andloopofthehat-securer.“Theyareneversolduponhats.Ifthismanorderedone,itisasignofacertainamountofforesight,sincehewentoutofhiswaytotakethisprecautionagainstthewind.Butsinceweseethathehasbrokentheelasticandhasnottroubledtoreplaceit,itisobviousthathehaslessforesightnowthanformerly,whichisadistinctproofofaweakeningnature.Ontheotherhand,hehasendeavouredtoconcealsomeofthesestainsuponthefeltbydaubingthemwithink,whichisasignthathehasnotentirelylosthisself-respect.”
“Yourreasoningiscertainlyplausible.”
“Thefurtherpoints,thatheismiddle-aged,thathishairisgrizzled,thatithasbeenrecentlycut,andthatheuseslime-cream,arealltobegatheredfromacloseexaminationofthelowerpartofthelining.Thelensdisclosesalargenumberofhair-ends,cleancutbythescissorsofthebarber.Theyallappeartobeadhesive,andthereisadistinctodouroflime-cream.Thisdust,youwillobserve,isnotthegritty,greydustofthestreetbutthefluffybrowndustofthehouse,showingthatithasbeenhungupindoorsmostofthetime,whilethemarksofmoistureupontheinsideareproofpositivethatthewearerperspiredveryfreely,andcouldtherefore,hardlybeinthebestoftraining.”
“Buthiswife—yousaidthatshehadceasedtolovehim.”
“Thishathasnotbeenbrushedforweeks.WhenIseeyou,mydearWatson,withaweek’saccumulationofdustuponyourhat,andwhenyourwifeallowsyoutogooutinsuchastate,Ishallfearthatyoualsohavebeenunfortunateenoughtoloseyourwife’saffection.”
“Buthemightbeabachelor.”
“Nay,hewasbringinghomethegooseasapeace-offeringtohiswife.Rememberthecarduponthebird’sleg.”
“Youhaveananswertoeverything.Buthowonearthdoyoudeducethatthegasisnotlaidoninhishouse?”
“Onetallowstain,oreventwo,mightcomebychancebutwhenIseenolessthanfive,Ithinkthattherecanbelittledoubtthattheindividualmustbebroughtintofrequentcontactwithburningtallow—walksupstairsatnightprobablywithhishatinonehandandagutteringcandleintheother.Anyhow,henevergottallow-stainsfromagas-jet.Areyousatisfied?”
“Well,itisveryingenious,”saidI,laughing“butsince,asyousaidjustnow,therehasbeennocrimecommitted,andnoharmdonesavethelossofagoose,allthisseemstoberatherawasteofenergy.”
SherlockHolmeshadopenedhismouthtoreply,whenthedoorflewopen,andPeterson,thecommissionaire,rushedintotheapartmentwithflushedcheeksandthefaceofamanwhoisdazedwithastonishment.
“Thegoose,Mr.Holmes!Thegoose,sir!”hegasped.
“Eh?Whatofit,then?Hasitreturnedtolifeandflappedoffthroughthekitchenwindow?”Holmestwistedhimselfrounduponthesofatogetafairerviewoftheman’sexcitedface.
“Seehere,sir!Seewhatmywifefoundinitscrop!”Heheldouthishandanddisplayeduponthecentreofthepalmabrilliantlyscintillatingbluestone,rathersmallerthanabeaninsize,butofsuchpurityandradiancethatittwinkledlikeanelectricpointinthedarkhollowofhishand.
SherlockHolmessatupwithawhistle.“ByJove,Peterson!”saidhe,“thisistreasuretroveindeed.Isupposeyouknowwhatyouhavegot?”
“Adiamond,sir?Apreciousstone.Itcutsintoglassasthoughitwereputty.”
“It’smorethanapreciousstone.Itisthepreciousstone.”
“NottheCountessofMorcar’sbluecarbuncle!”Iejaculated.
“Preciselyso.Ioughttoknowitssizeandshape,seeingthatIhavereadtheadvertisementaboutitinTheTimeseverydaylately.Itisabsolutelyunique,anditsvaluecanonlybeconjectured,buttherewardofferedof￡1000iscertainlynotwithinatwentiethpartofthemarketprice.”
“Athousandpounds!GreatLordofmercy!”Thecommissionaireplumpeddownintoachairandstaredfromonetotheotherofus.
“Thatisthereward,andIhavereasontoknowthattherearesentimentalconsiderationsinthebackgroundwhichwouldinducetheCountesstopartwithhalfherfortuneifshecouldbutrecovertheg