“Acertainselectionanddiscretionmustbeusedinproducingarealisticeffect，“remarkedHolmes。“Thisiswantinginthepolicereport，wheremorestressislaidperhapsupontheplatitudesofthemagistratethanuponthedetails，whichtoanobservercontainthevitalessenceofthewholematter。Dependuponit，thereisnothingsounnaturalasthecommonplace。“
　　Ismiledandshookmyhead。“Icanquiteunderstandyourthinkingso，“Isaid。“Ofcourse，inyourpositionofunofficialadviserandhelpertoeverybodywhoisabsolutelypuzzled，throughoutthreecontinents，youarebroughtincontactwithallthatisstrangeandbizarre。Buthere，“——Ipickedupthemorningpaperfromtheground——“letusputittoapracticaltest。HereisthefirstheadinguponwhichIcome。’Ahusband’scrueltytohiswife。’
　　Thereishalfacolumnofprint，butIknowwithoutreadingitthatitisallperfectlyfamiliartome。Thereis，ofcourse，theotherwoman，thedrink，thepush，theblow，thebruise，theunsympatheticsisterorlandlady。Thecrudestofwriterscouldinventnothingmorecrude。“
　　“Indeedyourexampleisanunfortunateoneforyourargument，“saidHolmes，takingthepaper，andglancinghiseyedownit。“ThisistheDundasseparationcase，and，asithappens，Iwasengagedinclearingupsomesmallpointsinconnectionwithit。Thehusbandwasateetotaler，therewasnootherwoman，andtheconductcomplainedofwasthathehaddriftedintothehabitofwindingupeverymealbytakingouthisfalseteethandhurlingthemathiswife，whichyouwillallowisnotanactionlikelytooccurtotheimaginationoftheaveragestoryteller。Takeapinchofsnuff，doctor，andacknowledgethatIhavescoredoveryouinyourexample。“
　　Heheldouthissnuffboxofoldgold，withagreatamethystinthecenterofthelid。ItssplendorwasinsuchcontrasttohishomelywaysandsimplelifethatIcouldnothelpcommentinguponit。
　　“Ah！“saidhe，“IforgotthatIhadnotseenyouforsomeweeks。
　　ItisalittlesouvenirfromtheKingofBohemia，inreturnformyassistanceinthecaseoftheIreneAdlerpapers。“
　　“Andthering？“Iasked，glancingataremarkablebrilliantwhichsparkleduponhisfinger。
　　“ItwasfromthereigningfamilyofHolland，thoughthematterinwhichIservedthemwasofsuchdelicacythatIcannotconfideiteventoyou，whohavebeengoodenoughtochronicleoneortwoofmylittleproblems。“
　　“Andhaveyouanyonhandjustnow？“Iaskedwithinterest。
　　“Sometenortwelve，butnonewhichpresentanyfeaturesofinterest。Theyareimportant，youunderstand，withoutbeinginteresting。IndeedIhavefoundthatitisusuallyinunimportantmattersthatthereisafieldfortheobservation，andforthequickanalysisofcauseandeffectwhichgivesthecharmtoaninvestigation。Thelargercrimesareapttobethesimpler，forthebiggerthecrime，themoreobvious，asarule，isthemotive。
　　Inthesecases，saveforoneratherintricatematterwhichhasbeenreferredtomefromMarseilles，thereisnothingwhichpresentsanyfeaturesofinterest。Itispossible，however，thatImayhavesomethingbetterbeforeverymanyminutesareover，forthisisoneofmyclients，orIammuchmistaken。“
　　Hehadrisenfromhischair，andwasstandingbetweenthepartedblinds，gazingdownintothedull，neutral-tintedLondonstreet。
　　Lookingoverhisshoulder，Isawthatonthepavementoppositetherestoodalargewomanwithaheavyfurboaroundherneck，andalargecurlingredfeatherinabroad-brimmedhatwhichwastiltedinacoquettishDuchess-of-Devonshirefashionoverherear。
　　Fromunderthisgreatpanoplyshepeepedupinanervous，hesitatingfashionatourwindows，whileherbodyoscillatedbackwardandforward，andherfingersfidgetedwithherglovebuttons。Suddenly，withaplunge，asoftheswimmerwholeavesthebank，shehurriedacrosstheroad，andweheardthesharpclangofthebell。
　　“Ihaveseenthosesymptomsbefore，“saidHolmes，throwinghiscigaretteintothefire。“Oscillationuponthepavementalwaysmeansanaffairedecoeur。Shewouldlikeadvice，butisnotsurethatthematterisnottoodelicateforcommunication。Andyetevenherewemaydiscriminate。Whenawomanhasbeenseriouslywrongedbyaman，shenolongeroscillates，andtheusualsymptomisabrokenbellwire。Herewemaytakeitthatthereisalovematter，butthatthemaidenisnotsomuchangryasperplexedorgrieved。Buthereshecomesinpersontoresolveourdoubts。“
　　Ashespoke，therewasatapatthedoor，andtheboyinbuttonsenteredtoannounceMissMarySutherland，whiletheladyherselfloomedbehindhissmallblackfigurelikeafull-sailedmerchantmanbehindatinypilotboat。SherlockHolmeswelcomedherwiththeeasycourtesyforwhichhewasremarkable，andhavingclosedthedoor，andbowedherintoanarmchair，helookedheroverintheminuteandyetabstractedfashionwhichwaspeculiartohim。
　　“Doyounotfind，“hesaid，“thatwithyourshortsightitisalittletryingtodosomuchtypewriting？“
