readthethoughtuponmyfeatures,andhissmilehadatingeofbitterness.
“IamafraidthatIrathergivemyselfawaywhenIexplain,”saidhe.“Resultswithoutcausesaremuchmoreimpressive.YouarereadytocometoBirmingham,then?”
“Certainly.Whatisthecase?”
“Youshallhearitallinthetrain.Myclientisoutsideinafour-wheeler.Canyoucomeatonce?”
“Inaninstant.”Iscribbledanotetomyneighbour,rushedupstairstoexplainthemattertomywife,andjoinedHolmesuponthedoor-step.
“Yourneighbourisadoctor,”saidhe,noddingatthebrassplate.
“YesheboughtapracticeasIdid.”
“Anold-establishedone?”
“Justthesameasmine.Bothhavebeeneversincethehouseswerebuilt.”
“Ah!Thenyougotholdofthebestofthetwo.”
“IthinkIdid.Buthowdoyouknow?”
“Bythesteps,myboy.Yoursarewornthreeinchesdeeperthanhis.Butthisgentlemaninthecabismyclient,Mr.HallPycroft.Allowmetointroduceyoutohim.Whipyourhorseup,cabby,forwehaveonlyjusttimetocatchourtrain.”
ThemanwhomIfoundmyselffacingwasawell-built,fresh-complexionedyoungfellow,withafrank,honestfaceandaslight,crisp,yellowmoustache.Heworeaveryshinytophatandaneatsuitofsoberblack,whichmadehimlookwhathewas—asmartyoungCityman,oftheclasswhohavebeenlabeledcockneys,butwhogiveusourcrackvolunteerregiments,andwhoturnoutmorefineathletesandsportsmenthananybodyofmenintheseislands.Hisround,ruddyfacewasnaturallyfullofcheeriness,butthecornersofhismouthseemedtometobepulleddowninahalf-comicaldistress.Itwasnot,however,untilwewereallinafirst-classcarriageandwellstarteduponourjourneytoBirminghamthatIwasabletolearnwhatthetroublewaswhichhaddrivenhimtoSherlockHolmes.
“Wehaveaclearrunhereofseventyminutes,”Holmesremarked.“Iwantyou,Mr.HallPycroft,totellmyfriendyourveryinterestingexperienceexactlyasyouhavetoldittome,orwithmoredetailifpossible.Itwillbeofusetometohearthesuccessionofeventsagain.Itisacase,Watson,whichmayprovetohavesomethinginit,ormayprovetohavenothing,butwhich,atleast,presentsthoseunusualandoutréfeatureswhichareasdeartoyouastheyaretome.Now,Mr.Pycroft,Ishallnotinterruptyouagain.”
Ouryoungcompanionlookedatmewithatwinkleinhiseye.
“Theworstofthestoryis,”saidhe,“thatIshowmyselfupassuchaconfoundedfool.Ofcourseitmayworkoutallright,andIdon’tseethatIcouldhavedoneotherwisebutifIhavelostmycribandgetnothinginexchangeIshallfeelwhatasoftJohnnieIhavebeen.I’mnotverygoodattellingastory,Dr.Watson,butitislikethiswithme:
“IusedtohaveabilletatCoxon&Woodhouse,ofDrapers’Gardens,buttheywereletinearlyinthespringthroughtheVenezuelanloan,asnodoubtyouremember,andcameanastycropper.Ihadbeenwiththemfiveyears,andoldCoxongavemearippinggoodtestimonialwhenthesmashcame,butofcourseweclerkswereallturnedadrift,thetwenty-sevenofus.Itriedhereandtriedthere,buttherewerelotsofotherchapsonthesamelayasmyself,anditwasaperfectfrostforalongtime.IhadbeentakingthreepoundsaweekatCoxon’s,andIhadsavedaboutseventyofthem,butIsoonworkedmywaythroughthatandoutattheotherend.Iwasfairlyattheendofmytetheratlast,andcouldhardlyfindthestampstoanswertheadvertisementsortheenvelopestostickthemto.Ihadwornoutmybootspaddlingupofficestairs,andIseemedjustasfarfromgett