مغامرة قدم الشيطان

His Last Bow #7

by Arthur Conan Doyle, زينب عاطف (مترجمة)

The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot is a short Sherlock Holmes detective story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was published in 1910 and set in 1897 taking place in Cornwall where Sherlock Holmes is taking a holiday because he has been pushing himself too hard. But as with any great detective murder follows him through the countryside, and there is naturally a murder that he is the only one but him can solve.

The story begins with Watson and Holmes relaxing in Cornwall when they are approached by the local Vicar and the man living with him asking for help. Watson is not happy about the intrusion because he believes that his friend needs to rest but Holmes is immediately excited by the chance to use his brain and the truth is that they really do need Holmes help.

The mystery is the brother and sister of the man living with the vicar have had a strange tragedy. He had spent the night with his brothers and sister visiting and playing whist. The next morning he discovers a strange scene. Something clearly has happened just moments after he had left. His sister is still sitting at the table, but is dead, and both of his brothers have seemingly had some type of nervous break down as they are laughing and singing. The explanation everyone else has given is that this is the work of the Devil.

Holmes and Watson as skeptical that this is a case of demonic attack but they at first have no other real explanation. Holmes questions everyone and discovers that the maid who found them not only fainted when she came in but became sick.

Shortly afterward the Vicar arrives in a near panic. It seems that the third brother, who had left just before the events has died, apparently of the same thing. This is odd to Holmes because he has already deduced that it was he who had thrown something into the fire to poison his brothers and sister. This leaves a second mystery which is who killed the murderer.

The answer turns out to be a man who had loved the sister for years. He was unable to marry her because he was unable to divorce a wife who had left him years before. He had told the murdering brother of a strange poison he had found in Africa and the brother had stolen it certain that the man would leave before hearing of the three and he could take all of the inheritance for himself.

Genres: Mystery, Classics, Short Stories, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Detective

32 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1910

About the author

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a Scottish writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.

Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes and Watson on holiday in Cornwall have to solve a very special case. What caused two members of the Tregennis family to go mad and one to die after their brother Mortimer left? What did Mortimer later on die of? There seem to be no traces. Did something supernatural hit the little village? What about mysterious Dr Sterndale, an explorer? This was a very compelling murder mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes. Doyle comes up with a nice solution of the case. Really recommended, a must read for every Sherlock Holmes fan!

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes & Doctor Watson investigate the mystery of what the newspapers call The Cornish Horror. Once again Arthur Conan Doyle puts together a neat mystery & the great detective uses his powers of deduction to unmask a murderer. A fine story with an excellent conclusion.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read many of the Sherlock Holmes stories down the years, so many that I’m not always clear which I have and haven’t read. I had this one sitting on my Kindle for ages.

A publication date of 1910 makes this one of the later Holmes’ stories. It’s a short tale which will take you no more than 30 minutes to read.

In some ways this is standard Holmes and Watson fare. Conan Doyle knew exactly what his readers expected, and by 1910 he could probably type the stories in his sleep. I would say though this one has a slightly unusual ending. I quite enjoyed that - it gave the story something extra.

[Aishu Rehman · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the story, the plant—devil’s foot root—is little-known even in West Africa, its point of origin. Its transport to England is the work of the story’s lion-hunting physician, Dr. Leon Sternsdale.

The case involves the mysterious injuries sustained by four siblings (two are fatal). En route to the story’s solve, Holmes detects a strange brown powder on the smoke-guard of a lamp at the scene. Soon after, he proposes that he and Watson undertake a medical experiment to determine the powder’s effects on the body. The always accommodating Watson assents. Holmes then lights the lamp, burning the powder with the window and door ajar for ventilation.

The impact is immediate: Watson describes a “turmoil in his brains” and a mounting loss of control of both mind and body. At the last minute, Watson marshals his reason and tackles Holmes, pushing him out of the room, where the pair of them lie breathless on the grass outside as the fumes and the poison recede. Holmes’ suspicions are confirmed: the powder is toxic, and he’s able to link the deaths to the devil’s foot root, with the help of Sternsdale.

