[SPEAKER_00]: Hello and welcome to the Sherlock Holmes Bedtime Stories podcast.
[SPEAKER_00]: Each episode is a section from a classic Sherlock Holmes story with relaxing music to help you fall asleep.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for joining us this evening.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now it's time to relax.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let your body fall into a comfortable position in your bed and drift gently into a state of total relaxation with tonight's story.
[SPEAKER_00]: The adventure of the Red Circle
[SPEAKER_00]: part 2.
[SPEAKER_00]: As we walked rapidly down how street I glanced back at the building which we had left.
[SPEAKER_00]: There, dimly outlined at the top window, I could see the shadow of a head, a woman's head gazing tensely, rigidly out into the night, waiting with breathless suspense for the renewal of that interrupted message.
[SPEAKER_00]: At the doorway of the House Street flats, a man muffled in a crevat and great coat was leaning against the railing.
[SPEAKER_00]: He started as the halllight fell upon our faces.
[SPEAKER_00]: Holmes, he cried.
[SPEAKER_00]: Why Gregson said my companion as he shook hands with the Scotland Yard detective,
[SPEAKER_00]: The same reasons that bring you, I expect," said Gregson, how you got on to it, I can't imagine.
[SPEAKER_00]: Different threads but leading up to the same tango.
[SPEAKER_00]: I've been taking the signals.
[SPEAKER_00]: Signals.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes from that window, they broke off in the middle.
[SPEAKER_00]: We came over to see the reason.
[SPEAKER_00]: but since it is safe in your hands, I see no object in continuing this business.
[SPEAKER_00]: Wait a bit, cried Greggson eagerly.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll do you this justice, Mr. Holmes, that I was never in a case yet that I didn't feel stronger for having you on my side.
[SPEAKER_00]: There's only the one exit to these flats, so we have him safe.
[SPEAKER_00]: Who is he?
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, well, we score over you for once, Mr. Holmes.
[SPEAKER_00]: You must give us best this time.
[SPEAKER_00]: He struck his stick sharply upon the ground, on which a cab man, his whip in his hand, sorned over from a four-wheeler which stood on the far side of the street.
[SPEAKER_00]: May I introduce you to Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
[SPEAKER_00]: He said to the cab man, this is Mr. Leviton of Pinkerton's American agency.
[SPEAKER_00]: The hero of the Long Island cave mystery, said Holmes.
[SPEAKER_00]: Sir, I'm pleased to meet you.
[SPEAKER_00]: The American acquired business like young man with a clean, shave and hatchet face flushed up at the words of commendation.
[SPEAKER_00]: I am on the trail of my life now, Mr. Holmes, said he.
[SPEAKER_00]: If I can get Gorgiano.
[SPEAKER_00]: What?
[SPEAKER_00]: Gorgiano of the Red Circle.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, he has a European fame, has he?
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, we've learned all about him in America.
[SPEAKER_00]: We know he is at the bottom of 50 murders, and yet we have nothing positive we can take him on.
[SPEAKER_00]: I tracked him over from New York, and I've been close to him for a week in London waiting some excuse to get my hand on his collar.
[SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Greggson and I ran him to ground in that big tenement house, and there's only one door, so he can't slip us.
[SPEAKER_00]: There's three folk come out since he went in, but I'll swear he wasn't one of them.
[SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Holmes talks of signals, said Gregson, I expect as usual he knows a good deal that we don't.
[SPEAKER_00]: In a few clear words Holmes explained the situation as it had appeared to us.
[SPEAKER_00]: The American struck his hands together with vexation.
[SPEAKER_00]: He's onto us, he cried.
[SPEAKER_00]: Why do you think so?
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, it figures out that way, does it not?
[SPEAKER_00]: Here he is sending out messages to an accomplice.
[SPEAKER_00]: There are several of his gang in London.
[SPEAKER_00]: Then suddenly, just as by your own account he was telling them that there was danger, he broke short off.
[SPEAKER_00]: What could it mean except that from the window he had suddenly either caught sight of us in the street, or in some way come to understand how close the danger was, and that he must act right away if he was to avoid it.
