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heading upon which I come。 'A husband's cruelty to his wife。'
There is 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 unsympathetic
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 story teller。 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 of 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； though 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 features of
interest。 They are important； you 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； that 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 standing 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 round 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 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 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 realizing the full purport of
his words； she gave a violent start； and looked up with fear and
astonishment upon her broad； good…humored 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 have 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。 Etherege；
whose husband you found so easily 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 a 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？〃 asked
Sherlock Holmes； with his finger tips 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 fathertook 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；
too； 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 fifteen 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 traveler in wines。 They got four
thousand seven hundred for the good…will 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 concent