第7章
“Acertainselectionanddiscretionmustbeusedinproducingarealisticeffect，“remarkedHolmes。“Thisiswantinginthepolicereport，wheremorestressislaidperhapsupontheplatitudesofthemagistratethanuponthedetails，whichtoanobservercontainthevitalessenceofthewholematter。Dependuponit，thereisnothingsounnaturalasthecommonplace。“
Ismiledandshookmyhead。“Icanquiteunderstandyourthinkingso，“Isaid。“Ofcourse，inyourpositionofunofficialadviserandhelpertoeverybodywhoisabsolutelypuzzled，throughoutthreecontinents，youarebroughtincontactwithallthatisstrangeandbizarre。Buthere，“——Ipickedupthemorningpaperfromtheground——“letusputittoapracticaltest。HereisthefirstheadinguponwhichIcome。’Ahusband’scrueltytohiswife。’
Thereishalfacolumnofprint，butIknowwithoutreadingitthatitisallperfectlyfamiliartome。Thereis，ofcourse，theotherwoman，thedrink，thepush，theblow，thebruise，theunsympatheticsisterorlandlady。Thecrudestofwriterscouldinventnothingmorecrude。“
“Indeedyourexampleisanunfortunateoneforyourargument，“saidHolmes，takingthepaper，andglancinghiseyedownit。“ThisistheDundasseparationcase，and，asithappens，Iwasengagedinclearingupsomesmallpointsinconnectionwithit。Thehusbandwasateetotaler，therewasnootherwoman，andtheconductcomplainedofwasthathehaddriftedintothehabitofwindingupeverymealbytakingouthisfalseteethandhurlingthemathiswife，whichyouwillallowisnotanactionlikelytooccurtotheimaginationoftheaveragestoryteller。Takeapinchofsnuff，doctor，andacknowledgethatIhavescoredoveryouinyourexample。“
Heheldouthissnuffboxofoldgold，withagreatamethystinthecenterofthelid。ItssplendorwasinsuchcontrasttohishomelywaysandsimplelifethatIcouldnothelpcommentinguponit。
“Ah！“saidhe，“IforgotthatIhadnotseenyouforsomeweeks。
ItisalittlesouvenirfromtheKingofBohemia，inreturnformyassistanceinthecaseoftheIreneAdlerpapers。“
“Andthering？“Iasked，glancingataremarkablebrilliantwhichsparkleduponhisfinger。
“ItwasfromthereigningfamilyofHolland，thoughthematterinwhichIservedthemwasofsuchdelicacythatIcannotconfideiteventoyou，whohavebeengoodenoughtochronicleoneortwoofmylittleproblems。“
“Andhaveyouanyonhandjustnow？“Iaskedwithinterest。
“Sometenortwelve，butnonewhichpresentanyfeaturesofinterest。Theyareimportant，youunderstand，withoutbeinginteresting。IndeedIhavefoundthatitisusuallyinunimportantmattersthatthereisafieldfortheobservation，andforthequickanalysisofcauseandeffectwhichgivesthecharmtoaninvestigation。Thelargercrimesareapttobethesimpler，forthebiggerthecrime，themoreobvious，asarule，isthemotive。
Inthesecases，saveforoneratherintricatematterwhichhasbeenreferredtomefromMarseilles，thereisnothingwhichpresentsanyfeaturesofinterest。Itispossible，however，thatImayhavesomethingbetterbeforeverymanyminutesareover，forthisisoneofmyclients，orIammuchmistaken。“
Hehadrisenfromhischair，andwasstandingbetweenthepartedblinds，gazingdownintothedull，neutral-tintedLondonstreet。
Lookingoverhisshoulder，Isawthatonthepavementoppositetherestoodalargewomanwithaheavyfurboaroundherneck，andalargecurlingredfeatherinabroad-brimmedhatwhichwastiltedinacoquettishDuchess-of-Devonshirefashionoverherear。
Fromunderthisgreatpanoplyshepeepedupinanervous，hesitatingfashionatourwindows，whileherbodyoscillatedbackwardandforward，andherfingersfidgetedwithherglovebuttons。Suddenly，withaplunge，asoftheswimmerwholeavesthebank，shehurriedacrosstheroad，andweheardthesharpclangofthebell。
“Ihaveseenthosesymptomsbefore，“saidHolmes，throwinghiscigaretteintothefire。“Oscillationuponthepavementalwaysmeansanaffairedecoeur。Shewouldlikeadvice，butisnotsurethatthematterisnottoodelicateforcommunication。Andyetevenherewemaydiscriminate。Whenawomanhasbeenseriouslywrongedbyaman，shenolongeroscillates，andtheusualsymptomisabrokenbellwire。Herewemaytakeitthatthereisalovematter，butthatthemaidenisnotsomuchangryasperplexedorgrieved。Buthereshecomesinpersontoresolveourdoubts。“
Ashespoke，therewasatapatthedoor，andtheboyinbuttonsenteredtoannounceMissMarySutherland，whiletheladyherselfloomedbehindhissmallblackfigurelikeafull-sailedmerchantmanbehindatinypilotboat。SherlockHolmeswelcomedherwiththeeasycourtesyforwhichhewasremarkable，andhavingclosedthedoor，andbowedherintoanarmchair，helookedheroverintheminuteandyetabstractedfashionwhichwaspeculiartohim。
“Doyounotfind，“hesaid，“thatwithyourshortsightitisalittletryingtodosomuchtypewriting？“