[SPEAKER_00]: that we go up at once and see for ourselves.
[SPEAKER_00]: But we have no warrant for his arrest.
[SPEAKER_00]: He is in unoccupied premises under suspicious circumstances, said Gregson, that is good enough for the moment.
[SPEAKER_00]: When we have him by the heels, we can see if New York can't help us to keep him.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll take the responsibility of arresting him now.
[SPEAKER_00]: Our official detectives may blunder in the matter of intelligence, but never in that of courage.
[SPEAKER_00]: Greggson climbed the stair to arrest this desperate murderer with the same absolutely quiet and business-like bearing with which he would have ascended the official staircase of Scotland Yard.
[SPEAKER_00]: The Pinkerton man had tried to push past him, but Greggson had firmly elbowed him back.
[SPEAKER_00]: London dangers were the privilege of the London force.
[SPEAKER_00]: The door of the left hand flat up on the third landing was standing a jar.
[SPEAKER_00]: Gregson pushed it open.
[SPEAKER_00]: Within all was absolute silence and darkness.
[SPEAKER_00]: I struck a match and lit the detectives lantern.
[SPEAKER_00]: As I did so, and as the flicker steadied into a flame we all gave a gasp of surprise.
[SPEAKER_00]: The red steps pointed towards us and led away from an inner room, the door of which was closed.
[SPEAKER_00]: Gregson flung it open and held his lightful blaze in front of him, while we all peered eagerly over his shoulders.
[SPEAKER_00]: In the middle of the floor of the empty room was huddled the figure of an enormous man.
[SPEAKER_00]: His clean shaven, swore the face, grotesquely horrible in its contortion, and his head encircled by a ghastly crimson halo of blood.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lying in a broad wet circle upon the white woodwork.
[SPEAKER_00]: His knees were drawn up, his hands thrown out in agony, and from the center of his broad, brown, upturned throat, they're projected the white half of a knife, driven blade deep into his body.
[SPEAKER_00]: Giant as he was, the man must have gone down like a pole-axed ox before that terrific blow.
[SPEAKER_00]: Beside his right hand, a most formidable horn handled two-edged dagger lay upon the floor, and near it, a black kid glove.
[SPEAKER_00]: By George it's Black Gorgiano himself cried the American detective, someone has got ahead of us this time.
[SPEAKER_00]: Here is the candle in the window, Mr. Holmes, said Gregson, why, whatever are you doing?
[SPEAKER_00]: Homes had stepped across, had lit the candle and was passing it backward and forward across the windowpains.
[SPEAKER_00]: then he peered into the darkness, blew the candle out, and threw it on the floor.
[SPEAKER_00]: I rather think that will be helpful, said he.
[SPEAKER_00]: He came over and stood in deep thought while the two professionals were examining the body.
[SPEAKER_00]: You say that three people came out from the flat while you were waiting downstairs, said he had lost.
[SPEAKER_00]: Did you observe them closely?
[SPEAKER_00]: Was there a fellow about 30, black bearded, dark, of middle size?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, he was the last to pass me.
[SPEAKER_00]: That is your man, I fancy.
[SPEAKER_00]: I can give you his description and we have a very excellent outline of his footmark.
[SPEAKER_00]: That should be enough for you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Not much Mr. Holmes among the millions of London,
[SPEAKER_00]: perhaps not, that is why I thought it best to summon this lady to your aid.
[SPEAKER_00]: We all turned round at the words.
[SPEAKER_00]: Their framed in the doorway was a tall and beautiful woman, the mysterious lodger of Bloomsbury.
[SPEAKER_00]: Slowly she advanced, her face pale and drawn with a frightful apprehension, her eyes fixed
[SPEAKER_00]: You have killed him, she muttered.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, Dio Mio, you have killed him.
[SPEAKER_00]: Then I heard a sudden shot in take of her breath and she sprang into the air with a cry of joy.
[SPEAKER_00]: Round and round the room she danced, her hands clapping, her dark eyes gleaming with delighted wonder and a thousand pretty Italian exclamation pouring from her lips.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was terrible and amazing to see such a woman so convulsed with joy at such a sight.
