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〃It surprised me。〃
〃But； surely； it was very 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
friend's incisive reasoning。
〃I noted； in passing； that she had written a note before leaving
home； but after being fully dressed。 You observed 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 not 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 the little printed slip to the light。 〃Missing；〃 it said；
〃on the morning of the fourteenth； a gentleman named Hosmer Angel。
About five feet seven inches in height； strongly built； sallow
complexion； black hair； a little bald in the center； bushy black
side…whiskers and mustache； tinted glasses； slight infirmity of
speech。 Was dressed； when last seen； in black frock…coat faced
with silk； black waistcoat； gold Albert chain； and gray Harris
tweed trousers； with brown gaiters over elastic…sided boots。 Known
to have been employed in an office in Leadenhall Street。 Anybody
bringing；〃 etc。； etc。
〃That will do；〃 said Holmes。 〃As to the letters；〃 he continued；
glancing over them； 〃they are very commonplace。 Absolutely no clew
in them to Mr。 Angel； save 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； you see； but
no superscription except Leadenhall Street； which is rather vague。
The point about the signature is very suggestivein 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 shall write two letters
which should settle 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 six o'clock to…morrow 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 friend's subtle powers
of reasoning； and extraordinary energy in action； that I felt that
he must have some solid grounds for the assured and easy demeanor
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 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 that when I came again on the next evening I would find
that he held in his hands all the clews 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 next day I was busy at the bedside of
the sufferer。 It was not until close upon six o'clock that 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
denouement of the little mystery。 I found Sherlock Holmes alone；
however； half asleep； with his long； thin form curled up in the
recesses of 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 entered。
〃Yes。 It was the bisulphate of baryta。〃
〃No； no； the mystery！〃 I cried。
〃Oh； that！ I thought of the salt that I have been working upon。
There 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；〃 said 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
gray 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 this
typewritten letter is from you； in which you made an appointment
with me for six o'clock？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I am afraid that I am a little late； but I am 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
has 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；