As a third-year medical student at the University of Edinburgh, Doyle embarked on his own experiment with a toxic root. Gelsemium (sometimes gelseminum), a dried rhizome of yellow jasmine, was rumored to have been discovered by a Mississippi planter who accidentally made a tea for his master using the root, and cured him of his fever (though with side effect—loss of muscle control)

[Charles van Buren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles van Buren

TOP 1000 REVIEWER

A diabolical crime

August 9, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Review of free Kindle edition
A Public Domain Book
Publication date: May 12, 2012
Language: English
ASIN: B0082XIATK
64 pages

Not, in my opinion, one of the great Holmes mysteries. However Doyle put it at number nine on his list of twelve favorite Holmes stories. At first glance the case seems diabolically mysyerous. However as Holmes examined it, the culprit became obvious. There were yet questions as to motive, the identity of the material used and more, so the story remained interesting to the end.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars - loved this one as it's very inventive - it only loses half a star for being so short!

I'm doing so well with these considering short stories are not my thing.

That is the skill of ACD - proper & complete details in a small amount of words - brilliant.

[Mostafa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
رد پای شیطان در ۱۹۱۰ نوشته شده اثری که در آن قاتل از طرف شرلوک هلمز ، مُحق در انجام جنایت تلقی می شود
داستان روایت منطقی دارد و نحوه کشف معما کاملا پلیسی و بر مبنای اصول
هست forensic science
اگرچه می توانست بیشتر از عنصر وحشت استفاده کند اما جنبه معمایی آن بسیار بیشتر بود

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. This is equal parts disturbing, fascinating, and heartwarming.

The murder part is pretty grim, especially the first time reading it. It’s not bloody or gruesome, but it’s just subtly disturbing (see below for spoilers). The characters are fascinating—lionlike Dr. Sterndale, weasel-like Mr. Tregennis, and poor beautiful Brenda…

And the rest is heartwarming. Sherlock becomes very human in this one, with his illness, Watson saving him, and his apology to Watson. Their friendship is just amazing. And then his kindness to Dr. Sterndale… although perhaps not quite right, it is understandable, and at least shows Holmes’ real heart.

So yes. I love this story.

Content: My G*d. Smoking. A man wants to divorce his wife.

MASSIVE SPOILER! a brother tries to make his siblings mad, succeeds with two and kills one. END OF MASSIVE SPOILER!

A Favourite Quote: “Let us get a firm grip of the very little which we DO know, so that when fresh facts arise we may be ready to fit them into their places.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “It was a country of rolling moors, lonely and dun-colored, with an occasional church tower to mark the site of some old-world village.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “How do you know that?”
“I followed you.”
“I saw no one.”
“That is what you may expect to see when I follow you.”

[مؤمن محمد حلمي · Rating 3 out of 5]

بعض مرتكبي الجرائم قد يكون الحب هو ذريعتهم وراء ما فعلوه بيد أن الإنتقام هو غايتهم في النهاية 😥

[الزهراء الصلاحي · Rating 4 out of 5]

رهيب أرثر كونان دويل 🤩

[Jack Heath · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars. Another good one from Doyle but not as exciting as some. More of an intellectual challenge for the great detective. For us too. It's 1897. Holmes has been told by a specialist doctor that, without rest, he may have a serious breakdown. He and Watson retreat to a lonely cottage on the moors by the sea in Cornwall. Daily walks, reading and the like, but please no clients! Yet strange and diabolical crimes seem to follow the two detectives around. They are soon visited by the local vicar, Mr. Roundhay and his tenant, Mr. Mortimer Tregennis. Narrator Watson reports that the case the visitors bring to Holmes became known in the media later as "The Cornish Horror." Earlier that morning Tregennis had found his sister Brenda dead and his brothers Owen and George in delirium in their home. Roundhay and Tregennis think some strange power entered the room the previous evening and frightened the woman to death. Holmes responds, "I fear that if the matter is beyond human it is certainly beyond me." He then proceeds to prove that the cause was not beyond human. As an aside, his health improved nicely. (Fe2025)

[Theater Mistress · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the setting of this and the bit of twist I had not really expected. I always love it when Holmes goes off on another subject as well as the obvious

[Jason Parent · Rating 5 out of 5]

For two smart men, that was pretty stupid, but a whole lot of fun

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that the cause of death was so unique. The ending was just and I liked the straying from the norm.