[SPEAKER_00]: Suddenly she stopped and gazed at us all with a questioning stare.
[SPEAKER_00]: But you, you are police, are you not?
[SPEAKER_00]: You have killed Giuseppe Gorgiano, is it not so?
[SPEAKER_00]: We are police madam.
[SPEAKER_00]: but where then is Genaro?
[SPEAKER_00]: She asked.
[SPEAKER_00]: He is my husband, Genaro Luca.
[SPEAKER_00]: I am Emilia Luca, and we are both from New York.
[SPEAKER_00]: Where is Genaro?
[SPEAKER_00]: He called me this moment from this window, and I ran with all my speed.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was I who called, said Holmes.
[SPEAKER_00]: You?
[SPEAKER_00]: How could you call?
[SPEAKER_00]: Your cipher was not difficult, madam.
[SPEAKER_00]: Your presence here was desirable.
[SPEAKER_00]: I knew that I had only to flesh, vienny, and you would surely come.
[SPEAKER_00]: The beautiful Italian looked with awe at my companion.
[SPEAKER_00]: I do not understand how you know these things she said.
[SPEAKER_00]: Giuseppe Gorgiano, how did he?
[SPEAKER_00]: She paused and then suddenly her face lit up with pride and delight.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now I see it.
[SPEAKER_00]: My janaro.
[SPEAKER_00]: My splendid, beautiful janaro who has guarded me safe from all harm he did it, with his own strong hand he killed the monster.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ah, janaro, how wonderful you are.
[SPEAKER_00]: What woman could ever be worthy of such a man?
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, Mrs. Luca said that Prosec Gregson, laying his hand upon the lady's sleeve with as little
[SPEAKER_00]: I am not very clear yet who you are or what you are, but you've said enough to make it very clear that we shall want you at the yard.
[SPEAKER_00]: One moment, Gregson, said Holmes.
[SPEAKER_00]: I rather fancy that this lady may be as anxious to give us information as we can be to get it.
[SPEAKER_00]: You understand madam that your husband will be arrested and tried for the death of the man who lies before us?
[SPEAKER_00]: What you say may be used in evidence, but if you think that he has acted from motives which are not criminal, and which he would wish to have known then you cannot serve him better than by telling us the whole story.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now that Gorgiano is dead we fear nothing, said the lady.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was a devil and a monster, and there can be no judge in the world who would punish
[SPEAKER_00]: In that case, said Holmes.
[SPEAKER_00]: My suggestion is that we lock this door.
[SPEAKER_00]: Leave things as we found them.
[SPEAKER_00]: Go with this lady to her room and form our opinion after we have heard what it is that she has to say to us.
[SPEAKER_00]: Half an hour later we were seated all four in the small sitting room of Sinyora Luca, listening to her remarkable narrative of those sinister events.
[SPEAKER_00]: The ending of which we had chance to witness,
[SPEAKER_00]: She spoke in rapid and fluent, but very unconventional English, which for the sake of cleanness I will make grammatical.
[SPEAKER_00]: I was born in Posse Lippo near Naples, said she, and was the daughter of Augusto Borelli, who was the chief lawyer and once the deputy of that part.
[SPEAKER_00]: Genaro was in my father's employment, and I came to love him as any woman must.
[SPEAKER_00]: He had neither money nor position, nothing but his beauty and strength and energy, so my father forbade the match.
[SPEAKER_00]: We fled together, were married at Bari, and sold my jewels to gain the money which would take us to America.
[SPEAKER_00]: This was four years ago and we have been in New York ever since.
[SPEAKER_00]: fortune was very good to us at first.
[SPEAKER_00]: Genaro was able to do a service to an Italian gentleman.
[SPEAKER_00]: He saved him from some ruffians in the place called the Bowery, and so made a powerful friend.
[SPEAKER_00]: His name was Tito Castellot, and he was the senior partner of the great firm of Castellot and Zamba, who were the chief fruit importers of New York.
