第9章

“Youappearedtoreadagooddealuponherwhichwasquiteinvisibletome，“Iremarked。 “Notinvisible，butunnoticed，Watson。Youdidnotknowwheretolook，andsoyoumissedallthatwasimportant。Icanneverbringyoutorealizetheimportanceofsleeves，thesuggestivenessofthumbnails，orthegreatissuesthatmayhangfromabootlace。 Now，whatdidyougatherfromthatwoman’sappearance？Describeit。“ “Well，shehadaslate-colored，broad-brimmedstrawhat，withafeatherofabrickishred。Herjacketwasblack，withblackbeadsseweduponitandafringeoflittleblackjetornaments。Herdresswasbrown，ratherdarkerthancoffeecolor，withalittlepurpleplushattheneckandsleeves。Herglovesweregrayish，andwerewornthroughattherightforefinger。HerbootsIdidn’tobserve。Shehadsmallround，hanginggoldearrings，andageneralairofbeingfairlywell-to-do，inavulgar，comfortable，easygoingway。“ SherlockHolmesclappedhishandssoftlytogetherandchuckled。 “’Ponmyword，Watson，youarecomingalongwonderfully。Youhavereallydoneverywellindeed。Itistruethatyouhavemissedeverythingofimportance，butyouhavehituponthemethod，andyouhaveaquickeyeforcolor。Nevertrusttogeneralimpressions，myboy，butconcentrateyourselfupondetails。Myfirstglanceisalwaysatawoman’ssleeve。Inamanitisperhapsbetterfirsttotakethekneeofthetrouser。Asyouobserve，thiswomanhadplushuponhersleeve，whichisamostusefulmaterialforshowingtraces。Thedoublelinealittleabovethewrist，wherethetypewritistpressesagainstthetable，wasbeautifullydefined。 Thesewingmachine，ofthehandtype，leavesasimilarmark，butonlyontheleftarm，andonthesideofitfarthestfromthethumb，insteadofbeingrightacrossthebroadestpart，asthiswas。Ithenglancedatherface，andobservingthedintofapince-nezateithersideofhernose，Iventuredaremarkuponshortsightandtypewriting，whichseemedtosurpriseher。“ “Itsurprisedme。“ “But，surely，itwasveryobvious。Iwasthenmuchsurprisedandinterestedonglancingdowntoobservethat，thoughthebootswhichshewaswearingwerenotunlikeeachother，theywerereallyoddones，theonehavingaslightlydecoratedtoecapandtheotheraplainone。Onewasbuttonedonlyinthetwolowerbuttonsoutoffive，andtheotheratthefirst，third，andfifth。Now，whenyouseethatayounglady，otherwiseneatlydressed，hascomeawayfromhomewithoddboots，half-buttoned，itisnogreatdeductiontosaythatshecameawayinahurry。“ “Andwhatelse？“Iasked，keenlyinterested，asIalwayswas，bymyfriend’sincisivereasoning。 “Inoted，inpassing，thatshehadwrittenanotebeforeleavinghome，butafterbeingfullydressed。Youobservedthatherrightglovewastornattheforefinger，butyoudidnot，apparently，seethatbothgloveandfingerwerestainedwithvioletink。Shehadwritteninahurry，anddippedherpentoodeep。Itmusthavebeenthismorning，orthemarkwouldnotremainclearuponthefinger。 Allthisisamusing，thoughratherelementary，butImustgobacktobusiness，Watson。WouldyoumindreadingmetheadvertiseddescriptionofMr。HosmerAngel？“ Iheldthelittleprintedsliptothelight。“Missing，“itsaid，“onthemorningofthefourteenth，agentlemannamedHosmerAngel。 Aboutfivefeetseveninchesinheight；stronglybuilt，sallowcomplexion，blackhair，alittlebaldinthecenter，bushyblackside-whiskersandmustache；tintedglasses；slightinfirmityofspeech。Wasdressed，whenlastseen，inblackfrock-coatfacedwithsilk，blackwaistcoat，goldAlbertchain，andgrayHarristweedtrousers，withbrowngaitersoverelastic-sidedboots。KnowntohavebeenemployedinanofficeinLeadenhallStreet。Anybodybringing，“etc。，etc。 “Thatwilldo，“saidHolmes。“Astotheletters，“hecontinued，glancingoverthem，“theyareverycommonplace。AbsolutelynoclewinthemtoMr。Angel，savethathequotesBalzaconce。Thereisoneremarkablepoint，however，whichwillnodoubtstrikeyou。“ “Theyaretypewritten，“Iremarked。 “Notonlythat，butthesignatureistypewritten。Lookattheneatlittle’HosmerAngel’atthebottom。Thereisadate，yousee，butnosuperscriptionexceptLeadenhallStreet，whichisrathervague。 Thepointaboutthesignatureisverysuggestive——infact，wemaycallitconclusive。“ “Ofwhat？“ “Mydearfellow，isitpossibleyoudonotseehowstronglyitbearsuponthecase？“ “IcannotsaythatIdo，unlessitwerethathewishedtobeabletodenyhissignatureifanactionforbreachofpromisewereinstituted。“ “No，thatwasnotthepoint。However，Ishallwritetwoletterswhichshouldsettlethematter。OneistoafirmintheCity，theotheristotheyounglady’sstepfather，Mr。Windibank，askinghimwhetherhecouldmeetushereatsixo’clockto-morrowevening。Itisjustaswellthatweshoulddobusinesswiththemalerelatives。 Andnow，doctor，wecandonothinguntiltheanswerstothoseletterscome，sowemayputourlittleproblemupontheshelffortheinterim。