XII.THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES

efaddypeople,youknow—faddybutkind-hearted.Ifyouwereaskedtowearanydresswhichwemightgiveyou,youwouldnotobjecttoourlittlewhim.Heh?’ “‘No,’saidI,considerablyastonishedathiswords. “‘Ortosithere,orsitthere,thatwouldnotbeoffensivetoyou?’ “‘Oh,no.’ “‘Ortocutyourhairquiteshortbeforeyoucometous?’ “Icouldhardlybelievemyears.Asyoumayobserve,Mr.Holmes,myhairissomewhatluxuriant,andofaratherpeculiartintofchestnut.Ithasbeenconsideredartistic.Icouldnotdreamofsacrificingitinthisoffhandfashion. “‘Iamafraidthatthatisquiteimpossible,’saidI.Hehadbeenwatchingmeeagerlyoutofhissmalleyes,andIcouldseeashadowpassoverhisfaceasIspoke. “‘Iamafraidthatitisquiteessential,’saidhe.‘Itisalittlefancyofmywife’s,andladies’fancies,youknow,madam,ladies’fanciesmustbeconsulted.Andsoyouwon’tcutyourhair?’ “‘No,sir,Ireallycouldnot,’Iansweredfirmly. “‘Ah,verywellthenthatquitesettlesthematter.Itisapity,becauseinotherrespectsyouwouldreallyhavedoneverynicely.Inthatcase,MissStoper,Ihadbestinspectafewmoreofyouryoungladies.’ “Themanageresshadsatallthiswhilebusywithherpaperswithoutawordtoeitherofus,butsheglancedatmenowwithsomuchannoyanceuponherfacethatIcouldnothelpsuspectingthatshehadlostahandsomecommissionthroughmyrefusal. “‘Doyoudesireyournametobekeptuponthebooks?’sheasked. “‘Ifyouplease,MissStoper.’ “‘Well,really,itseemsratheruseless,sinceyourefusethemostexcellentoffersinthisfashion,’saidshesharply.‘Youcanhardlyexpectustoexertourselvestofindanothersuchopeningforyou.Good-daytoyou,MissHunter.’Shestruckagonguponthetable,andIwasshownoutbythepage. “Well,Mr.Holmes,whenIgotbacktomylodgingsandfoundlittleenoughinthecupboard,andtwoorthreebillsuponthetable,IbegantoaskmyselfwhetherIhadnotdoneaveryfoolishthing.Afterall,ifthesepeoplehadstrangefadsandexpectedobedienceonthemostextraordinarymatters,theywereatleastreadytopayfortheireccentricity.VeryfewgovernessesinEnglandaregetting￡100ayear.Besides,whatusewasmyhairtome?ManypeopleareimprovedbywearingitshortandperhapsIshouldbeamongthenumber.NextdayIwasinclinedtothinkthatIhadmadeamistake,andbythedayafterIwassureofit.IhadalmostovercomemypridesofarastogobacktotheagencyandinquirewhethertheplacewasstillopenwhenIreceivedthisletterfromthegentlemanhimself.IhaveithereandIwillreadittoyou: “‘TheCopperBeeches,nearWinchester. “‘DEARMISSHUNTER,—MissStoperhasverykindlygivenmeyouraddress,andIwritefromheretoaskyouwhetheryouhavereconsideredyourdecision.Mywifeisveryanxiousthatyoushouldcome,forshehasbeenmuchattractedbymydescriptionofyou.Wearewillingtogive￡30aquarter,or￡120ayear,soastorecompenseyouforanylittleinconveniencewhichourfadsmaycauseyou.Theyarenotveryexacting,afterall.Mywifeisfondofaparticularshadeofelectricblueandwouldlikeyoutowearsuchadressindoorsinthemorning.Youneednot,however,gototheexpenseofpurchasingone,aswehaveonebelongingtomydeardaughterAlice(nowinPhiladelphia),whichwould,Ishouldthink,fityouverywell.Then,astosittinghereorthere,oramusingyourselfinanymannerindicated,thatneedcauseyounoinconvenience.Asregardsyourhair,itisnodoubtapity,especiallyasIcouldnothelpremarkingitsbeautyduringourshortinterview,butIamafraidthatImustremainfirmuponthispoint,andIonlyhopethattheincreasedsalarymayrecompenseyoufortheloss.Yourduties,asfarasthechildisconcerned,areverylight.Nowdotrytocome,andIshallmeetyouwiththedog-cartatWinchester.Letmeknowyourtrain.Yoursfaithfully, “‘JEPHRORUCASTLE.’ “ThatistheletterwhichIhavejustreceived,Mr.Holmes,andmymindismadeupthatIwillacceptit.Ithought,however,thatbeforetakingthefinalstepIshouldliketosubmitthewholemattertoyourconsideration.” “Well,MissHunter,ifyourmindismadeup,thatsettlesthequestion,”saidHolmes,smiling. “Butyouwouldnotadvisemetorefuse?” “IconfessthatitisnotthesituationwhichIshouldliketoseeasisterofmineapplyfor.” “Whatisthemeaningofitall,Mr.Holmes?” “Ah,Ihavenodata.Icannottell.Perhapsyouhaveyourselfformedsomeopinion?” “Well,thereseemstometobeonlyonepossiblesolution.Mr.Rucastleseemedtobeaverykind,good-naturedman.Isitnotpossiblethathiswifeisalunatic,thathedesirestokeepthematterquietforfearsheshouldbetakentoanasylum,andthathehumoursherfanciesineverywayinordertopreventanoutbreak?” “Thatisapossiblesolution—infact,asmattersstand,itisthemostprobableone.Butinanycaseitdoesnotseemtobeanicehouseholdforayounglady.” “Butthemoney,Mr.Holmes,themoney!” “Well,yes,ofcoursethepayisgood—toogood.Thatiswhatmakesmeuneasy.Whyshouldtheygiveyou￡120ayear,whentheycouldhavetheirpickfor￡40?Theremustbesomestrongreasonbehind.” “IthoughtthatifItoldyouthecircumstancesyouwouldunderstandafterwardsifIwantedyourhelp.IshouldfeelsomuchstrongerifIfeltthatyouwereatthebackofme.” “Oh,youmaycarrythatfeelingawaywithyou.Iassureyouthatyourlittleproblempromisestobethemostinterestingwhichhascomemywayforsomemonths.Thereissomethingdistinctlynovelaboutsomeofthefeatures.Ifyoushouldfindyourselfindoubtorindanger—” “Danger!Whatdangerdoyouforesee?” Holmesshookhisheadgravely.“Itwouldceasetobeadangerifwecoulddefineit,”saidhe.“Butatanytime,dayornight,atelegramwouldbringmedowntoyourhelp.” “Thatisenough.”Sherosebrisklyfromherchairwiththeanxietyallsweptfromherface.“IshallgodowntoHampshirequiteeasyinmymindnow.IshallwritetoMr.Rucastleatonce,sacrificemypoorhairto-night,andstartforWinchesterto-morrow.”WithafewgratefulwordstoHolmesshebadeusbothgood-nightandbustledoffuponherway. “Atleast,”saidIasweheardherquick,firmstepsdescendingthestairs,“sheseemstobeayoungladywhoisverywellabletotakecareofherself.” “Andshewouldneedtobe,”saidHolmesgravely.“Iammuchmistakenifwedonothearfromherbeforemanydaysarepast.” Itwasnotverylongbeforemyfriend’spredictionwasfulfilled.Afortnightwentby,duringwhichIfrequentlyfoundmythoughtsturninginherdirectionandwonderingwhatstrangeside-alleyofhumanexperiencethislonelywomanhadstrayedinto.Theunusualsalary,thecuriousconditions,thelightduties,allpointedtosomethingabnormal,thoughwhetherafadoraplot,orwhetherthemanwereaphilanthropistoravillain,itwasquitebeyondmypowerstodetermine.AstoHolmes,Iobservedthathesatfrequentlyforhalfanhouronend,withknittedbrowsandanabstractedair,buthesweptthematterawaywithawaveofhishandwhenImentionedit.