Sherlock Holmes - The Copper Beeches

Sherlock Holmes Short Stories

Dr. Watson narrates the investigation into a suspicious governess position offered to Violet Hunter at the Copper Beeches. Sherlock Holmes a

Key takeaways

• Violet Hunter was offered an unusually high salary of £120 per year for a governess position.
• Mr. Rucastle demanded that the governess cut her long hair as a condition of employment.

Main topics

• The Copper Beeches mystery
• Governess employment conditions

Notable quotes

The lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.

Conclusion

The episode demonstrates Holmes's ability to see through domestic faca

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) Who would ever associate crime with those dear old homesteads? They Speaker 1 (0:04) always Speaker 2 (0:05) fill me with a certain horror. It's my belief, Watson, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside. No man knew the hidden face of crime better than my friend Sherlock Holmes. My name is Dr. Watson, and it was my privilege to share the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I will tell you about the case of the Copper Beaches. It began, as so often, with a letter. It made Holmes want to laugh at first, but soon he was to take it seriously. And you will see why in just a moment. Speaker 2 (0:55) I've touched bottom at last. This note I had this morning marks my zero point identity. Speaker 1 (1:02) Here, Speaker 2 (1:02) read it. Oh, thank you. Speaker 1 (1:05) Dear Mr. Holmes, I'm very anxious to consult you as to whether I should or should not accept Speaker 2 (1:09) a situation which has been offered to me as governor. I shall call at half past ten tomorrow if I do not inconvenience you. Yours faithfully. Violet Hunter. Do you know the young lady? But I... Well, the note was written yesterday, and it's, uh... About ten now. Yes, Speaker 1 (1:31) and I have no doubt that is her ring. Yes, well, let us hope so. But Speaker 2 (1:35) our doubts will very soon be resolved for here, unless I'm much mistaken, is the person in question. I'll Speaker 3 (1:42) excuse my troubling you, I hope, Mr. Holmes. Speaker 2 (1:46) I shall be happy to do anything I can to serve you, Miss Hunter. Please take a seat. Speaker 3 (1:50) Thank you. Speaker 2 (1:51) This is my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson. How do you do? Speaker 3 (1:54) How do you do, Dr. Watson? Speaker 3 (1:57) Well, Mr. Holmes, I think I should explain that I have had a very strange experience. And as I have no parents or relatives of any sort from whom I could ask advice, I thought that perhaps you would be kind enough to tell me what I should do. A strange experience? I have been a governess for five years, but my employer recently took an appointment abroad, and I found myself without a situation. I advertised, and I answered advertisements. But I had no success. Then the little money I'd saved began to run short. I was at my wit's end what to do. There is a well-known agency for governesses in the West End called Westways. And I used to call there about once a week. The manager, Miss Stoper, sits in her own little office. And the ladies who are seeking employment wait in an ante room. They're shown in one by one. And Miss Stoper consults her ledgers and sees whether she has anything to suit them. Well... I called last week. I was shown into the office as usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. Speaker 1 (3:08) Ah, this one will do. I could not ask for anything better, Miss Stoper. Capital, capital. Speaker 3 (3:15) Sit down, Miss Hunter, please. Speaker 1 (3:18) This is Mr. Vucatel. Speaker 3 (3:20) Thank you. Speaker 1 (3:21) You are looking for a situation, Miss? Speaker 3 (3:24) Yes, sir. Speaker 1 (3:25) As governor? Speaker 3 (3:25) Yes, sir. Speaker 1 (3:26) And what salary do you ask? Speaker 3 (3:29) In my last place, with Colonel Stence Monroe, I had four pounds a month. Speaker 1 (3:35) Oh, come, come. Sweating, rank sweating. How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady with such attraction and accomplishment? Speaker 3 (3:44) My accomplishments, sir, may be less than you imagine. A little French, a little German, music, drawing. Speaker 1 (3:51) It is all quite beside the question. The point is, have you the bearing and deportment of a lady? There it is, in a nutshell. If you have not, you are not fitted for the rearing of a child who may someday play a considerable part in the history of the country. But if you have, well, then how could any gentleman ask you to condescend to accept anything under three figures? Your salary with me, madam, would commence at a hundred pounds a year. Speaker 2 (4:19) It Speaker 1 (4:20) is also my custom to advance to my young ladies half their salary beforehand, so that they may meet any little expenses of their journey and their wardrobe. Speaker 3 (4:29) May I ask where you live, sir? Speaker 1 (4:32) Ahabsham. Charming rural place. At the Copper Beaches, five miles on the far side of Winchester. It's the dearest old country house. Speaker 3 (4:42) And... My duties, sir? Speaker 1 (4:45) One child. One dear little romper. Just six years old. Speaker 3 (4:49) My sole duties, then, are to take charge of a single child. No, no, no. Speaker 1 (4:54) Not the sole. Not the sole, my dear young lady. Your duty would be, as I'm sure your good sense would suggest, to obey any little commands, provided always that they were such as a lady might with propriety obey, and which I or my wife... A nice gift. Speaker 3 (5:14) Your wife. Speaker 3 (5:17) I should be happy to make myself useful, Speaker 1 (5:19) of course. Quite so. We are faddy people, you know. Faddy, but kind-hearted. In dress now, for example, if you were asked to wear any dress which we might give you, you would not object to our little whim, huh? Speaker 3 (5:33) Why, no, sir. Speaker 1 (5:35) Or to sit here, or sit there. That would not be offensive to you. No. Or to cut your long hair quite short before you came to us. Speaker 3 (5:47) My hair? No, sir. Oh, not my hair. I'm afraid that is quite impossible. Speaker 1 (5:54) Ah, well, I'm afraid it's quite essential. It's a little fancy of my wife's. And ladies' fancies, you know, madam. Ladies' fancies must be consulted. Speaker 2 (6:04) And Speaker 1 (6:05) so you wouldn't Speaker 2 (6:07) cut Speaker 1 (6:07) your hair? No, sir. I really could not. Ah, very well. Speaker 1 (6:14) In that case, Miss Stoker, I had best inspect a few more of your young ladies. Very well, Mr. Rookhouse. Miss Hunter, do you desire your name to be kept upon our books? Speaker 3 (6:25) Well, really, it seems rather useless, and to refuse the most excellent offers in this fashion. You can hardly expect Speaker 1 (6:32) us to exert ourselves to find another opening for you. Good day, Miss Hunter. Next. Come along now. Speaker 3