waterprooftoldofthefierceweatherthroughwhichhehadcome.Helookedabouthimanxiouslyintheglareofthelamp,andIcouldseethathisfacewaspaleandhiseyesheavy,likethoseofamanwhoisweigheddownwithsomegreatanxiety.
“Ioweyouanapology,”hesaid,raisinghisgoldenpince-neztohiseyes.“ItrustthatIamnotintruding.IfearthatIhavebroughtsometracesofthestormandrainintoyoursnugchamber.”
“Givemeyourcoatandumbrella,”saidHolmes.“Theymayresthereonthehookandwillbedrypresently.Youhavecomeupfromthesouth-west,Isee.”
“Yes,fromHorsham.”
“ThatclayandchalkmixturewhichIseeuponyourtoecapsisquitedistinctive.”
“Ihavecomeforadvice.”
“Thatiseasilygot.”
“Andhelp.”
“Thatisnotalwayssoeasy.”
“Ihaveheardofyou,Mr.Holmes.IheardfromMajorPrendergasthowyousavedhimintheTankervilleClubscandal.”
“Ah,ofcourse.Hewaswrongfullyaccusedofcheatingatcards.”
“Hesaidthatyoucouldsolveanything.”
“Hesaidtoomuch.”
“Thatyouareneverbeaten.”
“Ihavebeenbeatenfourtimes—threetimesbymen,andoncebyawoman.”
“Butwhatisthatcomparedwiththenumberofyoursuccesses?”
“ItistruethatIhavebeengenerallysuccessful.”
“Thenyoumaybesowithme.”
“Ibegthatyouwilldrawyourchairuptothefireandfavourmewithsomedetailsastoyourcase.”
“Itisnoordinaryone.”
“Noneofthosewhichcometomeare.Iamthelastcourtofappeal.”
“AndyetIquestion,sir,whether,inallyourexperience,youhaveeverlistenedtoamoremysteriousandinexplicablechainofeventsthanthosewhichhavehappenedinmyownfamily.”
“Youfillmewithinterest,”saidHolmes.“Praygiveustheessentialfactsfromthecommencement,andIcanafterwardsquestionyouastothosedetailswhichseemtometobemostimportant.”
Theyoungmanpulledhischairupandpushedhiswetfeetouttowardstheblaze.
“Myname,”saidhe,“isJohnOpenshaw,butmyownaffairshave,asfarasIcanunderstand,littletodowiththisawfulbusiness.Itisahereditarymattersoinordertogiveyouanideaofthefacts,Imustgobacktothecommencementoftheaffair.
“Youmustknowthatmygrandfatherhadtwosons—myuncleEliasandmyfatherJoseph.MyfatherhadasmallfactoryatCoventry,whichheenlargedatthetimeoftheinventionofbicycling.HewasapatenteeoftheOpenshawunbreakabletire,andhisbusinessmetwithsuchsuccessthathewasabletosellitandtoretireuponahandsomecompetence.
“MyuncleEliasemigratedtoAmericawhenhewasayoungmanandbecameaplanterinFlorida,wherehewasreportedtohavedoneverywell.AtthetimeofthewarhefoughtinJackson’sarmy,andafterwardsunderHood,whereherosetobeacolonel.WhenLeelaiddownhisarmsmyunclereturnedtohisplantation,whereheremainedforthreeorfouryears.About1869or1870hecamebacktoEuropeandtookasmallestateinSussex,nearHorsham.HehadmadeaveryconsiderablefortuneintheStates,andhisreasonforleavingthemwashisaversiontothenegroes,andhisdislikeoftheRepublicanpolicyinextendingthefranchisetothem.Hewasasingularman,fierceandquick-tempered,veryfoul-mouthedwhenhewasangry,andofamostretiringdisposition.DuringalltheyearsthathelivedatHorsham,Idoubtifeverhesetfootinthetown.Hehadagardenandtwoorthreefieldsroundhishouse,andtherehewouldtakehisexercise,thoughveryoftenforweeksonendhewouldneverleavehisroom.Hedrankagreatdealofbrandyandsmokedveryheavily,buthewouldseenosocietyanddidnotwantanyfriends,notevenhisownbrother.
“Hedidn’tmindmeinfact,hetookafancytome,foratthetimewhenhesawmefirstIwasayoungsteroftwelveorso.Thiswouldbeintheyear1878,afterhehadbeeneightornineyearsinEngland.Hebeg