ADVENTURE I .
A SCANDAL IN I. To is always .
have seldom heard mention under any other name .
In eyes eclipses and predominates the whole of sex .
It was not that felt any emotion akin to love for .
All emotions , and that one particularly , were abhorrent to cold , precise but admirably balanced mind .
was , take it , , but as would have placed in a false position .
never spoke of the softer passions , save with a gibe and a sneer .
They were admirable things for -- excellent for drawing the veil from 's motives and actions .
But for to admit such intrusions into own delicate and finely adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which might throw a doubt upon all mental results .
Grit in a sensitive instrument , or a crack in one of own high-power lenses , would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a nature such as .
And yet there was but to , and that was , of dubious and questionable memory .
had seen little of lately .
marriage had drifted away from each other .
own complete happiness , and the home-centred interests which rise up around , were sufficient to absorb all attention , while , who loathed every form of society with whole Bohemian soul , remained in , buried among old books , and alternating from week to week between cocaine and ambition , the drowsiness of the drug , and the fierce energy of own keen nature .
was still , as ever , deeply attracted by the study of crime , and occupied immense faculties and extraordinary powers of observation in following out those clues , and clearing up those mysteries which had been abandoned as hopeless by .
From time to time heard some vague account of doings : of summons to in the case of the murder , of clearing up of the singular tragedy of at , and finally of the mission which had accomplished so delicately and successfully for .
Beyond these signs of activity , however , which merely shared with , knew little of and .
One night -- it was on the twentieth of March , 1888 -- was returning from a journey to ( for had now returned to civil practice ) , when way led through .
As passed the well-remembered door , which must always be associated in mind with wooing , and with the dark incidents of the Study in Scarlet , was seized with a keen desire to see again , and to know how was employing extraordinary powers .
were brilliantly lit , and , even as looked up , saw pass twice in a dark silhouette against the blind .
was pacing swiftly , eagerly , with head sunk upon chest and hands clasped behind .
To , who knew every mood and habit , attitude and manner told their own story .
was at work again .
had risen out of drug-created dreams and was hot upon the scent of some new problem .
rang the bell and was shown up to .
manner was not effusive .
It seldom was ; but was glad , think , to see .
With hardly a word spoken , but with a kindly eye , waved to an armchair , threw across case of cigars , and indicated a spirit case and a gasogene in the corner .
Then stood before the fire and looked over in singular introspective fashion .
" Wedlock suits , " remarked .
" think , , that have put on seven and a half pounds since saw . "
" Seven ! "
answered .
" Indeed , should have thought a little more .
Just a trifle more , fancy , .
And in practice again , observe .
did not tell that intended to go into harness . "
" Then , how do know ? "
" see it , deduce it .
How do know that have been getting very wet lately , and that have ? "
" , " said , " this is too much .
would certainly have been burned , had lived a few centuries ago .
It is true that had a country walk on Thursday and came in a dreadful mess , but as have changed clothes ca n't imagine how deduce it .
As to , is incorrigible , and has given notice , but there , again , fail to see how work it out . "
chuckled to and rubbed long , nervous hands together .
" It is simplicity itself , " said ; " eyes tell that on the inside of left shoe , just where the firelight strikes it , the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts .
Obviously they have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it .
Hence , see , double deduction that had been out in vile weather , and that had .
As to practice , if walks into smelling of iodoform , with a black mark of nitrate of silver upon right forefinger , and a bulge on the right side of top-hat to show where has secreted stethoscope , must be dull , indeed , if do not pronounce to be . "
could not help laughing at the ease with which explained process of deduction .
" When hear give reasons , " remarked , " the thing always appears to to be so ridiculously simple that could easily do it , though at each successive instance of reasoning am baffled until explain process .
And yet believe that eyes are as good as yours . "
" Quite so , " answered , lighting a cigarette , and throwing down into an armchair .
" see , but do not observe .
The distinction is clear .
For example , have frequently seen . "
" Frequently . "
" How often ? "
" Well , some hundreds of times . "
" Then how many are there ? "
" How many ?
do n't know . "
" Quite so !
have not observed .
And yet have seen .
That is just point .
Now , know that there are , because have both seen and observed .
By-the-way , since are interested in these little problems , and since are good enough to chronicle one or two of trifling experiences , may be interested in this . "
threw over a sheet of thick , pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open upon the table .
" It came by the last post , " said .
" Read it aloud . "
The note was undated , and without either signature or address .
" There will call upon to-night , at a quarter to eight o'clock , " it said , " .
recent services to have shown that are one who may safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated .
This account of have from all quarters received .
Be in then at that hour , and do not take it amiss if wear a mask . "
" This is indeed a mystery , " remarked .
" What do imagine that it means ? "
" have no data yet .
It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data .
Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories , instead of theories to suit facts .
But the note itself .
What do deduce from it ? "
carefully examined the writing , and the paper upon which it was written .
" was presumably well to do , " remarked , endeavouring to imitate 's processes .
" Such paper could not be bought under half a crown a packet .
It is peculiarly strong and stiff . "
" Peculiar -- that is the very word , " said .
" It is not an English paper at all .
Hold it up to the light . "
did so , and saw a large " E " with a small " g , " a " P , " and a large " G " with a small " t " woven into the texture of the paper .
" What do make of that ? " asked .
" The name of , no doubt ; or monogram , rather . "
" Not at all .
The ' G ' with the small ' t ' stands for ' Gesellschaft , ' which is the German for ' Company . '
It is a customary contraction like ' Co. ' ' P , ' of course , stands for ' Papier . '
Now for the ' Eg . '
Let glance at Continental Gazetteer . "
took down a heavy brown volume from shelves .
" , -- here are , .
It is in -- in , not far from .
' Remarkable as being the scene of the death of , and for and . '
Ha , ha , , what do make of that ? "
eyes sparkled , and sent up a great blue triumphant cloud from cigarette .
" The paper was made in , " said .
" Precisely .
And is .
Do note the peculiar construction of the sentence -- ' This account of have from all quarters received . '
or could not have written that .
It is .
It only remains , therefore , to discover what is wanted by .
And here comes , if am not mistaken , to resolve all doubts . "