Story number 3 in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir,
Arthur Conan Doyle. This LibriVox recording is in
the public domain. Story number 3, a case of
identity. My dear fellow said Sherlock
Holmes, as we sat on either side of the fire in his lodgings at
Baker, Street life is infinitely Stranger Than Anything, which
the mind of man could invent. We would not dare to conceive.
The things which are really mere commonplaces of existence.
If we could fly out of that window hand in hand, hover over
this great City, gently remove the roofs and Peep in at the
queer things which are going on. The strange coincidences the
planning's. Things the cross purposes, the
wonderful chains of events working through generations and
leading to the most outré results.
It would make all Fiction with its conventionalities and
foreseen conclusions, most stale and unprofitable.
And yet I'm not convinced of it. I answered the cases which come
to light in the papers are as a rule bald enough and vulgar
enough we have in our police reports realism pushed to its
extreme limits. Yet the result is it must be
confessed. Neither fascinating, nor
artistic, certain selection. And discretion must be used in
producing a realistic effect remarked Holmes.
This is wanting in the police report.
We're more stress is laid, perhaps upon the platitudes of
the magistrate than upon the details which to an observer
contain the vital essence of the whole matter depend upon it.
There is nothing so unnatural as the commonplace.
I smiled and shook my head. I can quite understand your
thinking. So I said, of course, in your
position of unofficial adviser and helper to everybody who is
absolutely puzzled throughout three continents.
You are brought in contact with all that is strange and bizarre
but here I picked up the morning paper from the ground.
Let us put it to a practical test.
Here is the first heading upon which I come a husband's cruelty
to his wife. There's half a column of print,
but I know without reading it that it is all perfectly
familiar to me. There is of course, The Other
Woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the bruise, the
sympathetic sister or landlady. The crudest of writers could
invent nothing more crude indeed.
Your example is an unfortunate one.
For your argument said, Holmes, taking the paper and glancing,
his eye down. It.
This is the Dundas, separation case.
And as it happens, I was engaged in clearing up some small points
in connection with it. The husband was a teetotaler,
there was no other woman and the conduct complained of was that
he had drifted into the habit of winding up every meal by taking
out his false teeth and hurling them at his wife, which you will
allow is not an action likely to occur to the imagination of the
average storyteller. Take a pinch of snuff doctor and
acknowledge that I have scored over you in your example.
He held out his snuffbox of old gold with a great Amethyst in
the center of the lid. Its Splendor was in such
contrast to his homely ways and simple life that I could not
help commenting upon it. Ah said he, I forgot that I had
not seen you for some weeks. It is a little souvenir from the
king of bohemia in return for my assistance.
In the case. The Irene Adler papers and the
ring, I asked glancing at a remarkable brilliant.
Which sparkled upon his finger. It was from the reigning family
of Holland know the matter in which I served them was of such
delicacy that I cannot confide it even to you who have been
good enough to Chronicle one or two of my little problems and
have you any on hand just now I asked with interest.
Some ten or twelve, but none, which present any feature of
Interest. They are important to understand
without being interesting. Indeed.
I have found that it is usually in unimportant matters that
there is a field for the observation and for the quick
analysis of cause and effect, which gives the charm to an
investigation. The larger crimes are apt to be
the simpler for the bigger, the crime.
The more obvious as a rule is the motive in these cases, save
for one rather intricate matter, which has been referred to me
from Marseilles. There is nothing which presents
any features of Interest. It is possible.
However, as I may have something better before very many minutes
are over for, this is one of my clients or I am much mistaken.
He had risen from his chair and was Nothing between the parted
blinds gazing down into the dull.
Neutral-tinted, London Street looking over his shoulder.
I saw that on the pavement opposite there.
Stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa around her neck and a
large curling Red Feather in a broad-brimmed hat, which was
tilted in a coquettish, Duchess of Devonshire fashion.
Over her ear from under this great panoply.