“Ididatfirst，“sheanswered，“butnowIknowwherethelettersarewithoutlooking。“Then，suddenlyrealizingthefullpurportofhiswords，shegaveaviolentstart，andlookedupwithfearandastonishmentuponherbroad，good-humoredface。“You’veheardaboutme，Mr。Holmes，“shecried，“elsehowcouldyouknowallthat？“
“Nevermind，“saidHolmes，laughing，“itismybusinesstoknowthings。PerhapsIhavetrainedmyselftoseewhatothersoverlook。
Ifnot，whyshouldyoucometoconsultme？“
“Icametoyou，sir，becauseIheardofyoufromMrs。Etherege，whosehusbandyoufoundsoeasilywhenthepoliceandeveryonehadgivenhimupfordead。Oh，Mr。Holmes，Iwishyouwoulddoasmuchforme。I’mnotrich，butstillIhaveahundredayearinmyownright，besidesthelittlethatImakebythemachine，andIwouldgiveitalltoknowwhathasbecomeofMr。HosmerAngel。“
“Whydidyoucomeawaytoconsultmeinsuchahurry？“askedSherlockHolmes，withhisfingertipstogether，andhiseyestotheceiling。
AgainastartledlookcameoverthesomewhatvacuousfaceofMissMarySutherland。“Yes，Ididbangoutofthehouse，“shesaid，“foritmademeangrytoseetheeasywayinwhichMr。Windibank——
thatis，myfather——tookitall。Hewouldnotgotothepolice，andhewouldnotgotoyou，andsoatlast，ashewoulddonothing，andkeptonsayingthattherewasnoharmdone，itmadememad，andIjustonwithmythingsandcamerightawaytoyou。“
“Yourfather？“saidHolmes。“Yourstepfather，surely，sincethenameisdifferent。“
“Yes，mystepfather。Icallhimfather，thoughitsoundsfunny，too，forheisonlyfiveyearsandtwomonthsolderthanmyself。“
“Andyourmotherisalive？“
“Oh，yes；motherisaliveandwell。Iwasn’tbestpleased，Mr。
Holmes，whenshemarriedagainsosoonafterfather’sdeath，andamanwhowasnearlyfifteenyearsyoungerthanherself。FatherwasaplumberintheTottenhamCourtRoad，andheleftatidybusinessbehindhim，whichmothercarriedonwithMr。Hardy，theforeman；
butwhenMr。Windibankcamehemadehersellthebusiness，forhewasverysuperior，beingatravelerinwines。Theygotfourthousandsevenhundredforthegood-willandinterest，whichwasn’tnearasmuchasfathercouldhavegotifhehadbeenalive。“
IhadexpectedtoseeSherlockHolmesimpatientunderthisramblingandinconsequentialnarrative，but，onthecontrary，hehadlistenedwiththegreatestconcentrationofattention。
“Yourownlittleincome，“heasked，“doesitcomeoutofthebusiness？“
“Oh，no，sir。Itisquiteseparate，andwasleftmebymyUncleNedinAuckland。ItisinNewZealandstock，payingfourandhalfpercent。Twothousandfivehundredpoundswastheamount，butI
canonlytouchtheinterest。“
“Youinterestmeextremely，“saidHolmes。“Andsinceyoudrawsolargeasumasahundredayear，withwhatyouearnintothebargain，younodoubttravelalittle，andindulgeyourselfineveryway。Ibelievethatasingleladycangetonverynicelyuponanincomeofaboutsixtypounds。“
“Icoulddowithmuchlessthanthat，Mr。Holmes，butyouunderstandthataslongasIliveathomeIdon’twishtobeaburdentothem，andsotheyhavetheuseofthemoneyjustwhileI
amstayingwiththem。Ofcoursethatisonlyjustforthetime。
Mr。Windibankdrawsmyinteresteveryquarter，andpaysitovertomother，andIfindthatIcandoprettywellwithwhatIearnattypewriting。Itbringsmetwopenceasheet，andIcanoftendofromfifteentotwentysheetsinaday。“
“Youhavemadeyourpositionverycleartome，“saidHolmes。“Thisismyfriend，DoctorWatson，beforewhomyoucanspeakasfreelyasbeforemyself。KindlytellusnowallaboutyourconnectionwithMr。HosmerAngel。“
AflushstoleoverMissSutherland’sface，andshepickednervouslyatthefringeofherjacket。“Imethimfirstatthegasfitters’
ball，“shesaid。“Theyusedtosendfatherticketswhenhewasalive，andthenafterwardstheyrememberedus，andsentthemtomother。Mr。Windibankdidnotwishustogo。Heneverdidwishustogoanywhere。HewouldgetquitemadifIwantedsomuchastojoinaSundaySchooltreat。ButthistimeIwassetongoing，andIwouldgo，forwhatrighthadhetoprevent？Hesaidthefolkwerenotfitforustoknow，whenallfather’sfriendsweretobethere。AndhesaidthatIhadnothingfittowear，whenIhadmypurpleplushthatIhadneversomuchastakenoutofthedrawer。
Atlast，whennothingelsewoulddo，hewentofftoFranceuponthebusinessofthefirm；butwewent，motherandI，withMr。Hardy，whousedtobeourforeman，anditwasthereImetMr。HosmerAngel。“
“Isuppose，“saidHolmes，“thatwhenMr。WindibankcamebackfromFrance，hewasveryannoyedatyourhavinggonetotheball？“
“Oh，well，hewasverygoodaboutit。Helaughed，Iremember，andshruggedhisshoulders，andsaidtherewasnousedenyinganythingtoawoman，forshewouldhaveherway。“
“Isee。Thenatthegasfitters’ballyoumet，asIunderstand，agentlemancalledMr。HosmerAngel？“