[SPEAKER_00]: Sr. Zambha is an invalid and our new friend Castalot has all power within the firm, which employs more than 300 men.
[SPEAKER_00]: He took my husband into his employment, made him head of a department, and showed his good will towards him in every way.
[SPEAKER_00]: Sr. Castalot was a bachelor, and I believe that he felt as if Janara was his son, and both my husband and I loved him as if he were our father.
[SPEAKER_00]: We had taken and furnished a little house in Brooklyn and our whole future seemed assured when that black cloud appeared which was soon to overspread our sky.
[SPEAKER_00]: One night, when Genaro returned from his work, he brought a fellow countrymen back with him.
[SPEAKER_00]: His name was Gorgiano, and he had come also from Posse Lipo.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was a huge man as you can testify for you have looked upon his corpse.
[SPEAKER_00]: Not only was his body that of a giant, but everything about him was grotesque, gigantic, and terrifying.
[SPEAKER_00]: His voice was like thunder in our little house.
[SPEAKER_00]: There was scarce room for the world of his great arms as he talked.
[SPEAKER_00]: His thoughts, his emotions, his passions all were exaggerated and monstrous.
[SPEAKER_00]: He talked, or rather, roared, with such energy that others could but sit and listen,
[SPEAKER_00]: His eyes blazed at you and held you at his mercy.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was a terrible and wonderful man.
[SPEAKER_00]: I thank God that he is dead.
[SPEAKER_00]: He came again and again.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yet I was aware that Genara was no more happy than I was in his presence.
[SPEAKER_00]: My poor husband would sit pale and listless, listening to the endless raving upon politics and upon social questions which made up our visit as conversation.
[SPEAKER_00]: Genaro said nothing, but I, who knew him so well, could read in his face some emotion which I had never seen there before.
[SPEAKER_00]: At first I thought that it was dislike.
[SPEAKER_00]: And then gradually I understood that it was more than dislike.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was fear, a deep, secret, shrinking fear.
[SPEAKER_00]: that night.
[SPEAKER_00]: The night that I read his terror, I put my arms round him, and I implored him by his love for me, and by all that he held dear to hold nothing from me, and to tell me why this huge man overshadowed him so.
[SPEAKER_00]: He told me, a my own heart grew cold as ice as I listened.
[SPEAKER_00]: My poor Janano in his wild and fiery days, when all the world seemed against him and his mind was driven half mad by the injustices of life, had joined a near-politan society, the red circle, which was allied to the old carbonary.
[SPEAKER_00]: The oaths and secrets of this brotherhood were frightful, but once
[SPEAKER_00]: When we had fled to America, Genaro thought that he had cast it all off forever.
[SPEAKER_00]: What was his horror one evening to meet in the streets, the very man who had initiated him in Naples, the giant Gorgiano, a man who had earned the name of death in the south of Italy, for he was read to the elbow in murder.
[SPEAKER_00]: He had come to New York to avoid the Italian police and he had already planted a branch
[SPEAKER_00]: All this Genaro told me and showed me a summons which he had received that very day.
[SPEAKER_00]: A red circle drawn upon the head of it telling him that a lodge would be held upon a certain date, and that his presence at it was required and ordered.
[SPEAKER_00]: That was bad enough, but worse was to come.
[SPEAKER_00]: I had noticed for some time that when Goshiano came to us as he constantly did in the evening.
[SPEAKER_00]: He spoke much to me.
[SPEAKER_00]: And even when his words were to my husband, those terrible, glaring, wild beast eyes of his were always turned upon me.
[SPEAKER_00]: One night his secret came out.
[SPEAKER_00]: I had awakened what he called love within him, the love of a brute, a savage.
[SPEAKER_00]: Janaro had not yet returned when he came.
[SPEAKER_00]: He pushed his way in, seized me in his mighty arms, hugged me in his bears embrace, covered
[SPEAKER_00]: I was struggling and screaming when Genaro entered and attacked him.
[SPEAKER_00]: He struck Genaro senseless and fled from the house which he was never more to enter.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was a deadly enemy that we made that night.
[SPEAKER_00]: A few days later came the meeting.