　　“Ididatfirst，“sheanswered，“butnowIknowwherethelettersarewithoutlooking。“Then，suddenlyrealizingthefullpurportofhiswords，shegaveaviolentstart，andlookedupwithfearandastonishmentuponherbroad，good-humoredface。“You’veheardaboutme，Mr。Holmes，“shecried，“elsehowcouldyouknowallthat？“
　　“Nevermind，“saidHolmes，laughing，“itismybusinesstoknowthings。PerhapsIhavetrainedmyselftoseewhatothersoverlook。
　　Ifnot，whyshouldyoucometoconsultme？“
　　“Icametoyou，sir，becauseIheardofyoufromMrs。Etherege，whosehusbandyoufoundsoeasilywhenthepoliceandeveryonehadgivenhimupfordead。Oh，Mr。Holmes，Iwishyouwoulddoasmuchforme。I’mnotrich，butstillIhaveahundredayearinmyownright，besidesthelittlethatImakebythemachine，andIwouldgiveitalltoknowwhathasbecomeofMr。HosmerAngel。“
　　“Whydidyoucomeawaytoconsultmeinsuchahurry？“askedSherlockHolmes，withhisfingertipstogether，andhiseyestotheceiling。
　　AgainastartledlookcameoverthesomewhatvacuousfaceofMissMarySutherland。“Yes，Ididbangoutofthehouse，“shesaid，“foritmademeangrytoseetheeasywayinwhichMr。Windibank——
　　thatis，myfather——tookitall。Hewouldnotgotothepolice，andhewouldnotgotoyou，andsoatlast，ashewoulddonothing，andkeptonsayingthattherewasnoharmdone，itmadememad，andIjustonwithmythingsandcamerightawaytoyou。“
　　“Yourfather？“saidHolmes。“Yourstepfather，surely，sincethenameisdifferent。“
　　“Yes，mystepfather。Icallhimfather，thoughitsoundsfunny，too，forheisonlyfiveyearsandtwomonthsolderthanmyself。“
　　“Andyourmotherisalive？“
　　“Oh，yes；motherisaliveandwell。Iwasn’tbestpleased，Mr。
　　Holmes，whenshemarriedagainsosoonafterfather’sdeath，andamanwhowasnearlyfifteenyearsyoungerthanherself。FatherwasaplumberintheTottenhamCourtRoad，andheleftatidybusinessbehindhim，whichmothercarriedonwithMr。Hardy，theforeman；
　　butwhenMr。Windibankcamehemadehersellthebusiness，forhewasverysuperior，beingatravelerinwines。Theygotfourthousandsevenhundredforthegood-willandinterest，whichwasn’tnearasmuchasfathercouldhavegotifhehadbeenalive。“
　　IhadexpectedtoseeSherlockHolmesimpatientunderthisramblingandinconsequentialnarrative，but，onthecontrary，hehadlistenedwiththegreatestconcentrationofattention。
　　“Yourownlittleincome，“heasked，“doesitcomeoutofthebusiness？“
　　“Oh，no，sir。Itisquiteseparate，andwasleftmebymyUncleNedinAuckland。ItisinNewZealandstock，payingfourandhalfpercent。Twothousandfivehundredpoundswastheamount，butI
　　canonlytouchtheinterest。“
　　“Youinterestmeextremely，“saidHolmes。“Andsinceyoudrawsolargeasumasahundredayear，withwhatyouearnintothebargain，younodoubttravelalittle，andindulgeyourselfineveryway。Ibelievethatasingleladycangetonverynicelyuponanincomeofaboutsixtypounds。“
　　“Icoulddowithmuchlessthanthat，Mr。Holmes，butyouunderstandthataslongasIliveathomeIdon’twishtobeaburdentothem，andsotheyhavetheuseofthemoneyjustwhileI
　　amstayingwiththem。Ofcoursethatisonlyjustforthetime。
　　Mr。Windibankdrawsmyinteresteveryquarter，andpaysitovertomother，andIfindthatIcandoprettywellwithwhatIearnattypewriting。Itbringsmetwopenceasheet，andIcanoftendofromfifteentotwentysheetsinaday。“
　　“Youhavemadeyourpositionverycleartome，“saidHolmes。“Thisismyfriend，DoctorWatson，beforewhomyoucanspeakasfreelyasbeforemyself。KindlytellusnowallaboutyourconnectionwithMr。HosmerAngel。“
　　AflushstoleoverMissSutherland’sface，andshepickednervouslyatthefringeofherjacket。“Imethimfirstatthegasfitters’
　　ball，“shesaid。“Theyusedtosendfatherticketswhenhewasalive，andthenafterwardstheyrememberedus，andsentthemtomother。Mr。Windibankdidnotwishustogo。Heneverdidwishustogoanywhere。HewouldgetquitemadifIwantedsomuchastojoinaSundaySchooltreat。ButthistimeIwassetongoing，andIwouldgo，forwhatrighthadhetoprevent？Hesaidthefolkwerenotfitforustoknow，whenallfather’sfriendsweretobethere。AndhesaidthatIhadnothingfittowear，whenIhadmypurpleplushthatIhadneversomuchastakenoutofthedrawer。
　　Atlast，whennothingelsewoulddo，hewentofftoFranceuponthebusinessofthefirm；butwewent，motherandI，withMr。Hardy，whousedtobeourforeman，anditwasthereImetMr。HosmerAngel。“
　　“Isuppose，“saidHolmes，“thatwhenMr。WindibankcamebackfromFrance，hewasveryannoyedatyourhavinggonetotheball？“
　　“Oh，well，hewasverygoodaboutit。Helaughed，Iremember，andshruggedhisshoulders，andsaidtherewasnousedenyinganythingtoawoman，forshewouldhaveherway。“
　　“Isee。Thenatthegasfitters’ballyoumet，asIunderstand，agentlemancalledMr。HosmerAngel？“