”Pipesareoccasionallyofextraordinaryinterest，”saidhe。”Nothinghasmoreindividuality，saveperhapswatchesandbootlaces。Theindicationshere，however，areneitherverymarkednorveryimportant。
Theownerisobviouslyamuscularman，left-handed，withanexcellentsetofteeth，carelessinhishabits，andwithnoneedtopractiseeconomy。”
Myfriendthrewouttheinformationinaveryoffhandway，butIsawthathecockedhiseyeatmetoseeifIhadfollowedhisreasoning。”Youthinkamanmustbewell-to-doifhesmokesaseven-shillingpipe，”saidI。”ThisisGrosvenormixtureateightpenceanounce，”
Holmesanswered，knockingalittleoutonhispalm。”Ashemightgetanexcellentsmokeforhalftheprice，hehasnoneedtopractiseeconomy。””Andtheotherpoints?””Hehasbeeninthehabitoflightinghispipeatlampsandgas-jets。Youcanseethatitisquitecharredalldownoneside。Ofcourseamatchcouldnothavedonethat。Whyshouldamanholdamatchtothesideofhispipe?Butyoucannotlightitatalampwithoutgettingthebowlcharred。Anditisallontherightsideofthepipe。FromthatIgatherthatheisaleft-handedman。Youholdyourownpipetothelamp，andseehownaturallyyou，beingright-handed，holdtheleftsidetotheflame。Youmightdoitoncetheotherway，butnotasaconstancy。Thishasalwaysbeenheldso。Thenhehasbittenthroughhisamber。Ittakesamuscular，energeticfellow，andonewithagoodsetofteeth，todothat。ButifIamnotmistakenIhearhimuponthestair，soweshallhavesomethingmoreinterestingthanhispipetostudy。”
Aninstantlaterourdooropened，andatallyoungmanenteredtheroom。Hewaswellbutquietlydressedinadark-graysuit，andcarriedabrownwide-awakeinhishand。Ishouldhaveputhimataboutthirty，thoughhewasreallysomeyearsolder。”Ibegyourpardon，”saidhe，withsomeembarrassment；”IsupposeIshouldhaveknocked。Yes，ofcourseI
shouldhaveknocked。ThefactisthatIamalittleupset，andyoumustputitalldowntothat。”Hepassedhishandoverhisforeheadlikeamanwhoishalfdazed，andthenfellratherthansatdownuponachair。”Icanseethatyouhavenotsleptforanightortwo，”saidHolmes，inhiseasy，genialway。”Thattriesaman’snervesmorethanwork，andmoreeventhanpleasure。MayIaskhowIcanhelpyou?””Iwantedyouradvice，sir。Idon’tknowwhattodoandmywholelifeseemstohavegonetopieces。””Youwishtoemploymeasaconsultingdetective?””Notthatonly。Iwantyouropinionasajudiciousman——asamanoftheworld。IwanttoknowwhatI
oughttodonext。IhopetoGodyou’llbeabletotellme。”
Hespokeinlittle，sharp，jerkyoutbursts，anditseemedtomethattospeakatallwasverypainfultohim，andthathiswillallthroughwasoverridinghisinclinations。”It’saverydelicatething，”saidhe。”Onedoesnotliketospeakofone’sdomesticaffairstostrangers。
Itseemsdreadfultodiscusstheconductofone’swifewithtwomenwhomIhaveneverseenbefore。It’shorribletohavetodoit。ButI’vegottotheendofmytether，andImusthaveadvice。””MydearMr。GrantMunro——”beganHolmes。
Ourvisitorsprangfromhischar。”What！”hecried，”youknowmymane?””Ifyouwishtopreserveyourincognito，’saidHolmes，smiling，”Iwouldsuggestthatyouceasetowriteyournameupontheliningofyourhat，orelsethatyouturnthecrowntowardsthepersonwhomyouareaddressing。IwasabouttosaythatmyfriendandI
havelistenedtoagoodmanystrangesecretsinthisroom，andthatwehavehadthegoodfortunetobringpeacetomanytroubledsouls。Itrustthatwemaydoasmuchforyou。MightIbegyou，astimemayprovetobeofimportance，tofurnishmewiththefactsofyourcasewithoutfurtherdelay?”
