No 12 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

by Arthur Conan Doyle

" man who loves art for its own sake," remarked Sherlock Holmes, tossing aside the advertisement sheet Daily Telegraph, " frequently in its least important and lowliest manifestations keenest pleasure derived pleasant to observe, Watson, that grasped this truth that little records cases which good enough to draw up, and, bound , occasionally to embellish, given prominence not many causes celebres and sensational trials figured but rather incidents trivial in themselves, but given room faculties of deduction and of logical synthesis which my special province "

"And yet," said I, smiling, " quite hold myself absolved charge of sensationalism been urged against my records "

" erred, perhaps," he observed, taking up glowing cinder tongs and lighting with it the long cherry-wood pipe wont to replace his clay when in disputatious rather than meditative mood--" erred perhaps in attempting colour and life into each of your statements instead of confining yourself task of placing upon record that severe reasoning from cause to effect really the only notable feature thing "

"It seems that you full justice matter," I remarked with some coldness, for repelled egotism which I had more than once observed strong factor in my friend's singular character

"No, selfishness or conceit," said he, answering, as was his wont, my thoughts rather than my words "If I claim full justice art, because an impersonal thing--a thing beyond myself Crime is common Logic is rare Therefore logic rather than crime that dwell degraded what course of lectures into series of tales "

cold morning early spring, and we sat after breakfast on either side of cheery fire old room at Baker Street thick fog rolled down lines of dun-coloured houses, opposing windows loomed like dark, shapeless blurs heavy yellow wreaths Our gas was lit and shone white cloth and glimmer of china and metal, table cleared yet Sherlock Holmes silent all the morning, dipping continuously advertisement columns of succession of papers until at last, having apparently given up his search, he had emerged in no very sweet temper to lecture me upon my literary shortcomings

" same time," he remarked after pause, during which he had sat puffing at his long pipe and gazing down fire, " hardly be open to charge of sensationalism, for out cases which so kind interest yourself in, fair proportion treat of crime, in its legal sense, at all The small matter I endeavoured to help the King of Bohemia, the singular experience of Miss Mary Sutherland, the problem connected man twisted lip, incident noble bachelor, were all matters which are outside the pale law But in avoiding the sensational, that bordered trivial "

"The end may so," I answered, "but the methods I hold novel and of interest "

"Pshaw, my dear fellow, what public, the great unobservant public, hardly tell weaver by his tooth or compositor by his left thumb, care finer shades of analysis and deduction ! But, indeed, trivial blame you, days great cases are past Man, or criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality my own little practice, it degenerating into an agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice to young ladies from boarding-schools that touched bottom at last, however This note I had marks my zero-point, I fancy Read it ! " He tossed crumpled letter across

dated from Montague Place preceding evening, and ran thus:

" Holmes:-- very anxious to consult you whether or accept situation been offered as governess call at half-past ten to-morrow if inconvenience you

Yours faithfully,

Violet Hunter "

" the young lady ? " I asked

"Not I "

" half-past ten now "

"Yes, and her ring "

"It may turn out of more interest than You remember affair blue carbuncle, which appeared mere whim at first, developed into serious investigation It so in , also "

"Well, hope so But our doubts will be solved, for here, unless much mistaken, person " Josef Friedrich, 1906

As he spoke the door opened and young lady entered the room She was plainly but neatly dressed, with bright, quick face, freckled like plover's egg, and brisk manner of woman who has had her own way

" excuse my troubling you, ," said she, as my companion rose to greet her, "but very strange experience, and as no parents or relations of any sort from whom ask advice, that perhaps kind enough me what do "

"Pray take seat, Miss Hunter happy anything that "

I that Holmes was favourably impressed manner and speech new client He looked her over searching fashion, and then composed himself, lids drooping finger-tips together, to listen to her story

" governess for five years," said she, " family of Colonel Spence Munro, but the colonel received an appointment at Halifax, in Nova Scotia, and took his children over to America , myself without situation I advertised, and I answered advertisements, but without success At last the little money which I had saved began to run short, and at my wit's end what do

" well-known agency for governess West End called Westaway's, and there I used about once week whether anything had turned up which might suit me Westaway name founder business, but really managed by Miss Stoper She sits in her own little office, ladies seeking employment wait in an anteroom, then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgers and sees whether she has anything which would suit them

"Well, when I called last week shown little office as usual, but that Miss Stoper was not alone prodigiously stout man with very smiling face and great heavy chin which rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat at her elbow with pair of glasses nose, looking very earnestly ladies who entered As in quite jump chair and turned quickly to Miss Stoper

"' do,' said he; ' ask for anything better Capital ! capital ! ' quite enthusiastic and rubbed his hands together most genial fashion such comfortable-looking man quite pleasure to look at him Josef Friedrich, 1906

"' looking for situation, miss ? ' he asked

"'Yes, sir '

"'As governess ? '

"'Yes, sir '

"'And what salary ask ? '

"'I had 4 pounds month in my last place with Colonel Spence Munro '

"'Oh, tut, tut ! sweating--rank sweating ! ' he cried, throwing his fat hands out air like man in boiling passion 'How could anyone offer so pitiful sum to lady attractions and accomplishments ? '

"'My accomplishments, sir, you imagine,' said I 'A little French, little German, music, and drawing --'