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？“