh, of course not. You know we'll be waiting for your return. Oh, Speaker 3 (2:21) thanks Speaker 1 (2:21) very Speaker 3 (2:21) much. Very decent of you. Put up with the... the... the hand rings of an old fellow like yourself. I Speaker 4 (2:28) appreciate Speaker 3 (2:29) it, you know. Sit down, Mr. Manny. Sit down there over there in the usual chair. Let's get on with our story before I get all glittery and sentimental. Speaker 1 (2:38) You're going to tell us about Professor Moriarty tonight, aren't you? Speaker 3 (2:41) Well, I had intended to, but I've changed my mind. I'm going to tell you the adventure of the retired colorman instead. Retired colorman? Isn't that a military term? No, it isn't. Mr. Josiah P. Ambley has been the junior member of Brickfall and Ambley, manufacturers of artistic paint boxes. quite a tiny little fortune. Retired from business at the age of 61, bought a house at Lewisham and settled down. The next year, 1897, he was married. Married? Yes, married. The woman's 30 years his junior. Speaker 4 (3:15) Well, you bet Rifty. Speaker 3 (3:19) two years he was as miserable a creature as crawls beneath the sun. Oh, dear me, I'm jumping ahead in the story again. As I was saying, it was the Speaker 4 (3:27) 23rd of April, 1899, and a rainy and disagreeable April it had been. Speaker 3 (3:33) Holmes was in a melancholy and philosophic mood that morning as he stood by the window, watching the raindrops chasing one another down, down the page. Rain had always suppressed him when he was not working on a case. When he was working on a case, I don't believe you realize that there was such a thing as weather. Speaker 2 (4:04) stopped for three days. Might as well be another flood. Heaven only knows what transgressions could have brought it on. That's been a really first-class crime for months. Speaker 3 (4:12) Cheer up, Holmes, cheer up. It's probably good for the crops or something. A shortage in crime? No, no, no. The rain, of course. Probably makes the little buds sprout and the little shoots shoot. Hold on, Mr. Plastid, optimistic. Speaker 2 (4:23) More likely rotting all the seed that's already been planted. Rain, where the deuce does it all come from? This confounded English climate. Why, any man with half a brain stays on this rain-soaked, misbound island is beyond me. I Speaker 3 (4:35) doubt if the men have anything to do with it. Speaker 2 (4:37) It's the ladies, God bless them. Speaker 3 (4:39) This climate gives them perfect complexions. And there's so many lovely creatures about. What Englishman would think of quitting the country? Speaker 2 (4:45) So much Speaker 3 (4:46) beauty is such excruciating... Oh, rubbish, Speaker 2 (4:48) Watson, rubbish. This thing has given you a temporary softening of the brain. I regret to say it seems to have that effect on most impressionable males. Speaker 3 (4:54) Impressionable nonsense. When a woman's concerned in many cases, you never even notice whether she's 16 or 60. And then you don't care whether she's got a well-turned ankle or whether she's flat-footed. Why should I? Holmes, there are times when I think you're... A cold-blooded fish. Speaker 2 (5:10) Possibly, Watson, possibly. Why do you suppose the fool doesn't show up? What fool? Josiah P. Amberley. Is Speaker 3 (5:17) he one of your clowns? Speaker 2 (5:18) I suppose I may call him so. He's been sent to me by Scotland Yard. Oh, Speaker 3 (5:21) by Scotland Yard. Quite. Speaker 2 (5:22) By Lestrade, to be exact. You must consider the case fairly hopeless if Lestrade hands the matter over to me of his own accord. Speaker 3 (5:28) Look, Holmes, there's a cab drawing up in front of our front door. He must be your clown, Mr. Amberley. Speaker 2 (5:36) Yeah. Strange-looking individual, eh, Watson? Quite an old fellow. Looks literally bowed down with care. Ah, but no weakling. Look at those shoulders and that chest. The framework of a giant. He's arguing with the cab driver about the fare. Watches the pennies, eh? No, Speaker 3 (5:51) sir, I don't like his face. So fierce and eager, and the way those snaky locks of grizzled hair stick out from under his hat. Speaker 2 (5:59) I wonder what he's worrying. What's worrying, Mr. Ambley? Worrying to bet it has something to do with money. I imagine nothing else could upset him to any great extent. Speaker 3 (6:07) Nonsense, Holmes. You always look on the base side of human nature. Speaker 2 (6:11) Here he is now. Come in, come in. Speaker 2 (6:16) Which of you is Sherlock Holmes? I am. This is my friend, Dr. Watson. Speaker 4 (6:20) I'm a broken man. He's robbed me, the swine. He took everything I had in the world. I thought he was my friend and he took everything. Right from under my nose. In my own house. Robbed me, he did. Speaker 2 (6:31) Yes, I thought you heard it was a question of money. Speaker 4 (6:32) Money? Who said money? He stole my wife. The light of my life. The apple of my eye. It's true she was very expensive. But after all, she was my wife and he stole her. Now, Mr. Emberley... My beautiful blonde wife. Hair like gold. And my securities. The money I saved up through years of hard work. Gone. All gone. Speaker 2 (6:52) Yes, thank you. First, tell us about your wife. How long have you been married? Speaker 4 (6:56) Two years. Speaker 2 (6:58) Two Speaker 4 (6:58) years and she's tired of me already. Two little years. Easy Speaker 2 (7:01) now, good man, easy. More facts and fewer recriminations if we're to get to the