[Dr.Abdulwahab Alnaif · Rating 3 out of 5]

من اجمل روايات ارثر كونان دويل ولاول مرة احب القاتل

[Mouna · Rating 2 out of 5]

[كتاب روائي 82»» كتاب صوتي 30»» اللغة عربية 82]

2.5 ⭐

[Kylie Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, entertaining romp where Holmes and Watson are on vacation, but of course a case comes to find them.

I think overall, collectively Sherlock Holmes will have a higher rating than individually. They’re fun to read, but not too spectacular without their broader context as episodic mysteries following the same protagonist and lancer.

This one was unique and horrifying and fun, there isn’t enough time to delve deeply into characters which is something I look for in my books, but the plot and motives are entertaining.

[TAJ ALGADDAFI | تاج القذافي · Rating 5 out of 5]

من الجزاء المفضلة لي في سلسلة مغامرات شيرلوك هولمز، لغز كان حلة غير متوقع ❤️

[Habiba♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

though i loved reading this but the ending was a bit unusual. I need more mystery!

[Federico DN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent.

This was excellent, but not going to review it.

For the moment at least.

It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.

-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1917] [30p] [Crime] [4.5] [Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------

★★★★☆ 1. A Study in Scarlet [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 2. The Sign of Four [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
★★★★☆ 4. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes [3.5]
★★★★☆ 5. The Hound of the Baskervilles
★★★★☆ 6. The Return of Sherlock Holmes
★★★☆☆ 7. The Valley of Fear
★★★★☆ 8. His Last Bow [3.5] <--
★★★☆☆ 9. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 10. The Complete Sherlock Holmes

-----------------------------------------------

Excelente.

Esto estuvo excelente, pero no voy a reseñarlo.

Al menos por ahora.

Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.

-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1917] [30p] [Crimen] [4.5] [Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------

[Alamgir Baidya · Rating 5 out of 5]

অপরাধের রহস্য উদঘাটনের কয়েকটা বাঁধা ধরা দিক থাকে। Modus Operandi, Whodunit and Motive. পৃথিবীতে যত ক্রাইম থ্রিলার লেখা হয়েছে তা মোটের ওপর এগুলোরই সুলুকসন্ধান। শার্লক হোমসকে এই গল্পে অপরাধের তিনটে দিকই অনুসন্ধান করতে হয়েছে। জটিলতা আরও বেড়েছে যখন প্রথম খুনের ঘটনার সন্দেহভাজন নিজেই খুন হয়ে যান।

আমার অন্যতম প্রিয় শার্লক হোমস রহস্য।

The unraveling of a criminal mystery usually follows a few established tropes: Modus Operandi, the Whodunit, and the Motive. Virtually every crime thriller ever written is, at its core, a quest to decode these elements. In this particular tale, Sherlock Holmes is compelled to investigate all three facets of the crime. The complexity deepens significantly when the prime suspect of the initial murder ends up becoming a victim himself.

This remains one of my absolute favorite Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

[Saman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holmes and Watson are out for a vacation near Poldhu Bay at a Cornish Peninsula. The Vicar of Parish Mr.Roundhay and the Clergyman Mr.Mortimer Tregennis interrupts their peaceful vacation.
Mr.Tregennis has left his brother Owen and George and sister Brenda at Tredannick Wartha. Dr.Richards sends to inform Mr.Tregennis of the tragedy that has had occurred when he left the house. His sister Brenda is dead and brothers, demented. Who killed her?
Holmes and Watson have another visitor, Dr.Leon Sterndale, the famous lion-hunter and explorer. They were still linking the clues to Brenda's death when yet another shocking event follows. Mr.Tregennis is dead. Is he murdered or is it suicide?
Mystery and suspense build into an intriguing plot of the story, makes it an enjoyable read.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fascinating unraveling by Holmes. He's with Watson on vacation at Land's End in Cornwall trying to relax and hold off a mental breakdown. The local vicar rushes to his place asking for help with a strange case of a dead woman and her two brothers gone mad. Holmes is all about justice. He shows his Dirty Harry side here.