“ Ihadhadsomanyreasonstobelieveinmyfriend’ssubtlepowersofreasoning，andextraordinaryenergyinaction，thatIfeltthathemusthavesomesolidgroundsfortheassuredandeasydemeanorwithwhichhetreatedthesingularmysterywhichhehadbeencalledupontofathom。OnceonlyhadIknownhimtofail，inthecaseoftheKingofBohemiaandtheIreneAdlerphotograph，butwhenI lookedbacktotheweirdbusinessofthe“SignoftheFour，“andtheextraordinarycircumstancesconnectedwiththe“StudyinScarlet，“Ifeltthatitwouldbeastrangetangleindeedwhichhecouldnotunravel。 Ilefthimthen，stillpuffingathisblackclaypipe，withtheconvictionthatwhenIcameagainonthenexteveningIwouldfindthatheheldinhishandsalltheclewswhichwouldleaduptotheidentityofthedisappearingbridegroomofMissMarySutherland。 Aprofessionalcaseofgreatgravitywasengagingmyownattentionatthetime，andthewholeofnextdayIwasbusyatthebedsideofthesufferer。Itwasnotuntilcloseuponsixo’clockthatIfoundmyselffree，andwasabletospringintoahansomanddrivetoBakerStreet，halfafraidthatImightbetoolatetoassistatthedenouementofthelittlemystery。IfoundSherlockHolmesalone，however，halfasleep，withhislong，thinformcurledupintherecessesofhisarmchair。Aformidablearrayofbottlesandtest- tubes，withthepungent，cleanlysmellofhydrochloricacid，toldmethathehadspenthisdayinthechemicalworkwhichwassodeartohim。 “Well，haveyousolvedit？“IaskedasIentered。 “Yes。Itwasthebisulphateofbaryta。“ “No，no；themystery！“Icried。 “Oh，that！IthoughtofthesaltthatIhavebeenworkingupon。 Therewasneveranymysteryinthematter，though，asIsaidyesterday，someofthedetailsareofinterest。Theonlydrawbackisthatthereisnolaw，Ifear，thatcantouchthescoundrel。“ “Whowashe，then，andwhatwashisobjectindesertingMissSutherland？“ Thequestionwashardlyoutofmymouth，andHolmeshadnotyetopenedhislipstoreply，whenweheardaheavyfootfallinthepassage，andatapatthedoor。 “Thisisthegirl’sstepfather，Mr。JamesWindibank，“saidHolmes。 “Hehaswrittentometosaythathewouldbehereatsix。Comein！“ Themanwhoenteredwasasturdy，middle-sizedfellow，somethirtyyearsofage，cleanshaven，andsallow-skinned，withabland，insinuatingmanner，andapairofwonderfullysharpandpenetratinggrayeyes。Heshotaquestioningglanceateachofus，placedhisshinytophatuponthesideboard，and，withaslightbow，sidleddownintothenearestchair。 “Goodevening，Mr。JamesWindibank，“saidHolmes。“Ithinkthistypewrittenletterisfromyou，inwhichyoumadeanappointmentwithmeforsixo’clock？“ “Yes，sir。IamafraidthatIamalittlelate，butIamnotquitemyownmaster，youknow。IamsorrythatMissSutherlandhastroubledyouaboutthislittlematter，forIthinkitisfarbetternottowashlinenofthesortinpublic。Itwasquiteagainstmywishesthatshecame，butsheisaveryexcitable，impulsivegirl，asyoumayhavenoticed，andsheisnoteasilycontrolledwhenshehasmadeuphermindonapoint。Ofcourse，Ididnotmindyousomuch，asyouarenotconnectedwiththeofficialpolice，butitisnotpleasanttohaveafamilymisfortunelikethisnoisedabroad。 Besides，itisauselessexpense，forhowcouldyoupossiblyfindthisHosmerAngel？“ “Onthecontrary，“saidHolmes，quietly，“IhaveeveryreasontobelievethatIwillsucceedindiscoveringMr。HosmerAngel。“ Mr。Windibankgaveaviolentstart，anddroppedhisgloves。“Iamdelightedtohearit，“hesaid。 “Itisacuriousthing，“remarkedHolmes，“thatatypewriterhasreallyquiteasmuchindividualityasaman’shandwriting。Unlesstheyarequitenewnotwoofthemwriteexactlyalike。Somelettersgetmorewornthanothers，andsomewearonlyononeside。 Now，youremarkinthisnoteofyours，Mr。Windibank，thatineverycasethereissomelittleslurringoverthee，andaslightdefectinthetailofther。Therearefourteenothercharacteristics，butthosearethemoreobvious。“ “Wedoallourcorrespondencewiththismachineattheoffice，andnodoubtitisalittleworn，“ourvisitoranswered，glancingkeenlyatHolmeswithhisbrightlittleeyes。 “AndnowIwillshowyouwhatisreallyaveryinterestingstudy，Mr。Windibank，“Holmescontinued。“Ithinkofwritinganotherlittlemonographsomeofthesedaysonthetypewriteranditsrelationtocrime。ItisasubjecttowhichIhavedevotedsomelittleattention。Ihaveherefourletterswhichpurporttocomefromthemissingman。Theyarealltypewritten。Ineachcase，notonlyarethee’sslurredandther’stailless，butyouwillobserve，ifyoucaretousemymagnifyinglens，thatthefourteenothercharacteristicstowhichIhavealludedarethereaswell。“ Mr。Windibanksprungoutofhischair，andpickeduphishat。“I cannotwastetimeoverthissortoffantastictalk，Mr。Holmes，“hesaid。“Ifyoucancatchtheman，catchhim，andletmeknowwhenyouhavedoneit。“ “Certainly，“saidHolmes，steppingoverandturningthekeyinthedoor。“Iletyouknow，then，thatIhavecaughthim！“