.
“Youwillexcusemytroublingyou,Iamsure,”saidshe,asmycompanionrosetogreether,“butIhavehadaverystrangeexperience,andasIhavenoparentsorrelationsofanysortfromwhomIcouldaskadvice,IthoughtthatperhapsyouwouldbekindenoughtotellmewhatIshoulddo.”
“Praytakeaseat,MissHunter.IshallbehappytodoanythingthatIcantoserveyou.”
IcouldseethatHolmeswasfavourablyimpressedbythemannerandspeechofhisnewclient.Helookedheroverinhissearchingfashion,andthencomposedhimself,withhislidsdroopingandhisfinger-tipstogether,tolistentoherstory.
“Ihavebeenagovernessforfiveyears,”saidshe,“inthefamilyofColonelSpenceMunro,buttwomonthsagothecolonelreceivedanappointmentatHalifax,inNovaScotia,andtookhischildrenovertoAmericawithhim,sothatIfoundmyselfwithoutasituation.Iadvertised,andIansweredadvertisements,butwithoutsuccess.AtlastthelittlemoneywhichIhadsavedbegantorunshort,andIwasatmywit’sendastowhatIshoulddo.
“Thereisawell-knownagencyforgovernessesintheWestEndcalledWestaway’s,andthereIusedtocallaboutonceaweekinordertoseewhetheranythinghadturnedupwhichmightsuitme.Westawaywasthenameofthefounderofthebusiness,butitisreallymanagedbyMissStoper.Shesitsinherownlittleoffice,andtheladieswhoareseekingemploymentwaitinananteroom,andarethenshowninonebyone,whensheconsultsherledgersandseeswhethershehasanythingwhichwouldsuitthem.
“Well,whenIcalledlastweekIwasshownintothelittleofficeasusual,butIfoundthatMissStoperwasnotalone.Aprodigiouslystoutmanwithaverysmilingfaceandagreatheavychinwhichrolleddowninfolduponfoldoverhisthroatsatatherelbowwithapairofglassesonhisnose,lookingveryearnestlyattheladieswhoentered.AsIcameinhegavequiteajumpinhischairandturnedquicklytoMissStoper.
“‘Thatwilldo,’saidhe‘Icouldnotaskforanythingbetter.Capital!capital!’Heseemedquiteenthusiasticandrubbedhishandstogetherinthemostgenialfashion.Hewassuchacomfortable-lookingmanthatitwasquiteapleasuretolookathim.
“‘Youarelookingforasituation,miss?’heasked.
“‘Yes,sir.’
“‘Asgoverness?’
“‘Yes,sir.’
“‘Andwhatsalarydoyouask?’
“‘Ihad￡4amonthinmylastplacewithColonelSpenceMunro.’
“‘Oh,tut,tut!sweating—ranksweating!’hecried,throwinghisfathandsoutintotheairlikeamanwhoisinaboilingpassion.‘Howcouldanyoneoffersopitifulasumtoaladywithsuchattractionsandaccomplishments?’
“‘Myaccomplishments,sir,maybelessthanyouimagine,’saidI.‘AlittleFrench,alittleGerman,music,anddrawing—’
“‘Tut,tut!’hecried.‘Thisisallquitebesidethequestion.Thepointis,haveyouorhaveyounotthebearinganddeportmentofalady?Thereitisinanutshell.Ifyouhavenot,youarenotfittedfortherearingofachildwhomaysomedayplayaconsiderablepartinthehistoryofthecountry.Butifyouhavewhy,then,howcouldanygentlemanaskyoutocondescendtoacceptanythingunderthethreefigures?Yoursalarywithme,madam,wouldcommenceat￡100ayear.’
“Youmayimagine,Mr.Holmes,thattome,destituteasIwas,suchanofferseemedalmosttoogoodtobetrue.Thegentleman,however,seeingperhapsthelookofincredulityuponmyface,openedapocket-bookandtookoutanote.
“‘Itisalsomycustom,’saidhe,smilinginthemostpleasantfashionuntilhiseyeswerejusttwolittleshiningslitsamidthewhitecreasesofhisface,‘toadvancetomyyoungladieshalftheirsalarybeforehand,sothattheymaymeetanylittleexpensesoftheirjourneyandtheirwardrobe.’
“ItseemedtomethatIhadnevermetsofascinatingandsothoughtfulaman.AsIwasalreadyindebttomytradesmen,theadvancewasagreatconvenience,andyettherewassomethingunnaturalaboutthewholetransactionwhichmademewishtoknowalittlemorebeforeIquitecommittedmyself.
“‘MayIaskwhereyoulive,sir?’saidI.
“‘Hampshire.Charmingruralplace.TheCopperBeeches,fivemilesonthefarsideofWinchester.Itisthemostlovelycountry,mydearyounglady,andthedearestoldcountry-house.’
“‘Andmyduties,sir?Ishouldbegladtoknowwhattheywouldbe.’
“‘Onechild—onedearlittleromperjustsixyearsold.Oh,ifyoucouldseehimkillingcockroacheswithaslipper!Smack!smack!smack!Threegonebeforeyoucouldwink!’Heleanedbackinhischairandlaughedhiseyesintohisheadagain.
“Iwasalittlestartledatthenatureofthechild’samusement,butthefather’slaughtermademethinkthatperhapshewasjoking.
“‘Mysoleduties,then,’Iasked,‘aretotakechargeofasinglechild?’
“‘No,no,notthesole,notthesole,mydearyounglady,’hecried.‘Yourdutywouldbe,asIamsureyourgoodsensewouldsuggest,toobeyanylittlecommandsmywifemightgive,providedalwaysthattheyweresuchcommandsasaladymightwithproprietyobey.Youseenodifficulty,heh?’
“‘Ishouldbehappytomakemyselfuseful.’
“‘Quiteso.Indressnow,forexample.Weare