She peeped up in a nervous, hesitating fashion at our
Windows, while her A body, oscillated backward and forward
and her fingers fidgeted with her glove buttons.
Suddenly with a plunge, as of the swimmer, who leaves the
bank, she hurried across the road and we heard the sharp
clang of the bell. I have seen those symptoms
before said Holmes throwing his cigarette Into the Fire
oscillation upon the pavement. Always means an affaire de
Coeur. She would like advice but is not
sure that the matter is not too delicate.
It for communication. And yet even here we may
discriminate. When a woman has been seriously
wronged by a man. She no longer oscillates and the
usual symptom is a broken Bell wire here.
We may take it that there is a love matter, but that the maiden
is not so much angry as perplexed or grieved.
But here she comes in person to resolve our doubts.
As he spoke, there was a tap at the door and the boy in buttons
entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady
herself loomed behind his small, black figure like a full sailed
merchantman behind a tiny pilot boat, Sherlock Holmes welcomed
her with the easy courtesy, for which he was remarkable and
having closed the door and bowed her into an armchair.
He looked her over in the minute and yet abstracted fashion,
which was peculiar to him. Do you not find?
He said that with your short sight?
It is a little trying to do so much typewriting.
I did at first, she answered but now I know where the letters are
without looking. Then suddenly realising the full
purport of his words. She gave a violent start, and
looked up with fear and astonishment, upon her broad
good-humoured, face. You've heard about me.
Mr. Holmes, she cried else. How could, you know, all that?
Never mind said, Holmes laughing?
It is my business to know things.
Perhaps, I've trained myself to see what others Overlook.
If not, why should you come to consult me?
I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from mrs.
Etheridge. Whose husband, you found so easy
when the police and everyone had given him up for Dead.
Oh, mr. Holmes.
I wish you would do as much for me.
I'm not rich, but still, I have a hundred year in my own right.
Besides the little that I make by the machine and I would give
it all to know what has become of mr.
Hosmer, Angel. Why did you come away to consult
me in such a hurry? Ask?
Sherlock Holmes with his fingertips together and his eyes
to the ceiling. Again.
A startled look came over. The somewhat vacuous face of
Miss Mary Sutherland. Yes, I did.
Bang out of the house. She said for it made me angry to
see the easy way in which mr. Windibank.
That is my father, took it all he would not go to the police
and he would not go to you. And so at last as he would do
nothing and kept on saying that there was no harm done.
It made me mad and I just on with my things and came right
away to you. Your father said, Holmes, your
stepfather. Surely since the name is
different. Yes, my stepfather.
I call him father though. It sounds funny to, for he is
only five years and two months older than myself.
And your mother is alive. Oh, yes, mother is Alive.
And Well, I wasn't best pleased. Mr. Holmes, when she married
again, so soon after father's death, and a man who was nearly
15 years younger than herself. Father, was a plumber in the
Tottenham Court Road, and he left a tidy business behind him
which mother carried on with mr. Hardy the foreman but when mr.
Windibank came, he made her sell the business for he was very
Superior being a Traveller in wines.
They got four thousand seven hundred pounds for the Goodwill
and interest which wasn't near as much as father could have got
if he had been alive. I had expected to see Sherlock
Holmes impatient under this rambling and inconsequential
narrative, but on the contrary, he had listened with the
greatest concentration of attention.
Your own little income. He asked, does it come out of
the business? Oh, no, sir.
It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle, Ned in
Auckland. It is in New Zealand stock
paying four and a half percent. 2,500 pounds was the amount.
But I Only touch the interest, you interest me?
Extremely said Holmes. And since you draw so large, a
sum as a hundred a year with what you earn into the bargain.
You no doubt. Travel a little and indulge
yourself in every way. I believe that a single lady can
get on very nicely upon an income of about 60 pounds.
I could do with much less than that.
Mr. Holmes, but you understand that, as long as I live at home.
I don't wish to be a burden to them.
And so they have the use of the money just while I'm staying
with them. Of course, that is only just for
the time. Mr. Windibank draws my interest,
every quarter and pays it over to my mother.
