III.A CASE OF IDENTITY

you.” “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,theforemanbutwhenMr.Windibankcamehemadehersellthebusiness,forhewasverysuperior,beingatravellerinwines.Theygot￡4700forthegoodwillandinterest,whichwasn’tnearasmuchasfathercouldhavegotifhehadbeenalive.” IhadexpectedtoseeSherlockHolmesimpatientunderthisramblingandinconsequentialnarrative,but,onthecontrary,hehadlistenedwiththegreatestconcentrationofattention. “Yourownlittleincome,”heasked,“doesitcomeoutofthebusiness?” “Oh,no,sir.ItisquiteseparateandwasleftmebymyuncleNedinAuckland.ItisinNewZealandstock,paying4?percent.Twothousandfivehundredpoundswastheamount,butIcanonlytouchtheinterest.” “Youinterestmeextremely,”saidHolmes.“Andsinceyoudrawsolargeasumasahundredayear,withwhatyouearnintothebargain,younodoubttravelalittleandindulgeyourselfineveryway.Ibelievethatasingleladycangetonverynicelyuponanincomeofabout￡60.” “Icoulddowithmuchlessthanthat,Mr.Holmes,butyouunderstandthataslongasIliveathomeIdon’twishtobeaburdentothem,andsotheyhavetheuseofthemoneyjustwhileIamstayingwiththem.Ofcourse,thatisonlyjustforthetime.Mr.Windibankdrawsmyinteresteveryquarterandpaysitovertomother,andIfindthatIcandoprettywellwithwhatIearnattypewriting.Itbringsmetwopenceasheet,andIcanoftendofromfifteentotwentysheetsinaday.” “Youhavemadeyourpositionverycleartome,”saidHolmes.“Thisismyfriend,Dr.Watson,beforewhomyoucanspeakasfreelyasbeforemyself.KindlytellusnowallaboutyourconnectionwithMr.HosmerAngel.” AflushstoleoverMissSutherland’sface,andshepickednervouslyatthefringeofherjacket.“Imethimfirstatthegasfitters’ball,”shesaid.“Theyusedtosendfatherticketswhenhewasalive,andthenafterwardstheyrememberedus,andsentthemtomother.Mr.Windibankdidnotwishustogo.Heneverdidwishustogoanywhere.HewouldgetquitemadifIwantedsomuchastojoinaSunday-schooltreat.ButthistimeIwassetongoing,andIwouldgoforwhatrighthadhetoprevent?Hesaidthefolkwerenotfitforustoknow,whenallfather’sfriendsweretobethere.AndhesaidthatIhadnothingfittowear,whenIhadmypurpleplushthatIhadneversomuchastakenoutofthedrawer.Atlast,whennothingelsewoulddo,hewentofftoFranceuponthebusinessofthefirm,butwewent,motherandI,withMr.Hardy,whousedtobeourforeman,anditwasthereImetMr.HosmerAngel.” “Isuppose,”saidHolmes,“thatwhenMr.WindibankcamebackfromFrancehewasveryannoyedatyourhavinggonetotheball.” “Oh,well,hewasverygoodaboutit.Helaughed,Iremember,andshruggedhisshoulders,andsaidtherewasnousedenyinganythingtoawoman,forshewouldhaveherway.” “Isee.Thenatthegasfitters’ballyoumet,asIunderstand,agentlemancalledMr.HosmerAngel.” “Yes,sir.Imethimthatnight,andhecallednextdaytoaskifwehadgothomeallsafe,andafterthatwemethim—thatistosay,Mr.Holmes,Imethimtwiceforwalks,butafterthatfathercamebackagain,andMr.HosmerAngelcouldnotcometothehouseanymore.” “No?” “Well,youknowfatherdidn’tlikeanythingofthesort.Hewouldn’thaveanyvisitorsifhecouldhelpit,andheusedtosaythatawomanshouldbehappyinherownfamilycircle.Butthen,asIusedtosaytomother,awomanwantsherowncircletobeginwith,andIhadnotgotmineyet.” “ButhowaboutMr.HosmerAngel?Didhemakenoattempttoseeyou?” “Well,fatherwasgoingofftoFranceagaininaweek,andHosmerwroteandsaidthatitwouldbesaferandbetternottoseeeachotheruntilhehadgone.Wecouldwriteinthemeantime,andheusedtowriteeveryday.Itookthelettersininthemorning,sotherewasnoneedforfathertoknow.” “Wereyouengagedtothegentlemanatthistime?” “Oh,yes,Mr.Holmes.Wewereengagedafterthefirstwalkthatwetook.Hosmer—Mr.Angel—wasacashierinanofficeinLeadenhallStreet—and—” “Whatoffice?” “That’stheworstofit,Mr.Holmes,Idon’tknow.” “Wheredidhelive,then?” “Hesleptonthepremises.” “Andyoudon’tknowhisaddress?” “No—exceptthatitwasLeadenhallStreet.” “Wheredidyouaddressyourletters,then?” “TotheLeadenhallStreetPostOffice,tobelefttillcalledfor.Hesaidthatiftheyweresenttotheofficehewouldbechaffedbyalltheotherclerksabouthavinglettersfromalady,soIofferedtotypewritethem,likehedidhis,buthewouldn’thavethat,forhesaidthatwhenIwrotethemtheyseemedtocomefromme,butwhentheyweretypewrittenhealwaysfeltthatthemachinehadcomebetweenus.Thatwilljustshowyouhowfondhewasofme,Mr.Holmes,andthelittlethingsthathewouldthinkof.” “Itwasmostsuggestive,”saidHolmes.“Ithaslongbeenanaxiomofminethatthelittlethingsareinfinitelythemostimportant.CanyourememberanyotherlittlethingsaboutMr.HosmerAngel?” “Hewasaveryshyman,Mr.Holmes.Hewouldratherwalkwithmeintheeveningthaninthedaylight,forhesaidthathehatedtobeconspicuous.Veryretiringandgentlemanlyhewas.Evenhisvoicewasgentle.He’dhadthequinsyandswollenglandswhenhewasyoung,hetoldme,andithadlefthimwithaweakthroat,andahesitating,whisperingfashionofspeech.Hewasalwayswelldressed,veryneatandplain,buthiseyeswereweak,justasmineare,andheworetintedglassesagainsttheglare.” “Well,andwhathappenedwhenMr.Windibank,yourstepfather,returnedtoFrance?” “Mr.HosmerAngelcametothehouseagainandproposedthatweshouldmarrybeforefathercameback.Hewasindreadfulearnestandmademeswear,withmyhandsontheTestament,thatwhateverhappenedIwouldalwaysbetruetohim.Mothersaidhewasquiterighttomakemeswear,andthatitwasasignofhispassion.MotherwasallinhisfavourfromthefirstandwasevenfonderofhimthanIwas.Then,whentheytalkedofmarryingwithintheweek,Ibegantoaskaboutfatherbuttheybothsaidnevertomindaboutfather,butjusttotellhimafterwards,andmothersaidshewouldmakeitallrightwithhim.Ididn’tquitelikethat,Mr.Holmes.ItseemedfunnythatIshouldaskhisleave,ashewasonlyafewyearsolderthanmebutIdidn’twanttodoanythingonthesly,soIwrotetofatheratBordeaux,wherethecompanyhasitsFrenchoffices,butthelettercamebacktomeontheverymorningofthewedding.” “Itmissedhim,then?” “Yes,sirforhehadstartedtoEnglandjustbeforeitarrived.” “Ha!thatwasunfortunate.Yourweddingwasarranged,then,fortheFriday.Wasittobeinchurch?” “Yes,sir,butveryquietly.ItwastobeatSt.Saviour’s,nearKing’sCross,andweweretohavebreakfastafterwardsattheSt.PancrasHotel.Hosmercameforusinahansom,butasthere