THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES

Narrator: Sherlock Holmes was reading THE DAILY TELEGRAPH one morning. He glanced at the
advertisement sheet and, putting is aside, looked at me.

Sherlock: A person should love art for its own sake. Only then can true pleasure be derives. The way
you record all my cases leaves a lot to be desired.

Watson: I think I have done full justice in this matter.

Narrator: it was a cold morning in spring and we were sitting near a cherry fire. Sherlock quietly
tossed a crumpled piece of paper to Watson and him to read it.

Watson: Dear Mr Holmes I want to consult you regarding an appointment as a governess. I want to
meet you and shall come at 10:30 am tomorrow. Violet Hunter

Narrator: Watson read the note which had come from Montague Place.

Watson: Do you know her?

Sherlock: Not at all.

Narrator: Just then they heard the doorbell and they waited for Violet Hunter to enter the room. The
young lad who entered was simply yet neatly dressed. She had the brisk manner of a woman who
had to make her own way in the world.

Violet: I am in a dilemma and since I have no one to whom I can turn, I am troubling you. I want your
advice please.

Narrator: Sherlock offered her a seat and promised to help her if he could.

Violet: I have been working as a governess for the family of Colonel Spence Munro for the past five
years. But the Colonel was transferred and he left with his family. I was left without a job, so I
started looking for one.

All my savings were used up and so I went to an agency to see if they had anything for me. I
was taken to the inner office where I met a man, Mr Rucastle. As soon as he saw me, he offered me
the job of a governess.

Sherlock: So, what is worrying you Miss Violet?

Violet: The unusual offer. The man looked very kind and jovial. He offered to give me 100 pounds per
year for taking care of his only son. He could easily get anyone for half the salary.

Narrator: She went on after a pause

Violet: He praised me for my accomplishments and was over-enthusiastic that I accept his offer. I
was broke and needed the job. Seeing that I was going to accept his offer, he gave me half my salary
in advance. I asked him about his home and family. He told me I would have to take care of his child
whose amusement is killing cockroaches. I was startled by this. He then told me that I would have to
obey the commands of his wife. She would want me to wear a particular kind of dress, sit in a
particular way and cut my hair too. Mr Holmes I am particularly fond of my hair and cutting then
would be out of the question. I told the man that I would not cut my hair, he let it go and turning to
the manageress of the agency requested to see more young ladies.

Sherlock: What did you do then, Miss Violet?

THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES
Violet: I came back to my lodgings and thought what the use of my long hair is when I am in such a
destitute condition.

Narrator: Violet decided to visit the agency and check whether the offer was still open for her.

After visiting she got a letter from the gentleman. She read the letter.

Violet: The position is still open they are willing to give extra money too. The gentleman said that
since his wife had taken a fancy to Miss Violet he was insistent that she take up the position. He will
wait for her at Winchester.

Narrator: Violet looked at them and added

Violet: I have decided to take up the position. But I would be happy if you could advise me on this.

Sherlock: If you had decided then there ends the matter. But I would not like to see a sister of mine
taking up such a position.

Violet: I have met Rucastle and he seems a good man. I think maybe his wife is a lunatic. He does not
want to put her away in an asylum and so humours her fancies in every way.

Narrator: Sherlock tried to talk her out of it but she wanted to accept the offer as it offered a good
salary. It was decided that she would go to Winchester and if she finds herself in danger of any kind,
she would summon them. Not many days has passed they received a telegram from Miss Violet. She
asked them to be at the Black Swan Hotel at Winchester the following day at midday. The next day
saw us on their way to Winchester. It was an ideal spring day they were enjoying the scenery.
Sherlock, on the other hand, was preoccupied with the case. Though the lady had called us, they
were sure that she had her freedom and was not in any grave danger. They knew that if she could
come to meet us, she was safe and not threatened in any way. When they reached the Black Swan
Inn, they found Miss Violet waiting for them. She had also made arrangements for their lunch. She
thanked them for coming and told us all that had happened in the past few days. She also said that
had happened in the past few days. She also said that she must be back by 3:00pm.

Violet: Before I tell you everything, let me tell you that I was not ill-treated in any way by Mr
Rucastle. But I cannot understand their behaviour. Mr Rucastle is very kind to me. Mrs Rucastle is
not a lunatic. She is a silent woman though. They have been married for seven years and Rucastle
has a daughter from his first marriage. The daughter does not stay with them as she has an aversion
to her stepmother.

Violet: Mrs. Rucastle is a devoted mother and a wife. The child on the other hand is an ill-natured
creature. He loves to cause pain to living things. There are two servants in the house, Toller and his
wife. Toller is a rough man and drinks all the time. His wife is an indifferent woman. I am lucky that I
don’t spend time with them. For the first two days, my life was very quiet. On the third day, I was
made to wear a blue dress and sit on a chair near the window.

Narrator: Rucastle started walking up and down and began telling me a series of funny stories that
made her laugh heartily.

Violet: After an hour of this, I was told to change the dress and resume my duties. The performance
was repeated two days later. After I had my laugh, I was told to read from a book. I read for 10
minutes but was told to stop in the milked of a sentence. Mr. Holmes, I was becoming curious about
this matter and wanted to see what was going on behind my back. Next time when I was asked to
THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES
wear the blue dress, I hid a piece of a broken mirror in my handkerchief so that I could see what was
going on.

Sherlock: That was very clever, Miss Violet.

Violet: Thank you sir.

Sherlock: Now Miss Violet, what happened after that?

Violet: As I looked in the mirror, I saw a man standing on the road, looking towards the house.

Mrs. Rucastle: Rucastle someone from the road was staring Violet continuously. It is very suspicious.

Narrator: The next day.

Mr. Rucastle: Come with me.

Violet: I followed him, he took me to a small outhouse and asked me to peep through the planks.
Inside was a huge dog. He added that the dog was very fierce and I should be careful not to step out
of the House at night. Now that I think of it, he was trying to frighten me. As I told you I had cut my
hair back on London. I had not wanted to throw it away so I kept it in a coil in my trunk. One
evening, I tried to put away my things in the old sheath of drawers in the room. To my amazement I
found a coil of hair in the bottom drawer. It was exactly like my coil of hair. I did not know what to
make of it so I put it back and locked the door. But I was puzzled all the same. One day, I also noticed
a room in the house that was kept locked. It so happened that I saw Rucastle lock the door and come
out in an angry mood. His brow was wrinkled with rage. He hurried past me without saying a word.
This made me curious and I tried to find out about the room. Walking in the garden I looked at the
house and saw that a couple of rooms were shuttered up.

Watson: Did Mr. Rucastle say anything to you?

Violet: I asked him what is inside that room ?

Mr. Rucastle: Those rooms were used as dark rooms for my hobby of photography.

Violet: I had a feeling that there was something in that room that he was hiding. You may say it was
a woman’s instinct that made me go to that room. Incidentally, Toller had left the key in the lock and
I took it as my luck.

Sherlock: What did you find there?

Violet: The room was dark but there was little light in the next room. I heard the sound of steps in
the room and saw a shadow pass backward and forward. I was terrified and I turned and ran out of
the room. As I ran down the stairs, Rucastle caught me.

Mr. Rucastle: What frightened you?

Violet: I was cautious and did not say anything about the shadow.

Mr. Rucastle: I am giving you warning don’t visit the room again if you visit without telling I will
throw you to the fierce dog.

Violet: I was frightened and did not know what to do. As I lay in my bed, I thought of calling you for
help.
THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES
Narrator: Holmes and Watson were spellbound by Miss Violet’s narration. Holmes then got up from
his chair and asked whether Toller might still be drunk. When she said yes, Holmes made plans to go
to Copper Beeches and look into the matter. Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle had to go out and Holmes
instructed Miss Violet to lock Mrs. Toller in the cellar.

Sherlock: I am sure that Rucastle has kept his daughter in that room. You were asked to take up the
position since you look like her with your height and the color of your hair. Her hair was cut short so
you were instructed to cut your hair too.

Violet: Who was the man that I saw on the road then?

Sherlock: Maybe a friend of the girl or her Fiancé. You were used to impersonate the girl to convince
the man that the girl was happy and did not want his friendship any longer.

Narrator: They promised Miss Violet that they will be there at 7:00pm as she was about to leave.

Sherlock: We kept our promise and saw that Miss Violet had locked Mrs. Toller in the cellar and she
was screaming.

Mrs. Toller: Open it! Open it!

Narrator: They quickly made their way to the room. Holmes tried to open the lock but failed. There
was not a sound from inside. They feared for the safety of the girl.

Watson: Holmes told me to break the door.

Narrator: When they broke the door and got inside the room they saw the room was empty except
for a small bed. They could see that the skylight was open and the prisoner had disappeared. Holmes
showed everyone how the man must have carried the victim away through the ladder. They heard
the footsteps and in a minute saw Rucastle appear at the doorstep Holmes jumped over the man
and demanded to know the whereabouts of his daughter.

Mr. Rucastle: Where is my daughter? You must have taken my daughter.

Narrator: He ran down the stairs to get the dog. They all ran down to close the front door. They
heard a cry of pain and saw taller running towards us.

Mr. Toller: The dog has not been fed for two days and it has been set loose.

Narrator: Holmes and Watson rushed out to see what was going on. The dog had attacked Rucastle
and he was writhing in pain. Holmes aimed the gun at the dog and killed it in one shot. Holmes and
Watson carried Mr. Rucastle back to the house.

Mrs. Toller: I know the truth.

Watson: Tell us. Tell us.

Mrs. Toller: Rucastle’s daughter was not happy there since her father was remarried. She met Mr.
Fowler and wanted to marry him. Rucastle did not want that as after her marriage, the property and
wealth would go to her husband. He forced her to sign the papers so that she could get all the
wealth, and when she refused, he troubled her. The poor girl became sick with brain fever and was
at death’s door. Rucastle imprisoned her and brought Miss Violet to impersonate her so that Mr.
Fowler would be sent away. But Mr. Fowler was a very good man and finally managed to take away
his bride-to-be from her father’s imprisonment.
THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES
Narrator: The mystery was solved and Mr. Fowler and Miss Rucastle were married. Miss Violet now
works at the head of a private school and is quite successful. Mr. Rucastle survived the attack but is a
broken man now.