And I found that I can do pretty well with what I earn at
typewriting. It brings me to Pence a sheet
and I can often do from fifteen to She eats in a day.
You have made your position. Very clear to me said Holmes.
This is my friend. Dr. Watson before whom you can
speak as freely as before myself.
Kindly tell us now all about your connection with mr.
Hosmer angel. A flush stole over Miss
Sutherlands face and she picked nervously at The Fringe of her
jacket. I met him first at the
gas-fitters ball. She said they used to send
Father tickets when he was alive and then afterwards, they
remembered us and sent them to Mother.
Mr. Windibank did not wish us to go.
He never did wish us to go anywhere.
He would get quite mad if I wanted so much as to join a
sunday-school treat, but this time I was set on going.
I would go for what right had he to prevent.
He said that folk were not fit for us to know when all father's
friends were to be there. And he said that, I had nothing
fit to wear. When I had my purple plush that
I'd never so much as taken out of the drawer.
At last, when nothing else would do.
He went off to France upon the business of the firm, but we
went mother and I with mr. Hardy who used to be our foreman
and it was there. I met mr.
Hosmer angel. I suppose said Holmes that when
mr. Windibank came back from France.
He was very annoyed at your having gone to the ball.
Oh, well, he was very good about it.
He laughed. I remember, and Shrugged, his
shoulders and said there was no use denying anything to a woman
for she would have her way. I see then at the gas-fitters
ball, you met, as I understand the gentleman called.
Mr. Hosmer Angel. Yes, sir.
I met him that night and he called next day to ask if we
could got home all safe. And after that we met him.
That is to say mr. Holmes.
I met him twice for walks, but after that father came back
again, and mr. Hosmer.
Angel could not come to the house anymore.
No, well, you know, father didn't like anything of the
sort. He wouldn't have any visitors if
he could help it and used to say that a woman should be happy in
her own Family Circle, but then, as I used to say, to mother a
woman wants her own Circle to begin with and I had not got
mine yet. But how about mr.
Hosmer Angel did he make no attempt to see you.
Well, father was going off to France again in a week and
Hosmer wrote and said that it would be safer and better not to
see each other, until he had gone.
We could write in the meantime and used to write every day.
I took the letters in in the morning, so there was no need
for father to know. Were you engaged to the
gentleman at this time? Oh, yes.
Mr. Holmes. We were engaged after the first
walk that we took Hosmer. Mr. Angel was a cashier in an
office in leadenhall Street. And what office?
That's the worst of it. Mr. Holmes.
I don't know. Where did he live?
Then? He slept on the premises and you
don't know his address. No, except that.
It was leadenhall Street. Where did you address your
letters? Then to the leadenhall Street
post office to be left till called for he said that if they
were sent to the office, he would be chaffed by all the
other clerks about having letters from A lady.
So I offered to typewrite them like he did his, but he wouldn't
have that for. He said that when I wrote them,
they seem to come from me, but when they were Typewritten, he
always felt that. The machine had come between us.
That will just show you how fond he was of me.
Mr. Holmes. And the little things that he
would think of it was most suggestive, said, Holmes.
It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are
infinitely. The most important.
Can you remember any other little things about?
Mr. Hosmer, Angel? He was a very shy man.
Mr. Holmes, he would rather walk with me in the evening than in
the daylight. For he said that he Hated to be
conspicuous very retiring. And gentlemanly was even his
voice was gentle, he'd had the Quinsy and swollen glands, when
he was young. He told me and it had left him
with a weak throat and a hesitating Whispering fashion of
speech. He was always well dressed.
Very neat and plain, but his eyes were weak.
Just as mine are and he wore tinted glasses against the
glare. Well, and what happened when mr.
Windibank your stepfather returned to France.
Mr. Hosmer, angel came to the house again and proposed that we
should marry before. Father came back.
He was in Dreadful Earnest and made me swear with my hands on
The Testament that whatever happened.