[SPEAKER_00]: Genaro returned from it with a face which told me that something dreadful had occurred.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was worse than we could have imagined possible.
[SPEAKER_00]: The funds of the society were raised by blackmailing rich Italians and threatening them with violence should they refuse the money?
[SPEAKER_00]: It seems that Casta Lotta, our dear friend and benefactor had been approached.
[SPEAKER_00]: He had refused to yield to threats, and he had handed the notices to the police.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was resolved now that such an example should be made of them as would prevent any other victim from rebelling.
[SPEAKER_00]: At the meeting,
[SPEAKER_00]: It was a range that he and his house should be blown up with dynamite.
[SPEAKER_00]: There was a drawing of lots as to who should carry out the deed.
[SPEAKER_00]: Genaro saw our enemy's cruel face smiling at him as he dipped his hand in the bag.
[SPEAKER_00]: No doubt it had been pre-arranged in some fashion, for it was the fatal disc with the red circle upon it, the mandate for murder which lay upon his palm.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was to kill his best friend, or he was to expose himself and me to the vengeance of his comrades.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was part of their fiendish system to punish those whom they feared or hated by injuring not only their own persons, but those whom they loved.
[SPEAKER_00]: And it was the knowledge of this which hung as a terror over my poor Janaro's head and drove him nearly crazy with apprehension.
[SPEAKER_00]: all that night we sat together our arms round each other, each strengthening each for the troubles that lay before us.
[SPEAKER_00]: The very next evening had been fixed for the attempt.
[SPEAKER_00]: By midday, my husband and I were on our way to London, but not before he had given our benefactor full warning of this danger, and had also left such information for the police as would safeguard his life for the future.
[SPEAKER_00]: the rest gentlemen you know for yourselves.
[SPEAKER_00]: We were sure that our enemies would be behind us like our own shadows.
[SPEAKER_00]: God Jiano had his private reasons for vengeance, but in any case we knew how ruthless, cunning, and untiring he could be, both Italy and America are full of stories of his dreadful powers.
[SPEAKER_00]: If ever they were exerted, it would be now.
[SPEAKER_00]: My darling made use of the few clear days which our started given us in a ranging for a refuge for me in such a fashion that no possible danger could reach me.
[SPEAKER_00]: For his own part, he wished to be free that he might communicate both with the American and with the Italian police.
[SPEAKER_00]: I do not myself know where he lived or how, all that I learned was through the columns of a newspaper.
[SPEAKER_00]: But once, as I looked through my window, I saw two Italians watching the house, and I understood that in some way Gorgiano had found our retreat.
[SPEAKER_00]: Finally Henaro told me through the paper that he would signal to me from a certain window, but when the signals came there were nothing but warnings, which was suddenly interrupted.
[SPEAKER_00]: It is very clear to me now that he knew Gorgiano to be close upon him and that thank God.
[SPEAKER_00]: He was ready for him when he came.
[SPEAKER_00]: And now gentlemen I would ask you whether we have anything to fear from the law or whether any judge upon earth would condemn my Gynaro for what he has done.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well Mr. Greggson said the American looking across at the official.
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know what your British point of view may be.
[SPEAKER_00]: But I guess that in New York, this lady's husband will receive a pretty general vote of thanks.
[SPEAKER_00]: She will have to come with me and see the chief, Gregson answered.
[SPEAKER_00]: If what she says is corroborated, I do not think she or her husband has much to fear.
[SPEAKER_00]: But what I can't make head or tail of Mr. Holmes is how on earth you got yourself mixed up in the matter.
[SPEAKER_00]: education, Gregson, Education.
[SPEAKER_00]: Still seeking knowledge at the old university.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well Watson, you have one more specimen of the tragic and grotesque to add to your collection.
[SPEAKER_00]: By the way it is not eight o'clock and a Wagner night at Covent Garden.
[SPEAKER_00]: If we hurry we might be in time for the second act.
[UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
[UNKNOWN]: You
[UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
[UNKNOWN]: Thank you very much.
[UNKNOWN]: Thank you.