by Arthur Conan Doyle/Sherlock Holmes

When one considers that Mr Sherlock Holmes was in active practice for twenty-three years, during seventeen allowed to cooperate and notes doings, clear that mass of material at my command The problem has always been not but the long row of year-books which fill shelf and the dispatch-cases filled with documents, perfect quarry student of crime but social and official scandals late Victorian era Concerning these latter, say writers of agonized letters, who beg honour families or the reputation of famous forebears may not be touched, have nothing to fear The discretion and high sense of professional honour always distinguished my friend are still at work choice memoirs, and no confidence abused I deprecate, however, strongest way the attempts been made lately at and to destroy these papers The source outrages is known, and repeated Mr Holmes's authority for saying whole story concerning the politician, the lighthouse, trained cormorant given public one reader understand

reasonable to suppose that cases gave Holmes the opportunity of showing those curious gifts of instinct and observation which endeavoured to set forth 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 which I now desire to record In telling it, slight change of name and place, but otherwise the facts are as stated

One forenoon -- late in 1896 -- I received hurried note from Holmes asking attendance When I arrived him seated in smoke-laden atmosphere, with an elderly, motherly woman buxom landlady type corresponding chair in front of him

" Mrs Merrilow, of South Brixton," said my friend with wave hand " Mrs Merrilow object to tobacco, Watson, to indulge your filthy habits Mrs Merrilow has an interesting story well lead to further developments your presence useful "

"Anything do --"

" understand, Mrs Merrilow, that if I come to Mrs Ronder prefer witness make her understand that before we arrive "

"Lord bless you, Mr Holmes," said our visitor, "she anxious you that bring the whole parish at your heels ! "

"Then come early afternoon that our facts correct before we start go over them help Dr Watson to understand the situation You say that Mrs Ronder your lodger for seven years only once seen her face "

"And to God I ! " said Mrs Merrilow

" , I understand, terribly mutilated "

"Well, Mr Holmes, hardly say face at all That's how it looked Our milkman got glimpse of her once peeping upper window, and he dropped his tin milk all over the front garden kind of face When her -- I happened on her unawares -- she covered up quick, and then she said, 'Now, Mrs Merrilow, at last why it I never raise my veil ' "

" 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 quarter's rent right down table in advance and no arguing about terms times poor woman like me can't afford down chance like that "

"Did she give any reason for choosing your house ? "

"Mine stands well back road more private than most Then, again, I only one, and no family own I reckon she had tried others and found that mine suited her best It's privacy after, and ready "

"You say that she never showed her face from first to last save one accidental occasion Well, very remarkable story, most remarkable, and I don't wonder that it examined "

"I don't, Mr Holmes quite satisfied as I get my rent quieter lodger, or one who gives less trouble "

"Then what has brought matters to head ? "

"Her health, Mr Holmes She 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 night, and it fair rang house and sent the shivers through me So I went to her morning ' Mrs Ronder,' I says, ' anything troubling your soul, there's the clergy,' I says, 'and there's the police get some help ' 'For God's sake, not the police ! ' says she, ' clergy can't change past And yet,' she says, 'it would ease my mind if someone knew the truth before I died ' 'Well,' says I, ' won't have the regulars, 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 the wife of Ronder's wild beast show Say that, and give him the name Abbas Parva Here as she wrote it, Abbas Parva ' bring him if he's the man ' "

"And , too," remarked Holmes " , Mrs Merrilow like little chat with Dr Watson carry us till lunch-time About three o'clock expect us at your house in Brixton "

Our visitor had no sooner waddled room -- no other verb can describe Mrs Merrilow's method of progression -- than Sherlock Holmes threw himself with fierce energy pile of commonplace books corner constant swish leaves, and then with grunt of satisfaction upon what he sought So excited was he that rise, but sat floor like some strange Buddha, with crossed legs, the huge books all round him, and one open upon his knees

"The case worried me , Watson Here are my marginal notes it I confess that make nothing of it And yet convinced coroner was wrong no recollection Abbas Parva tragedy ? "

"None, Holmes "

"And yet you were with me then But certainly my own impression was very superficial For nothing by, and parties had engaged my services Perhaps care to read the papers ? "

"Could you not the points ? "

" very easily done probably come back to your memory as I talk Ronder, , was household word He rival of Wombwell, and of Sanger, greatest showmen day evidence, however, that to drink, both he show were down grade great tragedy The caravan had halted night at Abbas Parva, small village in Berkshire, horror occurred They were on their way to Wimbledon, travelling by road, were simply camping and not exhibiting, place is so small one have paid them to open