THE　ADVENTURES　OF　SHERLOCK　HOLMES
  A　Case　of　Identity
  〃My　dear　fellow；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes　as　we　sat　on　either　side　of
  the　fire　in　his　lodgings　at　Baker　Street；　〃life　is　infinitely
  stranger　than　anything　which　the　mind　of　man　could　invent。　　We
  would　not　dare　to　conceive　the　things　which　are　really　mere
  commonplaces　of　existence。　　If　we　could　fly　out　of　that　window
  hand　in　hand；　hover　over　this　great　city；　gently　remove　the　roofs；
  and　peep　in　at　the　queer　things　which　are　going　on；　the　strange
  coincidences；　the　plannings；　the　cross…purposes；　the　wonderful
  chains　of　events；　working　through　generations；　and　leading　to　the
  most　outre　results；　it　would　make　all　fiction　with　its
  conventionalities　and　foreseen　conclusions　most　stale　and
  unprofitable。〃
  〃And　yet　I　am　not　convinced　of　it；〃　I　answered。　　〃The　cases
  which　come　to　light　in　the　papers　are；　as　a　rule；　bald　enough；　and
  vulgar　enough。　　We　have　in　our　police　reports　realism　pushed　to
  its　extreme　limits；　and　yet　the　result　is；　it　must　be　confessed；
  neither　fascinating　nor　artistic。〃
  〃A　certain　selection　and　discretion　must　be　used　in　producing
  a　realistic　effect；〃　remarked　Holmes。　　〃This　is　wanting　in　the
  police　report；　where　more　stress　is　laid；　perhaps；　upon　the
  platitudes　of　the　magistrate　than　upon　the　details；　which　to　an
  observer　contain　the　vital　essence　of　the　whole　matter。　　Depend
  upon　it；　there　is　nothing　so　unnatural　as　the　commonplace。〃
  I　smiled　and　shook　my　head。　　〃I　can　quite　understand　your
  thinking　so；〃　I　said。　　〃Of　course；　in　your　position　of　unofficial
  adviser　and　helper　to　everybody　who　is　absolutely　puzzled；
  throughout　three　continents；　you　are　brought　in　contact　with　all
  that　is　strange　and　bizarre。　　But　here〃I　picked　up　the　morning
  paper　from　the　ground〃let　us　put　it　to　a　practical　test。　　Here
  is　the　first　heading　upon　which　I　come。　　‘A　husband's　cruelty　to
  his　wife。'　　There　is　half　a　column　of　print；　but　I　know　without
  reading　it　that　it　is　all　perfectly　familiar　to　me。　　There　is；　of
  course；　the　other　woman；　the　drink；　the　push；　the　blow；　the
  bruise；　the　sympathetic　sister　or　landlady。　　The　crudest　of
  writers　could　invent　nothing　more　crude。〃
  〃Indeed；　your　example　is　an　unfortunate　one　for　your
  argument；〃　said　Holmes；　taking　the　paper　and　glancing　his　eye　down
  it。　　〃This　is　the　Dundas　separation　case；　and；　as　it　happens；　I
  was　engaged　in　clearing　up　some　small　points　in　connection　with
  it。　　The　husband　was　a　teetotaler；　there　was　no　other　woman；　and
  the　conduct　complained　of　was　that　he　had　drifted　into　the　habit
  of　winding　up　every　meal　by　taking　out　his　false　teeth　and　hurling
  them　at　his　wife；　which；　you　will　allow；　is　not　an　action　likely
  to　occur　to　the　imagination　of　the　average　story…teller。　　Take　a
  pinch　of　snuff；　Doctor；　and　acknowledge　that　I　have　scored　over
  you　in　your　example。〃
  He　held　out　his　snuffbox　of　old　gold；　with　a　great　amethyst　in
  the　centre　of　the　lid。　　Its　splendour　was　in　such　contrast　to　his
  homely　ways　and　simple　life　that　I　could　not　help　commenting　upon
  it。
  〃Ah；〃　said　he；　〃I　forgot　that　I　had　not　seen　you　for　some
  weeks。　　It　is　a　little　souvenir　from　the　King　of　Bohemia　in　return
  for　my　assistance　in　the　case　of　the　Irene　Adler　papers。〃
  〃And　the　ring？〃　I　asked；　glancing　at　a　remarkable　brilliant
  which　sparkled　upon　his　finger。
  〃It　was　from　the　reigning　family　of　Holland；　though　the　matter
  in　which　I　served　them　was　of　such　delicacy　that　I　cannot　confide
  it　even　to　you；　who　have　been　good　enough　to　chronicle　one　or　two
  of　my　little　problems。〃
  〃And　have　you　any　on　hand　just　now？〃　I　asked　with　interest。
  〃Some　ten　or　twelve；　but　none　which　present　any　feature　of
  interest。　　They　are　important；　you　understand；　without　being
  interesting。　　Indeed；　I　have　found　that　it　is　usually　in
  unimportant　matters　that　there　is　a　field　for　the　observation；　and
  for　the　quick　analysis　of　cause　and　effect　which　gives　the　charm
  to　an　investigation。　　The　larger　crimes　are　apt　to　be　the　simpler；