I would always be true to him. Mother said he was quite right
to make me swear and that it was a sign of his passion.
Mother was all in his favour from the first and was even
fonder of him than I was. Then when they talked of
marrying within the week. I began to ask about father, but
they both said never mind about father, but just to tell him
afterwards and mother said she would make it.
All right with him. I didn't quite like that.
Mr. Holmes. It seemed funny that I should
ask his leave as he was only a few years older than me.
But I didn't want to do anything on the sly.
So I wrote to father at Bordeaux where the company has its French
offices. But the letter came back to me
on the very morning of the wedding.
It's missed him. Then.
Yes, sir. For he had started to England
just before it arrived. Ha.
That was unfortunate. Your wedding was arranged then
for the Friday. Was it to be in church?
Yes, sir, but very Lee. It was to be at st.
Saviour's near Kings Cross and we were to have breakfast
afterwards at the st. Pancras Hotel.
Hosmer came for us in a hansom. But as there were two of us, he
put us both into it and stepped himself into a four-wheeler.
Which happened to be the only other Cab in the street.
We got to the church first and when the four-wheeler drove up,
we waited for him to step out. But he never did.
And when the cabman got down from the box and looked there
was no one there. The cabman said he could not
imagine what had become of him for.
He had seen him get in with his own eyes.
That was last Friday. Mr. Holmes, and I have never
seen or heard anything since to throw any light upon what became
of him. It seems to me that you have
been very shamefully. Treated said Holmes.
Oh, no, sir. He was too good and kind to
leave me. So why all the morning he was
saying to me that whatever happened.
It was to be true and that even if something quite unforeseen
occurred to separate us. I was always to remember that I
was pledged to him and that he would claim his pledge sooner or
later. It seems strange talk for a
wedding morning, but what has happened since gives a meaning
to it. Most certainly it does.
Your own opinion, is then that some unforeseen catastrophe has
occurred to him. Yes, sir.
I believe that he foresaw some danger or else he would not have
talked. So and then I think the what he
foresaw happened. But you have no notion as to
what it could have been. None.
One more question. How did your mother take the
matter? She was angry and said that I
was never to speak of the matter again.
And your father. Did you tell him?
Yes, and he seemed to think with me that something had happened
and that I should hear of Hosmer again.
As he said, what interest could anyone have in bringing me to
the doors of the church? And then leaving me.
Now, if he had borrowed my money or if he had married me and got
my money settled on him. There might be some reason, but
Hosmer was very independent about money and never would look
at a shilling of mine. And yet what could have happened
and why could he not right? Oh, it drives me half-mad to
think of it. And I can't sleep a wink at
night. She pulled a little handkerchief
out of her muff and began to sob heavily into it.
I shall glanced into the case for you said Holmes rising and I
have no doubt that we shall reach.
Some definite result. Let the weight of the matter
rest upon me now and do not let your mind dwell upon it.
Further above all. Try to let mr.
Hosmer Angel vanish from your memory as he has done from your
life, then you don't think I'll see him again.
I fear not then what has happened to him.
You will leave that question in my hands.
I should like an accurate description of him and any
letters of his which you can spare.
I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle said she
here is the slip and here are four letters from him.
Thank you. And your address.
Number 31, Lyon Place camberwell.
Mr. Angels address. You never had.
I understand. Where is your father's place of
business. He travels for westhouse &
marbank, The Great Claret importers of fenchurch street.
Thank you. You have made your statement
very clearly. You will leave the papers here
and remember the advice which I have given you, let the whole
incident, be a sealed book and do not allow it to affect your
life. You are very kind.
Mr. Holmes, but I cannot do that.
I shall be true to Hosmer. He shall find me ready when he
comes back. For all the Preposterous hat and
the vacuous face. There was something Noble in the
simple Faith of Our visitor, which compelled our respect.