[Marlowe North · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful little story! So very autistic, and very gay. Compare Holmes’s statement that if he loved someone and they were killed he might kill in revenge and his reaction to Watson getting shot in The Three Garridebs.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 4 Extra:
Sherlock Holmes tackles in a mystery in a Cornish village.

[Zainab Al saba'a · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fascinating story. I am running out of things to say about Holmes. He is simply amazing, most of the time :)

[AhmEd MokhtAr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it very much .. :)

[Omar · Rating 4 out of 5]

في مغامرة “قدم الشيطان” يأخذنا آرثر كونان دويل إلى أحد أكثر الفصول غرابة في سجل شيرلوك هولمز، حيث يجتمع الغموض بالأسطورة، ويصبح الخيال مقبولًا حين يعجز العقل عن التفسير. القصة تنطلق من الريف الهادئ الذي يُفترض أن يكون ملاذًا للراحة، لكنها تكشف سريعًا أن الشر لا يختار المدن فقط، بل يسكن أيضًا المساحات الهادئة والهواء النقي.

اللافت في هذه القصة هو توازنها بين البعد النفسي والجنائي. الجريمة تبدو من الوهلة الأولى غير قابلة للفهم، أقرب إلى لعنة أو قوة ما ورائية، وهذه البداية خلقت عندي تشويقًا حقيقيًا لمتابعة الخيوط حتى النهاية. هولمز يظهر بأفضل حالاته: ساكن ظاهريًا، لكنه يلتقط التفاصيل كما لو كانت صرخات في الصمت. قدرته على تمييز ما هو غير مرئي تقريبًا هي ما يجعل القارئ ينجذب له رغم بروده الظاهري.

القصة فيها لمسة سوداوية واضحة، لكنها ليست خانقة. الحوار محدود، والأحداث تأخذ وقتها لتتكشف، ومع ذلك لم أشعر بالملل أبدًا. على العكس، استمتعت جدًا بقراءتها. شعرت أنني في حضرة قصة تعرف كيف تحترم ذكاء القارئ، دون أن تضحي بالإثارة.

الحدث الأخير الذي يتخذ فيه هولمز قراره بعيدًا عن منطق القانون، أعطى للعمل روحًا إضافية. لم يكن مجرد حل لغز، بل كان وقوفًا عند معنى العدالة، ومعنى الإنسانية حين تتعارض مع النص. هذا التفصيل جعل النهاية أكثر أثرًا من مجرد كشف القاتل.

القصة ليست فقط ممتعة، بل أيضًا ذكية. من بين القصص القصيرة التي قرأتها لهولمز، هذه واحدة من تلك التي أستطيع أن أقول بثقة إنها أثارت فيّ الرغبة في إعادة القراءة، لا من أجل الحل، بل من أجل الجو، والسرد، وهدوء الرعب الذي لا يصرخ.


In The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot, Arthur Conan Doyle takes us into one of the strangest chapters in Sherlock Holmes’ casebook—where mystery meets myth, and imagination becomes acceptable when reason fails to explain. The story begins in a peaceful countryside that is supposed to offer rest, yet quickly reveals that evil does not limit itself to cities—it resides even in calm spaces and clean air.

What stands out in this story is its balance between psychological depth and criminal intrigue. The crime initially seems incomprehensible, almost like a curse or some supernatural force, and this beginning created genuine suspense for me to follow the threads until the end. Holmes is shown at his finest—outwardly calm, yet he catches the subtlest of details as if they were screams in silence. His ability to detect what is nearly invisible is what draws the reader in, despite his seemingly cold demeanor.

The story carries a clear sense of darkness, but it’s not suffocating. The dialogue is sparse, the events take their time to unfold, and yet I never felt bored. On the contrary, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I felt I was in the presence of a story that respects the reader’s intelligence without sacrificing tension.