Ourvisitoragainpassedhishandoverhisforehead，asifhefounditbitterlyhard。FromeverygestureandexpressionIcouldseethathewasareserved，self-containedman，withadashofprideinhisnature，morelikelytohidehiswoundsthantoexposethem。Thensuddenly，withafiercegestureofhisclosedhand，likeonewhothrowsreservetothewinds，hebegan。”Thefactsarethese，Mr。Holmes，”saidhe。”Iamamarriedman，andhavebeensoforthreeyears。DuringthattimemywifeandIhavelovedeachotherasfondlyandlivedashappilyasanytwothateverwerejoined。Wehavenothadadifference，notone，inthoughtorwordordeed。Andnow，sincelastMonday，therehassuddenlysprungupabarrierbetweenus，andIfindthatthereissomethinginherlifeandinherthoughtofwhichIknowaslittleasifshewerethewomanwhobrushesbymeinthestreet。Weareestranged，andIwanttoknowwhy。”NowthereisonethingthatIwanttoimpressuponyoubeforeIgoanyfurther，Mr。Holmes。Effielovesme。Don’tlettherebeanymistakeaboutthat。Shelovesmewithherwholeheartandsoul，andnevermorethannow。Iknowit。Ifeelit。Idon’twanttoargueaboutthat。Amancantelleasilyenoughwhenawomanloveshim。Butthere’sthissecretbetweenus，andwecanneverbethesameuntilitiscleared。””Kindlyletmehavethefacts，Mr。Munro，”saidHolmes，withsomeimpatience。”I’lltellyouwhatIknowaboutEffie’shistory。ShewasawidowwhenImetherfirst，thoughquiteyoung——onlytwenty-five。HernamethenwasMrs。
Hebron。ShewentouttoAmericawhenshewasyoung，andlivedinthetownofAtlanta，whereshemarriedthisHebron，whowasalawyerwithagoodpractice。
Theyhadonechild，buttheyellowfeverbrokeoutbadlyintheplace，andbothhusbandandchilddiedofit。Ihaveseenhisdeathcertificate。ThissickenedherofAmerica，andshecamebacktolivewithamaidenauntatPinner，inMiddlesex。Imaymentionthatherhusbandhadlefthercomfortablyoff，andthatshehadacapitalofaboutfourthousandfivehundredpounds，whichhadbeensowellinvestedbyhimthatitreturnedanaverageofsevenpercent。ShehadonlybeensixmonthsatPinnerwhenImether；wefellinlovewitheachother，andwemarriedafewweeksafterwards。”Iamahopmerchantmyself，andasIhaveanincomeofsevenoreighthundred，wefoundourselvescomfortablyoff，andtookaniceeighty-pound-a-yearvillaatNorbury。Ourlittleplacewasverycountrified，consideringthatitissoclosetotown。
Wehadaninnandtwohousesalittleaboveus，andasinglecottageattheothersideofthefieldwhichfacesus，andexceptthosetherewerenohousesuntilyougothalfwaytothestation。Mybusinesstookmeintotownatcertainseasons，butinsummerIhadlesstodo，andtheninourcountryhomemywifeandIwerejustashappyascouldbewished。Itellyouthatthereneverwasashadowbetweenusuntilthisaccursedaffairbegan。”There’sonethingIoughttotellyoubeforeIgofurther。Whenwemarried，mywifemadeoverallherpropertytome——ratheragainstmywill，forIsawhowawkwarditwouldbeifmybusinessaffairswentwrong。
However，shewouldhaveitso，anditwasdone。Well，aboutsixweeksagoshecametome。”’Jack，’saidshe，’whenyoutookmymoneyyousaidthatifeverIwantedanyIwastoaskyouforit。’”’Certainly，’saidI。’It’sallyourown。’”’Well，’saidshe，’Iwantahundredpounds。’”Iwasabitstaggeredatthis，forIhadimagineditwassimplyanewdressorsomethingofthekindthatshewasafter。”’Whatonearthfor?’Iasked。”’Oh，’saidshe，inherplayfulway，’yousaidthatyouwereonlymybanker，andbankersneveraskquestions，youknow。’”’Ifyoureallymeanit，ofcourseyoushallhavethemoney，’saidI。”’Oh，yes，Ireallymeanit。’”’Andyouwon’ttellmewhatyouwantitfor?’”’Someday，perhaps，butnotjustatpresent，Jack。’”SoIhadtobecontentwiththat，thoughtitwasthefirsttimethattherehadeverbeenanysecretbetweenus。Igaveheracheck，andIneverthoughtanymoreofthematter。Itmayhavenothingtodowithwhatcameafterwards，butIthoughtitonlyrighttomentionit。”Well，Itoldyoujustnowthatthereisacottagenotfarfromourhouse。Thereisjustafieldbetweenus，buttoreachityouhavetogoalongtheroadandthenturndownalane。JustbeyonditisanicelittlegroveofScotchfirs，andIusedtobeveryfondofstrollingdownthere，fortreesarealwaysaneighborlykindofthings。Thecottagehadbeenstandingemptythiseightmonths，anditwasapity，foritwasaprettytwostoriedplace，withanold-fashionedporchandhoneysuckleaboutit。Ihavestoodmanyatimeandthoughtwhataneatlittlehomesteaditwouldmake。”Well，lastMondayeveningIwastakingastrolldownthatway，whenImetanemptyvancomingupthelane，andsawapileofcarpetsandthingslyingaboutonthegrass-plotbesidetheporch。Itwasclearthatthecottagehadatlastbeenlet。Iwalkedpastit，andwonderedwhatsortoffolktheywerewhohadcometolivesonearus。AndasIlookedIsuddenlybecameawarethatafacewaswatchingmeoutofoneoftheupperwindows。”Idon’tknowwhattherewasaboutthatface，Mr。