She laid her little bundle of papers upon the table and went
her way with a promise to come again whenever she might be
summoned. Sherlock Holmes, sat silent for
a few minutes with his fingertips, still pressed
together. His legs stretched out in front
of him and his gaze directed upward to the ceiling.
Then he took down from the rack, the old and oily clay pipe,
which was to him as a counsellor and having lit it.
He leaned back in his chair with the thick blue cloud, wreaths
spinning up from him and a look of infinite languor in his face.
Quite an interesting study that Maiden he observed.
I found her more interesting than her little problem which by
the way is rather a trite. One, you will find parallel
cases if you consult my index in Andover in 77.
And there was something of the sort at the Hague last year old
as is the idea. However, there were one or two
details, which were new to me, but the maiden herself was most
instructive. You appear to read a good deal
upon her, which was quite invisible.
Me, I remarked Not Invisible, but unnoticed Watson.
You did not know where to look. And so you missed all that was
important. I can never bring you to realise
the importance of sleeves, the suggestiveness of thumbnails, or
the great issues that may hang from a bootlace.
Now, what did you gather from? That woman's appearance describe
it? Well, she had a slate-coloured
broad-brimmed straw hat, with a feather of British red.
Jacket was black with black beads sewn upon it, and a fringe
of little black jet ornaments. A dress was brown rather darker
than coffee Colour with a little purple plush at the neck and
sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and were
worn through at the right forefinger her boots.
I didn't observe she had small round hanging gold earrings and
a general air of being fairly well-to-do in a vulgar
comfortable easygoing way, Sherlock Holmes clapped his
hands softly together and chuckled upon my word Watson.
You are coming along. Wonderfully.
You have really done very well. Indeed.
It is true that you have missed everything of importance, but
you have hit The method and you have a quick eye for color.
Never trust to General Impressions.
My boy, but concentrate yourself upon details.
My first glance is always at a woman's sleeve in a man.
It is perhaps better first to take the knee of the trouser.
As You observe, this woman had plush upon her sleeves, which is
a most useful material for showing traces, the double line,
a little above the wrist, where the type rightist presses
against a table was beautifully. Defined.
The sewing-machine of the hand, type leaves a similar Mark, but
only on the left arm and on the side of it farthest from the
thumb, instead of being right across the broadest part, as
this was, I then glanced at her face and observed, the dint of a
pince-nez at either side of her nose.
I ventured a remark upon short, sight, and typewriting, which
seemed to surprise her it surprised me.
But surely it was obvious. I was then much surprised and
interested on glancing down to observe that though the boots
which she was wearing, were not unlike each other.
They were really odd ones. The one having a slightly
decorated toe-cap and the other. A plain one one was buttoned
only in the two lower buttons out of five and the other at the
first, third, and fifth. Now, when you see that a young
lady, otherwise neatly dressed has come.
Away from home with odd boots half-buttoned.
It is no great deduction to say that.
She came away in a hurry. And what else?
I asked keenly interested. As I always was, by my friends,
incisive reasoning. I noted in passing that she had
written a note before leaving home.
But after being fully dressed, You observe that her right glove
was torn at the forefinger, but you did not apparently see that
both glove and finger were stained with Violet Ink.
She had written in a hurry and dipped her pen too deep.
It must have been this morning or the mark would Remain clear
upon the finger. All this is amusing though
rather Elementary, but I must go back to business.
Watson. Would you mind reading me the
advertised description of mr. Hosmer, angel?
I held a little printed slip to the light.
Missing. It said on the morning of the
fourteenth, a gentleman named Hosmer, Angel about 5 foot 7
inches in height strongly built sallow, complexion, black hair.
A little bald in the Centre bushy black side-whiskers, and
Moustache tinted glasses. Slight infirmity of speech was
dressed when last seen in black frock-coat faced with silk Black
waistcoat, Gold, Albert chain and grey.
Harris, Tweed, trousers with brown gaiters over elastic-sided
boots, known to have been employed in an office in
leadenhall Street. Anybody bringing that to will do
said Holmes as to the letters. He continued glancing.