“Data!data!data!”hecriedimpatiently.“Ican’tmakebrickswithoutclay.”Andyethewouldalwayswindupbymutteringthatnosisterofhisshouldeverhaveacceptedsuchasituation. ThetelegramwhichweeventuallyreceivedcamelateonenightjustasIwasthinkingofturninginandHolmeswassettlingdowntooneofthoseall-nightchemicalresearcheswhichhefrequentlyindulgedin,whenIwouldleavehimstoopingoveraretortandatest-tubeatnightandfindhiminthesamepositionwhenIcamedowntobreakfastinthemorning.Heopenedtheyellowenvelope,andthen,glancingatthemessage,threwitacrosstome. “JustlookupthetrainsinBradshaw,”saidhe,andturnedbacktohischemicalstudies. Thesummonswasabriefandurgentone. “PleasebeattheBlackSwanHotelatWinchesteratmiddayto-morrow,”itsaid.“Docome!Iamatmywit’send. “HUNTER.” “Willyoucomewithme?”askedHolmes,glancingup. “Ishouldwishto.” “Justlookitup,then.” “Thereisatrainathalf-pastnine,”saidI,glancingovermyBradshaw.“ItisdueatWinchesterat11:30.” “Thatwilldoverynicely.ThenperhapsIhadbetterpostponemyanalysisoftheacetones,aswemayneedtobeatourbestinthemorning.” Byeleveno’clockthenextdaywewerewelluponourwaytotheoldEnglishcapital.Holmeshadbeenburiedinthemorningpapersallthewaydown,butafterwehadpassedtheHampshireborderhethrewthemdownandbegantoadmirethescenery.Itwasanidealspringday,alightbluesky,fleckedwithlittlefleecywhitecloudsdriftingacrossfromwesttoeast.Thesunwasshiningverybrightly,andyettherewasanexhilaratingnipintheair,whichsetanedgetoaman’senergy.Alloverthecountryside,awaytotherollinghillsaroundAldershot,thelittleredandgreyroofsofthefarm-steadingspeepedoutfromamidthelightgreenofthenewfoliage. “Aretheynotfreshandbeautiful?”IcriedwithalltheenthusiasmofamanfreshfromthefogsofBakerStreet. ButHolmesshookhisheadgravely. “Doyouknow,Watson,”saidhe,“thatitisoneofthecursesofamindwithaturnlikeminethatImustlookateverythingwithreferencetomyownspecialsubject.Youlookatthesescatteredhouses,andyouareimpressedbytheirbeauty.Ilookatthem,andtheonlythoughtwhichcomestomeisafeelingoftheirisolationandoftheimpunitywithwhichcrimemaybecommittedthere.” “Goodheavens!”Icried.“Whowouldassociatecrimewiththesedearoldhomesteads?” “Theyalwaysfillmewithacertainhorror.Itismybelief,Watson,foundeduponmyexperience,thatthelowestandvilestalleysinLondondonotpresentamoredreadfulrecordofsinthandoesthesmilingandbeautifulcountryside.” “Youhorrifyme!” “Butthereasonisveryobvious.Thepressureofpublicopinioncandointhetownwhatthelawcannotaccomplish.Thereisnolanesovilethatthescreamofatorturedchild,orthethudofadrunkard’sblow,doesnotbegetsympathyandindignationamongtheneighbours,andthenthewholemachineryofjusticeiseversoclosethatawordofcomplaintcansetitgoing,andthereisbutaste