“Holmes,”saidIasIstoodonemorninginourbow-windowlookingdownthestreet,“hereisamadmancomingalong.Itseemsrathersadthathisrelativesshouldallowhimtocomeoutalone.”
Myfriendroselazilyfromhisarmchairandstoodwithhishandsinthepocketsofhisdressing-gown,lookingovermyshoulder.Itwasabright,crispFebruarymorning,andthesnowofthedaybeforestilllaydeepupontheground,shimmeringbrightlyinthewintrysun.DownthecentreofBakerStreetithadbeenploughedintoabrowncrumblybandbythetraffic,butateithersideandontheheaped-upedgesofthefootpathsitstilllayaswhiteaswhenitfell.Thegreypavementhadbeencleanedandscraped,butwasstilldangerouslyslippery,sothattherewerefewerpassengersthanusual.Indeed,fromthedirectionoftheMetropolitanStationnoonewascomingsavethesinglegentlemanwhoseeccentricconducthaddrawnmyattention.
Hewasamanofaboutfifty,tall,portly,andimposing,withamassive,stronglymarkedfaceandacommandingfigure.Hewasdressedinasombreyetrichstyle,inblackfrock-coat,shininghat,neatbrowngaiters,andwell-cutpearl-greytrousers.Yethisactionswereinabsurdcontrasttothedignityofhisdressandfeatures,forhewasrunninghard,withoccasionallittlesprings,suchasawearymangiveswhoislittleaccustomedtosetanytaxuponhislegs.Asheranhejerkedhishandsupanddown,waggledhishead,andwrithedhisfaceintothemostextraordinarycontortions.
“Whatonearthcanbethematterwithhim?”Iasked.“Heislookingupatthenumbersofthehouses.”
“Ibelievethatheiscominghere,”saidHolmes,rubbinghishands.
“Here?”
“YesIratherthinkheiscomingtoconsultmeprofessionally.IthinkthatIrecognisethesymptoms.Ha!didInottellyou?”Ashespoke,theman,puffingandblowing,rushedatourdoorandpulledatourbelluntilthewholehouseresoundedwiththeclanging.
Afewmomentslaterhewasinourroom,stillpuffing,stillgesticulating,butwithsofixedalookofgriefanddespairinhiseyesthatoursmileswereturnedinaninstanttohorrorandpity.Forawhilehecouldnotgethiswordsout,butswayedhisbodyandpluckedathishairlikeonewhohasbeendriventotheextremelimitsofhisreason.Then,suddenlyspringingtohisfeet,hebeathisheadagainstthewallwithsuchforcethatwebothrusheduponhimandtorehimawaytothecentreoftheroom.SherlockHolmespushedhimdownintotheeasy-chairand,sittingbesidehim,pattedhishandandchattedwithhimintheeasy,soothingtoneswhichheknewsowellhowtoemploy.
“Youhavecometometotellyourstory,haveyounot?”saidhe.“Youarefatiguedwithyourhaste.Praywaituntilyouhaverecoveredyourself,andthenIshallbemosthappytolookintoanylittleproblemwhichyoumaysubmittome.”
Themansatforaminuteormorewithaheavingchest,fightingagainsthisemotion.Thenhepassedhishandkerchiefoverhisbrow,sethislipstight,andturnedhisfacetowardsus.
“Nodoubtyouthinkmemad?”saidhe.
“Iseethatyouhavehadsomegreattrouble,”respondedHolmes.
“GodknowsIhave!—atroublewhichisenoughtounseatmyreason,sosuddenandsoterribleisit.PublicdisgraceImighthavefaced,althoughIamamanwhosecharacterhasneveryetborneastain.Privateafflictionalsoisthelotofeverymanbutthetwocomingtogether,andinsofrightfulaform,havebeenenoughtoshakemyverysoul.Besides,itisnotIalone.Theverynoblestinthelandmaysufferunlesssomewaybefoundoutofthishorribleaffair.”
“Praycomposeyourself,sir,”saidHolmes,“andletmehaveaclearaccountofwhoyouareandwhatitisthathasbefallenyou.”
“Myname,”answeredourvisitor,“isprobablyfamiliartoyourears.IamAlexanderHolder,ofthebankingfirmofHolder&Stevenson,ofThreadneedleStreet.”
ThenamewasindeedwellknowntousasbelongingtotheseniorpartnerinthesecondlargestprivatebankingconcernintheCityofLondon.Whatcouldhavehappened,then,tobringoneoftheforemostcitizensofLondontothismostpitiablepass?Wewaited,allcuriosity,untilwithanotherefforthebracedhimselftotellhisstory.
“Ifeelthattimeisofvalue,”saidhe“thatiswhyIhastenedherewhenthepoliceinspectorsuggestedthatIshouldsecureyourco-operation.IcametoBakerStreetbytheUndergroundandhurriedfromthereonfoot,forthecabsgoslowlythroughthissnow.ThatiswhyIwassooutofbreath,forIamamanwhotakesverylittleexercise.Ifeelbetternow,andIwillputthefactsbeforeyouasshortlyandyetasclearlyasIcan.
“Itis,ofcourse,wellknowntoyouthatinasuccessfulbankingbusinessasmuchdependsuponourbeingabletofindremunerativeinvestmentsforourfundsasuponourincreasingourconnectionandthenumberofourdepositors.Oneofourmostlucrativemeansoflayingoutmoneyisintheshapeofloans,wherethesecurityisunim