Over them. They are very commonplace.
Absolutely. No clue in them to mr.
Angel say that he quotes Balzac once there is one remarkable
point. However, which will no doubt
strike you, They are typewritten.
I remarked, not only that, but the signature is typewritten.
Look at the neat, little Hosmer Angel at the bottom.
There is a date to see but no superscription except leadenhall
Street, which is rather vague. The point about the signature is
very suggestive. In fact, we may call it
conclusive of what my dear fellow.
Is it possible? You do not see how strongly it
Bears upon the case. I cannot say that I do unless it
were that he wished to be able to deny his signature.
If an action for breach of Promise were instituted.
No, that was not the point. However, I should write two
letters, which has settled the matter.
One is to a firm in the city. The other is to the young lady's
stepfather. Mr. Windibank asking him whether
he could meet us here at 6:00 tomorrow evening.
It is just as well that we should do business with the male
relatives. And now doctor we can do nothing
until the answers to those letters.
Come. So we may put our little problem
upon the shelf for the interim. I had had so many reasons to
believe in my friends. Subtle powers of reasoning and
extraordinary energy and action. That I felt that he must have
some solid grounds for the assured and easy demeanour with
which he treated the singular mystery, which he had been
called upon to Fathom. Once only had I known him to
fail in the case of the king of Bohemia.
And of the Irene Adler photograph, but when I looked
back to the weird business of the sign of the four and the
extraordinary circumstances connected with the study in
Scarlet, I felt that it would be a strange tangle indeed which he
could not unravel. I left him then still puffing at
his black, clay pipe with the conviction.
When I came again on the next evening.
I would find that he held in his hands, all the clues which would
lead up to the identity of the disappearing.
Bridegroom of Miss. Mary Sutherland.
A professional case of great. Gravity was engaging my own
attention at the time and the whole of the next day.
I was busy at the bedside of the sufferer.
It was not until close upon six o'clock, but I found myself free
and was able to spring into a hansom and drive to Baker
Street, half afraid that I might be too late to assist at the
dénouement of the little mystery.
I found Sherlock Holmes alone. However, half asleep with his
long thin form curled up in the recesses of his His armchair a
formidable array of bottles and test-tubes with the pungent
cleanly smell of hydrochloric acid.
Told me that he had spent his day in the chemical work, which
was so dear to him. Well, have you solved it?
I asked as I hinted. Yes, it was the bisulphate of
burrito. No, no.
The mystery. I cried.
Oh, that I thought of the salt that I had been working upon.
It was never any mystery in the matter though.
As I said yesterday. Some of the details are of
Interest. The only drawback is that there
is no law. I fear that can touch the
scoundrel. Who was he then?
And what was his object in deserting Miss Sutherland?
The question was hardly out of my mouth and Holmes had not yet
opened his lips to reply when we heard a heavy footfall in the
passage and a tap at the door. This is the girl's stepfather.
Mr. James windibank,' Holmes. He has written to me to say
that. He would be here at six come in.
The man who entered was a sturdy middle-sized, fellow, some
thirty years of age clean-shaven, and sallow
skinned, with a bland insinuating Manner, and a pair
of wonderfully, sharp and penetrating grey eyes.
He shot a questioning glance at each of us.
Placed his shiny top-hat upon the sideboard and, with a slight
bow sidled down into the nearest chair.
Good evening. Mr. James windibank said Holmes.
I think that this typewritten Is from you in which you made an
appointment with me for six o'clock.
Yes, sir. I'm afraid that I'm a little
late, but I'm not quite my own Master.
You know, I am sorry that Miss Sutherland has troubled you
about this little matter for I think it is far better not to
wash linen of the sort in public.
It was quite against my wishes that she came, but she is a very
excitable impulsive. Girl, as you may have noticed,
and she is not easily controlled when she's made up her mind on a
point. Of course, I did not mind you so
much as you are not connected with the official police, but it
is not pleasant to have a family Misfortune like this noised
abroad. Besides, it is a useless expense
for how could you possibly find this Hosmer angel on?
