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tell me that you intended to go into harness。〃
〃Then how do you know？〃
〃I see it； I deduce it。 How do I know that you have been getting
yourself very wet lately； and that you have a most clumsy and
careless servant girl？〃
〃My dear Holmes；〃 said I； 〃this is too much。 You would certainly
have been burned had you lived a few centuries ago。 It is true
that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful
mess； but as I have changed my clothes； I can't imagine how you
deduce it。 As to Mary Jane； she is incorrigible； and my wife has
given her notice； but there again I fail to see how you work it
out。〃
He chuckled to himself and rubbed his long nervous hands together。
〃It is simplicity itself；〃 said he； 〃my eyes tell me that on the
inside of your left shoe； just where the firelight strikes it； the
leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts。 Obviously they have
been caused by some one who has very carelessly scraped round the
edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it。 Hence；
you see； my double deduction that you had been out in vile weather；
and that you had a particularly malignant boot…slicking specimen of
the London slavey。 As to your practice； if a gentleman walks into
my rooms； smelling of iodoform； with a black mark of nitrate of
silver upon his right forefinger； and a bulge on the side of his
top hat to show where he has secreted his stethoscope； I must be
dull indeed if I do not pronounce him to be an active member of the
medical profession。〃
I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his
process of deduction。 〃When I hear you give your reasons；〃 I
remarked； 〃the thing always appears to me so ridiculously simple
that I could easily do it myself； though at each successive
instance of your reasoning I am baffled； until you explain your
process。 And yet； I believe that my eyes are as good as yours。〃
〃Quite so；〃 he answered； lighting a cigarette； and throwing himself
down into an armchair。 〃You see； but you do not observe。 The
distinction is clear。 For example； you have frequently seen the
steps which lead up from the hall to this room。〃
〃Frequently。〃
〃How often？〃
〃Well； some hundreds of times。〃
〃Then how many are there？〃
〃How many？ I don't know。〃
〃Quite so！ You have not observed。 And yet you have seen。 That is
just my point。 Now； I know there are seventeen steps； because I
have both seen and observed。 By the way； since you are interested
in these little problems； and since you are good enough to
chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences； you may be
interested in this。〃 He threw over a sheet of thick pink…tinted
note paper which had been lying open upon the table。 〃It came by
the last post；〃 said he。 〃Read it aloud。〃
The note was undated； and without either signature or address。
〃There will call upon you to…night； at a quarter to eight o'clock；〃
it said； 〃a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of
the very deepest moment。 Your recent services to one of the royal
houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may safely be
trusted with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be
exaggerated。 This account of you we have from all quarters
received。 Be in your chamber； then； at that hour； and do not take
it amiss if your visitor wears a mask。〃
〃This is indeed a mystery；〃 I remarked。 〃What do you imagine that
it means？〃
〃I have no data yet。 It is a capital mistake to theorize before
one has data。 Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit
theories； instead of theories to suit facts。 But the note itself
what do you deduce from it？〃
I carefully examined the writing； and the paper upon which it was
written。
〃The man who wrote it was presumably well to do；〃 I remarked；
endeavoring to imitate my companion's processes。 〃Such paper could
not be bought under half a crown a packet。 It is peculiarly strong
and stiff。〃
〃Peculiarthat is the very word；〃 said Holmes。 〃It is not an
English paper at all。 Hold it up to the light。〃
I did so； and saw a large E with a small g； a P and a large G with
a small t woven into the texture of the paper。
〃What do you make of that？〃 asked Holmes。
〃The name of the maker； no doubt； or his monogram； rather。〃
〃Not all。 The G with the small t stands for 'Gesellschaft；' which
is the German for 'Company。' It is a customary contraction like
our 'Co。' P； of course； stands for 'Papier。' Now for the Eg。 Let
us glance at our 'Continental Gazetteer。〃 He took down a heavy
brown volume from his shelves。 〃Eglow； Eglonitzhere we are；
Egria。 It is in a German…speaking countryin Bohemia； not far
from Carlsbad。 'Remarkable as being the scene of the death of
Wallenstein； and for its numerous glass factories and paper mills。'
Ha！ ha！ my boy； what do you make of that？〃 His eyes sparkled； and
he sent up a great blue triumphant cloud from his cigarette。
〃The paper was made in Bohemia；〃 I said。
〃Precisely。 And the man who wrote the note is a German。 Do you
note the peculiar construction of the sentence'This account of
you we have from all quarters received'？ A Frenchman or Russian
could not have written that。 It is the German who is so
uncourteous to his verbs。 It only remains； therefore； to discover
what is wanted by this German who writes upon Bohemian paper； and
prefers wearing a mask to showing his face。 And here he comes； if
I am not mistaken； to resolve all our doubts。〃
As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs and grating
wheels against the curb； followed by a sharp pull at the bell。
Holmes whistled。
〃A pair； by the sound；〃 said he。 〃Yes；〃 he continued； glancing out
of the window。 〃A nice little brougham and a pair of beauties。 A
hundred and fifty guineas apiece。 There's money in this case；
Watson； if there is nothing else。〃
〃I think I had better go； Holmes。〃
〃Not a bit； doctor。 Stay where you are。 I am lost without my
Boswell。 And this promises to be interesting。 It would be a pity
to miss it。〃
〃But your client〃
〃Never mind him。 I may want your help； and so may he。 Here he
comes。 Sit down in that armchair； doctor； and give us your best
attention。〃
A slow and heavy step； which had been heard upon the stairs and in
the passage； paused immediately outside the door。 Then there was a
loud and authoritative tap。
〃Come in！〃 said Holmes。
A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six
inches in height； with the chest and limbs of a Hercules。 His
dress was rich with a richness which would； in England； be looked
upon as akin to bad taste。 Heavy bands of astrakhan were slashed
across the sleeves and front of his double…breasted coat； while the
deep blue cloak which was thrown over his shoulders was lined with
flame…colored silk； and secured at the neck with a brooch which
consisted