The final decision Holmes makes—acting beyond the bounds of strict legal reasoning—gave the story an extra layer of soul. It wasn’t just about solving a mystery; it was about confronting the meaning of justice, and how humanity can sometimes stand at odds with the law. This nuance made the ending more powerful than a simple reveal of the culprit.

The story is not only entertaining but also clever. Among the short stories I’ve read of Holmes, this is one I can confidently say stirred in me the desire to reread—not for the solution, but for the atmosphere, the narrative, and the quiet horror that doesn’t scream.

[Anna Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review: 4 out 5 Stars

Continuing on with the summer reading challenge, I decided to revisit a classic. Honestly, this book was a little hard to rate. I'll explain why below.

Characters: Holmes and Watson were, as always, wonderful. I especially loved Watson's loyalty towards his friend (and the loyalty Holmes shows towards him, too!), even when they get into particularly tight spots. Poor Watson's patience was very much tested... which isn't saying much, considering this event happens on a day-to-day basis. There are quite a few side characters, but the villains were villainous (as usual). I was actually quite surprised when I found out who the villains were!

Plot/Writing Style: I love how Doyle's stories start out with something either horrifying or hilarious. This story qualifies as the former. I was reminded a bit of The Hound of the Baskervilles (because both stories start out with the characters wondering if something unearthly is going on behind the scenes). The writing style, of course, was wonderful.

Language: One exclamation of the Lord's name in vain. Other than that, I don't believe there was anything else.

Romance: A man talks about his wife leaving him (and he wanted a divorce but could not get one). A man talks about a woman he loved but could not marry.

Violence: Murder, but none of it happens on-screen. Two individuals are sent to an insane asylum (and there are descriptions of what the men look like... honestly, I was a little disturbed). Someone takes revenge on another person.

Other Things To Note: As I have mentioned before, those who bring the case to Holmes think something unearthly and spiritual is at work (SPOILER: This is not the case, but it's figured out early on that it is not). Holmes and Watson conduct a particularly dangerous experiment that is, to say the least, a bit of a scarring experience mentally. The both of them immediately regret it.

Overall, I think this was an interesting mystery. It is a little eerie until you find out the answer to the entire thing (and, even then, the idea of the Devil's Foot is a little eerie in and of itself). I also did enjoy seeing the incredible loyalty the two friends have for each other. It's probably not my favorite Sherlock Holmes story, but it's probably one I'll revisit someday.

[G.M.SADRIL HASAN · Rating 4 out of 5]

হোমস এবং ওয়াটসন কর্নিশ উপদ্বীপে ছুটিতে গিয়েছেন। প্যারিশ ভিকার, মিঃ রাউন্ডে এবং ক্লেরিজম্যান মিঃ মর্টিমার ট্রেজেনিস তাদের শান্তিপূর্ণ ছুটিতে বাধা দেয়। মিঃ ট্রেজেনিস এর ভাই ওয়েন ও জর্জ এবং বোন ব্রেন্ডার সাথে এক ভয়াবহ ঘটনা ঘটে। তার বোন ব্রেন্ডা মারা গেছে এবং ভাইয়েরা পাগলের মত আচরণ করছে। তাদের এই দশা কে করেছে?
হোমস এবং ওয়াটসনের আরও একজন দর্শনার্থী, বিখ্যাত সিংহ-শিকারী এবং এক্সপ্লোরার ডাঃ লিয়ন স্টেরনডেল। তারা ব্রেন্ডার মৃত্যুর রহস্য নিয়ে ভাবছিল এমন সময় আর একটি মর্মস্পর্শী ঘটনা ঘটল। মিঃ মর্টিমার ট্রেজেনিস মারা গেছেন। সেটা কি খুন নাকি আত্মহত্যা?
হোমস মিঃ ট্রেজেনিস এর ঘরের কুপিবাতিতে অদ্ভুত এক লালচে পাউডার আবিষ্কার করে।এই পাউডার নিয়ে নিজেদের ঘরে পরীক্ষা করার সময় ভয়াবহ বিপদের সম্মুখীন হয় হোমস এবং ডাঃ ওয়াটসন।