ngelcouldnotcometothehouseanymore.”
“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,butastherewe