The contrary said, Holmes, quietly.
I have every reason to believe that I will succeed in
discovering. Mr. Hosmer angel.
Mr. Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves.
I'm delighted to hear it. He said it is a Curious Thing.
Remarked Holmes, that a typewriter is really quite as
much individuality as a man's handwriting, unless they are
quite new. No, two of them.
Write exactly. Alike.
Some letters. Get more worn than others and
some wear. Only on one side.
Now, you remark in this note of yours, mr.
Windibank that in every case. There is some little slurring
over of the E and the slight defect in the tail of the are.
There are fourteen other characteristics, but those are
the more obvious. We do all our correspondence
with this machine at the office and no doubt.
It is a little worn. Our visitor answered glancing.
Keenly at Holmes with his bright little eyes.
And now I will show you what is really a very interesting study.
Mr. Windibank came continued. I think of writing another
little monograph. Some of these days on the
typewriter and its relation to Crime.
It is a subject to which I have devoted some little attention.
I have here four letters, which purport Come from the missing
man. They are all typewritten.
In each case. Not only are the he's slurred
and the RS tailless, but you will observe if you care to use
my magnifying lens, that the Fourteen other characteristics
to, which I have alluded, are there as well, mr.
Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat.
I cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk.
Mr. Holmes. He said, if you can catch the
man, catch him. And let me know when you've
done. It certainly said home stepping
over and turning the key in the door.
I let you know then that I have caught him.
What? Where shouted.
Mr. Windibank turning white to his lips and glancing about him
like a rat in a trap. Oh, it won't do, really it won't
said Holmes suavely. There is no possible getting out
of it. Mr. Windibank.
It is quite too transparent and it was a very bad.
Implement when you said that it was impossible for me to solve.
So simple, a question, that's right, sit down and let us talk
it over. Our visitor collapsed into a
chair with a ghastly face and the glitter of moisture on his
brow. It's, it's not actionable.
He stammered. I am very much afraid that it is
not. But between ourselves windibank,
it was as cruel and selfish and heartless, a trick in a petty
way as ever came before me. Now.
Let me just run over the course of events and you will
contradict me if I go wrong. The man sat huddled up in his
chair with his head, sunk upon his breast like one who is
utterly crushed homes. Stuck his feet up on the corner
of the mantelpiece and leaning back with his hands in his
pockets began talking, rather to himself as it seemed and to us.
The man, I married a woman. Very much older than himself for
her money said, he and he enjoyed the use of the money of
the daughter. As long as she lived with them.
It was a considerable sum for people in their position and the
loss of it would have made a serious difference.
It was worth an effort to preserve it.
The daughter was of a good amiable disposition, but
affectionate and warm-hearted in her ways so that it was evident
that with her Fair personal advantages and her little
income. You would not be allowed to
remain single long. Now, her marriage would mean.
Of course the loss of a hundred a year.
So, what does her stepfather do to prevent it?
He takes the obvious course of keeping her at home and
forbidding her to seek the company of people of her own
age. But soon, he found that they
would not answer forever. She became restive insisted upon
her rights, and finally announced her positive intention
of going to a certain ball. What does her clever stepfather
do? Then he conceives an idea more
creditable to his head and his heart with the connivance and
assistance of his wife. He disguised himself.
Covered those Keen eyes with tinted glasses.
Masked the face with a mustache and a pair of bushy whiskers
sunk that clear voice into an insinuating whisper and doubly
secure on account of the girl's short sight.
He appears as mr. Hosmer angel.
Keeps off other lovers by making love himself.
It was only a joke at first. Grown our visitor.
We never thought that she would have been so carried away very
likely, not. However, that may be the young
lady was very decidedly carried away and having quite made up
her mind that her stepfather was in France.
The suspicion of treachery. Never for an instant entered.
Her mind. She was flattered by the
gentleman's attentions. And the effect was increased by
the loudly expressed admiration of her mother.