  for　the　bigger　the　crime　the　more　obvious；　as　a　rule；　is　the
  motive。　　In　these　cases；　save　for　one　rather　intricate　matter
  which　has　been　referred　to　me　from　Marseilles；　there　is　nothing
  which　presents　any　features　of　interest。　　It　is　possible；　however；
  that　I　may　have　something　better　before　very　many　minutes　are
  over；　for　this　is　one　of　my　clients；　or　I　am　much　mistaken。〃
  He　had　risen　from　his　chair　and　was　standing　between　the
  parted　blinds；　gazing　down　into　the　dull　neutral…tinted　London
  street。　　Looking　over　his　shoulder；　I　saw　that　on　the　pavement
  opposite　there　stood　a　large　woman　with　a　heavy　fur　boa　round　her
  neck；　and　a　large　curling　red　feather　in　a　broad…brimmed　hat　which
  was　tilted　in　a　coquettish　Duchess　of　Devonshire　fashion　over　her
  ear。　　From　under　this　great　panoply　she　peeped　up　in　a　nervous；
  hesitating　fashion　at　our　windows；　while　her　body　oscillated
  backward　and　forward；　and　her　fingers　fidgeted　with　her　glove
  buttons。　　Suddenly；　with　a　plunge；　as　of　the　swimmer　who　leaves
  the　bank；　she　hurried　across　the　road；　and　we　heard　the　sharp
  clang　of　the　bell。
  〃I　have　seen　those　symptoms　before；〃　said　Holmes；　throwing　his
  cigarette　into　the　fire。　　〃Oscillation　upon　the　pavement　always
  means　an　affaire　de　coeur。　　She　would　like　advice；　but　is　not　sure
  that　the　matter　is　not　too　delicate　for　communication。　　And　yet
  even　here　we　may　discriminate。　　When　a　woman　has　been　seriously
  wronged　by　a　man　she　no　longer　oscillates；　and　the　usual　symptom
  is　a　broken　bell　wire。　　Here　we　may　take　it　that　there　is　a　love
  matter；　but　that　the　maiden　is　not　so　much　angry　as　perplexed；　or
  grieved。　　But　here　she　comes　in　person　to　resolve　our　doubts。〃
  As　he　spoke　there　was　a　tap　at　the　door；　and　the　boy　in
  buttons　entered　to　announce　Miss　Mary　Sutherland；　while　the　lady
  herself　loomed　behind　his　small　black　figure　like　a　full…sailed
  merchant…man　behind　a　tiny　pilot　boat。　　Sherlock　Holmes　welcomed
  her　with　the　easy　courtesy　for　which　he　was　remarkable；　and；
  having　closed　the　door　and　bowed　her　into　an　armchair；　he　looked
  her　over　in　the　minute　and　yet　abstracted　fashion　which　was
  peculiar　to　him。
  〃Do　you　not　find；〃　he　said；　〃that　with　your　short　sight　it　is
  a　little　trying　to　do　so　much　typewriting？〃
  〃I　did　at　first；〃　she　answered；　〃but　now　I　know　where　the
  letters　are　without　looking。〃　　Then；　suddenly　realizing　the　full
  purport　of　his　words；　she　gave　a　violent　start　and　looked　up；　with
  fear　and　astonishment　upon　her　broad；　good…humoured　face。　　〃You've
  heard　about　me；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　she　cried；　〃else　how　could　you　know
  all　that？〃
  〃Never　mind；〃　said　Holmes；　laughing；　〃it　is　my　business　to
  know　things。　　Perhaps　I　have　trained　myself　to　see　what　others
  overlook。　　If　not；　why　should　you　come　to　consult　me？〃
  〃I　came　to　you；　sir；　because　I　heard　of　you　from　Mrs。
  Etherege；　whose　husband　you　found　so　easy　when　the　police　and
  everyone　had　given　him　up　for　dead。　　Oh；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　wish　you
  would　do　as　much　for　me。　　I'm　not　rich；　but　still　I　have　a　hundred
  a　year　in　my　own　right；　besides　the　little　that　I　make　by　the
  machine；　and　I　would　give　it　all　to　know　what　has　become　of　Mr。
  Hosmer　Angel。〃
  〃Why　did　you　come　away　to　consult　me　in　such　a　hurry？〃　asked
  Sherlock　Holmes；　with　his　finger…tips　together　and　his　eyes　to　the
  ceiling。
  Again　a　startled　look　came　over　the　somewhat　vacuous　face　of
  Miss　Mary　Sutherland。　　〃Yes；　I　did　bang　out　of　the　house；〃　she
  said；　〃for　it　made　me　angry　to　see　the　easy　way　in　which　Mr。
  Windibankthat　is；　my　fathertook　it　all。　　He　would　not　go　to
  the　police；　and　he　would　not　go　to　you；　and　so　at　last；　as　he
  would　do　nothing　and　kept　on　saying　that　there　was　no　harm　done；
  it　made　me　mad；　and　I　just　on　with　my　things　and　came　right　away
  to　you。〃
  〃Your　father；〃　said　Holmes；　〃your　stepfather；　surely；　since
  the　name　is　different。〃
  〃Yes；　my　stepfather。　　I　call　him　father；　though　it　sounds
  funny；　too；　for　he　is　only　five　years　and　two　months　older　than
  myself。〃