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SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE ADVENTURE OF THE VEILED LODGER
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
When one considers that Mr。 Sherlock Holmes was in active practice
for twenty…three years； and that during seventeen of these I was
allowed to cooperate with him and to keep notes of his doings； it will
be clear that I have a mass of material at my command。 The problem has
always been not to find but to choose。 There is the long row of
year…books which fill a shelf； and there are the dispatch…cases filled
with documents； a perfect quarry for the student not only of crime but
of the social and official scandals of the late Victorian era。
Concerning these latter； I may say that the writers of agonized
letters； who beg that the honour of their families or the reputation
of famous forebears may not be touched； have nothing to fear。 The
discretion and high sense of professional honour which have always
distinguished my friend are still at work in the choice of these
memoirs； and no confidence will be abused。 I deprecate； however； in
the strongest way the attempts which have been mode lately to get at
and to destroy these papers。 The source of these outrages is known；
and if they are repeated I have Mr。 Holmes's authority for saying that
the whole story concerning the politician； the lighthouse； and the
trained cormorant will be given to the public。 There is at least one
reader who will understand。
It is not reasonable to suppose that every one of these cases gave
Holmes the opportunity of showing those curious gifts of instinct
and observation which I have endeavoured to set fourth in these
memoirs。 Sometimes he had with much effort to pick the fruit；
sometimes it fell easily into his lap。 But the most terrible human
tragedies were often involved in those cases which brought him the
fewest personal opportunities； and it is one of these which I now
desire to record。 In telling it； I have made a slight change of name
and place； but otherwise the facts are as stated。
One forenoon… it was late in 1896… I received a hurried note from
Holmes asking for my attendance。 When I arrived I found him seated
in a smoke…laden atmosphere； with all elderly； motherly woman of the
buxom landlady type in the corresponding chair in front of him。
〃This is Mrs。 Merrilow； of South Brixton；〃 said my friend with a
wave of the hand。 〃Mrs。 Merrilow does not object to tobacco； Watson；
if you wish to indulge your filthy habits。 Mrs。 Merrilow has an
interesting story to tell which may well lead to further
developments in which your presence may be useful。〃
〃Anything I can do…〃
〃You will understand； Mrs。 Merrilow； that if I come to Mrs。 Ronder I
should prefer to have a witness。 You will make her understand that
before we arrive。〃
〃Lord bless you； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said our visitor； 〃she is that anxious
to see you that you might bring the whole parish at your heals！〃
〃Then we shall come early in the afternoon。 Let us see that we
have our facts correct before we start。 If we go over them it will
help Dr。 Watson to understand the situation。 You say that Mrs。
Ronder has been your lodger for seven years and that you have only
once seen her face。〃
〃And I wish to God I had not！〃 said Mrs。 Merrilow。
〃It was； I understand； terribly mutilated。〃
〃Well； Mr。 Holmes； you would hardly say it was a face at all。 That's
how it looked。 Our milkman got a glimpse of her once peeping out of
the upper window； and he dropped his tin and the milk all over the
front garden。 that is the kind of face it is。 When I saw her… I
happened on her unawares… she covered up quick； and then she said；
'Now； Mrs。 Merrilow； you know at last why it is that I never raise
my veil。'〃
〃Do you know anything about her history？〃
〃Nothing at all。〃
〃Did she give references when she came？〃
〃No； sir； but she gave hard cash； and plenty of it。 A quarter's rent
right down on the table in advance and no arguing about terms。 In
these times a poor woman like me can't afford to turn down a chance
like that。〃
〃Did she give any reason for choosing your house？〃
〃Mine stands well back from the road and is more private than
most。 Then； again； I only take the one； and I have no family of my
own。 I reckon she had tried others and found that mine suited her
best。 It's privacy she is after； and she is ready to pay for it。〃
〃You say that she never showed her face from first to last save on
the one accidental occasion。 Well； it is a very remarkable story； most
remarkable； and I don't wonder that you want it examined。〃
〃I don't； Mr。 Holmes。 I am quite satisfied so long as I get my rent。
You could not have a quieter lodger； or one who gives less trouble。〃
〃Then what has brought matters to a head？〃
〃Her health； Mr。 Holmes。 She seems to be wasting away。 And there's
something terrible on her mind。 'Murder！' she cries。 'Murder！' And
once I heard her： 'You cruel beast！ You monster！' she cried。 It was in
the night； and it fair rang through the house and sent the shivers
through me。 So I went to her in the morning。 'Mrs。 Ronder；' I says；
'if you have anything that is troubling your soul； there's the
clergy；' I says； 'and there's the police。 Between them you should
get some help。' 'For God's sake； not the police！' says she； 'and the
clergy can't change what is past。 And yet；' she says； 'it would ease
my mind if someone knew the truth before I died。' 'Well；' says I；
'if you won't have the regulars； there is this detective man what we
read about'… beggin' your pardon； Mr。 Holmes。 And she； she fair jumped
at it。 'That's the man；' says she。 'I wonder I never thought of it
before。 Bring him here； Mrs。 Merrilow； and if he won't come； tell
him I am the wife of Ronder's wild beast show。 Say that； and give
him the name Abbas Parva。 Here it is as she wrote it； Abbas Parva。
'That will bring him if he's the man I think he is。'〃
〃And it will； too；〃 remarked Holmes。 〃Very good； Mrs。 Merrilow。 I
should like to have a little chat with Dr。 Watson。 That will carry
us till lunch…time。 About three o'clock you may expect to see us at
your house in Brixton。〃
Our visitor had no sooner waddled out of the room… no other verb can
describe Mrs。 Merrilow's method of progression… than Sherlock Holmes
threw himself with fierce energy upon the pile of commonplace books in
the corner。 For a few minutes there was a constant swish of the
leaves； and then with a grunt of satisfaction he came upon what he
sought。 So excited was he that he did not rise； but sat upon the floor
like some strange Buddha； with crossed legs； the huge books all
round him； and one open upon his knees。
〃The case worried me at the time； Watson。 Here are my marginal notes
to prove it。 I confess that I could make nothing of it。 And yet I
was convinced that the coroner was wrong。 Have you no recollection
of the Abbas Parva tragedy？〃
〃None； Holmes。〃
〃And yet you were with me then。 But certainly my own impression
was very superficial。 For there was nothing to go by； and none of
the