Then mr. Angel began to call for it was
obvious that the matter should be pushed as far as it would go.
If a real effect were to be produced, there were meetings
and an engagement, which would finally secure the girl's
affections from turning towards anyone else, but the deception
could not be kept up forever. These pretended Journeys to
France were rather cumbrous. The thing to do was clearly to
bring the business to an end in such a dramatic manner.
If it would leave a permanent impression upon the young lady's
mind and prevent her from looking upon any other Suitor,
for some time to come, hence, those vows of fidelity exacted
upon a testament. And hence, also the allusions to
a possibility of something happening on the very morning of
the wedding James windibank, wished Miss Sutherland, to be so
bound to Hosmer Angel and so uncertain as to his fate that
for 10 years to At any rate, she would not listen to another man.
As far as the church door. He brought her and then as he
could go no farther. He conveniently vanished Away by
the old trick of stepping in at one door of a four-wheeler and
out at the other. I think that was the chain of
events. Mr. Windibank.
Our visitor had recovered something of his Assurance.
While Holmes had been talking and he rose from his chair.
Now, with a cold sneer upon his pale face.
It may be so or it might not mr. Holmes said he, but if you are
so very sharp. You ought to be sharp enough to
know that it is you who are breaking the law now and not me.
I have done nothing actionable from First.
But as long as you keep that door locked, you lay yourself
open to an action for assault and illegal.
Constraint the law cannot as you say, touch.
You said, Holmes, unlocking and throwing open the door yet.
There never was a man who deserved punishment more.
If the young lady has a brother or a friend, he ought to lay a
whip across your shoulders by jove.
He continued flushing up at the sight of the bitter sneer upon
the man's face. Face, it is not part of my
duties to my client, but here's a hunting crop handy.
And I think I shall just treat myself to.
He took two Swift steps to the whip.
But before he could grasp it. There was a wild clatter of
steps upon the stairs, the heavy Hall door banged.
And from the window, we could see mr.
James windibank running at the top of his speed down the road.
There's a cold-blooded scoundrel said Holmes laughing as he threw
himself down into his chair. Once more that fellow will rise
from crime to Crime until he does something very bad and ends
on a Gallows, the case has in some respects been not entirely
devoid of Interest. I cannot now entirely see all
the steps of your reasoning and remarked.
Well, of course, it was obvious from the first that this mr.
Hosmer, angel must have some strong object for his curious
conduct. And it was equally clear that
the only man who really profited by the incident as far as we
could see, was The Stepfather, then the fact that the two men
were never together, but that the one always appeared when the
other was away was suggestive. So we're the tinted spectacles
and the Curious voice, which both hinted at a disguise as did
the bushy whiskers. My suspicions were all confirmed
by his peculiar action in typewriting his signature,
which, of course inferred that his handwriting was so familiar
to her that she would recognise, even the smallest sample of it.
You see all these isolated facts together with many minor ones
all pointed in the same direction.
And how did you verify them having once spotted?
My man? It was easy to get
corroboration. I knew the firm for which this
man worked, having taken the printed description.
I eliminated everything from it, which could be the result of a
disguise. The whiskers, the glasses, the
voice and I sent it to the firm with a request that they would
inform me. Whether it's answered to the
description of any of their Travellers.
I had already noticed the peculiarities of the typewriter.
And I wrote To The Man himself at his business address asking
him. If he would come here as I
expected, his reply was typewritten and revealed the
same trivial, but characteristic defects.
The same post bought me a letter from westhouse & marbank of
fenchurch Street to say that the description tallied in every
respect with that of their employé James windibank.
And Miss Sutherland. If I tell her, she will not
believe me. You may remember the old Persian
saying, there is danger for him, who taketh, the tiger cub and
danger. Also for whoso snatches, a
delusion from a woman. There is as much sense in Hafiz,
as in Horace, and as much knowledge of the world.
End of a case of identity. End of a case of identity.