The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The speckled band
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

This is one more history of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and his inseparable friend, Doctor Watson. The speckled band is one of the cases stranger than they has taken care, even so, the suppositions of people about one of the character of this case and his death , makes to seem more complicated of which it was.
Everything begins when a young woman named Helen Stoner consults the detective Sherlock Holmes about the suspicious death of her sister, Julia.Two years ago, Julia had been engaged to be married. Julia and Helen have been received an annual income since their mother’s died. One night, after conversing with her sister about her big day and she comment about rarely noises that she had heard, she suddenly reappeared in her room, after to screaming and struggling to breathe, she tried to explain what there was happen but she just could said “the speckled band” and died. The police couldn’t discover the cause of her died. Helen described her house and all the particularities of it and mentioned some details about her stepfather’s character, and his life style. Now Helen is engaged to be married and her stepfather began some repairs to the house, and for that reason she has had to sleep en her sister’s room, and the events that it presented, like a sort of whistle, begins to reappear, and she was so afraid.
After that Helen visited to Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Roylott comes to visit Holmes, because he was following his stepdaughter. He demands to know what Helen has said to Holmes, but Holmes refuses to say. Dr. Roylott bends the poker into a curve, and Holmes straightens it out again, to show he is as strong as the doctor.
Holmes begins to investigate about her mother's finances estate, and reveals that its value has decreased significantly, and if both daughters had married, Dr. Roylott could be in crippling situation.
Sherlock Holmes begins to link all the details about Stoke Moran that Helen describes are mysterious and disturbing like low whistling sound is heard late at night, or a metallic clank. There is a strange bell cord over the bed, and it does not seem to work any bell. There are also Julia's dying words about a "speckled band." Stoner surmises that Julia might have been murdered by the gypsies, whom Dr. Roylott permits to live on the grounds (they wear speckled handkerchiefs around their necks). A tiger and a monkey also have the run of the property, for Dr. Roylott keeps exotic pets.
Then, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson decide to go to the Stoke. They planned how Helen can leave of her sister room without Dr. Roylott's knowledge. Afterwards, they pass the night in this room, and they heard the whistle, and Holmes also sees what the bell cord is really for, although Watson does not then Holmes attacks the cord, but really it was a snake. The venomous snake had been sent to Julia's room by Dr. Roylott to murder Helen, but how was atacking, it back through an air ventilator connected to the next room. And the angry snake attacked the first person it sees, Dr.Roylott. Within seconds, the doctor is dead.

Sherlock Holmes concludes that the Julia's last words about a "speckled band" were in fact describing a "swamp snake, the deadliest snake in India." Dr. Roylott tried to kill them for have the money. And after the swamp snake bit Julia he called off the snake with the whistling, which made the snake climb up through the bell cord, disappearing from the scene.

I enjoyed to read this chapters about the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, these histories catch me and transporting me in the situations that it describes.

The Final Problem
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

In this history appears the most fearsome enemy of Sherlock Holmes. It’s so interesting see how Holmes fight versus an intelligent but sinister mind, maybe could be the opposite of he. Here is when Holmes confronts with an equal opponent, and perhaps he don’t get rid him enemy.
The history begins when Holmes arrives atDr. Watson's house in a somewhat agitated state and with abraded knuckles. He has apparently escaped three murder attempts that day after a visit from Professor Moriaty, who warned him to withdraw from his pursuit of justice against him to avoid any regrettable outcome.
Holmes has been tracking Moriarty and his agents for months and is on the brink of snaring them all and delivering them to the dock. Moriarty is the nexus of a highly organized and amazingly secret criminal force and Holmes will consider it the crowning achievement of his career if only he can defeat Moriarty. Moriarty of course is out to thwart Holmes' plans and is well capable of doing so, for he is as Holmes admits the great detective's intellectual equal.
Holmes asks Watson to come to the continent with him, giving him unusual instructions designed to hide his tracks to Victoria Station. Holmes is not quite sure where they will go; this seems rather odd to Watson. Holmes then leaves Watson's by climbing over the back wall in the garden, certain that he has been followed to his friend's.
The next day Watson follows Holmes' instructions to the letter and finds himself waiting in the reserved first class coach for his friend, but only an elderly Italian priest is there. The cleric soon makes it apparent that he is Holmes in disguise.
As the train pulls out of Victoria, Holmes spots Moriarty on the platform, apparently trying to get someone to stop the train. Holmes is forced to take action as Moriarty has obviously tracked Watson, despite extraordinary precautions. He and Watson alight at Canterbury, changing their route plan. As they are waiting for another train to Newhaven a special one coach train roars through Canterbury as Holmes suspected it would. It contains Moriarty who has hired the train in an effort to overtake Holmes. Holmes and Watson are forced to hide behind luggage.
Holmes receives a message from his brother Mycroft that most of Moriarty's gang have been arrested in England and Holmes recommends Watson return there now that Holmes will likely be a very dangerous companion. Watson however decides to stay with his friend. Moriarty himself has slipped out of the grasp of the English police and is obviously with them on the continent.
Holmes' and Watson's journey take them to Switzerland where they stay at Meiringen. From there they fatefully decide to take a walk which will include a visit to Reichenbach Falls, a local natural wonder. Once there they find it is everything that has been said about it and more.
A boy appears and hands Watson a note, saying there is a sick Englishwoman back at the hotel who wants an English doctor. Holmes realizes at once it is a hoax although he does not say so. Watson goes to see about the patient, leaving Holmes alone.
When he reaches the Englischer Hof the innkeeper has no idea about any sick Englishwoman. Realizing at last what has happened, Watson rushes back to Reichenbach Falls but finds no one there, although he does see two sets of footprints going out onto the muddy dead end path with none coming back. There is also a note from Holmes, explaining that he knew the report Watson was given to be a hoax and that he is about to fight Moriarty who has graciously given him enough time to pen this last letter. Watson sees that towards the end of the path there are signs that a violent struggle has taken place. It is all too clear Holmes and Moriarty have both died, falling to their deaths down the gorge whilst locked in mortal combat. Dr Watson returns to England with sorrow in his heart.