MissMorstanenteredtheroomwithafirmstepandanoutwardcomposureofmanner.Shewasablondeyounglady,small,dainty,wellgloved,anddressedinthemostperfecttaste.Therewas,however,aplainnessandsimplicityabouthercostumewhichborewithitasuggestionoflimitedmeans.Thedresswasasombregreyishbeige,untrimmedandunbraided,andsheworeasmallturbanofthesamedullhue,relievedonlybyasuspicionofwhitefeatherintheside.Herfacehadneitherregularityoffeaturenorbeautyofcomplexion,butherexpressionwassweetandamiable,andherlargeblueeyesweresingularlyspiritualandsympathetic.Inanexperienceofwomenwhichextendsovermanynationsandthreeseparatecontinents,Ihaveneverlookeduponafacewhichgaveaclearerpromiseofarefinedandsensitivenature.IcouldnotbutobservethatasshetooktheseatwhichSherlockHolmesplacedforher,herliptrembled,herhandquivered,andsheshowedeverysignofintenseinwardagitation.
“Ihavecometoyou,Mr.Holmes,”shesaid,“becauseyouonceenabledmyemployer,Mrs.CecilForrester,tounravelalittledomesticcomplication.Shewasmuchimpressedbyyourkindnessandskill.”
“Mrs.CecilForrester,”herepeatedthoughtfully.“IbelievethatIwasofsomeslightservicetoher.Thecase,however,asIrememberit,wasaverysimpleone.”
“Shedidnotthinkso.Butatleastyoucannotsaythesameofmine.Icanhardlyimagineanythingmorestrange,moreutterlyinexplicable,thanthesituationinwhichIfindmyself.”
Holmesrubbedhishands,andhiseyesglistened.Heleanedforwardinhischairwithanexpressionofextraordinaryconcentrationuponhisclear-cut,hawklikefeatures.“Stateyourcase,”saidhe,inbrisk,businesstones.
Ifeltthatmypositionwasanembarrassingone.“Youwill,Iamsure,excuseme,”Isaid,risingfrommychair.
Tomysurprise,theyoungladyheldupherglovedhandtodetainme.“Ifyourfriend,”shesaid,“wouldbegoodenoughtostop,hemightbeofinestimableservicetome